#inspiration

Chains

Everyone has a past. Some are pretty dark, but God brought them into the light. Yet, I meet people who are still chained to their pasts. At least they believe they are.

Forgiving yourself is the hardest kind of forgiveness. It’s necessary because then you can grow. You can never forget your past, but when you forgive yourself you see how God can use it to help others.

If this is one of your life challenges, I encourage you to start on the path to self-forgiveness by making a list of everything you are grateful for. Gratitude changes us. Our view of the world grows. We see the art and beauty in other people, and that includes those who are still living in darkness…

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#inspiration

The Determined People Podcast I Interview with Sandra Dee Robinson


Sandra Dee Robinson is an accomplished actress, speaker, author and she is the founder of Charisma on Camera. In our conversation, we discuss how a young girl with intense stage fright won the Miss Pennsylvania USA contest, going on to represent Pennsylvania in the national finals, what led her to Hollywood, and how she has healed from some family dynamics. Sandra has found her true calling outside of Tinseltown, though. She teaches charisma and presence, onscreen or off, and she empowers others to find their voice.

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#inspiration

Woke

In today’s cultural language, woke means “being alert to racial prejudice and discrimination.” So I thought I might venture out onto the proverbial thin ice and discuss it.

Racism and discrimination exist, no doubt. Are they systemic and rampant? No. They are wrong, and they are taught. No one is born a racist. And people will discriminate for selfish reasons.

Every one of us should stand up against injustice. Every time. Racist behavior is a problem of the heart, as are all societal ills. Only God can change hearts. Let’s leave the heart surgery to Him while we set examples of His love and acceptance while we are here.

Get your heart right and worthwhile actions follow…

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#inspiration

Hope

I’m privileged to serve on the Board of Directors for an organization called Rachel’s Challenge. Named for Rachel Scott, the first child killed at Columbine High School in 1999, Rachel left a legacy of kindness and compassion that has impacted over 30 million people. So far. The organization receives hundreds of messages from students every year like this one:

“I was ready to take my life. I had a knife and pills all ready for me that night. But after hearing Rachel’s story, it gave me hope. Knowing that not everyone in the world is a judgmental person. Thank you so much, Rachel, for being the person you were. For being the type of person to want to start a chain of kindness. It makes room for students who are bullied to feel hope.”…S from Wisconsin

Check it out here: http://www.rachelschallenge.org

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#inspiration

Home

Our home is different from our house. Home is the place where memories are made, where we feel safe and secure. A house is where we live, nothing more.

Every problem our world faces is a problem of the heart. The lessons we model for our children, from conflict resolution to how we see and interact with our fellow man are taught at home.

Treat others equally well, show compassion and generosity while doing the right thing. It begins at home…

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#inspiration

Mistakes

We make mistakes. Every single one of us does. We are human beings and mistakes are part of our lives.

Past mistakes can haunt us to the point of emotional paralysis. We must find a way to forgive ourselves and move on from them, knowing we will screw up again.

Other people make mistakes, too, and we should not allow their mistakes to cause us to not trust others. We can forgive without forgetting, though…

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