Your Daily Cup of Inspiration!

Check Your Company

As you walk with the Lord, (if you're not going through it already), you will experience a time of separation. He will begin uprooting people from your life. While you may know this already, it's not that easy to deal with when it happens-- especially when someone is very close to you. You see, there's nothing that can prepare you to separate from things and people you've grown accustomed to.

But it has to happen.

There is no way you can stay stuck in the same place and expect to reach your destiny. It's impossible. That's why it's time to check your company, and if necessary, change your company too. 

Re-evaluate some relationships and you might find that you have outgrown them. How can you tell? When you begin to outgrow your circle you'll find that you think on a much higher level. You don't have as much in common with the folks you used to spend so much of your time with. Your aspirations and inspirations are too different for you to peacefully coexist with them.

Even though you love certain individuals, and may not want to lose them, there comes a time when the separation must occur. When this happens, don't fret. Don't get discouraged. Rather, thank God that you outgrew them. You know why? Because the separation makes room for your elevation--which leads me to my next point.

The outgrowing you may be (or will be) experiencing, helps you become more  of who God intended you to be.  Once you get rid of dead weight, you can begin to really excel. You can form new and more healthy relationships. You become free  to pursue your purpose and your destiny, without dragging unnecessary baggage with you.

Remember, you're destined to soar. That's why you have to travel light.

Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs

See Your Worth

Have you ever felt inadequate, like you just don't have what it takes to do what you need to do, have what you want to have, or be the person you desire to be? I certainly know what that feels like. I think everyone does to one degree or another. But today, I want to help you begin breaking out of that negative cycle of thinking. You have to, if you plan to go get everything God has for you.

Listen, I want you to know something. No matter how much you accomplish, the enemy will inevitably whisper in your ear the same lie. Do you know what it is? He'll tell you, "You are not good enough".

He'll make you feel like you are deficient in too many areas for you to be truly successful. He'll try to diminish your hopes and make you stop believing, but don't let him do that to you.

To make it worse, he'll show you all the people around you who seem to have what you want. Instead of using it as a means to inspire you that you're next in line, you let it get you down in the dumps. You begin noticing all the roadblocks in your way. Before you know it, your feelings of optimism are replaced with doubt, defeat, and depression.

I'm helping you break free of that today. I want you stop worrying about all the things you don't currently possess. Until you stop obsessing over those things, you'll never see all you have going for you. You'll dismiss your own potential. You won't see what a jewel you are or how special you are. You'll overlook your own beauty, intelligence, poise, and capabilities.

But here's what I want you to do. Stop focusing on your deficiencies-- that is, what you don't have. And begin zoning in our your sufficiencies. Open your eyes and see all that God has given you. Recognize that there is no one else on the planet who can fill your shoes.

Stop looking at what others are doing and throw yourself into your own vision for your life. When you do, God will give you a new outlook and a fresh perspective. He'll reveal things you've never seen before. The Lord will open your eyes and unveil your purpose.

Make a commitment to God and yourself, that you will begin appreciating your own uniqueness, and recognizing your own value. After all, you are an absolute treasure to God and to the world. That's why God is challenging you  to boldly take a stand and walk in the authority He's given you.

Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs

What is God After?

When you go through a storm, God is always after something. He always intends to draw something out of you that you may have buried deep inside--whether good or bad. Sometimes, our storms come to expose the areas in us that need fixing. Other times, our tests and trials are meant to show us just how strong, resilient, and capable we are.

Whatever the case, I admonish you to never give up before you know how the story ends. Whatever you do in your life, it takes focus and fortitude.

Focus- You have to zone in on what you really want out of life and go after it with everything. Don't let anything or anyone discourage you. Although everyone won't believe in your ability, and circumstances won't always feel conducive to success, don't get distracted. Remember, don't ever allow adversity to steer you away from your passion--never.

Fortitude- You have to have strength, courage, resolve, and resilience. Never say never. When all the odds seem stacked against you, still say, "I can". Tell yourself over and over again that there's nothing too hard for God, and there's nothing too hard for you, because God lives in you.

Before I go, I want you to think about something. This year is almost gone. Time waits for no one. We all have the same amount of hours in a day. It's not about how much time you have; it's about how you use it. So, whatever you may be going through, don't sit idly by and quit. Instead, fight for your destiny. Fight for your future. Fight for your dream.

God already promised that you would win.

Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs

Believe Again!

When life deals you difficult blows it can be hard to find the strength to trust again. Failure and rejection can blindside you, making it almost impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But if you don't shake yourself you'll slip into a perpetual state of faithlessness, too afraid to believe for better days.

I know how difficult it can be to hold on when you're enduring a prolonged period of famine in your life. It seems like you'll never get a breakthrough. No one else quite knows the intensity of your storm. They don't see your struggle. They don't feel your pain.

Rather than sulking and sinking into depression I want you to do something different. Challenge yourself. Make a decision to believe that God has a brighter future for you-- much greater than what you now see.  No matter how difficult it may be to conjure up the strength to believe again, you have to do it!

You see, your faith activates your potential. Never forget that. If you don't genuinely believe that something is possible, you'll cease to try. As a result, your pervasive beliefs will rule your life, thus determining your outcome.

It doesn't matter what you've endured, how many obstacles you've been faced with, or how many times you've failed. I'm challenging you right now to grab hold of faith and believe again. Trust, not only in God, but in yourself.

Although He has given you the power to be victorious, only you can put it into action. It's  like the scientific difference between "Potential Energy" and "Kinetic Energy". As the name implies, potential energy is energy that has not yet been used, thus the term potential. Kinetic energy is energy in use, or in motion.

Which best describes you? Are you full of potential, but afraid to put it into practice? Are you wasting away, allowing your mind to atrophy? Or are you harnessing and maximizing the potential God has given you, for the fulfillment of your purpose?

Wherever you may be while reading this, I want you to take what I'm about to say very personally--here goes.

You are not merely the sum total of your experiences. No! You are better than where you've been, and you're greater than where you are. There's a wealth of wisdom and power that lies within in you.

If you'll release your inhibitions long enough to unleash the resources, gifts, and talents God has placed in you; you will absolutely amaze yourself! I want you to begin to weed out negative thoughts, stop expecting mediocrity. Demand excellence from yourself. Not only that, believe that you are capable of going far above and beyond your wildest dreams and expectations.


Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs

Be Who You Are

How many times have you found yourself fixating on other people's perceptions of you? Think about it. You're bound to come up with at least a few instances when you allowed other people's opinions to guide your actions.

Although we can all relate to this, surely, that doesn't make it healthy or right.

You see, the problem is this; whenever you subvert "the real you", in order to mold other folks' ideas about your character and personality, you cease to be true to yourself.  You end up living for them and not for you. Even though you may be able to survive this way for a while, eventually, you'll feel frustrated and unfulfilled.

You'll get caught up trying to hide your true self, for fear of anyone finding out what's really behind that facade. We feel like we can't let them see what's underneath the mask. You know why? Because deep down inside we're afraid that if anyone got to know us, without all of the pretenses, they wouldn't like what they saw.

We think they couldn't possibly love and accept the pure essence of who we are, which is quite different from what we purport to be. Not that who we are is a bad thing, but it's simply not what others may perceive us to be.

So, what do we do? We continue to put on the false face, whatever that may be.

Perhaps, you're too afraid to show how intelligent you really are. Maybe you're reluctant to reveal your confidence. I know some people who simply won't go outside without make-up because they think they're too ugly. While that may seem trivial and insignificant to you, it's very real to that person.

Consider yourself for a moment. What is/are your hang up(s)? In truth, no one truly knows but you and God. Others may have an idea of what goes on in your mind; no one has the full picture.

Here's the point I want you to get. You don't have to let just any old body infiltrate your life. No, that would not be wise! However, you must be true to yourself, without worrying about whether others will accept the real you or not. That can't be your focus. Instead, concentrate on the fact that you are valuable to God and He loves you more than you know.

You're highly favored, and whether folks approve of you or not, they can't do anything to snatch the favor of God away from you. No matter what people say, think, or do, they can never take your dignity UNLESS YOU GIVE IT AWAY!

I admonish you to be bold, be confident, and be courageous. Embrace the real you-- all of you, and don't look back.

Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs

Is Fear Controlling You?

Tests and trials change us. The change should be for the better. Often, however, we become bitter, mistrustful, and defensive as a result of what we've been through. When this happens, we end up impeding our own progress. Sometimes, we altogether sabotage what God is trying to do.

Isn't it ironic that, when someone else is behaving this way, it quickly becomes evident to us? You know it's true. We readily notice when others are behaving out of character, but what about us? It's difficult to see this tendency in our own lives.

We go blind when we happen to be the offending party. But, if you'll allow me, I'd like to shed some light on the subject for you. You see, God wants us to be whole-not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

Here's the difficult part.

Once we've been mistreated, betrayed, abused, and overlooked enough times, we tend to put up walls to protect ourselves from being hurt again. Can you relate? As a result, we inevitably adopt some views and behaviors that are born out of those past hurts. 

That's why we have to continue to check our patterns to make sure we're not making decisions that are largely outgrowths of our personal pain. Here's the irony; sometimes you can make choices to avoid being hurt, that only end up hurting you more. Have you ever done that?

Have you ever pulled away from the right thing/person and gravitated toward the wrong thing/person in an attempt to protect your emotions? I know it may sound odd, but if you think about it long enough you'll probably remember one such period in your life. Who knows? You could be going through one right now.

Here's what I'm saying. At some point, you have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and stop living your life based on fear. Fear of what? Fear of being mistreated again, fear of having your heart broken, fear of not succeeding, fear of being rejected... fear of the unknown.

Remember, your tests and trials come to make you strong... not paranoid. So, don't be afraid. After all, fear will cause you to make snap judgments about some things you should be thinking long and hard about.

Instead of being a prisoner to your fear, be liberated by your faith! Trust God to order your steps. You've got to believe that things will work out in your favor. You have to internalize the fact that, He wants only great things for you.

And whatever you've endured up to this point was only for your making... the making of conqueror!

Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs

Be Willing to Wait

You have to stop living for the moment. At some point you have to make a clear choice about which direction you're going to go. Are you going to continue to allow yourself to be distracted by frivolous things that serve only to distract you from your true mission in life? Are you going to continue settling for temporary fixes, while squandering opportunities to have what you really want in life? 

Lord knows I hope not.

You see, when you allow yourself to get caught up in the wrong thing, you end up making decisions that severely alter the course of your destiny, based upon temporary circumstances. All you can think about is what you want right now... but what about your future? How will your decisions affect you one year from now or five years from now?

Remember this. "If you fail to think ahead, you'll never get ahead."  You have to be willing to make sacrifices now, in order to get what you want later. If you can't avoid being impulsive and reactionary, your choices will be emotionally-driven. You won't use common sense. You'll sabotage yourself without even recognizing what you're doing.

Please hear me today. God is working things out in your favor. But if you can't see past where you are  right now, long enough to  embrace a larger vision for yourself, you'll remain unfulfilled.

Listen, I know it can be hard not to get sidetracked. After all, delayed gratification is no match for instant gratification-- at least, that's how you may feel. However, getting what you want right now can feel good, but turn out to be just the opposite of what you need.

Here's what I'm saying in a nutshell. In order to get what God has for you, there must be a process of self-denial. You have to be willing to say no to what feels good right now, in order to receive what's best for you later. You've heard the saying, "Good things come to those who wait". 

So let me ask you; is your destiny worth waiting for?

Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs

Live Selflessly

Who told us that we would have all the answers just because we're called to help others? Who convinced us that God would never call upon us to impact lives, even while we endure our own personal struggles? Whoever it was... seriously misled us.

You see, the fact that you are not where you want to be, does not negate your ability to assist someone else in their time of need. Personal struggles and hardships do not automatically absolve you of your responsibility to be a blessing to someone else.

When you give out of your own need, and work to mend someone else, even while you're broken, it pleases God. Granted, during these times you may feel conflicted; you may feel that you are leading a double life. Others are looking to you for love, support, and strength; when you, yourself, feel weak, vulnerable, and inept.

But here's what I want you to see. God never promised that everyday would be easy. He never said that your road would be smooth. Yet, He wants you to rise above what you may be going through personally, and focus on the need of someone outside of yourself.

When you become selfless instead of selfish, God will honor your compassionate heart. What's more, whatever you sow into the life of someone else, you will reap in kind. My prayer for you today is that you will enlarge your vision. In doing so, you'll see the needs of others and not just your own.

Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs

Move On

There's something on my mind today... so please, indulge me for a couple of minutes. I think every person can relate to what I'm going to talk about in one way or another. I'll begin with a question. Have you ever met anyone you were diametrically opposed to? In other words, you could never see eye-to-eye with this person. No matter how much explaining, compromising, or listening you did, it was never enough. You frustrated yourself endlessly trying to be whatever they wanted you to be, just so they would accept you.

Wasn't it difficult to be met with rejection over and over again no matter how hard you tried? It was so tough because, you really wanted the relationship to work. You really cared about them, but they couldn't accept you for who you were--neither did they share your philosophy of love and life.

You tried to fit into their mold, but it was never good enough. You tried to be more accommodating, more forgiving.... more, more, more. But it was all in vain.

If you can relate to what I'm saying I want to share something very enlightening with you; here it is.  Just because you love and care for a person does not mean you can peacefully coexist with them. Some individuals will never adopt your views, agree with your stance, or validate you in any way. They don't think like you at all. They are the exact opposite of you.

This doesn't mean they're necessarily "bad", although in some cases they are. However, it does mean that you will never be able to carry on a productive relationship with them. And that has to be okay with you.

Whether it is a romantic, familial, or platonic relationship, you have to be willing to face the truth. Everyone doesn't have what you need. In fact, some people are just the opposite of what you need. And if you're not careful you'll find yourself bending over backward to give more of yourself to someone who isn't willing to reciprocate.

Before I go let me say this. Make up in your mind that you're no longer willing to settle for lopsided relationships. God desires for you to be fulfilled. If someone refuses to love and appreciate you for who you are ask God to give you the strength to move on. The sooner you accept the truth, the sooner God can replace the counterfeit with the real thing.

Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs

A New Identity

Just because you were born and raised a certain way, and grew accustomed to a particular set of beliefs and values, this does not mean you cannot change. You can choose a new way of thinking, living, and behaving; essentially, you can adopt a brand new identity. It just takes a lot of effort on your part.

Why am I focusing on this? Well, there are two reasons:

1. I want to awaken you to the idea that you can indeed re-train your thinking.

That's right. You can replace old patterns of thinking with new ones. But you have to be willing to discard all of the junk you've carried around for years, and that's much easier said than done. Whether we realize it or not, we are each attached to our unique paradigms-- no matter how flawed.

Without putting forth a conscious effort, we are incapable of altering our pervasive thoughts and ideas. So, unless we're willing to come to terms with the fact that, we NEED to re-think some of our thoughts, we're destined to repeat the mistakes and failures of those who have had the greatest influence over us.

2. I want to show you how important it is to understand who you are in the context of where you come  from.

Many people mistakenly believe that they are not products of where they come from. I say, think again! Now, let me qualify the latter statement so you won't misunderstand me.  I DO believe you can change-- but I also believe that it takes work, work, work, and then some more work. It doesn't happen without a focused effort.

You have to make adjustments on purpose. You have to re-examine  and re-evaluate everything you think you know. And how do I propose that you go about doing that?  Through prayer and supplication; also, by surrendering to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Immerse yourself in the Word of God. Let Him reveal your nature to you. Let Him show you exactly why you behave the way you do; why you make the choices you make; why you think the thoughts you think; why you behave the way you do. He'll teach you all those things, but you must first be teachable. You have to be willing to learn.

You see, God is calling you to a new place. He wants you to accomplish more than those who preceded you. He certainly doesn't want you to live the mediocre lifestyle you've grown up around. Whether this mediocrity was: Financial, relational, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, or all of those combined; He doesn't want you to be bound by where you come from. On the contrary, God wants you to be free to embrace where you're going.

If you surrender to His will and heed His voice, He'll give you the strength, courage, and wisdom to change your life. If you really want to excel, He'll help you. But you must be willing to submit to His process. Are you willing?

God is ready to help you change your identity. The question is, do you want it badly enough to say yes to His will?

Until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs