Monthly Archives: June 2024

#inspiration, #spirituality

Sensationalism

People nowadays like to refer to themselves as “influencers.” Influence works both ways. There’s the so-called influencer in Britain who videoed himself licking a toilet in a public restroom. And there’s the girl who has made it her goal to sleep with 600 men in 2024. Who are these people influencing?

Outrageous acts produce headlines. William Thomas got front page coverage and a bunch of NCAA records when, in his senior year at UPenn he changed his name to “Lia” and transferred to the women’s swim team. This is an outrage to women, but it seems fewer and fewer people care. I hope he isn’t propped up as a role model for young children.

There are so many better stories that should be grabbing people’s attention. The lives of Dr. Ben Carson, Booker T. Washington, Henry Ford, Elon Musk and so many others will inspire you. You might not go down in history, but that’s not the goal. And remember, you altered the history of the world when you were born.

You can be sensational without the extra noise. Now go make a difference. Today…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Left Behind

We go through different periods in our lives. From childhood through the teenage years, and finally to adulthood. Our experiences shape us. Even our bad days can be used for good. Maybe they were just learning experiences. And hopefully we learned!

Over the course of our lives we have developed habits, both good and poor. We learn how to make friends and develop relationships. We make a habit of exercising and eating well. Yet I meet so many people who focus their attention on their faults. They have low self esteem and rather than focusing their energy on what they do well, they beat themselves up emotionally.

If this is something you struggle with, please be aware that you aren’t alone in your struggle. Everyone has to learn to leave the self-defeating behaviors behind and mold themselves into who God intended them to be. The Spirit is strong and will help you. Just believe in Him and believe in yourself.

It’s time to leave anything destructive behind. Sometimes this includes people…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Late

The word “late” has a lot of applications. For example, if a teenage girl tells her boyfriend “I’m late,” it might not mean she is late to their date. But if you tell someone you drive a late-model car it might promote status.

If you are reading this and are feeling some frustration with your life, it’s not too late to make a change. God is not finished with every single person who is alive and breathing. That includes you. His purpose for your life will bring meaning and clarity to your life. Your inner drive will be awakened.

Take inventory of what you are good at and what you enjoy doing. This will reveal what your purpose is. Then take a leap of faith and walk through that door.

Be brave. Be audacious. You’re going to need to be…

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#inspiration

Balanced Life

I hear people preach about getting balance in your life. You know, the whole work-life balance thing. I’m not sure that’s good advice.

It is true that all of us need rest, play, social interaction and nutrition in addition to our work. These are vital elements to maintain our mental health. Yet I have always leaned into my work while adding new projects. I enjoy it. That’s how I’m wired. Some people want a structured 9-5 job along with an element of predictability in their lives. That’s fine, too!

I believe the most neglected part of life is getting enough rest. You must take time to recharge. Deep, restful sleep prepares us to go fight another day.

Play is important, too. Take some time to let loose and have some fun! And don’t feel guilty for it. Solid playtime makes you better.

Find the balance that’s right for you. Don’t copy the templates of others, or what the “experts” tell you. You know what’s best for you…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

More

When my kids were little, I would take them to the pool and we would play a game. They would stand on the edge of the pool and jump into my arms. I would “play” for hours because their battle cry was “one more time, daddy!” We would do this until my arms felt like they were going to fall off.

I don’t believe I was teaching my kids to be greedy just because they wanted more of a good time. But our society has become one of greed. It’s everywhere, from who has the most toys to getting super sized at your favorite fast food restaurant. Greed is so pervasive that the politicians want in on the game by taxing us as much as possible. In a touch of irony, when you lower taxes you actually increase tax revenues. That’s because people spend more when they have more!

Contentment brings peace. Peace brings an intangible prosperity into your life. Don’t misunderstand, I’m more ambitious now than I have ever been, but if I accomplish nothing else I will be okay. Being content doesn’t take away drive and desire, it gives them a higher purpose than simply making money.

I encourage you to take inventory of any areas of your life where you are dissatisfied. If the source of your dissatisfaction is greed, go to work on eliminating it. Then peace follows…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Today

Today has arrived! It has already started out well for you because you woke up and are here reading this.

Some have awakened yet they wished they hadn’t. Years ago I was in the same position. Every morning I awoke with the same dread as I had the day before. And before. And before. I wasn’t suicidal, just severely depressed. Every day I would go through the motions, just faking it through life the best I could. I had responsibilities, and I couldn’t let my children or clients down. I pressed on.

Today, that period of my life is a distant memory. I’m grateful to have gone through it. You see, it was during that time in my life that I began my self work. I found the right psychotherapist, and started down the road less traveled. It’s difficult to look at yourself, accept responsibility for your decisions, and then create new, healthy neural pathways. But it’s worth it.

If you are feeling the same way as I was, I encourage you to start building your life back. It won’t be easy, but anything worthwhile is going to be a challenge.

Do it…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Lost

Every week, I encounter many people and have a lot of conversations. By the end of the week, I’m pretty exhausted, but in a good way. What’s more telling to me are the people I don’t have an opportunity to engage with.

People look lost, merely drifting through life without any real sense of purpose. Life has beaten them down. They are existing, not living. I get it. We all have highs and lows to navigate through. It’s very expensive to live nowadays, and there’s no end in sight to the effects inflation. But you gotta keep going.

If you are experiencing a dark period in your life, I encourage you to get rid of any negativity. Turn the television off. Read great works and listen to podcasts that feature inspiring stories. You will make it if you refuse to give up.

Just keep going, no matter what happens…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Red Flags

We are familiar with the term “red flags.” Red flags are a warning sign that something isn’t quite right. So why do we ignore them when we know they are warning us for a reason?

We ignore red flags when we are trying to force outcomes. We want the relationship to work, so we overlook glaring character flaws. Or our sense of greed kicks in, and we don’t ask the right questions. Ultimately the responsibility for ignoring the warnings and going ahead lies with us. And we must accept the consequences of our decisions.

The next time life presents a red flag, pay attention. It might save you from a lot of heartache…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

A Nation In Decline

The United States is heading for trouble. We can fool ourselves for only so long, but a time of reckoning is coming. It’s not too late to right the ship.

Our fall has been happening slowly. I was fortunate to attend a college whose curriculum was “to teach a student to think.” Today’s colleges and universities are telling students what to think. Groupthink produces robots, not creativity and innovation.

Personal responsibility is being erased. People who took out loans to get an education are having those obligations forgiven, paid for by taxpayers who didn’t take out the loans. This reinforces bad behavior.

Take a moment to review proficiency scores in our public education system. They are abysmal, and have been for a long time. Unions demand more money, but they use it to hire more teachers rather than put those resources in the hands of the ones who need it to teach effectively. Yet hiring more teachers means more union dues. Make sense?

Morality has taken on the slogan, “if it feels right just do it.” Over 70% of black children are born in fatherless homes. Planned Parenthood strategically places their clinics in minority neighborhoods. In the past 50 years over 19 million black babies have been aborted. This is genocide under a different wrapper.

Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Take a stand. You won’t win a popularity contest, but you’ll be doing what’s right…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Unnecessary Roughness

Football is a violent sport. Every play is fraught with danger, up to the point of a permanent injury and even death. There’s a penalty for unnecessary roughness. Penalties hurt your team, so losing yardage is a pretty good deterrent to bad behavior.

In 1993, scores of federal agents descended on Mt. Carmel in Waco, Texas to arrest the Branch Davidians leader, David Koresh. When the assault was over, 82 people were dead, including 28 children. It didn’t have to happen. You see, Koresh played guitar at the local Pizza Inn every Friday night. The FBI knew this. They could have arrested him there and innocent people would still be alive.

People fall down, they fail others. Two days ago, Dr. Tony Evans resigned as the Senior Pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, a position he held for 48 years. His reason? Sin. Evans is a brilliant teaching Pastor, and he’s had a great impact on my life. Now there are some who are piling on his downfall, celebrating it for some perverted reason. I won’t be joining them.

If someone is hurting, let’s not be like the crowd and add to their pain. Give them encouragement and support. Be the one…

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