Be ‘So’ Whole, That Your Cup Runneth Over

31 May Be ‘So’ Whole, That Your Cup Runneth Over

This past week, I had the opportunity to travel to a conference (to represent my 8-5 job) to learn from some of the industry’s best in talent development. Well, guess what?? Oprah Winfrey was the keynote speaker. Yes, girl – Oprah! Or maybe you’ve heard people refer to her as Auntie O, Queen of All, Deepak Oprah or Lady O.

Well let me tell you, she did not disappoint, and I was inspired. She shared intimately as we explored owning your truth, following your gut and being of service. For the last couple of days, I’ve sat and reflected, sifting through my notes.  So, reading between the lines, here are my top 5 takeaways from my time with Auntie O that I hope to apply to my life:

1.    On living:

“Every day is an ‘aha’ moment. Your truth every morning is that you’re alive, you’re blessed.”

If you ever watched Oprah on television or read her magazine then you’re familiar with her ‘aha’ moments.  She defines ‘’Aha’ moments’ as moments when what you’re experiencing lines up with what you know. In a big way, it’s a truth moment.

When she spoke last week, she asserted that “Every day is an aha moment. Your truth is that every morning is that you’re alive, you’re blessed.” When you wake up you have the opportunity to hit the reset button and make new choices and decisions. Every day you experience what you know. That today, you are blessed no matter the circumstances and that it is a new day, and if you want – you can start over.

Additional Reading: James 1:2-8; Matthew 5:3–4, 10–11

2.    On leadership:

“Good leadership is everything.”

Auntie O noted that things have only gone wrong in her life when (1) she hasn’t listened to her gut and (2) when she’s chosen the wrong leadership.

Girl, you may not be in a position to appoint leaders in the marketplace. But, we choose other leaders in our life every day.  You listen up Woman of Judah, you appoint people to positions of influence in your life. From spiritual mothers/fathers, accountability partners, mentors, friends and/or business associates. Choosing the right leader is a skill that all of us need to develop and we can all need wisdom for this.

God, Himself is the one who gives wisdom, which is ultimately what we need in order to rightfully choose the person whom we will fellowship with, follow, obey, listen to, take advice or counsel from and give any kind of authority over our lives.

Proverbs 11:14, says that “Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.”

Choose the right people, to be your people.

2a. And on your gut, she says that “If you have to ask someone, “what do you think?”, you haven’t resolved on an answer for yourself.  Stop, consult the Master (this is part is me) and get a clear answer for yourself! Whether it’s marriage, a house or just a pair of shoes.

Additional Reading: Titus 1:7-14; Proverbs 2:6-15; Matthew 24:45-47

3.    On the giving of her resources:

“Giving people money doesn’t change them, you have to change the way they think and the way they view themselves.”

If you’ve ever been to the Oprah exhibit at the African-American Smithsonian, then I’m sure you’ve read her journal entry the night before the very national first taping of the Oprah show.

It reads:

“I keep wondering how my life will change. If it will change. What all this means. Why have I been so blessed? Maybe going national was to help me realize that I have an important work or that this work is important. I just know that I must be pressed to the work of the high calling.”

She knew from the beginning that the reason for her work, her positioning, was for a bigger purpose. She wanted to help others, affect change.  In the beginning, she began by sewing financial resources into people and projects but was met with defeat.  She said, “it never changed the person and not always the situation.”  She then realized that you had to get to the heart of the situation – “you have to change the way they think, the way they viewed themselves.”

Proverbs 4:23, says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Luke 6:45, says “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

If our heart is our “control center” from which all our decisions were made, we must fervently guard it and constantly pour the right things into it, so that we can positively affect change and advancement.

Additional Reading: Luke 6:43-45; Psalm 51:10; Proverbs 4:23

4.    On getting through crisis:

“Remain fully present in the moment you’re in and don’t deal with the next decision until you’re there.”

In a famous song, Sam Cooke said a change is gonna come, scripture says, that “he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” and we all undeniably know that life comes with rough patches.

Oprah’s advice on dealing with crisis was to remain fully present in the moment. She advised not to deal with the next question, problem, bill, or problem until you resolve the one you’re in.

Y’all, this resonated with me. Have you’ve ever been dealing with something like a poor health diagnosis or a problem at work and then someone piles another thing on top of you?  Did you feel the weight of the world on your back or your chest?  Did you want to run down the street screaming?

My advice? When someone, something or some organization tries to give you something you’re not ready for, take a deep breath, place it to the side (I promise it’s not going anywhere), breathe deep, scream, pray or praise – deal with what you’re currently dealing with and then go and pick it back up.

One of my favorite scriptures to stand on when I feel like I’m in a boxing match with life is Matthew 6:31-34, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’……….”

Additional Reading: Romans 8:28; Romans 5:3-5; Romans 8:17-18

5.    On service:

“Everyone’s job is to be ‘so’ whole, that your cup runneth over.”

The theme of self-care and service echoed throughout her entire speech. As she was ending, she said that your big question in life should be: “How can I be of service?!”

Every single one of us has an offering, a purpose, a gift.

We should wake and say, “God, how can I be used? Used in your service? Used in the world? Used in my relationships?”

Do the work. Heal from the things that have caused you trauma. Fill in the broken parts in your soul that keep you from feeling complete.  “Everyone’s job is to be ‘so’ whole, that your cup runneth over.”  Let that wholeness spread onto others.

Galatians 5:13 says, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”

Take care of yourself, so that you can do good work (be a good sister, mama, daughter and/or wife). Give your time to someone who needs you. Become a hype woman for someone that’s discouraged. Check on ‘all’ your friends. Give a hug of affirmation to someone in your family. Give a meal you prepared (or Uber Eats something tasty) to someone who is sick or that just had a baby. Listen to someone that just wants to be seen or heard. Give a deed of kindness to someone who easily overlooked. Jesus taught: “…to the extent that you did to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40)

Additional Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:58; Romans 12:11

Oprah was real and transparent, she made me think of you, the Women of Judah, as I listened to her thoughts. I hope these words sustain you this week. They gave me the courage to keeping pressing. Which of these points resonates with you most? What will you be incorporating into your life as you go into June?