Thanks for joining us for our weekend edition of “Becoming Today”. A little later than normal, due in part to some things we’ll begin to discuss come Monday. In the meantime let’s look back at the week that was here along our shared path.
If you were with us throughout the week, you may have noticed a pattern. As today’s headline suggests our conversations were all based around words that began with the letter “R”.
Monday we began by talking about “Reemerging”.
Sometimes we can find ourselves in periods of hibernation. While I didn’t think I needed the rest, the cycles of life proved to me just how necessary it was.
I had to admit this has been where I had been residing for the last few weeks. At times I felt like I was in a tomb, now on this edition of “Becoming Today”, we’ll explore how I got out.
Isn’t it ironic that you are asked to be the strongest when you feel the weakest?
That was what I was going through, trying to battle the physical issues to keep up with day to day tasks. As I struggled with my inability to perform I had no choice but to reflect on why I may be going through this. I still really don’t have all the answers and probably never will but certainly I knew what it would take to overcome.
Time. Plus trust.
I needed to slow down on some of the busy work and use this time to reflect upon deeper issues.
I asked myself, why am I trying so hard to do these things? I needed to release my perceived responsibilities and focus on why are you thinking what you think?
I needed to release all that felt toxic or was substandard or of minimal importance in the grand scheme of things. It was an opportunity to fortify my internal world and focus on my inner resilience. For I knew my Faith would again overcome this time of bleakness as it has so many times in the past.
Being caught up in feeling sorry or considering myself worthless at the moment would not help. I had to shift my focus and fight to open my eyes and lift them above.
Prayer would strengthen me and enable me to endure. Abiding by this principle I came to realize that this time was something I needed to undergo. I had to suffer patiently, living through this experience in obedience to remain stable.
As it is written in John 15 verse 7, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you”.
It was in response to my calls for guidance and understanding that everything I believed was hindering me, was actually there as a way of lifting me up, of healing me, of giving me the strength to roll away the stone of this tomb I pictured myself in.
Just as in the story of Lazarus, Jesus would not move the stone, or order an army of Angels to do it. I needed to put my faith into action, show the fortitude of my belief and patiently, persistently, forbearantly move forward in belief.
On Tuesday “Reignition”, brought to light a continued discussion of how I was dealing with my own reemergence.
This week I am sharing some deeply personal lessons. I’ve noted, “isn’t it ironic that you are asked to be the strongest when you feel the weakest?”.
There have been extended periods of time where I was trying to battle physical issues to keep up with day to day tasks. As I struggled with my inability to perform I had no choice but to reflect on why I may be going through this. I still really don’t have all the answers and probably never will but certainly I knew what it would take to overcome.
Time. And trust. I needed to slow down on some of the busy work and use this time to reflect upon deeper issues.
So I did. While it did take much effort and determination for me to steady myself, regain my strength and clear my vision, I reached a point of knowing it was time to reignite!
It involves steadfast effort to begin moving beyond the circumstances of past cycles and sincere commitment to say ‘I am ready to move forward’. Remembering that we should not focus on the challenges, rather our attention and energies need to be directed on faith.
So that is what I am working on steadfastly determined to my own reigniting, again. Yes it is a cyclical process of life.
Let’s agree to accept the explanation of reigniting for our purposes as:
“Actively and accepting the beginning of new energies, lighting our path seeking new life, allowing our passions to suddenly burn again.”
Yes I am ready to become renergized and refocused. I am reclaiming my power, ready to leap forward into the light and radiate brighter than before.
To start “Becoming”, you need to bypass your mind. Detach from those lingering thoughts , worries, and distractions. Find that peaceful place and in solitude to make the decision to take action for yourself.
Make the decision to follow your heart and take action on what you know for yourself, what you want to achieve and the Truth. Just make a decision to listen to your heart and heed your intuition. Your heart is programmed by God. Your mind by other people. Choose love and the path revealed will lead you to your true purpose, your destiny, the life you were intended to live.
The power to do it. The power to achieve it all is within.
Listen to it.
Follow it
Expect it.
Grow with it, then you are “Becoming”.
On Wednesday we continued with, “Don’t Ignore The Signs”. Yes I hear some of you already, wait there is no “R” word there. Ah, but it is our continuation of our ongoing odyssey to conduct a rescue mission for wisdom, so it’s important to not only read, but also pay attention to and obey the signs. Just like some you may encounter along the road, not doing so can affect our travels..
A few examples include, “Rocks Falling”, “Deer Crossing”, “Slippery When Wet” or even “It’ll Do Road”.
While not a discussion of traffic regulations, in a sense we are undertaking a study of some of the rules of the road. At least the ones that govern our shared path here on “Becoming Today”.
In our study of Proverbs 27, the opening line was a good reminder for me:
“Never brag about the plans you have for tomorrow, for you don’t have a clue what tomorrow may bring to you.”
Or for that matter if tomorrow will come for you. Each day is a gift full of amazing possibilities so we should greet each one with gratitude. Also we should accept the responsibility for not wasting this resource. As free willed co-creators it’s up to us to make the most of each day we are granted.
Remember tomorrow is not promised, so while planning to make the most of it is not a bad idea, however make sure you live this day to the fullest, seeking your highest potential and focusing on making things always be “Becoming” not only for yourself but also for everyone you encounter and / or impact.
Then in verse 12, we read,
“A wise, shrewd person discerns the danger ahead and prepares himself, but the naïve simpleton never looks ahead and suffers the consequences.”
The level of our commitments is important. Being vigilant to empowering ourselves and beliefs produces momentum that should always be forward and upward.
I take my commitments very seriously and even more so when it’s elevated to the level of a covenant. I’ll explain the differences in a moment, but first let’s talk about why commitments are so important to our shared path of Always Being Becoming.
Extensive and thorough goal setting, as I’ve previously shared, has been an important step for our household. Holding ourselves to some strict Standards and Practices, we in my household have set regular dates for goal review.
We committed to doing so because we wanted to be among the exceptions. Striving some might say to be part of a minority. When we examine the research into goal setting and New Year’s Resolutions, we learn that only half of all adults in the U.S. actively resolve to make the considerations. Of that half, only 10% will see it to fruition and 80% of those who do not, deem themselves a failure by just the second week in February.
That is why we have incorporated strict accountability measures into our plans for “Becoming”.
You can not initiate a change in your circumstances or affect yourself positively without remaining strongly committed to the ideas and whys. What you want or need to improve and why it is not only necessary, but makes you feel so “Becoming” about it.
Next up on Thursday it was a day of “Renewing”.
I am declaring this month of October will be a month of Renewal. Yes I said declaring it, and boldly so, because it is something that not only am I feeling strongly led to for myself, but as I look around we have such a need for it.
Starting this step along our shared journey with the wisdom of hindsight, we are able to clearly see what did and didn’t work for us in the past. What we need to fully release. What we truly cherish, and desire to recreate in beauty.
I believe this was destined to be a week of change. Right on schedule, changes will take hold and are prompting many of us to shift our focus forward and upward.
Looking at some of the traditional concepts associated with Renewal, it has generally been accepted as the start of something new, a time of new beginnings, a period of progress, the blossoming of new things, birth, growth and creating new life. All very “Becoming” aspects.
Other interpretations of Renewal include it being a time of :
These are all types of new beginnings like the ones we may envision for ourselves.
As we accept the challenges of being renewed, we are preparing ourselves for a time of awakening, blossoming and reemerging.
Yesterday our discussion was called “R” Words. We took a look at several concepts that all began with the letter R. All in some way having to do with becoming renewed.
So let’s consider the origins of the word renewed.
In Scripture the basis for this word comes from the Greek “ananeoo”. Which is defined as “to be renovated by an inward reformation”. Therefore we can accept that renewing is an ongoing process through which a transition from one state of mind, attitude or belief to another takes place.It is a rebirth in the sense that there is a shedding of the old and putting on the new.
This can take place on all four levels.
An essential part of “Becoming”, these four aspects of life, are something for years I’ve referred to as P.I.E.S. That’s when you reconnect with the fact that the Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Spiritual aspects of our lives are all reborn within the same realm.
When you are addressing all four aspects of life, the circle remains unbroken, the wheel of life keeps spinning, you continue to move, if not then suddenly one area deflates and like a flat tire you find yourself temporarily stranded on the side of the path, However, this too can be corrected,with Fix-A -Flat, the tire changed or someone comes to rescue you.
Take a moment now to reconsider where you see yourself. Contemplate who you really are and what you truly want to achieve. Be painfully honest with yourself.
Do you need to reconcile something? Are you in need of a reconciliation with someone, or an idea, thought, belief? Examine why this rebirth is vital to your “Becoming”.
I pray you have a relaxing, robust, refreshing, renewing few days of reemergence. Enjoy your weekend and then we invite you, come Monday to join us again for our next edition of “Becoming Today”.
Becoming Today with Rochelle Jeanette 