Free By Design » Life In Balance

What’s In You

kmcooley — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 03:29:25 +0000

Good evening. Sometimes what forces us to shy away from certain people is either a reflection of our own issues that we haven’t yet dealt with or something in them that we resonate with but haven’t fully acknowledged.

Shying away equates to running away. Until we come to terms with whatever “it” is, we will only continue to attract people with those same traits. Just deal with it. It’s not the individuals themselves that pose a threat. The biggest threat is not dealing (acknowledging) with your own issues.

Peace – Kimberly

Intimate

kmcooley — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:48:08 +0000

Good morning. Why do we always associate intimacy with sex when it’s actually defined first as, “the state of being intimate : familiarity: close friendship.”. Intimacy is walking around in PetSmart with my best friend not to buy anything in particular, but to spend time together. Intimacy is my 4 month of nephew in my arms and we’re cheek to cheek with my pinky wrapped tight in his tiny hand. Intimacy is putting my 9yr Godson in a headlock and kissing his forehead because at that age, hugging isn’t cool anymore. Intimacy is feeling my dog lie on my back still at 5a.m. in spite of her 11lb weight. Intimacy is getting tickled when a friend comes to town even though it’s only been a month since we last seen each other. Intimacy is sitting in a car for 2 hours with a fellow techie talking “geek” and times just flies by. Intimacy is waking up at 3am saying nothing but hearing God say everything to you.

Intimacy is interchangeable with “relationship.” If intimacy is missing, nothing else will ever have a chance of surviving in that same place.

Got relationship?

Peace – Kimberly

Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

Nike Remix

kmcooley — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:56:31 +0000

Good morning. Tuesday a friend on FB asked me to pray with her about an upcoming job interview. My immediate reply included my prayer. Yesterday Anthony Sweezer posted about praying in the very moment someone asks you to. The message God is trying to get across…Handle your business and PRAY. If God intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Roman 8:26), just imagine what He can do with a text msg, email, or tweet. Just GET IT DONE.

Peace – Kimberly

Purposefully Lonely

kmcooley — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:17:09 +0000

Good evening. The lonely place you put yourself in is totally different from the place of loneliness that God allows you to enter. The difference? Well, one breeds bitterness and complacency. The other builds character and integrity. So, what’s your choice? Waddle in pointless pity? Or embrace transformation by conviction? Word.

Peace – Kimberly

Money

kmcooley — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 05:13:53 +0000

“Money don’t matter tonight; it sho’ didn’t matter yesterday. Just when you think you’ve got more than enough, that’s when it all ups and flies away….That’s when you find out that you’re better off making sure your soul’s alright. Cause money didn’t matter yesterday, and it sho’ don’t matter tonight.” – Prince

Open Letter To You

kmcooley — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:23:29 +0000

Hey! I can’t believe it’s been this long already. Normally when friends talk to me about losing someone, I typically tell them, from experience, that it takes me a full year (day by day) to accept the fact that that person is not coming back. Well…you have made me a liar because a part of me still wants to believe that your death is some cruel joke of yours or some unusually twisted technique to teach me a lesson. I remember walking up to your casket with Dimples, Bridg’s sister looking at you and thinking to myself this can’t be real. I was waiting for an outburst of laughter or a smile because you couldn’t hold the joke any longer. That never happended. It was definitnely reality and reality hurts.

A lot has happened in the last two years – some good, some bad. I’ve grown a lot and matured a lot spiritually. I took some time away from everybody…literally EVERYBODY. I know you’d fuss about me doing that, but I had to, and I can honestly say it helped. In each day, I rediscovered (and continue to rediscover) a bit more of myself and really entered into somewhat of an introspective phase. I’ll be the first to tell you that it wasn’t pretty.

I had an epiphany the other day that I’ve finally “got” this financial thing down. Nothing in particular happened but rather it was like God whispering to me, “You’ve got it!” It was pretty neat. I guess it’s been a while since I’ve had something confirmed right before my eyes. Guess I haven’t been paying attention, BUT I got it and it feels darn good.

I guess you’ve noticed that I’m back at MPC full time. Its good to be home. Actually it’s good to not dream about you almost daily which happened consistently until I did listen and adhere and return to MPC. It’s all good. Terri and I are in a good place. She won’t sell me your car just yet, but we’re still cool. A few other relationships have been restored as well. Speaking of Terri, you’ve got to be tickled. She’s like a little, walking, preaching, dynamite. It’s so powerfully and divinely cute. I know you’re proud.

I’ve been spending a lot of time at Coach and Bridgett’s in GA. It’s been good for me. For a while after you died, I couldn’t even look at Coach because I kept seeing you. It was tough, but after he hugged me and prayed with me prior to me leaving one night, things got better. The last time I was there, I literally only left the house maybe three times. It just felt good being there. There was a sense of closeness that I’d been missing that I felt the entire time I was there. What really put the icing on the cake was when Bray just started talking to me out of the blue. Weird right?

Hmmm let’s see. I’m about to move to Cleveland (yes again)! I’m actually looking forward to it this time. I work directly for DSU now so that has made community and campus life that much better. I do need one favor for you. While you’re up there chillin with the Big Guy, can you talk to him about the mosquitoes in Cleveland? Just kidding. It’s going to be a good move. Jahviah and Joey are helping me. Wesley is also but he just doesn’t know it yet :p

Dude, Angela and the praise team are “doin it.” OMG! Talk about a worship experience. I would have never in a million years put Angela on stage with a mic. It is AWESOME!

Before I go, I just want to say that I miss you. The older I get, I’m realizing that we have a lot of similiar traits, which could be a bad thing, but I’m going to chalk it up to being good. I’m becoming more and more stubborn. Oh and the liberty of not taking phone calls when I don’t feel like it is SO FRIGGIN GREAT. Haha. Seriously, you impacted me in ways that neither of us were aware of, and I couldn’t be happier that you did. We had some intense moments, but at the day’s end, we still loved and cared about each other.

This letter’s to you, Bishop. And Terri, this song’s for you. I love you.

I love you, Bishop.

Kimberly

“Still With You” by Eric Benet

Heaven knows what you’ve been through

So much pain

Even though you can’t see

I’m not far away

We always say if one of us

Somehow went away

We’d light a candle and say a prayer

Know that love still remains

Close your eyes, go to sleep

Know my love is all around you

Dream in peace, when you wake

You will know I’m still with you

Live your life from this day on

And love again

I know you’d do the same for me

That’s the way that loves is supposed to be

Close your eyes, go to sleep

Know my love is all around you

Dream in peace, when you wake

You will know I’m still with you

When you feel those lonely teardrops

Rolling down your face

Just know my love watches over you

Always, always

Close your eyes, go to sleep

Know my love is all around you

Dream in peace, when you wake

You will know I’m still with you

I’m still with you

Baba (Daddy)

kmcooley — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:04:44 +0000

Ozell gave me life; Bishop taught me how to live it. Ozell taught me to love; Bishop taught me to love God. Because of these two men, I live, love life, and give love. Happy Father’s Day, Daddy. Happy Father’s Day, Bishop. I love you and miss you both! - Your baby girl

[Click to enlarge]

Personal Note

kmcooley — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:42:52 +0000

Good evening. The moment when you realize that what you’re doing is solely for God regardless of the acknowledgement or attention is the moment in which you move to another level. We can play “follow the leader” for as long as we live, but until we decide that our worship, our praise, our song is SOLELY to bring glory to our Father, then we are are doing nothing other than playing games and insulting the purpose of our existence. When you wave your hand, when you tap your feet, when a tear falls from your face…let it be from the heart. Let it be a result of your spirit connecting with God’s. And when you do…you’ll know it because there will be such a sweet presence that will over take you, that will make your heart smile.

Peace - Kimberly

Peas In A Divine Pod

kmcooley — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:06:57 +0000

Good evening. Last weekend, a powerful message was ministered at a church I fellowship with when I’m in Georgia, The Church At Chapel Hill (CCH). Their current series is titled, “If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When?” This particular message was on “Assignment.” Although the entire message kept you locked in, one particular part literally made me stop and rewind the podcast. Pastor Jeremiah touched on the American Dream being the American Scheme. In other words, he talked about how desiring to meet the world’s standards of success distracts us from what’s really important – our assignment to win souls to Christ and reach the lost. I could not agree more. Landing a 6 figure job, driving a BMW, living in a lavish house, with a dog, and a privacy fence from here to Heaven means nothing if you don’t share about God in every chance that you get. It means nothing if you don’t care enough for a single person on this earth to be concerned about their salvation. We have gotten so far out of touch with compassion and ministry and so focused on meeting the world’s standards…sadly even in the church. You better believe me when I say, “spiritual elitism does exist.” Living like this doesn’t benefit the Kingdom of God. It benefits our ego.

Yesterday I heard another amazing sermon that ironically though divinely piggy backs the message from CCH. My pastor, Terri, encouraged us to be relentless in our faith. The sermon resonated with me on so many levels.

The definition of relentless is: Unyielding in severity or strictness; Steady and persistent.
Matthew 11:12 reads, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.”

I told you these two message were divinely connected. :p

At what point do we (Christians) get as aggressive and as relentless about what we believe in our faith as we do in accomplishing the American Dream? When do we get so fed up with people living in darkness that we sacrifice all that we have to reach them even if it means our reputation, public image, or financial comfort? When do we become so transparent that unbelievers can’t help but to see that you’re human yet connect with your compassion and love?

What are you working for? What are you working towards? Those questions apply to me as well so don’t please don’t get it twisted. I’m not there. Striving to be, but not there.

I’ll end with this. Pastor Jeremiah read a quote that essentially said that our most glorious purpose on this earth is to contribute to the glorification of God until the end of time (paraphrase). Well, let’s do just that…

W.I.N. Ministries Mission Statement:

We purpose to win souls for Christ; By profound proclamation; intense explanation, and practical application of the Word of God; Operating under, in and through, the Holy Spirit.

Further, we purpose to engage in consistent and frequent worship of our God to edify the saints, to reclaim the backsliders and to rescue the lost.

Church At Chapel Hill Mission:

The mission of The Church at Chapel Hill is to Worship the Lord, Reach all people, and Equip to serve.

If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When?

Peace – Kimberly
Sent from my Cellular South BlackBerry® Smartphone

Me

kmcooley — Thu, 27 May 2010 01:44:30 +0000

Good evening. I realized last night that my 3 year blogging anniversary is slowly approaching – June 2 to be exact. I instantly started to wonder about how I would commemorate or what I would right. I came up dry, so I’m just going to dive in.

The last 3 years have given to me life experiences that have changed me, changed my perspective, and changed how I look at life, love, and relationships.

I’ve learned how to forgive AND let go, something I haven’t always been able to do. I’ve learned that people closest to you will use you and that every relationship you encounter isn’t always 2 way. I’ve learned that the things you want most, you don’t always get. I’ve learned that telling someone how you feel about them is worth every bit of the risk of losing them because at least now they know how you feel. I’ve learned that simple is good and that as long as I don’t become complacent, contentment is okay. I’ve learned that you can be the most loyal, honest, and faithful person but not everyone knows how to accept that. I’ve learned that you’re never too old to blush. I’ve learned that I don’t know everything about myself, but I do know that I have purpose. I’ve learned how to love in spite of and never quit just because it isn’t mutually. I’ve learned that people struggle with the same things I do; they just handle it differently. I’ve learned that children grow up and its hard to let go of the baby they once were. I’ve learned that looking into people’s eyes leaves a lasting impression and a memory that can never be erased. I’ve learned to smile and giggle in the most embarrassing moments because after all, they are my moments. I’ve learned that age is only a numeric representation of how long we’ve been on this earth and that’s it. I’ve learned to stand firm and confident in what I believe, feel, and care about. I’ve learned to never give into adverse wind because at some point it has to shift. I’ve learned to share what’s on my heart whether its with one person or the world. I’ve learned to simply love always. I’ve learned to be me.

Peace,
Kimberly

Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.