Finding Your Passion

It’s Labor Day and 2/3 of this year is done. Where are you with your dreams and goals for 2011? Well, if you’re like me, you’ve had to endure some struggles this year. I’ve told many people at the beginning of 2011, that this is a year of big moves. I know some people can testify to that, but with it came a lot of struggles and unnecessary strife. From unemployment, threats of losing your job, people on your job (co-workers) threatening to drown you underwater to save their job or just tired of being a gerbil running on wheels (the rat race). There’s more, people are jealous because you decided to pursue your passion (or calling of God), other people are fearful of what the future holds because they have nothing to fall back on (not taking the time to find or pursue their passion) and want to make your life a living hell, your closest friends and family won’t support your passion/talents (see last week’s post entitled “No Love, No Honor, No Support” for more on that), or you are just ready to leave your current job to focus on your passion/talent to impact other people’s lives for the better (because you know that your passion/talent is not just for you, it’s for others around you and those you haven’t met yet).

If this describes what you’re going through, then this post is written for you to encourage you not to cast away your confidence, not to give up on God, and to press forward with your passion. Just know that this post is also for me. I need encouragement as well (considering I’m going through some of the things I mentioned above).

So, I ask you the following questions:

1. Do you know what your passion is? Many people don’t, and they have a hard time finding it. If this is you, it’s OK. To find your passion or mission, you have to dig deep inside, get alone with God and pray for Him to reveal it to you in His time (remember, the steps of a righteous man are ordered by God). It will be revealed to you; meanwhile, just keep your mind stayed on Him and experience His perfect peace. If you know what your passion it, then give God praise and perfect it for the glory of God. If you perfect your passion, and present it in excellence, people will take notice and want more of your passion (granted, some people will actually be inspired to pursue their passion).
2. Are there any activities or thoughts that absorb you so thoroughly you lose track of time?
3. What subjects do you find most exciting to talk about?
4. Do you have any skills or talents that inspire self-confidence? I know some of you have the gift of knitting, singing, writing, speaking life to others (and giving them hope and encourage with the love of Christ) and you know it too.
5. When you have a free afternoon, how do you choose to spend it?
6. If you had all the money you needed to pursue a hobby or a special project, what would it be?
7. If you could develop a “dream” business for yourself, what would it be?

Talk about your passions with people who you know well and trust. Now I need to inject something here. Not everybody can embrace your passion, so you need to discern who you tell it to. Joseph in Genesis 37 is a prime example. He should’ve read his brothers better (they said, we shall see what will become of his dream). As one of my sister friends would say, not everybody is a divine connection to you. You don’t tell your business to someone who has a “what’s in it for me” mentality. Back to my original point, sometimes other people can read our souls when we can’t. Once you become aware of your passion, you can determine your mission and begin to feed it. This in turn will feed the drive that will make your dreams come true.

If you are making statements like the four mentioned below, I strongly consider that you pray and work on pursuing your passion now!

1. I wish I could quit my job.
2. I’m tired of going from job to job.
3. I can’t keep working this hard. I’m getting too old for this.
4. I’m tired of wasting my time, hanging around people without much ambition and who aren’t going anywhere.

Some people don’t want to pursue their passion (this is for those who know what their passion is), because they have selfish motives. They’re being stingy or prideful with it because their church or people around them won’t accept them or their passion/talent. The easy way to rectify that is to give it to God and understand that it’s not about you!  It’s for the glory of God – let Him do the work and give Him all the glory!

With that said, this is the time to make it happen. As Gloria Estefan would say, “Get On Your Feet!”

Never Give Up (The Almighty Will Never Give Up On You)

From time to time, I will have special guests writing columns for my blog. With that said, this post is written by my sister & fellow author Nedra M. White. What she has to say is dedicated to the ladies. Be blessed.

Gracie's Journey Out Of Darkness:

It's my testimony that I never gave up on finding my birth family, and God gave me the strength to keep living. Things didn't happen in my time, it was in His divine time. I can only speak of my journey to you that even in my darkest, darkest hour, only God could save me.

When you go through circumstances in life you have no control of at a young age and make decisions that you have no knowledge of the consequences, it's hard.

My life started out being taken from my birth mother and separation from my siblings, knowing this at the age of seven can be horrific. I was placed in a foster home that was a den of hell. If God hadn't been by my side, I would not have made it out of that den.

Every step from then on, he was by my side.  Having a child at the age of 15, and continuing to have 4 more children kept me from insanity. God's plan works and not my plan (and I can truly say, "in mysterious ways.") While feeling sorry for myself at times, drinking and thoughts of suicide, who do you think got me through my darkest hour?

Through the heartache of wondering where was my Mother, looking in the mirror for my identity, and searching for my siblings; it was more than any child or even a grown person should have to bare.  My message when it's all said and done is this: God will lift you up, give Him the glory and the praise, because without Him, it is then you will be lost to the point of no return.

Ladies, I ask you to believe no matter what mistakes you have made, other situations you have no control of, put the Almighty in control of your life, put Him first. I am living proof, to say He saved me from myself and He will and can do the same for you, and I am Thankful to him.....Amen

Disney Fairytales

This is for the benefit of those who don't have Facebook or have not read this on my notes page. I asked "what's your favorite Disney fairytale" and I also ask you the same question. Mine happens to be Cinderella.
This really is a lesson I sent on December 15, 2006 via e-mail.

While sitting at work this morning, the Disney story of Cinderella came to mind. This might be for you or somebody you know (if it's for somebody you know, pass it to them). Thinking back to my elementary school days, my uncle (who was only 2 years older than me) had a Disney children's book collection that I loved to read when I would visit him & my grandmother (which Cinderella was one of them - yes, I was an avid reader). Some of you might actually remember this (the cover was pink). Now that we're older, we might think it's a woman's story, but anyway, some of us might feel like Cinderella. Allow me a moment to explain.

In the beginning of the story, Cinderella is living with a stepmother and two stepsisters. They mistreated Cinderella. Now, when it came time for the ball (which Cinderella wanted to go to), they told her no and she had to clean up the house. The mice made Cinderella a dress from the stepfamily's unwanted jewelry and fabric. Cinderella loved it, but when the stepfamily saw it, they ripped it to shreds.

A moment to pause: Now how many of us have been mistreated (whether it's your place of employment, or you're the outcast of your own family, whatever the situation). I could imagine that if this were a real story, that God had His hand on Cinderella (and had something better for her even though she didn't understand), because she endured hardships just for being her.

Anyway, a fairy godmother came to Cinderella and rearranged her wardrobe for her to go to the ball (where the prince would be).

A moment to pause: this makes me think back to when an angel appeared to Mary when he said to her, you have found favor. Cinderella got a dress that was better than the first one. Now that's God's favor!

At the ball, the stepmother, stepsisters and Cinderella were there and at the stroke of midnight, Cinderella runs out leaving her glass slipper behind. The prince seeks to find out who that slipper belongs to. He tried it on the stepmother, he tries it on the two stepsisters, but it doesn't fit them. So, they reluctantly try it on Cinderella, but it fits. As a result, the prince and Cinderella live happily ever after.

A moment to pause: As you can see, those who will be first will be last and those who will be last will be first. So, to encourage you my brother, my sister; Don't grow weary in doing good (despite how people will treat you), for in due season you will reap if you don't faint (remind me of this periodically). The Prince of Peace is watching over your life, just be faithful to His Word and to what He's called you to do.

I pray that all you have a prosperous 2011. God has truly been good to us despite our shortcomings, but He is faithful to forgive us, so let's launch from where we are sitting right now, and press for His high calling.