Tag Archives: #influence

#inspiration, #spirituality

Breaking Out

Breaking out sounds like a plan a prisoner might have. And in some ways we are all prisoners. We are also able to grant ourselves parole.

Life is full of routine. We go through the same thing every day. But I encourage you to free yourself of routine. Take some time away from your phone. Instead of watching and posting on social media, call someone and have a conversation. Attend a seminar on something you know nothing about. Start a blog!

It’s time to stop fitting in and start standing out. Conformity is the breeding ground of mediocrity…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Biology

Biology is the study of life. In a way we are all biologists.

Spending time watching others and how they live is what many people do. We see the lives of celebrities and want to live the way they do. People observe their scripted, filtered, perfect-looking photo shoots and believe they must not have any problems in life. This is simply untrue.

Everyone faces challenges. Everyone. No one escapes difficulty on this side of eternity. This world is imperfect and always will be.

Find hope in your life. Don’t wish for the life of someone else. You were given this one opportunity to make a difference. You can make history. You might not get your name in lights, but you will be remembered by the One who matters. God is a biologist, too…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Playing It Safe

Do you like criticism? I believe most of us would say no. But the only way to avoid criticism is to hide from the world.

Playing it safe might sound appealing. You never ruffle anyone’s feathers. But you never achieve anything, either.

In today’s world people get criticized for doing what’s right. Our world has turned upside down, and that’s not progress. But I say, stand up and speak up for goodness. You might get some pushback, but keep doing what’s good and right…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Originality

We are made in the image of God, the one who creates everything. We are given the gift of creativity which can, and should be used for good. We can lift others or bring them down.

I read that someone in Hollywood has plans to remake “The Wizard of Oz” and “It’s A Wonderful Life,” two great movies. They plan to make the stories about people of color. No problem here, but why bastardize these classic works of art? Create something new, something unique. Most of the storylines are the same common theme. Come up with your own story.

I encourage you to tap into your creative talents. The world is waiting…

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#inspiration

Informed

It’s vital to keep informed about important events. It’s equally important to question who is giving you information, and whether or not they report accurately. We should not believe everything we hear.

In 1963, the Warren Commission was formed to investigate the assassination of President John Kennedy. After months of testimonies and interviews, the commission determined Lee Harvey Oswald was the assassin and that he acted alone. What is interesting about the commission is, one of the investigators was Allen Dulles, the former CIA Director. Kennedy had fired Dulles after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, and said he “wanted to break the CIA into a thousand splinters and throw them in the wind.” Does it sound like Dulles had a conflict of interest? He did, and it makes one wonder why he was on the commission. I’ll leave the reason up to you to investigate for yourself.

Question everything. And I mean everything…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Encouragement

I’m known by friends and acquaintances as an encourager. It’s a mantle I’m happy to carry. People have called me all hours of the day and night looking for a word of encouragement. A couple have been hanging on to the last amount of hope they had in them. I’m glad I answered my phone.

When you see an opportunity, encourage others. Take the time because you don’t know what people are going through, or what they’ve experienced. Mental health was shredded during the pandemic. Many are hurting.

Take the time…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Expressions

From an early age we learned to express ourselves. Babies have different cries. They have one cry when they are hungry, another one when they are tired, and yet another when they want attention. As a parent, you can distinguish the subtle differences and meet their needs.

When I was a child, boys (and men) started growing their hair long. From most parents reactions you would have thought they had started worshipping the devil! . They weren’t, they were simply expressing themselves.

Today we see more and more people displaying tattoos and piercings. These, too, are self expressions. If I am in a Starbucks (or wherever), I try to be served by the freakiest looking person who works there. I treat them as an equal, with respect because they are equal in God’s eyes. I want to leave an impression on them that they are seen.

Look beyond what you see on the outside. Look at the heart…

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#inspiration

Story Time

All of us have stories. Some of them aren’t pretty, but those ugly parts are just a piece of the bigger picture. The dark parts of our lives don’t define us unless we allow them to.

Our stories connect us. They let us know we aren’t alone in the pain and struggle of life. We help others by willingly sharing our stories. Who can better understand what it’s like to lose a child than someone who had the same experience.

Why are we reticent to talk about our lives? This might be where shame enters the picture. I know someone who was sexually abused at 14 by a trusted family friend. She still feels shame but it wasn’t her fault. She was taken advantage of by a creep.

Shame can have power over us. If you are struggling with shame from your past, I encourage you to find a psychotherapist and work through it. You can and will heal, but it takes time. Please try, and don’t give up…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Connectivity

Since the internet became a common tool, our world is more closely connected than ever. Yet, people feel more alone now than ever before, too.

The isolation of the pandemic was never a good idea. We need to be in community with other people. Zoom and FaceTime don’t suffice.

If you haven’t heard from friends in a while, take a moment to reach out to them. Yes, they could call you, but they might not be in the right mental state to do it.

Be the bigger person. Make the call…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Scared

What scares you? I’m not talking about physical dangers like air turbulence or being stranded. I’m asking what scares you emotionally.

A majority of people fear change. Yet, change is inevitable, so embrace it, don’t fear it. Loss of loved ones is another thing people fear. Whenever a young person’s life ends suddenly, all of us who are parents are reminded that it could happen to us. But the probability is extremely low. Don’t focus on it.

Face your fears, otherwise they will control you. We fear what we can’t control, but the only thing we have control over is our attitude. Look to the future with unbridled optimism and hope. That attitude will keep you free from anxiety about life. You will see the future through a different lens. Stay hopeful…

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