“Vision is the Source and hope of life. The greatest gift ever given to mankind is not the gift of sight, but the gift of vision. Sight is a function of the eyes; vision is a function of the heart. ‘Eyes that look are common, but eyes that see are rare.’ Nothing noble or noteworthy on earth was ever done without vision.”          

Dr. Myles Munroe [my beloved mentor]

 A vision board can be a wonderful tool for reminding yourself about your goals each day. One of the most challenging parts of achieving goals is sticking with them. It’s easy to become distracted, lose hope, or even forget about them. A vision board is a solution for all of these challenges.

Regular use of a vision board keeps your goals fresh in your mind. Using a vision board also associates positive feelings with the achievement of your goals.

 Nearly anything can serve as a vision board. Ideally, your vision board will be...

It’s still early in the NEW year are you ready and willing to SHIFT Gear from Park or Neutral?

Prior to any new year, I customarily make time to get quiet with God for an annual review of the prior year—what lessons has He taught me? Where has He brought me? What lives have been impacted for His purposes as a result of the prior questions? Then most of all…what NEW dimension of Himself has been revealed to me?

The recap leaves me in tears of JOY and some years bittersweet tears of SORROW knowing I must take my spiritual “redo” test because I did not quite GRASP the character lesson the first time!

As I read my Bible, prayed and journaled, my heart was impressed with an image of a sleek sports car. Honestly, NOT my first choice as a 5’ 10” person who on fancy occasions likes to wear “big hair”—so logically a sports car is NOT this woman’s dream. LOL

Yet, I did appreciate the...

Aaaah 2020, the year as many spoke in it's coming and first quarter as the year of "perfect vision."

From March until now, is a nail-biting roller coaster for mankind worldwide.

I personally begrudgingly learned to add new activities to my basic living routines---I now carry masks at home and in the car, I sanitize every surface before touching, I shifted from visiting with family and friends face to face to Zoom "catch-ups." I use a "kind eyes" smile with my familiar clerks while shopping.

For me, it is a bittersweet DARK time. Yet, the dark season forces me to think creatively about how to connect further and serve people. As a result, it is a blessing meeting and making new acquaintances worldwide!

During this season, I receive greater comfort, correction, and clarity from God's perspective in the midst of HISTORIC circumstances.

His thoughts are not our thoughts,His ways are higher than our ways. [Isaiah 55:8,9]

Dark seasons SHAKE us; dark seasons CHALLENGE us to become SOBER...

When you think of love, what comes to mind?  

A man and woman holding hands. 

The comfort of a mother’s embrace. 

A father’s advice. 

The listening ear of a good friend. 

Although these expressions of love are beautiful, there is another love that is so pure and exquisite that it surpasses even these! 

“We love because He first loved us.”  1 John 4:19  

God’s love INITIATES. He took the first step towards us to show love and as a result, we learned to love through Him. 

 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 

God DEMONSTRATED His love for us by giving His only son as a sacrifice for our salvation.   

“…but God shows his...

It's early morning as I lie in bed my alarm clock radio awakens me from my twilight sleep.

Head on the pillow considering one more rollover before I arise, then I hear the announcer use that dreaded word "corona"!

At this point it's now four weeks into our state "stay in place" mandate. Although my office is based at home, the mandate has changed my external life activities. The routine run to the post office or office supply store is now a 25-minute pre-check ordeal of plastic gloves, face mask, and grabbing a precious can of Lysol to conscientiously wipe down countless surfaces.

Standing in line at the post office [yes, at the new "social distance of 6-feet apart] as the cue slowly proceeds we reluctantly look into one another's eyes hoping to spot a familiar face. In some customers' eyes I see frustration, others I see sadness, a few I see "smiling" eyes and others I see outright fear.

Finally, as I drive home from a usual 10-minute activity which now takes 30 to 40 minutes I...

As I sit here with a cup of tea reflecting on the current world affairs and our place in history, it reminds me there is nothing new under the sun.

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV

As the world virally grows anxious about "Co-vid 19", just in my lifetime we survived the worries of Y2K, SARS, MadCow, Anthrax, HIV, Swine flu, Ebola and the Zika "scare"

In watching news reports from across the globe, two kinds of leadership styles are influencing responses.

Which one are ...YOU?

A leader can be a THERMOMETER, or a leader can be a THERMOSTAT.

A thermometer is a passive device. A Thermometer will tell you what the temperature is. 

A thermostat is an ACTIVE device. A Thermostat It will not only tell you the temperature, but it will move you to the temperature you need to go.

In a well known historical record, God instructs twelve...

Where are you at this very moment? 

Well...I am in the kitchen cooking! This was NOT always my favorite place as it would bring bittersweet memories of being taught to cook [and clean fish] with my beloved Grandma Ruth.

She never used a cookbook...she cooked by taste with a pinch here and a pinch there, and her meals especially her cakes and biscuits were SCRUMPTIOUS!

Yet I can still recall the countless times my little cakes burned, came out flat or tasted horrible, and the family would eat because of "sympathy" love. LOL

"Awwww, bless her heart..."

As a grown woman, I decided to give it another go...I'll try this baking thing one more time...I'll shake off the disappointments, shake off the pity looks from family faces and even the nasty past taste of my failures. 

I'd pull out the recipe books [yes hardcovers then], prep my utensils and ingredients...then I'd FREEZE like a deer in the headlights!

All of a sudden it seemed too hard, too daunting, "this...

Most people WANT to SUCCEED in life. As I continue exploring and sharing from over 30 years of corporate experience, I see both men and women struggle with the same questions:

• "WHAT is SUCCESS?"
• "HOW do you define it?"
• "WHEN will I get there, does it have a destination?"
• "WHO will be on the path with me?"
• "Am I IN the WILL OF GOD?"

Here are three points of Light to sustain you on the journey regardless if you are starting or are on the path more than ten or fifteen years.

1. Realize SUCCESS is a journey, NOT a destination!

You are on a path marked by God for His purposes

2. The path shapes your CHARACTER!

Along the way, as you ascend hills and step into life valleys, your responses, attitude, mindset, and motives will be challenged. Each step is an opportunity to either TRUST God or to look at the "size of your circumstance."

3. You'll discover you are NEVER alone!

God is always there...waiting for you to ASK for guidance, ASK for wisdom, ASK for protection. He will NEVER leave...

In this fast-paced, digital and consumer-driven world as we watch people GRASP for the golden ring...What is the genuine measure of SUCCESS?

• Is it the number of social media Likes?
• Is it the number of followers?
• Is it property and financial resources?
• Is it title and status?
• Is it higher learning degrees?

The world's definition of SUCCESS is deceptive, centered on self-gratification, manipulates others for self-promotion and sadly ends in misery.

King Solomon, the wealthiest man in history tallied his vast assets and in his final analysis he shares:

Happy New Year!

GEM Friends, the start of a new calendar year brings anticipation of new opportunities, new adventures and new areas of personal growth.

Although some of the circumstances of the prior year may not have changed...it still cannot stop me from choosing to look forward with anticipation of CHANGE!

One of my favorite books state---the only thing CONSTANT in life is...CHANGE!

And one of my beloved mentors' shares: 

"It’s not what you ARE that holds YOU back…it’s what you THINK YOU ARE NOT that holds you back!"

The key question for us as we venture into the NEW Year..."Am I carrying the OLD mindset of last year and the past? Or do I still see myself as a mere worm???"

"Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you, says the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel." Isaiah 41:14

You may feel like a worm...and God knows it...YET, He says FEAR NOT! Why?

Because His grace, His Strength, His Provision, His Deliverance, His Care and...