The last several months I have been trying to find my place in this world of income and finances while balancing my gifts. The writing has pulled in enough for our family to survive most months, but focusing on the money made me lose the vision of my purpose.

Recent events reminded me that it is not about being liked. It is not about being right. It is not even about being wealthy. My walk has to be about living the truth through every aspect of my life. I have to do the things that I have been called to do and do them with boldness.

That is why I have decided to bring back the Peculiar in the title of this blog. Living the Proverbs life is a peculiar walk in the eyes of the world. Walking in peace and joy despite circumstances makes people look at you just a little oddly. Being bold enough to walk in faith and not fear will have people talking about just how strange you have become.

I want more people to experience the peculiar life. My hope and prayer and passion is to encourage others to step out into the possibilities and leave behind the problems the world requires us to focus on instead. It lifts me up to give others the wings to fly beyond what the world says must be reality and to reach the point of extraordinary.

Will you join me in this adventure to be peculiar through the principles found in Proverbs?

First 5 Steps to the Proverbs 31 Dare

1. Help others over self. You may not be a Florida fan but you can not help but be a Tim Tebow fan. This is a talented (and nice looking) athlete that is more concerned about his team than he is himself. He is more focused on helping others than partying during spring break. He is living the idea in proverbs of reaching out his hand to help others and having a light on so that those in need know where to turn.

2. Prepare for today and tomorrow. The grasshopper made fun of the ant for working during the summer but when winter came the grasshopper was in trouble and had to turn to the ant for help. Proverbs 31 teaches you to be an ant.

3. Be a good steward over all that you have right now. My youngest son broke his remote control car. He is only three so my first instinct was to buy him another one (and I probably would have) but when I talked to him about his treatment of the car he said, “you can just buy me another one.” Needless to say, he will not be getting anything else until he learns to take care of the things that he already owns.

4. Stay strong. It takes a lot of strength to keep the house clean, keep a garden or just keep up with the kids schedule. This may mean doing some actual exercise if you do not do the manual labor on your own then you may have to figure out a way to strength your arms and build your endurance.

5. Keep up the home. It is important that people feel comfortable in your home and that you feel comfortable having people in your home. You will do that by making a schedule for the house hold chores and being consistent in getting them done. Team work will be especially helpful with this task so be sure to have a family meeting to determine the schedule and to divvy up the tasks.

The Proverbs 31 life is not impossible. It is not meant to be done in sections. Stepping out with confidence and boldness will begin the process of living the Proverbs 31 Life. Follow that through will a schedule to guide your actions and attitude and you will discover the secret to living a Proverb 31 life that will lead to peace and joy.

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Being stagnate has to be one of the worse places for any life. The longer that you sit there the more difficult it seems to get moving once again. The enormity of it all starts driving the inaction. All it really takes is to move one small hindrance and like a dam the blockage begins to fall. You only need to make one, small change to begin moving once again.

Changes That I See in Me

1. I am spending more time with my family. It helps that I have relegated television in my life to something that I do when I’m grading papers – I kill two birds with one stone.

2. The fire of creativity burns brighter each day. My fiction writing is coming back to life and the characters are better than ever before.

3. My home is more welcoming. I am going out of my way to have company over at least once a week. It’s not a big to-do. It’s just friends sitting or playing or just enjoying one another’s company.

4. Meal time is family time. I’m cooking again (and doubling recipes so that I can freeze extras and make quick meals when necessary). My youngest tells me that I cook love into all of his food and I believe he is right!

5. I am relaxing more in ways that I haven’t in a long time. Reading has always been a passion, but I haven’t read more than three books in the last couple of years. I read my book as I put my youngest down for his nap so that I don’t feel like the time is wasted (and I’m not tempted to lay down and go to sleep myself).

6. I have taken back control. There are times when we look to others to do things, to be things or to give things and when we look away from Christ we lose focus. I have been in that place for far too long. Now I am coming out of the storm into the peace and still. It is up to me. Looking to Christ and following His Way is the only path that will ever lead to my purpose.

The best is yet to come. Those words have always been a powerful part of my life but today they give more fuel to my determination. I know that I am capable of more. I know that my Father desires so much more for my life. And I know that where I am and where I am going is determined by my actions and attitude and not by my circumstances or situations.

Take control of your tomorrow by starting out with the little things today. A dam (no matter how big or small) can be broken by making one small hole. How will you begin to break down the hindrance in your life today?