Before You Detour

A lot of time has passed since I’ve put pen to paper like this. The past year has taken its toll on a lot of us but God reminds me in the subtle ways that no matter how much time passes, His voice is present and consistent despite our inconsistency. The other day He reminded me that my impatience and need for control is still very much an ongoing battle; leaving me officially “checked.”

It was Saturday, January 1st and I was headed to my fiancé’s home to bring him medicine and snacks as he battled COVID-19 in isolation. It was meant to be a quick trip but as I rounded the ramp there were a sea of what looked liked parked cars on the Beltway. Immediately, my brain went to predicting both the cause of the backup while simultaneously planning my exit strategy. I called my fiancé to let him know the issue and my plan to get around it that would most certainly prolong my arrival.

So I predicted that the Washington Football Team’s home game was the cause of the backup and that I would get off on the very next exit to go into the city and take another route to his house. What I did know, is that I wasn’t sitting in all that traffic no matter how long my detour took!! That was MY plan. Now here’s how it all turned out after fussing and using all that unnecessary energy.

The traffic wasn’t caused by game day traffic (should have known by the way they’ve been playing!), it was due to people rubbernecking at an accident on the side of the road just before the next exit that I was planning on taking. I sat for 10 minutes max and it was smooth sailing from there and got to his house without any delays.

As I’m about to make a fuss at the people slowing traffic by looking at a fender bender, I heard, “Stay the course.”

I immediately knew this was a lesson. Having no clue what lied ahead, I saw what appeared to be a major backup and automatically decided that I knew a better way. I couldn’t see ahead of my own vantage point, similar to how I’m unable to see what the future holds in my life. Those setbacks that I encounter that may look insurmountable have the potential to get me to second guess the direction I’ve chosen and make be get off course. God was using this as a lesson to show me that everything that looks bad isn’t always THAT bad. It could simply be a minor issue that doesn’t require any workaround whatsoever. It only requires that we be patient and wait. A setback could be a set up to get you to get off the course that’s designed to get you to your desired end. So on the first day of 2022, God set the theme for my year. No matter what it looks like, I’m staying the course and fighting every urge to make my own way.

I Don’t Know

I-Don’t-Know.

Three words I absolutely hate to say and definitely never like to hear. But I uttered those words last night. I actually said them a few weeks ago and both times I couldn’t believe I actually said them out loud. I don’t ever claim to know it ALL but what I do believe in is finding out. If ever someone asked me a question related to work and I didn’t have an answer, it was never just “I don’t know.” It would be either “I’m not certain that I have all the information so let me review and get to back to you close of business” … or “Give me a moment and I’ll find out.” Both insinuate that I don’t have the answer but it’s never a blanket statement of “I don’t know.”

The biggest no-no for me is to always, and I mean always have a plan and what bigger plan can you have than the one you have for your life. I mean it’s your life! If you don’t know then who else is going to be able to tell you?? That has been my thinking forever and in many ways it still is so when I said “I Don’t Know” when asked about my life plans last night I felt like a complete loser. But I had to be honest and I truly had and still have no idea what’s next. Scariest feeling ever for someone who has always known her next move. I had to slow my mind down enough to get back on course and I can say now that I have a new and refreshed understanding of what all this planning is about. Continue reading “I Don’t Know”

Cracked Pavement

pexels-photo-343469.jpegIt was a morning like any other morning. Typical rise with the disgruntled “it’s too early for this” stroll across the floor to my closet. I didn’t feel any more reflective or spiritual than the day before. I  stepped out the house with headphones in ear, work bag on shoulder, probably just praying that this day would be an anomaly and I’ll actually get a seat on the train. It’s the little things that make my day. I didn’t realize that a even smaller moment in time would teach me a life lesson just steps outside of my home.  Continue reading “Cracked Pavement”

Zero Degrees

“God defies the idea of any degrees of separation.” ~ DeVon Franklin

DeVonThere is absolutely no way that anyone can convince me that God is not the orchestrator of my life after reading DeVon Franklin’s latest book The Hollywood Commandments: A Spiritual Guide to Secular Success. For those who may not have been following my blog since the beginning, DeVon has been a virtual mentor of mine since 2013. I’ve written many thought pieces on him and how his words have had an impact on my career and life choices dating back to his first book Produced By Faith. However, this particular entry holds a bit more weight than anything I’ve written in the past. There’s so much to glean from that I can’t simply write a few paragraphs outlining my takeaways from The Hollywood Commandments. I’d rather share just a few of the gems by telling the story of what led to this moment in hopes to create dialogue and reveal how Chapter 10, “Your World Is Smaller Than You Think,” has shown itself true in my life.

Continue reading “Zero Degrees”

Real Comfort Food

sunset-straight-road-1920x1080In the perfect world, I would get up every morning excited about the day that lies ahead, especially on Tuesday when it’s time to release my blog post. The truth is, although I’m grateful for every day that God blesses me with, I’m not always all that thrilled about what the day brings. For the past few weeks, I’ve had quite a few down moments. Moments when I wish I was under an invisible cloak so that I wouldn’t have to deal with anyone or anything until I could get it together. Of course, that wish never came true and when I thought I was about to completely lose it, I retreated to the Word. It’s a shame to admit that much of what I was going through was because I was focusing on all the things that were not going in my favor. Instead of praying, I was worrying… and worrying a lot. Eventually I stilled my mind long enough to disappear into the pages that redefine the meaning of comfort food. Continue reading “Real Comfort Food”

The Voice

Everyone says when you hear God’s voice move in the way that he instructs you to move. No hesitation. No second opinions. Just go! That sounds good in theory but lets take in to account someone who has been unsuccessful at shutting down all the other clutter that fills their thoughts. What’s the secret to extracting His voice from all other voices that fill your head with things contrary to what you believe He is telling you to do. Not all things contrary have to be bad. They can just be logical, safe, or comfortable. In other words, if you chose to follow the contrary, you wouldn’t necessarily be doing yourself or anyone else any harm… or would you? Continue reading “The Voice”

The Main Event

celebration3We live in a world where a person’s success is measured by a major event… a graduation, a promotion, an engagement, a milestone birthday… You get the picture. It’s no wonder why many believers carry that same mindset into their relationship with God. We celebrate God when something we’ve been believing Him for comes to pass. But what about those things that happen for us that we didn’t seek out from God. What about those “minor” things that aid us towards accomplishing those goals. I use the word “minor” loosely because if we fail to conquer those smaller areas, the main event is impossible to reach.

I’m thankful to a group of young ladies who helped me to remember those things in 2013 that weren’t on my “To-Do List.” The assignment was to list out our successes from 2013 that weren’t goals for us. Initially it was hard to come up with but as I dug deep into my memory bank, I had at least 6 things that I had accomplished or witnessed that I never saw coming.

celebration1Stop waiting around for that big desire to manifest itself. Every moment of your life matters. EVERY moment. Celebrate the small victories. It’s because of them that you are able and prepared for the big ones. You think an Olympic track star got there without having to train daily and win a ton of smaller meets? You think a team gets to the Super Bowl without having to gel during training camp and  have a winning regular season?

Think about it. Your journey is a day to day process of renewing your mind, overcoming obstacles, and fulfilling assignments that will equip you for the big show… whatever that may be. Each time you make a decision that aligns with God’s will for your life… celebrate! When you pay off one of your 10 credit cards … celebrate! When you let go of that toxic relationship and go a week without contacting that person… celebrate! When you finish the first chapter of the book you’ve been trying to write for months… celebrate! When you complete that class you dreaded with a passing grade… celebrate! Don’t let another day pass by without thanking God for the simple things in life… Air to breathe, mobility of your limbs, a roof over your head, a job to go to. You don’t have to have a cheering section. You don’t need all your friends around. It’s okay to celebrate you all by yourself… knowing that God is pleased. Be grateful and smile… with God by your side you always have something to celebrate!

… And since you would have so much practice celebrating, can you imagine what the celebration is going to be like when you reach the main event?!! You ain’t ready! 🙂

Happy Tuesday and Love Month!!

Love, Bianca

He Tried It

images-8It had been over 10 years since I ventured out towards Columbia Mall. On Saturday, January 25th about 10:50 a.m. I was making my way there. I figured it would take me about 40 minutes to get there and still give me enough time in case I got lost. Again, it had been over 10 years. Well, traffic was light and I may have had a heavy foot (smile) so I got in the area in record time. I’m thinking cool. I’ll drop in the mall to pick up the two things I needed and head over to my meeting. That was until my GPS failed me. I ended up close but not in the exact area I needed to be. Being the timely person I am, I get flustered. I’m annoyed at my GPS and cursing its very existence as I drive in circles. Finally I arrive and it’s now too late to make my pit stop in the mall. Now I’ll have to go after my meeting and could possibly get caught out in the snow that was predicted to come our way. Oh the drama of my life right?? Not even! Continue reading “He Tried It”

The Scenic Route

clockI have to admit, I’m a stickler for being on time. Aside from those types of events that lend themselves to being “fashionably late,” I’m all about early arrival. If I have to rely on directions to get somewhere on time, I need them to be accurate and precise so there’s no way for me to possibly get lost. If someone wants to give me details about nice places I could see along the way, I’m not interested. Tell me how to get to my set destination please… that’s all. I have somewhere I have to be and I need to know EXACTLY how to get there. Precision is key. Of course, if I’m on vacation or having a leisurely day, I’m much more relaxed and willing to take in the experience. Making an appointment or special event is totally different. Continue reading “The Scenic Route”

Searching for My Set Place: Entry 1 – July 8, 2007

Lessons from July 8, 2007

Today marks the beginning of my journals that will document my quest to find my set place. Follow me on this journey as I seek out the wisdom of God from lessons past to guide me on the journey of self discovery and purpose. I vow to openly and honestly share my thoughts and insights as I study each lesson and find direction. Living this journey out loud gives me the accountability I need to stay committed to this process while hopefully impacting lives across the globe. (If you’re not sure what the concept is for my new entries, check out my previous entry “My Set Place.”) … So let the journey begin… Sunday, July 8, 2007 Continue reading “Searching for My Set Place: Entry 1 – July 8, 2007”

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