Living by the Four P’s

One day several weeks ago, I was watching a video on YouTube that was sent to me via a link from a friend with a note that said something to the effect of, “This Cat killed ‘em. Check this out…it is a must see.”  I sat at my desk not knowing what it would be about. I clicked on the link to see a fellow poet in action. He was all over the stage talking about food and the abuses we do to ourselves with it in this country. He was blunt, creative and had so much conviction in his delivery. The audience sat there as he spewed on and on about the injustice and selfishness of our human race….about how God intends for our bodies to be temples but we gorge and neglect ourselves to the point of sickness and even death.

 I shed a tear and nodded along with the rest. His delivery was powerful and his challenge clear; get up, get moving and live as a testimony. Live as a testimony. I strive to do this, and Lord knows it is not easy. So how do we do this? How can we begin to speak or encourage others when we ourselves aren’t living by what we speak?  The first step is to get your mind right. How is this done? We must first start by living by the “Four P’s”. 

What are the “Four P’s?” you may be asking yourself.  In my life, I have defined them to be the following: Prayer, Patience, Persistence and Perseverance. Prayer is critical. It is our direct link to God. It is a source of power….it is intermingled with our faith. Patience is key. It took God 7 days and nights to go through the process of creation. We must realize that life is meant to be lived…not rushed through. It takes time. And as my wise Grandparents have always said, “haste makes waste”. Persistence, you need it. You have to keep pushing, and fighting, and striving. Perseverance is linked with persistence, but I attribute this more so to die hard passion in spite of it all. You learn this as you go through the journey. 

I am 11 months into my journey to a better me. I have been exploring the world around me and my inner self. I have learned much about the endurance of my spirit, the needs of my soul, and the weakness of my flesh. I have had mountain high moments, and trench deep pain and failures. I have stumbled, I have fallen….but I never quit…not even once. Through sickness, disappointments on many levels, and injuries...I have kept going. I must thank the Lord above for the strength He has filled me with. I could never have done it otherwise. In fact, at one point in my life it was much easier to turn away and to do the exact opposite; quit. 

I began this journey with at first one goal, to lose weight. With each passing day, week and month, that goal expanded and grew into a holistic journey. I have written before about working to create a new, refreshed and improved “me” physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. But now, more than ever, this is grounded in me. My gut is screaming for success…for completion….for the pain of this race.  I am craving sweat, letting tears flow….bleeding from the inside out and becoming fully vulnerable so that I may be all the way used up. I truly feel I am evolving and growing stronger every day. I am working harder to apply the “Four P’s” to every aspect of my life. 

Though I have traveled a great distance, I am not there yet. I must keep running. I must keep praying, being patient, persisting and persevering; as must you.

Make it Work,
-7 Verses Deep