Perspective

ACCORDING TO YOUR PERSPECTIVE, SO IT IS

"Autumn is a second Spring, when every leaf is a flower." ~Albert Camus

Perspective is powerful.

Is it art or is it trash? It all depends on how you look at it.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And YOU are the beholder.

"So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened." (Luke 11:9, 10 AMP)

Silence doesn't mean abandonment; we are encouraged to ask and keep on asking! We will receive an answer.

A closed door doesn't mean a block of disappointment. God dares us to knock and to keep on knocking. A door will always open.

Feeling lost is not the end. We are promised we will find our way if we seek what we are looking for and keep on seeking.

Perspective is powerful.

Many see this time of year as a death of things. They are missing out on the beautiful fact that life itself just found its second wind.

Choose the perspective that best serves you and stick with it. That perspective will define your world.

What world will you live in?

Myself? I'm enjoying the second Spring.

Be Where You Are

"Be where you are, not where you think you should be."

Truth is, you can't even get to where you "think" you should be unless you start from where you are. So be there. KNOW it fully.

To be where you are is not the same as getting stuck there. Oftentimes, people who are stuck are striving and struggling to get free. Fear has taken over and they are desperate.

To be where you are is to rest in deep trust. Its an inner knowing that a way will be made for you and that you will be "given" the next step. It's not up to us to plan our steps. We choose where we want to go (based on the desires in our heart) and God - who passionately supports our dreams - lovingly guides our steps.

"Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths". (Proverbs 3:5, 6 AMP)

Embrace where you are, discover the power of NOW. And watch your dreams unfold before your eyes!

Beautiful Storm

The past few weeks have been some of the most challenging this year for me. The disappointments have been steady and continuous. Life lately has felt like an unending storm. The heart can only take so much at one time. It is not designed for suffering. Though pain and heartache do exist in this world, I believe God designed our hearts for joy, love and peace. It's been said that a joyful heart is like good medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. My heart has felt so broken and I have honesty felt like giving up...

But here is the good news: there is a beautiful Promise from Heaven that says: a broken heart may last for a night, but joy will return in the morning. In moments of great pain and disappointment, we must keep our eyes open for the joy. It will come. The photo accompanying this post reminds me of this joy. When joy comes, suddenly the storm is transformed. What was dark and gloomy becomes deep and beautiful! New perspectives arise, fresh energy gets ignited within. Beauty always wins!

It has not been an easy decision, but I am choosing joy. I am holding onto the promise. The storm that was threatening destruction is now pregnant with hope. Joy will come. It always does. That promise is a Law of God and it is truer than gravity!

In stormy times, remember to wait for the joy. That promise is yours! Beautiful light will burst through those clouds creating a beautiful and spectacular experience. Trade your sorrows for the JOY. It will come! :)

Silence

"I am just reminded that in between all the busyness, just like between every breath, is a piece of silence." ~Mary Morrissey

How have you felt the silence in between your breath today? Silence is a luxury we often take for granted, especially in our busy culture. We are so encouraged to go, go, go that we forget to stop, pause and rest. Activity is important, but I am convinced that it is those times of rest, the silence in between our busy moments, that shape our lives.

As a musician and piano teacher, I am very aware of the power of a rest in music. In music, the definition of a rest is a 'sign of silence'. It's these moments that shape the piece and give it character. In those brief moments, it allows clarity, understanding, contemplation and evaluation of where the piece is going.

As a photographer, the pause allows me to "see" the photo that has presented itself to me. The pause is essential to my sight in photography. And I am continually amazed by just how much can get captured in that brief moment after the pause. Many times I don't even realize the beauty and depth in the photo until many moments later and I can't help but experience gratefulness that I had taken the moment to pause, feel the moment, and listen.

What if it's true that our brief moments of silence are golden and that they shape our lives in profound ways? It's always interesting to me how much of a difference it makes when my students observe rests as opposed to ignoring them the way a busy person might ignore a stop sign. When they don't stop and pause, the song feels unbalanced, shaky and like it could fall apart at any moment. When they observe the rest signs, their songs sound purposeful, grounded and flowing.

Just as I encourage my students to practice, I invite you to practice observing the rests in your life. In between your busy breaths, pause and feel the beautiful piece of silence. It's not an empty silence. That moment, albeit brief, is full of amazing information and direction for your life.

Why not start now? Ready? Rest... Ah... didn't that feel good? Keep practicing and let yourself be amazed at what reveals itself to you!

On this topic, I want to invite you to my wife's art show at Mercy Hospital appropiately entitled "Stop, Feel and Listen". Viewing art can be a wonderful way to practice observing our moments of silence. Her art will be featured from March 6 - April 3. Check out her blog: www.melissamariecollins.blogspot.com for more information.

Enjoy your moment of silence! :)

The Beginning

To everything there is a beginning.  This is the beginning to my Freedom Coach blog, a place where you will hopefully come and hang-out, be inspired and hopefully learn something that will expand your perspective and unlock fresh worlds of thought.  My desire is for the words and images shared in this blog to encourage your heart to dance in freedom.  Yes, in these difficult times, true freedom does exist.  Time freedom, financial freedom, personal freedom and so much more.  These are all available and waiting for anyone daring enough to step into their reality.  I hope my blog inspires you to walk further up and further into your dreams.  Let the journey begin...