Jubilee

Celebrate the small victories. You woke up this morning. You made it home safe. There is food on your table, clothes on your back, and a roof over your head. You didn't get in that accident you should have when you were paying more attention to your phone than the highway. You didn't get sick when you ate what you weren't supposed to have in the first place. Your co-worker didn't work your last nerve today. You actually made it to the gym. Every day is full of blessings, we don't always acknowledge. Every day you wake up is a jubilee, because someone didn't. Don't be so hard on yourself. Cherish the time you spend with family and friends. Savor the life that God has given you. 

Perseverance

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." -Maya Angelou
 

Sometimes, we just need a reminder of who we are and what we are really capable of accomplishing in this life. Truthfully, we don't really find out what we can endure until we have to endure the unthinkable. We are stronger than we think.  We have grit. We have strength. We have steadfastness. We have perseverance.

Kairos

There are key moments in our life that define us. It could be the day you graduated from high school or college. It could be the day you had your first child. It could be the day you got married.  It could be the day someone close to you died. Victories and tragedies have a way of shaping our lives. Some events catapult us into destiny, while others cause us to take pause. Kairos is an Ancient Greek word meaning the right, critical or opportune moment. We might not always recognize these as kairos moments, but they are crossroads. These moments have the ability to shift our lives. Take advantage of every opportunity given to you. Don't just knock, kick the door of opportunity open. Seize the moment. Take a chance. Live!

Victor

I'm fresh off the Heart 2 Heart Women's Retreat, and one of the things that stuck with me the most was that, "we have to choose to be a victor instead of the victim." A lot of us have been through unspeakable things. We have endured hardships at the hands of family and loved ones, and we just grin and bear it. As women, we carry the world on our shoulders. We don't take the time to take of ourselves. We just keep it moving, to our own detriment. We have got to do better. How? We have to learn how to process our pain. For some of us, that might mean seeking professional help. For others, that might mean taking the time to acknowledge the pain, and releasing it. I encourage you all to make the first steps from being a victim to a victor. It will ultimately make you better instead of bitter.

Position

Sometimes, I feel like I should be further along than I am. I tend to forget my past accomplishments and only focus on what's not working now. It's easy to forget yesterday's victory. It's easy to not notice all the progress you've made. Sometimes, we forget the destination and only see our current position. Our perspective on our position needs to change. Think of your position as preparation for your next victory. You are gaining skills you will need in the next season of your life. Maybe you are being taught a lesson in patience. Maybe you are in the midst of a season of rest because you never take the time to when you are busy. Maybe you are recovering from a setback or a breakup. Whatever position you are in, there is a purpose. You may not understand it now, but in time you will. Learn today's lesson. Gain a new perspective, and play your position. 

Triumph

There are 72 steps that lead to the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I ran up those iconic steps just like Rocky training for fight. I jumped around like I just won my own heavyweight championship. I'm sure this is quite amusing for those of you who know I'm all of five feet tall, and no where near a heavyweight soaking wet with layers. The mind is an amazing thing. It can make you think you are the heavyweight champion of the world, and it can make you feel isolated and defeated. It can play tricks on you. Most athletes will tell you that training is as much mental as it physical. Victors train their mind. Triumph does not come without training. Nor does it come without trials. No matter what you are going through, it is the training ground for your triumph. 

"Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity."-Og Mandino