Author Archives: John Harrell

Spirituality

Through The Lens of a Miracle

“There are only two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” -Albert Einstein

There are miracles all around us. We can get so caught up in the busyness of our lives that we miss so much. Consider that the earth revolves at a speed of around 1,000 miles per hour, yet we don’t get flung off of it. I would consider gravity to be one miracle we take for granted.

Everything from the leaves growing on trees to the laughter of a child are miracles. Our hearts beat 36 million beats per year without any effort from us. We can see, hear and breathe. And we have the power to speak, a gift that no other creature has.

I encourage you to let the artist in you come out. See the world and everything good in it as miracles. Slow your life down and expand your worldview…

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Spirituality

Faking It

Fake people are everywhere. People have lost their souls, doing and saying outrageous things so they can achieve a modicum of fame and notoriety. One guy in the United Kingdom went so far as to film himself licking a public toilet and posting it to his Instagram account. Yuck doesn’t begin to describe how disgusting that was.

Being known can be a really good thing. When famous people lend their name to a great cause, it increases the awareness and effectiveness of the organization. Think about Paul Newman and his “Newmans Own” salad dressings and pasta sauces. Every dollar of net profit goes to charities for children and education. The company got its start because Newman loved to cook and he wanted to leave a legacy.

If fame is what you seek, that’s perfectly fine. Just don’t lose yourself in the process…

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Spirituality

Addition or Subtraction?

Our words and our actions are either helpful or hurtful. Anything we say or do is rarely neutral.

The content of our hearts reveals a lot about us. Pure thoughts create pure hearts, while perverse thoughts bring out an ugly side of people. Most of us steer clear of judgmental, negative people. They suck the life out of you. Change your environment and change your life!

We are either adding or subtracting from the lives of others. At the same time, we are adding or subtracting from ourselves.

My encouragement to you is to become really good at addition. Leave the subtraction to someone else…

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Spirituality

Wrong Way

We men are notorious for refusing to stop and ask for directions. There’s an old story about a husband and wife driving down the road. The wife looks at the husband and says, “You’re going the wrong way!” The husband replies, “Be quiet! I’m making good time!”

Some of us went the wrong way in life. We didn’t follow the dreams of our hearts. Instead, we settled for the life others wanted or expected us to have. That’s not living. That is merely existing. Knowing there is more to life than what we are experiencing is frustrating. People then seek fulfillment in a bottle. Or worse.

If you are holding on to the hope of a more meaningful life, keep holding on. And start doing something about it. The dreams of an earlier time are still there. You just need to bring them back to life! It’s possible if you are willing to take a risk.

And please remember to thank God along the way. After all, God gave you the dream and with His help and guidance, you will succeed…

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Spirituality

Buried Alive

There have been many instances where people were buried alive. Earthquakes, collapsed buildings, and mine shafts giving way have happened during my lifetime.

But you can be buried alive, yet still walk among us, doing your work and living your life. Benjamin Franklin wrote that “most men die at 25 but we don’t bury them until they are 75.”

Existing rather than living is all around us. I have read where it’s estimated that 85% of people in the United States go to jobs they hate. These people are biding their time until they can retire, but then their best years are gone. It doesn’t have to be this way.

If you find this relatable, I encourage you to stop going through the motions and start living. Make the most of however many days you have left. Find your purpose and get after it.

Don’t look back. It’s time to start living and experiencing life…

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Spirituality

Habitat for Humanity

Millard and Linda Fuller found themselves looking for more purpose in their lives. Through a sequence of events that only God could have imagined, the Fullers founded Habitat for Humanity. And did they ever find purpose!

Many people believe Jimmy Carter was the founder. He wasn’t, but his and Rosalynn’s first habitat build in 1984 gave the organization new notoriety.

The recipients of Habitat homes must put in 200 hours of sweat equity building homes for others before they can be considered for a home themselves. They must qualify by having a job and a minimum credit score of 620 or higher. And they actually buy the home. Nothing is given to them. They earn it.

Over the years since its inception, Habitat has built or refurbished millions of homes. Lifting their fellow man from poverty and becoming citizens of a community offers hope. Habitat for Humanity is an excellent example of how to get things done.

I encourage you to volunteer for a Habitat build in your local community. Your life will never be the same…

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Spirituality

Smile!

Every day I wake up with a smile! Many people need to ease into their day, but not me. I’m ready to go when I wake up.

The trauma of my childhood has given me a lightning quick wit. For years it was a coping mechanism for me, a way to keep people from getting too close. Since working through the challenges of my youth along with the subsequent healing, my wit is a great way to make others laugh. Now I use it as a way to draw people in, not keep them away.

Use your smile to lift others spirits. People are hurting. Mental health remains shredded.

You never know. Your kindness might be someone’s last, best hope…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

What Are You Waiting For?

Patience is something I work on. It seems like I’m not alone because much of the world appears to be impatient.

There are passions in your life that you might be waiting to fulfill. You have a purpose and you know there’s more to life than what you are experiencing. What is stopping you? Your thoughts are preventing you from taking action.

There is always a reason to wait until tomorrow. Yet, we don’t know how many tomorrows we have left. They aren’t unlimited.

Change your thinking. Visualize. Just begin. God will direct your steps. You don’t have to have everything figured out ahead of time. This is the nexus where faith replaces fear.

Get started! What are you waiting for?

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Uncategorized

The Scapegoat

As we all have, I have known a couple of people during my life who wanted to blame me for their lack of a successful outcome. They needed a scapegoat and didn’t place value on our relationship. Needless to say, these people are no longer in my life.

Our actions have consequences. We are responsible for the decisions we make, and we must be willing to accept the outcomes of our decisions. Holding ourselves accountable doesn’t make us heroes. It does keep us steady and reliable.

Do not allow yourself to be anyone’s scapegoat. And don’t blame anyone but yourself for poor decision making. Give yourself a break if your decision was well thought out, but things went awry. You can’t control everything.

Do your best. Always. And if someone wants to blame you for their actions, you will see how they define your importance to them.

Find the healthy people. Keep looking until they show themselves…

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Spirituality

Delete

We delete old emails and text messages when we no longer need them. Why aren’t we deleting bad habits and negative thoughts, too?

We have only so much time in this life. We can waste our time, or we can make good use of it. It’s our choice. No one else controls us or our thoughts.

The power of choice is one of the greatest gifts from the Creator. Free will is truly free. We can choose to be difference-makers, doing what we can to lift others. Or we can accept whatever life sends our way. Again, we have the power to choose.

My encouragement to you is to choose to think of others first. Be outward focused. Seek opportunities to help and encourage others. You will gain more than you give. Promise!

Delete the things that waste your precious time. You won’t miss them…

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