Rain Rain Go Away

In this big huge crazy life of ours there is no doubt going to be rain.  It's annoying yet it washes all the dust off and refreshes.  I love how God does that.  Rain makes us moody, gives us the desire to just stay home and curl up and be lazy and for some of us it bring on depression.  Why?  Maybe so we can appreciate the sunshine just a little more.
This week for me has been tough.  Nothing like feeling like a totally inadequate person.  I do realize that I'm in a growth process and growing is awkward.  You feel clumsy, stupid, out of place, dumb, useless, just to name a few.  I'm here to tell you it's been a long time since I've had to "grow" in this capacity.  I'm outside my comfort zone yet at peace with it.  I just have to keep reminding myself to do the best I can and allow God to do whatever it is he is doing in me and allow the growth, accept the inadequacies, learn and overcome all the shortcomings and be the best I can be.  I now know that I could not of accomplished this type of growth a few years ago.  God's kinda awesome like that, he knows just what you need when you need it.  So here I am, feeling all grrrrr.... why can't if figure all this stuff out and be able to do more.  Have I ever mentioned I'm pretty good at throwing myself little pitty parties?  Hmm...well, if not, shhhh, don't tell anyone but I sometimes do that.  Anyway, feeling like I'm not learning fast enough, starting to question myself in more areas than I care to admit and God says, BAM!!  Quit looking at you and look at ME!
Exhausted from exercising my brain, I decided to just show a dvd at youth group last night.  The kids worked so hard on their Easter program so I thought it would be a nice change.  We watched a dvd called INDESCRIBABLE.  And God said BAM!! Again!  I know!! Crazy!! But HE did!!  Look at ME, now go back and look and you and all your teeny tiny world.  This dvd shows you just how BIG God is in comparison to our universe.  It describes how HE can measure HIS creation in the span of HIS hand in a way that makes your jaw drop.  My youth were just sitting there with their mouths wide open saying WOW, soooo cool.  Then it took us to Jesus and the cross and His love for us and how small we are compared to how Big HE is and what He did for us and how much He loves us and we are all like.....Ummm.....amazing God.  That was my pity party exit right there.
No more time to waste on the rain, because without the rain, we would never be truly able to appreciate the sunshine.
Sometimes we all get so caught up in our day to day problems, when all we have to do is look to our left or to our right and see someone else's pain or hurt and appreciate or realize that our own is insignificant in comparison.  Our pain is nothing compared to our neighbors who may possibly be in the midst of tragedy, nor will it ever come close to the suffering that Jesus went through for us.  I guess for me, I must of needed an attitude adjustment yesterday and my loving Father so gently nudged me and moved my focus from me to Him and others.  So so thankful and so blessed.

Outside the comfort zone

Let's FLY

Crossroads.  We all encounter them.  They are the points in our lives where decisions are made and changes occur.  Some crossroads we dictate (or are allowed to dictate through free will), others are dictated for us.  I love saying that control is only an illusion because in the blink of an eye, control can be gone.  Some crossroads are more obvious than others, some hold more significance than others yet all play such an important role in our lives.  I'm so thankful for all I have been allowed to encounter, push through, suffer with, lose, and grow with.  It has formed me and molded me into who I am today.  Sometimes when I look back on my life, I'm just flat out floored at where I've been, where I came from, what I've come through, and that I'm still here.  Not that I was a wild child or lived with reckless abandonment, but I'm wise enough to look back at some of the choices I made and crossroads I encountered, and realize that the hand of God is on my life.  Even the smallest thing like not falling asleep at the wheel on a long trip when I was exhausted are indications to me that my purpose is not yet fulfilled.  It seems to me that when you struggle in life to scratch out your place, if and when you find something that provides some of what your seeking, you become comfortable.  It's so easy to remain in the comfort zone.  You like it there.  You've gone through the scary and now your safe.  What a great place to be, experience and survive.  But can you live there?  forever?  and truly live?  For me, I think not and now I know why, at least I know my why.  Crossroads mean change and for me that's difficult.  I love my comfort zone.  I'm confident in my zone, people like me in my zone, I control my zone.  Ahh....there's that illusion again.  Some of us get the opportunity to leave our comfort zone on our own terms, if we dare, while others are forced out of their zone.  I would love to say that I chose to leave my comfort zone all on my own because I'm just that brave.  ummm NOT.  Nor was I forced (by circumstances) to leave it either.  I guess you could say that I outgrew my comfort zone.  I have a purpose and my purpose was not within my zone so I have been moved beyond it.  Scary?  Somewhat but so peaceful as well.  I am learning that my comfort zone gave me a safe place to grow and mature and now I'm truly learning who I am and what I am capable of.  So exciting, fulfilling and peaceful.  Where is my zone now?  I have no idea to be honest and I kinda like it that way.  No walls defining me.  So if you ask me where I am......I can honestly say, Outside the comfort zone and it's such a great place to be and now I truly feel alive!!

Just when you think you can't.........

Think I'm crazy, it's okay.  Think I'm a Jesus Freak, I AM!  But I just have to say that GOD is soooooo GOOD!  I could spend all day praising HIM and fall short in my praise.  I am so thankful HE sees me other than I see myself.

This past week has been Crazy with a capital C.  I recently ended a career that I loved and was passionate about for 11 years.  A career I was successful with.  But it was time to move on.  God had been nudging me for a while and I just got tired of wrestling with HIM.  HE will always win and the struggle just flat wore me out.  I resigned my position with the company with nothing to take it's place.  Time to fully rely on HIM.  Looking forward to some much anticipated time at home joining the unemployed masses I kinda just relaxed and asked for God to put me where he wants me.  He knows the desires of my heart better than anyone.  So here we go.....be careful what you ask for!!  ha!  A few opportunities were brought to me and one through my husband.  One seemed great but would require way more than I was willing to give.  Another one was right up my alley and could be accomplished with little or no effort, the next one-through my husband was like, Oh really?  Don't think I'm really all that interested but I will check it out anyway.  Curiosity got me and I made the call.  Never in my mind had I ever considered entering this field.  And maybe it's not even the field but the people.  I believe that God uses us in so many different capacities.  Anyway, I decided to interview for the position and 4 interviews later the job was offered to me!  Okay, I'll give it a try.....but oh wait, there are these classes and tests you have to take in order to work.  WHAT?  REALLY?  K, barely graduated high school (that was the old me).  And......you have to pass a test that is timed, multiply choice with trick questions!!  Umm.....what have I gotten myself into here????  NOT GOOD!  Day one of class, I left, got in my car and cried all the way home!  Yep.  My head hurt, my confidence GONE, questions rising up from within wondering if this was really where God wanted me.  Exhausted.  Day 2 of class, not much better, I just resigned myself to whatever will be will be and if I fail, I fail.  For the record....I HATE FAILING!!  God dealt with me on that one too!!  Pride needed to move it's butt out of the way!!  Day 3, test day!  Knowing that me on my own was not going to pass this test, I had no other choice but to give it to God.  If He brought me to it, He would bring me through it.  I needed a 70 to pass and got a 74!!  I give HIM all the glory because I don't even know how it happened.  So....just when you think you can't.........always remember GOD CAN!!

Next week I do this all over again!!!  Would love your prayers!!

16 reasons I love Relational Marketing

Not sure where it came from, but it came.  I love people!!  I'm a people person.  Maybe all that waitressing I did as a teenager helped me to pick up on and anticipate others needs.  Or maybe it was my collection job that trained me to help someone do the right thing even when they didn't want to pay their debt.  Definitely beginning my own service based business fostered that love.  I believe we are all created to serve in some capacity.  How we choose to do that defines us in a sense.  I remember back in the day.........because I'm so old now (ha ha) when I first heard about network marketing and how it was this thing called a pyramid scheme and people who got in were suckers.  I had no clue what any of it was and had absolutely no interest in finding out either, I wasn't a sucker!!  Years went by, I grew up, had a family, stayed home, homeschooled my children and when the season came upon me, believed just enough in myself and my people skills that I could start my own company.  Since I was never told I couldn't, I guess I just believed I could.  So I did, and was successful.  I worked long hours, sacrificed my childrens activities and so much more.  Rewarding, yes but at a very high cost to my personal life.  How do others do this?  Ugghhh. Exhausting!! Here is what I learned ~  Let me tell you.....it's all about relational marketing folks!!  After owning and building my own company for 8 years, I sold.  It was bittersweet.  I was also introduced to network marketing.  What I learned is that I had networked all my life!!!  I just wasn't getting paid for it!  Are you kidding me?  My husband and I jumped in and quickly learned how much fun it was meeting so many new people, but also how rewarding it could be.  Did we get rich?  nope.  Did we make money? yep  Did we continue in the business we first tried?  nope  Did we meet tons of people that enriched our lives?  absolutely.  Do we regret investing?  not for a miute.  

You see, here is 16 reasons why relational marketing is so awesome. *thanks Craig Holiday*

1 - Level playing field (everyone starts in the same place)

2 - Little investment to start (it took me $11,000 plus to begin my other company)

3 - It depends only on yourself (yeah scary but rewarding)

4 - Immediate mentor ship program (everyone in the business wants you to be successful because it benefits them as well)

5 - Seniority mean nothing!!  (no politics or tenor, you more than welcome straight at the top)

6 - You choose your own level of success and income

7 - Most relational marketing opportunities can be done part time with less risk

8 - RESIDUAL INCOME (enough said)

9 - Exponential growth (look it up!!)

10 - You get to pick who you work with (can't do that at your J.O.B.)

11 - Building something for the next generation

12 - You business is based on YOUR effort

13 - The bigger your business gets, the LESS you have to work!!

14 - Economic Proof - a lot of relational marketing opportunities are economic proof!

15 - You can have Success and Significance at the SAME TIME (helping others)

16 - You can't fail ~ the law says you give & you will receive.  You reap what you sow!

I'm not saying this is for everyone, If you don't like helping others, do not attempt this type of opportunity.  But if your tired of trading your time for money, maybe it's time for a change.  Find something, anything that you have a passion for and see what opportunities are out there.  

For me:  I have struggled with my weight all my life, still do.  I found the only way to help myself stay healthy and fit is to help others do the same and that holds me accountable!!  And guess what?  That too has a relational marketing opportunity, so now I get paid to do what I love and to do what I was doing for free before I knew of the opportunity.  Am I getting rich?  Not yet, I haven't decided that is what I'm in it for but I know the opportunity is there if I choose to embrace it.  I have friends that are so I know it can be done.  I do however create residual income every single week from being a product of the product.  I have managed to surround myself with others who love what I love and want me to be as successful as I want to be.  I profit financially, emotionally, physically and even spiritually.  I haven't had to sacrifice my family once in the Beach Body opportunity.  I win.  How's does your job compare?

To learn more about the opportunities I'm involved in visit me at http://www.ynotgetfit.com/ or  http://whatif.124online.com/