Today you are in training for tomorrow’s promise.

Have you ever said to yourself…?

• I’m not good enough.
• I’m not equipped for this.
• I’m not strong enough.
• This is too much.
• I’m in way over my head.
• This is too hard!

Maybe you never actually said it out loud. But, I’m willing to bet you’ve at least thought one or two of these once or twice before <insert collective virtual head nod>.

Well, it’s a LIE. And let me tell you WHY (Sorry, I can’t resist a busting out a good rhyme).

I recently stumbled across the ways of an eagle, and I totally geeked out. The more I studied, the more fascinated I became. Who knew there were so many life lessons from a bird? It’s like Big Bird kicked us off as toddlers and passed the baton to the eagle, taking us into adulting 101.

Imagine my delight when I googled ‘eagles,’ and the Bible came up as a reference. Now, I was hooked and had to know more.

“There are four marvelous mysteries

that are too amazing to unravel—

who could fully explain them?

The way an eagle flies in the sky…”

An excerpt from Proverbs 30:18

Drop the mic. Stop the press. Hold the phone! The number one mystery is the way of an eagle?!?! Be sure to check out the Bible if you are curious about what the other three mysteries are (See what I did there? That’s me trying to get you to read the Bible wink-wink). Today we are focusing just on the eagle and what makes it so marvelous.

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching before it breaks?

• It waits for the storm.
• It anticipates the storm.
• It prepares for the storm.

When the storm hits, the eagle is ready. He spreads his wings far and wide and lets the wind lift him.

Higher. And higher.

The eagle doesn’t escape the storm. He uses it to RISE UP ABOVE and SOAR HIGHER.

Each accomplishment, setback, decision, and opportunity you face today sets you up to weather the storm.

It’s not a matter of IF a storm will come. Instead, it’s a matter of WHEN will the storm will come.  Join my private Facebook Group for tips on how to rise above on the daily.

THREE WAYS TO HELP YOU
RISE UP, ABOVE THE STORM:

1. WAIT:

What are you waiting for?

I can think of a million things I’m waiting for:

• School to be ‘normal.’
• International travel to be safe
• My refrigerator to get fixed (Lord, have mercy!)

Those are just a few. But I have a list a mile long. Don’t we all?

By definition, waiting is letting time pass.

I don’t love waiting. It’s an inconvenient delay. It feels like a holding pattern, about as productive as circling the airport waiting for clearance to land. It’s uncomfortable and uncertain. It’s a posture I can’t wait to get out of (kind of like down-dog).

I love to plan. I’m taking care of business & getter-done, adding a spreadsheet and color code it kind of girl. Checking boxes off my to-do list brings me peace and joy.

The problem is: We don’t plan to wait. Waiting doesn’t have a checkbox, and it doesn’t show up in our calendars. It’s not a priority in our day.

Yet, waiting is something we all do, all day, every day. There’s always something or someone we are waiting for.

The question is, how can we wait well?

I’m so glad you asked. Keep reading to find out how.

2. ANTICIPATE:

I’m pretty sure I’ve nailed the wrong way to wait; Complaining, worry, impatience, distraction, and aborting my dream haven’t worked well for me in the past.

The answer: Don’t just wait for it, EXPECT it!

When you expect something to happen, you plan accordingly. You DO something to prepare.  Take the sunrise. We expect it to rise each morning, without fail. Therefore, we plan and live accordingly. For example, we get ready for bed, go to sleep, and wake up, expecting that the sun will rise in the morning. We never doubt it, question it, or over-think it. We simply expect it.

What if waiting was a test to see how you will respond while you wait? What if what we DO while we wait is as important as what we are actually waiting for?  Hmm, now is a good time to stop reading and just Chu on that for a moment. I’ll repeat, bold, and center it for emphasis:

What if

what we DO while we wait

is as important as

what we are actually waiting for?

God can’t wait to pour out his blessings over our lives. It’s part of his nature and character – to love us.  But, God wants us to be ready. Like preparing to go to the hospital for your first baby ready. Are you picking up what I’m laying down, sister?

Today you are in training for tomorrow’s promise. It’s time to get ready. Wait with purpose, live with expectation, and be intentional with your time while you wait.

It’s a subtle mind-shift. But this tweak in your perspective can change everything. Suddenly there is a sense of urgency about your day, your priorities change, and your focus is dialed-in. Remember getting ready for the hospital to have your first baby? There was a list of things to bring, you were prepared in advance, items were packed with care, and the bag was ready before the big day. What if you waited every day with that type of intention and purpose for your dreams and promises.

So, what (or who) are you waiting for? What if you start living like you expect it to happen tomorrow…as sure as the sun will rise.

“Expecting a gift, he readily gave them his attention.”

Acts 3:5

3. PREPARE:

Small habits executed CONSISTENTLY over long periods of time create BIG, lasting wins.

We all have habits, things we repeatedly do that are part of our daily life. Some are good ones, and some are bad ones. Regardless, each one is impacting our experience, one way or another. Our habits are either helping or hurting us. And I think we would all agree that we want more good habits than bad ones.

Take inventory of the things you do consistently daily. Make a small adjustment to redirect how you spend your time. Make sure your actions are helping you to prepare for your storm and rise above it?

One way to do this is to put your faith in action.

Proverbs 19:15 says, “laziness brings on deep sleep.”

Movement heals. Don’t sit back complacent and comfortable or settle for ordinary. You are made for so much more! But you have to DO SOMETHING. This is your time to Rise up, Take Courage, and Live Different. Put your faith in action. Step up and step out of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to fail.

I like to run. Running 200-mile relays, half marathons, and even a full marathon is my crazy idea of a good time. I’m actually training for a ‘fake’ half-marathon right now. I say ‘fake’ because the ‘Rona has canceled all the races. So, I’m just pretending I have an upcoming race. It’s an excuse to have a plan, a running schedule, to keep me on track, to give me a guide to follow and a goal to accomplish. The only way I can complete the races (the real ones and the fake ones) is because I spend months preparing. Reading, watching, talking, and even praying about running will not help me cross the finish line. Even though those are all very good things to do, they won’t allow me to cross the finish line. The real training begins when I actually lace up my shoes and start logging some miles under my feet running. I have to put my ideas, goals, and faith in action. I had to move. And at times, I had to fight for each added, painful, long mile. But it was all worth it in the end. I had a dash of swagger, a dose of confidence, and a heaping spoonful of satisfaction knowing that I can do hard things. You know what friend, so can you.

It started with a thought that turned into a dream. But an idea without movement and thinking without action will forever stay a dream. I prefer to have my dreams become a reality, don’t you?

The Time is NOW to
Rise Above and Soar Higher

You are worth waiting for. You are worth fighting for. Stop wishing for something different, and start doing something different.

Get ready! Storms, challenges, and setbacks are bound to happen. Are you ready?

Use whatever storm that comes your way to RISE ABOVE and SOAR HIGHER, just like the eagle.

What storm are you facing today, and how can you use it to lift you higher, rise above, and soar higher than the day before?

P.S. Wanna see me geek out in person about this stuff? Check out my YouTube channel here. I can guarantee it’s not perfect or pretty. But I promise it’s raw and real.