Know WHO You Are And Know WHO's You Are…. My friends, there is no more time left for playing around
By: Sandi Krakowski
The voice of an angel.
A great example of one who has been called by God to sing to the world.
Yet so much pain followed this gift… this genius who sold more than 200 million albums and singles worldwide.
Did she ever really know Who she was? Or better yet, Who's she was? Only she and God will ever know. That is not for us to judge…
But as one more truly beautiful and gifted person leaves this earth… it arrests me deep to the core of who I am and asks the question of me and of all of you… "Are you ready to release your gift?"
It is my belief and conviction that God has designed each of us uniquely and with His passion in our hearts. He has given us each a gift, some public and some private, but we're all knit together to create this bright beautiful world we live in.
Yet, one of the most devastating things that can occur with a gift, is to be alone. To never know who you are and who's you are. To live in a false identity seeking to protect and hide the pain.
Whitney Houston and I used to sing on my way to high school together… and we sang my babies to sleep some nights, as a young Mommy. I'd sing at the top of my lungs, "I Look To You" in my kitchen on 5 acres knowing that beyond just me and my little ones, God was the only one who heard. She inspired me, she sang and had a calling from God to speak LIFE into people. But did she ever know who she was?
The power of the internet is this-I can write this blog post and it can reach hundreds of thousands and even millions of people right where they are at. That is the power of the amazing age we live in. But the real question we must all answer is, "What will we do with our gift."
Performing and trying to be what we were designed to be could be the death of us.
We can look to many people who have been swallowed up in their talent only to live a painful life at the end of their journey. But what can WE do tangibly and practically to learn to live just one level higher, and in the freedom that God gave?
Here are a few tips I've learned along the way in my own painful journey.
Yes, it has been glorious in so many ways, and yes, the triumphs that I have experienced have many times been such mountain top experiences. But when all is said and done I can tell you with all of my heart, the real wars, the real battles, the real blood, guts and tears….. were fought laying on the floor of my office sobbing my eyes out to God and begging Him to make me free.
Look where I ended up!
What an honor to now share it with you.
Tip #1- Never live your life alone.
You were not created to be alone.
Even if you have negative people around you who don't believe in your dreams, it's an amazing thing that we can connect with each other every single day by the power of a smartphone and an internet connection. There is no reason you have to suffer in the painful existence of "alone" one day of your life. Even bigger than that, God did not create you to be alone. Reach out, and please, find good people to connect with. Don't you wait for them to find you, you go find them now!
Tip #2- Never give up on your dreams.
Your God, even if you want to argue with me and tell me you don't believe in Him, didn't create you to live a meager existence of going from one survival to the next.
No, He designed that you would dream and that you would live a life that is beyond yourself. He made the ability to dream, the ability to see into the future with our heart and it wasn't so we could just fall into a pit of thinking it was for 'some day."
There are people who need your dreams to ignite and there are generations that need YOU to take flight on the things that God gave you. Never ever give them up. Write them down, visualize them, strengthen your gifts, move forward in what God has given you and never ever give up or give in.
Tip #3- Work with someone who has what you desire and what you are gifted to do.
Whether it's a mentor in music or a mentor in copywriting, work with someone who has the unique strength and ability to help you realize your dreams. Sure, you'll find some leaders and coaches who are full of a big ego and won't a personal interest in what you do, but don't let that discourage you and don't let it hold you back from finding someone you can trust.
Find someone you can spiritually, emotionally and in business be connected to. Have one who speaks truth, speaks your potential and will love you through every single phase of the road.
Tip #4- When you think the wild and ridiculous couldn't happen, it's time for you to pack your bags!
Just when I thought my life was over and the last saga of my drama was about to unfold, God blew a new plan and a new life right into me.
He knocked the wind out of me, in all the right ways!
He reached down and took a woman who knew shattering pain and enormous success and He gave her the desire to go farther. I am here to tell you that right when you think the wild and ridiculous can't happen, you'd better start packing your bags for the journey!!
Faith will take you farther than anything in life. Faith in the impossible, faith that will believe against every single odd. Faith in the future despite what the past says and the present is saying. Faith. Don't ever ever lose your faith, whatever you do, don't give up your faith.
My friends, you might not know me personally but please hear me when I say this, YOU are loved. You are worthy of being loved!
You are perfect and you are beautiful and while we've never met, I love you. We are connected, you and I… God created us both and He used the internet to bring you here, to this website, where a pink haired lady would tell you about Him.
We need each other and we need to do whatever it takes to release our gifts into the earth.
My friends, we've lost a legacy in Whitney Houston. We've lost a voice that was like none other I have ever heard before. I will never ever forget her… and because of that, I am here today to tell you, know WHO you are and WHO's you are… and then go light up the world with your gift!
With love,
Sandi Krakowski
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
The Whitney Houston tragedy has given me reason to produce an essay in answer at this URL: http://www.ultimate-romance2020.com/Repeat-Performance/you_are_valuable.htm
Lovely post Sandi…. great positive message from a sad story.
RIP Whitney Houston xxx
I’m deeply touched. Thanks for sharing your heart with us. I won’t live an un-lived life. Blessings.
She was one of my favorite female singers – her voice made you stop in your tracks and listen to her. She had natural beauty – and walked with such grace and inside her own beauty she was sad. When she sang it was with her heart – at least then she was happy.
RIP Whitney your voice will be missed.
Such a tragic situation. Great and timely post, Sandi!
She was most definitely one of the most amazing female singers we will know in our lifetime. Her voice will be missed. I just pray that she is at peace with Jesus.
A positive and motivating message for those who are sitting on the sidelines of life.
This is very touching ! Thank you Sandi for enlightening me and I love you too!
She was in such pain for so many years and she was working her best to transform herself. In a strange way she is heling others. God works in mysterious ways. May the Pease of the Lord be with her.
Loving post Sandi! So well said. I will have to share!
I Truly Enjoy Your Blog, This Post is very touching and I want to Thank You for keeping us informed!
Peace &to Happiness…
Mark…
Profound!!! A friend of mine sent this to me. She is like an Ocean to many in her unfathomable depth of insight and Love in Christ. Even now God has reached out to me through his uniquely gifted Teachers. I posted “I look to you” on Facebook. I don’t have a TV..and her passing touched me…I did not know why exactly…I never post cellebs… Thank you Lady with the Pink Hair…Sign me up:)