Live big

Mighty Warrior

/ Kelly Bea / Leave a comment

The lord is with you mighty warrior! Judges 6:12

Do you know this story? Its a good one! The angle of the Lord appears to Gideon and tells him he is mighty warrior and that he will deliver Israel from the Midianites. Gideon replies back that his family is the weakest in the land. The Lord says BUT I am with you and you will strike down Midianites.

Gideon asked not once, but twice for a sign that he really is God. Our God, ever so patient gave him the two signs. Then he asked Gideon to drop his army to 300 men to take down the Midianites. He trusted God– did what he said and they defeated the Midianites.

I relate to this story so much right now. I was drawn into a battle I wasn’t expecting. I had to seek understanding from God. I had to ask Him if I was doing the right thing. And I have to trust Him completely with something I have no control over.

Over the past 25 months God has done a work in me. I learned to stay steadfast no matter what got thrown at us and I learned to flourish in difficult times. Now He is telling me, “stay strong mighty warrior I am preparing the way”.

My name is Kelly Beatrice, but most everyone knows me as Kelly Bea. A couple months ago I was looking up the meanings of my boys names. As I was doing this it reminded me of the Precious Moments bookmark I use to have with my name and meaning of my name on it. Showing my age mentioning Precious Moments. I remember something about being mighty, but couldn’t exactly remember the meanings so I looked up mine and Kevin’s, too.

Kelly is an Irish name that means bright-headed; war and one who frequents churches. I do work at a church! Biblically my name means solider or warrior. Beatrice means bringer of joy and blessings.

Mid-November my name meaning kept popping back up randomly. I told my friend, Pamela I believe God is giving me my word already. Soon as I told her she was in full agreement. Despite feeling I had it I still went through the steps of finding my word and mantra in December. That is when God said “Kelly Bea you are my JOYFUL WARRIOR, lets prepare for battle!”

JOYFUL WARRIOR

Today I start on my knees in prayer and rise up in the full armor of God. Faith is my shield and His love is my armor. I know who I am because I know who He is. I am full of spark and passionate praise for I know the battle is already won! I walk in alignment with God slaying my day like the JOYFUL WARRIOR he created me to be!

Golly Gee I am in love with my word and mantra this year! The emotion overflows when I say it to myself. When I get up in the morning, hit my knees in prayer and rise up to start my day I feel His armor coming over me! I walk in confidence knowing He has already prepared the way for me. I just need to keep my focus on Him and slaying that enemy who tries so hard to steal, kill and destroy.

While going through the process of finding my word and writing my mantra I found a lot of Bible verses and song lyrics that hit just right.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 reminds us to always be joyful. Zephaniah 3:17 tells us the Lord is a mighty warrior who is always with us. Proverbs 17:22 says a joyful heart is good medicine. Ephesians 6 of courses tells of us the armor of God. Psalms 28:7 in the passion translation blew me away, “God is my strength and my wraparound shield. When I fully trust in you, help is on the way. I jump for joy and burst forth with ecstatic passionate praise”.

Some of the songs that have made my Joyful Warrior playlist are The Truth Song by Megan Woods, Battle Belongs by Phil Whickham, Take it Back by Tauren Wells, Warrior by Hannah Kerr, Raise a Hallelujah by Bethel, The Joy of the Lord by Rend Collective, The Joy Song by Motion Worship, Desperate by Jamie MacDonald and Won’t Back Down by Fearless Soul.

Part of Big Life Mentoring is living a BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE! Pamela has an amazing goal writing system that works when you do the work. After getting my word, mantra and doing my year end review I was ready to write goals for 2025. Our goals are broken down into six areas: Spiritual, Health, Relationships, Mind-Happiness, Home-Money-Career and Fun! Once you have your goals for the year you break them down into monthly, weekly and daily goals using the Big Life Digital Planner. At the end of the year if you work the system you have done some living and accomplished your goals.

As if getting your word, mantra and goals written weren’t enough fun next I got to make a vision board. A daily visible reminder of who I am, whose I am and the plans we have. Remember goals are just dreams until you do something. Having this visual daily reminder will keep me focused on living big! I don’t just want to have big dreams. I want a big life! I want to grab up all God has available for me. In 52 years when I get to heaven I want to be able to say I lived to the full and have nothing left. And yes that would make me 103! I have a goal of living a full, happy and healthy 100+ years! I want to still be out gardening and tending to my chickens when the good Lord takes me home.

My Vision Board
Word & Mantra
Mind/Happiness
Spiritual
Relationship
Fun
Home/Money/Career
Health

Living in the Storm

/ Kelly Bea / Leave a comment

In the most difficult times you can find opportunity. An opportunity is defined as “a set of circumstances that make it possible to do something”. In 2023 we learned to live in the middle of the storm.

I read that Toby Keith and Clint Eastwood were in a golf tournament together and Clint told Toby, “I just get up every morning and go out. And I don’t let the old man in”. What a way to live! It inspired me! I don’t let the enemy in!

Sunshine and nature are two of the most amazing things you can do for yourself when you are in a dark place. I took advantage our farm, got out and explored as much as could. Even on the coldest day the sunshine warms the soul. It’s also a time for me to talk to God and listen to God.

Porch Sitting is my fav
Let’s fly a kite
Dance in the rain

One of my close friends got engaged and married in 2023. Being there for the engagement, bachelorette dinner, wedding and reception were highlights of my year.

Visiting our boys and friends for a weekend in Alabama was so good for us. When we felt God calling us back to Kentucky one of the hardest things was knowing our boys would stay in Alabama. It had been home to them since they were 4 and 6. Leaving behind friends you have known for years wasn’t easy either, so the visit was good for us.

We invested in our farm. We grew another amazing garden. Built a nice chicken coop and got more chickens. Spending time in the garden is like therapy for me. I think it was good for Kevin, too. Nothing like getting a little dirt under your nails.

I went on a couple Big Life Retreats. Spending time with Pamela, Catherine and my Big Life Sisters fills my cup to overflowing. When we are together we live big and love hard. I know these girls pray circles around me, too.

I got to go Paragould and watch my friends girls dance recital and spend some quality time with some amazing friends. I took my nieces to St. Louis for a fun weekend and we met up with my friend, Stacey who took us on a river paddle.

I celebrated my 50th Birthday with a mermazing birthday party! Woohoo to 50 years of life! I plan to live even bigger this next 50 years. Yes, at least 50 more years! I have a goal of living to a healthy and active 100+!

We started attending Marion Baptist Church summer 2023. Its the first time since 2019 that we regularly attended in person church. We had been doing online church for so long we forgot what it was like to have a real church family.

In October I left my job at Chapel Hill to work at Marion Baptist Church. An opportunity came along and I jumped on it. I was able to start helping in the Food Pantry that we had been donating fresh veggies and eggs to since we moved to Marion. God was reminding me why we were here and where my focus needed to be.

Kevin and I took a quick trip to the beach in the fall. We did a lot of relaxing and napping on that trip. I spent a lot of time on the balcony with my Bible. I believe that was where our outlook started to shift. We prayed and asked God to show us if we were wrong and He only reinforced that we were not and to remain steadfast in Him and His timing.

There was a shift in perspective that fall. During this very difficult set of circumstances we learned to live with joy and accept the peace that can only come from God when you put total trust in Him.

When you truly put your faith in God and accept that He is in control you can live your life in peace. You can be full of joy knowing that its all going to work out in His timing. We got the opportunity to be grateful for this storm.