#inspiration

Try It!

Remember when you were a kid and learning what foods you liked? People would say, “try it you might like it.” To this day, I wish I had never tried barbecue or Tex-Mex. My waistline battle would be much easier!

When you start something new, you aren’t proficient in it immediately. It takes time. None of us walked perfectly when we first started, but we didn’t quit.

Trying something new is adventurous. You might not learn to play guitar as well as Eric Clapton, but you will reach a skill level of proficiency if you stick with it. I encourage you to start on the ideas you hold in your mind and heart. Stay with it when setbacks come. Let your confidence build. Try it today…

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#inspiration

Undeserved

In today’s culture, the word entitlement gets tossed around a lot. There are people who believe they deserve something for just showing up. They don’t.

I’m entitled to be paid by my company when and only when I do the work required of me. I’m not going to be paid for my good looks and charm! There are politicians who project “white privilege” on our citizens without knowing anything about their life story. These weak-minded politicians are trying to divide us by race, and that is intellectually dishonest.

We deserve what we work for, nothing more. And remember, we only place value in what we earn…

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#inspiration

Pulled

We are busier today than we have ever been before. People are working longer hours, sacrificing their relationships and their health, while gaining very little ground. Is the trade-off worth it?

We all have our priorities. We spend our time focusing on what, or who is most important to us. These are matters of the heart.

Learn to say no to anything that robs you of time with your children. Say yes to gratifying experiences! You don’t need to feel guilty for not allowing yourself to be pulled away from what matters most. And equally important, take care of yourself…

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#inspiration

Era

Today’s blog might blow your mind. At the very least I hope it makes you think.

Before the earth was formed, God thought of you. He knew when and where you were to be born. Your parents would create the perfect DNA to make you exactly how He specified. Every moment of your life was thought of, along with every consequence of every decision you make. Each and every person you encounter has a reason attached to it. And there is a greater purpose to your life.

Finally, the era in time as we know time was planned. Use your time wisely. Fulfill His purpose on earth…

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#inspiration

Wasted

All of us have the same 168 hours each week. Have you ever kept track of how you spent your time? I have, and it was eye opening to see how much time I wasted. But there are healthy alternatives.

Time spent in traffic is wasted unless you use it to listen to a podcast or audiobook. If you spend more time in a bar than in the gym, your time is wasted but so is your health. Watching the news is a total waste, so why not call someone and have a conversation? You will not miss anything on television.

I encourage you to reorient your focus to things that enrich and edify your life when you have time. You will be better off, and you will grow…

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#inspiration

What Are You Thinking?

In the 1600’s, René Descartes wrote, “I think, therefore I am.” It’s true! Our thoughts control our actions. But it’s deeper than that.

Bad habits are hard to break. It’s not that we don’t want to change, but something is getting in the way of our progress. Some unhealthy beliefs must be addressed before we can actually change our outcomes. This could go back to childhood trauma (something I know about).

Examine your life honestly. You will figure it out. Then, you own it…

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#inspiration

Necessities

Basic needs are food, clothing and shelter, right? If we have those we are set. But there’s something else we need: other people.

It’s easy to get caught up in chasing status and stuff. The greedy side of us says if one’s good, then two is better and three is best. Yet we ignore our relationships in our driven pursuit of materialism.

Let’s slow down and take inventory of the good people God has placed in our lives. They are there for a purpose, and the good people aren’t there to help us acquire more stuff. They are in our lives to fulfill a need…

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#inspiration

Black and White

Some people like to deal in absolutes. They are rigid in their thinking and their beliefs with no room for margin. I find those types of people to be difficult to work with.

The world is not black and white, it’s gray. We can learn from each other, but only if we are willing.

I encourage you to open your mind and your heart. Try to see things through the eyes of others. It’s not a threat to your beliefs, but a way to expand your worldview…

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#inspiration

Awaken

This morning I have the privilege of speaking with a group of high school students about how to create safer, better connected schools. But first, allow me to awaken you to some chilling statistics.

Over 160,000 students skip school every day for fear of being bullied. 840,000 teenagers skip school at least once per month for fear of their own safety. The percentage of high school students who said they often felt lonely increased from 26% in 2012 to 39% in 2017. And finally, 100,000 kids carry a gun to school every day.

Rachel’s Challenge creates safer, better connected schools. The organization receives hundreds of messages from kids every year saying, “I was going to kill myself until I heard Rachel’s story. Thank you.”

We can change this, if we are willing. Let’s be willing…

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