Life Decisions

A friend of mine said she was mad at God when the choice she made didn’t work out the way she planned. And I started to question her… then I remembered the stupid thing I did when I didn’t pay attention to my inner knowing, the God voice whispering, the feeling in my gut.

I thought about the clear revelation I didn’t hear … the thing right in front of me that I didn’t see … the mistakes made more than once.

And I shut my mouth.

“People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does God always get blamed?” Proverbs 19:3 MSG

Inhale Discernment, Exhale Disregarding Your Knowing…
Inhale Action, Exhale Discounting Your Options…
Inhale Ownership, Exhale Diminishing Your Responsibility…
Just Breathe

#Leadership
#JustBreathe

Stillness

Isn’t it true that when we most need the tools to quiet our minds, we convince ourselves we’re too busy to use them?

Yet it is only when we are in a place of peace, joy and love that we can accurately discern God’s voice amid the chaos, actually perceive our inner thoughts from the external noise and understand we don’t have be anxious about anything.

“Be still and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:10, NIV

Inhale Stillness, Exhale Anxiety…
Inhale Quiet, Exhale Noise…
Inhale Discernment, Exhale Confusion…
Just Breathe

#JustBreathe

Photo credit: Storm Crypt on VisualHunt.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Filtered Reality

The extent to which some Americans accept as fact the manufactured lies spouted by those holding political power in our country is an alarming example of how our perceptions of reality are impacted by our own blind spots, biases, and bigotry.

“Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding.” Proverbs 2:2 MSG

Inhale Reality, Exhale Prejudice…
Inhale Wisdom, Exhale Bias…
Inhale Discernment, Exhale Bigotry…
Just Breathe

#JustBreathe
#Reality

Unwitting Entanglement

When I was a freshman at the University of Alabama, I did some advertising for a friend from high school who was running for SGA president. I didn’t know he was the candidate of The Machine, the not so secret, secret society of white sororities and fraternities that has controlled politics at the school for over a century.

I was the unwitting, token black supporter.

I wonder if rapper, activist Killer Mike feels as used as I did…

“My interview with said organization [NRA], who we all don’t agree with, was supposed to be something that continued a conversation … about African-American gun ownership…I’m sorry that an interview I did about a minority…and gun rights was used as a weapon against you guys [March For Our Lives Organizers].” ~ Killer Mike

Inhale Discernment, Exhale Disregard…
Inhale Perception, Exhale Propaganda…
Inhale Wariness, Exhale Carelessness…
Just Breathe

#JustBreathe

Motives

When we are plugged in to the Source of All Knowing, All Power and All Creation, when we pay attention to how we are being in the world, when we care how our actions are impacting others and our universe, then we make choices that will benefit the whole.

“A bad motive can’t achieve a good end; double-talk brings you double trouble.” Proverbs 17: 20 MSG

Inhale Discernment, Exhale Disregard…
Inhale Perception, Exhale Prejudice…
Inhale Intuition, Exhale Indifference…
Just Breathe

#JustBreathe
Reflections with Renita

Discernment

I always think of discernment as the ability to see beyond the obvious when making decisions. And yet, I don’t think discernment was even required for Americans to have made decisions during the fall of 2016 that would make our present more palatable.

Because it was obvious to me that a candidate who surrounded himself with white supremacists who ran the spectrum from Jeff Sessions’ “good ‘ole boy’ southern racist” to the full blown “blow it all up” beliefs of Steve Bannon, was probably not going to be a president who continued the efforts to provide healthcare to all Americans or examine why Americans make up 5 percent of the world’s population but 25 percent of the incarcerated population…

What was required by Americans was the willingness to actually look…

“Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, MSG

Inhale Examine, Exhale Ignore…
Inhale Knowing, Exhale Ignoring…
Inhale Discernment, Exhale Ignorance…
Just Breathe

#JustBreathe
#Clarity

Relationship Fail #2

When the person you are with consistently behaves in a way that indicates he/she really doesn’t want to be in your life, maybe you should allow them to leave.

“The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

Inhale Actuality, Exhale Fantasy…
Inhale Clarity, Exhale Ambiguity…
Inhale Discernment, Exhale Indecision…
Just Breathe

#JustBreathe
Reflections With Renita

Blind Spot

One of the lessons I’ve learned from coaching is how easy it is to see the possible negative outcomes from the choices others are making…and how difficult it is to see when the mistake is MINE.

And that’s why the coach has a coach!

“Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it’s a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from.” ~ Al Franken

Inhale Objectivity, Exhale Obsession…
Inhale Detachment, Exhale Deception…
Inhale Discernment, Exhale Disposition…
Just Breathe

#JustBreathe
Reflections With Renita

Signs

I get why it’s so hard for us to admit we were wrong about something or someone. Trusting, believing and being proven wrong can cause us question our judgment, our discernment.

At least that’s what I experienced after a failed relationship. But I finally realized I didn’t miss the signs, I misunderstood what I saw.

“My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.” ~ Proverbs 3: 21-22 NIV

Inhale Wisdom, Exhale Oblivion…
Inhale Discernment, Exhale Disregard…
Inhale Understanding, Exhale Unconsciousness…
Just Breathe

#JustBreathe
#Clarity