REAP What You SOW

Are you still waiting for your victory? Sometimes, the wait can seem so long…The days, weeks, months, and sometimes years can pass without much, if any, visible results. Yet, God is continually at work in our lives and things are happening, even when we can’t see them. So this post is not to discourage you, but to encourage you!

   Photo credit: Vincent_AF / Foter.com / CC BY-SA

 


There are days I wake up feeling energized, excited, and motivated to complete a project, but somehow...by the end of the day, it seems I’ve done everything but that project, and accomplished basically nothing. Have you had those days? 


Yet, time continues to move forward. Some days seem to move quicker than others, even though each day has the same number of hours, and the seconds on the clock tick by at the same rate... 

I am currently in a prolonged season of “work”. When I say work, I mean the time between planting new seeds in my life to reaping the harvest that will eventually come from caring for those seeds. In order for new seeds to take root and become deeply planted in our lives, here are a few questions to ask: 

What kinds of seeds am I planting?

• Are they seeds that line up with the Word of God and His plans and purpose for my life? (Here is a link to my blog on: What is YOUR Purpose). 

• Are they seeds that build up (positive seeds)? Or tear down (negative seeds)?  

• Are they annual seeds - seeds that come up once and then die off? Or perennial seeds - seeds that will continue to grow, bloom, multiply?

Am I watering them?

• Am I giving God first place in my life or am I giving him my leftovers? (How much time am I spending with Him?)

• Am I conforming my thoughts, words, and actions to be accepted by the world’s standards or God’s standards?  

• Am I trusting God and allowing Him to work in my life, or am I trying to do all of the work myself?

• I try to remember something I’ve heard Joyce Meyer and others say: “Follow peace. That is your answer.” When you are feeling anxious, stressed-out, full of fear, depressed, or not sleeping well, then you are not trusting God in your situation. (I know, I've been there!).  

If you find yourself trying to plant good seeds in your life but haven't seen the benefits yet (for example: reading your Bible more, quitting an addiction, not telling lies (even little white lies), living what you say (not being a hypocrite), getting to work on time, praying, having more patience, spending more time with your family, and so on and so on), don't give up. Your harvest is coming!

So, as we wait for our harvests, keep on planting new seeds. Let's continue do our part by tending to them while putting our trust in God to do His part, in His timing, and then watch them grow...

Photo credit: SFB579 :) / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

CHER-Life and live WELL \o/

Cheryll  

A Cycling Challenge 2013

Need some motivation to get out and bike? Why not join this challenge with me? It is free to join and runs from June 29-July 21. Need more motivation?? You also have a chance to win some prizes!...Here's the link:  le Tour 13 Challenge 

If you are not yet ready for this type of cycling challenge, I still encourage you to check out mapmyride or mapmyrun websites. You can join for free and create your own personal biking, walking, or running routes right where you live, log your workouts, and much more. 

So, who's with me?   

Photo credit: andy_c / Foter / CC BY

***Remember: Consult your physician before starting any new exercise program for health clearance. ***

CHER-Life and live WELL \o/

Cheryll  

 

Strawberry-Banana Ice Cream

Where I'm from it's finally strawberry picking season and summer has arrived! So why not enjoy them both with a cold, healthy treat (or meal)?

Ingredients: 

• 5-10 strawberries (depending on size and flavor you want to achieve)

• 4 frozen bananas

• 1/3-1/2 cup water (to aid in blending)

• 1-2 tsp. of organic vanilla powder

Method:

The first time I made this, I used fresh, refrigerated strawberries with the frozen bananas and it still turned out with the consistency of ice cream. You can also use fresh, frozen strawberries. Freeze the bananas with or without the skins on. I’ve done it both ways. Blend above ingredients and enjoy! 

Photo credit: floridecires / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

5 Reasons Why You Should Listen to Your Gut Instincts

Photo credit: AlicePopkorn / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Have you ever had that nagging feeling that you shouldn’t do something? Those that believe in God call it the "still small voice" of the Holy Spirit, some believe it is their own inner voice speaking, others call it intuition, or your conscience. What I have learned is, the more you listen to that still small voice inside, the more in tune you will become with it. 

Recently, I accepted a job position that was not my dream job, but a job that would provide an income. During the interview I was told there would only be two weeks of training. This didn't sit well with me. After leaving the interview, I had this nagging feeling deep in my gut that I should not take the job if they offered it to me. I’ve been out of "hands-on" nursing for over 10 years, but knew with the proper training and time, I could pick it up again and do a good job. But with only two weeks of training for this particular position, I knew I would not be where I would need or want to be. 

As I was contemplating my decision, I had well-meaning loved ones encouraging me to take this job. After all, it was a paycheck and I needed to pay my bills. Also, I have taken on other jobs in the past with little to no training and have done well. 

A little history: After spending 5 years too long in my last position (almost 11 years total), I felt burned out and almost left nursing completely. Nurse burnout is actually really high (I’ll talk about that in another post). My ultimate desire is to help others with my years of knowledge and work/life experiences, but financially I am unable to do this full-time, and therefore need to work at a conventional job. 

Needless to say, with all of the pressure to take that position, I didn’t listen to my “gut” (which I believe was the Holy Spirit’s promptings). After being on the job for a few days, I received confirmation that with only two weeks of training, I would not feel confident or safe enough to be on my own. I sat down with the employer a couple of times to discuss my concerns. I apologized for even accepting this position because I really had no intention of leaving the job so soon after being hired. They understood and I was able to leave on good terms, knowing that I can apply with this company if another position opens up. My intentions were never to put a company in that position, so I've had to deal with the feelings of guilt and pick myself up and move forward.

*** Never just up and quit a job or decide not to show up without calling. Take the time to talk to them. They may be able to work with you on your concerns. Unfortunately, in my case, they could not lengthen the orientation and there were no backup nurses to rely on. ***

Here are five valuable lessons I've learned from this experience: 

1. I should have listened to my inner "still small voice" and all of the uneasy feelings I had about taking the job. It would have saved me and the employer time and money.
2. It's okay to listen to what others have to say in a situation, but don’t allow their words to pressure you into doing something you are not comfortable with. I know they mean well and are only looking out for our best interests, but in the end, this is your life you are living. 
3. Money isn’t everything, so don’t take a job just for the money. I know we all have bills to pay and we need money to survive, but we may benefit more from taking a job we will enjoy, but pays less - as long as we can meet our financial needs. (I know this is a controversial statement, but you also have to look at what you are giving up for money).
4. Don’t be afraid to wait for a position you will enjoy more (unless you are at a position where you really do have to take any job just to survive. But if that happens, don't give up on your dreams. Think of it as a stepping stone.). Less than two weeks after choosing to leave that position, I came across a job opening in a department I would love to work in and have an interview! (Update - I got the job).
5. Never stop trusting in what God can do in your situation. He can and will open the right doors for you. If you step through a door that wasn't the right one, don't get discouraged. God has a way of redirecting you. But you have to step out and do your part too. Proverbs 16:9 (Amplified), "A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure".

I want to leave you with this song by the group Sidewalk Prophets. The lyrics in this song really spoke to me: “I will trust in You...You've never failed before...I will trust in You...(Chorus) If there’s a road I should walk, help me find it...If I need to be still, give me peace for the moment...Whatever Your will...Whatever Your will...Can you help me find it...Can you help me find it.”

CHER-Life and live WELL \o/

Cheryll