Category: faith

You have NOT lost it all.

You have NOT lost it all.

In fact, you have not lost at all. Yes, lies may have taken a few things from you here lately. But you have not lost. You are not lost. You are exactly where you are meant to be.

I would wish that tornado on the worst enemy. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. Still, I am grateful for it.

That tornado caused me to fight for my life as I had never done before. I had to fight to stay positive. I had to drag my hope from the dregs of despair. I had to learn to reach out to family and friends. I had to learn how to ask for help. I had to learn so many things.

I had to learn to deal with my anger. I had to learn how to be honest with myself. I had to learn how to confront myself and shake myself out of the apathy I had been living with for years.

I hid myself in work. I ran myself in the ground. I told myself because I had to keep a roof over my head. There were so many things I wanted to try. I made excuses. I told myself there was work to be done. I told myself I had to be there for my family, my friends, my community, my work. I had to be there for everyone but me.

After a while. I began to feel as though I had run out of time. I told myself I was too old now. I told myself I didn’t have enough money. I told myself it would be too cumbersome to move about now.

Instead of seeing adventure, all I saw were obstacles. I thought about the traffic I didn’t want to get into. I told myself I didn’t want to go to unknown places because of my age and I was just too tired.

When a tornado comes calling, all bets are all. Believe me.

I savor every moment now. All of them. I don’t know how many moments I will have. I don’t say that to be morbid of it. I say that because a tornado came and knocked on my door. I shouldn’t be here right now.

I still wonder why I was left behind. Maybe it’s to tell you that your life is not lost. You are not lost.

I’ve reached a place where I’m not concerned about losing things. Not anymore. If I lose more things, that’s OK. Things can be replaced.

I can’t believe how hard I was clinching fear in my grasp. Now that fear has no place in my life. There’s so much more room for everything else. It feels good. I’m still getting used to it.

I’m going to ask you to do the brave thing and get 100 with yourself. What areas of your life is fear dominating you? If you’re not going in the directions you want to, why? I know this is a scary question. You’ll be glad you asked.

Thanksgiving will be soon. I have much to be thankful for. As do you.

Take care of your precious heart. There is only one you. You are precious. You are priceless.

thankful,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Have an amazing rest of your day. You got this. You can do it. It’s time for you to tear off that negative tape you have playing in your head. It’s time you stop telling yourself the lies that the world has been trying to feed you. You could do so much more than you have ever given yourself credit for. Get out there and do those things. So what if you fail? Get up and try again. And again. As many times as you have to.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Your life is a miracle.

I just stopped by to encourage someone today. Your life is a miracle.

You have been doing your level best to keep yourself distracted. You feel as though your life has been a failure. It hasn’t. You have not.

Still, it’s time for you to become 100 with yourself. He has been listening to everyone but you. You feel as though they have more knowledge and experience than you. You feel they have more cache than you. You feel they have more networking than you. You feel as they have more resources than you.

You feel as though you don’t measure up. You feel as though you would never measure up. You want if you will ever be selected from the shelf of life.

Don’t worry about being selected. Just get out there and live. Just get out there and be you. There will be those who will love you. Still love yourself first, last and always. Be encouraged.

*Cassandra turned away from the mirror and went off to take her own advice*

loving me,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Don’t wait to be loved, beloveds. Love yourself. You are worthy. You are worth it. You are more than worthwhile. You are a miracle. I just stopped by to tell you so. Every now and again, it’s good to know that we are loved. You are. You are!

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Life is not always about winning.

Life is not always about winning.

It’s not all about losing, either.

It’s about showing up.

It’s about being willing to never take the field and to be okay with not having taken the field.

It’s about cheering for the winners.

It’s about commiserating with the losers.

It’s about winning it all, on the final play.

It’s about losing everything, on the first hand.

It’s about being willing to be the goat, in the hope of being the hero.

It’s about handling the jeers, along with the cheers.

It’s about squeezing out EVERY moment, from EVERY moment.

It’s about practice.

It’s about potential.

It’s all about the possibilities.

Ah, beloveds, get in the game! Enjoy your life. Life is worth living. Even the hard parts. Especially, those ones!😁👍😎

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Life is short. Get out there and live.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

What are you doing with your HERE?

Life has led you HERE.

Hard has led you HERE.

The Universe has led you HERE.

God has led you HERE.

Disappointment has led you HERE.

Hope has led you HERE.

Discouragement has led you HERE.

Love has led you HERE.

The past has led you HERE.

The future has led you HERE.

Perseverance has led you HERE.

Giving up has led you HERE.

Anger has led you HERE.

Apathy has led you HERE.

You are HERE, beloveds. The how of it, the why of it, the when of it, the who of it, matters little now.

You ARE here. Right NOW. What are YOU going to DO with your HERE?

Life is what YOU make it. What are you making/creating/building/destroying?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: There are NO victims HERE, beloveds. WE decide. WE choose. WE SHALL make it. Be encouraged.

Keep looking UP. Keep moving FORWARD. We got this.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

The silence was loud today.

The silence was loud today. It was jealous, in fact. It wanted me for itself.

The silence chastised me all day. It asked me why I was so silent. It asked me why I was not questioning things.

I’ve been craving the stillness. Life has been so loud the past two years. I wanted to bask in the quiet. I wanted to see what the quiet has to say to me. Too much is lost in the noise.

Yet the silence began to yell at me. It asked me to move. It challenges me to move forward.

The silence is loud today. I’m trying to listen. I’m trying to learn from it.

I just stopped by to encourage someone today. Starting with me. Life is what we make it. Still so much of us. Use the noise to keep us distracted from living a real, full and honest life.

We often feel lacking. We have often been made to feel as though we are lacking in something. In some form or fashion. I created this blog as a safe place to let people know that they were loved and not alone. I wanted people to know that it’s OK to be still in silent.

I spent my birthday in silence. It was really nice. I let my heart breathe. I let my soul stop moving about. I let my heart feel whatever it wanted to feel. In the stillness. In the silence. I’m gonna try to do that everyday for the rest of my life.

I wonder where life will take me. I’m gonna do my best to enjoy the journey every step of the way. I’m sitting here drinking my coffee and listening to the silence. She is loud today…

still,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: After the tornado, I was so angry at God for not letting me move forward and start working right away. I’m so glad he didn’t listen to me. I was so tired. I needed the rest. I have been working myself into the ground for decades. I was doing a disservice to myself.

If you are like me and working yourself into the ground, I urge you to stop. You only have one life to live. Living it so exhausted you can barely scrape yourself out of bed. It’s helping no one.

Perhaps you as well need to listen to the silence. What is yours saying to you? If no one has told you yet today, I love you and care about your life.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Make an impact.

Make an impact.

Your way.

Make an impact.

In your time frame.

Make an impact.

By your timeline.

Just make an impact.

YOUR impact.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: We put too much pressure on ourselves to be a certain thing. To live a certain way. To always have certainty.

Life was never meant to be lived in a sterile box. Life is meant to be lived.

Life can be messy. Life IS messy. Ah, God. Help us to see messiness can be a hoot.

I’m enjoying my life. Even the hard. Especially those.

Be encouraged.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

The journey is the race for me now.

The journey is the race for me now.

Nuff said.
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Think about that…🥰💃🏽😎🤗⏳⏰🌍

I used to think that life was all about getting the trophy. I used to think real success did not happen unless you had large crowds cheering you on. I used to believe true success did not come if he did not have. Some of their waiting at the end to embrace you.

I have learned, through all these hard days, that I have been my biggest champion. I have experienced, through all the hell from the past two years, that God has been My Biggest Cheerleader. I have experience, first hand., The universe has championed me when no one else would… even me.

Through all these lonely days, I have learned to be there for me. I have held my tears. I have comforted my heart. I have resurrected and fought for my dreams. I am thankful for the hard. Hard brought me back to me.

I enjoy the journey now. All of it. The sad days. The quiet days. The unfulfilling days. The lonely days. The wandering days. The wondering days.

As we speak, I am drinking a cup of coffee in the birthday mug my niece gave me. So satisfying. I spent my birthday alone. At first. I was terribly lonely. I wondered if I had been loved. I felt unloved. I felt unlovely. Yet only for just a moment. That was just old voices speaking to me.

My new voice told me that I was altogether lovely. My new voice told me to enjoy my birthday. I spent the day in quiet and solitude. I made myself birthday bacon and eggs. I drank coffee. I watched old Youtube movies. I was still.

I just stopped by to encourage someone. Starting with me. Enjoy the journey. We only get this one go around. Yeah, I know life can be hard. Times are tough all over. Still, there is so much to be thankful for. To be grateful for.

I am thankful for every person who stops by. You could be doing anything, but you chose to spend a few minutes with me. I am honored. I just want you to know how much I love you and care about your life. I truly do. I pray for each and everyone of you every single day. I don’t know how much that means to some. It means the world to me.

I will continue to ensure for the world every single day. Every single one. This world needs love. This world needs light. This world needs truth. I shall endeavor to provide a light as best as I can. Be encouraged.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

It’s not/never too late.

It’s not/never too late.

To find love.

It’s not/never too late.

To try again.

It’s not/never too late.

To chase down your dreams.

It’s not/never too late.

To dance in the rain.

It’s not/never too late.

No more excuses, beloveds. Get out there and live.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Life is what you make it. What are you making of yours? Be encouraged.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Thank you.

I am grateful this morning. I just got notification that the equipment has shipped for my new job. Orientation is in two weeks. The time is flying by.

I just wanted to stop by and thank those who have encouraged me over these last almost 18 months. I will have been out of work for 17 months. If I had a nickel for every tear I cried, I could have retired a long time ago.

I just wanna say thank you for those who encouraged me to keep on keeping on. It took more than a year just to get one legitimate job I could apply for. That can play with your mind. It played with mine.

Still, I wouldn’t change these days for anything. I have learned so many lessons in this time. I was introduced to my tenacity. I got to meet the greatness inside of me.

Now, beloveds, I take that tenacity and greatness into my future. I plan on enjoying this job. I look forward to it. I look forward to the hard days. I ready to embrace the boring days. I look forward to laughing at the frustrating days.

I won’t name any names. You know who you are. I thank you. I appreciate you. You help me keep going when I wanted to quit. I’m glad I hung in there. I’m grateful for your words. I appreciated your empathy. Your words meant a lot to me.

I encourage anyone who is still looking for a job to hang in there. I encourage those who are working and who are mighty tired to hang in there. I encourage everyone who is discouraged about the times right now. Be encouraged.

Life is what we make it. We are so much more than what we do. We are more than our bank account. Take some time for you today. Love yourself today.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I woke up with a song in my heart. I have been enjoying my coffee. I have been enjoying encouraging people this morning. I have already done my meal prep. I am singing badly to my positive music. I am considering having a 3rd cup of coffee. What a wonderful life.

Lift up your head. Look around you. What do you see? The boogeyman has nothing but noise. Get out there and enjoy your life.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Have fun, God said to me.

Me: What do I do now.

God: Have fun.

Me: I mean it. What do I DO now.

God: I meant it. Go have fun.

Me: Have fun doing what?

God: Why must you DO anything? This has been a hard year. Go have fun.

Me: I have been so busy fighting, so busy trying,  so busy being about being about it, I don’t know HOW not to DO.

God: Ah.

Me: Aha! So, what do I do now.

God: Smh. Who’s on first…🤣🥰.

Only those who have a bit of age on them will understand “Who’s on first”. To the rest of you,  look the skit up on YouTube. A classic I am telling you. 🥰😁

I’m learning how to have fun. Life is not meant to be one big skirmish. It’s meant to be love. It’s meant to be embraced.

More of us needs to learn how to have fun. I was raised to work. Hard. All the time. There was no time for breaks. Breaks were for chumps! I was taught to wind myself into the ground. Then get up and do it again. Everyday. All day.

A tornado sat me down. I’m glad. I was exhausted.

I just stopped by to tell someone to sit down and have some fun. Put down the broom. Put away the toolkit. Work will work when it’s time. Rest. Play. Be encouraged.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: What are you still doing here???? Get out there and play in a mud puddle or something…

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!