Monthly Archives: May 2024

#inspiration

Keep It Simple

We all know people who like to demonstrate their great knowledge by using words most people don’t understand. In my opinion, those people are showing their lack of knowledge about a particular subject, and by using rarely used, difficult words they keep others from engaging with them and exposing them.

Simplicity reigns. It is possible to take a difficult subject and discuss it in ways that keep people interested. This encourages dialogue, even allowing opposing views to come out. This is how you connect with others and grow.

You can be the smartest person in the room without telling anyone that you are. Keep it simple…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Why?

When the world doesn’t make sense, and that’s much of the time, we oftentimes ask “why God, why? The truth is, usually we won’t get the answer on this side of eternity. I’m okay with that because in my heart I know God is good.

I want you to know it’s okay to ask why, and it’s okay to wonder if God really knows what He’s doing. You won’t be the first to question Him. Faith and trust are built when we realize that God really does work things out for good. Good is God’s nature.

Questions are good things. They put us on the path to learning. Keep asking…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Healthy

What are your daily habits that are good for your health? By health, I mean more than just your physical health. But let’s begin there.

If you aren’t exercising, my encouragement to you is to start. Begin slowly. Start taking daily walks, outside if possible. Breathing fresh air and enjoying nature will help clear your mind. And we can all use a good cleansing sometimes!

Now let’s discuss exercise for your brain. If television appeals to you, watch documentaries at least twice per week. Well produced documentaries will make you think. They will inspire your curiosity, too. This gets the neural activity in your brain moving. And your brain will like it.

Finally, make sure you are having meaningful conversations with your friends and family. Be willing to discuss difficult issues, and listen with an open mind. This creates deeper connections which will benefit your overall physiology while increasing your immune system. All good things!

Change can be scary for some people. But in these cases, it’s a good scare…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

The Most Dangerous Prayer

In the Bible we are encouraged to “pray continuously.” Admittedly I forget to do this sometimes. Most days I’m just talking to God throughout my day. Perhaps that is prayer, but I just consider it talking to a trustworthy friend.

Do you want to activate your prayer life? If your answer to this question is yes, and you mean it, here’s how: pray the most dangerous prayer you can. And it’s short. Use me. That’s it. And believe me when I say that God will answer quickly.

God is looking for people He can use to accomplish His will on earth. When we become willing, He will use us.

Here is my daily prayer. Feel free to use it for yourself. “Use me. Work through me. Through my writings and through my words. Through my actions and through my deeds. Let me be a light in this dark world.”

Be a light…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Where To?

People are struggling now more than I ever remember in my lifetime. Mental health was shredded from isolation during the pandemic, it’s expensive to live, and people are at each other’s throats over politics. Where do you turn to?

I want to encourage you to be the calm in the storm. Be the one others turn to for a kind word, some encouragement, or maybe just a smile. You are needed now more than you might realize.

I know that everyone faces challenges in their lives. No challenge is insurmountable. Have faith and believe in yourself.

Take care of yourself first. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t show up with your best. Self care is not selfish. It prepares you to be a light in the darkness.

And remember this: God is in control. None of this shit surprises Him. Find some peace in knowing that…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Safety

I’m fortunate. God has provided me with a nice home in a safe neighborhood. I recognize that not everyone is as fortunate, and I wish they were.

People seek safety and security in their lives. If you are part of a healthy family , you may freely express yourself without judgment, only acceptance and guidance. Having grown up in a dysfunctional family where expressing my feelings would reign judgment and ridicule on me, I kept quiet most of the time. I felt alone and misunderstood, even full of shame for having certain feelings like anger.

When I became a father, I made a conscious decision to break the chain of dysfunction. I used to tell my kids that they could say anything they wanted to me. I was paying attention to how they said it. I guess it worked because we have a solid relationship with open communication today.

Familial maladies are often multi-generational. You can be the catalyst to change the course of your family’s history.

Be willing…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Ask

What do you really want from life? Have you asked God for it?

This is everywhere in the Bible. Jesus himself told us that “whatever we ask for in prayer, believe you have already received it.” Faith is ignited by our belief. But remember, our motives must be pure, not selfish.

In The Book of James, the author reminds us that when we ask and don’t receive, it’s because we asked with the wrong motives.

There’s no ambiguity here. Proper motives aligned under God’s will have power. We just need to ask and keep asking. Does God need a reminder? Of course not. He wants to see how badly we want what we are asking for.

And if you are unsure, ask God to align your request under His will. He will take care of the rest…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Influences

Who do you admire, and why do you admire them? You can learn a lot about yourself by answering this simple question. This is because what we see in others exists in us. We find our role models both inspiring and relatable.

This can work both ways. The two shooters at Columbine were infatuated with Adolph Hitler. They believed Hitler “got it right.” We know the aftermath of their warped admiration.

Set big goals and see yourself succeeding. Choose positive influences that will keep you inspired. You were born for greatness, not to live, work, retire and die.

Make an impact on the lives of others. Start now…

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#inspiration

Twisted

Truth is truth. There’s no denying it. There is no “your truth” that stands out from the rest. We are living in an age where people twist the truth to fit their agenda.

Look at the pro-Hamas riots that are happening on college campuses and in cities. Here’s some truth for you: Hamas is an evil Iranian proxy whose own charter states that they stand for the “annihilation of every Jewish person worldwide.” You can’t twist that into something good.

Here’s another: The 1619 Project wants to rewrite United States history. History is what it was. Not all of it is pretty, but rewriting it is wrong.

If you want to know the untwisted truth, read…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Accepted

Accepting others as they are is important to promoting civility in society. Acceptance is not approval. I can accept you without approving your lifestyle or decisions.

I have witnessed people making demands that they be accepted! Making this type of demand is a sign of defensiveness. Perhaps they should read the book, “How To Win Friends and Influence People.” It might be a great help to them.

Communication with others is the key to connecting with people. It’s not a threat to listen to people you might not agree with. In fact, you grow because you get to see the world through a different lens.

We all want to be accepted, and healthy acceptance starts with accepting yourself. See yourself as the beautiful creation God made. He didn’t make a mistake when creating you, nor does God second guess Himself. That’s good enough for me…

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