Restore IT!

What’s up good people!

It’s the last Tuesday of August …. Inserts scream emoji

I should be used to time moving at such a rapid speed, it’s been feeling a lot like Amtrak’s Acela express for quite some time now yet it being almost September 2022 still shocks me. As the month ends, I must acknowledge the fullness I feel at heart for all that has taken place this year. A year of highs and lows, wins, and lessons I can still say I am grateful and thankful for it all!

Amidst today’s reflection time I had to laugh to stop from crying because ADULTING is ghetto from time to time. As I sat here to share a story of restoration …. BOOM, my Thermostat at my home went out. To make the story more interesting, the HVAC company was just here yesterday AM after several days of no AC. I guess it’s safe to say RESTORATION season is officially loading this week in many forms, shapes, and sizes.

Nonetheless, here we are and in voice of the Saints “I won’t be before you long”

It’s hard to talk about restoration when many things around you remain broken……It’s that unspoken faith that tells you to simply speak those things that are not yet as if they were because you believe they will be. Like when people say, “How you doing” and you proceed with Good, Fine, Blessed, etc. knowing ALL hell is breaking loose right next to you! Its sets the tone for everything that follows, it’s a superpower within itself to show up with the same confidence, character, and class during chaos. While I am not celebrating anyone’s ability to mask said craziness, I am saluting the strength it takes for one to show up for themself and others during it. One of my favorite people Toni Collier would call that a good example of how Broken Crayons still Color. For example, I love a good DIY project taking something OLD and giving it a fresh look and feel. The foundation and bones of the old are the same and if the foundation is SOLID coupled with a little tender, love, care and concern that OLD thing turns new and turns heads. One thing I have learned about restoration is that the time it takes to do so can vary. Every project is different and takes a different level of elbow grease, dedication, and push to see it through. When you are in the process you may get frustrated, you may even want to quit and change directions, but you know its nothing like getting to the end and looking back at the BEFORE pic in comparison to the beautiful, finished product. It makes all that you have experienced worth it and SUCH AS LIFE this same concept applies. Restoration gets UGLY before the beautiful but even its broken stage it can still produce something magical if executed correctly. How do I execute correctly in the restoration season?

(Trigger Warning)

Assess the situation, acknowledge the role you play in your own chaos, brokenness, and the brokenness of others. Can it be fixed? Should it be fixed? Is this Value-Added?

Restore – You can’t restore what you don’t Assess. No Assessment, No restoration. The definition of insanity remains doing the same thing repeatedly expecting a different result. If white paint keeps getting dirty and it frustrates you to clean it, why do you keep using it? Change the color and course correct. As I mentioned above restoration takes time, don’t rush through this process. Give yourself, people, and things the TIME to process the CHANGES that are taking place. Some restoration will happen on the inside no matter what YOU choose in Step 1.

Recover – Be it money, time, space or place YOU will now recover it all. Recovery phase is the celebration. Alexa, play LOOK AT ME NOW!! Rather you choose to restore a thing or not, the minute you ignited the restoration process and decided to Assess you decided to personally beautify an area of your life., Recovery is due to YOU! Either way you win. You have a story of redemption to tell. Something OLD made NEW, forgiveness, connections repaired, wounds healed and all that you lost before the process is now in the past. Recovery restores your vision, restores your joy, restores your mind and so much more.

I don’t know about you but some of my best work in grade school was with a few broken crayons. As you navigate life’s coloring book this week remember that restoration is available to you even when they systems around you present broken. There is still light at the end of the tunnel and if it works you can work IT.

Repeat after me: Restoration is available to ME in all my broken areas, I will RECOVER IT ALL!!!

Have an amazing week!!

Love & Light,

RR xoxo