The Greatest Investment

I am a parent and avid youth development professional.  At the age of 12 I committed myself to helping kids reach their fullest potential as I was equipped to assist.  Over the years I have seen children flourish beyond measure and I have seen many fall off their path to greatness and become another face in the crowd.

What makes a child push beyond mediocre to great?  In my years of observation it sometimes boils down to parental investment.  Yes I know there are the individuals with such a strong self will and determination to succeed that they will achieve their goals regardless of life's obstacles.  I've come to find that the extraordinary person mentioned previously doesn't represent the majority.  Many of the ordinary people doing extraordinary things are the product of someone's personal investment of time, money and talent.

Now I'm not saying that you have to fork over thousands of dollars, quit your job and become a slave to your child.  I am saying take the time, money and talent that you are blessed with and invest them in your child.  Invest kind words into your child.  If you have come across loving individuals willing to assist you by offering free sports, club memberships, performance lessons or even transportation, accept the help and do your part.  You can do your part by having your child ready on time, dropped off at a location, purchase a uniform when you can afford to.  The smallest of efforts speak volumes to your child about dedication, character and a silent statement which says, "I believe in you." 

Finally don't make excuses for mediocrity, don’t accept society's crutch.  There is always a way as long as there is a God.  I believe that we can do  ..."ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST" because he gives us strength.  When something seems to hard for you, pray and ask for strength, it will come.  The truly special things in life don't come without much effort and discomfort.  I believe that is why we appreciate them more, because we had to work to get them.  I'm speaking to my mothers now.  We know what it's like to conceive a child in pleasure, carry a child sometimes in discomfort and bring birth to that same beautiful child in indescribable pain.  We often love our children with a love that we can not explain and cherish them more than anything, that's the gift of hard work.

I encourage my single parents, dual parents, foster parents, grandparents raising kids and guardians everywhere to make the world a better place by investing in the future.  Take the time to believe in the dreams of the children placed in your care.  Read a book together, have a conversation, play sports in the yard or the park, go online and learn how to play an instrument for free, re-enact commercials to polish up acting skills.  Choose today to begin to look at the possibilities!  In the words of Thomas Edison, "Nothing is Impossible, If You Try!"

Have a great day!  God Loves You and Has an Awesome Plan for Your Life!

LMC Speaks....

Relentess

I was listening to a sermon by TD Jakes yesterday entitled "Never Give Up."  In this particular message he spoke of the Shunamite woman (2Kings 4) who appeared to have it made financially in so many ways that she built an addition on to her house for the prophet Elisha.  Elisha was taken back so by her hospitality he wanted to do something for her in return but she told him she had no immediate needs.

Elisha spoke with someone else about wanting to bless this woman and learned that she had no children.  He later prophesied that she would have a child around the same time in a year and it came to pass.  However when the child became a man he fell ill while with his dad and later died in his mothers arms.  The woman refused to accept this as the end all and be all for her beloved son and traveled to see the man of God and requested that he come and pray for her son and he was revived. 

Bishop Jakes later went on to say that as Christians in our walk we must be RELENTLESS.  I took that advice to heart.  We must never give up on those dreams and desires that God has placed in our heart. 

I am a person who is feverishly working toward the vision that God placed in my heart back when I was 2 or 3 years old.  I have had the dream to establish a community center for children with special thought given to children who come from homes of working families where money isn't always readily available.  For years I have gone back and forth on my pursuit of this goal only to find myself feeling empty, unfulfilled and hopeless when I stepped off my path.

After being introduced to the world of social media, I have reconnected with so many children and young adults from my past now well into their thirties who were relentless in their pursuits and now eat from the fruits of their own labor.  Their pictures, stories and post inspired me to believe in my dream once again.  I am now on that road and guess what?  It's not easy, it's no bed of roses, but I go to bed each and every night feeling fulfilled and balanced.  My hearts desire does not exclude my family, it includes my husband and four children.  We spend our evenings working and playing side by side.

As the months go by and there arises a time when I feel sluggish or things look like it's just not meant to be.  I can reflect on the image of the Shunamite woman or many other modern day men and women who refused to give up. 

There's a local track coach who signs each email with a quote that says "winners never quit."  I have never met a winner who quit before reaching their destination, it goes against the laws of nature.

My new mantra "As long as there's breathe, there's an opportunity for me to make it."

I hope that this little story has blessed you as it has blessed me.  Remember God loves you and has an awesome plan for your life!