Tag Archives: #faith

Spirituality

Tell Me About It!

There are some very creative people in the world. I’m constantly amazed by some of the things people come up with on TikTok, Instagram and other platforms. And they do it quickly!

There are others I avoid. Some people revel in cutting others down. By doing so, I guess they are trying to establish their moral superiority over the rest of us. No one is better than anyone else. God sees us as His children, and God loves us equally. Although, I believe I’m Gods favorite to make Him laugh! My life can resemble a walking sitcom.

Some people try to force their own brand of leadership on others. If you’re a leader, you know it and other people will recognize it. It’s not necessary to shout it from the rooftops.

Show up well in life. Give others the best version of you. Be unguarded and open in your interactions with others. You will both benefit…

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Spirituality

A Little Extra

During the time of Jesus, a Roman soldier could order a Jew to carry his equipment one mile. The law said one mile was required, not one step further. So can you imagine the surprise, shock, and possibly anger the Jewish audience felt when Jesus said, “If anyone forces you to go one mile with him, go two.”

Giving more than is required is the key to a successful life. This applies to your work as well as your home life. Extra effort is one of the ways you separate yourself from the mediocre.

Some people have the mindset that they are cheating themselves if they give more than they are paid for. They are cheating themselves out of the benefits they receive from giving others more of their efforts. The benefits are not always immediate, but you cannot stop the pendulum from swinging back your way.

Give more to get more. See what happens…

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Spirituality

Performance Review

Everyone is accountable to someone. Even the president of a company has to answer to his or her Board of Directors. You can’t escape the responsibilities of life or work.

Who does God answer to? The shortest answer is no one. He’s in control of everything. So let’s examine how He has performed.

God tells the truth. Always. Check the box for honesty. God gets us out of the stupid messes we create. Adaptability? Check. God is with us during our worst times. He’s a compassionate God. He cares. God celebrates our victories. He’s not a selfish God. And God gave us a guidebook for how we should lead our lives. All we have to do is read it and apply it.

As human beings, we can fall into the trap of praying for something, but we don’t get the answer we want so we get frustrated. Or we don’t get an answer at all. Those are the times we give God a less than stellar review. And it is in these moments where trust and faith intersect. No matter what you are going through, always believe. He will come through. The supernatural realm works with a set of rules and circumstances that we cannot fully understand. Don’t give up.

From my observation, God gets a 100 on His Performance Review. Every single reporting period…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

100 Days

Beginning January 1st, I eliminated alcohol for 100 days. April 10th, yesterday, was day 100. What a relief!

The benefits of eliminating alcohol for 3 months are many. Too many to list here. But by staying sober it allowed me to consider my relationship with alcohol. It’s not always healthy.

I like the taste of Crown Royal. I really do. Yet I found myself drinking on days I didn’t need to. That was getting me nowhere. I figured out that I was drinking on days I felt lonely. But booze isn’t a good replacement for people. Human connection is solid whether you are at Happy Hour or just speaking on the phone.

I will celebrate tonight with a cocktail. But I have resolved to not drink when I’m feeling lonely. Feelings pass, and the truth is, I enjoy solitude. So I guess I have grown over the last 100 days.

You can do anything for 100 days. Anything. Never doubt yourself…

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Spirituality

The Power to Change

If someone is described as being graceful, it’s believed they show elegance and grace. That is quite the compliment!

Elegant people are stylish, beautiful even. But being full of grace can mean the person shows compassion in situations where some might respond in anger. Compassion is needed now like never before.

Our world is struggling. People are worried, living beyond their means and they are spending more time disengaging than meeting life head-on. This must change.

We need God and we need each other. We must take the time to encourage others. We must be honest, and we can encourage people without sacrificing our integrity.

If you are one of the struggling people, you aren’t alone. Reach out to your friends and family. Go do something for someone who can never repay you. Act, don’t just accept life as it comes to you.

You have the power to change the world. It begins with changing yourself…

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Spirituality

Don’t Believe the Lies

We lie to ourselves. We convince ourselves that we are better at some things than we are. That’s just bragging. Or maybe some tequila convinces us we can dance really well! We can’t.

The worst lies we believe are the ones that condemn us to an unfulfilled life. We deceive ourselves into thinking we have no talent, no intelligence, no confidence, and we talk ourselves into believing we don’t have the power to change. We have everything we need to change.

Enough. Let this be the dividing line of your life. God created all of us and He doesn’t make junk. God never second-guesses himself, either. We were created for a greater purpose. There is nothing random about your life.

I encourage you to stop believing the lies and start believing in yourself. You are capable of doing whatever God created you to accomplish.

Believe in yourself. When others criticize you or put you down, remember this: they don’t have the final word about your life…

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Spirituality

Creation

Everything you see around you, from the building you work in to the chair you are sitting in right now were an idea in someone’s mind. All creations began with a thought.

The greatest honor of my lifetime has been to be a father to two sons. It was a role I never saw coming in the way it turned out. I finally knew what unconditional love was. It’s indescribable. It’s something you can only feel by experience.

This is how God feels about us, His creation. In many ways my relationship with my children resembles my relationship with God. I don’t always listen or obey, but nothing I can do will stop God from loving me. Faults and all.

Creating two unique humans with different personalities is a miracle. The odds of a woman getting pregnant are stacked against her. Yet, through the gift of God it happens. Over 100 billion times it has happened.

Look around. Everything you see is a miracle. Try to see life through the eyes of God…

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Spirituality

Passively Aggressive

Are you making things happen in your life, or is your life merely happening while you’re in it? There’s a lot to experience out there.

Some people have made political commentary the focus of their lives. They get so focused criticizing everything that they miss out on life. One guy I know forgot his son’s birthday because he let his hatred of the current administration overwhelm him. Such a loss. Sad, actually.

Get out of your comfort zone. Go to an art museum, a library, a new restaurant, or a traveling exhibit. If you don’t know anything about art, you can learn. And your brain will benefit because you will be opening new, exciting neural pathways.

Remember to take some time to be quiet as well. We need both activity and quiet.

Don’t let life pass you by. One day it will all be over. Make things happen…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Enough

Have you had enough? Enough negativity. Enough self-delusion. Enough unfulfilled expectations. Enough of people who aren’t good for you.

Good! When you are fed up with all the bullshit, you are ready to make a change. Growth is very hard. It becomes easier when you have a reason to grow. Then you are working towards something, a better version of you.

On the opposite side, you can never have enough joy, enough peace, enough contentment and enough love for yourself.

Accept nothing less. And keep people away who refuse to live up to your expectations…

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Spirituality

What’s Happening?

Life is busy. Theres work to do, phone calls and emails to return, kids activities, and sleep when you can get it. The treadmill slows down sometimes but never stops.

We have morphed into a society that says your value comes from being the busiest person around. Being busy doesn’t increase or decrease your worth. There is great value in being able to find some peace in your life. You aren’t required to be on the move all the time.

Contentment brings peace. When you take a moment to consider all the good in your life, you will find a different level of fulfillment. Instead of chasing, you are appreciating.

Make a commitment to turn the treadmill off for a period of time regularly. Find contentment in the quiet. The treadmill can always be restarted…

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