Life Quote

I don't remember where I read this but I liked it, so thought I would share:

"Life is often lived forward, but understood backward."

Enjoy,

Little Girl Lost

In the months since my last post my family has experienced much heartache, confusion and disappointment. Although not life threatening, the severity of the blow that we are dealing with is enough to test even the strongest of faiths; yet we press on.

Don't get me wrong I have those days when I wonder if it is all worth it, if everything that I believe in, my foundation, my cornerstone, my surety is it really there? Undoubtedly, the answer is yes! The mere fact that I strive toward a new day, the promise of a fresh tomorrow, renews in me my hope and faith.

No matter how lost or forgotten I may feel in my situation, God is ever ready to remind me that He is not only with me He understands knows exactly where I am and what I am dealing with. How do I know this? I feel it in a hug from one of my children, in a gently kiss from my husband, in the warmth of the relationship with my family and friends.

I find it in His Word, in His promises revealed and the committment to those yet to come. It is in His constant nudging of my heart and spirit and in the unexpected paths and opportunities He lays before me. Most of all, I know that no matter the depths of my fears, the lengths of my doubts and the struggles of my faith, He is faithful, I've seen it, felt it, and experienced it.

So when the disappointment is replaced with restoration, the confusion to clarity and the heartache to rejoicing, I will know that it is only through God's grace and mercy, His abundance and provision, His love and purpose that I was able to replace my feelings of being lost and forgotten with the joys of being found and cherished.

In this world you will have troubles

There are a few versus in the Bible that I would rather not read or hear, and John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world," happens to be one of them.

Although God clearly states He is greater than any problem, situation or concern we will ever face, the fact that we have to face them at all is a bummer. However, I have learned that those unpleasant, difficult, painful, discouraging, draining, engulfing, burdening trials are the footings necessary to the solid construction of our faith foundation.

How else would we know that God is true to His Word? How else could we be of help and support and encouragement to others going through the same situation? I am amazed that He loves and believes in us so much that He actually allows us to go through "boot camp" so that we may gain the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective soldiers for His kingdom.

I know I don't like going through the valleys of life, but if I've learned anything from those experiences is that when I reach the mountain top the view is that much more awesome and rewarding.

Pressing on,

And The Winner Is...

"I can't believe it, I won, I'm going to the 2009 She Speaks Conference in North Carolina. Woohoo!!!!"

"Honey, honey, wake up," my husband says as he gently nudges me awake from my nap. Slightly embarrassed, I ask, "Did it happen again?" With a little smirk and tender eyes he lovingly answers, "Yes." The past few days since I've learned of the She Speaks Scholarship Contest at Lysa TerKeurst's Blog, I've had the same delicious dream of winning this wonderful opportunity.

How do I explain to my husband what it would mean to me to attend this event. To meet and share with other women who have the same passion and desire to use the gifts and talents that God has placed in them to minister and do works for His Kingdom. To hear testimonies and learn from women whom God has already directed and guided through the paths that some of us only dream of.

The She Speaks Conference brings women from every walk of life and age group who possess a desire to use the gifts of writing, speaking, teaching and sharing to touch the lives and minister to the hearts of other women. It provides workshops, encouragement, networking, fellowship and unity to inspire and equip women from dream to reality.

The first time I heard of the She Speaks Conference was last October and I made a decision to make attending the 2009 conference my goal. Unfortunately, we were not immune to the economic crisis and our business (and financial support) suffered considerably. But learning of the She Speaks Scholarship Contest sparked new hope that my chance to attend this year was not lost.

I have always loved to write and within the past couple of years that love has birthed a desire to use my writing as a ministry. I realize I have a lot to learn and God is working in me to develop character and qualities to be an effective disciple of His love. I started this blog as a training ground and a way to step out of my comfort zone and by faith into the path I believe He is setting before me. I feel spending 3 days around other women and gleaning from their experiences and knowledge would not only help encourage but empower me to continue on this path even when it seems unattainable. I hold on to Philippians 4:13, "I can do everything through Him you gives me strength."

So for every woman with a dream, a passion, a vision I say, step forward look ahead and don't ever give up. I know that even if I don't win the scholarship for this upcoming conference, I will look forward to She Speaks 2010 and press on.

A New Day

As I thought about my post today, I asked myself, "What is living beyond ordinary?"

Living beyond ordinary is seeing every day as an opportunity. Lately, all we have been bombarded with is negativity: the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afgahnistan, the housing crisis, etc. Even in the face of all those difficulties, the United States of America is still the most powerful, humanitarian, opportunity rich nation in the world.

It's time we stop looking at our limitations and not allow the dark "gloom and doom" image portrayed by the media at large to dictate our security. Yes, times are challenging but not impossible. Will it be easy? Heck no, but the struggles we overcome will make us that much more stronger and less fearful.

I say let's hold our heads up, roll up our sleeves and not wait around for a hand-out or someone to fix our situations.

Ordinary is blaming someone else for our personal struggles whether financial, physical, spiritual or otherwise; living beyond ordinary is accepting our situation, taking ownership and doing what we need to do to overcome it.

This is a new day, my new day to reach out to someone, feel the sun on my face, accomplish a goal, overcome a challenge, thank God for His mercy and love, and live beyond ordinary.

I'm Back

Shame on me, it's been over a month since I've posted, I've definitely got to work on being more consistent with my posts.

However, a lot has happened since, I decided to started a transcription business and launched my new website Seasoned Transcription, yea!!! I started putting myself out there the early part of February, through a transcription forum and was hired for several jobs and eventually by a company on a contract basis. I've still got a ways to go, but the fact that I was able to find work, is a confident boost and validates my abilities to go out and do this.

I even posted an ad on Craigslist.org and was contacted to do transcription for a local city college. Although it was only one job, again it validated my efforts. I don't know where this will go, my original goal was to some earn money working from home utilizing the skills I posses, but now I'm considering taking a Desktop Publishing coarse and refreshing my bookkeeping skills to offer those services as well.

Just putting one foot in front of the other for now.

My Mountain To Climb

So I had a session with my coach yesterday, and boy let me tell you, where I thought I was making progress, I was sent back to where I was when we first started working together. God bless Alyssa, her patience will be rewarded!!!! I realize that the "people pleasing...being perfect...doing the right thing" part of my personality controls a lot of what I do. Thank you Alyssa for helping me to understand that.
I was reading over some old journals this morning and I came across something I wrote over 15 years ago. It was a period in my life when I didn't know if my dream and goals would ever come to pass...kind like where I am today. Here it is...

"For sometime I walked the valley, content, yet searching. I knew somehow, someday my search would end, not by my own hand, buy by Him who leads me. On the horizon I saw a mountain, unsure if I wanted to take on the climb I stood at it's foot looking at the steep and narrow path. Compelled by faith and obedience I began to climb. I slipped at times and even fell at times, but I picked myself up and pressed on. My natural desire was to stop, quit, go back down the mountain. A constant yet soft and gently voice continually urged "have faith, continue, trust in Me for - ""For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, not to harm you"" (Jeremiah 29:11). Holding on to His promise I surrendered over to Him completely, my climb was not my own. Weary, tired and a little discouraged I reached the top, only to find I must now go down the other side. Though the path before me was now wide, as though it had been traveled many times over, it was still very steep. Fear began to grip my heart. Could I walk this road without falling, without stumbling? Again, I was unsure. Down I went, slowly at first. I began to feel my pace quicken as I continued my descent. I could feel myself losing my balance as I tried to keep my eyes on my feet and the path before me. Suddenly I realized I must not look down but up. As I began to raise my eyes and not dwell on the path before me a song began to swell in my spirit. Rejoicing I lifted my hands and giving glory to God Almighty, with all of my heart, my soul, my mind, and my body I no longer worried about falling or stumbling; as long as I kept my focus on Him! Filled with the spirit of God and surrounded in His awesome glory and grace I could see what my entire journey was leading towards. Though my travel has been long and difficult, my reward at the end is worth it all. I've realized I'm still on the wide and steep path; however, my eyes are on my Lord and I know what I am walking towards. Yes there are times when I still lose my balance and begin to feel awkward, but at those times I remind myself of my focal point. My God is faithful, as I surrender and allow Him to guide, lead, and rule my life, He will do for my good all He has planned to.

Much better, Thank you

Over the past few days I had been suffering with a really bad cold. The coughing, sneezing, congestion, head and body aches, ugh!!! I'm not a pill-popping, medicine-taking person, I hate taking any kind of medication, I'd rather tough it out cold-turkey. Cold and flu medicines are the worst for me, my body just does not respond well. It takes a long time for the medicine to leave my system and I am in a loopy, lethargic state for a good 24 to 36 hours. I guess this is the control-freak in me, I want to feel better but I don't want to depend on anything to make, or try to make me feel better.

Well, not this time, after suffering for 2 days, I finally surrendered and took to NyQuil pills so that I could get some relief from my congestion coughing and get some rest. I guess surrending control is not so bad...sometimes.

I am a writer...

I put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, voice to recorder. I share my thoughts, my experience, voice my concerns, speak my mind. I use words to encourage, to minister, to guide, to acknowledge, but I also use them to warn, reprimand, scold and to fight.

My skill is ever changing and there is always a learning curve, but that is what I love about it. The challenge is knowing exactly what to say and who to say it to, but once achieved the sense of accomplishment is beyond description.

Confirmation

Okay, if I haven't mentioned it before, I'm working with a life coach, Alyssa Gregory. Over the past 3 weeks she has really helped me "see" things. At our last conversation we got in depths about my "fears". Which is weird cause I pride myself in being a "take the bull by the horns" type person. Obviously not true. So what was "revealed" is that when I think of something I want I allow negative thoughts to feed my fear of failure. This is really tough for me to admit, cause I can be the world's biggest cheerleader for everyone else but me, because when I see me I see a fraud, how sad, right?!

After my coaching session my assignment is to write in my blog the things that I want, the things that will fulfill me, my dreams and only focus on the positive, no negatives allowed, thus my post yesterday. Hey, I'm trying here!

Apparently, God is also trying to get my attention in this area, because one of the devotionals I e-scribe to, In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley (www.intouch.org), actually touched on this. The devotional focused on the Israelites and their commission to possess the land of Canaan. Now God had promised this land to the Israelites years before they even arrived there, so it was already a given. However, when they received word that the land was occupied by "giants", they allowed their fear to keep them from receiving God's promise. It took one man, Caleb, to step out in faith because he focused on the bigger picture (God's promise) and not the obstacles (giants) that were before him.

Hello!!!!! Am I listening?!

God has great things for me, He wants me to step out in faith. Maybe I don't exactly know what to do, but I need to do something.

I talked with Alyssa about starting a transcription biz, just to bring in some income, so I'm starting there. Where it will go, I don't know, but I can find out one step at a time.

Another area, is this blog. Although it is for my eyes (and my coach) only, I am starting to feel really good about posting here and look I forward to doing it. Where this will go, I don't know either, but right now it's just moving forward...

Pressing on Toward the Goal
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me
Philippians 3:12 (New International Version)

When I close my eyes...

I see a strong, confident woman; she is articulate and commands the attention of those around her. With grace and compassion she imparts knowledge and wisdom to those who will listen, sharing her life experiences, joys and trials hoping to make a difference. Reaching out to those that most need to be filled with encouragement and lifted up with hope, she teaches, leads and guides; knowing that the smallest amount of faith and support can empower others towards great things. Her gift to touch the lives of others is given by God Almighty himself, and her purpose in this life is to share who He is, who we are to Him and how together all things are possible. When I close my eyes...

A day in history

So this morning I watched history being made as America's first African-American president, Barack Obama, was sworn into office. Now, let me be perfectly frank, I have my reservations about this man as our president, they are based both on his politics, as well as on my religious and personal beliefs. But because the people have spoken and chosen him to lead our nation I will support and honor him as the leader of our nation. I will also admit that I found his acceptance speech was both powerful and inspirational; it encouraged me to take a honest look at myself and realize that my potential and my ability to succeed in life is within my reach. I must do what needs to be done, learn what needs to be learned, surrender what needs to be surrendered, and allow God to lead where me to where I need to be led.

So, although I did not vote for President Obama, I will take my stand next to him as a citizen of this nation, doing my part in keeping the American Dream alive not only in my life, but in the life of my children, their children, and their children's children. Through my life example my they learn and grasp the meaning of hard work, determination, moral conviction, faith in God, and achievement of goals.

Moving forward to a new day, a new life and a new dream.

Always.

Pressing on

In an effort to live beyond ordinary, I am focusing on what I can do today to make my immediate tomorrow better. So I know that I need to earn money/income, but I am totally committed to working from home, cause the idea fo "going" to a job and having someone else dictate what I do and when, just gets my goat. Let me just add the I am not above doing what I have to or need to do to support my family and make ends meet. So if that means working for the man again then so be it, all I'm saying is that I need to make a concentrated effort into exhausting all possible options from my to work from home. So keeping that in mind, I have again logged on and have committed to participating in the Transcription Essentials forum. A group or working (or those looking to work) in the transcription field. Apparently, it offers a lot of advice, resources and encouragement for working as a transcriptionist from home. So this is definitely an option to keep looking at. Okay, so I just wanted to post something to fulfill my committment of writing for my coach. Maybe it's not a book, or a story, but I'm writing. Till tomorrow...and I say that so it forces me back. Luv ya!!!!!

Starting today...

I will utilize this blog to process my thoughts and record my progress towards a life beyond ordinary. My definition of ordinary is allowing life's circumstances, situations and road blocks to undermine, discourage, prevent me from dreaming, visualizing, working towards, and achieve my goals. I will take what I know, apply it to what is going on, make changes and work as hard as is necessary to achieve results, all the while trusting and allowing God to direct, guide, shape and determine the outcome based on His plan for my life.

This may sound ultra generic and maybe not even very focused, but it is where I am starting.