You Woke Up Today

If you’re reading this, it means you woke up today. Not everyone did. So be grateful. Whether you woke up in good or bad spirits, you still woke up. Whether you woke up to good or bad news, you still woke up.

My take on waking up is this: 1) I defeated the devil by doing so. 2) I’m given another opportunity to show love, grace, and mercy to someone. 3) I get to soak up another day of life’s blessings. 4) I’m one day closer to achieving my goals.

“I defeated the devil by doing so“

Waking up is a blessing from God, not Satan. Satan fills us with enough stress, worry, and anxiety to kill us in our sleep. That’s why it is important to go to bed with positive thoughts. You must keep the enemy from attacking you, even while you sleep.

Natural causes of death will occur. That’s fate. But if you don’t get control of your thoughts and emotions, you’ll become a lifeless, miserable soul. You might be physically woke but dying within. Thus, God also wakes us up to give us another chance to choose happiness.

“I’m given another opportunity to show love, grace, and mercy to someone”

I believe that as long as God continues to breathe life into me, the least I can do is give life to someone else by showing love, grace, or mercy. It’s called, “paying it forward”.

You don’t realize how much of a blessing waking up is until you’ve learned that someone you knew did not wake up today. Therefore, I try to treat every day like it’s my last. I will show love to someone in sometimes the simplest ways like sending a kind text message. I will help whomever I can whenever I can. I will forgive quickly and keep it moving.

Obedience is my priority, and I lead by example. That’s my mission.

“I get to soak up another day of life’s blessings”

The biggest blessings I enjoy waking up to are God’s grace, my family, and my health. Nothing else matters more. Some people wake up to the stock market. Some wake up to social media or television. Some wake up to music or whatever floats their boat. I can’t weigh your blessings on my scale. However, some of the little things I enjoy waking up to are a bed, a home with A/C and heat, transportation, and good food!

“I’m one day closer to achieving my goals”

Whether it seems like it or not, every calendar day counts toward achieving your goals, short and long term. Weren’t we just in 2024? Aren’t we already in April? Before you know it, you’ll be paying off that debt, owning that car or home, graduating from college, starting that business, taking that dream vacation, or saying “I do” at the alter. But one of the easiest ones you can achieve is getting closer to God.

Say it with me, “I am blessed because I woke up today!”

“If tomorrow isn’t promised, then don’t take today for granted. Happiness is a mindset. You just have to demand it.”

-Bianca A. McCormick-Johnson ✍🏽

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The Government Is Not God

Whether at local, state, or federal level, you’re not safe in the hands of any government. The events occurring around the world today are evidence of history repeating itself and living in the last days. You cannot change what is destined to happen. However, you can change your attitude about what’s happening. Fate is a force of nature, but your faith can prepare you for what’s about to happen.

I’m not happy about the way our current president is handling the economy, but he was not appointed by God. The people put him in office. Some regret their decisions, and some still support his administration. To each his own. You can rant and debate about politics on social media, or you can give it to God. Put most of your energy on your knees to meet your needs.

It is our civil duty to cast our votes at the election polls. Faith doesn’t change that. Maybe your vote matters or maybe it doesn’t. Nonetheless, faith without works is a dead end. What I’ve learned is that our actions don’t stop at the polls.

We must pray for our leaders and promote change within our own communities, starting with your circle. Start having those tough conversations and healthy debates with your family members, friends and colleagues in an effort to understand their point of view. A polarized discussion can lead to a harmonized decision.

The goal is not necessarily to change people’s minds but to make them aware of how their decision may negatively affect someone they love or care about. It’s also important to know that many voting decisions are for selfish reasons, not the greater good of the people. Usually when people have one-sided debates or advocate for a particular change, that’s all they care about. Be a voice of love and reform for everyone, not just yourself.

I’m impartial to politics because they keep us divided. I don’t agree or disagree with everything from either party because neither is righteous. We print “In God We Trust” on our currency, but we took prayer out of public schools. So, to whom do we trust now?

I really don’t think God would be pleased with many of the proposed changes because they go against his teachings. If we’re not going to run our country according to God’s will, then his name shouldn’t be on our currency.

Fix what you can of yourself because you can’t fix this economy with worry, whining, and complaining. No president has ever been able to please everyone. Only God can do that.

“There may be multiple parties, but there’s only one God. Your mission may seem impossible, but for him, it’s never hard.”

-Bianca A. McCormick-Johnson ✍🏽

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Living A Blessed Life

Your best life is a blessed life. If you’re reading this, you were blessed with sight, internet access, and the ability to touch. Doesn’t seem like much until you meet someone who cannot do all of the above.

Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, try focusing on what you do have. I know it’s easier said than done at times, but you need to practice. Why? Because negative thinking leads to worrying. Worry leads to stress, and stress is the gateway to depression. You’ll find yourself eating too much or too less, or spending excessively, to name a few. Worst of all, you may pick up on a bad habit like smoking.

You may also need to take a step back from social media. Social media will give you a false representation of other people’s lives. Some people are living their best lives, and some are making it look that way. I love to see people in healthy relationships, taking nice vacations, and sharing their achievements. It’s inspiring! However, you have no idea of the trials and tribulations they face and what cross they may have to bear, so just be happy for them, and pray for those who are fabricating the life they desire.

Over the years, I’ve learned some disheartening things about people who I thought had it all together. I wish I had not known because I was rooting for them and relishing in their wins. Some people have nothing to say until they learn about one’s failures or fate. I often hear things like, “I didn’t know”. It’s because you didn’t need to know about the pain behind their progress. You were supposed to be rooting for them regardless.

Before I close, I’m going to dissect the phrase, “living my best life”. It simply means that the worst is behind you, you’re unbothered, and/or you’ve learned not to let your problems keep you from living. It has nothing to do with money or success. If you’re not living your best life, then learn to be okay with living your blessed life.

“The best thing about life is that you don’t have to do it all by yourself. When it gets too hard, give it to God🙏🏽

-Bianca A. McCormick-Johnson ✍🏽

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