does anyone out there have any inspiring words they can pass on? i'd love to hear something great today. i'm down and struggling to focus on everyday tasks that would normally be easy to me.
i was supposed to have an audition tomorrow in chicago and had to cancel because i feel so down about my voice. that's a horrible feeling and i think it has me in a funk.
since most of my friends are singers, we all probably know about the book "the artists way". i'm going to get that back out. anyone else reading it? we should discuss what we read on this blog. that would be so great, wouldn't it? sometimes i feel like being an artist is a burden! (sorry God)
it's just a responsibility, that's all.
anyway, can someone give me an inspiring shout-out?? :)
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
a new thing
when i was flying home from scotland, i read something that i believe was sent to me straight from God. i was heartbroken and struggling for strength, when i opened up joyce meyer's "straight talk" and read this:
"a new thing" is the name of the chapter. the Bible verse is Isaiah 43:18-19 ~ "do not earnestly remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. behold, i am DOING A NEW THING!!!!! now is springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it?"
and here's what joyce said, "in dealing with the past, the danger we must avoid is allowing it to KEEP us in grief for what has been rather than in gratitude for what is and in anticipation for what is yet to be...over and over God has to remind me, "you have to let go of what lies behind. the past is not your life anymore. now i am doing a new thing."
i don't have to tell you how much this freed me. talk about a quick fix! and it lasted!
"a new thing" is the name of the chapter. the Bible verse is Isaiah 43:18-19 ~ "do not earnestly remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. behold, i am DOING A NEW THING!!!!! now is springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it?"
and here's what joyce said, "in dealing with the past, the danger we must avoid is allowing it to KEEP us in grief for what has been rather than in gratitude for what is and in anticipation for what is yet to be...over and over God has to remind me, "you have to let go of what lies behind. the past is not your life anymore. now i am doing a new thing."
i don't have to tell you how much this freed me. talk about a quick fix! and it lasted!
Friday, October 20, 2006
joyce meyer
the sun is coming up here in lovely kansas city, and i have gotten up with it, to catch the joyce meyer broadcast. i never thought i would watch a tv evangelist because i grew up pentecostal and have had my fill of that kind of teacher. but joyce speaks the truth. there's no way around her words. you can't wiggle yourself free from them. they stick with you all day and you find yourself shaking your head and chuckling to yourself, thinking, "how did she know i needed to hear that?"
we all need to hear something that empowers us. what i love so much about her ministry ~ it is based on NO EXCUSES. here are some "nuggets" i learned this morning that spoke to me:
procrastination ~ i am not only a member of that club, but the founder and president. i procrastinate brushing my teeth at night, agonizing over the effort it will take. sure, i've gotten a masters in music, have lived abroad, managed to start a whole new life in a matter of weeks. but when it comes to everyday crap, i am the world's worst. joyce said this morning that "procrastination is the great thief, because it allows us to say we're GOING to do what's right. but in all honesty, we're waiting for a time when it is most comfortable...when there is less of a sacrifice."
wow. she hit me like a bullet right between the eyes. i have no idea how to make a sacrifice. i don't think i've ever had to sacrifice anything. maybe that's not true, but i've had such an easy life in every way.
here's another nugget that i just loved: "anything you don't feed ~ dies." joyce's example was that she would always have this broken record in her thought process ~ "what about me? what about me?" and she was feeding herself that thought all the time. if you just can't get past a thought or an emotion that keeps hanging on in your life, stop feeding it and even allowing it to be in your brain and your heart. did you now that you really can do that? that you really can control your thoughts? sounds too easy to work, right? i've tried it and oh my gosh, it works. you can literally change your thoughts, therefore change your heart. do what's right, and then eventually, your heart will follow suit.
i'm going to apply this theory to my little procrastination problem and see what happens!
we all need to hear something that empowers us. what i love so much about her ministry ~ it is based on NO EXCUSES. here are some "nuggets" i learned this morning that spoke to me:
procrastination ~ i am not only a member of that club, but the founder and president. i procrastinate brushing my teeth at night, agonizing over the effort it will take. sure, i've gotten a masters in music, have lived abroad, managed to start a whole new life in a matter of weeks. but when it comes to everyday crap, i am the world's worst. joyce said this morning that "procrastination is the great thief, because it allows us to say we're GOING to do what's right. but in all honesty, we're waiting for a time when it is most comfortable...when there is less of a sacrifice."
wow. she hit me like a bullet right between the eyes. i have no idea how to make a sacrifice. i don't think i've ever had to sacrifice anything. maybe that's not true, but i've had such an easy life in every way.
here's another nugget that i just loved: "anything you don't feed ~ dies." joyce's example was that she would always have this broken record in her thought process ~ "what about me? what about me?" and she was feeding herself that thought all the time. if you just can't get past a thought or an emotion that keeps hanging on in your life, stop feeding it and even allowing it to be in your brain and your heart. did you now that you really can do that? that you really can control your thoughts? sounds too easy to work, right? i've tried it and oh my gosh, it works. you can literally change your thoughts, therefore change your heart. do what's right, and then eventually, your heart will follow suit.
i'm going to apply this theory to my little procrastination problem and see what happens!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
the amish
i just heard something amazing on oprah today. she and gayle were on their cross country trip and they stopped to visit an amish community. the amish couple they interviewed stated that they were 100% content, and part of that had to do with their simples lives, and another part of that had to do with striving for contentment ~ choosing to be content. they search for and work on being content. I LOVE THAT! i'm learning that you have to pursue peace, work on contentment, decide to be happy with what you have and where you are in your life. then the blessings can really be appreciated!
Monday, October 16, 2006
jesusandjoyce
hey ladies!
i just wanted to create a blog where we could all go to read and share inspiring quotes and stories that come our way. it seems like we all are reading great books, and after the year i've had, i simply can't hear enough GOOD NEWS!!!
my main inspirational literature this year has come from joyce meyer. so i named the blog jesus and joyce for that reason. i don't know about you, but i'm pursuing peace. not the perfect body, not the perfect singing technique, not a million dollars. i want peace. and the more i want it, the more i receive it. my first joyce meyer book was titled, "in pursuit of peace". you all know about this because some of you are reading it, and ALL of you have heard me quote from the book! now i'm reading a book by marianne williamson, and it's proving to be full of nuggets of truth as well. i don't want to keep this stuff to myself ~ i want to share it all with my friends. so here's my chance!
i hope we can all share the little nuggets that are getting us through our days ~ please enjoy this blog and invite all your friends to be a part of it.
love, sarah
i just wanted to create a blog where we could all go to read and share inspiring quotes and stories that come our way. it seems like we all are reading great books, and after the year i've had, i simply can't hear enough GOOD NEWS!!!
my main inspirational literature this year has come from joyce meyer. so i named the blog jesus and joyce for that reason. i don't know about you, but i'm pursuing peace. not the perfect body, not the perfect singing technique, not a million dollars. i want peace. and the more i want it, the more i receive it. my first joyce meyer book was titled, "in pursuit of peace". you all know about this because some of you are reading it, and ALL of you have heard me quote from the book! now i'm reading a book by marianne williamson, and it's proving to be full of nuggets of truth as well. i don't want to keep this stuff to myself ~ i want to share it all with my friends. so here's my chance!
i hope we can all share the little nuggets that are getting us through our days ~ please enjoy this blog and invite all your friends to be a part of it.
love, sarah
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