I could spin the love and relationship wheel, and whatever it landed on, I’m sure the topic would be something that is both timely and sorely needed by a reader of this column. But before I submerge myself into love’s treacherous waters, I’d like to begin my day by expressing my unconditional love, respect and adoration for the One who gives me life, and who blessed me with this unique gift of expression in the first place.

On several occasions, I’ve tried to adequately express how grateful I am to be loved by such an awesome God. As hard as I try though, I’m never able to find words that are as strong or as compelling as I need them to be. When that happens, all I can say is, ‘” I Love You,” and pray that the sincerity of the words shines through.

So before I even attempt to tackle today’s most pressing relationship issues, allow me this moment to spend some time with my first love.
Want to join me?

Listen to the song below, and say your own personal thank you’s … where I’m at in my life right now, I think this says it all.

Sometimes I have to take a step back from it all to remind myself that I wouldn’t stand a chance in relationships if it wasn’t for the intercession of a loving, compassionate God who’s always there for me—through both the highs and subsequent lows brought on by matters of the heart. Without that spiritual foundation present to anchor my perspective, I’m sure I would have gone crazy by now trying to figure it all out when it comes to love.

Many of you can also attest to the benefits of believing in a power greater than your own. Whether that’s Jesus (for me), Allah, Buddha or a shrine of Mrs. Garrett from “Facts of Life,” we’ve all found peace in the steadying hand of our God.

So on days like today, I feel like my quest for gaining a deeper understanding of women can wait … right now, I just want to focus all of my energy on the One who woke me up this morning. I just want to say thank you…

Here’s my prayer:

Dear God,

DeWayne

Below is my love song to God for this morning. Happy Friday … and happy love.

The Song

It’s time to take an afternoon break from our day just to check in with each other. It is my sincere prayer that you’re all in a good mental space, and that you’re perfectly balanced, peaceful, and making the most out of your day. I truly believe that much of our day is determined by our attitude, so each day, I’d like to share some form of inspirational vitamin as a way for us to meditate and fellowship in our own personal and private way.

I’ll be back with more love advice in a minute, but for now just close your eyes wherever you are, listen to the song below, and remove all of the stress and worry that may be clouding your mind.

Be blessed today.

When I read my morning devotional, I knew that it was meant for me to share. There’s someone currently reading this who is struggling with their ability to move past the pain of an old relationship. I hope that the following message provides the needed encouragement to keep your head up and keep pushing forward. Brighter days are ahead.

Side Note: We may not know each other personally, but your success, your health and your well-being are never far from my thoughts. Enjoy your day.

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

Rise up from the dead ashes of the past, whether the recent past or distant past, for what’s done is done. You cannot go back and correct or change what is behind. But, you can set up positive and powerful parameters for the future if you will just let go and trust Me, says the Lord. Now is the time to set yourself up for blessings and victory by charging your atmosphere with prayer, proclamations, and godly thoughts and intentions. Be done with any victim mentality, and leave it in the past where it belongs. Then, prepare to move higher.

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Here’s another installment of Love Quotables, our ongoing search for the most poignant expressions of love. Here’s a fresh sampling of unique, heartfelt sayings from both everyday people and prominent figures in history. Enjoy.

Our first and last love is… self-love.
~ Christian Nevell Bovee

People love others not for who they are, but for how they make them feel.
~ Irwin Federman

Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within
~James Baldwin

Love is the bridge between two hearts.
~Anonymous

The key to life is not held by you, but held by the one you love.
~ Zack Krikorian

I wanted to share with you this inspirational vitamin. While I’m sure you will gain your own insight from the following passage, I did want to briefly share my own perspective. There were times in my life when I had too many people in my inner circle. They wanted to weigh in on what I was doing, where I was going, and more importantly who I was with. But when life got hectic, and important decisions had to be made—in this case, I’m talking about relationship decisions—I had to learn how to block those “friends” everything out so I could hear the only real voice that deserved my attention. I hope that you will learn to do the same.

And remember, you can always drop me a line at flyguychronicles@gmail.com if you want to talk.

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — April 22, 2009:

Beloved, take the time and be quiet enough to gain a fresh perspective of where you have been and where you are now before I lead you out to your next point of destiny. It is important that you see the past, not as a place of defeat, but as a place of experiential growth and victory. You have come through a lot and are stronger because of the struggle. This strength will serve you well in upcoming challenges, and the wisdom you have gained will undergird your confidence to overcome, says the Lord.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I apologize for being M.I.A. the past two days, but I’m officially back. Sometimes when I’m on the road, it gets hard to really sit down and connect with you in a meaningful way. So instead of half-heartedly throwing something out there, I’d rather just wait until I can give you all of my attention. With that being said, I’m back to updating the site 3 times a day. Which means, you need to keep coming back so we can continue to elevate our perspective on love and relationships.

Today, I wanted to begin by sharing my morning inspiration. When I read it, I began to think about the times in my life when chaos seemed to surround me. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it through, but somehow, someway it always seemed to work out. Today’s gift is to instill that same kind of faith within you. Someone is currently stuck in a bad relationship where there seems to be no resolution in sight. I want you to pray for the wisdom to make the best decisions that will move you out of that situation, and into something more positive. Enjoy your day.

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — April 16, 2009:

Beloved, I see and know the things that have brought about a period of stress and uncertainty. And, I tell you that the light will dawn, and you will have greater revelation that will bring resolution to difficult situations. I will give you wisdom and direction that will release you from restrictions that have been difficult to cope with. Confining circumstances will give way to defining moments as you move with the wind of My Spirit. Changes will develop that will bring a sense of release and freedom, says the Lord.

John 3:8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

I woke up this morning feeling optimistic, not only about my future … but about yours as well. There is someone out there in serious transition when it comes to his or her personal life. So when I read my morning inspiration, I instantly thought about you and wanted to share. Before reading, remember this: no matter how tempting it may be to try to speed up life, you must remain patient and let things happen at the pace they are supposed to. Whether it’s getting over a broken heart, or wanting to be married, the worst thing that you can do is be over anxious. That alone will force you to make hasty and unwise decisions. Trust me: I’ve done that enough for us all, and it rarely works out.

Though we may never meet, I love you all, and want you to experience nothing but peace and prosperity within your personal and professional lives. I hope that the following provides you as much comfort and encouragement as it did for me. Enjoy your day.

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — April 8, 2009:

You are in a transitional period of time and sequence, and the disappointments that you have endured have to do with being ready to forge ahead at an accelerated pace. I have gone before you to prepare the way, but everything must be done in order and in the flow of My Spirit. Now is the time to come into rest, silence your flesh, and trust Me to bring you forth in the right season and at the perfect moment. I am not tardy concerning My promises, says the Lord, everything will come to completion in the process of time.

1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

I receive an inspirational email called “Smalls Straws in A Soft Wind” every morning. As I read today’s offering, I felt compelled to share it with you. For those in the midst of transition, both in your personal and professional lives, this may be for you. I pray that whatever changes you are going through, that you allow God the opportunity to guide your steps accordingly. Enjoy your Friday.

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns — November 14, 2008:
You are in a time of unexpected and rapid change as I move you into the next phase of life experience. This is a fast track, and how you respond to this time of transition will determine its level of difficulty. The most beneficial response is to maintain flexibility and to go with the flow and to roll with the punches. If you resist change or try to maintain status quo, circumstances will only become more chaotic and challenging. Now is the time to deliberately relax and be at peace by putting your trust in Me, says the Lord.

Psalm 9:9-10 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

It’s 3:30 in the morning, and before I pack my bags and head to the airport for my flight back to Atlanta, I wanted to share my morning reflections with you. For the past few weeks, I’ve been unhappy with the overall direction and tone of this column. In my opinion, the quality of my recent content has been lacking the very thing that drew you to the Fly Guy Chronicles in the first place. My heart. I got so wrapped up in the next phase of the Fly Guy that I began to ignore the very core of who I was and what this column was all about. So I would hastily write pieces, and throw up a “Fly Question of the Day,” and let the chips fall where they may. And while the conversations that you engaged in were spirited, I personally walked away each day feeling empty.

So this morning, as I said my morning prayers, thanking God for allowing me to see another day, I began to ask Him for answers to why this was happening. This is what He placed on my heart.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Then it hit me. I wasn’t receiving the same blessings from my column, because I wasn’t pouring 100 percent of heart and soul into it anymore. My entire focus had shifted to the completion of my book, and securing a deal for my television show, leaving this column as an afterthought. And as I began to invest less and less time into pouring into our daily interactions, in return, I began to feel increasingly less fulfilled.

The point in me sharing this is that the same parallel can be drawn to your relationships. When you get comfortable with the person that you’re with, it’s easy to take them for granted, and focus your attention on things that you perceive to be more pressing. The danger in that is a real possibility that you can wake up one day with the same feelings that I was experiencing with this column. You’ll find yourself looking at the other person wondering why you aren’t as happy as used to be. And while you search for answers, oftentimes by dissecting the flaws in them, you lose sight of the true source of your unhappiness: a decrease in your investment. Much like me, once you begin to invest less, time, energy, care, and patience into your relationship, your return will be markedly less.

The Fly Guy Moral- From my position, I want to apologize for not giving as much of me, as I normally do. And I promise that from here on out, every word that I utter will be dripping with the fullness of my heart. In return, I would ask that you take this lesson, and apply it to your own love lives. Never take the other person for granted, and never stop giving your all. Good and bad days are sure to come when attempting to love someone, but if you give your all, not once will you ever feel like you cheated yourself in the process. They may fall short of the mark, and that’s ok. But I promise that it will be that much easier to sleep at night, when you know that you have given all that you possibly can. That’s all any of us can ever do.

Well I’m off to the airport. But I couldn’t leave without first sharing those personal reflections with you. Enjoy your day.