I am a weekly contributor to Lakeview Times which is a weekly Online Paper! I appreciate the awesome opportunity that has been given to me to do something I love each week, which is writing and just sharing what is on my heart!
Opportunity!
13 JunOpportunity!
According to http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunity The following is the definition of opportunity.
OPPORTUNITY: a favorable juncture of circumstances refreshment2 : a good chance for advancement or progress
Today is a day of Opportunity! God’s favor is always allowing us favorable junctures of circumstances. With him there are always good chances for advancement or progress!
When I think of advancement, I picture a unit of soldiers advancing toward the enemy to take territory. The Lord intends for us to take territory in our own lives every day. He has a plan for our lives and as an army would have strategic plans for advancement so the Lord has the same for us. However, we must always look for the opportunities that present themselves each day.
I for one am guilty of wanting opportunities to fall into my lap, but honestly I am a firm believer that unless you’re willing to be a worker then opportunities will not come. For example, have you ever realized that when Jesus was doing his earthly ministry that he never called one disciple that wasn’t already busy doing some kind of work or job? Each one of the twelve disciples was either fishermen, a doctor, or tax collector etc….They all had taken advantage of natural opportunities in their lives. So when Jesus came along, they knew a great opportunity when they saw one!
Maybe you’ve been like me, you’ve taken advantage of opportunities but they seemed to not pan out for you the way you thought they should. So you have ended up embarrassed and felt as though you were a huge failure. But who says you’ve failed? I feel if you’ve learned anything from it, then it was not a failed opportunity! Do you know what I have found out? Even if it doesn’t turn out the way I have planned it, I would rather have tried and failed then to let the opportunity pass me by and wonder if I should have taken advantage of it!
I refer to the disciple Peter a lot in my own life as I can relate to him. When Jesus came to the disciples walking on the water, Peter saw an opportunity! 1. Matthew 14:28 – And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. Now the remaining disciples in the boat probably thought Peter was “crazy”, but Peter was bold and adventurous! Do you not realize that you have been put on this earth for a reason? You can make of your life what you want it to be. You may however, have to get out of your comfort zone or what you deem to be a safe place and do something different! You might have others in your life that think you’re a little “crazy” as well for getting out of the “boat”! Sometimes to completely take advantage of an opportunity it may take a bold step, but sometimes even the smallest steps toward an open door can make the most dramatic changes.
I am excited to know that every new day provides a new opportunity for something exciting to happen. That even now, I have an opportunity to stay where I am at, or choose advancement! I personally want to take advantage of every new opportunity to progress and go forward! This is what keeps my life exciting! This keeps me looking forward in expectation instead of looking back in regret!
I want to encourage you my friend, today is a new day, His mercies are renewed every morning, so what are we waiting for let’s take advantage of a new day filled with new opportunity!
Small Beginnings!
9 JunSmall Beginnings
“The Mighty Oak was once a little nut that stood its ground!”~unknown
No matter what you want in life or who you are, great strides begin with the first small step! I often encourage readers to step out and go for their dreams, but as I encourage you my readers, I also give myself the same pep talk! In my own life I have felt as though at times that I waited or hesitated to make the small steps of faith it took for me to do what was in my heart. I often felt because I had hesitated that certain dreams would not come true. What a lie from the enemy! It may take me longer to accomplish certain dreams because of my hesitancy, but the dreams are still alive and waiting! What I have found, even in my times of hesitancy is that God is always ordering my steps! I can truly delight in my way!
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” – Zechariah 4:10 NLT
Have I arrived? My answer is a resounding NO, I am not where I want to be yet, but most importantly, is that GOD is not through with me yet either! I have many dreams yet to be fulfilled that are way too “BIG” for me, however, it amazes me that now I can see the importance of so many of the small, seemingly “insignificant” steps that I have had to take and will continue to take every day! Yes I said every day. I have determined to take a few small steps toward my dreams every single day. This blog is an example. For instance I am a published author, but I want to be an author who really encourages others. I start out each week preparing my blogs, which may seem like a small thing to some, but to me it gives me experience and discipline, but more importantly when I finish a blog, I feel as though I have made a great stride toward my dreams!
“Don’t despise the little steps you know you can take every day. There are tiny miracles in each and every one of them.” ― Israelmore Ayivor, The Great Hand Book of Quotes
I sit here today having gained several years of valuable experience, yes even a little wisdom and knowledge along the way as to how to accomplish a few small steps toward my “Big” dreams. I am not being boastful, however, because the more I learn, the more I realize I have so much more still to learn! Experience has been an excellent teacher. When I first began trying to take small steps, I would go by a lot of trial and error as to what worked for me and what didn’t. I am sure I had way more errors than victories. Eventually I was able to realize what worked for me in some things, but still am testing things in others. One bit of wisdom I think I can pass along is what works for others may or may not necessarily work for you even if you do it the exact same way! I love to read other success stories as to how this famous person did this thing or that. I can use their experiences as a model, but my walk or dream is still different from theirs, so I still have to forge my own way. However, I think what has helped me when I read about other successful people and how they have become successful is that I can avoid certain missteps if I use their experiences.
In closing this blog today, the number one thing I must stress is that we certainly want to have our “Big” dreams, but the most important “Big” step is to enjoy the journey. Enjoy what is present and now! Realize that even though the steps may seem small, that they are really the big steps that are teaching you how to live the rest of your life. I love the following quote:
“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”-Robert Brault
It is vital to my happiness and fulfillment to realize how that the Lord has blessed me right now, this very day. Yes, I can look back to where I started, and even look forward to where I want to go, but to me the most important thing is that my joy is not based on what I will be or who I was, but rather who I am. I want to be grateful for what the Lord has blessed me with right now! At the end of my journey when I have accomplished all that I was supposed to on this earth, I want to know that everything small or great that the Lord did for me, gave to me, helped me to do etc., will indeed add up to the “Big” thing that He purposed my life for!
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Christine Gilliam Hornback
Who Am I?
Wife, Mother, #1 Bestselling Author, Spiritual Midwife/Coach, Inspirational Speaker, Creator of Inspirational Programs and Authorship Programs, Owner of Birthing Your Dream Author Services, Artist and Art Instructor!
Hello Friends! I do Live Author Challenges to teach Authors how write and publish their books online! I do Webinars and Facebook Live Events to Group Coach and Encourage! If you have been stuck or overwhelmed in pursuing your passions and God-given purpose to write and publish your books, I would love to help you to go forward! If this is something that you know you need, I would love to be your coach!
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My Latest Book “If Oak Trees Could Talk”
6 Jun
This is a little excerpt from my latest book soon to be published entitled “If Oak Trees Could Talk”
“Whether the story was really that long or if it was the southern drawl or perhaps the way Henry turned phrases was questionable, however again it didn’t much matter as it was free entertainment in a small town with not much else to do but shoot the breeze. Every day, friends, family and even a few occasional strangers would gather around the counter at Henry’s hardware store when he would begin one of his elaborate tales. They listened in anticipation of being thoroughly entertained, but not before they buried their arms down into a huge barrel full of ice-cold soda pop and bought a greasy brown paper sack of Henry’s famous hot boiled peanuts. They sipped their colas and ate their peanuts while listening to Henry and watching every lively expression! When they left the Hardware store they usually walked away from the experience having bought several hardware items that they really didn’t have need of. However, they also left his store with huge smiles on their faces and their heads shaking in disbelief as the stories got a little wilder with the telling of them!” ~Written by Christine Gilliam Hornback
This is the Day and the Time!
4 JunThis is the Day and the Time!
This is the Day that the Lord hath made, We will rejoice and be glad in it!
Psalm 118: 24-This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Today is a gorgeous day in Georgia! The sun is shining brightly and a breeze is gently blowing through the trees. It is amazing to me that just a few short weeks ago we were still cuddling up under blankets because Winter just would not give up her hold. However, especially in the South it seems as though our Spring seasons are getting shorter and shorter. We’ve had very few mild days of Spring, instead it has gone from Winter to Summer! Not that I am complaining, I just wish the seasons of time would not race by quite so quickly. This is the day which the Lord hath made; I will rejoice and be glad in it!
I remember as a child wishing I were this age, and then that age. My parents would always tell me “Stop wishing your life away that time flew by! They told me, “Enjoy the age that you are right now, because soon you will wish that you were young again.” I of course thought they were just saying things like that because they were “old.” It is amazing to me that my parents knew so much of what life was going to be like for me before I ever really began to live it for myself. They doled out little pieces of wisdom all the time but like most kids I guess, you do not recognize their wisdom until you are grown up, out of their homes with a family of your own. After realizing that they had told me the truth, as every year races off to begin a new one, I’ve tried to stop along the way and enjoy my time, especially my time with my family. I have learned to slow down and be grateful. I have tried to enjoy the life that I’ve been given and be grateful for every day as that day cannot be relived. I find myself saying to my boys the same things that my parents have said to me in hopes that they too will “stop wishing their lives away!”
My children are thrilled of course with each season, especially Summer. School is finally over for the year, the pool is being maintained and our Summer trips to our local Mall are upon us as it holds our only cinema. Local businesses and churches sponsor Summer Family Movie Festival and so our local theater shows $1.00 movies through the summer two times a week! This makes for great family time as I and my boys have made it our little family tradition starting when they were tiny little things.
As this Summer approaches my oldest son will be Fourteen years old and my youngest has already turned Ten. I can’t believe how time is flying by with them as it seems as though I just brought them home from the hospital yesterday! I feel so pressed to just soak up every precious moment with them. I know that soon, my oldest will be driving which honestly I do not even want to think about, then out of High School, off to college, etc. This of course is our hope for him, but still as a Mom it is heartbreaking to think of letting them go. Because of his older brother, my youngest has always acted much older than he is. He has not really ever wanted to be a baby! He has always wanted to do what his big brother was doing. I can’t help but feel a lump in my throat as I see how big they are growing and how quickly they are maturing into wonderful Godly men. I just wanted to rejoice and be grateful today that I am blessed with both of them!
Today as I have shared my heart with you about my boys, I just wanted to encourage you with an old cliché “stop and smell the roses!” This truly is the day or the season that the Lord has made for you, will you rejoice and be glad in it? I know that in today’s world we have so much more going on in our lives. We have to do this thing and that thing, but may I suggest that one of the most important things to do is to take some time to stop, take a deep breath and truly be grateful. Take that moment and realize that you are blessed. Honestly I have found that in my busiest, most hectic and even my worse times, If I will just stop, take a deep breath, and think about what is good in my life, it changes my whole attitude and clears my head . It gives me a new perspective. I can honestly say “Psalm 118: 24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Take a Moment!
28 MayTake a Moment!
In the world that we now live in, it is so important that we take a moment to realize how truly blessed we are in the United States of America. Regardless of your political or religious views the fact that we live in a country where you have freedom to choose what you believe is such a privilege that was paid for by someone’s blood, sweat and tears! This week in honor of Memorial Day, I wanted to take a moment and thank all of those soldiers, police officers, firemen, and everyone else who work tirelessly to keep America a safe place to live and raise my family in a free society. I wrote this poem in remembrance of all your sacrifice. Thank you and May God Bless you and America!
America’s Son
The call went out and was heard by you,
You went immediately to see what you could do.
The cause weighed heavy upon your heart
As you left family, friend and foe to do your part.
Tears from your family and from friends a deep sigh,
So proud of your resolve as you bravely waved good-bye.
Flags flew half-staff because one never returned home.
There is now a grieving wife, child and saddened parents left alone.
A purple heart in a hinged box, a folded flag in a glass case
It seems such tiny tokens for the price the soldier pays.
This day I honor you dear soldier as you lay down, for me, your life,
May I never take for granted your loving sacrifice.
Jesus said that only a friend would lay down his life for another,
I count you my friend indeed America’s son, a servant and my brother!
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Christine Gilliam Hornback
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