ln the pursuit of greatness

                            You can't bring about change if you are "acting small".

It's hard sometimes to do what needs to be done...even harder sometimes to do what we WANT to do...you know to go after that *thing* that you dream about. Unfortunately, we usually get in our own way (our self-image, self-talk, how much we value ourself)

I had a beautiful experience the past couple weeks where I took the limits off and just pursued my ideal. The result...I got it. Even now its hard to believe. But I have to keep reminding myself...its not just me, because my default response is how did I (lil ole me) get that??

But its not JUST me. It's me exponentially, because the God in me is so big, so great, and so awesome...what I can do with Him is multiplied.

Remember you are created for purpose. God wants His best for you. You can choose to seek out His best, or settle for good-enough. His best positions you for maximum effectiveness in that which He has called you to do.

And so I walk forth embracing that I am all that God says that I am. I will continue to press forth and aim high, as I dream big pursuing my goal to bring hope to all I come in contact with.

As Marianne Williamson so aptly put it: "Who are you NOT to be....[brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous] "

Grace, peace, and love in the pursuit of greatness,

Gia

Puzzle of life

I subscribe to the idea that we are not here to float around. Each person has a purpose and life is best experienced, is fully lived, when we are functioning in that purpose.

Now I say "purpose" which seems singular but I think it goes without saying that one's life statement/mission statement may consist of a number of things. For me, I'm all about fostering hope and building communities. Sometimes this is done one person at a time, in other instances, its done via small groups/communities. I want to see each individual I am in contact with to first, know themselves (their identity and purpose), secondly, to live a whole life (with a focus on psychological and spiritual health) and finally, to be in pursuit of their life goals.

Additionally, I believe in connections. We are relational beings and as such, we thrive in healthy relationships and communities. More than relationships though, I believe that what I do (or am meant to do) is directly tied to someone else and so on. Frederick Beuchner best said it:

"The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt."

 I've said all this because I had a situation this past week which made me realize how real this interconnectedness is.

I've been avoiding counselling for awhile now. For those of you that know my story, I spent 2 years completing a Master degree which equipped me with the skills needed for therapy but somewhere in the past 10 years since I obtained the degree, I kinda just wrote it off. It was helpful; I've got some skills that are helpful in life in general, and I've definitely become a more self-aware person which is great so I was happy. Just recently, this month in particular, I've had a number of requests for therapy. I've also had people refer others to me for therapy. Each time this occurred, I gave the blank stare.

Maybe not directly as that was rude..but in my head it was a "ummm not quite; I'm not interested" response.

As I was mumbling to myself about how its weird that recently I've been getting so many requests (most of which are people willing to pay), I was humbly reminded (by an acquaintance) in a nutshell....that counselling is a part of my calling. That conversation, and ensuing personal conversation (you know the ones you have with yourself) really made me stop and think - I do have a gift and while the past may not have created the ideal scenario/environment to use my talents, that didn't mean that I needed to totally walk away from it.

Here is where the story gets interesting. After a quick conversation with one of the individuals who was seeking counselling, I walked away unnerved as I realize that I may have almost hindered her from health/wholeness/purposeful living because of my own issues. Because I had ignored her/turned her down, she just figured that this meant it wasn't meant to be and was quite content to walk away, not looking back and settling for where she was emotionally/psychologically.

I never want to be THAT person; you know, the one who is so caught up in herself that she forgets that her talents and gifts are important, essential to others.

“Pull a thread here and you’ll find it’s attached to the rest of the world.”

― Nadeem Aslam, The Wasted Vigil

I leave you to think about your place in this web, this puzzle of life. We are all interconnected and if I don't do my part, there is a tangible missing piece from the puzzle of life. Don't downplay or ignore your talents, gifts and passions for you never know who needs it.

Grace peace and love,
Gia

I will....

Agency, is the term we psychologists use when we refer to human's ability to do something. We have control over our thoughts, words and actions. We are able to effect change. We can (fill in the blank) IF we choose to.

I've been a bit under the weather and it has been a real act of the "wills" to do a lot of things. Of course, I jump on the moments when I feel semi-normal but even in the moments when I don't, I attempt to "push through". Please note: I am aware of my physical limitations and not pushing beyond them.  In Bahamian vernacular- this thing go with sense! 

In any event, this made me think about the "I wills". For me, this past week, it's been, I will:

• smile through the discomfort (sour face isn't cute on the prettiest of humans)
• NOT complain (although if asked, I will honestly share)
• get the list of things done (that could be reasonably done)
• enjoy time with those I have the opportunity to visit with 
• rejoice with those who are rejoicing (Yes, just because I feel crappy does not mean that I cannot celebrate others, or celebrate with them!)
• Bless the Lord.

Yes, I decided that I will make a special effort to praise. After all, it just doesn't come that easy when things are not going well or in my case, if you aren't feeling well.  But as with everything, this is all for a season and through each passing season, circumstance, or experience, my God is still God. He is still good. He is still faithful. His love is still ever so zealous for me. He still watches over me and although He allows trials, sickness and other forms of difficulties, He is still working on my behalf in the background...if I allow Him.

As I reflect over the previous week, I think I did it....I know for one thing, the minute you take your eye off the bad and focus on the good, the bad just seems...less horrible.

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Remaining focused Part II

If you remember from last week, my main work instrument as a full time grad student was giving me problems.

I'm reporting now from my brand new MacBook Pro. Yup...your girl got an early Christmas present (thanks Babes! and thank you Jesus!).

However, amidst the praise report (see here), there were other factors at play that I missed.  Without going into the gory details, lets just say, I thought that this computer was all about me. You know, its MY dissertation that needed to be proposed, conducted and defended. It's MY Ph.D that is on the line. It's MY primary means to get this stuff done. That is actually what I said in defense of my behavior as I was being pretty stubborn in a discussion with hubby and this was causing some discord between us.

In my time of being so focused on trusting God for one situation, I forget about other things...you know, that there is an enemy whose mission is to kill, steal and destroy.  So while I was having some "victory" in one aspect of this situation, my guard was down and I was oblivious to the other forms of attack.  If my roommate and I didn't have the talk that we did, I can now see how a very simple situation could have grown and created a rift. Side note: It is always amazing how that happens in relationships. It takes so long to build a strong one, but in seconds it could be punctured leaving the wounded open to hurt, mistrust, unforgiveness, resentment...yes the list goes on and on.

The conversation was definitely a reminder to stay focused....as I said last week, to focus on our Father who is provider, protector, sustainer...anything you need Him to be.  In addition, I needed to be aware (not necessarily focused), that there is a real enemy with a plan for our life too (1 Peter 5:8-9).

I'm not one to go on about "the enemy" and all that, not because I don't believe that we have an enemy but I would much prefer to talk about what God is doing and what He has promised me when the enemy sets himself to attack (Isaiah 59:19; John 10:10; Ephesians 6:10-18; Revelation 12:11).

So today, as a part of my "overcoming", I have shared my testimony (Revelation 12:11). ;)

Take home message: Be alert and particularly careful about your relationships- these are the core of the human experience. Too easily and too often, we allow our conversation or actions to cause small holes in the most important relationships. Unfortunately, it is much easier to make a hole bigger than it is to close it up.

Grace peace and love,
Gia

A hug from a stranger

There is something about when I'm "home". I somehow don't have a routine...part of it is because of the excitement of being home, another part is because of my husband's lack of a schedule and then,  because this is "home"- I guess my brain goes into a more relaxed, go-slow mode...not sure.

Anyway, I said all that to say that I've been having some difficulty with getting my regular Monday and Wednesday blog posts since I came home...and I think this lack of structure is the primary explanation. All excuses aside, I should get to the point of this post...

the impact of a small gesture.

About a month ago when I was in Canada, I experienced what I've been writing about. You know I'm the queen of encouraging all of us to give a smile, a hug, an extra word of encouragement...something to make someone's day. Well, it happened to me. And the weird part was: 1. I wasn't having a bad day and 2. It was in church.

Essentially, I'm just going about the routine of using the restroom after church before the long 45 minute drive home  and as I stand in line (because there is ALWAYS a line for women's restroom), this lady comes up to me and gives me a hug. Okay, so that's not weird...I am in church. That is expected. But what she did after is what shook me to the core and literally brought tears to my eyes..

she looked me in the eyes, told me that I looked beautiful and that God loves me.

I think she may have said something else but I need you to know it was not the words, I know I'm beautiful :)) and I KNOW that God loves me...it was the warmth, the intentionality, the "I see you"/"You are not invisible" nature of the act that still has me thinking of it and getting all warm inside because of it. It was love. It was genuine.

It took less than a minute for this woman to validate my humanity when for all intents and purposes, I didn't really think I needed validating at that moment...you know- it wasn't like it was a bad day or I was feeling exceptionally sad or lonely or anything..it was just a normal Sunday....

until she came along.

And THAT is what drives me. THAT gets me excited. THAT is what I want to do with everyone (or at least someone) each day:

Genuinely show the love of our Father, so the individual is validated, encouraged and rejuvenated.

I should note that apparently I wasn't her only victim. ;) Two awkward minutes later (as I stood fighting tears), this burly man comes lumbering over to her (as she too now waited in line for the restroom) and is literally gushing thanks. He was so overcome by her "genuine hug and kind words" that he had to come looking for her to tell her thanks.

That, my friends, is the love of God in action.

Have you had one of those experiences before? tell us about it!

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Affirmations

from http://pinterest.com/giavana81/inspiration/

Nothing else anyone says matters. Some times we have to encourage ourselves, and other times, we need to encourage others. As you go about on this Friday, remind yourself of this and please be sure to remind others too! 

Grace peace and love,

Gia

Disappointment

Disappointment. It is an unfortunate life occurence that we cannot escape. Although, I guess some would say that you can avoid being disappointing by not having any expectations. I know that was my position for a little while (maybe longer than a "little while"). In any event, I realized that it was not a healthy way to live, for a number of reasons, the main one being that I missed out on living by trying to insulate myself from imperfect situations and subsequent bad feelings. As a friend once pointed out (paraphrased), "how can I truly enjoy happiness if I don't know what sadness feels like; life is a roller coaster, enjoy the ride."

I decided to write about disappointment today because that is what I experienced just now. I came here to click "post" to share with you a great Lessons from Ari post, only to find the post empty. I spent probably 45 minutes writing and researching that particular update and if I do say so myself it was really good. I know some of you may be like, that's nothing to cry about (and it really isn't) but the fact of the matter is, I really do feel sad/disappointed that it is lost. I invested time and energy into the development of that writing and I was proud of my work. To make matters worst, I signed into my online banking, as I was expecting some money, only to find the account still reflecting the mere 2-digit balance. womp womp. This realization occured less than 5 minutes after the blank blog post revelation. :insert deep sigh here:

So you can imagine, my next set of thoughts were that today is going to suck. The funny thing about our mind is that the minute it is focused on a particular type of thought, the more likely it is to bring to our memory other similar thoughts. For example, as I sat, for less than 5 minutes mulling over this missing post and trying to decide what I wanted to do about it, and the fact that I do not have money that I was really counting on, I then remembered another disappointment that I experienced this morning. You see, I was up bright and early and had already made plans to get breakfast from a particular place, however due to a last minute change in events, I wasn't able to get breakfast (and I've already shared how I feel about food ;) ).  And I was soooooo looking forward to this particular Bahamian treat. Then I remembered that yesterday I was having some challenges and woke up this morning with a new plan to address this challenge, only to have that new plan knocked down. You can see where this is going right? Had I not been careful, what is a beautiful day that the Lord has made, could have easily, very quickly turned into a  I-wanna-crawl-back-under-the-covers day. Instead of singing a praise, I'd soon be singing the song of gloom and doom.

BUT (and it is a big but), I am in control of my thought life. I recognize that despite the couple disappointments, the day is still early and there are still opportunities for it to turn around. Above and beyond that, should nothing good happen today, I am still blessed. beyond. measure. Seriously. To get started on how blessed I am will make this post ridiculously too long.

As a therapist, I know about changing/shifting thought patterns. I know how to, and the importance of, reframing; which is (very simply) changing how you view a situation.  I know how my thoughts impact my mood and behaviors. I also know that our behaviors, if deliberate, can impact our thoughts. As a Christian, I know that I should think on things that are good, pure, true...(Philippians 4:8). I also know that I have authority to take every [wayward] thought captive to make it line up with truth, i.e. what God says. I also know the difference between facts and truth. The fact may be that a couple things didn't go as planned for me today, I'm not suggesting being delusional. However, the TRUTH is that God is still in control of everything and He makes all things work together for the good of those who love and are obedient to him (Romans 8:28).

And...if I was to shake myself for a teensy second, I realize that maybe God didn't want me to share the Lessons from Ari today. That maybe there was something else that needed to be shared for even just one person who may stumble upon my blog and experiencing a REAL disappointment (not that mine were fake but just trivial). That I needed to instruct (or remind) this person that you have authority over your thoughts, feelings, and actions. That if you consciously choose to think on things that are good, you are more likely to find more good things to think on and improve your mood. To remind you that there is a difference between what you are experiencing (facts) and what God says about your situation (truth). To remind you of Romans 8:28, Romans 8:37, Genesis 50:12, and Jeremiah 29:11. If these aren't enough, email me for some more (giavana.jones@gmail.com).

If you are experiencing a disappointment, whether serious or trivial- choose not to allow it to impact your outlook. Grieve the "loss" but even still, be aware of the authority you have and exercise that authority. Speak truth over your situation and look toward the future with expectancy. Find the purpose or  lesson, i.e. another perspective, in the situation and embrace the process by which we are matured.

edited to add this excellent phrase from Path CoachKaylus
"disappointments are divine reschedules and cancellations for better and more appropriate"

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Asking and receiving

Two events happened that got me thinking; both of which included the individual (one instance, it was me) looking, searching..almost 'begging' for something that was already there.

This may sound silly, but it made me think of how often this can happen. Imagine the scenario, I received a gift of a SIM card (for cell phones); however the person who gave it to me couldn't remember what the phone number was that was associated with the card. So I took the SIM card and put it in my phone to see if the phone number would show up; it didn't...apparently the card was never "registered". Okay, what does one do next?

Call somewhere so that the caller id will show the origin of the call, i.e. the phone number. Well I determined (without trying) that this was NOT an option because there was insufficient credit to make a call (or text). This then began a series of attempts that I made to determine what the phone number was. Ten minutes later, and somewhat frustrated, I turn the phone off, and begin to take the SIM card out. It was then that I felt *it*...you know what I mean...that nudge, that still small voice, that feeling (whatever you call it) and I felt the urge to put the SIM back in, and simply check the balance on the card.

Well, you can probably predict what was the result- yip! There was sufficient credit on the phone ($5) to make a hundred texts, one long distance phone call and at least 10 minutes of talk time on a local call. It was such a "duh" moment but I couldn't shake it. Why did I just assume that there was no money on the card? Wouldn't the first thing one does is check the balance?

Scenario number two: a friend wants to make coffee so she goes to the water fountain but there is no water. So she begins to ask around the office for someone who may have personal water that could be shared for her to just brew some instant coffee. This activity goes on for about 15 minutes but once again to no avail. Finally, as she is about to give up, the person who usually monitors the coffee/tea, calls her and asks her what she is looking for. Her response- "water to make coffee". She is then informed that there is water already set aside for coffee by the coffee pot but somehow this friend not only failed to check the "supply" but also the "supplier".

Of course, I couldn't help but to ask her why she didn't just check the coffee pot ,which is what we typically do BEFORE searching for other sources of water. She didn't have a response. I had to chew on this  for awhile and just knew I had to blog about it.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt convicted...why ever did I not simply check the balance? Is this a reflection of how I live my life? The provision is right there in front of my face, but I miss the obvious because I too often chose to:
1. Not ask God (the supplier) for the thing I want/need
2. Proceed to attempt to solve the problem, find the hidden thing on my own; this includes looking to other "sources" for what it is I need.

Without being "super spiritual", this made me wonder how many things I wanted (or needed) that was right there, literally there but because I asked the wrong person or didn't ask at all, I failed to get it.

I can hear the good ole chuch (not church) people quoting "You have not because you ask not." (James 4:2)

What the full verse states states:
James 4:2 (NLT)
You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it

There is a plethora of scripture that confirms this simple concept: We ask (in faith)- God provides. Although I should point out, that the requests that we make, should line up according to His will (another blog post for another day):

Matthew 7:7-11
Matthew 21:22
Philippians 4:6
1 John 3:22

The sad part is that I knew this before the SIM card situation. I knew these scriptures by heart..I've heard this "sermon" before...I think I may have even "preached" this lesson before in some form on this blog. But why is it still so easy, particularly in the very small and simple things, to revert to the stance and actions of an ignorant child, one who does not know that I have a Heavenly Father, who is the SUPPLIER, who is willing and desires to supply my needs.

I trust that my very simple object lesson and musings is a reminder to you to continue to seek the SUPPLIER, go to the SOURCE for every question, need or problem.

Be encouraged!

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Affirmations

If you have ever read or even heard of the The 5 Love Languages, seeing the word Affirmation should immediately bring to mind this particular "love language". But above and beyond the work that Dr. Gary Chapman has done, giving affirmations is not strange to our cultural milieu.

To affirm is to give validation, to confirm.

In fact, most self-help resources encourage us to speak positively to each other. To lift others up. To speak positively to ourselves. While most people do not make a big deal about this type of stuff,  I firmly believe that all of us need to hear and experience some form of affirmation on a regular basis. It replenishes our core. It confirms that what we are doing and/or who we are is important.

This post was the result of a very cheesy series of events that began in our office. Apparently, one person declared a specific day as belonging to another coworker. I came in just recently, heard about it and decided that I wanted a day too. So I put my name on the calendar and that particular day is mine. Well, we just celebrated two people recently and it was fun...cheesy but fun. This day isn't about expenses...what we have given is loving notes, small tokens of appreciation, and some very ecstatic exclamations: e.g. "Happy Gia Day!!!!". As I mentioned, it is seriously beyond cheesy (see picture below) but at the core of it, it is really soul affirming.

By nature, I am a nurturer and an encourager [if that is a word]. I love making people feel good about who they are. I think it actually makes me feel better about myself. That's one of my gifts..and because of this, I tend to make big deals out of what my husband would call "trivial stuff". I make a special effort to say "thank you", "I appreciate you/what you did","you are awesome!"; it is almost like a need for me to recognize the gifts, acts and personhood of others. I sometimes greet friends with pet names or terms of endearment like love, beautiful, dear, friend and so on...I refer to my husband as "handsome". ;) You get the point.

So yes, I can hear you now: most people are not like me, but it does not mean that you should be oblivious to this innate need that we all have. It doesn't take that much extra to offer an act or word of kindness, or even more than that, to provide a word or act of validation. So lets get started: make today YOUR day to celebrate yourself. If you can't think of anything positive about yourself, affirm yourself with what God thinks and says about you:

You are fearfully and wonderfully made, so you are no accident. (Psalm 139:14)

You are deeply loved, so much that he suffered death on the cross for your salvation. (John 3:16)

You are forgiven so you do not have to be weighed down under guilt (1 John 1:9)

You have a purpose and a positive future, so don't downplay your value to your family, community...world (Jeremiah 29:11)

You are royalty, a child of the King (1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 3:1)

Once you have taken YOUR day, I then want you to set aside another day to affirm everyone who comes in your path, recognizing that a simple "good morning" can be an affirmation. Think about the person who is used to be ignored, e.g. the homeless person on the street; for someone to stop, smile and acknowledge them would be an affirmation that they are human, worthy of acknowledgement. Obviously, I would challenge you to do a bit more than just "good morning", like you should find something nice, encouraging and positive to say or do for someone but in the very rough instances, I can settle for a smile and a genuine courteous word. I'll tell you a secret, even the meanest, roughest, most miserable person secretly appreciates someone to dote on them...at least once in a while. ;)

So, THANK YOU for stopping by and reading my blog!

Grace peace and love,
Gia

OH! My affirmation to you:

YOU are a designer's original, a one-of-a-kind. You have greatness within you and the world needs to experience it.

Lessons from Ari

Meet my fur-baby Ari. He is a lovable, SUPER friendly, 2 year old Yorkie-Shih Tzu. As you can see, he is jet black and most times, taking a picture of him (and seeing more than a blob) is impossible. Another detail about Ari - he is spoilt! He is our child and the center of attention in our house. The house actually belongs to him...well it seems that way most days.

Anyway, just yesterday it dawned on me how much I can learn from the simple interactions with Ari and so as I do with most my lessons, I will share with you.

Today's lesson from Ari is about REST.

Ari sleeps wherever he chooses, sometimes the couch in the front, and sometimes on the floor on either side of the bed (usually mine). There are some nights, where he fights to sleep with us at the foot of the bed. In an  effort to provide boundaries, we typically do not allow this...but of course, every so often he gets away with it. This usually occurs in the middle of the night/early morning when we are near comatose and he comes in to cuddle at our feet. Regardless of where he sleeps, 8 out of 10 mornings, once he realizes we are awake, he bounds up in the bed, tail wagging and almost a smile, he often times tries to give us slobbery kisses. After settling, he would just curl up somewhere he could squeeze, while I just lay in bed, either trying to wake up (or catch couple extra mins sleep), pray/have quiet time or read my Bible/devotions.

Because he is settled and curled up so cute, I usually can't help but to just rub his head or tummy and I am amazed each time at the level of relaxation he experiences when I do this. He puts himself COMPLETELY VULNERABLE and just lays there. Sometimes he is staring at me...and clearly because he does not have the cognitive capacity, I know he is just enjoying the attention and the rub and there are no thoughts.

This most recent occasion, it hit me. God wants me to be like Ari. I should excitedly bound into His arms and just rest in Him. Clear my mind and just enjoy as the Holy Spirit ministers and refreshes me. I can be completely vulnerable because He will not hurt me or take advantage of me. I can be free and just REST.

I'm thinking I will try to be a happy-go-lucky trusting daughter who is re-energized by laying in the lap of her Father and gazing into the beauty of His face.

One of my favorite...rest-in-God songs.

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Happy Hump Day

For those of you who may be feeling heavy or the week is dragging...make a special effort to put a smile on your face and push through it. 


It is amazing how our actions can change our thinking/emotions...there is something to that "fake it til you make it" saying. So buckle up and CREATE a ride today.

Dreaming in color –Part 2

I do believe dreaming (see part 1 here) is facilitated by me; specifically the people who I am around (other visionaries), the books and media that I put in and how I nurture the idea(s) that I have been given. One recent effort is a book: Platform: Get noticed in a noisy world by Michael Hyatt (former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers). This book was referred to me by another one of those awesome female friends that I have (if you live in South Florida and are looking for a child/family therapist or life coach, she is your lady!). I have only gotten through about ¼ of the book (had it for less than a week) but I can already see that this is a great resource for all of us with a dream.

The idea behind the book is really how to market oneself to stand out amongst all of the competition and “noise” that we call life now. Seriously, who can compete with the multi-tasking, fast-paced, social-networking based society that we currently live in? So yea, this book takes you from step one through the end. One part that resonated with me, was the idea of the “Wow” effect that Michael (yes, we are now on 1^st name basis) talks about. Everyone knows that wow effect..you walk into an office, a building, a hotel, a shop…you receive a service or product, and you are like “wow”…blown away, impressed. You can easily remember the details of that wow experience and will most likely talk about it to anyone who will listen. I should mention that my latest idea is the result of having a wow experience while visiting April in Palm Beach. He points out that this is one of the keys to establishing your platform to be noticed. Michael does caution that clearly not every aspect of everything can be “wow”, obviously, but he encourages the readers to find the aspect of their dream which should hold the bang. 

Now to the title of this two part series, "Dreaming in color"- Michael encourages the readers to regularly close their eyes, envision their product/service/business and “become present to what it is you are trying to create”, i.e. to strive to get the reality as close to that vision. This will save us from the “drift”. I've coined this as dreaming in color. Think Regina Belle hit:

Tired of living life in black and white

There’s so much in between

Like a rainbow in the sky

Crying to be seen

When I open my eyes to find inspiration

I search for the best I can see

If I settle for less

I won’ t be the best I can be

So one morning, as I was having some quiet time, my exciting new idea began to develop some more and I remember thinking “Oooh! I love this!...wouldn’t that be FABulous!” and it was that moment that caught my attention. I hold myself accountable (and you can hold me accountable) to ensure that as this dream becomes a reality…hopefully in the next six months (tentative official launch date- January 2013), that I remain connected with the original vision, as it currently unfolds. That I listen to my heart and take a stand for greatness, to ensure that the customers who receive the products and services truly have a wow experience. That the expression “Oh! I love this..this is FABulous!” be a living, breathing tag-line that is perpetuated not through some expensive marketing scheme but from the mouths of those who have already experienced it.

Do you already have a dream?

Is it in color?

Do you remember the details…?

What is the WoW component?

My challenge I leave for you: let your dreams take on the detail, color and life as Alice’s (Alice in Wonderland).

If you don’t yet have a dream OR you have a dream and it doesn’t have this life and vibrancy OR  you have a dream that had color and life but is now in sepia or black and white…take Michael’s advice:

Close your eyes, envision your product/service/business and “become present to what it is you are trying to create”!

Grace peace and love,

Gia

Dreaming in color

I've never considered myself a true dreamer/visionary until just recently. Even now, the idea of a dreamer still seems bigger than me, but the events of the past couple months provide evidence that maybe I have underestimated myself.


A little of this "dreaming" began about 10 years ago, with my dream of The Mercy House Bahamas (MH)...but if I am honest, I think this season of dreaming really took life on April 8th, 2012. My Pastor challenged us with his sermon, "Dream, ask and live!". Here are a couple of memorable quotes from that sermon that I recorded:


"When we dream, we are just parternering with God..."
"Heavens storehouse is waiting to be emptied. Every promise that God made is waiting in the storehouse."
"God's vision for us, is total freedom!"

There was much more to that sermon that resonated with me...particularly about the second step, of asking God (after you have dreamed), but it is too much to put here. What was interesting was that I initially felt the aspect of the sermon on dreaming (or not dreaming) was not relevant to me. You know, I had dreams and I was actively pursuing them (PhD, Mercy House)...I wasn't just sitting there all forlorn or defeated. But, once again, with my heart and mouth, I said "Amen" and came into agreement with the declaration that we would be a community of dreamers...that we would open our eyes and ears to hear and see what God is showing us. This inevitably awoken something in me. 

I'm blessed to be surrounded by a number of very wise and ambitious women, visionaries in their own way. One day, I remember mumbling (complaining) to one of these women about WHEN....the conversation went as such:

Me: “when is my dream, Mercy House going to really take form and become a reality? When...ugh! how much longer do I wait- I've been carrying this vision for 10 years now! I have no money to do anything…I am ready to just get this started! I hate feeling stuck”  

Her response to me: “Slow down grasshopper.”

And I did. I (re)surrendered MH to God and recognized that His timing is perfect…and that was that.

Never  being one to sit still, earlier this year, I began focusing on some more immediate projects that I could develop, build and execute and somewhere in that process, I asked God to dream again. I asked for new visions and ideas. While the initial request was actually before the above referenced instance of grumbling, I'm not sure when the actual fulfillment of the request began to happen, but all I know is that I have been on a roll. Like seriously on a roll. 


This is how it goes: I ask God, I go sleep...or go about my business and bang! there is another one, some new idea, or reformulation or fine-tuning of an existing idea.  Sometimes I do not even consciously "ask". It's like I'm looking at life through new eyes (the answer to another prayer)...and so I see opportunities now in areas that I never even considered going into.

This makes me quite excited because I never thought that MH was going to be my end-all...sure it is going to be a major accomplishment, it will impact many and hopefully revolutionize the way we approach youth care in the Bahamas but I just knew, that was not IT.

With my most recent “dream”, I’ve come to realize this one was given as a direct answer to a MH related prayer. I have been asking for income and/or finances that can go directly to the building and establishment of Mercy House. Learning my lesson, and now praying with a new found sense of expectancy, my eyes are open and searching for that someone or some people who are going to be donators, (I need about $½ million), to get it started. Not withstanding this faith, it is still ‘my baby’, and I want to financially sow into my own business, and if possible, I would like to significantly sow into it, you know, like not just $1,000 although being a full time student that is a SIGNIFICANT offering for me ;-). In any event, I can’t share the newest idea just yet…it is still too hot off the press but look out for more about this new adventure in blog updates to come! I can say, it is fun, it is fresh, and it is still connected with my purpose (facilitating healthy development of young ladies).

So now, I open the invitation, please join me and let your imagination soar…DREAM! Think of dreaming like brainstorming, you are not censoring the ideas, giving yourself reality checks, looking at limitations…just imagine what could be.  One of the seemingly favorite questions of my friend (referenced earlier-click hyperlink to learn more about her and what she can offer as a Path Coach), is "what would you do if you had no limits?"...dreaming answers this question. The very cool thing about dreaming is that it usually creates solutions for some of the gaps and problems in the community within which you are embedded! Dreaming is the first step toward leaving your mark in this world! I can’t wait to hear of some of those big dreams!

Grace, peace and love,

Gia

Prayer without expectancy = unbelief

I stumbled upon this quote in my journal this morning and smiled because over the weekend, I was faced with this reality...the reality that I sometimes pray, asking for various things and somehow still do not EXPECT God to answer the prayer.

As I am a big proponent for self-development, I consciously make an effort to identify areas of my life to work on. This is an ongoing thing...one of my personal values is that if I am living, I am growing (not just physically but in every aspect I can). Typically it is through various situations, that I am able to identify my "growth areas". One of the growth areas for this year, has been about being a good steward of my finances. I took it a bit further after reading a book, Living on the Third River, and asked God to literally stretch me in the area of giving so I can truly become a conduit as it relates to my finances.

This past weekend, while in Chicago, I visited an awesome ministry, All Nations Worship Assembly, and while there are literally about 4 blog posts from my experience there, the one for this post, had to do with giving. At one point in the service, toward the end (I think) the minister said (paraphrase): "I declare that we will be without lack, that we will stumble upon money, we will open wallets/drawers and find money that we didn't know we had...we would open our car doors and look down and find bills..." you get the point.

My response: an emphatic "Wooooo yes Lord, Amen!" in agreement with the declaration that the minister made. 

Fast forward about 3 hours later, I am at lunch with a fellow Bahamian who attends that church while my friend attended the wedding (reason for the road trip) and this is where the "object lesson" began. So even as I had come into agreement less than 5 hrs previously, I call shame on myself for literally being surprised when I stumbled upon $20 in my wallet! :gasp: This, unfortunately, was after I had already had to use my credit card to pay for my food, since the bill was slightly more than the cash I had. Nevertheless, I quickly thanked God for the blessing and left it in my wallet, smiling to myself about how amazing my God is. In line with my submission to being a conduit with my finances, this Third River living, God quickly provided me with an opportunity to bless someone else with my blessing.

Without going into detail of that story, let’s just say that I was obedient.....and then it happened again (twice). This is how the scenario unfolded- I checked my wallet, accounted for the bill(s) inside, only to open it again at a later point (the same wallet) and find another bill added to what I had previously seen. Woah!!! It could be that I can't count or I am careless but I honestly think this an object lesson that God has allowed as it relates to asking with expectancy, particularly since there are a couple of big ticket requests (well big ticket to me) that I have made and have been struggling with the how and if "it" will come.  Nonetheless, by the second incident, I began praying (and continue to do so), that my faith would increase, and with it, my sense of expectancy as I pray, so that I will not be surprised when God answers but just grateful for His provision and faithfulness.

I encourage you to take inventory of your expectancy level toward the prayers you have surrendered. Have you asked and forgotten to look out for the answer/response/blessing? Have you asked as the "thing to do" as a Christian but do not truly believe? In the spirit of transparency, I had to revisit my request (you can find the story here) and assess what my expectancy level is. Am I really waiting to receive the blessing of the funds needed to get Mercy House a formally established non-profit organization in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas? Not sure what my answer was last week…but now it is a  "Wooooo yes Lord, Amen!"

There is so much more to be said as it relates to financial stewardship and the like as I continue to trust God and grow in this specific area but this is it for now...

Grace, peace and love,

Gia

Its not about me!

"In the midst of it all, God will prove to be your strength....these are the times you realize its not about your well preparation or lack thereof, but that God will prove Himself strong in your life..."

I count myself blessed, not only because of material stuff...but mainly because of the support system I have. I'm surrounded by the most encouraging and sensitive people! Its crazy because the encouragement sometimes comes off rough but its all what i need, when I need.

The quote I opened this post with is from a very dear friend. I was sharing this morning about my current state and tmy reasoning as to why I am such a mess. My theory is because I didn't know what to expect, especially given some last minute unknowns and changes, I wasn't mentally prepared to handle all this thus leaving me in an almost constant state of "overwhelmedness"!



I wanted to share this because there may be someone else who can use this word. Sometimes God allows situations to 'blind sight' us, because it forces us to trust Him and in trusting Him, He can show himself strong. Be encouraged.

Selah!

a powerful reminder

There is nothing you will ever do that will make God love you more than He does right now.
There is nothing that you will ever do that will make God love you less than He does right now.

God’s love is unconditional. It's not based on what you do or don't do.

taken from Purpose Driven Connection

There are certain truths that I like to be reminded of every now and again...keeps me grounded and renews some sense of purpose and even passion to my life---even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.

The Father's Love.... is one of those truths...for me to fully grasp the extent....

SIMPLY.WOW!

selah

Destiny demands Dilligence

"Persistent people never take no for an answer when it comes to their visions."

Dr. Munroe goes on to explain...

"Many people lose because they quit when life says no the first time, but persistent people win. They never take no for an answer when it comes to their visions."

~ taken from The Principles and Power of Vision by Dr. Myles Munroe

Even though you may be going through a season of tests, dryness or confusion: keep on knocking...keep on pushing...keep on pursuing until you get to your goal.

I know I am!

smooches!

You Were Born to Rule!

This song has ministered to me over and over in the past week. I find myself just singing pieces of it...when I really think about the words of this song I can't help but smile.

Who am I to worry about...finances, job situations, anything?! I'm a joint heir to the kingdom and with that status comes many opportunities and blessings. The King of King lives in me. I am royalty!

sooo with that said- I speak life to you. To that situation you may be struggling with. To the fear, discouragement, to feelings of insecurity and inadequacy...to broken relationships and most especially to those dreams deferred and fighting to come to life!

YOU WERE BORN TO RULE!

smooches