11.26.08
Being Thankful for the Fire
This week everyone has their minds set on being thankful. Gratitude and thankfulness are words we hear everywhere we turn. People are nicer to one another this time of year as well. One of the things I have been bringing to G.I.R.L.S. ~ Girls Inspiring Real Life Success for over the past year is Grateful Monday here on the girl’s daily blog. We all have been taking the time each week to focus on what we have to be grateful for.
When we think about being grateful we are always thankful for things which we should be – like our family, our friends, our jobs, etc. However, as I look back over this past year for me and my family I realize that we have been through some real refining fires of God. We have had God burn out some things in our lives; like friends and businesses. It has been hot and it has been hard. But now sitting here I look back and I realize that I am so very thankful for the fires which God has put us through. I am thankful for what I once looked at as losses in my life; I now know they were the divine hand of my Heavenly Father. I am thankful for moves we have had to endure and the cutting away in our lives which God has done.
This week as we focus on the good and wonderful things we have to be thankful for, lets also focus on the refining fires we have walked through and may still be walking in. We must be thankful for these as well. We have a promise from God which assures us He will never leave us or forsake us. (Joshua 1:5) Each of the fires which our Master Potter puts us through is to bring us to a new place in Him; a higher place. I am ready for this higher place. I am thankful for the fires and grateful for the process which we have walked through in order to be ready to move higher with Him. We are stronger and we see God’s hand on our lives even more now. Father I thank you right now for your refining fires.
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11.25.08
The Hand
© 2004 Steve Goodier
At first it sounded like a Thanksgiving story, but the more I reflected on it, the more appropriate it seemed for any time of the year. The way I heard it, the story went like this:
Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun assignment — to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.
Most of the class might be considered economically disadvantaged, but still many would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the subjects of most of her student’s art. And they were.
But Douglas made a different kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind of boy. He was the teacher’s true child of misery, frail and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess at the pain Douglas felt behind those sad eyes.
Yes, his picture was different. When asked to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful, he drew a hand. Nothing else. Just an empty hand.
His abstract image captured the imagination of his peers. Whose hand could it be? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers raise turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds us. And so the discussion went — until the teacher almost forgot the young artist himself.
When the children had gone on to other assignments, she paused at Douglas’ desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was. The little boy looked away and murmured, “It’s yours, teacher.”
She recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here or there, as she had the other students. How often had she said, “Take my hand, Douglas, we’ll go outside.” Or, “Let me show you how to hold your pencil.” Or, “Let’s do this together.” Douglas was most thankful for his teacher’s hand.
Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work.
The story speaks of more than thankfulness. It says something about teachers teaching and parents parenting and friends showing friendship, and how much it means to the Douglases of the world. They might not always say thanks. But they’ll remember the hand that reaches out.
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11.24.08
Set Your Mind On Being Grateful
Here we are in the official holiday week! I love this time of the year. I love the preparations and the traditions which go along with it. Usually on Mondays here on the G.I.R.L.S. ~ Girls Inspiring Real Life Success Blog I dedicate Mondays as the Grateful Monday Party all year long. And this Monday will be no exception. As we all rush around this week it is especially important to focus on the many, many things we have to be grateful for. Pay especially attention to the little things like your car starting when we plan to go to the store and shop, and the fact that gasoline prices are coming down. And of course let’s make sure we are counting our blessings for our family and friends and jobs and so many others.
We already know by focusing on being grateful changes happen in our physical bodies as well as our minds. Gratitude defends our body’s natural antibodies. Gratitude sharpens us mentally. Being grateful calms our physiological state and strengthens us by making us healthier and more capable than less grateful people. And being grateful allows us to even heal faster.
Gratitude is even very important to our Heavenly Father. Look at the Israelites and how ungrateful they were. Constantly complaining all the time is not being grateful. Not trusting that their Father in Heaven would supply all they needed. If you spend any amount of time listening to the news at all these days you can walk away feeling doom and gloom. If you pay attention you will see changes in how you think, act, and feel after listening to this rubbish. Why not today, shut off the news completely, do not listen to one single minute that will not encourage you to look around you and count your blessings.
Focusing today and all this week on what we have, instead of what we do not have is a great way to spend this holiday week. Do not just be thankful on Thanksgiving but be thankful starting right now today. Take the time to write down what you are thankful for. Even share with us here if you would like. How about all the time you are on your commute to work, go over in your mind what you have to be grateful for today. Open your eyes and look around you and notice all the things to be thankful for. Set your mind on gratitude. Lets remember Philippians 4:8 instructs us to tell our minds what to think about: ” whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].”
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11.21.08
Your Inner Voice
Friday has arrived and today I want to share with you a true story about a man named Bob Eilers. So many times in life we have no idea when we are being used to help someone else. Listen to what you hear your “inner voice” telling you to do. That “inner voice” is the voice of the Holy Spirit prompting you. Bob was fortunate to learn that he was being used by God to help someone else. Not always do we get to know when we have done something to help someone else. So listen today and see what Godd is telling you today.
“My day started just like all the other days for the past 15 years where I get up, make some coffee, shower, get dressed and leave for the train station at preciously 7:35 A.M. to arrive at work by 8:30. While on the train I would always choose a seat away from the crowd so I can read the newspaper in peace and quiet. At work I am always being bombarded with questions from coworkers, suppliers, telephone and then those dreaded meetings so the last thing I need is some stranger to sit beside me and make small talk.
I don’t know why but for some reason when I got on the train today it was unusually full, something I don’t recall ever happening in the past. With hesitation I sat down in the only seat available beside a middle aged man that had his head down and seemed to be lost in his thoughts. I was glad that he didn’t notice when I sat next to him as he just continued to look down towards the floor.
Shortly after the train left for my 30 minute ride downtown I found myself wondering what this man was thinking about. What could be so important that he didn’t even see me sit next to him? I tried to forget about it and started to read my paper. However, for some strange reason this “inner voice” kept prompting me to talk to this man. I tried to ignore the “voice” as there was no way I was starting a conversation with a complete stranger.
As you probably guessed I eventually broke down and came up with an excuse to ask him a question. When he raised his head and turned his eyes towards me I could see that he must have been really upset as he had red eyes and still had some tears rolling down the side of his face despite his feeble attempt to wipe them away. I can’t describe the sadness I felt seeing someone in so much pain.
We talked for about 20 minutes and in the end he seemed to be doing better. As we were leaving the train he thanked me profusely for being an angel by taking the time to talk. I never did find out what was making his heart so heavy with pain but was glad I listened to the “voice” that day.
Several weeks had passed when I noticed an envelope on my desk after returning from lunch. It was not addressed to anyone and only had the word “Angel” written on it. My receptionist attached a note saying a gentleman dropped it off saying he did not know my name but had described me well enough that the receptionist knew it was for me. When I read the note inside the envelope I was so filled with emotions that I couldn’t contain myself. It was a letter from the man I met on the train thanking me again for talking to him and saving his life that day.
Apparently he had some very hurtful personal problems that were so overwhelming he was planning to take his life that day. In his letter he went on to explain that he was a religious person and in desperation screamed out to God that if God really cared about him he would send someone to prevent him from taking his life. In his eyes I was that someone, that Angel sent by God.
Not being a religious person myself I don’t know what that “voice” was that made me take a chance and talk to a stranger but I do know that it made a difference in someone’s life that day. So the next time you feel prompted for no apparent reason to talk to a friend, relative, neighbor or even a complete stranger please remember my story. You just may make a difference in someone’s life when you listen to your inner voice.”
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11.20.08
Perspectives
Author Unknown
One day a father and his rich family took his young son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”
Very good, Dad!”
“Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked.
“Yeah!”
“And what did you learn?”
The son answered, “I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon.”
When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless.
His son added, “Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are!”
Isn’t it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude toward life, you’ve got everything!
You can’t buy any of these things. You can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing!
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11.19.08
Be Happy
Just in case you thought I forgot about being grateful this week – I did not. I want to share with you a wonderful true story about a man named Davy Jones. Here is his story:
Around twenty years ago I was living in Seattle and going through hard times. I could not find satisfying work and I found this especially difficult as I had a lot of experience and a Masters degree.
To my shame I was driving a school bus to make ends meet and living with friends. I had lost my apartment. I had been through five interviews with a company and one day between bus runs they called to say I did not get the job. I went to the bus barn like a zombie of disappointment.
Later that afternoon, while doing my rounds through a quiet suburban neighborhood I had an inner wave – like a primal scream – arise from deep inside me and I thought “Why has my life become so hard?” “Give me a sign, I asked… a physical sign – not some inner voice type of thing.”
Immediately after this internal scream I pulled the bus over to drop off a little girl and as she passed she handed me an earring saying I should keep it in case somebody claimed it. The earring was stamped metal, painted black and said ‘BE HAPPY’.
At first I got angry – yeah, yeah, I thought. Then it hit me. I had been putting all of my energies into what was wrong with my life rather than what was right! I decided then and there to make a list of 50 things I was grateful for.
At first it was hard, then it got easier. One day I decided to up it to 75. That night there was a phone call for me at my friend’s house from a lady who was a manager at a large hospital. About a year earlier I had submitted a syllabus to a community college to teach a course on stress management. (Yup, you heard me. 
She asked me if I would do a one-day seminar for 200 hospital workers. I said yes and got the job.
My day with the hospital workers went very well. I got a standing ovation and many more days of work. To this day I KNOW that it was because I changed my attitude to gratitude.
Incidentally, the day after I found the earring the girl asked me if anyone had claimed it. I told her no and she said “I guess it was meant for you then.”
I spent the next year conducting training workshops all around the Seattle area and then decided to risk everything and go back to Scotland where I had lived previously. I closed my one man business, bought a plane ticket and got a six month visa from immigration. One month later I met my wonderful English wife and best friend of 15 years now. We live in a small beautiful cottage, two miles from a paved road in the highlands of Scotland.
‘THE ONLY ATTITUDE IS GRATITUDE’ has been my motto for years now and yes, it completely changed my life.
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11.18.08
God Wants to Amaze YOU
By Donna Partow
I believe God wants to amaze YOU — and everyone around you — by what He can do through your life.
I often teach a story from the book of 2 Kings that illustrates the power of “the no name girl.” Yesterday, I heard actor Stephen Baldwin share his testimony–and confirm every word I’ve been teaching for the past few years!
Naaman was the commander of the army for Aram, one of Israel’s primary enemies at the time. The Arameans had invaded Israel and taken captives, among them a ‘no name girl’ who became servant to Naaman’s wife. Now as it happened, Naaman had a serious problem: leprosy. No doubt he was looking for, even praying for, an answer. You can be sure it never even came on his radar screen that this no name immigrant girl held the key to his future.
But she did.
Even though she was an immigrant. Didn’t have a green card. Had a thick accent. The whole deal. She knew her God and never lost her faith. So she spoke up to the boss’s wife and said, “He needs to go to the prophet from my country.” Her bold words set in motion a course of events that led to Naaman’s miraculous healing.
Here’s the point. God used the no name girl to change the big shot’s life. It’s not about the position you have in life, it’s about the God you serve. Ask Stephen Baldwin, the big-shot actor. Years ago, he and his wife hired a Brazilian immigrant to clean house for them. She was always smiling and singing. So Stephen’s wife asked the woman, “Why are you so happy? Is cleaning my house really such a great job?” The servant laughed. Mrs. Big Shot asked, “What’s so funny?” And the no name servant girl responded, “It’s funny that you actually believe I’m here to clean your house! God has sent me here because you and Stephen are going to become Christians and have a nationwide ministry.”
No doubt they thought the no name girl was a little crazy! But guess what? That’s exactly what happened! God used this no name immigrant girl to change the course of Mr. Big Shot’s life. And the full impact of her bold faith and even bolder words will not be known until we reach heaven. No doubt tens of thousands have come to Christ through Stephen Baldwin –with many more to come. (Take a minute to pray for him right now, won’t you?)
Where did it start? The no name girl. The immigrant girl.
God wants to amaze YOU and everyone around you with what He can do through your life! My message is for every person reading these words who feels like a no name girl or a no name guy. God can use you. And God will use you in powerful ways. If. If you will speak boldly of what you know.
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11.17.08
Divine Purpose
We were all placed here on this earth for a plan and a purpose. However, we do not always feel like that. In fact I had been a Christian many years before I even realized God had a plan and purpose for my life. I was just an ordinary person, doing ordinary things. Then one glorious day God stepped in and showed me that I indeed have a divine purpose. Here I am almost 13 years later and I am walking in my divine purpose.
What is your purpose? What were you placed on this earth to do? You were placed here by God for a reason, you do know that right? Purpose does not mean “called to ministry.” However if you are called to minister the Word of God, then yes that is your purpose.
The Word of God says the Lord will fulfill His purpose in us. Regardless how you came into this world you were brought here by a loving God who has work for you to do. It might be work done right in the job you have now, it might be helping the single mom or dad down the street, it might be feeding the homeless, teaching a Sunday School Class, reading to some pre-schoolers, or writing a book. Whatever YOUR purpose is, God needs you to fulfill that purpose for His glory.
I want to share a wonderful poem with you by Russell Kelfer
You are who you are for a reason….
You are who you are for a reason.
You’re part of an intricate plan.
You’re a precious and perfect unique design,
Called God’s special woman or man.
You look like you look for a reason.
Our God made no mistake.
He knit you together within the womb.
You’re just what He wanted to make.
The parents you had were the ones He chose,
And no matter how you may feel,
They were custom-designed with God’s plan in mind,
And they bear the Master’s seal.
No, that trauma you faced was not easy.
And God wept that it hurt you so;
But it was allowed to shape your heart
So that into His likeness you’d grow.
You are who you are for a reason,
You’ve been formed by the Master’s rod.
You are who you are, beloved,
Because there is a God!
You indeed have a purpose!
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11.14.08
No Matter What You Will Never Loose Your Value
A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked. “Who would like this $20 bill?”
Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you – but first, let me do this.”
He proceeded to crumple the 20 dollar note up. He then asked. “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air.
“Well,” he replied, “what if I do this?” He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?”
Still the hands went into the air.
“My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.
Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by …WHO WE ARE.
You are special – don’t ever forget it.”
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11.13.08
Basic Rules For Making Good Decisions
We are all faced with making important decisions every day, whether they are personal decisions or business decisions. I want to share with you how motivational speaker Zig Ziglar makes his decisions:
1. If I’m really tired, I don’t make significant decisions (except in emergencies).
2. If someone is pressing me to decide something “right now,” unless an immediate decision is critical, I say, “If I have to decide now, the answer is no. After I have had a chance to catch my breath and review the facts, there’s the possibility it could be yes.” Then I put the ball back in his or her court and ask, “Do you want my decision now, or should we wait?”
3. I like to determine the maximum benefit of a decision, assuming that everything goes my way. Then I ask, “Suppose nothing goes my way? Suppose this doesn’t develop and materialize as I expect it to? What is my maximum exposure? What would I lose?”
4. For significant business-related decisions, I run them past my advisors. These people are successful in their businesses and professions and have a considerable amount of knowledge, experience, and wisdom, all of which are musts in the decision-making process. I get their advice and follow their recommendations, with good results in most cases. If the decision is too minor to involve my advisors but I still want input, I get my family together to look at the pros and cons.
5. I like to pray about my decisions. I ask God to help me see the truth of my motives and to lead me in the way I should go. If I’m about to make an unwise decision, I simply don’t have peace about that decision, and I consequently act on that feeling of unease. I ask myself, “How will this decision affect all the areas of my life—personal, family, career, financial, physical, mental and spiritual?” Obviously, not all decisions affect all areas, but if the decision involves a financial reward but also carries considerable family sacrifice, for example, I think carefully as to whether what I give up is compensated for by what I gain.
One final note: Prioritize your decisions. Some are more urgent than others!
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