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…
Aren’t we all looking somewhere for validation that we are important and valued? Many people are looking in the wrong places.
Money, position, sex and power aren’t enough. If you are chasing those things you will always be chasing.
Our value comes from knowing who created us. His name is God, and God doesn’t create junk. If the God who created everything that is beautiful made us, too, that’s good enough. See yourself the way God sees you. Then see your fellow man in the same way. God made them, too!
Progress is slow, sometimes painfully slow. Other times we grow by leaps and bounds. It’s never just one way or the other. Progress is a mixture of both.
I know this to be true: if you keep working on what you are trying to accomplish, you will succeed. Don’t give up when things go slowly. Your next breakthrough is just around the corner…
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…
Those of us who set goals have a desired outcome, an end point. Setting a time to accomplish our goals gives us a different dynamic. We aren’t just drifting along hoping for a successful outcome.
One of my friends is about to begin a chemotherapy protocol. His desired outcome is complete eradication of the cancer, and his doctor has set the time frame for his treatment.
How do you pray in situations like this? If you pray for success, you might be disappointed. I pray for a God-ordained outcome. Further, my prayer is that my friend will see God’s hand in his situation. It’s all in God’s control anyway. My hope is to see His Divine power work.
Remember, even God can’t please everyone all the time. Stay in communication with him anyway. He likes that…
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…
People on the internet can act like real jerks. They will insult others, offering unsolicited opinions about how we should vote. Rudeness has become part of life, I guess, but some remarks are incendiary.
In the United States, we live in a totally free society. Freedom of speech is one of our greatest treasures. Therefore, people are free to say whatever they wish. Yet I don’t believe insulting others is productive. You can disagree without acting like an ass. With every generation that passes away, some decency dies with it.
When dealing with passive aggressive behavior, no response is the best response…
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…
Do you ever feel different, like you are an outsider? You are, and that’s a good thing.
You are an outsider because of your uniqueness. There’s no one else like you. There’s no club of people exactly like you.
Be proud of this. It’s the outsiders who change the world….
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…
seekinggracedotcom 