Posts

The 5 People You Need In Your Tribe

“Long as I got King Jesus, I don’t need nobody else”.

 

So goes a line from an old gospel song. We all got a good chuckle in church yesterday as our Pastor sang and danced to the song. While the dance was cute, he was making a profound point. He was uncovering the flawed theology in the song. Indeed Jesus is MORE than enough for any need we have. [bctt tweet=”Jesus did not design us to walk the journey of life alone. We are wired to do life together.” username=”inspiredfully”] It just makes the going a little easier.

 

So who’s on your squad?

 

These are 5 people we need in our tribe.

 

Oldie But Goodie

This is your faithful friend. An old crony, running partner, tried and true blue friend. Even if they haven’t been your friends for a long number of years, it feels like they’ve been around always. The total opposite of fair weather friend, they are there in time good and bad. They are familiar and comfortable like your favorite old robe. You don’t have to explain to them what you’re feeling and why, they just already know.

 

Tell It Like It Is

We appreciate our friend who agrees with us and takes our side. But we NEED the friend who will tell us like it is. She will check us. She will point out when we have erred. Without bias, she will carefully assess a situation and present it to us. Argh! She may rub you the wrong way from time to time but you need that. The sandpaper of tell it like it is, is what makes you smooth.

 

Zena Warrior Princess

Ok, back in the day this would have been the friend ready to fight for you on the playground. She would have been quick to stop gossip and slander about you. Today, she’s the first one on her knees interceding on your behalf. She’s willing to go Peter slicing ears off for you. Fortunately she knows how to channel all that fire into prayer. Even right now she may be found interceding for you.

 

Party Girl

You know the fun girl. The witty friend. The self-deprecating one that brings a smile to your face. Sometimes I can be WAY to serious. I’ve never learned how to tell jokes (my timing is off and I can never recall all the details of the story). For me doing life mostly means “handling business” so I desperately need this friend to lighten me up, to help get my drawers out of a bunch, to simply be silly and laugh.

 

The Coach

Who’s challenging you to grow? Who encourages you to go to bed early and to rise early? Who’s on the sideline cheering you on? Who’s holding you accountable? Yup, we all need that coach friend. Your sister friend who will not only remind you of your goals, but the one who is right there as the dream is fulfilled.

 

So who’s in your tribe?

 

For you these may actually be 5 different chicas. For some this may but that one special treasured friend. If you don’t have these sisters represented in your starting lineup, I’m praying God brings the right people into your circle and I pray your heart is open to receive them. One way God expresses his love to us is directly through our relationships so I pray you are blessed with true sisterhood. Friendship and sisterhood are critical to our emotional well being and personally near and dear to my heart. You can find me sharing more on the topic here:

~Sisterhood

~Friendship

 

We’ve been called to:

~Love one another

~Bear one another’s burdens

~Pray for one another

~Comfort one another
~give preference to one another

~Forgive one another

~Be kind to one another

~Serve one another

~Speak truth to one another

~Encourage one another

 

It is my prayer that you’ve got people in your tribe that will love you, encourage you and serve you. We all need a squad who will speak truth to us, bear our burdens and give us comfort. Take confidence in knowing you’ve got me on your squad, holding it down in prayer.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Grace and Truth

/12 Comments/by

Sisterhood: Soul Therapy

Tears of joy.

 

Smiles a plenty.

 

Hearts wide open.

 

 

All found in the uninhibited exchange between sisters.

 

IMG_3618

 

I’ve heard it said, “I don’t ‘do’ women.” What that screams is, I’ve been hurt, I’ve been wounded, I am afraid. Women are wired to be in relationship with one another. There is safety, comfort and joy found in sisterhood. From styling one another’s hair to delivering babies, from sharing the deepest secrets to holding bridezilla while she has a meltdown, women are designed to nurture one another.

 

[bctt tweet=”The soul is nourished when the heart is embraced in sisterhood.” username=”inspiredfully”]

 

IMG_0965

 

I met a woman once who confided in me that she didn’t have a female in her life that she considered a trusted friend. I was deeply moved by that and my heart went out to her. Wouldn’t you know, 4 years later, we are friends. She is lively, funny, loyal and giving, a good recipe for being a great friend. Yet my sweet friend had spent time without the beauty of sisterhood.

 

[bctt tweet=”Soul therapy is found in the sacred space of sisterhood.” username=”inspiredfully”]

 

Careers, schedules, children, husbands, fears, and just daily living can have us trapped in silos. Our ability to nurture meaningful relationships becomes subject to the captivity of solitary confinement UNLESS we intentionally fill our prescription of soul therapy and demand our RELEASE.

 

I’ve always treasured friendship and I’ve been blessed beyond measure to do life with some amazing women. They teach me, challenge me, love me, help me, and flat out make me smile. I’ve also been hurt by a few but my heart remains open. For what is life without love? What is life without hurt? Is a life truly lived if it isn’t felt?

 

Recently I shared hearts, laughs and tears with a sweet friend. She literally radiates sunshine. We filled our prescription of soul therapy over a mutual love, COFFEE. You can find her talking about all things coffee over at EspressoTrips

 

IMG_0958

 

IMG_0957

 

For my birthday I was blessed to share excellent food, great conversation, hopes and dreams with two of my favorite gals.

 

IMG_0201

 

As a homemaker, the nature of the job can have me riding solo often. Then add in being a wife and mama to 6, my time for nurturing meaningful relationships with my sisters can be hampered. So I have to be purposeful and intentional in my connections. Relationships are dear to the heart of God. I think He illustrates this so beautifully through relationships in the bible, from David and Jonathan to Jesus and the beloved disciple, that we’ve been called to do life together. And if relationships are meaningful to Him then they should be meaningful to us and we should cultivate them.

 

I pray you find love, encouragement, safety and acceptance in the sacred space of sisterhood. If you are carrying the hurt of having been wounded by a sister, I pray that your heart be mended,  and if necessary that you find forgiveness. I pray you open your heart once again to the possibility of true sisterhood.

 

249640608_387dbe1f6f_z

 

What are you doing to ensure your sisterhood soul therapy?

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with others sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, #LifeGivingLinkup,Purposeful  Faith

Feature Image Photo Credit

/9 Comments/by
,

Family

When I sat to write on the subject of family, I thought elegant prose would flow freely from my fingertips. Instead, there is a delay, a pregnant pause of sorts. I am deeply disturbed by this hesitation to flow on a subject that is so meaningful to me.

 

When I think of my immediate household, my immediate family brings a smile to may face. I chuckle when I visualize a picture of us thinking, “Wow, that sure is a lot of people”. There are seven of us, my husband, our five children and myself. Never did I imagine having such a large family. They are quite entertaining and the source of endless laughs as my husband and I sit back and observe them interacting with one another. Even now as I type in the wee hours of the morning, the 3 boys are already up, playing with Legos, going on wild Star Wars adventures.

 

I think of my dad who is one of my best buddies. He is not only father but also friend.

 

I think of my closest girlfriends who are not merely friends but are family. I treasure these relationships and thank God for the extension of family.

 

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

 

And I can’t leave out my in-laws with whom I felt instantly connected.

 

But there’s a deep gnawing, a raw pain that also comes when I think of family. I miss my sisters who are hundreds of miles away. I long to be knit closer to them in distance and tied closer in heart. I miss my aunts and older cousins some of whom are hundreds or thousands of miles away. And then there’s that place that carved out little niche, that empty space labeled MOM. A space nobody but Jesus can fill since this gal’s mamma has long since passed away. This void that cries out with a hollow echo. This place that has been patched over, stuffed then excavated again. This space I thought was mended but is still quite fractured.

 

FAMILY.

 

The thought of family brings joy. The thought of family brings tears. I give thanks for ties that bind. I pray my children will always remain close to each other. I see myself growing old and gray with my sweetie, my husband. We know that family is close to the heart of God as He Himself came to earth through the context of family. I pray for love, joy, peace and unity in families across the globe. Thank you Lord for the sacred institution of family.

 

[bctt tweet=”Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1″]

 

What immediately comes to mind when you thinking of family?

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with Five Minute Friday  & #DanceWithJesus on the topic of Family

/11 Comments/by
,

A Little Help From My Friends

I get by with a little help from my friends….

 

So goes the line from a popular song by the Beatles. The song goes on to say I get high with a little help from my friends. Now I’m not sure what type of high they are talking about but the friends I have help me go higher in Christ. My friends pray for me when I have no words, they make me laugh, they selflessly help me and they love me.

 

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

 

Friendships have always meant the world to me. I have been so blessed throughout my life to have great friendships. From friends that were only in my life a short period to having a life long friend. My bestie and I have been linked together for 35 years now.

 

Friendship is close to the heart of God. We see many examples in the bible of friendships. One example is that of David and Jonathan. Jonathan even risked damaging his relationship with his own father out his loyalty to his friend.

 

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24b

 

A friend corrects when necessary, sharpens, encourages, listens, builds up and loves unconditionally. In good times and bad, a friend is your corner man who cheers you on and patches up your bruises.

 

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

 

So to all my friends, you know I love you a ton. I thank God for you in my life. There’s a saying, which says to have a friend you must be a friend. I believe friendships are a necessary part of life and makes traveling the road of life easier. Give the proper investment of time to nurture your friendships. I know there will be seasons that you will be more available or less available than others, but friendships are reciprocal and require maintenance.

 

Since I’ve been blogging, God has connected me virtually with some new friends. I am truly amazed at how God transcends time and space to connect spirits in unity to worship the King and to further His agenda here on earth.

 

I’d like to invite you to visit a few of my blogging friends. With some I connect as a mother, a wife, or a ministry leader. With some I connect over shared experiences. But with all these ladies, we share a deep love of Christ and use the blogging platform to spread the Good News. So pay a visit to my girlfriends and leave them a comment. For indeed the Lord says it is good and pleasant when we dwell together in unity. Like Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’ arms, ladies we are victorious when we hold one another up. So here’s to iron sharpening iron and for being my sister’s keeper.

 

Brandi Jefferson-Motley @ Encouragement for Your Journey

Brandi sings like an angel and prays like a warrior. Her nuggets of encouragement make you want to give the Lord a SHOUT!

 

Tai East @ A SPIRIT-Kissed Soul

Mmm…Tai’s hunger and thirst for God and examination of scripture leaves me looking forward to my quiet time with God, excited for what new revelation I’ll receive.

 

Kelly Balarie @ Purposeful Faith

True humility here. Kelly unabashedly lays out her heart and when she does, God’s love floods her and the reader.

 

Candace @ Candace Creates

My sweet friend Candace is demonstrating that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. She candidly shares her testimonies and is helping others be free.

 

Susan B. Mead

Susan is a living witness that God gives beauty for ashes and joy for pain.

 

Thanks in advance for visiting my blogging friends.

 

In what ways will you nurture your friendships today?

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

 

Photo Credit
Happy to also connect with these friends sharing the Good News #WordsWithWinter Purposeful Faith, #LifeGivingLinkup

/12 Comments/by