Welcome back to the Girlfriend FM blog. As promised, this is the third part of our “more” series: More money, more men and more of me. Me, being you and I.
In the course of life’s hustle, in trying to get it all done, we ironically forget to take care of the person we need the most – you and me. I talked to TJMS commentator and new author Jeff Johnson about this topic, and he really broke it down (Click here for the real!) His book is titled, “Everything I’m Not Made Me Everything I Am: Discovering Your Personal Best.”
I recently had my own come-to-Jesus experience, where I had to get back to the basics of self-help. I call this my “God stole my purse” story. Here’s what happened:
I had been in a rush after work. I stopped home for a moment, and then I was off to the gym. As I was leaving out, I couldn’t find my purse. After looking all around and retracing my steps, I assumed I had left it in my office. But when I arrived to work, I could not find it. Now I was getting scared.
I’ve had my identity stolen before, and it was not only violating but very expensive. Someone went Christmas shopping on me and then some – and I only found out when I was trying to apply for a loan, and discovered I had bad credit. It took me seven years to clear up my credit. I’m still getting letters from some of those bill collectors over 10 years later.
As I thought back on this, panic began to set in. I alerted everyone I could, canceled my cards, and looked around again and again.
When I finally went home that night, I prayed in a way that I haven’t in a long time. I didn’t ask for anything; I just knew I was out of sorts, and it was time for me to go back to my Source.
Lo and behold, when I stood up, my purse was there clear as day. I was looking at it, and it was looking back! Of course, I felt like Boo-Boo the Fool. My panic took a lot of people through a lot of changes, and for what? For two days, I couldn’t see what was in front of me the entire time, and yet after I went home, literally and spiritually, the scales were dropped from my eyes.
That was my lesson.
I knew I needed to slow down and spend more time with God. I knew that I needed to take some time to get centered in order to re-apply myself to my purpose. But I didn’t want to deal with “the call” God has on my life. I just wanted to have some fun and not deal with responsibility. I got away with it for a while, but clearly my time is up, and play time is over.
God truly works in mysterious ways. To most, losing my purse and then retrieving it may just seem like I’m absent-minded. Okay, I am – but there’s more to it. Every woman reading this can relate to what comes over us when we misplace our purse. God knew how to get my attention. The revelation is that what we need, who we need and how we need it is usually right there in front of our face, but until we are ready, centered spiritually and emotionally, surrendered, open to truth and willing to do what we know we’re supposed to do, we will miss the blessing.
Today, consider that it’s time to stop looking around. Look to all that’s within you. You already have everything you need. Find yourself again and take care of you! Why? So that, as Jeff says, you a can discover your personal best.
Deya “Direct” Smith is a producer for “The Tom Joyner Morning Show.” Please send your story or topic of interest to Deyadirect@aol.com, or call 1-800-JOYNER2 to leave your comment on the voicemail.
