spiritualinspiration:

In life, oftentimes we are waiting for something; waiting for a dream to come to pass, waiting to meet the right person, waiting for a problem to turn around. When things aren’t happening as fast as we would like, it’s easy to get frustrated. But you have to realize that the moment you prayed, God established a set time to bring the promise to pass.

God has a set time for your opportunity. There is a set time for that problem to turn around, a set time for your healing, your promotion, your breakthrough. It may be tomorrow, or next week, or five years from now. But when you understand the time has already been set, it takes all the pressure off. You won’t live worried, wondering when this is ever going to happen. You’ll relax and enjoy your life knowing that the promise has already been scheduled and your answer is on the way!

Prayer for Today:

Father, I choose to trust in Your timing. I trust that You have my best in mind. I believe that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf. Thank You for ordering my steps and leading me in the life of blessing You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

laracasey:

Note to self: this is just the beginning. God has far greater plans for all of us than we could ever imagine. No matter what. Big changes and tough transitions are a gift. They are like a fast forward button on our growth that catapult us to where He wants us. You are being transformed. The best is truly yet to come. Imagine the possibilities. Let yourself dream BIG! Put your full hope and faith in things eternal. They will never fail you. ‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ - Jeremiah 29:11

mth2011:

I’m declaring war on the month of August.  It may be the hottest month around these parts, but you’re about to see some sparks fly from me.  Join me, friends.

In the next four weeks I have to get a magazine together, laid out perfectly and packaged for the printer (which I have to hand-deliver and be on site to color proof as per usual), prepare 30+ new brand launches with Emily, finish growing a baby (3rd trimester is upon me in less than a week!), prepare my life for said baby as much as possible before I’m out for maternity leave in October and - amidst a million other things going on - I want to do all of this with grace and will do them with a strong balance of real rest.  I’m not doing any of these things alone, but at times the big decisions all rest on my shoulders.  It can be overwhelming.  I have a lot of big decisions ahead in all of this work and I need to be on my A Game to make the best decisions possible.  I know I won’t do it perfectly, but I’m determined to set myself up for success.  No tolerance for distractions or fear.  August is officially “Prepare for Greatness” Month in the SW office. 

On Saturday I had a complete meltdown.  All of this work seemed, for a moment, completely impossible.  I cried.  I felt sorry for myself.  I wallowed.  It wasn’t pretty.  I write a lot about fear and inaction because I know it very well.  My life has been completely changed by continuing to do the hard work to face what’s holding me back from my full potential.  So, at my lowest of lows on Saturday, a light bulb went off.  I took my own advice and acted on my fear.  A tiny action.  I took a deep breath and tried to SEE all of this getting done and done well.  I let myself have a vision of what could be.  I let myself believe that the impossible IS possible.  I gave myself permission for greatness.  You are the ONLY person who can either hold yourself back in fear OR give yourself permission for greatness.  The choice is yours.  Bit by bit, I wrote everything out that needed to be done.  I took action on each item - even in tiny pieces.  Physical action.  Was it easy?  No.  But being stuck in “overwhelmed” is way worse! 

Anything is possible if we continue to act on what we want.  No matter what.  Anything is possible.  My perspective shifted.  By the end of church yesterday, I felt renewed and alive again.  24 hours in the hell of overwhelmed reminded me of how important it is to continually set ourselves up for success.  So, today, I’m doing just that.  I’ll be blogging my journey here as I conquer this month.  I believe it’s possible.  I believe I will learn a lot and God will break me down to build me up again, but I also believe that I have the choice to either sink or swim and float in between my strong strokes.  Floating - stillness and rest - is essential.  In order to swim at a fast pace, there has to be a balance of real rest.  Bring it on, August! 

Who’s with me?!  Start by following these steps.  What are you doing to prepare for greatness today?  - Lara

mth2011:

You were not meant to be cookie cutter. To fit in a box. To walk inside the lines. To be a xerox copy of someone else. You were each made uniquely. (Psalm 139:13-14) With unique gifts, a unique set of traits and tools. Yet why do we strive/compare to be just like ____ or ____ ?

The tragedy is that we compare our tools to another. You were blessed with gifts that others do not have and vice versa. The pull of comparison always leaves you empty, or chasing after unattainable goals of being like someone else. Then you start playing by other peoples rules and you wonder why you are struggling? Or you aren’t doing as well as them? You know when you are spending hours on facebook “checking in” on friends….? I am calling your bluff. Most of the time you are comparing, whether its competition or just friends, you subliminally rate yourself based on anothers status updates. Writing that out just now sounded SO ridiculous, but how many times have you read something and said I wish I had that. Or I wish I was there or doing something like that in my life.

No, I don’t think facebook, or studying others successes are the nemsis. But I want to be aware, and I want you to be aware of how quickly your heart can be affected. So guard your heart. The second you feel less of or start interalizing you have gone too far. Shut it off, choose to focus on something that reminds you of your purpose here. For me that is scripture and God’s promises. For you it might be turning to your kids or family and realizing what really matters.

What really matters is you. You being 100% you. Not a copy or a remix of someone else. We need you the world needs you. So today, ask yourself who you are trying to be? Yourself or someone else. Dig deep at what your heart really wants and follow it. Don’t look back or at anyone else for that matter. Follow your passion, even if its baby step, by baby step. Then you are truly serving the world. Living your purpose.

Gina Zeidler

Focusing on this today. God is with me, always.

spiritualinspiration:

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10–11, NKJV)

Are you going through a difficult time today? Let me challenge you: don’t use your words to describe your situation, use your words to change your situation! All through the day you should go around saying, “I have the favor of God. I can do all things through Christ. I am blessed. I’m strong. I’m healthy.” When you speak like that, you are blessing your life. You are speaking favor into your future.

When you get up in the morning, if you aren’t feeling up to par, don’t set the tone of the day by speaking it. Don’t ever say, “This is going to be a lousy day. I don’t want to go to work. I’m tired of dealing with these children.” No, get up and say, “This is going to be a great day. I’m excited about my future. Something good is going to happen to me.”

Always remember, send your words out in the direction you want your life to go. Let His Word always be on your mouth. His Word will never return void. It will accomplish what it was set forth to do. So set forth His Word and move forward in blessing and victory all the days of your life!

(Source: sunkissedhippiexx, via sweet----simplicity)

(Source: feathery, via bippityboppityboo)