THE STICKY NOTE SERIES
Welcome to the Sticky Note Series!
My desk is against a wall between two windows. On that wall, right above where my computer sits, I have 28 sticky notes (and counting). At the center of this grid, I have a promise God gave me two years ago that I live the fulfillment of every day. To the left, I have my church’s mission, vision, and values. I have friends’ prayer requests, affirmations to start my day, verses, and quotes from books and sermons. This wall has, unexpectedly, become a point of inspiration. It wasn’t curated or designed with thought. It’s just post-its with words written in black pen or Sharpie. Yet, there’s so much truth and power on these little notes… they almost seem frail when I think about the weight (of the words) they carry. That reminds me of another place where we find life-giving words. To some, they’re just small-font words on thin paper between two leather covers, and to others, they’re the words that shape our identity, destiny, and lives. The Bible has so much to give us, God is so generous. My hope with this series is to keep the posts short, simple, and easy to read. And as I share the words I’ve written on my sticky notes, we might discover together, the words He is writing on our hearts.
Today’s sticky note says:
I have decided to cultivate a life that is lived. There are big dreams and goals ahead, and oftentimes, I find that I’m living what I prayed for but haven’t stopped to enjoy it because I’m ready to move on to the next thing on my list. I am not suggesting that we grow complacent, however, I am intentionally pausing throughout my day to really live in it.
What answered prayers did I wake up to today?
What transferred from my book of dreams to my calendar and to-do list?
How have I grown through my experiences?
What blessings can I embrace and celebrate today that I waited for before?
I’m sure there are big things we can think of. Maybe you’re living in the house you prayed for, or you have the job you dreamt of, or you got to take that big trip you saved up for. But what about all the little things?
Yesterday, I was finishing up my job hunt for the day and caught a glimpse of the sunset coming in through my window from the corner of my eye. I turned my chair toward the window and just sat in silence. I breathed and took it in. What a sight to see. The orange tones mixed with the purple hues captivated my attention.
This morning, after cleaning the kitchen after breakfast, before going back to my desk, I stood in the backyard for 20 seconds to take a deep breath, wrapped my hands around my cup of coffee, and gave thanks for a beautiful day.
What we focus on expands. What if the life we want is not ¨out there¨ with more things, but rather, right in front of us, around us, within us?
I am a naturally driven person. I want to keep getting stronger at the gym, travel to new places, work where I add value, build a family, impact my community, and create content that connects with people. I want to keep growing, learning, and expanding. It’s actually Biblical to do so (Genesis 2, Isaiah 54, Matthew 28). So again, I’m not saying I will stop working towards those dreams and goals. But I have found that gratitude for today is great fuel to keep me going. When I feel unexcited to get out of bed, I think to myself, ¨How many people would love to be able to get out of bed today?¨ So I get up and thank God that I am healthy and able to stand. When I am feeling unmotivated at the gym (because no matter how much cardio I do, the evidence of sweets won’t go away!), I consider how many women would love to have my weight and strength. These are just a few examples of how perspective can promote gratitude. And gratitude has great power. A teacher of mine said that gratitude is actually a weapon of spiritual warfare. ¨Thankfulness combats sin because it shifts our focus from what we don’t have to what we do have. Thankfulness is the path to contentment.¨
That being said, friend, pay attention to all the answered prayers, the dreams that have come true, how much you’ve grown, and all the blessings that surround you today.
