It's Alright to Help People: Three Fun & Practical Ways to Help Us Focus Our Faith

Like my father, I am a visual person. Don't get me wrong, I have faith to move mountains, but experiences and living examples have made it easier for me envision the details of my life and to focus my faith.

What do I mean?

I dreamed of being an entrepreneur when I was a little girl, because it was a part of a picture book and a spelling word that my mother gave me (visual). As a woman, it became more clear, "I want to be an effective, best selling author and public speaker, just like Maya Angelou and/or create an audio book with the rhythm and beauty of Toni Morrison and/or move mental mountains with the passion of . . ." and the list goes on and on. I see people in action. And that visual shapes my life and my concept of what I think I can do.

There are three things we can all do to expand our concept of living:

1. Use your vacations to taste the dream. When vacation time comes around, I search high and low for the best deals I can. I choose the cities that I have always wanted to visit and plan myself right in the heart of it. That way I can taste something new and imagine myself as a natural part of a world that's different to me. When money is an issue and the deals are not deep enough to fix it, then find a like-minded travel partner. Oftentimes, the hotel room price is set and with two people you have just cut your housing and rental car cost in half. If you have a hard time finding a travel buddy, then sign yourself up for a workshop in a subject that you love and have always wanted to learn. That way, you have something to do when you get to the city (or country) of our choice and you will automatically meet new people from your workshop class. Chances are you're not the only solo traveler. (But be safe! And yes, I've done it before.)
   
2. Help someone else with their dreams. Since the order of the day with God is, "What you make happen for someone else, God will make happen for you." Then, you can get busy believing in the people around you, no room for jealousy now, only service. I went to New York with my sisters to help a friend launch her business. We worked for real, we paid our own way and that's an expensive (and exciting) city. But I went with a purpose (to help), and I came back with details to add to my personal dreams. Check out Sitting in Pictures for a sample of how I dream since the trip. (There is a satisfaction in serving another as well as unexpected gifts from God, don't miss out. But for service to be effective, you will have to do it for the right reasons (ooh, now that's a post in and of itself . . .)


3. Plan for your dream. Now that you have a taste and a visual, start planning for your dream to become a reality. Start acting like you are what you say you are going to be! And by that I mean get to work, because writers write, dancers dance . . .

The picture is a road that sits between two small lakes in my town. I love open roads because they remind me of freedom, and that my life can go any direction with a set of new decisions.

-MizJAI-