First Day of School

What did you learn the first day of school?

I remember a few impressionable lessons about my first day of kindergarten. At my age, that may seem remarkable, but some things make their mark on our lives. Today I reflect on those impressions with great appreciation for growth in wisdom and the result of it in my relationship with my faithful Father and Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His Holy Spirit as the helper, counselor, and teacher that I need every day, that I live in gratitude and appreciation for a life He has indeed prospered.

God has a plan for each life. There is no exception not even the aborted, miscarried, lost to sudden death or with special needs. We all have a purpose, and He can be trusted.

“For I know the plans (thoughts) that I (think toward) have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

As I consider what my teacher embedded in that first day full of so much excitement and activity two things stand out and one remains an active part of my life today. Our classroom was kitty-corner from the hospital, and the blaring siren of an ambulance was a standard call to action. There was a window seat long enough for us to step up on and catch sight of the ambulance passing on its way to the emergency room. I learned to pray for the person in the ambulance, their family, the responders, and each person in need of rescue and healing at the hospital. For some reason, that at the time I had no idea what it could be something was awaken, and to this day I pray with greater insight and compassion for each person impacted by the need for sirens. I am a crisis responder. I serve as a chaplain and aid in critical incident stress management. The second lesson unfolded during the day and came to a life-altering moment that evening. I learned about diversity. I learned that in my class there were five Mexicans (the term used then) or so I thought. Later I came to discover there were six and I was one of them. That rocked my world! For much of my life, I struggled with an identity crisis. I impacted so much of my life, called into question what and who I could trust, and left me quite skeptical about many things. Today I am secure in who I am whose I am and about fulfilling my purpose.

Then and Now

Every single impressionable moment I recall from kindergarten has evidence of growth and shaping who I am and how I value myself today, but let me be clear there were have been some deep valleys on my life’s journey. One of my treasured life lessons is that God never wastes a hurt and given to Him, every broken part of our lives can heal and be used to help others on their journey. For a long season of my life, I struggled with the fact that I I spoke Spanish. I did not see it as a gift. I was eager to help others by using it to help, but I was reluctant and often found myself criticized by someone quite close that criticized my abilities all too often.

I felt inadequate. It was not right; it was something I eventually believed. Ugh, the mental real estate we forfeit over time is costly. In many ways, our thought life must unlearn as much and with greater intentionality than what we initially learned in life or learned from experience.

Kindergarten laid a foundation of discovery, wonder, and possibility. I’m glad I never lost that. By second grade it much of my potential was jaded in my mind’s eye and that the identity crisis grew, confidence wained, although outwardly I came across, prideful, intimidating, and confident. No one knew the inner battle. Well, I did and so did God, and He knew better than I to what end any of it would serve.

What do you seek to learn? What are you learning right now? What evidence of life-impacting kindergarten moments can you be thankful for today? Are there any that perhaps need a tune up in perspective and attitude adjustment? What will you do today to speak words of life to someone else?

Now, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” Whether young at heart, in youth or carrying wounds from childhood. We all have the potential and ability to grow beyond limiting beliefs. Goal achievement is consistent, persistent effort with intentional results. Never give up or give in to those casting stones of damaging. Silence the critics with evidence that chooses only to allow words of life and truth to occupy the prime real estate that is your mental wealth.

Inspiration

I share these thoughts to inspire you. Where you are at this time in life does not define who you are and your ultimate destiny. There is one who longs for you to realize your great impacting abilities because of who you are. There is only one you. If you do not arise and step into your purpose, who will?

Once upon many times “they” said I could not do many things. Little did any of us know then that I would publish books, become a polyglot, and do two doctoral programs. I have the honor to serve some many amazing people with one thing in common. Everyone needs hope. My life is not the hope to have it is the evidence of hope realized because of faith. Our beliefs can either be stinking thinking with so much junk in the trunk of our minds that we fail to do the check up from the neck up and tune up our mental motor. Our beliefs, assessed, realigned and activated are the fuel that launches beyond what others may expect of us. What matters is; what do you expect of you? You can be, do and have more accomplishment in life with support and direction. If I can help, I am glad to be part of your empowered journey. Let’s talk about transformation.

Coaching and mentorship is a must to gain support and activate your momentum moving you from where you want to where you plan go. Let’s grow!