Thanksgiving...Don't leave home without Him

This past Sunday, I attended a church service, in which the pastor (Pastor John) gave such a beautiful perspective of Thanksgiving, not as a day we celebrate, but a person we carry with us daily. For example, "Thanksgiving" has always been with us when we celebrate good times of joyful graduations, marriages, or hearing those words of doctors say, “The test came back negative.” or “The cancer was benign.” “Thanksgiving” always seems to show up for the birth of children or the return of a loved one coming home from war. Yes, “Thanksgiving” is always a welcomed guest at times of celebration in our lives.

But what about those times of sorrow -- at the loss of a job or the loss of a loved one? Pastor John went on to explain the powerful lesson “Thanksgiving” taught him one day.

He told of the story of a young lady whose body was ridden with Muscular Dystrophy. Although she had overcome many trials in her 29 years of life, she became so frail in her final days of life that she had to have oxygen consistently and was strapped into her wheelchair lest she fall out. Then the day came when she passed away, leaving behind a family and pastor who loved her dearly.

Pastor John went on to tell of how he quickly drove to the hospital to be with the family. As he got out of his car, he noticed that "Thanksgiving" who had rode shot-gun that day, tried to get out of the car and go with him upstairs to be with the family. In great remorse and disappointment, Pastor John turned to "Thanksgiving" and sternly said, "No, you stay here. This is no place for you. You stay in the car!"

Ever the servant, "Thanksgiving" obeyed and sat back down in the car. Pastor John proceeded up to the hospital room where the girl's body laid, surrounded by a family in tears. As he entered the room, he carried his own pain and offered his condolences. Then, in rightful order, they all prayed together. As the prayer ended, Pastor John said he felt such a sense of loss and emptiness and together, with the family they just stood there in silence, staring at the girl.

Finally, the mother spoke up and said, "You know, for 29 years, I have prayed that God would heal our daughter and asked God not to take her. But, Pastor, this week, for the first time in my life, I have felt a peace about letting her go to be with her Heavenly Father in total healing. You know our daughter, despite her illness, was an award winning artist. She finished her last painting recently and it was her most beautiful painting ever. It was a painting of a beautiful sky lined by trees bordering a dirt path. The sun was shining on the path as an eagle flew freely in the sky. Off in the distance at the end of that dirt path was a very small wheelchair....empty. The simple title of her final
painting said it all: FREEDOM AWAITS. I knew when she titled that painting, my daughter was ready to go Home."

As the mother continued, a light knock was heard at the door. Pastor John turned to see "Thanksgiving" slowly entering the room. Suddenly the atmosphere was illuminated with joy as the mother continued to say, "I can't believe I am saying it, but I am thankful this day has come. I know my daughter is whole and I know this was her dream. She is free."

Together, with "Thanksgiving" the family celebrated in awe at the graciousness of God in all things. A simple scripture in I Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In everything give thanks." Take time to let your heart be grateful for the good, the bad, and even the challenging opportunities in life. Invite "Thanksgiving" to your house this Thanksgiving Day and everyday of your life. You will surely find out that every circumstance you face is a part of the plan that God has for your life. Your best is yet to come, so "Give Thanks."

Beyond The Vote

By Staci Wallace

The people have spoken and the votes have been tallied. Last night at 10:00 pm our nation stepped into a moment in history where new dreams were birthed for so many in our nation. What once seemed impossible for an African-American to be the ruler of this great nation, is now an achievement that will forever be "do-able". No longer will it be heralded as "remarkable" for an African American to do anything in this country as we have watched the highest office in this land be secured by President Elect Barak Obama.

Even as I type this, his name comes up as a spell check error signifying that the world, only a few short months ago, had no idea who this man was or how he would change the world. But today, whether he won your vote or not, his victory stands as a symbol of hope for every dream you have in your heart, stating that "anything is possible when you believe".

When Roger Bannister smashed the four minute mile, it was a feat that many declared was "impossible" for man to do. But with the desire to continue his education, Roger used his innate ability in track to seek additional scholarship money to put himself through school. He ran with the hopes of becoming a doctor. What started as a self-directed vision became a catalyst of historical change, proving that "anything is possible when you believe." Once he proved the possibility of his accomplishment of breaking that record, hundreds and eventually thousands of athletes went on to do the same.

What I witnessed last night was far beyond politics or the victory of one candidate over another. What I saw was another "four minute mile" being broken in our nation that tells exclaims to dreamers everywhere that “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE”!!!!

To every African American or anyone with a dream who has ever wondered if opportunities would emerge to give way to their greatness in this country, the proof is in the moment. Yes, anything is possible. Yes, you can, dream the impossible dream. Yes, you can achieve great things others deemed out of reach. Yes, you can break barriers of limitations set by others. Yes, you can change your world.

I encourage each of my EMwomen sisters to dig deep on this one. As somewhat of a "momma" over this community, I have enjoyed seeing the valiant debates and support of your candidates in this election. I have silently watched as so many of you, normally "shy and quiet spectators" move to the front of the crowd to let your voices be heard. Did I always agree with your passions? No. Did I still embrace your zeal and willingness to stand up for your convictions? Absolutely! I know that courage is the beginning of change. When you have courage enough to stand up for what you believe in, you have the power to make a difference.

Whether that courage sets a woman free from abuse or enables creativity and boldness to own your own business, courage begins when you are so passionate about something that it pulls you out of the woodwork and into the spotlight of conviction.

So now what? What happens beyond the vote? Here is what has kept me from sleeping tonight and what I pray will burn as a new passion in your heart. Whether your candidate won or not, I beseech you to take this to heart.

No matter what your Party affiliation may be or how you voted, now it’s time to move beyond the election into a place of action. Your greatest freedom is not the freedom to mark a ballot, but knowing you live in a country that gives you the freedom to become a catalyst of change for the values and principles you
hold most dear.

For example: If you don't like the way government is being run.....run for office! If you are tired of old education models dictating your child's future.....join the PTA or school board and help influence change. If you are pro-life (and many of you have been clearly so)....take your passion beyond the vote and get involved in a local organization that supports your vision for life, make a donation, volunteer for an organization in your community. The point is.... get involved. Don't just wait for things to happen -- get out and use your life, your money, your voice to initiate change and make things happen!

If there is one thing I am passionate about, it is helping individuals see beyond their current reality into a life of what "could be, should be and must be!" This is the greatest country on earth and our leadership now will thrive, not on the standing of who is in the White House, but the millions of Americans who take this opportunity to get involved in their community, their country and their future.

Barak Obama has broken a barrier and written new text for our history books. What is the record that you will break in your lifetime that will prove to your children and their children that anything is possible? If you will possess the passion, determination, commitment, tenacity, work ethic, and “Never give up” attitude, President-Elect Obama possessed, your dreams can become a reality. Dreams come, not to those who hope for things to happen, but they come to those who dedicate their lives to making things happen.

Will you join me in making EMwomen a community of passionate catalysts of change for the future? Will you stand up and let your voice be heard by getting involved in your community, state and schools? Will you agree to pray for our President no matter what your political preference? Will you be a woman who uses her life to change her world?

If you say yes and are willing to help me in this effort by becoming a woman with passion taking action, email me at staci@emwomen.com. I want to know who the real movers and shakers of this community are going to be! For doing so, I want to send you a free download to my latest song, "Stand Up". I pray it will motivate you to do something remarkable with your life.

Remember: Your life is like a fingerprint that will leave an imprint on this nation. The question is: What kind of an imprint will it leave?

Believing the best for you today!

Staci Wallace
Founder, EMwomen.com

What Is Your Obstacle?

Have you ever had a dream, idea, or challenge that seemed impossible? Have you ever hoped you could break through limitations to see those dreams become a reality?

Erik Weihenmayer is a unique leader that has not only broken those limitations, but has made a career out of overcoming insurmountable odds. On May 25, 2001, Erik Weihenmayer climbed the summit of the world's highest peak - Mount Everest. And on September 5, 2002, when he stood on top of Mt. Kosciusko in Australia, Weihenmayer completed his 7-year quest to climb The Seven Summits - the highest mountains on each of the seven continents

In September, 2003, Erik joined 320 stellar athletes from 17 countries to compete in the Primal Quest, the richest and toughest multi-sport adventure race in the world: 457 miles through the Sierra Nevada's, nine days, sixty thousand feet of elevation gain, and no time-outs. Averaging only two hours of sleep a night, Erik and his team surged past the finish line on Lake Tahoe, becoming one of the 42 teams to cross the finish line out of the 80 teams that began.

What makes Erik's accomplishments incredible is not only that he is living his passion to climb the hardest and highest peaks in the world, but he has done so despite being completely blind. As the only blind man in history to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, his passion and tenacity have set a new standard for the potential of mankind to overcome what others consider impossible obstacles. He has shattered the ceiling of limitations for blind people and has lived as a catalyst of hope for the human spirit.

Today, as you set out to conquer your world, look for the opportunity to overcome the odds, face the winds, climb the mountains, and summit the heights of excellence. To some, adversity causes them to break. To leaders like Eric, adversity causes them to break records. Today is a great day to set new records in your life, work, and family.

Thriving In The Midst of Fear and Uncertainty

Today, as our nation faces some of its most trying times, many individuals have found themselves questioning the future. From the multi-trillion dollar loss in retirement funding to the massive number of foreclosures the financial woes of Wall Street have echoed in our ears Perhaps you have been one of the many who have said, "What am I going to do? What if I lose my savings? What if we don't have enough retirement money? What if it all gets worse?"

Thriving In The Midst of Fear and Uncertainty

As I hear these questions in the hearts of so many leaders in our country, I can see the evidence of FEAR creeping in to steal the power of what makes this country so great.

America is the greatest country to live in and offers the greatest amount of freedom, opportunity, and potential. Yet, like a thief sneaking in a back door, fear seems to have made residence in the hearts of so many individuals in this time financial uncertainty in our nation. Despite the chaos at Wall Street, this country is still a place of amazing opportunity. For those who panic, they will be on the losing end of this season of transition for our country. For those who look into the muck and mire and see opportunity, they will be able to find the diamonds in the rough.

For example: While some folks are complaining that this is a "terrible time to sell a home", others are seizing the moment by saying, "this is a GREAT time to buy!" Every challenge comes with GREAT opportunity. So how do you weather this recent financial storm and make sure that you don't get caught on the short end of the stick? How do you position yourself to partake of this land of opportunity like so many other entrepreneurs will this season?

KEY #1: UP YOUR PERSPECTIVE

Look For The Good In Everything. Two young twin boys were being examined by researchers as a result of their very distinctive personalities. One boy was an eternal optimist, always happy and full of cheer. The other boy was an unfortunate pessimist, who couldn't seem to find a moment's peace or happiness despite his fortunate surroundings.

Researchers placed the pessimistic boy in a room full of every toy a boy his age could hope for. Meanwhile, they placed the optimistic boy in a room full of horse manure. After a short five minutes, the pessimistic boy began to cry with great emotional outbursts. Researchers opened the door and said, "Son, what is the matter? You have every toy in here a boy could want."

The pessimist replied, "There's so many toys, I don't know which to play with." In the other room they heard squealing and laughter, they peered in the room of horse manure to see the boy jumping up and down in the manure, throwing it in the air and laughing with glee. They quickly opened the door and said, "Boy, what on earth are you so happy about?"

The boy replied with great excitement, "With all of this manure, there's gotta be a pony in her somewhere!!!!"

This is a great story to show us the power of perspective. How do you view the "manure" around you? If you grumble in pessimism, you WILL miss the opportunities. Instead, look for the good in every day. Keep your eyes and your heart open to new opportunities.

KEY #2: ELIMINATE F.E.A.R.

What is fear? It is False Expectations Appearing Real in our lives. It is presuming the worst, expecting grave misfortune. Fear is an anticipation that something bad is going to happen. Worry is the partner of fear. It is the manifested bloom that emerges when fear takes root in our lives. As worry grows, anxiety, stress and a host of other symptoms bloom and radically change our perspective, our health, and our ability to think clearly.

Even when the reality of the world around you is in "crisis mode", don't let fear rule your heart. A scripture I hold dear in times of struggle is one in which God stated, "Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, and I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41)

Basically put, God knows of your current situation and He also knows how to rescue you. Trust him in the details. Don't try to figure everything out in your head. Do not worry. Don't let stress come in and plague your heart. Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women in America? Did you know that STRESS is a major precursor to that disease?

By eliminating fear, you will not only see more clearly, operate more efficiently, be more open to creativity, and have a better outlook, but you will also be adding years to your life and peace to your soul.

KEY #3: GIVE THANKS

Another practice my husband and I make in times of decision is to stop in our tracks, and put on an attitude of gratitude. It is always amazing to me that no matter what the negative emotion may be that tries to steal our joy, when we allow gratitude to fill our hearts, the pain of the moment fades away.

It may be as simple as saying, "Thank you God for my children. Thank you for my home. Thank you that I have a bed to sleep in tonight. Thank you for shoes on my feet. Thank you that I have a job. Thank you that I have my health. Thank you that I can comb my own hair. Thank you that I can freely go to the bathroom by myself....."

Each and every one of us has something to be grateful for today. Even if your world seems to be falling apart, there is still much to appreciate. Stop right now. Close your eyes. Instead of focusing on the chaos and turmoil around you, allow your mind to list at least 10 things you have to be thankful for right now.

As you utilize these three keys, send us your results and let your life become a catalyst of encouragement, hope, and change for someone else!

Believing the best for you,

Staci Wallace,
EMwomen Founder

Winning At Work and Life!

The challenge of work-life balance is without question one of the greatest challenges facing women today. After 14 years of working with thousands of women, I am continually amazed at how difficult the task of life balance continues to remain for so many.

Here are 3 simple disciplines every woman can adhere to in becoming more balanced and better adjusted to this new generation of women dominating the work-place.

Discipline 1: Just say "No"! - The ability to say no to the "urgent" items that come up daily will give you freedom to say "yes" to the the things that matter most in life.

Discipline 2: Know When To Say "Yes"! - Reserve your valuable "yeses" for the core values of life. By making your "yeses" line up with your core values, you will be living life on your terms, verses the terms of everyone else.

Discipline 3: Never let "Good" become robber of "Best". Never let good become a replacement for what we know to be the best for our lives and the lives of those around us.

These three disciplines may seem like an over-simplification to a major issue, however, the amazing truth is that our current day-to-day decisions determine our net result. So many women blame their spouses, jobs, relatives, and even finances for a life out of balance, lacking peace and often joy.

As I travel, I continue to see more and more women stepping up to lead great companies and yet they are doing so at the sacrifice of their families, marriages and even inner peace. As work-life challenges continue to mount, too many women keep sweeping their personal issues under the rug, thinking they will somehow disappear.

Lisa, a corporate executive for a multi-million dollar company, said, "I just don't know how to fix my life. I have climbed the corporate ladder and reached my dream of being number one at what I do. However, I have lost my family in the process. My kids have grown up under someone else's care. I have missed so much of their lives it hurts inside. My husband and I live in the same home and yet are emotionally oceans apart. My spiritual life is basically non-existent other than a yoga class now and then. Basically, I have power at work and yet I feel powerless in life and I don't know how to regain control again."

Lisa's story is familiar. Unfortunately, Lisa's final statement is probably what got her in the situation in the first place. Lisa is a control freak and finds her personal significance in feeling important, in control, and in charge. By giving her undivided attention to work, she was able to fill an inner need for recognition and affirmation, however she sacrificed leadership and influence at home. Once the price was high enough, due to the loss of her family, Lisa finally realized that things had to change.

Let's look at 3 Key Disciplines To Winning At Work And Life!

Discipline 1: Just Say "No"!
So many times, we let our lives swing out of control by adding too much to our plate that doesn't even rank in our list of top priorities. If that is you, your life may look more like a shot gun firing in all directions. To become rifle focussed, means that you have mastered the art of elimination. By constantly accepting to do items that pop up as "urgent" often means you are giving up the things in life that rank as most "important".

Often, at work, we are inundated with seemingly "urgent" to do items that steal our ability to remain balanced, focussed and on track for a peace-filled life. By constantly saying "yes" to the urgent, we are often saying "no" to our greatest joys in life. Urgent meetings, urgent budgets, urgent opportunities are just a few of the "urgent" monsters that creep in to kill, steal and destroy your family, your peace, and your joy.

A simple test to give each item that pops up to steal your focus is this:

Ask yourself:

• Is this more important that what I currently had scheduled?
  
• Will this bring me closer or further from a life of peace, joy and happiness?
  
• Will the world or my company fall apart if I say "No"?
  

And even if you can positively answer those questions, ask yourself, "At the end of the day will I feel good about this decision as it ranks in priority of my family and core values?"

Discipline 2: Know When To Say, "Yes"!
If you have completed your "Good To Great" Goals course, then you should have already listed out your core values. By making your "yeses" line up with your core values, you will be living life on your terms, verses the terms of everyone else. Core values are the things in life you consider non-negotiables. These may include your faith, your marriage, your health, your family, your relationship. As you allow your core values to become a filter for all of your choices, you will see that much of what you do is negotiable, removable, and actually stealing time from the things that matter most. Give your "yes" power by learning to say "no" more often.

Discipline 3: Never let good become robber of what is best.
In his book, Good To Great, Jim Collins first sentence reads, "Good is the enemy of best". Often in life, we settle for mediocrity, status quo, and even "normal" by allowing our time to be allotted to things that fall outside of our core values. But to be a Great leader, we must never let good become a replacement for what we know to be the best for our lives and the lives of those around us.

Recently, I shared this principle with my children during our Good To Great devotions we do each morning. I explained how the Good To Great concept even applies to cleaning their room. I asked them both to clean their room. In five minutes they came down saying they were done. As I went up to inspect their rooms I asked, "Is your room good? Or is it GREAT?"

After further investigation under their beds and behind their dressers, we all agreed that their rooms could use a bit more greatness. I explained that "good" means that things look in order on the surface, but with further investigation, we discover that "under the rug" lies more disorganization. GREAT, however, is when we allow things to be excellent inside and out.

What a simple truth to all of life. Look at your life today and determine if you are using your time wisely. Are you living life on your terms, giving your greatest attention to the things that matter most? Are you living a life of greatness, or have you settled for allowing "good" to become the robber of "GREAT"?

By applying these three principles to every area of life, especially our 7 Pillars Of Balanced Success (Finances, Family, Health & Fitness, Career, Emotions, Spirituality, and Community Service), we can regain the peace and fulfillment that comes when we WIN at work and LIFE!

Gone Fishing

Have you ever noticed how children mirror their parents? This was quite apparent to me when I took my kids who were 4 and 5 year-olds to go fishing at the lake. I thought it would be a precious time of bonding as Daddy was at work and they had never been fishing before.

Now understand, I am a pretty adventurous gal. I have deep sea fished, hunted wild boar, climbed mountains, am a black-belt in Karate and have been known to rough it up with the guys on the basketball court. I guess I thought I was a pretty tough cookie.

What was I thinking? Despite my love for adventure, I have zero desire to touch a fish, let alone handle worms and other forms of live bait. There I was as the "mom of the year" thinking I had it all planned out while I packed the poles, the worms, the tackle, and the sunflower seeds for spitting. What I forgot, however, is that someone would have to bait the hook, meaning touch the worms. And if, in some odd fashion, we did catch a fish, someone would have to take it off the hook.

So there we were my two little protégées and me on the side of the lake with our fishing poles and worms. I tried to be brave, really I did. I am a woman of power and authority right? I reached into the worm bucket and felt the slimy, slithery little rascals between my perfectly manicured fingers. As I pulled the worm out it I was taken back as it was about 7 inches long! Then it squirmed frantically. I threw it to the ground with a loud scream and panic on my face. Payton and Alexia just looked at me with big eyes and said, "Did it bite you, Mommy?"

Not wanting to scare them from future worm experiences I just said, "No, honey, it just jumped out of Mommy's fingers. We will find a better one."

I reached in again and pulled out another 7 inch worm. "What in the world are they feeding these suckers? Steroids or what? Why are they so big?" I thought to myself. The hook was less than an inch so it became apparently obvious that I would have to cut the worm into sections.

I looked in the tackle box but there was nothing to cut that little varmint with. Still looking at me as their hero, my two precious kids just said, "Cut it with your fingernails, Mommy!"

I mustered up great courage and squeezed the slimy worm until it broke in two and seeped slimy juice all over my hand. "Ok," I thought, the hard part is over. I put it on the hook and we cast our lines into the water. And we waited...and waited...and waited.

About 10 minutes later, I had to get creative. So I told stories about patience, faith, being fearless, never giving up, Jonah and the whale and I even think I threw in the story about Noah’s ark, just for fun. The aim was anything that passed time as we waited for a nibble.

Finally, Alexia's bobber plunged beneath the surface. She screamed. I screamed. It was like a cut from the movie, ET. I told her to reel it in slowly. As the fish surfaced, I was thrilled to see she had caught a four inch little perch.

"I can handle this," I thought, as I gathered my courage to remove the hook from its mouth. Payton and Alexia were so proud of that fish. Little did they know what mental anguish their "I can do anything" mother was going through, thinking about touching the fish with her hands.
Looking at me with eyes wide open, they said, "Mommy, take it off the hook so we can put it back with its family."

I reached out for the fish to remove the hook. It seemed the closer I got to putting my finger in its mouth, the bigger it looked. Finally, with great hesitation, I grabbed the fish, stuck my finger in its lips, when all of a sudden it wiggled sending me into panic. I screamed...then the kids screamed. I dropped the pole and the fish. And the kids just took off running.

"Did it bite, Mommy, did it bite?," they yelled from about 20 feet away. "No," I said. "It must have swallowed that jumpy worm because it just jumped out of my hands."Realizing the need to provide a positive experience for my kids, I picked up the pole and said to myself, "I can do this!" I grabbed the fish, took out the hook and carefully placed it in the water.

From that moment on I prayed for no more fish until Daddy came.

Have you ever noticed how your reactions are mirrored in the life of your children? I thought about it after our fishing trip and realized that whether it is fear, panic, anger, jealousy or rage, children watch their parents to determine their own reactions to life. When I was courageous, they acted courageous. When I screamed, they screamed. And when I panicked, they panicked and even took off running.

Remember: What you do in moderation, your children will do in excess. So be careful little mouth what you say. Be careful little mind what you think. Be careful little heart what you keep. For a child is always watching thee.

Without Words

St. Francis of Assisi once said, "Preach the Gospel every day, and if necessary use words."

For the past week, I have been in the recording studio morning till late in the evening hammering out the vocals for my latest CD, due out Aug. 23, 2008. To protect my voice when I am recording, I take a "vocal leave of absence" during the days of recording. So for the past few days and for the next four more days, I am dedicated to mandatory silence.

I want to say a special "Thank You" for everyone understanding why I have not returned phone calls or been "over the top" in my vocal expressions of love this past week. When I am on vocal rest, it means no talking, no whispering, no coughing,....not a sound. For a woman, that can be torture. :(

Whenever I have to do this, however, I simply offer it up to God as a type of fast. It seems sometimes we are so busy making noise that we fail to embrace the silence. In fact, many of us have a hard time just sitting in silence. Instead, we turn on the radio, turn on the TV, call a friend, etc.

It is amazing how much you hear when you are not talking. Not only do you become more aware of the sounds around you, but you are more in tuned with the voices within you.

This week, my friends and family have had to communicate with me through actions and not words. They follow my actions, hand gestures, sign language, they look for non-verbal cues, and they watch my eyes. It is amazing how actions really do speak louder than words.

Last night on Donny Deutsch's "The Big Idea" a highly powerful body language specialist from the White House was talking about the power of our unspoken words. In fact over 93% of all communication is non-verbal. That means that people read your life by what they see far more than what they hear.

The question is: What message are you giving? Do you say one thing and live another? Do you act confident, yet give off insecurity and fear? Do you claim to be a spiritual being full of Faith in God, yet you crumble at the sight of a storm in your life?

Today, I encourage you to let your life speak volumes. Let your actions speak louder than words. Read this little story from my book, "Mission Possible" and let it speak to your life:

Rosa was the mother of eight beautiful children. Needless to say, her life was hectic. But one day seemed more challenging than usual as her youngest boy kept repeatedly stepping on her heels. Rosa said, “As I was trying to do my chores, he was in my way all day. Every time I turned around I would bump into him. So I gently suggested that he go outside and play. But he just smiled at me and said, ‘That’s OK, Mommy, I would much rather be with you.’ And he just continued to hum a little song and walk behind me. As the day wore on, my patience wore down. I finally insisted that he go outside with the other kids. When he said he didn’t want to, I asked him why. He looked at me so innocently and said, ‘Well, Mommy, in Sunday school, my teacher told me to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. But since I can’t see Jesus, I decided to walk in yours.’ “

Leadership is influence. Whether you are aware of it or not, you are greatly influencing others with you actions everyday. Is your leadership worth following?

No Longer Naked

Have you ever had one of those days that left an imprint on your soul as though God, Himself, was the author? One day, I was traveling back from an event where I was appearing before 20,000 people hungry for success. After my performance, I was rushed straight from the stage to a limo and directly to the airport to catch the last flight out. Fortunately I only had a carry-on so the check in process would be easy.

I barely made my flight. As I sat in my seat I thought, boy would it have been nice to change out of these stage clothes and into my comfortable sweat suit in my bag. My plan was to get to Chicago where I would have an hour layover and change in the bathroom. When I landed in Chicago I went directly to my connecting gate to check in. That is when it happened:

Out of nowhere, I heard screaming. I turned and saw a naked woman (and I mean she was TOTALLY naked) running down the terminal screaming, "Oh God, help me! Oh God, help me!" People were moving out of the way and acting like she was strapped in a bomb. Their faces of horror and shame were obvious. She just kept running down the terminal getting closer and closer till all of a sudden she dropped on her knees ten feet in front of me. She threw her hands in the air as if to surrender and cried out, "Oh God, help me!"

Without a moment's hesitation, I grabbed her in my arms and covered her body with mine. At that very second, a miraculous thing happened. As I held her in my arms, everybody else in the airport terminal seemed to disappear. It was as though we were alone. I whispered in her ear, "It's ok. God loves you and has allowed me to be her so I can help you."

What? What was I saying? I suddenly realized the reality of the situation. I had just pounced on a naked woman in an airport with hundreds of onlookers. And now I am holding her in my arms. If the cops showed up, I would surely be in trouble. Dressed in a rhinestone St. John suit and four inch heals, I probably looked a bit crazy myself.

I continued to hold her in my arms as we walked to the bathroom. A young boy along the way threw me his shirt to put over her body. All other onlookers just gawked and whispered.

Once in the bathroom, she began to weep in my arms like a baby. She cried, "I am a bad woman. I have sinned." As she continued to be for forgiveness, I began to share with her the magnitude of God's love. She assured me she was too big of a sinner to deserve access to God's mercy. I explained the depth of God's love and told her that it was not by accident that she fell at my feet instead of a security officer. She didn't know it but she had run naked into the arms of God (or at least one of His vessels here on earth). Not that I was God, but that He had used my voice, my arms and my body to cover her and give her a message of love, hope and forgiveness that day.

As you can imagine, I was thinking to myself, "So exactly what happened to her clothes? " Last I checked, those security guards don't let you into an airport naked.

She explained that she was grieving the loss of multiple deaths in her family within a two week period and she was on the flight headed to her daughter's wedding. Doctor's had her on anti-depressants which she had mixed with alcohol and other drugs. Needless to say, her drug reaction, partnered with a nervous breakdown sent her over the edge.

Shame filled her mind as she suddenly realized what she had just done. She had stripped off her clothes, stuffed them down a toilet, threw her shoes in a trash can and dumped her purse in another toilet. She then proceeded to run naked down the airport in front of her husband and children, not to mention thousands of onlookers.

Bad day? You betcha! The interesting thing to me was that, during the process of her trauma, not one person stopped to help her. Not one of the more than 10 ladies in the bathroom that watched her strip said a word. They didn't reach out to help, they didn't even call the police. They just gawked in judgment and fear.

That day, I learned a lot about myself, about God's forgiveness and about human nature.

1. About myself: Personally, I realized that God allowed her to drop at my feet because He knew I would be willing and unafraid to reach out to her and give her help, hope and healing. By counseling her and setting her up with the proper professional help in her city, that woman went on to experience restoration, mental healing and spiritual guidance. It was a joy to know that I could be used by God to be His hands, voice and arms that day. You see, God is not looking for perfect vessels. He's just looking for willing vessels who will allow Him to use their life to reach out to others.

2. About God's Forgiveness: I learned that God is such a loving God that He will do anything to get our attention and have us fall on our knees for forgiveness. God watched as that woman took those drugs and drank the alcohol. He knew of her pain and sympathized with her sorrow. He also devised a plan for her salvation and healing. He loved her so much that although it took complete breakdown, He got her attention. He walked her right into a plan for her complete restoration, peace and healing.

3. About Human Nature: I learned that many people would rather gossip than help, murmur than aid and complain instead of comply with God's wishes to be a vessel of hope to those in need. As I considered how many people chose NOT to help, I humbly thanked God for giving me the courage that day to be different. As humans, it is easy to be apathetic in nature towards those in need. Lord, let us deny our flesh and be more like you!

When I finally made my way back to the gate for my departure, over 100 people stared at me till a man finally said, "Wow! That was incredible! Does that happen to you often? What possessed you to help her like that? I she crazy or what?"

Knowing it was, yet, another opportunity to share God's love, I simply said, " "Let's face it, we've all had bad days where we, too, felt like stripping naked, screaming out to God for help. The only difference is she had the guts to follow through with it!."

They laughed and we boarded our plane. I truly believe with all my heart that, for a few moments in time, God allowed me to feel His unconditional love pour from my heart and into that woman. Somehow, His heart had overtaken mine as though he took residence there for a short while in a tangible way.

Every day, I am honored to have the privilege of teaming up with God to make a difference in women's lives around the world. As a member of EMwomen, you, too join in that partnership. Together, as we continue to look for ways to inspire others, we are making a differece. We are clothing the naked, feeding the poor and inspiring the women of this nation. Giving hope to a world that lives in desperation, we are the voice of a new generation!

Check out our new community for women!

Visit EMwomen Community

GRATITUDE = LATITUDE

I try to make it a point each day to give "thanks" for the many joys and blessings in my life. It seems the more I express gratitude, the better I feel, the more blessings come my way, and the more apt I am to be a source of hope to others.

So, let me share today's gratitude with you. This past week, my husband, children and I took off a few days to go to Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO. We were celebrating my son's birthday and my parents were meeting us there. We had such a wonderful time, and our hearts were thankful to have the time together. As we journeyed along our way, we were hit by one blessing after another. First, when we arrived, there were presents awaiting us in our condo. It seems my parents confused my son's birthday with CHRISTMAS. There were presents for everyone! And if that wasn't exciting enough, the last present was for my husband, which read:

"Congratulations. This certificate pays for your stay in Branson." Yippeeee! This was shaping up to be a super-duper trip. We were prepared to have fun, but to have fun for FREE is what I call a REAL good time!

On day two, we all went to Dinosaur Mountain to play miniature golf. The blessings just got better. My son and mother each got a hole in one on the only hole that awards you a FREE game. The blessings kept rolling.

Day three, we went to Silver Dollar City and had such a wonderful time. The blessing of the day was definitely the beautiful weather, laughs, relaxation, and my husband's "big find"......Succotash. He ate so much succotash that the workers came to know him as the "succotash man". He liked it so much that we decided to ask for the recipe so I could "de-fat" the ingredients and try to make it fit the qualifications for EMcafe Recipe (Under 10 grams of fat). Look for it as one of this month's EMcafe recipes. It is emmmmmmlicious!

Day four kept getting better. I received a phone call from the sister of a lady I had prayed for in ICU who had a brain anurism. The doctors didn't know if she would make it and the sadness of the family was evident. She was the mother of four young children. I was honored when they called me in to pray and sing to her. At that time, she was being kept alive by machines. But while singing to her, she opened her eyes the entire time I sang. The exciting news that came during our trip to Silver Dollar City was that, after one and a half months of being in ICU, she was up talking, and out of the woods of danger. They proceeded to tell me that she was feeling great and had asked to see me. They told us that she didn't remember much of anything during her coma, but she vividly remembers me singing to her and the peace she felt.

If that isn't enough for anyone to say "Thank You, God", it gets even better. That same day, we received the call from my husband's mother who has been battling Leukemia. She gave us the wonderful news that the leukemia had gone into remission.

I could go on with this gratitude list of just the past few days, but let me sum it all up to say this:
Gratitude is fertilizer for miracles to grow. The more gratitude you plant, the more blessings will grow.

What are you grateful for? Send me a comment and tell me why you are grateful. Let your gratitude become the latitude to your next level of increase!

Have a great week!

Attitude = Altitude

Victor Serebriakoff was born in the slums of East London. It was obvious that Victor was different than most children. While other kids were playing, he spent most of his time studying and asking questions at every chance. Even though he was a good student, Victor was ridiculed and labeled a dunce by the other kids because of his inquisitive nature. “I was chased home from school every day because I was the kid who put his hand up at every question,” he recalled. Circumstances finally forced Victor, at the age of sixteen, to drop out of school. For the next fifteen years, he bounced from one small job to another, growing more and more convinced that the kids were right.

One day Victor went through a psychological evaluation for prospective military officers. Included was an IQ test. This test would change his life forever. The results were astonishing. Victor had an IQ of 161! He was well beyond the minimum qualifications to be classified a genius.

Victor soon realized that the inquisitive nature that earned him the label “dunce” was not a curse, but a blessing of higher intelligence. From that day forward, Victor’s picture of himself began to change as his life was illuminated with new knowledge of his potential. He no longer saw himself as a dunce, but as a genius. What changed? Did Victor change? No. He was still the same person. The only thing that changed was his ability to see things differently. By changing Victor’s data input, his attitude about life changed. Victor Serebriakoff went on to author numerous books. He became a renowned inventor and later in life served as the Chairman of “Mensa International,” a society for innovators and individuals with exceptional IQs.

In the study of aviation the word attitude means: the positioning of an aircraft with respect to the relationship between its axes and the horizon or focal point. In other words, if the nose of the aircraft is above the horizon, it is said to have an “ascending” or positive attitude. If the nose of the aircraft is pointed below horizon, it is said to have a “descending” or negative attitude. The attitude of the aircraft determines the altitude.

You are destined for greatness. Like a well-equipped and manufactured aircraft, God has created you to soar above mediocrity and become His carrier of hope to the world around you. How well you do this will be determined primarily by your attitude in life. It has been said that a positive attitude won’t get you everywhere but it will take you much farther than a negative attitude.

(This text has been taken from my book: Mission Possible: Unleashing Your Full Potential To order, click here)

The Fastest Way To Get Rich

Ok, shout out to my buddy, Paula Broadbent this week. She and I took a little trip to Dallas, where I introduced her to one of my wholesale accessory stores. It is simply the most amazing wholesale store, full of thousands of items of jewelry, purses, belts, etc. It is truly an experience to walk into the store and see items that other stores would sell for over a hundred dollars on sale for twenty. When I take someone with me, I love watching their eyes when they see what items really cost. They are simply amazed.

Well, this time I took our Regional Director, my buddy Paula. She and her husband, Charlie, are dedicated to their Ultimate 180 Financial Freedom Plan. They have been diligently demolishing debt and working towards total freedom.

Yesterday, Paula went into the wholesale store with me giving herself a budget of $100. to spend in the store. I watched as she ooo’d and ahh’d over the many items she wanted. I was tickled watching her look at the prices and calculate her dollars. Of course, she didn't know I was enjoying her struggle as much as watching a good chick flick, but what happened in the process made me quite proud.

As I sat back and basked in the beauty of watching her budget her money, I have to tell you that I was thrilled as she walked up to the counter thinking she was at $100 in items. She thought to herself...."I did it! Charlie will be happy I didn't go over!"

Well....let me tell you...... that girl only spent $78. When the total rang up less than $100, she said, "Oh Shoot! I can spend more! Should I go back and get more?

I said, "No, walk away doing better than you planned and you will feel even better about the items you did get!"

Sure enough, she was so proud of herself for working below budget for a change. Way to go, girl. You are doing great on your 180 Financial Freedom Plan and on your way to a whole new world of freedom!

Did you know that the easiest way to get rich and live in financial freedom is not through some get rich scheme or lottery system? It is through your current income tied with good spending habits. If you will simply learn to spend less than you make, you will have "margin" or extra money each month that we can show you how to use to pay off debt or to put toward high interest investments.

Paula proved to herself that less is best and what a joy in feeling good at the end of the day!

To sign up for the Ultimate 180 Financial Freedom Course, click here and get started demolishing your debt today!

Silencing The Voice Of Depression

Recently one of our EMwomen Community members opened up to share her challenge with depression and voices that have recently lead her to thoughts of suicide. Knowing that depression is a major issue facing women across America and the world, I felt it important to open this as a discussion of us all.

Question: Is there anything I can do to stop this urge of suicide?

Answer: First let me introduce myself. I am Staci Wallace, the founder of EMwomen and I feel you at this very moment. Not because I can "imagine" your pain, but because I have lived it. There is nothing worse on earth than the voices of the soul (mind, will, and emotions) that echo through the heart of a woman saying, "you are worthless." "You are a failure." "Nobody cares if you are dead or alive." "Nothing you do matters anyway." "You are ugly." "Life is hopeless." "You'd be better off dead."

Those are just a few of the voices I was bombarded with in the most difficult season of my life. I had experienced abuse, divorce, rejection and the feelings of utter hopelessness. I remember being so suicidal and depressed that everything in my world seemed broken.

Yet, I was a Christian, who, deep down inside wanted to live. The struggle between life and death was so great that I, too, felt bipolar.

It wasn't until I realized that, although there were chemical reactions taking place within me that the medics could label bipolar, there was something even deeper within me that doctors couldn't see. For those who suffer from depression, the only way doctors know to "fix" you is to medicate you or try and talk you out of your state of anxiety.

Unfortunately, those approaches may help temporarily, but they don't treat the root issue......The heart.

Operating within you right now are two voices. It is the same two voices that echo within us all. One is the voice of the soul (your mind, will and emotions). That voice is completely influenced by your circumstances, your surroundings, your flesh, what you see, feel, experience on a daily basis. To be led by that voice means that you live life like being on a roller coaster. One day you're up, the next day you are down. And so you live with an unstable existence that seems to drive you crazy at times.

The other voice within us is the voice of our Spirit. The spirit voice is the voice most in tuned with God. Whether we are "Christians" or not, we are all "spiritual", meaning we have an innate part of our being that is "Spirit". Consider it the good little angel that sits on our shoulder trying to help us make good decisions.

Unfortunately, that voice often loses the fight against the soul voice and ends up watching us make poor decisions based on temporary circumstances or emotions.

Imagine this.....It's 10pm and you are watching TV. You’ve been trying to lose weight and you know that eating late at night is not the best thing for your "weightless plan". Still, you hear that "soul" voice say, "Cheeze Nips would sure be good right now!" "Doesn't a nice big Coke sound yummy!" Immediately the "spirit" voice declares in opposition, "Now that is probably not the best decision. I should go for a walk, drink a glass of water or have some turkey to tide me over."
And which voice usually wins out? You guessed it.... the Cheeze Nip Addict....the soul.

So how do we learn to silence those depressive, life destroying, dream destroying, and often suicidal voices of our emotions? Here is how I did it.

I realized that on my own, I couldn't win that battle. I also realized that I had made some foolish decisions that opened my heart up to some really crummy stuff that included sex, partying, lying and more. I needed a roto-rooter of the soul. I needed a cleansing of my mind, my will and my emotions. I needed a second chance at life with an entirely fresh start. I needed my past to stop haunting me and my future to illuminate the possibilities of life.

Here is what I did. I cried out to God to forgive me. I verbally asked for freedom from suicidal thoughts. I asked for freedom from the voices of opposition in my soul. I declared my freedom from a sinful lifestyle and told the voices of darkness within my soul that I was through listening to their banter.

I also asked God to heal my wounded spirit and place His Sprit within me. My spiritual self was not strong enough to win over darkness. I needed God's unlimited and ever so powerful Spirit to take me over.

In other words, I did an exchange with the only source of hope and destiny. I gave God my warn out, abused, ugly, stinky, hypocritical, analytical, prideful, depressed and negative soul. In return.....He gave me new life.

He gave me His Spirit through faith in Christ. I was raised a Christian, but never understood the value of the "great exchange" till that moment. I accepted a new Spirit within me and trusted that my future was in His hands because I was now a walking temple of His Spirit.

Things weren't perfect overnight, but in one night, the lights to my future became brighter than the darkness of my past.

Today, it is that very story of pain, depression and new life that fuels my passion for EMwomen. Rather than killing myself.....I chose to live....not for myself, but for others. My story no longer carries with it the pain and hurt of my past. Instead, the scars of my past have become stars of hope to light the way for people like you.

If I can make it....You can make it. One day, you will be the one righting this email to someone else giving them hope to never give up. Your best is yet to come and if you will simply make that "great exchange", you will begin to see the light.

Silence the voice of the enemy in your soul. Choose to acknowledge and submit to the voice of the Spirit that is shouting aloud saying, "Choose you this day, who will you serve?"

Leann.....choose life! I did and now my life is giving life to others. Let's do this together. I want to see you become a voice of dynamic hope and change for young women like yourself.

Please go to my page and listen to the song "Cinderella" over and over again. Meditate on its words. Listen to its message saying, "There is greatness in you....."

I believe in you and know that His Spirit is greater than anything you've ever faced. Once the voices are silenced within your soul.....Bipolar tendencies will become a thing of the past and your physical body and chemical challenges will subside.

Life.....Choose Life! I LOVE YOU!

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful, giving, sexy, overworked and often underappreciated mothers!!!! Today is a day of celebrating your greatness. Whether you are a seasoned veteran, a rookie in training, or a hopeful, expectant mother-to-be, I rejoice with you as such a valuable giver and nurturer of generations to come.

What an honor it is to be a mother. As I sit here in the early hours of morning, I give thanks to God for the privilege of partnering with Him and my husband in nurturing two precious children who will be catalysts of change in generations to come. Whether you are told often enough or not, Mom's, your life makes a difference. What you do on a daily basis matters, as the little ones you raise are watching your footsteps. What you say matters, as your children have ears like radars and pick up on every word. How you behave and the emotions you transmit daily are leaving an imprint on the heart of your children.

Today, on this very special day, I pray that each of us mothers will reflect on our personal leadership and ask ourselves, "Am I giving my best to the children I love the most? Am I living a life worthy of being followed?"

From my heart to yours, I pray that you feel celebrated today. You are an everyday Hero and worthy of honor. Enjoy your day! Treat yourself to a nap. Oh, go ahead and have a Bon Bon too! Then follow it up with a nice walk and give thanks to God for the joy of being a mom!

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

Try Pure NRG

I think the Miley Cyrus incident will serve as a great lesson for parents to teach their children why it is so important to think about the consequences of your decisions. When I read the blog posted by Lisa regarding Miley Cyrus, I could feel her dilemna as our kids, too, have been on the Hannah Montanah train. Our family has experienced the same concerns. Unfortunately, the mainstream music and entertainment industries have shown us that their number one priority is not the purity or preservation of our children's integrity. At the end of the day, it is all a money game and today....sex sells. It is sad, but true that a 15 year old like Miley would feel the need to bare all to show her "new maturity". The photographer who told her to take the shot is well know for her provacative nature and edgy photos so Miley's support team should have known better than to let it go that far.

Even more unfortunate is the accountability team around Miley that allowed her feel that taking your clothes off means maturity or purity. I have a hard time believing that it wasn't more pre-planned than that. I suppose they want us all to just sweep it under the rug just like the many drug charges, alchoholic outbursts, sex triangles other moral blunders artists seem to escape from everyday.

As a mother and woman who, too, has made mistakes, I will completely forgive the incident and trust that Miley and her family will make better decisions in the future. In the meantime, we will protect our children from allowing such "role models" to influence their choices by continuing to buy their products blindly. I agree with Lisa that it is risky to let just anyone be the role model to our kids. The best answer is to provide alternatives and make sure that what you are teaching and showing them at home in your own life is worthy of being followed.

As for our kids, we went out this weekend and found a Christian alternative to Hannah Montanah. It is a young teen goup call Pure NRG. It consists of two girls and a BOY! My son is thrilled to have a boy in the mix when all he has heard is about girls, girls, girls. Their words and music are great and even better, we are teaching our kids to follow the message and not the messenger.

Their website is: www.purenrgonline.com

Try Pure NRG

I think the Miley Cyrus incident will serve as a great lesson for parents to teach their children why it is so important to think about the consequences of your decisions. When I read the blog posted by Lisa regarding Miley Cyrus, I could feel her dilemna as our kids, too, have been on the Hannah Montanah train. Our family has experienced the same concerns. Unfortunately, the mainstream music and entertainment industries have shown us that their number one priority is not the purity or preservation of our children's integrity. At the end of the day, it is all a money game and today....sex sells. It is sad, but true that a 15 year old like Miley would feel the need to bare all to show her "new maturity". The photographer who told her to take the shot is well know for her provacative nature and edgy photos so Miley's support team should have known better than to let it go that far.

Even more unfortunate is the accountability team around Miley that allowed her feel that taking your clothes off means maturity or purity. I have a hard time believing that it wasn't more pre-planned than that. I suppose they want us all to just sweep it under the rug just like the many drug charges, alchoholic outbursts, sex triangles other moral blunders artists seem to escape from everyday.

As a mother and woman who, too, has made mistakes, I will completely forgive the incident and trust that Miley and her family will make better decisions in the future. In the meantime, we will protect our children from allowing such "role models" to influence their choices by continuing to buy their products blindly. I agree with Lisa that it is risky to let just anyone be the role model to our kids. The best answer is to provide alternatives and make sure that what you are teaching and showing them at home in your own life is worthy of being followed.

As for our kids, we went out this weekend and found a Christian alternative to Hannah Montanah. It is a young teen goup call Pure NRG. It consists of two girls and a BOY! My son is thrilled to have a boy in the mix when all he has heard is about girls, girls, girls. Their words and music are great and even better, we are teaching our kids to follow the message and not the messenger.

Their website is: http://www.purenrgonline.com/

She Opened Her Eyes!

I had the distinct privilege of singing for a beautiful young lady in the ICU in Dallas, Texas today. She had a brain aneurism and has been in a coma for about a week. Today, as I began to sing for her, she opened her eyes and just looked at me. What an amazing site, as we have been praying for her the whole time we've been here with Larry's mom. As we continue to watch Larry's mom regain total health, we are in constant prayer for Laura, the young lady fighting through the brain surgery. She is the mother of four young children and today was a wonderful day of promising hope for her. If you remember, pray for her total recovery and for the strength of her entire family.

She's Moving Up To 7-11

Thank you so much for all of the prayers for Larry's Mom. She has certainly been a "miracle" in action. She has progressively gotten better and better, stronger and stronger. Today, she was up and walking. She is completely off the oxygen and high potent meds. In fact today, she was "tube" free for the first time in a week.

What that means is DOING GREAT!!!! Larry and I just spoke with the head doctor and he assured us that she is moving out of ICU today. In fact, we just finished decorating her new room with balloons, cards and beautiful music. And get this; her new room number is 711. I asked them if that room comes with all you can drink slushees! We are so excited and it is a huge move towards mom's divine recovery.

We have seen so many divine moments along the way in this journey. Beyond mom's miracle, we have had the chance to minister hope and love to so many other families in ICU. Mom says that she knows, now, that God is not finished with her yet and that His plan is to use her to do something great with the life she has left.

I think we can all learn from this example and I pray that it doesn't take a near death experience for us to know that God has a plan and purpose for our lives. Use your life to the fullest. Embrace every moment as if it were your last. Live for the beauty of giving life and hope to others. And let your life, your words and your desire be that of becoming a catalyst of change in the lives of those around you!

Miracle Recovery

Thank you, everyone, for your continued prayers for mom. Sunday was like a roller coaster ride with plenty of ups and downs that had everyone searching for a divine miracle for mom. It was recommended that I come down immediately to assess the situation because mom was not doing well at all.

So here's what happened: Last week when mom was admitted back in the hospital, her leukemia cells had reached up to 95%. They immediately placed her on chemo to get the number down. The good news is that it worked so good that her count came down to 1.5%, which was awesome!! The problem was with the speed of the cells being destroyed so quickly created a lot of waste and by products in the body that needed to be eliminated. So, imagine a river that's jammed with a bunch of dead logs, the water has no where to go. Mom's kidneys became a clogged, which created a chain of reactions that included her pressure to her heart and lungs.

The doctors were going to put her on a dialysis machine to help take pressure off the kidneys. As the situation grew more critical, doctors suggested we call in the rest of the family. The chaplain took time with mom and quite honestly, we realized the need for an immediate miracle.

In addition to her kidneys, mom was experiencing a dramatically elevated heart rate and fast shallow breathes. They ended up putting a contraption on mom's face that looked like something fresh out of a Star Wars movie that helped mom control her breathing while the doctors scratched their heads looking at x-rays, sonograms, and CT scans. They finally concluded that the right side of mom's heart was not performing at an optimum level. The right side is responsible for pushing blood into the lungs to receive oxygen.

As you can imagine, we quickly flew into the mode of "calling all prayers". We began calling everyone we knew who believed in prayer. My wife, Staci drove down and at 6:00 we came together and prayed along with the prayers of so many other people. Staci began to sing worship songs over mom as she struggled to breath. After an hour, she seemed to be stabilizing and a peace came over her. At 7:00pm, they asked us to step out so they could do a shift change.

We came back in the room at 7:30pm and she was the vision of a miracle in action. She was sitting up in her bed, the Star Wars Oxygen mask was gone and she was able to speak clearly, something she hadn't been able to do in 36 hours. Her heartrate was normal and she her kidneys pulled through and started to create the out-put she needed to bring more balance to her system. The doctors canceled the dialysis machine and are very pleased with the new results. Of course, we believe in miracles and know she is a miracle in action.

Staci and I finished the night with her as she watched Dancing With The Stars and "The Bachelor". What a joy to see such a beautiful turnaround. We all slept well.

Today, Mom is sustaining her progress. She is talking more and more clearly and has even found the energy to be her spunky self, telling Pops what to do and sparring with the doctors. She is still in ICU and have put together a list of things we are all praying to happen. Please pray with us for the following things:

• We need her heart rate to stay stabilized in the normal zone.
• Her lungs still need to get rid of more of the waste fluid that had built up over the past few days.
• Pray for her blood sugar to normalize as it has been elevated today. That could have something to do with the fact that they have had her on only liquids.
• Continue to pray for the strength and health of her organs.
• Pray for her bone marrow to produce healthy red and white blood cells and healthy platelets.
• And of course, pray for the leukemia to go away….forever!

Once these happen and she is completely stabilized, they will move her back to her normal floor. Of course, she is believing to skip the "normal floor" and head straight home instead! I love her faith and am so proud of her fighting spirit.

Thank you everyone for standing strong with us and praying for mom. Please continue to pray. Mom has literally thousands of people praying for her all around the world. We know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that those prayers are working. Let's finish this miracle strong together.

Thank you for your friendship and prayers.

Listening To A Higher Voice

Today we received the phone call that my husband's mother had taken a turn for the worse. She is fighting cancer and they advised him to head down to Texas to be with her immediately. As you can imagine, when one receives a call like that your heart drops and your thoughts try to go south, hijacking your emotions along with them. Fortunately, my husband and I have learned to listen past the voices of emotions and even past the prognosis of doctors and take time to be still in times of greatest conflict. It is in those still moments that we tend to hear God's voice most clearly. Today, despite the horrible thoughts that try to invade our minds, we could hear another voice, the voice of God's Spirit say, "Be still and know that I am God and I can turn this obstacle into an opportunity. Only Believe. Put your trust in me and I will give you peace in the midst of the storm." It always amazes me that peace really does come when we take our eyes off of our challenge and put them on God, the ONE who can take all things, even cancer and turn them around for our good. Stay tuned as we unveil the beauty of this opportunity that has come our way today!

Changing of Seasons

As I sit here looking out my window, I am simply amazed at the beauty of the transitioning seasons. I planted flowers this week and love the feeling of stepping back after the old, dried flowers are removed and the beauty of the new blooms are in place. I feel the same sense of accomplishment when I hear the stories of the families being changed by our books and EMwomen efforts. It is a real pick me up when I see the things we are doing changing the way people think about their future. Last night I received an email from a woman who was once filled with depression and fear due to their finances and has suddenly found hope and expectation since reading my new book. She said, "I feel as though I see the light at the end of the tunnel." I have to tell you that little emails like that make me want to keep doing what we are doing. I pray that your day is filled with the right information that brings you hope, joy and a sense of expectancy for the future. Consider the things you are reading, watching and spending your time with daily. Are they moving you closer to your dreams? Are they propelling your consciousness towards a better future? Are they inspiring you to take action on a new beginning where the old patterns of your past are uprooted and new blooms for a more productive future are their replacement? Try this today: Instead of spending your time on pointless activities or entertainment, consider reading, studying or involving yourself in activities that move you towards your dreams and goals. Then send me an email and let me know how it feels!

Reflection of God's Love

Last night was quite special as my husband arrived home from spending time with his mom in Texas. Larry's mom is fighting cancer and being prepped for a bone marrow transplant. I am simply amazed at how God works in mysterious ways. Despite the nastiness of the disease, God has used cancer to win my mother-in-law's heart. I look at how cancer has changed her, not for the worse, but it has changed her life from the inside-out and she has become a beautiful reflection of God's love. We are standing in faith for a miracle for her and know that what seems to man to be impossible, with God....All things are possible! I am spending the rest of the day today working on my message for EMwomen tonight. Don’t miss Chapter Four of The Ultimate 180 Financial Freedom Plan at www.emwomen.com .

Hit’n the Road

Today has been quite busy as we continue the effort to solidify the partnerships and alignments necessary for EMwomen to have an international presence and impact women around the globe.

I have been invited to 11 countries in the last three weeks to take EMwomen to women who need hope and empowerment in other nations. We are seeking God’s wisdom on which to hit first and to make sure we don’t move prematurely on those efforts.

Our Member’s Only section of our sites is almost completed, which will afford us a lot more freedom to release content to those with our community.

Yesterday, I was asked to speak at a women’s correctional facility that holds over 1200 women who could use a dose of hope for their future. I appreciate those of you who continue to support our efforts through EMwomen.com and look forward to giving you more updates soon!

Together, we are empowering women to change their world!

Have a fantastic day. Your best is yet to come!

Spending Addicts

What a fantastic time we had at our EMcircles last night as we continued our journey into my new book, “The Ultimate 180 Financial Freedom Plan”. I am simply amazed when I hear the impact debt is having on women and their marriages. One lady came to me and told me that her addiction to spending is so severe that she is willing to steal, lie and borrow when she finds something she really wants from the store. She told me how she goes to the grocery store, buys extra food and then returns it for cash so her husband doesn’t know what she is doing. Her deception and addiction to spending has forged a wedge between them that has etched away at the core of their relationship.

The interesting thing is that they make a lot of money. Unfortunately, she is spending more than they make! Her addiction to “stuff” has forced her husband to cut her off from all credit cards. She sounded like a drug addict needing a quick fix and willing to do anything to find or steal the money to do so. Watching her take a stand and begin the process to financial freedom brings me the deepest joy. I am thrilled to see this book changing lives and inspiring lasting hope in people each day. The book is not yet released, however, you can get your pre-release download at www.emwomen.com

It’s inspiring to see women put a stake in the sand and begin taking action to improve their lives. I thank God for using me to be a catalyst to bring hope, clarity and a strategic plan for women like my friend. What a ride!

No Small Dreams

Today was such a busy day in Dallas as we continue to stream with producers, writers and visionaries on our upcoming production.

I have so much in my spirit that longs to be released, but I am deeply aware of the need for patience in the process. Sometimes I find myself wanting everything immediately and yet I realize that you can’t rush the evolution of God’s richest creations. Just as you can’t rush the change of a butterfly’s development in the cocoon or the growth of a baby in the womb, this, too shall take time and patience. I pray for peace in the journey and resolve to never give up.

Each day, more pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Yesterday we met with a precious man who is the founder of one the most effective global aid organizations in the world. We are looking to link EMwomen with one of those organizations and to birth a global women’s campaign that connects the hearts of women in America with women in need around the world. More to come….

Wolfgang Van Goethe once said, “Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the heart of man.” Dream Big!