Monthly Archives: April 2014
April 10, 2014
Potential
Wisdom is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.
It’s easy to get stuck in life thinking you’ve reached your limits. But, God wouldn’t have given you a dream without giving you the ability to accomplish it. You have everything you need. The problem many times is that it’s buried inside. It’s hidden treasure. You have gifts and talents that you’ve not yet tapped. There is potential that is waiting to be released. When God laid out the plan for your life, He deposited in you the skill, the wisdom, the creativity; everything you need to fulfill your destiny. Now here’s the key. It’s not what you have in you that matters; it’s what you get out. If you’re going to reach your highest potential, you have to tap in to that hidden treasure. Now the challenge is, “don’t die with the treasure still on the inside.” You have something to offer this world that nobody else can offer. You are unique, one of a kind. You are anointed to be you. Be confident in who God made you to be, knowing that you’ve got what it takes to step in to the fullness of your destiny. Are you reaching your highest potential today?
April 9, 2014
Blessing
I’ve heard it said that you can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.
Love is about reaching out and meeting the needs of others. Sometimes meeting someone’s needs is as simple as a smile or sharing a word of encouragement. There are many ways to show the love of God. Can you pay for someone’s gas or groceries? Do you see a need in someone’s life that you can meet? Today and every day, look for ways to put your love into action. Step out and sow good seeds of love by meeting the needs of others. When you are a blessing to others, then you will be blessed in return. Are you being a blessing today?
April 8, 2014
Enjoy Life
You have everything you need in order to enjoy your life.
Think about that for a minute. What is keeping you from living life to the full? You may not be in the home you want. You may not have the exact job you would like. Maybe you’re single and really want to be married. If you focus on these temporary things, it opens the door to comparison and frustration. It’s good to have big dreams. It’s good to want to be the best. But if you start comparing yourself to others, it opens the door for the enemy to steal your joy. If you don’t learn to be happy where you are, you’ll never get to where you want to be. But if you’ll choose to be happy, refuse self-pity and refuse to complain, then you are sowing good seeds for you where you want to be in your future. You have a future and a hope. Are you enjoying your life today?
April 7, 2014
Rookies
Experience is not always a good thing.
Sometimes experience can be a curse. Such as when your experience causes you to focus on the good ole days; and long for the ways things were; and complain about the way things are; and become unwilling to change. The good news is that there is a simple antidote to the curse of experience and it is to think and act like a rookie. Rookies don’t have experience. They don’t know about the way things were. They have no knowledge of the good ole days. Instead rookies create their good ole days right now. Rookies put their head down, work hard, stay positive, live fearlessly and are naïve enough to be successful. Rookies aren’t tainted by rejection, negative assumptions or past experiences. Rookies don’t focus on what everyone says is impossible. Instead, with wide eyes they believe anything is possible. They bring an idealism, optimism and passion to their work and because they believe in the future they take the necessary actions to create it. So, regardless of how much experience you have in your industry and profession I want to encourage you to let your experience be a blessing not a curse. Let your experience provide you with expertise and let your rookie mindset fuel you with optimism and passion. Mentor the rookies because, for all their effort and energy they do make mistakes. And yet, let them teach you how to see the world through their eyes. So think and act like a rookie, forget the past, and create your good ole days right now. Are you acting like a rookie today?
April 6, 2014
What Do You Want
Most people don’t know what they want, really want.
They think they want prosperity, but what they really want is freedom or power. They believe they want celebrity and fame, but what they really want is to feel recognized and relevant; they wrongly believe they want to be loved by all. But the answer is to go love someone else, and if their heart is big enough, to go love everyone else. Now is the time of year when everybody is thinking, “What do I want for this year?” “What do you want in the spirit, not in the flesh?” But the first thing to ask is, “What do I really want?” What stirs you at night, interrupts your thoughts during the day, disturbs your peace of mind? Most make the mistake of going to a therapist or calling a nurturing friend to try to make that uncomfortable feeling go away. However, existentially, that gnawing feeling has a very specific purpose. To explain the concept dramatically, a commercial airline pilot saw the engine light pop on, so he told the copilot, “Keep flying while I check the engine.” There he saw a mouse chewing at a wire to the engine (that gnawing feeling) so he went back and said, “Take this plane higher.” Then, the plane entered an atmosphere with no oxygen, so the mouse suffocated. In other words, think about that gnawing feeling and where it is taking you! Gnawing equals go higher. What do you want?
April 5, 2014
What Did You Say
Did you know that your words produce fruit in your life that you will experience in the future?
If you aren’t where you want to be in life today, could it be because of the words you’ve spoken in the past? Have you said things like, “I’ll never be a champion; I’ve gone as far as I can go?” Or maybe you’ve said, “I’ll never break this addiction. I’ve had it too long. It’s too hard.” And now you are eating the fruit of your words. You’re still in the same place. If you are ready to change your situation, then it’s time to change what you are saying about your situation. If you want a different harvest in your life, you have to change the seeds you are sowing. Start sowing words of truth and victory. Let your attitude be, “This may be the way it’s been in the past, but this is not the way it’s staying. I’m coming up higher. I may feel weak, but my declaration is that “I am strong.” When you sow seeds of life, you will reap life and move forward into victory. What are you saying today?
April 4, 2014
Let’s Get Going
If you know what to do but do not do what you know, you are no better off than the person who does not know what to do.
I hear people tell me all the time that they have a plan mapped out for their life. They know exactly what they want to do and where they want to go. But when I asked them what they are doing to work their plan, their process; I get a blank look in return. Then I get dumped on with all the excuses as to why they haven’t gotten started, got started but quit, or don’t know when to start. The thing that is stopping most people from finishing is starting. Stop waiting on the sidelines, get in the game today. Just do something. That’s more than most are doing. If you make a mess, fumble, jump off sides, that’s okay. At least you making some movement. In time you will get going in the right direction. You will then see you are with people that are right there with you. The best thing I have heard when talking to people about what I am going through is; “Me too.” Wow! I am not alone and you aren’t either. Look, we all may have gotten here on different ships, but we in the same boat now. Let’s get to work on working our process. No one is in this alone. Each of us needs all of us. Are you ready to get in the game today?
April 3, 2014
Growing in the Tough Times
Do not become a victim to events. Become a champion by developing the ability to respond appropriately to adversity.
How you respond to adversity will be the determining factor in you becoming a champion. A champion welcomes adversity. These type of people see it as an opportunity to grow, to mature, to learn. Adversity doesn’t make you a champion but the results of handling it appropriately do make champions. Some people face more adversity due to the fact that they try to avoid adversity. Don’t back down from it. Take it on! You should smile when you face adversity because it is going to be your time to shine. Your defining moments will come when you overcome the adverse situations in your life. You have what it takes to be that champion you have always dreamed of being. Be the person you were created to be. Be that person that makes a difference in the world around you. How are you handling adversity today?
April 2, 2014
Are You Devoted
Being devoted to something means you are loyal to it by giving of your time, affection and resources.
What are you devoted to? Many people today are devoted to certain restaurants, television programs and even their cell phones. And there’s nothing wrong with any of that, but we have to examine our own hearts and see if we are being devoted to what God has called us to. Are you being devoted to the people God has placed in your life? Are you honoring others above yourself? The world’s system says to “look out for number one — yourself,” but God’s system says “look out for others, and I will look out for you.” Today, as you examine your own heart and life, ask God to show you ways that you can honor others. One way is by being faithful to your word. Be a person of integrity and honor. As you live your life devoted to one another, you are honoring God. And He will repay you for your kindness and reward you in this life and in eternity. Are you devoted to what God has asked?
April 1, 2014
Get in the Game
Is there a desire that you placed on the shelf, so to speak?
Have you been sitting on the sidelines of your dream, celebrating everybody else’s victories, content to see the promises become reality in their lives? It’s good to celebrate with others, but God wants to do something amazing in your life, too. He wants you to be celebrated. You don’t have to sit on the sidelines watching everyone else. You have treasure inside of you. Think about the promises that have been spoken over you; dreams that you have had since a child. It’s not too late. You’re not too old. It may look impossible, but our God can do the impossible. When you believe, favor is released. When you believe, hidden treasure comes out of you. Don’t waste another day sitting on the sidelines of life. It’s time to get back in the game. It’s time to run your race. It’s time to press forward into the promises that God has in store for you. Are you ready to get in the game?