Spirituality

The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule is easy to follow, until it isn’t. Some people do everything they can to try to get under your skin. When this happens, rise above.

There are a good handful of people who just seem to be miserable. They are constantly complaining or finding fault with others. It’s my opinion that they are reflecting what lies in their heart. They aren’t happy in their own lives, so they want to rob others of their peace.

Jesus taught us to “love God and love others.” He spoke straight truth. He told us to “pray for those who persecute you.” Totally counter culture and certainly not easy to do.

When someone attacks you, online or otherwise, steer clear of engaging. You aren’t required to give anyone an explanation. Leave the miserable in their mire. Rise above…

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Spirituality

The Public Eye

People Magazine was created around feature stories of our favorite celebrities and the going’s on in their lives. We needed to know what Oprah was reading, and we couldn’t live without pictures from Julia Roberts wedding. When you are in Hollywood, keeping your name in front of the public is key.

Everyone is watching others all the time. You can’t escape the cell phone cameras to capture your worst moments. You and I are in the public eye, too, whether we make it into People Magazine or not.

Most importantly, if you are a parent, your children are observing your behavior. Little eyes are always watching, listening and learning. Children need to see that our actions are aligned with what we say.

A large number of families are experiencing dysfunction in the home. It could be alcoholism, drug abuse or emotional abuse. Children are learning about horrible, unsafe conditions at an early age. Their developing brains aren’t capable of handling this in the right way. Children know nothing about setting and keeping healthy boundaries.

My hope is that people will seek out the help they need to change their behavior. God didn’t create us to live in self-imposed prisons. We hold the key…

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Spirituality

The Manifestation of Evil

What is wrong with people? We have people mocking the assassination of Charlie Kirk, cheering the algae in the Lincoln Reflecting Pool, and hailing Luigi Mangione as a modern day hero. This is evil personified.

The spiritual battle is very real. Demonic forces want us to turn away from God. They cast doubt on the beliefs of people who cannot understand how bad things happen to good people. This much I know: the only way satan can hurt God is by hurting his children. God cannot be physically hurt but he is an emotional God.

When you begin to see the world through the lens of the Spirit, things become more clear. God allows bad things to happen. Otherwise we wouldn’t have free will. We choose to love and worship God. It’s not forced upon us. That’s what the pagans do.

Only God can bring good from the bad. When we believe and pray, we are assured that God will get us through the worst. I understand it’s difficult, but faith is strengthened in the fire.

Trust God. He is good…

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Spirituality

Information Without Transformation

Do you read self-help books? If you do, I hope you have taken what you read and used the info to better your life.

The best, most comprehensive self-help book ever written is the Bible. It’s full of history, miracles, and wisdom. Unlike every other self-help book in existence, Scripture is transformational. It changes you when you put its teachings into practice, especially the words of Jesus.

Books are collections of words put into cogent form. They convey a message. Scripture has life in it. The message is alive. It will ignite something in you when you read it and apply what you read in your own life. The Book of James reminds (some might say admonishes) us to be “doers of the word.” Read, absorb and apply.

Any challenges you are facing can be solved through reading and applying Scripture. Health? Finances? Relationships? It’s all there.

Read a little every day. Learn context. Then take what you learned and make it yours…

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Spirituality

Rigidity

In yesterday’s column I wrote about the value of discipline. Discipline, when combined with commitment, brings great accomplishments into your life. But don’t allow yourself to become boring and stiff in the process.

Life requires adaptability and flexibility. If something isn’t working, change and do it quickly. This is especially useful in team settings. Just because “we’ve always done it this way” may have worked for a time, it’s necessary to question and evolve. There may be a better way.

Young people bring creativity to the table. Enthusiasm, too. Older people have the benefit of wisdom, but that doesn’t mean they know it all. Combining creativity, enthusiasm and wisdom, in the right environment, brings life to projects.

If you already have discipline but are inflexible, you run the risk of becoming miserable. Expand your worldview. Take some risks. Remember to live while you are going through this life.

God created us for a purpose. Even He has flexibility. God altered his own physical law when he made the sun stand still. We aren’t that powerful, but our brains have massive, untapped potential.

Get disciplined and get going. Theres a great life waiting for you…

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Spirituality

Disciplined

We admire discipline, don’t we? For example, if our armed forces were overweight, lazy, and untrained, the safety of our country would be compromised, at best. We want our military to be “battle ready” if the need arises, hoping for peace on earth at the same time. Our military represents discipline.

Self-discipline is a challenge for many of us. People set New Year’s resolutions to change an outcome in their lives, yet 92% don’t stick with their new goals. They don’t lack the ability to change. The commitment to change, even for the better, requires discipline.

Discipline can be created. It takes around 21 days to form a new habit. Twenty one days isn’t a long time, but it may seem like an eternity when trying to move in a new direction.

If discipline is a struggle for you, I encourage you to start with one thing. Only one. Perhaps the one thing is committing to no longer hitting the snooze button on your alarm. Do it for three weeks and never look back.

You can do anything you set your mind to. Ask God for help if you feel weak or tired. He shows up every time. Promise!

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Spirituality

A Liberal Arts Education

Although I didn’t know it at the time, one of the greatest gifts I was given was a liberal arts education. My only thought at the time was go to college, get a degree and get to work. Years later I saw the gem that my education was.

The curriculum at my school was to “teach a student to think.” They lived up to their calling. Testing was an exercise in thought, not just mindless information. The professors were excellent at not only teaching, but challenging us to question our thoughts and beliefs. No one told us what to think, but we were required to put serious thought into why we believed what we did.

My grades went up in college. I realized I loved learning. My professors taught one subject, had advanced degrees in the field, and were genuinely excited about it. My world expanded in college.

Literature, history and the arts were considered. As students, we were challenged to learn. And we learned at a rapid pace. The school was a preparatory school for graduate degrees like medicine and law.

It’s my hope that the curriculum has stayed true to what I experienced. Some colleges have taken it upon themselves to tell a student what to think and believe. That’s a dangerous thing.

If you have a child who thinks differently, sees the world through the lens of art and culture, you might encourage them to pursue a liberal arts education. It’s not for everyone, but it was a great fit for me…

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Spirituality

Blended

Do you own a blender? Mine gets used regularly. Taking dry powder and mixing with a liquid until it becomes smooth got an upgrade with the invention of the blender rather than mixing by hand!

What about people? There are those who just want to fit in, go with the flow and be part of the crowd. You might say they have blended in. There’s nothing wrong with that, until there is. Let me explain.

Everyone wants their life to matter, to make a difference. This can cause some discomfort. You might be called to do something that requires you to stand out. You will be exposed as being different, set apart from the comfort of the crowd.

You can choose to remain silent, staying in the background while you know you have to stand up and stand out. In these moments, it’s important to remember that you have outgrown the crowd. This is your moment, your leadership moment.

My encouragement to you is to take the chance. Separating from the flow, getting uncomfortable is where growth happens. Embrace it. Don’t run from your calling.

The critics will be there. You know, the ones who never do anything worthwhile. They complain but don’t offer any creative solutions to make this world better.

When you’re taking a stand for what’s good and right, you will be doing what God smiles at. Keep going…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

The Sadness of Forgiveness

Everyone has been hurt by others. That’s universal. And we have all hurt other people. That is universal, too. But what do we do with the pain?

Forgiveness requires a lot. We must get over our desire to hurt back. When we let go of our need for revenge we can move to the next step: Letting go of the past hurt. By letting go we aren’t giving the offender a “hall pass” for the offense. But we are releasing any potential power it may have over us. This is when the power of forgiveness accelerates.

There’s a sadness that can occur when we forgive. It’s almost like losing a friendship, even though it isn’t a good friendship. When the desire to let go overtakes the desire to hold on, we have arrived.

This takes time. It can’t be rushed or forced. Forced outcomes aren’t genuine. Forgiveness is growth, too. Forgiveness is for you, not the offender.

If you are holding on to a hurt from the past, it is my hope that you will move forward on the road to forgiveness. Keep healthy boundaries up so it doesn’t happen again. But don’t shut down completely. Isolation is as harmful as lack of forgiveness.

Everything begins with gratitude…

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Spirituality

On The Move

Our bodies are meant to get us from one place to another. Safely! Are you taking care of yours?

The body is a magnificent machine. When combined with the brain, we can accomplish amazing things. I’m not saying everyone can be an Olympic athlete, but we can build strength, have more confidence, and perhaps even be an inspiration to others. Anything is possible when we believe.

If you haven’t exercised in a while, start with some simple exercises. Walk. Do some sit ups, pushups and body squats. Planks are good for your core. You don’t need a high-priced gym membership. You have everything you need right at home. The main thing is, get moving.

Your mind will kick in when you begin exercising. It will remind you to eat real foods, not processed or junk foods. It’s up to you to listen to what your brain is telling you. You will be on the road to success when you do listen, though.

Get your bank account prepared. You will need a new wardrobe if you commit to exercising regularly.

It’s my hope for you that you find joy in movement. You aren’t destined for a life of pain, tightness or a medicine cabinet full of pills. The choice is yours…

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