When God Seems Silent

Hi friend!

I was reminded of this verse today after spending some time with a new coloring book I had received as a gift for Christmas. I was really excited about this book in particular because it is full of Scripture coloring pages, which means you're really able to mediate on the verse as your coloring it, and then you can even tear out the pages and give them to people or hang them up (found here on Amazon, if you want to check it out).

Anyway, I love this verse in particular in the NKJV version, which says, "To everything there is a season, a time to every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)."

Sometimes God may seem silent, and it may seem like He's not working, but He is. Always. I think of the 400 years of silence between Malachi and Matthew. During this time, there were no new prophets or words from the Lord. Can you imagine what some of the people were thinking during this time? "Where is God? He has not sent any prophets in ages! Has He left us?!?" God appeared silent, REALLY silent. But friends, the silence of God does not indicate a lack of His working. In fact, God was working during this time. He was preparing the way for the Savior to come! Better yet, when the time did come for the Savior to be born, He was better than anything the people could have planned or imagined for themselves.

So if you're in a season of what may seem like "silence" from God, let me encourage you with this short note: God is always working for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). And because He knows us better than we know ourselves, His plan is always far greater for us than anything we could come up with on our own. Your level of feeling towards God  is not an indicator of His level of working in your life. :)

May this be an encouragement and reminder to you as you enter this new year!

A Summer to Remember

Wow, this post is coming LATE! Sorry about that, friends! I originally wrote it back in August, but never actually posted it until now...oops. :/ Anyway, I'd still like to share it for documenting's (is that a word?) sake.

Looking back on the summer before my senior year of college, all I can say is WOW, this was a summer to remember. Not only did I reach some incredible business goals, but I got to travel world, build amazing relationships, and impact lives for the gospel.

Our family recently bought a cottage on Burt Lake, so much of this summer was spent up at the lake: exploring the surrounding areas, sitting by the campfire, watching movies, swimming (of course), kayaking, and playing games.

In May I also turned 21, which doesn't really mean anything for me because I've pledged to my school that I won't drink while a student there, but still just turning 21 kind of feels like a big deal (mainly because I now have a horizontal license, and am considered a full blown "adult" by society). Haha.

Later that month, I got to go with my church to AFRICA to share the gospel for about 10 days. It was LIFE CHANGING and just incredible. We spent 2 days in Johannesburg, after which we flew to Rwanda to begin our ministry in an Orphanage as well as speak and do dramas at a local youth conference! To see some more pics of our trip, you can watch this video. If you want to read my recap letter with stories and more info about our trip, you can check that out here too. :)


THEN in June, shortly after arriving home from Africa, I was headed out west! Our final destination was to the annual Young Living Grand Convention in Salt Lake City! This was my 3rd time going, and as always, it was an amazing time of learning and fellowship with our team. To see some of the SUPER FUN time we had there, you can watch this crazy video I made. haha.

BUT before we went to Salt Lake, we spent a little bit of time at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks! My parents are national park junkies, so this was actually our second time visiting these parks. If you haven't been out west, it is a trip worth making. SO much beauty!

The end of June was crazy for my business. You see, I don't have a summer job like most college students my age. I own my own business with Young Living Essential oils, and I work that year round, which makes it really nice in the summer because I'm not tied down. Anyway, on the last day of June I reached a goal in my business that I had been working toward for 6 months (read about that here) and because of it, earned a kit of products from the company that retails at about $3,000. So so thankful and blessed!


I FINALLY had some time back home in July, even though it was intermittent as we took many weekend trips up to the cottage (as I mentioned before). My sister also came out from California to visit for about 2 weeks, so that was fun having her home for a bit!

And that, my friends, pretty much wraps up my summer! I am headed back to Ohio tomorrow to begin my senior year of college. CRAZINESS. Anyway, while I have bittersweet feelings about this year, I know that there are GREAT things ahead!

Thanks for taking the time to read! I'd love to hear about what you did this summer in the comments below!

On Goals and the Journey to Silver!

So let me be the first to say that I am writing this WAY later than I anticipated. When I went Silver in 6 with Young Living at the end of June, I expected myself to have written about it much sooner, but here we are in mid-August already!

Anyway, better late than never, right? :) Hitting Silver (in 6) was a HUGE milestone for my team. It was something that could NOT have been accomplished without the help and support of my amazing team. I am so thankful for them and have loved that the Lord has brought us all together on this journey.  While this is a milestone, I know it is ONE milestone, and is not the END milestone. In other words, this is just the beginning of many great things (working on toward GOLD people!).

Side note: If any of you are wondering about the Premier Aroma Collection (it retails at almost $3k, and is the company's gift to me for reaching silver in 6, can I just say I love Young Living?) that I earned. Below is a pic of me with the kit when it arrived. It was so fun opening up and I literally could smell the oils right when I opened the box!

If you would like to see the full version of me telling my story of how this began and some of my tips for building to silver, you can watch a video of me talking about it here where I was sharing for our team's weekly conference call.

However, I wanted to share some tid-bit's here too. First of all, let me just say that when I first began this journey, silver seemed SO far away. I say that to encourage you, in that everyone starts at the same level, and has the same initial thought when they look at the compensation plan. Goodness, I remember thinking that Executive seemed like such a long way away. Each of the ranks looks SO intimidating (at least they did for me) at first, but I am here to tell you that with consistent work and effort, you CAN reach those ranks and before you know it, you will be achieving numbers in your business that will BLOW your mind. Just for fun, here are some pictures of me at my first Young Living convention, 2 years ago (2014). I was a Star at the time:

One of the biggest things that has impacted me on this journey is the power of writing your goals and keeping them in front of you...
In December 2015, when I reached the rank of Executive, I had no idea if I was going to even be able to maintain it for the next month (which would have automatically dropped me out of qualification for Silver in 6). However, I knew my goal and what I wanted, and I kept pressing toward it. And I prayed, a lot. Don't ever underestimate the hand of God in your businesses. One of the biggest things that I knew above all else, was that this was in HIS hands and it was HIS businesses. Giving your business to the Lord is the BEST decision you can make for your success.

You see, even though I didn't know all the details of HOW I was going to make Silver in 6 happen at the time, I believed it would happen and I continued to do whatever it took to work towards my goal- even if it meant driving 1hr and 20min in rush hour to my group in Cinci for almost every weekend in March, getting up at 5am on my school break to help with a mom-to-mom sale, or stepping out of my comfort zone by calling people I didn't know. When you have a set goal, you will do CRAZY things to reach it, as long as you don't leave room for excuses.

You HAVE to KEEP your goal in front of you.  Honestly, it was scary writing my goal of silver by June when I wrote it for the first time, as it seemed so far away. In fact, I wrote that before I had even gone Executive (so it was REALLY scary). Below is a picture of my where I write my goals. You'll notice I had a different goal written initially for Silver, and I crossed that out and re-wrote my goal. Sometimes that happens, and that's OK!

Also, SHARE your goals with your upline mentor and downline leaders...this is a TEAM effort...help THEM succeed first and then you will too. Just never ever give up and I cannot emphasize this enough: keep your goals and dreams in front of you at ALL times. I had Si6 on my dream board, as well as a pin that said "silver by convention" that I carried with me to ALL my classes I did, as it was my reminder to me and my team of the bigger goal. Lastly, I put me as a silver as my screen background (It's now been changed to me as a Gold) on my phone. This is HUGE. Everyday I would see myself as a silver before I was even there. Let me ask you, do YOU see yourself where you want to be or where you are currently? It makes a difference in your mind, guys! I have many people ask me, "What does your phone background mean?" Which also gives me an opportunity for me to share with them what I'm doing!

Anyway, I want to encourage you all with this...you CAN do this if you put your complete mind and focus on it. Be dedicated to your business. If you treat it like a real business (and not a hobby), it will reap the benefits of a real business.
This is JUST the beginning...the future is bright! With all the chaos in the world today, I am proud to be a part of something that gives people HOPE! Be encouraged today!

If you accidentally stumbled upon this page and want to find out more about Young Living and joining my team, just go ahead and click here.

Love you all! :)

DIY Easy Peasy [Chocolate Orange Peppermint] Dry Shampoo!

When I first discovered dry shampoo, it changed my life. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but it was definitely a big deal. I had no idea that you could just spray some stuff on your hair and VOILA, the grease was gone! After playing around with it a bit, I found out that most dry shampoos leave a nice white film on your hair, which gave me a nice salt-and-pepper/grey streaky look, which I really wasn't going for...I have since then found out that they have dry shampoo for dark hair (YAY), but since I've been into Young Living, I don't really like the idea of spraying toxic chemicals all over my scalp. SO when Young Living posted this recipe on their blog, I was ALL about it. It's SO easy, can be made for dark OR light hair, and literally took me 5 minutes to make (also it smells amazing!).


As with many of my DIY recipes, you have some leeway to modify it based on what oils you like and what you're going for. The recipe from the YL blog called for 2 drops each of Cedarwood and Rosemary, and 1 drop of Tea Tree Essential Oil. However, because I have dark hair and thus added the Cocoa, I went for oils that not only would be good for your hair/scalp, but also would complement the cocoa smell, hence Peppermint and Orange! Other oils you could try would be Cinnamon, Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood, or Lavender.

I have to say though, the Peppermint-Orange-Cocoa combination smells SO GOOD I could eat it!

Sometimes things get a little messy ;) 

And there you have it! Using a make-up brush to apply it to your roots works really well.

DIY Dry Shampoo (modified from the Young Living blog)

Ingredients:

-1/4 c. Cornstarch
-1 tbsp. Baking Soda
- Young Living Essential Oils of Choice (see paragraph #2 above, listed below is what I used)
     - 2 drops each of Peppermint, Cedarwood, & Orange
-2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, for dark hair only

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and store in your container of choice. I find using a make-up brush the best way to apply the shampoo, as it gives the most control and lets you reach the roots really well, though you can also store your shampoo in an empty salt and pepper shaker or baby powder bottle and use it that way. Be sure to let it sit in your hair for a minute so it can absorb the grease, then brush through with a comb or brush.

Happy Dry-Shampooing!

an unexpected {yet perfect} answer

"The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

 Moses said to the Lord, "You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’  If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people".

 The Lord replied, 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'"

Exodus 33:11-14

Often times I (wrongfully) catch myself thinking that I will learn the most from Scripture by reading the NT. You know, the gospels, epistles, etc. After all, those books were written specifically to the church, right? I often find myself skimming over the OT (esp. Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, Deut...you know the books I'm talking about), or deeming (in my mind) it as less important than the NT, but that is so NOT true. We can learn a lot from these books...if we just take some time to see what they're saying. 

Okay so before I even make my point about how this passage relates to the title of this post, check this out:

The first thing I noticed when I read this passage was the relationship between Moses and the Lord. It says in verse 11 that God spoke to Moses as one speaks to a friend. How COOL is that!? Imagine that kind of relationship with the Lord! Crazy right? Even crazier is the fact that we now can have that kind of relationship with God too. In the OT, God spoke to priests and prophets on behalf of the people. But now, because of Jesus, we are able to play that role of a priest and have that kind of relationship with God. 1 Peter 2:9 says we are a royal priesthood, and Hebrews 4:16 tells us to come boldly before the throne of grace, something that in the OT, only the priests could do. So basically, we can have that relationship that Moses had we God...we can speak to Him as we would speak to a friend, and He wants to speak to us that way. God wants to hear our thoughts, emotions, hurts, desires, pains, dreams.....that sounds alot like a RELATIONSHIP, my friend- not a religion! :) Anyway...!

THEN it gets even better (this is the main point I want to make), Moses shows his humanness and QUESTIONS the Lord. Sound familiar? You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me. (v.12).  What is Moses doing? He's questioning God on what He said He would do, instead of believing and knowing that God would come through on His Word. 
How often do we do this? I know I'm definitely guilty of it! Have you ever said, "Lord, you said you were going to provide for this, but I don't know how that's going to happen because you have not provided a job in 3 months," or something similar? We often wonder, is God REALLY my provider, my healer, my satisfaction? He SAID He is, but how often is that not enough for us when we don't immediately see the fruit of it?

The BEST thing about this is the Lord's response: "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 

What? I can totally image Moses being like "Ummmmm okay Lord, that's great, but you totally didn't answer my question. You still didn't tell me who you were going to send with me and how we were going to get this done. You want me to lead all of these thousands of people but unless you give me some sort of blueprint to work with this is not going to happen."


...(wait for it)...


But that's the point. 

God DID answer His question, just in a way Moses didn't expect.

God didn't give Moses all the details of how things were going to play out. He didn't tell Moses exactly HOW He was going to come through on His promises, BUT God did give Him a peace and the promise of His presence, which would be ENOUGH to get Moses through whatever the future held. 
God did come through on His promises, and He answered Moses's question, just maybe in a way Moses didn't expect.

Can you see where I'm headed with this application?

I'm a planner. I like to plan things in advance, and know the details and schedule. So, this is something that's really hard for me. Sometimes I ask God for answers to questions about my future and you know what? He doesn't always give them. But, I've realized that the promise of God's presence and rest is SO much greater than knowing all of the minute details of life or how things are going to work out. It's about learning to walk by faith, which is how we grow.

So, if you're in a time of transition or growth (like me), trust in the Lord. Continue to pursue Him and His promises, knowing that He may not give you all the answers right when you want them, but He WILL be there for you. You may feel like you need to know everything, but you know what? You don't, because you serve a God that DOES and has your very best interest at heart.

If you remember anything at all from this post, let it be this: Even down uncertain paths, If you have God's presence, you have all you need.

DIY Antiperspirant Deodorant (Aluminum Free!)

So I'm the kind of person that sweats, a lot. Or, excuse me, should I say, that I "glisten" (girls don't sweat, right?). ;) Anyway, sweat or glisten, I need a good antiperspirant deodorant (Sorry if this is TMI for some of you, just being real here). Over the past few years, my mom has thoroughly educated me on the dangers of aluminum and how I shouldn't use an antiperspirant with aluminum. My response? I'm sorry but I NEED antiperspirant or I, nor the people around me, will be happy campers. Thus began the journey of checking every brand of deodorant in the store for the ones with the lowest aluminum percentage, and the endless search of a natural antiperspirant deodorant without aluminum. They are SO hard to find! SO when my mom found THIS recipe, which includes a natural ANTIPERSPIRANT, you can bet I was pretty intrigued.

This recipe is from Melissa Poepping's book- The Chemical Free Home- I LOVE IT!!! If you don't have one, you need to go get yourself one! You can get this book and the other volumes she has here. We made a few slight modifications on the oils we used and we used arrowroot instead of cornstarch, but other than that it's the same. :)

Yes, that is Thieves Dentarome Plus toothpaste...and it IS in the recipe. Sounds weird, right?

Gathering ingredients!

We used 20 drops each of Tea Tree and Dream Catcher, but you can substitute other oils such as Lavender, Joy, Petitgrain, Geranium, or Shutran (for the men in your life). I'd recommend always using some Tea Tree though because it is very good in deodorants! Also, be sure to use enough essential oil! Don't skimp on it...20 drops each of 2 oils is good, and it will make 4 deodorants. 

This recipe was much easier than I thought it was going to be. It probably took me 10 minutes tops.

Ta-da! And now to the fridge to chill. :)

Deodorant + Antiperspirant

Makes 4 Deodorants

Ingredients:

3/4 c baking soda

1/2 c organic arrowroot (available here on Amazon)

1 Tbsp Thieves Dentarome PLUS Toothpaste (you can get this and the other YL products for this recipe through my website, here)

1 Tbsp Young Living V-6 

1/2 c Coconut Oil (Solid)

3 tsp Vitamin E Oil

20 drops Young Living Tea Tree Essential Oil 

20 drops Young Living Dream Catcher Essential Oil (also available here)

Directions:

Put the baking soda, cornstarch, and coconut oil in a pot and melt over low heat until dissolved completely. Add the Thieves Dentarome PLUS toothpaste and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly (remember high heat breaks down the EO's), and add V-6, Vitamin E oil, and essential oils. Allow to cool (but not harden) to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour into an empty deodorant container using a funnel (if you need it). Be careful at this step, because the mixture may still be very hot!!! Allow to harden in the fridge.

There you have it! Super easy, one pot, deodorant. Not only is it natural, but it smells AMAZING. I know I am super excited to try it!! Finally, a deodorant that I can feel good about using.

Hope your weekend is awesome!

What Does A Man After God's Own Heart Look Like?

Goodmorning and Happy Monday!

I shared this on my Facebook page yesterday morning so some of you may have already seen it,  but my roommate, Lynne, encouraged me to share it on here too. :) I hope this encourages you this week. Remember, you are not defined by your sin.

When we think of David being a "man after God's own heart," it's easy for us to think that He must have been so perfect, so focused on striving after the Lord, so dedicated to Him. And he was, for a time, but we often forget that David also strayed and made some pretty big mistakes. His life was a series of successes and failures. The same young shepherd boy who killed Goliath and became a King also committed adultery and murder in His life. Yet despite his sins, God never removed the title "man after My own heart" from David, or stopped using Him. It's easy to think that being a man or woman after God's heart means that we're "perfect," but it doesn't. In fact, we might make some pretty big mistakes. But it was David's deeply repentant heart during those sins and focus back on the Lord that gave Him the title that He is famous for today. 

David wasn't defined by his sins, and we shouldn't be either. It's human nature for us to focus on the negatives and on the sin, but we must realize that God doesn't see things that way- He sees us as His sons and daughters, redeemed by the blood of Christ if we have accepted Him as our Savior. In addition, God took David's mistakes and used them for His glory, in the writing of many powerful Psalms that we use today to express our repentance to God. Being a "man after God's own heart" isn't some unattainable, perfectionistic, or legalistic title. It simply means you're seeking God first in ALL things, and you're willing to surrender and redirect your life back to His path when you do (inevitably) mess things up, and realize that God will use your mistakes to grow you for your good and for His glory.

I hope you're blessed by this song this morning, it is one of my favorites and completely applies to this post.

Lessons From The People Whom I Can't Thank Enough

I guess you could say I kind of stand out amongst other people my age. On my weekends, I go to leadership meetings and teach people about health and wellness. In the evening, I'm on conference calls/webinars to learn more about business and leadership skills, and I currently have a stack of John Maxwell books sitting on my shelf that I am working through. I mean, here I am, about to graduate college while on my way to financial freedom through residual income that I have generated through my "side" Essential Oil Business (which I plan to make full time in the very near future). While all my friends are going to career fairs and planning when they are going to take the GRE for graduate school, here I am urgently looking forward to the day when I graduate so I can finally have time to work my business full time.  Clearly I'm not your "average" college student. Haha. The question I often get is, WHY? Why am I doing this? Why am I like this? While personality can come into play a little bit, I know the majority of the reason is due to the influence of my parents growing up. Please hear me out, I am NOT saying this to brag in ANY way...I just want to share with you some of the principles of personal growth, independence, and financial freedom that my parents have instilled into me that have made me successful in who I am today, and to show you how these same simple principles can totally rock your world as they have mine.

When I was little, my parents would play CD's of motivational speakers in the car ALL THE TIME. Sounds like a 4 year old girl's dream, right?...Or not. I cannot tell you how many times I begged them to play the Pocahontas or The Little Mermaid soundtrack.  I mean, personal development could NOT have been more boring to me at the time. However, whether I realized it or not...the principles I was hearing became drilled into my being, and they have left an enormous mark on my life. This is just ONE aspect of how my parents have played such a key role in my life, and are people whom I really look up to.

The principles I'm about to share with you are principles for SUCCESS that have inspired me on my journey to where I am today. They will inspire you too, and if you practice them, watch out world, because you will be UNSTOPPABLE! YOU were made to THRIVE, NOT merely survive! Never forget that!

1. You are UNLIMITED. Don't limit yourself. Don't let others limit you. My dad used to tell me all the time, "Priya, you can do ANYTHING at all, if you are willing to put in the work. Don't be afraid to dream big." I cannot tell you the effect this has on a child. If you are a parent, don't ever limit your children or tell them they're not good enough. I am telling you guys, if you truly grasp this concept, the world will not be able to stop you. There will be NO limits to what you can accomplish. I have often heard Adam Green, a network marketing professional who I look up to, say that the most expensive thing you can own is a closed mind. Think about that for a minute.

2. Think out of the box. You don't have to follow everyone else, make your own path. For example, our society says to do well in high school, go to college for 4 years, graduate, and then get a good job so you can work for 40 years and then retire to the "golden years," where you can really enjoy life. I don't know about you guys, but I just can't seem to come to terms with the fact that most people work 40 years of their life in a job they don't like...just to enjoy 10-15 years afterwards. Something seems out of balance there. I want my whole life to be golden years, no?! If time is the only commodity we invest that we never get back, why are so many people investing it in something they don't enjoy? My point is this: Don't feel like you always have to go with the "status quo." Remember it is the people who "go against the grain" in life that truly make an impact in the world. Be creative, be unique, be you.

3. Invest in Yourself.  The human mind is an extremely powerful tool, and YOU are worth the investment. I cannot stress this enough. All of those motivational speakers my parents made me listen to as a 4 year old? That had a HUGE impact on my life, even though at the time I did NOT enjoy it. Personal development equips you and gives you the tools you need to meet your goals in this world. Life can be ugly, guys. It can bring you down, but if you are equipped to know how to handle yourself in response to whatever comes your way by using your failures to leverage you into greater growth....my oh my...nothing can stop you.

4. ALWAYS have a heart of generosity and gratefulness.  When things in your life go wrong, remember that there are always those who have it worse than you. Count your blessings, and readily use what you have been given to bless others. We are blessed to bless. Also, remember that the most important things in this life cannot be bought. 

5. Be good stewards of your money! This goes hand-in-hand with #4. Make wise financial decisions. In other words, don't buy things you can't afford and drive yourself into debt. My dad has ALWAYS taught me that if there is any way possible, AVOID loans and debt. You will sleep so much more soundly at night with that stress off your shoulders. Use your money as a tool to work for you. You should own your money, it should not own you. If you're thinking about making a big purchase this year such as buying a house or car, it is always smart to get some financial advising. Personal Capital has some great free finance tools here that can help you in this way.

In conclusion, an open letter to the people whom I can't thank enough:

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thank you for the incredible impact you have had on my life. Thank you for the principles of independence and strength that you have taught me from a very young age. Thank you for teaching me how to make wise financial decisions, in being generous and giving back, as well as teaching me self-discipline in that area. Thank you for ALWAYS being my number one fan, and encouraging me to fight for my dreams no matter what others thought of me. I love you guys so much. 

And to everyone reading this, you ARE a world changer. You CAN make a difference, and you CAN choose to act today and start living the life you want to live. 

Love you guys!! Be sure to hit the "follow" button on the right so you can be back to continue our series on personal values!!

Defining Your Values: A Series (3/6)

Hello friends :)

I hope you all have had a wonderful start to your week...you know, I was talking to someone today and I was asking them how their day was going, and they replied with a mellow, "well, you know, Monday." I was tempted to agree and then was like WAIT...NO!!! If the days of the week had feelings, I think Monday would be the most hurt because people always seem to be complaining about the dreaded...Monday! You know it's true! We really need to change our view of Mondays here, guys. Monday is NOT just a boring, dreaded, start to the week. Monday is the opportunity for a new, fresh, beginning! A week full of opportunities, decisions, and moving forward. Why don't we stop looking at Mondays as something to dread but instead as something new we can LEARN this week! Whether you absolutely LOVE Mondays because you love what you do, or you hate your job and the fact that you have to sit at your cramped desk all week listening to your annoying coworkers complain about how the coffeemaker in the lounge stopped working, make a decision to CHOOSE to LOVE Mondays because of the OPPORTUNITIES the week will bring. Happiness is a CHOICE...Anyway, okay, rant over. Let's shift back to what you really came here for...

The real reason I am writing this post is to discuss my 3rd value for our series on values! I am so excited about this, guys!! We are half-way done!

Value #3: Intentional Relationships

Okay, so this is HUGE. Now, I know It sounds like some really fancy thing that seems really complicated and hard, but I am telling you, it's not. It just requires a little...mmm..intentionality (sorry to my 6th grade vocabulary teacher who told me never to define a word using the word). Intentionality means choosing to make time for people...DESPITE the craziness of life. Newsflash, we are ALL BUSY. Yup. All of us, in our own way. So, you are no longer allowed to use that as an excuse because we are all on the same playing field here. :) Intentionality means choosing to act DESPITE your busyness. It means choosing to write a 3 sentence card to your friend on their birthday or anniversary...sending them a quick text letting them know that you prayed for them today (make sure you actually did)...or sending them some flowers when you know they're feeling down...I am telling you guys, people LOVE this. YOU love this! Think about the last time someone took the time to write and send you a personal note. It made your day, right? And you probably kept it for a long time too! Sadly, even though writing a quick note can literally take 5 minutes and is SO easy, this is an area that I am working to be better at as well, so trust me, I am talking to myself here too! Haha.

Anyway, I KNOW this makes a HUGE impact on people in our world. This REALLY lets people know that you CARE, and THAT makes a difference. PEOPLE MATTER. Your RELATIONSHIPS with them matter. In the business world, this tells people that you appreciate them and really do care for them as a person...it lets them know that they're not just a number to you, but a living, breathing person, whom you care about. If you are in the kind of business I am in..it is about SOOO much more than you or I..or even...essential oils (gasp! Yes, I said it!)...it's about PEOPLE and the PEOPLE God has put in our lives to SERVE and LEAD. So...my challenge to you (and to myself), is to take a moment RIGHT NOW and write a quick encouraging note to a friend. Go ahead, do it right now. I'm doing it with you.

Now, tomorrow, put a stamp on it and put in in your mailbox. Okay? Okay. Let's be intentional in our relationships.

Love you guys!! Thanks for taking the time to read this! I'll see you back here for value #4 coming soon!

Defining Your Values: A Series (2/6)

"Do not remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."- Isaiah 43:18-19

Goodbye 2015, hello 2016! It's a new year, a new start. I just started a 21 days of prayer for my business to start off the new year (you can find out more about that here if you're interested), and ALREADY God has been moving in my heart.  This verse really speaks to me and I am declaring it as my theme verse for 2016. I am SO excited to start off the year in the right way by setting my focus on the Lord and I am thrilled to see how He works this year.

In the second post of this series, I am going to talk about a value to me that is absolutely critical to growth in any area of life, and in being a successful leader. While these posts are not in any order regarding ranking of values (except the for the last one...which is really my #1 value),  this one definitely ranks up somewhere near the top. Also, with the new year just ringing in, there is no better time to write about this:

Value #2: Vision

Vision. Proverbs 29:18 states "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Vision is what drives people, it motivates them. It gets them through the hard times because they are able to see the greater vision, the dream. It is the job of the leader to cast a vision for the team, to give them direction and pave the way. It is crucial to the success of any large feat. VISION inspires people to ACTION which leads to GOAL SETTING which in turn makes DREAMS come true. Vision gives one a concrete picture of what they are trying to create as a result of their actions. So this new year, in whatever area you may be working in, if you are in a position of influence and leadership, cast a direction for the people you are working with. It creates unity, drive, and success. 

What is your vision for 2016? Where do you see yourself going? What do you see yourself doing? Who do you want to impact? 

Keep in mind that VISION does not mean GOALS, though it can include your goals. GOALS are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound. Whereas a VISION is a more broad and general direction that you see yourself going. However, your GOALS should lead you to accomplishing your VISION, which will inspire further action to make your DREAMS come true! :) 

Without a vision, the people perish. What is your vision for 2016?