03.31.09
The Real Meaning of Peace
There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist
who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists
tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there
were only two he really liked, and he had to choose
between them.
One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a
perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around
it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds.
All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect
picture of peace.
The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged
and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.
But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest – in perfect peace.
Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?
“Because,” explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace.”
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” No matter what is going on around you God will give you peace in the midst of all challenges; we are to be still and know He IS God!
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03.30.09
Love Affirmations
Love is that experience that makes us feel completely alive. Where every sense is heightened, every emotion is magnified, our everyday reality is transcended, and life seems worthwhile. Love is the ultimate nourishment of the soul.
It is said that the entire array of human needs is rooted in our need for love. Our yearning for fame, fortune and material things all boil down to our need to be acknowledged, respected, admired – and above all, loved.
George Sand wrote: “There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.” The Word of God instructs us to love one another, walk in love, love thy neighbor, and the best display of love is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…”
The good news is, we can develop the skill to live a full and joyful life, enhanced by love — and experience all the profound manifestations that love brings. Professing positive, loving affirmations will help you develop that skill.
Following are loving affirmations we can use to give, receive, and reap the rewards of love. Choose the affirmations that feel appropriate to you — those that resonate with you, or strike an emotional chord. It is important that the words feel comfortable to you and are in line with who you are. Feel free to create one for your specific need by substituting other words that have special meaning to you:
* I am a radiant and I am filled with love.
* I love and accept myself exactly as I am.
* I now express love to all those I meet.
* I am walking in divine love.
* Divine love is working through me now.
* I bathe in the unconditional love of God my Creator, and it radiates from me at all times.
* I love myself completely.
* Love comes to me and goes from me easily and effortlessly.
* I give and receive love easily and joyfully.
* Others love me easily and joyfully.
* I now feel loved and appreciated by my parents, my friends, my children
* I express my love freely.
* People are just waiting to love me, and I allow them.
* I always deserve love.
* I am nurturing loving relationships in my life.
* I project love to everyone I meet.
* I love and approve of myself.
The Word of God gives us wonderful examples of scriptures to stand on while walking in love:
Ephesians 5:2 , Romans 12:10, 1 John 3:18, 1 john 4:7
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03.27.09
If I Had My Life To Live Over
by Erma Bombeck
(written after she found out she was dying from cancer)
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, ‘Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.’ There would have been more ‘I love you’s’ More ‘I’m sorry’s.
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute. look at it and really see it. Live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!
Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what?
Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
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03.25.09
Finishing Well
We have all sang the songs about following Jesus no matter what. The songs that say “Father mold me, change me,” however when we are walking in times of trials and testings we seem to have forgotten that we are called to run the race; we seem to begin well – but finish poorly. Today I am going to share with you critical characteristics to finishing well by Ken Boa!
Our highest calling is to grow in our knowledge of Christ and to make Him known to others. Does our desire to know Christ exceed all other aspirations? A key secret of those who finish well is to focus more on loving Jesus than on avoiding sin. The more we love Jesus, the more we will learn to put our confidence in Him alone.
Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fellowship, study, worship, and submission are not ends in themselves, but means to the end of intimacy with Christ and spiritual formation.
Part of the purpose of our suffering and trials is to drive us to dependence on God alone. God responds by revealing more of Himself to us. This knowledge increases our faith and our capacity to trust His character and His promises through the times we do not understand His purposes and His ways. When we view our circumstances in light of God’s character instead of God’s character in light of our circumstances, we come to see that God is never indifferent to us, and that He uses suffering for our good so we will be more fully united to Christ.
Those who finish well maintain an ongoing learning posture through the seasons of their lives. Humility and responsive obedience are the keys to maintaining a teachable spirit.
Humility is the disposition in which we displace self through the enthronement of Christ in our lives and realize that all of life is about trust in God. Obedience is the application of biblical faith in that which is not seen, and that which is not yet. As we mature in Christ, we learn to trust God’s character and promises in spite of ambiguity or trials.
God has called each of us to a purposeful journey sustained by faithfulness and growing hope. This calling or vocation transcends our occupations and endures beyond the end of our careers. As we seek the Lord’s guidance in developing a personal vision and clarity of mission, we move beyond the level of tasks and accomplishments to the level of the purpose for which we were created.
Relationships such as spiritual mentoring, servant leadership, and personal and group accountability are valuable resources that encourage, equip, and exhort. People who finish well do not do so without the caring support of other growing members of the body of Christ. These relationships help us to increase in intimacy with Christ, maintain the needed disciplines, clarify our long-term perspective, sustain a teachable attitude, and develop our purpose and calling.
Spirit-filled living requires us to discover and develop the spiritual gifts we have received and exercise them through the Spirit’s power for the edification of others. Believers who finish well are marked by ongoing outreach and sacrificial ministry for the good of other people. Those who squander the resources, gifts, experiences, and hard-learned insights God has given them by no longer investing them in the lives of others soon wither and withdraw.
What does it take to finish well? How can we run in such a way that we can say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7; Acts 20:24; 1 Cor. 9:24-27)?Taking to heart the above seven characteristics will help you finish well day by day, as you “run with endurance the race that is set before [you]” (Heb. 12:1).
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03.24.09
10 Most Imporatant Things
- LOVE:
The Special Feeling That Makes You Feel
All Warm And Wonderful. - RESPECT:
Treating Others As Well As You Would Like To Be Treated. - APPRECIATION:
To Be Grateful For All The Good Things Life Has To Offer. - HAPPINESS:
The Full Enjoyment Of Each Moment. A Smiling Face. - FORGIVENESS:
The Ability To Let Things Be Without Anger. - SHARING:
The Joy Of Giving Without Thought Of Receiving. - HONESTY:
The Quality Of Always Telling The Truth. - INTEGRITY:
The Purity Of Doing What’s Right, No Matter What. - COMPASSION:
The Essence Of Feeling Another’s Pain, While Easing Their Hurt. - PEACE:
The Reward For Living The 10 Most Important Things.
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03.23.09
Where The Credit Belongs
It is not the critic who counts;
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man
who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly;
who errs and comes short again and again;
who knows great enthusiasms,
the great devotions;
who spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while
DARING GREATLY
so that his place shall never be
with those timid souls
who know neither victory or defeat.
-Theodore Roosevelt
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03.20.09
The Secret of Getting Ahead Is Starting
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
Walt Disney
Winners win because they always finish whatever they start. They start a project and then keep working until the task is completed. They start, they work, they finish. When you reduce winning down to its lowest common denominator, getting to the finish line is the only thing that really counts.
It’s virtually impossible for anyone to get anywhere if they consistently fail to finish those things they start. A half- hearted effort doesn’t count for much in the big scheme of things. A job only halfway completed or task left undone rarely paves the way to the winner’s circle. When a winner starts a project, he or she sees it through to completion.
“The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
Plato
How about you? Do you consistently finish those things you start? Are you absolutely committed to seeing your projects through to conclusion? No matter how good you are at finishing the jobs you undertake (or how bad for that matter), there is always considerable room for improvement.
Finishing anything and everything you want to finish is not nearly as difficult as we sometimes make it. All it takes to insure you finish each and every job is for you to start it. That sure sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? You simply get started and then just keep on plugging away until the job is completed.
“The distance is nothing; it’s only the first step that is difficult.”
Marquise du Deffand
Unfortunately, for many the very act of getting started sometimes becomes an almost insurmountable obstacle. Let’s face it; all of us have been guilty of putting things off more times than we wish to remember. You know how the story goes: You know what you need to do, but for one reason or another you just cannot seem to step up and get started.
You put off here, you dally over there. Over time, your motivation wanes and eventually erodes, leaving you with nothing to show for your effort (or lack of effort) but a task left undone. Is there a better way than a swift kick to overcome this hesitance to get started?
“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
When you are actively engaged in the pursuit of your dreams, you rarely want to stop or slow down. You love what you are doing and as a result, you thoroughly enjoy every single moment. The activity inspires you and motivates you to action.
You find yourself caught up, overcome with an overwhelming desire to keep working until you finish the project. After all, if something is worth doing, then it is most assuredly worth finishing. Taking this process a step further; if something is worth finishing then shouldn’t you get it started as soon as possible?
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”
Lao Tsu
In order to provide the proper motivation to get any project started, I suggest you sit down and visualize in detail all of the benefits you will derive as a result of successfully completing the venture you have in mind. I want you to feel the excitement of putting your heart and soul into the undertaking. I want see yourself putting your best to the test, pushing yourself well beyond any boundaries you may have.
Then once the project is complete, I want you to stop and savor the moment as you bask in the limelight, experiencing the exhilaration of victory! This mental picture should provide more than sufficient momentum for you to get any worthwhile project underway.
It was once said that the secret of getting ahead is getting started! Once you start a project it is only a matter of time before you finish it. Winners start, winners work, winners finish. When you incorporate this visualization process into your planning, getting started will never be a problem for you again.
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03.19.09
I Have No Rights; It Is Not About Me!
So many times we always feel as if we have rights. We scream out when we do not think things in life are going our way. We look around and wonder why God; why is this happening to me?
I heard a friend tell me just the other day some words that stung my soul. She said “I have no rights, it’s not about me!” As I gasped, ready to retaliate with all my “children of God” “seed of Abraham” scriptures, then the Holy Spirit confirmed in me these words are indeed true; I have no rights. I was not to think anything that happens is about me. When I am ministering and no one seems to be getting it, and I want to say God why, I am reminded – I have no rights, it is not about how I am ministering, it is about Jesus, not about me. When I work and work with what seems like no appreciation, the Holy Spirit gently reminds me – I have no rights, it is not about me.
We always seem to feel as if we are entitled. We want others to notice and acknowledge what we have done. This started as young children when we would yell “Daddy look, watch me!” and we do our best performance so he will be proud of what he has just seen. And as all parents do, our father would smile his biggest smile, applaud loudly, and tell us how wonderful we did and how great we are. That is how it is with us even now; with others and with our Heavenly Father. We want others to see what we have done; to see the hard work we have done, to be proud of our accomplishments. The problem is, all of us are like the little child yelling “Daddy look, watch me” and no one is looking and acknowledging, because we are all doing our own little performances. But someone is watching; our Heavenly Father is watching. He sees each of us and He looks on with admiration both at us and our accomplishments. Our reward is to know that our accomplishments are about Him. They are to lead others to Him and tell others about His wonderful grace and mercy.
As I was reading in the Word of God I came upon some definitions of spiritual maturity I want to share with you today. A mature choice would be teaching others rather than just being taught. We are to develop a depth of understanding rather than struggling with the basics. We should be doing self-evaluation rather than self-criticism. As a mature Christian we are to be seeking unity rather than promoting disunity. Carefully studying and observing rather than desiring entertainment. We should be walking in confidence rather than walking in fear. And one that really relates to us not having rights; rather than evaluating our experiences according to our feelings (why is this happening to me, why am I not being appreciated, etc) we should evaluate our feelings in the light of God’s Word.
One way to evaluate spiritual maturity is by looking at the choices we make; seeing if we are pointing all we do towards Jesus. Knowing that none of this is about us, it is ALL about Him. Here is a question I have started to ask myself: What am I feeling upset or daunted by right now; if I try looking at it from the stand point of “this is not about me” I am able to have a different prospective on it. Knowing I have no rights; it is NOT about me, it is about my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
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Copyrighted material from my book being published in 2009
03.18.09
How Strong Are Your Roots?
So many of us had read Hebrews chapter 11 and we have either come away discouraged because we feel we can never live up to those listed in the “Hall of Faith,” or we feel inspired to press on and walk by faith and not by sight. Faith combines anticipation and assurance; the anticipation of what lies ahead and the assurance that it will come to pass. Faith is the confidence we have built based on our past experiences.
As I have had many faith walks and fire testing; I have learned it takes more faith to walk through the storm then it is to be delivered from the storm. We must realize that storms and trials are part of life; these trials are not made to break us, they are to make us. Make us stronger, make us wiser, and make us able to walk in the calling placed on our lives. It does not matter what we go through because everyone goes through refining fires; what matters is how we go through. We do not get to choose the storms in life we are handed; however we can choose our attitude in how we handle those storms. We can choose to stand in the midst of the fire and determine to be strengthened and we can use these refining fires to prepare ourselves for a bigger and better life; a life full of God’s wonderful blessings.
Our strength to endure is dependent upon our foundation and the only way for our foundation to be strong is through storms and fires. The storms can come and the winds blow, but you child of God cannot be uprooted – your past storm already prepared you for this storm! Your roots are strong!
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Copyrighted material from my book being published in 2009
03.17.09
Mother May I
The other day I was thinking back to when I was a young girl and used to love to play games with my siblings and my cousins next door. We would head outside after breakfast and stay outside until dinner; never once wanting to go inside. If there is one thing children know how to do; they know how to have fun. Even as an adult when I pass a park I always watch what the children are doing; they are always having tons of fun as they run, jump, and skip all over the park. The problem with us as adults is that we have lost that childlike enthusiasm and exuberance to be happy and excited about simple things in life. But we can still have that excitement in our lives; we just need to know it is perfectly okay to do so.
If I were to ask people what they think life is about most would say it is about being happy and being fulfilled. We can start living the lives we have always dreamed about but we must first believe we deserve it; especially as women. As women we are always there to help others, do for others, and put others before ourselves. We do not always feel as a mom that we should go before our children, or as a co-worker that we should outrank someone else. Women’s nature is to nurture; that is why we do not feel we deserve to be put first. Far too many of us have far too little fun; work, family, church, school, etc seem to take up most of our days.
We need to find the courage and give ourselves permission to live the life we have always dreamed about. Remember when we used to play the game “Mother May I?” To play the game we had to ask permission before we could take the next step. Our life is still like that now; we need to ask “mother may I” and then step out into our lives!
We need to once again find the magic that once made our life very special as children. These extraordinary feelings are still hidden inside of us; we simply need to unleash them once again. We need to find our unique place in life; that distinctive niche that enables us to be our best and do our best. When we begin passionately pursuing those activities that we love to do, we will find our special niche waiting for us.
There are plenty of good times and good things waiting to happen for us, we just need to open up and let them happen. Once we find all of the fun, happiness and excitement life has to offer, we need to make certain that we keep these magical moments close to our heart. Wherever and whenever we find something worth keeping, we need to grab it with every ounce of strength we can muster and then hold on tight and never let it go.
We will uncover new opportunities, discover new horizons, and have more fun than we ever imagined was possible when we play a little game of “Mother May I” every day for the rest of your lives.
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