May 8, 2011

Why Stuff Happens

After a tornado, hurricane, earthquake and all types of natural disasters there are so many questions.  “Why did this or that happen”?  So many people immediately start getting churched up about it and blame God for what happened.

I am not about to begin to get in a spiritual debate about how and why certain things happen and why some people are affected and some aren’t.  However, I know that my God is a loving God and isn’t out killing and destroying things.  The Bible tells me that is the job description of the devil.  So why would we blame God? Like I said, I am not trying to debate or ruffle up anyone.  I sure don’t claim to know all the answers; I don’t know many answers at all, but I do trust in God.  He has seen me through too much, even when I did lose someone or something.  God was always there to comfort and give me the peace that I needed to make it through.  Through it all God has been more than enough for me.  Let’s just be careful what we say and think during our times of hurt and disappointment.  Continuing to pray for those affected by the tornado in Tuscaloosa/B’Ham area.

April 13, 2011

Half Empty of Half Full

I used to hope for the best yet expect the worse.  I found that I always got the worse.  I have learned to hope for and expect the best.  What are you believing for today?

We will get what we expect and believe from life.  If you expect the worse you will get the worse.  On the other hand, if we expect the best then we will get the best.  Our perspective is a major key.  Do you have a half empty or a half full perspective? Do you dwell on the positive or the negative outcome? No matter what the situation there is going to be some positive and some negative. Choose to day start looking at and building on the positive.  I am not saying we deny the negative, but I am saying we can take the power away from the negative.  An attitude of excellence focuses on the positive while an attitude of perfection focuses on the negative.  When we live our life working in a positive mindset we will begin to enjoy life much more.  It is all in how we look at the situations we face each day.  See life through a positive stand point and you will even notice improvement in others around you.  Be a person of excellence today!

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 5, 2011

Get Out of the Boat

The one thing that stops us from walking in our destiny is fear.  It can any number of fears; from fears of failure to fears of success and many more in between.  There can be no fear in us if we are going to live our destiny.

We talked about the truth of Peter getting out of the boat and walking on water in yesterday’s blog.  This is the same as us getting out of our boat and walking in our destiny.  However, the thing that almost caused Peter to go under is the same thing that can cause us to go under; fear.  Folk close to us will tell us every reason why we can’t do this or that.  The others in boat with Peter were hollering at him too.  “Hey why are you getting out of the safety of the boat,” “You built this boat, you can’t get out,” and so on.  In most cases people do mean well, but they too are controlled by their fears.  Take courage today for I am telling you; “Yes you can walk on the water,” “You can live your destiny,” “It is time to get out of the boat.”  You have what it takes to live your destiny.  Never let fear rob you of your destiny.  

February 28, 2011

Joined Together

02 28 11 Monday

We are now two months into 2011. I hope that it has been a great year so far for you.  There are some exciting things going on this year and I do want you to be a part of them.  You have so much to offer.

We have to get ourselves in position to both receive the great things this year has to offer and to give to others what we have to offer.  We all have issues that we have to face in order for us to be position.  There is no time like today to confront those issues and make the changes necessary in your life.  I believe with all my heart this is going to be the greatest year of your life.  However, we have to address our issues and make the changes for that to happen.  There may be addictions in your life that need to be broken. It could be mindsets that need to be changed.  What ever the case, make the decision today to face the giants in your life.  You are not alone in your struggle.  There are folk around you right now that are battling too.  They may have another fight, but we fight together.  Don’t be ashamed of your struggle.  Don’t let it overwhelm you either.  Together we stand; because if we are divided we will fall.

February 27, 2011

Do You Hear It

02 27 11 Sunday

Listen; do you hear that? Listen again, I know you can hear it.  It is the voice of folk crying out. There are people crying out for help, for understanding, for hope, for love, for someone to just listen to them.  Do you hear it now?

I often talk about folk hurting and that we should be there for others.  This has really been ringing in my ears for several days now.  I struggled for several days in a mental battle, that finally did break.  Then there was this; people calling out for help.  Not necessarily in an audible voice but from their heart; their spirit.  When we take time to really listen it can be over whelming.  We all know what it feels like to hurt. Some to the point that they feel like it is a way of life.  Some don’t think they will ever have a day when they aren’t hurting mentally, spiritually, and even physically.  The mental pain that we feel can be the worse.  There seems to be no relief in sight for some.  All their crying out does not seem to get them get them any better.  I don’t have any special words or power to make anyone feel better.  I know what is like to be the one crying out for help; I think we all do. There is hope for you.  Your crying out has been heard; you are not alone, not by yourself.  I have said before that I pray for my partners everyday. You are being prayed for, I stand with you. Get that hope alive and never give up.

February 26, 2011

Love for All

02 26 11 Saturday

If I wrote the best selling book of all time, had the most popular blog ever, and spoke to millions of folk at a time, but didn’t have love, it would all be for nothing. Love is the foundation, the support, and the covering for everything we do.

I am firm believer in that we should be the best “us” we can be.  I adhere to self-discipline, inspiration, motivation and all that goes with it.  I believe we all have greatness, significance, purpose, and destiny inside us.  All of that said, without love it is all for nothing.  Love is the key to everything we do.  It matters not how great we become; if we don’t have love, we have become nothing.  It doesn’t matter what we accomplish, if we do it without having love, then what do we have.  For all that we do; love has to be the motive, the reason why we do it.  All we ever get done will be thrown away if it isn’t done for the reason of love.  I know that I really have to look at all I do.  Am I doing stuff for the right reason; love.  Not just loving what I do, but do I love those I do it for.  Check your agenda and reason for what you say and do. The reason/agenda will be revealed in the end. Make sure you are on the side of love.

February 25, 2011

Truth be Known

02 25 11 Friday

I am more interested in knowing the truth; more than I am the facts or what I see.    When dealing with rejection, unforgiveness, betrayal, or what ever issue; I have to know the truth about myself or I will fall victim to the facts.

The way we can stay out of traps is to know the truth.  It has been said, the truth will set you free.  It is also true that the truth will keep you free.  What is the truth about you? About me? What truth’s do we need to keep in the forefront of our mind? The number one truth for me and maybe for you too is: I am loved and I am lovable.  Also, I have to know that I am forgiven.  No matter how ragged my past may be; I know that I have been forgiven.  I have to know that I do have purpose.  These are just three of the truth’s that I have to know about me.  You may have others, but these probably resinate with you too.  You are loved, forgiven and have purpose.  It’s one thing to know this as fact, but get in down deep as unshakeable, unmovable, and unchangeable truth.  This will keep us from being down, depressed and messed up.  Get these truth’s down inside and never let them go.  Truth is truth no matter what the facts say or what the circumstances look like.  We can stand on truth at all times. Truth will never let us down.

February 24, 2011

Line in the Sand

02 24 11 Thursday

Today I take a stand against all the mental attacks. I have had enough, not just for my sake, but for those of you that have been under mental attack too.  I have made my stand, a line in the sand.

There comes a time when we have to say; ‘enough is enough,’ and not take it any longer. The enemy of our mind is a bully, but we are stronger.  Together we will stand strong.  What he does is get us all in our own little situation; isolated from everyone else.  Gets us to thinking that nobody else ever goes through this, nobody feels the way you do, and so on.  That’s a lie! We are together in this destiny walk and we won’t leave anyone behind.  You are not alone and you don’t have to fight your battles alone. We won’t be isolated and abandoned.  You are not by yourself. I totally understand what it’s like to have stuff fill your mind that is trying to defeat you. I know how hard it can be to get it out.  So I stand with you today and everyday. Today we win!! Together we win!!