Free By Design » Endurance

Green Light

Kimberly Cooley — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 06:03:00 +0000

Good morning. New Years – a time of reflection, a time of renewed hope, and a time of introspective change. A moment the entire world anticipates.

But why wait to get started? Every second we breathe is an opportunity to reflect, to be renewed, to change. Maybe that’s why new years resolutions often fail. Because we wait until a certain season or a certain date to convince ourselves of the change that needs to take place in our lives. Maybe our faith, hope, and ambitions are at such low points that the time between realizing it and actually doing something about is so painful that we just “take it” for the remainder of the year thinking we’ll start off differently the next.

Then the new year rolls around. We’re excited New Years Eve, and we are excited on New Years day. Weeks or maybe days later, the excitement begins to die and reality sets in. It’s the point in which we realize that every single resolution, every single desire, everything that we proclaimed for the new year all require one thing from us…work – whether it’s time, endurance, or will power. This, I believe, is when the dreamers are separated from the doers. This is the time when we decide just how valuable life is and how much are we willing to go through to make it better.

I can’t help but to believe that when we truly convince ourselves of just how great and blessed we are, we won’t start, stop, and wait for a new year. Every single minute of every single day, we take life by the horns and make it bow down to the Giver of Life. We live, we experience, we learn, and we move on…365 days a year. And when the new year comes back around, it won’t just be our “point” of change, but instead it will be a familiar, celebratory “pit stop” reminding us to keep looking forward, take our foot off the brakes and lay heavy on the gas, and just – keep – moving.

Peace and Happy New Year!

Kimberly

I Believe.

Kimberly Cooley — Fri, 21 May 2010 04:20:42 +0000

Good evening. Only God would be there when my father died at a time when he was all I had. Only God would be there to wait 18 years for me to get to know Him all the while looking out for me. Only God would be there when I did stupid things that should have cost me my life. Only God would be there when a 6 month old made it clear that he was in my life for good. Only God would be there when I had to choose between money for food and money for gas. Only God would be there when I realized that I had purpose even though I didn’t know what it was. Only God would be there during my 150 miles a day, 5 days a week commute safe and unharmed – not even a scratch. Only God would be there when a long time friend walked away and never looked back. Only God would be there when my own family took advantage of me and tried to dominate my life and manipulate me. Only God would be there the night I cried because my last close friend was moving away. Only God would be there when I, again, lost a father and best friend all at the same time. Only God would be there when professional loyalty turned out to be my worse nightmare. Only God would be there when I discovered that I was born into freedom. Only God would be there when I felt completely alone and misunderstood by everyone. Only God would be there when a subtle voice told me that my lifestyle didn’t align with my character. Only God would be there when my heart ached because the person I fell in love with, my first love, didn’t love me. Only God would be there when I had to swallow my pride and apologize to and forgive someone I honestly didn’t hurt. Only God would be there when I asked for forgiveness for hurting those that I did. Only God would be there the moment I realized that people stick close to you for immediate access to use you. Only God would be there to re-assure me that I was wonderfully made despite of what I felt or thought at the moment. Only God would be there when I learned that some people in my life wasn’t supposed to be there and I had to let them know. Only God would be there to give me the character to accept all the things I’ve done wrong knowing that they don’t make up who I am. Only God would be there to tell me that I’m a flawed human by design and only He was perfect. Only God would be there to give me the strength to be free and share my life with you. And so it continues…

Remember, the end is not where we learn the most, it’s the journey we take to get there. Even at our most uncertain times, the worse moment isn’t until we no longer have a chance to get it right. Where there is breath, there is fight. Never forget that. Stay the course.

Peace – Kimberly

Old Car, Hard Road

Kimberly Cooley — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:07:27 +0000

Good morning. An old car on a hard road. This morning I had a competitive experience with a gentleman driving an older model car. Throughout the stretch of the 6 mile highway from our neighborhood to the interstate, he literally smoked me. To give you a visual, I was still in the last curve when he was exiting onto I55. Then something weird happened. He fell back completely out of sight.

I could only come away with the assumption that though he knew his older car was able to burn pavement on a short highway, he failed to understand that it could do the same in the distance. Nothing changed but the highway, but when it was time to go the distance, fear controlled his confidence, and he simply chose to fall back. Because of his own insecurities and doubt, he placed limitations on the car and simply became hind sight to all around him. What the owner of that old car failed to see was that all of his power wasn’t just under the hood. He forgot that more power existed in his faith and confidence, than in the engine alone.

Many people are very similar to the driver of that old car. They will be right there with you for the short, wild rides that don’t require anything of them. They will be there during those moments when seemingly life itself can’t touch you. They will push you to your max but only to get out of you what they need at that moment. But when it’s time to go the distance, they decelerate out of uncertainty. When the bright colors and flashiness is gone, so is their faith and support in you.

When it all comes together, you and that old car need the same thing… someone whose faith matches yours. Someone who’s strapped in and in it for the ride. What you need is someone who isn’t afraid to break you and tell you the truth by pushing you beyond your limits so that they can help repair you – so that they can help make you better. Much like my friend, Rox.

Peace – Kimberly

Chosen, Now Choose

Kimberly Cooley — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:27:01 +0000

Good evening. You know it IS still alright to choose life… especially knowing that you have direct access to life more ABUNDANTLY! (John 10:10). A close friend of mine put it this way, “God not only gives you life, but He gives it to you abundantly.” All we have to do is make a choice between the life this world can lead us and the life that God can give us. Sounds simple, but in all honesty, it’s not that easy.

Living a life driven by things of this world is enticing because usually it requires little effort with seemingly great rewards. Living a life dedicated to God requires service, diligence, patience, tenacity…a whole new lifestyle, but the Eternal rewards are invaluable, resources are unlimited, and all that you have access to is freakin awesome. Not to mention the “just because you’re on my mind and I love you like that” bonuses that God tends to lay on you every now and then! You know like all green lights on the way home. Yeah those things

Remember, little effort, no life. A lot of effort, eternal life. Yes it takes an effort but YES, it’s also worth it!

Peace – Kimberly

Forward

Kimberly Cooley — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 13:14:39 +0000

“Whenever you find whole world against you just turn around and lead the world.” – Anonymous

Keep pressing forward, Mr. President!

Peace – Kimberly

In The Midst Of

Kimberly Cooley — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:12:09 +0000

Good evening. Tribulations. Those are bad things right? Wrong. Tribulations make us stronger, wiser, and more patient among other things…and to me that worth it all.

Peace – Kimberly

Possibility

Kimberly Cooley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:29:00 +0000

Good evening. Never give up on possibility because God can always use you to make it possible.

Peace – Kimberly

Just Keep Swimming

Kimberly Cooley — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:18:00 +0000

Good evening. Sometimes when you reach out to others, they create an even greater distance. Never let this discourage you; this is the point in which you simply let go – but not to no avail. The harder you love, the worse you hurt. The worse you hurt, the more God heals. The more God heals, the freer you become. See in the end, it DOES work together for your good. Just don't stop loving.

Peace – Kimberly

Sent from my Cellular South BlackBerry® Smartphone

All Things Work

Kimberly Cooley — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:00:00 +0000

…Together for our good. Sometimes the seemingly worse situations quickly turn into situations in which God nearly out does himself. If we take all occurrences in our lives for face value, we'd miss out on all the riches of life placed right into the palm our hands. Tough situations with people teach us the importance of love. Tough situations with love, teach us the importance of people. There is no division…only a divinely ordered balance.

Peace – Kimberly

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

www.twitter.com/kmcooley

Never Throw Out Your Defeats

Kimberly Cooley — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:54:00 +0000

Good evening. Every success began as a failure at some point. Keep pressing because with each attempt, you become better conditioned. Stay the course and you will find that victory is not only sweet, but also filled with sweat, pain, tears, and emotion…and that makes it just that much sweeter. But even better, that makes you that much stronger.

Peace – Kimberly

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

www.twitter.com/kmcooley