honest – Renew Inspiration Mind Body Spirit

Writing to Escape

LaPorterAugust 10, 20181 Reply

You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page. – Jodi Picoult

writing, escape, bubble, lonely — pixabay

Thought for today – There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. – Maya Angelou

Welcome back to Renew Inspiration! Today, I want to express the passion I have for writing. There are many reasons why I write. Sometimes I write because I am happy, and I also write when I am sad. However, the main reason why I have a passion for writing is to escape. When you hear the word “ESCAPE” what is the first thing you think about? For me, when I think about the word “ESCAPE”, I think about breaking free from something. When I write, I like to escape from life as I know it each day. I like to escape the pain and misery of losing both my dad and mom. Losing your parents leaves a hole in your heart that can never be filled. I like to escape the frustration of parenting adopted children with disabilities and behavior problems. I like to escape the racism of this wicked world for not only having black skin, but also for being a woman. I like to escape from mental illness both depression and anxiety. I like to escape from those sleepless nights when I just listen to my thoughts go on and on. Writing allows me to be honest with my feelings and help me cope with challenges that I face throughout my journey.

Journal Prompts – Time for Reflection

Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on. – Louis L’Amour

Keep Calm and Write On

Let’s use our Journal to escape from negative thoughts, pain, hurt, sadness, and bad memories. Remember, journaling should be a safe place for you to write how you feel and to reflect on your heart felt thoughts. This is your personal journey so make sure you are honest throughout the process.

MIND – Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)
• Meditate on escaping from something from within and write about it.
• What takes your mind away from God?
• What brings you the most joy in life? Describe it in detail.
• What qualities do you think others admire about you?
• How much do you truly love yourself? How do you show it?

BODY – No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it. (I Corinthians 10:13)
• What do you feel right now in this very moment? Listen to your body and write about it.
• Do you feel courageous on today? If so, take time and write about it. If not, how can you build courage in your life?
• Where do you struggle with pride, dishonesty, or being discontent?
• In what area of your life do you need to improve self-discipline?
• How do you de-stress during the week?

SPIRIT – The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
• How do you cope with pain, misery, sadness, being alone, etc.? Write about it.
• How is God your strength and protector? Write about it.
• When do you feel God’s presence most in your life? How do you respond?
• What is one way that you can improve your spiritual walk?
• How can you improve your prayer and meditation routine?

As you can see, writing to escape is real and takes little effort on your part. If you don’t currently write in a journal today, take a moment and think about how journaling could help you cope with the daily challenges of life. Believe it or not, sometimes I just pick up my pen and just start writing words, not sentences. Before I even realize it, I am writing paragraphs. Writing to escape can help you clear your mind and offer you an opportunity to break free from internal bondage. Writing to escape can help you lose yourself on paper and forget about time. Most of all, writing to escape can bring about a peace that is more powerful than the stress in your life right now. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get our journals and write to escape!

Believe in yourself today, tomorrow and forever!

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Please share what you escape from as you write, think or just meditate. How do you plan to escape the challenges of life? What is holding you back from journaling? I look forward to reading your comments and feedback!

Renew Inspiration is a participant in the Target Affiliate Program which is an advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Target.com

Be Strong and Courageous

LaPorterMay 27, 20187 Replies

dream, strong, courageous, goals, fears — Pixabay

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14

Welcome back to Renew Inspiration! Let’s face it, it is hard to start projects, whether it is writing a book, training for a 5K, going back to school, changing jobs or any other dream you may have. The moment you take that first step on your journey, the moment you start working toward your dream, little seeds of courage starts to sprout all around you. Take a deep breath and capture the moment. Despite the fear you may feel because you are entering an unknown territory, embrace your true feelings and know that courage is not just around you, but within you as well.

Face Your Fears

Sometimes what you’re most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free. -Unknown

Be strong and courageous throughout your journey! Remember, how far you’ve come, not just how far you have to go. It’s important to face your fears in life and realize that being afraid is okay. When you allow yourself to “feel” during a situation, then and only then, you will be able to overcome the obstacle at hand. For example, I have a fear of writing a book. It’s okay for me to feel a certain kind of way about writing a book because I have never done this before. Despite my hesitant feelings, I have started to face my fears and just started researching and writing down ideas for my first book. Remember, being honest with yourself is key to facing your fears and communicating with positive people who support your endeavors.

Here’s some ways to help you face your fears:

• Pray to God for strength and courage to face your fears
• Ask your family and friends for encouragement or share your feelings
• Seek out professional help – Examples: pastor, therapist or local support group
• Research the topic online or at the library to get a better understanding
• Read an inspirational book related to the topic
• Take a class or start a hobby related to your topic
• Write a journal entry related to the topic and how you feel

lion, woman, courage, fear, strength, overcome — Pixabay

Strengthen Your Heart

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24

You are not where you want to be in life, but neither are you where you used to be. As we continue our journey through life, we often spend a lot of time trying to discern God’s will for our lives. Now, let’s think about that for a moment. We ask God to direct our paths every day or to help us make important decisions that will impact our lives in some way. We often find ourselves waiting to hear a voice from God. Then, once we hear God’s voice we begin to listen to cowardly advice from those negative people around us which cause us to be frightened and timid throughout the situation. There’s no magical wand that is used in these situations. Remember, God can call you to do great things as He did with Joshua in Numbers 13:30. In this scripture, Joshua believed that God could help them take the promised land while others were afraid.

Here’s some ways to help you strengthen your heart:

• Read and meditate on God’s Word
• Attend church and bible class regularly
• Participate in support groups within your church or local community
• Read an inspirational book, positive quotes or positive affirmations daily
• Make time for personal reflection throughout your day or week
• Seek out professional help – Examples: pastor, therapist or local support group
• Keep a journal so you can express your feelings and thoughts honestly

Life is too short to start your day with broken pieces of yesterday, it will destroy your wonderful today and ruin your great tomorrow. Do you believe this on today? I sure hope so. Let’s begin to live for today and make positive choices in our lives that provides us with an uplifting future. Almost every successful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present and I have the power to make it so. In addition, your mind, body and spirit must work together as one unit. Sometimes when you’re in a dark place, you think you’ve been buried, but actually you’ve been planted. Sprinkle your soil with the Fruits of the Spirit: Faithfulness, Self-Control, Patience, Goodness, Gentleness, Joy, Kindness, Peace, and Love. Remember, never lose hope because miracles happen every day.

Believe in yourself today, tomorrow, and forever!

Three Life Rules

1. If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it.
2. If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.
3. If you don’t step forward, you will always be in the same place.

-Unknown

Special Quotes

Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you. -Unknown

Courage is the power of the mind to overcome fear. -Martin Luther King, Jr.

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. -Nelson Mandela

Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision. -Winston S. Churchill

Journal Expression – It’s Time to Pray, Meditate, and Write

Take some time today to listen to God. Pray, meditate, and sit in the quiet, think, and listen. Also, have your Bible and journal nearby, and see what God has for you today.

• What does it look like for you to take a step of courage today that will help you start?

• What is one question you’ve been afraid to bring to God? Ask God the question right now, out loud, and listen for His answer.

• List one dream you have for your life. What would this dream look like to be full of hope, even if you don’t know how your story is going to end?

• Write about a door you know God has closed in your life. How did you find the courage to work through this experience?

Prayer for Strength and Courage

Heavenly Father, I want to hear from you on today. Speak to me right now in this very moment. Teach me how to hear you in my heart. Please show me what you want me to do to live out my calling. Give me the strength and courage. In Jesus Mighty Name, AMEN.

ACTION: After you pray to God, wait and listen. Then, journal what you hear and have the courage to share with a family member, a friend, or a mentor you trust. Remember, the best way to grow in your ability to hear God is to practice and let others help you.

Renew Inspiration is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Moving Forward in Faith

LaPorterMay 19, 20182 Replies

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8

Welcome back to Renew Inspiration! Well, here’s to another wonderful and blessed week! Would you agree? Despite what you have experienced throughout the week, be thankful that you are here today to speak about it, read my inspirational blog, or write in your journal. It’s important to speak positive words into our lives so we can receive the benefit which is a positive outcome to our negative situation. I always think of it as moving forward in faith.

Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith. -Elisabeth Elliot

With that said, let’s have a spiritual discussion concerning “FAITH”. Your faith can move mountains and your doubt can create them. Now, what is your understanding of this statement? Well, it’s quite simple. You must believe in your heart and mind that you will receive whatever it is that you are praying for throughout your journey. No mountain is too big for our God. I always think of a mountain as any obstacle, problem, or situation that happens in our lives throughout the journey. Unfortunately, some mountains can destroy relationships and break up happy homes.

Faith is all about believing. You don’t know how it will happen, but you know it will. -Unknown

Take a Step Back
Throughout our journey, it would be nice if we could backtrack and start over from time to time without harming anyone along the way. But how did we get to the point where we want to press the reset button? For some of us, we try to learn from our mistakes which causes us to wonder why we made them in the first place. Retracing our steps helps us remember who we are and where we come from throughout the faith process. This means spending time in meditation and prayer. Then, looking at your current situation to see where we may have taken the wrong turn.

Faith isn’t a feeling. It’s a choice to trust God even when the road ahead seems uncertain. -Dave Willis

Apologize
Then, it is time to apologize for our mistakes if you have hurt someone along the way. How awful we must feel, right? For some people apologizing and asking for forgiveness is too hard to bare alone. In most cases, our pride stands in the way of apologizing to make someone else feel better. It is important to retrace our steps and learn how we should be honest to not just ourselves, but also to others. We should all strive to learn and grow from our mistakes. This learning and growing experience is not meant to be easy, but it is a necessary step in this learning and faith process.

God has a purpose for your pain, a reason for your struggle and a reward for your faithfulness. Trust Him and don’t give up. -Dave Willis

Make Amends
Then, it is time to make amends with those who we have done wrong. In some cases, amends can be straight forward and in other cases it can be quite messy. But nevertheless, be true and honest to yourself. Put everything you have into this faith process to amend your relationships and receive the much needed forgiveness from the person(s) in question.

Your faith can move mountains and your doubt can create them. -Unknown

Move On
Then, the final step in this faith process is the time to prepare yourself to move on. Remember, it is good to ponder on your mistakes, but don’t let them shame you or make you think you are alone throughout the faith process. No matter how big our mistakes seem in life, God’s love can help us through those darkest days. Simply put, we shall be well and rise again. Just let go, release, and move on.

I choose faith over anxiety hope over worry love over fear. -Unknown

Journal Prompts
• How can I strengthen my faith in God?
• What feels like a struggle in my life right now?
• What stresses me out? What can I do to reduce this stress?
• How can I support myself more? How can I support others too?
• How can I make more space in my life for the things or people I love?

Your mind will always believe everything you tell it. Feed it faith. Feed it truth. Feed it with love. Until next time, believe in yourself today, tomorrow and forever!

Renew Inspiration is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Renew Inspiration is a participant in the Target Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Target.com