Learn from Others Successes

Without even noticing we are greatly influenced by others. Whether it is consciously or not. Therefore, surround yourself with people who are physically active, emotionally stable and continously growing. Focus on their successes, on their strategies to reach their aspirations, and their motivation. You may be able to get some ideas and be further inspired to achieve your own dreams and goals.

This can be applied to many areas of our lives: our eating habits, our life decisions, our emotional responses, the way we carry ourselves ets. If you surround yourself with people who aim to balance their personal, professional and emotional lives with decision and quality, you are more likely to stick to your own plans, too.

“The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.” (Pearl S. Buck)

 

Success Builders:

• Can you identify areas in your life that needs a little adjustment?
• Who have you identified - that you would like to be mentored by?

Pressure or Excellence?

Supergirl: 5-year-old, Queens, N.Y. prodigy can speak seven languages, play six instruments


BY Erica Pearson; DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER - Sunday, May 15, 2011


Seven languages. Six musical instruments. Two types of dance and two sports. It all adds up to one busy little Queens girl.

Five-year-old Mabou Loiseau's parents spend $1,500 a week on tutors and lessons - and she spends seven hours a day in some type of instruction, with Sundays off.

She grew up speaking French, Creole and English, but her immigrant parents didn't want to stop there. She's also learning Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic and Russian.

"Russian is my most favorite. I just hear something, and if I don't understand I say, 'What does that mean?' and they'll tell me," said Mabou, whose Laurelton house is plastered with flashcards in different languages.

She can sing her ABCs in Spanish, count in Mandarin, read fairytales in Russian, and already has an ambitious list of career goals.

"I want to be a firefighter, and I want to be a doctor, and I want to be a dancer, and I want to be a princess," Mabou said with a smile, sitting shyly on her mom's lap. "And I want to be an actor, and I want to be a musician, and I want to be a singer, and I want to be a veterinarian, and I want to be a mom."

Mabou has her own dance studio with a mirrored wall where she learns tap and ballet. Her mom recently got rid of the kitchen table to make room for a full-size drum set. She's also learning to play the harp, clarinet, violin, guitar and piano. When she's not taking ice-skating or swimming lessons.

"All the sacrifices in the world for her," said her mom, Esther Loiseau, a piano teacher who taught French at an American school before leaving Haiti for Queens 15 years ago. "Furniture is not important. Education is."

Loiseau, 47, said friends and neighbors were initially shocked that she was starting Mabou on such a regimen so early - instead of just letting her be a kid. "But I make sure I leave enough time for her to play," Loiseau said. "All she knows is learning. What becomes fun for someone is what they know."

Loiseau tells the tutors to play with Mabou, speaking in their native language, for half of the lesson. They spend the other half reading, writing and practicing vocabulary.

She said a sure way to make the opinionated only child behave is to threaten to cancel one of her lessons - especially Russian.

"It's a great experience for me, honestly. A lot of even adult people can't understand what she does," said Rogneda Elagina, 24, Mabou's Russian tutor. "We like to read together ... we started with the alphabet and connecting letters, and now she can read real folklore."

Mabou's dad works 16 hours a day as a parking attendant in Manhattan to pay for everything, and the Loiseaus have also started hosting other students for classes at their house.

The proud parents homeschool Mabou but found out last week that she scored in the 99th percentile on the city test for gifted and talented schools.

"Honestly, I just want to open doors for my daughter," said Loiseau. "She is really my princess."

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What do you think ladies? 

Strengthen Each Other

1 Corinthians 14:26 (New Living Translation) - Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.

I read this scripture a couple of days ago and it really ministered to me, in the sense that, it showed me once again how important it is for all of us to be good at what we do. And more importantly, how amazing it is for us to support each other in what we do; because every joint supplies.  That is, each and everyone of us plays a very important role in the big picture.

Ladies, let's continue to edify and encourage each other to step out into our giftings, so we can be full of strength as a team!

Strength Builders:

• Have you identified your role in life?
• Do you know someone who needs a little help in functioning in their calling?

Hiding from God

Nehemiah 1:5-6

I think the real reason we pray so little is fear: fear of facing God, fear also of facing our own and others' brokenness.  Our hearts are saying: "Can I really trust God? Will He really show me His love when I don't keep anything hidden from Him - or will I be crushed by His anger and lose the little bit of freedom I have so carefully carved out for myself?"

"Do not be afraid" Those are the moments where you can get closer to God.  God is a jealous God, yes, but His jealousy is not filled with possessiveness and suspicion; as is our human jealousy.  This is why we have a relationship, and not a religious contract with God.

God loves us with a perfect love.  A love that casts out all fear and allows us to approach Him and His people in complete freedom.  He loves us so much that He in fact, passionately desires our love in response.

So, ladies, pray without fear, enter God's presence with a vulnerable openness. Learn to be silent in His presence, so He can first speak to us and reveal us to ourselves as women created in love and created free to love. Then we can respond with a full "yes", affirming from the depth of our hearts that we are indeed made in the image and likeness of God.

Love Builders:

• What fears keep you from sharing openly with others?
• What fears keep you from feeling free to approach God in prayer?

Refine Your Goals

As we set goals and refine goals, make sure your goals are at an appropriate level for you. Remember, you can always change them at any time. If they are too low, you may not feel challenged or motivated to increase your drive.

On the other hand, if you're consistently reaching your goals, then set new ones. Your goals will most likely be different than those of a friend or co-worker. If your goals are too high, you may feel too frustrated by not reaching them. Be sure to adjust your goals according to your needs.

Goal Builders:

• How often do you set goals? And how do you get them accomplished?
• Do you ever adjust your goals, if you are having difficulty reaching them?

Judge-and-Jury Syndrome

 

 
Great Article!

 

I was at the local pool when I noticed a frightened adolescent taking swimming lessons.  "No! No, please, I can't!" she begged.  She stood a head taller than the rest of the beginner swim class, but she sobbled like a four-year-old.

"Jump in, I'll catch you!" her teacher called.  The girl bawled, "No! I can't!"

"Why do they pamper her?" I said to my friend. "Her fear only gets worse the longer they delay."

A third coach tossed the weary instructor a life preserver. It took both adults to drag the girl to the water and lower her into the arms of the teacher.

"Well, its about time!" I thought.  "They should have done that fifteen minutes ago"

Another instructor appeared before me.  "That girl went boating with her parents and brother last summer.  The boat capsized, and her father managed to save only her.  She watched her mother and brother drown. Now her father insists she learn to swim."

Those words stung.  I looked at the drenched child as she climbed out of the pool. I had not witnessed typical childish fear - I'd just seen a young girl cross a terrifying mountain.

Forgive me, child
Forgive me, Lord

Character Builders:

• Have you ever discovered that your perception of someone else's attitudes or actions was inaccurate? What did you learn from that experience?
• How can you be more wise in your discernment about others?

Happy Mother's Day 2011

Your life is a replica of the very existence and reality of the beauty of God

You stand strong, fearless, full of compassion and grace

Thriving to walk and live a life of complete righteousness

God's hand is upon you daily

And your desires are guided by your trust in Him

Seek God deeper

Look forward with anticipation

And survive harder!

You are like a teabag, and you never know how much you can handle until you are immersed in a hot climate

Be your biggest fan!

Happy Mother's/Women's Day to you RW!

ThExchange

The launch of THEXCHANGE (formerly 7Times, formerly IMPACT) is HERE! - May 6th @ 7pm! We are so excited about what God is going to do in our generation, in our church and in our lives through this new movement! There is such a sense of expectation and anticipation in the air, and we’ve come to believe, that we are on the brink of a fresh move of God!
It is with this excitement and joy that we want to invite you out to THEXCHANGE service night at Shiloh Church, 3295 School St, Oakland. Come with an expectation to see God move in your life, and in our city! Bring a friend, a family member, somebody!
We are super excited...are you?

Let's change our city and change the world!

THEXCHANGE Crew!

Unfinished Business

Everyone, knowingly or not, comes into a relationship with the hopes that their significant other and their relationship will heal past wounds.  That's the unfinished business we bring to the table, unfortunately. Many of us carry wounds from our childhoods, and sometimes, as it happened to me,  the wounds manifest later, and later in life.

Growing up with the challenges that I had to face, and I am sure some of you had to also, or maybe you are still facing them; I recognized my heightened need for trust.  I found myself fearful of the end, or waiting for something to fall apart, or unconsciously yearning for uncertainty. 

Listen, there are no quick fixes to these issues that we deal with (these unfinished businesses), but God is the healer of all wounds.  If you give God the time, and your heart, He will fix you and restore your ability to trust again.  I'm not talking about the kind of trust that comes with the tiny bitty undertone feeling that someone is out to get you, to hurt you or to destroy you.  I am talking about the kind of trust that doesn't rely on human.  The kind that if human does fail you (and they will), that you don't automatically run into a cave and push blames or blame yourself for letting your heart go this far again blah blah blah, ....and then you start orchestrating ways to avoid people, avoid relationships, avoid commitment etc.... and before you know it, you end up old, bitter, mad and sad!

Ladies, if we don't deal with these issues, and attack them head-on; I'm sorry to say but we will continue to live a trust-less, fearful, lonely, dissapointed, controlling, depressing, .....life.  God desires us to be free, and full of liberty.

AND THE CHURCH SAID "AMEN"! :)

Trust Builders:

• What "unfinished business" have you inherited from your parents or relatives?
• How can you become strong in that area of weakness?

Listen to Your Body

Here's another Helpful Tip from my 10,000 Steps Program

Yes, your body does talk to you about its needs and wants. Are you listening? Although improving your habits may be challenging at times, your body wants what is best for you. Once you overcome the barriers to improving your habits, your body is able to collaborate with you in order to maintain these newly adopted healthier habits.

People who have been active for a while do report feeling like their body asks for physical activity! Make sure you insist on progressing with this program to reach the point where your body actually asks (if it’s not already doing so) you to be active! It does not feel like a chore anymore; it feels more pleasurable (if you are not there yet, you will get there)! Allow yourself to reach that point – you deserve it!

The same actually happens with eating more nutritiously. The more you try delicious nutritious new options, the more your body will ask for them! Remember that your body can only ask for what it knows. If you have not tried some foods, it can not ask for it! Eating nutritiously is not something you do because you have to. It is something you learn how to do because you try delicious nutritious recipes and love them!

Body Builders:

• Try something new and nutritious and see how your body loves it
• Decide on a physical activity that you can add to your day...and do it!