March 1, 2014
Positive Mentality
A positive mentality alone won’t get your anywhere, but it makes all the difference during your journey.
We think the challenges we face are uniquely to us. That belief is never true, but because we think so, we enter into self-pity, and we become offended. Those self-pitying conditions will leave you lifeless and suck all the energy out of you. With self-pity, now we are not thinking about our vision and all the good it can do to get there, but we are thinking about us and how sad it is that this thing has happened. There is a choice to make. Are you going to be pitiful or powerful or are you going to get bitter or better? Start to have private conversations with yourself to develop a positive mentality as you are moving toward your goal. Moreover, always have goals. Having something in your life that you have to work toward is one of the things that make life worth living. Make the shift today toward having a different outlook regarding your challenges. See them as opportunities to grow. Without the challenges there won’t be any success in your life. Are you ready to change your mentality today?
January 31, 2014
Challenges and Difficulties
We all face challenges, difficulties and times when things don’t go our way.
God doesn’t send these storms, but He will allow us to go through certain things in order to shape our character and prove our faith. Really, it’s in our times of difficulty that we grow and develop. God wants to use the tough times in our lives to do a work in us. He wants to strengthen and develop us. Our attitude in times of adversity is the evidence of our maturity. Are we going to treat people right even when we’re being mistreated? Are we going to stay full of joy even when the bottom falls out? Are we going to be faithful even in the dry seasons of our lives when we don’t see anything good happening? It may take more effort. You may have to work harder to keep a good attitude, but remember, attitude and faith in God is the key to your promotion. As you keep that positive attitude of faith and expectancy, even in times of adversity, God will deliver you and move you forward into the destiny He has prepared for you. How has your adversity attitude been?
December 24, 2013
Stay Connected
It’s easy to look around at what’s happening in the earth today and be tempted to feel afraid.
Circumstances may seem overwhelming. Maybe your business is struggling, maybe you lost your job, maybe you’re struggling in a relationship or concerned about the economy. During times like these, it’s important to remember that God has promised that He will never leave us. In fact, not only is He with us, He has promised to strengthen us and harden us to difficulties. That means, when tough times come, they just bounce right off of you. You don’t allow your circumstances to steal your peace and joy. You have the attitude that says, “This may be a big problem, but my God is bigger!” Keep in mind that the enemy isn’t after your checkbook; he’s ultimately after your peace and joy. He knows that if he can get your joy, then he can get your strength. But when you stay connected to God. Are you staying connected today?
December 7, 2013
Overcoming Challenges
A person who is mentally tough looks at a challenge as on opportunity to rise up to rather than a threat to back down from.
Life is full of things that try to push us down. We all face disappointments and setbacks. Maybe you received some bad news about your health or perhaps a relationship didn’t work out. That was a setback. It’s easy to get discouraged or lose your enthusiasm or even be tempted to just settle where you are. But if we’re going to see your best days, we have to have a “bounce-back” mentality. That means when you get knocked down, you don’t stay down. You get back up again. You have to know that every time adversity comes against you, it’s a setup for a comeback!There is no challenge too difficult, no obstacle too high, no sickness, no disappointment, no person, nothing that can keep you from your God-given destiny. If you stay in faith, then God will turn what was meant to be a stumbling block into a stepping stone, and you’ll move forward in strength, full of faith and victory. Are you ready to face your challenges today and overcome them?
November 19, 2013
Victorious Finish
Everyone goes through seasons of disappointment or difficulty.
We all have unexpected setbacks. Maybe you’re going through something right now that you don’t understand. Here’s the good news: that disappointment is not the final chapter. God never ends in a negative. If you will keep moving forward with your life, God promises that He will bring you to a flourishing finish. Not a defeated finish, a bankrupt finish, a betrayed finish, or a barely-get-by finish. No, in your future, God has a victorious finish. That setback, disappointment or betrayal that seems like it’s working against you, God knows how to turn it around and cause it to work for you. The key is that when you’re in difficult times, don’t settle where you are. Don’t put your roots down and think that things are never going to change. No, for every setback, God has already lined up a comeback. For every injustice, He has vindication. For every disappointment, He has restoration. Right now, just begin to thank Him for what He’s going to do. Praise Him for His faithfulness. Are you ready for a strong, victorious finish today?
July 11, 2013
Keep Speaking Truth
People get discouraged because they wonder if they are doing the right thing when they face a challenge.
Everyone goes through seasons when the challenges of life feel overwhelming. During these times, it’s easy to be tempted to talk about how bad things are. Maybe you are facing a situation right now that looks impossible. Don’t get discouraged and give up because God wants to do something awesome in your life. Instead of talking to God about how big your problems are, talk to your problems about how big your God is. Be bold and start speaking the truth to that situation. Every day say, “God, thank You that Your Truth is turning this around. Thank You that Your Truth is making a way even though I don’t see a way. Lord, thank You that Your Truth is doing remarkable, astounding, overwhelming things.” When you release your faith like that, you’ll see God show up and do amazing things that you’ve never seen happen before! Remember, even if you don’t see how things could ever work out, God does. Just do your part and keep speaking to those mountains in your life. Declare favor over those situations and get ready to move forward in the victory and blessing God has prepared for you. Are you speaking truth into your situation today?
July 8, 2013
Challenges
I expect there to be challenges, so I will bring the best in me every day.
It may seem like others around you have no problems. As you look at their lives, you may wonder why things are always so good for them. They seem to move from one great experience to the next, while you’re struggling to get by and keep your head above water. From a distance you start thinking things like, It’s not fair. Why can’t I get a break? When is it going to be my turn? If you’ve ever had these thoughts, I want to let you in on a little secret. We all face challenges and problems! We all face obstacles that tempt us to be discouraged, to settle for less or to give up hope. But the important thing is what we do when those challenges come our way. With every problem, we have a choice: Will I still believe God is a good God and that He has great things in store for me, or will I settle for less than God’s best? When you face challenges, especially really significant ones, it’s easy to slide into survival mode, but we’re not supposed to stay there! Even in your most difficult season, there is still opportunity. God has given you everything you need to succeed. He wants you to do more than survive; He wants you to thrive! I want to encourage you to choose to fill your mind with God’s promises and His expectations for your life. This is really the key to thriving! Don’t let your problems shape your expectations. You can live with confidence knowing that great things are coming your way! This is your moment to break through. I believe that you can start new and fresh today. Remember, if you’ve slid into a survival mentality, don’t stay there. It all comes back to a simple choice: believe in who you are and what is in store for your life? Are you ready to face your challenges with your best effort today?
May 23, 2013
Death Valley
You’ve probably experienced some tough times in the past, experiences that you felt were devastating at the time; don’t ever give up.
Have you ever gone through something and felt like it was the valley of the shadow of death? During the tough times, it’s easy to get discouraged. But remember the verse in the 23rd Psalm, “though I walk through…” No matter what you are facing today, know this: you are not alone, and you are just walking through. You don’t have to stop and live in the tough times! They are only temporary. I encourage you today; don’t allow fear to paralyze you in the middle of “the valley of the shadow of death.” Remember, God is with you. He is walking beside you. He is strengthening you. He is making a way of escape for you. He is lining up people and situations to bring you out of that tough place into a place of strength and victory. Today, don’t give up! Press on and walk through! Start to get a vision of your life on the other side. See yourself more loving, more faithful, stronger and more blessed than ever before. As you keep moving forward and walking through, you will get to the other side and walk in the victory God has prepared for you. Are you walking in the valley of the shadow of death today?
May 19, 2013
The Plan
Self-efficient people bounce back from failure and attack challenges. They ask what to do instead of worrying and blaming others.
Are you facing challenges or failures today? Maybe something has happened that could easily discourage you and cause you to give up on your dreams. Issues in life can cause us to worry and blame others for where we are in life. I want to remind you today that where you are is not where you are going to stay. God has an awesome plan in store for your future. When you stay in step with Him, you’ll walk right into your purpose and destiny. The Bible tells us that God wants to take us from glory to glory, from victory to victory. Even if you are between victories right now, keep your passion. Keep your enthusiasm. Focus on the fact that God has another level for you — another level of glory, another level of destiny, another level of His love. Today I encourage you, go out with a smile on your face. Give Him your best. Keep praying, keep believing, keep hoping and stand strong because another victory is coming your way. Are you standing strong in God’s plan for you today?
May 18, 2013
Meeting Challenges
When you believe you are the master of your own destiny and able to meet challenges head on; then you are self-efficacious.
I know people who feel like they’ve wasted years of their lives because of poor choices. They spent years in a relationship that was toxic, years with an addiction, years at a job where they weren’t fulfilled. But you have to realize, nothing you have been through is ever wasted. Your past experiences, good and bad have deposited something on the inside of you. Those challenges have sharpened you to help make you who you are today. When the enemy brings hardship into your life, God has a way of taking that experience and turning it around for your advantage. You may think you’ve hit a dead end, but if you’ll stay in faith, you will see God begin to open up a new route. He’ll put the right people in your path, the right opportunities, the right circumstances to move you forward toward your God-given destiny. Today, don’t focus on what’s happened in your past, focus on what God will do in your future. He wants to restore your soul and revive your dreams. Keep believing, keep expecting, keep hoping because God has a new route for your future! Are you meeting challenges head on today and winning?