Challenge Accepted Sisterhood Sessions (00:00)
You are now tuned in to Challenge Accepted Sisterhood sessions where your host Simone dives into all things women. During these sessions, Simone takes on some of the misconceptions of womanhood and challenges women to become their best selves while embracing the love of the sisterhood.

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Challenge Accepted Sisterhood Sessions (00:20)
So hey sisters I wanted to stop in and just share some of the good news that has been happening around me. Let me say that I went home probably about two days ago and while I was at home I was washing the dishes and

I had began to, you know, just think about things going on in my life and think about the position of where I am and where I would like things to be And a really heavy weight began to set on my shoulders. And I almost did what I typically do. Right. I almost fell into some of the same

behaviors that I was familiar with. And that behavior consisted of being like the victim. I'll say that I'll say it was like, seeing all of the things, in my life through a perspective that was not befitting to the moment. Just go with me here for a minute. Okay. And so,

As I was washing the dishes and I began to just walk through, right? Where my life has come it brought me to this moment where it got a little heavy, right? And as it was getting heavy, I felt myself

discrediting myself, telling myself that what I had done was not sufficient enough for the moment. I know I'm not the only person who sometimes finds themselves in a space.

where you are contemplating the things that are going on in your life and you are met with a feeling or an emotion that tries to tell you that where you are is not sufficient or conducive to your purpose. Listen, so as I continued washing the dishes,

I begin to try to do something different.

I heard, find something to be grateful for.

And if you're anything like me When you are in the middle of a thing, whether that be something that is heavy, something that is familiar, something that's uncomfortable, something that is weighty for you, finding a reason to be grateful is potentially the last thing that's on your mind. I know, I know, I know.

And I say that because You're focusing on how the moment impacts you emotionally. And so you're not really trying to think about or trying to grab a reason to be grateful. Let me help somebody.

When I began to think about feeling heavy and feeling like my efforts were not conducive to this idea that I have of success, right? Or this idea that I have of impact or change

And in the midst of that moment, I begin with something small. And I'm washing the dishes. So I began to say, I'm grateful I have the ability to wash the dishes. I'm grateful that I can stand in my kitchen. I'm grateful that I have a home to call my own. I'm grateful that I have a family that loves me and supports me. I'm grateful.

and I just begin to find reasons to be grateful, right? And it wasn't anything over the top. And in that moment the weight tapped me on the shoulder and was like, I know you focused on being grateful, but

You feel this? You feel this? But you feel this way. I know you keep saying that you're grateful, but you feel this way. And so I want to encourage you today that maybe you are feeling.

the weight of something that has created a smoke screen.

that has temporarily stopped you from being grateful and focusing on the wins or focusing on the things that are working, the things that are moving forward, the things that are impacting and changing the world. And if that is you today, I get it.

I understand I've been there. I know what it feels like, but I also know too, that in that moment of me choosing, because it was a choice to choose to focus on gratefulness versus to being stuck and holding onto for dear life, the misconception that

I was failing.

I can't be the only person. I made a decision to not hold on to the misconception that I was failing. And I chose to focus on what I am grateful for. And as I began to run down the list or rather lift up the list of the things that I am grateful for, I felt my spirit began to lift up.

I felt the energy in the room shift. I began to sing songs of praise and worship. I began to just thank God and focus on God and focus on what he has placed on the inside of me. I began to focus on the bigger picture, not just the little small minute things or the little small roadblocks that may have presented themselves as

huge obstacles, but they were just a speed bump in the road. Choosing not to focus on the speed bump in the road and choosing to be grateful in a moment where everything else around you is chaotic or seems to be chaotic, right? Because it's not really chaotic. It's just an image or an illusion of it being chaotic. It's not really chaotic. choosing to focus on gratefulness and not self-doubt.

self pity, unworthiness, all of the negative things, Choosing to shift my focus back to the great I am allowed me to see his blessings and his hands move in the next coming days.

after I finished washing dishes as I was raising up my gratefulness and my gratitude to God I Felt myself to begin to ask him To cover other people not me

know when we pray a lot of times and I know when we're seeking God a lot of times.

we often ask for things for us, for ourselves. But after this moment of gratitude, he had me call other people's names. That was a shift that has never happened before. Not in the midst of me feeling heavy, turning into gratefulness, and then being able to pray for somebody else in that moment.

The days to follow were praise reports of God's hand moving in the lives of the names that I've called.

There is no other feeling in the world.

than knowing that you were heard.

no other feeling in the world to remind you that you are where you're supposed to be doing what you're supposed to be doing and the season that you're supposed to be doing it in.

than the moment when you see the hand of God move.

Let me tell you.

One of the individuals names that I called received some great news the following day and

God decided to move his hand and be, I'll just say, and be a lawyer in a courtroom. I'ma leave that there. I'ma leave that there. He had the final say. Yeah. Then,

later on receiving a call that somebody was in need.

And it's not just the person being in need, right? It is understanding that our purpose and a part of our purpose is to give to those who need, right? Or to give to those who have a need. Let me say that And so if God supplies all of our needs according to his riches,

in glory according to his riches in heaven.

When we hear about a need, what are we doing to fulfill the need within our ability not to take on the weight or take on a burden? What are we doing to actually fulfill the need as God has led us to fulfill the need?

Being able to show up in a moment where you think that you are disconnected or you are missing the mark or something is off and then being able to focus on being grateful, being able to open up your mind and your thought process and your spirit.

to something that is a greater positioning, a greater opportunity or a greater moment to glorify God, to worship God in our actions and in our words, in all things be grateful, be grateful in all things. Well, what does that actually mean? It's not just being grateful.

when things are going well because that is easy. When everything is taken care of, when my spirit is full, when everything is working well for those around me, when everybody has everything that they need and people are happy or people are living in their moment of joy or they are living in their moment of blessings and

overflow or they're living in their moment of purposeful intent everything's wonderful I can give God praises I can say thank you I can say hallelujah God glory to your name you are the great I am and therefore we exist we have our purpose because you are

But I challenge you in the moment where the weight wants to tap on your shoulder, in the moment where the weight seems heavy, the moment when you're right on the edge of deciding if this is a breaking point or not.

deciding if you're going to spiral or not. It is at that moment I challenge you to be grateful. I challenge you to think about reasons to be grateful. And it doesn't have to be big and it doesn't have to be grandiose

it's taking those moments of gratitude right when you're on the edge of making the decision. If I'm going to drop it all, if I'm going to forget who God has been in my life, or will I choose this moment?

to display gratitude in all things, regardless of what may be before me, regardless of what I may feel, regardless of the things that I might tell myself, regardless of the journey, I'm grateful.

I choose to be grateful. Why? Why do we choose to be grateful? Why, why, why? Because being grateful in that moment lifted my spirit, caused me to stop focusing on the negative aspects of my being or caused me to stop focusing on the

shortcomings that I believe I had, it caused me to start focusing on what has been accomplished, what has been done and completed and successful, what has moved forward, It caused me to focus on the positive.

Being positive is contagious in such a way that it draws nothing but positivity back into you. Being grateful draws good energy back to you. Having a spirit of uplift allows you to focus on what comes next.

And I say to the women in the world everywhere, to the people in the world everywhere, if you have found yourself in a position of feeling heavy, if you have found yourself in a position of trying to figure out how you got to the place that you are right now, you're trying to figure out what to do next.

Be grateful. Start with gratefulness. And I know it's things we don't do, right? It's the thing that we have never applied pressure to when we are in the midst of making the decision. if I'm going to stay on the straight and the narrow, or if I'm going to have a moment and I'm going sit here and I'm going to park at this rest stop of unworthiness,

It's in that moment of trying to make the decision or making the choice of if you're going to take a detour on your straight and narrow, if you're going to take a detour and forget everything that you know to be true.

And sometimes I have even found myself sitting in the detour area, little rest stop area when you're on a trip or you're on a vacation and they like, next stop, get off here. And you stop here and you're your snacks and you sit in there and you're trying to figure out the next road or the next place that you're to stop. That's what we have essentially been doing on our journey. Hitting the rest stops, hitting

detours because we cannot process in the moment but God

I got up out the bed this morning and I had a good spirit. I opened my eyes to see this brand new wonderful day and I am grateful. I hear the birds chirping. God, that reminds me that I have all my senses. It reminds me that I am able to see, hear, feel, touch, and taste and God, that is amazing and I thank you for that. my gosh, that breath of fresh air that I just breathe into my lungs and my lungs fully embrace that.

breath of fresh air. God, I thank you because my lung capacity is exceedingly good. God, I appreciate you because that reminds me that my health is good. God, I understand that where I am is purposed. God, I'm grateful. God, I'm grateful that I even have the ability to remember. God, I'm grateful. Come on.

I challenge you to be grateful.

I challenge you to be grateful. for my relationship people,

When you want to be annoyed with that man or that woman, I challenge you to be grateful.

I challenge you to be grateful. Mm-hmm. Yeah, because sometimes we are self-centered and self-seeking, even our relationships. Mm-hmm. Yeah,

and I challenge you to be grateful. God, I thank you for my spouse. I thank you for the health of my spouse. God, I'm grateful. I'm grateful that he's in his right mind. God, I'm grateful that he has the capacity to love. God, I'm grateful that he chose me. God, I'm grateful.

that you have positioned us in this moment in this space and this time. God, I'm grateful for every idea. God, I'm grateful for every plan, every executed plan, every successful plan, every plan, every attempt at God. I'm grateful. I challenge you to be grateful and watch a shift happen in a shift take place. Yeah. Even in how you view that person,

will begin to change. It will begin to shift when you figure out why you're grateful. Or if you're even grateful. Because if you're not grateful, this ain't for you. And I get it. I don't. I'm not gonna say that.

this is for the people that have the capacity to be grateful.

We want more from God, more opportunity, more money, more vacations, more happy times. We want more, more, more, more.

and we're not being grateful for where we are and what we have.

Bring gratefulness into the room with you. If you forgot to pack it today, I challenge you to take a beat, take a moment. If you need to excuse yourself from a room, if you need to take a minute and go to your car, I challenge you to take a moment and find something to be grateful for. And sometimes all it takes is a thought. Other times it takes a pep talk. Sometimes it takes action. Sometimes it takes more than just a thought.

Sometimes you have to verbalize it or you're not gonna believe it.

I challenge you to be grateful. And if this is your first time tuning in, I pray it is not your

I pray that you would join us again in another Sisterhood session.

Challenge Accepted Sisterhood Sessions (19:23)
You've been listening to another episode of Challenge Accepted Sisterhood Sessions. Follow for more thought-provoking content on social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. You can also follow and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. To be a guest on the podcast, email the host, that's S-A-M-O-N-E, at casisterhoodsessions.com. That is Samone

samone@casisterhoodsessions.com. Thank you for listening and until next time remember this is more than just a sisterhood it's a lifeline.