Day off

If you were looking for a post or your daily note of encouragement, here it is. Sometimes, you need to learn to take the day off, and take some time for yourself! It’s easy to get burned out, but even harder to recover. If you are tired, exhausted, and restless, that’s your body speaking, so I advise you to take “note” and listen. I don’t care how enthused or eager you are to do something, be just as eager to stop. You don’t have to walk away from it forever, just long enough for you to recharge!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Broken

Have you ever wondered why some people naturally gravitate towards you, and others don’t? Could your personality, style or “vibe,” be the reason for the love, yet also the hate? It’s evident that everyone you meet won’t be fond of you, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t a likable person. What matters is whether or not you like yourself. If you don’t, you’ll take offense to everything someone says to you, regardless of how large or small it is. I used to be that way, until I stopped consenting to negativity. I don’t long for validation and acceptance anymore, so my days of people pleasing and impressing others are over. More than anything, the only person I try to be better for, is myself. Even then, there are times when I’m not good enough for me. “If only they knew,” is something I constantly say to myself, because for some strange reason, people seem to think I have it all, and when they do, I let them. I don’t try to change anyone’s thoughts or opinions about me, because it doesn’t matter what I say or do, if they don’t like me, they still won’t. I spent a lot of years trying to correct issues people had with me, when there was nothing that needed to be fixed, except for their low self-esteem. I wasn’t the one that was broken, they were!

There’s nothing wrong with change. Just don’t do it because someone tells you to. Do it because it’s what’s best for you!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

It took awhile

Beautiful timing

Majority of my themes are reoccurring, but I’ve noticed so are a lot of my problems (and others). I’m repetitive with my messages, but it’s only because I’m trying to convince and help you, and myself too. While I do believe what I put out, it can be really hard to take it in. Oddly, I’ve always been great at inspiring and building others up, but struggle to keep myself afloat. Although I consider myself to be Superwoman, I also know when I need to be saved. Whether the rescue is financial, mental, physical or emotional, we all can benefit from some help every once in awhile. Yet sometimes, the most difficult thing is waiting for the help to arrive. Granted God won’t show up when we’d like Him to, Ecclesiastes 3:11 gives us comfort in knowing, “God has made everything beautiful for its own time.”

You may get tired of me saying the same things over and over again, and you may be beyond tired of waiting, but it doesn’t matter how many times I say it, or how long you wait, just know that when it does happen, it’ll be the most perfect and beautiful time. This message (and all for that matter) is not just for you, but myself as well. Rest assured, I’m not just giving “notes,” I’m taking them too!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

More like Abraham

One thing a kid (or anyone for that matter) never want to hear is, “Why can’t you be more like your brother/sister?” In my opinion, it’s not right to make an unfair assessment of someone, based off the character or behavior of their sibling(s). Everyone has their own sense of individuality, so “grouping,” shouldn’t be allowed. Although my sisters and I are extremely close and share some commonalities, we’re also very different from each other (especially in terms of personality) and I expect us to be treated as such. Granted they are women of high caliber (they’re my sisters, so I can be biased), I don’t aspire to be “more like them.” On the other hand, there have been people I’ve admired and looked up to, but none that I wanted to be, although Abraham would be ideal.

If you don’t know anything about Abraham, know that he was a believer, and firm one at that. No matter how hopeless his situation looked, he kept believing. Romans 4:18 tells us, “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would be the father of many nations.” Whatever promise God made, he believed Him for it. It didn’t matter if 40 years had passed, and he didn’t see the promise, he kept believing until it came to pass. v20-21 says, “Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.”

I will be the first to admit, when my light became dim, so did my hope. I couldn’t believe God to do anything for me, because my problems were bigger than my faith. My prayer time was shortened and my ranting sessions were lengthened. I was in dire need of help! Not only did I need a breakthrough, I needed to believe I would get one. While I’ve made some strides, I won’t pretend as though my faith doesn’t still waver. It happens, and when it does, I aim to be more like Abraham. I’ve always stressed the importance of focusing on the promise and not your problems. It can be very challenging and hard, but just think of all the possibilities you can have, if only you just believe.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Didn’t get the memo?

In case you were not informed, or simply need reminding, you can do anything you want to, at any age you are, or any place you are at. You don’t have to be a person of status, to create any. You don’t have to have money to do everything, just some things. You don’t have to be entirely put together, to have things come together for you. Yet you can’t sit on your bum, and think everything is just going to naturally come to you. Let the record reflect, success comes from hard work, not hardly putting in the work. If the latter is the case, how can you be comfortable in knowing, you did nothing, while someone else put you in first place? There are two things people won’t forget, what they did, and who they did it for. So, whatever you want, put in the work and get it for yourself! That way, you won’t spend the rest of your life working for the person who did.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Over the honeymoon

Most recently, I was friends with this counterfeit, I mean guy. Yeah, I’m about to “go there.” I befriended him for several reasons, and stop being his friend for more reasons than I can count. I loved a lot of good qualities he had, until I found out he actually had none. It’s almost as if his “inner me” got tired of pretending to be someone he was not, and what I was not going to do, was stick around to see if things would change. A lot of times, I can be so enamored with someone, that the little things I should be paying attention to, are overshadowed by the big lies they tell. At any rate, I got fed up with the fabricated stories, extreme negativity, and most importantly, his misplacement of blame. In the short time that I knew him, everything he had ever experienced in life, was the result of him being dealt a “bad hand,” yet he was the damn dealer.

Essentially, when the honeymoon was over, so were we! I realized if I couldn’t spend the rest of my life being friends with him, there was no way I could ever be anything more to him. Besides, I wanted so much more for myself, and if all he could give me was lies and negativity, I knew he couldn’t give me anything else. At least nothing good, for that matter. Was the decision to severe ties with him difficult? Initially, no, because I kept trying to make myself not see the things that I did. Was the decision to severe ties with him the best one I’ve made in a long time? Lord knows, but one thing I do know, when God put that fire out, He said it’ll never reignite again…and I wouldn’t want it too! I hate I wasted an entire year of my life that I can never get back, and even though I lost time, I gained a lot of strength and endurance. That experience has taught me to run when my mind tells me to, instead of staying put at my heart’s command.

It doesn’t matter who you are, how seasoned (old) you are, or how smart or wise you are, you can STILL be deceived. God will always show you warning signs and give smoke signals, and when He does, pay attention!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

I don’t want it

I find it so cute, yet funny, when I see a baby being fed. When their mom or dad is feeding them something they enjoy, they’ll clap their hands, bounce up and down, and even make a face of contentment. On the contrary, if you feed them something they don’t like, they’ll close their mouth, and shake their head no. We’ve all been through this phase, and sometimes, I feel as though I’m still in it. The only difference, God is the “baby” in me. The things that He desires for me to have, I enjoy and am excited to receive them. When there are things He knows I won’t like and aren’t good for me, He makes it were I’m not “open” to receiving them. If you’re honest, you’ll admit there are some things and people even, particularly relationships, that aren’t good for you, yet you want them still. They’ve shown you on more than one occasion that they are not the one, but you say they are, although God is telling you otherwise. Has it ever dawned on you, that no matter how many times you’ve gotten close, it was always pulled away from you? If you have, thank God, because He was protecting you! Regardless of what it’s concerning, if it’s not what God wants me to have, then I don’t want it either!

Whatever God is telling you to let go of, release it. It just means He has something bigger and better for you!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

That’s Final

As a parent, how many times have you sternly told your child something, and then closed by saying, “And I mean it!” Much like you, God operates the same way. The only difference, He actually means what He says. I’m sure if your child cries or constantly asks you, “But can I?” you’ll likely cave and give them what they won’t. Moreover, they’ll even run to dad, grandma or someone else who’ll challenge your response, and even change it. That not only applies to children, but other things. For example, let’s say you apply for a job. You’re granted an interview and offered the position, only to later find out, the decision of the panel was reversed. All it took was for one person to step in and turn your yes, into a no. The thing I love most about God, what He says is final! Ecclesiastes 3:14 says, “I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to or taken from it.”

It doesn’t matter what anyone does to stop you from progressing or block your blessings, when God gives it to you, it can’t be undone.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

He showed me

When I wanted to commit suicide as a teen, God showed me I had a purpose

When I was weak, God showed me how to be strong

When I wanted to give up, God showed me why I couldn’t

When I was unemployed and didn’t see how I’d make it, God showed me a way out

When I thought my life wouldn’t get any better, God showed me it would

When I thought my dad would never get well, God showed me He’s a healer

When I thought I wouldn’t make ends meet to pay my bills, God showed me to trust Him

When I don’t know how to inspire you all sometimes, God tells me what to say!

God always reveals Himself to us. Question is, are you paying attention?

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Lay Down

Worrying never does anyone any good. It only causes you stress, mental anguish and more than anything, it keeps you up at night, at least it does me. Not conscience of the time, nor concerned about it, I’ll walk the floor all night long, somehow thinking that’ll solve my problems. Rather than talk to God, I’ll talk out my issues, looking for an opening, hoping it’ll lead me to a way out. Yet the only thing it leads me to, is wondering if things will ever get better or take a turn for the worst. I get the feeling I’m not alone and let me share with you what God did with me, LAY DOWN! Stressing about your situation won’t change it, but God can! Go to bed and let go of the stress, and trust that God will give you rest!

Before you lay down, lay your problems down with God!

Until next time my NOTE takers! Deetra La’Rue