Tag Archives: #hope

#inspiration, #spirituality

Obey, Or Else

Obedience is a scary word for some. It means compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority.

Ah, the submission part gets us every time. We are rebellious by nature. Our rebellion began with Adam and Eve, and it has been handed down generationally for thousands of years. Rebellion is in all of us.

God has given us a perfect blueprint for how to live our lives. It’s found in the Bible. Many people want to pick and choose the areas they will obey, yet consider the others outdated and irrelevant for today’s society. There are no outdated or irrelevant parts of the Bible. If God’s Word was true a hundred years ago, it remains true today. He didn’t change.

Are you frustrated with your life? I encourage you to pick up your Bible and look for ways to grow out of the frustration. Get a version that is written in English and provides context. Start with The Book of James. James was the half-brother of Jesus, and he was the “in your face” Apostle. There’s a lot of wisdom in that short chapter. And it might interest you to know that James didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah during his life. He believed fervently after the resurrection.

Obedience to the only Authority over your life isn’t scary. In fact, it’s freeing…

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#inspiration

Pizza

Everyone loves pizza! A pizza can come with a variety of toppings, or it can be just plain cheese. We all have our favorite pizza.

Just like pizza, people come in all varieties. Some people are positive while others are pessimistic. Some are in shape while others have not seen the inside of a gym in decades.

Unlike pizza, people are thinking and feeling beings. We have different goals, dreams and desires. We have experienced different pains and struggles along the way. But as different as we seem, we are more alike than we might consider.

Take the time to get to know your fellow man. Maybe go out for a pizza together!

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#inspiration, #spirituality

I Might Be Wrong

I might be wrong. Those four, simple words can change the course of a conversation in an instant. They are simple words, so why are they so hard to say?

Pride gets in the way, it blinds us from the truth. It’s not a weakness to be wrong. In fact, studies have shown that we are wrong way more than we are right.

A developed, open mind adapts when given a reason to. Closed minds are closed. The self-righteous ones must be right every time. They see being wrong as a threat. It’s not a threat.

We need more conversations in our society. Open conversations where we give our counter party margin to express themselves. We can learn from each other when we are willing to listen openly.

Try using the word “consider” in your conversations. Guarded people lower their guard and open themselves up when you use that word.

It’s a great word to consider…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Chain Reactions

In a paper titled, “My Ethics. My Codes of Life,” Rachel Joy Scott wrote the following: “Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer. I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, it would start a chain reaction of the same. You never know how far a little kindness can go.”

Rachel was the first person killed at Columbine High School in 1999. Since her death, her story has been starting chain reactions of kindness and compassion worldwide. In fact, she’s started over 30 million of them.

Around the same time, the two shooters talked about a different kind of chain reaction, one of violence and murder. It’s shocking when you consider the contrast, especially since they were interrelated.

Our actions have consequences. What we put out into the world comes back to us. Always.

I encourage you to start your own chain reaction of kindness and compassion. Your fellow man desperately needs it…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

You’ve Changed

When God gets ahold of you, you change! Many people are scared to seek God because of false beliefs about how He will change them. Some of those beliefs are: I’ll become weird, I’ll lose all my friends, or, my favorite, God will make me a missionary and send me to some desolate country.

None of those fears are true. It doesn’t make sense that God would turn you into someone other than who He made you to be. God will change your heart and mind to where you start thinking the way Jesus did. Then your actions will reflect this new, better way of thinking. Have no fear. You will still be you!

Jeremiah 29:13 tells us: “You will find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Take the plunge. The waters fine…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Take Aim

What are your goals, dreams and desires? Have you written them down?

We are all wired differently. Some people want a simple life without complications. Others don’t mind the challenges a bigger life brings with it. Aiming for the outer limits of the universe is a good thing unless you’re just chasing wealth.

Personally, I ask God to make me famous. As egotistical as this sounds, my reasons are pure. Fame brings a bigger platform than anonymity. I want to use my fame to let the forgotten people, the overlooked and the marginalized know they are important. I want them to feel seen and heard.

I encourage you to take aim at whatever turns you on. Do it for the right reasons. Ask God to open doors for you that were previously closed. If your heart is in the right place, He will.

When you get your heart right, worthwhile actions follow…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Missionaries

What image comes to mind when you think of missionaries? Maybe you think of people going to Africa or The Amazon to preach the Gospel. Or perhaps you take into consideration the Mormon guys with their white shirts and skinny black ties riding around on their bicycles.

All of those people are missionaries, and so are you! When you go to work, your mission is to make some money. Go on a group outing and you are on a mission to make friends. See what I mean?

I encourage you to take on the mission of making a difference. Start your newfound mission today and don’t look back. You will be glad you did…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Gifted

You have gifts. God equipped you with them. They are unique to you.

Living with purpose means you are using your gifts. We use them to glorify our Creator, not for personal gain or selfish reasons. God gave them to you to use for His purposes on this side of eternity. It’s important that you keep this in mind because they have eternal consequences.

Make a list of what fills your heart. These are hints about how you are gifted. Then go make a difference in the world. And don’t forget to give God the glory…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Troubles

It seems that everywhere we look we see people struggling. It’s increasingly expensive to live. Going to the grocery store creates unnecessary tension.

Reality is not what we see on social media. Life presents us with challenges, and some of those challenges seem overwhelming and insurmountable. Then we get caught in the trap of comparison. Comparison is a never ending exercise in futility, since don’t fall for it.

Stay focused and keep going, no matter what happens…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Decisions Decisions

How many decisions do you think you make every day? According to my Google search, we average between 33,000 and 35,000 decisions daily. That’s mind blowing and inspiring at the same time!

We, occasionally, are asked for advice from others. I’ve had people say “just tell me what to do.” But it’s not my place to decide things for others. We learn and grow through experience. We learn more from our failures than our successes.

When I was raising my children, I made decisions for them while they were under my care. They are adults now, and must make their own way through life. Fortunately they are young men with solid character, so I’m confident things will work out well for them in their lives.

I encourage you to make a conscious decision to make a difference. That’s one of the best decisions you can make. Decide today…

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