Episodes
Saturday May 21, 2022
The More I Change, The More Stays The Same
Saturday May 21, 2022
Saturday May 21, 2022
Like I've been saying this week, I've been struggling with trying to be everything I'm supposed to be (the I see me in my head). But God was showing me where I decided to make a change, and where I decided to surrender and allow Him to develop me. The areas are vastly different. Like this, I decided on my own that I will not be broke any more. I said I would maintain X amount in my account, and adjust accordingly to maintain that. It worked for only so long, because life made adjustments at the same time that would keep me at the level I was in my finances. If I got and increase, car maintenance or a new program or an unexpected increase in expenses would appear.
To be honest, the exact same thing would happen when I decided to surrender my financial mindset to function in a kingdom way (to be developed). Although setbacks come, I’ve been satisfied in not needing more, which means I spend less, which I can take hits when life shows up.
A changed mind under pressure will fall back on what it knows, because it thinks the change is not working. A developed mind will build itself little by little, and it won’t fall back far if trouble comes because in the development process, training is building a strong foundation for things to come.
Here’s the bottom line, to free yourself to become changed, you have to set yourself free to what you have been doing. The circumstances that test you will always try the actual mindset of where you are, if it really has been changed, or will it stay the same.
Wednesday May 18, 2022
Stepping Across An Invisible Bridge
Wednesday May 18, 2022
Wednesday May 18, 2022
#UnBlockYourself Episode 420
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
Struggling in the now is not as bad as it sounds. The fight is within me trying to control everything instead of trusting in the process. I think of it as me stepping onto an invisible bridge, going from where I am, to where I am supposed to be. In my mind I can see a lot of where I’m going, but the path to get there is on this invisible bridge. Like me, this frightens many people, because it requires a lot of faith to be guided.
3 things on this:
- You cannot just sit and do nothing. Staying stuck on the bridge is no good for you or anyone. It is never a good feeling being stuck.
- You have to believe that the doors that close on you sets you up for a better position on this bridge. Some of the doors we choose for ourselves can leave us stuck in a place for years. Sitting at an old door that closed because that was where we wanted to go.
- You have to go through the doors that are opened for you. The doors of opportunity that God opens for you moves you across this bridge and the interesting thing about this is, the more you trust and move, the longer and greater this bridge becomes. Greater payoffs await behind each new door you step through, bringing you closer and closer to who you have been called to be!
Monday May 16, 2022
The Struggle with being in the Now
Monday May 16, 2022
Monday May 16, 2022
"We realize we have built our lives around who we were, and we must make adjustments to be who we are, on the way to who we are becoming."
I read this in a daily devotional and it really spoke to me. Ichigo Ichie (about being present in the moment) has been something I firmly believe in, but I have a hard time staying there with God. Reading this I finally have an understanding why.
God is always in the now. In my past, it's His now. In my future, it's still His now. My present, He is there, in the now. But as for us, we only can be in the now, and who are today is built on all of our past experiences (In The Past). All I know is my past, my future is not clear, and I can only blindly walk by faith in the now. That's Hard.
I'm building my now off of what I've experienced in the past. But God is ever changing and evolving us for our future, so the struggle really just boils down to trusting the process. Because He functions in the now, we can't really rely on just our past to fulfill our future. We have to trust and depend on Him. I can't stress this enough, being present with Him in the now is where change comes. If we can keep focused on the now, our future is bright paved with the blessings of our lights shining in the darkness!
Have a great day!
Tuesday Apr 26, 2022
Risk Ratio 2: Don’t be afraid to do it afraid
Tuesday Apr 26, 2022
Tuesday Apr 26, 2022
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” - Isaiah 41:10
Have you ever noticed that God gives you a giant vision that is waaaaaaaay bigger than you can handle? Then in your spirit you can hear, “Don’t be scared…” For me, it helps in knowing that I’m not alone, and that I’m where I am supposed to be, but, it doesn’t help because the task in front of me is bigger than me. I feel like I’m being swallowed up by this great big monster of an undertaking and usually the bigger things win.
I think it is set up this way on purpose. It says “fear not”, meaning that it is going to naturally be scary. I think that the scripture is telling you that it’s okay, to go ahead and not be afraid to do what you’ve set out to do, scared. If you could do it in your own strength, well you wouldn’t need God at all right? I’ve spoken to small groups and in front of congregations, all in which when I think about it, when it was important, no matter the size, I’d be nervous as all get out. But the adrenaline gets going and I’m determined to have a good time, even though I’m afraid, God makes it okay. I’ve lived even when I’ve bombed, or forgotten lines, or watched deacons at church fall asleep right in front of me giving a sermon. The scripture is saying, “I called you, now go take the risk.”
Behind the risks, there are rewards! From lesson being learned to monetary compensation, with the right mindset, the more risks you take the greater rewards and closer you come to your success!
Monday Apr 25, 2022
Risk Ratio to Success
Monday Apr 25, 2022
Monday Apr 25, 2022
“The fastest way to success is to double your failure rate.” - Thomas Watson, Sr.
When I came home from active duty, I had a little time on my hands. One of the things I wanted to do was to learn about Atlanta. All the little hole-in-the-wall places. So, the first thing I would do in the morning jump in the car, and head toward downtown. A lot of the streets that I lived near would either end up downtown or intersect a street that would lead downtown. When I went from one end to the other, I would turn around and find my way back. Worst case scenario is that I would hit 285 and go back from there. (That was my protective ring around the city.)
Because I had the desire to get lost, and find my way, and I had the mindset that I would not go further than my boundaries, I had no fear of really getting into too much trouble. I learned a lot of unique shops and became really familiar with streets all over the city.
To learn the city I took a few risks, but the desire to learn outweighed the fear of being lost, ending up in the wrong neighborhood, and thinking I would run into trouble too great for me to deal with.
Success came quick when I was willing to take the risks, let go of my fears, and stay mindful of the boundaries I set for myself.
Thursday Apr 21, 2022
Well this was unexpected.
Thursday Apr 21, 2022
Thursday Apr 21, 2022
Learning from failures can be tough sometimes, but if you are learning the lessons, it will catapult you towards your success.
Everything works together for your good!
“The fastest way to success is to double your failure rate.” - Thomas Watson, Sr.
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
Focus Shift From Failing
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
So how do we become a little clearer on the things we need to bring us out of the fog? We need to snap out of focusing on failing and shift it in to what it really is, a lesson being taught. When we start to shift that focus, we can start to come up with a better plan of attack.
Right now as it stands, my Japanese is no better than it was from last week. But since I understand the problems, it seems my lessons have suddenly taught me tings I really wanted to know, my understanding of things like grammar and kanji have just opened up to a new level, and the biggest part, God is showing me why I need to do things to get to where I’m going. That may be the biggest thing. A renewed sense of “why”.
This is the key. A more intense, clearer, “why” has given me an incredible boost in morale, focus, and determination to fail in a good way. I’m ready to make mistakes and learn from them. There isn’t much fear when you are wanting to fail!!!
Monday Apr 18, 2022
On and Off the Path of Failure
Monday Apr 18, 2022
Monday Apr 18, 2022
As I mentioned before, because I was unclear in the things I wanted to say in Japanese, I couldn’t even begin to start to learn the necessary tools I would need to be successful at it. I called it being in the fog.
Being in the fog will almost undoubtedly put you directly on the path to failure. I was on it. The problem is this, when most of us find ourselves on this path, even though we know we’re on it, we stay on it. What keeps you on the path to un-success? To be simple, usually you. How? Like this:
We usually stay on the path by not taking responsibility. “It’s not my fault”, is usually the start of blame shifting. Because it’s out of your hands, you cannot take yourself off the path, the person at fault will have to do it.
Giving up is a sure-fire way to stay on that path to failure. In basketball, it has been said that you miss 100% of the shots you do not take. Also when you aim for “nothing” you will hit it every time.
Last thing that keeps us on that path is excuses. This usually stem from a place of being comfortable with where you are. Every reason you have not to move forward, is also the reason you have given yourself of why you want to be where you are. That is, if you are not trying to do something about it.
What can you change today to switch paths from unsuccessful to successful?
Friday Apr 15, 2022
In the Fog
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Friday Apr 15, 2022
As I was talking with my Japanese teacher yesterday she said something that caught my attention. I was explaining that I wanted to get over the language barrier keeping me from having confidence in speaking. A harsh summary of her reply was this, it’s not that you’re hitting a barrier, (not the language) it’s you. Since you are unclear on what you want to say, you can’t even begin to approach what you want to say in an entirely different language.
Now, a light of hope is starting to shine in the cloudiness. I have information that tells me the root of the problem, so what do i do with it? I have to be clear in what I want, what I want to say, also in what I want to do. The clearer the path to victory, or accomplishing the goals i set, the easier it is for me to stay on the path leading to it. Otherwise, I will definitely end up on the path to fear, failure, and frustration.
Thursday Apr 07, 2022
Anti-Fear and Failure Statements
Thursday Apr 07, 2022
Thursday Apr 07, 2022
What do you say about yourself?
How are you feeling towards yourself?
Sometimes what we see, know, and think about God and what He has for us does not line up with how we feel.
For me, I know that I’m fearfully and wonderfully made, and made in His likeness, but I feel stupid, old, and ugly inside and out. This is where faith and belief overcome current situations that temporarily feed us lies and circumstances that keep us down in a depressive hole.
Since everyone’s circumstances are different, write down some constant feelings you have, and the truth you need to hear.
Some of these statements you come up with may not be for a positive pep talk, they may require action to fulfill. Do the work. See the results.
If I feel fat, powerless, and overweight, what can I tell myself that I’m not? My image that I have of myself may not currently match the positive view, so that means I’m going to have to make changes to come out of that cycle that is keeping in the state that I’m in. Reminding myself daily can help keep on track to achieve the goals and image I have of myself.