Draw the Circle Prayer Challenge Week 6 Update

In case you're keeping score at home, yes the prayer challenge ended on Valentine's day and NO Mr. Wonderful did not descend into my life on the wings of a dove.

I don't even know where to begin tonight.

I think that I am out of the wilderness and now it's game time for sure.

In just a moment

Yesterday was surreal.  I watched life and death happen in the span of about an hour.  It was crazy.  One minute you're laughing and joking and not even 2 hours later the person has passed on into glory.  I was with the family as they began to receive the news and my heart just broke.  I tried to touch and hug them for comfort, but how do you do such a thing?

This is what is missing in my life.  Genuine connections with people.  Feeling other people's pain.  I have been so inwardly focused for so long that I don't know how to be there for people. I felt so helpless and so terrible, but I tried to offer comfort as best as I could.  It felt foreign to me.  I felt God saying to me

Get used to it.  You want to make an Impact.  Here you go.  You're going to be helping comfort many more people.  It's going to be uncomfortable and you're going to have to be involved.

Of course today at church the sermon mentioned about how we need to be connected with the Body of Christ.  Rejoice with those who are rejoicing and mourn with those who are mourning.  That's part of my problem.  I want to be on Geneva island all by myself so I don't get drawn into anyone else's muck and mire.

You can't have relationships with people acting like this.  One of my Big 5 goals (I have to keep thinking of more since God keeps knocking them off of the list)  is to be a better friend.  God said that I had to learn to be a Godly friend before I was anyone's wife.

Keep going even when there are obstacles

Yesterday was the first day of my plan for the fitness competition.  Clearly that took a backseat after the real life that was unfolding before my very eyes.  Well after all of that, I walked to my car but it wasn't there.  I just couldn't believe it.  I was sure it was stolen.  Well it was towed.  3 hours later and $500 poorer I had my car back.   

I wasn't even upset.  Clearly there were more important things going on, but at the same time I thought about how I normally act.  When things are less than perfect or don't go just how I would like, I tend to want to back out.  

If it isn't going the way I want it to go, I'm ready to give up.  

Well there will be obstacles and Jordan rivers to cross during this time of contest preparation and any other projects I take on.  I just can't quit every time things don't go my way.  I'm not Frank Sinatra.

I told myself I have to keep going even though there were obstacles.  Just like Joshua at the Jordan river.  This morning God told me to be strong and courageous.  I will not fail nor abandon you. 

I'm determined to keep on keeping on.

Back on Social Media

I haven't been on facebook since the When women say yes to God study.  I didn't even really want to go back on because I felt like I was going to start back in on bad habits.

Last night I was starting to go down the rabbit hole of snooping when I clicked off and put the phone away.  That is a major sign of progress.

My major goal is to use social media as a platform to empower and uplift people.  I want to not only educate about health and fitness, but also make an IMPACT on people's inner lives.

What's next

Well this week I start my new phase of my career.  I start training at the fancy gym and I am going to start training clients out of my own business this week.  Loaded up on office supplies and everything.

Renee Swope offered a free e-book of her A Confident Heart devotional.  Some pretty crazy things happened to me when I did that Bible study, so I figured I would jump on this train as well.  I got so bold during that study my logical mind was blown.  

I say let's really smash doubt in the mouth now.  I said, I'm excited to see how God is going to answer those prayers under my bed and otherwise.  

I am still working on becoming more functional.  I've really enjoyed the sermons at church about the love connection.  Now the guy today was very funny in the way he presented his topic, but he was dead on.

He said, "How many know it's harder to keep a relationship going than to initially start it".  After he preached, he prayed a special blessing over the married couples and made them kiss each other.  LOL!  I thought it was awesome!  Then my mentor sent out an email reflecting on 13 years with his wife.  One of his marriage tips "Pray together".  Right on Todd!

I am just going to keep working on the footnotes because God has the headlines.

No coincidence that the scripture for today is: Ephesians 3:20 (MSG)
God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.