A couple of weeks ago I was blessed with two godchildren -- identical twin girls. The opportunity to witness the gift of life never ceases to be amazing.

An extra bonus to my visit was my opportunity to spend quality time with their mother, who has been like a daughter to me since her birth when I was just 15 years old. Since our little sweeties were slightly slow about taking their bottles, it gave us lots of time to chat.

We talked about one of my favorite topics: daring to live your dreams. I’m sure she won’t mind my sharing our conversation because I believe there are nuggets within that can be beneficial.

Despite her experience in human relations, her passion is around wedding planning. She is good at it, and through the years she has been blessed to work with a couple that owned a wedding-planning business.

She enjoys her day job and in some ways needs it, but her heart’s desire is in wedding planning.

As we talked, I realized that I was there to help her break the cycle.

Because Washington, D.C., is a government town, many of the jobs there are government jobs. For generations many of its citizens have worked in government. A “good government job” meant security and stability. If you landed a job at the post office or some other governmental agency, you were surely going to be able to live in the house on the hill.

But the days of what was are fast changing into what will temporarily be.

We have choices in this scenario: We can sit and be in a funk about the change; we can blame big business; we can complain, or we can hold on to the only thing we have ever had, and that is the gifts that God allowed us to receive.

Conditions are such now that survival is paramount. We cannot count on anything but what God is gifting us with.

We cannot become victims of complacency. We must begin to embrace change while challenging ourselves. We must have a Plan B.

It’s not the curve balls that are thrown at us that matter; it is what we do with them. The Word provides one of the keys to our survival in Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

This verse does not tell us to sit and depend on others. It does not tell us to ignore possibilities or to be content in the same place. If so, Matthew 7:7 would tell us that the door is closed, period.

Instead, it says to “ASK.” What are you asking for? If you don’t know, what are you doing to learn? Education and training are easier now than ever before. Degrees and training programs are obtainable now online.

“SEEK.” That means look for it. If you are not sure, someone out there is. That’s what developing relationships and partnerships is all about.

“KNOCK.” Try it. So what if you fail. At least you tried it.

Having multiple streams of income is simple wisdom. The days of keeping a job for 30 years and getting a gold watch are over. We must move with the current without settling.

I’m not suggesting you quit or disrespect your current job; that would be foolish. The raw truth is, you already have your solution. The only thing you have to do is say “no” to fear and the voices of negativity, and then get moving.

In the words of Willie Jolly, “turn your setbacks into comebacks.”
***
Tanya is an inspirational speaker living in Charlotte. She writes for Qcitymetro.com each Monday. Friend her on Facebook or email her at tw360you@aol.com
 

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