Chosen Vessel: New Season.. New Month.. Embrace Newness!!

Happy April Friends!!

Can’t believe today is the 92^nd day of the year, exactly 274 days left in 2016!

For me, it’s like I’ve barely accomplished anything I had set out to do. I wonder if any of you feels like this?

I had declared 2016 – Year of Expectancy. I always try to be positive so I was expecting ‘great’ things. To be honest, it hasn’t been as peachy as I hoped BUT I am really grateful for the season I am in. I am learning so much from the tests and as James 1:2-4 say “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” .

I believe I am truly being refined as pure gold or better as precious as “Crystal” (yea a bit corny but I crack myself up..lol).

I want to share three (3) lessons I’ve learnt since the year began. They might not be new information but I’m certainly being reminded and I pray you will be encouraged and try to apply them to make your year even better than it has started!

1) I’m not superwoman!

Yea Yea.. I know that to you that might be a ‘duh’ moment but for many of us Alicia Key’s fan we might have started to take the song literally (lol…sorry I’m on a roll aye). I’m miss-busy-body! I believe I should say YES to everyone, I should try to do everything and I must be everywhere. Since 2016, God has truly been teaching me to slow down or I will burn out. I’m learning I can’t be anyone’s savior ..that’s what JESUS is for. He is THE ULTIMATE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD!

So I am a ‘super’ woman but I don’t have to be everyone’s superwoman.

2) Expect the Unexpected

I’m a planner.. That’s what I do.. I try to set goals, keep budgets, make lists, schedule things and journal everything but in this life we have to accept that we basically have control over nothing; especially as a Christian. When we say we surrender ALL.. it truly means that GOD is in control and His plans and timing can differ and we have to simply EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED! In three (3) months – I’ve changed church.. sold my car (taking bus).. one of my dads died..lost more friends ..just to name of few of the things that have been happening. It might seem like nothing but when you weren’t expecting these changes then it can truly shake you a bit. But I have to put on my big girl pants and deal with the changes as they come. So I encourage you to do the same!

3) Do not THINK for people

Yes! It sounds crazy but it’s not! Many times we do this not realizing that’s what we are actually doing. We immediately start thinking how others will respond and start thinking for them and by doing this we are defeating ourselves. We “think” we know the answer even before we ask and that’s too much negativity to deal with. Three specific experiences this year taught me that once I want something, I must ask. Don’t premeditate the response of the other person. Spend your time formulating what you are asking for and come up with necessary ‘arguments’ to make your request valid. Spend no time preempting what someone else will say. Pray and ask God to lead you, fight the fear of rejection and don’t take anything personal whatever their response might be.

I hope these were helpful as these are lessons I’m truly practicing myself. It might not be a new year, but it’s a new month, a new day and a new season so there is still so much you can still do.

Learn from yesterday, live for today and hope for tomorrow – Albert Einstein

Start where you are, use what you have, so what you can – Arthur Ashe