What are you THINKING?

By Ericka Delismé

Proverbs 4:23 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
“Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life.”

You are what you think. That’s why we have to start with the mind. There’s an old saying “Get the mind, whip the behind.”

On Easter Sunday, my pastor talked about being locked in a room with all the doors left open. It sounds silly but sometimes the doors to our goals and dreams are open waiting for us to walk through. The only thing stopping us from walking through is our thoughts and perspective about what’s going to be on the other side of that gateway.

That’s when I usually find myself asking, “Am I strong enough? Am I smart enough? Am I outgoing enough? Can I really do it?” Well this is what I’ve discovered … The journey through the uncertain gateway answers those questions! Prior to that journey are questions but after going through that journey are absolute answers.

It has been through the journey that I found out I am stronger, smarter, and can totally do it. Life doesn’t get better by doing the same old things over and over. It’s the new experiences that challenge us and makes us grow, learn, and change for better.

Cars, apps, and phones are not the only things at need an upgrade or new model released every year. We too have to evolve and upgrade. God is not the god of complacency. So redefine your perspectives and dive into an improved version of yourself.
~E~

Proverbs 4:23 King James Version (KJV)
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Proverbs 4:23 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”

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Eat Better, Live Better

I've challenged myself to eat better this year. After being in the hospital last year, I've realized we only get one life. And my life is much better lived outside of a hospital bed ;)

No matter what our plans are we can't live it out if we are not healthy. So join me in this journey of new food, new flavors, and a stronger body!

I have to increase my iron intake. I've read foods with high iron include: greens, red meat, parsley, beets, and spinach. Our body absorbs more iron from meat than veggies but you need both.

Look for more iron rich foods as I learn. Please feel free to share some iron rich info also.

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Help In The Time Of Trouble

 
As a Christian, I wish I could tell you that accepting Christ means your life will be easier.  However, Sister Williams (from my Sunday School class), reminded me that suffering is a Christian’s training ground.   

Obstacles are a scheduled part of our lives.  God does not stop them from surfacing because they serve a purpose.  As you’re going through life, trials and tribulations come not to hinder us.  Instead it is one of God’s ways of getting our attention, so that we may draw us closer to Him.  

If you’re feeling weak through your trials, may the words of Jesus Christ comfort you…“for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9 (KJV).  We should not depend on our own strength to make it through.  That’s what the Holy Spirit is for.  Independent thinking will lead you astray.  Philippians 4:13 (KJV) says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  I know when we are facing obstacles, we tend to depend on the things that are tangible, but this is where we have to put our belief in God’s abilities into action!

~E~

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Perseverance is the key!

When I was in college my freshman and sophomore years I had to take several prerequisites in order to get accepted into my major. After that, I was able to get into a concentrated field of study that I enjoyed.

I started school with many friends full of enthusiasm and ready to embark on a new adventure that would end of shaping the rest of their lives. Sad to say some of my friend's adventures never came to be. Their hopes and dreams remained a thought and nothing more.

Several of my college prerequisite courses were nothing more than weed out class. The work was a little challenging, the reading was tedious, and the idea of skipping class was appealing. At one point I found myself lost and I felt completing my degree was a distant vision.

The difference maker was WORKING persistence. It was not enough to want, wish, and hope for something. Some days we want to achieve more than others. However, more than desiring something we have to make it a habit to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Everyone hits a plateau in different areas of their lives. We must not let that stop us from reaching our desired goals.

So lets keep it moving. Progress IS progress no matter how great or small. Of course we want to get there in one leap but we should not let the work involved stop or discourage our momentum. Don't let anything or anyone derail you from your God given purpose! If it was easy then everyone would have made it through those weed out classes. Find what will make a difference in reaching your goals and purpose then keep working at it. Each day your progress will add on to the day before and before you know it ... You're there!
~E~

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