Sept 15 Who We Watch Shapes What We’ll Become

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

(I didn’t understand the value of this at first, but I have met many people (myself included) who have talked about “stuffing” their emotions, pushing them away and moving on as if all is right on their world…the reality is that when we are not okay we need to sit with it, feel it, figure it out, acknowledge it and face it. Then we can truly move toward being okay.)

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Ponder, Personalize, Practice: Practice this verse each day. My caution is to focus on the whole verse… don’t forget that it is Christ, God who gives you the strength you need to do all things.

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

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Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown

Cultivate Rest and Play. Let Go of Exhaustion as a Status Symbol and Productivity as Self-Worth

“Start practicing:

Create regular time for unstructured play. Get physical. Dance. Play games. Throw a ball. Be with others, and set your inner child free! (Recommended reading: Play it Away by Charlie Hoehn.)

Practice bringing a playful mindset to the activities of each day. Ask: “How would I approach this if I were having fun?” Or “What would I do next if this were just a big game?”

Notice when the thought that “play and rest are luxuries” shows up in your mind. That’s like a warning sign that you’re in need of rejuvenation. Use it as an opportunity to recommit to your top self-care practices.”~~~~~

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.~~~~~~

Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love by Bob Goff

                           September 15

It’ll be hard to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus if they’re on each other. Who we watch shapes what we’ll become. 
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:2 
One time I saw the show about a world famous pop musician who was pretty edgy at the time. And she appealed to a lot of young girls. One part of the show stood out to me. There was this clip of the musician giving an interview after a concert, and then it cut to an interview of one of the girls who was there. This fan dressed the same, talked the same and was clearly trying to be just like the musician. It showed me that we become like the people we watch.

Maybe you didn’t have a superstar for a role model growing up. But think about the star student whose intellect you wanted to imitate. Or the star quarterback or prom queen. We watch them because everyone else seems to be watching them too. Whether we realized it or not, spending too much time watching them was our attempt to become more like them – and a little less like ourselves. Our tendency to fixate on people doesn’t stop as we get older. Sometimes we do it out of the sense of envy and sometimes out of admiration. But Jesus never told us to be like other people, even the ones who get idolized. He told us to be like Him. It’s hard to fix our eyes on Jesus if our eyes are on each other, because who we watch shapes what we will become.
If we keep our eyes on Jesus and follow in His footsteps, it won’t be long before we’ll surprise ourselves with the shape our lives have taken.

Who have you been fixing your eyes on?