Start Where You're At. Work With What You've Got.

I felt extremely led to make this video today. It is a right now message built to encourage you to take those steps towards your destiny.

I sincerely hope you enjoy and that this blesses you.

Start Where You're At. Work With What You've Got. 

Stay In Your Own Lane

There's so much going on and readily available for us to view almost instantaneously through social networking. We would be liars if we said we didn't occasionally look to see how others were doing. And while others can influence us and motivate us, I want to remind someone that NO ONE CAN BE YOU BETTER THAN YOU.

I'll be very transparent and use my own experiences as an example. My purpose, condensed, is writing and encouraging people. Often times quotes come without thought to me. These are the gifts I've been given from God. But my writing style isn't traditional. It's to the point and raw. What some people may take paragraphs to write or say, flows through me in one sentence.

Here's my point. I admire many authors and contemporary people truly making a difference. But I find that when I share their work, say or do something as they would, it doesn't nearly have the same affect as when they did/said it initially.

So I stay in my lane. I am not graced to speak on finances, so I don't go there. I am currently not married, so I won't touch that. These pipes of mine sing best in the shower and unashamedly during praise and worship, but I bet you'll never catch me trying to record the next 'hit' with auto-tune. You see, I stay in my lane.

Although staying in your own lane sounds like a restricting term, it can actually make one limitless. It means that one knows the gifts that they were birthed with, and they can take the time to perfect them.

Again, THERE'S NO ONE QUITE LIKE YOU.

But let's be clear. Just because you're not great in a certain area doesn't mean you should never touch it whatsoever. But it does mean before hoping from one project to the next, from one area to another, perfect your craft or simply just be you.

No one has walk, talk, talents, experiences, swag, vision, assignment, grace, purpose just like yours. Walk in THAT authority. That you can never be a carbon copy because you are too busy being an original. SO what if they hate on you?! People often mock what they can't jock. Be who God created YOU to be.

Are you having trouble finding out what you're purpose is? You find that out on bended knees.

Through experience and trying to silence my purpose for so many years, I can tell you this: Your purpose is that vision that keeps coming upon you no matter how many times you try to ignore it. Your purpose is you doing that thing and hours passing with it feeling like a second. Your purpose are those visions so great that they keep you up at night. I can't tell you your purpose but I can tell you it's waiting for you and I am waiting for you to bless us all with it! 

  

Don't Get Caught Up In The Hype

We live in a cut throat world. Just as soon as we think we have the hottest, latest phone or pair of shoes, a new one makes it 'cold' two weeks later. We just can't keep up. Why waste time trying to? 

Contemporary society says cars, bling and more material things are representative of our success. Although those things are awesome, they are not the only representation of success. Americans are buying more than they can afford to impress people who don't really care.

You want proof? According to Nerd Wallet, just check out the American Household Credit Card Debt Statistics latest information

U.S. household consumer debt profile:

• Average credit card debt: $15,257

• Average mortgage debt: $149,782

• Average student loan debt: $34,703

You don't want to see America's total debt numbers. And you can blame the government all you want, but each of us have a responsibility for our own well-being. Don't get caught up in the hype. People may have a lot to 'show for' but nothing saved up in the bank for their future. People may have some nice cars in their drive way, and feel utterly empty inside. 

That is why it's so important to be rooted on solid ground. It's not what other people see that defines you or makes you successful, it's what is going on within you. Are you living your dreams? Are you surrounding yourself with positive people? Are you spending more time on instagram than you spend with God? Are you happy, forreal?

You can settle for the show, or you can invest in the background work first. Have a solid root that lives beyond all seasons and grows larger than a naked eye can fathom. It's not just about what others see, it's what's going down behind the scenes.

#LetsKeepItAuthentic 

Love Others How They Want To Be Loved

Love others how they want to be loved, not how you want to be loved. Many present day relationships come to an end as fast as they came to be. In the end, it seems as if someone is always pointing the blame in the opposite direction. Although he/she may have been wrong, have you thought about the effort that you put in to love that person as they wanted to be loved?

We can be so selfish at times with our partner; majority of the time, not even realizing it. It’s only natural to have an expectation of love we receive with the same love that we give. For example, one may consider being left alone and given space when upset a form of love from their partner, while the other may want to be coddled when hurting. It’s so important to understand each other’s love language. Then you all can grow and teach each other, instead of rip each other apart from simple misunderstandings.

Take the time to truly get to know each other and challenge each other to love the other how they want to be loved, not how you want to be loved. After all, isn't love all enduring? Love cannot blossom to its full potential until it’s nurtured.

Staying Authentic

I truly wish I had one solid story to explain my long departure to the pen, or better yet with evolving time, the key board. Since I can remember, there has always been this burning passion inside of me to write, to help, to inspire.

I saw it going places too. God was opening doors left and right. Then...my insecurities got the best of me. I didn't believe in myself as I once did. Fear took over. Fear was the very thing I thought I said "good-bye" to some time ago. I thought to myself "how can I be such a motivation to others or a blessing in Christ when I am so imperfect?" Then an avalanche of tests (or blessings) poured down.

God reminded me that I am an imperfect person serving a perfect God and that He will supplement every where I lack. That my gifts would make room for me. If only I just believed and stepped out on faith to a whole new level. If only I got out of my own mind.

This post is not intended to be some melo-dramatic episode, but the truth. This is for anyone who ever doubted themselves in any way. This is for anyone who felt they weren't good enough. This is for anyone who ever put their dreams on pause. This is for you, the person too bashful to ever admit it aloud.

Never let your past deter you from your future as I once did. You are complete in Christ. You have the opportunity to start right now in this very second. You have the opportunity to make a difference.

It all starts in believing you can.

In my silence I re-discovered aspects of myself and learned to love them at new depths. Why the vision of Let's Keep It Authentic kept repeating in my dreams even as an adolescent.

I was never meant to be some type of cookie cutter Christian nor person. Never was supposed to be restrained to baking pretty cakes. In the hypothetical, I am raw. Some people like it. Some people don't. So now that I love all of it I can move forward and hopefully through my transparency I can inspire some others to as well.

Who Lied To You?

Who lied to you and told you that you had to be perfect to come to God?

A friend of mine once said "I am not ready because I'm not ready to live my life like that."

Like what?

There's this strong misconception that one has to COME cleansed but that is an upright LIE! The Lord says "come as you are!"

Allow me to tell yall what that means.

That means broken, broke, abused, addicted, boisterous, cunning, deceiving, fraudulent, hopeless, insecure, jacked up, killer, sinner, lustful, knocked up, liar, hurt, used, bruised, backslider, opportunist, drug dealer, prostitute, and everything in between.

You come willing and He will do the rest. Know that it's going to take work, and a surpassing faith but He will bring comfort, peace, healing and restoration to every area of your life and the lives of your family if you trust Him enough to say "I can't do this without You" and then obey.

What are you waiting for? There's no mess too big or no heart too broken for God.

It's not a sprint. It's a marathon. Keep Going!