If you’ve been with me on this journey, you are well aware of my relationship with music.
If not, here’s a short summary: Music is my lifeline, love language and one of my all-around favorite things.
I’ve shared various songs in the past and will be making a habit of doing that more in this space.
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
I know everyone is still occupied by “Formation,” but “Save The Hero” will FOREVER be one of my top two BeyoncĂ© songs (The other being, “I Was Here”).
I don’t look to any celebrity as my standard of living, nor do I fault myself for any music I listen to (when I catch myself feeling myself too much, I check it QUICKLY). I have a faith that I’m growing in day by day and God prunes those habits REGULARLY. In the meantime, I take any revelations God gives me via any medium– which is often music (and not just Christian or Gospel genres).
All that being said, this particular song came to mind as I considered my topics for my next Podcast recording. It’s pretty much where I’m at right now.
I didn’t sleep at all last night. Not because I was stressed or anxious or upset or worried. But because I needed that time alone with God.
The first time I heard this song in 2008, I felt like it described my life:
“…I’m left with no shoulder, but everybody wants to lean on me.
I guess I’m their soldier.
Well who’s gonna be mine?
Who’s there to save the hero?
When she’s left all alone and she’s crying out for help.
Who’s there to save the hero?
Who’s there to save the girl… after she’s saves the world?”
I feel that way, OFTEN. And, like any other time I find myself pondering lyrics during my quiet time, I heard God answer me.
His response was, “I AM.”
I wouldn’t be the woman that I am today if I didn’t continue to remember these truths:
“Strong people” struggle too. The world looks at you as if you are some superhero, but you know all too well that you are STILL human.
People may overlook you, try to use you and manipulate your genuine heart to serve their own needs —  But God —
God is the one true, constant confidant that you have in the midst of all of life’s challenges. He WILL NOT fail you and you CANNOT allow others to change who you are or stop the purposes and desires He has placed in your heart.
Take some time away with God and allow him to strengthen your heart.
I pray that my transparency helps someone else today. It’s pressing on my heart to share so I’m sure there’s some person who needs these words at this very moment.
Matthew 11:28-30 The Message (MSG) “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30 New Living Translation (NLT) Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Psalm 91 New Living Translation (NLT)
1Â Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2Â This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
3Â For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
4Â He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.…
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John 16:33 New Living Translation (NLT) “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Resolutions are difficult. One of the most challenging things about resolutions is that a person ends up feeling like a failure if he or she does does not accomplish them.
Whenever we set goals, we have to accept our reality for what it is. In my example, being a certain weight and in a certain size by the end of 2015 was a goal that I set for myself. The reality is that I experienced several health challenges made that goal somewhat difficult. My workouts were put on hold once my doctor determined that I needed to have a surgery to correct a major issue affecting my breathing.
I can focus on the fact that I’m not a certain size or weight or I can understand the reality that, despite the setbacks I’ve experienced, I still feel better I can still walk longer distances, I can breathe SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better, and I’m in nowhere near as much pain as I was previously.
If I focus on the negative, I completely miss every good thing that I gained by setting the goal for myself and working towards it, even if I didn’t fully accomplish it.
A resolution is a THING. A SINGLE point. It’s almost dead and inactive but a goal is ALIVE. A goal is PROGRESSING! Even if you don’t make it to the point that you are striving for, just the act of beginning the PROCESS puts you so much further off than where you were when you started.
So I encourage you today. Instead of setting another resolution, set a GOAL and understand that if you don’t ACCOMPLISH that goal this year it’s a goal that you can carry into the next year.
The reality is, many of us have things that we need to ACCOMPLISH more so than things that totally need to CHANGE.
We have things we need to ACHIEVE. NEW LEVELS we need to reach.
Don’t focus on the negative! Instead, set your sights on those new heights you desire for yourself and try to accomplish those goals.
Commit yourself to the “Art of The PRESS!”
Scripture to meditate on:
Philippians 3:12-14
Pressing Toward the Goal
12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Fix-It With Fran 