TRINKETS TO TRIUMPH

Tracey

GEORGE

Prepared to Propel

Happy New Year blessings! This year, get prepared to propel in your purpose. January 1 marks the day that you can level up, wipe your slate clean, start fresh, and position yourself to propel and prosper in all that you set out to do. It’s the perfect day to ask God to create in you a clean heart (Psalm 51:10) and order your steps (Psalm 119:133) to propel in His promises and the purpose for your life. Get prepared to propel in the perfect peace God has for you. Get ready to take on the full benefits of His provision and rest assured He will protect you along the way. It is time to say, “peace out” to the past, a time to get positioned to prepare yourself in this moment and look forward to a phenomenal future that is ordained by God. Prepare to propel and say, “peace out” to the past. You can forget all of things that are behind and press forward in the goals God has for you (Philippians 3:13-14). You wrote your vision for this New Year (Habakkuk 2:2) and now it is time to propel in the power of the Lord and watch how triumphantly your vision will line up with your purpose and victoriously manifest. Panic may try to set in when it is time for you to propel but press forth anyway. Free yourself from fear and know that God is with you every step of the way as you pursue your purpose and plan for your life. Be mindful that it is God’s power that partners up with you that pushes you to propel. It’s time to press, push, and propel in Jesus’s name. Prepare to propel but also position yourself to be present in the moment and content in the state that you are in (Philippians 4:11-13). When you are faithful over the things you presently have, God loves to give you more (Matthew 25:23). The Apostle Paul told Timothy to stir up the gifts that are in you (2 Timothy 1:6) and you may have to tell yourself that too. You can have a mirror moment and encourage yourself in the Lord. Decree, declare, pronounce, and proclaim God’s blessing over your own life. Even if you have to call those things that are not as though they are (Romans 4:17), you can keep saying it until you see it. Prepare to propel and look forward to the future. Singing a song can set you up to soar and propel towards your purpose. Music can move and motivate you to achieve those things that you were called to do. A song can set you off on a mission to fulfill all of your goals and purpose. Sing the song, Spring Up Oh Well, by Phil Wickham: “Spring up oh well within my soul. Spring up oh well and make me whole. Spring up oh well and give to me that life abundantly”, and watch what happens. An abundant life will appear. Be about that life. The life that looks within and uses the dunamis power of the Holy Ghost to spring up out of you to help you propel in your purpose, prosper in all you do, and position you to live a life that reflects the blessings of the Lord. Prepare to propel and peep out the tangible blessings that results from you arising, in the power of Jesus Christ, to pursue your purpose. Passionately prepare to propel in your purpose and watch God perfectly plant you on a path that leads to a prosperous life. Praise Him in advance because you will possess it once you are prepared to propel. When you prepare to propel, God will produce!

Dr. Carla

DEBNAM

Dr. Carla Debnam, Founder, Renaissance Christian Counseling Center

Taking Care of Yourself

We have all been encouraged to take care of ourselves especially the past few years as stress and anxiety has taken its toll. The term self-care has taken on a life of its own with so many options of making sure we are good. Not that we have been putting ourselves on the back burner but the need to take care of ourselves has taken on a new meaning. Our parents and grandparents modeled the work ethic but did not model for us the need to rest, recuperate and rejuvenate ourselves. We often saw them unwind with social groups, church attendance and community service but never on a more personalized level.

This lack of role models in some ways has become detrimental to our mental, physical and emotional health. We live to please others more than we live to please ourselves or God. Some of us have been neglectful to the point where we have failed to keep up with regular health screening, vaccines or other preventative methods of care. On the other end are those who have become selfindulgent to the point that they block out anything or anyone which sometimes affects their relationships.

The key to healthy self-care is to find what works for you alone and with others. We are called to be in community so being with others is beneficial. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us that, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” (NIV) We are also encouraged to spend time alone meditating on the word of God, in prayer and in silence. These spiritual disciplines are self-care for the soul. Part of self-care is reminding yourself of all you have already accomplished. Begin this month with a gratitude list. You can begin by thinking of the successes you had last year like exercising more, eating healthy, making up your bed or keeping up with your chores. Your list does not have to be deep, or work related. Then add to your list any ways you were able to help others. Starting the year with gratitude and encouragement is good for your mental and emotional health. Being thankful and helpful is something we can all add to our list of things to do! Overall, taking care of yourself blesses you and everyone connected to you. You will be your best self and be able to give to others out of your overflow and not when you are depleted and exhausted. Taking care of yourself is the best gift you can give not only to others but to God.

Dr. Carla Debnam, Founder, Renaissance Christian Counseling Center