Sound Off Sunday

Sound Off Sunday

How are you starting off this New Year?  Have you made resolutions?  Have you decided to get, healthy, join a gym, eat healthier, become more organized?  What did you resolve to do this year?

Years ago, I decided to give up on resolutions.  You start off strong at the stroke of midnight and before the Dr. King holiday your good plans are out of the window.  I decided that I would make my changes prior to January 1, and use the new year to create a theme for my year and to create a vision board.

As you saw in my last post, I decided that 2016 would be my Year of Yes.  Now I have not read the book yet, I am getting started today, but I realized that I often told myself no.  Maybe it was fear, maybe it was finances maybe it was a lack of faith but when opportunities came my way, I often was the block between something new and something familiar. Maybe it was the fear that I would actually succeed, been there so many times.  Maybe I was scared that there would be mistakes and setbacks along the way, but then again that’s life right?

Whatever the reason, I have decided to grab life by the balls and run with it.  If I fail, I will get up and start again.  If I succeed that’s another blessing.  What I do know is that this year I will not let any opportunities pass me by.  I will try, and try again.  I have decided that I will no longer stand in my way and fear and lack of faith will no longer be a part of my story.

I have some major things on the horizon this year.  God is doing some amazing things in my life.  I will be moving into so spaces and some areas that I could never have imagined I would be in and most importantly, I will complete my EdD program!  I welcome you all to follow me along this journey and lets see what life has in store.

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The Spirit of Stuck

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Ephesians 6:10-13 NIV

Put on all of God’s armor. Then you can stand firm against the devil’s evil plans. Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world. So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing.

I believe that I can safely say that we have all felt stuck at some point in our lives. Whether we felt as if our back was against the wall, we were fighting to keep out head above water, or it just seemed that there was no way out, we were just stuck. For people such as myself who live in Chicago, it is like navigating the winter storms with bad tires. Once you are snowed in, you have to either work your way out or wait for a change in the weather or you are just stuck. What do we do then when we get stuck, I am guilty, I whine, complain, fuss, fret and worry, all to no avail.

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This can be especially true this time of year when people encounter the Winter blues or the Winter blah’s. Let’s be mindful not to allow the circumstances to control us. Remember that we have the power to overcome these things.

I am so happy that scripture reminds us that our struggle is not with flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil in this world. When we are stuck we are to remember who we are and Whose we are. We are to prepare ourselves with the tools and the weapons that God has given us, because these are the only tools that will work in this type of battle. Do you think that soldiers fight with slingshots? Absolutely not! So why would we in turn fight a spiritual battle using non-spiritual sources. We are to use Gods armor when we get stuck, so that we can remain standing.   Put on all of God’s armor.

In order to beat the blues and the blahs that come with this time of year, and life in general, remember your armor. Remember the real reason for this season. Not the presents, the food the sales, and who doesn’t love a sale. The reason for this season is to celebrate the ultimate gift of love given to us. For unto us a child was given. Let us remove the Spirit of Stuck from our lives and live the lives we were created to live. Lives full of mercy, grace and abundance. And remember the true meaning of the season. New Year! New You! New Life!

pray, faith, god