Happy New Year 2009!

Welcome officially to my new personal blog Sophiaanelson.com!

I am excited to have a special place of my own aside from politics and the iask organization sister blog to express my views, offer wide ranging social commentary, share life insights & experiences, as well as keep you all informed about what I am up to on a regular basis professionally, personally, spiritually, and relationally.

Every year I choose a mission statement to govern my life. This year as the new year was about to come in I was speaking with one of my dear sisters and special friends (we’ll call her MT) about what it was I wanted to achieve in 2009, but I was not quite sure how to narrow it down to a sentence. I am presently fasting with a few family and friends on the partial Daniel fast (based in scripture in the book of Daniel) until just before the Inauguration of President Obama and I wanted her thoughts on what I should focus on during this sacred time.

For any of you who have fasted for spiritual breakthroughs, guidance or health reasons you know it is a powerful fellowship that draws us closer to God and closer to ourselves. It is a time of cleansing, renewal, release and restoration. It is also commanded by our Lord in the New Testament as it was a critical part of the lives of those who lived throughout the Old Testament.

Last year at the beginning of 2008, I fasted for the first time for 21 days and I asked for revelation and guidance in my life professionally. God ever true to His word delivered answers and direction which both tested me and blessed me more than words could ever say. But I got to where I wanted to be by trusting and stepping out on faith.

However, for 2009, I wanted something deeper, richer, more personal. My sister friend, MT, as wise and inspirational as she wants to be did not miss a beat when she said to me: “Sophia as you are fasting and praying to God for the deepest desires of your heart ask Him what you are supposed to CONTRIBUTE–what is your contribution through the powerful platform God has provided you in such a short time.”

Then she said to me if you only had one thing you were allowed to tell your sisters in iask, your family, your readers, listeners, etc. about what has defined your life and what you want to impart to them what would it be? Without hesitation I answered:
Love. It’s all about the Love. That is why we are here. Period.

So my theme for 2009 is: “If I have not love, I am nothing.” It is borrowed, of course, from 1 Corinthians 13 also known as the “love chapter”. Over the next few days, weeks and months we will be talking about LOVE a lot. Not in superficial ways or in clinical ways as it is often discussed.

I want to talk about the love that changes our lives forever–the love that touches us deep in our hearts–the love that moves us to become greater beings–to forgive–to restore–to heal and to encourage others. The love that so many of us long for, that eludes us in these abrasive times of email, texting, and our ever busy–harried professional lives.

I hope you will share your own stories on this BLOG anonymously or with your name attached–tell us what you think about love and whether or not you feel our culture fosters such love anymore. If not–how can we change that together and leave a good legacy of love for the next generations to come???

If not us, who, if not now, when. . .

My companion organization iask, Inc. will also focus this year again on relationships (with ourselves, our men, our families) and the way we LOVE each other as friends, lovers, family, believers, and fellow human beings. It is going to be a powerful 2009!

Thank you for stopping by my new personal blog. I look forward to a powerful journey together!

If I have not love, I am nothing

Sophia