#inspiration

Catalysts

A catalyst makes things happen. Every chemical reaction in our bodies was started by a catalyst. In the non-scientific world, a catalyst can be a person or an event.

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 were a catalyst for a renewed sense of patriotism in America. Flags were everywhere, and the demand for them was so high you couldn’t get one for months due to them being on back order. People felt unity. They knew we were in this together.

People can inspire action, too. Jesus is the greatest example of a catalyst. He started something that has not only lasted but expanded for over two thousand years.

Find your cause, your purpose for good. Take the lead and be a catalyst, too. Inspire the world…

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#inspiration

Forced

Acceptance is big to me. Accepting everyone for who they are allows people to know they are seen. Yet our radical culture of today demands we accept people who act like complete jerks. This doesn’t work for me.

Corporate America is increasingly trying to change the landscape and cow tow to political pressure. Anheuser-Busch alienated millions of beer drinkers when someone in their marketing department decided to make a transgender person their spokesperson. Transgenders represent 1% of the United States population. The company continues to pay dearly for this miscue. Anheuser-Busch clearly doesn’t know it’s market.

If you are a man and want to wear dresses, go for it. But stealing luggage from the airport is never acceptable like this guy did.

The point is, to the people trying to force agendas down our throats, I say stop it. Be yourself, and allow others to be themselves, too. You cannot make lasting change by forcing outcomes…

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#inspiration

Wellness Check

People are struggling nowadays more than I ever remember or imagined. Many feel alone, like they have no one to talk to. Some feel ashamed because they have never experienced the emotional turbulence they are experiencing. If you feel like I’m describing you, I want you to know that you are not alone.

I encourage you to reach out to someone. Anyone. There are crisis hotlines you can call anonymously. Talk to someone. There’s something magical about talking things out. You get some peace, even for a short while.

If you haven’t heard from someone you normally would, give them a call. You might be their last, best hope…

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#inspiration

Successful People

Have you heard of people who are called an “overnight success?” Usually those are people in the entertainment business. But there is no success that happens overnight, regardless of the industry.

We see the outcomes, the great achievements. What we don’t see are the lonely times, the failures, the inner doubts and frustrations. Successful people continue trying when things aren’t going well. They simply refuse to accept defeat.

To be successful, you must find what you are meant to do and be willing to work when others aren’t…

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#inspiration

Sacrifice

Today is Memorial Day in the United States. We have this day to honor those who lost their lives defending freedom and justice throughout the world.

We must revere those who sacrificed everything for generations of people they would never know. To give your life is the ultimate sacrifice. In the words of Jesus Christ, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Never take for granted the sacrifices others made for us so we may live freely. Let’s #neverforget…

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#inspiration

100 Years Ago

Life is hard, no doubt. But let’s assess how far we have come.

In the 1920’s the average U. S. worker made about $30 per month, coffee cost 15 cents a pound, and women washed their hair only once a month! Even more remarkable is the fact that 95% of children were born at home.

One hundred years from now life will still be challenging. People in the year 2123 will look back at our lives today and be amazed we made it!

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#inspiration

The United States Flag

A quote about the United States flag from Ronald Reagan to meditate on as we move closer to Memorial Day…

“The colors of our flag signify the qualities of the human spirit we Americans cherish. Red for courage and readiness to sacrifice; white for pure intentions and high ideals; and blue for vigilance and justice.”

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Acceptance

Acceptance is a broad subject to write about. In today’s culture, there are those who demand we accept them. That’s not really how acceptance works.

Self-acceptance might be our biggest challenge in life. We see all our faults, shortcomings and past failures. But we also see the good we have done. We have an invisible enemy who wants to keep us down, who reminds us of our past. But we have a real, invisible God who is for us. He is always on our side and wants us to love ourselves in a healthy way.

Keep your focus on the good you do and have done. Then do more and your self-acceptance will rise…

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#inspiration

Go Through

All of us have challenges in our lives. Some pass quickly, while some are longer term. What do we do when faced with obstacles?

We might be tempted to avoid facing the challenges of life. We can numb them out with alcohol or drugs, put them off until tomorrow, or we can work through them.

Going through difficult periods is rarely easy or quick. We learn from them, though, when we face them and go through them. The trials of life might last a few days, but they might go on for years.

Whatever you are facing, I encourage you to not give up. You will find victory over your challenges, but you find it through perseverance and determination. Just keep going…

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