Wow - yesterday was tough! I felt as if I was being attacked at all angles. I felt dis-empowered, un-inspired and inadequate all day long. I felt as if nothing in the world could lift me up or inspire me again... I tried to snap out of it, and change my state. But I couldn’t let myself. I didn’t want to do anything. And really, it scared me that I was letting something else control my state to that extreme. I didn’t know what to do, I was lucky enough to turn to my best friend, he comforted me in everyway he could, but I still was not sure where my state needed to be changed. So I prayed to receive inspiration, read my core book and decided I should just go to bed.
Today I woke up feeling the opposite. I woke up grateful for my friends, family, life and opportunities. I was even grateful for the discouragement I felt yesterday. Today, I’m seeking for inspiration, because of it, its coming to me. It doesn’t always come easily, but I prayed to God I could find it, because I cannot live feeling the way I did. It was a lesson I needed to learn and I’m grateful for it. Today, I want to express my gratitude for this blog! I’m still slowly changing my mindset from the extreme it was at yesterday, I’ve been reading the comments and say go be do’s of my friends and their lives on here. If there is anywhere to seek inspiration, it’s on our blog. It has a new purpose for me now. Thank you all for taking time to share, it’s helping me on my way to YFF. Only a week from today! I am so excited! It’s like Emily said… When we are accomplishing the most good, we face the greatest opposition. I felt that opposition… and I’m running far from it. It was telling me, that there is a lot of good and great things that I am doing, and am going to do! And I am not giving into someone else controlling my state. I keep God close to me, and He is my strength, God has brought me the inspiration I needed and love back into my heart. With His example and influence, my state is where it needs to be for me to be my best and true self. Life is great! I hope to continue to receive inspiration throughout the day.
Wow Izzi! What a powerful experience in contrasts. Thank you for sharing. I agree that the place for inspiration is our blog. Thank you to all of you for putting in the time it takes to share the little things and SayGoBeDo moments that make a big difference in your lives – they make a big difference in mine too. Less than a week till YFF, and we are really down to the last moments. Like Izzi, I have had incredibly powerful experiences with contrasts in the past couple of days. Still, I know where my trust has been, and I know that it will all turn out for good. Today I have been thinking a lot about how what appear to be terrible and trying experiences can actually serve to make us much stronger and better. Also, about how even when we think we have failed, it can be turned to good if we turn to God. For instance, last Friday I was invited to come speak to a group of youth in an effort to promote a youth conference. The students had been living and breathing and performing Shakespeare for weeks, and I got to talk to them at the cast party after closing night. To say they were excited and full of energy would be an understatement. They played, talked, ate homemade pizza, and received hilarious awards. I was up just after an equally hilarious skit, full of improv and actor’s Shakespearian jokes. I had been struggling with my state all day. It seemed like every possible kind of discouragement kept coming, and instead of actually choosing, I sort of reacted. I enjoyed the performances, but did not match the energy of my audience when I got up. When coming to an audience that has not been warmed up, I will usually scan them for a few seconds in silence before beginning to speak, that way I, and they, know I have their full attention. This time, however, it did not work, since they were already so excited, and the energy dropped immediately. That, combined with the struggles I’d been having all day, made it difficult for me to convey the message I felt was so important. I sat down and my self-talk immediately began “What was that?!” I managed, however, to laugh it off and learn quite a bit about public speaking from the experience! Part of me wondered if it did any good, but I trusted that God would somehow be able to turn it to good. Today, the leader of the conference called and said that she has heard many students speak about what I’d said, and registrations for the event are going up. I am learning, slowly but surely, that no matter how many our weaknesses and shortcomings, God can turn it all to good. As long as we are sincere in seeking Him, it will all work out – really!
Oh I am so grateful to have such amazing people like Izzi and Emily in my life! To be honest, today was hard. Farm life is physically taxing, and tonight I am exhausted. But today as I was working, I reflected on what I am learning. Not only am I learning how to cultivate THE garden, but to cultivate MY "garden". My character is being shaped in ways I never would have imagined. I am learning that so much of our world today is based on instant pleasure or relief, and quick fixes to our problems. The problem with this is...that it is not reality. Most of the problems we have in life are not solved quickly. Farm life is like this. It requires a lot of patience, endurance, and a drive to finish what is started. It is hard, but I am learning so much about myself and about life, and I know that these experiences I am gaining will only be to my benefit in the future. I am indeed so grateful for the opportunity I have of being here and learning so much!
Wow - yesterday was tough! I felt as if I was being attacked at all angles. I felt dis-empowered, un-inspired and inadequate all day long. I felt as if nothing in the world could lift me up or inspire me again... I tried to snap out of it, and change my state. But I couldn’t let myself. I didn’t want to do anything. And really, it scared me that I was letting something else control my state to that extreme. I didn’t know what to do, I was lucky enough to turn to my best friend, he comforted me in everyway he could, but I still was not sure where my state needed to be changed. So I prayed to receive inspiration, read my core book and decided I should just go to bed.
ReplyDeleteToday I woke up feeling the opposite. I woke up grateful for my friends, family, life and opportunities. I was even grateful for the discouragement I felt yesterday. Today, I’m seeking for inspiration, because of it, its coming to me. It doesn’t always come easily, but I prayed to God I could find it, because I cannot live feeling the way I did. It was a lesson I needed to learn and I’m grateful for it. Today, I want to express my gratitude for this blog! I’m still slowly changing my mindset from the extreme it was at yesterday, I’ve been reading the comments and say go be do’s of my friends and their lives on here. If there is anywhere to seek inspiration, it’s on our blog. It has a new purpose for me now. Thank you all for taking time to share, it’s helping me on my way to YFF. Only a week from today! I am so excited! It’s like Emily said… When we are accomplishing the most good, we face the greatest opposition. I felt that opposition… and I’m running far from it. It was telling me, that there is a lot of good and great things that I am doing, and am going to do! And I am not giving into someone else controlling my state. I keep God close to me, and He is my strength, God has brought me the inspiration I needed and love back into my heart. With His example and influence, my state is where it needs to be for me to be my best and true self. Life is great! I hope to continue to receive inspiration throughout the day.
-Izzi
Wow Izzi! What a powerful experience in contrasts. Thank you for sharing. I agree that the place for inspiration is our blog. Thank you to all of you for putting in the time it takes to share the little things and SayGoBeDo moments that make a big difference in your lives – they make a big difference in mine too.
ReplyDeleteLess than a week till YFF, and we are really down to the last moments. Like Izzi, I have had incredibly powerful experiences with contrasts in the past couple of days. Still, I know where my trust has been, and I know that it will all turn out for good.
Today I have been thinking a lot about how what appear to be terrible and trying experiences can actually serve to make us much stronger and better. Also, about how even when we think we have failed, it can be turned to good if we turn to God. For instance, last Friday I was invited to come speak to a group of youth in an effort to promote a youth conference. The students had been living and breathing and performing Shakespeare for weeks, and I got to talk to them at the cast party after closing night. To say they were excited and full of energy would be an understatement. They played, talked, ate homemade pizza, and received hilarious awards. I was up just after an equally hilarious skit, full of improv and actor’s Shakespearian jokes.
I had been struggling with my state all day. It seemed like every possible kind of discouragement kept coming, and instead of actually choosing, I sort of reacted. I enjoyed the performances, but did not match the energy of my audience when I got up. When coming to an audience that has not been warmed up, I will usually scan them for a few seconds in silence before beginning to speak, that way I, and they, know I have their full attention. This time, however, it did not work, since they were already so excited, and the energy dropped immediately. That, combined with the struggles I’d been having all day, made it difficult for me to convey the message I felt was so important. I sat down and my self-talk immediately began “What was that?!”
I managed, however, to laugh it off and learn quite a bit about public speaking from the experience! Part of me wondered if it did any good, but I trusted that God would somehow be able to turn it to good. Today, the leader of the conference called and said that she has heard many students speak about what I’d said, and registrations for the event are going up. I am learning, slowly but surely, that no matter how many our weaknesses and shortcomings, God can turn it all to good. As long as we are sincere in seeking Him, it will all work out – really!
Oh I am so grateful to have such amazing people like Izzi and Emily in my life!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, today was hard. Farm life is physically taxing, and tonight I am exhausted. But today as I was working, I reflected on what I am learning. Not only am I learning how to cultivate THE garden, but to cultivate MY "garden". My character is being shaped in ways I never would have imagined. I am learning that so much of our world today is based on instant pleasure or relief, and quick fixes to our problems. The problem with this is...that it is not reality. Most of the problems we have in life are not solved quickly. Farm life is like this. It requires a lot of patience, endurance, and a drive to finish what is started. It is hard, but I am learning so much about myself and about life, and I know that these experiences I am gaining will only be to my benefit in the future. I am indeed so grateful for the opportunity I have of being here and learning so much!