The Final Quarter

fourth-quarter

Before you know it, 2016 will be over. We’ve planned. We created vision boards. We attended conferences. We made money, and spent even more money. But as we prepare to enter the fourth quarter, it’s key that we review and revamp our goals to maximize our intended success in the last three months.

Review your vision boards and your annual to-do lists. What can you check off? While some things may be nearing completion, others may still be just a thought on a list in a notebook. Be realistic. If you can complete it before December 31, 2016, keep it on the list. But create an even smaller list to outline the tasks to complete the big goal in time. If you can’t realistically complete it within the next 90 days, consider putting it on the top of your list or vision board for 2017.

Revamp your goals that may seem too far off to ever become true. The thought of writing a book may seem monumental at the moment. But if you set a goal of having a chapter done per week, then the goal doesn’t seem as monumental. Be strategic about your time. Schedule appointments with yourself (and your goals). Shut down social media and silence your cell phone.

You’ve got a little over 90 days to make it happen! It’s fourth quarter and the game depends on you. Get your head in the game, and win!

 

 

The Floodgates are Open!

You feel that? You hear that? We’re only 26 days into the New Year, and God has already blown my mind in so many ways! Great things are happening in my life and all around me! I can’t share it all right now. As it unfolds and things are completed, I’ll definitely reveal all that’s been going on behind the scenes. But I encourage you to know that when you speak, you have what you have asked for–right then! In that moment!

Sure, it may not be visible to your human eye just yet, but it’s already in the works and completed at the very same time according to the heavens. When you ask, believe. Faith is like walking through life blindfolded, being guided by someone that you know has your absolute best interest at heart! Don’t look to the right or the left. Don’t worry about what others are achieving around you. Commit your works to your purpose, your passion and your divine assignment, and there will be a rushing, an overflow of favor and blessings on your life!

The floodgates are open! God is pouring new favor, new wisdom, new insight into you this day, right now!

Do you see what I see? I see the flood!

flood-gates

 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2016!

In just the short time span of 14 days, God has already exceeded my expectations for 2016! I mean that with every fiber of my being. I’m believing for some great things even though we’re only 14 days in. There’s something about a newness of a year that resets my passion, my drive, my pursuit!

I am in full speed ahead mode, and I want God to use every gift that’s in me to edify His people for better. But instead of setting resolutions, I set goals based on vision. I create a new board once a year (or mid year) and I keep it in a high-traffic area where I can be reminded of what I’m working toward daily. When you take time to write out your goals and visions, you’re much more likely to follow through and see results.

So I challenge you–14 days into the year. Take time to write your goals down and post them where you can be reminded of them daily. Go the extra mile and create a vision board with cutouts from magazines and newspapers. It’s worth the effort and I’ve seen the results time and time again.

Here’s to a successful, prosperous 2016! I’ll have many things to share as the year progresses! But for now, let’s soar to higher heights!

 

 

 

No Hood in the Rain

I’m dropping my son off at school this morning, and he says to me, “Mommy, drop me off at the door and I’ll go in by myself. It’s raining and you don’t have a hood on your coat.” My son Xavier probably knew what he was saying in the natural, but he didn’t know what he was speaking to my spirit in the spiritual realm. Immediately the Lord showed me the hood represents his covering of us in every storm of life. When we choose to step out from under that covering, we get more than wet in the storm–we get tossed, torn, beat up and for lack of a better term, we look a hot mess. Every day, make sure you put on your hood and even carry an umbrella with you. You don’t know what storms lie ahead throughout the day. It could be a flat tire. It could be an overdraft of your bank account. But if you’ve prayed, you’ve fasted, you’ve spent time in your word, these small storms won’t shake you. Every storm has an end date. I have not been to one city where it rains 24/7. At some point, the rain stops. The sun comes out. The grass gets green where it used to be brown. The flowers bloom. Today, I pray that you are fully prepared for the storms you may encounter this day, and tomorrow, and the next day. As my son Xavier would say, make sure you have a hood and keep your umbrella nearby just in case!

The Storm

Yesterday, I had to drive home in the storm. What usually takes 45 minutes took about an hour and a half. At one point, I was on the freeway and I couldn’t see. My windshield wipers were moving as fast as the car is programmed to move them, but clearly the rain was falling too fast. At one point, I considered pulling under a bridge and waiting for the storm to pass. But I didn’t know when or if that would happen. So I kept going, moving 20 MPH. By the time I got off the freeway onto a side street, the rain became a drizzle and the sun peeked out. Had I stopped on the freeway, who knows how long I would have been siting in the storm, not moving.

No matter how slow you have to move, keep moving! If you stand still in the storm, you may do more damage than you would if you move forward. Keep moving! There is sunshine on the other side of this!

The Storm

Yesterday, I had to drive home in the storm. What usually takes 45 minutes took about an hour and a half. At one point, I was on the freeway and I couldn’t see. My windshield wipers were moving as fast as the car is programmed to move them, but clearly the rain was falling too fast. At one point, I considered pulling under a bridge and waiting for the storm to pass. But I didn’t know when or if that would happen. So I kept going, moving 20 MPH. By the time I got off the freeway onto a side street, the rain became a drizzle and the sun peeked out. Had I stopped on the freeway, who knows how long I would have been siting in the storm, not moving.

No matter how slow you have to move, keep moving! If you stand still in the storm, you may do more damage than you would if you move forward. Keep moving! There is sunshine on the other side of this!
storm

No Hood in the Rain

Xavier sweatshirt

 

I’m dropping my son off at school this morning, and he says to me, “Mommy, drop me off at the door and I’ll go in by myself. It’s raining and you don’t have a hood on your coat.” My son Xavier probably knew what he was saying in the natural, but he didn’t know what he was speaking to my spirit in the spiritual realm. Immediately the Lord showed me the hood represents his covering of us in every storm of life. When we choose to step out from under that covering, we get more than wet in the storm–we get tossed, torn, beat up and for lack of a better term, we look a hot mess. Every day, make sure you put on your hood and even carry an umbrella with you. You don’t know what storms lie ahead throughout the day. It could be a flat tire. It could be an overdraft of your bank account. But if you’ve prayed, you’ve fasted, you’ve spent time in your word, these small storms won’t shake you. Every storm has an end date. I have not been to one city where it rains 24/7. At some point, the rain stops. The sun comes out. The grass gets green where it used to be brown. The flowers bloom. Today, I pray that you are fully prepared for the storms you may encounter this day, and tomorrow, and the next day. As my son Xavier would say, make sure you have a hood and keep your umbrella nearby just in case!

Sunkissed Clouds

Recently I took a trip to Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise. (It was phenomenal by the way! If you haven’t done one, this is a life-changing experience!) On the way home, I had a layover in Baltimore. The turbulence on the first plane was a little rough, so much so that the pilot told us to keep our seatbelts fastened longer than usual. But when I got on my final plane to head home from Baltimore, when I was halfway to my destiny, and we got in the air, at some point, there was nothing but clouds surrounding the plane. The turbulence and air pockets we hit felt like a huge pothole in the air. Passengers throughout the plane began to shake from side to side. I even fastened my seatbelt tighter! Despite the turbulence though, despite the surrounding clouds, there was a brightness from the sun that was almost blinding. Isn’t it amazing how you can see the clouds and yet, still see the sun?

This thing called life will cause some ups and downs, and its fair share of spiritual turbulence. It will try to shake you, break you, make you think that you’re going to crash, that you’re going to fall hard and not get to your destiny safely and securely. But thank God for being the pilot of our lives! He orders our steps and directs our paths. All we can do is sit in the seat with our seatbelts fastened securely and wait for the landing. Even when you’re surrounded by clouds, which oftentimes signify darkness, the sun and the Son is still there! So fasten your seatbelt, read a book, get an ice cold beverage and wait for the manifestation of the thing you’ve been believing God for. I’ll see you when you land!Image

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