Deadly Distractions

Have you ever noticed that when you’re caught in traffic after an accident has occurred, people tend to drive slow or rubberneck just to see what has happened on the side of the road? Don't you just hate it?

 They call it the on-looker delay. You're delayed because someone is not minding their own business.

 All too often, it’s never the fender bender that has slowed traffic, but rather its’ the one who was looking at the accident and not on their own destination that caused them to become the bigger accident.  We typically judge these people for being stupid and for not paying attention.

That’s how life is and more importantly that’s how our spiritual life is. God has set us on a path from point A to point B.  Just when we think things are smooth and we’re cruising along is when the enemy causes a fender bender to occur that turn our thoughts, mind and vision away from what God has planned and places our focus on that little incident in someone else’s life.

I call these deadly distractions because they can kill your arrival time to your own destination. Minding the business of others makes you fall into your own ditch. Before you know it, you're involved in your own accident because you weren't paying attention.

Now you’re the one sitting on the side of the road while everyone else is driving by judging your actions?  It doesn’t feel so good does it? It’s easy for us to talk about, degrade or judge the actions or accidents of those around us, but fail to realize that we ourselves are susceptible to the same issues. The second accident could prove more deadly than the first one.

My challenge to you today is to release yourself from worrying about or judging the action of others and to purpose in your heart to mind your own business. Pay attention to what you are doing and I promise you that you will get to your destination right on time.

Prayer Point:

Lord, I am so guilty of being distracted. I ask you to forgive me for losing sight of what you have for me. Help me help myself and to stay focused on you and to become kind to others. I love you and I thank you for hearing me. Amen

Your Soul Empowerment Coach

LaToya Brown, LMSW

<a href="http://www.hypersmash.com">HyperSmash</a>

Life is for the Living

Life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns, disappointments and joys. Life is FULL of just stuff. No one is immune to the challenges or benefits that life offers. Many have said that we should accept Life for what it is and just wait for things to happen. After all, "life happens and then you die" right? Wrong. I choose to disagree. Yes, we experience life events that are common to man, but I refuse to just let stuff happen to me and remain that way. While storms may come...storms will go.

I have been the victim of allowing life's fears and trials overwhelm me to the point of sheer depression and grief. Now what kind of life was I living? Life is comprised of more than just stuff. Life is an experience. I have worked in hospice care for almost two years now and if there is one thing I have learned from my patients is that LIFE is to be lived. If you live your life worrying, doubting, frustrated and despondent...you are failing to live. You are dying! You are sucking all of the life out of today and filling it with poison and dis-ease.

In all of my years experiencing life events, I have decided to never ever give up. I refuse to fail. I may fall, I may fail at times, but I will never fail at this beautiful life because life is given to me to enjoy, to embrace and to experience...many times express. What will you do? Will you choose to live or will you choose to be buried alive?

I'd choose wisely,

Empowerment Point: Close your eyes and breathe deep breaths. Take in all that you can. Smell the environment. Listen to the sounds. Thank God that you had all five senses to experience his gift.

Have a blessed Day in His Name,

LaToya Brown, LMSW
Your Soul Empowerment Coach

Be Still....

There was a time in my Christian walk when I ran to every prayer meeting, conference and shin-dig trying to get all the word that I could. I huffed...I puffed...and I huffed and I puffed to try to get all of God's blessings to flow my way. At the end of the day I was one burned out sister...just sizzling like bacon on a Sunday morning. BUT I didn't let that stop me. Nope had to get saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost. All the while I was running out, the Holy Ghost was running with me asking me slow down, listen and let him speak to me. Wait Toya...Waaaaaaaittt! If he wasn't a spirit, he would've run out of breathe chasing me.

Unfortunately it took many long hard years of failures and regrets before I turned to my jogging friend and asked his forgiveness and welcomed his wisdom. He is wisdom and if we would just listen to his direction our lives would be so much peaceful.

 Attending those events were not bad in and of themselves, but they were not, however, the source of my spiritual guidance. I had to learn to lean upon the Lord and not upon my own understanding of things. He said that he would direct my path...go figure..God knows the way (Proverbs 3:5,6). Why do we think we know it all? What is is about the dirt in us that thinks it knows more than the God that created it? That's a phenomenon that God is probably trying to figure out.

I wish that I could you that I've learned my lesson completely, yet there are times when I still run ahead  trying to make things happen on my own, cause surely I'll get it right this time.Wrong again...I'm glad God doesn't charge it to my head or my heart. He gently brings me back to himself and tells me to sit my little dirty self down and listen....ugh! So, what is today's lesson...BE STILL and know that HE is God! That simple....Have a blessed day

Your Soul Empowerment Coach
LaToya Brown, LMSW

 

Coffee and Compassion

I was at Starbucks last night and  happened upon a converation with a woman who had lost her car, her job and I'm sure some dignity went out the window too. She had walked to Starbucks to look for a job. As she was trying to explain to me the cause of her dilemma, I could only think about my own journey a few months ago. I was in the same boat...trying to excuse away the trial. Make it my fault. Perhaps I was disobedient. Maybe I just didn't listen to God enough. I went around that mountain over and over again.

See, this young lady believes that God told her to end a long time friendship with a male friend who happens to be a homosexual. After all, God doesn't want a "good" Christian having anything to do with a homosexual. She believed  the word of a "prophet" that told her to walk away from this guy because he was gay... because God couldn't bless her with a husband unless she stopped talking to this gay male friend.

 She believed that by not ending their friendship she caused all the recent trials she was now facing.   I listened intently and quietly and then of course I had to add my two sense...If there was any to add. I sensed frustration on her part and realized that the big headed enemy that told me I was the one at fault for all of my trials was the one who was badgering this young girl.

Now, does God require obedience? Yes. Do storms happen because of our lack thereof? Of course, but I would beg to differ that God would tell her to walk away from someone needing his love because of a lifestyle that he died for aswell. If this friend was a bad influence, then I would agree that she step away, however, that wasn't the case. I don' t know about you but I'm glad God didn't throw me away when I was a Louisiana Hot Sauce mess. I thank God for the friends who stayed when the going got tough and are still here with me today.

This lady had a bad case of Judgment. I hope that she walked away from our conversation with some wisdom and food for thought. Let us walk away from judgment and open our hearts to loving others as they are and allow God to be God and  trust that He can save them the same way He saved us. Can I get an AMEN....

Prayer: Lord forgive me for walking in judgment. Help me to see people as you see them and to love them as you love them. Help me to have compassion. I don't assume to know anything except love...thank you for first loving me and enabling me to love others.

Rise and Shine

Rise and Shine ladies and gentlemen...I'm not talking about your morning routine of getting out of bed and starting your day. However, I am suggesting that you rise up out of your spiritual and emotional slumbers and let your light shine. We need you. We need you to shine your personality, influence and creativity so bright the world has to put on shades...shhhuh.

Regardless of what you think of yourself right now, rise...stretch forth your hands to the one who sits in the heavens and receive all the love that is awaiting you. Now go forth and shine...be sure to brush your teeth though...we don't want any interferences...Oh How I love Mornings..

Blessings my friend...

Soul Passion

Create a Life and Career Path that is SOUL-CENTERED, HEART-HONORING, PASSION-FILLED, And ABUNDANT...

*Are you a creative & intelligent woman who wants more out of life, but has been unable to connect with yourself and others?

*Do you want a MORE CONNECTED, MORE MEANINGFUL and MORE SUCCESSFUL career, personal life, and vision for yourself?

*Do you sense it’s time to step more fully into your authentic Soul-VOICE, your true Soul-PASSION, and into your unique Soul-TALENTS and PURPOSE?

*DO you want to fully and powerfully know, accept and love yourself, and to make a positive difference in the world?


*DO you feel that somehow there is something that is still in the way? Have you not been able to fully claim your truest value, your sense of worth, your full creativity and your high level of talent and insight?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then you've arrived at the right place. We need to talk!

A lot of your work and accomplishments come from pushing, driving, trying to make it happen - and you CAN make it happen - but it has come at a high price: exhaustion, disconnection from self, God and others, loss of inspiration and motivation. You have trouble balancing all that you want to do with a life that is successful, passionate, influential, abundant, and filled with connection, spirit and love.

I will coach you to connect to your God-given power and to access your passions so that you are able to move into the world in a SOULFUL Life and authentically successful way with much more ease, joy,freedom and trust. You will learn how to honor your body and connect with the wisdom and brilliance you hold inside. You will learn how to reclaim all parts of yourself and your relationships so that you feel fulfilled and whole. You will also learn how to manage and move through your fears and limiting beliefs around visibility, competition, failure, finances, and more.

We will create healing, inspiration & success in your life & career by:

• Strengthening your leadership abilities, relationships so that you can create a vision for yourself and career that energizes you and others

• Overcome hindering habits and belief systems so that you can have to confidence to finally and fully step forward into the life God has for you and to allow his characteristics to shine bright.

• Unleash your true unique passions, dreams and vision so that you flow through your life with effectiveness, peace, joy, and well being.

• Learn to Integrate ALL parts of yourself - values, traits, personality and assets and even the ones you forgot you owned - so that you can joyfully lead your SoulFUL Life projects to success and prominence.

I have spent the last 20 years learning how to stop being driven by adrenaline, fear of success, fear of failure, and my need to be seen at all costs. I have mastered the art of "never giving up".

I have pulled together my experiences as an educator, entrepreneur, public speaker, workshop facilitator, spiritual mentor, author, mother and coach in order to help YOU successfully envision, execute, and enjoy your soul-centered, heart-led life. Through the Totally Free Woman Success Principles we create balance and flow in all areas of your life including work, health, relationships, home and finances.
I empower women to pursue their SoulFUL Life projects such as starting businesses, hosting world changing conferences,creating healing retreats, building volunteer organizations and not-for-profits, as well as running marathons, raising families, activating creativity and planning life-changing moves and journeys. I encourage women to do nothing without prayer.

Through our work together, I invite you to embrace your power, create more compelling and fulfilling goals for yourself, become a powerful, heart-centered leader, connect to the wisdom and brilliance you hold inside and to make it a practice of remembering how sacred and important you are to God, to others and to yourself.

I am a licensed master social worker with over 8 years of experience helping women overcome life obstacles. I have experience in crisis intervention, teen pregnancy, sexual abuse, domestic violence, single parenting and many more. My SoulFUL Life Coaching is specifically designed to help you improve every area of your life using the word of God as your road map.

Your new life is awaiting...Won't you join it? Contact me for more information

God Doesn't Need 911

While working with a family yesterday, I realized a "life truth". A "life truth" is one of those things that are hidden from daily communications, but are very real in their presence. This particular family wanted me to hurry and help them figure out last minute financial issues before their relative passed away. I found it interesting that their lack of planning had somehow ventured to become my emergency. When we fail to do what we are supposed to do in the time when we are supposed to do it, we tend to believe that others will come to our rescue. We vicariously think that it's their fault if things go wrong. That couldn't be farther from the truth..as it is. The Life Truth is that we are responsible for our own affairs and that any help received should be appreciated.

We do the same thing with God.  We fail to plan for whatever reason and then blame God when he doesn't move when we want him to. God doesn't need 911 calls nor is he sitting in heaven wondering what decision will bring the best outcome. God already prepared all that you need way before you decided to refuse wisdom and walk hand-in-hand with laziness and procrastination. So, before you begin to blame God for not moving fast enough, I encourage you to sit back, plan appropriately and WAIT for his will to be realized in your lives.

Challenge: Live with God's blessings on a daily basis than to have to wait for a miracle. Miracles only happen in tragedies.

Prayer & Meditation: God you are bigger than me. I realize that in my humanness I am so frail. I realize my lack of planning is at times your emergency. That's not fair to you. So, I ask that you help me move past my procrastination and allow you to lead my life. Amen

God isn't Moving....He's LOVING!

I use to think that God would only be pleased with me if  I was doing something for him. After all, heaven must be waiting on me to cause to move before anything happens. That thinking was so far from what God wanted me to know. He didn't send Jesus to make us work for his love and grace. He sent Jesus to break us for religious tradition and to embrace his amazing grace. I wish I could tell you that I changed my thinking after this revelation, but I didn't. Breaking free from a works mentality was more difficult than I thought.

You're probably guilty too. Guilty of fasting, praying, witnessing and reading the Bible to move God. When we want something from Him we usually change up our routine to get his attention. When in reality, we already have his attention and nothing we do will move him. While those things are not bad in and of themselves. They are just not a magical potion to cause God to move on our behalf. He is not controlled by our actions. Is he honored by them? I'm almost sure of that. He loves it when his children have a heart to please him. Any parent would.  Just like any parent is proud of a behaving child, they are undoubtedly more honored when a child desires to be in their presence more than in their favor, Hallelujah...now that should make you shout!

It's not our love for God that moves him..it's his love for US that compels him to move on our behalf. Jesus came to demonstrate God's love for us. How much does he love you? He stretched out his arms to show you. Everything God will ever do for you was done at the cross. Jesus is SITTING at the right hand of the father. Yep, sitting. Jesus is sitting down because he has already done everything for you. All your sins are forgiven into eternity. All your dreams and prayers are answered in all eternity. Just believe and receive...believe and receive...believe and receive.

There are times in our lives when you must push past the struggle and know that God hasn't only called you to minister to those around you, but that God has called you unto himself. That means he wants to be with you more than he desires to have you doing so much for him that you never spend time with him. I challenge you to believe that he loves you and receive his love for you and all it's meaning.

Prayer: Lord, I've tried to do all the right things so that you would be pleased. I am guilty of trying to impress you with all my works.  Lord, help me receive the love you have for me today and to be aware of your presence around me. I lay down all my tools, tricks and trades to be loved by you..infinitely in Jesus Name..

Nothing is Final...until YOU give up!

"Nothing is Final" is not a motto or a famous quote to inspire you in the present moment. Nor is it a statement to be simply posted on your Facebook wall to encourage others. It is a statement that is to be meditated upon. You are to do the meditating because it will change your life if you want your life to be changed.

Nothing is final? That's right. Absolutely nothing is final. Trials and tribulations aren't strangers. Every person living has experienced tough times.  While it is true that some of us face struggles that others couldn't even imagine and yet we keep pressing on. Why? Because we have to. We are not stronger on the surface, but I can attest that the heart of  resiliency is strength in the refusal to give in to life's issues. Refusing to lose faith, lose sight and lose their minds in the midst of the storm.

Nothing is final? What does that mean to you. Nothing is final means just that...nothing is final. No doctor's diagnosis is final. No college rejection is final...No relationship demise is final...No sickness is final...Nothing is final....that is until you give up. See, you are the only indicator of failure in your life if you lay down and throw in the towel. You are only as strong as you think and most certainly believe. As long as you believe that your life could and should be different than what you currently see, then things are subject to change.

Every circumstance and situation is subject to change, so long as you believe that they will change. Your life right now and the way you feel about your life is summed up in your thoughts, perception and reactions. You keep going around the same mountain because you haven't told it to move yet. Your life is waiting on you to happen. Be on purpose. Move on purpose. Walk on purpose. Smile on purpose. WIth every thing you do in your life...do it on purpose. Don't leave your life up to chance. Chance doesn't know your heart or your beliefs. Tell Chance where to go and what to do. Maybe it can take a long trip with the mountain that you are about to move.

God has given YOU the power to create your life. Everything that God will ever do has been done. That great life you are waiting for already exist but it won't manifest until you tell it to manifest. So, if I were to ask you how you feel about your self or your life right now, what would be your respone? Are you feeling hopeless? Hope "less"? What has subtracted from your hope? What has stolen your joy? What has caused you to want to give up? I encourage you to begin to REFUSE to be less than, not good enough, incapable or rejected. REFUSE to be overcome and overwhelmed by life's hardships. Use them instead as stepping stones to the life you truly want and will appreciate.

No matter how much I've fallen, struggled and even failed..I REFUSE to give up on me. I refuse to lay down with disappointment and to walk with self pity. I refuse to live the life that chance would dictate. I will tell the mountains that stand in my way to be removed and cast into the sea where the tides of my joy bury them.

No matter what you are facing, remember that nothing is final until you give up!

I love you and believe in you and in great things for you...

Your Soul Empowerment Coach