BACK DOOR BLESSINGS

Happy New Year Friends!

I believe every day is a new beginning. We never have to wait for a New Year to start to start a new us, but there is something about the end of something that inspires us to begin something and so it is that we celebrate the beginning of this New Year that is upon us.
I don’t know why, but for me there is is something quite magical about the numbers 2-0-1-6.
As frightening as the world may feel right now, I believe there is a spiritual shift taking place that is going to be spectacular, depending on how we choose to look at it. Why do I feel this? Because I have been experiencing the discomfort that many of you have also been feeling, There’s no doubt about it, shifting is uncomfortable.
Every bump along the way has meaning. Every hurt you have endured counts for something. You may not be exactly where you want to be, but you are where you need to be until you get there, even if it doesn’t make sense today.
I call these back door Blessings.
On Christmas day, we decided to drive to Las Vegas from Los Angeles because we assumed no one would be on the road. We were wrong. A 4 hour drive took us almost 8 and when we pulled off the road in Victorville to get something to eat at the In N Out Burger, we had missed a fatal shooting at the In N Out parking lot by a half hour. Yellow tape all around the parking lot. Back door Blessing. I didn’t complain about the traffic after that. I was right where I was supposed to be. God is in control.
As I write this, I am about to face a challenge someone is wrongly putting me through. It is upsetting, but I am not going to get myself sick over it. I am doing everything I can, and going through it has taught me a valuable lesson. People are not always who they pretend to be. People have agendas. Not everyone has a pure heart, and that is not to make me change, but to simply make me learn a painful lesson. Run background checks on people. But in spite of this, I am calm. Why? God’s in control and I am a girl of Faith. He has my back.
In life, Don’t allow things and people to take you down. If you aren’t getting championed, then be your own champion until you get the support you need. I promise you, in my lifetime, I have pretty much emotionally been everywhere anyone who is reading this has been. I am not writing this from my head, I am writing this from my heart.
God has your back. If you live a life of integrity, tell the truth, do what’s right, take care of your business, your life will work.
The thing that has changed my life is simply this… Three little words:
“Do what’s right.” Always. No exceptions. Even when others aren’t. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Act right. Tell the truth and nothing but. Accept the truth and nothing but. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate, even if it is not what the other person wants to hear. Be a big person. Resist the need to be right or to “win,” because really, at the end of the game, what’s the prize? Learn to draw personal boundaries with people, especially people you are in relationships with. Most of us aren't taught that at home or in school. Refuse passive-aggressive behavior (being mad at people and not telling them why but acting it out and being cold and insulting) Refuse to give passive aggressive behavior, learn to express yourself clearly, calmly, and stay in control of those emotions during discussions. You will find yourself more often in the cat-bird seat, you will also be far more focused, definitely respect yourself more, probably surprise yourself, maybe even get some of that respect for breakfast tomorrow. Resist the urge to try to control anyone but you. It’s a thankless job, grossly underpaying, and as I said, there is no prize. Control is all an illusion anyway. You can’t control another human being. Well, you can, but they will hate you for it.
Be good to the people who are/were good to you. Be fair. Resist the urge to enable. My rule of thumb is simply this: When we do for another what they can and should be, doing for themselves, it’s not how we help another person, it’s how we cripple a soul. It's as bad as alcoholism or a gambling addiction and it doesn't just take you down, but it takes down every relationship around you.
If we are to live a life of integrity and authenticity, we must be transparent. Put down our nonsense. Stop believing what we’ve been told about ourselves, and become who we want to be. Learn to say no. Grow up and let others do the same. We are not children anymore. We get to be who we want to be.
If you have been through a lot of stuff lately, just know that you have probably been through a Back Door Blessing. God is in Charge, but you have to do your part.
Have Faith. You’re where you’re supposed to be. Welcome 2016. We await you with open arms. We believe and Declare this to be our BEST YEAR EVER!

Can I get an Amen?