ME23: 6 Steps to Turn Your Resolutions Into Your Revolution (Part 2)

photo courtesy of memrise.com

Welcome to Part 2 of ME23! My new 6-week blog series that puts a new twist on Psalm 23. 

Each week, I'm offering a new building block based on one of the six verses in Psalm 23. If you haven't already done so, you can catch up with Week 1 here. 

Now, let's open up the goodies nestled inside of verse 2!

"He lets me REST in green meadows; he leads me beside PEACEFUL streams."

Psalm 23:2 (NLT)

Principal #2: Never Forfeit Your Benefits

A couple of months ago, I received an email notification from my insurance company reminding me to use my 2015 dental benefits before the end of the year or else lose them. That little reminder prompted me to set aside some time to take advantage of those benefits.

Think of verse 2 that way; a reminder of about your unused benefits - REST and PEACE. 

Fortunately, these benefits come from God, so they are always available. There's no expiration date. But what good is it to have benefits that you never actually use?

If you're being pulled in too many directions these days, it's a good bet that you haven't been resting. And if you're haven't resting, you're probably not at peace. And if you're not at peace, chances are you won't stick to any plan that will lead to the results you desire in your life.

Now, I'm not telling you to chuck all of your responsibilities and run off into the wild blue yonder (although that may sound mighty good to you right now). I'm simply telling you that REST IS A CHOICE. 

You don't have to accept all the drama that is randomly tossed at your feet.  

• Your co-worker has an attitude with you and you don't even know why
• The cashier at the fast-food restaurant gave you the wrong order then took forever to correct her mistake
• Your sisters asked you to help plan the family reunion, but you've been doing most of the work by yourself

I've got many more examples, but I'm sure you get the picture. Quite frankly, do you really have any more room for unnecessary distractions?

What's the takeaway?

You've got a BETTER option. But it only benefits you if you use it.  So, GO GREEN! Accept God's open invitation to step out of the chaos and into the green meadows and peaceful streams He has waiting for you.

Action Step

You can't always retreat from certain issues or circumstances and go get your head together. But that doesn't stop your soul from crying out for relief, does it?

Start practicing the habit of SELF-SANCTUARY. This is when you designate guarded time every day, 5 to 10 minutes to begin with, to unplug. I'm not just talking about vegging out. It's a matter of focus; not on the things that drain you of life, but on the things that give you life.

You may not even be sure of what those things are, but that's where self-sanctuary shines. It gives you an exit lane so that you can identify and connect with what you actually need.

Leave me a comment telling me what you're discovering about yourself as you put this into action. And if you're enjoying this blog series so far, share the link with a friend. :)

Until next week, D-Viners!

How are You Investing Your Tears?

My good friend, Carolyn M., shared something with me a couple of days ago, and I knew right then and there that I had to blog about it. (It's all good. I got her permission to do this.) We were talking about how she has seen a transformation in her ability to rest and restore peace to her life once she answered this crucial question that the Holy Spirit posed to her: 

Are you crying or crying out? 

In a nutshell, are you whining or are you worshipping. When you whine, you’re only focused on the problem. But when you worship (cry out), you’re connecting to The One who helps you to overcome your problems. Therein lies the difference in how many of us respond to the ups and downs of life. This resonated with me on such a deep level. I had entertained a similar thought just a few days before when I pondered how often we waste our tears on things that have no redeeming value. 

Think about it. How often have you cried over the loss of a relationship that took more from you than it deposited? How many times have you pouted when you simply didn’t get your way? How many times have you made a big stink over something that really wasn’t that big of a deal once you thought about it?

I’ll be the first to raise my hand and admit that I’ve been guilty of these things and more. But thanks be to God, I came into the understanding that my tears are an investment. As a matter of fact, they are so valuable that God actually collects them!

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” ~ Psalm 56:8 NLT

Over time, I came to realize that my tears are not meant to be trifled away on issues that are actually a NON-FACTOR in my life’s purpose. So what, they don’t want to be my friend anymore. So what, I didn’t get the house. So what, things didn’t turn out like I expected. No more tears on that stuff!

The only crying I want to do is the kind that counts, not the kind that is driven by selfish desires and immature rants. I want to invest my tears in soulful cries of sincere gratitude as God overwhelms me with his eternal love and faithfulness. I want to sow my tears into passionate prayers over the lost souls in my family and community. I want my heart to stay unselfish enough to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15). Those are the tears that will water the seeds of righteousness and bring them into full fruition in my life, just as God intended.

So what are you crying about?

Beginning Again

Well, I'm back on the trail to better health and fitness. To kick off my NEW beginning today, I was inspired to post this short video. It's a means of accountability for me as I set my efforts and intentions toward achieving my goal weight of 135 pounds before my 50th birthday on November 21, 2016. I've got 17 months to get it done. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I'll get there!

If you've got some "extra baggage" of your own, be it pounds, negativity, bad habits, etc., I invite you to join me on the journey toward being our BEST selves.

Banish the Box: How to Repossess Your Life (Part Two)

Part Two: It's NOT About What You Stop, It's About What You Start

Have you ever tried to kick a bad habit? Hard isn't it?

Can I tell you why?

It's because you're focused on the wrong thing. 

Change doesn't happen by what you stop doing, but by what you start doing. When you focus on trying to stop doing something, you exhaust yourself physically and emotionally. This happens because all of your potential power is being given to the negative instead of to what's positive.

It takes only one step to start something new. It takes several steps to stop doing something old. So consequently, when you endeavor to stop repeating a bad habit, you feel more stressed and you struggle more. But if you exert that same energy toward making a simple step in the opposite direction, you'll find that you feel less stressful and more empowered. Make sense?

Here are a few examples of how to put this tip into action:

• Instead of trying to stop overeating by restricting yourself to 800 calories a day, start eating a half-sized portion of what you normally eat at each meal
• Instead of trying to stop complaining so much, start repeating a favorite affirmation to yourself out loud in the mirror every morning after you wake up
• Instead of trying to stop watching so much late night TV, start setting an alarm or a reminder to cut the TV off at a certain time each night.

Extra Tip: Every time you complete a START, make note of it, perhaps in a journal, by making a short video blurb, or being accountable to your spouse or friend. Each victory will spur you on to the next one.

As I ALWAYS suggest, PRAY and enlist God's help. Without Him, we can do nothing. Take action one day at a time and share your progress. I'm looking forward to celebrating with you!

"Mile by mile, it's a trial; yard by yard, it's hard, but inch by inch, it's a cinch!"

~ Anonymous