Archive for June, 2010
Plot Your Course
Posted by: | CommentsI get amazed when I watch the Billiards tournaments on ESPN. The pool pros who compete for the title have one of the best strategies for winning. They aren’t just hitting the balls in the pockets, they have the awesome ability to hit the cue ball in such away to set up the next shot.
But what about you, are you just “hitting the balls” in life? Are you hopelessly aiming at the targets accepting whatever outcome you get? Or are you planning your steps ahead of time?
We can definitely learn from the strategies of the pool pros. Rather than randomly going about life without a game plan, we should plan our actions ahead of time and in a well thought out manner.
A wise man once said, “if you fail to plan then you plan to fail.” I couldn’t agree any more. Realize that there should be a method to your madness.
The scripture says to, “write the vision, and make it plain upon tables…” Notice it doesn’t hint that we should only dream. No my friend, it’s as clear as day, there’s Read More→
Don’t Forget to Pray That Prayer
Posted by: | CommentsI say it all the time, when you pray all you’re doing is having a conversation to God. Know that you don’t have to be on bended knees or lying prostrate before God just to be in a moment of prayer.
You can be praying as you walk out the door in the morning. You can pray before the big test at school. You can go forth in prayer before that job interview. Even on that morning run you can offer up a word of prayer.
In fact, that’s the good thing about God – He meets you right where you are. He isn’t inconvenient. He’s not selfish with His time. No, He hears every thought you think, when you think them. And He even knows your heart!
You see God delights when you call on His name. The scripture says that He’s a jealous God. All He wants is for you to acknowledge Him. Always remember where your blessings come from.
You don’t have to know every scripture in the bible, or have the so called “prayer lingo” that your local minister or pastor has. No, God understands every word you say. He even knows your thoughts before you even think them.
The scripture says, The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. He hears your earnest prayer and He’ll respond to them.
You may be in traffic on the way to work. But just take a moment and focus your thoughts on Him. Simply thank Him for waking you up. Pray that He surrounds you all day with His loving-kindness and tender mercies. Pray that He grants you favor. Ask Him Read More→
ShareBreak Down The Walls
Posted by: | CommentsDo you walk around with a chip on your shoulders? Do you feel the need to guard your heart in an effort to protect yourself from being hurt?
Maybe you’ve been hurt in the past. You might have had your heart broken. Maybe you’ve been terribly offended. If you find yourself answering yes to the above questions, no doubt you may have built up a wall to protect the wounds. You’ve probably put up a protective barrier to prevent the hurt from resurfacing.
This is perfectly normal. Just like a scab protects a wound, we all put up walls for protection.
The unfortunate thing is that these barriers are only masking the hurt. We’re not bringing healing to ourselves, we’re only sealing the pain. At some point in time, the past hurts will resurface and we’ll have to face them again.
Just like fear, you will have to face those past hurts. You have to forgive those who have done you wrong. You see, when you put up walls you’re not only blocking others from seeing who you are but you’re blocking yourself from gaining the full benefit of those around you.
Understand today that the world is not out to get you. Sometimes you have to break down those barriers and allow someone to see the light that’s in you. You have to go outside of yourself and seek ways to bless others.
Why not be so kind as to smile at a stranger? Let them see into your Read More→
ShareDon’t Let Anyone Rain on Your Parade
Posted by: | CommentsThere are times when you come across others who don’t have the same passion, zest, and zeal for the things of life as you do. Sure you’ve seen it before, those instances where you or someone else was passionate about something and another comes along and kills the whole vibe.
I believe they call them party poopers! The dictionary defines it perfectly – One who declines to participate with enthusiasm. It seems like no matter what you do they want to rain on your parade.
Maybe you want to go to the amusement park, they are there to only remind you of how crowded and hot it is. You may want to go to a movie, they’ll convince you that it’s pointless to go to the movies, there’s always someone talking on the back row. Maybe you’re on your way to the gym and you’re looking for company, party poopers are there remind you of how much better it feels to crash at home on the couch.
Party poopers have a tendency to kill the liveliness of the moment. They are often negative minded individuals. They are more than likely to see the cup as half empty rather than half full.
If you don’t watch it you will let them steal your joy. You will let them kill your dream. They might even suck all the life and energy out of you.
Don’t let these so called party poopers set the tone for the future to follow. Don’t allow them to determine what your goals and dreams are. No, take back your Read More→
ShareHe’s Ordering Your Steps!
Posted by: | CommentsOften times when we lose our way and we don’t know which steps to take, we easily get discouraged. We wonder why doors are closed. We wonder why opportunities are coming too far and few in-between.
I encourage you to let your worry become a thing of the past and rejoice in the fact that your steps are ordered. Understand that your failed plans aren’t the end all be all. That opportunity that slipped away, God allowed it to slip away for a reason.
You should know that God has the master plan. He sees everything that’s up the road and He’s plotting your course accordingly.
The scripture says that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He wants to dress those opportunities up to look like the perfect opportunities of a lifetime. It’s his job to deceive you into taking that big break that seems irresistible.
But God sees the imperfections in those opportunities. Just like the fruit tree in the middle of the Garden, He knows that the fruits in those opportunities are poisonous for you. Sure at a glance, it may look perfectly healthy. It may seem like the perfect open door to walk through.
Don’t be fooled by the way things look around you. Those things that seem to be out of place or those stumbling blocks that hold you back might be God’s strategic plan to keep you alive.
That traffic that held you up could have been there to keep you from getting in an accident. That delay that kept you from leaving the house on time could have been God’s divine plan to keep you from being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Why not trust God today. Know that the hand you’re dealt is indeed the Read More→
Share3 Ways to Combat Stress
Posted by: | CommentsThroughout the hustle and bustle of the day we find stress to be a very common factor. We find ourselves running around trying to meet deadlines and trying to fulfill all the tasks and details that require our time and attention. If we don’t watch it, we can get used to the tension that builds up as a result of our tedious daily tasks.
Understand that in-spite of all that is going on around you, you don’t have to suffer the stress and anxiety that results from all of your daily ventures. Here I’ve compiled three things that you can do to combat stress.
1. Take time out for yourself – Sometimes you have to sacrifice other tasks and take time out to regroup. Some may say that it’s selfish to put yourself first but if you don’t take time out for yourself, who will? Everything in life has to be done within moderation.
The scripture says that there is a time for everything. There is a time to born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to uproot… You see, when you’re running all day everyday, you’re not providing that balance that you need to recover and regroup.
2. Pray and Meditate - One of the best things you can do, when taking time out for yourself, is to pray and meditate. Praying is simply having a conversation with God. In doing so, you’re opening yourself up to His guidance. Praying is one of the best thing you can do to establish peace in your life.
3. Exercise – I talk often about the neuro-transmitters called endorphins that your brain releases when exercising. These endorphins are natural pain-killers that Read More→
SharePost It On Your Bathroom Mirror!
Posted by: | CommentsExperts say that one of the best things we can do to combat in-securities is to focus on our assets. We should write down those things that we have going for us and put them in a visible place where we see it everyday.
I totally agree. I believe this is one of the best things that you can do for yourself. Whether it be an insecurity or any thought that you want to change, make a choice to write down your positive attributes and focus on them.
Today I want to encourage you that optimism is at hand. Know that you can erase those defeatist negative thoughts and replace them with encouraging and uplifting thoughts.
Maybe someone told you that you’d never accomplish your goal. They probably said you weren’t strong enough. No, I dare you to combat that thought today. Know that you can do all things through Christ which strengthens you.
You may have grown up in an environment where you were encouraged not to dream. You were probably told that it’s pointless to dream and that your dreams won’t come to pass. No, the scripture says that you should write the vision and make it plain. Dare to Read More→
ShareGive The Benefit of a Doubt
Posted by: | CommentsAs you know, life is full of ups and downs. Throughout the journey you will experience instances when you’re tempted to assume the worst.
Someone might have cut you off in traffic. Someone may have even said the wrong thing to you and left you with an unsettling feeling. Or maybe you didn’t get that big break that you were expecting.
In these instances, you may find that you’re easily frustrated and tempted to get upset. But sometimes it wouldn’t hurt to give someone else the benefit of a doubt.
You see, giving someone the benefit of a doubt is much like forgiveness in that when you do so, you’re not doing it for the other person, you’re doing it for yourself. In other words if someone wrongs you, you’re giving them an advantage and as a result, you release the tension out of your mind.
I’m not saying that you should be naive and let people walk all over you. No there’s a thin line between the two. In fact, a wise man once said you must forgive but never forget. In other words, if someone offends you, give them the benefit of a doubt but take good notes and learn the signs so that you’re not mistreated again.
I want to share a story about a man at a tennis match. Just a few rows down from where he was sitting, he saw a strikingly beautiful women. So after the tennis match was over, he felt strongly urged to go up and spark conversation with her. As he walked up to her, she had her back turned and was gathering her things together. So he finally Read More→
ShareWhat Are You Standing For?
Posted by: | CommentsOftentimes, throughout the journey of life, we find ourselves just going with the flow and accepting whatever we can get. We may find that our expectations aren’t high and that we go along with an attitude of indifference.
God’s word declares that you are more than just the norm. In the scripture, Jesus says that I have come that they(includes you) might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I believe that God’s will for our life is that we take a stand for what we believe in. And not only that but raise the standard of expectation in our life.
In other words, if you believe that you don’t deserve anything in life and that’s what you stand for then that’s what you will get out of life. If you believe in an average life and only expect to get breaks half the time and that’s what you stand for then that’s what you will get out of life.
But my friend, that’s not what God has for you. Ephesians 3:20 affirms that we serve a God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. You should take advantage and set your expectations higher!
I want to encourage you to make the choice to stand for something greater. Endeavor to rise to a new level – seek adventure, seek opportunities!
Don’t settle into the mind-set that says you’re mediocre. No, excel into a greater level of thinking. Know that you’re not inferior, you’re superior! I dare you to Read More→
ShareIn Everything Give Thanks!
Posted by: | CommentsAs you embark along your journey, be mindful that God responds to a grateful heart. In fact, David said this is another day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Notice that the scripture didn’t say let’s just get through the day the best we can. It didn’t say let’s rejoice for tomorrow. No, it’s declaring that we rejoice in today.
You should also be grateful for the little things that you have – those people in your life, be thankful for them as well. As we embark on another day to celebrate Father’s day, let’s be thankful for every awakening moment that we have to spend with our fathers.
Celebrate everyone and everything around you. Just as the good Lord gave you everything he can take it all away. I dare you to be thankful for everything great and small.
I’m reminded of the ten lepers who saw Jesus coming and began shouting to Him asking to be healed of their disease. When they did as Jesus commanded them to do, which was to go to the priest, they began to noticed that they were healed of their affliction. They all began to rejoice and went away except for one. One came back to Jesus to thank Him. Because he came back to thank Jesus, he was made whole.
Although the other nine were healed, there were still signs of their disease. But because the one came back to thank Christ, he was not only healed but he was Read More→
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