Back to the Basics

Have you ever sat back and asked yourself, "What now?" You've tried everything that you know how but nothing seems to work. In some cases all you have to do is revisit how you started. It doesn't matter if it's a business, relationship, job or anything else. By looking back at the start of things you get a fresh perspective on not only why you started but where you're going.

Here are some tips:

• Make sure you have a pen and a notebook to jot down thoughts, ideas and even feelings.
• Don't be hard on yourself.  You may see that you've made a wrong turn. Take a deep breath. It's okay. Consider it a detour. Now the question is, what can you glean or learn from the experience? What's your take away?  Remember, as a dear friend once told me, "You're delayed, not denied."
• Don't Give Up! It's not to late to make changes. So...
• What's next? This is your, "where do I/we go from here" moment. Wait for it ... duh, duh, duuuuh!
• Rework the plan. If you see that the plan you set forth isn't working tweak it. Nothing should be etched in stone. Learn to be flexible while still being disciplined. Stay vigilant!
• Talk to someone!!  You know the saying, "No man is an island"? We'll we're not. So consider someone you can trust to talk to and help you walk through the process with you. It can be your pastor, a friend or even a life coach. 

                     I was blessed to have a pastor that I can talk with and eventually, after a few
                     bumps and bruises I could have avoided, I started working with a counselor & life
                     and life coach.

Here's my personal testimony:

     After being hit with some very hard situations, a few of which caused me to have to have surgery and other procedures,  I felt like I had missed the mark. It was like playing darts and always hitting the wall and not the dart board. I had been speaking to my pastor and my mom, as well as sharing things with my adult children. Thank God, everything began falling back into place. Yet, I felt that something was missing.

      Well, after much mental wrestling I decided to go and visit a counselor I had seen about a year or so before. I realized that I was on the right road just was in the wrong vehicle. You can't be on an interstate riding a bicycle.  It just doesn't work. I need a Cadillac Escalade (my favorite SUV) or Ford F150 Raptur (favorite pickup ... in case I can take a few friends along)  One of the first questions ask in one of my sessions was, "What happened with this...?"

I was floored. The road map had been given to me, I began reading it and got detoured because of stuff. I had to get back to basics which included revisiting my life verses, looking at old notes and my vision casting poster ... etc. What was the outcome? Freedom! I found my voice. Went back to what I love - teaching and writing these blogs, and .... started a new broadcast.

Here's the end result: Cross Connection Training & Development is going back to it's original name Cross Connection Ministries. That's who we are. Our new broadcast airs this week (today in fact). And I've found resources that I didn't know were available to me.

Now it's your turn. Get back to basics, find your voice and be the you that you were created to be. Remember, you are going to have to give an account to the work (or lack thereof) you have done. And while you're at it check out our new broadcast, Your Life by Design. ;) We'll go through the journey together.

Scriptures to consider:

 Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14
 
 ¹³ All has been heard; the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God’s providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man.¹⁴ For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good or evil.

1 Corinthians 3:9-15

¹³ The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done.¹⁴ If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward.¹⁵ But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire.

 
 P.S. Thank you Bishop E. A Stevens & Dr. L. Morgan for the lessons learned.