Big things in Small Places (Why Discipline is SO neccessary....)

So one of the most pressing issues on my heart lately has been the message of big things in small places. Now I have been wrestling with this in my spirit and have found ways of not sharing this with people due to embarrassment to be judged or looked at differently. But when you wrestle with things within it is just best to be obedient and get it out or done in order to receive rest...

So with that said for those of you that know, I am a very spiritual person and for people that do not know, I am a very spiritual person... my faith belief is in Christ and besides that I am just very sensitive to the unseen ... got it? Good! Moving along.

The word(s) of the day: 1.) Small things or life only come out of small places. 2.) Why discipline is key in order to progress.

1.) From where does an apple tree grow? Answer: a seed. How are babies born? Answer: Sperm and an Egg. How big is a seed? How big is an apple tree? How big is a sperm? How big is an egg? How big is a person? How big is a being, animal, etc?

Do you see where I am going with this? I hope so. For the past 3 years I have been living in a small bedroom in my grandparents home in Queens, NY... only a little over a year ago did I make a decision that I would be staying in NY and making NYC my home base. Since then I have been in dire need/want to get the heck out of my grandparents house and get into "my own space". I have attempted to save much money yet the opportunity to move has not opened for me. It was very frustrating until I began to pray and seek God about the hold up. The Answer I received: "You want to spread out, thinking that more space will help you to evolve and get to the next level. Like a baby growing in a mothers stomach you are commissioned to make big dreams and begin to happen, grow and live in small spaces and places..."

... Uh... yeah.... those were not the words I wanted to hear and of course I tried to do my own thing and make things happen. Eventually I began to ware myself out! I eventually had to chill out and stop trying to climb a mountain that I know if I just trust God, He can move the mountain for me! No climbing, whining, nothing! But just when you think you get the lesson another test comes... my job...

So I have been at the same place for the past 9 months (hah!) and I have been wrestling with God to get me OUT! "I want out!, I want to be doing 'normal' film industry projects and living the 'regular' industry life! Project to project, excitement, craziness, etc" (I know my friends in the industry are reading this like 'This chick is crazy, she got a steady job and complaining!" ) Every time I prayed for the Lord to excel me and have His way, to bless me in my career, and get me to where He wants me to be... the same day my boss would call me into her office and just shower me with praise, give me some tips on what to improve and ask me to stay longer... In which financially I am not a point to just pull out and be like "NO!". So I stay. And then again I would hear the still small voice gently tell me "stay put, you want to do big things in your life you have to humble yourself to authority, get disciplined. You need to be refined, so as iron sharpens iron, so does man sharpen, man" Proverbs 27:17...

... Ugh... once again... the real lessons in becoming great. And just when you think I would start getting it NOPE once again God has had to tap tap that stubborn behind of mine and get me right! This time it is with my finances.

So let it be known I am an extremely, ridiculously rich woman trapped in a not so wealthy womans lifestyle. I know this is a temporary suit and situation. But instead of getting disciplined and focused on me getting out of my current situation. I would pray for God to give me more money and get me a raise or a promotion. Not that He can't do this....

[SIDE NOTE: I am a firm believer in the bigger your god the smaller your problem. I am serious! If you believe in Budda how big is Budda to you? Is he meditation, feel better big or save my family from a mortgage crisis big? If you believe in Vishnu (Hindu) how big is Vishnu? Is Vishnu a please heal my headache big or please heal my cancer big? And so forth and so on.... Like I said I believe in Christ and adhere more to being a Judeo-Christian meaning I respect and believe all aspects of Judisim and the Jewish people however I do believe that Jesus being a Jew himself is the Christ and came to free all mankind from evil, upholding the Mosaic law but giving all people authentic access to the Almighty God the Father through beliving in him -Jesus, that his death, sacrifices and ressurection are all real, pure and holy. And with being so he - Christ is teaching us how to live, be and be transformed to be like him (Christ) day by day for he is not dead but alive in us the ones who have accepted him as their Savior. So with that said I believe that God is so BIG that there is nothing too big he cannot do and even more importantly that there is nothing too small He cannot do as well! AMEN!!]

Anyway with that said, I believe He will prosper me in such a profound and mighty way both in seen and unseen wealth, both in this world and in heaven. But in the midst of this knowledge once again I heard the still small voice (the Holy Spirit of God) say to me "How do you want me to expand your wealth when you have not mastered fully and disciplinedly the small wealth you have right now!?!" Oh JESUS!! Conviction! I make less then $2000 an month and if you know anything about NYC that is not a lot of money to do anything with. If you are an adult and went to college and know how much student loans equal out then you know that $2000 is once again, Nothing! If you are anyone with big dreams and aspirations or an entreprenuer trying to "get yours" you know that $2000 a month you can barely get peanuts to move on the grind and try to live at the same time, this is the real deal!! But once again just like my small bedroom in my grandparents home, I have to make big things happen out of little room, and space.... yeah....

In the past year we Americans especially African Americans have had the pleasure of witnessing two black people who have taken the world by storm! Yes, Yes, I am talking about President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. One thing that I have learned about both of them especially Michelle Obama is that she is a very disciplined person. She has always been. That is what has helped her be so accomplished at the goals she has set. I have seen this about her and President Barack Obama... It does serve as a motivator for me to get my act together. Needless to say aonther lesson is that discipline, living a disciplined life is not easy however it is the way to actually get things done in life, especially with my finances and all other areas in my life. This wonderful opportunity we have been given called LIFE!!!

I want to do a lot and I have to hone down in order to actually get it done.

This is all for today. Big things in small spaces and places. Discipline in order to get and accomplish what you want to do and get.

It's DARE... One step at a time....

Quick thought on taking things in stride...

When you have a lot on your plate and your dreams are so BIG that you can easily get overwhelmed... just breathe, pray and take another step. The key to success, to arriving at your goal is perseverance and all perseverance is - is one step at a time. Taking one step at a time.

As I look back at my life I realize there where times where it was just perseverance alone that got me through. Excuse me, perseverance and the STRENGTH, & GRACE/MERCY OF GOD!!

Some of us are just wired differently. We will not rest until we check out all of our options and try at the dreams and visions we have or are given...

A lot is going on in my life. My brain is constantly working. I sometimes wonder if I am they only one within my inner circle thinking this much. With as much as I am trying to do and think of I realize the importance of discipline, organization, and to just slow down and take things in stride. It is not all about getting to the mark as fast as you can however, it is more crucial to get to the mark, period!!

So many have failed or fallen, or have gotten weary because they were so busy trying to get to the mark by a certain time and in doing so have worn themselves out. And yes others have gotten to their marks/ goals in record time but most are either too burned out to truly enjoy the race they just ran or once they have reached the end do not know what to do with the victory... hmm...

Anyway... Here are my scriptures of motivation and sources of strength...

Isaiah 40:28 "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom."

Isaiah 40:31 "But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."

Hebrews 12:1-4 "... And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³ Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. ⁴ After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin."


Onward and upward... Peace.

-J.

My Nerves!!

So not to be disgusting but my nerves are acting up.... I read some where that we hold two nervous systems and two brains so to say.

The one that is in our skull and transmits signals and messages to the rest of our body and the other one that is in our stomach that when it's time we feel butterflies and nervous energies when big things are about to happen.

You know the one I am talking about where we feel to throw up before a performance or speaking engagement or you are "running" to the bathroom cause your up nervous system is signaling to your derrier more... um yeah so that is what is happening to me.

I am filled with good nervous energy and I am only thankful even though it equals a few more extra trips to the ladies room than usual on a Monday morning at work. But I am enjoying this nervous energy because it means to me new life and new things happening.

I am in the middle of a lot go creative motivation and I live to create and utilize my talents and ideas. This is a delicate time, the babies have just been conceived... prayer, good nutrition, discipline and love is the way to help them grow....

Praise Him!!!
J.Elle's

My Life on the web....

So while things are not so glamorous in the Television & Film world right now. My life on the web has taken off...

It is very interesting how within the past month I have become an avid web surfer. I started off slow and surely now I am addicted. The amount of information that I find online by just clicking one like and then the next and reading this and reading that has opened my world - yes even when I am at work! HAHAH!

Although some days I long for the times of hardcore film production I am starting to appreciate having my ass glued to a seat because it does help me with my new found passion and hobby! WEB Browsing!!! It is no coincidence that I am at my job and have this extra time on my hands.

I mean I try to not get so involved that my work slacks off but seriously I do work on my own projects and really do not freak out about it either. Anyway if I had a drink in my hand I would lift it up and make a toast to new projects and taking steps to full fill them!! Here's to hobbies and passions that we stumble on!!! Here! Here!!

-J.

Great Friends...

Picture a blush large, comfortable, Love seat, with your favorite warm blanket. You curl up tuck in the corners of the blanket and reach for your warm mug of your favorite tea take a sip and enjoy the flavor and warm go down.....

That is my description of what a GREAT friend is. Mine is Hideat Tewolde. She is my cup of tea and comfort. I get this girl even when I don't get her! AHAHAHA!! I love that we are not alike and have these amazing contrasting ways of expressing ourselves and experiencing life.

But God is good and He knows how to match em that's for sure because no matter what in mine and Hideat's relational dance we learn so much from each other and deposit so much (goodness) into each other. She is my iron and my sword at times, in the way that the proverb says "So as iron sharpens iron so does man sharpen man..." It is the same in our relationship. 

Blessed is the only word that I know of that describes how I feel about our friendship and how I feel for having her as my friend. She is not a good friend but a GREAT friend. And guess what she has her flaws as well. I know them and have been hurt by some of them but Love is a funny and amazing thing. It (Love) is the power to decide to continue to walk with the person despite the trip up or blow. Love is the answer to when you don't like the person at the moment. It has an easy description when you get along but it is in it's true description when communication is failing in a relationship, or disconnect, hurt feelings, pride, and all other issues. 

God has a sense of humor. He connected me to a girl I didn't even noticed and when I did I wasn't impressed, not knowing she would be a pillar in the midst of my accountability center and my core support group. Outside of my mom she is the second person I pass a lot of things by. She probably knows as much intimate things about me as my mom but not the same type of intimate things and honestly I am truly blessed because visa versa...

Anyway I had to share and I only hope and pray for our relationship to grow stay in tact and develop as we develop and get older....

AMEN!! Goodnight!!