Bloom Where You Are

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Well, hello, my valued listeners, and welcome back to another episode of Living in Your Power.
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I'm your host, Dr. Marlene Greenleaf, and as always, I am truly,
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truly grateful that you have chosen to spend this time with me today.
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Now, as we continue our June theme, Freedom to Flourish, Growing into What God Has Planted,
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We arrive at a message that speaks
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to anyone who has ever found themselves waiting for the next chapter.
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Waiting for the next opportunity.
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Waiting for circumstances to improve. Waiting for life to look different than it does right now.
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And today's episode, the third in our June series, is titled Bloom Where You Are.
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Now, many of us spend a lot of time looking ahead.
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We tell ourselves, I'll be happier when, or I'll start when,
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or I'll focus on that after.
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And before we realize it, we're positioning our lives.
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We become so focused on the next season that we miss the beauty and purpose
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of the one we are currently living in.
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Now, there's nothing wrong with having goals. No, there's nothing wrong with
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preparing for what's ahead.
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But sometimes we become so consumed
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with where we're going that we fail to appreciate where we are. right now.
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And while we're waiting for someday, life is happening today.
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I mean, growth is happening today.
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Purpose is unfolding today while you're waiting for someday.
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Now, a scripture verse in Ecclesiastes 3.1, the New King James Version,
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it says, To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
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I knew you were familiar with this verse.
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Because a season, a time, a purpose.
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I mean, what I love about this scripture is the reminder that God works in seasons.
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I mean, just as nature moves through seasons, so do we. There are seasons of planting.
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There are seasons of growth. Seasons of waiting.
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Seasons of harvest. And every season has a purpose.
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Even the ones we would not have chosen. Even the ones that feel slower than we would like.
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And even the ones that seem ordinary. I mean, nothing is wasted in God's timing, nothing.
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One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is permission to be fully present.
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Not constantly looking backwards. Not constantly rushing forward.
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But being fully present.
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Because, dear listeners, there is purpose in this season.
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There are lessons in this season. And there is growth in this season.
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Sometimes we assume our purpose is tied to a destination.
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Or a promotion, a new opportunity, a future accomplishment.
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But purpose is not always found in the future.
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Often purpose is found in how we show up today.
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How we serve, how we grow, how we trust, how we love, how we lead.
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And that's right where we are now.
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Blooming where you are doesn't mean you stop dreaming.
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No. In fact, it means you stop postponing your joy.
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So let's return to this beautiful reminder. To everything, there is a season.
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Not something.
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Everything. And that's including this season that you're currently in,
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including this chapter that you're currently in, and it's including this moment
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right now that we're currently in.
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So here's your empowerment prompt
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for this week. I want you to take a few moments this week and reflect.
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What season am I currently in? Am I honoring this season or rushing through it?
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Where am I waiting for the future instead of embracing the present?
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And what would it look like to bloom right where I am today?
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As always, I'm going to repeat those for you. I want you to reflect on these prompts for me.
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What season am I currently in?
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Am I honoring the season or rushing through it?
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Am I waiting for the future instead of embracing the present?
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And what would it look like to bloom right where I am today?
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I want you to remember, flourishing doesn't begin when circumstances become perfect.
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Sometimes flourishing begins when we choose to be fully present.
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So in closing, dear listeners, I want you to know that there is purpose in this season.
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There is beauty in this season. And there is growth in this season.
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You don't have to wait until everything changes to experience joy.
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You don't have to wait until the next chapter to walk in purpose.
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So bloom where you are, dear listeners. Trust the season you're in and trust
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that God is working even when the growth feels quiet,
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even when the growth feels extended.
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God is working for you in this season. So trust again that God is working for
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you and trust the season that you're in.
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Bloom where you are.
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I want to thank you again for joining me for episode three of our June series,
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Freedom to Flourish, Growing into What God Has Planted.
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Next week, we'll continue our journey with When Growth Feels Slow.
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So until next time, dear listeners, as always, I want you to live boldly in your power today.
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And if it gets tough, just breathe.
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You've still got the strength to rise. So I'll see you next time.
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I remember, bloom where you are and continue to live in your power.