Tag Archives: #purpose

Spirituality, Uncategorized

No Time to Waste

When we are young we believe we are immortal. While we have all felt that way, the truth is that our time on this side of eternity is finite. So, the burning question is, what am I doing with the time I have?

I’m not focused on death. Not at all. My focus is on living every moment I have while keeping my mind on the eternal. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, we are reminded to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

The unseen realm is unknown to man. We get glimpses and Scripture reminds us that there is a spiritual battle raging all around us. Then there is Heaven. Jesus described it as paradise. Even with this description we cannot fully comprehend it.

You and I have no time to waste. God gave us a purpose for being here. He doesn’t deal in randomness. If this side of eternity was random, all hell would be breaking loose. But there is order. And He gave us enough time to accomplish His purpose for our lives.

It’s time to get started. As John Wayne said, “we’re burning daylight.”

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Make More Mistakes

In order to do something great with our lives, we must be willing to take risks. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” as the saying goes. The fear of failure can be a deterrent, but only when you believe you gotta get things right every time.

We learn through our mistakes. When we do something correctly we aren’t required to learn a new, better way. Mistakes and setbacks are part of this imperfect life we are living.

Years ago, I was asked to be a guest teacher for a business principles college class. The curriculum I put together for the class was a list of eighteen lessons I learned during my career from mistakes I had made. We only got through five of them. Teaching the class is something I will always remember.

Success is a growth process. It rarely happens overnight, but it will happen when you work hard, work smart and refuse to quit when things get tough. You must be tougher!

Edison made mistakes. So did Einstein. Musk has blown up a lot of rockets while trying to figure out how to get one into space. We remember these individuals and others for their accomplishments. None of them published a memoir of their mistakes, but they could have.

Be willing to try and fail. Then be willing to try again. And again. And again. Until you find success. A dream without action is a waste…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

The State of Discontent

People change when they want to. I’ve heard many alcoholics say they “got sick and tired of being sick and tired.” They embraced sobriety, worked the 12 steps of AA and changed their lives.

Contentment can be an ambition killer. We are here for a purpose, a purpose that impacts others for good. Going to work, coming home and watching television then doing it all over again the next day won’t get you where you want to be. When you get discontented with your life then you will change. The pain of staying where you are is worse than the uncertainty of moving forward.

Fulfillment comes when we are working at something greater than ourselves. We are contributing to the greater good. And when you see someone trying to make a change, offer some encouragement to them. Your words might be what they need in the moment.

Find your purpose. You have one. In fact, you may have several. Keep going when you find it, no matter what happens. God gave you the purpose. He will see you through…

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Spirituality

Nothing But Net

When you nail a beautiful basketball shot and it slides through the net without touching the rim, the shooter says, “nothing but net!” But today I want to focus on a different kind of net, the safety net.

Many people say they don’t like change. Routines and predictability reign supreme in their lives. It’s like having their own built-in safety net. The truth is, all of us are living life without a net.

God shaped us with unique talents to accomplish His will on this side of eternity. He never said it would be easy or without risks. He did promise He could take any bad situation and bring good from it.

When you decide to pursue your calling, get ready to grow. You can’t avoid it. Stay committed and remain hopeful no matter how hard it gets. If you are pursuing God’s calling on your life, no force can stop you…

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Spirituality

Blended

Do you own a blender? Mine gets used regularly. Taking dry powder and mixing with a liquid until it becomes smooth got an upgrade with the invention of the blender rather than mixing by hand!

What about people? There are those who just want to fit in, go with the flow and be part of the crowd. You might say they have blended in. There’s nothing wrong with that, until there is. Let me explain.

Everyone wants their life to matter, to make a difference. This can cause some discomfort. You might be called to do something that requires you to stand out. You will be exposed as being different, set apart from the comfort of the crowd.

You can choose to remain silent, staying in the background while you know you have to stand up and stand out. In these moments, it’s important to remember that you have outgrown the crowd. This is your moment, your leadership moment.

My encouragement to you is to take the chance. Separating from the flow, getting uncomfortable is where growth happens. Embrace it. Don’t run from your calling.

The critics will be there. You know, the ones who never do anything worthwhile. They complain but don’t offer any creative solutions to make this world better.

When you’re taking a stand for what’s good and right, you will be doing what God smiles at. Keep going…

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Spirituality

Rote Religion

The recurring theme throughout the Bible is that God wants the heart of man. He gives us free will to love and worship Him. It’s never forced upon us. It’s our choice.

There has been a trend over the last twenty years or so. People refer to themselves as “spiritual but not religious.” That’s a safety net because people don’t know God, really know Him. Many believe if they start to get to know God then they would turn into religious freaks or weirdos. God created us to be who He created us to be, not a weirdo.

My encouragement to you is to spend some time in Scripture. Study the life of Jesus that’s found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You will see the character of our Creator. Then allow God to work on you and through you.

Then you will have crossed the line from rote religion to a meaningful relationship…

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Spirituality

Are You In The Boat?

When Jesus walked on the water to get to the boat the disciples were in, the disciples thought they were seeing a ghost. Peter said, “Rabbi. If it’s really you, then let me walk out to you.” Jesus told him to “come on.”

Peter stepped out of the boat and took a few steps toward Jesus. Then Peter got scared, took his eyes off of Jesus and started to sink. He cried out, “Lord. Save me!” Jesus pulled him out and they got in the boat.

Life can be a bit like this story from Scripture. Staying in the boat, playing it safe might get you to your destination. That’s merely existing. God wants more for our lives. He wants us to use our unique talents to help others. We must get out of the boat and take chances. Otherwise we will miss our calling.

If you choose to pursue your dreams, then you must get out of your own boat. Take a risk. But remember to keep your eyes on God. Then you won’t sink…

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Spirituality

Frozen

Sometimes I see people posting about the past, those times when life was simpler. But was life really that different from today? Maybe it just seems like it was.

Life is a progression. We grow and evolve. We marvel at technological advances which make our lives more efficient. To stay young we must use our minds in productive, challenging ways. Living in the past, longing for an earlier age can paralyze us.

Perhaps the people who regularly post about the past are reflecting on the opportunities they missed. It’s happened to all of us. We know that we are here for a great purpose. Eventually we will run out of time.

There is nothing random about your life. God didn’t create us and then forget about us. If you are reading this it’s not too late.

Find your purpose and live it…

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Spirituality

Just For Today

Every day we have an opportunity to not only make a difference, but we can make a change in our lives. We might want to eat better, get some exercise or begin writing the book we have been thinking about. Why not begin today??

None of us are getting younger. We have a limited amount of time on this side of eternity. God wants us to use it. He gave us special talents to use which will bring glory to Him. You know in your heart that what I’m saying is true.

Since childhood, you knew you were here for something great. You would set the world on fire. No one could stop you. Then life happened. You got knocked down and knocked around. It is time to pick yourself up and get back in the game of life.

There’s no one stopping you from pursuing greatness. Keep God in your plans. He can remove every obstacle placed in your way. Start today…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Your Flight Is Now Boarding…

The airlines have an agreement with me that they sometimes break. When I buy a ticket they agree to honor the ticket with a flight to where I’m going. My part of the agreement is to show up on time. Sometimes I break my agreement, too!

But what about people? There are many people who are going here and there in their lives while not having a destination in mind. They are drifting at light speed. Every new shiny toy catches their attention, at least for a short time.

You must have a dream to propel yourself to greatness. Dreams are powerful. But they are only passing thoughts unless we take action. Putting your dreams in motion ignites something inside of you, an unstoppable force.

If you have lost sight of your purpose, take some time to recapture it. You have greatness inside of you. Feel it in your spirit. Then take action.

The flight of your dreams is taking off. It’s time to board the plane…

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