Be Cautious of People on Pause

This has nothing to do with whether we are talking about a man or woman, this message is unisex, both can be clearly confused about life in general.  If you decide to go forward with a person who is lost in direction, be careful, be cautious, and guard your heart. 

The devil is the master of confusion, these people are on pause and "under construction."

Well, I suppose, we are all under construction, but some have built a house, destroyed it, and are beginning from ground zero all over again.  These people are daylight and darkness... they will take you on the rollercoaster high, then then change their navigational beacon without warning, leaving you with whiplash. Know that this is NOT YOUR FAULT, none of it ... NONE OF IT! 

Confusion is an awful place to be in ... It is like a mind fog, and if you are not careful, you will be in it as thick as a concrete maze.  You will sit at start, idling ... they will want to go forward, but are scared to make any step because they are afraid.  Afraid of failing again, afraid of making more mistakes, afraid to be hurt again ... Until they get their focus in the right direction, it is not a good idea to get involved, UNLESS you are a friend or are a counselor. 

For those that are confused with life ... there is an escape.  Prayer and good friends.  Remember things happen for a reason, sometimes you will NEVER know why things happened.  Just trust God has a plan for you, no matter how confused you are.  Be patient. If you are unsure about decision, pause and wait, if it is right, you will not be afraid.  Make sure you let what is behind you go before you go forward ... before you hurt everyone you come in contact with.

The Struggle is Temporary & So is Life

When I ran across this ... my first thought, well my action, was that I smiled.  I am reminded of how many times I have heard this quote in some form or fashion, from one of the constants in my life, she has reminded me several times of how we are still alive, despite the storms we never thought we would make it out of.  Some of us make it, some of us ... succumb to the world and let the world win.

We were born learners, fighters, sons, and daughters ... that grew up to be stronger, wiser, conquerors, and fearless to an extent. I am sure we have died a thousand times inside from the time we were teens to today.  Heartbreak and Heartache. Life and Death. Hurtful words that cannot be taken back, only forgiven.  "The only thing I know is this: WE are full of wounds but WE are still standing on our feet."

What would life be if everything was perfect ... how would that shape us? Would we be helpless children in adult form? I believe we would be.  It starts from the time we begin on the earth ... and ends when we return to it.  If your parents didn't allow you to fail, makes mistakes, let you fall again and again, how would anyone survive?  By chance, that is how.

Childhood can make us or break us ... Life can make us or break us.  It is OUR choice to rise above our situations as they are only temporary, they pass by like the days.  When you look back at the storms you have already conquered ... you could say "The only thing I know is this: I AM full of wounds and I AM still standing on my feet."

We Live, We Learn, We Love, We Hurt, We Cry, We Struggle but in the END ... "The only thing I know is this: I am full of wounds and I am STILL STANDING on my feet."

Storms are temporary ... Struggle is temporary & so is Life ... Love it, every moment of it!

Your purpose is to LIVE in "The NOW."

I know it has been quite some time since I have written.  Some people have told me that I shouldn't anymore, until I live more like how I write.  Then some tell me they miss reading what I post.  I believe everyone can be hypocritical at times.  All we can do is keep walking forward, forget negativity, and never look back.

I am sure many of us struggle with the fact that our past is no longer ours, we keep reaching back hoping that you can have it again.  Some may be able to touch your past but your past has nothing new to say.  You can go back, believing it will turn out differently, yet ... you relive it.  Living and hoping the past will change is like having an addiction, you want to let go ... you go forward ... then all of a sudden you find yourself wanting what you once had, what was once yours.  I sometimes wish that I would have been guided by the present moment instead of wanting my past to change.  Wanting what was once yours, is the best way to keep breaking your heart and make yourself miserable. 

I am sure many of us struggle with not being able to control our future.  The only future you can control is what you are doing right now, to "maybe" create your future tomorrow.  Notice I said "create YOUR OWN future," not someone else's.  You are in control of Me, Myself, and I ... not someone else.  Some people try and rush life,  and relationships ... recipe for heartache and disaster. I used to try and rush life, and relationships and it never works.  We all have a plan designed for us, but rest assured whatever your future is, you will surely get there. 

"Realize deeply that the present moment is all you will ever have." This quote is spot on, wake up and realize yesterday is your PAST, what you once had is no longer yours, do not reach for it again. Wake up and realize that tomorrow is the FUTURE and is not promised.  The best thing WE can do is enjoy every minute of the present.  Do not look back, Do not look forward.  Live right now!

Do Not Quit Now, Keep Going!

                This is to all the people who WANT to run back or LOOK back to the comfort zone.  You have taken that step in faith but when something goes wrong, or you have had a bad day, you want to RUN away back to what you worked so hard to leave, or tried so hard to start.  I write words of encouragement because I need words of hope myself.  Everyone who knows me, knows that I took a HUGE leap of faith last year and moved across country to start a new life.  For YEARS I talked about a change, dreamed about a change, and then one day I JUMPED.  I thought for some reason the move, transition, and adjustment was going to be Unicorns and Rainbows but I was SO VERY WRONG. 

                Each time something small went wrong, it amplified, so much that I wanted to RUN back to what I dreamt of leaving.  Not because I wanted to leave my friends and family, because I needed change desperately, and I got change alright (too much change, all at once). 

                The encouragement piece is … I realized that I didn’t come THIS FAR to go back.  Times will get tough; you will want to RUN back … You will want to quit, do not let the Devil Win.  God gives you the desires of your heart, if you take the time, fight through the bad and notice them.  Notice the Gifts from God, don’t run from them.  YOU DID NOT COME THIS FAR, TO ONLY COME THIS FAR!!!!  Keep going!!!

Step Outside Your "Safe Zone"

What would life be like if no one took chances, if everyone was scared about making mistakes? Would life be boring? Sure you may like the “safe zone” but would it be worth it looking back at your life in 10-20 years? What would your life story be? 

                If you could take a chance and do ONE thing right now what would it be?  What would the consequences of not stepping out and making the attempt to change your life for the better be?  You would stay the same.  What holds you back from pursuing life, chasing whatever it is you want, or taking a chance on a relationship?  Hello … the past is in the past … You may have taken a chance on someone, you may have taken a chance on a business that went south in the past and that is okay, that means you are living (life is not perfect)!!  BUT WHAT IF your chance, WHAT IF your Door of Opportunity is wide open in front of you RIGHT NOW … Pray about it, don’t let FEAR stand in your way. 

                We keep hearing “We are not promised tomorrow,” so very true … We aren’t even promised the next minute or second.  If there is something YOU want to pursue, DO IT!!!  If there is some place you want to go, GO!!!  If there is someone you have your heart set on, TELL THEM!!!  I have taken some pretty rotten chances, but in the midst of that, I was blessed with two beautiful sons.  Through chances, I learned who I do NOT want in my life.  One of my greatest blessings was from making an ABSOLUTE crazy decision to move across country on a chance of love, I now have wonderful husband and two amazing daughters. 

                Think on this …  We are every choice, chance, and decision we have ever made … That is who we are and who we will be.  We will keep making decisions, we will keep making choices, and we will keep taking chances!!!!  Live your life…Dare to take a chance, at least once.  You may surprise yourself!

Pursue Your Dreams

I am not sure how this will turn out since it has been MONTHS since I have written any form of motivation or inspiration.  People have so many life circumstances that block out good things.  I found myself overwhelmed during a continual life adjustment that I actually took advantage of stress counseling because I honestly did NOT do good adjusting or dealing with stress at all.  The life coach asked me “Alissa how good on a scale from 1 – 10 do you do handling stress?”  Before she could even finish, my reply “I don’t, period.”  She then laughed a little, and said “Alissa you do realize life would be meaningless and boring if life wasn’t like a rollercoaster.”  Not sure if that is great advice coming from a professional counselor, but today … it opened my eyes. 

My point is we all have dreams, or we once did, and we let life’s circumstances kill our drive and ambition.  Notice that I said, “We killed our dreams’” not anyone else.  So many people start pursuing dreams and as soon as they do not work, they bail.  They expect too much too fast, they want the dream but do not want to put the time and effort in to achieve it.  We were not meant to be mediocre, we were meant to LIVE.  If you did not wake up today with a goal in mind, you should’ve stayed in bed.  Dreams do not work unless YOU do!!! 

People take chances to follow dreams, people fail, some people quit … but some people PUSH ON … some people PERSIST to be successful.  Those are the people you should surround yourself with, people who pursue everything they have ever wanted.  Sure you will get discouraged at times, but that circle of people will keep you motivated. 

Do not expect to chase a dream without the mind set to succeed and do whatever it takes to get there.  Do not step out and take that chance with an attitude of doubt of failure.  Dreams do not happen with a negative attitude.  Pray to follow the path in which God leads you and pray for favor with people to help you reach your dream.  You may be scared to take that step, but do not let FEAR stand in your way.  Work for it!!!  Many of my friends are very successful, but they did not stop … they made their dreams become a reality.  Quit being complacent.

Perfect in an Imperfect World

“I am surprised to hear imperfect words come out of your perfect Christian mouth.”

People are hypocrites, well … ALL people are hypocritical at times, unless you are PERFECT & you’re not. 

People are judgmental, well … ALL people are judgmental at times, unless you are PERFECT & you’re not.

Sometimes in life people will attempt to bring you down, on purpose or unintentionally.  People will promise things that they never intend on keeping, all in hopes that his or her shallowness will never be revealed.  Perhaps that person does not care about anyone in their feeble attempt to gain power, utilizing you as a staircase for personal gain; especially if YOU have clout with a crowd, or if you have an “in” to a potential place they want to acquire.  If you are one of these people who consistently get stepped on, if you are one of the stairs to someone else’s success … Stop the cycle.  If you are a person who allows people’s awful words steal your happiness … Stop the cycle.  What you allow, will continue.

People will make mistakes, people will hurt you … primarily the people you are closest to, the people whose words or actions you will ultimately take to heart. You have the choice to forgive, go forward, and be content and happy.  Or you can let what he or she did … eat at you turning you into a sad, bitter, and ugly person to be around.  I know, I have been there.  We are instructed to Forgive every time, which is a terribly difficult task to accomplish at times, but Jesus forgave the world when he died for us, so the very least we could do is try and forgive like he did.  God can change you, if you allow him to. 

We can be BETTER than we were a year ago, a month ago, a day ago.  Life is a beautiful struggle.  I write because in the midst of OUR struggle of people expecting “perfection” from US, we can diligently attempt to focus on God who says “WE are righteous, WE are perfect in his eyes’” God says, “No matter who does not think you’re good enough, “YOU” are good enough for me.”  What a relief that is knowing that God is in your corner.  What a relief it is knowing that I am not perfect.  What a relief it is knowing that you are not perfect.  Let us not try and live up to “man’s” high standards, but be content and peaceful, in mind, that you are trying to live to a Jesus standard.