Michelle Bradshaw Author
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My Dream Last Night

11/10/2018

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You speak to me. You remind me who I am. You remind that I am loved....I am wanted....I am appreciated and that I am enough. 





      Last night I had a dream. Something was turning everyone literally blue. I don't mean an emotion. I mean the color blue. We weren't sure if it was in the water or what it was. I never saw the other "blue" people, so I didn't know what they looked like. People just seemed to disappear once they were blue. At one of part of the dream I was informed that I too was turning blue. There were no mirrors in this dream, so I couldn't see what I looked like. Everyone around me began to tell me their own version of what they saw me as. Some were frightened while others pointed and laughed. As you can imagine by the end of everyone's comments I was sure I looked like the blob from Scooby Doo. You know the one that was all slimy and gooey. I went to a corner of the building and cried. Then a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around and looked into the face of my Father God. I never actually saw his face. Just felt his presence. It was kind of like how a movie only shows someone's arm, but you can tell the main character is looking at them and they know exactly who they are. He lifted my chin and wiped my tears from my face. He asked me, "Daughter why are you crying?" I could feel that he knew why. Mind you this whole time I never saw my face after I started turning blue. It was like it was in first person where I was looking out to everything . I began to cry again as I pour out my feelings about what everyone had said to me. He didn't laugh or scoff at my words. He just gently took my hand in his and said, "Come." I followed him quietly as he led me to this beautifully decorated room adorned in gold and jewels. I instantly knew it was his throne room. He led me to a table that was adorned with the most delicious looking food I had ever seen. He pointed to a gold-adorned mirror. I was hesitant, but picked it up slowly. As I looked in the mirror I was able to see my actual face for the first time and was shocked to see that I wasn't a blob. I was still me. I just looked like a blue smurf is all. I woke up after that. Two things came to mind when I woke up. First the verse "Long ago the LORD said to Israel: "I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself." Jeremiah 31:3. God's love is everlasting. He won't quit on us like people do. He waits on us patiently and draws us to him with his love. And second, so many times we listen to all the voices around us that try to tell us who we are and if we are enough when God is sitting right there saying, "You are enough." Life can get hard and people can be downright mean. Even though in the dream when I felt totally alone and isolated I never really was. God appeared at just the perfect time and gently asked me to follow him so HE could show me who I really was. God is a gentleman. He's a gentle Father. He won't force himself on you. I urge you to seek him and find out you are IN HIM, because if you don't the world will tell you their OPINION of who THEY think you are. I hope my little dream helped you today. I will see you next week again on Wisdom Wednesday. 

                                                                      I love you all!
                                                                 -Michelle Bradshaw


I know this is kicking it old school back to the days of my Commander Kellie and the Superkids days, but this is the song that came to my mind as I was writing this. Please enjoy!




I normally only do one video, but this one also came to my mind. I pray you have a wonderful week and please enjoy this song too. 

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Happy Reconciliation Day!

4/2/2016

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Today is National Reconciliation Day so I thought this week's heart thought should be on forgiveness.
You have hurt me......broken me into nothingness....made me cry.... made me want to end it all but yet I FORGIVE YOU. Those three words can seem like the hardest words to say. Believe me I know. Over the course of my lifetime I have been hurt the worst but the people I love the most. I thought I would feel better after they were out of my life, but the truth is that is when bitterness and hate started to rear their ugly heads. They are like two vipers that wrap themselves around your heart reminding you daily of the wrongs that someone has to done to you. After a while it's all you think about and it keeps you from healing....keeps you from moving forward. It becomes your new master and the chains it creates can be suffocating. You might think you are hurting that other person by not letting go, but in reality you are only hurting yourself. I had to learn that over time. After some of the darkest days of my life I felt nothing but bitterness,  hate, and anger for a number of reasons that I won't get into. I came to realize that it wasn't changing anything. It didn't make anything better. It didn't change what had happened. It was only keeping me from being happy and moving on. The day I chose to forgive was the day I finally felt free. It was only then that I truly was able to start healing and get on with my life. I'm not saying it is an easy road, but you will be better for it. Take it one day at a time....one step at a time. There are better days ahead but first you have to choose to FORGIVE.
                                                -Michelle Jetton

I hope you enjoy this video from Matthew West "Forgiveness".



                                                          
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The Lindale Christmas Star

12/21/2015

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This time of year can be the darkest time of year for some. I wanted this week's heart thought to uplift you. While driving through Lindale, Ga you can't miss the famous Lindale Christmas Star. I look forward to it every year. While scrolling through facebook I read the question, "What does the Lindale star mean to you?" As I pondered this the word HOPE came to mind. Many years ago a star lit the way to show wise men and shepherds were a baby did lay. The baby was Jesus who brought HOPE to a world that needed it greatly so to me that star represents HOPE. It symbolized an ending to the darkness that engulfed the land. Although the Lindale star is a man-made creation it stills holds that same meaning to me. Whatever the darkness is in your life please know that there is an end to it. 1 John 2:8, "The darkness is passing and the true light is already shining." You are all in my prayers. 

                                                                        I love you all!
                                                                       Michelle Jetton


(Please enjoy this video: Kari Jobe, "when Hope Came Down")


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"I'm still here" 

12/6/2015

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I was hesitant to post this particular heart thought because it is real and raw and would really show a part of me I like to hide. I like to be the strong one. I don't like to show weakness. I feel like I need to be brave though because I feel like this could help someone else going through their own battle. As many of you readers now know my book, "Amelia and the Secret of Stoney Manor" released on kindle November 5th of last month.  The first week was filled with excitement as my book hit the top 100 and began to roll in five star reviews. However, the second the first week ended.....i'm talking the very next day.....the fire was turned up. By that I mean everything that could happen has happened....had to fix my tire and things like that. Anything the enemy could throw at me he has. He has fought me with every weapon in his arsenal this past month. For the first 2 weeks I seemed to be okay, but this past week it has felt like my strength is failing and I have felt exhausted and emotionally drained from the fight. This is the point in the battle between you and your victory that I would like to call battle fatigue, I have heard many people talk about it before, but never really grasped the meaning of it until now. It's the point where you are so weary you start to question if God is even still listening and if he has abandoned you. I know I have said some things this week that I never thought would come from my mouth. I felt like I was praying harder than I have ever prayed but it felt like God was being quiet. I have always been thankful for my relationship with him, but this week I have felt completely alone. As I was scrolling through facebook Friday evening I came across my friend, Rebecca Halton's, post. She posted one of my favorite quotes that I have carried with me over the years. "Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny." C.S. Lewis. That very quote has gotten me through some of the darkest times of my life. It was like God was saying, "I'M STILL HERE." That very same evening Rebecca posted a video "An urgent (strong on my heart) and encouraging, 21-second word for the weary dream-chaser.... "  It was the shot of hope I needed so thank you Rebecca. After time with the Lord this weekend I feel like my strength has been renewed. If you are going through the fire right now let this heart thought be your shot of hope. Let me assure you....YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  I was reminded of this verse this weekend. Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Btw, if you are like me and don't like to show a "weak side" of yourself just remember even the strongest people feel weak sometimes. It does NOT mean you are weak to acknowledge that feeling. I had to accept that this weekend.)

                                                                                                 I love you all!
                                                                                               Michelle Jetton

                                             (Please enjoy the video. Jerem;y Camp "You Never Let Go")


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The Birth of Amelia

9/24/2015

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As Saturday, the first event EVER of my writing career, inches closer I am reminded of the journey it took to get here. Flash back to Six years ago.....It all started with a dream. There was a teenage girl with dark, wavy hair sitting on a dusty staircase. She was writing in her journal as she spoke out loud about how lonely she was and about the monsters in the mirror. The great grandfather chimed as she gasped and rose from where she sat. She peered over the top of the steps as she gazed at an ancient, cracked mirror. Though she saw nothing she shivered. I could feel her fear as she ran down the stairs and out the front door. She began to dance beneath the full moon. Her dance was mesmerizing. It was if every fear....every worry...every concern I had been feeling that day melted away with it. I awoke knowing I had to find a piece of paper and pen. Who was this girl? Why was she afraid of the mirror? What was in it? Why was she alone and why did she feel that way? The very first thing I ever wrote for Amelia was this.....

“ And when the night had finally fallen and the day was no more Amelia crept from the shadows in which she was hiding to escape from her captor, the mirror. For only in the darkness of night could she truly be herself. No longer a victim to the roaming eyes that looked back at her Amelia tiptoed to the door, threw on her cloak, and dashed outside to dance beneath the moonlight.”

Amelia was born that night. She was dreamed of, written, prayed over,  and cried about numerous times over a period of five years ....five dark years....five years that I never thought I would get through....BUT....with God’s help I did. If you are going through the fire believe me when I say, “IT GETS BETER”. You will get through it and you will come out stronger on the other end. And if God has given you a dream that seems impossible please keep the Faith. The verse I stood on a daily basis was,  Isaiah 61:3, “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

He will give you beauty for ashes. If you ever need a friend, someone who’s gone through hell and come out on the other end, I’m here.

                                                                               I love you all,
                                                                              Michelle Jetton
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"Just call me SuperMom"

3/11/2015

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"Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!"

Wait!!!........What???....Oh you are talking about that Superman guy.


As a single mother, I try to seem like I've got everything under control at all times for my son. I feel like if I show I'm wavering or if I show I'm afraid, then he will be too. As Mom's, we tend to lock away all the scary and sad parts of life to protect our kids. The load can feel heavy at times and some days I wonder if I can go on. With all the changes that have happened in the last two years, there is a verse I have come to know well. 2 Corinthians 12:9 "For my grace is sufficient for thee. For my strength is made perfect in your weakness." God doesn't want us to carry it all. I may try to hide the places I feel weakest from other people, but God can see the very depths of my heart. He knows the very essence of what makes me "ME". Although I struggle with hanging up my "SuperMom" cape from time to time and actually letting the real me out, God already knows who that is. He LOVES me for Who I Am. So go back to the verse again...."My Strength(God's Strength) is made perfect in your(our) weakness." When we step back and admit to God "I can't do this alone. I need you." That is when he is able to step forward and really shine. Not that I don't feel him on a daily basis, but at those silent and darkest times when I am in my room on my knees and crying that is when I feel him the most. It's like he is saying I am here. You don't have to do this alone. I've GOT this! So whether you are a Single Mom, Single Dad, whatever your situation is, know that God is waiting to help you. Should you ever need a shoulder to cry on, a friend to talk to, or just an ear to listen know that I am here too.

                                                                            I love you all!
                                                                           Michelle Jetton

(Please enjoy this video by Kutless "Everything I Need" )





 
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"In the waiting" 

1/8/2015

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Silence
and waiting...
sound familiar?

If your answer is YES then I am here to tell you that I am in the same boat.

Trusting....delighting....praising....claiming....keeping the Faith...pushing away the worry and silencing the impatient voices of wishing I was where I  desire to be have been on my daily spiritual to do list lately. The waiting can sometimes feel like an eternity....BELIEVE ME I KNOW. I've been trying to see it with positivity though. First: silence can be very beneficial....I have gotten some of my best ideas when I am just praying and talking to God. I urge you to use the silence to nurture your relationship with him. John 15:5 "I am the vine, you [are] the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing." Second: I have been trying to prepare myself for who I need to be or what characteristics I need to exhibit, I should say, when I get to my own personal promise land. One of my favorite quotes that I live by is, "Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there."  Just to name a couple: my Faith has definitely been cultivated and my patience polished. So, whatever you're "waiting" on, take heart in knowing you aren't alone and know that I am praying with you.

Oh, and because I know you are wondering.....If you've been following this website long enough or even if you have only read the "about me" section, I bet you can guess what the number 1 thing on my wish list is....If you haven't.... well.... I'll leave it for you to decide what I'm referring to.

                                                                                    I love you all!
                                                                                   Michelle Jetton

(Please enjoy this video by Jamie Grace "The Waiting")


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"This one is for the Broken"

10/9/2014

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It feels so broken....it feels so empty.....like it will never beat right again. I know, you know, I'm talking about the human heart. It's the organ most important to our body. Amazing, isn't it, that it doesn't just affect us physically, but emotionally and mentally too. If you've gone through a divorce, a bad breakup, or the loss of a loved one, then you know what I"m talking about, don't you?  The pain you feel seems to pulse through your veins as you try to make right what it feels like life has made so wrong. Some days are better than others, but some days you just want to forget. Forget the hurt....forget the loneliness.....forget the fact you are missing that person who passed away. So you try to fill it.....you fill it with work.....with alcohol or other substances.....with relationships.....with anything that will numb the pain if even for just a few short hours. I tell you, my friend, that is only a temporary fix. I have been in your shoes. I have felt so broken....so empty....so lost....lost in the sea of the shadows of my past....lost inside caverns of hurt and regret....lost inside a painful world of my own making. It would have swallowed me up if not for Jesus. He took my hand...picked me up....and He held me as I cried. He showed me what TRUE love was. He stitched up, what felt like, a shattered heart and He helped it to beat right again. Don't think that you are too lost to be found. I am reminded of the story in the bible of the Shepard with the 100 sheep. He left the 99 to search for the 1 lost sheep. If you think you are too broken, that is not true.  Psalm 34:18, "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." It might feel like your world is crashing down around you, but give it to Jesus. He is the only one who can truly fix it.
                                                                                    I love you all!
                                                                                    Michelle Jetton

(Enjoy the video: "Porcelain Heart" by Barlow Girl)


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"You ARE More"

10/1/2014

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I've been praying about my newest heart thought so here goes.....I feel one of the greatest weapons in the devil's arsenal is SHAME. He uses it to remind you of what you've done or to point out where you aren't in the present. He uses it to make us feel we aren't WORTHY OF LOVE because of our past or what we may look like, think like, or even act like. He tries to devour us with it until we are so burdened by the weight of it all that we stop moving forward and bury our head in the sand. If he can keep us locked up in the chains of this defeated mentality then he can keep us from walking into our greatest callings that God has on our life....but guess what...someone has already paid the price for your freedom. He was beaten and bruised and died so that you could be free from this shame that the enemy is trying to keep you enslaved in. His name is Jesus and he stands and waits with arms wide open for you to meet him or even come back to him. Don't let the enemy trick you into thinking well I was good once but I'm too dirty now. Isa. 53:5 "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our sins; the punishment that brought us peace was on him..." The first part of that verse says it all Jesus has already paid the price. The ULTIMATE price. The second part shows that we can have peace about it. Don't let the SHAME of your past hold you back any longer. Let the past be just that the past. Let it go. As far as our future goes...Psalms 37:4 "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." And finally for those feelings of I'm just not good enough: (1.) Gal. 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (2.) 1 Cor. 6:11 "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." And one of my favorites to leave you with to remind you were born with a purpose: Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." WELL....just one more... Psalm 139:14 "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well." Okay, okay I'm making myself end it now because I could talk about my Jesus all day. lol I'm praying for each of you!! Keep the Faith!!! Remember God is bringing about all things together for our good.
                                                                                    I love you all!!!
                                                                                    Michelle Jetton
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"No More Excuses" 

9/23/2014

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(I originally put this in our weight loss section but felt like it also fit here as a heart thought.)
Raise your hand if this applies to you....You cry and pray to God about a goal you want. He tells you what you need to do. You set that goal and are pumped up about it. Let's use fitness for an example. You tell yourself, "I am going to tone up and get healthier. I am going to workout for a certain amount of days of week." Day 1 goes fine. You feel really great about what you did. Day 2 you are still pumped so that goes smooth as well. Third day rolls around, "Geez, do I really have to do it today." You make yourself do it even though you don't feel like it. The week continues on like that until BAM you hit a wall....life happens and it throws you off your game. Week 2  comes charging in and you say, "It won't hurt if I skip today I will just start tomorrow." Then the next day and the next day until it is a year later and you still haven't really gotten anywhere. So you cry and pray to God again and beg him to tell you what to do. He says, "I already told you what to do. Why haven't you done it?" You get quiet....and I mean really quiet. You say, "Maybe I didn't hear him right." So you say, "God please help me!" He says, "I've given you the knowledge and the tools. I'm just waiting on you to use them. You know what to do." Let me let you in on a little secret.....this motivation Monday is about me. This one was a REALLY hard one to write. It meant confessing to the world my mistakes....my flaws....my excuses. Last year I lost a large percentage of weight. One that I was proud of, but I got cocky and I got stuck where I was at. I let life get in the way.....more importantly I let EXCUSES get in the way. NOT ANYMORE! This is a declaration to you all. It is a way to make me feel accountable. From this day forward I am determined to not let excuses keep me from my God given dream of a healthy, toned me. I declare that come January 1st you will be looking at a healthier version of the girl you are talking to now. I will post a picture on that day as proof.

(As a challenge to all you readers: I challenge you to create a realistic and healthy fitness goal and stick with it. If you need an accountability partner then let us know. We would be happy to support you. Maybe we will create a tab to post updates on here so we could check in once a week. Come January 1st we will ALL check in with pictures. What do you say? Will you join me? It is not too late. You still have 3 months left in this year to work on the journey to a healthier you.)

Please enjoy the video. As I am trying to get that drill sergeant mentality that I used to have in me, I thought this video was appropriate.

                                                                                    -Michelle Jetton
"Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
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