Monday Morning Inspiration
Good Morning My Beautiful Link Sisters
I hope your day and your week are off to an amazing start. As always, I am writing with all of us in mind. It’s a little lengthy but I hope it resonates with you.
Who do you see when you look at yourself? Is it the little girl from your past, the teenager from those awkward years, the maturing young lady, or the accomplished woman that you turned out to be?
Friends, I thought about this a few weeks ago and made note of it so that I would not forget it. As I was thinking and praying about what we could all relate to today, my immediate thought was “it’s time to ask the question. Who do you see when you look at yourself?”
Today, I can answer this question in a more positive way than I could have several years ago. Actually, I am pretty proud of the me that I see and I believe if my parents were here, they would be pleased. My mom would say, “I tried to raise her right and I am proud of the woman that she turned out to be.” At least in my mind, that is what she would say.
I thought this would be a great exercise for us and moving forward I can actually see our chapter leading this very discussion with young ladies and other women. I say this because there are many who are in environments that are not conducive to positive affirmations or they lack opportunities to really grow and succeed. It really depends upon the conversations that you are engaged in or are exposed to as you grow. It depends upon your parents and your role models. At some point in our lives, there is generally someone that we would like to emulate. There is someone that we considered a role model because of their profession, how they dressed, how they spoke, or even where they lived. It could have been our parents or someone else in the community.
My friends, who do you see when you look at yourself? Is it the little girl from your past, the teenager from those awkward years, the maturing young lady, or the accomplished woman that you turned out to be? For me, it depends upon when I am looking and what’s going on in my life at the time. I have to say that I am proud of the woman that I am. I am proud of my growth, my education, my experiences. I wouldn’t be who I am without the sum of them all. However, I have had moments when I saw the little girl who lacked self-esteem, the little girl who didn’t think she was pretty. I saw the little girl who was the middle child and had a serious case of the middle child syndrome.
No matter who we see, it is us just at different stages of life. I am so glad that we are the sum of all of the stages because it’s all of those stages that make us who we are today. Because of life’s stages, we are better equipped to assist others and to serve as great role models. We are here for a reason. It is not by chance. It is God-ordained.
My Link Sisters, who do you see today? Different stages or the sum of them all?
Today’s Prayer: God, we thank you for this day. Thank you for allowing us to wake up this morning and be available to you. Thank you for the lessons that you have allowed us to learn through the years so that we can serve others so that we can be role models for others. God, please continue to equip us with all that we need to be your hands and feet in our communities. Lord, you know what we have all been through; the good and the bad. You knew how we would be able to use all of our experiences to assist others. So, Lord, we welcome you and all that you have us to do individually and collectively. Continue to walk with us each and every day, every step of the way, so that we will see ourselves as the role models you intend for us to be. Help us to serve as you see fit. Help us to miss no one that you have assigned us to assist. Help us to see ourselves as you have created us to be. In your son Jesus’ name, Amen.
Today’s Scripture: 4 The word of the Lord came to me saying. 5 Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to nations. 6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young. 7 But the Lord said to me. “Do not say, “I am too young.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. 9 Then the Lord reached out his and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” 11The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. 12The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”
Enjoy Use Me performed by Motor City Mass Choir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoLPkBx-PRk Motor City Mass Choir – Use Me ****Follow me on Telegram @ t.me/GatheringTheFragments **** From Album: \”Shout in the House (Urban Praise Worship)\” Artist: Motor City Mass Choir Song Title: Use Me Label: Hosanna! Music Year: 1997 www.youtube.com
Enjoy “Others” performed by Israel Houghton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pCtTTXGYbQ&list=RD_pCtTTXGYbQ&start_radio=1 Israel Houghton – “Others” Lyric Video – YouTube Lyric Video for Israel Houghton’s “Others” from the “Love God, Love People” album..I put this together for the ’40 Days of Love’ campaign we are running at T… www.youtube.com
Have an amazing week my Link Sisters, my Friends. It is really a pleasure to serve you all and to serve with you.
Link Stephanie Chaplain