Sunshine Rodgers's Blog - Posts Tagged "goals"

I hope you don't think I know what to write about all the time, that I am always inspired to sit and write for hours on end! I hope you don't think it's always that easy! There have been many times when I don't feel motivated to write and I awkwardly sit down and have no idea where the story is going and what the characters are going to say next.

My trick?

Just start. Just start writing. Something. Anything. Follow the next line. Write more descriptions on the page. Just carry the action. You can edit it later. Just write *something*. Because I might not have been inspired the moment I sat down to write, but suddenly, as I sit and write, the words come, the story continues and soon, I am in the zone! I just had to agree to sit and start!

I want to encourage you. If there is something you need to work on to get that passion in your life to come out and that fire in your spirit to be ignited, but you don't know how…just start. Start with the first step. Just take one foot forward. It doesn't matter that you don't know where to go from there. Don't wait for inspiration to strike…your imagination, your goals, your dreams… are waiting on you!

Quote to remember: "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." - Martin Luther King, Jr.



If you need prayer for anything, let me know. I would love to pray for you!

So the frustration with me comes when I want something and I see that other people have it, but I don't. Am I alone in this? Either you want a spouse, kids, a house, a better paycheck, a better job, a healthy life, on and on. And you yearn for that "lack" in your life, see others enjoying the fruits you desperately are working towards, asking all the while, "How were they able to attain this?" "I have been working so hard and it hasn't happened for me, yet" and "why not me?"

Trust me, I might have to turn to God several times a day and just surrender to Him and know that His will for me right now is more important than my desires for tomorrow and that I need to bury myself in the importance of NOW instead of stressing about the can-and-cannot's. There is a better use of my time and energy if I can give my jealousy, envy and impatience to God and let him replace it with his encouragement that tomorrow is going to be better than my today if I keep my eyes on Him and trust in His timing.

Oprah Winfrey gave this great advice about being in the moment: "The reason why you're always stressed is because you want this moment to be something that it's not. You just stop and you accept this moment for what it is. Just breathe right into that moment and it takes the anxiety and the pressure away of wanting this moment to be something it's not. Just this moment, one moment at a time."

The Bible talks about Trust and Faith: Hebrews 11:1 says: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Jeremiah 29:11 says: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

It's the age-old saying: "I don't know what the future holds, but I know the One who holds the future." Today, let us trust God that He will satisfy us in this moment by His love no matter what we have or what we don't have. Let's surrender our desires to Him, pick up the purpose and plans He has for us today, and rest in His timing and care knowing that something good is right around the corner!



If you need prayer for anything, let me know. I would love to pray for you!

Are you climbing a mountain right now? And you have been climbing for so long and it seems you are nowhere near the top. And all the while you're wondering, "What is this for" and "Maybe I should just stop and get off." It's too long of a climb, you're too tired, you're not seeing anything from your efforts, and you just feel ridiculous to have wasted all your strength and energy…for what?

If I've learned anything climbing metaphorically tall mountains, I think on the truth from the movie Mortal Kombat; the advice Princess Kitana gives Lui Kang. You will have to face your enemy. I have faced the difficulties of the climb: the nasty co-workers on the job, the outside guests who make things frustrating, the factors that just get on my nerves each day! The little and big things that make the climb downright hard.

You will face yourself : You will face your own fears, your own doubts, your own insecurities. I had to learn to walk right past this negative side of myself…she doesn't know what she's talking about.

And facing your worst fear? That's different for everyone! The fear of rejection. The fear of failure. The fear of success. The fear of approval. Is there something bigger holding you back? And it it a good enough "reason" to give up and leave the mountain. The only way to let that fear not have any control over you is to keep going, one foot in front of the other.

So, whenever I want to "stop climbing" and just quit, I always think of these passages that keep me going.

For I can do everything through Christ,who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:14

Every mountain's a new adventure! The view from the top will be worth it. Keep climbing!



If there's anything you need prayer for, let me know. I would love to pray for you!

Cinderella had one decision. Does she go and dance with the prince for that one night? Or does she decide that it's not worth it, because after all, at the end of the night, she's still the same servant girl cleaning the same basement day. Why bother? It's just one night. What can one night do? What can this one decision change?

It's the choice you choose everyday. The decision when we can meet a new friend. When we can let someone in. When we can forgive someone. When we can take a risk. When we can walk through opportunities. When we can decide to move forward, just one step.

Why bother? Things won't ever change. What's the point? It's not going to change anything. I'm still stuck in this same ever-going-rut and no matter what I do, things are still the same. Life doesn't seem to want to work for me. There's really no reason to leave and try something new. I know it will fail and then, where does it leave me?

Let's go back to Cinderella. She didn't know that she could even get to dance with the Prince! She was just hoping to go there and find out. She left her doubts, her fears, her weary life behind to just take a chance…just one time. And that moment changed her life forever.

What is that opportunity you are running from? What is that moment you are scared to embrace? Who is that person you won't let in? This is your time. You've gotten this far. You have every opportunity to make it happen. Just get to the ball. Let's see what happens from there. You have until midnight to make something magical happen! To make your forever happen. Don't miss out!



If you need prayer for anything, let me know. I would love to pray for you!

I was driving home from work and I noticed this incredibly full moon in front of me. And I realized something very important. The full moon, to me just then, represented the seasons where its a full-time: my prayers are answered, the harvest is here, I am celebrating, promotions are happening, what I have been waiting for I have now and all is just so tremendously GOOD! That to me a is a FULL TIME!

But it's a phase. It's a season.

You could be finding yourself in the NEW phase: where the moon isn't seen at all. And there is literally nothing in front of you and you are walking blindly. And you are wondering if you are on the right path or if anything is going to change or if what you're doing is going to be seen or recognized by anyone?

But it's a phase. It's a season.

I just want to encourage you today. There will be rough occasions, but give it just a little time and your season will be done and soon you'll start to see some movement, soon you'll start to see some light, soon you'll start to see some growth, soon you'll start to make some progress, soon the season will come when you are celebrating where you are, looking back and where you came from!

Let's note, the Light is there the whole time. God is with you through every season. Whether you see nothing around you, or whether you are celebrating everything, God is there and He'll get through each season and make sure each phase in your life is something wonderful!

If you need prayer for anything, let me know. I would love to pray for you!God The Father Jesus The Big Brother Holy Spirit The Best Friend

"There are people who can walk away from you.
And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk
Away from you: let them walk.
I don’t want you to try to talk another person into staying with you,
Loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you,
Staying attached to you.
I mean hang up the phone.
When people can walk away from you let them walk.
Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.
The Bible said that, they came out from us that it might
Be made manifest that they were not for us.
For had they been of us, no doubt they
Would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]
People leave you because they are not joined to you.
And if they are not joined to you, you can’t make them stay.
Let them go.
And it doesn’t mean that they are a bad person it just means
That their part in the story is over. And you’ve got
To know when people’s part in your story is over so that you
Don’t keep trying to raise the dead.
You’ve got to know when it’s dead.
You’ve got to know when it’s over. Let me tell you something.
I’ve got the gift of good-bye. It’s the tenth spiritual gift,
I believe in good-bye. It’s not that I’m hateful,
it’s that I’m faithful, and I know whatever God
Means for me to have He’ll give it to me.
And if it takes too much sweat I don’t need it.
Stop begging people to stay."
Let them go!!
- T.D. Jakes



If you need prayer for anything, let me know. I would love to pray for you!

So I was watching my husband play the Cuphead video game and it was so impressive that he could fight off these gigantic enemies that would just fly at him! I couldn't even see everything all at once because the enemy was attacking from every which way, yet Travis was able to stay alive and fight back. I told him I don't know how he is able to win that level, and he responded "It's easy once you know the enemy and his tactics. Then you know how to fight back."

Amen. How true that is!

The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, and we have to be careful because we sometimes don’t see him coming. He’s invisible, a master of disguise. Distraction is his game. He wants to play on our vulnerability, to cripple us in doubt, fear, and discouragement

Let's gets prepared for what the enemy of our souls throw our way today:

When we feel frustrated, overwhelmed, angry or impatient, let us relax and trust God's timing and pick up His peace knowing that He is in control, not us.

When we feel stressed, sad, upset, anxious or overwhelmed, let us give God our messes and our concerns and leave it with Him. Let us not feed into doubt or worry but let us keep a positive spirit knowing God is going to work it out and move in our situation.

When we feel drained, tired, exhausted, weary, let us seek solace in the arms of our Father and let him energize us back to health and revive our spirits and sharpen our minds to be more and do more.

We are the hero in our own story. We are moving from level to level to glory to glory. We may have to defeat some demons along the way. Let us not give in, let us not give up, let us not accept defeat and let us combat the bad with good; the darkness with light!

overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
- Romans 8:37


If you need prayer for anything, let me know. I would love to pray for you!

So a lot is happening right now with me and I can barely keep up with my overwhelming to-do list! My 2 jobs are pulling me thin! And my writing production deadlines are screaming at me to get done and all the while, I am one second away from just crying - or passing out from exhaustion! It's a hectic time and I am not very good at balancing activities when just a month ago, I had everything in control and I felt so stable. Now, I can barely hold everything together.

There was a week when I wasn't praying as much and I was neglecting my prayer time with Jesus, apologizing to Him, knowing that He must understand that I am being pulled in several directions, and He can just step up and help me and *then* I can find some time to be with Him.

Then more and more responsibility got piled on me, and I thought, "Surely, God understands that I can't just drop everything to spend time with Him. Surely, He must know how 'under the gun' I am trying to 'beat the clock' with deadlines.

Until one day, I had scheduled a much-needed prayer time with God (I was about to go bonkers without it!) and He will really humbled me, saying, "When you're busy, that's when you need Me the most! That's when you need to be able to spend time with Me. To hear from Me! To gain My wisdom! To know what path to take! And you need Me to help you juggle all this. But I can't do it if you won't let me. You need to lay it down and spend time with Me, knowing it will get done. Just keep me first. I get your time. I am a priority, Everything else is secondary."

After that prayer time with God, I felt like He was finally helping me. My time was more efficient and deadlines were pushed back and things were working in my favor. I didn't seem to worry as much and I dropped my need to control everything. I felt like He was before me and my workload almost was blessed, as I could handle everything with more grace and I seemed to find the time to get everything done - - - when I made sure to schedule my prayer times with Him!

I know you're busy. I'm busy too! But let's not make that a reason to skip out on times with God! You need that. He needs that. And your life depends on it!



If you need prayer with anything, let me know. I would love to pray for you!
God The Father Jesus The Big Brother Holy Spirit The Best Friend

So at church on Sundays, Travis and I sit in the lobby because we have to leave early for work and its easier to leave in the lobby than in the crowded sanctuary.

The problem is, the people who sit in the lobby are those who aren't really paying attention to the sermon broadcasting on the screen. They are eating breakfast, talking to each other, laughing about the week's events while their Bibles remain closed on the table. There are even some who look like they are doing work and checking emails on their laptops, as if this was their Christian Starbucks.

It used to really bother me seeing all that. I would have a hard time concentrating on the the pastor speaking his sermon in front of me.. I would walk away with such a bad attitude walking to the parking lot, complaining to Travis…"why are they even here if they are not going to pay attention?" On and on I groaned.

Do you ever feel that way? You want to be close to God, but the others around you clearly don't.

Until it hit me - - a solution to the problem. We now sit in the very front of the lobby. I am able to get a good seat where the screen of the pastor talking is directly in front of me. I am able to take my notes and really engage in the message. The people who are messing around, on their phones or talking to each other…they are still there! But I am not going to let them get in between my precious times with Jesus. And if they are, maybe I need to get closer to the Savior to drown out the noise of the complacency around me.



Whenever you feel in a similar situation, just sit closer to hear the Word of God. Don't let anyone get in the way of you hearing from the Lord.



If you need prayer for anything, let me know. I would love to pray for you!
This Is My Heaven

"(Jesus) replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” - Matthew 12:48-50

I can identify Jesus Christ is our older brother. He was born ahead of us to clear the path for something greater. I can imagine that He saw people fall to the left and the right and said, "There is something better if you just follow Me."

Jesus is an older brother and I see this in many ways. He protects us. A sibling relationship is tight; it goes beyond friends. You share confidences, you encourage one another, update each other and get to relax in their presence. You are the most comfortable with your family, and that's how it is with Jesus in your life.

Jesus is an older brother who is also my cheerleader. No matter what happens, he's my brother and I'm his sister and he will never stop loving me. As a brother, he always has a shoulder to cry on, time to talk, takes time to hang out with me and loves to be around me.

As Jesus' sisters and brothers, we inherit the same faith and love, but we need to grow, be stretched and love like our older brother and have faith like our older brother. He wants His family to support Him, to stick with Him and to back Him up. He wants His siblings to have faith and love like He does, so that people will know that we are in the same family. I want people to see me and say, "You act so much like your brother. I can tell you guys are siblings."

Jesus, your older brother asks that:
- you love him (John 16:27)
- You have faith in him (John 7:38)
- You fight with him (Philippians 3:10)

This is what I want Jesus to say to me: "I'm proud that you're my sister. You could have done anything with your life. Your choices were hundreds - but you chose to follow the path I laid out for you. Thanks."

Find out more in my 1st book: God the Father, Jesus the Big Brother, Holy Spirit the Best Friend. Available now on Amazon.com



If there is anything you need prayer for, let me know. I would love to pray for you!

Sunshine RodgersGod The Father Jesus The Big Brother Holy Spirit The Best FriendLast Night, When I PrayedThis Is My HeavenAfter You: A Demon Is Always Lurking Nearby