Hello, I’m Deetra La’Rue
Founder of Notes by La’Rue, your source for all things inspiration, motivation, and encouragement. My blog is founded on the premise that God’s word gives people hope and I aspire to use His word to change lives one NOTE at a time.
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Walk away
Not everyone that is mean spirited is “going through something.” The reality is that’s just who they truly are. When you encounter these people, it’s best to walk away. You’ll get nowhere by engaging in fights with people who are hell-bent on making your life miserable, because they can’t find any joy in theirs. No matter how much the attacks sting, silence is the best thing you can give them. Be mindful of your words; sometimes they are the most dangerous weapon.
La’Rue
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Going Up
Over the weekend, I went on a girl’s ski trip in the mountains with my friend and some of her other friends. When I first learned there’d be 10 of us rooming together, I was a bit nervous. One, I only knew some of the ladies and two, that many personalities together can often be challenging. Nonetheless, we had a wonderful time…together! On our way there, we entered what I called “the opening,” because it was at that point, we began to go up the mountain to our cabin. From the bottom, it looked very scary and intimidating, because it was dark, and the cabins sat up extremely high.
However, as we made our way upwards, we encountered so many twists and turns, that had left us questioning if we should go any farther. At that moment, is where God stepped in literally and figuratively. Not only did He safely get us up that mountain, but He also let it be known that, at some point in your life, you’re going to encounter the “unknown.” You’ll be in situations that look scary, and you’ll question if “being high up” is really worth it. I realized then that, a lot of people want to be promoted, but they aren’t sure they can handle the altitude, so they choose to remain “leveled,” while others don’t mind the “climb.”
I’m a (high) climber, so I not only didn’t mind going up, but I didn’t mind helping the other group members to do so. Like that road leading to our cabin, you’re going to experience some twists and turns at every level in your life. If you stick with whatever it is you’re doing, you’ll know the road won’t always be difficult to navigate. Soon, God will straighten everything out for you.
Don’t be afraid of going up, when God is ahead of you.
La’Rue
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Slow and steady
Can you believe January is literally over with? Can you also believe that even though this month is ending, and you might not have accomplished all you set out to, small progress is better than no progress at all? I have been on a healthy fit journey for ages now, and although I’ve had some success, I never really kept up with it. On January 01, 2023, I adopted a healthier lifestyle, and asked God to help me change my thoughts and relationship towards food. While I didn’t lose the amount of weight I was hoping for, I did manage to lose enough for me to feel a difference.
In life there are going to be times you might not see any progress, because you’re still “behind” or not where you’d like to be, but I can assure you God is actively working to make a difference. Things won’t always come easy to you, because like my weight loss, it has to come with time. Be patient and continue to execute your goals, even if you don’t initially see a drastic change. I haven’t always understood it, but I see why it’s best that God works incrementally in our lives, so He won’t give us our desires instantly, which could cause us to instantly ruin things.
If you ever think your life is going at the rate of a tortoise compared to others, remember in the end, it was the shell that won!
Slow and steady wins the race.
La’Rue
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Even them
Naturally, I am a very loving person. However, it can be difficult when the person hasn’t been very loving or kind to me. I can remember at one point in my life encountering an individual I regretted meeting. Quickly following our demise, I hated them. It’s so shocking for me to use that word, because I find it to be quite offensive and cruel. I struggled with the idea of forgiving them for the excessive lies they told and refused to love them, even from afar. During one of the many days my thoughts were very intrusive and impure about them, I thought, “If God can forgive and love me so easily (faults and all), why can’t I do the same?”
Immediately, I begin to rationale and make excuses as to why they didn’t deserve to be loved by me, even when God’s word instructs us to love everyone. But I thought, “Even them?” And God replied, “Yes, even them.” I make no admission that I’m perfect, and I’ve learned the same grace God freely extends to us, we should do the same for others. You don’t have to be friends, hang out, or invite them over for dinner, but you do need to forgive so you can not only heal, but peacefully move on. I know it’s a struggle for many, as it is with me sometimes, but forgiveness is the answer, even when hate is the problem.
If you find it hard to forgive, ask God to soften your heart and show you what to do.
La’Rue
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Positive Outlook
Last week in the middle of watching a program, my TV went out. No warning signs or indication of malfunction, just a black screen appeared. At first, I thought it was a glitch, as my internet connection has been rather poor lately. Although that did prove to be true, it wasn’t the cause of its failure. In fact, I don’t know what was. Honestly, I hadn’t even had the TV long (2 years) not to mention it was a smart TV (so I thought). After several minutes of trying to get it to work, I gave up, unplugged it, and went to bed angry, because I couldn’t afford to get a new one. Within an instant, it seemed as though the new year had started off bad, and I was headed downhill. The next morning when I awoke, I didn’t bother to check to see if it was working again, because I presumed it wouldn’t.
When I arrived to work and logged onto my computer, I noticed my mouse was hovered over my email icon, which I hadn’t intentionally done. The word Outlook popped up on my screen and God spoke to me and said, “Things will happen in life, but you must determine if your outlook will be positive or negative.” Granted I was still upset about my TV, I chose to have a positive outlook on it and other situations I was facing. The way I look at it, maybe God is preparing me for something “bigger,” like that 65-75 inch I’ve been wanting. Yet more importantly, I know He’s preparing me for things greater than I could ever imagine. I don’t know why my TV went out, but what I do know is when anyone or anything “goes out” of my life, God always remained in. He’s the One constant that you can definitely count on.
This post isn’t necessarily about the TV, but I hope you get “the picture.”
La’Rue
Notes by La'Rue 