When I woke up this morning, the first thing I said was today would be my day of rest. Then my brain started working overtime. All kinds of ideas started popping up about the things I could be doing while relaxing – not resting. Well, rest is what I said and rest is what I meant. My body and mind both need rest and I plan to oblige. Shutting down until tomorrow. Wow! I’m already breathing differently.
Have you ever woke up feeling renewed? Like it’s literally a brand new day, an actual new beginning? Well, this morning, I did! Perhaps it was the six hours of uninterrupted sleep (smile) or a delayed reaction from this day a year ago, the morning after I submitted my letter of resignation. To this day, I still don’t know how I submitted it without a bit of fear or a set plan in place. Y’all, I’m in tears because I KNOW it was God!
So here I am a year later without an ounce of regret. Still on cloud nine. However, the feeling I woke up with this morning is a little different. Today, I’m no longer anxious to take on a million projects. I have no plans of being entrepreneur or volunteer of the year. What I’m feeling is true peace and contentment. Not in a way that I’m not striving to reach new heights, but in a way that I no longer feel rushed. I’m actually going with the flow. I don’t want to mislead you into believing everything has been perfect because it hasn’t. I still have bills, unexpected things continue to pop up, and misfortunes and disappointments happen. However, I no longer allow myself to become stressed or anxious. Now, whenever I feel either creeping in, I remember that I’m not in this alone, God’s got me. That’s when I take a backseat and allow Him to lead. You know, since He knows where He’s taking me. Smile
March 13, 2020 “When it’s time, it will happen. Be patient. Nothing that’s meant for me will pass me by. I won’t have to go searching for it, it will find me.”
That’s an excerpt from my journal entry two years ago. Please allow me to pass on the same words of encouragement to you. No matter how grim things look at times, or how many days, months, years or even decades pass, whatever blessings God has for you will not pass you. They won’t be given to someone else. Also, you won’t have to go searching for them. They’ll find you.
Now, ease your mind and carry on. What will be, will be.
I’m currently reading – The Life You Long For: Learning to Live From A Heart of Rest by Christy Nockels. So far, so much of her story has resonated with me. Especially the part about being so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life trying to achieve goals and the lifestyle you have always dreamed of that you neglect to live. The funny thing is you believe you’re living until you actually begin living. As Christy calls it, it’s living from a heart (place) of rest. In other words, living from a place of peace and contentment.
As Christy has noted in her book, it takes a moment to get to a place of rest and once you get there, it’s still challenging to remain in that space. Because as we know, we cannot control the things that happen around us, but as pastor and author, Joel Osteen would say, we can control how we respond.
For a few weeks now, more so the last two weeks, I have been thinking about the freedom of choice. As we know, socially and economically, everyone does not have the same level of freedom when it comes to choices; however, all of us do have the freedom to make choices, even small ones. Although it is impossible to control others’ actions or events happening around us, we can control our reactions and actions, which is a choice. So when I refer to the freedom of choice, this is exactly what I’m referring to. Nothing intense. Nothing political. But personal choices that we make daily.
Since I have been living from a place of peace, I have noticed that my choices are different, they’re better. I respond to situations much differently than I used to. The things that used to make me anxious, no longer bother or upset me. I’m also learning to be kinder to myself. Which is BIG! Y’all, I really was my own worst critic. I’m also less judgmental. I have always loved people’s uniqueness, even my own, but that didn’t stop me from judging. Yes, I’m human. Overall, life is so much better than before and it’s all because I have chosen to make it better – I have chosen to live from a place of peace. Now, I would be lying if I said my life is always peaceful, that nothing happens that throws me for a loop. Y’all, every day.. yes, EVERY SINGLE DAY I’m faced with things that challenge my peace; and every day I make the choice of how I respond. To me that’s freedom! And I’m loving it.
Word of advice – which is what has gotten me to this place of peace – if it disturbs your peace it’s too costly. Let it go.
As always, thank you so much for reading. Praying you have a peaceful week.
You are worth God’s absolute BEST. NEVER settle for anything less. No matter how long you have to wait, always remain hopeful that God’s best is on its way. Believe me, it won’t pass you by. You will recognize and receive it when it arrives because it will be a perfect match. You won’t have to force it to fit or make it work, it just will. ~ Shaun
Just published my second blog. Some may read it. Some may not. Either way, I have to keep up what I’ve started. We shall see. With God’s help, it’ll be done.
Amen
That was four years ago on December 19, 2017. In tears because I kept blogging with or without reads. Slowly but surely I am learning to embrace the things I love doing and to stop chasing things others believe I should. Every day I am reminded that life is so precious and to waste it chasing things I do not love, is not living.
Yesterday, I FaceTimed my aunt (mom’s only living sister on her mom’s side) who is recovering from brain surgery. Y’all, she seemed like a totally different person. She said that she’s just grateful to be alive and intends to enjoy every minute of life. I feel her.
Y’all, God is working. Don’t know if you feel it, but I definitely do. It is as if He is truly making everything new, and I love it!
I am not sure what 2022 holds. Honestly, I am not even worried about it. My plan is to live for today while trusting God to handle the rest. Amen
Thanks for reading! Wishing you a wonderfully, blessed day.
Happy Sunday! Wishing all of you a fabulous day. Today I am carrying over yesterday’s suggestion to take things easy. For some reason, I found myself really tense yesterday. I could feel it in my back and neck. My daughter suggested that I get a massage but I declined. Woke up this morning feeling better but still tense. I know what happened. I allowed the mental stress of last week to build up. For months I managed to avoid being super stressed. Then last week it happened. Looking back I can see what happened. Making a mental note not to allow it to happen again. I cannot afford to go backwards. I must continue moving forward.
On a more positive note! Yesterday, I attended the first day of our national dietetics conference. Honestly, I had no intentions of attending the virtual conference. Virtual experiences just are not the same as in person experiences. Well, at the last minute I decided to attend and I am glad I did. During yesterday’s session, I had the opportunity to chat and tweet with other registered dietitians. Of course it was not the same as interacting with them in person, but it made me feel somewhat normal again. I’m attending more sessions today and tomorrow. Hopefully this is the last year we meet virtually. I need human contact. Smile
You know what, I can already feel the tension easing. This week is going to be a stress-free week because I am going to intentionally make sure it is.
As always, thanks for reading. Please enjoy your week!
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