Saturday, May 6, 2017

Let's take up space with a conversation about self-love

Today while trying to resolve conflict between my child and another adult, the other adult turned on me. This trigger was without much warning but it wasn't a surprise as the same scenario has played out in my life many times, many days and for many years. My children stood there in horror as they watched this adult scream at their mother and take self-hatred out on her. For them the scenario had also played out many times and many days and for many years. This time was different though. I stood there with serenity and peace, very strong and with dignity, knowing the truth about who I am and how much I'm worth. Because I was able to remain calm, I was quickly able to redirect my children and unlike in the past, the situation fizzled out fairly quickly. What I learned today is, no matter what has happened in the past and no matter what obstacles we have faced and no matter what running diatribes we have bought into, it takes one instance in which we stand firm that we can immediately teardown every barrier that has been between ourselves and self-love and self worth and with our children watching, we can step into a whole new way of life as we embrace our resiliency and smile, knowing what we needed was inside all along. Why am I sharing on this on Facebook? Because people never do and because these are conversations we never have and it's time we step into that space and change the conversation. It's easy to recognize a strong woman but do we recognize the struggles that allowed her to find the strength? 

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ, 
Johnna
W

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Finding My Tribe



We all need a tribe. Those people that celebrate us, even our quirks. When others may say "Sit down and be quiet", our tribe says "Stand up and tell me more".

We are wired for connection and planted in purpose. If we will meditate on this truth, we will see our tribes emerge.

Our tribe is made up of the people we are drawn too. They share our passions and they will speak up when we have just revealed our most vulnerable self and they dare to say "me too".

I'm grateful for the last year. It has allowed me to find my tribe. When others will tear me down and try to destroy me, they have lifted me up, spoke truth in to my heart, and loved me back to life.  Everyone deserves to have a tribe. Do you know who your people are? If not, find them, and love them hard.

A Grateful Beliver in Jesus Christ,
Johnna

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Staying Strong and Walking Away

Staying Strong and Walking Away 

You know what's hard about being a strong person? When people don't know the price you paid for that strength. They didn't see the fire you had to walk through and they compare themselves with where they see you know. 

For many strong people, the difficult circumstances that are unspoken of, the ones that made you strong, are still going on but somehow you have managed to keep going and learned to let adversity motivate and drive you rather than defeat you.

But, what happens when people that see this  decide they want what you have and need to compete with you to get it. They don't understand that they can develop their own gifts and so they come after yours. 

A strong person is trained by life to react uniquely. When attacked or belittled, they won't retaliate with anger and malice but rather will exude grace and mercy as they attempt to absorb the price of helping another person unpack their pain, knowing that is their calling, secure in their identity in Christ and purposed to perform for the greater good. 

There does come a point in every strong persons life when they encounter someone or even a group of people that are toxic. That person or people come to misunderstand the strong persons unique reaction and are blind to the goodness and kindness of their heart. The toxic person(s) are not able to compete or compare so they attack and the blame game is in full force.  

So what is the solution for the strong person? Removing yourself from the situation and trusting the conviction of God to intercede. Sick people need you to be less than who you are. They want you to act outside of yourself so they have an excuse for their behavior. When you walk away, without your presence, they will have only eyes to see themselves. 

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18:2‬‬

I share this because on this journey the last 6 years, I have had to remove myself. At first, people blamed me for abandoning them. This is a tactic to keep you in the toxic place. Don't fall for it. You have a right to walk away from anything that is not healthy for you.  

If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting what you have always had. Have faith and give God a chance to give you something new, let Him do what He has planned for your life, and stay strong. 

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ

Johnna