JESS!!! Congratulations Jess! Be on the lookout for an email from me!!
Thanks to all who commented! It was WONDERFUL reading everyone's thoughts. I look forward to hearing more from each of you! Make sure to check back often!!
Jen
GIVEAWAY!!!
Because I would love nothing more than to hear from you, I figured what better way than to pose a question and in turn, give away a free gift!! Every week I will pose a new question. The deadline for answering the question will vary week by week, so be sure to keep checking the blog. Once the deadline has arrived, I will randomly pick a name from the posts and the name chosen will be the winner! When you leave a comment, make sure to leave me your email address so that I can contact you upon your win!! I think this could be fun!! Ok, here we go-question #1:
* What do you feel passionate about? What gets you out of bed in the morning?
This weeks prize? Katie Brazelton's new book, Character Makeover! I look forward to hearing from you!!
Blessings,
Jen
Are You Content?
"To experience happiness we must train ourselves to live in this moment, to savor it for what it is, not running ahead in anticipation of some future date nor lagging behind in the paralysis of the past." -Luci Swindoll
I'm in the process of reading and going through Dr. Katie Brazelton's new book, Character Makeover. One of the topics she discuss is contentment. She states that "Any one of us can be content, because contentment is a state of satisfaction that is independent of circumstances, and we learn contentment by trusting in Christ, who gives us strength. Contentment is a sense of satisfaction in God that doesn't go away because of what you lack, how you're hurt, or where you're stuck. Real contentment is perspective."
Today, it's very easy to allow ourselves to get caught up in what it is that we lack, how we've been hurt, or where it is that we feel stuck. Whether it be the house we feel we need, the job that is going nowhere, or the friend that wounded us deeply, we tend to focus on these aspects rather than the positives. We forget to thank God for what it is that He has blessed us with and what it is that He is doing in our lives. When was the last time you thanked God for anything?
Believe me, I know how easy it is to get caught up in the contentment game. I too have seen houses that I've longed for and in turn, have felt as though my house didn't compare or wasn't good enough. I've also wondered at times why I didn't get a certain job or position, or even, how people that are younger than me could possibly afford the things that they purchase. I've been there, and each time that I have been there, I have had to stop and think about all the wonderful things that the Lord has blessed me with. It's only then, when I begin to thank Him, that I once again realize that I have all that I could ever need and want.
One of the areas that most people tend to lack contentment in is in regards to their jobs. Katie states that "to some degree, everyone has drudge in their days. The administrative assistant has filing. The teacher has grading. The doctor has charting. The lawyer has briefings. The athlete has training. The musician has practicing. Everyone has to deal with activities that are draining, demotivating, or dull. If you start to focus on the dullness and the drudgery, it will zap your joy! If, instead, you see your work as a holy calling, not a daily grind, you'll rediscover the joy and meaning in your tasks."
How would your day be different if you began to see it as a holy calling? How different would your attitude be if you took the words of Colossians 3:23 to heart:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people."
Let me encourage you to take some time today and just thank the Lord for not only what He has given you, but what He has done in your life. When you allow yourself to get into the habit of thanking God for all that He has done, your attitude tends to change and in turn, your days are filled with joy. Every time I've allowed myself to focus on the good things, not only is my outlook better, but those around me feed off of my joy.
So, what are you waiting for? Go tell God how thankful you are and in turn, watch how your attitude and outlook will change!
Brazelton, Katie. Character Makeover: 40 Days With A Life Coach To Create The Best You. Zondervan, 2008.
About the Author: Jennifer M. Bennett, MACE, LPC, LPF is trained and certified as a Life Purpose Coach® and a 2-Day Life Plan Facilitator to women of all ages through the Life Purpose Coaching Centers, Int'l. Jennifer assist’s women in identifying and embracing their unique, God-given purpose utilizing the Pathway to Purpose process. As a Life Purpose Coach®, Jennifer will assist you in gaining a clearer understanding and vision of your passions and what God's purpose is for your life. As a 2-day Life Plan Facilitator Jennifer will take you through a series of sequential exercises intended to help you discover your uniqueness, how God has been present in your life, and the creation of a personal action plan outlining specific steps to take immediately in response to new insights. Jennifer has had a variety of experiences working in ministry and is currently studying for her Doctorate in Instructional Leadership.
Contact Information:
www.coachjenniferbennett.com
Happy New Year!
Can you believe that the year 2008 is upon us already? It's hard for me to believe that Christmas has come and gone. It seems as if it was just yesterday that my husband and I were setting up our decorations and in turn, getting excited about spending the holidays with family.
With the new year upon us, take a minute to think back on 2007. Think back to January 1st 2007. Did you set out goals to accomplish, only to find that 2 weeks later you had lost sight of those goals? Was 2007 a year of joy and happiness, or one of sadness and sorrow? As you think back to 2007, what is it that you would like to do differently in 2008?
I want to encourage you to take some time to write down your thoughts. One thing that I like to do at the beginning of each year is purchase a new journal that I can start off fresh with. If you have no journal, I want to encourage you to go out and buy one. Be determined to write down your thoughts, ideas, goals, joys, sadness, etc. It's amazing what a difference writing can make in your life. What's even more amazing is the fact that within a few months, you will be able to go back through your journal and realize how far you have come in your thoughts, ideas, and actions.
So with 2008 upon us, what are you striving for? If you are not sure, spend some time with the Lord asking Him to show you what He would like to do within your life in 2008. If you ask, He will reveal. Let me share with you a few things that I know that the Lord wants to do within my life this year:
* Healthy eating and exercising-Yes, many of us make this a goal and unfortunately, fall short within a few weeks. I'm determined to shed some pounds and in turn, get back in shape. I've been feeling convicted about really taking care of the temple of God. So, to help keep me on track, my husband and I have hired a personal trainer to help keep me going. No, it's not cheap, but if I want to accomplish this goal once and for all, I have to be willing to do whatever it takes. Watching the Biggest Loser helps too!
* With the healthy eating, my husband and I have decided to not spend any money on eating out in 2008. Last week, Luke and I tallied up the receipts from 2007 that we spent on eating out, and the amount of money we spent was, let's just say, too much. So needless to say, we will only be eating out this year if we have gift cards. We really want to be better stewards of our money, so we are determined to not eat out. In turn, this will help us lead a more healthy lifestyle and will help us afford that personal trainer to keep me in line!
* Last but not least, we want to live lives of simplicity. We want to cut back on so many of the things that we allow ourselves to get caught up in. Our goal is to live simple lives.
There's my goals for 2008-what are you planning on accomplishing in 2008? I would love to hear from you regarding your goals!
Happy New Year!
When was the last time you played?
When was the last time you played? When was the last time you were able to get away? Get away from your daily routine, responsibilities, work demands, house demands, and in turn, just play like a kid again? One of the privileges my husband and I have with living in the Orlando area is that Disney is 20 minutes from our house. Because of that, we try to always fit some time in our busy schedule to visit the place where "Dreams come true". This past weekend was one of those weekends. We stayed both Friday and Saturday night at the Boardwalk Hotel on Disney property and in turn, spent Saturday at the Magic Kingdom riding rides like Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Jungle Cruise, etc.. What a refreshing weekend it was. No computer, no alarm clock, no grading papers, no lesson plans to put together, and no doctoral classes to work on. Nothing. All we did was play.I once heard a speaker state that the busier you are, the more play time you need. When was the last time you played? Are the responsibilities of life just wearing you down? Are you tired, worn out, burned out, etc? If so, play time is what you may need. Maybe your schedule or finances will not allow you to get away for the night. If so, why not take into consideration some of the ideas listed below:
* get out and have a picnic
* go to the park and swing on the swings like a kid again
* go down the slide at the park
* jump on your bed because you can
* have a pillow fight
* play hide-n-seek
* rent a canoe
* take a hike
* jump like a kid into a pool
* go on a bike ride
* go to a cafe and read a good book
* go to the beach
* fly a kite
* take a bubble bath
* go see a girl movie
* rent a girl movie
If the stresses of life are getting to you, set up some time to play. I promise, it will be well worth it!
What Are You Afraid Of?
What is the first fear that jumps into your mind? We all struggle with fears, some paralyzing, others mildly nagging. What about you? What is your greatest fear? Fear can motivate you to seek God's strength and power, or it can keep you from embracing new opportunities, including those that would help you fulfill His plan for your life."
You Are Not Alone
"I cross paths with women every day who have fears like these: heights, snakes, public speaking, cancer, terrorism, financial ruin, spiders, bridges, or dogs. Some have a fear of flying, falling, enclosed spaces, job loss, husband's death, being alone, fish, or chemical warfare. You may know someone who has a fear of abandonment, rejection, being attacked, failure, success, ridicule, or being found out that she's not smart. What about an extreme fear of dying, which causes you to avoid your annual checkup" (Brazelton, 29).
What are you afraid of? Like many women, I too have my fair share of fears. What I have come to realize is that many times, fears can keep you from fulfilling the plan that God has for your life. Let me explain. For the past 10 years I have had the opportunity to speak in a variety of venues. Each time I'm approached about speaking, believe it or not, I can't help but have this immediate fear creep up within me. Yes, the speaker who gets nervous! My first response is to say no. But as I think about and pray about the opportunity that the Lord has placed before me, I can't help but feel the Lord nudging me to accept the invitation. I have to admit, I'm nervous until the speaking engagement is over! But what's interesting to note is that while I'm speaking, I am in my element. My heart is filled with an unexplainable joy and while I'm speaking I can't help but think, gosh, this is what I was made for. I love nothing more than being able to share my heart with others and in turn, being able to encourage and inspire others to live the life that God has called them to live. What's even more amazing is that after each speaking engagement, my heart is overflowing with the encouragement I receive from the audience members.
Here's my point-I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has called me to be a speaker-to share His Word with others. When I'm asked to speak somewhere, I have to consistently remind myself that this is what God has called me to and in turn, I have to trust that He will give me the words to speak. I can't allow my fear to keep me from doing what it is that God has called me to do. If I do, I end up missing out on the wonderful blessings that the Lord wants to pour out upon me.
So, what are you afraid of? Where in your life are you allowing fear to take control? What would it look like if you allowed God to take that fear and use you in the mighty ways that He wants to use you?
Don't let fear win out. Give your fear over to God and watch what He will do. I promise, it will be well worth it!
Brazelton, Katie (2005). Praying for Purpose for Women. Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan
Digging Deep
About a month ago, my pastor approached me wondering if I would be interested in leading the Sunday church service on July 8th while he and his family were out of town. After I said yes, I then began seeking God's guidance as to what I should speak about. He led me to the story of Joseph found in Genesis 37-50.As I began digging deeper into the life of this amazing young man, God revealed some truths to me in regards to purpose and how He works out His plans for our lives. As you consider each point, see if you can relate to Joseph and what he encountered on his path to purpose.
1) Joseph was given a glimpse of what was to come in his life-he had a dream of greatness that he was not afraid to talk about. Has God given you a dream? Have you openly discussed your dream with a trusted friend? When you talk about your dreams, you not only embrace your dreams, but talking about them also brings ownership.
2) Joseph had dream killers within his life-namely, his brothers. Dream killers are those people who consistently question the dreams that you have and in turn, provide negative comments such as; it will never happen, how do you plan on making a living doing that, when will you grow-up, etc. Make sure to focus your efforts and time on those people who will build you up and encourage you as you seek to live out God's purpose in your life.
3) Life has its ups and downs. At the age of 17, Joseph had a vision of what was to come in his life, but then all of a sudden life took a drastic turn. Even in the midst of confusion, Joseph continued to keep his eyes focused on God and in turn, God allowed Joseph to prosper in everything he did. In life, it's not so much what you go through, but how you go through it.
4) When seeking out our purpose/dreams, we must always be willing to wait on God and his timetable. What we do while we wait may at times determine how long we wait.
5) In life, people will sometimes forget about us (just as the cupbearer forgot about Joseph), but you can rest assured that God will never forget you. God has a plan for your life and he has not forgotten the dream that he has placed within you. As Galatians 6:9 states, "Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due time, we shall reap if we do not lose heart."
Are you ready to embark on a life of purpose where God not only uses you in some amazing ways, but also grows you in ways you never imagined? If so, I encourage you to read through the story of Joseph and in turn, seek out God's guidance in living out your dreams!
ENVISION what you can become
CREATE the life you have always wanted
GROW into the person God has created you to be
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