Inspiration – Page 32 – Nicole L. Ross ~ letstalkaboutlife365

Get A Life!

June 12, 2013 Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

What does your typical day consist of? Do you get up and go to work or maybe stay home and take care of your family? In the midst of all that you do for everyone else, do you actually have a life? What do you do for yourself? Having a job that you go to every day is understood and so is staying home to be a homemaker but if that is all your life consists of, we have a problem. I titled this article ‘Get a Life’ because so many people in my path seem to live lives that revolve around others. I used to be that same way until I realized that my loved ones and friends lives should be a nice addition to my own. It should accent and compliment what I already love to do. This means that if they are not in the picture for one reason or another, I can still be content with doing me. Prior to meeting my husband, this was something that God dealt with me on in regards to mates. It seemed as though when I would date someone, all of a sudden my life became immersed with whatever they had going on. I specifically remember praying and crying out to God one day and He said as clear as day, ‘Get a Life’. I was a bit taken back because I thought I had a life, but when I sat down and deliberated for a moment I realized God was right, I didn’t. Yeah I went to work and even went church and took an occasional shopping trip here and there, but that wasn’t much of a life. I had to think about some things that I really loved to do, just for fun and do them. My goal today is to encourage you and really push you to go out there and have some fun. What is something you’ve always wanted to do but never got around to it? What’s holding you back? I’ll answer the second question for you, NOTHING. Go skydiving, ice skating, bungee jumping, white water kayaking, zip lining, travel the world! Whatever it is just do something. Life is too short to just stick to the same ole, same ole everyday all day.

An interesting piece that I wanted to add is directly related to the body of Christ. On numerous occasions I have talked to people about being saved and living for God and one of the first things that comes out of their mouth is that being saved looks boring. They don’t feel like they can have a relationship with Jesus Christ and have fun. I always laugh at this response because it couldn’t be farther from the truth. The unfortunate part about it though is that this is the image that is projected by people in the church and who claim to be saved all the time. Anytime somebody halfway talk about doing something that’s not read your bible they want to look down upon or condemn folks. Let me first say this, nowhere in the bible does it say that we have to read our bibles all day everyday. But my theory is this, examine your motives. I’m not gone look down on you. If you like to dance, do your thing cause so do I but does that mean you have to be in the club dancing until three in the morning every Saturday night, not so much. I had a blast when I was in the world, so I figure I’m gone do it even harder now that I’m saved. I just got a different partner. I’m rolling with Jesus now, so my approach is gone be a little more discrete. You might catch me in a dance class instead of in the club where the atmosphere is a little different. Whatever your thing is, examine your motives because when you accept Jesus into your life as your personal savior and begin to have a true relationship with Him, your spirit will become more sensitive to things and there will be certain places and certain things you won’t want to do anymore because you know that He is living inside of you. That being said, there are still lots of ways you can have fun and still be saved, many of which I listed earlier. Even if those things aren’t of interest to you find something that is and do it. Have fun. Get out and do something different. Get A Life. You’re worth it. And I promise you, God wouldn’t want it any other way. #iDeclare #getalife

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for this life you have given me. Help me to get a life. Show me ways I can go do fun things that I’ve wanted to do for a long time but never got around to it. I decree and declare that from this day forward my life will not revolve around other people. I will have fun. I will do something different and I will enjoy it. Thank you God for showing me that I can have fun and live righteous at the same time. In Jesus name, Amen.

Scripture Readings:

John 10:10 KJV “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Psalms 118:17 NLT “I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the LORD has done.”

Separation from the Norm

June 11, 2013June 11, 2013 Author, Nicole L. Ross1 Comment

As I’ve gotten older and experienced many aspects of life, I have come to realize that change is inevitable. A lot of times we are reluctant to change but what God has shown me is that as we grow and mature on a daily basis there may be times when He has to pull us away from our regular routine in order to take us to a new dimension in Him. I like to think of it like this, He has to separate us in order to elevate us. I remember a few years after I graduated from college, I got a new job and I was extremely excited about it. I was going to become a flight attendant. I’d be doing something I never even thought about doing, heck I had only been on an airplane once before even getting the job. But, deep down inside I knew this was the change I needed. What I didn’t realize nonetheless was that I would have to leave everything I knew to take this job. I had to leave Florida, where all of my friends and family were located, and go up to Atlanta. Now, technically for the job it was not required that I move, but for God it was a requirement. This was what He told me I had to do, so I did it. When I first moved to Georgia, I felt so alone and out of place, even though I loved my new job. What I had to realize was that God was separating me from my comfort zone. I had gotten so comfortable with the things, places and people around me He was pulling me to a place where it would be just Him and I. A place where He could change and rearrange some things in my life that could have never happened had I stayed where I was.

When you are stretched out of your comfort zone or separated from the norm it can be a very testing, challenging and grueling experience and for me it was all of the aforementioned plus some. But why is that? If we know that change is inevitable, why are we so reluctant? Why does it feel as though it is such a difficult journey? I know personally, the reason it was so tough is because I did not understand what was going on or why. We all desire understanding, especially in the midst of undesirable situations but there will be times when we just don’t get it. The understanding comes after it is over and sometimes it never comes at all. That is like the clay trying to understand the potter while it’s being molded into a vase or something, it just won’t happen.

Separation brings elevation. Try not to focus on the situation while you are going through, focus on what the outcome will be once it is over. As the saying goes, there is light at the end of the tunnel. You just gotta make your way through that tunnel full speed ahead with your eyes wide open so you can see the end. If you don’t understand anything else, know that there is purpose behind any shift, change or alteration that comes your way. God is calling you higher, how will you respond? #iDeclare #separationfromthenorm

Prayer:

Father God in the name of Jesus, I come humbly before your throne of grace. I come to give you thanks just for being who you are. Thank you God for the shift and the changes that are taking place in my life. In times when I don’t understand why, please help me to stay focused and increase my faith and trust in you. I decree and declare that there is purpose behind every shift, change and alteration taking place in my life and instead of running from it, I will embrace it. Thank you Jesus for being such an awesome God. In Jesus name, Amen.

Scripture Readings:

Ephesians 2:10 ESV “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Romans 12:2 NLT “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Let’s Talk About You!

June 10, 2013 Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

When someone asks the question who are you, at first thought it seems easy enough to give them your name or maybe where you’re from. Simple enough right? Not so much. When asked who you are, if you truly think about it, it can be one of the most difficult and challenging questions for you to answer. I know for me, if someone asks me that question depending on who it is and situation, I will more than likely go down a list; I am Nicole, I’m from Florida, I am a mother, I am a wife, I am a sister, I am a daughter, and the list could just go on and on and on. Nothing wrong with this list because I am all of these things. I have come to realize however that my life is so much deeper than that, which in turn is why I can see how this question could be a lot more complex than it first appears.

Yes, we all could probably use a list of titles to describe who we are, but what about who you are deep down inside. What are you all about? Why on earth are you here? One revelation that God gave me while I was asking myself these questions, was to shift my perspective a little on life and I will use this analogy to help explain. I’m sure that most of you have heard of a business having a mission statement. In fact, the mission statement is one of the first things established before the business can ever begin operating. I’d like to point out the main goal of a mission statement for a business, which is to define the organizations purpose and primary objective. Its prime function however is internal. It brings the leadership together and helps them stay focused on the overall main goal, which for a company is to be successful. Bring it back to you. Do you have your own personal mission statement? If not, before you do anything else you should write one. Doing so will help you a great deal as it relates to being able to identify your main purpose in life. As you create a mission statement, you will be able to pin point key areas of interest, areas that you maybe want to learn more about or grow in, as well as your strengths and weaknesses. What you think about, dream about, talk about, or actually do the most – this is what you are all about. These are the things that make you who you are. Or at least it should. This brings me to my last question I want you to think about. Does your life truly reflect what is important to you and how you want others to see you? In other words, if people on the outside looking in had to say what they thought seemed to be important to you, what would they say?

Today’s topic of discussion has been all about you. I truly hope and pray that you are able to read this and do a little self-reflection. I only write about what I am thinking about and going through at the time and this is truly a time of self-reflection for me. So many things are going on around me, a lot of which I know are distractions sent by the enemy. But I hear God telling me to be still and concentrate on me right now. Before I can successfully move forward I must do an internal investigation of myself to make sure me and God are on the same page.

I want to challenge you all to follow suite and take a few moments for self-reflection. I say it’s a challenge because we often get so caught up in day-to-day activities that we don’t give our self the time and attention that we deserve. Today, God is saying be still. Establish your mission statement. What does your life reflect? Do you like it? If not, change it. If yes, keep doing what you are doing but look for ways to enhance it and make it better. You are you wherever you are, so be sure that you are the best you that you can possibly be. God Bless. #iDeclare #letstalkaboutyou

Prayer:

Father God in the name of Jesus, I first want to say thank you for creating me. Thank you for making me so uniquely and different from everyone else. I ask now God that you will help me to take some time and focus on me. I decree and declare that not only will I take time to do a real self-reflection, I will also do what it takes so that my life can reflect a life that exemplifies those things that are important to me. Thank you Jesus for helping me to be the best me that I can possibly be at all times, no matter where I am or who I’m around. In Jesus name, Amen.

Scripture:

Philippians 2:5 NIV “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:”

Proverbs 16:9 ESV “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps”

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