For the month of September, I decided to do a new series dedicated to stepping up to personal challenges. We all go through similar obstacles in life, some more intense than others, and sometimes feel that we're the only person who's feeling that way or going through that difficult time. You can find comfort in knowing that there are so many people in this world who can resonate with your struggles, myself included. So, here I am, opening this series to try and help you approach your personal challenges with the intent to overcome and prevail. By that I mean you are more than welcome to send me topic requests to touch on in this series, it's completely dedicated to helping you from my own experience. The first topic of choice is elevation.

We've all done it. Talked and talked about how we want to do this and that, how it's our passion and how we would love to get a. and b. out of life. When you're a creative, the places your mind wanders off to will take you to some incredible destinations. When we daydream it's magical. We can feel it like it's happening as we think of it. The feeling gets us excited about the possibility of manifesting the life we envision. We will pray and ask for signs of what we want, shout out to be pushed in the direction of our purpose and the moment it's shown to us we try to back out because of the load. Why is it that we expect to be given what we ask for as if the quality of it won't be greater? It's like we pray and pray for something and as soon at it's presented to us, we get small. It's right in front of you now, so what are you going to do with it? Far too many times we count ourselves out before we even attempt to give ourselves the chance to succeed. If there's one thing that I've learned along my journey, it's that God will listen and pay close attention to the smallest of details of your hearts desires. He'll test your patience, then drop more in your lap than you initially asked for and because it was more than you asked for, you immediately feel unprepared and unfit for a higher quality blessing. God didn't put you through that tough season to build your strength up just for you to run away when he lends a helping hand. Stop backing down and training your mind to run from things that seem too complex for where you are currently at. Find peace in knowing that God always places you in a situation HE feels you're qualified for. Even if you think you're unfit, he'll adjust you. Your only task is to accept the faith he has in you to take your life higher.

If you want to keep being held back then continue to believe that you need to have all the answers to take advantage of the opportunities placed in front of you. All you have to do is just go and work with what you have. A good portion of our stress comes from trying to figure it all out in one sitting, it doesn't work that way. There will never be a perfect time, place or enough tools to jumpstart you in the direction you are trying to go. You just have to go. When you carry all the how's and why's with you it weighs you down and your load will continue to grow. Please stop underestimating yourself and give your capabilities more credit. We all say that we believe in ourselves and know that we can achieve things that we want, but do you believe in yourself enough to take on more than you prayed for? If the loads too big are you going to try and decrease it to fit your level of comfortability? That's the true measure of belief in yourself.

We're all human and it's normal to have some type of angst when approaching situations we know could benefit us in the long run. The reason we get worried with the first initial contact with a big load is that we know deep down inside, that this next level is going to force us to get out of our comfort zone. It's so much easier to talk about it and pray for change, but when the change comes it requires a new version of ourselves that we aren't used to being yet. It's always easier staying the same and in a predictable place. Change is new and that forces more effort that can cause us to ask if we're ready for it. Nothing will be presented to you that you can not do. The load will only break you if you carry it like it's too heavy. The way you respond is where your power is.

You can pray for signs of change all you want, but don't run away from what you asked for. Step up and tell yourself that everything you have gone through prepared you for the next step. Yeah, it might seem too big to take on but do you want to prevail or fail? Failure stems from backing down from a challenge meant to evolve you. Prevailing will only happen once you accept the load in its size as a whole. Change your approach towards anything that is given better than you expected because God will only promote you to the level of your tolerance of pain.

Let this be the day you begin to David your Goliath (even when the biggest Goliath is you).