Celebrating Daily Steps to Success

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“Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” 

–Jim Rohn

Since writing my last post, I’ve taken a few disciplined steps every day.  These steps have not been taken by random luck or chance.  They have required a deliberate effort on my part.

Sunday night before going to sleep I told myself that in the coming week I would be more intentional with my daily activities and with taking steps toward my desired goals.  I had had enough of letting the hours in my days slip through my fingers like sand, going to bed saying to myself: “I know I was really “busy” today doing stuff.  But, what steps did I take toward reaching my current life goals and dreams?”

I woke up Monday morning, sleepily sat up in my bed, and then flopped myself back down on the pillow feeling the all too familiar surges of doubt, fear, and hesitancy.  The same, old self-sabotaging questions and thoughts swirled through my head: 

Brief Quotes - The Greatest Blessings

The greatest blessings usually follow the most trying circumstances.  

That's why they are called miracles.

This has proven true in my life over and over again.  As I currently face a season of some really trying circumstances, I am reminded of this truth.  

There can be no miracle without difficulty or impossibility preceding it.  

There can be no victory without adversity which must be overcome.

I took the picture above in August of 2014.  I had just begun a hike at one of my favorite places and enjoyed this amazing moment where a butterfly danced around me and simply stopped to pose for me to get this close and take her picture. I could have easily touched her. The butterfly overcame her own adversity of transformation  in order to have danced around me that day and shown off in all her glory.  And that morning, I had made myself a willing participant to take this upwards hike up to one of my favorite places of peace and beauty.  

Brief Quotes - Where Contentment and Peace are Found

Trail Lessons - There is Life Under the Ice

These are some of the Scriptures which inspired the thoughts I recorded at the reservoir: 

Trail Lessons – Christ Saves Us from Sin and Death

As I hiked the foothills of the Rocky Mountains on Good Friday, I passed by a rushing stream and paused by it to record some thoughts:

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Trail Lessons – Seasons Will Come and Go

I often go for long walks on the Santa Fe Trail—“Empowerment Walks”.  I am extremely blessed to live in a beautiful place, with such gorgeous scenery, strong sunshine, and mostly mild temperatures.  My walks serve as a time to give my body some exercise and de-stress.  Most of all, my walks are a time for thinking, singing and worship, and talking and listening to God.  As I’ve walked miles and miles on the Santa Fe Trail, God has taught me an abundance of lessons and has reassured my heart and soul countless times.  Yesterday, I set out on another empowerment walk.