Inspired Living, Uncategorized
What if she did not try? What if?
Jan
Happy New Year!!!
This is your best year yet.
You will never have a better yesterday!
Okay, so before I tell you about a phenomenal story, let me say this.
It’s the 20th day of January 2016 so if you still have your Christmas decorations up and are still in the festive cloud, here is a #realitycheck
we have 346 days left of 2016. Don’t get me wrong, I am not some sadist or something, but one thing I do know is that many times people extend the festive period to end of January and then on the last day of the month they will say “please ask January who its racing with” others will say “and that is how January just went like that” well, it most often because many get stuck in the euphoria of the festive season and do not get on the “get-go” with the new year.
So friend, Make every day in this month count and you will be well on your way to achieving your goals for the year.
Okay! That said. *Rubbing my palms and smiling*
Today, I tell you about the story of an Overnight Star, Susan Boyle.
Why do I refer to her as an overnight star?
Because on the 21st of January 2009 and at the age of 47, she stepped on the stage of Britain’s Got Talent and sang. Her voice left everyone with chills, mouths left ajar, standing, and some too shocked to move! Including me (well now you know, one of my pastime hobbies is watching musical auditions on youtube, lol) and like everyone else that watched her audition, once she got on stage, she was a write off, there was nothing “musical” about her.
When the judges asked her about herself, she said:
I am 47 years old and dream of being a professional singer but it never just quite worked out (well, I was like yea yea most likely it is because you cannot sing!) I want to be as successful as Elaine Paige (well you can imagine, that got everyone laughing, including me), and I live with my cat.
But Susan thought to herself, she could try again, she didn’t have anything to lose, she will try again to live out her dream of becoming a professional singer.
She rendered a song by Les Miserables ( I dreamed a dream)… click here to watch her audition.
But the moment she opened her mouth to sing, wow! Was the word, if anyone could find any.
That was the last day she dreamt of being a singing sensation, because from then on, she became one!
Paul Flynn – leading writer on popular culture for prestigious magazines including i-D, Love and Grazia wrote about Susan;
“For this is Susan Boyle’s tale. The fearlessness to dream about something other than the lot life has handed you. The chance to escape. The pivotal role of music as a conduit to go to another place, sometimes lodged at the outer recesses of your imagination, and to allow that new place to blossom. Yes, this is Susan Boyle’s tale. It is why it connected with so many unsuspecting people across the world. In another nutshell? If she can dare to dream, so can you…read more
Let me just give a summary of her life after then
- Susan came second place in 2009 Britain’s Got talent, to a dance troupe, Diversity
- In 2009, her debut album I Dreamed a Dream, came out and became the most Successful First Week UK Debut Album Sales!
- Between 2009 and 2013, she got 7 music awards, including World Music Awards in 2010, 9 nominations including 2 Grammys in 2011 and 2012
- She has 2 honorary doctorates for her contribution to music
- In 2010 she won several Guinness book of world records one of which was Oldest Artist to have a No1 debut album (US & UK)
- With her second album “The Gift”, kept that record.
- With her album “The Gift” she had the most successful Christmas Album in the UK
- In 2010 her childhood dream of singing for the Pope came true!
- In 2012 Susan sang for the Queen of England
- She has had 6 Albums between 2009 and 2014.
So I ask you, what if she did not try?
What if she gave up on the dream on her inside?
What if she said it’s too late?
What if she stayed in the realm of wishful thinking?
The bible tells the story of the Widow and the Judge, know that story?
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’
-Luke 18:1-4
From Susan’s Story, I learnt a lot, so let me share some with you
- It’s NOT too late to try to live out your dreams
- Have a POSITIVE disposition to life
- DREAM! And DREAM BIG!
- NEVER EVER GIVE UP!
“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations”
– Romans 4:18
I speak to myself as I do to you, we all have dreams (if you are like me, you will have a note book called a “Dreams book”) but many times, we hold back. Second guessing, fearful.
Friend,
Do not shortchange the world and deprive it of your Unique Sparkle. Do not live a life unlived, dreams unfulfilled, songs unsung. We have this one life to live, let’s live it to the full! And allow the world the privilege of partaking of what God has put in us.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”
Live Inspired!
His Handmaiden
(All the information gathered on Susan and the Pictures were gotten off the internet: Wikipedia and her official site)
Inspiring ……keep it up
thank you
Nice piece….I remember watching her performance as well.
I dare to dream big
Dream very Big!
Wow, amazing and nice piece I must confess. This is actually the first time I will be reading your writings fully (pardon my oversight). Keep it up, you’re sure going places.
thank you for taking time out to read. i appreciate you. Amen!
Thank you for taking your time to share.
More grace. God bless you.
Amen
God bless you dear.
We have to follow our mind, plans and dreams if not challenges may sweep us away from achieving those dreams.But if we focus on ‘The Maker ‘ our dreams I believe all mountains are surmountable.
Thanks very much
Amen
This is one big pill of inspiration and hope. Thanks for your diligence with this ministry work. Actually read this after being blessed by your most recent ”Break free, Press beyond, Achieve” cos I knew there would surely be more from where that came. May God keep being your strength,inspiration and reward. Pls do not stop sharing on facebook and other channels ‘cos you you never know hoe much light God is using you to shed on someone’s gloomy path out there. Stay blessed. Cheers!
Amen. thank you so much! and thank you for taking time out to read.
Now, this got me thinking! I celebrate you.
Reblogged this on thewinninggeneration's Blog and commented:
I felt i was losing grip of my dreams, i was overwhelmed by the ‘realities’ of life, then i read this post and truly, it gives me hope.