Kara's Soft Words

". . .  God is always working  on our behalf, even when we fail to see it . He has a  perfect plan , and His  timing  is perfect. . . Don't despise your off-season.  Keep investing  in your call, your gift, your talent, your local church, and the people God has entrusted to your care. It is during this time that  God is usually setting you up  for what is to come."  from Tailor Made by Alex Seeley For a while, I've been trying to articulate this particular stage/time in my life & re-reading those words felt like a true lightbulb moment. "This is it! This is how I'm feeling!"   A couple of weeks ago, I was scrolling through some of my older Instagram posts when I came across my favorite quotes from this amazing book, Tailor Made: Discover the Secret to Who God Made You to Be.   Backstory: Once I truly came to terms with the fact that God was leading me to move to Texas, I decided to focus on se...

As much as I try to show compassion and concern for others. . . there are times when I feel that I have "selfish" moments. While I love to work behind-the-scenes, I often find myself wondering, "Is what I'm doing making an impact?" "Does anyone care?" "Am I making difference?" I feel like a lot of you may feel the same way. I'm praying that as you read this post, you will be encouraged to keep doing what you're doing- whether or not the acknowledgements or accolades come. I'm pretty sure that most of us have heard or used the term {underdog} before. Basically, it's the person who is less likely to be successful at achieving something. Maybe people think that this person doesn't possess enough strength, knowledge, or notoriety. For whatever reason, the idea is that they have set themselves up for failure by even/just deciding to go after a particular goal. Oftentimes, this title of "underdog" comes as a...

I recently lost my aunt- who was an incredibly LOVING woman. She knew how to make everyone (loved ones and strangers) feel special! Through her life and even in her passing, I've gained even more motivation to "Make the Most" out of my life ! And I want to encourage you too. . . Set goals and go after them! Live by faith- not fear! And let the people that you love and care about KNOW exactly how you feel! Tomorrow's not promised to any of us.  Even in her illness, Aunt Mary wanted everyone to know how much she loved them! We'll always love and appreciate her! I was honored when my cousins asked me to write a poem for her service's program. A Niece's Tribute My beautiful Aunt, where do I even begin? Your generous love and support truly knew no end! We felt your love in your embrace and in your gentle hands. It made its way to many cities, states, and foreign lands. We thank you for your words of wisdom - and yes- for your direction. ...

Okay. . . I'm back! I know some of you have been waiting to see what other lessons I'd mention. I don't know if this is what you're expecting but here goes ;-). 1) Trust Your Instincts!  You might think this is common sense [ yeah. . . okay ]. . . but I'm so serious. I can't tell you how many times I've had a feeling about something, didn't listen to it but later wished that I had. *That idea goes for general situations in life but it can definitely apply to relationships as well.* Sometimes a guy doesn't even have to say or do anything in particular but you get a vibe from him that says, "Maybe I should leave this one alone." Listen to it! 2) You don't need to make yourself available or accessible to everyone.  My family and coworkers can tell you that I am generally an immediate response type of girl. Most of them say I'm too nice but I never want people to think that I'm ignoring their messages (unless I really am...

I woke up and knew  that I was out of it. I didn't feel like myself. I wasn't angry or upset about anything in particular. . . it was almost a combination of the two. And whatever it was, I didn't like it. Driving to work, I was determined. . . I HAD to turn things around! *Sometimes we choose to be in denial. We don't acknowledge our power. I've heard people say that if you can't change the situation you're in, you still have the ability to decide how you'll react. I decided to be proactive with the belief that my attitude would then change my situation. The first step I took was simply breathing and praying . I needed to have my "woosah" moment ;-). Although God sees and knows all, I understand the power of prayer and decided to take my concerns to Him. Next, I put on encouraging and uplifting music .  When I got to work, I spent some time with coworkers who I knew would have me laughing.  (Proverbs 17:22) My day started to turn ...

**This post first appeared in the January 2014 Issue of Women's Elevation Magazine . Sign up for your free (online) subscription by visiting www.womenselevationmagazine.com ** Happy New Year! I hope you’re excited about it!   This time of the year can take on different meanings for different people. Some are anxious to say goodbye to the last 12 months and the events that took place, while others look at it as a time of new beginnings.   I want to encourage you to embrace this time as the start of a new chapter in the story of your life. As you may know, a vital part of the writing process is reviewing your work and making necessary revisions .   We can apply this principle to our lives as well. Are there aspects of your life from the last year that you weren’t happy with? Well here’s something to think about. "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." If you know that something 'didn't work' fo...

*The topic of the most recent L.O.V.E. Meeting was "Powerful Women. . . Powerful Words!" so I decided to write an affirmation for my L.O.V.E.ly Ladies.  Sometimes we need reminders. . .*  I Am Loved   I have been wonderfully and fearfully made !  I can walk in confidence because God has created me for a reason!  He will equip me for every assignment that I am meant to accomplish.  Even when I face challenges, I will not give up .   God holds my world!   He has a plan for my life and will be with me- every step of the way.   I will Rejoice in the Lord and remember that His Joy is My Strength!   As each day goes by, I will not sweat the small stuff.   I’ll focus on those things that are important to me and pray for wisdom when dealing with difficult situations.   I will not be bound by fear, guilt or pressure from other people’s expectations or opinions of me.   I will live by faith!   All things are po...

You really can learn something new- every day, if you pay attention :-). With my 25th birthday coming up (on Sunday!), I've been reflecting over my life (as always lol).  I've learned many things, through a variety of experiences and  I just want to share some of those lessons with you.  I hope this list encourages you and makes you think.  Here goes. . . 25 Lessons 1) God is God. . . by Himself! There's no such thing as 'helping Him.'  Let Him simply work in your life! 2) Every person in your life serves a purpose. We've all heard the season, reason, lifetime analysis.  We can learn from everybody that we encounter.  Some people I've grown incredibly close to or simply learned from, while others have shown me exactly what I do NOT want to become!   3) "Please" and "thank you" will NEVER get old. These words can totally change the way that someone receives what you're saying.  I try to thank people fo...

I woke up yesterday- close to tears.  My throat felt like it was on fire and all I wanted to do was cry.  I tried to get my sister's attention but I couldn't speak!  I could just barely  whisper.  That moment scared me so much-> knowing that I was TRYING to talk and no sound would come out.  After some tea, medicine and rest, I regained some of my voice.   Even now- as I write this, I'm (patiently) waiting for it to get back to normal. These moments made me think. . . What if God could only hear the words we utter?  What if He only honored the requests that we make with our mouths. . . our voices? I'm grateful to know that He knows our every thought before it even crosses our mind.  It's assuring to know that while I'm praying, God is already  answering! With all of that said, I decided to write as though I was speaking directly to God. What would I say if He could only read my thoughts?  Let's see. . . ~ Lord Jesus,...