Spirituality

Outlook For Today

Do you wake up and feel excited to get your day started? If you are living your purpose, then you open your eyes ready to get after it.

God created everyone with a purpose in mind. You know this to be true. All of your life you have known there is more to life than just working, saving money, retiring and dying. The stresses of our world causes many to ignore their calling, staying in the comfort zone. There’s no life in comfort, only frustration.

Take inventory of your strengths. What are you good at? Be honest with yourself. This will get you on the road to finding and living your true purpose. Then ask God for guidance and courage to make your moves.

It’s going to take some discomfort to start truly living. But then you will feel more alive than ever. Stop putting it off and get going. There is no time better than now…

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Spirituality

It’s Time

What are the dreams you have for your life? And a more important question is, have you given up on them?

No one sets out to be average or mediocre. When we were children we saw ourselves soaring with the stars. Nothing could stop us. We were going to the outer limits and then keep going.

So, what happened? Life happened, that’s what. Dreams are set aside for safety and security. Taking a big chance when you have a mortgage changes the situation. Fear grips you and retreating into the shadows looks very desirable.

It’s time to break free from the fear of failure. Your battle is in your mind and it can be won before you begin if you adopt the proper mindset. Be relentless. Quitting or running away is not an option.

Burn your ships that are moored in the harbor of life. It’s time. There is no going back…

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Spirituality

Battery Life

My phone runs on a battery. So do my car and my laptop. Flashlights, too. And don’t forget to buy batteries at Christmas so the toys will work!

Batteries eventually run out of power and must be replaced. I’m guessing the stores that sell batteries do well consistently. But what about our bodies?

Think of your body like it’s a machine. A well-oiled machine runs smoothly. It’s reliable. A little maintenance here and there and it will last a long time. Our bodies are similar. We need to feed them good, nutritious foods and keep ourselves hydrated. Otherwise our cells won’t communicate properly. There is really no difference.

One day our battery life will expire in our bodies. We need to make the most of our time here. Our lives need to mean more than just having a good time. We want our lives to count.

Go make a difference in this world. You are equipped for a special purpose. Get going before your battery runs out…

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Spirituality

Skilled

When we watch great athletes play, it is a thing of beauty to see. Or a masterful guitar player. They make it look easy. We can only dream of being so good.

What we don’t see are the thousands of hours of practice that went into the performance we witness. We can’t put ourselves into the minds of the great ones to consider the times when they wanted to quit. They found their inner strength in those moments and pushed through the wall.

You have a great purpose in this life. You were created by God to make a difference. So many people miss their calling because they give up. Don’t quit. Never surrender.

You know what I am saying is true. You know that you have a unique purpose and were imbued with certain abilities to accomplish your calling. I encourage you to find it in yourself to pursue your purpose with everything you have in you.

It will take all you have. But just like a sports contest, leave it all on the field…

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Spirituality

Dissatisfied

Over half of Americans are dissatisfied with their work. They feel underpaid, under appreciated and do not find themselves fully engaged. How can you be productive when half your workforce has an attitude like this? You can’t, but there is hope.

One of the challenges people face is believing they are locked in a lifestyle they don’t want to give up. You are in your 40’s with a family, mortgage and other obligations. There seems to be no way out.

When the pain of dissatisfaction becomes too strong, people change. Perhaps they step their lifestyle back a bit to follow their unique path. It takes courage and commitment. Maybe pride gets in the way. But a better way of living is available if you really want it. You must really want it.

If this is resonating with you, I encourage you to take a moment to consider what you really desire from your life. Write it down. Pray for guidance. Be fearless and take a step forward in faith.

You will succeed if you refuse to quit…

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Spirituality

Enough Already!

Have you ever struggled with self-esteem? Many of us have, or we went into a situation where we weren’t feeling as confident as we should. It’s normal, nothing to worry about.

Confidence is built over time. You learn a skill by repetition, always striving to improve. No one walked perfectly when they first started, but we figured it out.

Proficiency is another thing. Let’s say you are trying to learn how to play guitar. Daily practice will make you better, even when the progress seems to go slowly. You might not play as well as Eric Clapton, but that’s not the goal. You play because you love music. That’s enough.

The Creator of the Universe thought you up before the earth was formed. Yes, He had you in mind. Specifically you. When you consider this, remember, you are enough…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Keeping Score

When little kids play sports, sometimes they don’t keep score. “They” being the officials. The kids know the score. If you didn’t want them to, you shouldn’t have taught them how to do simple math!

How do adults keep score? Perhaps we do it by measuring wealth or status. Maybe fame or lack of notoriety goes on the scorecard. The truth is, those are hollow victories. You can lose your wealth so therefore it’s not sustaining.

God’s scorecard is the heart of mankind. He sees us at our purest level. Nothing is hidden from God.

If your heart is troubled, go to work on getting it right. Ask for guidance from above, then believe you will get an answer. We are all works in progress.

When you get your heart right, good things happen…

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Spirituality

End Times

In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Dr. Steven Covey encourages us to “begin with the end in mind.” When you adopt this principle, it changes your approach to your life. You become aligned.

Many people are simply drifting through life, taking in whatever gets thrown their way. They aren’t pursuing anything because they don’t know what they want. They had dreams, big dreams, but everything got derailed and they abandoned them. It’s time to put them back on track.

If you have lived any length of time, then you know life will knock you around. But it’s important to remember that you aren’t knocked out. Get up and get moving.

Having a clear, long-term vision sets the stage for success and a meaningful future. You are living in the moment while keeping your focus on your vision. It becomes easy to say no to anything that doesn’t advance your progress. Vision brings you back to life.

Take inventory of what you are good at. Pray about your vision. If you don’t have a vision at present, ask God to open your eyes to His purpose for you. He will. Then it’s up to you to act on it.

Make it happen…

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Spirituality

The Fear of Living

Surveys have shown that 20-30% of people have an intense fear of death. Death is inevitable for everyone. It will get me one day, too. I’m not ready for it and I don’t want it to hurt!

At the same time, I wonder how many people are afraid of living. Playing it safe might bring you some comfort, but you’ve gotta find some things that rev your engine. And you aren’t required to jump out of a perfectly good airplane to get the sense of elation I’m talking about.

You can begin to find more meaning in this life by getting out in your community. If you are a shy person, this takes some intestinal fortitude. But remember, you have survived every uncomfortable situation you have ever faced. Growth happens in the discomfort zone. Those butterflies you feel are exciting.

Your purpose in life won’t be accomplished by sitting home wrapped in bubble wrap. You were born to fly, to soar. It’s time.

You must go after what you want from life. Approach your life with a purposeful mindset. The end of the road will come one day. In the meantime, have no fear of death. Be afraid of not living…

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