3 Lessons. 1 Day.

If you know me then you know that I am completely an open book when it comes to my writing. What I feel is what I write. What life gives me is what I give to my pen and paper. It is what it is and I'm going to always be honest with myself. Today, I learned exactly what Erica Campbell meant when she sang the very well known verse, "I need just a little more Jesus!" And oh, boy do I need, not just a little more, but A LOT more Jesus! Today, proved it!

I am at that point in life where in all things I try my best to learn a lesson. Sometimes I have something to share from the lesson, sometimes I don't. There are three things that I have learned today:

Lesson 1.

I recognize that I am human and as a human, I will feel various emotions depending on what circumstances arise. It is inevitable. Whether it be emotions of love, hurt, anger, shock; whatever it is, you and I have the human card of emotion that can't be revoked or traded. However, what today showed me is that if I really am who I claim to be, then there are certain ways that I just should not react. Period. No excuses. Today, anger that I have never experienced before lit my soul today. And I mean LIT! I reacted in such a way that once I was calm, I angered myself all over again because I was disapointed in my words during my reaction. The problem is that many times we hold things in for so long and it builds up and then it explodes. Once it explodes, its out there, but you think on it and you realize that it only proved one thing: you have not gotten to the place that you thought you were at or that you are trying to get to. At all times, you must stay true to not only the person you are, but even the person that you are trying to become. Years ago, my leader told me how it important it was to keep my reputation clean. It is the one thing you don't want to ruin.

When you realize that you haven't gotten there, it is no need to make excuses for it. There is no need to point fingers. The only need there is, would be to identify it and call it out to God in exchange for help. At times, your dignity will be attacked, but it can never be taken away unless you willingly surrender it. It's all about finding the strength to defend your boundaries.

Lesson 2.

You will never be obligated to tolerate anything that would disrupt your peace, feed you negativity, or disrespect you. Never. From anyone. I think a lot of times we say that and we think of those whom we really don't have to deal with one way or the other. We don't really say that in response to those who are close to us and that we may even live with or interact with on a daily basis. But I'm telling you now that you don't have to accept it from anyone on this earth. I am an offspring of the same God that created you. He made me a human therefore I expect to be treated as one. There is no freedom on Earth that gives someone the right to assault who you are as a person. At times it will come from the most unlikely places and when necessary, confront them, but be smart about it. As Gandhi once said, “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” You don't have to hold grudges or be hateful to someone just to prove that you won't tolerate their watered down version of respect.

Lesson 3:

Though I was disapointed in the things that I said while reacting, I would never apologize nor do I regret for reacting at all because it needed to happen. We all have our way of letting go of the unclean things inside of us that God is trying His best to get rid of. Not only that, but it will show you how dangerous and unhealthy it is to keep things bottled inside. Something that I have noticed the millennial generation does so regularly. It is not good at all. For you or for those around you. You keep things bottled inside until you reach your breaking point and then you look unreasonable when in fact you've been putting up with things you shouldn't have.

Keeping a lid on your emotions is mentally and physically dangerous. You have to release those toxic sentiments in order to keep peace within your heart.

Lastly......You may not be able to control all the things people do to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. You can decide not to let their actions and opinions invade your heart and mind. And above all, you can decide whom to walk beside into tomorrow, and whom to leave behind today.