I well remember my reaction back in 1993 when my then-husband Phil Beeson told me he’d accepted a legal position with Ericsson Telecommunications and that we’d be moving our family from Northern to Central Virginia.

Back in 1993, all I knew about Lynchburg was that it was the home of the Rev. Dr. Jerry Falwell as well as a handful of small private colleges.

Back in 1993, I never dreamed I’d spend nearly two decades in this charming city so majestically encased by the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Back in 1993, I never imagined I’d help “Doc” (Jerry) fulfill his long-time dream by becoming a founding faculty member of Liberty University School of Law.

All I knew in 1993 was that Lynchburg would be a drastic contrast from the hustle and bustle of Fairfax County.

And it was. And it is. And now I’m leaving.

I’m leaving this fair city a different person from the one who arrived with 18-month-old twins and a “rising kindergartener.”

I’m leaving it with precious memories and soul-enriching experiences deeply embedded in my heart.

Thank you, Lynchburg Community, for gently guiding my family through the good times as well as the hard.

When Phil and I struggled through the pain of divorce, you comforted us. When each of us remarried, you rejoiced with us.

Through both your public and private school systems, you helped our daughters (Rebecca, Jana, and Brett Beeson) grow into amazing young women who are making lasting, meaningful contributions in bilingual education, theatre, and Semitic languages.

Through the News & Advance personal ads, you brought me my true love (Dave Fisher) and blessed me with four incredible stepchildren (Katherine, Amanda, Elizabeth, and Benjamin) who are making lasting, meaningful contributions in science, music, and Slavic languages.

You gave me ample career opportunities to serve others – the Child Abuse Prevention Center, the Virginia Legal Aid Society, the Office of the Public Defender, and Liberty University School of Law.

You blessed me with several Spirit-filled congregations – Rivermont and First Presbyterian, St. John’s and St. Paul’s Episcopal, and Court Street and Peakland United Methodist.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can’t think of a better place to raise a family and enrich one’s soul.

Had my husband Dave not been offered a position at Johns Hopkins Hospital, we’d be here (God willing) for decades more. But on February 4^th, the Fisher Caravan is pulling out to set up a new home in Bel Air, Maryland.

Lynchburg, we will miss you dearly.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.

With Gratitude, Fond Memories, and Joy,

P.S. Images of Lynchburg in the collage are courtesy of TripAdvisor.com.

Are you overwhelmed by life’s challenges? Has a crisis sent you into a tailspin? You have the power within you to turn things around one thought at a time. No more self sabotage. No more feeling lost within your own life. Cancer Thriver Michele Howe Clarke will take you on an amazing journey from the time of her devastating cancer diagnosis, shortly after becoming a first-time mother, through her recovery. Along the way she shares her secrets to a rich and fulfilling life in the aftermath of her most daunting challenge.

Michele will discuss how you can

• Rediscover your faith
• Make choices that positively impact your daily existence
• Recalibrate your thinking to put you in control of your happiness

About Michele Howe Clarke

Michele’s journey from tragedy to transformation has provided her with a hard core master’s degree in triumph in the face of despair. Her experience has never been the same after her life and death struggle with head and neck cancer which left her disfigured. She gracefully tells her harrowing and ultimately heart-warming story in her inspirational book Face Forward: Meeting Challenges Head on in Times of Trouble which will be published by Morgan James Publishing, NY in Spring of 2012.

For more information, please visit Michele’s website: www.receivebelieve.com/tickettothrive.

Michele’s Success Tips

Start using Leading Questions to keeps you moving down the positive path.

You have this amazing power to ask better questions.  Every thought begins with a question. You have a problem-solving-mind.  It will endeavor to solve any problem you throw its way. You can center your questions around health, or whatever you most desire: love, kindness, abundance, joy, strength, or relationship.

You can ask these questions in the shower. Ask in rounds of three for each question.  Start each round of questions with:

How can I …?

What will I do that…?

Wouldn’t it be great if…?

Sprinkling Positive Speech helps your subconscious focus on realizing better outcomes.

You can begin going in a new direction.  You are the one who can make all the difference.  Rediscover the power of your focus. You have a choice:  you can choose to hurt or heal your body by the way you speak to yourself and how you see yourself.  Trust that somewhere within you, you are already whole, already healed. Know this.  Stake your claim; you have a right to health.  The first step is to stop being so hard on yourself.  You have done the best you could with what you had.  Now you have options and you know it.

Flip Your Script and stop your negative story and reprogram yourself for success.

You move your energy when you decide not to perceive pain in a hard fact, but instead see an opportunity to grow.  Pain in life is inevitable. We all lose loved ones. Ultimately, we will all die. Suffering in life is a choice you make when you describe the pain of now or the uncertainty of your future to yourself repeatedly.  Suffering and pain therefore continue to be manifest in your life. When you tell yourself the story of the pain you feel, the description you create is more than just the facts and here’s where you create the gory details.  No more! Intend good health and peace for yourself: You are able to take action and face fears.

Michele’s Favorite Quote

“First the thought then the thing.” ~ Anonymous

“The path is the goal.” ~ Anonymous

 Listen to the interview with Michele by clicking the audio arrow or link below.

Michele Howe Clarke Interview

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About Judy Brinkley

To the glory of God, Judy is Out Of The Box of Domestic Violence. As a minister, counselor, and author, she is dedicated to seeing other women set free. Likewise, Judy’s experience as a university dance teacher still infiltrates the ministry today. Her expertise and passion for the arts is evident within First Love Ministries & Dreamcenter. Judy is available to speak and minister at conferences, seminars, the local church, women’s groups and organizations. Her Spirit-led journey “Out Of The Box of Domestic Violence” has equipped her with an overcomer’s testimony. Jesus Christ has anointed and empowered her with a message to heal the brokenhearted and set the captives free. Judy resides in the Space Coast area of Florida with her husband John. Contact: www.asilentpreacherspeaks.com & www.firstlovedreamcenter.com

Judy’s Success Tip

1. Give Jesus Christ permission to become your EVERYTHING.

2. Let Him call you back to your First Love.

3. Let go of Shattered Dreams. They are dead. Pursue new dreams. His dreams and visions
for your life.

Judy’s Favorite Quote

The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of them all.

Listen to the interview with Judy by clicking the audio arrow or link below.

Judy Brinkley Interview

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About Carlton Wilborn

Aside from being a world-respected dancer and choreographer, stage and screen actor, and radio and on-camera host, Carlton Wilborn has worked for more than 10 years as a results-producing Empowerment/Motivational Teacher and Speaker. He’s well-known for igniting freedom, courage, and healing within a large cross-section of individuals, churches, and nonprofit organizations throughout North America.

The key principles that support his Empowerment Movement are Authenticity, Integrity, Love, Faith, and Gratitude. His book “Front & Center–How I Learned To Live There,” received Best Autobiography for 2007 by USA Book News. Carlton has done charitable work over the years for Project Angel Food, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

For more information and to book Carlton as a Life Coach or Speaker, please go to: www.livingfrontandcenter.com or call 888.750.5322.

Carlton’s Favorite Quote

“Answer your heart-song today and meet your hero in the mirror tomorrow.” ~ Carlton Wilborn

Listen to the interview with Carlton by clicking the audio arrow or link below. 

Carlton Wilborn Interview

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Learn how to authentically market your business and begin to truly profit from your passion and purpose. Connecting to your purpose and sharing your own journey opens you up to the people you can help the most and creates a safe place for them to come in and work with you.

Marketing and sales don’t have to be sleazy and forced. It can be an extension of your purpose and your passion…we’ll show you how!

About Paige Stapleton & Brian Stark

Paige Stapleton and Brian Stark left careers that were leaving them feeling small and unfulfilled, followed their bliss and became life purpose coaches. Now, as founders of Authentic Marketing, and The Authentic Profits System™, they help other coaches, practitioners and helping professionals monetize their purpose and build a thriving local practice as well as a powerful online presence, so they can create a consistent flow of clients and make more money without compromising their integrity.

Their unique Authentic Profits System™, combines your unique, authentic message with proven client attraction tools and techniques to build a prosperous, joyful and rewarding business.

Together, they publish the daily meditation Today’s Truth, which offers its readers an opportunity to take a breath and go within. It is available at www.KnowTruthLiveTruth.com.

Success Tips from Brian & Paige

Your words and thoughts are powerful…use them wisely and only for what you want.

Remember where you came from, speak from that truth and you will instantly connect with your ideal clients.

Be an advocate for your client before they are even your client.

Stop trying to help everyone, so you can start helping the people you are here to help.

Believe and know that the abundance you desire is here now.

If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Paige’s Favorite Quote

If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.  ~Lila Watson, an Aboriginal Australian, Murri visual artist, activist and educator

Brian’s Favorite Quote

The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.  ~James Allen

Listen to the interview with Brian & Paige by clicking the audio arrow or link below.

Brian & Paige Interview

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This I Know To Be True and For This I Am Truly Grateful

• In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Jesus was with God and Jesus is God. Through Him all things were made.
• God made man—God made us—in His image.
• God is just. God is merciful.  God is omnipotent.
• God    is    love.
• As an image-bearing child of the King, I am brilliant, loving, compassionate, just, creative, and more powerful than I can even imagine.
• Jesus is my Messiah, my Savior, my Lord. He is my Father’s one and only Son, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
• He was crucified, died, and was buried, and on the third day He rose from the dead.
•  He ascended into heaven and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
•  In Jesus is forgiveness. In Jesus is life. In Jesus is life everlasting. Hallelujah!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

•  God’s desire is for us to live lives of love, joy, peace, prosperity, and purpose.
•  To experience true joy, we must
  • give thanks in all circumstances;
  • love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind;
  • love our neighbor as our self;
  • S E R V E others with a glad and cheerful spirit;
  • grow beyond our self-imposed limitations;
  • not be afraid to excel.
• We are here on earth to find, follow, and fulfill our divine calling.
• Many of us need to remind ourselves daily:  It’s OK to Shine!!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As we transition from Thanksgiving to Advent, I am exceedingly grateful for my faith, calling, family, health, friends, country, home, business, community, colleagues, mentors, clients, pets, and life. Your turn. What are your core beliefs and for what are you most grateful?

Share your comment with us here on the blog.

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-Wild Success

-Abundant Profitability

-Connection to a Global Vision

-Greater Service to More People

-Living Out the Beauty of Your Purpose.

Learn how to breakthrough to success as a heart-centered woman entrepreneur as you work through the 3 Zones of your SPARKLE Effect™:  the Discovery Zone, the Marketing Zone, the Life Zone.  Discover ways to deliver your marketing message in a way that authentically aligns with your gifts, your values, your purpose, and your lifestyle. Mastering these three zones will allow you to find the freedom to show up as YOU as well as give your clients what they need. As a coach, expert, or consultant, you truly need to master your mindset so you can magnetize your marketing efforts as you tell your unique story of success.

About Kristi Olson

Kristi is an Entrepreneur Success Strategist for Women, a Certified Coach, and International Speaker with over 20 years of experience in business development & marketing for corporations and non-profit entities.

As an Entrepreneur Success Strategist and Mentor, she works with women entrepreneurs teaching you how to Master Your Mindset & Magnetize Your Marketing™ so you can become Wildly Successful and Abundantly Profitable in Life & Business.

“You will experience transformation and revelation as you identify your Voice, your Strength, and the Beauty of your Purpose. Someone is not being helped when you don’t share your gifts. The effect of your dream impacts a world.”

Kristi’s Success Tips

1.  Find the freedom to show up as YOU.

2.  Give your clients what they want — teach them what they need.

3.  Become visible and be seen as an expert.

4.  Design a business that aligns with your values and lifestyle.

5.  Engage with your niche market “on purpose” with generosity and graciousness.

Kristi’s Favorite Quote

“And then the day came,  when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to Blossom” ~Anais Nin

Listen to the interview with Kristi by clicking the audio arrow or link below.

Kristi Olson Interview

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About Ebonni Bryant

Biographies are sometimes in the 3rd person. I find it more personal to speak to you as I am. My name is Ebonni Bryant and I am a business owner. I am on this path because I have felt this push, like someone or something was pushing my back, to go down this road. This road has not always felt welcoming. I have wanted to run back. I have wanted to walk on someone else’s road and yet here I am helping communities see the value of business. These businesses are local. They are regional. They are national. And in some way, each business has a great purpose. I am here to drag that purpose up to the surface and have it serve the people within it and the people looking in. When a business is doing its best job, everything that touches it has been made better. Through marketing, communications, creative development, and accountability practices, Bryant NE shows business how to move, integrate, and serve. Let’s move together!

Ebonni’s Success Tips

1.) Remember who you are has nothing to do with what you do.
2.) If you are awkward, be awkward, people love that. If you are frank, be frank, it works. Those things about yourself that seem to drive people batty is the very thing that creates a more fulfilling life.
3.) Acting as if those little secrets or idiosyncrasies are not a great part of you is you missing the mark. Bring them into the fold. Don’t sell a concept, talk honestly and openly about who you are. It works!
4.) Everyone you have ever known holds the key to your business success.

Ebonni’s Favorite Quote

“I took a leap of faith and began a journey through a passage that was so narrow, I could not take any baggage – any pride, doubt, fear or woudedness with me.” -Anonymous

Listen to the interview with Ebonni by clicking the audio arrow or link below.

Ebonni Bryant Interview

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Click to find out more about STARTALK.

About Dr. Najoua Hotard

Najoua Hotard, Ph.D. is  the President and Founder of the Institute of Critical Languages and Cultural Exchange, Inc. (I.C.L.C.E.) in Baton Rouge Louisiana.

She is an educator with 23 years experience. Since 2007, Najoua has focused her energies on providing federally funded critical language programs, namely STARTALK, to youth and professionals in the United States.

Throughout her journey as a teacher, she has firmly believed her strength comes from God’s guidance to help youth from all backgrounds become leaders. Under Najoua’s direction, I.C.L.C.E. implemented the STARTALK grant for 2008, 2009, and 2011. Najoua is actively engaged in the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV), the New Orleans Citizen Diplomacy Council, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), and several other professional and community-based governmental and professional groups.

Najoua’s Success Tip

Any business involves hard work and sometimes growing pain. Having faith in God’s power and mercy and keeping a positive upbeat lessens the difficulties. When I started the business, I tended to be impatient and had a sense of urgency to achieve success.  STARTALK program has brought me blessings in the sense that it taught me how to regain my spiritual strength.  It brought my way young people eager to learn and become global citizens, as well as team members and friends ready to lend a hand at anytime.  Like my dear Sarita Mehta said, one has to free the mind from the negative and focus on bringing hope and peace to every action we do. She told me once that we push the button on a phone and we can reach someone fast.  God is always there.  We just have to learn how to talk to him and it is not that difficult.  As you see businesses or programs , small or big become meaningful when they bring about change and empowerment through great human beings we meet.

Najoua’s Favorite Quote

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the World: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead

Listen to the interview with Najoua by clicking the audio arrow or link below.

Dr. Najoua Hotard Interview

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Check this out from the Old and New Testaments:

“Hear, O Israel:  The Lord our God is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
[Deuteronomy 6:4-5]

 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment
in the Law?” Jesus answered,
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it:
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on
these two commandments.”
[Matthew 22:36-40]

Then Jesus came to them [the eleven disciples] and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  [Matthew 28:18-20]

I had to smile when our pastor summed up our collective purpose as:

1)      Love God.

2)      Love Others.

3)      Make Disciples.

There you have it. How easy is that?? So much angst over what we’re supposed to do with our lives and, voila, six simple words say it all..  Hmmm….simple?

Maybe not.

How do we love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength and with all our mind?  How do we live for the Lord full-time?

Loving God with all my heart means wanting to be in full relationship with Him. Not part-time. Full-time. It means being eager to share my joys, my challenges, my ups, my downs, with my Lord and Savior. It means keeping our relationship fresh and vibrant and keeping our relationship my top priority. It means allowing God’s love and compassion to flow through me to others.

Loving God with all my soul means continually listening to God’s voice. It means wanting my purpose to be His purpose—wanting His plan to be my plan. It means connecting through my soul to my Source on a regular basis to discern God’s will for my life.

Loving God with all my mind means loving God consciously, intentionally, with full and continual awareness. It means seeking to conform my thoughts to God’s thoughts and ridding my mind of all negativity:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  [Philippians 4:7-9]

Loving God with all my strength means pouring every ounce of energy into my relationship with God. It means loving God with my whole being, not merely with bits and pieces of who I am or who I think I am.

Loving others as ourselves
is a natural and logical outgrowth of loving God
with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.
So is fulfilling the Great Commission.

Take a moment to ask yourself: Are you living for God (that is, are you living out your God-given purpose) part-time or full-time?

If you want to get crystal clear on whom to serve and how to serve them (part of your unique/particular/specific call), focus  first on getting to know the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. Live your corporate/collective/general call with joy and confidence.

Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Find Your Purpose. Fulfill Your Calling.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.”
[Proverbs 3:5-6]

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