InCouragements Insight - Completion

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“Life is full of starters, But there are only a few finishers”
Dr.Robb Thompson

When I read the above quote it hit me hard in my belly, I was like WOW! See, I have started many things in my life, but I have not completed many. How many of you feel the same way? I'm sure a lot of you feel like I do.

So many of us start many things such as businesses, ministries, marriages, relationships, school, jobs etc., but how many of us have completed these things. To complete something is to carry it out, to follow it through and to fulfill the purpose.. My question is why don’t we complete tasks, mandates, assignments, projects that are given to us? Why do we let them falter away, disappear, or just ignore them?

I believe there are several reasons we are not in a completion status in our lives, but here are a two major ones that I believe keep us from fulfillment:

1. Fear – Fear makes us run, and reject things in our lives. Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real, so what we see in front of us scares and intimidates us. We are scared of failing, rejection and not being able to follow through. In 2 Timothy 1:7 is state that God has not given us a spirit of fear. So, when we allow fear in we become stagnate, or just stuck.

2. Direction – When we have no direction, we will never complete such things. Most important we need direction from God for every area in our lives. If we follow God’s directives, we will have successful businesses, ministries, marriages, relationships and so forth. In Psalms 37:23 it states “The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]. Without the direction of God in our lives we just go in circles, or we are in a maze and cannot find the way out.

When we allow mandates and assignments to be left in an incomplete status, we are affecting purpose in our lives and possibly others lives also.

Ponder on this, Jesus had an assignment, that was to die on the cross for us, to take care of our sins. Just think if he had not carried that assignment out, I would not be writing to you now. Don’t you think Jesus was fearful, scared and just wanted to walk away? But He knew this was not just about Him, He knew he had to fulfill purpose.

“And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” Mark 14:36

So, let’s start completing things in our lives, let's stop leaving unfinished business.

LET’S BE FINISHERS!

Be InCouraged
Mechell Bridges

InCouragements Insight

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InCouragements

LIFE Life is not an easy journey, but it is a journey we must take. Life will give you many detours, road changes, and red lights. Life will sometimes knock you down, beat you up, and make you cry. Life will make you sad, reject you, hurt you and be unfair to you. Life can become mundane, stuck, idle, and not give you any directions. Life might give us hard tasks, but we can make life an awesome journey by our choices. Choose to get up and make life an enjoyable journey for you. Choose to get up, make a stand and fight for your life. Choose to make new plans and visions for your life. Choose to stand against the detours, road changes and red lights. Choose to live life to the fullest. Be InCouraged Mechell

InCouragements Insight

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InCouragements Insight - Love & Commitment

Hi InCouragements family, I know it has been a while, but I have been so busy with Taylor, parents, and other things this summer.

The highlight so far of my summer was helping my dear friend Yvette plan her 25th wedding anniversary celebration which took place on last Saturday. That's right 25 years, I was so proud of her and her husband, their commitment to each other and to their family is amazing. They have had their share of ups and downs, happy times and sad times, and issues and problems, but through all of it, they both the key word being (both) decided to commit to one another and their kids. Even while planning this celebration, my friend endured some obstacles, setbacks, and even a little arguing with the hubby, but on that day when I looked at the both of them and how much love and commitment they have for one another, you understood how they had made it to 25 years.

It made me think of things in my own life that had become a success, such as my precious daughter, my family, my best friendships, finishing school etc. When I took a look at these successes the common factors were love and commitment and all parties taking a part. My daughters is a success because of my love and commitment to her, but also because she participates on being the best kid she can be. My family and friend relationships are a success because all parties involved are participating with love and commitment to one another. Me finishing school and starting school again is due to my love and commitment to school, but also my family's and Taylor's father's love and commitment to me, by watching Taylor and assisting me while in school.

So, I say to you today whatever you want to succeed or become a success, put all your love and commitment into it. It could be a loved one, a child, a business, a friendship, whatever it is do not give up or allow it to become a failure, decide today to love it with all you have and commit to it with all your energy. Also, remember that with some of this to become a success the other party will need to give all their love and commitment too, so pray for that to take place.

Thanks Yvette & Cecil for showing me what love and commitment brings about.

Be InCouraged
Mechell

InCouragements Insight

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Courage - the ability to face fear, danger, pain, loss; the ability to show strength and bravery


Courage is one of those emotions that takes everything within you in order to move forward. Courage goes way down deep within you to find the strength to push past the fear of the task ahead, the situation and the ability to take action.

Courage = Strength
Courage = Boldness
Courage = Adventure
Courage = Determination
Courage = Guts
Courage = Power
Courage = Fearlessness
Courage = Bravery

Courage will take you to different levels and new levels, courage will open doors and close doors. Courage will help you face truths and make necessary decisions. Courage will allow you to step out on faith and take action.

Courage is the base or suffix to the word "encourage" which means to inspire with courage.

So, find your courage and embrace the opportunities.

Incouragable Quote:

"Courage is magnified, when fear is diminished".

Mechell

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Mechell

Happy Fathers Day!

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I know mothers get more attention and credit than fathers, especially when it comes to celebrating these holidays. I have always ponder on why this is, because fathers are so key to our children and the family makeup and it's structure.

When the father who is the head is not key, there is a possibility of a breakdown within the family. I know most of my single mothers will not agree with me, because you do such a awesome job as mother and father. As a single mother myself I too used to think that Taylor is fine with me just raising her, and that I just have to work harder to show that I can do both, but that is not the case. When I decided to stop being superwoman and trying to prove something and allow Taylor's dad to do his part in her life, I saw my daughter transform due to her fathers love and attention towards her. Of course she would benefit more if he lived in the same house, but that's not a possibility, so you live with what is possible. So my fellow single mothers allow fathers to do their part, and pray for your kids fathers if he is a absent father. Pray that God deals with his conscious and heart when it comes to his children.

Fathers are key to our daughters and sons, they show our daughters what to expect from men, how to demand respect from them and to become leaders as they grow. Fathers teach our sons how to be great men, be leaders, how to treat woman, and to grow up and be heads of households. Fathers show our children how to be strong, responsible, and leaders, our kids need these traits.

Fathers you are very important in your child's life more than you think. Yes we carried them for nine months, and they are attached to us, but you carry such a special bond with your children that will effect their lives as adult men and women.

As I close I pray for fathers to be the best fathers they are supposed to be in their child's lives. I pray mercy and grace for fathers who need to restore relationships with their children. I pray favor for fathers who want to be part of their child's lives, but are being rejected and prevented, due to bitterness and unforgiveness on the other person part. I pray for fathers who are incarcerated, and in the armed forces. I pray blessings over step-fathers, and foster fathers, and grandpas and uncles that have stepped in as fathers. Most important I pray favor, blessing, and goodness over all fathers that go over and beyond to be the best fathers in their child's life. We say thank you for your sacrifice, unconditional love, responsibility, and for making your children your number one priority.

Happy Father's Day!!!

Mechell

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InCouragements Insight - Angel

Angel

Angel - A kind and lovable person; one who manifests goodness, purity, and selflessness.

Today's InCouragement is a challenge for all of you to InCourage someone else this month. I want all of you to be an Angel of some sort the next month, a Angel is someone that gives out, does something out of the ordinary for someone else. You all know that I love to do for people it's just naturally apart of how God made me, and I will continue this until my death.

Let me explain why I am asking this of you. On yesterday I received another one of those awesome blessing's from a stranger. I was at a boutique I patronized at times, and so you see some of the same familiar faces, so there was a lady who I had seen at times there in a gorgeous rust color dress. So I made the comment you look so beautiful in that color, and she said thank you and smiled, and said good to see you, have not seen you in here lately. We made small talk and then she paid for her purchases and left the store. Once I got through trying on items, I then proceeded to the register to pay for my items. As I pulled out my credit card to pay for my purchase the owner whom I know said your purchases have been paid for already. So, I said what? Why? She said that a person wishes to remain unknown wanted to bless you, becasue you blessed her. So, I was standing there stunned, in tears and sort of confused, becausee I was wondering why, someone would do this for me. So, the owner completed my transaction bagged up my items, and then handed me a envelope, and she said read it once you get in the car.

The envelope contained a simple note that said and I quote" thanks for always encouraging me, and making me feel good about me, every time I see you in here you always tell me or the other ladies how pretty or beautiful we are". she also said that I was having a very bad day emotionally and it was wearing me down, but just your smile and comment made me feel better about me, she then said you are an angel.

Ya'll know me I was crying so hard, my face looked like I had been crying for hours. To make a long story short I ended up getting her info from the owner and calling her, we had a very in depth conversation that was an eye opener for me. What you realize is that no matter how someone looks at face value, we all have our own issues, problems and troubles. So, sometimes just a smile can brighten someones days, or kind words.

So, I challenge each and every one of you to be an "InCouraging Angel" for the next month. Let me give you some examples because it does not have to always be financial:

• Pay for the persons lunch behind you this week, a stranger not someone you know.
• Pay for someone else gas this week.
• Baby-sit for a single parent this week.
• Take a single parent to dinner or a movie.
• Baby-sit for a married couple on this week, so that they can go out and enjoy their selves.
• Present a married couple with a gift card for dinner or tickets to the movie.
• Send your close friend to the spa for the day.
• Pay for someone's hair appointment on this week.
• Ask an elderly person on your block if you can pick up their prescriptions or some groceries.
• Go visit a nursing home and read to the seniors, or go pray for them.
• Cook dinner for your neighbor this week.
• Mow your neighbor's lawn or help with their yard work this week.
• Buy your neighbors some flowers for their yard.
• Buy someone's grocery in the grocery store this week, or put $10 - $20 dollars towards the bill.
• Ask a co-worker if they need assistance with a project on this week.
• Buy pastries for your team at work on this week.
• Give flowers to a stranger on this week; or send someone you have not talk to in a while some flowers.
• Empower someone you know this week with your mouth, let them know how special they are build them up.

These are just a few things, but there is so much more we can do, we constantly complain about this world and the people in it but we can make the difference by being "InCouraging Angels". I will constantly beseech you "The InCouragement Community" to be the Angels that God wants us to be, I hope you support me in this endeavor.

Write me back on for the next month at mechell29@yahoo.com and let me know what "InCouraging Angel" act of kindness you did. I would also like to know how it made you feel, I'm always telling Taylor that I get a real joy when I can do for others, it just makes me so happy. I told her if God gave me millions I would probably bless so many people, because I love to see the happiness, and gratefulness on others faces when they receive gifts of kindness, I get super elated!

Also, forward this email to others so that they can participate in these acts of kindness. Have an awesome week being an Angel!

InCouragement Scripture:

A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.
- Proverbs 18:16 (Amp)

Be Incouraged

Mechell

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InCouragements Insight - Voices

Have you ever felt very overwhelmed in the head, like there are too many thoughts or voices racing inside your head? Have you ever felt like the thoughts in your head do not line up or agree with your plan or more important God’s plan for your life? Have you ever felt like the voices in your head are competing against one another and causing chaos in your life? If you said yes to any of these, I guess your question to me would be “how do I handle this”?.

Dr Robb Thompson of Family Harvest Church says the following:

The only way to get a handle on the “undertow” of your life is to actively discern the source of all the voices in your head. Many of us really have no idea what is happening when our thoughts seem to go awry. We think there is something wrong with us. We think that somehow we have suddenly become as carnal men, and that our spiritual walk falls short of what it should be. If you received Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life, any thoughts in your mind that are contrary to God’s Word are not your thoughts. How do I know this? Proverbs 12:5 (KJV) says, “The thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.” God declared you righteous—not based upon what you do, but upon what Jesus did.

I personally know how it feels to be overwhelmed and feel like your life is chaotic and all out of sorts. I know how it feels to be so all over the place that you do not know how to bring peace back into the situation.

When we allow the voices in our head to take over our lives, we have allowed the enemy to defeat us. Stop letting the enemy use his small voice in your head, stop letting his voice say these things to you:

• Your life will all ways be like this unproductive and useless
• Your kids will never amount to anything
• Your husband will never change
• You will always be broke
• You will always be left, rejected and alone
• You will always be last
• You will never succeed at your plans for your life
• You will never go back to school
• You will never have someone to fall in love with
• You will never have your own business
• You will always be at this job that is so unfulfilling
• You will never have the family that you desire
• You will never be free of your addiction
• Your family will never be restored, and come back together again
• You have the worst luck
• You will never restore your relationship with Jesus, because of your past
STOP!!!!!!
Starts using your own voices in your head, by letting them proceed out of your mouth. Look at what the definition of voice is - a wish, choice, or opinion openly or formally expressed. So, start expressing your OWN VOICE AND MOST IMPORTANT GOD'S VOICE!


Study Scriptures:
Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose. Proverbs 18:21(Message)

Be InCouraged
Mechell

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InCouragements Insight - Completion

“Life is full of starters, But there are only a few finishers”
Dr.Robb Thompson

When I read the above quote it hit me hard in my belly, I was like WOW! See, I have started many things in my life, but I have not completed many. How many of you feel the same way? I'm sure a lot of you feel like I do.

So many of us start many things such as businesses, projects, assignments, mandates, tasks etc., but how many of us have completed these things. To complete something is to carry it out, to follow it through and to fulfill the purpose. My question is why don’t we complete tasks, mandates, assignments, projects that are given to us? Why do we let them falter away, disappear, or just ignore them?

I believe there are several reasons we are not in a completion status in our lives, but here are a two major ones that I believe keep us from fulfillment:

1. Fear – Fear makes us run, and reject things in our lives. Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real, so what we see in front of us scares and intimidates us. We are scared of failing, rejection and not being able to follow through. In 2 Timothy 1:7 is states that God has not given us a spirit of fear. So, when we allow fear in we become stagnate, or just stuck.

2. Direction – When we have no direction, we will never complete such things. Most important we need direction from God for every area in our lives. If we follow God’s directives, we will have successful businesses, ministries, marriages, relationships and so forth. In Psalms 37:23 it states “The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]. Without the direction of God in our lives we just go in circles, or we are in a maze and cannot find the way out. Read the story of the children of Israel, it should have only taken days to get to the promise land, but they instead were disobedient, whining, and complaining, and it took longer.

When we allow mandates and assignments to be left in an incomplete status, we are affecting purpose in our lives and possibly others lives also. Do you know that your purpose in life affects others, remember this life is not only about us, it's about how do we help others become all that God purposed them to be.

Ponder on this, Jesus had an assignment, that was to die on the cross for us, to take care of our sins. Just think if he had not carried that assignment out, I would not be writing to you now. Don’t you think Jesus was fearful, scared and just wanted to walk away? But He knew this was not just about Him, He knew he had to fulfill purpose.

“And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” Mark 14:36

So, let’s start completing things in our lives, let's stop leaving unfinished business.

LET’S BE FINISHERS!

Be InCouraged
Mechell

InCouragements Insight - Vision

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What is Your Vision?

Vision is a conception that is inspired by God in the heart of a human.

Why are you here? Do you know why you exist? Do you know why you were born? Do you have a vision that you are working towards? How are you facing each day? Is it the same monotonous, repetitive, mundane, routine, tedious, dull, boring everyday scene? Do you wake up on any given day and say I love what I’m doing; this is what I was born to do? Or better yet on Sunday evening do you start dreading Monday morning? Do you wake up and ask yourself and God when will things change, I know this is not what was planned for my life?

Have you allowed your vision to come to light? Or do you just exist daily with no vision? Have you allowed your present circumstances or situations to take over your vision? Without vision life has no meaning, life becomes hopeless.

If you said yes to any of these questions, you do not have a vision for your life. Or you do have a vision but you are not working towards that vision. Ask yourself is there a correlation between your job and your vision? I bet most of your answers are no, and that’s why you daily wake up feeling lost, drained, frustrated, hopeless, and unfulfilled.

A visionless life is a poverty-stricken existence.

Dr. Myles Munroe says that “It’s depressing and frustrating to have an idea for years that you haven’t yet seen come to pass”. Some of you have had so many dreams and visions that are still unfulfilled, and now you are weary to even dream anymore, so you become complacent and settle into life as it is. I promise you will never be happy living this way, because God designed you uniquely with a vision or visions in your heart to carry out. Eventually you will become depressed, discouraged, frustrated, bitter, hopeless, and you will feel liek a failure.

You were born to carry out your vision!

Today I say to you stop burying the vision or visions God gave you. Stop living a life so unfulfilled that you just exist. Unlock the closed doors and accomplish what God has placed in your heart to conceive. Step out of your comfort zone and step out on faith.

Discover Your Vision!

And when you discover your vision it will give you a passion. In Ecclesiastes 9:10 is states “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

Vision is the source and hope of life !

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs29:18

Be InCouraged

Mechell

InCouragements Insight - Life

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InCouragements Insight

Life

Life is not an easy journey, but it is a journey we must take.
Life will give you many detours, road changes, and red lights.
Life will sometimes knock you down, beat you up, and make you cry.
Life will make you sad, reject you, hurt you and be unfair to you.
Life can become mundane, stuck, idle, and not give you any directions.
Life might give us hard tasks, but we can make life an awesome journey by our choices.
Choose to get up and make life an enjoyable journey for you.
Choose to get up, make a stand and fight for your life.
Choose to make new plans and visions for your life.
Choose to stand against the detours, road changes and red lights.
Choose to live life to the fullest.

Be InCouraged
Mechell

InCouragements Insight

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InCouragements Insight

Good Morning All,

I woke up this morning feeling very sad, disappointed, hopeless, fed up, alone, lonely, like a failure, and not encouraged or empowered. So, once I got to work I decided to clean out my personal email box, and of course I stumbled upon an email that someone had sent me a while back. It's titled "Handbook 2010" and it's very profound, while reading this email, it made me think and feel a little better. So, I share this with you , and if you feel hopeless, sad, and not real empowered at the moment, I hope this make you feel better.

Be InCouraged
Mechell

HANDBOOK 2010

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

InCouragements Insight

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InCouragements Insight - Your Authentic Self

Authentic - not false or copied; genuine; real

The other day I was talking to one of my daughter's teachers, and as we ended the conversation, she says to me and I quote "Ms. Bridges you are authentic, and it makes it a pleasure to talk to you". I was in shock and speechless when she said this, because coming from a very intelligent woman who I actually admire, it was good to hear that she thought of me that way.

When I got off the phone with her, I continued to think of the things she said and especially the word authentic. This world is full of so many fake, and false things and people who are the same way, that it is a rarity to meet real people. I have been told I'm real and trustworthy before but authentic is something different.

The more and more I thought about this word, I wonder how many of us walk around really pretending, we pretend we are happy, we pretend we like people, we pretend we have good relationships, we pretend we have a relationship with God, in essence we are just pretenders. Being a pretender or false takes a lot of work, because you are constantly having to remember what you are trying to pretend to be and keep on a face.

I used to pretend that I was loved, and thought about from others, but the reality was that I was rejected constantly by men and people I wanted to be my friends. So, when I established a relationship with God, he showed me real love and how to be my real self. My real self was being an encourager, doing for others, and embracing others, by showing them love. As I have done this over the years, I am not always accepted, people still reject me at times, people are back and forth with me as if they are still trying to decide if they want to be friends with me, and I don't always receive the authentic person from these people. Instead of feeling rejected and left out I continue to do what I was created to do and that is to be my Authentic Self, and as human I still feel hurt by these actions, but I now know the problem is not always me.

So, I say to you today start today being the "Authentic" you, if you are already well good for you. But remember by being your Authentic Self you also representing you and God. The other thing she told me and I have heard lately from others is that I had such a spiritual side to me that made them want to seek after whatever I believed in. One person told me I had a light that was so attractive to others. I'm not saying these things to build me up, what I am trying to say is we reach people by being our authentic Self.

The comments I heard from others were that I was approachable, always trying to help others, and always available to listen. One person said people nowadays have attitudes, where you look at them and are scared to approach them, they don't offer their selves. The other day I was in a meeting at my job with a lady that I have known for quite sometime now, after the meeting she just started talking to me about personal things that were going on in her life. After she finish talking she said I know this seems strange but I felt you would listen, becasue you always have this smile on your face and it seems genuine. Remember Jesus reached out to the people as he walked city to city and he allowed the people to touch him. Jesus was approachable because he was Authentic.

So I say this today, stop being absorbed with your self and your stuff, stop being mean, and unapproachable. If you are a child of God there is this light about you that others attract to, and want to be a part of. Learn to let others in besides your clique of people you prefer, you never know what that might need from you. I do know that they need your AUTHENTIC SELF!!!!


Be InCouraged
Mechell

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InCouragements Insight - Beautiful, Loving, & Valuable

As I sit here on my computer typing and listening to Jill Scott and MJB on my iPod, I heard some of their lyrics, and the words beautiful, loving, and valuable came to my mind.

It made me think about us as humans (men and women) how we feel about ourselves do we feel beautiful, loved, and valuable without someone else voicing it to us? So many of us are co-dependent on others in our lives to constantly approve and validate us. Our self-esteem is such in a tattered state that we need the people we care about to love us with their voices, by speaking “You are beautiful”, You are so intelligent” “I need you” “I appreciate you” or “I love You” and so forth.

We are such a society trying to be someone other than what God made us to be. We try to fit into the lifestyles of others which are not our true selves (people pleasers). We then end up pretending most of our lives, because we do not feel beautiful, loved or valuable. It’s so amazing the steps we will take for others whom we think are important to like us, and most of the time they really don’t care for us anyway or not to the extent that we think they do. It’s also amazing how obligated we feel to others and we then commit ourselves to a certain type of prison where we constantly have to prove ourselves, when we really need to step back and discover what makes us happy.

As I continue on this journey, I have come to realize that the real deal is inside of each one of us, and the real deal is quite beautiful, loving, valuable and appreciated. The real person got loss in things like abandonment, rejection, hurt, and loss of love due to others.

The real person got loss:

* when the marriage failed

* when the one you loved rejected you

* when the relationship did not work out

* when the friends walked away

* when others judged you

* when you felt like you failed, and others made sure to let you know this

* when you stop hearing the positive statements from others

The ironic thing is that other people are the ones that cause some of this damage and we go back and rely on these same people to make us feel good about ourselves.

I am on this path of discovering the “Mechell” that God allowed to be born into this world. The “Mechell” that is happy, real, and who loves herself just the way she is. The”Mechell” that is giving and loving because it’s who she really is, not to make others like her.

I challenge you to discover the real you and start to let it shine so that others can embrace the beautiful, loving and valuable treasure you really are.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day. Psalms 139:14

Be InCouraged
Mechell

InCouragements Insight

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InCouragements Insight - Live By What You Know

Good Morning All,

We all live in a world that is opinionated, judgemental, cynical, full of trends, and most important it changes daily. This society has impressed upon us and our families to fit in and follow suit, and that we have to be accepted, but we have to "Live By What We Know".

I was watching Joyce Meyers a tele-evangelist recently and she was discussing living by your heart and not your head. She went on to discuss how we allow the devil to enter our minds with many things that are not true, but God will always come along and confirm the opposite.

Recently I endured a real painful situation that had me thinking I was this horrible person because of statements this person made towards me. It was attacking my character and it did not feel good, so I was walking around tormented in my mind. Then the devil just started using many things to attack my mind such as you are constantly good to people, but that could care less, or they still do not accept you. See, since childhood I never really fit in I've always felt like I had to work extra hard to have relationships and friendships with others. So the enemy took me back to my childhood, just like him definitely his MO to make you feel rejected. But God is so awesome, just when you feel hopeless or alone, he will confirm the opposite of what is going on in your mind. This week I received a card in the mail from a dear friend who I had not spoke to in a while and she was just saying hi, but then she ended the card by saying how my life had inspired her to be a better person, and how my character and integrity had inspired her to be a better human being. I literally cried for a long time, because it was God's way of saying I have spoken and declared who you really are.

So, as I pondered on this I realized that many of us wondered around tormented in our minds due to what someone else has said about us, the way others treat us, and the way society say we should be. I encourage you to "Live By What You Know" and declare this daily in your life.

For me I know that I am an imperfect person who daily tries to be a good human being, I know that I have the gift of encouragement, and compassion. I know that I am a awesome mother who adores my little girl, I know that my family is very important to me. I know that I am a excellent friend who is loyal and dependable, and always there to listen. I know that I try to have respect and love for others, I know that I try to make sure my character is one of integrity and goodness. I know that I want the best for others, I know that I am giver over and beyond.

I also know that I have to learn to stop gossipping, and accept others as they are. I know that I have to lose weight, and that I have to push myself more to accomplish my goals and dreams. I know that I have to stop complaining and change what I don't like.

In essence I am on this journey called life continuing to "Live By What I Know" and to be a better human being along the journey.

Live By What You Know and if you do not like what you know change it, but remember God has declared who you are.

Also thanks to all of you for your prayers and offers of assistance during my recovery after my surgery. I am doing pretty good and should be on my feet by next week.

Be InCouraged,

Mechell

InCouragements - Insights

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Good Morning All,

Most of you who know me really well, know that I have this deep appreciation for coffee (okay it's an addiction). So, this morning I was at one of my favorite coffee stops Caribou, and as I was exiting the coffee shop I noticed their new branding. They have changed their new look to a more motivational theme, as I read some of the motivations they really inspired me.

Read these motivations and let them marinate into your soul and spirit and really act on some of them, it's amazing how they will make you feel. I will share some of theirs and some of these are my own life's motivations.

• Savor every sip (I had to put that one in)
• Do it for love, not profit
• Laugh so hard you cry
• Dream Big, Act Bigger
• Find your passion and act on it
  
• Do something that scares you
• Thank a Teacher (Teachers love this it makes them feel appreciated)
• Be the first to apologize (believe me it does not feel good, but it helps to heal)
• Learn to admit when you are wrong
• Learn to forgive (you don't have to forget, but forgiveness helps you move forward)
  
• Stay away from crabby people
• Stay away from negative people
• Just start dancing the next time a good song comes on (I embarrass Taylor all the time with this one)
• Hug your kids so tight, that they start squirming
  
• Wake your kids up with a kiss everyday and tell them you love them
• Tell your kids the following quote daily and make them recite it daily "I'm A Leader, Not A Follower.
• Find a scripture for your children and have them memorize it
• Stop wasting time on people who could care less about you, I don't care who they are
• Do something nice for a stranger
• Compliment a stranger
• Be a really good friend
• Break away from some of your routines, and do something different
• Take the time to appreciate God's creation
• Learn to sit and hear the voice of God, and not others voices
• Call someone today that you love and tell them how much you appreciate them, do not text or email them actually call them ( this can be more than one person)
  
• Take care of your health (someone depends on you to be around)
• Learn to appreciate the real taste of foods and turn away from the false taste of grease (I know it's easier said than done, believe me I know, but your body and taste buds will appreciate it).
• Lastly, try to find the positive out of every situation.

Print this email out and post it somewhere you can see it daily, so that it can remind you to be motivated about life.

Be InCouraged
Mechell

InCouragements - The Best In You

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There is a Christian song out by Marvin Sapp titled "The Best In Me" the chorus says:

"He saw the best in me,
When everyone else around me,
could only see the worst in me

I want you to know that God only sees the best in us know matter what we have done. He does not see our issues, mistakes, faults, failures, he sees our heart, purpose, and the best of us.

The next time you feel or someone has made you feel less than your best, know that in God's eye you are the BEST! Learn to look pass what you have done or how others have made you feel, and find the good in you, and realize that good is the best that God sees in you.

Challenge:

The next time you feel down, or you are dealing with adversity say the following to yourself:

I am an awesome presence
with vision,
purpose,
ideas,
and dreams

I am an awesome presence
with love,
integrity,
passion,
and respect

I am an awesome presence
with soul,
spirit,
substance,
and character

I am an awesome presence that
with God's help is the best human being
I can possibly be

I am an awesome presence that
aims daily to become a whole person,
that in turn will help others become
whole human beings with an awesome presence.

Mechell Bridges

Be Incouraged
Mechell

InCouragments Insight - Image

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Image -A visual representation of something


When others see you what are you representing? Is it negative or positive? Is it happy or sad? Is it confident or insecurity? Is it real or false? Are you a encourager or a hater? Are you a giver or a taker? Are you compassionate or manipulative? Are you selfless or selfish? Do you have direction or are you lost? Are you humble or arrogant?

As you ask yourself these questions be honest with yourself. For some weeks now I have been encountering some real difficulties when it comes to others. Let's just say that I have been challenge to respond to them in a negative way, due to how they approached me. Some of these encounters really had me uptight, and coming out of my character. I had to actually vent to others to calm me down (thanks Dionne, Lisa E, & Lisa L).

As these encounters kept coming at me, I eventually had an aha moment, or let me be real God had to deal with me. He made me realize that I had to have compassion for these certain individuals, because they had other issues occurring. Such as sadness, insecurity, selfishness, I realized that some of us deal with our issues by just dealing, but there are others who deal with them in a very negative format.



So I as I pondered on these individual, I came to realize what each one what was dealing with and it came down to them not having a good image of themselves. Our image of ourselves is very key to how we represent ourselves in others visual.

• Some of us will use other images so that the real image of ourselves is not projected, this is call being false, pretending to be something you are not.

• Others will talking about others to someone else, inform this person that the other person was talking about them and the end effect is chaos, this type of person is manipulative.

I could go on about the different type of defense mechanisms that people use to cover up their real selves, but I think you get the picture.

For the last two years I have being saying that I want to be the best human being possible, no not perfect, just a person with integrity, compassion, love, and a heart for others. So, I pray to God on a daily basis, let me be a good human being today, and he does answer my prayer, because he made me face the negative situations by having compassion for these individuals.

So I say to you today when others view you are you approachable, are you a positive person, do others see you as a person with honesty and integrity. You might say I could care less what others think of me, I say to that remember we were made in the image of God, so your image is representing him.

I also want to encourage you today to love every part of how God made you and let the person he created come forth. Strive daily to be a visual image of goodness, respect, charity, love, integrity, and compassion. Remember your image could change someones life, it could mentor someone, it could assist in someone wanting to change who they are. Also, participating in a positive image changes how you feel about you, and you will see how your life will change from negative to positive right before you, it did for me, I was not always a positive person.

Lastly, I say to the people that challenge you find compassion for them somewhere in your heart and learn to move forward past what they did, and pray for them.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

Be InCouraged
Mechell

InCouragements Insight - Dear God

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Dear God,

I am writing to you today first to let you know that I truly, truly, truly am thankful to you for giving your son as a sacrifice for my life. I thank you for your constant forgiveness for me in the midst of my sins. I thank you that you only see the best in me, when others see the worst. I thank you for your constant conviction on my life, because without it I would be in the enemy’s court.


I am amazed at your love for me and how you see so much purpose in my life when I feel like a complete failure. It is so wonderful how you adore and love me when I sometimes don’t love myself. You are an amazing father and have been all my life, you direct me when I’m lost, you correct me when I do incorrect things, you provide for me, when I don’t know how, and you are there for me when everyone else has walked away, and when I even walked away from you.


I thank you for sustaining me through the times, when I thought I would lose my mind. I thank you for bringing comfort and peace when life became so chaotic, and troubled. I thank you for teaching me to walk in your ways, even when I’m tested by your other children. I thank you for placing so much love, concern, and care in my heart, that I in turn show it to others.


I thank you for each adversity that you have allowed in my life, it is making me. I might not understand them all, but I do know that each one is taking me to my purpose.
In essence, thank you for being the awesome Father that you are.


Love your daughter,

Mechell

Challenge:

Write your own Dear God letter, it's an awesome feeling. Also, do me a favor, greet people in the morning or whenever, learn to speak and say hi to others even strangers, let's stop being a people of self. Sorry on my soapbox.



Be InCouraged

Mechell

InCouragements Insight - Power of The Mind

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InCouragements Insight

Power of The Mind

Mind – the way an individual feels, perceives, thinks, wills and reasons.

Power – the ability to produce an effect

As you all know most of our challenges start in our mind because of its powerful effect on how we make decisions, makes choices, how we feel about ourselves and others. We have to know that when we are faced with adversities, failures, disappointments, etc, we must take control on what we allow to come to our mind.

Challenge:

So I challenge you to use your:

(Power) which is your authority, control, command, dominion, force, jurisdiction, influence, strength, might

OVER YOUR

(Mind) which is your intellect, wit, reason, imagination, opinion, psyche, brain, decision, observance, thought, view, belief, attitude

AND

Fight for Your Life, Dreams, and Purpose!

Quote for today: “Whatever you hold in your mind will tend to occur in your life. If you continue to believe as you have always believed, you will continue to act as you have always acted. If you continue to act as you have always acted, you will continue to get what you have always gotten. If you want different results in your life or your work, all you have to do is change your mind.”

Scripture:, “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind!” Timothy 1:7

Begin to think on the Word or begin to sing a praise song to God. Make a conscious effort to fill your mind with good, pure, wholesome, and lovely thoughts. Philippians 4:8

Be InCouraged
Mechell

InCouragements Insight - Passion = Purpose

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InCouragements Insight

Passion = Purpose

Passion – boundless enthusiasm; intense emotion compelling action; to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity.

As you start this New Year ask yourself these questions:

1) What am I intense about in life?

2) What am I full of enthusiasm about?

3) What compels me to act on with great eagerness?

So my next question to you, are you actually participating in these passions? If not, ask yourself why? Is it fear, procrastination, lack of finances? WHAT IS IT? If you do not know what this is figure it out, and once you have started a plan so that you can pursue your passion. I ask you all these questions because your passion usually leads to your purpose.

Let’s use me for an example, most of you know I care about people, and I love to encourage them in whatever way I can through words, advice, money, giving. I just love to see people feel empowered and work through the adversities of life, and I love to assist with this. So, through me and God’s conversation I realized I needed to become a Psychologist, I knew I needed to return to school and receive my Masters. I took action applied for school and I am currently in my second semester of school working towards that purpose.. Once I graduate and pass the state testing, I will have my practice inside my coffee café where I can serve my community of people, who have never had some sort of counseling. I now know where I’m headed and I feel secure in this and not wandering from thing to thing.

The great motivational speaker Zig Ziglar says some of us wander around our whole lives going from one thing to another, because we have no clear purpose of what we are destined to do. God is the only clear way to understand what our purpose is in life. So have a conversation with him and see what he might reveal.

Challenge: I have two challenges for you this week:

1) Think about what you are passionate about, and see how it fits with your purpose in life.

2) Create a vision board, and place your favorite quotes, scriptures, pictures of places you want to travel to one day. Place words of things you might want to become one day ex: Doctor, Entrepreneur etc. or places words of how you want o feel ex: Happy, Fulfilled, Success, Patience. Put pictures of tangible things you desire (I have a picture of my Bentley that Taylor will buy me one day) seriously God has no problem with us desiring things. Once you have completed the board sit back and see how the items, words and pictures on the board fit into your purpose. Also create the same vision board for your children. If you need some assistance with this please contact me.

Quote for today: “Find your passion and allow God to direct you to your purpose.”

Mechell Bridges

Scripture: And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. Habakkuk 2:2


Have an Awesome Week and Be InCouraged!

Mechell