Happy One Year Anniversary to SpeakTruthLove! This week marks the celebration of one year for the blog!

God has been faithful to help me keep my commitment to use this voice that He gave me to speak His love and truth! I am so grateful for each and every one of you that has come alongside me through this journey. Here’s to another year of following and living out the truth of Ephesians 4:15,

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the nature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

As I look back and reflect on this past year, I am so thankful for you, the incredible friends God has placed in my life! This leads us to our final week in our New Year, New You series,
A friend loves at all times!

True friends bless us, sustain us, and keep us when the burdens life deals out are too difficult to bear alone.
Once again, I find myself writing to you today as one who is not just “feeling” the fight, but who is whole heartedly engaged in the battle!
Friends, old and new(for me this includes my family, who are truly my very best friends), have blessed my life in this last year more than I have space on a page to write, words enough to tell, or time enough to express! What my friends have done for me this year is not just share in my burdens, but shoulder them right along with me. They have sustained me, encouraged me, loved me, supported me, stood beside me, cried with me, laughed with me, celebrated with me, mourned with me, and above all, PRAYED FOR ME AND WITH ME!

There’s an old saying that goes,
‘Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver, and the other is gold.’

Last January, my heart became burdened with knowing that God wanted to use Jim and I in our primary giftedness. Feeling the burden on our hearts to seek Him first and follow His direction for our lives, even though we knew that it could mean leaving family and friends, and the comfort and security of what we knew and were familiar with, we knew we had to follow His call. We called our faithful friends to pray with us and for us, for God’s clear direction. Our friends proved to be true gold as they walked through the process with us, every step of the way. There were long days that seemed as though they would never end, with questions, uncertainty, fear and doubt. Our friends stood beside us and shouldered every step of the process with us. There were also days of rejoicing, giving thanks and praise to God for His faithfulness! Our friends were there to share in the celebration, faithful and true-pure gold!

New friends have been given to us as we have embarked on our new ministry and His calling on our life! Although we are confident and sure we are in the place God has called us, it has not been without great effort, learning curves, growth steps, and continually trusting God to bring together and finalize all the pieces.
The new friends God has brought us have joined together with us, and walked through each day alongside us. They have proved to be sterling silver and I do not know where I would be today without them! A little over two months ago I didn’t even know them, can you believe that?

In keeping in the fight to maintain and have a positive attitude in 2017, the final piece to realizing we are not in this fight alone is to call a friend, share your burden!

JAB NUMBER FIVE: Call a friend, share your burden!

Truth Bomb

Faithful friends make our burdens lighter and keep our attitudes positive!

PUNCH LEFT-BE VULNERABLE-SHARE YOUR HEART WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND ALLOW THEM TO BLESS YOU!

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother(sister or friend) is born for adversity.”
Proverbs 17:17

We love our friends by allowing them to love us!

PUNCH RIGHT-BLESS YOUR FRIENDS BACK!

Loving our friends at all times, sharing in the good times and the bad, being vulnerable enough to allow them in to share each and every detail of our lives, allows us to be encouraged and built up! At the same time it allows them to be blessed, encouraged and built up!

As we end this series on how to fight for a good, positive attitude and maintain it, let’s recommit to take a time out, read the Bible, listen to spirit-lifting music, get physical, and call a friend and share our burdens!

Stay in the fight my friends!

Can’t wait to be back with you next week as we enter one of my favorite months, February! Love is in the air!

Speak Truth Love

“LET’S GET PHYSICAL”

Happy Truth Bomb Tuesday!

Getting Physical is key to having and maintaining a positive attitude!
Don’t believe me? Look at God’s Word! Look at Science!

I am writing to you today as one who is Feeling The Fight! There is nothing easy or simple about todays JAB! As promised we are about to “Get Physical!”

For those of you that are my age, or those of you who love to watch groovy movies and listen to groovy songs from the 80’s, those two words, preceded by one word “Let’s”, brings to our minds visions of leg warmers, high top tennies, leotards, tights, and off the shoulder sweatshirts! Olivia Newton John made “Getting Physical,” look fun. The movies that followed in the 80″s continued that fun-loving , sweat-inducing phenomenon, and before any of us knew it we were all attending aerobic classes dressed in the same gear we watched the girls wear on ‘Flash Dance’, and ‘Footloose!’

However, for me, those days are 37 plus years in my rear view mirror! Getting Physical is not as easy in this busy life we all lead! Just the thought of getting ready and looking half way decent after getting physically wrecked during the workout, can stop me from working out at all!
Being completely honest, I must admit that it is certainly not as easy physically to “get physical” as it used to be!
Rather, it is a FIGHT, and one I intend to win, no matter how hard the struggle. Let’s be clear, it is a struggle!

Lately, my FIGHT has been with my comfortable pillow, my warm, soft flannel sheets, and my cozy comforter! I have committed to God to “FAST FROM SLEEP” and get up early and be PHYSICAL! I fight to lift my head from that comfy pillow, pull back that cozy comforter, and slide out from under those warm, soft flannel sheets! They are so cute too! They have cute reindeer on them! Double Whamey!
The only reason I am finding success in getting up early and “Being Physical,” is because my “getting physical” has a purpose! It may not be the purpose that first comes to your mind. I am not getting up early and leaving my warm cozy bed to get thin! I am not gonna lie either, I do want to look good. I am a girl after all, and God put a heart inside of me that desires for others to like and approve of me. That however, cannot be the motivator for why I “Get Physical.”

I am not getting up early and leaving my inviting bed because I want to be in better shape. I will be perfectly honest and share that being in good shape and health, and maintaining energy to live this life well, matters a lot to me! I want to stay active and energetic to hike trails with my husband, to ski down mountains with my grandkids and to participate in any and every activity my grown children throw at me! I want to do those activities with them, not watch from the sidelines! However, as strong as that motivator is, it cannot be the motivator for why I “Get Physical.”

I am not “getting physical” because I want to continue to be attractive to my husband. I will tell you the truth, I care very much about my husband still looking at me and being physically attracted to what he sees. I want more than anything for my husband, who takes great physical care of himself, to be proud of the physical care I take of myself. Yes, ladies, the older you get, this desire for your husband to look at you and be attracted to you does not go away! However, as sincere as my longing is for my husbands attraction, it cannot be the motivator for why I “Get Physical!”

The only motivator that has any staying power at all, is the motivation and desire I have to please my God!
He and He alone deserves the best I have to give, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and YES, PHYSICALLY!

“For PHYSICAL training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” I Timothy 4:8

TRUTH BOMB

“Getting Physical” helps us grow and maintain godliness!

Getting Physical is important! It is also hard! It costs us something…time, effort, physical pain, exhaustion, sacrifice of something we would rather do, and the list goes on. The only way we will find success is to couple our commitment to “Getting Physical”, with God’s Purpose!

So let’s take a JAB, at our FIGHT to have and maintain a positive attitude! WE ARE IN CONTROL WHEN WE STAY IN THE FIGHT!

JAB NUMBER FOUR: GET PHYSICAL!

Physical Activity simply means MOVEMENT! So, Let’s Get Moving!
Any means by which we move and use energy works! We can walk, garden, briskly push a baby stroller, climb stairs, play soccer, or dance the night away! Movement is the key!

PUNCH LEFT – MAKE A PLAN WITH A PURPOSE!

Purpose to not only MOVE each day, but when you MOVE, whether it is at the gym, running or walking outside, to talk to God while you do it!
Challenge yourself to read a verse or passage of scripture before you begin moving, and reflect on that scripture as you “Get Physical!”
The only way I have been successful at climbing out of my warm, cozy bed each morning and exercising has been by combining my COMMITMENT WITH A PURPOSE! I have made a commitment to getting physical, and a purpose to setting my mind and heart on God while doing it!

PUNCH RIGHT – STAY CONSISTENT!

New Year’s Resolutions have become famous for starting, and then failing!
“Yo Yo Diets” have become as well known as the cupcakes and doughnuts we eat when we fail at them!
Frequent and regular physical exercise brings benefits beyond the physical, when we are CONSISTENT!
Not only will our physical bodies maintain and enhance overall health and wellness, but our mental bodies will find health as well!
Frequent, regular and consistent physical activity is proven to prevent stress, depression, and increase your quality of sleep and help promote and maintain self-esteem, mental health and steady your digestion! That equals a happy tummy my friends. And that makes all of us feel better!

Physical exercise also boosts our immune system and increases those wonderful, feel-good ENDORPHINS, we hear so much about! Endorphins are real! They have been put in the wonderful body God made for you, to be released and bring you physical and mental and emotional HEALTH! Endorphins are known to derive from Physical Activity and act as an ANTIDEPRESSANT! Medical reports show that exercise induced effects can result in increased NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR,( AKA BRAIN SIGNALING), and signal positive brain waves!

DID YOU CATCH THAT?
“GETTING PHYSICAL PRODUCES POSITIVE BRAIN WAVES!!”

This is an important PUNCH at our FIGHT to have and maintain a positive attitude!

SO “LET’S GET PHYSICAL!”

Let’s Get Moving and MAKE A PLAN WITH A PURPOSE AND STICK TO IT!

I thank God that I am not in this fight alone! We are in this fight together! You encourage me to “STICK TO IT!”
I hope and pray that I am an encouragement to you as well!

I believe in you, and even greater is my Hope and Trust in our Great Big God to provide us with everything we need to win this fight!

I’ll meet you here next week as we talk about FRIENDS!

Speak Truth Love

Let’s Sing a New Song!
It’s week 3 of transforming ourselves in this new year through the one thing we can control, our attitude. I pray that as you are working on having and maintaining a positive attitude, regardless of your circumstances, that you are finding success in the FIGHT!
It is truly, a FIGHT!
We are fighting for the very thing that our enemy, satan, wants to steel, our attitude! If he is successful in turning a good attitude, reflective of God’s joy and spirit, into an attitude that is negative, sour, and ornery, he not only wins the fight for our spirit, but also robs us of the positive influence we have on those around us!

Yes, others are watching us, whether we like it or not!
If we go to church on the weekend and they see us leave when everyone else in the neighborhood is staying put to watch the big game, or sleep in, we are displaying an attitude of commitment to God’s call to His believers to join together and “build one another up.”

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:25

If we are sitting on the sidelines at our child’s or grandchild’s game or dance recital and we are the one maintaining self-control, not bashing the coaches or other team, and using kind words in our speech, then we are setting an example of Christ’s call to display Him in our actions and speech.

“Do everything without complaining or arguing , so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation , in which you shine like stars in the universe.” Philippians 2:14-15

If we are the one sitting in traffic or standing in a crowded line, and we let someone go in front of us, then we are displaying God’s character in action.

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10

Yes, you and I have a choice to make each and every day. Actually, I take that back. We have a choice to make each and every moment of every day! What will our thoughts be? What will our actions be? What will our reactions be?

We must realize that the ONE THING WE DO HAVE CONTROL OVER IS OUR ATTITUDE!

It starts with our thoughts!
That is the reason that Fighting this good fight to have and maintain a good attitude, one that reflects Christ and His character, is so important! So, this Week, Week 3, we take a jab at what we listen to!

JAB NUMBER THREE: LISTEN TO SPIRIT LIFTING MUSIC!

What we put into our mind and heart is what will come out in our speech, actions, reactions and ATTITUDE!

“Finally, brothers (& sisters), whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8
PUNCH LEFT – LISTEN!
As simple as it may sound, what we listen to has a very strong influence on our attitude! Simply put, “Listen to spirit-lifting music.”

When we hear the Words , “Today is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it,” we feel our spirit lift and we have an attitude of joy as we realize, TODAY is really the only day we get. It is a gift from God and it is up to us what we do with it!

When we listen to scripture put to song, and hear an encouraging statement of TRUTH that our God is in control NO MATTER what we are going through, our attitude is encouraged and made right again!

When we enter into worship with other believers and sing our shouts of praise to our Great God, our spirit can soar! When we listen to others sing in worship, we are blessed, built up and encouraged.

What we listen to matters! It can literally boost, or tear down our attitude! Take a “Punch” at having a positive attitude, and LISTEN to up lifting music!

PUNCH RIGHT – REFLECT!
Take a moment to remember the songs sung to you by your parents, grandparents, Sunday school teachers, etc…
As elementary as it may seem, the profound words of “JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO…”, can make all the difference in the world in changing our sad, downcast attitude into a positive, confident attitude when we hear the simple TRUTH put to song that JESUS LOVES US!
Reflecting and recalling the songs and hymns that we know can help put our attitudes on the track to positivity!

Truth Bomb

Singing a new song lifts our attitude to incredible heights!

So here we are, half way to our commitment to a New Positive Year with God! One that reflects His character by having and maintaining a POSITIVE, GOOD ATTITUDE!
You are half way there my friends! Keep on Keeping on, and stay in the FIGHT! We are in it together!

Stay Strong, throw those jabs, punch left and right, and come back next week for Week 4 as we “GET PHYSICAL!”

Love Being In This Fight With You!

Speak Truth Love

So how is your “FIGHT” going? Have you taken a “jab” at committing to change the one thing you do have control over, YOUR ATTITUDE?  It is CHOICE. I had to buy myself a reminder, that my CHOICE was to CHOOSE JOY!

Have you taken a “jab” at taking a time out? Have you thrown a “punch” at reflecting on yourself? Have you thrown another “punch” at self- evaluating where you are? Considering how you got there and making a positive change to correct anything in your life that is not God-honoring and positive?

Finally, did you throw a hard “punch” at your prayer life?
Have you set aside specific time with God to not only throw your requests, needs and wants up to Him, but to also listen to Him as He speaks to you?

If you have thrown several “jabs and punches” at these first positive commitments to changing and maintaining a positive attitude in 2017 and you feel the beads of sweat rolling down your face from the “FIGHT,”
“Do not grow weary in doing good!” Galatians 6:9

GOD PROMISES THAT WHEN WE “FIGHT” FOR HIM, HE WILL PRODUCE A HARVEST OF GOOD IN OUR LIVES! PRAISE HIM!

If you have thrown a few “jabs and punches” here and there, and you feel the opponent breathing down your neck and threatening to hinder your good progress, “FIGHT ON!” (Yes, I am a USC fan, but in my humble opinion they borrowed a great line from the creator of VICTORY!)
Continue in the FIGHT my friends. God promises you are not fighting alone.

If you find your self reading this with your face flat down on the mat, and you have not even thrown one “jab” or “punch” yet, take heart, IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO START!

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Friends our goal is to “Stay In The Fight!” To JAB and PUNCH each and every day at committing to control our attitude. Give it to Christ each and every day. Remember, their will be days of victory and success, and also days of struggle and defeat. Our God is our strength,
“The JOY of The Lord is my STRENGTH…” Nehemiah 10:8b

In our own strength the FIGHT is too hard, too much work and too overwhelming! We get tired, discouraged and burnt out. But, when we set our minds on GOD, He fills us with His Holy Spirit, and NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!
“Nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

So, are you ready to pick your tired self back up and take another “Jab” at this worthy FIGHT with me?

WE GOT THIS!

JAB NUMBER TWO: READ THE BIBLE!

PUNCH LEFT – JUST OPEN UP THE WORD! It is literally at your finger tips these days in any form you prefer! You can leaf through the worn, familiar pages and crack open that beat up, falling apart leather copy you have had for ages. Or, you can treat yourself with a gift worth paying for and buy a brand new Bible! One that opens up with that lovely “new book” smell as you open it’s pages and hear the crackle and crunch as you gently pull each page apart. Or, you can pull up your favorite Bible app on your smart phone. You can select your favorite version or read the same passages in several different versions. Or, you can find an app on your favorite tablet or computer. THERE IS TRULY UPTEEN WAYS YOU CAN READ THE BIBLE!

The Challenge is to READ IT EVERY DAY!
If this task feels daunting to you, then consider that if you have made it this far through my Blog you have already read the Word of God several times!

PUNCH RIGHT – MAKE A BIBLE READING PLAN!

Would you consider taking a trip without a plan? Now maybe like me you thrive on a bit of spontaneity, but even when I take a “spontaneous” trip, I must admit planning goes into it!
Would you send your children to school without a plan?
‘Good Bye kids! I’ve heard our neighborhood school is a good one. See you after school, ENJOY!’
Would you attend a church, a concert, a movie, or most of the time these days, even a restaurant without planning it? We basically live our lives with a PLAN! When we do not have a plan, the event is typically not successful, and followed through on!
Let’s face it, most of us even have a PLAN for the grocery store. Otherwise, we would buy too many of the wrong items, return home without the items we needed, and definitely would buy too many of those “random” purchases, and end of with what we do not need!

What We Need Is a PLAN to CHANGE OUR ATTITUDE IN 2017 TO A POSITIVE ONE!
Making a PLAN to Read God’s Word each and every day, one verse or a chapter or a book at a time, will give us the tool to “fight for it!”

TRUTH BOMB

Reading the Bible never returns void!

We are in full FIGHTING Mode now. We have taken two big “JABS” and have begun to throw “PUNCHES!”
Let’s continue to commit our minds to the one thing we can control, our attitude.
Let’s “FIGHT ON” at changing and maintaining a positive attitude!
You are not alone. God is with you! Feel His presence this week as you PRAY and READ HIS WORD! Meet you back here next week for JAB NUMBER THREE as we continuing Fighting for our attitudes!

Speak Truth Love

Happy New Year!

When you woke up, or maybe you stayed up, and welcomed in 2017, were you excited for a New Year? Were you thankful for the year that ended, or were you happy to say “good bye” to 2016, and ecstatic that you were facing the opportunity to make this year a better one?

Did you tackle that challenge with a “New Year’s Resolution?” Did you commit to join a gym, lose weight, eat healthy,(AKA “Clean”), or did you promise to break a nasty habit, or save more money or in other words spend less?  All of these “commitments” in and of themselves are fine. They just unfortunately all share one common denominator that makes the task difficult for ME, or in your case YOU!  By ourselves, we are doomed to fail, quit or at best fall short of our goals. But with the winning combination of ‘ME + GOD’,  or ‘YOU + GOD,’ all things are possible!

“For NOTHING is impossible with God.”  Luke 1:37

As we begin a NEW YEAR, with new possibilities, new opportunities and new challenges, let’s begin together by focusing on what we can control instead of what is out of our control.

We do not have control over our tummy that gurgles and begs for us to reach for the cinnamon roll instead of the oatmeal. But we DO have control over our attitude. We can set our minds on making small changes, one day at a time. If we do have days when the call of the cinnamon roll wins, we move on to the next meal, the next day and make healthier choices.

We do not have control over what may happen tomorrow as we head for the gym. We may  encounter thin, in shape hard working people in training that intimidate us and make us feel like running for the exit. However, we DO have control over our attitude. We can determine to stay put! We can do our best to complete that spin class or finish our turn on the elliptical machine.  We can set our mind on returning the next day and the next, until we have produced a routine of exercise that becomes second nature to us.

We do not have control over the urge that hits us when we are confronted with a temptation we have trouble resisting. We DO have control over our reaction to that urge. We can pray and ask God for the self control to walk away, not give into it and practice restraint each time we are confronted by it!

We do not have control over our desire for things we cannot afford. We DO have control to  make a decision to not exercise spending when our wants exceed our means.

I believe the way we will face this New Year of 2017 and wake up next New Year’s Day and say, “This Was a Great Year,” is to take control of what we CAN control, and that is our ATTITUDE!  LIFE is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you respond to it!

Truth Bomb

Nobody has a good, positive, consistent attitude without fighting for it!

Are you ready to fight with me for something worth fighting for, OUR ATTITUDES!

Let’s take a stab at ‘Six Helps’ to change a negative attitude into a positive one.

This First Week of adapting a positive attitude we take a jab at stopping, slowing down, and taking a “TIME OUT!”‘

JAB NUMBER ONE: TAKE A TIME OUT!

PUNCH LEFT- Reflect and Self -Evaluate: ask yourself the question,”How did I get here?” What am I doing and why? Commit to look within yourself and change what ever you think about that is not positive and God-honoring. Commit to adapt a Philippians 4:8 attitude…

“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”  Philippians 4:8

PUNCH RIGHT-Pray! Need I say more? This should always be our number one go to in fighting the good fight!

Fighting for something means there will be success and struggle as we ‘Fight to control our attitudes.’ But as the old saying goes, “anything worth having is worth fighting for!”

We have already taken the first few punches at JAB NUMBER ONE, we are on our way to VICTORY over changing and maintaining a positive attitude.  Punch away, we are in this together! Focus on JAB NUMBER ONE, and take a “TIME OUT” this week. Then meet me back here for JAB NUMBER TWO as we fight for our attitudes!

 

Speak Truth Love