I first heard this little homily at a workshop in Minneapolis, presented by Earnie Larson, a former priest, author for Hazelden Publishing, and renowned lecturer. \u00a0He was a gifted man who’s simple message turned life around for tens of thousands of people. \u00a0 Perhaps even millions. \u00a0I know that it stopped me in my tracks when I heard him utter that simple phrase more than three decades ago. \u00a0It told me, in no uncertain terms, that if I wanted to show up differently in my relationships, or in any other venue of my life, I had work to do. \u00a0But I also heard him say the work was manageable.<\/p>\n
What lucky folks we are. \u00a0There are so many books and classes, lectures and workshops, blogs and newsletters that are all focused on helping us become our better selves. \u00a0That’s the intent of the work I do too. \u00a0I want those who turn the pages of my books or come to one of my workshops to be strengthened and convinced that they can change in whatever way seems necessary or preferable. \u00a0We can be all that we want to be. \u00a0Our better self is waiting for us to claim it.<\/strong><\/p>\n I truly believe that to be the case for each of us. \u00a0We too often simply sit on the sidelines, waiting on someone else to change so our life can feel easier. \u00a0That’s not the plan God has for us though. \u00a0We must instigate the change. \u00a0And whatever we think we can do, we can. \u00a0That’s why the idea came to us in the first place.<\/p>\n Believing, as I do, that nothing occurs to us that we can’t manage is extremely reassuring. \u00a0Ideas don’t land in our minds willy-nilly. \u00a0They choose us, I think. \u00a0We don’t have to act on them, however. \u00a0But if we want to grow into the people we are being groomed to be, why not take the idea and run with it? \u00a0Being our better self is directly related to this idea that has visited us. \u00a0I thought about writing a book about journaling many years ago. \u00a0It was clearly formed in my mind but I didn’t pursue the idea. \u00a0Another woman did. \u00a0And her book was similar in most respects to the one I had considered writing. \u00a0I decided, then and there, to act when an idea came, particularly when it was an idea that I believed had merit for my life and the lives of others too.<\/p>\n It really doesn’t matter that another person wrote the book I had considered writing. \u00a0What does matter is that I learned a valuable lesson. \u00a0God is always trying to get our attention. \u00a0When ideas for our growth, the purpose for which we have been born, come to us, pay attention. \u00a0They are the assignments we may unknowingly be waiting for. \u00a0Move toward them. \u00a0Now.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I first heard this little homily at a workshop in Minneapolis, presented by Earnie Larson, a former priest, author for Hazelden Publishing, and renowned lecturer. \u00a0He was a gifted man who’s simple message turned life around for tens of thousands of people. \u00a0 Perhaps even millions. \u00a0I know that it stopped me in my tracks […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-your-experience-strength-and-hope"],"yoast_head":"\n