We All Go Forward

031- The life we want depends on us. That's it. That's the message. 

If your quality of life equates to the sum of your decisions, the decision maker (you) has to curate the heck out of that thing. He/She must be PICKY, SELECTIVE, & PARTICULAR (PSP)! No time to waste lying to ourselves about who we are & what we want.

We must stop labeling being selective as "selfish". Selfish folks lack consideration for others. PSP folks consider themselves so that they can consider others.

How are you going to accomplish anything in life if lose YOU? You betta recognize!! No really...you have several things you must recognize to get this right:) Take a listen & let's get moving forward. 

#030- Have you ever prayed or thought to yourself "I need/want a friend"? Maybe it came out in a quiet whisper or angry yell; through tears or through frustration. 

I have found that sometimes the simplest, most innocent need can feel raw & vulnerable. I think it's because the admittance is true, sincere, pure, & honestly...natural. 

We have all experienced this: that even surrounded by the best family/friends, a person can still find themselves occasionally lonely. Or embarking on journeys that seem too unrealistic to bring anyone along for.

Tune in for this heart-warming, biblical take on what friendship is & who friendship is. It's devotion time. If you're in need of just one person to journey FORWARD with, this one's for you.

God....I need friendship:) 

#029- Wisdom can be defined as not just the quality of having experience, knowledge, & good judgment; but also the soundness of decisions with regard to the application of that experience, knowledge, & good judgment. In other words, you can know a lot. You can experience a lot. You can discern, diagnose, & judge a lot. But if none of that is applied correctly & soundly...if your actions and words are not dressed in integrity, then you know nothing [Jon Snow]. 

This trait (wisdom), is certainly worth having & pursuing. And when we look deeper at the fact that traits often describe a quality or characteristic of a person, it should be no surprise to learn that the model person, Christ himself, is Wisdom.  We may, however, be surprised at how he wants us to know him/Wisdom, how he wants us to experience him/Wisdom, & how (in His Wisdom) he'll diagnose what's good for us in life. Yes that may surprise us. But because he's wise...we can trust that his intentions and actions towards us are sound, correct, & full of love. God we need wisdom. I guess...we need You. 

#028: We All Go Forward podcast dedicates this moment & bonus solely to the legacy of the King sisters. Both women of progress. Both women who stood & stand in the gap for others-- recognizing needs, meeting those needs with resources, supporting others through painful experiences, all with one goal: to see them leap forward. Forever in our hearts, Rachel E. King-- the keeper of children's dreams & more. Forever an inspiration, Ahyana King--the keeper of her sister's legacy & more. 

https://andfound.co

https://therachelekingfoundation.org

https://www.instagram.com/theandfoundco/

#027- Take a trip down memory lane with me & Ahyana to 07/17/2010 (my wedding day). She was already an honorary Haitian but this day was a true test of whether or not she still wanted the passport LOL! If anything, I think her love for our audacious & vibrant nature grew. And my love for her advocacy, care, & boldness definitely grew. Just one of many funny stories that took place at my big Haitian wedding:) 

#026- Truth is, there is not simply one type of ugly experience in life. We grieve in many ways. When life offers us the bad AND we can’t change or undo it, acceptance is not only necessary, it saves us.

Ahyana King, MS LPC is the person who is called upon when things are bad in her professional life. And as you'll hear in this episode, the responsibility also fell in her lap at arguably one of the most grievous moments of her life. But where Ahyana could have leaned into anger & bitterness, she lived in acceptance, forgiveness & joy so that she could experience better for herself and for those she loves. 

How has life been awful for you? Infidelity. Infertility. Death/Illness. Loss of work. Abandonment. Abuse. As Ahyana says, when we ask “now what?” (i.e. Where to from here?) we have begun our journey. Acceptance is not synonymous to reconciliation or amnesia. Acceptance is movement…forward. 

Ahyana’s job includes helping us experience the hope & the “wonder” of what awaits us just beyond the hurt. Life can be awful. But it can be oh so awesome as well. Tune in :)

Link to attend or support The Rachel E. King Fundraiser: 

https://therachelekingfoundation.org/soiree

+Found IG & website:

https://www.instagram.com/theandfoundco/

https://andfound.co

#025- Today we're talking accountability!

It's one thing to be afraid of making decisions. It's another to make a choice...and then live in dread, waiting for the other shoe to drop, and constantly wondering "did I make the right choice?". Neither are healthy. So we're moving forward through this very common obstacle in decision-making. 

Is fear rendering you indecisive? Or are you struggling with fear even after being decisive? Let's explore how owning our choices, our reasons, & the timing behind why we choose to do what we do, can ease the fear & help us progress. 

Onward:) 

#024- If you've ever needed to say goodbye to something [or someone] you deeply cared for, then you know letting go is hard. It may change you in ways you don't expect. 

I walked away from a job last year, but I had long suspected it was the beginning of the end. The end of an era so that I could grab the reins of what's ahead. It wasn't a haphazard move. It was done with much thought and conviction. Yet, my emotions have kicked my behind to no end. Even still, I feel changed for the better. Maturing in my understanding that in life, even to the "good", we sometimes say goodbye. 

Enjoy!

#023- Hindsight is 20/20. So with a 20-year perspective (or less), I take a look back and reflect on not only what were good decisions in my 20's, but on choices that are repeatable and always wise. Translation: If I could go back, I'd do these 5 things again--and that's a rich perspective to share.

Maybe you're a 20-something, maybe you're embarking on the start of your journey later in life, maybe you know some young adults who need advice, & maybe you're a part of the WAGF tribe & want to listen plus share some feedback on what you'd do differently/the same. Whoever you are, welcome. Enjoy! And get some laughs too as I give my perspective on what "they"/life really wants from a 20 year old:)  

#022- Disclaimer: Today's episode includes sensitive topics that may be triggering to some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

I think we can all agree that there is no pain like the loss of a loved one. The loss of a child, however, becomes uniquely difficult because it seems to go against the natural progression of life, order, and time. The size of the wound it leaves...unimaginable to grasp, capture, or explain.

Loss is an inevitable part of life. As a result, grief becomes an inevitable process. But giving ourselves (and others) permission to grieve does not seem to come easy. Perhaps because we're taught to "fix" what's broken and "hide" what's scarred. But what happens when what's broken & scarred, is us? (Loss does that). What happens when what we try to fix and hide is too rare and too great? (Love IS that). 

In this episode, I speak with a woman I love dearly: Wanda Francois. In college & pregnant, she goes through a whirlwind of loss and grief, including the death of her 1st born infant son, David. Though her pain remains palpable 18 years later, her grace and wisdom resound just as powerfully. Grief has indeed journeyed with Wanda. Yet, she demonstrates that our scars & brokenness require acceptance because that's the only way we acknowledge what was & what still is-- LOVE. Great, overwhelming love. 

In memory of David.