Don’t Dim That Little Shine Either

When I was growing up at Mt Olive MBC in Clarksville, one of the songs we used to sing was THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE. We proclaimed that all in my home. All in my car.  All at my job we were gonna do what...let it shine.  Yes even that little light.

I have a question this morning. How r u rationing ur little light right now? R u waiting until u can do something a little bigger? R u waiting u til ur better at it? R u waiting until u have a bigger following? Or r u giving God something now with that light, that SHINE that is uniquely u?

Don’t expect God to use you as a lighthouse if he can't expect to use you as a candle where you are! Find something to light up this week. Even ur little light can change the look of a room. Use it. Once God gets the glory he can take that little light and change more than u think!  A little boy’s lunch was the catering menu for a multitude in Jesus‘ hands.

Matthew 5: 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Don’t.  Dim.  Your.  S. H. I. N. E. The Special Happening Inside Nobody Else!

Be blessed today sisters and brothers!
That’s what I heard today.

https://www.dagnebarton.com/blog

From Vision to Reality

Yesterday I felt like some greens.  So I had to do several things to enjoy this bowl. 

. #1 I had to go to the store to find some. U can’t just roll up anywhere and get some good ones.  I had to buy the other stuff of course turkey tails. Garlic. Onions. Peppers. Etc. It was a long day so by the time I got home with them it was 730pm. So then I had to pick the stems off 8 mixed bags of mustard turnip kale and collards.   From there I moved to the kitchen counter to roll up and chop up the greens. I then transferred to the sink filled with water on once side and a strainer on the other side.  I rinsed and filled both sinks 6 times to get all the greens nice and clean.  By this time the turkey tails, peppers onions garlic and seasoning had been boiling for almost an hour and had a nice little pot liquor started. So I began to place the washed greens in the pot layering seasoning in between each mixed green layer. I put the top on and let it cook. I boiled some water for hot water cornbread and another pot to boil some eggs. By 1130pm I was eating this delicious bowl. They are so good and fresh and yummy. Here is the moral to this story. When I was envisioning this bowl in my mind I really wanted it. In my mind I tried to think of ways I could have some without doing anything. Like just ordering from door dash some place who sells greens. There was no such place.  Like call Mrs Kat to see if she had some in the freezer.  Like call my uncle Nate to see if he had some in his freezer to fed ex me (too much).  There was no way to take my vision to the reality of this bowl EXCEPT A PLAN AND EXECUTION OF THAT PLAN. So I wrote the vision down (grocery list) and I hopped in the car and did step one of my plan (see #1 above)  I continue to execute one step after the other until I got to this completed goal of an actual bowl of mixed greens. 

What is on your vision board that you made this year that you want to take from vision to reality. What is on your vision board from last year that you still haven’t taken to a point of reality? If you want to execute a couple of your envisioned goals, let me help you! Coming soon PLANning Workshop presented by Val U Added Consulting. I will have group sessions and one on one sessions available.  When u see it the register and let’s get it done together!  PLANning (Purposed Living Action Now) starts in April!  

Keep up the Maintenance

Yesterday I was at Newbold for my first maintenance appointment for 5000 miles on the Rav. When hubby bought the car he got the full maintenance package so that we will just go to the dealer every 5000 and all basic maintenance is handled by the manufacturer. When we come to the dealer they will have any custom part needed; they will know how to take it apart and build it again if necessary; when the regular maintenance is done on a Toyota u don’t have any worry about having a good car for life (it’s expected end). 

While sitting there the Lord dropped in my spirit that we are the same way. If we just keep up our regular maintenance by keeping our tires rotated and topping off our levels of his spirit by reading his word (the manual) and monitor the wear and tear by staying connected with our regular (every Sunday and Wednesday) maintenance rotating and balancing our tires (staying connected to like parts) we will be able to stay in our lane and not drift off the road.  Then when we break down we can go back to the dealer because he knows the end from the beginning; he knows every hair on our head; he knows the plans he has for us for our expected end.  Even if u have picked up some junk yard parts along the way he can work that together for ur good because the engine (heart soul mind) are still in tact and connected to our dealer (God). Let that encourage you!  Feeling like u need a tune up? Just pull into your dealer (church, ministry, house of faith) or your own shade tree maintenance at your house and let the hood up (raise ur hands in praise) 

Be Blessed and be a blessing.

School Clothes? Church Clothes? Whole Armor

Growing up being raised primarily by my great-grandmother so affectionately named Muhdear she had rules about clothing. You would have various sets of clothing based on the timing and need for that clothing. There were your school clothes that were reserved for school and school only. There were your church clothes that were reserved for church and church only. There were your playclothes that were over worn school clothes that had now been deemed appropriate playclothes. Playclothes were rarely bought to be playclothes they were downgraded school clothes that now could be played in. Cut off high water jeans and other creative alterations for prolonged use! 

As an adult I have subconsciously carried this thinking over.  I come home and head straight to my room to take off my work/church (or wherever I have come from that day) clothes and put on loungewear (today’s vernacular for your mommas house dress...just much cuter).  I never really thought about it until today!  I cringe when my husband comes home from church and takes out the trash or starts a load of laundry without changing clothes!  I know I have said more than once since we got married, “why do u still have ur church clothes on” with my bare feet hopped up on the couch in my cute lounge clothes!   

  When it comes to the full armor of God however it calls for “all the clothes no matter the occasion”.  Ephesians 6:13-17 says this.  13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

See what this is saying?  Here’s what I see. Can’t just have faith, we need that salvation and sword. Can’t just have the righteousness but we need that belt of truth the righteousness is based on! Whew. See as a child when I outgrew that shirt for school I just made it a play shirt.  When u outgrow ur measure of faith because of you’re digging into his truth more and more you need more items of clothing or ARMOR to contend with the enemy.  You need the whole armor. You need to keep ur church clothes on even when u get home and u r chilling. Lol no but seriously we must put on the whole armor.  All of it. It’s only when we are completely suited and booted that we can fight this good fight of faith. With everything coming at you, at me, at us let us do as verse 19 says ...with this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Be blessed today!  

Dagne 

Journaling Workshop Notes

Journaling Workshop MY Notes:

1.    Get a Journal

a.    Not deep – you just need paper with space

b.    Lines or no lines

c.     Leading thought or not

d.    Scripture starts or not

e.    Recommend blank pages as your second journal so you can FLOW

2.    FLOW

a.    Free your mind

b.    Let go and listen

c.     Open heart and mind

d.    Write it down

3.    Don’t over-promise your writing timetable

a.    Daily - May be too aggressive to start

b.    Morning – can you wake up 15 min earlier

c.     Before bed – 15 min before regular bed time

d.    Weekends – or whatever is less hectic

                                                             i.      If you know you have busy weekday mornings but the weekends are fluid – that may be a good time.

e.    Sunday – after church to reflect the word or prep your mind for the week

f.      Set your plan and let Siri or Alexa or Google help you.

                                                             i.      Hey google – remind me to write on Monday Wednesday and Friday at 10pm

4.    Write in blocks of time – not space

a.    In other words – you may not fill up a page today or you may write 6 pages.

b.    When you are in a flow and you give yourself an amount of time then you will likely stick to your plan. 

c.     If you give yourself an amount of space on a page you don’t have a page you may get discouraged and stop.

5.    Old School or New School

a.    Pen and paper; Smart phone memo pad app?; Journaling apps?

b.    Whichever helps you flow better

c.     Writing tends to be more therapeutic but it may be typing it is better for you.

d.    Actual journals – what I love is you can look back and see where you have come. 

e.    However when you actually type it – it may be ready for a blog or a book with some editing! 

f.      You may not necessarily go back to your notes/journal on your phone as readily as seeing the journal. 

g.     But it’s up to you – totally personal

6.    Journaling thought starters

a.    Write out 4-5 self questions and put them in front of your journal or someplace visible and then pick a question – answer it from that day’s perspective.  Different days should yield different answers to those questions.  Such as:

                                                             i.      What am I grateful for today and why?

                                                           ii.      What did I accomplish in the last 48 hours that was meaningful to someone else?

                                                        iii.      What would I do this month (totally passion driven) if time and money were not factors?

                                                        iv.      On a scale of 1-10 where is my self esteem and why and what does God’s word say to bring that number up?

b.    Use an existing book that has writing or self-reflection elements (like a devotional or Phenomenal Woman Gurl That’s U!?! 8-)

7.    Remove excuses from not journaling by articulating them and thinking through them:

a.    Time; People; Fear; Prior failure; Other?

b.    Your journal is about your SHINE

c.     Your lane – stay in your lane!

In God’s Track Record...not Man

Good morning peeps!

Hebrews 13:6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

On Mondays I assess the previous week in preparation for the coming week and last week was not good. In my self assessment and fruit inspection I believe I did not do all I could have done.  There were several days when it took me a while to get out of my head and keep going. Didn’t work out or walk on those days.  Just barely mustered up energy to get to New Life to (my place of blessing).  You must know the enemy will try to shake u and stop ur momentum and I was on a momentous run of better self care. Sooo it is a new week and a new day and I have a word in my heart I am standing on. When u have done all u can do to stand...U STAND SOME MORE!
Got my gym bag in my car for workout later
Got my journaling and prayers done.
Got my meals prepped last night and in my fridge ready to go!
Got my tasks lined up and ready to be taken out one by one.
Feeling good!  Looking cute!
Got my confidence in check. And oh by the way my confidence is not in my track record but in MY GODs track record. Not in Trumps track record...but my Gods track record. Not in any man’s track record BUT MY GOD!

Make it a great day and stand still and know God is still on the throne!
#thenemyhatestohearupraying
#getyourstrengthback

Renewal. Get Some

Renewed. 

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 

This is a great word to me. It’s saying to me when I wait on God to put his strength behind what I am doing for his glory the MY STRENGTH is made new. It is only then that I begin to soar like an eagle because HIS WIND is carrying my wing span.  It is only then that my daily running in my purpose does not make me weary.  It is only then my walking in his call does not make me faint. Wait on his strength. It’s then the muscle memory kicks in and our strength is made perfect.  

Get some renewed strength. Get your renewal today. It’s not an arm day or a leg day. It’s a faith day. Let him refresh you. He is waiting with it just for you my friend. Be blessed and be a blessing.