Let's Find Some Motivation...

Okay....so when I started this blog, I wanted to make sure that you all got a really good feel of who I was.  Well, you've gotten a good vibe of me spiritually, which is a huge part of who I am! However, as with the title of my blog "Authentically Spoken" I want to bring more of authentic self to the table.  I want talk to you all on a more real, every day, down to earth level.  Now don't get me wrong, I will definitely include blogs on my faith because that's important to me.  I wouldn't be who I am and where I am if it wasn't for the merciful sacrifice of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.....

Okay....so on to the next....let me guess...many of you are probably counting down the days to January 1st.  New Year's resolutions are being dusted off, revamped, recreated, or created.  But why wait until the New Year to make change?  Why not start churning those wheels towards change now?  Just last year, for the whole month of December I literally gorged to my heart's delight! I ate any and everything in sight as much as I wanted, when I wanted.  Thankfully, my church does a 21 day Daniel fast during the month of January every year.  So everything horrible I filled my body with in December was gone, gone, gone in January.  I paid for it big time!  Sooo, I wanted to take a different approach this year.  

I recently completed a 10 day detox...Okay, well maybe not exactly the full 10 days...but I did 4 days.  Hey, it was my 1st time detoxing and I got further than I initially thought.  I plan on detoxing again...this time adding another day or so. You know, work my way up slowly instead of jumping all in head first.  I recommend by the way to start slow if need be...but START! I'll post some information about the detox later...

Here's the deal, first I'm not going to profess to be a fitness guru, a nutritional expert or any of the sort.  But what I would like to do is tell you what works for me and give some information or advice on things I've read.  I was in the military for 14 years and was a fitness buff.  I ate right, worked out 2-3 times a day...and was the healthiest I could have been.  Maybe you can take some of what I do and incorporate it into your own regimen.  Nonetheless, it's going to be up to you.  Whether you adopt something from me or not, what you get out of anything is what you put into it!  

I'll end this for now, but I will definitely be posting more info, updates, and anything else I deem relevant! :)

Oh, before I leave...if this helps any...while on the detox, I lost 7lbs and 3 1/2inches in 4 days...and NO I didn't starve myself.  I actually ate throughout the entire detox.  Again, I'll be posting info about the detox...

I really hope you guys enjoyed my blog.  I want to encourage you to continue in the race set before you.  Some hurdles may be higher than others, and you may not cross it the first time around.  But if you don't give up, you'll eventually cross it!! What an accomplishment!! Be blessed!

This is....

You know how sometimes you encounter something that makes you think "Whoa, what was that about?" Or it pushes you into a mode of reflection?  Know what I'm talking about?  Well, I had one of those experiences yesterday.  Before I continue with that thought, I have to be a bit transparent for a minute.  On the outside, to the naked eye, I've been "fine." But on the inside....the side that only myself and God knows, there has been a storm going on.  A quiet storm, but nonetheless a storm.  The inward conversations I was having caused me to question a lot of things about my faith, people, and even God.  I wavered back and forth between my own thoughts and the truth of God's word.  James 1:6-8 says "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do." I admit that.  I wavered.  I doubted.  I questioned.  Though I felt guilty about it all, I just couldn't wrap my brain & intellect around some of the things taking place in my life, some people in my life, and just life itself.  I had definitely come to a fork in the road.  And it was reflecting in my actions, attitude and some of the things I said.  

The amazing thing about God is He has a way of grabbing our attention.  A way that is far from our human comprehension.  Because He said in Isaiah 55 that His ways are NOT ours and His thoughts are NOT ours.  Everything about God is far above and beyond our human comprehension and intellect could ever reach.

Yesterday, as I was heading to an event at my church, I got into an accident.  Though I got a bit roughed up, it wasn't as nearly as bad as it probably should & could have been.  But it was enough to give me that wake up call.

And though I know this already, that accident reminded me again that God isn't looking for me to enter into a relationship with Him on an intellectual level.  There will be experiences, situations, and questions that I will NEVER receive answers to.  What God wants is my total and complete devotion to Him and His will.  He's looking for me to recognize my imperfections through His perfection.  He's looking for me who will put aside what I conceive with my human minds and walk into destiny by faith.  

My lesson from that accident hasn't fully come to fruition, but what I have gathered from it is that God knows all.  Things we keep hidden, He sees.  The inward conversations we have, He hears.  He is above all!  He alone is Supreme!  When we think we have our lives in our own hands under our own control, He steps in and lets us know that we are NOT our own and we DON'T really have all control.  

So as I continue my journey in learning who God is, I encourage you all to do the same.  Let down your guard and intellect...you'll only be fighting a losing battle if you don't.  God is on your side.  Though some situations you encounter may shake or question your faith...just know that though questioning and the shaking of our faith normal part of our human nature...we shouldn't stay there.  Hebrews 11:6 says that "without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God.  Because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (emphasis mine).