Welcome to Universe I
Listen to my 🎹 🎶 as you click each ☆ to explore 200 of my personal insights on life - journaled from 2014 - 2017.
Use warp drive for universe view, OR
open wormhole to another universe!
Listen to my 🎹 🎶 as you click each ☆ to explore 200 of my personal insights on life - journaled from 2014 - 2017.
If ever you feel soothed by guilt, solaced by shame, or satisfied in judgement... close your eyes & say, "God has better for me".
Have audacity to speak your identity into reality. Have wisdom to seek community in growth. Have courage to walk it all out.
Stop trying to figure everything out and just be you. Though life can be crazy, you don't have to be.
Let not your sorrow steal your tomorrow. Let not your plight steal your delight. Let not any hate steal your grace. Love again.
Healthy boundaries don't simply block. They focus you on the best paths forward - even if it takes every ounce of your courage.
Facing reality includes engaging the mess with humility & bravery. You can still be who you are and be honest at the same time.
With every step you take, every move you make, every morning you wake... SHINE.
Not for yourself, not for your glory, not for your beauty.
Shine instead for your legacy, what you'll leave behind when you're gone, what people you hope to inspire, what causes you hope to build, what lives you hope to change.
A heart that cares and bravely tells the truth is far more precious than any diamond, pearl, or priceless artifact.
Your pain is not the end. If you have audacity to survive the rain, enjoy the rainbow as grace shines & your character deepens.
One of the unhealthiest ways to handle your feelings & dreams is to ignore them. Be brave, grow & face them with wisdom & grace!
When you have extra time on your hands and don't know what to do with yourself... read the Bible.
#worthit
Dare we not in turn stereotype others due to the prejudice we face. In so many colors and cultures, there are those who care.
Tonight...
be somebody for someone.
Not because they deserve it...
but because they can benefit from your love.
It is impossible to sincerely know another without expanding who you are. To truly sense another's soul is to expand your own.
Healthy relationships are a constant adventure of vulnerability and discovery. Not just of each other, but of ourselves.
What meaning lies beneath the pain? What solace grows out of the rain?
Grace remains.
Grace remains.
In God... Grace remains.
Sometimes all you have strength for is to take life one heavy moment at a time. Remember your identity & be in loving community.
When does faith become your ground, hope become your air, dreams become your falling stars, and Love becomes your path?
What can be more beautiful than the 7 wonders of the world, 1000 stars being born, or kittens:
undeserved love.
Go for it.
Have you ever had such an intense dream that as you wake up, it feels like you're actually falling asleep into the actual dream?
One of the greatest obstacles to true love & success is the cage we create. To reach beyond self is to reach for freedom itself.
When your heart breaks, your chest aches, your eyes moisten, your lips smile, and words are no more... you might be in love.
When caring for another, use your heart 1st.
'Feel' for them.
'Be' with them.
'Analyzing' them takes a back seat.
At far grander a scale than the stars of the sky and faculties of our dreams, may we learn to see each other in untainted light.
Fight hate, not the hater. Fight fear, not the fearful. Fight for love. We are not each other's enemy. We never were...
Be open.
No human is Vulcan.
The moment you safely speak your mind & heart, the moment another has greater opportunity to care.
Beyond 100%!
Whether it be for that promotion, true love, a struggling stranger, or you. Give it your all... go above the call.
Perseverance.
When the outcome is uncertain and instant reward is non-existent, what will you choose?
Be you.
Sometimes it's helpful to blend in. Sometimes it's just perfect to stick out like a sore thumb.
Cherish & empower the uniqueness that surrounds you. For no person, moment,
or relationship is ever
exactly the same.
Giving someone space is important. Learn to be comfortable in the unknown. You just might be pleasantly surprised.
Do not let your actions define your identity.
Let your identity define your actions.
Men... it's ok to cry.
It's real to have emotions.
It's healthy to seek community.
You're not alone. You're not alone.
Know when to speak.
Both your words & your silence has powerful influence. Wielded wisely, your voice may one day save a life!
Swallow your pride.
Though it does a body good in the long run, no one ever said it would taste good in the present.
In a good story, the situation itself is but only the canvas where as how the characters handle the situation becomes the paint.
May Light breathe the air. May I see Light's stare. May we wonder & wander together
amidst the haze
of our misty gaze.
Frequently take time to breathe...
& breathe...
& breathe...
The self-awareness and self-care to follow is completely worth it.
When tempted,
slow way down and remember who you truly are! To live in freedom is to live with intention.
We cannot understand the world around us if we do not understand the world within us.
It's hard to have direction without a destination. Similarly, it's hard to own our growth if we do not own our identity. Pure exploration can be quite insightful. Eventually though, we must set our eyes forward and crawl, walk, run, soar... with purpose and with vision. You are beautiful. You are. Give wings to your dreams. Give reality to your fantasy.
Every life you touch,
is felt by who they touch...
and who they touch...
and who they touch...
You will ALWAYS have more influence than you know. That is an honor... and a responsibility. Be wise and caring in the gravity of your influence.
You are not alone. God is with you.
You are not alone. Love is in you.
You are not alone. Grace embraces you.
You are not alone...
You are not alone...
You are not alone...
Let's unashamedly live who we are (and be willing to grow) rather than live a life full of regret, obscurity, and missed opportunities. You are unique, you have an identity all your own, you are "fearfully and wonderfully made", and you can contribute to society. Seriously... "Know Thyself" & "Go For It".
Peace in society starts at home... no matter how many times we hear this, it won't make a difference until we apply it to ourselves... our family... our children.
Those timeless moments with your child when you simply look at each other with nothing left to say... just smiling, ear to ear.
If you blossom 1st, don't focus on yourself.
Cheer on your buds who are about to bloom!
One (of many) powerfully simple reasons why genuine love is stronger than any form of hate:
Love inherently brings us together. Hate inherently tears us apart. Guess which we all prefer... deep down?
Those moments you look upon nothing of significance can hold deliberations of greatest importance...
Mold your thoughts powerfully, no matter where your eyes rest their gaze.
Every bridge must bear your weight for you to cross it...
Be thankful for those who've helped build your bridges in life.
Be careful not to look so closely for your next obstacle that you become one yourself...
Ignore not the brokenness in your foundation, whether in the ground or in the very eyes you peer through.
Motion is an inescapable pillar in our ability to live & breathe. Make every action worth its energy. Produce more output than input.
For, even when we are still, our cells & particles dance with brilliant delight...
When traversing a dense or unknown environment, it's more important than ever to use all your senses.
Do not simply rely on your sight to find your way through the forest.
Your greatest strength potential rests not in the physical fibers of your body, but in the virtuous fibers of your being,
nor... in gleaned knowledge,
but... in gleaned wisdom.
Why step foot outside your door and be mesmerized by the same sky as another?
Connection.
Keep your vision of the situation clear.
Let us not use lenses to emotionally distort our view. Rather, let us use lenses to wisely reveal what before could not be seen.
For every ripple, a life can be changed. Ceaselessly start ripples of kindness in your community and be amazed at the eventual outcome.
For, we are all far more connected than any one individual can see.
Though
wind may blow,
you may stay
rooted, grounded
in what matters always... LOVE.
Positively express yourself in song, in dance, in life!
Possibly hidden within, you already have your own theme song, dance move & quirky smile to cap it off...
Enjoy the views throughout life,
while still balancing, focusing & owning your responsibilities.
When everything in-flight is going right & shining bright, wisely work harder.
Work with ALL your might.
Of every creed, culture & color, all can speak to & love each other.
Be safe & be wise. But don't you dare limit the love you have inside.
Illuminate your workplace!
Spread your cheer to whomever's near & watch that glow grow.
Just like a baby yet unable to crawl, we must not see a stuck situation as "stuck", but rather as "growth".
Your moments are not puffy stores, in transit. Don't turn a hazy eye... keep clarity in the majesty of every moment. On this Earth, your life is both temporally finite, and infinitely precious. Treat it that way.
Love's not about the screwups... Love's about the makeups! Stop "being right" & start "caring despite" who's wrong.
Today, let's just remove any remaining self-doubt. It's a choice, moment-by-moment. Moreover, if we see it in anyone else, help them remove it too. Let them know, "It's not who you are, nor how you are meant to live... it never was."
In honor of the troops embroidered no longer by simple flesh and bone, but by the every fiber of our thankful hearts: Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. May one day, your fellow brothers and sisters not need to fight. May one day, death be war's plight. May one day, peace see perpetual light. May one day, a life sown finds an enemy in no one's sight...
When someone you love gives you their heart to hold, mold your blood, your sweat, your tears with their own. For, you were never... never meant to go this life alone. Moreover, with every measure your being can muster, treasure every stranger as if they're your brother... or sister.
Let us all stand, however we can, in an unwaveringly peaceful demand, that inequality cannot withstand, our active hope. May expressions be heard. May poignant lessons finally be learned. May grace not hide. May character break the tide, and growth subside the cries, of inequality before our eyes.
For those who choose to be foster parents or adopt a child, you are doing humanity a wonderful favor...
Even if you don't foster or adopt or have any children at all, being a teacher or a coach or a mentor, anything to positively inspire one younger than yourself... is a beautiful growth experience for all involved.
Sex sells. True.
It doesn't mean someone's body is only good for the money in someone else's back pocket... Sex is something to be cherished... NOT sold, not misused, not abused, not monetized, not bloated, not synthesized, not mass-manufactured, not under-toned in every form of media, not packaged, not shipped with discounts, and not given (or taken) with a false sense of self-empowerment.
May your beauty flourish this morning. May your sorrows wane by evening. May your treasures deepen in meaning. May you be precious, in every sight, that bestows a gaze, upon your light.
As wisdom grows, so does your inner compass. When it's time to act... you'll know.
Though weak one may be, still onward they may flee, from ruin to destiny! Help them make it.
Whether you are the swan waiting to be seen or the onlooker about to be blown away by beauty, every moment counts. Don't hide the beauty within you, nor overlook it in another.
You are alive... You exist... Make your next moment even better than this. With humble confidence, consider how great you are...
Sometimes, the best way to win in a relationship is to lose. Pick your battles, "mean" you're sorry.
Sometimes, you must face your greatest weaknesses to fulfill your deepest desires.
Do not be defined by what you have lost, but by what you have found. For even when you loss everything, you may then be more ready than ever... to discover... something new... something that redefines your meaning of everything.
In so many forms of #war,
humans suspend (sacrifice) their humanity
in order to save (their form of) humanity.
...ironic.
The best way to fight tears are to let them go. They're not the ones holdin' on, you are...
Where your ability ends... your growth begins. Don't give up. That wall, is not a wall. It's a step you're now worthy to take. Be wise, be bold, be brave...
You won't grow if you focus on what you're growing from. Rather, focus on what you're growing to...
Always let your current beauty be out-shined by the radiance of your potential. Not by putting your present light under a bushel, but by believing in what you can do better tomorrow...
Let Jesus Christ be your heart beat, critical...
Let Growth be your blood-flow, constant...
Swallow your pride ... daily. Though it sucks going down, ... it's one of the best pills you'll ever take.
When the truth hurts and sets you free at the same time... just count it as growing pains. John 8:32
Diversity is the long-lost sibling of Unity.
Diversity and Division were never siblings to begin with...
Love as if love was never meant to die. For, when you hate, it is not love that dies to you, but it is you that dies to love...
Be the one to say YES to the impossible. Be the one to stand for more than the status-quo. ...in who's life can you make a difference (however small) today? ...go for it!
Silence among a few close friends and family can be far more intimate than a constant flow of words (and action), however meaningful.
By the end of your days, what will bring you to deep fulfilling tears is not what you accomplished for yourself, but what you accomplished for others.
Where is your heart? ...in the bows of doubt... or the firmament of belief? No matter what... you're not alone, may God be your strength.
Make your life a reflection of your character. Make your character a reflection of God's heart. There's no need for compromise...
... Smile. Your cheeks will appreciate it. Your lips will embrace it. Your heart will cherish it. Your mind will spark from it. Friends will cheer for it. Enemies will be transformed by it. Strangers will befriend you for it. Loved ones will rely on it. ...your emotions will find truth in it.
The depths of compassion. One of the best things you can do in this world, is love you, as you are. One of the worst things you can do in this world, is love ONLY you, as you are.
What should the depths of your eyes say, to the paired orbs out there filled with hate? ..."'Till the day I die, I'll try to set MY hate aside. For, when you stare with anger inside, my love is all that's left... to meet your eyes..."
Don't give up on being loved... your life is not a lie, your love is not despised, your eyes are not capsized, to those that adore you ... to the end, to those that implore you ... to simply stand, to those that care to... fill your heart with theirs.
Beautiful is the lady or lad that gazes upon Love's firmament. For, what they reflect in texture and class is a timeless compassionate endurance.
Humility is one of the best ways to beat an addiction... permanently.
Arrogance is one of the best ways to keep it...
Your future will not be YOUR future, unless you start in the present. Don't wait until tomorrow, what you should start today.
You needn't be ashamed of your struggle...
We all struggle. We ALL struggle. Find someone strong, where you are weak. Find someone weak, where you are strong. If you can trust them and they can trust you... watch as God works through each of you to build each other up.
Remember, you are beautiful you are enchanting you are... alive, as you choose to be.
Take charge of what you do, know why you are doing it. Don't let reality sit there like a plant without water, a child without parents ...an Earth without the Sun. ...DO something about it - LIVE.
No matter the obstacle, no matter the pain, no matter the choices made... love one another.
Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will set you free... Speak TRUTH... your voice is more powerful than you think.
If you were to smile at me... as we pass each other on the street corner... could I trust that smile to come from your heart, or societal muscle memory? If I were the stranger that then trusted that smile, and called out for help, what would the source of that smile tell you to do next? Your move. Your choice. Your life... make it count.
What do you gain by not listening to someone you love, tell you something you need to hear, but you don't want to hear it... you gain absolutely... nothing. You need to listen, especially when it's something you don't want to hear.
Fear fundamentally exploits humanity and everything in its path. Love empowers humanity.
DREAM like you've never heard the phrase "too big" before! It's ok... that's how innovations and revolutions are born!
It's not the height of your frame, but the size of your character that counts.
Don't quit because you've fallen.
Those screaming voices of doubt and shame... they're wrong. Take a deep breath... dare to learn, dare to move on... with confidence.
May the stars in the sky be a reflection of your heart. For, you keep them inside, all your loved ones, here and gone. Find yourself in the depths of your heart.
Be kind to others. "You" are worth it. The one and only God within "you" deserves it.
1 Corinthians 3:16-23 |
Luke 6:31 |
Matthew 25:34-40
Love isn't the end of freedom, but the beginning of life itself.
1 John 4:16 |
John 1:3-5 |
John 12:46
Into what does your heart sow? Where most do your thoughts go? Keep yourself honest... and you'll grow. Ever less will you be ignorant of yourself.
Proverbs 3:5-8 |
Proverbs 23:4-8 |
Philippians 4:8
It's your life. It's your move. How are you going to handle it?
Proverbs 14:12 |
Proverbs 18:21 |
Matthew 10:39
Today, look at everyone you love, everyone you hate, everyone you rarely notice at all. Then, ask yourself, "why"? "Why do I love them? Why do I hate them? Why do I not notice them?" Now, try replacing each person with yourself... and ask again. Compassion... it's real.
Don't be a stranger to the deeper nature of who you are... Love's knocking at the door to your heart...
It's a strange sensation. The impetus to smile, the spark to hug, the prompting to turn back and say, "Hi". Your busy life is worth far less than your opportunity to uplift someone else (especially those you may never meet again...). Be that stranger... that turned back around, noticed them, and said... "Hi".
If you're blessed by sun and green grass today, get outside! Feel the grass beneath your feet... focus slowly on one... toe... at... a... time. Close your eyes. Listen... keep listening... Be serenaded by the breeze. Be wooed by the birds.
Let your heart fly atop a sonority of notes. May each rise and fall of melody, each Himalayan peak of expression, send shoots of "can do" intentionality to every step... you... take. If you find yourself in public skipping, shoulder-popping, rhythm-walking (lean in to it), or otherwise flat out singing... don't fight it. Keep a song on your heart.
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