That setback...

What you see as one of your greatest setbacks might be one of God’s incredible setups for marvelous miracles to occur. If you are meeting resistance in your hopes and dreams, then you’re most likely on the right track. The devil wouldn’t mess with you if you weren’t a menace to his plans and a valuable asset to God.

What are you growing?

a year from now...

If we’re honest with ourselves about where we want to be a year from now, and each day take a small step in that direction, our goals and our dreams and the lives we want to live are absolutely possible!

“A year from now, you will wish you had started today.” There is such a direct connection between the decisions we make, and the things that develop in our lives. So take inventory of your life today...

• What seeds are you planting today and what are they going to look like a year from now?
• Are there seeds you’re planting today that are going to grow into things you don’t want in your life?
• What do you want to be true about your life a year from now, and what seeds do you need to be planting today in order to make that a reality?

When we make small intentional changes today, it can change our whole lives down the road. It's time to start examining what we have been sowing lately; and to ask ourselves whether those seeds are getting us closer to where we want to be a year from now. 

Growth!

May you approach this season with gratitude and a deeply rooted hope that everyday will teach you something that is an integral part of your growth. No matter how things turn out for you today, today is an integral part of your growth. So be kind to yourself today. Do not let other people make you feel like you have to rush through this season, or any other stage of your life. Even when people want the best for you, you have to know that was is even better for you is to grow at the pace that you were meant to grow. Have grace for yourself, have grace for others, and know that there is endless, boundless grace being poured over your life everyday. Grace that says it’s okay to live life with gratitude, joy, and resilience even before you know what tomorrow looks like. Continue to give your all, but know that is okay if your “all” looks different than others. You are the journey you are meant to be on. You will get where you need to be when you get there. Have gratitude for every step, knowing you are going to learn something everyday. — Morgan Harper Nichols

Every Year is a Sign of Your Growth

Every year is a sign of your growth. every breath points to meaningful life that matters much more than you know. May today be one of those days you take it all moment by moment, rushing in and out of nothing, showing up, as you are unhurried, allowing yourself to merely be, even in the wild of things, for even here in the thick of the forest, you are allowed to slow down and breathe, letting yesterday be yesterday, no matter the things that have changed, finding brave and brand new ways to see every present day: as something meaningful,  and strangely beautiful, and somehow, through it all, worth living for. for after all that you have been through, there is still so much more to you, the mountains you have climbed will only lead to what’s to come. and even though there might be days where it does not feel that way, and you feel that nothing is happening and it seems not much has changed, there is still this endless grace reminding you over and over again no matter the darkness that found you Light is still pouring in. so carry on with courage, taking careful, mindful steps, knowing there is grace for you as you venture toward the depths; an ever-inviting ocean of Love that calls you by your name to go beyond the shore and never be the same. for all along, you have been worthy of being seen and Loved as who you are, and you have been worthy of a journey where you will only continue to grow, so never forget the progress you have made or the mountains you have climbed never forget that beautiful new things will come together in their time. and I know that the world has been heavy and there have been too many moments where your heart felt anything but steady, but somehow, you kept breathing, you continued to hold on to something more, you stayed in brave pursuit of a life beyond the shore. and there is no way of knowing exactly what tomorrow will look like, and you might feel do not have strength for the days that lie ahead of you, but even here, you can trust, that grace is more than enough, and there will still be Light, and there will still be Love. you may feel you have a way to go, but may you remember how far you have come. may you remember the roads you have traveled underneath that heavy noonday sun. for every step you have taken has strengthened you. every year is a sign of your growth. every breath points to meaningful life that matters much more than you know. — Morgan Harper Nichols

when your progress does not feel like very much

You came into this season

not knowing what tomorrow would bring,

but you made the brave decision

to keep trusting, and to keep going.

And even on days like this, that means everything.

And on those days

when your progress does not feel like very much,

and you find yourself wondering

if you will ever be enough,

remember that a few hundred nights ago,

you were not sure you’d make it here.

But here you are, living and breathing

on the other side of those old fears.

And new fears may arise,

and you may feel the weight of your unknowns,

but no matter how heavy all of it feels,

you are free to let them go.

You are free to step into tomorrow,

with wide-eyed hope and expectation

that no matter what does

or does not happen,

you are going to grow

in the way you were meant to.

So keep your eyes fixed on Light,

ever-coming in the morning,

reminding you it is okay,

to awake and start anew again.

Take heart, breathe deep,

keep a mindful, steady pace.

You may not have reached those further mountains,

but you are still well on your way.

And whether you fly or whether you fail,

or you feel at home or out of place,

you are still traveling for a reason,

and you have not fallen out of grace.

So let it be grace that gives you hope

in the middle of the day,

glorious unmerited favor

that reminds you it is okay...

it is okay to slow down

and take moment just to breathe,

and be reminded that in the chaos,

you can still find the peace you need:

peace within your soul to know

there is no comparison for the journey you are on.

You are where you need to be,

and no one can replace you.

Remember how far you have come.

Remember the miles that you have traveled.

Even if you are not where you thought you would be,

you have already it through so many things,

and even in seasons like this,

that is still worth acknowledging and celebrating

By: MHN

365 days

365 days ago, I sat in my car in a parking lot off Route One, a hysterical mess. I was defeated. I felt rejected. One single ten-minute phone conversation changed the course of my life.

Lost and heartbroken, I spiraled in depression and despair for the next couple of months. I spent way too much money on a psychic (who promised to reconnect my "twin flame" and I), drank way too much alcohol and wandered way too many streets aimlessly in the middle of the night. At that dark time in my life, I was unsure on how I would ever be able to create a new normal for myself and/or put the broken pieces of my life back together again.

But it’s been 365 days! Not all of these days have been full of joy and contentment or free from tears and pain. I have struggled far more than I would like to admit behind the scenes. But today, I can proudly proclaim that throughout the course of the past year, I have found peace on my new journey.

I purchased my first home and had a darling puppy choose me to be his fur momma. I ran every damn mile of my first half marathon and developed friendships with people I would have never imagined going on adventures in life with. I celebrated my 30th birthday amidst the milestones of old and new friends (baby showers, bridal showers, birthdays and new homes).

What's my point? As Bob Goff says, "Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won’t have a title until much later."

We all go through storms from time to time, and some shake us to our very core. But in the midst of the storm, there is something beautiful taking place in your life (even if you cannot see it). Have faith. Hold on. Do not give up. The best is yet to come and that storm your weathering ... it's making you a DAMN sailor! A brave and fearless one at that