“And David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that he had exalted his Kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.”…and David realized… In the midst of David’s seemingly inevitable and long overdue rise to Kingship. In the midst of all his great growth and the exultation of his people…he came to this powerful realization: That all of this. Everything that had happened in, to and through him. All of the enemies he had defeated. All of the enemies that tried to defeat him. All of those long days in the hot sun watching over the bleating sheep. All of it. Everything. HIS ENTIRE LIFE! …all led to this simple and powerful realization. The He (God) would be exalted or the sake of His people Israel. I believe, in that moment, that realization became a “true north” for David. I also believe, that these same deep and powerful realizations are waiting to be realized in our own lives, our own hearts and our own minds. They are waiting to be lived out in real time, like David’s was. If you don’t already know your deep purpose. Your true north. Or, if you have been given a glimpse into it but don’t yet have the full picture… MY PRAYER FOR YOU (US) IN 2018My prayer is that you seek it out. My prayer is that the Lord would open your eyes, your ears, and your hearts to it starting now, and extending into the year to come. And once you know. Once you have realized what “it” is, I pray that you would have the courage to do something about it. That you would share it with your family and friends. That you would write it down on paper. That you would remind yourself of it day-and-night. That you would allow that truth to be your true north, and remain unshaken when you get a little turned around or lost in your own achievements and trials. I am in awe how the Holy Spirit can speak to our hearts in different, yet powerful ways when reading the same chapters. This was my second time reading 2 Samuel 5. There were so many things that stood out to me when I read it yesterday that I just knew in my heart that the Lord would reveal something else to me about it today – and I am so glad this was the case. I am glad that He did. I hope you have the opportunity to read this chapter as well. If you do, leave a comment! I would love to read about some of the things that stood out to you most. Love, Stasia RoseI once read that “Artists must account for their disappearances.” I can’t exactly remember where I read it…but I believe it was in a book either by Mokoto Fujimura, Austin Kleon or Paul Arden…I’ll figure it out and update this post later J Well, today I am accounting for my recent disappearance. It’s the holiday season (my favorite time of year), so I totally understand if most of you probably didn’t realize I was even less active on social media than usual over this past month…and for those of you who did notice – here is my artists account: Over the past week and a half, I’ve been behind closed doors creating new ways to use my art! I created a survey in order to gather my family and friends input on their interest in blogging. I worked with a coach to finish building out my Blog Like A Boss curriculum (Nyrka Riskin is a wiz). I have gained 3 paying clients who I am working with 1:1 to pour all of my expertise and knowledge into. I have also begun building out a 1-day Blog Like A Boss workshop (if you’re interested in learning more about this workshop give me a shout out here!) Yup, I’ve been up to quite a bit! Working hard to launch my formal blogging business and guiding newbie bloggers through the often messy waters of launching blogs of their own. Ultimately encouraging them to Blog Like A Boss! My passion and hope is to help as many people as possible find and articulate their unique gifts and experiences, and share them in a way that makes others (and ultimately the world) a better place. I know that starting a blog, something so public and personal, can be a bit scary. In fact, that is the most common question/concern that I field in regards to blogging. "Isn’t it concerning/strange to put so much out there on the internet?" When we talk through it, I usually encourage future bloggers by saying: “As much as you feel comfortable with…allow yourself to be seen & heard." As much as you feel comfortable with…allow yourself to be seen & heard. Letting the world see the unique gifts and passions inside of you. Sharing your thoughts, experiences and encouragements with others both inside and outside of your current spheres of influence. Blogging is about leaving a legacy, and sharing your dreams and hopes with others who may one day become a part of your journey. Blogging has been one of my greatest gifts. The Lord has given me the sweetest, and kindest interactions with people that I have never met – all through my willingness to be vulnerable and share parts of my story with others who are working through similar things in their own journeys. I once heard that some of the best and most rewarding experiences are scary at the start: new jobs, first kisses, potentially life-threatening travel adventures, making new friends, having difficult but necessary conversations, marriage proposals, having children…I could go on-and-on. The same is true for blogging. You want to hear the secret to Blogging Like A Boss? You ready? It’s going to really blow your minds! So, what's the big secret to blogging?The secret to blogging like a boss is – you. Yes, you! Your passions, your dreams, your hopes, your essence is the secret sauce that will make your blog beautiful! Your unique combination of experiences and life lessons is what makes your digital space its own momentary respite for a future reader who wants, and maybe even needs, to hear your inspiring voice. Welp, now that the secrets out – I hope you will embark on your own blogging journey in 2018! And I hope that you will trust me to be your guide along the way, because I’m all in! Want to learn more about blogging? Check out my book Blog Like A Boss: The beginners guide to next-level blogging on any platform in the Amazon Kindle store. It’s a short read (about 30 kindle pages) and may even help answer some of your burning blogging questions! Love, Stasia RoseGrowth, true growth, happens over time. Success, true success, is developed over time. As the muscles in our bodies must tear in order to grow back stronger, so too must we encounter trials, hardships and successes in order to grow stronger still. When we find ourselves in a difficult season, whether in life or career, let's encourage one another to steady. When we find ourselves in a high season, and it seems like everything is going right, let's encourage one another to steady. Steady our hearts. Steady our minds. Steady our actions. Steadiness: Let us not allow ourselves to become so overwhelmed by our trials that we neglect to recognize the trials for what they really are...unique opportunities for growth. Let us not allow ourselves to become so arrogant in our successes that we neglect to recognize those moments for what they really are...unique opportunities for growth. What's the not so secret ingredient for continual personal and professional growth? Steadiness. Love, Stasia Rose |