The Most Commonly Used Solution to the Issues We Don't Want To Face

I've been reading The TOTAL MONEY MAKEOVER, a Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey. He talks about ignorance and it strikes a nerve with me.

Ramsey says "ignorance is not a lack of intelligence; it is a lack of know-how." In other words, if I am ignorant about something, then I simply don't "know-how" to do it. So then wealth ignorance means I don't "know-how" to create or keep wealth. I simply haven't learned to pay cash for what I want instead of using credit for everything. I simply haven't learned to live debt free yet, because I haven't been truly exposed to what it means.

Faith ignorance means I don't "know-how" to faith in every area of my life. I haven't been exposed to the true & simple, practical application of the Gospel to my everyday situations. I just don't "know-how" to do it YET. But the beauty about being alive is that we can learn. For example, we can learn what love really is so that we are no longer so ignorant with relationships. When we learn to pay attention to what is real and stop ignoring what is clear & present danger in our relationships or finances or on our jobs (and the list goes on), we find freedom.

In my humble opinion, the most commonly used solution to problems that we don't want to face is ignorance, excuse me, I mean IGNORING them. Chances are that you've done this before in some area of your life, I know I have:

1. I have ignored bills until "later (whatever that is)" or "tomorrow" until the late fees added up to a designer outfit that I never bought because I ignored my way into a mini-mess; and


2. I have ignored the rage and anger an "ex" until that rage was slapping me upside my head, wringing my neck, and breaking my heart; and


3. I have ignored pain in my body feeling like I was "too busy (what is that?)" to address it until I was picking my gluteus maximus up off the floor and

the list could go on and on, but that is enough about me and my mess. What about you?

What have you been ignoring and what you are going to do about it? Don't be ignorant about a bad relationship, your jacked-up finances or your health--pay attention, make a decision, move on, and live well. It's time to get some "know-how."

MizJAI . . . refusing to be ignorant, seeking the answers she needs and insisting on living well

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When all else fails: calm down and start over!

Have you ever had one of those days where your best plans and ideas just seem to unravel right in front of you? The team you trained begins to act like they were never taught a thing. The people you work with or for seem to forget their own systems. Your partner breaks the flow of business that the two of you have enjoyed from day one. You thought you had your ducks in row but things have been changed. Somebody else created a BIG problem and now you are the one who must fix it. Does any of that sound like your situation? Moments like those make you feel like all your pre-efforts were a waste.

Well, despite what it looks like, those efforts have prepared you for the sometimes "drama" of business. You are just the person to rectify these wrongs and redirect your team, no matter who you are playing with. And even though Murphy (as in Murphy's Law)seems to creep up behind you, you know just what to do. And the anger or the tears or the attitude is just your frustration, but you can control that, you can regroup, you can start over in your mind. As my Pastor says, "If I made it this far, I know I can make it from here." When all else fails start over. Calm yourself down and start all over.

MizJAI . . . calming herself down, learning how to start over

Finding the Inspiration to Hold Up, Wait a Minute, Breath Deep & Dive Back In

You can't be everything to everybody. "We" cannot be everything to everybody.

We can be mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons and friends BUT there must be moments in the day when we are simply a man or a woman in a quiet little place where we can hear ourselves think and respond to the voice of God. No matter what we are facing, some days and some seasons are more challenging than others, but regardless, there is a moment in the day for "you," for "me." Take it, slow down, breathe deep, renew--the day will be waiting for you. And a with clarity you will be ready for the challenge again.


I have noticed at work that there are seasons when the load is heavier: like
(1) tax season which covers the winter and bleeds into the spring; and
(2) graduation time which leads right into summer break and now the children (at our boys home) are "in the house" everyday; and
(3) then there's the back to school rush and kicking off the tutoring program which covers the end of the summer; and finally
(4) we enter the fall and the holiday season which may the most hectic time for us as we coordinate Thanksgiving and Christmas for 20+ boys representing 19 different families.
And if you look up, it's a new year again, a new winter and a new tax season.

I say all that to make one little point: time is going to happen whether you enjoy it or not, whether you make room for you or not, whether you pay attention or not. Life doesn't stop moving (for the most part). And if you throw in any little unexpected drama, death or heartache in the middle of an already full and hectic situation what's left of you, if you don't make room to breath?

Do something that you truly enjoy today. Plan it right now.

MizJAI . . . renewing her stamina for a long and bright future

When Moments of Faith Turn Into Moments Of Fear

You used to be so strong, so focused, so sure. Remember that, remember when you were fearless and unafraid of your future and your dreams, no matter how big they were. It was before:
1). It was before your heart was broken more than you could handle.
2). It was before you came up with this plan about being perfect and saving face.
3). It was before you closed your ears to heartache not realizing that somehow, you had closed your heart to real love instead.
4). It was before we came up with all these questionable solutions and ideas about how to "make it" in life.
We were just a little bit younger, a lot more fearless, definitely more clueless and knew we needed God a whole lot more. The beauty of the helplessness of childhood is we know we cannot make it on our own. We know we need help and that creates the atmosphere for a heart of faith that is ready to rely on something bigger than ourselves: God.

I am going back to that place in my heart when I trusted more.

I am going back to the parts of me that laughed like a child, free of worry.

I am going back to reintroduce myself to the me that took pleasure in the simple things, like a butterfly in motion or the smell of a flower in bloom.

I am going back to remember the best parts of me.

And don't worry, I know that I am grown and that bees sting and that everyone can't be trusted. I am simply choosing to hold on to "whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report (Phil. 4:8)." I choose to trust God with my heart and my dreams and my hurts and my aches because this bitterness and fear doesn't suite my life, nor my right to joy. And this fear doesn't honor this life of faith and hope that I vow to live. What about you? What have you forgotten from your childhood that would serve you well today?

MizJAI . . . rediscovering her childhood moments of faith and wonder and amazement

A life of faith, a life of focus

What makes us different from anyone else?

If you are in a room full of doctors and you are a doctor too, then what makes you different?

If you are in a room full of engineers and you are an engineer too, then what makes you different?

If you are in a room full of graphic designers and you are a designer too, then what makes you different?

If you are in a room full of writers and you are a writer too, then what makes you different?
Is it . . .
❒ your outfit?
❒ your new hairdo?
❒ the price you paid to get there? or
❒ your focus?
While all of the above may make your story unique, interesting and a little funny (depending on that hairdo), what makes it important is our focus. Our differences lie in what we choose to focus on. What kind of doctor are you? What kind of engineer, what kind of graphic designer? What kind of writer? Are you generic or original in your work? Are you common and mediocre or there extra care for the details and the outcome? What types of people are you drawn to serve? Our focus makes us different, our focus builds a fire.

The student who chooses medical school has a focus. As time and effort passes that focus produces a doctor. The person who chooses writing as a focus becomes a writer. If choose faith as a passion, then as time and effort passes, that focus produces a man or woman of faith that cannot be deterred or confused. Our focus determines our future. Focus on fear produces a life of fear. Focus on the things that bring joy, produces joy in our lives. The right kind of focus on our children produces happy, productive and faithful adults. Focus on the reasons why your dream won't work without discovering why it will produces a life of angst and quiet heartache for what could have been. Focus on your first love and best relationship (God and you) produces a dynamic and truly passionate life filled with surprise and wonder. It also produces a heart and a spirit that is ready to love others for a lifetime. What we choose to focus on determines where we end up. Where is your focus, where is your future?

MizJAI . . . living a life of faith, a life of focus

Cycle of Faith: For Those Times When You Think You Should Be OK But You're Not

There seems to be this cycle that circles my life. I learn to trust God for one dream, and then it's time to trust Him for another. Yes, it's a cycle of faith. Like the time I wanted to go to Europe, and I was so broke. Long story short God made it happened, just like I knew he would (I will tell you guys about it later).

It seems like a year had not even passed before new desires and needs emerged. I wanted a house of my own and yes, I was so broke. God made it happen.

In the course of six months both grandparents passed and I needed God. This was followed by a season of family issues which was followed by a season of friend issues which was followed by a season of work issues; and yes, I needed God.

THE LESSON

Looking back teaches me something simple: I need God in my life, even when I think I am strong enough on my own. In life, or at least in mine, there seems to be this cycle of storms that we are either
1). headed into,
2). in the middle of it, or
3). on our way out
(as my pastor puts it).
When I am fighting for my career dreams, I can take comfort in the fact that "as I delight in the law of Lord, He will give me the desires of my heart." So I dive into the word. As I am standing for my family to be delivered from our own brand of crazy (don't judge, I happen to know for a fact that EVERYBODY's family is special in it's own little-God-deliver-us-from-our-mess way :-D) As I stand for my family, I know that "greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world" and I take comfort that as I stand and believe God will deliver me into my best dream.

There is simply always something or someone to FAITH for. We might as well accept this reality, we need God. So when you finally arrive in your dream and walk in the life that you hoped it would bring, if you feel the prick and pain of a new desire and need--Don't beat yourself up, go right back to the One who helped you in the first place. You are growing up by walking through another cycle of FAITH, learning to trust God everyday for everything one single moment at a time, and that is ok.

MizJAI . . . walking through another cycle of FAITH

On the Move . . . for those of us with a dream, the world is still waiting, so don't you give up!

It has been awhile. A full Christmas, an exciting New Year, and a world-wind of work brings us to the door of March, already. Unless it is a lazy summer with enough humidity to stop time, everything seems to move so fast.

Of course we can always use our super power called "free will" and calm things down for a minute. I am sitting in a little cafe in small town outside of Atlanta. Taking a moment to myself between meetings simply because there is a point where you can move past the place of clarity; and the only real solution is a quiet moment, a deep breath, and re-evaluation.

Yes, I still have this dream that beats strong in my chest . . . Is your dream still alive?

Yes, I still believe that this dream is important enough to capture the best of my attention . . .Is your dream still important to you?

Yes, the details and the repetition sometimes dulls my focus on the big picture, but I know that these dedicated actions will walk me to the door of my dream . . . Do your daily actions move you closer to your best desires?

Yes, I am willing to adjust myself and my efforts in order to get closer and become more of who I need to be in order to live what I see in my mind . . . Are you still willing to slow down long enough to
1. regroup for your next move,
2. reevaluate for future actions,
3. refresh your focus,
4. renew your spirit for the journey, and
5. rediscover why you started down this road in the first place?
Are you still on the move for your dream?

Your best desires are waiting for you to arrive.

MizJAI . . . remembering the dream
(behind the scenes: Gospel Nerve is preparing for a move, as well as some tweaks and updates. We finally have a logo and a "home of our own". As you see the different changes taking place let me know what you think. Most of you prefer private emails and that works for me too. On the new site I am considering disabling comments, share your thoughts on this if you like . . .)