Tools for Purpose with Passion

A couple of days ago I attended an appreciation program for volunteer ministry workers in my church. This annual celebration recognizes the selfless work of volunteers who serve in various capacities throughout the church and are pivotal to the ministry meeting the needs of the congregation.  

Our pastor presented rosters of both continuing ministry leaders and new ministry leaders for 2012. It was an awesome sight to see the immense number of volunteers involved in nearly every aspect of the ministry.

What I reflected upon later was that these ministry workers were much more than men and women in formal attire sitting on stage. They were the tools that God used to get His work done to further the Gospel. God used the gifts and talents that He blessed them with to invest in the lives of others and to broaden the reach and impact of the ministry. My church has been strengthened because service workers not only discovered their spiritual gifts and natural talents, but got involved in areas that complemented their gifts and talents.

Just that quickly, I began seeing the people around me as resources – special tools in the hand of an Almighty God. Then I began to realize how important each of us is to God’s plan for mankind; that His work on earth can only go forward through the willing hands and hearts of His creation.

What I saw that night was indicative of what happens outside of the church arena. We, too, are resources and tools that are used to advance all kinds of missions and purposes of organizations, groups, activities, etc. that we are involved in.

But are they really in line with the purpose that God has for our lives? Have we taken the opportunity to discover the gifts and talents that God has placed within us so that we can use them to the manner that He intends for them to be used.

Why not give ourselves a special gift this holiday season– the gift of discovering who we really are so that we can be prepared for purpose with passion?

God wants to use you!

Kick Stagnation Off The Throne

I learned something new this week:  sometimes, you have to encourage yourself to continue when encouragement from others is not forthcoming. Not an aha moment for me, but a reminder of how critical we are to our own success; that if we are to complete seemingly larger-than-life assignments, we must prepare ourselves to keep going no matter the obstacle. A sincere desire to see our manifested vision filling a need must become an anchor —  cheering us on to keep plugging away when positive feedback is woefully slow or non-existent.

This week, as I continued to mull over ideas for business, I had to convince myself of the value of a product that I believed in wholeheartedly. Even though ideas were not coming together as planned, it was no reflection on the value of my product.

As I struggled to pull loose ends together, I became discouraged about my lack of overall progress in planning the business and its eventual launch. And of course I continued to obsess about some basic organizing principles without making a firm decision on what to do. These factors led to me question whether or not to continue with my business plans.  After going back and forth in my mind about what to do, I began reflecting on what led me to this point.

Hadn’t I heard from God before I even started the planning process? Isn’t this the vision that I believed God birthed in me more than two years ago? Unequivocally, yes, yes, yes!

What happened is that I had allowed stagnation in one area of planning  to settle in and take control, without giving credence to what was already accomplished and functional. Nor could I see the entire road ahead.  

While contemplating how to move forward, I had to remind myself  of the commitment to the vision and the real purpose and beneficiaries of the work I’ve been tasked to do. I made a mental note of  successful milestone, as well as and what else needed to be done to get the business off the ground.

Then I recalled something that I’d learned a numberof years ago that still rings true today: that the reward is not given to the swift, but to those who edure to the end.  In essence, endurance takes time and I still have work to do. In addition, success is slow and steady progress. If success is in my future, I have no choice but to endure to the end.

What about you? Have you allowed stagnation to settle in, take residence and become captain?

Why not just kick stagnation off the throne?

 

When Choices Meet Consequences

Two people. Different choices. Similar results.

I watched with interest this week as two people made life-altering choices that may produce very similar results. One person is facing serious legal ramifications, forever affecting the course that his life takes, as well as his long-term productivity. The other person – though not entangled with the legal system – has made a decision that will forever affect the productivity of her life as well. Both are unprepared for their perspective track – too young to be caught up in a system that’s neither kind nor fruitful.  

I’m sure that neither started out with their current situations in mind. At some point, their dreams were larger than life. At some point, they believed in overcoming the odds that may have been attached to them.

Ironically, they were just getting started — young enough to believe that dreams do come true and potentially had enough time to accomplish them. 

Now, however, whatever trail they were blazing has been derailed by their choices, undoubtedly pulling unwilling family members into the mix. The direct path to succeeding against odds suddenly became a roundabout, which is not God’s best intention for our lives. His desire is that wisdom and knowledge guide our decisions at the outset so that we walk unencumbered and reach our full potential.

What happens to the potential that is locked within them – untapped right at this very moment – but awaiting birth? What about their dreams?  Are they lost forever or just delayed?  The reality is that it’s out of their hands. They no longer have an option to choose what happens immediately because the consequences of their decisions come into play and are outside of their control. Most times, the full consequences and accompanying resolutions come over time. So instead of being where they should be when they should be, they are far from the original plan.

When we rob ourselves of our potential by making choices that are not good for us, we miss out on the full manifestation of God’s blessings that comes with being in the right place at the right time.

We also miss out on the opportunity to bless others fully with what God has blessed us with.

 

Mind, Don’t Go There

The mind.  A vast container. A great influencer.

While preparing for a procedure this week, I noted reluctantly my entire food intake the day before would be limited to clear liquids and/or lemon/lime jello. Nothing purple, nothing red, the instructions stated. I immediately began to mourn all the foods that I could not eat on that day and focused on all the great foods I should eat before any restrictions took place. My mind was already taking me to a place that I should not go.

 In addition, the only other liquid I could drink was provided via prescription.  Everyone I consulted agreed that this liquid was particularly distasteful, even the fruit-flavored versions. So I dreaded even putting the first of what would be many cups to my lips.  How in the world was I to get through this and what followed?  I was advised, on the one hand, to drink fast; and on the other hand, to sip slowly. I decided to drink as fast as I could without allowing the liquid to touch my tongue.  In my mind, I had already anticipated the worst, resigned myself to it, and prepared for it. Yes, my mind had already gone there.

But what I prepared for never happened.  In fact, the process was a non-issue – sort of.  While I expected to miss eating solid foods, I kept busy most of the day and thought little about food. Plus, the prescribed liquid’s salt-like taste was very familiar to my taste buds and my initial sip became a gulp that didn’t quite settle on the inside.  But when my brain registered its familiarity, I began sipping the next cups at a slower pace. Not only was I able to finish, but did so within a reasonable timeframe.

When all was settled and done, I realized that my mind unnecessarily had taken me places that I should not have been.  By expecting and even anticipating someone else’s experience to be my own, I almost missed out on a true blessing : a unique experience so unlike the negative stories I’d heard, which complemented by capacity to successfully go through.

Victory — Just Around the Corner

One pound, one week. That’s my new mantra. At least, for now it is.

Yes, I’m on another journey. Another path. Another set of outcomes to anticipate. And another expectation of victory. Yes!  Although I’ve been on a quest to lose pounds for a very long time, I know that victory is just around the corner.  

Needless to say, I tend to carry this baggage into the New Year each year, always hoping that January would bring a new start; that I would finally win the battle against an expansive waistline.

While I’ve never been fanatical about dieting, I’ve made some strides in developing a healthier lifestyle by making better food choices and exercising. I went from Jazzercise to gym workouts to walking tapes and now power walking. In my mind, this was half the battle. Get moving and the pounds would come off! Right? Wrong!!!!! How wrong I was! Sure, I lost inches but weight loss was net zero. I had not consistently adhered to the other critical component that stimulates weight loss – healthy eating along with portion control.

What a battle this has been! But the real battle was in getting my actions  to reflect my earnest desire to lose weight. I was inconsistent at best, and lacked the discipline to follow through to the end. Distractions interrupted my efforts time and time again. While I was great at starting, I was equally enthused about developing new habits and saying goodbye to trusted food obsessions. But I never made it to the finish line because of my impatience with the long-time process and painstakingly slow results. So I’d quit before giving my body and mind time enough to adjust.

This time around, however, my actions complement my true desire. I enjoy my eating plan and it’s not as difficult to stay the course as I first anticipated. Victory is well within reach — just around the corner. Why? Because my desire to change is much greater than my desire to stay the same.

What about you? Reflect on one of your challenges with regard to change. Ask yourself, “Is my desire to change greater than my desire to stay the same? If so, and move toward your new commitment and look for victory – just around the corner.

Dreams With Wings

I cannot begin to count the number of times that a dream slipped through my hands because I didn’t act upon it. It lingered in my mind, danced in my head, waiting to be birthed. I’d chew on the idea, noodle on it and chew on it some more – all in my mind, of course. Finally, the dream slipped away – avoiding recapture. Over the years, I would repeat this routine and another dream would get away – all because I was afraid to move it from conception to something concrete. 

Fear – that dreaded word paralyzed me. Whether it was the fear of failure or the fear of success, I had a tendency to sabotage my own work to avoid putting myself out there. I did not realize that the gifts that God placed in me were necessary and sufficient for the work He had for me. Instead of being focused on the outcome, I placed more emphasis on my fear, which resulted in so much wasted time and unproductive years.

The turning point in my life came with the realization that fear could not co-exist with purpose.  If I wanted to be used of God for His purpose, I could not allow fear to be my banner. By empowering fear, I was defeated even before I began to walk in purpose. 

Then, I had to replace my fears with the truth of God’s Word. What did God’s Word say about me? As I began meditating on, thinking about and pondering who God made me to be, over time, fear slowly released its grip. After all, who was I to question how God would use me for His glory?

How many times have you awaited the manifestation of a dream only to have someone else successfully implement the very idea that you had? How many times have you chased a dream and the closer you got, the farther it slipped away? Just as you’d given up on your dream it became someone else’s reality.

But today, you can move toward your dream life by acknowledging, taking responsibility for and then putting aside all the hidden factors affecting your ability to be successful. You know the ones — those that rise to the top for no apparent reason, sit on your shoulder speaking critically of your every move and prevent you from seriously gaining a foothold on your dreams.

By opening your mind and heart to the person whose real thoughts and emotions are not open for public viewing, acknowledge the fact that it’s the real you who has to be reckoned with, dealt with, and confronted. Once you acknowledge what’s on the inside, you can begin to strategically and honestly deal with the hindrances lingering within. After all, you cannot successfully address what you don’t know.

Nor do you have a right to hold the real you hostage.

When One Door Closes, Another One Opens

Facing elusive employment opportunities even on the best days has a way of forcing us to reach within our creative minds for ways to reinvent or innovate ourselves. Sometimes, it’s a long-forgotten talent that comes to the forefront. Other times, it’s a new talent that springs forth. Sometimes, it’s a talent that we’ve slowly nurtured over the years that’s suddenly relevant, timely and necessary.

Not only are we prepared for releasing our craft on the world, lo and behold, the world is ready for what we have to offer.

So it begins. We maximize our talent’s potential by leveraging skills, abilities, and knowledge to build a comfortable niche business that we absolutely love.  And what we realize during this process is that we were born to do exactly what we are doing. What an aha moment!

A recent conversation with a business owner reaffirmed the necessity of being open to opportunities that steer us in the direction of our God-given creative aptitude. By crafting an alternate space for ourselves as other opportunities become inaccessible, we sometimes discover our true purpose.

What began as a provider/creator of bridal bouquets and flower arrangements has broadened to include full-scale unique, unparalleled, and exquisite products and accessories for special occasions. She had no idea where the journey would take her after that first wedding 30 years ago.

Did she focus her efforts full-time on building her business? No. But did she keep her finger on the pulse of the industry as she pursued other interests? Unequivocally yes! Even as she worked in various positions over the years, she continued to hone her skills as a creative and visionary organizer to become a wedding consultant, invitation/program/accessory designer and coordinator. 

When full-time employment opportunities were no longer available, she relied on her creative aptitude to begin a more fulfilling career that she has embraced with abandon.

Sometimes, it’s just that simple… when one door closes, another door opens. But we have to be willing to walk through the open door.

 

Reset Your Thought Life

When facing disappointments and personal setbacks, the spirit to continue on oftentimes gets consumed. Overpowered by the enormity of a situation. Eaten up by discouragement. Overtaken by embarrassment. Instead of pressing on toward the end-goal, we get stuck in the moment, unable to gain traction. Then, it takes another moment or two —or even a jolt—before we take the next step.

I remember some advice that one of my bosses gave me as he transitioned out of the company. He said, “Give it (the challenge) its due and move on.” In other words, grieve at its loss but let go. He had invested much time and effort in the growth of his managers. So he knew what an emotional toll his departure was taking on the them. I can’t say that I agreed with this nugget at the time, but it has proven to be much more valuable in helping me get through subsequent challenges.  And some are easier than others.

With the more difficult challenges, I find myself going through “grieving and leaving” process more than once. I give it its due, acknowledge where I am and move one. A few days later, I give the challenge another due and move on. When I find this process repetitive, I try to reroute my thoughts in another direction. This may involve getting input from someone else to shut down my need to over-process.

What I eventually discover is that as long as I allow my mind to go there, it will.  As long as I continue to think on an issue, dwell on it, ponder it, figure it out, and think on it again, the issue remains my central focus. But when I think about the challenge in terms of letting go my focus centers around resolution, which reshapes my thoughts and sets my mind free to achieve an eventual end. With my mind liberated from boxed-in thinking, I have the capacity to move (attitude and actions) in that direction as well. The result of moving in the direction of my new thinking is that possibilities I never knew existed abound! When I was stuck in position, I didn’t dare think of what could be.

After months of unemployment, I can now imagine employment possibilities outside of the usual realm for my field of expertise, primarily because I’ve let go of what was in search of what is to come. With a new thought life and focus, I know that what’s hidden is awaiting discovery.

You, too can reset your thought life. No matter what challenge you are facing, give it its due attention but reroute your thinking. Practice looking for the good in every situation in an intentional way. Believe me, there is a silver lining waiting for you.

Living and Leaving

Sometimes, the spark ignites from a conversation during the week, a situation that a friend is facing or a snippet of a conversation. Other times, inspiration strikes from an ongoing internal battle over an issue that’s begging for attention and/or resolution. I push it down; it rises to the surface. Ignore it for a little while, and it rises again.  This week, “living and leaving” have risen to the top of my list; living in terms of being present in the moment daily with maximum effort and receiving premium benefit. Leaving in terms of what I present to those stepping behind me.

When I’m living, I’m focusing on what each day will bring, what I choose to bring into the day, and carry out my responsibilities and priorities as if tomorrow is not promised. I choose each day to do the things that are needful and to live some portion of my day outside of my own interests. I also choose to be present in every situation that I am confronted with, no matter the outcome.  These are affirmations that I consciously assent to each day.  AM I THERE YET?  Not totally, but I’m working on it.

You see, each day I am learning to peel back the layers of intent (what I intend to do) and begin the performance of  what it is I am meant to do. Each day, I am learning to choose a productive mindset, a better attitude and take the opportunity to live as if tomorrow is not promised. And each day, I am learning to let go of past hurts and disappointments. But it’s a daily effort  and, quite honestly, some days are easier than others.

Conversely, I’m also beginning to think more and more about the baton that I’m  passing on to others.  As a young person, the cares of the world had me focused on acquiring as much as I could. But as maturity caught up with me, I began to care less about amassing things and more about leaving things of value behind. For me, it’s the things that are unseen and untouchable that hold the greatest value.  Today, my emphasis is on leaving a good name behind – a reputation that denotes character and integrity. As Proverbs 22:1 states, “A good name is rather to be chosen than riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.”

More than silver and gold, my desire is to pass on a foundation of righteousness upon which my children and family would build upon and continue a life of faith. I want them to know from my lifestyle that being a Christian brings honor and glory from an Almighty God, which surpasses anything that the world could ever bestow upon them. I want them to know that being regarded as someone who prefers righteousness over sin is the best legacy that I could ever leave them because living a God-led lifestyle brings peace, precious promises, and an abundance of blessings. My desire is for them to know who they are from God’s perspective, to choose righteousness over sin in every situation and to live outside of themselves to the glory of God and to benefit the lives of others. My earnest desire is that I am now living what I want them to become.

What are you passing on?

 

Bring Forth Your Dreams

A week ago I attended an amazing book signing and business launch event for a close family member. What made the event unusual was that the writer/business owner extraordinaire is only 11-years-old who already knows what she wants to accomplish in life. Although time will reveal what becomes of her dreams, she is, undoubtedly, well on her way because a foundation is being established.  

She has a mindset for success and has begun fueling this mindset with actions that will move her in the direction of her dreams. Although we can thank her parents for recognizing their daughter’s talents and channeling her efforts, this would be impossible without their daughter’s mental assent. She has to have a desire for the course that’s being prepared for her and be willing to  sacrifice participation in activities that may conflict with business demands. This is quite a balancing act for her parents because she is still a child. They will be reminded of this whenever the child component surfaces as they matriculate along this path.

What’s awesome to me is that this young person is  well ahead in the preparation process because her mind is bent toward success. Plus, she has a can-do, will-do attitude about reaching her goals. She is also learning the value of working for what she wants and making short-term sacrifices for long-term gain.  Her parents are busy arranging the pieces of her life so that when the time comes, she will recognize and capture success in the coming years. As entrepreneurs themselves, they are creating an environment for her to thrive.  

Dreams come and go many times throughout our entire lives.  Some of our childhood dreams stick with us well into adulthood. Some go by the wayside as life takes over. But the ones that we capture and bring to fruition are the ones that have taken root on the inside. Some of them remain at the perimeter of our hearts, just on the other side of our thoughts. Not always front and center, but hanging around, They are the ones that bubble up when we try to put a lid on them. They are the ones that stir our passion to do something with, making us restless when we stifle them.  And they are the ones that deflate our spirit when we allow them to die.

But just like anything else, our dreams will not and cannot see the light of day if we refuse to act upon the opportunities that God gives us each day to bring them to life.  Whether it’s preparing our minds, creating a plan or learning about the business, vision becomes reality when we take one step at a time. And the best place to begin is at the beginning – wherever your beginning happens to be.

What dreams have you left unfulfilled? At what point along your journey did you leave them behind? Go back, pick them up and bring them forth. The world is waiting.

Vision Cloudy? Check Your Fears

Being stuck in position is very challenging. It’s the same feeling that I get when I’m stuck in traffic and move into a faster lane. Suddenly, that lane slows to a crawl. I realize too late that I’m now in the problem lane because  of the blind spots ahead.

In life, we cannot always see what’s ahead of us.  Sometimes, our paths seem  clear from where we stand and we make decisions based on this.  Then, we discover an obstruction that’s blocking our progress. Had we culminated enough information about the direction in which we were traveling beforehand, perhaps our choices would have been much different.

A few years ago, I was preparing for my professional career. My goal at the time was to become a journalist. I was a news junkie who wrote from the heart, but craved a career as a writer whose stories are read at the breakfast table. I never followed this dream to fruition.  Instead of a newspaper or magazine, I begin my writing career working in nonprofit communications roles.

During those early years, what I refer to as my time of preparation, I could not see beyond the changes I needed to make.  I was quiet, introspective and carried my sensitive feelings on my sleeve. The nuts and bolts of it – I was terrified! I was fearful of putting myself and my work out there, afraid of the inevitable criticisms, afraid to have others question my capabilities.  What I failed to realize was that going through “the fire” – the real life situations and events that sharpens skills, and helps a writer hone her messages – was a development process that would have produced a better, more polished writer/communicator in a shorter time than the winding road  I chose because of my fears.

I could not see my potential. Nor did I realize an awesome opportunity to educate and influence minds, and, at the same time, and release the inner self that was clamoring to come out.  Instead, I gave life and power to my fears. Of course, when I look back now, I know that I should have pressed on and confronted my fears head on. What didn’t kill me certainly would have strengthened me.

Thankfully, all was not lost. God used the path that I took to manifest His purpose in my life anyway. Although I refer to it as Plan B, He used my experience as a lifelong series of teachable moments that would eventually give me the strength to move outside of my comfort zone.

Today, I see what God desires of me because I am a stronger and wiser person – I thank Him for those ‘teachable moments’ where I learned my lessons.  As a younger woman, I didn’t have that strength, and God gave me just enough vision and understanding for the place where I stood at that time.   I had closed my mind to the possibilities that held great promises. Instead of seeking gifts waiting in life’s arms, I missed out on what could have been. I see that today, but could not see it at the time.

What opportunities are you missing by not stepping outside of yourself? What have you given in to fears you hold?

You Make The Choice

As I sat in juvenile court a couple days ago, a number of emotions engulfed my heart. Overwhelmingly, though, I felt a sense of loss for the youths. Because they lack maturity and other positive life experiences, some of them did not have the capacity to see beyond where they were at that very moment. They stood before someone who had the authority to decide their next move, and the freedom to go on with life as they knew it no longer existed. Little did they realize that entanglement with the justice system affects their next steps, their next opportunity and quite possibly, their entire lives.

And I grieved for the parents who may have been doing their best to rear their children with great expectations, only to endure the emotional turmoil of seeing them handcuffed and detained.

The common denominator with each person is that he/she was presented with an opportunity to make a decision about their situation – -whether to do right and walk away from it or become involved; and for whatever reason, they chose to do wrong. I left the courtroom with a heavy heart, thinking about the very real possibility that we were being robbed of seeing their great potential.

That afternoon, however, my faith was renewed as God showed me how important it is to not give up on our youth; that even in the midst of despair, there is a silver lining. I saw a longtime friend of my son’s, who now stood on the other side of a breakthrough. Just a few short years ago, he was severely ill with diabetes and suffered from depression, which disrupted his education. He faced a situation where he thought he would have to give up on his life’s goals. During one of his low periods, I vividly remember encouraging him to stay with God.

This day, he stood before me as a strong young man whose body functioned well enough for him to consistently work hard. He also expressed a sincere commitment to continue his education in pursuit of his life’s goals. His smile radiated from deep within. He shared with me that at one point during a severe medical crisis, God affirmed to him that his life was not over and that he had much more work to do. As a result, his mindset shifted to that of someone who knew that God had given him a second chance and could no longer afford to waste time. He developed a new way of thinking about his life, his goals and the endless possibilities before him.

Just like the youths in detention and this young man, each of us has the opportunity to make choices daily. We are bombarded with alternatives. And sometimes the decisions we make are misguided and do not reflect wisdom. We find ourselves in less-than-desirable situations resulting from our choices.They, too, affect our next steps and, quite possibly, our entire lives because we cannot choose the consequences. And because we cannot choose the consequences of our choices, it’s up to us to choose right and to choose life to the best of our abilities. When we do, we cause an evolutionary shift in our mindset.

I cannot help but think that if each of us (whether or not we are parents) took on the life of another youth, perhaps the shackles that bind some of them would release their firm grip and instead produce an evolutionary mindset of good.

You make the choice.

What Does Your life Say?

Oftentimes, situations that we face have a way of causing us to evaluate our lives. Upon doing so, we often find a gap in an area that we never knew existed. As a Christian, this gap is often found in our relationship with God. Perhaps, we took a couple of steps to the left instead of the right and landed in a place that we did not intend.

Life is like that. No matter where you are on your journey, chances are, you never thought that you would be where you are at this very moment. In fact, many of us thought we would be farther along with accomplishing our goals.

Interestingly, how each of us arrived at our destination is just as diverse as where we are in our journey. Some of us took the circuitous route –the long way around, primarily because we did not consider the wisdom of others. Some of us took a direct route. Some of us encountered crossroads that affected our choices. And despite the re-routing of our lives, we made it here anyway. Some of us just took off without an end in sight and landed here. Others followed whatever direction our life was heading and were content in its grasp. Still, others led the charge and told our lives where to go, and our lives took off.

No matter how we may have reached our journey, we’re here now. But there is a final destination up the road. And it’s up to us to follow the path that’s right for our lives as we approach another destination. It’s up to us to begin at this very moment to live the best life possible by taking advantage of the wonderful opportunities that God has given us to richly enjoy, not just for ourselves but for those coming behind us. Believe it or not, someone is always gleaning from our lives.

God has given us an awesome opportunity to positively impact the lives of the people within our inner and outer circles. Some of us have gifts and talents waiting to be tapped into. Some of us have time to invest to help shape the course of someone else’s life. Some of us have the financial resources to help improve the lives of others.

If nothing else, we all have an opportunity to avail our lives as an example to those who lack positive role models.

Is your life replicating? Your life is on display right at this moment. What does your life say?

Missing Valuable Family Relationships?

Recently, I had the wonderful privilege of meeting a relative that I’d come to know only as a voice over the phone, which I readily recognized whenever she called.  But I’d never met her personally. She called from time to time to provide an update on the family and check in on the state of our family. While faithful in calling, I did not take advantage of an opportunity to meet her personally.

Here we were face to face with a family legend; someone who was well-acquainted the history of our family. Looking into the well-worn face of this 83-year-old reminded me of how strengthening life can be and how fleeting time is.  This woman shared some of her life story – how she remained married to the same man for more than 50 years, lost two children unexpectedly and stood by in pain as another child endured a long struggle with drugs.

Instead of someone who was bitter about the hand dealt her, she was joyful about having survived situations in which she had no say-so in or control over. What I observed also was someone with a loving, genuine heart and a tough veneer. While life may have dealt difficult blows, still she rose above each challenge with sincere thankfulness to God for how He brought her through them and for the life she had already lived.

Today, her heart is in a different and better place than it was prior to her experiences. My aunt realized that no matter how difficult her challenges were, the outcome of each heart-wrenching situation still could have been very different.  She could have been consumed with grief and bitterness. Instead, she chose to live, continue to give and to move on with dignity – something that her 40 children, grand- and great-grandchildren needed as an example.

Among the regrets I have is that we’ve lost so much time in getting to know each other to establish a long meaningful relationship. I should have met her much sooner. I missed out on knowing her terrific husband and a generation of relatives with the capacity to add value to my life.

Are you missing out on meaningful family relationships? Take an initial step today to close the gap. You will be glad you did!