31Aug

Sisterhood: Soul Therapy

Tears of joy.

 

Smiles a plenty.

 

Hearts wide open.

 

 

All found in the uninhibited exchange between sisters.

 

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I’ve heard it said, “I don’t ‘do’ women.” What that screams is, I’ve been hurt, I’ve been wounded, I am afraid. Women are wired to be in relationship with one another. There is safety, comfort and joy found in sisterhood. From styling one another’s hair to delivering babies, from sharing the deepest secrets to holding bridezilla while she has a meltdown, women are designed to nurture one another.

 

[bctt tweet=”The soul is nourished when the heart is embraced in sisterhood.” username=”inspiredfully”]

 

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I met a woman once who confided in me that she didn’t have a female in her life that she considered a trusted friend. I was deeply moved by that and my heart went out to her. Wouldn’t you know, 4 years later, we are friends. She is lively, funny, loyal and giving, a good recipe for being a great friend. Yet my sweet friend had spent time without the beauty of sisterhood.

 

[bctt tweet=”Soul therapy is found in the sacred space of sisterhood.” username=”inspiredfully”]

 

Careers, schedules, children, husbands, fears, and just daily living can have us trapped in silos. Our ability to nurture meaningful relationships becomes subject to the captivity of solitary confinement UNLESS we intentionally fill our prescription of soul therapy and demand our RELEASE.

 

I’ve always treasured friendship and I’ve been blessed beyond measure to do life with some amazing women. They teach me, challenge me, love me, help me, and flat out make me smile. I’ve also been hurt by a few but my heart remains open. For what is life without love? What is life without hurt? Is a life truly lived if it isn’t felt?

 

Recently I shared hearts, laughs and tears with a sweet friend. She literally radiates sunshine. We filled our prescription of soul therapy over a mutual love, COFFEE. You can find her talking about all things coffee over at EspressoTrips

 

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For my birthday I was blessed to share excellent food, great conversation, hopes and dreams with two of my favorite gals.

 

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As a homemaker, the nature of the job can have me riding solo often. Then add in being a wife and mama to 6, my time for nurturing meaningful relationships with my sisters can be hampered. So I have to be purposeful and intentional in my connections. Relationships are dear to the heart of God. I think He illustrates this so beautifully through relationships in the bible, from David and Jonathan to Jesus and the beloved disciple, that we’ve been called to do life together. And if relationships are meaningful to Him then they should be meaningful to us and we should cultivate them.

 

I pray you find love, encouragement, safety and acceptance in the sacred space of sisterhood. If you are carrying the hurt of having been wounded by a sister, I pray that your heart be mended,  and if necessary that you find forgiveness. I pray you open your heart once again to the possibility of true sisterhood.

 

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What are you doing to ensure your sisterhood soul therapy?

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with others sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, #LifeGivingLinkup,Purposeful  Faith

Feature Image Photo Credit

15Aug

Reflections

Sitting in the stillness of time, with the incessant hum and buzz of a million bugs as my beat, I bob my head to nature’s morning song. Humid air courses through my nostrils and I breathe DEEP. I exhale and give thanks for another year of LIFE. It’s my BIRTHDAY!


My mother died just shy of her 40th birthday. Because of that, somehow I’ve come to think that ever year I live past that age is an extra special gift. 
On this humid August morning I give pause for reflection. 

Who am I?

What am I doing?

Where am I going?

Am I where I want to be?

Am I doing what brings me joy?

Am I living an intentional life?

Am I making a difference?

What could I be doing differently?

Do those closest to me know I love them? Do they feel that love communicated regularly?

Am I living today to leave a legacy worthy talking about when I’m gone?

While it may not be your birthday, I invite you to reflect on these questions. It’s great to take personal inventory and assess if you’re satisfied with your current living. If you aren’t, I implore you to be of good courage and make a bold move to live fully. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting a different result. Let’s not be insane. We’re far too brilliant for that. I invite you friends to EMBRACE THE NOW MOMENT, TO HONOR THE TEMPLE & TO OBEY GOD, for this is truly the way to do life with purpose on purpose. 
So today friends:

Be Uniquely YOU

Be Beautiful

Be Purposeful

Be Alive

The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His face on you and give you peace.

As always it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!


Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Grace & Truth

09Aug

Mirror, Mirror

Mirror, Mirror,

What do I see?

I see a fat girl

Looking at me.

 

“You are fat!”

“Oh my gawd, you are so fat!”

“Do you see those rolls? They are just SO fat!”

 

So went my dialogue with myself.

 

EV-ER-Y SINGLE TIME I walked pass a mirror, these were my thoughts.

 

A torrent of hot lava flowing over my spirit leaving the ash of a charred self image in its wake.

 

Remember her?

 

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Gone was my athletic body, replaced now with my post-pregnancy body replete with bumps, lumps and rolls.

 

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Pre-pregnancy I was in the best physical shape in my life. I was working out 5-6 days a week. After having been pregnant or nursing for the last 13 years, this was the longest stretch I had gone between pregnancies and I felt like I finally had my body back. I fought kicking and screaming to surrender to my pregnant body. Mid-way through my pregnancy I came to love and accept my pregnant body. But post-baby was another story.

 

“Oohhh girl, you are SO fat!”

 

There I went again. But this time the Holy Spirit stopped me dead in my tracks. As I looked at myself, held in position at the mirror a moment longer, the Holy Spirit said, “Toxic thoughts. You speak life and encouragement to everyone else and you are speak death to yourself.”

 

Grateful that he got my attention, I knew I had to o something about it. I had to excavate the skills I’d acquired from

The 21 Day Brain Detox. I had to take those toxic thoughts captive and replace them with the TRUTH.

 

I was speaking with a friend the other day and she says she asks herself “Is it true?”

 

For truth says:

 

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

PSALM 139:13-15

 

You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.

Song of Solomon 4:7

 

I am created in His image. You are created in His image. You are His workmanship. [bctt tweet=”You are a work of art, skillfully wrought at the hands of a Master artisan.” username=”inspiredfully”] You are beautiful, capable, and more than enough just the way you are.

 

THIS IS THE TRUTH.

 

And what was this preoccupation with body image anyway? I thought this was something I had resolved and put to rest. Having been heavier before, I learned to listen to the Holy Spirit as to how to honor my temple. And even though I know this is baby weight and it will most likely all disappear, I’m still nervous. And even though I have gone back down to my former size after every baby (five times I’ve bounced back), there is still this looming doubt, “What if I don’t lose the weight this time?” I just can’t bear the thought of walking around indefinitely feeling like The Stay Puft Marshmallow (ok so maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration but if you’ve ever been concerned about weight you get what I’m saying). Of course it doesn’t help when all my old clothes are still hanging in my closet but I can’t fit any of them. And there are but a handful of pieces I can fit so it can be overwhelming just to get dressed. Then don’t let me stumble upon old pics in my phone because that can hurl me smack dab into a pit of self-loathing.

 

What lies are trying to tap dance their way across you’re your mind?

 

Shatter the darkness and ditch the lies. Allow the light of truth to permeate every crack, corner and recess of your mind. Allow His light and love to course through your veins. Meditate on that which is true, lovely and praiseworthy.

 

The other day, I saw a glimpse of myself, smiled and thought, “Yes girl, you are working it!”

 

No pride. No vanity. Just a girl, loved by an awesome Father.

 

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Proverbs 31:30

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to partner with these friends sharing the Good News Purposeful Faith, Mommy Moments, Grace & Truth

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