Wisdom

Day 20

Positive Surroundings 

Good morning!! It was so awesome to hear people sharing gratitude with others and even personally receiving messages and phone calls of expressing the gratitude challenge. I know many people have busy lives, but I encourage you to live out the challenges of positivity that were presented this week. Now that we are winding down the positivity fast an important factor of maintenance arises. In this process we have to begin to realize who we are to be surrounded by and what things we should allow in our presence in order to move in a more positive direction in life. 

If you haven't done so yet begin to pray that God changes your surroundings and makes you more aware of the things that pull you away from being positive. This could be certain friends, certain music, and certain things you watch on television or even certain places you go. In order to become more positive it is also important to know you are not meant to do it alone. The bible tells us in Proverbs 27:17 that "iron sharpens iron". Some of you have been taking this journey to positivity already with friends or family which is great. Let people you are around know your goals to live more positively so that when they see you slipping they can remind you of who you are striving to be. 

Throughout this fast I have found it to be wonderful in times when things go wrong to have those friends around to remind me that I need to look at or say something more positively. You see, society often encourages us to remain isolated and minimize relationships, or not make new friends, but God wants us in community so that we can hold accountability to each other. This principle goes for far more than positivity but in life (marriage, celibacy, completing school, breaking addiction, etc) we are not meant to do it alone. 

Today I encourage you to start evaluating who is holding you accountable and what surroundings you are in. If you do not have people doing so begin to open up to those around you. If you don't have any positive people around you, I can help connect you to some or help you pray for it. I've heard many great testimonies of people who've asked God for new genuine people in their lives and have received that and much more. Don’t walk this path alone. I hope you all have a wonderful blessed day!! - Monica 

Gratefulness

Day 19

Day 19

Gratefulness Paid Forward

Good morning!! Sorry for the delay today. Early this morning I received a message, the theme of being grateful continued to weigh heavy in my spirit. In reading someone's expression of gratitude, it allowed me to reflect upon my gratitude for the people and things in my life. I then realized the impact it makes in one's life to know and be told that they are appreciated. It was then that the Lord had me realize that although we touched upon not wanting what others have, we truly did not dive into the importance of being grateful. 

Each of us has one thing in common to be grateful for today, which is, if you are reading this, you woke up to see another day! In our prayers let’s not ever forget to tell God the things we are grateful for and not just always asking. He too wants us to acknowledge that we see what He is doing in our lives. The most positive thing we could do is find less reasons to complain and more reasons to express gratitude. Though it may look tough on your end, there are others battling the same situations or worse, and you have been given another day to fight in this life that someone else wasn’t. But remember, you're not fighting alone. God is always with you, His word states in Hebrews 13:5 "... I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Today I challenge you to reflect upon these past 19 days or even this past year if you must and acknowledge all the things and people to be grateful for. In addition to paying positivity forward give someone a call, send an email or a text message, write a note or even make a visit to someone. Make it a point to express to 3 people that you are grateful for something they have done or that they currently do for you (big or small). Even something like “thank you for getting me coffee that day I was really tired”, “thanks you for always smiling in the morning”, “thank you for being there when I needed you most” or even thanking you leaders for the work that they do, the list goes on. These purposeful actions not only work on your heart, but theirs as well. This of all things I challenged I truly encourage EVERY single one of you to do. Simply send me a message saying “Done”. 

I look forward to manyyyyy messages over the week saying “Done”. I am grateful that over 120 of you have given me an opportunity to be used by God in your life these past 19 days. Thank you!!! Have a Happy Monday! - Monica B.

Smile

Day 18

Smiling in spite of

Good morning!! I hope that you have been remembering your random and intentional acts of kindness. Spread the positivity even if you are struggling yourself, it will make you feel better. One way we can spread positivity is to smile. Though it may seem small we do not know how it may impact someone's day or even encourage them to smile. Even when you are not having the best of days there is so much power in your ability to smile. It is the “in spite of” choice. In spite of my day I will choose to smile, I will choose to be positive. In spite of my circumstance I will choose to be intentional about how I treat others. 

Smile

There is an anonymous quote that says "your smile is a gift to the world". You may not be able to gift the world with materialistic things but you have the impact and ability to smile as a gift. Some people accept the fact that they "look mean" to others even if they are nice and just expect people to go out their way and approach them (which may happen sometimes) but it's not okay. 

Start being intentional about smiling just because with people you know and people you encounter, as well as saying good morning, etc. Don't get comfortable in not radiating your positivity to others. Fun research fact they've found smiling helps with certain health benefits including lowering blood pressure, improves mood, relieves stress, strengthens your immune system, lessens pain and simply smiling is contagious. 

I encourage you today to begin practicing improving the frequency of your smile! Have a fantastic day smile filled day!!! - Monica

Wisdom

Day 14

Pride Aside Choose Humility 

Good morning!!! In order to not argue and complain it is important to understand the issues with pride and emphasize humility. An example of this could be when you have an argument with a person, choosing to not feel you have to win,but choosing to allow the Lord to work it out. “Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.” (Prov 29:23). 

There are so many more positive outcomes in life when we choose humility. The bible speaks of it often. When we look for people to lift us up the foundation is shaky and can be lost at any point in time. When we seek for the Lord to lift us up in His due season we will reap all the good we have sown in humility. We know that we show love when we are not proud and there is such power in love. 1 Cor 13:4 tells us “Love is not jealous or boastful or proud”. 

Let's choose humility today. Begin exposing and burying your prideful ways. How much more of a positive impact can you make when YOU set YOU aside. Have a blessed day!! -Monica

Choose Joy

Day 11

Good morning!! Sometimes being positive is that more difficult because you are in a storm and you are just striving to be happy. Happiness, just as the storm, is temporary. If we are seeking to be happy for these 21 days, then on day 23 we may just fall right back off the positivity wagon. 

Happiness is an emotional state that so much focus is put on but can easily be taken away once a trial occurs or your day is set off. 

Joy is being able to rejoice in knowing that there is not a storm that the Lord cannot calm or remove. I know even in this time some of you are going through some things that make it feel so impossible to be positive. However CHOOSE JOY! Don’t fake it but Faith it. Have faith that you will be able to do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Phil 4:13) and remember there is not a battle that has defeated you because you are still alive to push for another day. I challenge you to start choosing joy daily even in the midst of what you are going through instead of defeat, complaining, or temporary emotions. 

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess 5:16-18). 

Have a blessed positive day!! - Monica

Speak Life

Day 8

Good morning!! We are starting our second week of positivity, I hope you are getting in the swing of things, and I encourage those who haven’t done the forgiveness challenge to give it a try. We are focusing on positive thoughts, WORDS and actions so let’s look at the tongue. The tongue is such a tricky thing that can easily take us out of our positive mindset or can cause negative actions.(Read James 3:1-12)

Take a pause and tame your tongue

The same small tongue that we use to say how great God is, can be the same little thing we use to curse those around us. Reflect. What kind of words come out of your mouth? Are you uplifting or are you tearing down? Are you speaking things that you would be embarrassed if the person you are speaking about found out? Are you speaking things that you would be embarrassed if children repeated? Are you keeping a positive mind but a negative mouth? Is profanity a regular thing for you? “Don’t use foul or abusive language” Eph. 4:29. A lot to reflect and all of this can be difficult to control. However a great question to ask is, do you pause before you speak? I know personally this has been one of the difficult things to change over the years however over prayer and time, it is possible to improve. 

Today I encourage you to start being more aware of the words you are speak. Take a pause and tame your tongue. Have a blessed positive day! -Monica

Forgiveness is for YOU

Day 7

Good morning! Yesterday we reflected on why we need to forgive. Forgiveness is an action. It is consistent and becomes a lifestyle just as positivity is. There are countless reasons you should forgive but many don't know how. How can you forgive the person who may have caused you so much pain or just offended you? How can you forgive the parent, ex, violator, etc., who brought negative things your way? Faith and Love. We have faith that God will work things out for our good and His glory so we have faith that at the end of the situation we will be good and there is a reason to grow from. There is ALWAYS a positive. We learned about loving those who are difficult to love and this is an ideal opportunity to love when someone has hurt you. Does it mean they are right? No. It simply means that you will allow God to be the one to convict them in His time. So I challenge you this today, write a list of people that you harbor unforgiveness with whether it be recent or for years. Write near their names how long you have held onto this hurt. Then I want you to pray for them and allow God to lead you to genuinely forgive them in the most appropriate way. If you take time to do this, simply send a message via the comment section stating “Done”. I will start by saying “Done”. I wish you a blessed day!! --Monica

Loved to Love.

Good morning!!! This has been heavy on my heart to share this morning. Our positivity truly expands with understanding that we are loved. Not temporarily, not superficially, but unconditionally loved. Many people know the Bible verse John 3:16, “For God so loved the world…” however do you live by that knowledge that you are loved?

LOVED
DAY 5

When we truly grasp this concept that we are loved by God we do not hold mere humans to such a high standard to love us. This knowledge should push you to love others even more than you are worried about how they love you. I know this sounds complex to some and I want you to read 1 John 4:16-21 in depth. In verse 19, it tells us that “we love each other because He (God) loved us first.” What it does not say is only love your friends, family or select few, it tells us love each other. This may be hard as we know people do things at times that honestly make them EXTREMELY hard to love. Let’s remember that we don’t choose not love them, we just choose to not like their behaviors. You can love someone or show love to someone without approving their behaviors, choices or attitudes. Think about it, God still shows us love despite our sinful nature and although he does not approve of our behaviors, He still loves us. A parent loves their child even if they do not approve of their disobedience, but they still manage to love them. This proves we have the ability to love those even if we do not like their behaviors. So let’s begin to think about how we are or are not showing love to those around us and how we can show love more on purpose. Today let’s choose love! I know this can be tough, BUT GOD. If anyone needs additional prayer or encouragement on this please feel free to reach out via the email icon at the bottom of this post. Sending much love your way!!! God bless. - Monica

I want it.

Good morning!! Today I want us to focus on wanting what others have. The last commandment tells us “You must not covet (yearn to possess) your neighbor's house…” Exodus 20:17. Let’s take a moment to reflect on it. How many things have you simply wanted because someone else had it, and it caused you to respond negatively if you were unable to obtain it? This can come easy in a society where advertising is the norm. I mean think about what most ads do, they set you up to see something and make it look appealing to the point that you feel you need it and have to have it or you will feel unsatisfied. How this applies to our day to day is it causes us to not notice how we tend to want what others have. 

              DAY 3

This could relate to wanting the life we “think” someone has, the job that someone has, marriage, baby, (the list goes on…). This leads to negativity because you are not content where God has you and discontentment can cause conflict, depression or even asking/praying to God “why not me”. The more you focus on those things that you do not have the less you can open your heart to appreciate the season you are in and what you do have. Even further do you really want the truth of what the person experienced to get there? Your story is not meant to be anyone else's. I challenge you when you begin to feel that urge to yearn for what someone else has ask yourself, “Why do I want it?”. So let's shift to a positive mindset and begin being GENUINELY happy for those in season of success or breakthrough and being content in our own season as we are being perfected. I mean no one could do a better job at being YOU. Have a positive, content day!!! -Monica

Designing a life you love.

 Hello loves! It's been a while since I've written a blog post. Life has been happening, and keeping me quite busy... All great things! I'm finally done with my academic studies (insert excessive cheering), I'm also working on a few HUGE projects (more details to come - I can't wait to share!). Overall I have to say that life is good.

Life is Good

I'm excited about this summer season, it's one of my favorite seasons (because I adore the beach), and I love warm weather. I'd say that this #Summer16 has had it's share of challenges, but it's also proven to be a season of fruit bearing; meaning seeds that I've sown in past years have began to come to fruition. One vital thing I've been embracing is to be p-a-t-i-e-n-t. Things don't grow (happen) over night, but they will grow in a healthy way with planning, discipline and proper pruning. I encourage you in this summer season to do the same, be patient and make sure you are disciplining yourself and only take on the things that are in line with your life purpose.

If you fail to plan, 

you plan to fail.

In addition to being patient, I'm also learning to appreciate the gift of "No". Purposefully making a conscious effort to not invest my time in things that are consistent with goals and plans during this season of my life. This gift of "No", will be the best thing that you've ever treated yourself to... Trust me! Everything may be a great idea, but if they're not God ideas... Meaning if they have no purpose in your life, you'll be wasting your time and ultimately be consumed with regret and feeling unaccomplished. Do yourself and others a favor, and only engage in projects, events etc. that you know are adding to the purpose of your life. There is a time to assist others in proper balance, however when we are busybodies, we can miss out on God's plan for our lives and cause others to miss their opportunities as well. We all have been blessed with gifts from God to use for ourselves and to help others - stay in your lane!(1 Corinthians 12-27)

Purpose

This weekend I had the privilege of tuning in to an insightful FREE webinar which was hosted by Chrystal Hurst entitled "Living A Life You Love". This event was AWESOME, no seriously, it was reallllly awesome. I took notes and wanted to share some of the nuggets with you, as the webinar has been taken down and you won't be able to view it (sad face). I pray that you're blessed by these practical points which almost anyone can implement, and that you decide today to design a life you love! XO.

Living a life you love 

• Purposefully surround yourself with people that are embracing and encouraging you to be the best you - Those who love and inspire you.
• It's okay to have desires, but don't allow desires to rule you. Be honest about what you want out of life and your means to achieve those desires.
• Give yourself margin to say no - and margin for you time
• Intentionally think about what your end goal is and what you need to do to accomplish it and make adjustments.
• Protect your time & prioritize your commitments 
• Just because you can do it, doesn't mean  you should - (In any area of life, financially, activities etc.) 
• Don't base your actions on your feelings - feelings change like the wind. Your actions should be based on your desired outcome,
• Figure out how to merge the life you want with the life you have. 
• Don't wait for the next day, month or season to do things you love - do them today! 
• SPEAK LIFE: write positive affirmation on sticky notes, write in a journal, mediate on God's word, choose to be optimistic. Don't just think it, speak it! Philippians 4:8
• Choose one thing a day that makes you happy, and do it! 

                              Remember the joy of the Lord is your strength

 Make time to be in His presence daily

Psalm  91

FYI - Chrystal is hosting another webinar "Living a Life you Love - Online Class" in a few weeks!

 Sign up by clicking here!!! 

Fearless

 

Are your fears causing you to miss out on the abundant life God has for you? This is a profound question that all of us should take time to ponder. Has God spoken to you about a concern that's been on your heart? Has He given you a directive to follow, but you're still sitting or twiddling your thumbs because you're afraid to take a leap of faith? Are you afraid or fearful about how things will turn out? Think about why you’re afraid, confront those fears.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

             What has He told you to do? 

Has He told you to end an unhealthy relationship, quit a job, go back to school, to begin praying daily with purpose, to read and study your bible, to help someone, to give something away, or start a ministry or a community project? Or is it something seemingly more difficult, like apologizing to someone, or possibly forgiving someone who has hurt or wronged you. 

The longer it takes for us to obey what God has directed us to do, the longer it will take for the desires of our hearts according to Gods word to be manifested. God has equipped us with everything you need to walk in the power he has given you. In Christ we have the power to live a balanced life - We have the power to live a disciplined and self-controlled life.

              Walk in His power and strength! 

I admonish you today to step out of fear into faith, and be obedient to what God has called you to do. Your best life is ahead! xo.

Sweet Lips.

What we continually speak will eventually manifest itself into our lives. This happens because the things we speak whether good or bad, right or wrong, negative or positive we will begin to believe and receive. These words are like seeds that will settle within our hearts and eventually grow into large trees (be it healthy or unhealthy). 

It's extremely important for us to be conscious of the things we give voice to.  Have you ever heard the old adage "If  you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all"? That concept was right on point. Don't allow your words to create a prison for you by saying things like, "I'll never lose weight", "I'll never get a better job", "Nothing good ever happens to me", I'll never get pregnant (married couples)", "I'll never get married", "No one ever supports me", "I always get the short end of the stick", "I'm not smart enough", "I'm not pretty", "Everyone says I'm not good enough", "They said I'd never do anything with my life...", "I'll always be broke", "I'll never get out of debt", "I can't keep friends", "I'm always struggling"... and on and on and on... You get the picture. NEGATIVE WORDS are seeds of weeds. When we speak them they choke the life out of us, and if we continue to speak negative things over our lives, we will begin to own them, even if we don't want to. 

Practice sweet lips, speaking sweet positive things only, things that will edify your spirit. It will be difficult to get yourself out of the habit of complaining and putting yourself down; but it's not impossible. If you want to change the quality of your life you must begin with changing your words. Take the challenge! For the next week speak positive affirmations about yourself, write them down and post them where you can see them daily. When you're tempted to say something negative, replace it with a positive affirmation. Colossians 4:6 says, "Let your speech be seasoned with grace...", do just that. Season your speech with grace.

Here is a quote I read a few days ago:

"Your words have creative power. With your words, you can either bless your future or curse your future. If you want to know what your life is going to be like five years from now, just listen to what you’re saying about yourself today." - Joel Osteen

Think about it. 

Speak life, sweet lips.

Keep Going!

Hey Girl! Yeah you! Heeeey!!! (Waving hello)

I just want to encourage you to never give up! No matter what's going on in life, keep going. Trust me I know, life gets hard! Things come up that have the force to knock you off your feet, and into the dirt. If you ever find yourself in the dirt, pick yourself up and keep going forward; slow progress is better than no progress!

During my morning devotional (Trusting God Day by Day) time today I read something by Joyce Meyer that really encouraged me. She wrote "It's normally during the time that you are pressed to give up that you are closet to your break through and or blessing [not verbatim].

Check out this picture:

Enough seen! Keep going. Be Encouraged! XO

Happy Memorial Day 5-27-2013

Honor, respect & love to all of the men and women who have and continually serve in the armed forces of the United States. A special thanks to you & your families for your courage & sacrifice; you are appreciated. ♥♥♥♥♥

Happy Memorial Day!