Lookey there, it’s the last Sunday and Truth Thru Truth blog of the year!

I don’t have anything super inspirational to say or clever pictures to post. But I will say that no matter what 2013 held for you...loss, death, new opportunities, life, joy, pain, good or poor health, excitement or all of the above and more…you are blessed! If we can remember that going into 2014 I know that we will have a productively exciting and joyful year.

I pray that as you go into the New Year you go with an awesome mindset that he who has begun a great work in you will complete it (Phil 1:6)! You have land to conquer! Souls to save! Deliverance and restoration to obtain! Dreams to see come true! Businesses to start! Relationships to begin and even end! Love to give! And a life to live!

It is possible to live a fun, awakening, peaceful, and prosperous Christian life and I declare it’s time we all live that life and live it to the fullest!

With that said…Truth Thru Truth is experiencing a shift. I’ve always known that Truth Thru Truth was bigger than just a blog. And beginning January 1, 2014 I will finally allow that “bigger” to happen on AND offline!

I can’t wait to share it with you! To all my subscribers check your inbox for more details. Other than that more information will be provided on launch date 1/1/14!

I am looking forward to Wednesday however I encourage you (me too) to live today as if it was the very last Sunday! Eat what you would want to eat, speak to who you would want to speak to, dance how you would want to dance, talk to God the way you would want to talk to him, love the way you need to, and just enjoy your today!

Happy New Year Beautiful People!

So last week in the post St. Maarten, I talked a good game about resting while I was out of town and really taking some time to get in tune with myself and God. I won’t say I failed completely. It was more like barely passing. I am ridiculously exhausted and didn’t get a chance to really rest like I wanted to however the experience is one that I am forever grateful for. Shout out to my cuzin for hooking that up for me. =)

One of the days I was there my body became unhappy with me and ruined my plans for the day. It was for the best because I was able to sneak in a spa day and hours near the water. In spite of being eaten alive by the sand fleas or mosquitoes, whichever ones were bold enough to invade my space without permission, I did recognize one huge lesson that God has been trying to get me to live by this whole year. Stay present!

As I sat back in a lounge chair I cried out something similar to:

“Lord I want to live a life like this. Will I be able to do this in the future? Will you let me have this in the future? I want to travel for ministry and for rest, is this something you have destined for me?”

I’ll share pieces of how he answered me & hushed my noise:

“You’ll always find yourself wanting more in the midst of a blessing when you have not learned to experience gratitude in your present. You’re missing that you are already living the life you are destined to live. You already have what you asked for. It doesn’t matter if you’ll have it later you’re in it now. Rest in your present…”

I think that is enough to encompass the gist of how he spoke to my spirit that day. I’d like to keep the rest private for now =)

It was a wake up call for me. I am either so obsessed about what is going to happen tomorrow or what has happened in the past, I am rarely able to experience and appreciate my right here, right now. I don’t know how many of you have to fight this same thing but I encourage you from this day forward to practice living in your now. Yes, knowing where you came from and where you’re going is important but let us not neglect this moment.

Work in Progress

Happy Sunday everyone!

I write to you from the beautiful island of St. Maarten situated in the Caribbean. I’m sitting on our patio that overlooks one of the zillion pools at the resort and the marina. I can’t complain. I won’t complain =)

All last week I talked about finishing this year out strong and different ways to accomplish that task. (I hope you were able to read them) If there is one thing that I noticed from the plane rideS over here and just being in a place where no one expects anything of me but to chill out, enjoy myself, and spend money it’s that…I need rest. I feel like I’m about to break down lol.

I guess I already knew this from the recent body shut downs, emergency room visits, restless nights, and not so stable emotions lol. If I want to finish this year out strong I think the main thing I need to do this week is rest.

Same for you! You’ve been running around all year doing, doing, doing, and not taking enough time for yourself. Not taking enough time to see what you’re body and spirit are trying to tell you. You may not have a chance to travel to St. Maarten or even to another zip code, but you have got to make time to chill out and reflect on what it is that you need so that you can better serve whomever you serve. 

I wrote a daily devotion in the beginning of October entitled “I mentioned rest”…I feel led to share that with you again on this day: 

What is rest? According to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary it is to cease work or movement in order to relax or recover strength; place or be placed so as to stay in a specified position; be based on; depend on. 

I want to use these three definitions to encourage you today!

1) Cease work or movement in order to relax or recover strength

So many of you are pouring out in abundance probably to the point you don’t realize how much. You probably won’t realize until you attempt to pour out and there is nothing left to give. When we run out of steam, run out of gas we are no good to anyone. When we see the gaslight come on in our cars we know it’s time to refuel! We have to figure out what those gaslights are in our own lives!

My hope is that you won’t need a reminder light but that you will take time to refuel at least weekly so that you’re body doesn’t completely put you out of commission. Sometimes you have to cease work and movement to recover your strength. 

2. Place or be placed so as to stay in a specified position

Lie down and chill out for a while. No computer, no phone, no lines of communication in hand. Just lie for a second. You don’t have to do it all day or even for an hour, just take a moment and be. We often feel guilty for lying down and resting our physical bodies. My thing is, if you are maximizing your time throughout the day and not wasting it with unproductive things then there is no reason to feel guilty. If you are accomplishing your goals throughout the day then you can look at moments of rest as a productive part of your day as well.

3. Be based on; depend on

I hope you know where this one is going! We have to lean and depend on God. As we do he will continue to guide us to the activities he wants us to participate in, people he wants us to help, and jobs we need to take on. Lean on him for understanding and let him guide you to everything. I believe that when we do that we will find our hearts, minds, and bodies more at rest than ever before!
[end of quoting myself lol]

As far as this week goes: 

I plan to explore the island and surrounding islands and be a real life tourist! But I also plan to chill and get in tune with myself and my God. I know that it will put me in a way better position to serve YOU my readers and the others that I work with on a weekly basis. Will there be daily devotions this week? I don’t know. If I feel led and there is internet access I sure will give them to you! 

I’m quite sure I’ll have an easier time posting on facebook and instagram so don’t forget to follow on there! 
Facebook.com/TruthThruTruth 
Instagram: @TruthThruTruth

Regardless, we should be back to our regularly scheduled program starting next Sunday. But…I’ll let God lead on that one ;) 

Let’s rest guys!
 

Just because we have been prepping ourselves for the New Year here at T3 doesn’t mean we are supposed to neglect the rest of 2013! In order to finish this year out strong we have to do something many of us fail at—be present and take care of today!

Every other week I think I fail at this task. I get so focused on the final product of the vision that may be years down the road that I miss out on what is going on right before my eyes. The parts of the vision that are already reality! In an attempt to finish strong I am going to commit myself to these new realities! I will acknowledge them, embrace them, and enjoy them because they are an important part of the journey. There will never be another year like 2013!

In an attempt to finish strong I will stop being so mean to myself! There can’t be another day in this month of December that I speak negatively to myself! I must be my number one encourager!

In an attempt to finish strong I will focus on self-control from day to day! The decisions that I make often cause me to fall back 50 steps. If I can focus on telling myself no or yes at the correct times I will get farther in the next 24 days than I have all year, I just know it!

In an attempt to finish strong I will keep my prayer and devotion time up to par so that I am prepared to walk in to my today and tomorrow. Oh and peep game, work on being obedient without complaints! If I could be honest, I complain like I don’t know how much that bothers God. (I’ve read in Exodus about the rebellious Israelites, they frustrate and anger him lol…I don’t want to do that anymore or hold myself back because of it).

In an attempt to finish strong I am going to take advantage of time with people who love me and strengthen me through their support! Even though there don’t seem to be enough hours in the day.

I plan on being successful at finishing this year out strong! With a smile, love in my heart, and a thirst for life! While I can’t wait to show you all what I have planned up my sleeve for 2014-2018 I can’t wait to show you what I got for you the rest of 2013 =)

How do you plan to finish this year out strong!? Comment, comment, comment!

PS: COMMENT! Lol ❤

Can you believe it?! It is the first day of the last month of the year already! As many of us do at the end of the year I have been in serious reflection. Thinking about the who, what, when, where, and why of my life has caused me to become very aware of the fact that I am nowhere near where I want to be. However, I find solace in recognizing that I have come a long way since 2012. 

This week (Sunday-Saturday) I will leave you with seven thoughts in regards to closing out this year and beginning the new year.

Starting with today! Thought 1: Closing time