A Firm Foundation

Everything in life is established by a foundation. Creating and living a fruitful life are initiated on 3 components in the following order; faith, family and friendship.

Faith

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

The fundamental foundation of my faith and my life statement, I am a woman of FAITH living life audaciously IN SPITE OF… seeing the INVISIBLE to achieve the IMPOSSIBLE and inspiring others to do the same, is based on this scripture.

No matter what your spiritual views are there is a central belief system by which you create and fulfill your dreams, goals and desires. The things you manifest in your life, for the good or to your detriment are things created by your faith. Whether you believe you can, or you can’t you will reap the benefits.

Without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God.

Hebrews 11:6

In the same manner, without faith it is impossible to accomplish your goals. Your faith or belief system is often impacted by your family upbringing and environment.

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

James 2:17

If you say you have faith to achieve your dreams and there is no action towards fulfilling your dreams…is that really faith?

“Putting FAITH Into Action”

More than a few years ago I needed to make a change in my life to create a different environment for my daughter. I made the decision to relocate to another state with no idea how I was going to do so. I had recently started a new position with an organization and had no plan, but I had faith. I prayed about it and began to act.

I began collecting moving boxes from various stores, took them home and packed up my household as if I were moving. I went online at the organization I was recently hired by and searched for opportunities in the state I was looking to relocate to. I found an open position and applied for it. Within two weeks, I’d completed a phone interview, received an official offer letter, accepted it and began the process of relocating. Throughout the process my daughter was telling me that I was crazy. Her exact words were, “You are one ballsy woman!” I considered that to be sassy of her being that she was only 12 at the time. I could only laugh at her statement. I knew she meant no harm by her words. I had a new position. However, I did not have a residence and I was due to begin my new position a week after relocating. This is where things get interesting and where the assistance of family is key.

Family

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he fails; for he has not another to help him up.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

You cannot choose the family you are born into. Your family may not always understand or support your dreams. However, when the rubber meets the road, for the most part your family will rally around you to help you in times of transition. The family I speak of is the family I was born into. I called my mom, told her my plans and said I needed a place to stay until I secured a place of my own (which only took one month). The point is whatever you endeavor to do in any aspect of your life (i.e. personal, professional, social, spiritual), you will need a firm foundation of support. You may achieve a certain level of success alone; but you will need some assistance albeit advice, moral or fiscal support for longevity. From the time I made the decision to put my faith into action until the time I achieved my goal… it was accomplished within 3 weeks. That will not always be the case. That is determined by what your goal is, how big your dream is, or how strong your desire is.

It started with me setting my intention, praying and implementing actions needed to make it happen. I shared those intentions with my family (effectively and clearly communicating my goal) and they were instrumental in assisting me with making a smooth transition. Whether your family is blood or created through established and sustained rapport or shared experiences, you will need the support.

Friendship

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

The quality of friends you allow into your life will determine your level of success or failure. Many times, friends see potential that you do not see in yourself. On your journey to creating a successful life your friends, true friends will encourage you, promote you, be in the trenches with you during hard times (which you will encounter in life), and speak what you need to hear not what you want to hear. True friends are your voice of reason when you need clarity.

Fair-weather friends will go along, to get along to reap the fruit of success, if it’s good. When you encounter hard times and your fair-weather friends disappear or fall back. It simply means you need to place them in a different category. There a different type of friends: intellectual, social, physical, spiritual, and professional.

Intellectual: friends who stimulate you intellectually

Social: those you can share a meal with, or meet to have a glass of wine or socialize with at various outings

Physical: those you can work out with and don’t have shared interests outside of that

Spiritual: those you share your spiritual beliefs with

Professional: those who can see the vision, share the same drive and can build and grow with you professionally

Without these fundamental components anything built is constructed on a faulty foundation which will ultimately crumble. What is your foundation grounded in? If your faith has faltered, can you pinpoint what caused it? What will you do to move forward?

To create a firm foundation, you must first believe that you can achieve what you desire. You must then write out your plan of action. As I previously stated, as a woman of faith, my foundation is rooted in the word of God. Writing the vision and making it plain sets the stage for creating a faith map outlining the life goals you desire to achieve.

And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Habakkuk 2:2

Even with an established firm foundation, there will be challenges. There are unavoidable, inevitables on the path to reaching your goals, dreams, desires.

Habakkuk 2:2

You will experience pain.

You will cry before you attain it.

You will be discouraged by those who do not understand you.

You will be disliked for no other reason than you dared to strive to follow your dream.

You will at times attempt to talk yourself out of fulfilling your dream.

You will have doubts and think you are going crazy at times.

You will lose money.

But it will be worth it when you attain what you’ve established by laying a firm foundation and following your faith map.

What is a faith map? How do you make one?

Divide your goals into categories (personal, professional, educational, spiritual, financial, social, physical).

Write 3 bullets outlining what you’d like to accomplish in these categories and how you plan on achieving it.

Place related scripture (see the photo of my example)

Write daily affirmations to declare

Place it where you can visually see it EVERYDAY.

Implement.

Record the date when achieved

Repeat as needed (as we grow our goals/dreams/desires evolve)

I encourage you to dream, to believe, to build your firm foundation, create your faith map and repeat often. There are no successes without failures. Enjoy the journey!