Before and After….

ByKathy Stephens

We look upon those two words sometimes as the past and the present. The once was, now isn’t or the bad and now the good. BUT before and after can represent a lot of things BUT holding true to those two words there is usually some TRANSFORMATION.
Transformation by webster means: To change the form or outward appearance of, to change the condition, nature of function of , to CHANGE. IT relates to something NEW.
Transformation by God’s word : “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let GOD transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. THEN you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2
Have you ever had a before and after moment in your life? Many hearts have been broken with before and after moments. Many hearts have REJOICED in before and after moments.
We are all DOING LIFE… Sometimes when you ask people how they are, their simple response is “oh, i’m doing life”.
We have been given one life, one breath, one opportunity to CHOOSE our destination. Physically, emotionally, and eternally. Each day is a new opportunity to TRANSFORM anything we aren’t happy about.
I choice this picture to share with you today simple because it was a “FUNNY” on YOGA. Yoga is transformational. Not in some weird way but in the way that you care for yourself. Yoga is the exercise of the mind, body and the spirit.
Over the weekend I’ve run into many who have said, “Oh kathy I want to come to yoga but I don’t think I can do that.” I hope that in talking to many of you that the one thing you hear me say is that YOGA isn’t about DOING something . It’s NOT about a headstand, a crow pose, a backbend. Can it involve those poses …. of course but more than that it’s about transformation. Learning to be still, to rest in the LORD, to find the things in your body that you can do. SIMPLE steps…
I use YOGA as a means of transformation in my own life. IT helps me to stay healthy, to worship GOD on my mat every day and to learn to be quiet and STILL. Something that is hard for me.
IF you haven’t tried YOGA yet … your still on the fence. Please give me a call, let’s talk . Let’s transform together.

Unsharp Knives, crinkled paper and a broken heart….

ByKathy Stephens

Unsharp Knives, crinkled paper and a broken heart….
My heart has been swelling up a lot lately.. Truth is i’ve been about to explode into tears. The continued hurt of losing the other half of my heart seems like a wart that keeps recurring . It just won’t go away and some days the only thing you can do is try to cover it up.
My pastor preached a sermon Sunday about what truly matters in your life. He ask some hard questions.
1. What Moves you to action?
2. What things bring you to tears? As in those you would cry over.
3. What do you dream about? What keeps you up at night?
4. When’s the last time you did anything for the 1st time?
5. What one thing could you add to your life every single day to enrich it?
Good questions to ask yourself?
This past week I picked up a couple of little toys for the twins. Little rubber animals that you can put a ball in their mouth and then squeeze their stomach and the ball shoots across the room. It was really fun watching them do that over and over and YES it allowed me to sit down alittle bit and rest . HAHA THEN all the sudden Isla came up with this serious look on her little face and said, “YAYA my ball is missing.” I said, “well where do you think it went baby?” she knelt down in front of the armor in my living room and said, “I think it went under here.” OH REALLY? She stretched her little arms as hard as she could and couldn’t reach it. Oh how she wanted that ball back. SO YAYA got up and got down on my hands and knees and stuck her arm under there. Had to end up getting a broom handle to get it out but with the ball came a couple of other things. Imagine that. HAHA a hair clip and a ball made out of crinkled up paper. At first I thought what is this? then like a wave… emotions ran through my body. Memories took over. I thought “oh my, this has been under there since the last time Dennis played with Ki-Ki ( our cat). I just began to cry. I could see him sitting on the floor batting that piece of crinkled paper back and forth with her. OH YES , It’s the little things.
Then the next day I was making chicken salad for a baby shower and in the middle of cutting up veggies I thought, “What is wrong with this knife.. it’s so dull.” OH YEAH, Dennis always kept my knives sharpened. They have not been sharpened in awhile. Another jolt in my chest. OH YES, it’s the little things.
QUESTION: Do you ever find yourself worn out from the same ole fight? The same ole hurt? The same ole problem? You know the one thats taking your breath away and seems to keep breaking your heart…. Changing your life day by day.

 
QUESTION: Could you use some TLC? When’s the last time someone just put their arms around you and held you and never spoke a word but that simple act let you know that EVERYTHING was going to be okay.
QUESTION: How many time have you put those hiking boots on just to try to reach the top of the mountain again?? You think if only I can get to the top I will find peace, get some rest and my heart will beat normal again.How long before the mountain becomes just a HILL? And how long does it take for the HILL to just become a pathway?
QUESTION: How long before all the things ( memories) that were in your life become the very things that THRUST you forward in life.?
Grief isn’t 5 steps…. 5 phases….. 5 anything. IT’s a place where you stand still, quieten your soul and gasp for air while the world goes on around you. Somewhere along the journey you say, “so God, what am I going to do with the rest of my life?”
I have ask that question many times since losing Dennis… Somewhere along the way I turned it into a prayer. “what God, tell me Lord, What?” Yes, in a LOUD VOICE…
Grief is WORK, you have to diligently seek the path PAST IT. See if things haven’t turned out like you think they should in your life the first thing you need to know, and CLAIM, is that GOD never changed HIS plan for your life. He doesn’t un-equip you for the job he put in your “plan” book years ago. He doesn’t take away your gifts because of a broken heart. I know you might be saying right now, “what plan, this doesn’t feel like a plan.”
He grows us in the brokenness. Just reach in and grab ahold of your heart and hand it over to HIM. Keep maneuvering life and allow GOD to keep walking life out with you.


Psalms 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. Bandages come through friends, their prayers, God’s word, a hug, a spoken word. He just keeps them coming if you will let HIM.
Cherish those in your life that make you better.

Tea Cup Mentality…

ByKathy Stephens

Teacup mentality…..
Through my life I’ve done many things for a so called “job”.
Having spent time with some new people this weekend ( who I enjoyed so much) we talked about many things. Funny how we seem to always gravitate to some of these questions when we are getting to know someone. What do you do? Where do you live? Got any kids/grandkids? Who are your parents? Where do you go to Church? I’ve often wondered if these are ICE BREAKERS or ICE WHACKERS?
I know for myself I really never know where to start. I’ve had many jobs, I’ve lived in many places/different states, I do have grandkids, my parents… well My mom molded me in many ways and I was blessed enough to have two great dads and then there is CHURCH.
Yes, I’ve been to a few different ones through the years… I was just talking to someone yesterday about how “I don’t think God ever intended for us to have such a variety of denominations”. To me… I think these came about because Man couldn’t agree on what scripture says. ( enough on that) To me Church should be a place to accumulate folks, a coming together first of the saints so they can share what GOD has done in their lives through the week and build each other up. It should be a place to listen to HIS word, grow each and every week and to be encouraged to continue building your life and the lives of others. A place to encourage, draw and teach non-believers about second chances. Church should be a place to worship and praise the almighty for HE is worthy to be praised.
Sorry about that, this post isn’t about church….. It’s about YOUR POTENTIAL.
Do you ever feel as if your possibly not doing what GOD intended for you to do in your life? DO you ever want more? I think sometimes we do things out of our own comfort rather than press through to the uncomfortable with GOD.
I know as I’ve been working on this building/studio,the place God spoke to me about a couple of months ago, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I’ve questioned it a few times. It’s taken much longer than I imagined, cost more than I EVER intended to spend and I got sick right in the middle of working on it due to in inhalation of huge amounts of saw-dust. At that point I wanted to QUIT. As silly as this may sound this really isn’t even my building…. The way that GOD has shown this to me I’m not even sure what all HE plans to do with it.
Many have begun to ask me “kathy, what you doing down there?” I laugh and say , “i’m not sure”. Truth is a good definition as to what it will be is a Yoga/Wellness Center all wrapped in GOD. It’s funny to me that when I mention YOGA I get a few questionable looks and yes a few comments about yoga being something bad. When studying Yoga last year so that I could become certified to teach I was quite surprised at the REAL background of YOGA and what it truly does for the human mind and body. Yoga is yes, an old practice that yes was used by many from other countries but it is NOT a religion. YOGA is not about doing headstands, CROW, WHEEL, twisting like a pretzel. OH don’t get me wrong, it can be, but that isn’t MY FOCUS. Yoga is being used now by the American Cancer Society, In schools for ADHD, Autism, Parkinsons, Anxiety and depression and MUCH MORE.
I will be using Yoga as a healing tool, a way to worship on your mat, and teaching about strengthening your core, improving your flexibility and building your balance. I want to teach others how to DUMP their anxieties through wholesome mindfulness. I will be using scriptures to set the tone for class and will teach you how to calm your mind through breathing and resting in HIM. Yoga was one of the key elements to regaining my health, my joy and my spirit as I walked through the valley of grief. GOD and I have spent many hours on my mat.
From time to time I will be guiding you through a bible study or two if you choose to participate and I will be hosting some whole food cooking classes so that you can learn to cook healthier for yourself and your family. May have a couple of pop-up lunch practices where you can come for stretching and a word and eat a whole food meal …. all in about 45 minutes.
As I laid in bed last night thinking upon my ventures to come, thinking about where to place my black art deco address numbers I began to cry. Just the anticipation of starting something new was alittle overwhelming. Truth is if you had told me years ago that I would be opening a yoga/wellness center at 62 I would have probably laughed myself into a STUPER…. BUT God, I feel knew a long time ago how all this would play out.
My question for you today is “what might GOD have planned for your life?” Do you have a teacup mentality???
DON’T SETTLE FOR BEING A TEACUP IF GOD INTENDED TO MAKE YOU INTO A VESSEL THAT COULD HOLD SO MUCH MORE…….