We MOVED!!!

I thought about writing this long, elaborate post about how wonderful this journey has been, how much I will miss you all and how a chapter is ending so that another one can begin, but I can't.

I can't write that because nothing is ending. I can't write that because I don't want to miss you. I want to continue to encourage you, and do so better than ever before!! While this journey has been full of growing pains, inconsistencies, and a lot of wonderful moments with you, it isn't over.

I had a conversation with someone this week about everything I was doing, and all that was going on in my life, the good and the bad. They told me at one point in the conversation that it felt like I was reaching in every direction, grasping for ANYTHING. They instructed me to take a breath and center myself, then identify the one thing I am looking for.

My answer...

I want to inspire people to awaken to their purpose and pursue their passion.

That's it. There is no set people group. There is no set way of doing that. There is no set platform. There is no set anything. Except, that no matter where I am, no matter what I am doing, I want to be inspiring people.

While blogger has been an excellent start, I am limited here. Over the years, in my grasping, trying to figure out what I branded in preparation for one thing or another, but in reality I never branded authentically. I branded this dream as Awaken.

When in reality, we are Awaken Us To Motion

I would {{LOVE LOVE LOVE}} for you to join me at my new home, awakenustomotion.com You can subscribe to the website. (I try to send a weekly email on Tuesday - this week it is Thursday) You can also comment on the blog, send me emails, schedule with me, and be inspired!

We currently have 8 subscribers. When we hit 50 I will be giving away a free essential oil blend called Awaken. Awaken™ is a blend of five other blends. Expertly formulated to help you become aware of limitless potential when used aromatically, Awaken is the first step toward making positive life changes.

I love you all dearly and pray that you will love what you see!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Dump Session. We are a safe place.

Hey guys! It's been a while since my last post. So I wanted to stop by and see how you all are doing. Comment below and fill me in on your life. How can I pray for you?

I'm not sure where you all live, but I live in southeastern Oklahoma, and where I am from, when you pass people you know, or even people who you might know, or really anyone, you say, "Hi! How are you?" The socially acceptable response is, "I'm fine! (or good, or most synonyms) How are you?" The final exchange is the same as the first, "I'm good!" Then you move on about your business.

I say the socially acceptable response because in the south we're friendly. We say things like sir and ma'am, and for the most part we are taught to be courteous, especially to children an our elders. But we are also very busy and we all have things we are trying to do, so most of the time we want your response to our question, "how are you?", to be a short and sweet, "I'm good. Thank you." We really don't want to end up in an in depth conversation with you.

Here's the deal, we all need to be able to voice how we are. We all have stuff. We all have mess, but we don't all have a safe place to dump our mess so we can begin to sort through it. I, like most of you, still have a tendency to keep my response to an "I'm fine." and move on. We all need to be reminded and given permission to dump our mess and sort through it!

So here is your invitation, here is your safe place. If you don't feel comfortable commenting, send me an email! brennadawnnstanford@gmail.com

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

Our job is to look out for one another. Jesus says that the world will know that we are his disciples by the way we love each other. (John 13:35) A local missions ministry shared with us a testimony about the tribe they work with. This tribe is located in a predominantly Muslim society. Children are being sent to school and taught how to love. They testify to the difference it is making in that community, not because the Christians are more numerous that the Muslims, but because the Christians are loving everyone in a community that has know hate.

So here's my dump.

Life isn't what I expected. Some days I think it's so much more and others I don't. I'm not a perfect Christian. There's no such thing. Jesus, he is the only perfect one. But I mess up, I struggle, I have break downs,  I still try to figure things out, I still doubt certain things, I still don't obey right away... the list can go on an on!

A few important things to remember:

1) It's a true blessing to have valuable, quality friends.
2) We all need a safe. I had some people dumping out their issues today, then one asked me to please not repeat what was said. Before I could reassure them, another person said, "You don't have to worry. She's like a safe."
3) We can all be a quality friend and a safe for another person.
4) Serving people serves you.
5) Like a magnet, God's strength attracts our weakness and creates a powerful force.
6) We are always only one choice away from getting closer to God.
7) Love truly casts out all fear.

What Are You Investing In?

It's that time of year again!! Tax refunds come rolling in and we are all trying to figure out how to invest it.

If you're a home owner, you know that you can dump every penny back into your house without blinking. lol It goes so fast! What about diving it up? My husband and I generally choose a couple of things to invest in. Often times, there is one area that gets overlooked...

*laugh* I know, I know, but it's true! How are those new year resolutions coming? Yup, you probably already forgot what they were! Statics show that by day 21 of January they are out the window.

Here is a quick list of some things you could invest in:

• Prepay for "X" amount of months at a local gym.
• Put a certain amount on a gift card to a Juice Shop.
• Young Living has the second round of the Slique in 60 Challenge starting this month. 
• Go green with your chemical laden cleaning supplies as well as your personal supplies.
• Invest in a wellness lifestyle with Young Living Essential Oils! Sign up here, then register here for a free course on how to use these products daily. You and I will take time and walk through forming new oily habits together. :) It's a win-win!

Join in the month of March and get a free gift from me! I am so proud of you for investing wisely!! Comment below with some ways that you will be investing your tax refund!

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford

Member # 2645436

There is a Motive Behind Every Action

Two people can do the exact same act, and in that one person can be completely selfish while the other can be so loving and generous.

How?

Motive.

Heart.

The "Why".

This is one of the biggest lessons that Jesus taught, it's not so much about the actions but it is about the heart behind the actions. In biblical times the believers had a lot of rules that they had to follow. Before Jesus died for our sins, believers had to make sacrifices and atonements for their sins. That meant that they also had to be very cautious of what they were doing on a daily basis. Then Jesus came on the scene and blew their minds by saying things like, "you've been taught not to murder, well you should not even be angry at someone." (Matthew 5:21-22)

One of his teachings was about eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Jesus taught that it was okay for a christian to eat the meat because it was just meat that God had made, the fact that it was sacrificed to an idol (something that isn't even real) didn't matter much to a believer. The believer is to thank God for that meat like he would any other meat. BUT Jesus did warn to not do so in the presence of someone who is not a believer, because to that person that meat had been sacrificed to an idol that they believe to be real and would cause them to question God. (1 Corinthians 8:3-5)

You can see from just those two teachings that God is concerned about our heart and our concern for others. You and I can do the exact same thing, and you are acting out of a pure heart and concern for others and I can be acting completely selfish.

We are currently doing some small remodels to our home, but how many of you know that no matter how small of a remodel it is work that takes time and makes areas of your home some what unlivable. Last night, after my boys were in bed, I was sitting in my new chair taking a moment to be still. I was soaking up this beautiful new paint color and imagining the finished product. My heart was smiling. I had also grabbed a Bible off of the shelf to break in my reading chair by reading the word. The story I was reading was about the farmer who hired men to work his vineyard. When it came time to collect the profits the workers beat and killed the men who were sent, even the son. The workers did all of this out of greed. The Message Bible words things a little differently, in verses 38-39 it says, "Let's kill him and have it all for ourselves!"

God stirred in my spirit the question of why, why were we remodeling? This could very well be an act that is completely selfish, for my own comfort or my own pride. God kept stirring my heart, taking me to a place of truth and peace within myself. Yes, I will have pride in our "new home" and it will definitely be more comfortable, but that's the tip of the iceberg. On a normal month, there are at least two weekends that mom's bring their kids out to our home. The kids go play and us moms sit in the living room and talk. We talk life, the good and the bad, our conversations always lead to the Lord and often times prayer. It is important to make things comfortable for people.

I'm sure that you have been to someone's house where you can't even be comfortable because you're so worried about breaking something or spilling your drink. You might have even been to a home that is a pig stye and the whole time you are there you are worried that you are going to leave there with lice or fleas. At both of those places you cannot relax, and you probably will have a hard time receiving anything. 

Another instance for our home is the condition of our furniture. It was not disgusting, but it was old. Couches will "sink in" after a time period. These were ones that the cushion was sewn in to so we couldn't take them off and add some plywood to help support the seats. We have family members who are elderly and have issues with their back, hips, knees and things like that. They could not sit on our furniture because it would cause them pain. It was time for an update. 

So, remodeling in and of itself is not a bad thing, but depending on the motive behind the action it can be very selfish or very giving. It is the same with everything we do, scripture says that in everything we should do it as worship to the Lord. (Colossians 3:23) So in every moment and in every action, we are challenged to reflect on our heart and be loving and genuine. 

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

- Matthew 22:36 - 40

HOPE: The Reason Why We Have No Excuses

Y'all, I know situations get tough, but the ONE THING we have as Christians is HOPE!!

Not hope in our circumstances or the people around us, but hope in God.

No matter what your circumstances look like, your job as a believer is to hang on to and stand with confidence on the hope that what God says is true!

__________

__________


❤️He has a plan for you. (Jeremiah 29:11)
❤️His plans exceed abundantly more than we could ever imagine! (Ephesians 3:20)
❤️He works everything out for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28)
❤️When you've done all that you can do, you have to choose to stand! God has got the rest! (Ephesians 6:13) (Exodus 14:14)

__________

Don't let Satan keep you down. God's conviction is real because His purpose is real!!

The Law of Attraction says that what we put out there is what we attract. If we're dwelling on all of the bad in our life then we are going to keep getting bad back. So start now, find the good in everything! We reap what we sow.

The Law of Perpetual Transmutation of Energy says that we all are able to change the conditions in our life. Higher vibrations consume and transform lower ones, so we can change the energies and vibrations of our life but focusing on the higher vibrations, the positive things, the more abundant things.

If you're an oiler, get that abundance out. Put it on daily (and as often as you need after that) and declare Ephesians 3:20 over your every moment.

Hold you head up, put your shoulders back, and SMILE. You are a child of the most high king! You are created for an EPIC purpose!! God has abundantly more for you! Start dreaming! Start imagining! And when you slip, remember, God is a God of moments. Each new moment is a moment for his grace, a moment for his love, a moment for his correction, and a moment for new epic purposes!!


~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford