Less Than

You put yourself out there; you laid it all down

But your heart, defenseless, was left on the ground.

Now you’ve resigned to believe what’s untrue –

That you aren’t enough to have someone love you.

 

You’ve attempted and failed – the times you can’t count.

You’ve heard “no”, been rejected. Now you have doubts

That it’s even worth all the heartache and pain

To reach for a dream you will never attain.

 

You’ve accepted your fate; you’ve given up hope

But before you reach the end of your rope,   

Let me offer this truth you must understand:

Never let anyone make you feel less than -

 

Less than enough to walk by their side,

Less than enough to bring joy to this life,

Less than enough to be loved and accepted,

Less than enough to feel warm and protected.

 

You are a force with which no one can reckon!

Your presence is purposed; so forget imperfections.

Don’t listen to insults and shade cast your way.

Haters speak loudest when they are afraid -

 

Afraid of what might shine a light on their flaws

And expose their dark secrets in closets of halls

That display their accolades, trophies and bling -

Meaningless trinkets, all temporary things.

 

Look. Life will make you feel lost and alone.

Betrayal and heartache will call your soul home

And those you hold dearest may all disappear

But you’ll be okay and this is why, my dear:

 

You are not less than; you are more than enough

To rebound, to stand, to fight back, to be tough,

To shake dust from your shoes and shine like a star -

You’re enough!

You are more than!

Yes, that’s what you are!

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Breathe… Finally

I promised you a song almost three years ago. You can read my original Post of encouragement here.  

Well, without further ado, my debut of “Breathe.” (Click the orange word “Breathe” to take you to a YouTube video. Don’t click the picture below – my blog format doesn’t allow me to post videos!)

The video is definitely not quality material. I made it to post to my Facebook page because I felt like the message couldn’t wait. There is so much going on in this world. There are so many struggles, so much loss, so much heartache and so much fear. We need to remember to breathe. There is life sustaining hope with each breath we take.

So, remember, no matter what you are going through today,

“You’ll find healing,

You’ll find hope,

You’ll find peace that won’t let go,

When you BREATHE.”

 

Don’t Stay

 

It only takes a moment

To slip into the deep.

The darkness, though familiar,

Your soul it mustn’t keep.

 

For if you found a way within,

There’s surely a way out.

The question is, Will you leave

Or will you linger about?

No Spotlight Required

Some people were meant for the light. They shine when its beams hit their faces. They come alive; they thrive. They make all those around them stand in awe. They command the world’s attention. They have the gaze of every eye when they enter a room.

Most of us, however, were only meant to look on, to revel at the glow and to dream of what it might be to stand in the light’s splendor. We constantly seek out the light. We do all that we can to get its attention, to somehow turn its gleam our way. We long for the glory the spotlight brings. We long to be seen, to be heard, to be found.

Yet, when we find the chance to step into the light, we’re often disappointed. We’re blinded by its brightness and left feeling vulnerable, less than perfect, less than desirable. For in the light, there is no room for mistakes. There is no room for insecurities or hesitations. In the light, everything is revealed, every flaw is seen and every mistake is magnified.

It is a lonely feeling to be left with the realization that we weren’t made for the spotlight, that we weren’t meant for all the attention the light can bring. But even more lonely is living out of the spotlight and never realizing that that is ok, never being happy with who we are or what we are made of, never discovering that our ability to shine comes from within.

You see, the spotlight is wonderful but its glimmer is fleeting. What truly matters is what happens outside that circle of light. That is where life happens. That is where decisions are made, relationships are formed, talents are honed, personalities are developed, stories are written and journeys are taken. Out of the spotlight, we have the freedom to be ourselves, to make mistakes, to love, to be sad, to cry, to say things we might regret, to make bad choices, to seek forgiveness for those choices, to take risks, to fall down, to get back up, to live.

I believe there will always be a longing for the spotlight. There will always be that question of what it may feel like to be the center of attention, to be the one who captivates the room. But once we realize that living out of the spotlight offers just as much fulfillment, if not more, then the prominence doesn’t seem so enticing. And as the acclaim of the spotlight fades, we are then able to see the light that shines within each one of us. We can see the spark that makes each of us truly unique.

Yes, some people were made for the spotlight, reflecting only the light that is cast upon them.

But we were all made to shine, lighting the world with our God-given individuality, talents, skills, character, heart and soul.

No spotlight required.

A Little Spark is Enough

I’m sitting in my living room listening to the silence. My family members are in their respective rooms. It’s just me on the couch with my iPad. The curtains are drawn and no lights are shining except the lights on the Christmas tree.

I haven’t decorated Everett, Jr., yet. (He’s a little fella this year. The tree lot guy said the larger trees were difficult to get this year.) All I’ve done is drape his piney branches with a string of twinkling lights. I keep telling myself I’ll decorate tomorrow. But there are only 6 days left before Christmas and I still haven’t found the desire to begin decorating.

As I admire the glow of the Christmas lights, though, I find that I’m okay with my tree not being decorated. The twinkle of the lights is enough for me.

I find solace in the glow of these little lights. It reminds me that even in my darkest nights, in the lowest moments of my life, in the times that I feel the least significant or that I am not enough, the smallest spark of light and the tiniest twinkle of hope can make the greatest difference.

Maybe you need this reminder.

Maybe you feel like you have nothing to offer this world. Maybe you’ve given so much that you feel you have nothing left to give.

Maybe, in this Christmas season that is meant to be festive, full of cheer and overflowing with peace and hope, you find yourself overwhelmed with the weight of your troubles.

Maybe the darkness of this crazy year has consumed you.

Maybe you feel like all you have left is a little spark.

If this is you today, you are not alone. I’m right there with you in this very moment.

But…

I have to believe. No, I choose to believe that a little spark is enough.

I choose to believe that a little spark is all it takes to keep from being overtaken by the darkness.

I choose to believe that a little spark is evidence of a hope that still exists deep down in the soul.

I choose to believe that a little spark can ignite a blazing fire of renewed passion, overwhelming peace and a new-found purpose.

So, if you’re like me, and you find that all you have left is a little spark, remember that that little spark is more than enough.

A Clean Slate

Yesterday is behind us.
The night has washed the past away.
The only thing remaining
Is a clean and empty slate.

The morning sunlight rises;
With it, hope is born anew.
A precious gift – a promise –
Is this day God made for you.

A Wallflower’s Perspective

We tend to go unnoticed.

“I didn’t see you there,” we often hear.

But that is our intention –

The spotlight is what we fear.

 

We mostly like the distance.

It gives us room to breathe, to think, to see

What’s going on around us –

Learn what separates you from me.

 

There are those times, however,

The separation leaves us in the cold.

We’d seek out your attention

But would never be so bold.

 

We hope for just a moment

You’d look beyond the crowd and walk our way.

We know you’d like what you find

Once you hear what we have to say.

 

We have so much to offer.

It’d only take a glimpse for you to see

Our kindness, smarts, our humor,

Our fierce creativity.

 

You might find it surprising

To stop and realize what you’re missing

By ignoring the margins,

Not widening your vision.

 

Now don’t mistake or mishear me.

We don’t need rescuing or pushed to change.

Just let us know you see us

With a nod, a SMILE or wave.

 

You see, we know our value

Even though we shrink back along the wall.

The reason we’re called flowers –

Well – it’s ‘cause we’re beautiful!

 

Let It Go

Cast off your burdens:

Hurl away your troubles;

Force out your worries;

Get rid of all your cares;

Abandon them into the hands of the Father –

No strings attached,

No fingers crossed,

No take backs,

No 50/50 split –

Let it all go.

Then,

Walk away;

Don’t look back;

Keep pushing forward;

Enjoy the peaceful rest while HE carries the load –

No strings attached,

No fingers crossed,

No give backs;

No 50/50 split –

He will take it all.

 

And the peace of God,

which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:7‬

Even THIS Day

This IS the day the Lord has made.

Yes, even THIS day.

And all the days He made before it have prepared you for today. All the moments of gladness, moments of struggle, moments of doubt, moments of triumph and moments of sorrow that have filled your previous days have built the foundation of strength that will see you through this day.

This IS the day the Lord has made and HE will not allow you to live this day alone.  HE plans to spend it with you. HE intends to experience every moment by your side.  You can walk through this day with confidence for there is nothing in this day that will take its Maker by surprise.

Yes, this IS the day the Lord has made.

No matter what it holds, joy or sadness, healing or pain, celebration or mourning, you can trust the Lord to carry you through.

And in this assurance, you CAN rejoice and be glad!

Keep Your Eyes Open

This is what GOD says:

“Forget about what’s happened;

Don’t keep going over OLD HISTORY.

BE ALERT. BE PRESENT.

I’m about to do SOMETHING BRAND NEW.

It’s BURSTING out!

Don’t you see it?

Isaiah‬ ‭43:16-21‬ ‭(MSG)‬‬