FAITH:

My 2nd Theme for 2015

          If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I select a “THEME” for each year and in 2015 I could not just narrow it down to just 1 theme so I chose 2! The first theme was LOVE (click here to see that post) and the second is what I’m revealing today —> FAITH!

          Both of these themes have had more of an impact on my life this year than I ever could have imagined! The combination of FAITH and LOVE brought to fruition in my life the following: A deeper relationship with God my Creator and Jesus my Savior, Financial Increase in my business, meeting, falling in love with and marrying the man of my dreams (yes, all in the same year lol!), and learning to look at every situation that occurs in my life through new lenses of LOVE and FAITH and the endless possibilities they present!

          Back in August I was the Keynote Speaker at an Empowerment Dinner during the Men & Women of Color Conference at my Alma Mater, Mississippi State University. I spoke heavily about how LOVE and FAITH can be used to excel personally and professionally. Below is an excerpt of what I said about FAITH to the audience during that speech:

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“At itʼs most basic definition – FAITH is COMPLETE trust or Confidence in someone or something.

          The reason I chose FAITH as my 2nd Theme for 2015 is that there are a couple of major things I wanted to manifest in my life this year and in order for those things to come into being….I had to have total FAITH that they would come about! In order to manifest what you want in life, you have to have FAITH – a Confidence to make those things come to pass.

When I talk about FAITH, I use a concept of “Seed. Time. Harvest” {OR} “Ask. Believe. Receive” to describe the Process of FAITH because, yes, there is a process!

          Think of a farmer. A farmer plants his or her seeds and when that farmer plants those seeds, he or she EXPECTS that the seeds will produce a harvest. Correct? The farmer does not wander around worrying IF their harvest is going to come! They expect that when they plant those seeds, they will see a harvest in due time!

          You plant corn seeds, you expect corn to grow. When you plant watermelon seeds, you expect watermelon to grow.

           Furthermore, when you plant corn seeds, you DONʼT expect watermelon to grow…..but Iʼm gonna come back to that in a minute!

         In between that “seed-planting” and harvesting is a little something called TIIIIIIIIIIME! Itʼs during this “time period” that we tend to get impatient and may even lose FAITH in some of our dreams.

          Whatʼs funny is that the “Seed. Time. Harvest.” Concept really looks more like this —> Seed. Time. Time. Time. Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time. Harvest. LOL

          However, get in the mindset of an experienced farmer – when they plant something, they have FAITH and fully expect that it will harvest into exactly what they expect. When you are working toward your dreams, have FAITH that just as you are putting in the work to make your dreams come true, you will reap what you sow.

          Back to the reference I made a minute ago about planting one thing and expecting something else to grow. You cant plant corn seeds and expect tomatoes to grow. In similar regard, you canʼt half-way work at your goals and dreams and expect success. Once again, you reap what you sow.

Ask. Believe. Receive —> That “believing” part is where your FAITH comes into play!

          Please know that other people believing in your dreams or not is NOT a requirement for your dreams to manifest in your life! YOU have to have FAITH that your dreams will come to fruition! You have to have FAITH that as long as you are trying your very best to add positivity to the world, that the Universe will support you in it!

          You and only you are responsible for having FAITH that will move mountains! FAITH that will allow you to be the head and not the tail! FAITH that will cause you to lend and not borrow! FAITH that will allow you to achieve your dreams and encourage someone else along the way! FAITH that now matter where you started or under what circumstances you were born into, you can achieve your dreams NO MATTER WHAT!

FAITH! FAITH! FAITH!

          FAITH that says that even if your family doesnʼt believe in you, youʼre going to accomplish your dreams anyways! FAITH that stops the haters in their tracks!!

          FAITH that tells you that sometimes itʼs better to keep your mouth closed about your dreams than to tell them to every Tom, Billy Bob and Joe that will listen! Not everyone around you is really there to support you. Be careful of dream-killers – they can sometimes be disguised as people in your very own camp!

          FAITH in my strength and abilities is what pushed me to start my own medical practice at just 30 years old!

          Sometimes I look back on that start-up period of owning my practice and laugh because of how amazing it was! One of the reasons I was able to start my practice the way I did is because I had TOTAL and COMPLETE FAITH that I could do it!! I donʼt remember doubting myself for even one second during that entire process – I had crazy FAITH. I knew there would be minor hick-ups along the way, but I never lost FAITH, even for a little bit, that I could do it!

          Now, over 4.5 years, later my practice is growing and is stronger than ever. Most small business take at least 5 years to become consistently profitable but, Praise be to God, Iʼve already turned that corner prior to the 5 year mark! My FAITH brought that dream of mine to pass!

          Every morning when I rise I give thanks for life and love, health, and family, increase in my business & finances and for waking up in my right mind! I have FAITH that in spite of all the things happening around me that may be out of control, I’m in tune with my Creator who has the power to make everything work together for my good!”

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          There are daily examples of times when I don’t have the answer and don’t know what to do next. However, that’s where my FAITH steps in! I surrender my way to my Creator’s way and ask, “God, what’s the next right move?”

          Our Faith is perfected in those times when we can’t see a way out, can’t figure out a solution, but when we let go and trust anyhow.

          My family lost one of dearest members this summer. My cousin Dorsey Philander Hamlin, just 45 years old with a wife, 2 kids and a huge family of us who loved him, went on to live for eternity with our Father in Heaven back in June. It happened unexpectedly. He was in a car accident on a Wednesday morning. I talked to him that same day as well as the following day after he was released from the hospital and he praised God for protecting him in that car accident. He told me that he felt fine and walked away from the accident with just a cut on his forehead that didn’t even need stitches.

           Earlier that week he had even shared a couple of pictures of me and my, then fiance and now husband, on his Facebook page…something he never really did – share pictures of other people on his page. I jokingly asked him to what we deserved that honor and he told me he shared our photos because he loved us being together and loved seeing how happy and in-love we are with each other. That literally made my heart smile because I knew he didn’t normally do that 🙂

          The day after my cousin was in that car accident and seemed absolutely fine to everyone, he went to sleep that Thursday night and never woke up Friday morning. Just typing this story right now with tears in my eyes is bringing back up all those emotions of hurt, confusion, pain and sadness. There is not a single day that goes by that I don’t think about my cousin. He loved the Lord so much. Everyone who knew him knew how much he loved the Lord. Our entire family has changed forever since his physical presence left us, but my FAITH in God reassures me that death is just a continuation of life, a re-arrangement of sorts, and that the legacy of love and faith my cousin leaves with us will never die.

           There are some events that happen in this life that we may never have understanding of the “Why” or “How”, but I’m certain that I know “Who” can fix all the broken pieces when we can’t and when we can’t see a way to do it ourselves.

             As sad as writing this story about my cousin made me all over again, I tell it because, yes, Faith is about believing in a Power greater than ourselves, having boldness in what we ask of our Creator and expecting greatness in life. However, it’s also about pushing through the gut-wrenching pain of loss, loneliness and heartache and choosing to believe that the sun will shine again. Besides, Philander loved life and his family and would never want us walking around sad and heartbroken! I can just hear him saying, “None of us comes here to stay so you better have your house in order and be ready when The Lord calls you home!”

            Exercising my faith has come in many, expected and unexpected forms this year and it now makes sense why God laid it on my heart this time last year to choose the words Faith and Love as my themes for the year!

           Faith in Love and a LOVE of Faith are two powerful combinations that will give you peace that surpasses all understanding……..if you are open to receive them 🙂

          Dr. Carmen April is an entrepreneur and community leader recognized as a 2014 Nashville Emerging Leader Award (NELA) Winner, a 2013 Nashville Business Journal Top 40 Under Forty Award Recipient and is a 2014 Graduate of the New Leaders Council Institute – Nashville Chapter.  Dr. April is available for speaking engagements on Entrepreneurship and Life Leadership for College Students and Young Professionals.