December 8 If You Don’t Stop You Can’t Connect.

Affirmation: I am loved and cherished.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭54:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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Ponder, Personalize, Practice: Spend time today practicing John 1:5. Be the light that God created you to be. “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine…”

John 1:5. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” 

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Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown 

Guidepost 9: Cultivate Meaingful Work. Let Go of Supposed-to and Self-Doubt.

YOUR SUPERPOWER AND YOUR KRYPTONITE

One of the first steps on the journey to finding meaning and purpose in our lives and in our work is acknowledging what we do well. These are our superpowers. Of course, we also have to get clear on our kryptonite.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS

Your journal and crayons, markers, watercolors, cutout shapes, double-sided tape or any other art materials you might want to use to decorate your pages.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For this lesson's creative assignment, we will identify our superpower as well as our kryptonite. Find two blank, facing pages in your journal and label the page on the left "Superpower." Then, label the page on the right "Kryptonite."

2. On the superpower page, think of a word or phrase that characterizes your superpower. Think about something you are really good at. Perhaps sometimes it has gotten you into trouble (especially as a child), but it is a quality that is deeply intrinsic to you, and it comes out in every aspect of your life. It is something you can't help, but it is also something that can be a very powerful force for meaning in your life.

3. On your kryptonite page, think of your superpower and your kryptonite as being two halves of the same coin. What is the aspect of yourself related to your superpower that does not always serve you well?

4. Finally, decorate both of these pages with any art materials you choose: photographs, paint, cutout shapes, stamps and/or drawings.

From Jacque:

My superpower is Determination. My kryptonite is stubborness Mastering the 7 Decisions.from Andy Andrews 

The Certain Decision 

I have a decided heart.

It’s not about what it IS…

It’s about what it can BECOME!

What you decide in your heart will be done and the light of God will shine on your ways. Job 22:28

The Certain Decision for personal success is what fuels your actions from the active decision. The clarity of vision you maintain in your mind is directly proportional to the effectiveness of your actions. A decided heart is unwavering in the face of continual challenges and setbacks and that ensures victory and a lifetime of greater fulfillment.

HOPE, DREAMS, ANTICIPATION…DECIDE.

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Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love. by Bob Goff

 If You Don’t Stop, You Can’t Connect. Whatever You Are Working On, Be Sure To Set It Down Every Once in A While.
“May these words of my mouth, and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my rock, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

It seems like Christmas comes earlier and earlier every year. When I start to see holiday garland shelved with the Halloween candy, I’m wondering if we’ve gone too far. The day after Thanksgiving is when everything explodes. People fly out after the turkey is eaten, apparently to bust down some doors. If you work, the weeks in between Thanksgiving and Christmas are all about hitting numbers and landing all the planes so you can end the year in peace.

To put it mildly, the Christmas season can be busy. I think we all feel the busyness rob us of the true purpose lying underneath. It is supposed to be a time of rest and connection, a time to reflect on who Jesus is, and how much He loves us. Don’t shuffle past the manger like they do with the visitors seeing the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. Christmas time should feel more like the Sabbath than shopping sprees.

God created us to live with certain rhythms. He made day and night, and a season to plant and a season to harvest, a time to work, and a time to rest. When He told us to take a Sabbath, just like He did, He wasn’t making up rules to try to steal our joy. He knew the fruit of rest was joy. He knew breaks from work would give us more time to connect with one another. Rest is the soil where love grows.

Getting things done is necessary. But if you have more checklists than times with friends, you are probably missing something.

How will you slow down this month to spend time focused on what matters most to you?