What Boldness Brings

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"My boldness is directly linked to someone else's blessing."

I not sure where I first heard this quote... but it is one that has stuck with me... for sure!  I take it to mean... that certainly... I have something to offer.  Someone NEEDS what I have to offer.   I need not shrink back from being a blessing.  When I hold back out of fear or feeling of inadequacy...I'm doing others, and myself, a disservice.   

Do you ever think like this - for yourself??  

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I took a stroll back through the "five" posts that I mustered to put together for this year of 2020.  Sad!!  But - yes...I shared as the Lord led me and so I want to celebrate those.  

(Okay, if I count correctly - I actually had twelve posts for the year.  One a month, or so.  Not terrible, I suppose...)

In one of those earlier posts - I talked about the word I chose, for the year of 2020 which was the word CULTIVATE.  Little did I know how much this would be needed in my life and I'm so glad.  What a great year for it, too.  So, while 2020 was quite the year and difficult for all in many ways.  I say, for me, it was one of my favorite years.   I'm choosing to collect the blessings that I've had and felt...and this word - has definitely brought with it, fruition which I'm truly grateful about.  But... it's not over.  There is still more work to be done.  And, so with that comes blessing in boldness.

I'm already sensing a new word - for 2021.   Stay tuned!!!

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As the New Year approaches... what is something that you look forward to?  What is that one thing that you will live out the God-ordained days of this year for, with a dedicated heart?   When looking back, what will be the "no regret" part that you will hold dear?  

Here is where and how I will answer these questions.  As the New Year quickly approaches... I look forward to a greater sense of God's peace and presence.  With a dedicated heart to living out my God-ordained days...for the coming year... I will give HIM my all, in all.  I want to be able to look back with a no-regret mindset... because I've been intentional with my time, talents and relationships.

My boldness, today, is directly linked to someone else's blessing tomorrow.

As we head to a close on this year of 2020...

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.  ~Numbers 6:24-26, ESV

I wonder...

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What if you have been praying and praying for something to change and in your heart you know that what you decide is really going to shake things up.  Can you relate to this?  Let me ask this...

Have you ever been truly misunderstood, before?  If so.  Did you expect it to happen, or did it come as a shock, to you?  How did it make you feel?

I can remember three specific times, in my lifetime - where I knew it was going to probably happen.  I also knew I would have to be okay with the fact that people (mostly close friends and family) were not going to understand me; that, they weren't too sure - what I was up to...and why?   "Why in the world would Bevy ever rock the boat?"... I know, was the question.  It wasn't my nature.  I wasn't the type.  People liked me for who I was.  They were comfortable.  Why change - anything?  I remember reassuring myself and resolving myself to this... it truly was going to be okay.  

Here are those three specific moments...

1. When I parted with the conservative, Mennonite church over 20 years ago.  Don't get me wrong.  I appreciate my godly heritage...and, I STILL love Jesus with my whole heart - he's ALL that matters! Truly.

2. When I met my hubby online through eHarmony.  BTW: We've been happily married now for 15 years and have three beautiful blessings to wrap our hearts and arms around. We love our kids!!

3. When I started my own home-based, business - in health and wellness, little over 5 years ago.  Little did I know - that THIS was going to be SOOOO AMAZING!!  Not sure which is better - the opportunity or the products!?!  They truly go hand in hand.

Being misunderstood; was it easy, for me?  No!  But, each time I chose to stand strong in where I knew God was leading me.  And... EACH decision... has been life-changing; life-enriching, for me, as well.  I'm sure life will be filled with more of these times of misunderstandings - as time moves on.  It's sort of the nature of life.  However, I'm #sograteful for each of these times in my life, being part of my story. :)

My biggest takeaway and one that I want to encourage you to consider, is this:  Don't shy away from something you know is most likely to be an answer to the prayers of your heart.  I often wonder, what if I had said "NO!!!" and kept to my comfort zone... I wonder where I'd truly be today?  

Would that be the same for you??  

Flipping the Script

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For the record, I posted a poll on my social media page, the other day, and asked what people would say, in first response, to the question - What Do You Do?  I got a varied span of responses, some were confused (reading too much into the question) and others surprised me, by their answers.  Here is the backstory...

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It had been a beautiful night for sleeping; cooler than lately... and I had slept great!  Except, that...

I awoke this particular Monday morning filled with a restlessness and angst.  Weary of the feelings I've been having lately.  A sense of wanting to throw in the towel, yet hang on for dear life to things that remain a huge part of me and "my line".  And, that being... what it is that I do.

I love my husband, a lot, I'm so grateful to God for him in my life... but there is (and, has been for awhile) something missing.  I miss - us!  A bond; a connection, that has slipped off into la-la land.  So part of my wrestling is me thinking - "What is my part to play to finding that again?"  (Don't worry.  He and I have talked about this - so he knows I'm sharing this.) :) 

So, here I am.  Stretching and waking up.  I roll out of bed; sitting on the edge... I pick up a book** from out of my bedside table. (at the moment, not really sure I know why I pick this one up!)  I literally thumb through the pages - stopping at a chapter of which the title, that at first read (probably in my sleepiness), made absolutely no sense.  I paused long enough to reread and this time - it grabbed me!

I actually read through the chapter, now, and the aha light kept getting brighter.  This was it!!  This author was definitely on to something.

What I've never said... was a link to what and why I was feeling the way I was feeling about us - meaning my husband and I.

Basically, the gist of this chapter is what "woke me up".   When someone asks what it is that we do? How often do we automatically go to our job and our vocation to explain what we do followed by being a mom of three (as an example) and so on - as though that is our first and top priority - never mentioning our spouse?   The author suggests that - as he had learned from an older persons response to this question: "I sure do love my (spouse's name!)" - that our spouse needs to be part of our top three!  

I'm going to derail for a moment and say this.  I've been going through a lot of personal growth, with my home based business, lately and one thing I've learned is that the words we say to ourselves; in our subconscious; over our teams and our businesses, etc. matter.    So, this was making sense to me.  WHY do we not speak more about what we do - in a literal sense.  And - by giving my hubby his place as first in what I'm all about. then my family, my home and my business... 

Something like this.

Question: So, what do you do?  

Answer:  I get to love on and serve alongside my husband Scott....!! Together, we have three beautiful blessings... I'm a stay-at-home, new-to-homeschooling, mamma - who happens to also have a home based business on the side... etc.

Why do we save "us" as a leftover thought?  It's like we're married after the dishes are done and the house is settled.  It's like we're married after the yard is mowed and the toys get tinkered with and the honey-do list is tackled.  It's like we're married only after the bills are paid, the house work settled and the homework is checked?   The kids get all the immediate conversation and plans or schedule created around  and then we're "married"....with not much energy left over but a head sunk deep into the pillows and "lights are out"....

If I literally only flipped the script...?

I'm wondering if my heart would be more at peace about how I'm feeling, about us as a couple, overall?

So, back to this quick poll that I did on FB... like I mentioned, I was surprised by some of the answers. This is and was NO WAY a put down to anyone.  I simply wanted to see if anyone would include their spouse - as part of their immediate response.

 Heart-warming to read, there were one or two that mentioned their spouse in their top three.

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My point being in ALL of this... marriages are on the brink today - for many, varying reasons.  Too many, of them.  Sadly, it is a slow fade and I don't want that to be part of my story.  I want to be aware.  Intentional.  I want US to be together - till death do us part.  And, while our days don't always go down perfectly - at the end of the day - we hold hands together (Praying, often falling asleep together, side-by-side!) that even though we may not always be in agreement on things... the one thing, that is true, is that we are together as "US". 

Thinking about each other first.  Professing our love for one another, to others, as something that we do, (a.k.a. Do What You Love!) - may be part of what it takes to flipping the script.  Amen?

(photo credit: Unsplash)

 Thank you for reading!!!  I appreciate it.

**The book: Sacred Marriage, by Gary Thomas  

Counting the days

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It's really strange.  We're deeply on our way into the month of August and not much gets written on the calendar, these days.  Is this true for you, too?

Do you miss it?  

One thing... unexpected that happened over the summer is my daughter buckle fractured her forearm and has been sporting a pretty pink, heavily marked up cast.   She's been counting the days for it to come off - which will be early on this coming week - Lord Willing!!  She was so grateful it was her left arm and not her right.  Grateful she saw the blessing... 

Our kids are SOOOO sad that summer vacation probably won't be taking place this year!!   They had been dutifully counting down the days for that to happen and well... it's been a little disappointing to say the least.  We're all going to miss that special time visiting friends and family - in VA and NC!!!   We did however get to squeeze in some summer camps and go for a little family get away, locally, to the mountains... which was really, really awesome!!!   Again.  We see the blessing.

Next - we're taking on a new challenge for our family for school this year.

Cyber Schooling has been on our minds... and so - whether we think we are or we're not, we're literally counting down the days for some sort of new-to-us, school schedule to take place.  

We're nervous.  Yet excited!!

I've never been one to easily embrace change.  But - for some reason.  This feels right.  I truly hope and pray that these days will not just be counted down but will be made to count!!

I think often of the verse in Scripture from Proverbs 31:25, which says...

"She is clothed with strength and dignity. She can laugh at the days to come."

Here is my prayer.

Clothe my heart, Oh Lord, with strength and dignity... I'm so afraid of change and facing new challenges... allow me to feel your power, your courage and strength.  To take on and go forward with new experiences.  Help me Lord to take "risks"and to enjoy each new experience... knowing it is a total growing process.  There will be no fear in  my heart!  I can laugh at the days to come.

This prayer has been mine for a while now.  I do thank HIM for changing me in this process.  I am braver.  I'm much more courageous than in times past.  I have grown a lot.  In fact, I say - I don't know that I'm the same person (so much) since the first time I've prayed this prayer.  I'm grateful for the days of all that he has blessed me with.  I am grateful for the ones still to come.  I don't know how many I have.  Neither, do you!

As we're counting the days... may we continue to count the blessings even more.

Smile - let it be seen and heard!!

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I'll never forget it.  I was at a business conference - one Friday night and happened to find myself sitting on the front row, which was rather unusual, as I'm not usually a front row girl.  I'm typically that mid row to back of the crowd; end of the line, type of person.   Anyway.

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening.  Our home-based business events are always so fun and they include so much to learn.  I was soaking it all up.  Thoroughly, taking mental notes and such...

After the event.  The two "speakers" came over to chit chat; introduce themselves and what not.  And, one of them, looking right at me - says, "You know.  If it wasn't for your constant smile - I would have had trouble getting through my "presentation"... your beaming smile was so encouraging; so present."

She went on... to say.  That she was extremely nervous that night - her knees shaking the whole time she was speaking - but because of my engaging smile and rapt attention - that it really helped her to pull through.  I had no idea!!!

That isn't the first time - people have commented on me wearing a smile.   Here's the truth. I really made a difference that night, for my friend.  But, here's the thing... I can still take the time to practice wearing it. I have to.   I want to wear it well - all the time!!  Even if no one is looking....and you should, too!!

Wear it well, and often!!!  Let your smile be both seen and heard!!!  

It'll make a difference.

In addition: This home-based business can come with side effects, in products, that may make that smile appear a lot more readily and naturally, than ever before.  For which, I am #sograteful.  I would love to fill you in on that, anytime.  Simply ask.

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Linking up with the Five Minute Friday community - and the prompt for this round is: Smile