Just Say Yes

I was texting my cousin the other day and said in my text that I was declaring 2018 as the year of yes. I don’t know about you, but I have been known to procrastinate when it comes to what I believe is Gods will for my life. Unfortunately, from time to time, I have also allowed “real life” to stand in my way. What do I mean by “real life?”  For me, “real life” refers to my day to day living. Like many of you that are pursuing your passion or what you believe is God’s will for your life, I work a full-time job. My full-time job often spills over into late night and even weekend hours. The time, my time, which should be reserved for doing what I want to do, or in my case, what I believe God wants me to do as of late has been dedicated to my 9-5. Don’t get me wrong. I am thankful for my job, but I can’t help but to ask myself where I would be if I committed the same amount of time to my passion that I commit to my 9-5.

As I look towards 2018 I’m looking for a new beginning, a new opportunity to say yes. We automatically say yes to those things that we feel we don’t have any control over or those things that are expected of us. I’m employed. It’s expected of me to not only give 100%, but to give my all. I have a family. It’s expected of me to commit myself and go over and above for my family. But what about Gods purpose for my life? Are my job and my family part of God’s purpose for my life? Of course, they are but so is the passion that God has placed in me.

I’m one of those all or none people. I don’t like to start something I can’t complete. I don’t want to commit to something that I cannot see through to the end. This is a challenge for me because life happens. Obstacles appear out of nowhere. I become frustrated with myself when things get in my way that prevent me from moving forward. Those of you that follow my blog probably noticed I was blogging less frequently, then I finally stopped. Well it was the ole 9-5 that was taking up my time. I have been working nights and weekends. Because of my personal work ethic, I don’t see things in my 9-5 changing in the immediate future. I have however decided to make changes. My commitment to my 9-5 ensures I excel in the work place, but what about the souls that are being neglected because I don’t have time to pursue my passion?

In 2018 I’m saying yes. Yes, Lord to your way and yes Lord to Your will. I believe when I rest in the Lord, acknowledging Him in ALL that I do, that He will direct my path. I’m going to seek God. I’m going to listen. I’m going to be still long enough to hear from God. I’m going to accept that He knows my heart and the desires of my heart because He has given me those desires. In doing so, I am going to understand God will also bring my desires to pass because He is the only One that can. I am going to recognize that a little bit is better than none. Whatever the Lord gives me to share in whatever format I can share it is better than not sharing it at all.

I can’t expect everyone to understand nor support my dreams but I can have faith that the God that has given me those dreams will bring them to pass in His time.

A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. Proverbs 16:9

I invite you to join me in making 2018 your year of yes. The year of moving forward in all that God has prepared for a people that will move themselves out of His way, removing all barriers so that He can move mightily through them as He gets all the glory.

Go Against the Grain

I’ve probably mentioned this before, so for those of you who have heard it before bear with me. When I was a young child I wanted to be a fashion designer. I made my own clothes. I made clothes for my Barbie doll. I fashioned jewelry out of wire. I did these things because I enjoyed doing them and no one told me that I couldn’t do them. No one told me I couldn’t pick up the wire they fell to the ground when the telephone company worked on the telephone lines and use it to make colorful jewelry. No one told me I couldn’t make my Barbie’s clothes.  Well my mother did tell me I couldn’t cut up my socks to make clothes for my doll unless they had a hole in them, but that’s a different story. No one told me I couldn’t make moccasins out of an old blanket, or create my own way of embroidering. No one told me I had to use a pattern when I wanted a maxi skirt because everyone else had one.

Have you ever watched a child play or listened to them tell a story? They have the wildest imaginations. They think they can do anything.

When do we lose that sense of imagination, that creativity; that drive to do whatever we believe we can do? For some of us it’s never. Some of us live with that childlike faith and belief throughout life. But for many of us reality hits us at an early age. Someone speaks words of discouragement that stifle our imagination. It may be a teacher that doesn’t understand our creativity, and rather than encourage it we may be labeled as disruptive in class or inattentive.

What is our role as parents or caregivers? When a child wants to spend more time exploring their creative genius than completing and turning in homework assignments, or studying it’s a parent or caregiver’s responsibility to ensure there is balance. An education is important and a gift should not be neglected.

1 Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Each of us have gifts as I’ve previously stated. I admire anyone that follows their passion, anyone that refuses to listen to no you can’t, anyone that perseveres in spite of the naysayers, anyone that perseveres against the odds, anyone that invests, time, money and effort to fulfill their destiny.

In my book Who Told You That You Were Naked, Reclaim Your God-given Birthright (due to be released later this year) I ask the question who told you that you cannot do or be whatever or whoever God has told you that you can do or be.

I think from time to time, we are all guilty of allowing others to dictate who we are and or what we should do, or what we should be. We may be influenced my well-meaning family, friends, coworkers, or even social media.

Have you ever thought about what you could do if you allowed yourself to let your imagination go free, if you allowed the Holy Spirit to truly take control, if you yielded your vessel completely to God?

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Go Against the Grain

http://www.gretahillman.com/#!audiovideo/cd8l

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What Kind of Ground are You?

Some of us spend more time thinking about our dreams, gifts, and passions than we do pursing them. When thinking about the amount of energy we sometimes expend when it comes to our pursuit of our passion it made me think about the parable of the sower and the soil. We know that the parable refers to the seed as the word of God, but bear with me as I to use the parable to refer to the seed as the gift God sows into our lives for His purpose.

In Mark chapter 4:3-8 we read the parable of the sower and the soil. We then read in the same chapter in verses 15- 20 the explanation of the parable.

Jesus begins in verse 15 by explaining these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. When it comes to the gifts in our lives, or the passion God has given us for certain things I believe when we are first made aware of our gifts sometimes we don‘t believe God is talking to us. It’s difficult to believe He has chosen us and entrusted us, so we may dismiss the idea and think of it as a passing whim. This behavior may be found in individuals that don’t see their talents as gifts from God, but rather somehow see them as something they can do on their own.

We then read in verses 16-17 and these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. I believe this occurs when we believe God has chosen us. We know our purpose. We are excited. We tell everyone that will listen about what we believe God wants us to do. We think about ideas of what Gods plan for us will look like, but we don’t have a plan. As soon as things don’t appear as though they are moving in the right direction we become discouraged. I refer to this as having a beginning and a perceived end with no middle, or no plan to get there. Without a plan you cannot reach your desired end.

Verses 18-19 and these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. Busy, busy, busy, planning, thinking, lots of ideas, unsure of which one to follow. This person may dabble in several different areas, unable to focus on one because they all feel right. They may achieve success in an area and become blinded by their initial success, so rather than continue they relish in the success and stay there only to realize this is not their final destination. Once realized they may feel as though they have failed, and may not continue. They may also become discouraged when obstacles come across their path. Rather than face the obstacles head on and learn from them they may move on to something else and start all over again. I refer to this as visions of grandeur. This person believes and acts, but is not totally convinced.

 

And finally verse 20 and these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. This person is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt of what God has called them to do. They work diligently. Do they encounter obstacles and failure? Of course they do. Do they become side tracked? Sometimes. They become disappointed but never discouraged.

I believe Paul said it best in 2: Corinthians 4:7-9 we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. These are the people that will not give up. They know God has given them gifts and depend solely on His ability, rather than their own, to bring what He has destined for their lives to come to fruition. This person is convinced and committed.

At some point in time you may experience one or more of these behaviors. You may even experience them more than once. What’s important is that you recognize your behavior and correct it. There will always be obstacles, naysayers and barriers. There will be disappointment and you will become discouraged but don’t stay in that place. Don’t allow your circumstances to control you. You must control them.

I have exhibited each of these behaviors at some point in time except for the first one. I’m a dreamer and an optimist so nothing seems impossible to me, but what about you? Which of these are you experiencing right now?

Let your gifts be sown into good ground. Ground that will receive the gifts that God has given you. Move in your gifts rather than covet someone else’s, and take your gifts to the limit!

Stay on Track

I hope you used the month of January to focus on your finances and have a plan in place. The key is to stay on track. Remember your financial goals, and work towards them. Don’t deviate. If it’s not in the budget don’t buy it.

It’s important to have a budget when you are pursuing your passion. It’s easy to pull funds from your household budget to fund your dream because of your passion. Don’t let your enthusiasm for pursuing your passion become a financial burden. Remember Proverbs 18:16 a man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. If God has given you a gift, dream, desire or passion, He is more than able to bring it to pass along with all the necessary funding. You are blessed to be a blessing. Your gifts are to be shared. Why would God give you a gift that you could not share? He wouldn’t. The gifts that He has entrusted you with are to edify the body and glorify Him.

Just as you have set financial goals you must also set goals to help you pursue your passion. Where are you? Where do you believe God wants you to be? What are you doing to get there?

What may seem impossible for you is not impossible for God. We serve a big God that gives us big dreams. Whatever God has placed in your heart, you will not be able to achieve without Him so don’t become discouraged when what He desires for you appears unrealistic for you to achieve. It is. As we read in John 15:5 …for without me ye can do nothing.

There will be times when everything will flow perfectly. You will want to pinch yourself, asking is thing really happening. There will be other times when you will feel like nothing is going right, and you will ask yourself was this God or was it me. Count it all joy, the ups, the downs, the good and the bad, but never give up. The journey God places you on while pursuing His purpose for your life is part of your testimony. It is what will inspire others to believe they too can achieve what God has placed in them.

You may feel like you have done everything according to your plan but you are not seeing the results you expect. The operative word here is you. Just because you don’t see what you think you should see doesn’t mean God is not working behind the scene doing exactly what needs to be done so what He has planned for you will come to fruition. While you are waiting, keep praying, believing and thanking Him for what He has done. Keep sharing and encouraging others. It’s all part of His plan.

You have a gift. We all have gifts and once God gifts us He never takes His gifts back as we read in Romans 11:29 for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

If you’ve gotten off track, get back on track. Take baby steps if you must. Sometimes we try to do too much at one time and become lost in what we are doing. Slow down, seek God, ask for direction and move according to His will.

What’s Your Motive?

Most of us have heard the saying do what you like and the money will follow. Is this always the case? Sometimes it is and sometimes it’s not. The reasons it is not may vary. I don't like to use the word failure so what I will say is the flow of income expected when you are doing what you like may not come because of timing, location, marketing, possibly your effort, or lack thereof, or various other reasons. If the money does not follow then you must ask yourself am I doing this for the money or because I enjoy it, then remind yourself that what you are doing is your dream, passion, mission, or  assignment.

 

Let's face it. We all need a certain income to survive, but when we are diligently working towards doing what God has created us to do our income may vary based on our calling. God is however more than able to make the income that He provides not only sufficient to supply our needs, but also to supply our wants. Remember how Jesus multiplied 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread? He fed thousands and still had baskets full of leftovers.

 

Just as each part of our physical body is different and has a different function so goes our roles in the body of Christ. Some of us may be in positions that prosper greatly financially based on the gifts God has placed in us and our willingness to use them for His Kingdom, while others may not prosper as much financially but are just as important as any other part of the body. We read in 1 Corinthians 12:14-16 for the body is not one member, but many.  If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

 

It is Gods desire that we all prosper and be in health even as our souls prospers. Prosperity is not just financial, it refers to your total wellbeing as well as your relationship with Christ and other people.

 

Don't focus on the money. Maybe it will come in abundance and maybe it will not, but For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Use your gifts, do what you enjoy!

 

Your reward comes from God as you follow His directives. The gifts He has placed in you are for His glory and the edification of the body. You may say I'm not a Pastor, teacher, or worship leader. Perhaps you are not, but you are still a witness. Whatever your vocation you are to let His light so shine through you that men are drawn unto Him. That is the greatest reward, and far outweighs any financial reward, and guess what? While you are taking care of His business, He will take care of yours.

Perseverance

While on vacation last week I was able to witness two amazing performances by two different types of performers. The first included four different motorcycle groups performing synchronized drills. The precision was amazing each group unique in its own way. It was obvious the amount of time, effort and practice each group exercised to hone their skills.

At the end of each performance you could see the joy in their faces as they celebrated their flawless performance. The crowd applauded cheered and whistled at the finale when all four groups rode together blowing their horns and flashing their lights.

The second performance was by Vocal Trash. You may have heard of them or attended one of their performances yourself. I watched and listened as they sang, danced and engaged the audience with their enthusiastic musical message played on instruments made from recycled materials.

Both groups of performers were filled with passion. If you haven’t realized it I am very passionate about people who are passionate about their passion. As I listen to people talk about their passions I can see and feel their passion. I can visual the success of a passionate individual as they express to me their goals as well as their plans to attain them.

The operative words here are passion, goal and plan. In addition to a passion, drive or desire you must set S.M.A.R.T or specific, measureable, achievable, realistic, and time-limited goals. You must also have an action plan. Any of these by themselves are enough to light a fire but you need the other two to fuel the fire and keep it burning.

Even with the combination of all three there will be times you may think you are wasting your time, will never succeed and if you have made a monetary investment you may feel like you have thrown your money away. It was obvious the performers I watched had passion, a goal and an action plan but there were probably times when thoughts of failure may have crossed their minds just as they may have yours and mine.

What made these performers successful? Perseverance, it’s the same thing that makes anyone successful. I’ve written about commitment and being convinced but no matter how committed you are or how convinced you are you must still have goals and a plan of action to reach your goals. You should invest time and effort daily if possible. Create a weekly plan to reach your overall goal.  If you are unable to commit time daily set aside time on your calendar during the week to commit to your plan. Do not become discouraged if you are unable to keep your commitment one day. Instead if possible increase your effort the next day you have allotted on your calendar so you do not fall behind in your weekly goal. What is your plan this week to take you closer to reaching your goal?

 

Just How Committed Are You?

If I had a dollar for each time I have said I’m going to dedicate myself to following my destiny I probably wouldn’t have to follow it because I’d be a billionaire. That may be an exaggeration but I have made a commitment to follow my dreams more times than I care to remember. The truth of the matter is I have my peaks and valleys. There are days when I work until I can’t think. Whether I’m working on my latest book, a poem, a greeting card or marketing. There are days when the adrenaline is so strong I feel as though I can’t get the words on paper fast enough.

Then there are the days I sit in front of the television and don’t move. Afterwards I become angry with myself because of all the time I’ve wasted doing absolutely nothing. I can also spend an entire day just conversing with people. I must admit my biggest joy comes from helping others discover their passion and encouraging them to follow their dreams and pursue their destiny, but what else would you expect from a Motivational Speaker and Life Coach?

What’s important is consistency with balance. It’s great to follow your dreams but without balance even following your dreams can take a toll on you. When you are passionate about what you are doing it doesn’t feel like work, time gets away from you and before you know it you can become burnt out doing the thing you love the most.

Always make time for friends, family and something fun. This enables you to work without feeling guilty when you take a break.

Just how committed are you? Some people work full or part-time jobs while pursing their passion. If you fall into this category commit one of my favorite scriptures to memory. It can be found in Romans 4:17 call those things which be not as though they were. What is your passion, dream, desire or destiny? Perhaps you want to be a chef. Why not call yourself a chef? Maybe your desire is to be an artist. Call yourself an artist, and say it aloud. God spoke the world into existence. Why can’t you speak your destiny into existence? If you believe you can do it and put effort behind it your faith will bring it to fruition.