August 15 God Celebrates You

Affirmation: It’s okay not to be okay. I will allow myself to feel what I feel.

Kenya update:

Eric, Amanda, Douglas and I had an incredible trip to Springs of Hope Kenya. It is an emotional experience to reconnect with the children and students from 2- 25 years old! I am reminded of what a difference it makes to be loved, to belong and to be safe. 

You can become a supporter by clicking on this link: https://sohk.kindful.com/?campaign=251052

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Wholehearted Guidepost #3

Cultivate Resilience. Let go of numbing and powerlessness.

Brene’ Brown shares five common qualities of resilient people:

-Resilient people are resourceful problem-solvers

-Resilient people seek help when they need it

-Resilient people take ownership of their ability to take action to manage their feelings

-Resilient people have access to social support

-Resilient people are connected with other people

When Brene’ Brown talks about cultivating your resilient spirit, she notes that “across the board, wholehearted men and women are spiritual people.”

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Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews

Decision #1 The Responsible Decision 

The Buck Stops Here!

“Each of you must be responsible to do your creative best with your life.” Gal. 6:4

If decisions are choices…and our thinking dictates our decisions—then I am where I am because of my thinking.

The Responsible Decision for Personal Success represents the beginning. Taking responsibility for your past will segue you into an extraordinary future of your choosing.

My thoughts will be constructive---NEVER destructive.

Responsibility is about HOPE and Control. Make better choices.

Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love by Bob Goff

AUGUST 15 

GOD DOESN’T BOOKMARK OUR FAILURES. HE CELEBRATES OUR ATTEMPTS. 

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. ISAIAH 43:25 

One of the best ways to learn about a new friend is ask to borrow their favorite book. Usually it’s underlined and dog-eared on almost every page. It’s fascinating to see which passages stood out to them—what moved them. It’s like we’re reading two books at once—the actual one and the one reflecting our friend’s experience with it. When it comes to a book you absolutely love, my guess is that you’re not highlighting the mistakes, unclear ideas, or grammatical errors. Rather, we focus on the passages that move us, the ones that bring us life and joy. 

I think God reads our lives a lot like we read books from our friends. He’s not looking for the places we messed up. He doesn’t jump on our mistakes and make notes in the margins for future reference. He looks for the ways we’re writing passages that move us, the ones that heal the people He made. He’s ready to celebrate our attempts to give love and spread hope. He’s watching us with an eye for the beauty in our lives. 

Jesus had a remarkable way of seeing past people’s failures to the heart of the person in front of Him. When the religious people cast judgment and pushed vulnerable people out, Jesus brought them close and saw them for who they were becoming. He knew their stories were still being written and that every story includes a few setbacks and failures. He knew redemption was a process set in motion by love and completed by grace. He didn’t see people through a haze of condemnation. He saw people through the gaze of love. 

God doesn’t bookmark our failures. He celebrates our attempts. Don’t let your failures define you anymore. Don’t let who you were decide who you’ll be. What past failure or mistake still haunts you?