Your passion is on the other side of your fears

We fear the unknown. What our human experience has yet to endure, areas yet untapped, an area that we can’t control because we know nothing of what this unknown beholds. Perhaps, perhaps we are meant to relinquish our control of “life” and just go.
This goes out to those afraid to try, to those so afraid of failure that they’ve already hit failure just because they never tried. This goes to those that tried to control the future by thinking up what could happen and just get scared to start. JUST LET GO.  Scary isn’t it? Like stepping out on the water, what if you fall? Who cares! If you do, that’s ok, at least you can say you tried, and you can get back up again! I speak for myself, I have experienced all this, I have felt all this, thought all this. After months of breaking into the new me, I am finally at the point of not being afraid to fail. Our failures are part of our success and failure is what we learn from. Life should always be full of learning, we’re never to old to learn something new. So, if I fail, eh, who cares, it’s  not gonna stop me. When a baby is learning to walk, how many times do they fall before they get it right? When they do get it, do they take off running or take ONE step at a time? We adults can learn something from babies. They always get back up no matter how many times they fall- tiny in stature but full of determination and focus to eventually walk!  So, let’s conquer our fears, step on em, use them to your advantage. That’s what I’m doing, one step at a time… and it’s working!! Until next time,
-Amanda

Dream Again!

As I sit here doing some research into what will one day become a goal accomplishment, I find myself stretching that ability to dream again. Right now, this goal seems reachable BUT will require even more discipline than what I have going now. I’m still not entirely able to wrap my comprehension around one day having the ability to do what I so desire to do. I stop to think, what if, my whole life, just as God knew the plans He would have for me, that so has the enemy?  I believe it to be true. With that said; what if my whole life- obstacles and certain things happened in attempt to permanently block me from one of the things I was made to do in this life? What if?? Then I am reminded of the scripture “For I know the plans that I have for you, plans of good and not of evil, to prosper you and not to harm you” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Here’s another area that God is challenging me to dream in- my finances. God says I’m supposed to prosper in His plans. There’s a new avenue in my life that’s opened up, that I’ve honestly been afraid to take seriously. Not because I don’t care about it, but because it all boils down to the lie of  “I’m not good enough, I’m not deserving of good things”. But all I hear in my spirit is “PLANS TO PROSPER YOU, AMANDA”

So, is it time to stretch that dreaming?  Let myself dream some more, outside of my fitness goal? To let it reach into my finances?  To take another leap of faith and use that fear as more stepping stones? Is it time to take this opportunity serious? Yes. I say yes.
They say do it afraid, but I always thought that term was stupid… until now. I now understand what it is to “do it afraid”.  It means use that fear, step on it and accomplish what you need to accomplish. Do it anyways.
So, dream again. If you’re already dreaming, dream some more. Life is what you make it, we’re the only ones limiting ourselves in this life. Know that it really isn’t too late and whatever time you feel has been lost, know that God will restore that time to you. Take risks. Be adventurous. Do what you’re passionate about and thrive. Go above and beyond. Push yourself. Dream again!
-Amanda

Mourning into dancing

A friend of mine recently had a family tradegy, today was their loved one’s “celebration of life”.  I was given the honor of playing piano for the service. Though I’ve never experienced the exact same loss as she, I still knew that hurt all too well. As the evening fell, I thought for sure my workout routine would “make me feel better” and it did, temporarily until I was laying in bed trying to sleep. All I wanted was to sleep- as if that would heal the residue left from a tragedy of my own nearly 9years ago.  As I lay there, scrolling through Facebook, waiting for sleepiness to kick in, I felt God tugging at me, “can we talk?” I finally put my phone down, and almost immediately, I began sobbing.  God was waiting for me to give Him permission to dig out the left hurt that was still lingering. Sometimes, it’s a painful process, but if we never give the hurt to Him, we’ll always be wounded by choice.  It is a wonderful feeling and a release of freedom once we’ve surrendered what’s dear to us.  God only longs to turn our mourning into dancing and our sorrow into joy. Those things that we don’t understand or see what good has come out of it, don’t worry, God will reveal it to you when you’re ready.  So, a ton of snot, a shirt full of tears, and some puffy bloodshot eyes later- (lol) I am in peace. I am so glad I stopped and let God deal with the rest of that deep hurt. It was worth it, and yet another level of freedom!
Until next time,
-Amanda 😘