Finding Joy

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Giving thanks in ALL circumstances is not always easy for me.  I can say the words but in my heart, I struggle with believing it.

Does that mean I should give thanks for:

• Not having a full calendar.
• Sales being off or down.
• Not earning the Leadership Trip
• Cancelled parties.
• Hubby being less than 100% supportive of my business
• Weight creeping up
• Aching in my legs

Okay, so you get my point right?  In the past – before the Leadership Retreat – all of these things would have put me in a funk.  Negative Nellie and Doubtful Debbie would have surfaced and I would have stayed STUCK in that negative place.  I would have let fear take over and guide my path.  I would have settled for what was happening, accepting it as my fate.

When God asks me to “give thanks in all circumstances,” He means EVERYTHING. Even when it means my plans don’t pan out or my best efforts seem to go wrong, not just the things that are pretty and planned.

What I have actually learned is by giving thanks to God for each of these things, I am hearing a small voice inside giving me comfort and direction.  Wouldn’t I rather just stew a little while and enjoy a nice warm cup of self-pity?

Of course, I would.  God may have another plan for me that day or in that season.  What lessons have I learned over the few weeks as each of  these things have happened:

• I am working my business as a business
• I have become focused on the tasks to build my business
• I am seeking new hostesses to book parties
• I am not giving up and accepting the status quo
• Each day is a new day – working towards shedding the few pounds & maintaining goal weight
• I am diving into my Leadership Bible each morning to hear what God’s plan is
• I am learning to communicate better with hubby about my business.  He needs facts not my “talking out” process

So, why am I sharing all of this, right?  Maybe you are grumbling too.  Maybe you have sharp tones for those around you.  Maybe you have angry words for someone who doesn’t agree with your plans.  Maybe you are impatient with your children.  Maybe YOUR plan is not working but rest assured that God’s plan is right on schedule.

All God asks of us is to do whatever task He gives with a thankful, rejoicing heart. Just as I parented my daughter, the Lord is in the process of parenting me.  And by trusting Him, I can face the unwelcome moments with joy and peace.  I trusted my parents, so why is it so hard for me to trust the God who gave me life?

By God’s grace, I let go of my plan. In the midst of circumstances I wouldn’t have chosen, choosing to give thanks has led to joy.  I often say the Serenity Prayer ending it with “Your will, not mine be done”.  I really just want my own will to be done. I want to loosen my grip on my plans and cling more tightly to God. What about you, will you join me?

 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

Emotional Why

It is Throwback Thursday!  Today’s picture is from my FIRST Thirty One National Conference as a Director which was July 2013.  I continue to wear this charm as often as possible as a reminder that “faith as small as a mustard seed” will help you to get through all things.

During a coaching call with Hope Shortt, she had me walk through what it would feel like as I walked the stage as a Director.  The emotions that poured out that day is what helped me to stay focused on my goal.  Those same emotions pour out every time we share that story.  It wasn’t about paying off debt, it wasn’t about earning the Leadership Trip – it was about the feeling of accomplishment and making my family proud that propelled me to work towards my dream.

When I went on the Leadership Retreat, my main goal was to find my emotional why.  I can easily say that my why is “financial freedom”, to take my family on a vacation but the reality is that it is more basic.  My love language is “words of affirmation” so why would I think that my emotional why would be something tangible.  Don’t get me wrong, the trip would be AWESOME.  Financial freedom is always a goal.  But the real reason, as shallow as it may be to some, that I push forward to achieve each of those things is for the “words of affirmation”.

I want to hear my hubby and my family tell me they are proud of me.  I want to hear them tell others about the successes that I have achieved in my business.  Some may think that is vain.  But for a girl who has suffered through low self-esteem for most of her life – it is HUGE!  Becky Speith shared that we need to combine our tangible with our emotional why so that we have a motivational why.  SMACK!  I have been focusing on my tangible why for so long that I lost touch with the emotional why.

My goal is to help other women who struggle with low self-esteem to overcome their demons and to find a voice.  My parties don’t have to look like someone else’s – you know that comparison thing kicks in all of the time.  At a recent party, I found out that someone at the party had attended several parties held by a Senior Director that I “adore”. Before I even started the party, I was already thinking that I couldn’t measure up.  Can I tell you how much that threw me off?  When the party was over and I was talking with the hostess, I realized that it wasn’t about the sales.  I know that the sales are attached to my tangible why and they were average.   I love what I do because I got to bring a smile to the face of a women who has been struggling for an identity for a long time.  To see her beam, to have her thank me for “convincing” her to have a girl’s night out were the emotional part of my why.

Do you know your emotional why?  We all have a tangible one – bills, trips, etc. The emotional one is the one that makes you tear up when you visualize it.  The emotional one is the one that keeps you going when you encounter road blocks at every turn.

Share your emotional why with us so we can celebrate together.  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!