Dear Love

Dear Love,

I'm so glad I have you in my life.  You have truly opened my eyes to the possibilities.You have always been around me but I could never really appreciate you.  You see, there is no one who can tell me how to use you.  I have learned to use you for my own selfish reasons.  I use you to show my children who God is.  I use you to show my life partner (Drake) that whatever he goes through I go through.  I use you to show my family and friends that, with you,  everything will be okay.  But Love, so many people don't understand you.  They think you are surrounded by jealousy and abuse.  They think you are wrapped up in sheets while covering their naked bodies.  Love they don't understand that you are born of feelings that can't be explained nor taken for granted.  They think you are just a word to toss around without feelings.  They somehow get you confused with sex.  They really don't know about all the wonderful things you have been able to do.  They can't see the lives you are responsible for changing.

Oh my dearest love, I wish everyone could experience your joy.  I wish people would just take their time and get to know you.  I wish they would welcome you instead of just letting you sit outside of their proverbial doors.  I wish they wouldn't be so afraid of you because of what happened in their past.  Love, do you mind just showing them that there is still room for you in their lives if they just open that door.  I know I'm asking for a lot, but sometimes I wish you would knock some people off their feet.  I hope that you would just show up unannounced and introduce them to a better life.  I know what you're thinking, some people just aren't ready to let you take over but for me, just this once, sneak up from behind them and break into their hearts.  You know, let them look someone they really like into the eyes and get a view of their soul.  I mean, love, if anything can do that, you can.  Well love, I must say, it's always good talking you and of course you will hear from me later, but for now I'll just watch as you take over the lives of the people I truly adore.

                                                                                                                    For Always & Forever
                                                                                                                    Your Humble Servant

                                                                                                                    Erica R. Campbell

Power of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is defined as the act of excusing a mistake or offense; compassionate feelings that support a willingness to forgive.  So many times when forgive someone we see it as an attack of our own pride.  When we view it as an attack we don't realize that we really haven't forgiven.  One of the hardest things to do is forgive yourself for the things you have done.  It is so hard, in fact, most of us do not forgive ourselves.  We may say that we have but the way we live our lives prove that we haven't. 

I think that oftentimes we feel a weakness for giving ourselves permission to forgive someone who has hurt us.  We allow the mistake or offense to become a bigger part of our lives than necessary.  We conduct our lives differently because of what someone else has done to us.  If you think about all the things someone has said and done to you, you may realize that you are living your life according to what was said and done.  You have given them direct power over your life... a power they may never realize they have.  They now control your thoughts about yourself and others.  They control how you live your life. 

"I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.

Review the past for me,
let us argue the matter together;
state the case for your innocence."
Isaiah 43:25-26



Forgiveness frees you.  It makes you whole again.  It allows you to live the life that God has blessed you with.  It's not always easy to forgive but I believe in taking the road less traveled.  There is something about forgiveness that makes me smile.  Forgiveness gives me a new light.  Every time I forgive someone I take a little bit of my power back.  Forgiveness opens you up to new possibilities..  So for me, I will forgive.


I forgive you for calling me anything other than my name.  I forgive me for answering to it.  I forgive you for cheating on me.  I forgive me for thinking that it was my fault.  I forgive you  for saying I would never amount to anything.  I forgive me for believing it.  I forgive you for not being there for me.  I forgive me for taking that pain into my life.  I forgive you for everything you have done to me.  I forgive me for everything I have done to myself.  


I feel so much better.  I'm holding my head higher.  My heart is no longer heavy.  My future is already brighter.  Look at what the power of forgiveness can do!!!


I Speak Thoughts

I Almost Gave Up

There have been so many trials in my life that I have almost given up.  I thought I couldn't handle the moments when my life seemed so difficult.  I thought I wasn't worthy of love.  I have shielded my feelings about my self from everyone so that I would not become their burden.  I talked to God in hopes of getting immediate answers and when I didn't get the answers, I almost gave up.  I have always been told that God doesn't make mistakes but somehow I thought that I must have been the one exception to that rule.  I couldn't help to think of all the bad decisions that I had made that changed the direction of my life.  I felt like every time I tried to move forward some force field would just knock me backward. 

My journey of bad decisions started when I was a very young girl, from the moment I discovered that everyone who says they love you really don't mean it.  My life seemed to be outlined with bad decisions.  I have always felt that I was a good person but the outline did not mirror my feelings about myself.  Somehow I think that I put so much pressure on myself to be all things for all people, that I forgot that I was only one person. 

In the past five years what I realize is that I have grown so much.  After the birth of my children I realized that I could no longer live a life outlined by only bad decisions.  I realized that there had been so many good decisions.  With every decision I made God was ever present.  He has been the guide through the story of my life.  I know for sure that every decision that I made has been navigated by God.  I say I almost gave up because I'm still here letting God lead me.  I know that every decision that I have been blessed to make has been to my benefit.  From the bad financial decisions to the better financial decisions. From the bad relationship mistakes to the great relationship moments.  From the way I discipline my children to the sparkle they bring to my eye.  Every solitary decision has been made through the conversations that I have had with God. 

I could admit that sometimes I refused to let God lead and it has been those times when I almost gave up.  Just when I thought that I couldn't live with another bad decision, God stepped in and carried me through.  It's true, what I have been told, he may not come when you want him but he'll be there right on time.  I feel his presence everyday.  I see him through the eyes of my children.  I hear him through the voice of my mother and grandmother.  I feel him in my spirit.  I'm honest to say that I haven't talked to God as often as I need to but I know he's standing by waiting for the voice he has given me to call his name.  I no longer have to hide behind my fear of bad decisions.  I am willing to ask God for the things I want and need and to accept whatever he gives whenever he gives it.  I truly understand that no person can take anything from me because they didn't give anything to me.  God places people in your life for a reason.  You may not know the reason right now but with every moment that reason will be revealed.  Only God has the power to give and take.  He will never give me anything that is meant for someone else.  And he has all power to take from me what he has given me.  So I say again, I almost gave up because I thought the things I had were a direct reflection of God's love for me.  What I realize is that I, not things, am direct reflection of God's love.  He leads, I follow.  I knock, he opens.  He gives, I take. I pray, he blesses.  There may be other times when I almost give up and when that time comes I will kneel down.

Living My Present

Recently I found something very special...my present.  It had been hiding behind my past and so wrapped up in my future.  It had dust build up because I hadn't really focused on it.  Then one day out of the blue I looked up and my daughter was 5 years old and my son already 2.  Where had that time gone?  I had been walking through life with my head down and I had clearly missed out on something.  What I realized was that I couldn't see my present because I was still focused on my past.

Now that I looked in this great big box, I am now staring at everything that I have been blessed to have.  My life partner, my children, my home, my family, my friends and my job.  I see my struggles but instead of pushing those to the side, I embrace them.  I know that I will have situations that will make me want to stop opening the present but when that happens I will get on my knees and speak up.  I know that God has his arms around me at all times.  I will work and pray that I can except the situations and grow through them.

I know my growth depends on my present because I have to go through it.  My present is just sitting here waiting for me to open and enjoy it.  So I will say what I want without being hurtful.  I will do what I want without being worried about judgment.  I will give you my opinion without concern about how you will react because after all it is my opinion.  I will be honest with myself and you.   I will love with my heart so that you can see it in my eyes and feel it through your soul.  I will be the greatest me that I know how to be.  I will open my present without forgetting my past all while looking toward my future.

I Speak Thoughts