6-inch Heels

Have you ever listened to the soundtrack to the movie "The Photograph"? It offers music by Robert Glasper and is such beautiful music to listen to while taking a break .....or in my case while reading, taking notes and sipping peppermint tea with a sprinkle of echinacea.

I highly suggest it, especially if you've never listened to jazz before, this will give you a new appetite and appreciation for it.

Jazz and God's word. Who would have thought the two could "go-together?"

Maybe that's the problem, we try to define, classify and restrict everything, we make things so rigid that just allowing your space, mind and heart to be open is foreign in nature, language and deed.

When did our standards get so high? When did perfectionism and classification become the norm? When did we get so critical, judgmental and "boxy"? Yes, boxy.... putting ourselves, others, experiences, likes, growth and everything in between, into a box. A little small and basic square.

Or maybe a better question is WHY? Why do we do this? Do we think life has to be quantified to have meaning? Or that you have to have a certain lane or designation to be in your purpose?

Seriously? I'm asking because I (more than likely, like you as well) have 0 clue as to where these opinions and behaviors stemmed from or why they are LAW (in our minds at least)..

Well, I want to share with you something that I read that literally made me GASP!

"Don't feel that you have to live up to some impossibly high standard for your life....let God become your standard"

WHAT!!! You mean to tell me that I don't have to break my neck to suit an image, meet a metric, keep reaching for a bar that continues to be moved depending on the subject, career, circumstance, occasion or other person's opinion, even when that opinion is my own???

Honey, say that again?

Let's take a closer look:

The words "impossibly high" stood out to me. Because it didn't say not to try to rise higher, it doesn't say to settle in mediocrity or to risk missing your call to greatness.... it also didn't say to resist God's desire to set you up and apart, it did however say that you don't have to live up to "impossibly high" standards meaning those things that are so lofty that by reaching for them they will do more harm than good... like those dang 6-inch heels that look good from afar but are excruciating to walk in.

We cause similar pain to our mental, physical and spiritual selves, (confidence included) when reaching for things that are impossibly high. Keeping the impossible as your driver keeps you from acknowledging the things that you have attained, achieved and are blessed with. Being impossible with yourself keeps you in a never ending rut, never being satisfied or feeling good enough, always striving but only towards moving targets that give you ZERO affirmation for progress, effort or your growth along the way.

(Mmm mm mm, that just sounds exhausting and yes, I know if you are like me, you've been here and I hope that reading this gives you the permission needed to RELAX.)

....Then "let God be the standard". WOW, talk about divine guidance in 5 little words. If God is within us, letting Him be the standard means that we will be moved toward what we need to do, how we need to show up and where we are going, innately. We don't need to measure ourselves to anything or anyone other than what is tugging inside of us. Like a little internal compass. The Holy Spirit. Let Him lead and be the standard for our lives, every good and perfect thing flows from Him anyways!

So let's stop putting everything in our lives, about ourselves etc. into so many groups, charts and graphs....we don't have to keep stressing out over these unrealistic and made-up criteria, appearances or deadlines for every dang thing!

Do what resonates with your deepest being and allow yourself the freedom to be FREE, go with the flow once in a while... knowing that the essence of who you are and the impression that you are meant to leave will be pressed upon your heart.

This will happen when you are open and complete surrender allows what is in store for your beautiful life to unfold effortlessly!

Be kind to yourself, God is already so pleased with you!

Love,

Candace

*A huge thank you to my soul sister for offering such a gift to me, this book has already blessed me in just 3 short days (Want to read what I'm reading? Check out: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Praying%C2%AE-Woman-Stormie-Omartian/dp/0736957766)

*Oh and here is the above referenced album: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-photograph-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1496881263 ENJOY!!

Entry 2/23/2021 10:08pm