Do you see that pretty heart? it represents change for a better me, and you if you choose to accept the challenge as I did. My good friend -really i am not joking – Kelly McCausey has decided it is time to become a better her. What a goal! She took some time to talk about it and open up the challenge to all who will join her on a road that is sure to change lives.

I am in. Most of my readers know that I have been on a journey like this for quite some time. so joining this challenge is right up my alley.

Let me share with you what I will be working on in the next 48 days:

1. Getting into the Word Daily.
2. Journaling daily
3. Stretching
4. Managing my time better
5. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables

Finally Mary shares from “Take Me As I Am” the importance of sharing your story

“You know I’ve been holdin’ on. Try to make me weak, But I still stay strong. Put my life all up in these songs Jus so you can feel me.”

Your story is meant to be shared. Now I am not saying tell it all. I am saying that you need to ask God to show what to share, when and to whom. Be transparent, honest, and open about you.

I spoke to a group of young people about 6 months ago. My topic was your gifts and your purpose. In sharing about gifts and purpose I was led to share my testimony about being sexually abused as a child. Now I had no idea where the Holy Spirit was going with it but I obeyed.

While I am not a political blogger and likely never will be because politics is not at all about God, but man in my opinion. However I do find that it is a topic that many mom bloggers are discussing. I have noticed that some of these moms are to the left while others are to the right. This made me think, “LaTara, what type of mom are you?”

I have been thinking about this long and hard for the last few days and I have decided that I am a Vertical Mom. I don’t beat to the beat of a man’s drum. My drum is mine and only God can have a turn on it. That is not selfish because man is not the determiner of my life as it should be. I am not concerned with whether or not I am liked, if that were the case I would cry everyday, as there are many who think I am different – not at all like the rest. To that I say thank God because as I watch the path that many take, I am glad that my road is a little different.

When all else fails in life, I know that I must surrender all. Sometimes it may seem hard and like we can’t handle it, and you know what we can’t. There is no New Age philosophy, no “secret” way to fix it, no “new earth” until Jesus comes back, that will make our issues better. Only total surrender to Christ.

I Surrender All

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In his presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me Jesus, take me now.

I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

I love this song because I am forever reminded that God is the one who can turn it all around.

The Potter’s House (Tremaine Hawkins)

Verse 1:
In case you have fallen by the wayside of life;
dreams and visions shattered, You’re all broken inside.
You don’t have to stay in the shape that you’re in;
the potter wants to put you back together again,
oh, the potter wants to put you back together again.

Verse 2:
In case your situation has turned upside down,
and all that you’ve accomplished, is now on the ground.
You don’t have to stay in the shape that you’re in;
the potter wants to put you back together again,
oh, the potter wants to put you back together again.