Speak

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Refreshment...

"OUR DEEPEST fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. "We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

(Marianne Williamson, A Return To Love; HarperCollins, 1992)

I was at a Women's conference this weekend and this passage was quoted. It really caused me to look back over the past while and truly examine all aspects of my life. It took me inward, because it speaks so much truth. We are truly all meant to SHINE in this life. The way in which we SHINE will be different for each individual, because He so carefully and lovingly created us with that immense individuality. And when we begin to want to SHINE, it is infectious in a very good way.

I came away from the weekend with a lot of things...here's just a few:

One...we all have our own unique make up and those make ups have their strengths and weaknesses. The way to optimize how God has created us is to 'maximize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses.'

Two...God doesn't place anything within our past that He wishes to be wasted. By talking with people, sharing and using whatever other avenues available, we are able to take even the bad and create good through it.

Three...it doesn't matter how many people you forgive, if you haven't forgiven yourself, you will never acquire true peace and freedom.

Four...listen hard to that inner voice, as that's the most optimal way God finds to voice direction to us and bring strength, peace, love and comfort in all circumstances.

Five...everything must have a home. An uncluttered life begins with an uncluttered home.

In amongst the sessions, we were treated to a banquet on Friday night, lunch Saturday, along with some really yummy desserts. I also got to have a mini manicure...the first one I've had since I got married. It was very long overdue and so very awesome!

I think what I loved the most about the conference were the awesome women from my church that I was blessed to attend this conference with. This was a great opportunity to get to know each other a little better and to have great times of fellowship! I came home very refreshed and will definitely be gathering a group of women to attend this conference next year.

Courage...

“Courage is not limited to the battlefield or the Indianapolis 500 or bravely catching a thief in your house. The real tests of courage are much quieter. They are the inner tests, like remaining faithful when nobody's looking, like enduring pain when the room is empty, like standing alone when you're misunderstood.”

~ Charles Swindoll

Faith

"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time."

~ Oswald Chambers~

Grant All Which Is Needed

Some Food Feeding Me Today...

"The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it? (Acts 17:26-28, MSG)


"So let's do it—full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching."
(Hebrews 10:24-25, MSG)


"Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there."
( Matthew 18:19-20, MSG)


You can give without loving, But you cannot love without giving.
~ Amy Carmichael

A Little Bit of C.S. Lewis

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, "What! You too? I thought I was the only one!"

~ ~ ~

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival."

A Little Bono

"Fear is the opposite of faith."
~ Bono

"Freedom has a scent like the top of a new born babies head."
~ Bono

"Every age has its massive moral blind spots. We might not see them, but our children will."
~ Bono

Quotes for Today

"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live in every experience, painful or joyous, to live in gratitude for every moment, to live abundantly."

~ Dorothy Thompson



"The greatest gift we can give to one another is rapt attention to one another's existence."

~ Sue Atchley Ebaugh



"What the heart gives away is never gone.....It is kept in the hearts of others."

~ Robin St. John



"I love these little people; and it is not a slight thing when they, who are so fresh from God, love us."

~ Charles Dickens



"Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me doesn't welcome only me but also the One who sent me."

~ Mark 9:37