Easier Said Than Done

One of my prayers has always been for me to be shown my blind spots. As wonderful as that sounds, that’s one of those prayers in line with asking for patience, the prayer sounds way easier than the reality.  Sooo yea I pray this prayer and then God lets me hear my thoughts. And contrary to my belief they were not that great. My optimism about life was not translating to my optimism about myself. 2020 was way harder on my psyche than I completely understood. I’ve always been sorta kinda hard on myself, so I have been working on giving myself a lot more grace. But in learning to give me grace there was this little annoying thing called my thoughts.

Blouse and Pants: Amazon The Drop @karenbritchick

Heels: Chinese Laundry via @thedrakecloset

Purse: Zara Headband: H&M

My most recent experiences had wreaked havoc on my ability to dream big and to believe in my purpose without reserve. I wasn’t giving myself enough hand claps, enough I am proud of you, enough good job Cree, enough you can do this Cree, etc. It was more like, are you doing enough, can you really do this, are you enough? The answer to those questions is yes by the way. But I had to start reaffirming those answers to myself. Because I was being so hard on myself, I began to question my own worthiness. If this sounds like you at all, don’t worry I am here to let you know that you are not alone. A work in progress over here. The operative word being progress. I know there are going to be days ahead where I feel more sassy and ready and days when I need a little push. And you know what that’s okay because it makes me human and it makes God the man. In my weakness, He is made strong.

I also had to think about the things that I allow into my thoughts. The music I listen to, what I watch, what I take in on social media. Whether we want to admit it or not these things matter. I know we like to think that we are strong enough all the time to filter out the negative, but we are all vulnerable at some point and to some level. No one is above our propensity to become what we surround ourselves with.  Monitoring the environment I create is important.

I am learning every day how to be a better me to me. It takes time, effort, and intentionality. If you know how to be kind to yourself then it translates to others. Your first Guinea pig should always be yourself. I am dedicated to doing the work that it takes to grow but also being kind to myself in the process. I believe that having that balance will keep me mentally and emotionally healthy.

With Love,

Cree

What it Takes to Become

The New Year is upon us…

I was going through some of the files in my computer and I happened upon a poem I wrote in the early stages of my blogging. I thought it fit perfectly in this season of my life. Because we never stop becoming.

Robe: Thrift

Crop Top: Nasty Gal

Shorts and Slippers: Forever21

Can you see her? She expresses herself in the cadence of my voice and in the far reaches of my thoughts. Can you feel her? She makes herself known in the reach of my arms, the length of my legs and the years of wear on my skin. Can you hear her? She calls in the night forcing me to sit upright, not allowing me to wallow in self pity. Calling for my highest self to come forth. The angst of knowing there is something greater. Can you taste her? The bitter sweet that fills my tongue. I don't know whether to reject it or swallow it down like honey. It tastes so familiar and yet so foreign. Can you smell her? Her sweet perfume that permeates the room. Ha it's almost nauseating as it overwhelms me. I can't almost stand to breath but if I hold my breathe I might miss something. There is a distinctness to her scent, I know it...

Who is she? She is beauty. The best and the worst of me, the good, the bad, and the ugly. The inner depths of my soul, the stirrings of my spirit. The higher calling to be. I can't escape her, I try but she's never far behind. Tugging at my heart, interrupting my thoughts, telling me there is more. She's there when I lay down to sleep and she stares at me until I wake up the next day. She's so pesky, why won't she go away. She's like a fly buzzing around my head, I swat and she dodges me. What does she want from me? She wants my surrender, I know the moment that I give in to her that my life will change, that the scales of untruth and lies will fall from me like dead skin. Yet why am I so afraid of my own truth, to stare her down and own her, to wear her like a pretty dress and show her off. Because if I reveal her I can't take her back,I can't put her back in the closet. Once the seal is broken and I let her loose, my neatly packaged lie will fall apart. I won't be able to hide her anymore, yet hiding hurts, it stifles, it makes it hard to breath. But it's comfortable, it replicates safety, and nobody has to know right?  But I know and it eats away at me and she just won't leave me alone. I open my eyes and she's back, I give her my hand and I say yes.

With Love,

Cree

Book Review: Faith Future Forward by Chad Veach

“Faith Forward Future” was an unexpected surprise and blessing to me. Chad Veach came to preach at my church a few Sundays ago and I was led to purchase his book. His preaching was so inspirational that I wanted to hear more of what he had to say.

I will admit that when I first started reading this book, I thought that there was not much else that I could learn or grasp about faith, but I was interested in reading it anyway. My faith is tight right. But this book unlocked another dimension of faith for me and helped me to go that much deeper and I am so grateful. Who knew that in the midst of reading this book, I would need its words to carry me through some tough life moments.  If anyone knows me, they know that I am passionate about God and my journey of purpose and I want so much to live out God’s plan for my life. But there are times when God’s plan gets a little hazy and I needed a reminder of who He is and what great faith looks like.

This book did that for me, it was an awesome reminder. Chad Veach has an uncanny way of disarming you with his humor and realness in this book.  He’s very transparent, human and relatable. There’s no sense of I’m the Pastor that has it all together and you need to listen. It’s more like I am just like you and this is what God has done for me, this is what God’s word says and therefore this is what He can do for you. He teaches you practical ways to live a life of faith, from receiving God’s grace, overcoming failures and pushing forward. This book is not theoretical, I learned the touch, feel and smell of faith. I learned real ways that I could move forward in my walk.

I don’t want to spill all the beans so to sum it all up, I literally carve out moments in my day just so I could get to this book because it spoke to me tremendously. I was excited about what I would read next. God knew exactly what I would need, so he sent me this book. If you’re reading this I believe God is sending it to you as well. I promise reading this book will put a skip in your step as you walk out faith.

Thank me later!!

With Love,

Cree

Book Review: SOAR by Bishop T.D. Jakes

                If you’re looking for your typical spiritual guide then this book will not be for you. For those who are thinking about starting their own business then this book will definitely provide some much needed insight. I will admit that I wasn’t prepared for all this book had to offer and it took a little while to get into it, but once I did I realized what a powerful resource this book is.

                The first step is to really get yourself into a business state of mind. You can’t approach this book thinking that it is going to be a simple read through.  It is an unexpected jolt of reality. It is a truth serum that dispels myths about being an entrepreneur, while also providing intricate tips for how to make your business SOAR. It is a book straight from his heart. It is obvious in the details that this is something that he cares deeply about. I believe that an area that the church has fallen short in in the past is teaching its patrons how to live in the world and make the most of it. I believe that we are placed on this earth to live out a purpose and this book helps the reader to sort that out. We can live in the world without being lost in it. It is important to understand the imprint that we are supposed to leave.

                This book is a resource that you will have to return to over and over again just to make sure you get it all.  And to also keep reaching back into the deep well of wisdom and knowledge that Bishop Jakes provides. If you are really seeking purpose outside of the normal course of business, then you don’t want to put this book back on the shelf. A few years ago I decided to go back to school to get my MBA. I took an entrepreneurship course and this book is right in line with the things I learned. I’m not suggesting to anyone to go out and get a degree but I am suggesting if you want really good business advice choose this book. I actually would have loved this book to be a part of our text when I was in school. Because you can’t just read this book, you have to study it. And don’t worry Bishop Jakes is gifted in intertwining the spiritual with the practical. So God is definitely a part of the details of his writing.

If you are ready for something that will change how you do life and business, choose SOAR. This book will give you the wings you need to fly in every endeavor, thank me later!!

With Love,

Cree

How to Maintain Your Happy Place from a Christian Perspective

1.       Start each morning with prayer -- This is essential to your day. Aligning your life with God before you began your day is the way you keep winning. I take this time very seriously and I feel that it is my privilege to be able to go before Him and request His guidance for the day ahead. You cannot loose when you prioritize Him and make Him first even as you start your day.

2.       Read the Bible-- It is important to make time to do numbers 1 and 2, preferably in the morning. I make time in my daily schedule to do both so I am not rushed and I can actually take time to meditate on the word and sit in God’s presence. If we can find the time to get other things done we can make sure we are prioritizing the One that makes it all happen.

3.       Don’t allow negative thoughts to persist-- When you feel yourself slowly falling into the pity party, snap out of it. In order to be successful at this you have to be really self-aware. The Bible tells us to guard our hearts, and that also means from our own negative thoughts as well. It is important to pay attention to the thoughts you are having and exercise self-control. When negative thoughts persist remind yourself of who God is and who you are in Him. That is why it is so essential to read the Bible because without the knowledge of who God is, it’s hard to defeat negative thoughts with a mind towards Christ.

4.       Focus on all the ways you are blessed/Be Grateful-- This flows from number 3. When I start feeling myself getting negative I start counting my blessings.  And soon I began to realize that my situation is not as bad as I’m making it out to be. I am also reminded that God has it handled and He always comes through. There has never been a time in my life when I called on God and He has let me down.

5.       Let go-- This is a reminder that we are not in control and we have to allow God to fight our battles. Some situations are beyond our human capabilities for a reason, to show that God has the ultimate say. God wants to demonstrate His power and goodness in and through our lives, allowing ourselves to be surrendered to Him makes this possible.

Thank me later!

With Love,

Cree

Discipline: My Key to Life

Photo by: Savannah Avril Photography

If I had a super power it would be discipline. I am truly giving away the secret to my strength. I have learned the secret to getting things done in life. My definition of discipline is doing what needs to be done even when you don’t feel like it. I have made this such a habit that it has mostly become my default setting. I say mostly because I do have my lazy days, but I’m usually able to whip myself into shape rather quickly. This is my advice and I know you didn’t ask for it, but I’m giving it anyway. Thank me later!

What do I think it takes to live a disciplined lifestyle? It’s all about your perspective. First, you have to embrace the fact that a lot of life is made up of things we would prefer not to do. Dump the pity party and get over yourself, because those things are not going away. The crust of this portion of my advice is basically getting over you and the sense of entitlement that we sometimes have. Life is no respecter of person, what you give out is what you get in return. So when you are willing to tough it out and get things done life will reward you. I say this to myself a lot, why make life harder than it already is, so don’t add to the confusion. I believe discipline helps all of us to lessen the confusion and dysfunction of everyday life.

The second portion of my advice piggy backs off of the first and that is simply to get over your feelings. Stay out of your feelings girl. Feelings often point us in a certain direction and it is up to us to discern the deeper meaning behind what we feel at any given time. Once we uncover what is the cause of those feelings we can move forward in a meaningful way.  This detracts us from getting stuck in a place and not getting things done. For example, if I happen to feel sad and I know it’s getting in the way of the things needs I need to do. I take the time to get in touch with that feeling so that I can understand its meaning and move on. Being stuck in a sad place, sucks away time and energy. Feeling happy can also become a distraction as well. I love being happy and it tends to make me want to go off and do a bunch of fun stuff instead of focusing. Same things applies, acknowledge your happy place, but let it motivate you to accomplish goals instead of only having fun.

My goal for this blog is to share my journey but also encourage you to live your best life. We often mistake living that best life with a lack of the downs of life.  But weathering the downs make life interesting and help us to grow. Discipline is my way of tempering those downs. Because the more you get accomplished the more those accomplishments push you forward and thwart feelings of helplessness and discouragement. I implore you to adopt a strategy in your life to become more disciplined, you won’t be disappointed in the results. Stay on the up and up my good people!

With Love,

Cree

Book Review: The Hollywood Commandments, A Spiritual Guide to Secular Success by Devon Franklin

If you are familiar with Devon Franklin you know that he is inspiration on steroids. He is the actualization of motivation and his third book “The Hollywood Commandments, A Spiritual Guide to Secular Success,” does not disappoint. If you need that extra push to go after your dreams this is definitely the book for you. If you want to remain safe then skip this one.

It is really the type of book that gets under your skin. Once you are immersed in it, it grabs you and forces you to ask important questions about yourself, your journey and your life. If you are a church girl like me. You understand all too well how complicated it can be to merge and balance faith with “real life,” this book is the answer. It meshes together the spiritual and the practical in a way that is easy to understand and to apply. The Hollywood Commandments is not about theory, it’s about real life application. It’s about how to get what’s inside of you out and all for the glory of God in the end.

What I especially love about Devon Franklin’s writing is he’s very transparent about his life. It makes you feel like you are not alone, like if he could do it based on the circumstances he has faced then so can I. I really appreciate that he always comes off as human. Therefore, reading his book is like this one on one exchange from one human to another, encouraging each of us to win. It helps the reader to understand that there are no favorites when it comes to success. We all have the potential to be winners, and it is up to us to take the necessary steps.

I’m not going to give anything away because the reading of this book is an individual experience.  So, if you are ready to be nudged in the right direction, I implore you to read this book.

Thank me later!!

With Love,

Cree

I'm Not Okay

This is going to confirm my nerd status, but there is a line in one of the Harry Potter movies “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” that really struck a cord with me. Harry had hurt his arm in a Quiditch match and he was asked if he was okay. And his response was, “No, I think my arm is broken.” And it made me think about what most of us would have said. Or more intimately what I would have said, which would have been, yes, but my arm is broken. I hope you see the difference in those statements. But let me clarify what I mean.

Why are we so afraid to admit that we are not okay?  Harry was right, having a broken arm is not okay. But why are we so willing to pretend that all is well, instead of being vulnerable and allowing ourselves to be helped? By first saying yes we build a wall that doesn’t allow us the access to the aide that we need. If I say I am fine, then my injury doesn’t get the care it deserves because the assumption is that it’s not so bad. Doing it for the gram is leaving people empty and hurting.  Because sometimes it is that bad.

Please understand that I am preaching to myself as well. A small caveat: this is not to say we should give everyone access to our vulnerabilities. But I am saying that we shouldn’t build walls so high that no one has the ability to give us the help that we need. We definitely need to get to a place where we are comfortable with our vulnerabilities and we’re in relationship with people that will protect them. I am not an expert in this area because I have held my emotions close for a long time. But I realize that that is not the healthiest route to take. So I vow that the next time I’m having a moment and someone asks me how I am, I’m going to speak my truth and come from a place of honesty. And I think you should too. Let’s all make a commitment to ourselves to grow in this area of our lives. Even though society says we have to have it all together all the time, let’s dispel that lie. And let’s create safe places so that we can all be great!

With Love,

Cree

Use What You Have Where You Are

It took a lot for me to start this blog. Why you might ask? Because I thought I had to have it all together. And by having it all together meant it all had to be close to perfect. But what I learned really quickly is that perfect doesn’t exist. We can do things in excellence without life being perfect. It is okay to start where you are with what you have. The most important element to any endeavor is you.

I truly believe that once you start putting one foot in front of the other everything will fall into its rightful place. Waiting for that one moment to come when your perfect opportunity and perfect life will fall from the sky is an illusion. Things will only fall into place when you take what you have and apply it. Comparing your journey and gifts to someone else won’t help either. This journey God specifically tailored just for you and you have to take that knowledge and run with it.

Life is definitely what you make it and don’t be afraid to make it beautiful. Most of the time we hide behind trying to make things perfect because of fear. It gives us an excuse to back out and avoid failure. But when we refuse to take risks, we refuse ourselves the real opportunities. And those opportunities are to grow, stretch and become our purpose. There is nothing comfortable about stepping out of what we feel is safe, but in it there is true freedom.

So here I am giving you a taste of my freedom through this blog. Trust me I have no clue how this thing is going to turn out or what it will turn into. But my hope and vision is that it inspires you to do that uncomfortable thing, that uneasy thing that will bring you to your place of freedom.

Photos by: Savannah Avril Photography

With Love,

Cree