Rise Up

We all have those insecurities we carry with us in our hearts. Those areas of life that we think we’ve dealt with, but they crop up once more, waving themselves blatantly in front of our faces.

We all shoulder these hidden things as “burdens” in our lives. In our hearts and souls. These are the things that no one knows - except us and God.

I had one of those moments recently. One of those times, where I had to carry my emotions to the Lord in a weakened, emotional state of, “not again.” A moment of, “of course, This is the way, it’s always been for me.”

I knew, of course, that it was satan whispering in my ear. Not my Lord; who finds me precious, valuable, and capable.

But, still, those inner feelings rose to the surface with great force.

Then, a song came on over my speaker. “Rise Up” by Andra Day.  In a flash, that inner determination and perseverance I’ve always had - rose to face-off with the voice of the inner insecurity.

“I will rise up.”  

It was as if God was telling me to not let this ‘thing’ defeat me. To not let me view myself with this harmful label.

I was a fighter. I AM a fighter. I am God’s fighter. HIS warrior.

I can overcome. As can you.

We can rise up a thousand times, if that’s what it takes. We can rip those defeating, harmful, sabotaging issues that will come to face us, over and over and over again.

And we can win.

God can bring us to our feet when the world wants to shove us to our knees. Tweet This.

We can rise unafraid and be comfortable in being the best version of ourselves we can be. No one can be the best at that, but us!

All we need is the hope that God can so easily serve us. The one that He can patiently deliver into our lives time and time again.

And when that happens? The tears that will come to our eyes will be ones of humble thankfulness instead of tears of woeful feelings of not being good enough.

So, rise up with me. Rise up and battle for your own soul. 

You can defeat the enemy’s whispers. 

You don’t have to stay broken down anymore.

Rise up. Rise unafraid. Rise up - even if it takes a thousand times. Rise up even in spite of the ache.

Do you feel that strength that lives inside of you? It’s there because of God. He’s there….giving you hope and helping you.

He finds you precious. He finds ME precious. And He’s not about to let lies become what we believe ourselves to be.

So, rise up. Rise up with conviction. 

But, rise up.

You Can Find a New Familiar

The burdens. They come. They come and it’s as if, at times, we feel like they will never leave.

They become thorns in our flesh that we carry with us daily.

I think, sometimes, we find that we don’t really know how to remove the thorn from our lives. We accept the fact that it will be stuck in our flesh forever.

We’re just not very good at asking for help.

We’re not very good at letting others speak into our lives, and helping us unload that burden that came to stay with us.

But, we don’t have to stay “stuck” forever.  

We don’t have to sit in an unhappy marriage. There are so many out there, who not only want to help us have a thriving marriage, but have the tools to show us HOW to get there.

We don’t have to stay “stuck” in a cycle of living a legacy of an emotionally dysfunctional and unhealthy family. There are people who have been there, and can help us get into new thought patterns, and establish boundaries.

We don’t have to stay “stuck” in loneliness, low self esteem, eating issues, or whatever the “thorn” for us may be. 

It’s just that we seem to stumble over ourselves - get in our own way.  And we block our own path to asking, accepting, and receiving help.

Trust me. I know that sometimes it’s scarier to remove that thorn and step into freedom, than it is to live with it. Because living with “it?” It’s familiar. We know how to do that. We don’t know how to do the “other” thing.  But I promise you, if you ask for help? You won’t be walking into that new way of life alone.  There will be someone to walk and talk you through it. 

Step. By. Step.

You don’t have to stay “stuck.” You don’t have to sit there and watch everyone live the life you wish YOU could live. Because you CAN!! 

Reach out for it. Admit where you are now, so that you can get to where you want to be. (Tweet this)

The first step is always the hardest. But you can find a new familiar. A better familiar.

A familiar you thought you could only dream of.

Lay those burdens down. Let someone help you remove that thorn. Take that first step.

Don’t wait any longer to be the YOU, you were meant to be.

It's All In What You Tell Yourself

I was watching a movie recently, and I cracked up at the internal messages they had the lead character telling herself, as she faced different dilemmas throughout her day. One line really amused me. Every time this lead character was faced with something hard, she would internally tell herself… “I AM a fierce warrior.”

I knew right away, that this was a line I could really use in my own life.

The actress, would tell herself this, when she had to deal with something she dreaded.

She would tell herself this, when she had to swallow and deal with something hard.

She would internalize, “I am a fierce warrior.”

I LOVED it.

I could use this phrase so often. Couldn’t you? The messaging is FANTASTIC.

When we are faced with dealing with something hard? Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, we can swallow, tilt our face towards it, and say, “I am a fierce warrior.” Then walk into it the situation with that kind of determination. That kind of confidence.

For it’s all in what you tell yourself.

You can look at a storm and say, “The sky is falling.” or… you can look at a storm and say, “There is going to be a fabulous show tonight!”

It’s all in how you look at it, and it’s all in what you tell yourself about what is coming.

We can feel like the world is against us. And we can so easily fall victim. But we can also, easily become warriors.

I know which one I want to be.  I know what messaging I want playing inside of my head.

What kind of messaging and internal thoughts do you want playing inside of yours?

Look at whatever you’re facing today, take a deep breath and tell yourself that YOU are a fierce warrior. Then walk into it.  

Walk into it, with belief in yourself.

Did We Open Up? Or Did We Shut Down?

Do the changes and transitions in your life open you up….or close you off and shut you down?

Each season of our life brings with it changes, adjustments, and alterations that need to be made personally, internally, and sometimes - physically.

Our children grow up.  Illness happens.  Loved ones move away.  Jobs change. And these things, are really only the most predictable things that can happen on our journey of life.  There are those other “less predictable” things that can happen along the way, as well. The unexpected things. The life-altering, how-can-I-breathe-today kind of things.

And then months and years go by.  

How are we different from those changes that happened in our lives? As we look back on them, did we let them overtake our heart and soul? Did we stay stuck there in that moment, or season - letting it permanently embitter our hearts? Did we use it for good?

Did we open up? Or did we shut down?

I think one of the most common traits we see in people we admire and respect, is that they never close off their heart.  They continually open it up. They push themselves to learn, grow, and persevere DESPITE what happens in their lives. And sometimes, maybe, BECAUSE of what happens in their lives.

You are a “well” of untapped possibilities.  You can dig, and dig deep inside, and you still have so much more to give and learn about yourself. Why would you close that “well” off, to a thirsty world?

Life loves to throw curve balls at us. It loves to change the directions of our path. It is gifted at stepping in, scooping us up, and dropping us down into something that is both foreign, and uncomfortable for us.

But we can use those moments, as opportunities. We can take those lemons, and turn them into delicious lemonade that gives us just the nourishment and fuel we need, to keep running our race in life.

No one can avoid changes in life. They. WILL. Come.

But don’t let them close you off. Don’t let them shut you down. 

You only have ONE life. ONE.  Open your arms and love with abandon. Live with joy. And use those hurts and pains, to gift you with great gentleness, compassion, and understanding that someone else in your life will need.