Moving Forward

Growing up, I was a natural explorer and hiker. In fact, I always felt closest to God in nature, on a hike. Many of those who have known me a while, know that in my 20's and even early 30's, I enjoyed backpacking. With goals early on of hiking the AT, the Grand Canyon, the Alps, and trails all over Colorado, New Mexico, Canada and of course, Texas.  Always on the move, striving, and learning to test my limits, to persist, and overcome. As I grew older, I learned the weight of gravity after a long climb. I would often share with my sons that as the hardest part, the descent after the summit. In fact, my knees, joints, etc. would just be in so much pain climbing down from a mountain.  For the majority of my adult life, I have been very purpose and passion driven. Often, I would spend years working on a higher cause or purpose beyond myself and pouring so much into others or causes. I am so grateful for all of the opportunities afforded to me. I have never been one to not achieve...

 When you are in a season of attack, as I have been,  we learn to have faith. Through seasons of attack and  experience, we develop a strong and unique testimony.  Be Still and Alert. Through stillness, we learn to listen. This is when God speaks to us and helps us process how we should react to events.  I have always loved hiking and nature. This is when I feel most at peace and where I learned to first listen to God. A recent series of events and people continue to remind  me that I need to stop, listen, and pay attention. A recent sermon online populated on my feed last week. The sermon was entitled "For Those Under Attack" and draws on 1st Peter.  In this message, the pastor quotes 1 Peter 5:9:  The devel is like a roaring lion. The roar is a warning and serves as a reminder that we will be alerted if an attack is coming. We must be alert and learn to listen. This morning my new pastor, Coleman, had no idea that I had been seeking God during t...

I found joy in a few moments in 2021. This last year has been a struggle for many but I started the year searching for the meaning of joy. Joy is found through the living practice of gratitude. I found that starting my day with quiet time, focusing on gratitude, greatly aided in finding joy in everyday moments. When evaluating 2020, I realized I had focused primarily on work or the mind and wanted to shift the focus to spiritual wellness in 2021.  While I didn't reach all of my goals, I did make great gains in my spiritual and mental wellness column last year and continue to make great gains in all three targeted areas:  mind, body, and spirit.  This upcoming new year, I would like to place a greater emphasis on body wellness, which I have neglected. I could use more exercise, outdoor time, time away from my computer, less media, which I feel would help me focus on positive messaging. I would like to feel the characteristics of good health through improved flexibility, an...

What I Know at 45... Start each day with gratitudes and spiritual meditation.  Life doesn’t go as planned. By 45, things have happened and you become humbled. Learn to have faith when your going through dark times. The light is near.Truth always prevails. People who you thought would be there for you will disappoint you. Be gracious and forgive them anyway.  Recognize, love and honor your tribe. The people who are the for you during tough times. This is your family. Forgiving someone  doesn't mean you  open the doors to your life. It does  mean  that  you  try to  give  them a clean slate and truly let go. Set a firm boundary and be always be kind. Health matters and physical health relies on spiritual and mental health wellness. Take time to go outside as much as you can. You don’t have to respond immediately.  Work is not everything and your success isn’t dependent on an organization or someone’s approval. God has a p...