Paper & Glam

How Bad Do You Want It?

Everyday life asks us a question: How bad do you want it?

Watch this video. It's worth every minute of your time.

How Bad Do You Want It from Greyskale Multimedia LLC on Vimeo.

Did you watch it? I've watched it 30ish times.

When my alarm goes off at 4:30 every morning, it's not waking me up. It's asking me a question: How bad do you want it? Bad enough to get up, and get after it? 

Life doesn't care if we're tired, or beat down. Do we want a certain type of life, or not? Do we want to become a certain type of person, or not?

Everyday we have to answer that question. We have to tell life that we don't care what it throws at us, we will not be distracted, and we will not be stopped. 

In college, I spent every morning at Gold's Gym. Everyday at 5 a.m., I was there. One morning, a trainer walked up to me and said, "Saturday morning, meet me at the beach and I'll train you." (I'm not kidding, this is one of the reasons I love that video). 

Saturday mornings, I met her on the beach and like training with Jillian Michaels, I wasn't allowed to quit unless I puked, fainted, or died. I was nervous driving over every single Saturday morning, because I knew I needed to leave everything in me on the beach or I should probably just stay home, and not waste her time.

My trainer, Lisa Gibson, did not mess around. She weighed me in the parking lot of the beach after workouts. I'm serious. She didn't ask me how my training went during the week. She busted out a scale, wrote down the number, and held me accountable to progress. Lisa had fierce passion for training, she gave her best, and she expected it back from me.

Life expects the same thing. Life takes fierce passion and a spirit that will not be stopped. Whether we're chasing dreams, fitness goals, or working to love the people in our lives better...we have to first decide that we won't be stopped. 

Don't ever let go of that fight. Don't ever let the world steal the victory from you. Do not be stopped. And don't think you're going it alone. We're all fighting a hard battle. 

Last week was a hot mess. I'm not ashamed to say I had a meltdown all seven days. Cry your tears, it's ok. You can cry and move forward at the same time. 

I have a book's worth of crazy stories of times when life hit me like a train, and I fell down...figuratively, literally, and publicly. Oh well, how bad do I want it? Bad enough to get up, that's how bad. 

 

Here's some truth: as soon as you step out in faith, as soon as you decide you. will. not. be. stopped. That's when opposition is going to come at you like you will not believe. People you care about, crazy sicknesses and injuries with horrible timing, bills you can't pay, temptations you didn't see coming, and any number of distractions are going to come at you full force.

As soon as your feet hit the floor in the morning, it's coming for you. Be prepared. Decide before you get out of bed...I will not be stopped. 

Everyday, I remember what Peter tells us,

"Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner."

{1 Peter 4:12, MSG}

Life is going to get really difficult. Peter doesn't say "if life gets really difficult," he says "when." And when it does, remember what you believe in and keep fighting.

I don't care what's on TV. I don't even have one.
I don't care if I'm tired. I've been up since 2 a.m.
I'm not going to trade the opportunity to chase a dream and take a stand for what I believe in for anything. 

We will not be stopped.
Lm

Resolutions & Risks

Risks and resolutions...ever noticed they're the same thing?

If we commit ourselves to learning, dreaming, growing, creating, and loving we will fail, be disappointed, be humbled, and be hurt. This resolution business is a risky one.

The beauty in risks and resolutions isn't really in reaching the goal...it's having the courage to try. It's having the courage to get up every morning with a list of things we can do better, and trying again. It's waking up every morning a little closer to our goals, to the person we want to be, and a little closer to fearless than we were yesterday.

This year, I could trip in five-inch heels on the Miss Colorado USA stage, and literally fall on my face in front of thousands of people. And if that happens...I'll be horizontal on stage in the best shape of my life. Win!

And one day, I'll tell my daughter the story of how I competed for Miss USA, fell flat on my face on stage, and got back up smiling. I'll have a character lesson on tap. ; )

One day, I can tell my daughter about the time I moved to Denver, in the dead of winter without a job...and built a life. I can tell her how I stepped out in faith, waited tables, worked two jobs, and made it in Denver. I can stories of how God carried me...to the right job, to the right people and the right places...right on time, every time. I say with absolute certainty that the Lord will do the same for her, because God's love wins, always

Today, January 25th, 2012...it's still time to take a risk.

This is the list of risks I'm taking in 2012, let's take a risk...shall we?

Mind: Twelve in 2012

Body: Miss Colorado USA

Spirit: Tell Your Story

Relationships: Fear Lies & Love Wins

Creativity: The Creative To-Do List

Let's take a risk, and come out with a story to tell.
Lisamarie

Tell Your Story

Have you ever had one of those days, when you know beyond all doubt, that you are right in the middle of God’s plan for your life?

Those days are rare, right? More often, we can see God connecting the decisions we make, and weaving them into His plan for our lives looking back. In reverse, I can see God working it all out together...right on time, on His time.

I usually don't know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory. With memories, I can see that God was faithful before, and I remember that He will be faithful again. 

"For us, forgetting was never an option. Remembering is a noble and necessary act. The call of memory, the call to memory, reaches us from the very dawn of history. No commandment figures so frequently, so insistently, in the Bible. It is incumbent upon us to remember the good we have received." 

{Elie Wiesel}

In 2011, I filled three journals and realized that journals have some limitations. From a journal, it's hard to see when winning was loosing, the hard falls that turned to beautiful blessings, the times I fought for something I didn't want, or when I let God fight for me. From a journal it's hard to see the feelings that came and went, or the lessons, experiences, and memories that are forever. I'd have to sit down and re-read all this to remember...and thank God for His faithfulness, for the people he put in my life, and the lessons He taught me.

"I thank my God, everytime I remember you."

{Paul, Phillipians 1:3}

In 2012, I'm creating a 365 day scrapbook to record life, growth, heart change, and scriptures that changed me. Journals are great, but we can't flip through them and see memories, life changes, heart changes, and answered prayers.

"Until we can center ourselves on what we do have, on what God has given us, on the life we do get to live, we'll constantly be looking for another life. That is why the word remember occurs again and again the Bible. God commands His people to remember who they are, where they've been, what they've seen, and what's been done for them."

{Rob Bell}

Our stories are gifts. We're meant to record them, remember them, and share them. I'm grateful to everyone who has ever documented their life to pay it forward, to leave a mark, to teach, to inspire, or to remember. Men like Elie Wiesel, Rob Bell, and a dude named Paul who wrote half of the New Testament, shared their life and inspired generations to action. The world would be a different place if they never shared their stories.

My encouragement today is tell your story. Keep a journal or take pictures, draw or just write one line a day. Your life is important, no one else will ever live it. Record it to remember that time after time our God is faithful. Record it to remember who you are and where you've been. Record to remember that Love always wins.  

We already know how the story ends...Love wins.

Let's tell the story,
Lisamarie