Level Up: Lessons Learned in 2018

1.  Sometimes Life is Like the Twilight Zone and that's okay.  Everything doesn't need to make sense today and I don't need to figure it out all tomorrow.  Plus weirdo stuff makes much better stories.

2. Don't  tell people you love them when you know you don't especially if there's a financial transaction involved.

3. Don't be one of those rude people who brings the devil with you to work.  When you say you're going to be gone, people will clap, cheer, and tell you to your face that you won't be gone long enough instead of just thinking it in their heads.  (That was so bad even I felt sorry for the person even though when he said it I was thinking...Hallelujah!)

4. God is a good good father who gives wonderful gifts to his children because he dearly loves them.  He's not giving stones, snakes, and scorpions (even if that's what you actually deserve but Thank God for Mercy).

5. Know when it's time to move on from a thing and then do it!

6.  Praying combined with Fasting is vastly under utilized and is a necessity for any believer

7. Don't go into debt for any type of coaching or business development programs.  If you need super extended payments, then that means you can't afford it.

8.  Love is Patient.  Love is also peaceful.

9.  Everyone needs to submit to a form of authority in their lives.

10.Growth and Transformation is tough and very uncomfortable.  If it's not, then the change is most likely superficial and shallow.

11. Feminism is largely a bill of goods and does not benefit women as much as we think it does.

12.  The best gifts often don't show up the way we think they should,

13.  Prophecy is real.  Prophets are real.  God is most definitely real. ($10 Eric Butler/August 17 - Pastor Noja)

14.  Those who trust in the Lord will not be put to shame.  (Romans 10:11)

15. Sometimes it's best to let people think you just fell off the turnip truck

16.  Every believer should read C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity (or at least read the chapter on The Great Sin.)

17.  Beware of sales people who use the lovebomb technique on customers/clients.  If it feels like they're doing too much too soon, then go with your instincts.

18.  Everyone should run laps around the room during worship at least once in their lifetime.

19. If you want to truly LEVEL UP, then you need to go find those people who are next level and connect with them.  Networking is about connecting and building real VALUABLE relationships.

20. If you are any type of teacher, then there is no substitute for the experience of being in the trenches. Folks can talk all day long, give themselves fancy titles, post numerous pretty pictures and videos on Social media, and even have a ton of followers. However, the truth will always come out once they show up in person and it's clear that they have not been in the trenches working with PEOPLE nor have they continued studying and working on their craft because they teach nothing but superficial cliched fluff.

21. If you're self-employed and are unsure about your marketing strategy, then talk to current clients.  Find the common threads between you and your clients and proceed to find the common threads between your clients.  I completely changed directions and realized I was on the wrong path after talking to my clients.  Your clients contain a large portion of your marketing strategy.  If you want more clients like the ones you have, then the talk to the clients you've got.

22. In order to reach our full potential Men and Women need to work together.  We must come together as partners and allies in order to reach our maximum potential.  

As professional women if we want to excel, move up, and be in position to capitalize on opportunities, then we must join networks where there are valuable connections.  

These types of professional networks are more than likely co-ed.  One of the things that I think that a lot of successful female leaders are not honest about is that their networks were mostly men.  There's nothing wrong with that but they aren't completely honest about it.  

After my trip to IDEA World this summer, I realized I need to be apart of networks where I could connect with people who are doing what I would like to do in the near future. (5-10 years)

I believe for the people of God this is also critical.  Too much battle of the sexes and weak family unit due to lack of working together.

23.  There are places and there are places that are divine.  I wanted to stay hidden among the baggage so to speak but it was not to be.  This summer while reading the book of Joshua this phrase AT SHILOH kept jumping out at me.

The people of Israel received their inheritance at Shiloh.  Also remember barren Hannah received her miracle from the word that went forth from the prophet AT SHILOH.

So will I

So shall my Dry Bones Awaken and my barrenness be over AT SHILOH

24.  You cannot out give God.  This year I was intentional toward my giving to the Kingdom and I had my most successful year yet when it came to revenue AND I have my plan in place to become financially stable.  We're making room for the next volume of life.

25. I didn't make it all up.