Keep ya head up

"all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:16

Has life been crazy? Are you questioning yourself? Take a deep breath and exhale because it's all gonna be okay. We only have one life to live so don't let things get you down and don't get caught up in the craziness that is life sometimes.

Psalm 139:16 is posted up on my wall and it reminds me that even when I feel like I'm out of place or I'm wondering what about this or that it reminds me that Jesus knows what he's doing, he ordained all the days of my life. He is in control and he wrote an amazing story for my life and for yours. Pastor Earl said an amazing quote recently that said, God is always good, his plans are always good, His final word is always good, so if right now it's not good, it's not God's final word. I recieve that.

Everyday is such a great adventure. Yes I have my days when it feels like nothing is going right but it only takes me changing my perspective to see that you know what, it's all good.

So work might be crazy, you might be fighting with your significant other, you might have gained weight, you might have some questions but remember all your days were ordained by God and he's got you. Keep ya head up, it's gonna be alllll goood baby! lol

As I'm writing this I'm listening to the best song ever, check it out.
Song: Keep ya head up by Andy Grammer

Rooting for you!
xoxoxoxo,
Michelle

Drifting

Imagine a ship out on the open water, raging full speed ahead towards its destination. Waves parting as the ship races with power and strength through the water. The wind soaring through and around the ship as it picks up speed.

Now imagine another ship just drifting along the ocean, being tossed back and forth by the waves but not really moving in any particular direction. It's not headed towards any specific location but instead just being carried wherever the waves take it.

My life currently looks more like the second ship than the first. I have my routines of what my day to day looks like. Work, home, workout, hang with friends, hang with family, sleep, go to church wed and Sunday then do the same things all over again the next week. I do the same things almost every week trying new things here and there but not really pushing towards a goal or a destination.

My boss told me a great quote the other day, he said:
"There is no growth in the comfort zone, and there is no comfort in the growth zone."

My life right now is comfortable. I haven't read a book in the last few months, I haven't devoured the word of God and really allowed it to open my eyes and my heart to more of Jesus in a while...basically I have been doing just enough to get by. I have been faithful in going to church, writing notes, taking my bible, praying daily but not really growing in my understanding of Jesus.

In my health, yes I have incorporated working out into my daily life for about 4 weeks now, I have made major improvements in my eating habits. But if I'm honest I have gotten comfortable in the amount of effort I put forth in my exercise routines. Initially that amount of effort was great but now 4 weeks later I need to push myself harder.

If you aren't pushing forward towards a goal, if you aren't growing, if you aren't stretching beyond what you have already achieved you will become comfortable. Year after year can go by without any change if we stay stagnant. Tonight, I sat down with a friend of mine and we wrote out some goals for the next month, for the next quarter and for the next year. We first focused on what were three main things that I wanted to achieve this year: I want to grow spiritually, I want to be more physically fit and I want to make a difference in my community. Then we took those 3 goals and broke them down into more bite size things that I could do each month that would help me to accomplish those goals. For example, once a month minimum I will try a new type of exercise past my usual workout. That could be doing a salsa class, kayaking, taking a hike, swimming, etc. With the main focus being incorporating something new in my workout routine and building upon that every month. And then I did the same for my other 2 goals.

It's so easy to be carried by the current, to stop rowing, stop growing spiritually, stop learning, stop pushing yourself. Today make the decision to pick up the oars again and start rowing. Initially it's hard to start picking up speed when you're starting from zero speed but once you get going it's that much easier to pick up more and more speed. And before you know it the waves will be parting for you instead of tossing you back and forth in the same spot.

Rooting for you!

xoxoxox,
Michelle

Expectations

A few weeks ago my pastor spoke about expectations and their ability to set us up for disaster. He was referring to the holidays and how we can sometimes put these extremely high expectations on our family and friends to make sure the holidays go perfectly to plan. And you know what, people are people and things happen and sometimes, most times those high expectations aren't met and that has the ability to put you in a tailspin of emotions if you're not careful. For example you decide you're going to cook Christmas dinner at your house and invite all the family over. You let everyone know what time to show up even though you know your sister and her husband always run late but you think, okay I told them what time to arrive they better be here. And like always they arrive late and that sends you over the edge, you think ugh they always do this, they're so rude, now the food is cold, they're so inconsiderate...my day is ruined. When honestly if you had removed that expectation and thought, today no matter what time everyone arrives, I am blessed to have food to prepare for my family, I am thankful to have a family to spend my holidays with, and if anyone arrives later that's okay they can pull up a seat and join in on the laughter and love shared over our holiday meal.

You have the ability to control your emotions and your expectations far before a situation occurs, so why not set yourself up for success. I remember hearing that sermon and thinking wow, I can apply this to so many various areas of my life, in my friendships, in my dating relationships, etc.

If I had to describe myself I would say that I'm a rare combination of laid-back yet have some type A traits, like wanting to control things and make sure they come out perfect. And wanna know when things turn out perfect, when I'm laid-back and let things happen on their own instead of trying to control everything to the minute detail. In hindsight it's that controlling side that has probably ruined lots of past relationships.

In the area of relationships, I always have this mindset that it's going to be picture perfect and I set up these extremely high expectations yet since the other person doesn't know this they inevitably fail to meet those expectations and unfortunately the relationship ends without me even giving it a chance. It's true what they say, hindsight is truly 20/20. If I could go back in time, there's so much I would do differently but more importantly there's so many changes I will now make moving forward.

This past weekend, my best friend Stacy came in to town to visit me and help me re-decorate my entire room. Initially I had made a plan in my head, okay we're first going to paint, then stencil, then move around the furniture, then go shopping for additional pieces if necessary, etc. I had this long list of to do's and had allotted time for each project in my head so we could make the most of the 24hours we had. Well a few days before she arrived she let me know that she needed to make a small change to the schedule that was going to take up about 5 hours of our time total. Initially, I was freaking out cause I was thinking oh my gosh how are we going to have enough time to do everything. And in the midst of my panic I remembered Pastor Rob's sermon and thought you know what, you can either sit here and freak out or you can think you know what, my best friend who lives in another state is here to spend the weekend with me, everything will work itself out, just take each moment for what it is and enjoy it to the fullest, enjoy laughing and spending time with your friend, the room make-over can be completed any day of the week but your friend is only in town for this weekend. Changing my expectation from everything on my to-do list having to be completed to just enjoy your weekend with your best friend and treasure each moment made a HUGE difference. We had a fantastic weekend and I'm so thankful that it wasn't ruined by my initial desire to want to place unnecessary high expectations.

Life is meant to be lived day by day, moment by moment. Remove those unrealistic expectations and instead expect to be surprised by the small treasures that will be revealed in each moment of everyday.

XOXOXOX,
Michelle

Open

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

This scripture is written in such a precise way. Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, not some of it, not half way but with all of your heart. Submit to him, give up the reigns, give up control, and submit to God and his way. Then when all this has been done he will make your paths straight, he will lead you to the exact place where you are supposed to be.

Wow. Sounds simple enough, yet so hard to live out. There has been something weighing on my heart lately, something that I have no control over, something that I need to just trust God on, completely trust him and submit to him. And I'm not gonna lie, that is hard. The saying God, I trust you, that's easy but the living it out each day. It's the small decisions everyday to not give in to my emotions, not make an impulse decision but let God lead my life, yield to his timing to his plan and to ultimately trust that he knows the desire of my heart, he knows what would make me the happiest girl in the world and he knows how to make it happen.

Faith means to trust even when your scared, I think especially when your scared. If I'm honest I am scared, scared to be vulnerable, but that's what it means to trust with ALL YOUR HEART. God, I trust you with all my heart. I am open, I am done running, I am here and I'm willing. God, I trust you and I take a step each day in the path you have for me that will lead me exactly to where I'm supposed to be. That will lead me to my forever.

Te adoro.

Michelle Nicole

My Race

Have you ever felt like you weren't living to your full potential? My heart has been wrecked for a while with this feeling. God, my heart beats for something bigger than this. Tonight I watched a movie that stirred my heart once again for something more, I watched Secretariat. It's a movie about a woman and her horse who had heart, who pushed through difficult circumstances to make history.

God, what is my race? What is the cause that's bigger than me that I was made to fight for? I am not okay with the status quo. I am not okay with living like everyone else. I am not okay with living SAFE. Not when my heart breaks the way it does for something bigger. I was made to change history, not because of who I am but because of who you made me to be. Because of who You are.

As I type this with tears streaming down my cheeks, my heart aches to know what I'm missing out on. There is a yearning in my heart for something bigger yet I don't know what it is. There's people who know their call from a young age, who fulfill their dreams they were destined to fulfill early in life, God, what is mine?

Do you know what it feels like to have your heart break for something and you don't even know what it's breaking for?

Psalm 139: 13-16
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

God, creator of the universe, maker of heaven and earth, you formed me, you know me. Show me the way I should go. Open my eyes to your plans. Show me what my heart aches for. Release me to live the days that were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Amen.

Michelle Nicole

SHINE - 5 Minute Blog

I'm giving myself 5 minutes to write this blog....and GO!

Tonight I went to a Mercy Me concert and there was a song that stated these lyrics, and when coupled with how my week has been it was the perfect lyric. It's from their song This Life and the lyric says: This life was meant to shine.

That's it. You're probably thinking um okay there's nothing that spectacular about that. But for me it was a reminder.

Lately, if I'm honest I have been acting and talking more like the world. I haven't been "shining" Jesus. And my life was meant to Shine for Jesus. I should be impacting the world, I should be changing the world, I should be the light in the darkness. Yet lately it had been quite the opposite. The world had beat me up and had turned out my light.

Yet tonight, these lyrics were an abrupt reminder that, wait a second, Michelle, your life was meant to shine.

And in that moment, the light inside of me was turned back on.

My life was meant to SHINE.

xoxoxox,
Michelle

Leader

Strength is given for service, not to convey status - Romans 15:2

What if we knew that our strength was to serve the weak, fearful, or timid? - Lisa Bevere, from the book Lioness Arising

Within you, within me there is a leader. God has called us to live to our full potential, to be leaders but our society has somewhat distorted what leadership means. Leadership isn't telling other people what to do, it isn't about using your power to hold others down, it's about drawing the gifts, talents and abilities out of people, helping them, serving them to reach their greatest potential. It's more about others than it is about you. It's about honoring those who God has entrusted you to.

Don't imagine us leaders to be something we are not. We are servants of Christ, not his masters. We are guides into God's most sublime secrets, not security guards posted to protect them. - 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

I have hopes, I have dreams of one day having a leadership school. Of raising up a generation to be His hands, His feet. But how do I get from here to there? What has God put in my hands now to do? How can you?

1. Be Humble - This opportunity to lead is not because of anything that you have done, it has nothing to do with you and your abilities but everything to do with God. He has entrusted you with His precious son or daughter, for you to be an extension of Him. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding - Proverbs 3:5

There have been times when I have got stuck on this part. Where I have thought, God this is too much, I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to lead. I have my own issues, how am I going to lead someone else? Only to then remember, I haven't been given this opportunity because of my amazing skills but because God wants to reach those whom He has entrusted to me. And it's in those times when I have said, God I don't know how to do this but I yield to you, my life is not my own, give me the words to say, use me, not my will but yours be done that He has been most glorified.

2. Show Honor - Respect, cover, shield, protect. These are all words that show honor. As a leader you are to draw out those things in people that they are too afraid to show. You might meet someone who has aspirations to be a public speaker and when you meet them they might be the shyest person you've ever met. Or maybe they talk in circles, or maybe they stutter due to a lack of confidence. As a leader, my role wouldn't be to mock him or her, or to tear them down, or speak lack into their life but to draw out those gift and talents within them. To encourage, to speak faith and confidence, to be there when that person wants feedback, to listen, to be their cheerleader. Everyone is fighting some sort of battle, as a leader your role is to shield just as much as you encourage. Don't ever speak ill of someone behind their back. Be someone who is trustworthy, who doesn't slander others weakness'.

3. Serve - Serving can mean a plethora of things, it can mean being reliable, being consistent, anticipating the needs of someone else, making a way for others, opening the door, equipping, mentoring, etc. It's doing all you can to lighten the burden for someone else. Meeting their needs without them even having to ask for it.

There have been times in the past when I have been serving at my church and my role has been to anticipate the needs of my pastor. Is this the 4th message he has preached today? He's probably tired, let me make sure that everything runs smoothly so he doesn't have to worry about sound, or lighting, or anything that way all he has to do is focus on delivering his message. His throat is probably dry, let me make sure he has water on the stage. As soon as he comes off the stage, let me have all his stuff gathered that way he doesn't have to worry about it. When you serve others, it's thinking about the other person more than yourself, it's anticipating their needs, it's doing everything you can to make sure they succeed.

4. Listen - Listen not only with your ears but with your heart. It's knowing the difference in their demeanor, noticing when someone looks frazzled or stressed even though if you ask them how they're doing they might say, "I'm doing great". With my best friends I know when something is wrong, usually without them even having to say anything. It's those moments when God puts someone on your heart and you pick up the phone and call them or text them to see how they're doing.

I remember when I used to do youth ministry, I would listen to my girls pour their hearts out about this issue or that issue. But at the same time I would be having an inner dialogue with God, asking Him what's the deeper issue here, what's really going on. It's asking those questions that make the person dig further to get at the root of the issue.

5. Love - Steps 1-4 are all actions that can become draining, can become a chore to do and can wear on your nerves if you don't have love. Without love, this is honestly all useless. There's that quote that says, people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

"....serve one another humbly in love." - Galatians 5:13

But when you have love for those around you, it becomes so much easier to honor, serve and listen to them. I didn't say it's easy but it is easier. Be genuine in your words and actions. Be faithful.

6. Pray - Pray for your friends, for your co-workers, for your students, for you family, for the Starbucks barista that remembers your drink order before you order it, and pray for yourself. You have been given this opportunity because God wants to see all His creation set free and living their life to the fullest and He is going to start that ripple effect through you.


There have been too many times in my life when I have held back, where I have been to afraid to stand up and be the leader He has called me to be because I was afraid to fail. But I know it's not about me, and it's surely not about my abilities, but it's about doing all I can do and then allowing Him to make up for the difference to help others live their life to the fullest!

God help me to be a better leader, to be humble, to show honor, to serve, to love genuinely and to pray faithfully.

Love,
Michelle

Your lives aren't small, but you are living them in a small way....open up your lives. Live openly and expansively! - 2 Corinthians 6:11-13