"Bruised but Not Broken"

       There are times in life when we stumble upon information. We sometimes think that we know people, but most likely they are hiding behind the smile that we see when we interact with them. Unfortunately, many people don’t want to know the real truth or the truth that others perceive. The truth can be ugly and the delivery may lack sensitivity. Sometimes what others may think may or may not have validity. I’m in no way saying that we should live our lives based solely on other people’s opinions of us because sometimes people are deliberately being malicious. The irony is when people are secretly being hurtful, they don’t realize that they are actually pushing us to our next level. There are times when we get complacent and we don’t put as much time and effort into ourselves or our dreams. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut and take on a posture of abandonment of the things in our life that bring us fulfillment. We may push the hold button on our dreams because they seem too far out of our reach. All of us tend to retreat to a comfort zone of things that are familiar to us. Many times it takes something negative to force us into a reality that sometimes it’s just time to move forward. Many times the "severing of ties process" is not nice. We tend not to move unless a smoking hot fire is lit under our behinds that forces a necessary reaction. We feel the tug, but we dismiss it as something else because we don’t “feel” like we’re ready. There’s that word again! To feel- means to experience an emotion or sensation. We have to realize some necessary transitions in life are not about our temporary feelings. I am in no way minimizing the fight in the process. We all have had our share of disappointments, hurt, and exhaustion. What I am saying is some things happen the way that they do to make us appreciate the journey so that we will always value the end result. Some transitions have the responsibility of teaching, and shaping us for the purpose that we were really created for. Just as much as we have to embrace the truth, we must also embrace the process and the outcome. Sometimes we may bend! We may also get so banged up and knocked around by life that we may sustain a few temporary bruises, but thank God that he allows us the flexibility, dexterity and durability to bounce back from all of it!!!!! Sometimes God can turn a mess into a miracle, turmoil into a testimony and tragedy into triumph!!!! Eventhough it's hard, we must sometimes thank Him for the hard lessons, because the hard lessons are the one's that develop us. 

             "Thought for The Day"-If someone gives constructive criticism, take it, learn from it and grow. If someone deliberately insults you just for the sake of being mean, smile and look at them and say, "I'm rubber, you're glue, whatever bounces off me sticks to you"! Trust me, the shock of the response alone will cause them to think about their behavior. It wounds a mean spirited person more when we don't respond negatively to their negativity!!! 

Romans 8:28-And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.