Monthly Archives: March 2011
March 31, 2011
Not Forgotten
Do you ever feel like God has forgotten about you? Does it feel like you are all alone in the crowd? I know too well how this feels. These are the times we are being tested and proven.
Sometimes I get down on myself and feel like I am not making a difference in the world. Whether or not I am making a difference in the world is not the issue, but the fact that I think I am not. I wonder if I am doing anything that God created me to do. I question myself in every area of my life. It is these times that I know I must be doing something right or I wouldn’t come under mental attack. If you ever feel this way, just know you are not alone, God has never forgotten about you, and you are doing something right. There is no quit and give up in us. We will make a difference in the world. We will walk and live in favor of God. We will live our destiny. No, I don’t like it when I have those thoughts, but I know they will not last. The key is to recognize them quickly and get our mind on the truth. The truth always overrides facts. Fact maybe today we not making a difference in the world, but the truth is we will. Know the truth and your mind will be free.
March 30, 2011
Forgiveness is a Must
If you really want someone to forgive you for something you said or did; what is the best way to go about it? Forgive every person that has ever offended or hurt you in any way.
We ask for forgiveness but do we give forgiveness. Some folk just have a really hard time letting go of offense. “They hurt me and I will never forgive them.” I have heard that. “You just don’t know what they did to me.” No, but I know what it is doing to you on the inside. When forgiveness is not present in us; then bitterness will take over. Bitterness will turn to hatred in time. These roots can get so deep in us that they can be very hard to pull out. We will never be able to live our destiny if we don’t forgive others. We will never enjoy life if we don’t live a life of forgiveness. When we get our insecurities and pride out of the way we will be able to forgive quickly and completely. Don’t let unforgiveness keep you in prison. Live free of the bitterness and hatred that come with unforgiveness. Today is your day! Forgive those in your life that have hurt and offended you; no matter what they did. It does not matter what they did to you; it matters what it is doing inside you. Get free of that poison of unforgiveness right now. Let’s do this together. Trust me, you can do it and you will be so glad you did!
March 29, 2011
Be a Public Defender
Affirmation is one thing that we all need. People have an inward need to affirmed. Even the most secure people have the desire to be affirmed. Those with insecurities seem to need affirming even more.
To affirm is to uphold, defend, or publicly support someone. There are many times that I have wanted to be upheld, to be defended and supported in public. I would settle for it in private. How often do we affirm others? I have really had to ask myself this question. We sure don’t mind accusing, tearing down, and slamming others in public. The day has come where we stop it! If we will begin to affirm others then we will receive the affirmation that we so desire. The affirmation will come through our affirming other people. I choose today to start affirming people in public. We have to mean it too. Doing the right for the wrong reason is still wrong. Let’s make it a practice, a habit of affirming other people. It won’t be hard to find something to say. Look for the positive in others. Look for something to brag on them about. Look for something to encourage them. We will find what we look for every time. You never know when we do this what kind of effect it will have on them. Be a blessing to someone day and every day.
March 28, 2011
The Golden Rule
People will treat us the way they are often treated; not necessarily how they want to be treated. If you have been hurt all your life; then chances are you will hurt others. It is the way of life that you know.
Every religion has some form of the Golden Rule; Treat others the way you want to be treated. We can even take it to another level; treat others even better than you have been treated. The only way we will be able to follow the Golden Rule is to love others. We will have to see people through eyes of love, compassion, mercy, and grace. When we see that others have been hurt too, others have been done wrong also; we won’t be so quick to cut and treat them wrongly. When we see through eyes of hope, encouragement, peace and forgiveness we won’t try to get even or get them before they get us. We will begin to see and understand why we all are the way we are. Life has a way of changing us and molding us into a bitter, resentful, no hope type of person. We have to change our perspective and see folk from a loving perspective. We have to see them from an accepting not a rejecting point of view. We don’t know what someone else is feeling on the inside. Rather than being critical of others actions; show them understanding and accept them. Show interest in those that seem to have no hope in life any more. When we show love, acceptance, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and hope we will receive the same. We do reap what we sow; then we sow what we reap. Let’s make it a good harvest of sowing and reaping.
March 27, 2011
Stop, Look and Listen
A small change of perspective will make a huge difference in the way we treat people. When we take time to look at situations from the other person’s point of view; we will respond in a better way.
For those of you that really know me, you know this has not been my mode of operation for most of my life. I only looked at things from my point of view, my perspective. Now I am learning to see things from others side. I am looking through eyes of love. It is not our job to judge others. We are here to love others, encourage others, inspire others and offer hope. Too often we just condemn other folk because they don’t treat us the way we think they should. Take the time to see the situation from their side. Do you know what they are going through? Most of the time we don’t know their whole story. Even if they are wrong and have brought most of the trouble on themselves; that does not give us the right to treat them bad. We should respond in love, mercy, grace, and encouragement. Again, I know this may sound foreign coming from me, I am seeing many opportunities to do just this thing. Stop, look, and listen at life from others perspective today. Show love to that person that does not show you love. Encourage that person that does not encourage you. Show mercy, grace and love to those that are hurting and hurt you because they are hurting.
March 26, 2011
The Truth Is
How is your confidence level in yourself? Do believe that you can do what you were put here to do? Have you been told you have an awesome gift inside you you just waiting to be used? Well, now you have been told.
So many times we have been beat down by the world, those around us, and even our own families. We have been told that we aren’t good enough, never will amount to anything, a waste of life, and other stuff. When we hear that negative, bunch of lies enough it is very hard not to believe it. That is about to change. We are not going to believe that trash any longer. You are good enough, you are more than good enough. You do have value, you have enormous worth. There is no one just like you and that is an awesome detail. No one can do what it is you were created to do as good as you can. You are loaded with purpose and destiny. This world would not be complete without you in it. You may have had some failures in your life, but that is not the end of all things. You may have made some mistakes in your life, but that does not disqualify you from your destiny. You may not be where you want to be or need to be, but you are on your way to getting in the right place. Things may not be going your way right now, but that’s about to change. Great things are coming your way. Don’t lose hope, don’t give up, don’t stop trying or growing. Keep on doing the right thing. You will get there and it won’t be as long as you think.
March 25, 2011
Make it a Great Day
Your best days are yet to come. Today can be your greatest day ever; if you do what it takes to make it the greatest. Our attitude and outlook will determine the outcome.
For most of my life I let the situations, circumstances and those around me determine my attitude and outlook each day. This is not a good way to face each day. When we let other things and other people control how we think and react then we are not going to have many good days; not to mention great days. We have to know that no matter what is going on around us; we can control what is going on inside us. For the most part though, we don’t control our attitude. It does take mental discipline and toughness to do so. Plus, we have to love others. Again, as you can tell life will always be about love. Our attitude will be determined by love. Our mental discipline and toughness, too, will be determined by our love walk. We give in too easily to outward circumstances. We start our day and the first thing that goes against us, we just give in and say it’s going to be a horrible day. You know what; it will be. Make a determination today that you will not let outward stuff dictate what kind of day you have. You determine how it will go. Make it the greatest day ever and tomorrow is looking even better.
March 24, 2011
Not Sometimes; All the Time
What situation are you facing today? Are you going to have to talk to that person that has hurt you, offended you or that you have hurt or offended? No matter what you have to face today; expected and unexpected, do it with love and don’t give up.
There is nothing that has been prepared for us that we can’t handle. Now we place ourselves in situations that are too much for us. When we show love no situation is impossible. It may look like it will never turn for the good, but keep on loving. When it gets so bad and they treat you so wrong, then you can show them the love. There is no time for getting even or revenge. There is no time for thinking bad of them. The toughest thing to do sometimes is to show love when we are being done wrong. However, we will reap what we sow and what goes around does come around. It is difficult to show love when we are rejected and offended, but don’t give up. The only way to defeat the insecurities, pride, and other issues that we have is to love our way through them. Love is the answer to just about everything I think. When I am undecided and just don’t know what to do; I hear, “love through it.” I don’t want to love through it sometimes, but that just tells me I am supposed to. When love is guiding and directing our lives we will not hold grudges or try to get revenge. We won’t take offense, we won’t keep a record of wrongs. Do what you think is best, but for me and my house; we going to love you.
March 23, 2011
Where You At
“Where are you”? “What are you doing”? “Where are you going”? These are questions that we need to ask ourselves every day. I have people that ask me these questions each week.
We are where we are, doing what we are doing, and going where we are going because of decisions we have made in our life. It is true, that we are affected to some degree by decisions that others make. However, we have to take responsibility for our own life; for our destiny. If you are not happy with the answers to these questions; then what do we do? We have to make the necessary changes to get on track. We all have setbacks in our life, but how we respond to the setback will determine where we end up. How we allow it to affect us mentally will make a major difference in our life. It is not too late to turn your life around. You may not have as far to go as you think. Your age has nothing to do with this decision. From the youngest to the oldest we all have purpose and destiny in us. Take the time today to make the adjustments in your life that will get you in the right place, doing the right thing, and heading in the right direction.
March 22, 2011
Catch and Release
Catch and Release. Catch and Release is a thing that some fishermen do when they catch a fish they put it back in the water and let it go. Unfortunately some folk do this with people. They begin a friendship and then let the other person go.
We begin a relationship with someone and before you know it we let them go. We catch and release people. This ought not be the way we live our lives. We need to catch and hold on to and treasure our friends. We should protect our relationships. There will be tough times, things said and done that hurt one another, but we have to love through those times. Don’t just release folk because of some little something or another; not for anything. Even if the friendship seems to be unrepairable; love can make it better and stronger than it ever was before. Leave Catch and Release for when you are fishing, not when dealing with friends. Make sure you have unconditional love in you so that you can give it those around you. We can’t give something we don’t have. You are loved, treasured, and protected today!