http://iembracegraceblog.com/2013/09/19/free-to-be-me-2/

This blog post pretty much sums up where I am and how I have felt as of late but like many hold on to FAITH and HOPE to get us through the season we are in and have been in.  I hope you enjoy this post!

Oh, did you notice that the Cowboys got a Big Win today?  Love my Romo and America's Team here in Dallas.

Enjoy this first day of fall,

xoxoxo
Diana  

Live A Life You Love ~

http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/05/26/26-steps-to-living-a-life-you-love/


The time is NOW, it is the time to change what I am doing so that I can find the true joy in living a life that I enjoy and am passionate about again.

Are you at that place?  If so how did you get there and what do you recommend, I found this website and wanted to save the steps so that I can review the steps that were taken and suggested, I know what I want to do, I just have to put the plan in place that will take me there NOW.

Hope you had a blessed day and enjoyed what you did with those in your life -

xoxoxo

Diana

Setting Up A Blog on Blogger ~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Oiov0L4blIw

Diana

Having A Grateful and Servant Heart When Life Is Challenging ~

Could the week get any more challenging?  This is probably a question I  should not be asking today!  Do you ever get to the point where you wonder if what you share is too much?

I think it is great to share the GOOD things in our life but I also think that by revealing our brokenness, that we keep in real.  It is during these times that we let others see our lives are not perfect  and it is during these times that we are able to open doors to share what our Heavenly Father has done and is doing in our lives.

Are you like me and often think no one could possibly understand what I am going through or how I really feel?  Aren't relationships built on commonalities and shared experiences both good and bad?  I think so!

Some days it is good to just let loose and let those you consider family and friends know where we are and we do that sometimes by asking for prayers openly.  So today, I wanted to share some of where I am with those who know me well and those who don't.  I am hoping that you will continue to pray for me, Demi, and our life together as a family and in our community.

I have been needing and wanting to make some changes that are going to require some uncomfortable choices and hope that the Lord will provide for me as I step out in FAITH.  I am feeling like the weight of the world is on my shoulders and it just keeps getting heavier, if that is possible.  Always having to be strong and holding it together can be emotionally and physically draining.  I have asked Him about His plans and honestly don't understand them.  It has been tough and life does not seem to be letting up.  There is very little down time when you parent alone (does parenting by phone count?) and work 14 hour days several times week.  On the one hand, I am glad I can do it and that I am blessed to be able to teach and serve in the ways he has entrusted to me.  But there comes a time, when you have to dig deep and BE STILL so that we can all hear what we are being asked to do.  Is there anyone who understands where I am coming from?  I know I am not just speaking to single parents or those who are working several jobs to make ends meet, I think we call that SURVIVING but this is not LIVING and THRIVING.  It can be a vicious cycle but I have chosen to have a grateful heart and to see and look at things in a positive way, for Demi and myself because I need her to know we are BLESSED even with all the bumps we have traveled over in her lifetime together.  The lessons I hope she is learning is that life is a gift and it is up to us to create and live our BEST Life centered around Christ.

When you are down to nothing, you will find the treasures of your heart and find what really matters and is important. I think about how those who don't live a Christ centered life deal and cope with the unexpected that seem to catch each and everyone of us off guard.  I am not talking about going to church on Sundays and Wednesday but having a REAL relationship with our Heavenly Father who loves and cares for us deeply.  Life is not always a rainbow but even with challenges, we can find the good what we have and also what we can do for someone else.  That is where the true joy in life comes!  It is when we can bless someone else just because........you can fill in the blank today.

So with all this being said today, I hope that by more of us sharing our true and inner feelings and  that by being more open to not having to be the perfect person or perfect family and or have the life that seems to be a little harder then we would all like or expected or even dreamed of, that there is HOPE,  YOU MATTER, and ARE LOVED.  He showed us how much when Jesus died on the cross for all of us.

I will end today with the three things I am grateful for today are:  Demi and the joy and love she brings to each and every day and her passion for living everyday to it's fullest, her easygoing and forgiving ways,  the opportunity we both will have to love and encourage others today!  Be Blessed, Bumps and All <3 p="">
Diana

Blessed....the beginning and end ~

It has been a great day full of all of His blessings, need nothing more because everything I have is just enough.

Hoping you know you are loved and that you matter.  Remember that your greatest passion and message in life will come from your greatest challenges and pain.  Don't ask why but thank Him for loving us and for the grace to LIVE BIG while being forgiven and embracing the POWER to make this life matter today.

Everyday is a gift and when you have a grateful heart for everything, we often see life through new eyes.  This is the first day of your life.  Thankful for being here and in this moment and BEING PRESENT in the midst of being whipped after a long day with my daughter.  Learning to enjoy it all, the conversations in the car, breakfast together, and being at home to do her hair and tuck her in.  Time to honor her and make her feel special and love her for her being who she is just as she is today.

Have a great Friday enjoying each breath, prayer, and the seed you are given to plant.  Don't forget to water it and bring it sunshine.  Open yourselves to be loved and see the amazing things that God has in store for you.  You are the link between the good and those who are broken and remember to empower and encourage others with His love and LOVE Him just because He loves us.

xoxoxoxo
Bit

Wanting to Interview and Share some stories of friends that have overcome life's challenges ~..

I know there are many that have had some life altering circumstances in their lives.  My question today is would you be willing to share your story with the help of helping someone else today. I often think that if we only shared the ugly circumstances we have experienced that we might be able to change one life today.


Wouldn't it be awesome if we could change the direction of someone's path along their journey that it would be well worth the words we share daily.

Why put yourself out there?  There are many reasons but it means so much to me that everyone knows they are loved and they matter, that He created them and that even when they can't see it or believe it about themselves, that He loves them no matter what!  I want all children to know that no matter where they come from and what their life is today, that with God all things are possible.  I love this verse and know this firsthand.

There is possibly an opportunity to share these with a publication in the future.  I am happy to share more if you message me and I hope that you will feel passionate about making a difference and giving life back to others by being the YOU He created you to be TODAY.

Thanks in advance for stopping by today, I appreciate every visitor and love that you come by when you do.

With gratitude,
Diana 

Dreaming and Expecting To Have a Huge IMPACT ~

God says to pray and envision His plan and I am ALL IN and READY to go, so excited about sharing His love and grace as we continue to BELIEVE what is around the corner for us is so much better then I could have dreamed up for myself.  It always is and I have watched so many lives changed and prayers answered for those who are hanging onto whatever they can, now and this moment.  Praying that whatever is ahead that my life and what I do, say, and share has a huge IMPACT for His kingdom and that others are lead and excited about finding out more of what FAITH is really about and using that to live a life of truth, joy, and love that only He can bring.

Just sitting here and writing about Our Story brings a smile and feeling of LOVE that is indescribable.  What is really AMAZING is that opening ourselves up to receive His love and knowing that I/WE Matter is all we need and that is sufficient enough.  Whatever else comes will be whipped cream and sprinkles

Hope you have a great and exciting week full of everything that is good and true from above.  I pray you will share your life with someone who could benefit from your experiences and know that there is HOPE when life serves up the unexpected.  YOU MATTER 2 ME!!!

xoxoxo

BiT (Diana) 

An Honest Letter posted by Mackenzie Tamayo

From someone who prays for her daughter's future husband, I thought this letter was worth sharing by Mackenzie called An Honest Letter to her future daughter-in-law.

http://mackenzietamayo.com/

Love her tenderness and all that she desires for her son.  I am smiling with so much joy knowing that all the things I pray for in my daughter's husband has been written in a letter to him finally.  I am going to write her a letter too with my prayers for her being a wife and someone else's daughter in law.  I don't think you can start praying for their spouses early enough and often enough.  When I stop and think about the road and journey ahead, it makes me tingle from head to toe delighting in what the Lord has planned for Demi and her family.  LOVE is such a powerful thing to be given and to be shared with those in your life.

Enjoy ~

Diana  

Born Out of the Heart of God and Happy Labor Day 2013 ~

It is wonderful to wake up to the sound of thunder and rain today.  Wishin' I had the windows open so I can really hear the drops of rain falling from the sky.  Music to my ears!

Today, my message here about True Love.  The love that is born out of the heart of God.  I am talking about the life and birth of my daughter, Demi who was born 13 years ago.  Although I was not married, God told me she is special and so loved and that she will walk in love her entire life.  She is perfect, not a mistake.

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

She and I are both Jesus' girls, what an amazing gift He has given to us.  Our life together has been designed by God.

James 2:5 Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

It is here where we meet God that is called "Genuine Faith".  Here is my thought on what this really means to me:  Genuine Faith is an authentic belief and confidence in God based on His word in the Bible.

gen·u·ine

  [jen-yoo-in]  Show IPA

adjective

1.

possessing the claimed or attributed character, quality, or origin; not counterfeit; authentic; real:genuine sympathy; a genuine antique.

2.

properly so called: a genuine case of smallpox.

3.

free from pretense, affectation, or hypocrisy; sincere: a genuine person.

4.

descended from the original stock; pure in breed: a genuine Celtic people.

faith [feɪθ]

n

1. strong or unshakeable belief in something, esp without proof or evidence

2. a specific system of religious beliefs the Jewish faith

3. (Christian Religious Writings / Theology) Christianity trust in God and in his actions and promises

4. (Christian Religious Writings / Theology) a conviction of the truth of certain doctrines of religion, esp when this is not based on reason

5. complete confidence or trust in a person, remedy, etc.

6. any set of firmly held principles or beliefs

7. allegiance or loyalty, as to a person or cause (esp in the phrases keep faith, break faith)

bad faith insincerity or dishonesty

good faith honesty or sincerity, as of intention in business (esp in the phrase in good faith)

 

I love the book of James.  James 1:2-6 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perservance must finish its work so that ou may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, Who gives generuosly to all without finding fault and it will be given to him But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  

It is so important to be in His word daily.  Let me explain.  

The last few days have been ugly in the sense that I have been so frustrated with my life and honestly having a pity party. I seem to have hit rock bottom Do you know what I mean? Nothing can make you happy.  If you could hide under a rock, you would again.  I don't want to live like this any longer!  Praying my Heavenly Father hear my cries.  Throwing my arms up in worship, I cannot do this any longer.  Help me be all you created me to be, not for me but for my child who is so precious to my heart and so that I can show her what it means to have genuine faith even when life is challenging and without trouble.  Help me to hold steadfast on your promises.  Help me to continue to serve you and share your love.  Help me to love myself and my neighbors as you have loved me.  I am worthy, I am your child, I am the one your son died for on the cross.  Help me to never forget the how much you love me.  Help me to mature with a stronger character when overcoming the adversities.  Give me a wisdom that is building up your kingdom and to store up God's treasures through sincere service.  This is the GENUINE I hope to display and teach my daughter.  

It is this FAITH that I choose to hold on too.  James 5:11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

So I leave you with this today, HOPE that you can find in Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  I will hold unto His promises and will say that you if for some reason you feel alone today, that maybe you can find some comfort spending some quiet time with your Heavenly Father today.

Enjoy this holiday where you are and know that He loves you as do I.  You Matter!!!

xoxoxo

BiT

Building a Wordpress Blog and Making It Easy ~

I am watching this now but want to put this link here so I can come back to this today and possibly build a website.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jv47_VIBOQ

Enjoy,
BiT 

Labor Day Weekend 2013

Hello from sunny and HOT Texas!

I am sharing this amazing video made at Google with Robert Steven Kaplan that I came across while re-evaluating my aspirations and potential for where I am today to where I want to be SOON.  I am at a place where and what I want to do with my life, career, and family.  I am trying to decide what I am most passionate about and how I want to spend my life making a difference and one that leaves a lasting legacy for my family and those I love.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sY-qwEYjs0

One thing I know is that I did not think I would be looking for a new career path at the age of 50.  It has been challenging but I am looking forward to my new dream job.  The last 15 years I spent doing something I was so passionate about because it was close to home where I was able to assist former military personnel in finding new careers because I watched my dad struggle in finding a new career in his 40s thanks to his employer filing Chapter 11.

So I am spending this weekend digging deep into who I am today.  Strengths, weaknesses, passions, dream job, mentors, coaches, support circle are just some of the topics of which Robert is talking about today.

Are you living the life you thought you would be today and NOW?  I hope so but if not, what are you doing to reach your potential and dreams today?

I hope you have a safe and joy-filled weekend,

xoxoxo
Diana aka BiT