What are we waiting for? We know we want to change our stories. We know our lives can be bigger than what they are now. We know that God is calling us to a life of pure joy and rich faith. So what are we waiting for? What’s keeping us from… Spending more time getting to know the God who loves us unconditionally… Eating more fruits and vegetables and less stuff that comes from a box… Getting outside and playing or walking or making snow angels … Forgiving the person who hurt us terribly… Choosing to live now, rather than wait Continue Reading
God has called you by name
This has been a week of asking some pretty big questions! …How am I getting to know God better? …How am I standing in the gap for my Girlfriends and their needs? I am grateful for these questions that God has put on my heart, and… …when I start asking myself these questions, it is easy to feel discouraged. (“Sigh. Shouldn’t I be better / more ‘spiritual’ by now?”) Good grief. We’re always trying to measure up to a standard that “they” set, aren’t we? So today I’m finding encouragement in this verse: “Fear not, for I have Continue Reading
Your own gifted form and sacred soul
Oh, I’m so excited to share this Friday’s “chocolate” (AKA life resource) with you! Parker Palmer’s book, Let Your Life Speak, was a life-changer for me. He reminds me that my life matters. That my life has meaning. Purpose. Read the quoted words below. Think on them. Accept them. “She did not show up as raw material to be shaped into whatever image the world might want her to take. She arrived with her own gifted form, with the shape of her own sacred soul. Biblical faith calls it the image of God in which we are all Continue Reading
I Follow Him
What does it mean to follow Jesus? I’m still discovering how the answer shows up in daily life…life has a way of giving us cues, doesn’t it? We believe we’re on the right track – our heart is right with God – we are living in obedience. And then something hiccups in our mind or our heart…and we know that our “following” has joined hands with “but I still need to take care of some things.” We know that following Jesus is more than reading the Bible and praying, going to church, or even accepting him as our Redeemer, Savior, and Continue Reading
A New You Created by Consistency!
Do you want some things to be different in 2012? Assuming your answer is “Yes!”… Here’s the scoop! Determine what you will DO differently and then CONSISTENTLY do those things! My business coach, Mark LeBlanc, reminds me about this in every coaching session and every Growing Your Business program he facilitates. Our lack of success is typically for one or more of these reasons: 1. Lack of clarity 2. Lack of congruency 3. Lack of consistency. It is NEVER due to lack of commitment. I think we all know how earnest our Continue Reading
Psalm 23: God is my Shepherd, so Nothing Shall I Want
Today I celebrated the life and legacy of my friend Ann’s mom. Angeline Yelich was loved very much. Her husband, children, and grandchildren shared stories, laughter, and many tears as they reflected on who she was. During the Funeral Mass we sang the 23rd Psalm. The words were a little different from the versions I’m used to, and they were just perfect for the day. Perhaps you are weary, sad, or feeling lost. May these words bring you comfort. God is my shepherd, so nothing shall I want, I rest in the meadows of Continue Reading
Living with Purpose (And Getting Healthier): Learn from Those who Live It
Spending any time in the kitchen is not usually a good time for me. But in my commitment to getting healthier, I spent an hour this morning cutting up fruits and veggies. (I count this as “cooking.” Steve says it really isn’t because no water was boiled and the oven wasn't on.) I can read, and have read, a lot of books and blogs on getting fit and staying healthy. I love buying cookbooks - just don't know what to do with them. I love listening to CDs, watching the programs, and learning from the best. The people that have helped Continue Reading
Meet my Aunt Idelle – She’s Living with Purpose!
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118:24) She’s 83. She lives in an apartment for senior citizens. She’s got more life than the energizer bunny. Meet my aunt, Idelle (Nornes) Bagne. Nothing is keeping Aunt Idelle from getting the most out of every moment she takes a breath. She’s still serving, teaching, serving, laughing, serving, and helping. Did I say serving? Here’s her weekly schedule: ~~ She volunteers at the hospital for the terminally ill on Monday mornings. ~~ She leads Continue Reading
Honoring our Faith Traditions
Last week my friend and I had a delightful conversation about our faiths. She is preparing for Passover, with all the rituals, dietary commitments, and readings that she and her Jewish family participate in. I am looking forward to Maunday Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, with their pageantry, emotions, and reminders of God’s faithfulness. There are some differences in our beliefs. But the same core elements—traditions—are included. Our focus is on God the Deliverer. The Word is central to our worship. And we usually share Continue Reading
Making One Good Decision
My intentions are good. My business objectives are clear. Get my three high-value activities taken care of to ensure I’m focusing on the things that matter most. Those things that will move my business forward. And yet, the distractions are endless. Emails are calling my name. The phone is ringing with urgent (not most important) questions. My to-do list spirals in my head like a roller coaster. I’m sprinting on a mental treadmill that’s not getting me anywhere. I know what work to do—the right choice is clear—and yet I keep Continue Reading
Working Out: Will it ever be a Fun Activity?
Greetings from the land of “Will working out ever be a fun activity?” I started working out again this week at the local YMCA. Good grief. I had forgotten what happens when you ask your muscles to do things they don't want to do--they scream! My commitment to getting healthier and “more fit” includes getting more exercise, and I’ve accomplished two goals thus far: Call the Y. Show up at the Y. I’m really quite proud of myself! I’ll keep you posted on my progress. How is your “get healthier” program working for Continue Reading
What should you start doing…Now?
Last night I listened to several of my National Speaker’s Association (NSA) colleagues discuss the activities they’ve initiated during the last year to grow their speaking business. These are some of the best of the best speakers in our industry. Good information. Each had a different strategy and tactics. But there was one common activity… Each of them acted. They created plans, and then executed the plans. It’s easy to stay in a planning mode when we’re trying something new. We can hide behind our planning, using it as an Continue Reading
Make the Commitment
As little girls, my sisters and I loved watching the Miss America pageant. We’d pick out the gowns we wanted to wear, use our homemade score cards to judge the talent competitions and cry when Bert Parks would sing, “There she is, Miss America.” (If you don’t remember Bert Parks, my apologies.) It all looked so easy. It still does. What we didn’t see during that two-hour television show was the incredible amount of preparation and planning that took place before the competition. A young woman doesn’t wake up one day and decide Continue Reading
Thoughts on Living with Purpose in the Real World – Join the Conversation!
Living with purpose and making smart, healthy, and productive daily choices is something many of us strive for. But it’s not always easy living an intentional, faith-based life in a world that demands so much. Don’t you agree? I swear the joy of the Lord just stays in bed some mornings, even when I choose to get out from under the covers. I know that exercise is good for me…but it takes energy! And let’s not even start discussing all the reasons why I know my eating habits need some tweaking. I love spending quiet moments with Continue Reading
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