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...

The final days of Summer can yield irregular weather patterns from sunny calm beach walks to storm raging waves along the shore.

The ocean speaks volumes to me while on vacation. I find early morning walks to be a time of quiet reflection, the mental release of the prior day, and emotional rejuvenation for the upcoming day.

Unlike prior mornings, today's walk encountered high tides and blustery winds from an oncoming storm  

Today, the waves dipped and dived with the impending currents of Hurricane Dorian. The night before the sea was calm with soft glassy sheen and today she displayed her POTENTIAL!

What is your potential?

It’s definitions include:

1/ possible but not yet achieved:

Someone’s potential is an ability the person has not yet developed.

2/ possible when the necessary conditions exist:

A number of potential buyers have expressed interest in...

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...

What's your BHAG (bee-hag) for This NEW Year??? 

BIG-HAIRY-AUDACIOUS-GOAL

This is the time of year where we STOP and take STOCK of our prior year goals, what we actually accomplished and where we want to go in the next year.

"There's a time AND season for all things!" 

What are your God-given dreams, plans, and goals for this upcoming year? 

I completed mine this past weekend, with a range of emotions---EXCITEMENT in the goals fulfilled and exceeded...then EXPECTATION for those yet to be completed.

A balanced plan includes surveying time with God, time with family, serving in one's house of worship, serving your community and of course your business/employer.

How are you doing in each of those areas? It's a sobering and honest conversation we must have with ourselves each week...sometimes daily!

In the reflection of my passion and call to encourage God's people to develop strategic plans to "step out of the boat" the NEW YEAR provides each of us with...