I just celebrated my birthday, and what a journey it has been. I’ve been on some highs, and have learned to maneuver my way through some very low lows, but in all the circumstances and situations I’ve found myself in, I’ve made it a point of duty to actively identify and learn the lessons hidden in them; it had always been my belief that there is a lesson in all the things within this life. A lot of these lessons, I am still learning; for you are never done learning anyway, but I wanted to share a few as a special way of welcoming this new chapter of mine. I am no great writer, at least not yet, but again I am still learning and the only way to become great at something, is to continually put it into practice, even if you suck at it, at first. This is my official starting point, and as I take on this new journey, I hope you will be inspired and encouraged to continue along yours too— wherever you are in the world right now and whatever you’re doing. In all honesty, this isn’t the best as it is right now, but I promise you it will only get better from here. And so, without any more of my ramblings, and in no particular order, here are 29 life lessons I’ve learned, and am still learning in over 29 years.
1. A healthy relationship with God changes everything – Nothing has ever made more sense, and never has anything started falling in place as much as they do once I started to develop and maintain a healthy relationship with God. His grace and mercy that comes over your life once you get to know Him, is so unmatched that no thing, and no one will ever be able to compare or come close to that. And so, it was automatic and no surprise that my first point in these lessons would be just that. Over the years, I've come to learn that there is nothing more rewarding and important that the relationship you have and nurture with God. He’s the only one who has your best interests at heart. He’s the only one who knows what the plans and purpose are for your life. He’s the only one who heals and delivers. He’s the only one who comforts and restores. He’s the only one who is in control of all things. He takes care of everything else around you for you, and all you have to do is just continue to trust. Keep that faith. Your relationship with Him is first, and the most important one you will ever have and need.
2. Keep expectations low of people – Let’s face it, the hard truth is no one cares about what matters to you as much as you do, and that’s okay. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let us understand then, that people will disappoint, at some point; they won't always be able to come through in ways we really need them to, when we really need them to, and you should also be accepting of that because we're all humans. But if you put your best efforts into yourself and what you care about, rely less on man, and more on God and what He does through you— I guarantee, you’ll have even fewer chances of being disappointed by others, or when the disappointments comes, it doesn't get to rub you the wrong way.
3. Love is a continuous action and even more – Have you ever been asked the question “what do you think love is?”? No matter what your answer was, if it didn’t include what God says love is in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, then I'd encourage you to take a seat for this one. What is love? 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says "love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves". When you've understood fully what the Bible says about love, what it is and what it's not, and what it should be, you will never be the same— and that's the best place to learn and know what love is. No dictionary or scholar can ever put a definition together, as that. God is love, and if we aren't loving each other in the way that He says we are ought to love, then my friends, we aren't loving anyone at all. One of the biggest misconceptions about love is probably that it’s typically a feeling, but it's not just so. Love is something you do, something you show continuously through your actions and even words, it is a decision you make, every day, to give love. You choose to show and spread love to the people around you. Give love, and love will come back to you. Everyone is worthy and deserving of love, no matter who they are, what they’ve done, there is good in everyone, and there is something to love in everyone. And like a great man once said, and the tagline of one of the world's best to date, "Love is all you need". It really is.
4. Life is too short to not do what you love, so do it – I don’t think I can elaborate on this anymore; it’s simply what it is. Tomorrow or even the next minute of our lives isn’t promised to anyone, and I don’t know about anyone else, but there’s nothing scarier to me than dying without not having lived at all. For my birthday, I got to be a kid again, doing something I hadn't done in 20 long years, I'd been wanting to but somehow never got to before then— by the way, it's now one of my favorite things, and it just may turn into a new hobby of mine, too; I'm very rusty, which is just another of way of saying I'm awful at it (of course I am), but steady steps, and I may just share that journey here too some day, who knows? But I digress. Even more than that, here I am also, having created a space where I can just be free to do what I love most; write, and unapologetically so— and why not? I don't talk much, so I write instead— taking this first step, has been so liberating. So friends, if you’ve been waiting for a sign to say whether or not, you should take a chance on that thing, or if you should try that thing, get into that thing, whatever it may be, this is it— if you love it, if you're passionate about it, stop thinking about it, and just do it.
5. Investing may just make more sense, than just merely saving – Growing up, I thought the only or main way to secure wealth was to put it away in the bank through savings, but while it’s good to save, I won't say it's the best way to accumulate and secure wealth; that, my readers comes through investments. You aren't really creating wealth if the money you put in doesn't grow, or if it does, it's so minimal it's hardly noticeable; and that's what happens when it just sits there in a regular savings account at the bank. Invest that money. And no, investments don’t just mean stocks and bonds, but there are also other ways to flip your money and have it work for you. Think outside the box, invest in some real assets that will return real rewards. When you think about it, it just makes more cents… see what I did there? hehehe :D
6. Find your purpose/passion and go for it – We all have a purpose in this life; there is something we all must do, which only we can. One of the most important things we can dedicate ourselves to doing is discovering what our true mission is in this world, unearth those talents/gifts given to us to accomplish it, and start setting it in motion. In truth, that’s the only way to live a meaningful and fulfilled life. I always so there is nothing remarkable about me, when you talk about Channa, there isn't much to talk about except maybe that I'm so good at messing things up, for the most part. Never had anything you'd consider a 'talent' or what not, but I've always loved to write; I'm still not a writer, I'm still working hard on that, and it's taken me many many years to finally get to this point where I finally feel free to put my work out there. I don't know what the reactions, if even any, will be like, but I've been on a journey to truly discover my purpose and the first thing that came with it, is this passion that I've tried to bury for so long, but when God says get up, you have work to do, friends, you better get up and get moving. That passion is where your purpose is, and you are meant to use those gift/talents that God has instilled in you to carry out your intended mission. You are already equipped.
7. Happiness is a choice – No one and nothing is and should ever be responsible for your happiness, except you. No matter what’s happening, how you feel, believe it or not, you can turn it around for yourself all by yourself; no magic wands are needed, and it all begins in your mind. You can literally program your mind to always choose happiness, choose positivity, choose light, choose not to be bothered by that thing, that person, that word that was spoken against or to you. The choice is only yours, no one else.
8. Feel free to be your authentic self – This one is important and very personal for me. For years I’ve struggled to know who I was, and that was mainly because I’d been so hung up on trying to be someone who would, in my mind, blend more with the people around me— the biggest mistake ever of my life. Trying to be someone you aren’t just for the pleasure of others had been the most taxing for me, as I fooled myself into thinking that was me being ‘dynamic’— altering my whole character each time, depending on the crowd. Psht, now I say, screw that! It tired and drained me, happening so often that eventually I almost couldn’t figure out who I was; which version of me was the real deal. The truth is, it’s always better to be a “you pleaser” than a “people pleaser”, you’ll never please them and if you keep trying to do just that, you’ll end up spending your life chasing after the approval of others instead of your own, and then that’ll have a toll on your mental health— that’s something you have to protect, at all times. Just be you, please yourself, it's way easier, makes everything lighter, and the best part is you’ll attract the right people too; the ones you need not work overtime for, because they already love and appreciate you, for YOU. God has already approved you, and His opinion of you is the only one that matters; not your family’s, not your spouse, not even yours— because sometimes we do short-change ourselves, but that never happens with our heavenly Father. Just be who you are, who you were created to be.
9. Protect your mental health – Although it’s okay, it still isn’t easy at times to say “it’s not okay”, “I’m not okay”, but one of the greatest things is that we’re able to determine what makes us not okay, even if it’s a challenge figuring out what makes us okay. Quite often, if we try sometimes to reflect on our lives as a whole, and then try to identify what threatens our peace of mind, and make adjustments to remove them, we’ll be able to usher in more positive vibrations. Do whatever you have, just protect your mental health!
10. Time spent dwelling on things you can’t control, is precious time being wasted – Listen, most times we get so riled up and stressed out over things we can do absolutely nothing about, except talk and think about it, and trust me, it’s not worth sacrificing your sleep and peace of mind for. I read a quote once by Dalai Lama, a spiritual Buddhist leader, which read “if you can do something about a situation, why worry? And if you can’t do something about a situation, why worry?” those words couldn’t make more sense. The moment we understand that and learn how to let go, and let God, everything will start feeling lighter, better, and brighter. In every bad situation, there is always an opportunity for a good future.
11. The more you give, the more you’ll receive – The Bible says “God loveth a cheerful giver,” (2 Corinthians 8-13) and when you give, you open the door for more bountiful blessings to enter your life, and these blessings are meant to be shared continuously with others— and so, the cycle continues. Remember also, that we are to give without an expectation to receive. And when we give, we are also to do so in secret; we don't give for fame, nor is it to be highlighted, giving is not about publicity or clout, but when you do these things in secret our heavenly Father will reward you publicly. Give willingly and kindly. Now, don’t be one-tracked-minded with this either, giving doesn’t only mean monetary, but you can also give of yourself. Be present, give your time, a helping hand, an encouraging word, a thoughtful prayer.
12. It’s good to say “no” sometimes – This is something I'm still learning to do, in all honesty, and as I mentioned in point 9, I had a tendency to alter my character to blend in with others, and sadly, that also extended to me naturally trying to be a “people pleaser”. I felt as if saying “no” was just not very likable; no one likes to hear that, as a result, that landed me in positions doing things I didn’t care for or stretched myself thin just to make things happen, and often I’ve been left drained, in so many ways that replenishment seemed almost impossible. I’ve come to understand since, that it is quite okay to decline if you genuinely aren’t in a position to grant whatever request it may be, from whomever; saying “not right now”, or just simply “no”, and meaning it, could be very liberating, and solid people will always understand.
13. Depression is real, but there’s no need to struggle through it alone – The first thing I want to say on this is, to ask for help. Please. Never be afraid to reach out and ask for help when and if you need it, and God will always either lead you to the right person for that or He’ll lead them to you. The minute life starts feeling “off”, and there are signs you’re able to pick up and identify that something isn’t quite right, that’s the moment you need to step out of that comfort zone, and start by denying the spirit of denial access to your mind, for it only wants to tell you that all is well and there’s no need to “blow things out of proportion”, and that's how you keep going around in circles. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you instead, and then be prepared to listen. I struggled for many years, alone, behind a painted smile like a clown, with this a grand façade to have others think I am well, only to go home afterward to an empty house, and be consumed by the darkness of my mind. I won’t say it’s easy, nope, and as a matter of fact, it gets harder in the initial stages of getting help, because the enemy wants to keep you in that ill-fated cycle, but trust me it gets better every day once you’re hungry for change and thirsty for righteousness. There is nothing quite refreshing and rewarding than the peace of mind, and self-preservation that comes through healing— 100% worth it.
14. Stop trying to control everything; it’s not about YOU – Have you been walking around thinking you’re in control, and you have the final say in what happens in your life or something similar? Well, I’m very sorry to burst your bubble, but you aren’t, and as a matter of fact, you couldn’t be farther from the truth. Jamaicans have a saying that goes, “man ah plan, and God a wipe”, and that’s the truth— see, our lives aren’t ours, we exist only for God and we’re all here to give Him the glory, and fulfill His purpose for us. It’s never about us, but about God; and that’s why we say ‘His will be done, not ours'. No matter what goals or plans we may think we have, or conjure up in our minds, if it is not the will of God, it is pointless, and that goes for every area of our lives. The moment we get that full understanding, that we are here to do God’s work, not ours, the clearer everything becomes.
15. Talk less, do more – One of the best ways to get where you want to be, is to first stop telling every jack man and woman about the dreams and goals you have, and just start doing something about them; refer to Nike’s tagline and, just do it. Your plans aren’t meant for everyone’s ear, but what you can share, is your progress, and maybe even pointers and advice to help others realize theirs too. Learn to work and move in silence, your success will make all the noise later.
16. Never fear failure, embrace it – ‘If you want to be good at something, you have to be bad at it first, when I first saw this quote it immediately dawned on me, that truly if I wanted to master my craft, my willingness to be bad at it openly first, but never yielding, was the only way to make that happen. Persistence and determination are the only two factors that can develop a talent whether natural or just something I wanted to be able to do. No matter how great you think you are, there could always be room for improvement, but you have to be willing to step out of that comfort zone [again] and be willing to suck at it, embrace it, learn from and through it. If you’re fearful of failure, you’re doing nothing more than denying yourself access to tap into the fullness of your potential. Falling is not the sign of defeat, that comes when you've chosen to stay down.
17. The mind is a powerful tool, learn how to use it well – Oftentimes, our lives and what happens in them, are manifestations of our minds. Think positive and positivity will pour out into the universe for and around you. ‘As a man thinketh, so is he’; corrupt minds, breed corrupt thoughts, words, and actions, but the mind can be repurposed and redirected for good and the good of others instead. It’s not easy to do on our own, but we weren’t meant to try on our own, and that’s why we were given a book with life’s manual and how to live it, The Holy Bible. It has all the directions and instructions we need to live a fulfilling, purpose-driven life. It all starts with a change in mindset and a more willingness and openness to be more Christ-like, and after we’ve understood that we are only here for His purpose, the complete transformation begins. The decision is only ours at the end of the day, to take the step to free our minds and start living a more fulfilled life focusing more on God and His plan for us, or keep being boggled down by all the earthly, unnecessary pressures of this world.
18. Seek ye first, the Kingdom of God – The Bible teaches that before all else, we are to seek God first, in all we do. When we live a life where God is the head, it doesn’t matter what happens, or what anyone says, we remain protected, safe, and favored. We ought to live with the full understanding that “all things work together for good, for they that love the Lord” (Romans 8:28), learn how to become the Jobs of our times, and learn to walk by faith and the trust in God, not by sight. Learning and understanding that, knowing and drawing closer to Him and living in His light is more important than anything else in this world. Everything in this world will pass away; that career, that house, that shiny car, the wardrobe filled with all the brand names, the diplomas, the money in the bank, everything will vanish like vapor and matter no more [they don’t even matter now, really], but God’s Kingdom is forever. Your spirit is forever, where will it end up?
19. Live within your means – Money comes, money goes, and you shouldn’t be afraid to let it go into the world. The Bible teaches that we aren’t to love worldly things, and the book of Ezekiel even tells us further, that everything in this life is all “hevel” a Hebrew word that translates to smoke or vapor. Simply put, you can’t hold on to anything in this life, it’s all smoke and the moment you try to hold it, it will only vanish away, slip right through your fingers and before your very eyes; and more especially if it wasn’t intended for you in the first place. Concerning money, we ought not to be afraid of letting it go into the world, we are to give when we can and when we do, we are to do so with a kind heart. But be careful, for this does not mean we are to be foolish with our spending, we are to be wise with money and be the controller, not to be controlled. We cannot serve God and money or anything else for that matter. Make a practical budget and stick to it. Don’t try to live as everyone else is, live like yourself and what your budget and pocket can comfortably afford. Again, I cannot stress this enough, you are not here for show and tell, you are here for His purpose.
20. You are fearfully, and wonderfully made – For years I struggled with low self-esteem and confidence, they were almost non-existent, but God has us thought of and planned even before our parents knew or thought about us themselves. He knew the nationality, the family He wanted us in, the area we would live, what our physical bodies would look like, you think of it, He already planned it. No matter what we look like on the outside to each other, no matter what anyone else’s opinion is of us, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We have to stop chasing the approval and nods of the world, for they come up with their flawed standards, and even those change quite often. Like in an earlier point I made, you’re never going to please nor have the approval of everyone, but it doesn’t even matter, your heavenly approves you, and that alone matters. Approve yourself, live in your truth, and by your standard. You are already beautiful, regardless of what the world’s definition of that is these days. You are already equipped with everything you need to live a full and prosperous life. You are perfect in the eyes and mind of God.
21. Embrace your season, and grow through it – “For everything, there is a season,” as the good book says, no matter where you are in life right at this moment, no matter what’s happening, you are in your season. What season that is, is for you to observe and determine, but whatever it is, however it is, you’re meant to grow through it. Learn how to work on whatever area of your life you were led to acknowledge. Be more in tuned and open to everything happening around you and in your life, notice the areas that are magnified, and start making a conscious effort to improve on them. Focus on yourself for a while, learn to be still so you can hear and recognize when you are being led, focus on your journey, and grow along and in your path. At the end of the day, no one will be with you to give an account for you and what you’ve done with your life, only you. Learn how to properly ‘grow and blossom, where you are planted.’
22. YOLO is not a real thing; you live every day, and what you do with those days is all that matters – I don’t know about anyone else, but lately I’ve been more concerned with how and where I’ll be spending my days when all has been said and done. These days, I am more concerned with my soul and where I’ll end up after this world passes away, than where I am living now and what I have or don’t have here and now. I am more concerned with developing and building my relationship with God, and more concerned with the work I do for His Kingdom than anything else. My every day lately, has been more focused on what I’m doing to secure my place in the Kingdom than anything else. I am less concerned with the things and demands of this world, I live my days these days with only one in mind, "is this fulfilling my purpose?" What are you concerned with these days?
23. Stop chasing after love; when the time is right, it will find you instead, and you will know – I was led to a sermon once, the main theme being marriage and when you know you’re ready for it. The pastor made a remark that opened my eyes, he said “if a nobody marries a nobody, then nobody got married”. The issue with our relationships these days and why some don’t work is really simple, we’re chasing after something and someone who either isn’t really meant for us or just isn’t awake yet. We’re trying to wake them up before God says it’s their time, and that’s even why some people find themselves in relationships and situations where they give their all and the other person doesn’t reciprocate; they simply aren’t ready to be at the level you are, at least not yet. Similarly to point 22, we’re all in our seasons, on our journeys; where love is concerned, however, we have to be patient and learn to grow through our seasons first, know ourselves, and become a whole person on our own first, before we’re ready for a life partner. The only way you know you’re ready for the sacred union of marriage is when you realize you don’t need anyone. Focus on working and building YOU first; what are you bringing to the table? No one is meant to be your “better half”, because you’re supposed to be a proper whole first, and then the right partner, who is also already a proper whole, will come into the picture and that’s when you both will form a proper union. When people say they’ll never love again because their partner had ‘taken the best part of them’ that’s already wrong, no one is supposed to have that much “power” over you in the first place; what are they even doing with the ‘best part of you’? That’s only for you to have, and once you know who you are, and are a complete whole, there’s no chance of that happening. When the time is right; when you have fully grown in all areas needed for you to be a whole person, God will put that person right in front of you, and that person will recognize you immediately, and you too them. And “what therefore God has joined together, let no man separate,” so stop trying to put things and people together yourself, that is and was never your job. Trust God and His plan for you, focus on Him and yourself, and He will lead you right into your happy ever after when you’re both ready for it, and each other.
24. Academics are important, but not necessarily synonymous with a successful life – This is one I wish someone had nudged me on, in my much younger years. Society has programmed us to believe or think that to get to a desirable place in life; you first need to complete almost all levels of the education system with stellar grades, so that you’ll be able to come out “fully equipped” and ready to join an already competitive working world. School teaches us to work for money, while the ones with that money call the shots; life and your ambitions, however, if you’re open to paying attention to all that’s around you, can teach you the opposite, by exposing you to opportunities that could have money working for you, instead. But then again, it’s all mindset. Who said you need 3, 4 degrees to start your own business, or make big moves? The only thing standing in your way between you and that life you so desire, is your mindset. However, not all of us were called to lead, and if you're meant to be in that place of employment doing what you're doing, then do it to the best of your ability. Work to become the master of your craft and the absolute best at whatever you do.
25. ‘In conflict, time doesn’t heal, it festers and gets worse’ – “Hurt people, hurt people”; listen, when I say I’ve lived this, I don’t even just mean myself, but I’ve also lived this through the experiences of others around me and I can safely say, this cannot be any more true. People who just go around hurting others are typically people who are themselves, hurting. More often than not, the ones they hurt are the people closest to them. The saddest part for some too is that they’re also in a deep state of denial where they deny their feeling of being hurt and that therein breeds the problem. When people can’t or are unable to deal with their pain, they’ll push it onto others; mostly those who don’t deserve it. Forgiveness is the only real remedy for all hurt, and the fun part is, that it’s mostly for YOU. When you forgive and let go, you set yourself free, you lift your weight. Forgive yourself for any pain you’ve caused anyone during that moment of weakness (if you’re the accused), and forgive whoever has wronged you or caused you pain— both ways. When you forgive, you then will also be forgiven. You are bigger than your mistakes; you are stronger than those painful experiences. Then the healing starts. There is also another step involved in the healing process which is then to make a genuine effort to resolve and restore those lost relationships; the Bible says, in Matthew 5:23-24, “therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” Your superficial righteousness will not earn you a place in heaven with a heart still full of sins— you are to keep loving one another, like as commanded in Matthew 22:39, “… thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” because nothing covers a multitude of sins like love. And as for the healing of those wounds, love is really what heals all wounds; love changes everything, and everyone. So, if you’ve been one of those persons with the belief that “time heals all wounds,” my deepest apologies but I’d be doing you a great injustice if I didn’t debunk that, because friends, only forgiveness and love can truly heal all wounds.
26. Meditate more – This is something I’m trying to get into the habit of doing more. I’m trying to learn how to let go of everything around me, and be more in touch with myself and all that’s physically around me through meditation, mainly so that I can hear when God speaks to me. I was listening to a sermon once that made me want to get into meditation more when I learned that prayer is how we talk to God, but meditation is how listen when He speaks. Different from it being good for your mental and overall health, I don’t believe I’ve ever really been interested in meditation up until the moment I discovered that. So, try to let go of yourself every once in a while, stop the talking now and then, and instead, just listen.
27. The best gift you can give is to be present — Time doesn’t and never waits on anyone to get everything together to start going again. It keeps going, people get older, kids grow up, and things change, but one of the single most important things you can do for anyone is just to be present in their lives. Stop waiting for things to ‘get better, or for you to be in a ‘better position’ to go and be around more, at the end of the day nothing is more valuable than the time and effort you make to just be present, to share in a moment with loved ones, to offer support and make those memories. Nothing store-bought can replace the warmth of an embrace. Every day we get to open our eyes and take another breath is willed by God, it is a blessing; stop worrying about the things of this world and what you know you have no control of, and put that energy and effort into spending time with the ones you love. Be there, while there and you’re still here.
28. Be grateful — One thing we are to never forget is that, in all things, through all things, we are to give thanks— a grateful heart is a magnet for blessings and miracles. I’ve mentioned learning to become the Jobs of our time some points ago, and I’ll bring that up again here, we don’t always have control of what happens to us in life and what we go through, but what we do have control over is how we react to it and the person these situations shape us to become. No matter what we go through, we are to remember that if God allows it, then there is good that is to and will come from it, and with that knowledge, we are to remember to still be thankful, be of good courage and remain strong. Our tests aren’t about how well we worship and sing praises in the times when things are good, but rather, in the moments when it seems all hope is gone and the light in the tunnel has lost its shine. It is in those moments that our faith is truly tested. Always be humble, be kind, be of good heart and mind, be grateful for all you have, all you’ve been through, be faithful and trustworthy in all you will receive and that is to come, remember the Lord said in His word, that “All things work together for good to them that love God,” and His promise in Jeremiah 29:11 says, “for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” and we serve a God, who does not speak in vain, now deliver empty promises. All you have to do is continue to be grateful, and be still.
29. Develop and maintain constant communication with the Holy Spirit — This is how I want to end this, with one of the best ways to live a righteous life, a life pleasing to God, to follow His ways, but you can only do that under His guidance. The only way to keep walking along the path meant for us, and grow in the way we are supposed to, is to remain prayerful and communicate with God as often as we can. We don’t have to breakdown in a full on prayer session each time, but just as we can speak to others around us, we can also speak to God right throughout the day and ask Him to guide and lead us, in everything we do, in everything we say, in all things, at all times. Only He can transform you and your situations. He wants to be your friend; He wants to be involved in all areas and aspects of your life. He wants to be included, and He wants you to rely on Him. The clock was originally created to make time for prayer throughout the day, we wear them in all sorts of fashion and styles now, but how many of us are still making that time to engage in what they were really meant for, instead of trying to control the hours and activities of the days? Many of us, with the way we’re living, don’t even deserve the days we get to wake up and live, but we’re given them anyway; His mercy and love runs deeper than any human comprehension, and the fact that He sees it fit to still give us another chance, despite our sinful ways, is reason enough to stop and give thanks. Recognize Him and His presence in your life; like the first point made in these lessons, the relationship you have with Him, is the most important one you will ever have in this life, and the next.
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