Dr. Shelly Cameron is a leadership strategist, author, and executive coach dedicated to helping individuals uncover their purpose, elevate their leadership potential, and achieve meaningful success. She is the creator of the GreenLight Leadership Framework. As the curator of SuccessfulLeaders.net, Dr. Shelly shares insights drawn from her extensive experience in organizational development, human resources, and personal growth. She is passionate about empowering professionals to navigate change, manage stress, and design fulfilling lives through intentional goal setting, self-discovery, and continuous learning.
Dr. Shelly's research on Success Strategies was published in the JAABC Business Journal. She is also the author of several books, including works on leadership, success, and cultural intelligence.
If you stop for one second and do something, everyone is happy. You pay it forward and it comes back to you twelve-fold.
Mariska Hargitay
Standing in line at the cashier, I decided to pay with the cash I had on hand. The amount came to the exact dollar amount in my wallet, except it needed thirteen cents more. I rummaged through my handbag to cover the difference. The woman behind me said, “Hey, I’ll get it for you.”
Instead of accepting her offer, I searched frantically for the coins, only to remember that I keep my change in the car. She repeated gently, “I’ll get it.” I insisted that I would pay her back when we got outside. She simply replied, “Pay it forward.” Immediately I understood and promised I would.
I left the store, found the coins in my car, and was about to give her a quarter as she exited. Then I was reminded of her words about paying it forward. I took a deep breath, sighed, and drove away.
How many times has this happened to me? I genuinely like to give but am always hesitant to receive. As I coach my clients, I recognize it’s important to do both, give generously and also be willing to accept graciously in return. One friend once countered my reluctance by saying, “Don’t stop my blessings.“
A Spiritual Reflection
This moment in the checkout line mirrors our relationship with divine grace. How often do we frantically search for ways to earn, deserve, or repay what is freely offered? Like my frantic dig for coins, we sometimes exhaust ourselves trying to make ourselves worthy of love, forgiveness, or blessing that is already being extended.
The stranger’s simple “pay it forward” echoes the heart of spiritual truth, grace received is meant to flow through us, not be hoarded or returned to its source. We cannot repay infinite love with finite gestures, just as I couldn’t adequately repay thirteen cents of kindness with a quarter.
Scripture reminds us that we love because we were first loved, and we forgive because we have been forgiven. The woman who helped me became an instrument of grace, and my role was not to repay her but to become that same instrument for someone else.
When we resist receiving, whether from strangers or from the Divine, we often miss the deeper lesson about our interconnectedness. Every act of grace we accept with humility creates space for more grace to flow through us to others.
Perhaps the most profound spiritual practice is learning to receive with the same open heart we bring to giving. In that checkout line, God was teaching me through a stranger that grace is not earned but received, not hoarded but shared, not repaid but passed forward.
Today, allow yourself to receive the gifts being offered, both human and divine, with gratitude and trust.
As with the little forget-me-not flower, God will never leave you nor forsake you.
The daily bread recounted the story of a tiny flower:.
“Several legends surround the naming of the beautiful five-petaled flower the forget-me-not. Among those stories is one from a German legend. According to the story, as God named all the plants He’d created, one little flower worried that it would be overlooked. So the flower called out, “Forget-me-not, O Lord.” And that’s the name God gave to it.”
I smiled as I read the recount of the story. It’s such a comfort that I can confidently say, God never forgets us. He went all the way to Calvary for us to set us free.
No matter our circumstances or role in life, rich, poor, homeless… no matter what, God sees each of us. We are all unique individuals to him.
Aren’t you happy for that? Let’s together shout praise and hallelujah for He has done great things!
The visiting pastor John Bonner talked about goals. If it’s a goal that requires a financial investment, clarity, direction or other, we should begin with prayer – present our requests to the lord.
He encouraged the congregants to journal. I listened carefully capturing each point. Afterall, I pondered whether his points differed from Charles Stanley’s.
Journal writing, when it becomes a ritual for transformation, is not only life-changing but life-expanding. – Jen Williamson
Journaling provides many benefits. Among the reasons are 5 keys listed below.
Journaling Benefits
1. Journaling measures your growth
Journaling is a Faith filler to see how God worked in your life.
2. Journaling Records God’s faithfulness
3. Worship God when you receive answered prayer
4. Journaling provides a Legacy for prosperity
What to Include in a Journal
We can write ad hoc things that are on our mind. Emptying our mind of cares and worries is traditional but the pastor went deeper. He opined that we should include:
Insights on God’s promises
Prayers requests – things we desire of the lord. We ask specifically for what we want. Sometimes it’s not clearly articulated or known to us but we voice our confusions as we seek clarity and his direction
We should include our Bible study notes. These are Whatever became clear as we do our daily devotions, attend church, listen to the word, worship and prayed
We should include acquaintances and special events. Whats gleaned that sparks words of comfort, praise or curiosity. The song by Elevation Music titled in the mighty name of Jesus is an example for me. It came at the right time. Another was Travis Greene’s You Made a Way
What Not to include in Journaling
It was surprising to me that he discouraged us from including sins and failures in our journal. Afterall the lord forgave us of our (confessed) sins. Recording them only brings back memories that we need to walk away from and focus on those great things he has done or have in store for us.
In summary, as Jen Williamson encouraged, journaling is not only life changing but life expanding. A tool that encourages transformation. So journal with God.
Not journaling? Start today. If you have been journaling, what benefits have you gleaned? Do share, we would love to hear.
RESOURCES
HUDSON Taylor – read how lord used his published journal
Sometimes I am confused whether I’m talking to myself or if God is speaking to me. But when he said my sheep hear my voice, I realize when I am confused it’s me who has shifted.
I may have stopped reading the word of God, doing daily devotions, attending meetings at church, and everything that would foster my spiritual growth.
When I get back on track, I find that is when I’m more clearly able to discern his guidance and instructions.
So if you’re confused about the lord’s direction for your life, take the time to examine where you are now. Are you praying? Are you feeding your soul? It helped me. Hope it helps you too.
That’s what we do. Hence the popularity of fast food. We love the convenience of staying in our cars while we do whatever we want – work, phone call, text, chat, lyme and more.
But to eat and run consistently may not be good for us in the long term.
Likewise, consider when we do our devotions. Is it done like eating and running? Do we go so fast as if to check off a list? But what are we losing?
Read And Run Spiritually
Spending the time to Read, reflect, and apply what we have read to our lives is important. It is the only way to grow spiritually.
Let’s spend the time to pray, read the word, listen to the lord and glean his leading.
Tonight I heard him coughing and went to give him cough drops candy.
When I went over to him, he was busy praying quietly but through loud whispers. You could hear the genuine prayer. Eyes closed tightly oblivious to me even being there. He always told me that he prays but I never believed the fervency.
I went and sat on on the bench in the room until his voice finally faded into amen.
Inaudible, I Couldn’t hear what he was saying but I was taken aback by his earnest prayer for us, as family and children.
This moment brought me to reflective tears. A time of truth. A time of emotion.
Trust God. Praise Him for unplanned enlightening experiences because there are no coincidences.
GREENLiGHT 