Wind: Its Meaning on Life

Wind: Its Meaning on Life

A movement of air, that we cannot necessarily see, but something we can feel. Our perception is that wind can be a force of air that causes the movement of things, such as trees. We perceive that wind will blow our light items, such as newspaper and trash down the road. We see wind as the thing that causes the paper we dropped on the ground to blow away. We see wind as the catalyst for cold air in our face during the winter. We see wind as what moves so many things. 

But have we ever pondered what wind could be in terms of a cause for a reaction that could lead us in a new direction or down a new path that directs us to the destiny God has for us? Those who are against change see it as a detrimental effect. Those who are for change still are questioning whether it will bring a better or worse outcome. We must understand that "If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone." (John Maxwell) and "If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living" (Gail Sheehy). Over the years of our lives, we will run into situations where we must adapt, change how we act, and commit to new things. We will change, and we are changing...every single second.

If the wind is God's hand pushing us in a new direction, we have a choice to buckle down and stay back or we can go with the wind and follow the path God has for us. We all want to explore the world, so why not travel with the wind, and if you want to travel it with someone you love, ask them to see the world with you.

I always perceived wind as something that ruined the day. It blew dirt in my eyes on the baseball field. It made the great day on the beach turn into a sweatshirt day. It made trees fall down in storms. There were such a vast number of effects that the wind contributed to in a conflicting manner that I never appreciated the benefits that it stirred up for the world.

Those benefits are not the ones that we can see from the start, but rather the finish. If it was not for the wind, would I have turned my head in the opposite direction to avoid the sand blowing in my eyes to see the sunset that made me realize how fortunate I was to see? For the wind took me away from many old situations and took me upon itself on a journey to a new place. Riding in the car with the windows down on a summer day is a feeling we can all enjoy. If it was not for the wind would I have traveled a few more feet down the beach to find the mysterious shell that we place meaning in. The wind pushes us to keep going. The wind is a motivational force that wants us to succeed. So, when you say the world is against you, realize that the wind is behind you (or in front of you) pushing you to keep working towards your ultimate goals.

The wind has impacted me in a way that I am grateful for. When I feel that there is nothing else to look forward to, I can trust in God's hands that He and the symbol of the wind are moving me in the right direction. On days wind is not present, I think to myself that the wind is helping someone out who needs it more than me.

I have complete trust that where I have started, where I have gone, where I am, where I am going, and where I will end up has and will be impacted by the wind in some form and fashion. Even in the past year I have found myself with new thoughts, with new surroundings, and new dreams. Right now, I have an amazing surrounding of people by my side, a family that loves me, and friends that believe in me. I have an amazing girlfriend and I am thankful for her family, and their farm animals that make me realize that the chance I took to follow the wind has made me not only happier, but motivated to learn, grow, and experience with someone who I can do anything and be myself with.

I continue to praise God in the work He has done for this world and I am constantly realizing how lucky I am to be where I am, while discovering that there is so much more that I will be learning. The wind truly does have an impact in our lives other than the force it has on material objects and God's hands are always waiting to catch us if we are misguided by the wind, to turn us in the right direction.

-Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

 

Appreciation for Music

Appreciation for Music

The respect I have for music continues to rise to a new level. Nothing else in this world allows me to be alone and reflect on my life like music does. We all have our own outlet(s), whether good or bad that takes us away or clears our mind to think with clarity.

            Thinking with emotion and deep thought brings you into a different mindset that nobody knows about you. I even wonder where I go when music kicks in and I begin to focus. I just become inspired to the extent that anything I think about becomes my motivation. Without music, I would not be as motivated as I am today and as a result, I have acquired a great appreciation for all types of music and the impact it has on the lives of people it touches.

            Although music brings me to an emotional state, almost like a depressing setting in a sense, I am able to discover what is really important to me because what comes to my mind first tends to be what I care for most. I never plan on music reaching my senses so greatly, but when I start thinking, the engine begins to start and the wheels begin to turn.

            I am able to connect to my own life and realize what I am doing right, what I am doing wrong, and how I can grow to be a better person in all areas of life. Music, whether presented in the form of Rap or Gospel is telling a story of some sort and there is a reason behind it. Just like paintings, novels, essays, or poetry, music is a form of art that illustrates one’s emotions, mindset, and feelings at a given time.

            The late night motivation kicks in when the music plays, and the late night thoughts follow…Just another day to appreciate the life I am living.

            -Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

           

           

           

Living My Life

Living My Life

We wake up every day from whatever cause chooses to wake us. We go through our daily routines and then we are off-and-running. For myself, it is either to class or work. For everyone else, it is likely the same. We are all living the same life in terms of breathing, but we are all taking our own unique paths and choosing what we want to achieve each day.

I live my life and only my own because this is the only life that I am in control of. I strive to grow through personal development and to learn through my Faith in God and the guidance I receive from The Lord. I learn through experiencing and I learn through my failures and successes.

I have discovered that I learn best when I fail because if I succeed on my first attempt, it is either luck or a natural gift. Therefore, I did not have to work for the success, unless I had placed prior planning and organization into the work. Additionally, failures motivate us to change whatever it was that caused us to fail. We improve if we make changes. We cannot expect to grow unless we learn and we cannot learn unless we fail. That does not mean that we should focus on failing first and pushing it out of the way so that we can succeed, but rather, it means we should give every push of effort we have to ensure successful growth. I define growth as moving forward to become a better person in all areas of life, including the assistance a person gives to those around him or her.

When it comes down to living my own life, I strive to focus on my future goals and reflect on the decisions I make to evaluate how I am doing in my personal opinion. When we with others or competing for positions, we may want to make excuses or verify falsely, but I have realized that no matter what happens in one’s life, you cannot evaluate yourself based off another human being, no matter who they are. We are representing ourselves and the name we were given at birth. We are serving Our Lord and should be fortunate to see this world of extraordinary sights and sounds. When we are worried about failure, we should not be. When we are worried about those around us, we should not be. We should have full-on Faith in God and understand that life’s happenings’ are meant to be. We should not force anything upon ourselves or those around us.

Essentially, you should live your life and continue to work on what you want to do, while helping those around you become successful. You should not worry, stress, or fear. God has a plan and if He wants certain people in your life or wants you to go through certain situations, He will do what He deems is necessary for you to grow on Earth and spiritually in Christ.

Life has its mysteries and we are seeking to discover our individual purpose. We must place our Faith in God and trust His plan. No matter what is happening in your life, realize that you are growing while you are living. As long as you can say you have given all of your strength to be the best you can be when you put your head down at night, you have achieved a daily task. The plan God has for each of us is unimaginable, because it is too remarkable for our eyes and mind to comprehend. Place God in the center of your life and surround yourself with Faith and Trust. Live your life and only yours. Be who you are and let people think what they want of you.

It is smarter to be who you are and discover who respects you at the beginning than it is to be portraying a false you and discovering who does not respect you at the end.

-Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

Everybody Eats Holdings

Everybody Eats Holdings

Since I can ever remember, I have dreamed of making a difference in the world through my own business or product. I sit in class pondering new inventions. I speak with anyone who is willing to listen, about my ideas on how I will become successful. As of April 15, 2015 I can say that I have reached the point I dreamed of. I am proud to announce that I am a Co-Owner of Everybody Eats Holdings. We are a movement created from the collective efforts of our non-profit VisionTree CDC & our for-profit Triad Food Hub. Through the two, we are creating stronger local food systems for the 21st century, with a focus on urban farming & farm produce aggregation. Triad Food Hub makes the direct connection from farm to fork, which allows us to provide top quality products direct from the producer. We currently have accounts providing Farm fresh brown eggs, and Organic Tilapia to retailers in Greensboro and surrounding areas. Our creation is critical to the area of High Point/Greensboro. As of April 2015, Food Research and Action Center ranked Greensboro-High Point the “#1 Worst Food Hardship in the United States of America”.

The problem has been identified. We are at the right location. We have the right team. We have the solution. Now, we need the world to realize what we are doing. I have been supported over the years by so many and I cannot be more grateful and appreciative. I have been taught, educated, mentored, and pushed to the maximum by remarkable people, and I am blessed. I have a vision, and I am continuing to chase my dream. Dreams, Drive, Determination. It is time to work and time to chase the dream!

            -Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

Adapting to God's Plan

Adapting to God's Plan

Many pieces and memories of our lives that we hold onto today were not included in our original planning process for ourselves. With that, we must wonder how the plan deviated from our thinking. If we trust God and His amazing plan for us all, we will recognize that He sometimes takes out or adds experiences for a reason. The motive, we do not always know. However, God introduces us to the world and beyond in the eyes of Him and the world, not just our closed-minds. We have been told by our friends and family on what we will become, which could be true, but only God knows the end path for us. We have the ability to choose whether or not we want to follow His path and better ourselves and those around us. It is eye-opening to reflect on past situations and what they have taught us. It is remarkable to see the growth in ourselves. It is a proud moment to realize that you are doing what you love and you are surrounded by people who you love. I am continuing to live in the presence of The Lord and I am continuing to chase my dream. Blessed for He is by my side.

-Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

A Transformation: From One Door to Another

A Transformation: From One Door to Another

           

            Reflecting on today, I've realized once again, what sometimes seems to be a wrong outcome may actually be the start of a new beginning for greater successes. I realized that a leader is not one with a position, or a label given to them. But rather, a leader has his/her intentions and actions focused on helping the people around them and in return, helping to unify a community of leaders.

            In the past, I only spoke about my achievements and successes when running for leadership positions, but I've discovered that a leader walks with his/her peers, sits eye-level to his/her acquaintances, and listens to his/her community as much as he/she leads them. It is no longer about me as much as it is about me helping those around me. My life is worth more if I am making an impact in the lives of those around me than compared to me helping only myself. I do not see any benefit to being self-conceited.

            God did not place me on this world to serve myself, as He placed me here for a reason. That reason has yet to be discovered, but my heart tells me I am here to inspire and here to make a difference in the lives of others through my opportunistic outlook on life. I am grateful to be learning and growing each and every day. I am walking with God. I am taking a path guided by God and trusted by myself. I am on a mission and I will continue to achieve my goals. We must always have Faith and trust in The Lord. He takes us to great depths of challenges and obstacles, but He strengthens us to become achievers, do-ers, and followers of Christ.

            The Lord has a plan for each and every one of us and it is remarkable to see parts of it unfold and to reflect on our lives and see the transformations we have made. Chase your dreams because you'll never know how long you have left to see, breathe, speak, or live. Stay humble in your living, Be confident in your ways, Stay true to your morals, and value those that care about you.

            One door closed, but another door is opening. My vision considered only this one door, but now I see many more. Dreams. Drive. Determination.

-Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident
 

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

Easter in Our Lives

Easter in Our Lives 

Today is a day that celebrates the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. On this day, we do not live in sadness of Jesus's death, but rather in appreciation for His sacrifices to allow us to live- to sin and still be forgiven.

On this special day, we are able to think about how we live our lives and how we choose to respond to external and internal stimuli. Jesus forgave the men for killing Him on the cross. Just as He chose to forgive, we must forgive those around us, even when we do not believe it is necessary. We are taught to forgive, not attack. Jesus challenges us every day to take the higher road and commit to living a life of love, giving, and appreciation for everything the world has to offer.

On the calendar, Easter is just another Sunday. But in our lives, Easter is a day to remind us all that we are Christians — followers of Christ — and of God’s children. We were brought into this world for a reason and we must uphold to the standards that God has placed upon us. Times may be rough, times may be easy-going, but we must always remember to live through God, through morals, and through grace. In addition, Easter serves to reiterate the idea that we are all human. We are not perfect. We will make mistakes. But as Christians, we must not forget who we are serving. We must not forget about who is watching. Jesus is always with us, so we must not fear making mistakes. We will learn. We will grow. We will become one who is closer to God.

When we devote ourselves to God, we begin to notice changes within our daily lives. Believing in God and giving our life to Him is a sign of Faith, Trust, and Belief in His end plan. For some people, God is not in their lives. It may be their choice, but God's Grace should be shown to the world. We are taught to give. Giving does not have to be through monetary values. The giving which God wants us to give is speaking the word of Our Lord and teaching others about His plan for us. The word of God should flow to others and be passed to others like the peaceful flow of a river. We are each born leaders of life, followers of God, and speakers of a magnificent plan. 

If we live our lives wondering, we'll stay in a never-ending thought of misbelief. But if we choose to listen to our Lord and speak the word of God, we'll bring more people closer together. God has sacrificed everything for us all and He gave up Himself to allow us to live, to sin, and to be forgiven forever. We cannot thank Him enough.

I wake up every morning giving thanks to God for another day to breathe, another day to chase my dreams, and another day to make an impact in this world. Whatever may happen to me on any given day, I always know that I have God to support me and nobody can take that away from me. When I put my head down at night, I thank God for another day to see and another day to learn. And before I close my eyes, I pray for those around me, those far away in need, and for a world change for the better.

 

God is miraculous.

God is here to stay.

I am a son of God.

I am here to speak the word.

 

 -Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident
 

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com