Seek when you are not weak!

This last week has been a tough one for me. There have been some issues I have been dealing with that have really stressed me out, and others that have upset me; nothing crazy just life! I found myself down and wanted so badly to get my "Mojo" back. In the midst of all of this hecticness I sat down and went straight to his word for some guidance. As always, I was amazed at how God comes to me at the exact place that I am in my life and meets me there with words that could not be more appropriate. I have been using free Bible app to guide me through the word which means each passage I read is random. However, this message I read could not have been more applicable and appropriate for what I was going through right now. Here is what I learned:

"Our weakness can be our greatest strength if it causes us to humbly call out to God for his mercy"

This is an amazing quote because it shows me that it is during times of weakness that we most often turn to the Lord for advice and guidance. So while things may seem terrible, God is simply using this to get closer to us and if these weaknesses are the reason we seek out God, then they are actually our greatest strengths. God uses trials and tribulations as a way to know us more and for us to know him more. More importantly it is through him that this hurt will be healed. This quote and passage gave me an incredible peace at the exact moment I needed it and really hit home.

I feel that we hate to hear or find it hard to understand how such a loving God and all powerful God would ever want us to suffer. We ask questions like "If he is so all powerful then why would he need to use pain to get our attention?" or "Why would God ever want us to suffer or hurt?".

As I thought more and more about this question I realized that this question is so selfish. Instead of asking the above questions, why not ask ourselves why we do not seek God when things are good? If we, as humans, would seek God all the time, good or bad, he would not have to use hurt and pain to get us closer to him.

We should not only seek God during good times, we should constantly be thanking him on our best days, when we close a big deal, when we meet a special person, when we finish a long run and each day when we wake to see another day. Do you want to be like that "friend" that only calls when they need something, to God? I know I don't!

So seek him always! He loves you and wants to know you more. He wants to be with you, buy your side, through thick and thin, to heal your troubles and celebrate life with you! Seek when you are not weak!

-Bloggin to beats
EC

It was all a dream....

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. teaches us to dream big! What was once thought to be just a dream, later changed our society forever and is now celebrated all across our great nation.

It seems that we are often discouraged from dreaming and taught to be more rational in our thoughts and aspirations. Dreams are the foundation of our accomplishments and successes, for without dreams there would be no vision.

“Dreams are like the paints of a great artist. Your dreams are your paints, the world is your canvas."~Unknown

But with every dream you must also believe that your dream can be a reality. Belief in these dreams is the vital element to turn these dreams into real successes. With our heart and mind on board, we can accomplish anything. Do not be a afraid to dream big! In fact, embrace this idea and believe in these dreams and create a life of purpose.

"Believing, is the brush that converts your dreams into a masterpiece of reality.”~Unknown

So on this great holiday take a few moments to remember what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us. Think about his dream, his belief in that dream and how that dream is now a celebrated reality. Without his great dream, we would be a much different nation or maybe no nation at all.

“It was not enough for Martin Luther King, Jr. to dream about equality. He had to rise and become the dream. Now we have an obligation to do the same.”~Blanche Hughes

-Dreamin' Big
EC

New Year's resolution or a Priority?

According to USA.gov and many other websites, health and fitness make the top ten or top five list for most common New Year's resolutions. Why is it then that almost 75% of our Adult population is overweight or obese?

Is it because we are a worthless people that cannot take care of ourselves or is it because all we do is talk about getting in shape but we never really commit to the idea. For many years, there has been so much talk about rising health care costs yet we would rather complain about the associated results instead of taking a stand and getting in shape! Did you know that in 2008, obesity cost our country $147 billion and is expected to increase to $344 billion by 2018? (USA Today) The United States spends about $1.8 trillion a year in medical costs associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, and all three are linked to obesity. (USA Today)

We love talking about the bank bailout and the tax implications, but what about the "lazy people bailout"?

Fitness should not be a "New Year's resolution"! Fitness should be a priority! This is your health, your body, your well being, your image, your future! Fitness is something that every person in the world should make a priority, without hesitation!

"Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it." ~Plato

We all know that "getting in shape" is not easy and takes actual "effort". It takes discipline and commitment and a desire to improve. It takes dedication and sacrifice and of course time! But what we fail to remember is that it also creates energy, builds confidence, improves health, increases lifespan and makes us feel great about ourselves.

Stop talking about it and make it a PRIORITY!

~Gone runnin'
EC