Uncertainty & Anxiety

Holy Spirit, I invite into this space as I write on dealing with uncertainty. The root of this question is how do I deal with fear of the unknown and the anxiety that comes with it. That is not a question to brush over with a “pray about it” or “this too shall pass” response. This question requires practical advice about managing fears and inviting your Holy Spirit to dwell in us as we cling onto hope.

This topic hits my spirit in a new way because this year I have battled a level of anxiety I have never experienced before in my life. The pressure of this year has led me to moments of crippling anxiety to the level of where my hands would shake, where I could barely breathe, where tears would just roll down my face throughout the day…yes, some days had the best of me but I also experienced moments of divine peace when I turned to Jesus. Then it all started again…you might connect with this in some way so I will start with my first practical tip: have grace for yourself.

You might not realize it, but you are likely breaking generational curses and obliterating strongholds that will impact your children’s children. Your fight is not your own, it is a fight for a legacy that Satan is threatened by. Through Gods grace you have VICTORY stamped over your life because of the sacrifice Jesus made. If you catch yourself being the main character of your story, it is time for a reset. Invite God in to be the author of your story for he is is the author & finisher of faith which means that when he starts a work in you – he won’t leave you. You may have given this to God in the past, but today is a new day to surrender again. The good news, God is thrilled when you give him your weakness and brokenness…he is eager to step in to reveal his strength so that his name may be glorified and you…you get to rest in his peace.

With that, let’s dive into some practical steps on how to deal with fear of the unknown.

  1. Share your fears with Jesus. Instead of suppressing uncomfortable emotions, surrender them to the Prince of Peace. Tell God what you are scared of and why…he desires to have that intimacy with you. He desires to comfort you and bless you.
  2. Speak Life Every Morning. Start your day by declaring the goodness of God. You may have a hard time believing your own pep talk so I advise you do something even more effective which is to lean on the promises of God (which are a solid foundation). Start your day with a holy pep talk.
    • – I declare victory over my situation.
    • – I rebuke the lies of Satan over my life, God has victory over my life and THIS day.
    • – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. When I am weak, I ask Holy Spirit to step in to help.
    • – If God called me to it, he will bring me through it. I don’t always know how, but I know God is faithful.
  3. Ask for Help. One of the most helpful pieces of advice I have heard and share with others when they are facing a low season is to ask for help from the Holy Spirit. Simply say “Holy Spirit Help” and be broken before God but don’t hold onto your brokenness, offer it to God as your sacrifice and surrender. Ask the Holy Spirit to replace your brokenness with truth, love and light. God loves you so dearly and it hurts his heart to see you in pain. He wants to wrap his arms around you to comfort you. His way of doing this is sending the Holy Spirit to be our comforter.
  4. Ask for Help. Yes, again. This time I recommend to lean on a trusted family member or friend. We are created for community and as Proverbs states (27:17) “irons sharpens iron…” so lean on friends in faith to help step in the gap with prayer, encouragement or sometimes simply and ear to listen. As believers, we sometimes struggle with this because we believe the lie that if we were “good christians” we would be able to handle it/pray through it/believe through it…but the truth is: we all have winter seasons. This does not make you a “bad christian” it simply confirms that you are a human living on this earth.
  5. Surrender. The truth is, we only have an illusion of control in our life. When there is an extreme situation we think “I have lost control” but the fact is we never had it in the first place. God is the sovereign God who is on his throne and is in control. In our suffering, God builds endurance which builds character, which gives us hope that will not disappoint us (Romans 5:3-5). There is a sequence of order: suffering>endurance>character>hope. Although I am not at Paul level with feeling glad in my suffering, I am learning to have peace which confirms that a work is being done within me and I know there is a work being done in you too.
  6. Repeat. This is the part that is critical when you’re in a season of batting anxiety, you have to repeat and reset your faith daily (and sometimes moment by moment). Some days will be better than others but the key is to stay in the race set before you. You are loved. You do have purpose. You are uniquely you and no one can take your place. You are worth fighting for.

I hope these tools can encourage you in this day. No matter what you are going through, God is on your side. Remember to have grace for yourself for Jesus looks at you with eyes of love, forgiveness and compassion. God will use this season for good – whether it means you eventually helping someone else through their season of darkness, building endurance in you, increasing your level of compassion…so many ways that it can be used for good. So remember that we serve a good God who is faithful even in the messy middle and he adores that the gets to be on this journey with you.

Be blessed and lean on our helper & comforter, Holy Spirit. You will make it through this.

You have to FAIL to FLY

If you want to grow, you have to be willing to learn along the way. The tough part about this is that learning means “failing” and trying again. This requires a lot of humility. Not many are brave enough to do this. It takes a lot of courage, resilience, grit and passion.

As a child, you get credit for “how quickly you can learn” which inspires kids to keep trying (failing and learning) and growing!!! As an adult, that narrative changes and we only want to be good at things because that is when we get praise. Oh it is so tempting to only get praise!

When it comes to creating your dream life, you will have to do things you’ve never done to get to places you’ve never been. So if you are dreaming of something BIGGER, it is time to take action. This is the part that is less talked about because you experience intense growing pains. Yes, parts will be painful – but in the end, it will be beautiful because Romans 8:28 says “all things work together for good to those who love God”

Now, this blog is for my sisters in Christ so I do have to share the secret sauce: Ask the Holy Spirit for help. There will be times of uncertainty and you have to have the humility to understand you are only one person, you will never know everything – BUT, you have a resource who does.

Scriptures to lean on:

  • Phil. 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
  • Matt. 7:7 “Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find”
  • Prov. 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom”
  • 2 Corin 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”

I hope these scriptures can be your armor as you step out in faith!

Tips to SLAY your Interview 

When it comes to job interviews, we dread them. Typically nerves spike up and we struggle to present the best version of ourselves. The goal with Young Woman, Rise is to empower all women to find purpose in their work. If that means you need to change jobs, so be it. I applaud you for being bold and stepping out into a new season instead of staying where you are just to complain about the same issues over and over again. Sorry if I just called you out but we are keeping it 100 here.

If you are a woman who is ready to live a life of faith, not fear – keep reading so you can slay your upcoming interview. During an interview, you are competing against other candidates so you must put your best foot forward. Here are the four principles to follow that will help you ace your interview: 

  1. Prepare. Yes, it is simple but it is an absolute must. At the basic level you should be able to recite who the CEO is, when the company started, what services/products they offer & why you are aligned with the company. To level up in this area, truly study their website and memorize as many facts as you can. This will blow your interviewer away! The next step is focusing on your experience and how to best share your experiences. I recommend researching common interview questions and practicing your responses out loud. A common mistake is thinking “well, i’ve been through it so ill be able to share on the fly” but what happens is you tend to ramble, go in circles or not make a clear point. With every story you share, there needs to be an intention for why you are sharing and you should be able to articulate it in a clear way. The last part is to prepare quality questions for your interviewer – you should NEVER say “I have no questions”…I recommend that you prepare a minimum of three questions.
  2. Personal Appearance. First impressions matter! The truth is, on some level we do judge books by their covers. Remember to stick to neutral tones, consider a blazer, and if you’re wearing a dress/skirts – keep them at a professional length. When it comes to hair and makeup, these days there is flexibility but the tried and true method is a sleek ponytail or bun along with a natural makeup look. That said, don’t forget the implicit elements such as keeping a good posture, smiling, making direct eye contact, having a firm handshake and not fidgeting when you’re seated. Even if you are in the waiting room, all these should apply. 
  3. Be Early. Forget “be on time” – no, be early for your interview! Not only does this show excellent time management but depending on how early you get there, I recommend going through some practice questions to ensure answers are clear in your head. 
  4. Be Present. Once the interview begins, it is time to connect with your interviewer. Ask simple questions to create a connection (Ex. Hi, great to meet you. How has your day been?)  or express gratitude  (ex. Thank you so much for taking time to meet with me. I greatly appreciate it). Then, during the interview make sure to maintain a healthy level of eye contact, sit straight, keep your hands folded (if you’re someone who tends to fidget) or if you are an extrovert, use your hands to your advantage by using hand motions which helps keep your interviewer engaged in what you are sharing. When a question is asked, do not  hesitate to take a moment (and a breath) to collect your thoughts. A PRO TIP is to exhale and say “That is a great question, hmm, let me think about that…” and take the moment to ponder and come back with an articulate response! You have no idea how much this will enhance your interview results and how much I wish I knew this principle in my early interviewing days. 

If you do all of these things, you will be sure to impress your interviewer! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to comment below. 

Additionally, if you feel like you need some practice or coaching with your interview skills, email me at vladlenadufresne@gmail.com to schedule your free 30 min consultation. 

How to get a promotion or pay bump…

Are you ready for a career upgrade? Perhaps a promotion or a pay bump in your current role? It can be tough to know what “the right” way to approach this is. The real answer is there is no one way to do it, but there are some principles that I genuinely believe in that can get the job done. 

Here are FOUR things to consider in your journey: 

  1. Commit to excellence. In your current day-to-day duties, ensure that you are showing up with your 100% effort and dedication. You want to do this before you ask for a promotion and allow your upper management to notice it without any demands. This builds your reputation as a reliable employee and you will be an asset to your company – this can be used as leverage when you are ready for that salary or promotion conversation (if they don’t come to you first). 
  2. Go the extra mile. Is there something that you can do that exceeds your responsibilities? If the answer is no, I would challenge you to think harder about possibilities because I believe there is always a way to find new ways to add value. If you’re not sure, comment below or send me an email. That said, do not come to your boss with just an idea, come with a high-level plan of action. This demonstrates to your employer that they don’t need to do heavy-lifting or question if you should run with it. This allows your employer to be impressed with the idea, the strategy and builds confidence in your ability to execute. Last but not least, get approval and get it done. 
  3. Stay positive. I do not mean you have to smile 24/7 and enjoy all your coworkers but I do recommend that you keep it professional no matter what, leave your opinions at home. If you don’t like a coworker, a new policy, or a manager then it is up to you to find a professional way to handle it. I promise you there is always a way to do it professionally.  If you have a situation at work that you’re unsure how to navigate, comment below or send me an email. 
  4. Communicate. Perhaps you are already crushing it on 1-3, that brings me to the last point: communication. If you are ready for a change then it is up to you to make it known. Yes, it is ideal when your boss just notices and offers the perks but that doesn’t always happen. So take your power back! It is up to you to make it known. Each situation differs but I recommend starting by sending your boss an email requesting a one on one meeting. In this meeting, be prepared to start with gratitude for your role and how you appreciate adding value to the company. Then transition into highlighting your contributions and how you believe you have the skills to qualify for the promotion/pay bump. Pro tip: For best results, outline what you want to share on paper before you go into a meeting.

I hope these tips help you in your situation. If you need help navigating your path, please comment below or send me an email to request a 1:1 and I would be happy to offer a free 30min consultation. My email is vladlenadufresne@gmail.com and I hope to connect with you.

Wishing each of you a successful career that you genuinely enjoy!

Are you ready to quit your day job?

 

A question I get asked often is “how did you know when it was time to quit your job to pursue your passion” and what I typically pick up from this question is “how do I know when it’s time for me?”…which is an amazing question! A question I think many are scared to discuss with their peers, spouse and definitely current employer simply due to the fact that the unknown can be intimidating and it take vulnerability to open up about how you are feeling. 

Rest assured, you are in the right place for a safe & transparent conversation. I will share with you the four things that gave me the conviction to pursue my passion venture. I call it a passion venture because as much as I am passionate about it, it is a business venture first and if you are considering quitting your job – it better be a business venture for you as well.

  1. Relevance: An “Aha Idea” that continued to be relevant to a real problem I was trying to solve. Simply put, the idea does not leave you alone. You keep finding yourself in situations that validate the need for your business. 
  2. Numbers: The idea can be exciting, but you need to evaluate how your business will generate revenue. If you can evaluate the numbers, they will provide an added layer of conviction. If you aren’t sure where to start or feel intimidated, don’t be! You will want to get more advanced later, but for now start with focusing on a simple equation: 
    • Cost of goods/services X how many people you are aiming to serve per month X 12 (months) = Yearly Revenue 
  3. Research: Put together a business plan that identifies what your business is, who you serve, who your competition is, how you will market your new business, what your business expenses are. Pro tip: Focus on one at a time and really try to get clarity on each section. If you’re not sure where to begin – comment below or email me directly.
  4. Personal Conviction: Nothing was exciting me about my “day job” anymore (even though I did genuinely enjoy it for some time). For me, it was not burn out – it was the fact that my business idea was an inner voice that started as a whisper and turned into a yell. I could not ignore it.

If you find yourself in alignment with a few or all of these, I believe you are at a crossroads. Being in this place can be very exciting but also daunting at times. The good news is, I would love to offer you a 30min free consultation to get you started in the right direction. The “bad” news is that you do need to put the work in. Whether that means scheduling a time to chat or setting time aside to tackle point 2 and 3…it requires action on your part. 

I hope these insights help you on your journey and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or comment below! You can email me directly at: vladlenadufresne@gmail.com 

BLOOM Anywhere.

I am sure you have heard the saying “bloom where you’re planted” – and it is a GREAT thought. However, when it comes to reality…it can be really hard to do. I love to use the analogy of a plant and how when it gets enough water, enough light, enough care…it blooms. Now, on the flip side, it could be the sister seed to a plant but if that seed is in poor weather, not getting watered and in a bad environment…it doesn’t grow, it likely withers.

I get emotional thinking about that because I think of children who don’t decide how they grow up, and they get dealt the “poor conditions” card in life, making it a lot more difficult to thrive. This is where the word ADVERSITY really applies because you will in some shape or form face adversity, but the question is “how will you overcome it?”

That is the question I want to focus on and hopefully provide some perspective on. Now, keeping the plant example in mind, I want to evolve into a new scenario – stick with me here. Think about the scenario of siblings who have the same parents, but turn out very differently. Let’s say Kid A is a 4.0 student, has deep relationships with family & friends, volunteers on weekends and works full time and then we have Kid B who fails every class, gets into fights and “cancels” their friendships and quits every job after a few months. Same parents, same family events, for the most part a very similar upbringing…but something is different. What is it?

I believe it is mindset. I believe that more than our physical environment can impact us, our mental environment does even more. This is what I want to dive into because the good news is that regardless if you relate more to Kid A or Kid B, you have the power to decide how you decorate your mindset.

Ah the examples, decorating…lets dive in deeper to further explain this concept. Kid A “mindset room” is decorated with warm tones, photos of fun memories with family & friends and scriptures on the walls that remind them of who GOD made them. They have a trash can in the corner filled with shredded post it notes that read negative things that have been said about them. Kid B “mindset room” is painted with dark tones and filled with posters of pop culture TV shows, Instagram pictures of how others are living their life and framed post it notes of of the negative things that have been said to them/about them and a bottom drawer with a bible in it.

This example paints the picture that Kid A has chosen to live in a “mindset room” that reminds them of who God is, and who God created them to be – regardless of what they experienced in life, what others have said, or even what mistakes they have made in the past. They have made their reality focused on GOOD and goodness flows. Kid B has chosen to live in a “mindset room” that clutters their mind with the world values, comparison and focus on the negatives they have experienced…they have access to the goodness of scriptures, but they don’t open that bottom drawer. They have created their reality as well, but theirs is one that is focused on the things that keep them in a victim mentality (instead of an empowered victorious through Christ mentality), preventing them from experiencing the goodness that life has to offer.

So my question today is, do you need to redecorate your “mindset room”? Do you need to take down those posters? Stop framing Instagram photos of what other people are doing? Throw away those framed negative post-it notes? Instead, you may want to frame your fun photo memories with family & friends and take that bible out from the bottom drawer?

Wherever you are, whatever you’re going through…I hope you truly take a moment to evaluate your current “mindset room” and take inventory of what is serving you and what is holding you back. If I am honest, the past month I have had a few negative post-it notes framed that need to be not just taken down but replaced with scriptures. I hope that whatever negative things you have framed, that you feel empowered through the Holy Spirit to replace them with reminders of God’s promises.

THIS is the key to bloom anywhere, your mindset room.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for this new day. Thank you for your new mercy & grace over my life. Forgive me of my sins, forgive me of focusing on the wrong things and help me to shift my focus back to you. Help me see the goodness of your promises. Help me see the goodness of my relationships. Help me focus on how I can improve in my relationships and my behaviors instead of focusing on those around me. You have the power to change the energy when you walk into the room, I pray you walk into my mindset room and shift the energy – may all the chains that held me back from experiencing the abundant life you’ve promised, be shattered and thrown away. May your spirit take over & empower my mindset room and overflow into my life. Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice. Thank you for saving me, guiding me, helping me, and loving me with the most pure love. Amen.

He is RISEN.

Easter Sunday is one of my favorite days of the year. It is a day to appreciate and reflect on the relentless love, never-ending grace and the abundance of blessings that Jesus sacrificed his life for. This day tends to bring tears because it reminds me of Gods love and blessings…fully undeserved by me, but given freely through Christ.

May you choose that TODAY, you reset your faith in Jesus. If the past year has been turbulent, challenging…and maybe even stolen your peace – I encourage you to call on the name of Jesus and let his resurrection power begin to renew your soul, your mind and your life.

Jesus LIVES for this so it is not about what you deserve or don’t deserve – remember that Jesus is the one who gains the credit and we are simply his fully favored & blessed children.

Easter is a reminder of all that HE has done for us. May we remember and keep that centered in our hearts for the rest of the year.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for the ultimate sacrifice. You gave yourself so that we mat live in freedom. You covered our sins by your blood, you washed us clean. This is not anything we did to earn, but fully given freely by you because you are the living example of LOVE. Love is beautiful & love is sacrifice. You are not just a version of truth..you say I AM the way, the truth and the life. It is only in you and through you that we know the Father. Jesus I ask in your name, please stay in our hearts and remind us that you are always there for us and that your gift was free to us. May we learn how to RECEIVE this gift with hearts full of gratitude, love and forgiveness…yes. May your love inspire us to love those around us with more mercy & grace. Amen.

First Interview – ROGO

I had the opportunity to share my journey as a founder of a startup on Conversations About Conversations with Ivan Farber. We discussed the idea, the name, investor conversations & the importance of positive self-talk. Tune in and leave some love (comment/like/share). Thank you!

Grace for Yourself.

Life feels like a stage sometimes, at least I feel that way lately. Leaving a secure job to step out into the unknown on faith alone feels like I am being watched more than ever, by others and myself. I feel the pressure rising from around me, but also from within me. Performance starts to kick in…last week I shared a perspective on pressure & performance and today I want to elaborate on performance but in a different way. 

Yes, performance usually stems from trying to take control of a situation and spiritually it means I am taking my eyes off of Jesus and not trusting that he already has a victory planned. However, physically I found that it means I am protecting myself. We all have our own ways of “creating safety” and it usually stems from childhood patterns. 

One of the biggest ways I “created safety” when I was young was by performing to please my parents. Early on it was as innocent as a silly dance or story, but as I grew older (and I am sure you relate) it turned into performing in school/chores (or maybe something different for you…sports/hobbies/talents/etc). Later in my life when any problem big or small would overwhelm my parents and I learned to be hyper-aware of problems on the horizon (living in a tension state of trying to predict the next thing) in order to foresee any “problems” so I could fix it before it happens. I believe this is what we call anxiety. Trying to control things we have no control over, living in a future state instead of the present. 

The point I am making is that my constant hyper-awareness of whats happening around me and a need to control it, stems from a need to feel safe. As a child, when you don’t understand how to process things you create your own solutions to keep you safe. Hyper-awareness was my solution and I got good enough at it that even I didn’t realize I was doing it. All I knew is that in certain settings, I would curate and perform leaving myself feeling drained but not understanding the underlying roots (to feel safe). 

A lot of our habits stem from childhood…but enough about that. The main takeaway is that God has grace for your need to perform (or whichever habit you’re struggling with) because he sees the heart of a confused child trying to feel safe. He is not mad at you for it, not threatened by it but he is so in love with you and hopes you run to him for healing. 

Note: Healing can look different – sometimes through prayer he brings peace, sometimes he reveals a season of growth in an area to prepare you, sometimes he brings life challenges to teach a specific lesson, sometimes he makes you wait, sometimes he leads you to new friendships, sometimes he urges you to ask for help whether it be from a pastor/mentor or therapist. Different people, different situations…God tailors his approach to you.

God is always in the midst of it with you & has so much grace to pour over you. It never runs out – not for you or anyone else. So today the message is this – God has grace for you, so have grace for yourself. Forgive yourself if you need to, let go of things if you need to…but don’t shame/guilt yourself when you are trying your best. Stand confident knowing God’s grace will catch you every single time and he is doing a good work in you.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your unending grace. Please forgive me of my sins and teach me the true way to live & serve you. Help me understand the conflicts within myself but always with self-compassion and grace – just as you extend it. Help me learn and grow to be more like you without focusing on the areas where I am not. May your grace for me create in me a heart of compassion for others. In Jesus name, amen.

Pressure & Performance

This year I quit my secure job to dive into the world of being a founder of a tech startup. Yet, when someone asks what I do…I don’t always know how to answer – I own my own business -OR- I am a founder of a tech company…I try to find the right answer but those responses seem unreal because they seem to “fancy” because the reality of being a founder in early stages is that your confidence in yourself is still developing and although I AM a founder, the app is not ready yet and the first part of the puzzle is raising capital (something I knew nothing about when I started) and the goal was to get by JUST ENOUGH to pay the necessary bills of the business and moving forward with the business plan and then BAM, more bills and another round of funds is required to keep moving forward. The cycle begins again and yes, I could just focus on aggressively raising funds early on but the truth is…those investor meetings would terrify me. I would be so excited about my idea, but I hated public speaking so the process of meetings where the spotlight was on me to present, answer questions AND ask for their buy-in (personally and financially) was sort of a personal torture (just being transparent here).

Fast forward to present day, it feels better. I have grown in confidence and knowledge but I still don’t have all the answers so the meetings are easier…but not easy. I still fight this feeling of “they will think I am not enough” and try to perform my way out of that fear because inside, even though I KNOW what I am capable of, others may not. When I have a vision or get passionate about something…even when it is hard, I commit and figure out how to get to the finish line. The element I don’t share very often is how hard I am on myself and how that leads me to struggle in painful ways, an internal torment (that may sound dramatic but talk to my support system and you’ll know that I am not exaggerating)…but I push through anyway.

That said, I don’t push through alone. God is my refuge and encourages me every step along the way. I have had more breakdowns than I would care to admit, but God has carried me through each of them – whether it be a worship song that calms me, my spouse giving me an encouraging pep talk (beyond grateful for his love & support), a prayer session that humbles me, a journaling session where I gain clarity or some other way because God is endlessly creative.

I do genuinely believe that the only reason I am able to push through in this process is directly tied to my faith. I genuinely believe God called me to this purpose, I have had this vision since 2017 and the knock on my spirit only got stronger since. God has been building me as a person, brought me to my spouse (who is an integral part of this journey, I couldn’t do it without him), building my professional confidence, my public speaking skills and so much more in between.

That said, today I am writing about PRESSURE & PERFORMANCE. I hope the context was interesting to you to help you understand where I am coming from when I talk about the pressure & performance. I listened to a sermon by Pastor Steven Furtick (Elevation Church) and he was directly speaking on this topic. He said “certain type of pressure points to PRIDE in your life” and that when we feel this specific pressure it is because we have disconnected from our source (God) and try to perform for our own purpose which leads to losing our strength.

(Link to the video: https://youtu.be/T-M64gZW2hM)

I hate to admit it, but it is true. In my spirit, I know God brought me here and is leading me through it, but when the reality of what I am doing set in…I put all the pressure on myself. Believing that I am the one that is looking at the bank account, paying the bills, presenting my pitch deck, networking, researching, planning strategies..etc. That is what led me to spiraling self-doubt and feeling immense pressure. I took my eyes off of the one who is TRULY leading this ship…of course I will doubt myself, I am only human. This process REQUIRES you to keep your eyes on Jesus because he is worthy of ALL trust and faith. I don’t need to doubt Jesus… when I am connected to Him and know it is through HIS POWER that I am where I am and that HE will guide me to the next step…the pressure evaporates. How interesting is that? A pressure that was nearly CRUSHING me…dissipates in the presence of Jesus.

Can I get an AMEN?

So my point here is that pressure comes when our eyes are off of Jesus and we begin to perform in our own ability which leads to a weary, discouraged, frustrated and unstable soul. Therefore, we must intentionally keep our eyes on Jesus. This part is not easy band learning how to do this is a process in itself but I hope you are encouraged by this verse in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Prayer: Father, thank you for your love, your faithfulness, your strength and your promises. Forgive me when I start to perform for myself and take my eyes off of you. Reveal to me the motives of my heart and continue to correct me on my course. I cling to you as my refuge, my strength and my hope. I trust that I am safe in your arms and that you will lead me on safe paths even when I don’t see the road ahead. God, help me see how to be faithful in THIS day and not worry about the future. Grant me heavenly peace as I navigate the unknown and learn to trust you on a deeper level. My hearts desire is that I keep getting closer to your heart – help me remember that when I start to see the physical more than the spiritual purpose. I will make mistakes along the way but I will not be discouraged! I will cling to you and trust that I am learning & growing. Thank you Lord for carrying me through this. Amen.