Welcome to Universe II
Listen to my 🎹 🎶 as you click each ☆ to explore 200 of my personal insights on life - journaled from 2017 - 2019.
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 2017 - 2019.
Live in a manner that helps another to their core and fulfills your identity. Giving blindly can backfire. Inform your generosity.
By growing ourselves, we can grow our society to see more clearly, love more fiercely, speak more openly.
Belong. Become. Be you.
Belonging is so important. If you can be seen, be heard, & be your best you, then the community you're in is very very true.
Consider another's compassion as sacred. For deep loving care need not ever be wasted.
Thank you all for your love❣🤗🕊
Your path may seem narrow, thinner still, & at times altogether invisible. You though are not invisible. Truly, you are priceless.
Your best self isn't defined by someone's worst opinion of you. It matters not their influence in your life.
Be greater still.
🤗
Your identity isn't a destination. It's a journey.
Never stop growing.
Never stop learning.
Never stop discovering yourself.
"Doing" flows well from "being".
Making every moment count requires being aware of the sanctity & opportunity in every moment.
I love it when men come together to bring awe into their children's lives.
Dads, seriously ... you matter❣🤗
Own it. Live it. Cherish it.
God, give me strength.
Though life's road can be long & the heart at times weary, I find rest in your sweet spirit & tender love.
For all people, I pray
"may not the depths of our sorrows blind us from the opportunities of tomorrow and the hopes of today".
😌
Someone who cares finds a way to support your growth, identity & opportunity. Safely allow others to help & be a help for others❣
Giving up is easy. Giving your all is hard ... and worth it.
Even when you have little, you can do a lot.
💪😌💗
Your goodness isn't limited by anyone's view of you. Who cares who closes their eyes to you. Open your eyes to your best self.
🤗
When gazing into your beloved's eyes, slow down...
Empower them in grace & thanksgiving. Allow them to do the same for you.
Grief is not about control, fake smiles, or "I'm fine". It's about flow, acceptance, & letting go ... to a brighter tomorrow.
Arise from the alluring pitfalls of shame, denial, and fear to the hard earned path of growth, awareness, and affirmation.
💗🤗🕊
Look at yourself in the mirror. Get up close, eye to eye. Relax physically & emotionally. Say
"I love you.
Now go love another."
The only person who can tell you your identity is you❣
Define it. Own it. Live it.
🤗
Be mindful. Be real.
Recognizing your weaknesses can invite stability. 😌
Believing you're invincible can invite tragedy. 😟
Triggers from past trauma can be difficult to handle, yet not impossible to overcome.
Give yourself grace for the long game❣
This year, say to your loved ones:
"I love you. Not because you do A, B & C for me. But, because God blesses me to see X, Y & Z in you."
🤗
Make each moment you breathe better than the last. Not because life's perfect, but because you're still alive/willing to stand for peace.
You have the ability to change lives unlike anyone else. Give your loved ones the best present of all: you❣
🕊Merry Christmas🤗
🤗... you're NOT:
too lost to be found
too worthless to be seen
too broken to be made whole
You need you to believe in you.
Ultimately, no one else can replace the importance of you believing in yourself.
You can't control how people see you. But, you can control how you see yourself.
From there, transformation is possible.
Don't let the pain of your absence & past mistakes blind you from the incalculable value of your presence right here, right now.
Circumstances don't define you. You define your circumstances.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving and don't give up on your loved ones❣
😭 ... let it all out.
Let go of that weight.
Dare not fall victim to hate.
Brighter days ... brighter days.
Hope does not require reality to say something is possible. Hope requires the heart to believe something is possible.
Have faith.
To perfectly understand another is impossible. To enduringly empathize with another is fundamental.
Don't analyze.
Connect.
To truly appreciate where you are, you must fully accept where you've been.
Become aware.
Keep moving forward.
Can you see the light of tomorrow if you only focus on the darkness of yesterday?
Capture "now" & be the change.
💖😌🕊
For yourself, your loved ones & community, know that you have the skill &/or potential to soar❣
Now, make the time & commitment.
However difficult, parenting need not be a power struggle. The more you connect with your child the easier it is to guide them.
Some seasons of life are unimaginably difficult.
In response, be unimaginably resilient.
✊🏾💖
Together, let us pause, close our eyes, listen for our heart beat ... then take a long deep breath of Hope.
Sweet Dreams
🌌😌🕊
Flaws ≠ Shame
Discipline ≠ Perfection
The more you accept & love yourself, the better you can grow & know ... you're enough.
🤗
Pain is a fact of life not to be wasted, pursued, or made into a badge of honor.
Take it seriously.
Learn from it.
Help others❣
Every dream has a dreamer.
For those dreams to meet reality, the dreamer must couragously act on their dreams.
Make a move today.
Focus on relationships that embrace each other's best & worst moments with grace & empowerment. Be something for someone tonight❣
Your life's a place of being, connecting, giving, & receiving.
Declare it. Pursue it. Live it.
🤗
Be not so blinded by what you've lost that you cannot fully see what you've found.
Wake up.
Engage reality unfolding before thee.
I don't care if you fail.
I don't care if you fall flat on your face. What I care about is you not giving up on yourself.
Worry is not the answer.
Fear is not your guide.
Keep your love steady.
Open your heart wide.
Do not let another's opinion define your identity or reality. Stand in who you are and fight for those who need you most.
💗
Fear departs not when Pain subsides, but when Love enters and rests by Pain's side.
💗
You are not weak to cry. You are not a fool to face your pain. Rather, you are brave ... to let your face ... feel the rain.
🤗
To sit with the unknown can push the very boundaries of your sanity and bloom the very foundations of your faith.
💖🙏🏾🕊
Face what binds you & say: "NO! My body may be fleeting, but my spirit is forevermore. My hope's in Christ, & He's won this war."
Fear disappears when you accept the uncertain, distinguish what's within your grasp, and plan next steps.
🔥
Reality exists far beyond the scope of our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin.
Discover
Imagine
Love
More than flesh and bone, you are made of love and light. Life itself has no hold on your significance.
🕊
When you feel helpless in your stance for what you care about most, fill one leg with Patience and the other leg with Hope.
🕊
Acceptance does not mean agreement. Choose to evermore accurately see reality around you ... then do something about it.
💖✊🏾🔥
Gear up. ✊🏾😎
Let peace be your shield.
Let compassion be your sword.
Let wisdom be your helmet.
Let hope be your boots.
Let empathy be your lens.
Let courage be your breastplate.
Let tears be your reawakening.
Let fear be your past.
Let love be your present.
Let growth be your future.
Let grace be your wake.
... let Jesus Christ be your Way, your Truth, your Life.
Let not the pain that remains quell the hope that endures. Your road has yet only begun.
🤗
Rise every morning, pray without ceasing, sing with your whole being, and love ... as God loves you. 💞
Tribulations need not marginalize your God-given opportunities. You are worthy to be loved... and you are worthy to love others.
💖
Time need never be wasted. Be ... in every moment. Love. Self-care. Empathy. Time then flies and stretches ... simultaneously.
Even if time stopped for everything but you, you could spend a million lifetimes exploring all of reality ...and still not finish.
Shame can kill.
Grace can resurrect.
Hope can endure.
Serenity can soar. Cherish life.
Inspire humanity to grow by growing yourself. Be a safe space for others. Appreciate, love, and empower another.
Be ... without limit.
What you do in the dark can most shine bright. 🔥
Be a light ... even when no one else is in sight. 🕊
You are not your scars.
You are not your mistakes.
You are you ... unmistakably beautiful ... you
🤗
Be in Love that flows, Serenity that knows, Courage that grows, Wisdom that folds ... hearts together. 💞
No matter how others may see you, tempt you, or doubt you...
be real and be you.
💖✊🏾😊 🕊
I want war to die, soldiers to live, & families to reunite. Though thankful for the sacrifice, must war exist for freedom to live?
Honestly, I feel the "sticks & stones ... words will never hurt me" saying is BS. Be in relationships that empower & own your words.
If LOVE were a planet, humanity has only begun to touch a blade of its grass.
Don't risk in vain or give blindly. Know for whom you are fighting for. Know how your identity reflects in your actions. 🤗 🕊
Perspective
Now is just one morning among 1000s you've lived. Now is just one morning that can change your life forever.
Now
Own your successes and failures. The sooner you do that, the easier it will be to reach the firmament of your own awareness.
Societally, if our empathy can't be the foundation to our power, we are doomed to self-destruction.
Replace 'me' with 'us'.
🤝
The strength of your identity rests not in how many people believe in you, but rather how much you believe in yourself.
Dare to pursue the unseen. Succeed life's pastures green. Release tears from trauma's sting. Hope where none have heard hope sing.
"Feeling" & "Being" can complement each other.
It's easier to feel empathy towards those you choose to be present with.
For love to thrive amidst imperfect beings, each must gaze past self-projection to be in awe of each other's flawed perfection.
😍
One of the greatest pains in life is not making right a relationship before it's gone. At every moment, love, love, love❣
As one chapter closes, another chapter opens.
Let God orchestrate the page turn.
What's next? Where, how?
Facing your own uncertainty can be bravely enlightening. Carefully walking alongside another's uncertainty can be caringly life-changing❣
🕊
Those drinks on the counter, lusts on the screen, and misused drugs will not save you, keep you safe, or soothe pain at its core.
Stop. Face yourself. Let tears flow.
Powerful self-care can also help those you love. Building resilience into your identity can set an example for your children to follow. Be you & dare see others grow❣ 🕊
Compassion (with backbone) needn't require a perfect life & flawless heart. Rather, an "I've gone through some real s@$# and can now better 'see' myself and others❣"
Let's each be a safe space❣ Where pride, masks & walls all fall ... sorrows, pain & scars are revealed ... and hearts can be renewed.
🤗
When you hear something powerful & life-giving, let it overtake you. Allow every flow of your being to shift into harmonious accord.
😭🙌
Love is a raging river that flows through our hearts.
Fear is a delirious dam that keeps us apart.
Sometimes... I cannot see what's right in front of me ... until I close my eyes and look deep ...
Living without what you most held dear is a far healthier sacrifice than dying to save a false reality.
Release. Receive.
Breathe again.
No one truly knows what their future holds. Nonetheless, know you are not a waste of time and space. You are not meaningless. You belong❣
Do not let another's view of you define you.
Keep growing and keep being you, even if they are unwilling to acknowledge your identity.
The staircase to societal change can feel brutal & lonely. As you climb, partner with others to share the load and keep climbing. Yes, keep climbing ... keep climbing.
Care because you honestly enjoy caring ... not because you look forward to some reward in heaven.
Be who you are because of who you are vs what you'll get.
Allow your best self to shine even at your hardest moments by relentlessly soaking your heart in what is humble, good, and true❣
In the future, I hope we as a global society can more naturally advocate for how art (from music to graphic design) can truly change lives and connect hearts over simply being “entertaining” or “pretty”. As we grow to better appreciate the depth of significance in art, we grow to more fully honor our own existence and holistic health.
Lack of forgiveness towards others (and yourself) is one of the fundamental stumbling blocks to lasting peace and fulfillment.
Not every feeling need be fully understood before it is given a safe space to breathe. For in its breath, you may only then come to know its origin.
Timeless beauty rests not on our skin, shape, wealth, power, or prominence. Rather, it rests on the evolving legacy of empowering Love we teach our children.
Real talk:
Depression pushes us to isolate. DON'T.
Rather, seek healthy community.
Let NOTHING steal your identity in Christ❣🤗
With whom does my faith lie? To whom does my heart cry? In whom does my being abide?
JESUS
If you must risk death, risk for others. If you must brave life, bravely care for others. If you can be, be with each other.
✊🤗✨
You're stronger than you know. You needn't feet to stand or hands to grow. Breathe deep and rest in Love's empowering flow.
🕊
I dare say:
Strength has nothing to do with your muscles.
It has everything to do with your self-control.
Living your identity doesn't have to mean giving unto those who do not want to receive.
Be healthy, fruitful, and measured.
The more you come to know thyself and be at peace, the less you'll "need" everyone out there to know and affirm who you are.
You haven't learned every lesson in your life the easy way, and that's perfectly ok.
The unrelenting fact remains:
you learned!👏
The hardest part of reaching a goal can be when you've lost all hope near the end of your long journey.
Keep going.
It can feel sooo cleansing to throw on the most touching song on your playlist and just let those tears flow.
🎶😭💖
Though trials may test you, do not despair. Your identity is beyond compare.
You can BE powerful
even when you feel
powerless...
Today, say to a loved one: "Despite how hard things are out there... I'm right here and we'll get through this together❣"
🤗
To ignore a part of yourself is to give it opportunity to control you from the shadows.
Love, honor, and grow
your ENTIRE self.
For a fulfilling life, strive to build your reality upon your dreams and not the other way around.
Don't let "sophisticated reasoning" stop you from walking the narrow path.
Slow down. Keep it simple. Fully own your actions.
As kids learn to speak, explicitly acknowledge their progress & build on their natural efforts.
Every step counts
...every step.
What is repressed regret but the false positive you have truly moved on.
Be brave:
Look in. Love you. Learn big. Live on.
You are not a failure.
You are not forgotten.
You are not forsaken.
Muscle up every ounce of your identity and rise❣🤗
Who do you see in the mirror?
Who you are? Who you're not? Hopes, failures, desires?
Remember... you (not the mirror) define you.
To only interpret the Word is like spending all your time admiring a priceless vehicle w/o ever driving it.
Live Truth
Live Love
One of the bravest things you can do is pursue a safe space to let yourself cry, break down, let go.
Discover and honor yourself.
Sometimes, you just need to clear the schedule to get something done you've been working on for far too long.
Make it happen.
Pain need not beget sorrow & sorrow need not beget pain.
Refrain from the wallow & let grace be your refrain.
Despite differing views, we must reconcile to quell the tide of struggle in each other's eyes.
Be an example
against oppression.
To tenaciously care & dream is to dare a better future into being. Never give up. Fight for love with love.
Manifest your dreams.
God can bring about priceless gifts even amidst your biggest mistakes.
Learn deep. Forgive yourself. Be thankful. Move on.
With an infinite staircase before you of moments & memories, you needn't learn now to triumph step n+2678.
Just focus on n & n+1.
Take not your tears for granted.
Let not your pain wane in vain.
Character can grow by the sunset,
and be reborn in the rain...
You needn't simply survive this world. You have every right to thrive.
Seek 1st not outer fame & wealth, but inner love & health.
Living without wise intent can fuel a daze of self-sabotaged hopes & self-deceived realities.
Don't sleep at the wheel to your life.
Timeless beauty lies not in priceless gems, pleasures, power, pride, or pain.
It is truly found in your belonging to Love itself.
Silence speaks.
Partner with silence.
May your voice & silence imbue a harmonious tapestry of healing upon any space you inhabit.
When you've reached your end & think you've got nothing left, you've only just begun...
Make 100% your baseline.
Grow by default.
Sometimes, we need to perceive time standing still. To cry. To hold. To let go. To flow.
To see with heart what eyes cannot impart.
Not until we bravely look into each other's souls, acknowledge the darkness, & empower the light can we all stand together as one.
😉😋😆
Among all the prepositions I know, "with" fills me with most joy, moves me with others, and brings soul with spirit voiced.
Fear need not guide you & doubt need not tear you down.
Let faith remind you of who you are in God & let His love build you up.
True diplomacy is not about hidden or blatantly selfish agendas.
It is about genuine mutual honor despite differing values.
Vulnerability is like glass. To walk upon it is like walking on air. May every trusting relationship have glass in its foundation.
Defining anyone by a single action is like defining a film by a single dot on a single frame...
Perspective.
Dare open your eyes.
To truly be free, both your surroundings & your mind must be a safe space.
Release the unhealthy familiar.
Capture peace anew...
As eyes meet, as hearts beat, as feet sync, as breath becomes one.
Grow beyond self.
Learn the minutiae of another's being.
Can humanity fundamentally rise in moral evolution before it cataclysmically falls in technological dissolution?
If yes, how? 🤔
To judge another without even offering support is to essentially judge yourself.
Actually help.
Be a part of the solution.
You can reach the depth of courage, height of providence, & breadth of heart to pursue what's deep within.
Manifest your dreams.
Lead your senses. Don't escape into them. Forget drugs, porn, alcohol, etc.
Wake up! You matter.
God hasn't forsaken you.
Moments ... to minutes ... to days ... to years ... to life.
Capture each moment, lose count, and capture ... your life.
You are not a fool to hope for the impossible.
For, reality itself does not simply conform to our perception of it...
Whether "beautifully flawed" or "flawlessly beautiful", every human being is priceless.
What a mighty honor to feel oneself in the tender throes of His unrelenting embrace.
When all else falls away, His love remains.
With every fiber of your being, love.
Love deep, love long!
And remember, in your love for others, never forget to love yourself.
A fulfilling life has no cruise control.
Be intentional. Be aware.
Break negative cycles hidden just below the surface.
It can take far more courage to fight for peace with empathy and heart than with fist and gun.
Be open.
Be brave.
Not everyone needs rescuing.
Know when to pick someone up, and when to empower them to pick themselves up.
God answers prayers.
Don't give up on your dreams!
Don't give up on your growth!
Don't give up on your identity!
Insecurity can be self-sabotaging. God & healthy community can help fine-tune your inner compass of self-worth.
You're not alone.
Your best self is far mightier than any racism, misogyny, hedonism, or inaction you see in others or yourself.
Grow & Stand
Authenticity is key.
Say what you mean & mean what you say.
Make sure any honey you exhibit runs straight to your core.
However difficult, bravely progress w/ measured patience & wisdom so that your character may rise above any storm.
Breathe & Soar
Truly investing in who you are and who you stand for is far more precious than silver, gold, diamond, or platinum.
Care & Live
To capture an eternity of meaning from a moment, one must act as if that moment is all eternity itself has to offer.
Be present.
In relationships, there can be a cataclysmic difference between "taking" & "receiving".
Rather than take:
Relate. Give. Receive.
Give life to music as if you are breathing life into a new being made purely of notes, words, tempo, & dynamics.
Express & Flow
Please, don't sacrifice your self-respect for cold hard cash.
You matter.
You don't simply exist for another's satisfaction...
One of the best ways to be a safe space for others is to be a safe space for yourself.
Sometimes, tears are all you have to express the depths of gratitude for receiving a timeless blessing amidst a season of tragedy.
One of the best ways to honor your dreams is to honor your present. Each moment. Every step.
So, dream big.
Then, get to work. 😉
What is leadership without empathy, service, and grace?
Nothing...
Lead not by your power, but by your embrace.
May we ever relentlessly grow closer to what is true, noble, pure, lovely & admirable.
Let not darkness quench your Light within.
You need not be a trophy spouse, co-dependent friend, or bottomless resource to show your worth.
You are independently priceless.
Family is chaos in a safe space.
Even when s#@& hits the fan... be a safe space for one another.
One of the greatest forms of self-deception is believing you have it all figured out. You don't.
Keep humble.
Keep learning.
The road of grief can grow brighter in time. Not because the world shines anew, but because your heart can learn to see again...
Your circumstances do not define you.
See yourself for who you are... and cherish when others do the same.
Though the trail of trials may be soaked in tears, hold on to your character and His love. Let the journey embolden your identity.
It's hard to learn from the past & plan the future if you never were (or never will) be aware of the present.
Right now matters.
Expose your fears to His light. Expose your tears to His sight. Bring tired bones to the cross to soothe the pain & bear the loss.
Bring your best self to every table. You are worth it. They will notice it. God will be glorified by it.
Bodies eventually break down. Souls can grow sweeter with age. Let your eyes fall more on another's heart than their appearance.
Scientifically, what moves me is not the # of stars in space, but the simultaneous diversity of heartfelt moments across humanity.
Now, when certain music sighs its sweet relief upon my ears, my soul rests in release of tears that have been contained for years.
Any form of interaction devoid of authentic relation is a form of dehumanization. Don't use or objectify. Empathize, care, love.
So many of us have experienced traumatic pain and heartache in this life... me included. 😟
I nonetheless pray for our healthy spaces to bloom... our divine wisdom to flourish.
Let us each dare pray for
our imagination to exceed our knowledge,
our hopes to exceed our imagination,
and our life to exceed our hopes.
Live with intention.
Live with humility.
Live with God...
Where rain falls,
grass will grow.
Where sorrow melts,
grace will hold.
Where tempests rise,
lights will guide.
Where weakness lies,
God will always abide.
Where identity clings,
hearts will sing.
Where character endures,
hope everlasting is ensured.
Your life
is more precious
than any strife.
Hold on ... just hold on... 🙂
Hold on.
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open wormhole to another universe!
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