Day 498 ~ Vulnerability = Surrendering (XI)

Day 11 of the Husband Encouragement Challenge
courtesy of ReviveOurHearts.com

"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:22) 

• You can't say anything negative about your husband . . . to your husband . . . or to anyone else, about your husband.
• Say something that you admire or appreciate about your husband . . . to your husband . . . and to someone else, about your husband!

Women who are constantly negative toward their husbands—especially by speaking evil of them to others—show great disrespect. Determine not to do that today (or ever!). This challenge to encourage is closely connected to submission.

Men respond to women who respect them.  What do you respect about your husband? Part of that respect includes submission to his authority.  Let your husband know how respecting him makes it easier to submit to his leadership.  Show your respect in public by listening to him and smiling at him when he speaks.  Place your hand in his as you walk together.

If you feel there is nothing to respect, search harder . . . nearly every man has some core characteristic that can be nurtured and respected. In any case, you must still cultivate a submissive spirit to his position of leadership . . ."as to the Lord." 

Hereeee's day 11 ...   

I'm going to keep this simple and not let it get too wordy.  

I will be very honest.  Ever since my divorce to my son's father, I really have a problem with this one.  (Poor Dino, always paying for what others have done to me.  sad face)

My poor husband.  

Anyways. . .  After giving yourself 100% to a man and then having him more or less kick you to the curb, mother of his children and all!!

Well... it's hard to open up 100% ... it's like you're always walking around protecting yourself.  

I mean... if the father of your sons can do "this" to you . . . who's to stop anyone else from doing the same... me.

TO forgive a person for bringing harm to you is one thing, but then to "forget" what was done is another.

So as I said... my poor husband.

Time is nearing our 10th anniversary... and I am starting to feel comfortable... meaning... he's sticking around.. thick and thin... richer or pooer... sad and happy... he's a not going anywhere!!

Maybe it's time to surrender a bit more... become vulnerable.

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

I am second..

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 479 ~ One Word- "Relax"

“Don’t tell God how big your Storm is.

Tell the storm how big your God is.”

I have never read such powerful words before in my life.  This is such a sincere example of faith and love of God.

I just read this quote on a {blogging} friend's blog... just moments ago as a matter of fact.  Since I met Kenya, I have always and continue to be a fan of her works.  

In am at a loss for words.  I am still trying to really process and soak in this strong quote.  One thing's for sure... I have never been taken aback by a quote as I have with the quote above.

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

I am second..

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 478 ~ All It Takes Is Faith

I've been really busy lately with all the preparations for my BIG Reveal (17 days and counting)...  making sure my vision is translated into reality... crossing all "t"'s and dotting all my "i"'s... laying out all my plans... setting up my objectivity... and most importantly... getting my {supporting} team together.

You see I want to do this right.  I want the foundation of my idea to be solid, so that anything we build on it will be very well supported.  

I do not want to make any mistakes and more importantly I do not want anything to go wrong.  I do not want anything to rain on my parade.  But above all... I do not want to fail.

After mentioning to {another one of} my friend{s} that I "didn't want to jinx anything," she too had some enlightening words for me that went hand in hand with what Kristen had said to me just days earlier.

"What gives you uncertainty?"  "Why do you have doubt?" Alysia asked me.

"Every time I have had something good going on for me, something has come up or someone has let me down and ruined it all. ... Plus, I do not want to fail"

"If something was to happen, something came up, could we not just change direction.  Do something differently?  Redirect?" 

As I processed her question and thought about it, I almost felt like an idiot when the answer was obviously so simple...  "Yes, we could."  I finally answered.

"Okay.  So if something comes up, we figure it out and keep going.  We are going to do this.  All you need is a little faith."

She left me at a loss for words. 

After I finished my conversation with Alysia it seemed as if the cloud that had been lingering over my head, following me everywhere {for what seemed to be an eternity} just vanished.  The sun appeared brighter than I have ever seen before!!

"FAITH."

She hit the nail on the head.

Funny how one word... one five letter word can light up your world.

Alysia hit the bull's eye on center!  She could not have been more right even if she tried.  The answer could not have been more simple if I had imagined it myself!  Having been knocked down so many times in my life... well I have to be honest... faith has been hard to come by.

faith noun \ˈfāth\

1a : allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty

b (1) : fidelity to one's promises (2) : sincerity of intentions

2a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion

b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust

3 : something that is believed especially with strong conviction;especially : a system of religious beliefs

I honestly think know that faith has been "the" missing ingredient in my life for quite some time now.  I don't know if it's my controlling nature (I learned this as a survival technique when I discovered that I had no one to help me with anything) or the diminished trust I have for others.

My problem is that I have to cut the purse strings.  Meaning... I need to trust God.  I need to completely let go and let God.  Surrender.

After all, how can anything go wrong when you have God on your side?  

Surrender to God All-Powerful! You will find peace and prosperity. ~Job 22:21

With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. 6Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow. ~Proverbs 3:5-6

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

I am second..

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 403 ~ I Am Second, An Afterthought

One thing is for sure... twenty-three days ago when I decided to do the I Am Second 22 Day Challenge.. I was prepared with an open mind, as well as an open heart for Christ.  I knew that if this challenge was anything like the two inspirational videos I had already seen at church... well... I was ready.

I had already been trying to get close to my faith, yet felt something was still missing... even so.. I was not going to stop seeking Him. 

Starting this challenge I really did not know what effect this would have on me, if any... listen, I knew that the experience could not be bad... at least no worse than what I was doing on my own- which was nothing.

Twenty-two days later... I have learned of some twenty-two inspiring people.  Some strong people... some very humble... and others brave.  All of them Second.

Each person's story, very much different then the next, reiterated to me the same message... one must have faith.

It all happened very quickly ... I now realize it... my faith was growing each day more and more...  

I feel a bit more at peace.  I have surrendered to Him.  I am trying not to worry about things. really releasing them to Him.  I am really trying to love my neighbor... not pass judgments... as I said I do feel a bit more peaceful...

I am NOT saying that it is all EASY!  I am here to tell you that it is NOT!  

It is In those times of trouble(s) that I have been turning more to God and praying my heart out!

wink, wink.

I would recommend it to anyone to do the 22 Day Challenge... especially if you question or are looking for a relationship with Him.

I have complete faith in God... He knows what He is doing and I am willing to listen and follow. 

I can wholeheartedly say...


I am second. 

We are Second when we put Jesus First.  Seconds are bold to lift up Jesus and tell others.  Are you ready to become a stronger Second?

I challenge YOU to take the I Am Second [22] Day Challenge... Can you spare maybe fifteen minutes in a day?

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  ~James 1:2-4 (NIV)

I AM SECOND.

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 395 ~ Not Giving Up

Second day in a row that I didn't get my next I Am Second video (#16 and now #17)... nor have I received a response from my email yesterday either... hmmmmm.

Sooo... I've decided to go with it.  Take it all in some more.  Rethink what's been going on with my challenge.

My challenge in itself is awesome.  It has really taught me and given me some great things and people to think about.

However... funny thing, during my challenge, life has continued to happen.  I had a really rough week the week before last... which kinda overflowed into this week.  Actually my thoughts are what's been overflowing.

HOLD ON A SECOND... bare with me and follow my thoughts here.  Check this out...

Here I have been taking a challenge to get closer to God, Christ, Jesus Himself... and some negative things have happened.

Hmmmmm... could it possibly be 'the enemy" at work... trying to discourage me... trying to block my vision... trying to sabotage me and my relationship with God?

The reason I say this is because... here I am in the process of letting go, letting God... taking His word in... reading His word... feeling His word... and I was presented with several challenging life situations...

In one situation, well you can say I allowed my thoughts to get away with me, however well justified... but a little too much at that.  You shouldn't worry about something that hasn't happened, even if it has happened in the past (this is tough).  

In another situation I behaved like a complete idiot!  Completely against all I am trying to complete here.  I handled a situation horribly.  In other words I lost it, as opposed to being a little more in control of my actions or reactions.  Or rather getting the same point across in a nicer, loving and smarter way.

{and} Finally, another situation presented itself where I was really proud of how I handled it.  The "old" me would have completely lost it and told someone off... maybe even have thrown a grown-up temper tantrum... BUT I DID NOT!!!  I remained calm... I acted as if all was okay... I prayed about it... I processed it... and gave it to God.  {and} More importantly I did not give it another thought.

Seems as if my faith was being given a run for it's money... and I did not give up on it.  

I did not give up on my Faith.  I turned to it.  I let my worries go.  I allowed God to take over.

It's not easy... but most definitely worth it.

We are Second when we put Jesus First. Seconds are bold to lift up Jesus and tell others. Are you ready to become a stronger Second?

I challenge YOU to take the I Am Second [22] Day Challenge... Can you spare maybe fifteen minutes in a day?

Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask Him for what you need. ⁷ The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  ~ Philippians 4:6-7 (NLV)

I AM SECOND.

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 394 ~ Taking It All In

So bummed.  I didn't get my next I Am Second video (#16)... I did contact them, sent an email... however, no response up until now.

I have decided to give you an I Am Second 22 Day Challenge update... you know... how I am handling it all... or rather the after affects.

I do have to say that each day has given me more and more to think about.  One thing for sure is that I am not the only one who has felt the way I have.  

Each video has touched me... it has sort of put a spotlight on different feelings I have felt and experienced throughout my life.

One thing that has been confirmed with this challenge is that I have a control issue when it comes to my life.  lol!  HA!  As if I didn't already know that!

Another confirmation is the anger that has brewed in my heart all these years.  

Funny... I was telling my friend tonight that I wasn't always angry.  I once was a very happy person.  Even a little too happy as I have been told.  It wasn't until I started fighting for my children that the hurt that was being done to me started building upon itself as days would go by.  

You see something would happen, and as I would be in the process of processing it, then something else would happen... and then I would have to process that... and so on and so on...

No different than playing a game of tackle football day after day... having your body slammed day after day {without a break}, getting bruises on top of bruises... not allowing your body to go through the healing process.  Then one day just not being able to play as well as you did on the first day of play... to the point of not recognizing yourself.

Granted... I had no choice.  I had to be in the game for my sons sake.  All the while taking emotional and mental beatings after beatings.  I was able to stay in the game itself... it wasn't until the after math... the dust never settled and I broke. 

Fighting the battle and facing each day made me weaker.  I did try going to church... however I did not keep it up and was discouraged even more.

Today, I can only imagine what it could have been like if I would have really gave God control of my game play.  

But that was then... and now is now.

Waiting for Day 16 of my 22 day challenge, I feel God in my life more today than on Day 1.  Maybe not getting my sixteenth video was a good thing... it's given me the opportunity of looking back and taking it all in.

We are Second when we put Jesus First. Seconds are bold to lift up Jesus and tell others. Are you ready to become a stronger Second?

I challenge YOU to take the I Am Second [22] Day Challenge... Can you spare maybe fifteen minutes in a day?

Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask Him for what you need. ⁷ The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  ~ Philippians 4:6-7 (NLV)

I AM SECOND.

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 393 ~ I Am Second Challenge Day 15 of 22

This is Day 15 of my challenge... {and} my fifteenth video...

... The Scruggs... had a story book life and love.  While love struck at first sight for the both of them, they were also blessed with success, an ocean view home... However, their lives together were lacking something money could not buy.  Jeff had been oblivious to Cheryl's feelings and actions... which then took them down the road of divorce.  What happened next in their lives only God could have had a hand in it...  

The Scruggs: I am Second 

If only all divorces would end the way the Scruggs' did... then we would all be just as blessed.

Jeff and Cheryl's story has really touched my heart.  

If only we would allow God into our lives more often, and keep Him there... It makes me wonder of the amazing things that could happen.

Most, myself included, have often allowed God into our lives but get discouraged  when life gets tough and give up before giving Him a chance to do His work within us... and our lives.  

The Scruggs are a wonderful example that we can not give up hope... we can not give up on God... we can not give up on ourselves.

We need to have faith... have patience... we need to hang in there... and be prepared for God's wonderful ride.  

How else would this work?  It hasn't with me at the helm and control of my life.

They say why fix it if it's not broken?  I say why keep doing the same thing and get  the same results?

I say... I have to leave it to God... surrender to Him..  Give Him full control of my life... because He is first... and I am second. 

We are Second when we put Jesus First. Seconds are bold to lift up Jesus and tell others. Are you ready to become a stronger Second?

I challenge YOU to take the I Am Second [22] Day Challenge... Can you spare maybe fifteen minutes in a day?

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.  ~John 13:34-35 (NIV)

I AM SECOND.

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.