Final Declarations Day 10/Day 41

I DECLARE I am blessed!

"Sickness, you have no right in my body. I'm a child of the Most High God. You are not welcome here. And I'm not asking you to leave. I'm not saying, 'Pretty please, do me a favor.' No, I'm commanding you to leave my body."

I've been feeling a tad under the weather. I had highlighted this part of the book, because it made me smile.

I have finished this book...I will continue to revisit. What will tomorrow bring? A new blog? A new book on being blessed? Hmm...

Final Declarations Day 9/Day 40

I DECLARE that from this day forward I will experience a new sense of freedom, a new happiness, and a new fulfillment.

Sounds good. I'll take it. I wonder what my gifts are.

Final Declarations Day 8/Day 39

I DECLARE the negative things that have been in my family, even for generations will no longer have an effect on me.

And so it is. God make it so.

Final Declarations Day 7/Day 38

I DECLARE right now that every negative word, every curse that has ever been spoken over me, is broken in the name of Jesus.

I miss the stories.

I DECLARE I'm believing for explosive blessings.

I could use an explosion of blessings right now. I could use an explosion of love and joy right now.

Final Declarations Day 6/Day 37

I DECLARE I will lend and not borrow, and I will be above and not beneath.

I haven't been feeling like doing much lately, including blogging. This is the best I can do. I DECLARE it's perfect.

Final Declarations Day 5/Day 36

I DECLARE whatever I put my hands to will prosper and succeed. I will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field. I will be blessed when I go in and when I go out.

I like a strong cup of coffee; which I am sipping as I blog.

I woke up to my niece giving me gentle good morning kisses on my face.

I am blessed.

Relationship has always been incredibly important to me. I've cultivated healthy relationships and learned to steer clear of not so healthy relationships and learned to navigate the ups and downs. I feel strong, healthy, and happy in this area of my life.

Lately, my focus has naturally been on prosperity. I am prosperous. I am prosperity. I am grateful for my prosperity. I am looking forward to even more!

(And I can maintain healthy relationships. I was helping my niece with her "fashion show" while writing this. (: )

Final Declarations Day 4/Day 35

I DECLARE I am blessed with promotion, with success, with an obedient heart, and with a positive outlook.

Happy Solstice!

The one set plan I had was to go to yoga class in the morning. My teacher informed me that she would not be teaching, so I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. I will be going to an audition later this afternoon and then possibly hanging out with a gal pal.

Wherever this day takes me, I DECLARE I am blessed with promotion, with success, with an obedient heart, and with a positive outlook. And so it is.

Final Declarations Day 3/Day 34

I DECLARE I am blessed with good health, a good family, good friends, and a long life.

This is true. This is true. My resistance was to long life, but who knows what new things, people, and experiences I will have. I DECLARE that my life will keep getting better and better and better. I will feel more and more and more and more joy, love, serenity, bliss, security, freedom, and prosperity. My life truly continues to get better all of the time. I'm cool with living a long life to enjoy more of the aforementioned. :)

Final Declarations Day 2/Day 33

I DECLARE I am blessed with creativity, with good ideas, with courage, with strength, with ability.

What came to me is that I should write. I am writing.

I DECLARE I am blessed with creativity, with good ideas, with courage, with strength, with ability.

I am writing. Creativity flows through me easily and effortlessly and it feels good.

Final Declarations Day 1/Day 32

I DECLARE I use my words to declare victory and not defeat, therefore I see God do amazing things and I live the abundant, overcoming, faith-filled life He promised.

I DECLARE I walk in the blessing of almighty God. I am filled with wisdom. I make good choices. I have clear direction.

And so it is.

I was considering starting a new daily blog similar to this one, but perhaps with a different book. I thought I'd revisit The Abundance Book by John Randolph Price or something by Catherine Ponder. I like the format of blogging on a daily meditation. But I like doing at least 40 consecutive days of the same intention (is the best word which comes to mind now). So, I thought of just repeating the first 9 days. But good old Joel had more for me within the conclusion.

When I was at around Day 17, I expressed worry over what I would do after Day 31. I wanted to have something in place. I was gently reminded by a dear friend that I always have everything I need. Voila!

Day 31

I DECLARE everything that doesn't line u[ with God's vision for my life is subject to change. Sickness, trouble, lack, mediocrity, are not permanent. They are only temporary. I will not be moved by what I see but by what I know. I am a victor and never a victim. I will become all God has created me to be. This is my declaration.

Intellectually, I understand that God wants me to be happy, healthy, abundant, to feel loved, and fulfilled. I actually know it now, too. I feel it. When I was forming my thoughts, I thought it was merely intellectually that I got it, but as I typed that sentence, the feeling came over me that I get it on a soul level, too. It's as if It shifted in that moment. Weird. Cool.

Because, as I was reading today's story about Joseph knowing that what God had not planned for him was temporary and would pass, I found myself wishing I had such faith. Well, I have been asking for my faith to be strengthened, and I guess it has come to pass. Awesome.

I DECLARE I know that God's plan for me is to be happy, healthy, abundant, to feel loved, and fulfilled, and anything that does not match up with God's plan for me to be happy, healthy, abundant, to  feel loved, and fulfilled is not to be seen as permanent, but as subject to change. Anything that doesn't line up with the vision God placed in my heart, I do not see as permanent, but as subject to change. And so it is.

So, this is Day 31. What now? I'll know before tomorrow's end.

Day 30

I DECLARE God is going before me making crooked places straight. He has already lined up the right people, the right opportunities and solutions to problems I haven't had. No person, no sickness, no disappointment, can stop His plan. What he promised will come to pass. This is my declaration.

I wish healing was linear and setback-free. I was feeling grouchy and feverish yesterday and was not acting like a very pleasant person and not thinking very pleasant thoughts. It carried over to this morning as well.

When I read today's declaration, I could not get excited about it, until I read the story behind it. And I smiled. And I really liked what I came away with.

Oftentimes, inspirational stories are so grand and miraculous that they seem un-relatable. Today's story was simple and something I could totally relate to. The man's "miracle" came in the form of someone thinking about him so much that he couldn't help but help him.

I've definitely had times in my life when I couldn't stop thinking about a person and had to reach out. It's nice to know that it's God's hand.

I'll follow the lead of the man in today's story and just "pray and believe that God will cause it to happen" despite any circumstances.

Joel Osteen does not cease to amaze me. God does not cease to amaze me. <3

Day 29

I DECLARE God is working all things together for my good. He has a master plan for my life. There may be things I don't understand right now but I'm not worried. I know all the pieces aren't here yet. One day it will all come together and everything will make sense. I will see God's amazing plan taking me places I never dreamed of. This is my declaration.

I was hoping this would apply to how I was feeling last night and woke up feeling this morning. I suppose it does. I've been turning over some thoughts about a friend and meditating for peace. I fell asleep meditating and I woke up still feeling bad.

I DECLARE I trust that even this is a part of God's amazing plan, and I turn it over to Him. And so it is.

Day 28

I DECLARE that I will ask God for big things in my life. I will pray bold prayers and expect big and believe big. I will ask God to bring to pass those hidden dreams that are deep in my heart. If certain promises don't look like they will happen, I will not be intimidated and give up. I will pray with boldness, expecting God to show Himself strong, knowing that nothing is too difficult for him. This is my declaration.

I'm not sure what this has to do with today's declaration, but last night, I went to my agency's Christmas party, and I was filled with so much gratitude. It was lovely to see a diverse group of people milling about, having a good time. There was such a nice vibe going on - good people, good vibes. The lead agent made a nice little speech, and I just felt great. I am so happy to be with them.

I'm not much of a party girl, but I'm glad I went last night.

Big things in my life that I am asking God for:

I want to take various trips, first class with five star accommodations with my boyfriend and his daughters, with my friends, and with my family.

I want a grand celebration for my 40th birthday. I want to celebrate in style and luxury with friends and family. There will be fine food, lots of fun, festivity, and relaxation.

I want my own house in the perfect location.

I want financial freedom to do and buy whatever I want, whenever I want, with grace and ease. I want to spoil myself, my friends, and my family with lavish gifts like cars and houses and vacation trips, spa days; yoga teacher training, unlimited yoga classes, unlimited dance classes, and unlimited any kind of class I want to take.

I want to feel confident and fulfilled and purposeful, with ease and grace.

More on this later, I guess. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself...

I'm very blessed. I am. I have a lot of what I want. I am grateful.

Day 27

I DECLARE I am equipped for every good work God has planned for me. I am anointed and empowered the the Creator of the universe. Every bondage, every limitation, is being broken off of me. This is my time to shine. I will rise higher, overcome every obstacle, and experience victory like never before! This is my declaration.

I've felt challenged in my life. And it has led me to developing my spirituality, which has led me to so many wonderful people and gifts in my life.

"God can take what was meant for my harm and turn it around and use it to my advantage."

I'm on Day 27. The time has been flying by. I feel stronger. I feel full of faith. I feel excited. I feel present.

Day 26

I DECLARE I will choose faith over fear! I will  meditate on what is positive and what is good about my situation. I will use my energy not to worry but to believe. Fear has no part in my life. I will not dwell on negative, discouraging thoughts. My mind is set on what God says about me. I know His plan for me is for success, victory, and abundance. This is my declaration.

I look over what I wrote, to remind me; to be mindful. I believe that God is with me and guiding me as I write. It's part of self-awareness, presence.

Recently, there have been situations and people coming up in my life that have been bringing up worry and fear in me. :(  I had a meeting yesterday that did not feel good, and I fretted over it some. I love today's declaration, especially the last part, because all I have to believe is that God's plan for me is for success, victory, and abundance.

What will that look like? I DECLARE I choose to be delightfully surprised with the unfolding of God's plan. I will stay present with Love, I will choose Love over and over and over again, and before I know it, success is mine, victory is mine, and abundance is mine.

In regards to my meeting, I re-read yesterday's entry, and it was a reminder of the kind of people I want to surround myself with. I choose love and light. I choose my cheerleaders. I choose my Joel clones. And so it is.

Day 25

I DECLARE I will not just survive; I will thrive! I will prosper despite every difficulty that may come my way. I know every setback is a setup for a comeback. I will not get stagnant, give up on my dreams, or settle where I am. I know one touch of God's favor can change everything. I'm ready for a year of blessings and a year of thriving! This is my declaration.

I wish I could clone Joel Osteen, shrink him, and keep him in my pocket. He is such an amazing cheerleader.

I don't know what's been going on with me. I was feeling a little uneasy - better today. Last week, I had reattached to ego and placed too much importance on other peoples' opinions, and was focusing on possible results rather than being present and in my heart, where I know only One opinion counts. Right now I am imagining Joel being a messenger from God, cheering me on.

I DECLARE, I am surrounded by positive minded people who cheer me on and make me smile and laugh and think positively myself. And so it is.

I DECLARE I will not just survive; I will thrive! I will prosper despite every difficulty that may come my way. I know every setback is a setup for a comeback. I will not get stagnant, give up on my dreams, or settle where I am. I know one touch of God's favor can change everything. I'm ready for a year of blessings and a year of thriving! This is my declaration. And so it is.

Day 24

I DECLARE I will speak only positive words of faith and victory over myself, my family, and my future. I will not use my words to describe the situation. I will use my words to change my situation. I will call in favor, good breaks, healing, and restoration. I will not talk to God about how big my problems are. I will talk to my problems about how big my God is. This is my declaration.

I had a bit of resistance to this, because I don't like glossing over a feeling or situation. Abraham-Hicks in Ask And It Is Given says it well, and I paraphrase, you can't put a happy face sticker over an empty fuel tank gauge. And I've found that emotion can't move if it's ignored or suppressed. At first I typed that last sentence in the present tense, but I am open to other ideas. :) Also, as I was forming my thoughts, I looked back at the declaration and decided that talking to my problems about how big my God is, is addressing where I am.

My God is BIG! He is GINORMOUS! He is COLOSSAL! He is MASSIVE! And He's got it taken care of, so I can relax. <3

Day 23

I DECLARE I am a people builder. I will look for opportunities to encourage others to bring out the best in them and to help them accomplish their dreams. I will speak words of faith and victory, affirming them, approving them, letting them know they are valued. I will call out their seeds of greatness, helping them to rise higher and become all that God created them to be. This is my declaration.

Love.

"Everyone needs to be valued. Everyone needs to be appreciated. Every person needs that blessing."

I do this with my niece a lot and with my nephew when he lets me. I want them to feel loved and valued and important. I need to do it more with everyone. I want to. There are people in my life who I love so much. I definitely want them to feel valued. I want everyone on earth to feel valued. I've known what it's like to feel unimportant, unloved, and unappreciated, and it's sad and lonely. I would never wish that on anyone.

Hey everyone out there - I love you, and I think you're important and amazing! You can do it!

Day 22

I DECLARE I will live victoriously. I was created in the image of God. I have the DNA of a winner. I am wearing a crown of favor. Royal blood flows through my veins. I am the head, never the tail, above never beneath. I will live with purpose, passion, and praise, knowing that I was destined to live in victory. This is my declaration.

Joel Osteen cracks me up. That may be key to my acceptance of a lot of what he writes. I mentioned before, I'd wonder how this or that spiritual concept was true; intellectually, I could accept it, but the doubt felt my heart was causing my brow to furrow.

Joel points out Romans 5:17, "We are to reign in life as kings." And he writes, "And on those days where you don't feel like a king, or you don't feel like a queen, just remember to reach down and check your pulse, and as long as you feel something beating you can say, 'What do you know? It's still my time to reign.' This made me giggle and smile.

I am playing in a beach volleyball tournament today. I DECLARE victory in this tournament today!

Day 21

I DECLARE God's supernatural favor over my life. What I could not make happen on my own, God will make happen for me. Supernatural opportunities, healing restoration, and breakthroughs are coming my way. I am getting stronger, healthier, and wiser. I will discover talent I didn't know I had and I will accomplish my God-given dream. This is my declaration.

Joel Osteen wrote this book for me. :)

...and several millions of other people, I guess. :) That comforts me to know that I am not alone - not in a misery loves company kind of way, but in a true connected way. Last night, I was feeling a little lonely. I was driving home from my boyfriend's house, and I felt lonely. This is weird, because I am deeply connected to him, and I have deep, meaningful friendships, and I have plenty to do. Lately, I have more and more been thinking about being connected to everything and everyone.

I try to let the words flow naturally and uncensored when I write this blog. What comes to me is where I am, and it is relevant. My mind is clear, and I speak from my heart.

Things are happening without me forcing anything. Things have always happened. Now they truly are happening more quickly and it is easier, because God is taking care of it. Using force (not of the Jedi nature) is tiring, and worrying about it is tiring. Thank God for taking care of it.

Happy.

Day 20

I DECLARE that I am calm and peaceful. I will not let people or circumstances upset me. I will rise above every difficulty, knowing that God has given me the power to remain calm. I choose to live my life happy, bloom where I am planted, and let God fight my battles. This is my declaration.

I have actually gotten a lot better at this in the last few years. There's a lot to say on this, but for now, I thank God for giving me the power to remain calm. I love that God has given me the power to remain calm. I have the power to remain calm.

Joel writes, "People have a right to say what they want, to do what they want, as long as it's legal. But we have a right to not get offended. We have a right to overlook it...Their opinion of you does not determine your self-worth...They have every right to have their opinion, and you have every right to ignore it."

It's funny. I did some Byron Katie work the other night, and what came up for me was that I felt like I was bound by how someone else thought I should choose. I guess where I am at now is that my well being, my self-care is so important to me that I listen to my Higher Self/God above anyone else, because my Higher Self/God knows best.

I DECLARE I exercise my rights to choose peace, love, harmony, self-love, and high self-esteem for myself. And I exercise my right to wisely ignore others' opinions that are not in alignment with my highest good. And so it is.

Day 19

I DECLARE there is an anointing of ease on my life. God is going before me making crooked places straight. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I will not continually struggle. What used to be difficult will not be difficult anymore. God's favor and blessing on my life is lightening the load and taking the pressure off. This is my declaration.

I DECLARE there is evidence of this in my life already. I definitely feel more peaceful, which makes everything easier. Things have been happening in my life without my having to struggle for them to happen.

My parents were greatly affected by a war in their lifetime. They did have to struggle, and life was hard. It's interesting how times were different when I was born/growing up, but the mentality with which they raised me was the same. It was ingrained. So even though life was/is pretty easy, I had adopted my parents' mindset of "life is hard".

I now adopt God's way and the mindset of life is easy!  I DECLARE life is easy! My yolk is easy and my burden is light! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Easy, breezy, Japanese-y.

Day 18

I DECLARE breakthroughs are coming in my life, sudden bursts of God's goodness. Not a trickle. Not a stream. But a flood of God's power. A flood of healing. A flood of wisdom. A flood of favor. I am a breakthrough person and I choose to live breakthrough minded. I am expecting God to overwhelm me with His goodness and amaze me with His favor. This is my declaration.

Love.

I was chatting with my boyfriend about my 31 Days project, and I read a few "days" of this book to him, and he got a little frustrated. He thought it was too simplistic. He has studied the bible extensively, and something in him wanted me to know God more thoroughly. I explained to him how after having had God introduced to me simplistic-ly as scary and punishing, it is very comforting and just what I need to be re-introduced to God simplistic-ly, as kind and loving.

I experiencing a flood of God's favor. It's happening now. (More on this later.)

It's a new day. I love my new relationship with God.

Day 17

I DECLARE I will put actions behind my faith. I will not be passive or indifferent. I will demonstrate my faith by taking bold steps to move toward what God has put in my heart. My faith will not be hidden; it will be seen. I know when God sees my faith He will show up and do amazing things. This is my declaration.

My mind is kinda racing this morning. Breathe.

As I mentioned earlier, I have been contemplating God's plan for me and what it exactly it is.

I DECLARE I clearly know what bold steps to take to move toward what God has put in my heart. I clearly know what God has put in my heart. And so it is.

Day 16

I DECLARE that I will live as a healer. I am sensitive to the needs of those around me. I will lift the fallen, restore the broken, and encourage the discouraged. I am full of compassion and kindness. I won't just look for a miracle; I will become someone's miracle by showing God's love and mercy everywhere I go. This is my declaration.

I had a little bit of resistance to this. I used to "help" others so much that I forgot about myself to the point of getting sick. Only quite recently have I learned how to make sure I am taken care of before I can help anyone else. I know I am kind and compassionate. There is a part of me that feels I can give more. The resistance is in the fear of losing myself again; the fear of giving to the point of my decline. I'm not sure how to balance this, so I'll just ask God to give me the answer.

I DECLARE that I am happy and healthy as a healer. And so it is.

Day 15

I DECLARE that I have a sound mind filled with good thoughts, not thoughts of defeat. By faith, I am well able. I am anointed. I am equipped. I am empowered. My thoughts are guided by God's Word every day. No obstacle can defeat me, because my mind is programmed for victory. This is my declaration.

I love Joel Osteen. He puts thing in such a way that is easy to understand and so charmingly matter-of-fact that I smile and am easily able to accept it. These are things that I furrowed my brow over, trying to figure out, "How could that be?" Oh, Joel, you rock!

This is what I love most about today's reading:

"...you must be bold and say, 'God, if You say I'm blessed then I believe I'm blessed. My checkbook may not say I'm blessed. The economy doesn't say I'm blessed. The medical report doesn't say I'm blessed. But God, I know You have the ultimate authority. Since You say I'm blessed, my report is I am blessed.'"

Just like that.

I DECLARE that God has already crowned me with favor. I do have favor. God has already blessed me. And so it is.

Day 14

I DECLARE that I will use my words to bless people. I will speak favor and victory over my family, friends, and loved ones. I will help call out their seeds of greatness by telling them "I'm proud of you, I love you, you are amazing, you are talented, you are beautiful, you will do great things in life." This is my declaration.

I try to do this with my niece and nephew all the time. Growing up, my family members did not speak to each other this way. That is probably because no one in the earlier generations spoke to each other that way.

I DECLARE I will use my words to bless people more often. And so it is.

Day 13

I DECLARE that God is bringing about new seasons of growth. I will not get stagnant and hold on to the old. I will be open to change knowing that God has something better in front of me. New doors of opportunity, new relationships, and new levels of favor are in my future. This is my declaration.

I am open to change.

For the past 10 or so years, I have been pursuing a career as an actor. It's been a struggle. I booked a few jobs here and there, but so far, I haven't gotten to a point where I am working regularly.

I got my first taste of acting when I was very young, and I fell in love. (Thinking back, I also remember experiencing the heartache of not getting a part as a teenager, but it was easier back then...?...) When I got older, I wanted to do it for a living, but my parents told me that I needed to find something else. After exploring several somethings that led to nothing, I had an opportunity to give the acting thing a go.

It has been an interesting ride. There were moments of ease; like getting an agent easily, booking back to back jobs and getting Taft-Hartley'd into the union. Then there was the heartache. In the beginning, when I would audition for roles in plays, I would cry when I didn't get them. I am a sensitive gal. (I am remembering now how I used to cry as a little girl, like 6 years old, when I would lose basketball games.)

My acting journey became one of learning to survive the industry. It was kind of my spiritual journey. It was very much my spiritual journey. Through my struggles in acting, I have experienced so much spiritual growth. I have also met a lot of wonderful people and made great friends through acting. For this I am so grateful.

Now I am at a place where, I don't know if acting is for me. I hit a patch a little while ago where whenever I attempted to do anything business related to my career (e.g. marketing), I would actually start feeling physically ill.

All I know to do now is to listen very carefully for God's guidance. I DECLARE that I hear God's guidance loud and clear. He has a very special plan for me and my abundance,happiness, creative fulfillment, love, and prosperity, and everything and everyone involved are supporting its fruition perfectly right now. And so it is.

Day 12

I DECLARE I am special and extraordinary. I am not average! I have been custom-made. I am one of a  kind. Of all the things God created, what He is the most proud of is me. I am His masterpiece, his most prized possession. I will keep my head held high, knowing I am a child of the most high God, made in His very image. This is my declaration.

Guess what? I love this! When I read it, it truly put a smile on my face and a loving warmth spread through my body.

My boyfriend and I cut the "vacation" short. I had to check in with him to remind myself why I was doing what I was doing. I needed to know that it was for good. He said mission was accomplished in the ten days, and he didn't need 20 more apart. Thank God! I told him that he is responsible for making sure that he gets his "guy time" and for knowing when it is needed.

I share this, because while we were apart, I tore myself up a little bit about whether the "vacation" would end in him not wanting to be with me anymore, based on his measurement of my worth. One of my declarations is that I trust that I have peaceful, wonderful, loving relationships with men of God. So, I know that if I am experiencing something other than this, this person may not be for me. Or there could be growth that we are to experience in partnership. I have very strong faith in this. But when you miss someone, you miss someone. And as Rumi so beautifully puts it, "The wound is the place where the Light enters you."

This is such a lovely reminder of my worth. It only matters what God thinks, and God loves me just the way I am. (This is worth repeating.) I DECLARE I am special and extraordinary. I am not average! I have been custom-made. I am one of a kind. Of all the things God created, what He is the most proud of is me. I am His masterpiece, his most prized possession. I will keep my head held high, knowing I am a child of the most high God, made in his very image. This is my declaration! And it is so.

Day 11

I DECLARE Ephesians 3:20 over my life. God will do exceedingly, abundantly above all that I ask or think. Because I honor Him, His blessings will chase me down and overtake me. I will be in the right place at the right time. People will go out of their way to be good to me. I am surrounded by God's favor. This is my declaration.

I love this so much. (I feel like I've said that about many other declarations already...)

Complete strangers really helped me get through some sad times in the last week or so. I would be shopping at Trader Joe's, missing my boyfriend, and suddenly, I'd look over to see a little boy dancing a jig. I would connect with the person checking my purchases, and they would offer pleasantries with true kindness and sincerity. I'd catch little babies staring up at me, just looking so adorable, that I can't help but feel love.

I chose to engage, and when I do, I see God is truly everywhere. I could have kept my head down, my eyes lowered, and my mind on my misery, but I chose to witness God's favor and blessings and people's goodness.

Day 10

I DECLARE that God will accelerate His plan for my life as I put my trust in Him. I will accomplish my dreams faster than I thought possible. It will not take years to overcome an obstacle, to get out of debt, or to meet the right person. God is doing things faster than before. He will give me victory sooner than I think. He has blessings that will thrust me years ahead. This is my declaration.

When I tweeted this and blogged this declaration now, both times, rather than thrust, I typed trust. So, before I corrected, it read, "He has blessings that will trust me years ahead." I like that. I have been developing a brand new, trusting relationship with God.

It didn't start out that way. One day, while in elementary school, I was introduced to a scary, punishing God who sent people to hell. I was told to accept Him into my heart as my Lord and Savior right then and there, in the middle of the playground, during recess, or I'd go to hell. I did. I caved. And I ran home, immediately after school, crying to my mom, telling her that she had to do the same. She denied me, saying, "We are Buddha." I was devastated. I renounced my acceptance, because how could I be in heaven while my mommy was in hell? How could I choose this mean, scary, punishing God over my mommy? My first lesson in Christianity was to fear God. And this also made me angry at Him. There was no mention of love. And then there were more incidents, which supported the fear and anger.

So, I had a trust issue with God. But I see that God never gave up on me. He brought me back to seek him instantaneously. When I was led to seek again, I was sure it was the right thing to do. And my journey has made me happier and more peaceful. It has been a journey. So, my trust in God is growing.

I DECLARE that God is accelerating the growth of my trust in Him. And so it is. That feels good. <3

Day 9

I DECLARE unexpected blessings are coming my way. I will  move forward from barely making it to having more than enough. God will open up supernatural doors for me. He will speak to the right people about me. I will see Ephesians 3:20, exceedingly, abundantly, above-and-beyond favor and increase in my life. This is my declaration.

I love this. I am on a mission right now, a mission of change. I've been asking for it, and it's happening. The thing about asking for change is that life starts to look different, and it's not always comfortable. 

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, my heart is breaking wide open. I think I have cried every day since starting this project. I feel like I'm letting go, which is necessary in order to let God, right?

I DECLARE I am making more and more and more and more room for God and His blessings. 

Day 8

I DECLARE God's dream for my life is coming to pass. It will not be stopped by people, disappointments, or adversities. God has solutions to every problem I will ever face already lined up. The right people and the right breaks are in my future. I will fulfill my destiny. This is my declaration.

Thank you, Joel Osteen. I really need to hear this right now.

I DECLARE that by committing to this practice, I am strengthening my faith. God is my strength. God takes care of everything. I can surrender and relax. I surrender.

Day 7

I DECLARE that God has a great plan for  my life. He is directing my steps. And even though I may not always understand how, I know my situation is not a surprise to God. He will work out every detail to my advantage. In His perfect timing, everything will turn out right. This is my declaration.

My heart is breaking wide open. Relationship has always been very important to me. I feel as though I am making room for more love, a greater love in my life. And with that, all other major aspects of my life - health, abundance, creative fulfillment, prosperity - will increase exponentially as well.

Love is so key.

Day 6

I DECLARE  a legacy of faith over my life. I declare that I will store up blessings for future generations. My life is marked by excellence and integrity. Because I'm making right choices and taking steps of faith, others will want to follow me. God's abundance is surrounding my life today. This is my declaration.

I skipped a day. Kinda.

I got part of it done. I read and tweeted, then I got distracted and I before I knew it, I was heading off to play beach volleyball without blogging. I think I thought I'd be home early to do the blog portion among other things.

I ended up spending Thanksgiving with some friends from volleyball. I went directly to their place after volleyball, cleaned up and had a lovely time eating and hanging out. It was a delightful surprise. What a blessing.

I DECLARE, my life is frequently blessed with delightful surprises. And it is so.

Day 5

I DECLARE I am grateful for who God is in my life and for what He's done. I will not take for granted the people, the opportunities, and the favor He has blessed me with. I will look at what is right and not what is wrong. I will thank Him for what I have and not complain about what I don't have. I will see each day as a gift from God. My heart will overflow with praise and gratitude for all of His goodness. This is my declaration.

I DECLARE I am grateful for who God is in my life and for what He's done. I do not take for granted the people, the opportunities, and the favor He has blessed me with. I look at what is right and not what is wrong. I thank Him for what I have and do not complain about what I don't have. I see each day as a gift from God. My heart overflows with praise and gratitude for all of His goodness. This is my declaration.

Gratitude. Perfect. I am celebrating Thanksgiving a day early with my family.

I have a lot to be grateful for. Here are 10 off the top of my head:

1. I am grateful for my strong, healthy body.
2. I am grateful for my mom and everything that she does for me.
3. I am grateful for my dad and everything that he does for me.
4. I am grateful for my niece and how she makes me smile so much.
    - She did a jig the other day that melted me!
5. I am grateful for my nephew and how he makes me smile so much.
    - He is so affectionate and loving; he launches himself into me for hugs!
6. I am grateful that my family members are healthy.
7. I am grateful for everyone who touches my family members' lives with love and support.
8. I am grateful for my sister, that she stuck by me throughout the years.  
9. I am grateful for my brother-in-law; he is a great husband/father/provider.
10. I am grateful for fun times with my friends and for their love and support.
11. I am grateful to love and be loved by an incredible man.

I could go on. As it is, I went beyond. Off to meditation class now - which I am also grateful for.

Day 4

I DECLARE it is not too late to accomplish everything God has placed in my heart. I have not missed my window of opportunity. God has moments of favor in my future. He is preparing me right now because He is about to release a special grace to help me accomplish that dream. This is my time. This is my moment. I receive it today! This is my declaration.

I am so glad I decided to do this challenge. When my mind starts drifting away with some sad thoughts,  I have the project that acts like a buoy of positivity and love, and I take a deep breath and another, as many as I need to.

Even this sadness that I've been experiencing, I view it as a cleansing. I was speaking with a gal pal the other day about how I've been asking for change, and the change can be difficult. I DECLARE that it can be easy, too, and filled with grace; I DECLARE that it is easy and God gives me the grace I need. And it is so.

Day 3

I DECLARE I have the grace I need for today. I am full of power, strength, and determination. Nothing I face will be too much for me. I will overcome every obstacle, outlast every challenge, and come through every difficulty better off than I was before. This is my declaration.

I DECLARE I have the grace I need for today. I am full of power, strength, and determination. Nothing I face is too much for me. I overcome every obstacle, outlast every challenge, and come through every difficulty better off than I was before. This is my declaration.

Already, I feel God's grace as this was exactly what I needed to declare today. Starting this 31 day project is exactly what I needed at this time. 

I don't know exactly how to organize my thoughts right now. There is so much to share. 

This time, it's not just the highlights. People used to say to me that I always posted such positive things on facebook, which is not a bad thing; however, when I read this quote, "The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compre our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel." by Steve Furtick, I stopped posting, almost altogether. There is a part of me that only wants to post positive things, because I want to contribute light and love, not negativity, but this made me realize that if I only shared those things, I probably wasn't being "viewed" in my wholeness.

Sometimes I don't feel very positive. Sometimes I feel bad. Sometimes I can be really mean. Being separated from my boyfriend, I know is a good thing, but it's not always easy. I miss him. Sometimes I fear he won't return to me.

I am whole, because in the process of feeling better, I allow myself to feel everything. I cry a lot these days; this started before the separation. It's interesting, because for a long time, I hardly ever cried at all. All those tears I swallowed in the past are coming out, I guess. It used to embarrass me, and I was told not to cry, so when that feeling of sadness preceding tears would come up, I would shut it off and shove it down. I had to learn how to let it run it's course without wallowing in it.

This shift happened for me after my boyfriend and I were already together for a couple of years. My lovely boyfriend gave me the space to do this. I know it was not easy for him, but he saw how I was better for it.

I was in yoga class yesterday, and in the warm-ups, I started crying. I paid attention to when I was ready and able to resume, because emotion is energy in motion, thank goodness! This too shall pass. I know that after the crying, I will feel better, that the pain and sadness will subside, and that I am making space for - what? Well, I DECLARE I fill my space with love, joy, abundance, and creative fulfillment. 

I am grateful for God's grace.

Day 2

I DECLARE I will experience God's faithfulness. I will not worry. I will not doubt. I will keep my trust in Him, knowing that He will not fail me. I will give birth to every promise God put in my heart and I will become everything God created me to be. This is my declaration.

I DECLARE I experience God's faithfulness. I do not worry. I do not doubt. I keep my trust in Him, knowing that He does not fail me. I give birth to every promise God put in my heart and I AM everything God created me to be. This is my declaration.

See what I did there? It is a common school of thought to keep affirmations (in this case declarations) in the present tense, so I tweaked the declaration a little to make it so. It was an intellectual consideration at first, but as I declared the words aloud, it felt better, too.

I've already established a bit of a routine. I wake up, and read the day's declaration aloud, and I read the accompanying message. My plan was to use twitter to keep me honest with sticking to the 31 days, but because of the limit on characters, I decided to return to blogging. But, I do first tweet as much of it as I can, and now I am blogging. Next, I will take pen in hand and handwrite the declaration. I also plan on checking in with the declaration several times each day.

It sounds like a lot, even to me, but it's not. What else am I going to do with my time? I know I am better off redirecting my energy into this 31 day project. I am excited about the upgrade.

Today's declaration comes at the perfect time. (I'm sure each is perfect.) I have been thinking more and more about my calling and being in alignment with it. I love my life. I truly do. I am so grateful. I am so blessed. I have wonderful people in my life. I experience so much love and joy in my life. I am blessed with abundance and prosperity. I truly am. I know that there is even more to experience. Truly. I want more!  More happiness? YES! More blessings? YES! More love? YES! More fulfillment? YES! More abundance and prosperity? YES! Whaddya know - it's already working; I'm feeling more of those things right now. <3

Day 1

I DECLARE God's incredible blessings over my life. I will see an explosion of God's goodness, a sudden widespread increase. I will experience the surpassing greatness of God's favor. It will elevate me to a level higher than I ever dreamed of. Explosive blessings are coming my way. This is my declaration.

I don't think anyone will be reading this. I'm kinda hoping that is the case. I've missed writing, and something feels right about blogging publicly, even though I'm hoping people won't actually read these posts, because of the intimacy/intomesee. And I plan on getting very intimate and maybe sloppy.

I am reading Joel Osteen's I Delcare: 31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life, and challenging myself to make it a 31 day project. Read, blog, connect. So far, I know I'll be reading and blogging, but I'm not sure what the thread will be. For anyone who doesn't know, Joel Osteen is a very popular pastor.

Pastor? Religion? Christianity? Some bad experiences I had as a kid, turned me off to religion, most specifically Christianity, at a very young age. In my late 20's I was struggling and felt like something was missing in my life. I was shocked when it came to me very clearly that I was missing spirituality. I started seeking, and it was all about being spiritual, not religious. But now, I've come full circle and I find comfort in some very traditional aspects of the Bible specifically. What hurt me in the past has healed me. It's still more spiritual rather than religious and about a personal relationship with God rather than with a church, but I sure do love some Bible passages.

So, I've been spinning a little lately, and I decided to read this book, make my declarations for 31 consecutive days and blog about it as a way of creating positive change in my life, making it better than I ever imagined. At the same time, my boyfriend and I are taking a 30 day vacation from each other. Well, he's taking a vacation from me. I love him dearly. I could see that he needed space to find his happiness again without having to worry about me and my happiness. I want him to take care of his happiness. He actually taught me a lot about taking care of mine.

Along with Joel's Day 1 declaration, I DECLARE that after spending 30 days apart from each other, our lives (mine and Noe's) will change exponentially for the better. I don't know what this will look like, but I want him to be happy, and I trust I will be, too.