My mission is to provide you with inspiration and encouragement to live everyday to it's fullest. I do this by sharing the simple things in life such as recipes to the most difficult of things such a life. We all know life is a struggle and many days a balancing act, but I am here to inspire you to do it well. Everything I write about is designed to inspire as well as encourage you to be a "better" you that you can be. Everything I share is raw and real. I do not cover up or sugar coat what I write about. This would benefit no one. My goal is for you to walk away feeling uplifted and encouraged after leaving my page. Lastly, I am here to remind you that you are… enough and beautiful… just the way you are.
As we move into the holiday season, we can find it a stressful and exhausting season.
If you are like me and you are already exhausted, then we could be walking into this season feeling defeated and discouraged.
I am here to remind you today, in case you forget, how important you are and that everything you are doing is making a difference.
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”
William James
Take some time this weekend to rest, refresh, and reset yourself.
Rest is an obvious suggestion while refresh can mean anything.
What does this mean to you?
To me it means to do something that has been weighing heavy on me.
To me what will be refreshing will be to finish decorating for Christmas so I can sit back on the busy work days and relax in the beauty of my home.
It also means to sort through my everyday stuff that I took down to decorate and put it in the attic until after the holiday season.
If this is accomplished before I go back to work on Monday, then I will feel productive and accomplished which will help to make me feel refreshed.
I just have to remember to rest and reset, which if I’m not careful, could be overlooked.
How about you? What does this look like to you? What do you want to do to refresh and reset yourself?
No matter what this looks like, remember these simple words, “You are making a difference.”
All too many times when we find ourselves in a state of exhaustion, our minds begin to lie to us, telling us we are not important and what we are doing is foolish.
My friend, do not believe these lies. Instead, remember, “You are Important!”
Take the time this weekend to rest, refresh, and reset.
As I got up exhausted this morning, I strolled to my kitchen, only to be reminded God’s blessings come in His timing and not in mine.
Are you struggling in an area where you just keep praying over something in your life and you have been waiting for an answer or a direction?
Be encouraged by His words:
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
My friend, I encourage you to not give up. God is hearing you. He hears your desperate pleas. He knows your fears and frustrations. He is wiping your tears away while He is holding you in His arms.
I’m not sure about you, but I for one, am thankful for the weekend to finally arrive.
While we still have no resolution to if my daughter will have her health insurance come Monday morning, (see my post, “Living My Real” if you are unsure what I am referring to), I have to accept I have no control over the outcome over this stressful situation.
We have done everything we needed to do. We faxed the paperwork to them, not just once, but twice. We faxed their information Wednesday night and again Friday morning.
Now we have to “just” sit and wait and pray when we check her insurance Monday morning we will see nothing has changed. We will see she is still covered like she has been her whole life.
After being consumed by all of this, I had a realization yesterday while I was in my back yard. God revealed to me, no matter how difficult life may be, His beauty is still around us.
Credit: Home. Life. Encouragement
He revealed to me, as I was pruning my roses, that no matter how beautiful life may be, there will always be the thorns in our lives. The thorns keep us alert, but they aren’t meant to consume us.The beauty of the bountiful roses is what we are meant to see.
Many times the beauty is hard to see, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
Are you too, going through a difficult time? Have you forgot what it was like to just “breathe” because your circumstances are all consuming?
Today I have a challenge for both of us. I want you to breathe and open your eyes up to the beauty that surrounds you.
I know so many are experiencing a quarantined life, but I want you to go outside and do something that brings you peace.
Is this the sound of the ocean water and seagulls in the background or the quietness of a hike in the woods?
Is it a quiet walk or a relaxing bike ride?
It doesn’t matter what you do, but I would suggest just going outside, breathe in the fresh air, and just open your heart to God will do wonders to restore your heart and your soul.
Share with Him your need to release this stress and allow Him to replace that stress with a peace that only He can give.
My friend, take some time this weekend to Rest, Breathe, and Repeat.
I am sharing a simple reminder just because you think you have everything planned out and measured just perfectly in life, that if this isn’t what God’s plans are, He will be changing them and redirecting you.
Don’t get upset or frustrated, just go along with the flow and trust He always knows what is best for us.
I am sharing some words of affirmation with you today.
“ You Are Amazing!”
HD Benson
There are so many of you who have been carrying a lot of stress. Whether it is from the pressures of work, being isolated with the pressures of working from home, teaching your children, or being a caregiver to your aging family or sick family members.
No matter what has you stressed, feeling anxious, or even fearful; today I am taking a minute to remind you, “That you are Amazing!”
If you are feeling less than this, give yourself the same grace you give to others when you see them struggling.
Home Life & Encouragement 