Life on this planet is never easy. We are never satisfied. We get let down, hit rock bottom, find out loving people hurts in many ways. We struggle to balance priorities. Why must we endure such rockiness? Paul wrote in Romans that we rejoice in our sufferings "because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-5). We are growing through all the pain heartache and low times just as a child struggles to walk. There may be something you know is God's will and desire deeply for it to become reality. Be patient. Pray. Keep your faith because God is faithful. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
Be real with God he knows this ain't easy. Walk with God everyday "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him." (Psalm 37:7.) Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed can move a mountain. A mustard see is pretty dang small. If faith can move a mountain you have quite a lot of power by believing. Just remember that God is all powerful, all knowing and good. "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:37).
Build your faith. Continue asking. Remain in action. "For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37).
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
The first temptation and sin
Genesis 2:6 "When the woman saw that the fruit of that tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate it."
The first temptation and sin; we can learn a lot from this fall. Satan will manipulate us with things that look enticing. We create excuses in our mind to prove it to be alright. Here the woman sees that the fruit is good for food, pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom: three aspects that entice her. Then Satan frustrates God's word by accusing God of selfish and dishonorable intentions. Satan promises an outcome that is untrue. They will not become like God. They are seeking to become independently moral from God which will only lead to death. Humans are made in God's image and already possess God's moral discernment. They did not need that, they only wanted more wisdom and power, which is sourced from greed. We can fight temptation by recognizing when our conscious says it's not right, yet it seems so enticing. Go back to God's word to find truth. Does it match up to what God says. Use the armor of God. Also be aware that Satan will use people you are close too to spread temptation. It goes both ways. You may encourage others to sin if you're not using the armor of God in your own life.
The first temptation and sin; we can learn a lot from this fall. Satan will manipulate us with things that look enticing. We create excuses in our mind to prove it to be alright. Here the woman sees that the fruit is good for food, pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom: three aspects that entice her. Then Satan frustrates God's word by accusing God of selfish and dishonorable intentions. Satan promises an outcome that is untrue. They will not become like God. They are seeking to become independently moral from God which will only lead to death. Humans are made in God's image and already possess God's moral discernment. They did not need that, they only wanted more wisdom and power, which is sourced from greed. We can fight temptation by recognizing when our conscious says it's not right, yet it seems so enticing. Go back to God's word to find truth. Does it match up to what God says. Use the armor of God. Also be aware that Satan will use people you are close too to spread temptation. It goes both ways. You may encourage others to sin if you're not using the armor of God in your own life.
Saturday, December 2, 2017
The sabbath
Genesis 2:2 " By the seventh day God had finished all the work he had been doing, so on the seventh day he rested from all his work."
God did not rest because he was tired. He rested to commemorate his perfect work. He had completed his work. We also need to have a sabbath day. This is why God blessed it. It gives us the chance to reflect and be proud of what we accomplished. We should work very hard for 6 days and then be able to relax on the seventh day as we admire our work. This is so important so we don't get burned out, give up, or become lazy. God designed us in his image and he rested after working with passion. Find your passion, find motivation, create, work, design, build, and then take a day at the end of your week to take pride and rejuvenate.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Purpose, passion, Life
What is your purpose in life? Why are you on this earth? The daily stresses of life keep us in this box that says I must pay my bills, get a diploma, find a career, get married, have kids, support my family... Whoa! slow down. Yes those are all awesome things we should set a goal for, but why are we living? Is it to accomplish a list and then die? I would love to hear your ideas. Just thinking about it though, we are breathing to glorify God, to bring His Kingdom to earth. We immerse ourselves in His Word and focus on growing in our faith. We find where He is working around us and we join Him. That's where our true success will take place because all things are possible with Him. We must join God's active work not expect Him to join our agenda.
Something to consider: when thinking about work and what we want to do in life, I've always used the concept "what would I do for free?" What do you find yourself doing, thinking about, and planning in your spare time? Where do you feel God is placing you in the moment? What is your role when it comes to people and serving in God's Kingdom? Think about what you like to do for others and receive nothing in return. Where is your heart and what are you constantly wanting to see change or enhance?
For example, I constantly think about the youth in our age. I see kids and hear stories and want to see them loved and feel secure. I recently started working with a business that uses nature and outdoor guided trips to enhance quality of life. I find that getting back to the simplicity of God's creation is sometimes what is needed to refresh the mind and ease stress/depression. Along with that, building community with activities and learning healthy communication among teens is so important. Social media, video games, and phones have created shallow relationships, leaving no understanding of how to trust, talk, and express.
Another example is my cleaning business. I truly love to clean and I like to serve people. I like being able to help someone and feel that satisfaction. Yes I would even do this for free. Laugh if you want, but I find myself cleaning even in my spare time. I see my cleaning business as a ministry. If you consider your work as a ministry, it is so much more rewarding to finish the daily work and many times I forget I'm even getting paid.
These are just some examples to get your mind working, now think about what YOU could write pages about or talk about for hours or do for days on end. What is your passion? Identify it, live it, and share it!
Something to consider: when thinking about work and what we want to do in life, I've always used the concept "what would I do for free?" What do you find yourself doing, thinking about, and planning in your spare time? Where do you feel God is placing you in the moment? What is your role when it comes to people and serving in God's Kingdom? Think about what you like to do for others and receive nothing in return. Where is your heart and what are you constantly wanting to see change or enhance?
For example, I constantly think about the youth in our age. I see kids and hear stories and want to see them loved and feel secure. I recently started working with a business that uses nature and outdoor guided trips to enhance quality of life. I find that getting back to the simplicity of God's creation is sometimes what is needed to refresh the mind and ease stress/depression. Along with that, building community with activities and learning healthy communication among teens is so important. Social media, video games, and phones have created shallow relationships, leaving no understanding of how to trust, talk, and express.
Another example is my cleaning business. I truly love to clean and I like to serve people. I like being able to help someone and feel that satisfaction. Yes I would even do this for free. Laugh if you want, but I find myself cleaning even in my spare time. I see my cleaning business as a ministry. If you consider your work as a ministry, it is so much more rewarding to finish the daily work and many times I forget I'm even getting paid.
These are just some examples to get your mind working, now think about what YOU could write pages about or talk about for hours or do for days on end. What is your passion? Identify it, live it, and share it!
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Faith in Action
"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." -James 2:17
I've had people ask me about what I think about politics and if the world is headed for collapse. What do you think? I put it back in their court. How many hours a day are we bombarded with news, social media, and much of which can be gossip? I am not saying to shut yourself in a room and block out all global communications. Rather I think it is important to be aware of what is going on in our world and how things are changing throughout history.
The important thing to recognize is how are we going to react to this information and what is our role within it. If we start to stress that the world is ending and that one person is going to make that happen, we have lost all faith. We are just a dead leaf that is blown anywhere by the wind and ultimately piles up with all the others to cause a mess.
So what do we do? Well, what can you do? What are you passionate about? Where do you feel that action needs to be taken? And I'm not talking about walking down a street holding a sign. I'm talking about using your hands, feet, mind, and heart to make a difference. Use that energy to build programs, start support groups, or volunteer. Why are we blaming one person for making the world collapse if we are not contributing to improving society?
“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
― Robert F. Kennedy
You will get discouraged, you will experience failure and rejection, you will want to give up. That is good, that means that something is happening! You are learning, growing, becoming stronger! Every mistake should get you more pumped to try again because now you know more than you did before. You might not see the change that come from your efforts...ever...but there is always a reaction to the action.
“It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
"Can we be optimistic about the future? What about the prediction that things will get worse before they get better? Is our obligation simply to hold on as the world collapses around us? What if we are invited to trust that God is at work in our time and that, even if we can't see whether the world is getting better or worse, we can cooperate with our Creator's agenda that we become better people who live out a legacy of love in a world desperate for healing?" -Mark Scandrette from Soul Graffiti: Making a life in the way of Jesus.
God has the ultimate power, so find where He is working and join in. He has given you the gifts to accomplish what He places before you.
“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”
― Catherine of Siena
I've had people ask me about what I think about politics and if the world is headed for collapse. What do you think? I put it back in their court. How many hours a day are we bombarded with news, social media, and much of which can be gossip? I am not saying to shut yourself in a room and block out all global communications. Rather I think it is important to be aware of what is going on in our world and how things are changing throughout history.
The important thing to recognize is how are we going to react to this information and what is our role within it. If we start to stress that the world is ending and that one person is going to make that happen, we have lost all faith. We are just a dead leaf that is blown anywhere by the wind and ultimately piles up with all the others to cause a mess.
So what do we do? Well, what can you do? What are you passionate about? Where do you feel that action needs to be taken? And I'm not talking about walking down a street holding a sign. I'm talking about using your hands, feet, mind, and heart to make a difference. Use that energy to build programs, start support groups, or volunteer. Why are we blaming one person for making the world collapse if we are not contributing to improving society?
“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
― Robert F. Kennedy
You will get discouraged, you will experience failure and rejection, you will want to give up. That is good, that means that something is happening! You are learning, growing, becoming stronger! Every mistake should get you more pumped to try again because now you know more than you did before. You might not see the change that come from your efforts...ever...but there is always a reaction to the action.
“It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
God has the ultimate power, so find where He is working and join in. He has given you the gifts to accomplish what He places before you.
“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”
― Catherine of Siena
Friday, January 20, 2017
Let's change our future
Do you feel like something is missing in life? Everything is going great but there is a feeling of disconnection and loneliness? We text our friends to see if they are still there. We post on Facebook to see if we are still liked. We post a pic on Instagram or Snapchat to let people know we are having the time of our life. But deep inside is there contentment? Is there peace and fulfillment when you wake up and face another day. Are we excited for the future? What's missing? Could it be that real physical, emotional, verbal connection that has been lost over the last 10 years with social media? Even health problems and digestive issues have exploded during this time. Do you think our deep emotional satisfaction has something to do with our digestive health. Are we stressed, depressed, removed from relationships?...Which obviously can hurt one's health. Please watch this video!! I cried because it brought back memories of the love my grandparents had. And the relationships that they could build and treasure with others. It's a love I don't see anymore. We hide fear of rejection and judge others. What if we just took a chance to be who God made us and love unconditionally no matter the flaws. This is my ultimate goal this year...Will you join me?
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Courage to fail
Beginning of the year we make all these goals, resolutions, think of a new start on life. Then what happens? Life gets hectic, plans fail, we feel rejection, and lose motivation. What happened to your courage and hope? Oh I was just feeding off the spirit of the season, I can't do it. That is pathetic!... come on, we all know anything can be accomplished with the right desire behind it.
Look at Beethoven who was deaf and is known to be one of the greatest classical musicians, or what about Rookie White who did a 250+ ft jump on a moto track, or Roger Bannister who ran a 4 minute mile.
It takes courage to get out of your comfort zone and try something that doesn't feel possible. So do it! Forget your reputation, what people will think, how this will effect your social status, get off your shrunken pedestal and fail for once. You're not going to succeed the first time so keep trying. Get creative and go after your dreams in new ways. Make it happen!!!
"Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." -Winston Churchill.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
End of the world?
Oh my goodness every election is the end of the world! Really? We get so dramatic and loose all trust that there is a God in control of it all. It's amazing how we can get distracted by the media and get caught up in how the world sees the future. We tend to think everything is out of our hands and out of control. That is why God gave us the gift of prayer, intercession, communicating with the God of the universe. Do what is within our power to do and then pray. Pray for our president, intercede for the people, ask that God's will be accomplished. That is what we can do and then trust, believe, and have faith in our Creator.
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