Feel Like Giving Up?

What do you do when you feel like giving up?

KEEP MOVING!!!!

Remember, Smile Everyday, Show Up Everyday, and Succeed Everyday
Find Peace Within
Be blessed
Ms. Lisa

Drain My Life but Not My Spirit - A Light of Hope

It's amazing how sickness can take the life out of you but not drain your spirit.

It is the spirit of a man that keeps him pushing. It keeps him going, moving towards taking one step at a time. The spirit of a man is what makes him want to keep fighting, keep looking, keep asking. It is the spirit of a man that really keeps hope alive, keeps dreams alive, keeps visions alive, keeps prayer alive. It's the spirit of a man that keeps saying "I am getting through this!

That's what I saw in my sister yesterday. Wrapped in pain but yet her spirit was AMAZING! She was still smiling, still cooking, still helping and still making us laugh.

Sickness-- you may drain my body, but- - - You can't drain my SPIRIT!!

Remember to Smile Everyday, Show Up Everyday, and Succeed Everyday
Find Peace Within
Be Blessed,
Ms. Lisa

Let's Get the Weight Off

As many of my readers know I am a believer of personal fitness. I believe in fitness and maintaining a balance life through working out, eating healthy, and finding peace within. As the year comes closer to an end, I thought I would share some of my most popular fitness tips and or blogs to help you start the year off with some positive changes. I have a little saying, "It's not about the weight but about the heart. Take care of the heart and the weight will follow." That is so important when trying to get rid of anything that's weighing you down. Anything that is too heavy for you to carry will cause health problems such as; back pain, heart pain, lung pain, leg pain, feet pain, shoulder pain, head pain, joint point. Need I continue? I believe you have the picture.

As you prepare to start a new year think about how important your heart is to your body. If the heart stops, you stop. We can function with one lung but we can't function without a heart as we only have one. Here are a few things I suggest you to to prepare to let some of the weight go for 2016.

1. Make a conscious effort to eat right - portion size. That's what we call eating the serving size. If it's good, save some for later. Your taste buds don't need all of it, just a taste will do.
2. Move after you're done. Take time to exercise your heart. 15 minutes a day is better than none.
3. Don't buy it if you're not discipline - If you know ice cream is your strong man, then don't buy the man. If you are not discipline enough, then don't even put it in the house. That's like asking for trouble.
4. Relax - take time to sit and relax, enjoy a heart felt movie. Stop watching shows that makes your heart race and keep you up during the night.
5. Listen to worship music - music soothes the soul...try it.
6. Take time to breath - take deep breathes, clear your lungs and thoughts. If you can't fix it, let it go.
7. DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.

Remember, you are the most valuable player in your life. Reward yourself everyday with the Most Valuable Player Award. You are worth it.

My reminder - Smile Everyday, Show Up Everyday, Succeed Everyday
Find Peace Within
Be Blessed,
Ms. Lisa D.

Calling All Body Builders

Do you have what it takes to commit to your success? Do you have what it takes to be consistent in your own life? Do you have what it takes to make your world a little more fulfilling? We all have what it takes to make changes in our lives. We always know what those changes are but we don't always know how to make those changes.

When you've found that you have lost the zeal you once had, it's time to re- build your body. When you've found that you no longer are excited about doing those things that once brought you joy, it's time to re-build your body. When you've found that what once made you smile has now become a burden for you, it's time for you to re- build your body. Now, how do you re-build your body?

1. Make yourself a priority by making time your yourself EVERYDAY.
2. Make time for breath clean air - it clears not only your lungs but your thoughts
3. Tell those whom you love, that you love them but you love you more- if they love you, they will understand.
4. Tell those that say they love you, they must understand, because it's important to YOU.

Baby steps my friend... When I got married the first time, my father told me that Rome wasn't built in a day. He told me this after about 6 months of being married and I wanted to come back home. He wouldn't let me.. not this time that is... :)

Begin one step at a time with making the first change in YOU, and how you value yourself .
Take time to write your story. Take time to write out what it is you need from yourself to become a body builder? If it take going to bed a little earlier so you can get up earlier, then do it. If it means telling your children, pre-teens and teenagers that you need them to do their part and you hold them accountable for what they are and are not doing, then do that. If that means, taking 15 minutes and detouring from your normal schedule just to find time to breath, then do it.

It's time for all body builders to stand up and begin re-building your life. refresh and restart. To re- is to do something over that was once done. So, get started Re-building your Body, your soul and your mind.

There's someone waiting on the other side of that building and that someone is YOU.

Remember to Smile Everyday, Show Up Everyday, and Succeed Everyday
Find Peace Within
Be Blessed,
Ms. Lisa

No Need To Scream at Me - I see you

As a believer in God, it is always my responsibility to make sure His name is made known where every I go. The thing is I don't have to scream His name out for the world to know I walk with Him everyday.

Yesterday we (LSOC) had the opportunity to minister in a place where not everyone was singing about Jesus. They rapped to their hearts content. Some talked about their struggles, some talked about violence in the streets, some talking about doing what grown folk do. Everyone participating in the event had a message to convey to the world.

We LSOC got up to minister - and I said minister - as that is what we do. We didn't compromise the name of Jesus. No, we didn't have to pump it down their throats and tell them that they were all going to hell because of what they were singing about. We just simply asked them a simple question, "are you glad you're free?" Smiling Big.... the response was over whelming. We ministered, they clapped their hands, stood up, sang the hook, and wanted more. The MC said "you guys brought church to us tonight."

That's what we as believer are suppose to do. Go out into the highway and bi-ways and compel men to Christ. We didn't have to scream, or shot, all we did was minister.

Today's Lesson:
Let your light so shine, so that men can see your good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.
The world is watching, and they want to see something different than what they see in their own world.

Remember to Smile Everyday, Show Up Everyday, and Succeed Everyday
Find Peace Within
Be Blessed,
Ms. Lisa

I Need My Struggles

As the end of 2015 come to an end, I am spending some time reflecting over my life. Today I am reading my journal from 2008 -

Friday April 1, 2008 - Lord I thank you for the sunshine. I thank you for being my rock when I'm stressed. I thank you for taking all my cares away. I thank you for being my friend. You were here for me today holding me and caring for me, showing me that you care. Thank you for FREEDOM!

April 2, 2008 - Thank you Lord for your mercy and your grace. Thank you for giving me the ability to get wealth. Thank you for my family and for helping us find balance between church and home.

April 3, 2008 - Dream of a better tomorrow. I thank you for a better tomorrow.

April 4, 2008 - Find strength in His might - was the word for today, and I did just that. Thank you for your word and your messenger.You are an encourager and I thank you for that.

May 23, 2008 - Worked out today, lifted weights bench press, shoulders, back, legs, abs, cardio, 1 hour. Having a chance to be ready and focus on my target areas. The pain was great. My muscles ache from each movement. I know the sacrifice is worth it.

May 24, 2008 - Another day of work. Dr. Cook came to our meeting, we will start laying off starting July to November, a total of over 200 people. My heart is heavy.

November 17, 2008 - Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord, come and quench this thirsting of my soul. Bread of heaven, feed me til I want no more. Here's my cup, fill it up and make me whole. I am whole, I am delivered, I am at peace. This is my deliverance well.

December, 10, 2008 - Dear Lord, how can I start to heal? Write down what's hurting you. What will it take for me to be healed?

Lessons learned from my struggles -

1. They are necessary for growth
2. They are necessary for my testimony
3. They are necessary for my ministry
4. They prepare me for the next one.

Remember, to Smile Everyday, Show Up Everyday, and Succeed Everyday
Find Peace Within
Be Blessed,
Ms. Lisa

Eat At The Bus Stop

There are many things I like to do during my lunch hour such as; read, exercise, take a walk around the block, listen to sermons, or read my bible. There are some days I'll do some pretty random stuff, like sit at the bus stop and watch what's going on in the area. Kinda like the seniors do once they retire, you know- they sit on the porch and wave at everyone. They know everything that's going on in the neighborhood. One particular day I decided to eat my lunch at the bus stop. My lunch was only a Green Smoothie, so it wasn't anything big.

As I sat at the bus stop, a young man by the name of Mr. Carter came and sat down beside me. Mr. Carter probably was around 70 years old. He looked like he could have been homeless or had some pretty hard challenges in his life. As Mr. Carter sat down beside me, I spoke and asked him how was he doing. He said he was doing fine and he asked me the same. I of course said I was doing GREAT. Mr. Carter and I carried on several pretty interesting conversation while he waited at the bus stop. We talked about the Billingsley neighborhood. That's where my job is located. He's a Charlottean and knew about the history of that side of town since it was where he grew up. I learned that Billingsley Road was named after a black man who was pretty well off financially during the early years. I also learned about the first black school built by black carpenters, The Billingsville School, which is located in the Grier Heights neighborhood. He talked about his days in the military and how he had dreams of becoming a politician, but life happened. (he never forgot his dream). As we continued to talk, I asked him did he know the Lord, he said yes he knew the Lord. So, I asked him what was his thoughts on same sex marriage. (This was right after the supreme court passed same sex marriage. )

Mr. Carter stated that as a politician he pretty much had to stay neutral on those subjects. So I asked him how would he feel if he didn't have a politician's mindset, how would he feel then. He was straddling the fence on the subject. So, I posed a question for him.... What if everyone married the same sex, then how would he or I be would have gotten here today? He thought, silently. I gave him the example of the power plug and the power outlet. In each there is a negative and a positive, male and female. The negative end of the power plug cannot fit into the negative side of the power outlet and the positive side of the power cord cannot fit in the positive side of the power outlet. Therefore, two of the same thing cannot produce power when put together. They want even fit. Therefore there is no possibility of any power being produced. There must be a positive (male) and a negative (female) to produce power. Mr. Carter smiled, and said "I never thought about it like that. So with that being said, I am for male and female because I like having power, and I'm glad I'm here." We laughed and said AMEN! He thanked me for spending my lunch time with him and wished me a blessed day. I thank him for spending that time with me and sharing his bus stop time with me. I left Mr. Carter feeling pretty good.... :)

Today's Lesson -
1. Don't be afraid to talk to strangers, you might just learn something
2. Don't be afraid to share your thoughts on current events, you just might change the mind of  the person you're talking to.
3. Don't be afraid to share your faith, you just might win someone to Christ
4. And finally, Don't be afraid to eat lunch at the bus stop.....

Remember to Smile Everyday, Show up Everyday, and Succeed Everyday
Find Peace Within
Be blessed,
Ms. Lisa