Living Life Fully and Alive! Remembering Lisa Miller-Baldwin

As I sit and reflect today, on the life  of my friend and mentee Lisa Miller-Baldwin, my heart is heavy, but I am grateful for the opportunities to tell of the impact of her life in the earth.   

Too often we wait for moments like this to ponder what we should have done or said sooner.  When we lose someone close or dear, it causes us to reflect on the person and their impact, but even greater on our own lives.  Lisa was many things to many people, her reach touched people's lives, and her story will forever change how we address real life issues like homelessness, domestic violence, parenting, early childhood education and advocacy.  Her approach was hands-on and she put forth maximized efforts for every work she was connected with.  Her work went beyond meeting her own needs, because often she sacrificed her own needs for the work she committed to. 

She was daughter of God, first and foremost she loved God, and he was at the center of everything she did.  She was a mother, grandmother, sister-friend, business entrepreneur, visionary, passion-filled lover of the most high God, a worshipper who touched heaven with her voice.  She was my friend. 

I can remember our mentee sessions together, as she shared her power-packed vision, and well thought out plans.  She inspired me to be better and to reach higher.  Our sessions often left me convicted, because I would thinks that was great advice, but when are you going to begin your work.  She not only had the vision, but she carried momentum that was fierce enough to blaze a trail behind her to draw people to the work.  The work she wrought in me, is what causes me to write today.  Our work and stories can only be made evident and clear when we tell them.  When we stop our excuses and get to the work. 

So the questions remain for me, the momentum has been set, so who will carry the work forward.  The board members of Wonderfully Made Foundation have the task to figure out how to make the legacy come alive and continue to ignite.  The many business entities that Lisa met with to solicit on-going support for the work, have the opportunity to grant her request by creating philanthropic seeds that honor her work. 

Each of us reading this post, have a part in this work.  What's your part?  Begin it today.   If not, now, when?  If not here, where?  Make a choice to support the continue work and effort by honoring the work

• Support the family during this time of remembrance as they prepare for the celebration of a life lived for God.  Go to:  http://www.gofundme.com/fzc0i0
• Annual donation to the work
• Wonderfully Made Foundation
• Entrepreneur of Faith
• Homeless Homes
• Create homes for the families currently housed
• Provide education and resource building for families to maintain their homes
• Resources for the families well-being
• Carry the vision of Lisa Miller Baldwin forward in your work
• Bring awareness to the issue of Domestic Violence
• Bring awareness to the issue of Homelessness
• Live a life for Christ on Purpose, Out loud for the entire world to see
• Stop making excuses and start today!

Taking Risk: Lessons I've Learned

I have the opportunity to be the mother of two healthly and active boys.  That's another way of saying that they are rambuncous, busy, extremely active, need to get out and explore, BOYS!  I love writing things in the nice professional way, but sometimes the accurate picture is what works best.  I share this with you, because yesterday we went to our local park at the Midwest City Welcome Center in Midwest City, and I watched them play in new ways at the park.

This is a ritual that we have at least two to three times a month, so I often wonder does it ever get boring, or will they find new ways to explore.  As a mom, and former preschool teacher I really believe in letting children experience play on their own, creating an environment, and then letting them go at it.  I intervene when necessary, making sure they make good safe choices, are mindful of those around them, and that they stay in the designated area.  Yesterday was the same.  I watched them play from the park bench, reading my book, A Thread of Truth by Marie Bostwick periodically looking up to see what they were in to.

Here's what I saw:

What's amazing is that just a few months ago, they worked at the same feats, with caution in their eyes, and not as much fearless confidence.  This is what drew me to the topic of risk-taking.  In researching risk, it means to venture upon; take or run the change of. to risk a fall in climbing, to risk a war.  Taking risk is necessary for mastery of skill and to see what the possibilities are in accomplishing the task we are given.

I am reminded of myself in high school and a defining moment presented by one of my teaching.  As a child, I always did what I knew I could accomplish, never venturing out to the new.  As a high school student, I ran for the student council secretary, because it 's a job no body ever wanted, and I knew I would win.  I was good at it, but still it wasn't a challenge.  After a span of time, doing what we know we can do, becomes daunting, because of the lack of risk and opportunities for learning.

So, given this history and my experience, let's issue a challenge for this month, to look at your life and the amount of risk-taking that is apparent.  Join me and let's try the following this month:

• Examine your life, in each role you walk in and identify what risk you take.
• In the role, ask yourself these questions: 
• Am I a risk-taker? If so, how is it evident?  
• When I take a risk, am I forced or is it a natural path I choose?
• What happens to me when I take a risk?
• Do I avoid risk-taking?  If so, why?
• Do I choose the safe path in my role as a wife, mother, worker, entrepreneur, leader(ask yourself the question based on your roles)?
• What are lessons I've learned as a risk-taker?
• How can I encourage risk-taking in others?

Share your responses in the comment section or on our facebook page link.

#take action