Here is my daily prayer. True story: it popped into my mind when I was sitting in church, checking out girls! When the thought grabbed me, I immediately wrote it down. If you like it, feel free to use it as your own.
“Use me. Work through me. Through my writings and through my words. Through my actions and through my deeds. Let me be a light to others in this dark world.”
Our world is dark. Be the one who brings light…
You have heard people say, “everything happens for a reason.” Perhaps you have said it yourself. It just isn’t true if the person saying it is implying Spiritual influence.
God has given us the power to choose. In this way, we are given the choice to love God, hate Him, or be indifferent towards Him. He doesn’t force us to love Him. So, what happens in life is a direct consequence of our decision making. And our attitude controls everything. But let’s consider the things that happen when we have no choice in the matter.
God doesn’t make abuse happen, nor rape or sexual assault, and He doesn’t make bad things happen to good people. God does make a promise, though. He can bring good from evil. I refer you to Romans 8:28 if you want to read His promise.
Bad things happen, no doubt. We aren’t going to understand everything on this side of eternity. But we can trust God. His purpose is good.
Always…
Change is a funny thing. In one way it is self-contradictory. For example, many people say they don’t like change. Yet, the only constant in life is change. Those people are screwed!
Most everyone I meet is trying to grow. Growth requires change. Getting rid of bad habits, better decision-making or beginning an exercise program requires change and commitment. And it is difficult. But you can do it if you want to.
You don’t have to do it alone. Ask God to help you. He will show up. You might have to ask Him multiple times per day. God didn’t forget what you asked for. He’s wanting to see how badly you want it. And only God can change impure hearts. Let Him do His thing.
The road of life we are on will end one day. Make your life count…
Did you know that Angels might be in your midst? It’s true! Hebrews 13:2 says, “ Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.“ So, there you have it.
It is my belief that we should try to show kindness to friends and strangers alike. Do it because that’s what is in your heart, not because you want something. God knows our motives because He sees everything. I’m not just talking about our actions. He sees beneath the surface.
When you are working on yourself, remember to ask God to remove any impure thoughts and actions from your life. He will.
God is the original heart surgeon. He can heal us and purify us…
There are innumerable people living with unfulfilled dreams for their lives. Trading one’s identity for security is nothing new. In the 1850’s, Thoreau wrote, “ the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, and die with their song still in them.”
We see the effects of this inner turmoil in our world. It is manifested by alcoholism, drug abuse and other destructive behaviors. Damaged people leave a trail of carnage in their wake. It doesn’t have to end like this.
Take control of your thoughts. Work on yourself. Break it down into manageable increments. If you get too far ahead in your thinking, it can be destructive. Stick with one day at a time. We can do anything for just one day.
When you drive by a cemetery, take a moment to consider all of the unfulfilled promise each of those lives offered. You won’t end up like them.
Don’t die with your song still in you. It’s time to start singing…
Elon Musk famously said, “For years I worked 20 hours a day, seven days a week. But there are still people who say I got lucky.”
The truth is, we create our own luck. Our results come from ingenuity and effort, not some magical genie. Sweat equity brings fruit, but there’s a lot of failures, frustrations and setbacks along the way. The people who refuse to quit are sometimes called lucky. The people who say that are afraid to step out in faith and try something new, or perhaps they are just lazy.
Take the brave first step. Then take another. Fear is not an option for you.
Make your move. It’s time…
Our creative imagination is a powerful gift from the Creator. Everything starts with an idea.
Consider the two bicycle repairmen who dreamed of flying. You know them as Orville and Wilbur Wright.
What about the man who only had two months of formal education? When he died, he had over 1,000 patents credited to him. No one would call Thomas Edison dumb.
The first biography I read as a child was about an incredible woman who dreamed of freedom. Not only did she take enormous risks to escape to a free life for herself, this gun-toting, barely five feet tall woman went back and brought hundreds of slaves to the north where they could be free. Harriet Tubman was her name.
If you can dream it, you can do it. Get on the creative side of your mind and let your imagination run wild. As Albert Einstein said, “imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Believe it, and believe in yourself…
Every day is an opportunity to begin again. If your resolutions have gone bye-bye, today is the day to welcome them back.
Change is difficult, and permanent change requires effort and commitment. We need time to renew our thinking, creating and strengthening new neural pathways in the process. Change happens when we want it to happen.
Be kind to yourself and be patient with your progress. The world will beat you up enough, so don’t pile on yourself. Give yourself a wide margin.
You can do it. And offer encouragement to others who are trying to change. They need it, too…
Recently, I was privileged to be a guest on LE CAFE Podcast where we discussed the charity I serve on the board of, Rachel’s Challenge. We discussed how the organization creates safer, better-connected schools where students are free to learn. Stories connect us, and Rachel’s story has been changing and saving lives for over 25 years. Please click on the link to listen and learn more:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/le-caf%C3%A9/id1734295609?i=1000683769867
You once had great dreams for your life. Then the harshness of life happened. A failure here, a heap of pain there and, poof, they’re gone in an instant. But here’s a little secret: your dreams still live, they have just gone dormant.
Every experience, every success and every sensation over the course of your life has been stored in your subconscious mind. This includes all of the wonderful, even outrageous dreams you had for yourself. They are available for you to recall any time you want.
Go somewhere quiet that brings you peace. Turn your phone to silent. Be still and listen to your breathing. See yourself as you want to be, succeeding beyond your wildest dreams. Feel it and believe it to be true. It will happen if you believe.
Your mind will work for you when you allow it to. Thoughts are powerful.
Start today. One day you will be outta time…
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