Don't Die Wondering What If...

The last I heard our mortality rate is 100%.  I know this sounds morbid, but the fact of the matter is, at some point we all die.  Someone once said, "You don't get out of this life alive."   There are no do-over’s at the end of your life.  This is no dress rehearsal it’s the real deal.

Numerous interviews have been conducted with elderly people who were staring the end of their time on earth as to, “What regrets about how your lived your life?” And, “If you had your life to live over what would you do different?”

The answers are amazing, because almost to a person, their responses are all very similar and memorable.

It is easy to get so caught up in our careers, the daily activity of just surviving, and material possessions, that we lose sight of what is really important in life.  Things such as, developing our relationship with our Creator, fulfilling our purpose in life, spending quality time with our families and our friends, loving others and telling them so with our actions as well as our words, and the list goes on.

A few years ago, Tim McGraw, recorded a song that became a HUGE hit entitled, "Live Like You Were Dying."  I think the reason it became such a big hit is because it resonated with everyone that heard it and because it stopped people in their tracks and forced them to reevaluate how they were living their lives.  I know it did for me.

Our challenge in life is to live each day to its fullest.  I am learning to be present in the moment, engaged in the process, find joy even in the hard times, and to focus on what really matters.  As Brendon Bruchard says, “At the end of everyday you should ask yourself the following questions: Did I Live?  Did I Love?  Did I Matter?”  I have added a fourth question that I ask myself as well, “Did I Laugh?”

Don’t wait until it’s too late to live the life God has created you to live. Regret is a horrible thing.  Don't do anything today that you will regret tomorrow.  Refuse to be among those who face the end of their lives wondering "What if...."  (Don't forget to click read more to read the rest of the article.)

Carrots, Eggs, and Coffee Beans - How Do You Respond to Adversity?

At one time or another we all go through difficult, disappointing, and challenging times.  Times that try our faith and patience.   None of us are immune to the tough times life brings our way.

We shouldn't be surprised when adversity knocks on our door, but I can honestly say (with conviction) when trouble shows up in my life I usually am caught off guard and surprised by it. I shouldn't be but most of the time I am.  After all, Jesus taught us, "In this world you shall have tribulation (another word for trouble and adversity) but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world."

Yes, we but all face difficult, unexpected, tough, and disappointing times in life,  however, I have learned (and am still learning) that it's not what happens that matters, it's how we respond.

How do you respond when facing adversity?  Do you become bitter or better?  Do you become soft or hard?  Do you tuck tail and run?  Do you give up or keep trying?  Or, do you use your faith and positive action to change the circumstances?

You Are Not a Failure...Unless You Believe You Are

Motivational speaker and author Van Crouch says, “You’re not finished when you’re defeated, you’re finished when you quit.” Winners in life understand that failing is part of success. You can’t know victory if you don’t have a battle. There is nothing like the joy of something good happening for you like you do after you've experienced something negative.

The truth is “Bad things happen to good people.” Jesus once said, “In this world you shall have tribulation.” (John 16:33) In other words, you are going to have some bumps on the road to success. Things aren't always going to be rosy. People that see themselves as winners simply pick themselves up after a setback and move on. If you have a dream, and you are actively pursuing it, you are going to fall short from time to time. It’s not what happens to you that is most important; it’s what happens in you!

Failure is not an event, it is an opinion. You are not a failure until you say you are. Every time you fail you simply learn how not to do something! We learn a lot from trial and error. Jay Leno, host of the Tonight Show, spends his Sunday evenings going to comedy clubs and practicing his jokes for upcoming monologues. Some go over well and some bomb. But he is not deterred. Just because a joke fails doesn't mean he is a failure. He learns from his mistakes and continues to hone his craft. The result is success when he performs his monologue on a nightly basis.

Winners are not people that never get knocked down; they are people who refuse to stay down. There is something in the heart of a champion that won’t let them give up regardless of what they are going through. We've all witnessed it watching sporting events. Just when you think there is no way a team or an individual has a chance to win, they find a way to win anyways. They understand that they aren't finished as long as they don’t quit. Failure is not in the falling down but in the giving up!

Two of my favorite people from history are Thomas Edison and Abraham Lincoln. It is reported that Thomas Edison did 10,000 experiments before he found a filament for the light bulb. Someone once said to him, “so you've failed 10,000 times.” His response, “No I found 10,000 things that didn't work!” Abraham Lincoln failed at business and numerous forays into the political arena before he was elected the sixteenth President of the United States of America. He goes down as perhaps the greatest or at least one of the greatest Presidents of all time. The common denominator between both of these great men of history is they never viewed themselves as failures.

Here are some questions to ponder in your pursuit of accomplishment.

• How do you see yourself?
• Do you see yourself as a success or a failure?
• What do you do when what you are attempting doesn't seem to be working?
• Do you give up and quit?
• Or, do you get up and find a way to do it anyways?

My challenge to you today is that you begin to see yourself as the winner God says you are. Refuse to let setbacks hold you back from fulfilling your life purpose and accomplishing what you are capable of. Choose to use failures and setbacks as stepping stones to reaching your goals and enjoying a successful life! Say like the Apostle Paul of old, “I can do all things through Christ which gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

You are not a failure!

10 Things I've Learned About Turning Pain Into Power for Purpose

Life isn't always easy.  One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves, when faced with the uncertainties and difficulties of life, is there must be something wrong with me. 

We all share the fantasy of the ideal life.  A life without struggle, setbacks, pain, and disappointment.  The ideal, or perfect life, is an illusion.   It truly doesn't exist.

Think about this:

Jesus said, "It rains on the just and the unjust alike." (Matthew 5:45)
King David wrote, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous."(Psalm 34:19)
Job declared, "Man's days are short and full of trouble." (Job 14:11)

Short of heaven, there is no such thing as a life without challenges and problems.

However, that doesn't mean we are supposed to give up on life and not pursue turnarounds and breakthroughs and accomplishments in our lives.

Like everyone else I have ever met, my story is one of much sorrow, pain, brokenness, setbacks, and struggle.  While our challenges may be different, the fact is we all struggle.

I heard something years ago that has really helped me during times when it seems as though everything in my world has fallen apart.  "Struggle is the sign you haven't yet been conquored." (Mike Murdock)  This has been one of the biggest reasons I have never quit.

Just because you are struggling it doesn't mean you are finished.  Failure and struggle are events not a person.  You are not defeated and you are not a failure until you say you are.

If any one understood this truth, it was the Apostle Paul.  When you read his story you find that it was one filled with much adversity, trouble and struggles.  Yet he demonstrated the attitude that carried him through all these things, when he penned the words, "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:37)

King David wrote, "Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning!"

A few days ago I was reflecting on my life and the thought went through my mind, "I am really a broken person."  Followed by a laundry list of supporting facts.  Such as:

Divorce
Financial setbacks
Broken and unfulfilled dreams
Health issues
A ministry on the shelf
Loss of friendships
The death of my son

To be honest, as I sat thinking about these things, I started having a pity party.  I said things like, "No body cares about what I've been through, No one understands my pain, I am a failure, and so on."  And then something happened in my mind.  I began to remind myself of all the victories, breakthroughs, and accomplisments I have experienced.  When I did my whole attitude changed.  I went from pity to praise.

Sometimes, when everything is going wrong, and you feel as though you are finished, you have to do what David did before he faced Goliath.  He recounted and remembered all of the times when he had faced seeminly impossible situations and God had given him the victory.  This gave him the inspiration and courage to face the biggest challenge of his young life.  When he did God showed himself strong on his behalf and the giant was defeated.

If we aren't careful we tend to focus so much on our trials that we forget all of our triumphs.

Yes you will have difficulties in life, but always remember, regardless of what you are facing, God always causes us to triumph! (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Just because you are going through difficult times it doesn't mean there is something wrong with you.  It simply means that you are alive.

So what do you do when you are facing difficulties?  You keep on keeping on.  You keep on believing.  You keep on fighting.  You refuse to quit and give up.

I really believe that God can and wants to your turn your pain into power for purpose.

You can take what you've been through, the lessons you've learned, and how you have survived and overcame them, and use it as a message of hope and encouragement to others faced with seemingly impossible situations.  Like the old preacher said, "God will turn your tests into testimonies, and your messes into messages!

My wife taught me something several years ago that I have never forgotten.  She said that everything I had been through was nothing more than a classroom.  She taught me how to reframe my setbacks and see them from a new perspective.  I learned how to draw out the lessons I had learned, because of the difficulties I had faced in life, and apply them to my life and share them with others facing similar things.

We are able to comfort, encourage, and help others going through difficulties because we ourselves have been comforted, encouraged, and helped when facing the difficulties of life.

Most people are hiding behind a mask.  Apprearing to others as though they have it all together.  Yet on the inside they are frustrated, tormented, and discouraged.  Their fear of rejection and not being accepted by others has led them to a life of faking it instead of being authentic.

I have learned, faking it doesn't work, at least not long-term.  But, when you learn to let your guard down, get real with yourself, and stop trying to be perfect, you find the faith, power, and wisdom, needed to not just survive the struggles of life but to thrive in the midst of them.

Here are 10 things I've learned about turning your pain into power for purpose:

1.  I am not the only one that has gone through or is going through the difficulties I am going through. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
2.  Others have faced similar circumstances, and by faith, have overcome them, so I can as well.  (Read Hebrews 11)
3.  My attitude and mindset when facing painful circumstances determines my outcome. (Proverbs 23:7,Mark 9:23)
4.  What I make happen for others, by helping them in their times of struggle, God will make happen for me. (Ephesians 6:8)
5.  This too shall pass, I will get through this. (Psalm 30:5)
6.  God is for me not against me. (Romans 8:31)
7.  God bring others into my life in my darkest moments to assist or minister to me.
8.  If I learn the lessons struggle teaches me I can teach those lessons to others and either help them avoid the same struggles or how to overcome them. (2 Corinthians 1:3,4)
9.  My pain has become power for fulfilling mu life purpose as I have shared my story and the lessons I have learned with others facing similar situations as I faced.
10. God always turns every situation into triumph if I keep my faith strong and my attitude right. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Questions for today:  What are you doing today to turn your pain into power for purpose? or What personal pain have your turned into power for purpose?  Comment below!

Obstacles to Success

There are many obstacles on the road to success. You will never enjoy progress if you become sidetracked or stopped by them. In order to be a great achiever you must learn to overcome the hindrances in your path.

All great achievers have had to face and overcome many things on their way to success. Perhaps one of the greatest illustrations of this in American history is that of Abraham Lincoln our sixteenth president. While he is known most of all for his war on slavery, had he not been a man of great resolve and persistence, history may have taken a different turn.

From failing in business on numerous occasions to many failed campaigns for public office, he rose to become one of the greatest political leaders of all time. His rise to greatness was the result of his determination to overcome the obstacles in his path.

Obstacles:

Indecision. Not being able to make the necessary decisions can be a hindrance to your personal success. There may be many reasons for this. It could be fear, or a lack of the facts, or procrastination, that keeps you from making the right decisions. Realize that all of life is about the choices you make. There can be no success without you making the decision to do what it takes to win.

Past experiences. Perhaps nothing is more detrimental to forward progress then the memory of past failures. Before you can enjoy accomplishment you must get rid of the negative memories of past events that are holding you back. The Apostle Paul said, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before.” Never forget, the past is just that, past. You can’t do anything to change it. Learn from it and go forward.

The opinions of negative people. It is amazing how many so-called experts show up when you make the decision to follow the God-given vision for your life. They seem to come out of the woodwork. The majority of them have never accomplished a whole lot in their lives, however, they are laden with all kinds of information and advice as to what to do or not to do. For the most part they feel it is their responsibility to talk you out of what you feel you should do. To succeed you must not allow yourself to be swayed by the opinions of such people.

Delayed results. There is no such thing as an overnight success. Anything of value and lasting importance takes time to accomplish. Just because you start the journey to success today does not mean you will arrive at your destination tomorrow. Just because there may be a delay in seeing the fulfillment of your vision does not mean it won’t happen if you don’t quit.

Lack of focus. It is impossible to succeed if you have too many irons in the fire. You can’t go two directions at the same time. Many people are hindered in their efforts because they are double-minded. In other words, they lack focus. They are trying to do too much at one time. Refocus on your primary goals and obstacles. You will soon be back on the path to making positive progress.

Fear. Another great hindrance to success is fear. Denis Waitly says, “Fear is an acronym for False Education Appearing Real.” Fear comes in all shapes and sizes. From fear of failure to fear of success, many well-intentioned people never accomplish all they could because fear holds them back. Fear is simply negative faith. It is believing for the worst instead of the best. Fear is the actual belief that something bad is going to happen to you. Most fears come as the result of bad information or misunderstanding of what’s true. The more accurate information you have on a given subject the less fear you will have concerning it.

Distractions. Many get sidetracked because they allow things to distract them from their goals and objectives. A distraction is anything that takes your focus off of what you are trying to accomplish. They usually come in the form of being something extremely urgent. Many are caught up in what is known as the tyranny of the urgent. This happens when you become distracted by what is seemingly urgent and thereby fail to understand what is really important. To successfully achieve your goals you must “Keep the main thing (your goals) the main thing!”

Trying to fit in. Conformity can be a definite hindrance to progress. High achievers know the value of standing out rather then blending in. What sets you apart from others in your field? Many have failed because they are afraid to take a stand for what they believe in and what they want to accomplish. They allow peer pressure to force them into the conformity mode. “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity,” says Psychiatrist Rollo May.

No definite direction. You can’t get where you want to be without proper direction. It is impossible to hit a target you aren’t aiming at. Direction is found in setting and maintaining goals. Goals help you crystallize your thinking. They provide motivation. Staying on track is the result of definite direction.

Lack of people skills. No man is an island. If you are going to be successful you must be able to get along with, and work well with, other people. A lot of people fail not because they don’t have a good idea or good work ethics, but because they lack people skills. Spend time developing your public relations. Learn to communicate, negotiate, compromise, and inspire others.

Taking The Limits Off of God

The Power of Questions: 20 Questions To Ask Yourself As You Begin the New Year

Questions are powerful tools for finding the answers, solutions, and information you need to live the life God created you to live.  The quality of your questions determines the quality of your answers. To not ask questions means to live without the answers you need to live a life or purpose.

Scripture teaches us "The purposes of a mans heart are as a deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out"  (Proverbs 20:5)

I remember as a young man a family in my dad's church that lived in the country and didn't have running water.  Their only source of water was a well behind their home.  It was so deep you couldn't see the bottom of it when you looked down.  The only way to get the water out was to lower a bucket by rope to the bottom and to draw the water out.

This is the picture we see in the above verse.  The purpose for your life is as a deep well, and it has to be drawn out through understanding.  By asking the right questions of yourself you gain understanding of what God has deposited in you for being the best you can be; your personality, your talents, your strengths, your desires and dreams, and your leadership quotient.  Understanding these things leads to you discovering the purpose God has created you to fulfill.

The following video, I found on YouTube, is a great starting point as you begin a new year.  Take out a piece of paper and write out the questions and your answers to them. 

Let It Go - 13 Things to Let Go of Going Into 2014

Life isn't always fair nor is it always easy. Many times in life we encounter situations that are not of our choosing. From the hurtful words of a hater, the loss of a job, a sickness in your body, a divorce you didn’t expect, to unfulfilled promises, and a litany of other experiences, life can be tough.

The key is to not allow the negative experiences you have encountered to make you bitter, but rather, motivate you to become better. The tendency of most people is to allow the circumstances of their lives dictate their feelings, thoughts, words, and actions. It is easy to have a pity party when things fall apart in your life. However, as I heard Joyce Meyer say, “You can’t be pitiful and powerful at the same time.”
When life deals you a bad hand you must determine to not let it get the best of you, steal your dreams, or break your focus.

Scripture teaches us that God is able to take what is meant for your harm and turn it into your advantage. What you view as a disadvantage in your life, God can turn into an asset. He can take what the enemy means to destroy you and turn it into what promotes you. As so many others have said, “God will turn your test into a testimony and your messes into a message, and your setbacks into a comeback,” if you refuse to quit!

As Dr Dave Martin so aptly says, God wants “The rest of your life to be the best of your life!” He desires for you to overcome the obstacles in your path, to accomplish what you have been created to accomplish, to be healed and healthy in your body, to have all your needs supplied and have an abundance so you can be a blessing to others, for your relationships to be strong, and for you to fulfill your purpose in life. In other words, God wants you to win in all areas of your life.

In order to walk in the best God has for you in 2014 you must let go of all the things that make you stop. You must let go of the baggage from your past that is weighing you down and keeping you from the best life God has for you. No wonder the writer of Hebrews penned these words, “Seeing we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” There are some things you don’t overcome; you simply have to let them go!

For 2014 to be the best year we have ever had, we must:

1. Let go of the need to always be right, because it is impossible to always be right!

2. Let go of your need to be in total control of everything and everyone around you.

3. Let go of playing the blame game, take responsibility for your actions.

4. Let go of negative self-talk, quit beating yourself up mentally.

5. Let go of up your limiting beliefs; the beliefs that are holding you back.

6. Let go of complaining, it doesn't change anything, and no one wants to hear it!

7. Let go of trying to impress everyone around you.

8. Let go of trying to live up to the expectations of others in order to feel acceptance.

9. Let go of your fear of and resistance of change; change is inevitable.

10. Let go of your fears: fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of success, fear of what others think about you, etc...

11. Let go of your past mistakes and failures, learn from them, don't repeat them, move on.

12. Let go of past hurts, what others have said or done to you that offended you.

13 Let go of your excuses, nobody believes them, not even you!

Happy New Year!

Love Is An Act

God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

(Romans 5:8)

Everywhere you go you hear people talking about love.  You hear about it in songs, see it on greeting cards, and from people you encounter.  Unfortunately, most people have the idea that love is a feeling or a sentiment.  Certainly, you've heard people use such terms as "falling in love, or falling out of love,” which gives an indication of their feelings.

While love may involve feelings or sentiments, in reality love is neither of these; love is an "act."  It's easy to say "I love you" but it's much harder to demonstrate it through our actions.  As the old adage goes, "Actions speak louder than words."  I like it when someone tells me they love me but I am really moved when they demonstrate their love for me through their actions.

The message of Christmas is the greatest demonstration of love the world has ever known.  God didn't just say to the world, “I love you", He demonstrated it through sending Jesus to pay the price for our sins and to give us a new life.  Notice the scripture I shared at the beginning of this post, "God demonstrate His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) 

Action step:  During this Christmas season, let love be more than mere words, instead demonstrate your love through your actions.  Find a way you can demonstrate your love, as well as God's love, to others.  It might be buying presents for those less fortunate than you, buying groceries for a needy family, paying someone's utilities, or anything else. The point is, be a person that demonstrates their love through what do not just what they say!

Merry Christmas

photo credit: elod beregszaszi via photopin cc

Seize the Day - Living With No Regrets

Imagine living a life without regrets. Sounds good doesn't it?

We all have done or said things that we regret. Unfortunately, for many people regret is a way of life.

I heard Author/Teacher, Brendon Buchard, share a story of a time when he almost died in a car accident and how out of that experience he developed three questions that he now asks himself every night before he goes to bed. They are: Did I live? Did I love? Did I matter?

These are great questions that at some point in our life we must answer. Rather than waiting until the end of our lives to ask these questions, why not start asking ourselves these questions everyday?

I read an article recently about the regrets people have at the end of their lives (something we will all face). It was most enlightening and gave me much to think about.

They were such things as:

Not living the their own life instead of following the pack (peer and societal pressure).

Not discovering their purpose earlier in life.

Not taking more risks for the results they desired.

Not taking better care of themselves.

Not loving others the way they should be loved.

Not touching more lives and inspiring others.

Not being a better partner or parent.

Interestingly, none of the regrets people have when facing their mortality have anything to do with making more money, working more hours, or having more things, which unfortunately is what most people focus on during their lifetimes.

It is so easy to get caught up in making a living, impressing others, fitting in, having all the latest gadgets and gizmos, that we never truly live the life we were created to live. Whether we want to admit it or not, we were created to live a life of purpose, where we use our passions, talents, gifts, strengths, dreams, and skills, to make a positive difference in our world and the lives of others we come in contact with.

So how do we go about living a life of no regrets?

1. Take risks. Go for the dream in your heart. Taking risks involve dong something. Do everything in your power, trusting God to assist you, to see the dreams He has given you become a reality. Remember, there are no rewards or results without risk.

2. Don't be afraid of failure. Failure is not a bad thing. Every great accomplishment resulted from much trial and error. Just ask Edison. He did thousands of experiments before he discovered the filament for the light bulb. His view of all his failed attempts was that he had simply found thousands of things that didn't work.

3. Know yourself. What is the one BIG thing you feel compelled to accomplish? What do you feel assigned to do? What problem do you see that you feel you can solve? The answers to these questions are indicators of the purpose God created you to fulfill.

4. Be who God made you to be. Don't compromise your values and dreams by trying to fit in with the in-crowd. Your fulfillment in life comes from being and doing what you are created for. Others will try to force you into the life they think or want you to live, if you allow them to. You don't have to live the dream someone else has for you, you have what it takes to be who you were made to be!

5. Start today taking better care of your health. Learn to eat right, get enough exercise, rest and recharge, let the stresses of life go, break addictions that are detrimental to your health; all of which are important if you are going to live a healthy life.

6. Be an encourager of others. Touch and inspire others with your words and your actions. Life though that are down. Inspire others to live on purpose.

7. Determine to be a better partner and parent. This requires work and discipline, but in the end it is worth it! Love more. Give more. Here's a key that has helped me immensely, treat your spouse or children the way you want to be treated.

As it has been said, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." How are you going to live it?

Someone once said to me, "Live each day so you will have no regrets tomorrow." That is a great philophy and principle to live by.

Do something today - SEIZE THE DAY - that will be meaningful and beneficial to the world around you and to those that really matter in your life!

When Prayer Isn't Enough

Let me say from the start, I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER.  Perhaps you’ve heard it said, “Prayer changes things and people too.”  This is a true statement.  I have seen the power of prayer manifested in my life too many times to count.  I have seen miracles, signs, and wonders, in my own life, as a result of prayer.

The Bible is full of instructions as to the power of prayer.  We are taught to pray in faith, pray without ceasing, pray in the Name of Jesus, pray in the Spirit, pray about everything (all our decisions, all our actions, all our plans, etc..), pray for one another, and pray with humility.  Prayer is, in my estimation, is the primary key to living the abundant life for the follower of Jesus.

While I fully appreciate and practice the power of prayer, there are times when prayer alone isn’t enough.  If you spend all your time praying without acting on the word of God you will never see the fullness of all God has for you in life. 

I believe you should pray, act on the word, and pray while you are acting on the word.  Scripture teaches, “Faith without works is dead being alone.”  In other words, prayer without action is not enough.  We are to be doer’s of the word and not hearers only.  Action is putting legs to our prayers.

We will never experience all God has promised in His word if we don’t act.  One thing I have always found interesting is that almost all the promises recorded in the Bible are accompanied with an action step.  It’s kind of like, you do your part and God will do His part.  Our actions are signs of our faith and obedience to God’s instructions for our lives.

I have met many people in my life that spend vast amounts of time praying yet they never see the fullness of all God has promised because they never accompany their prayers with actions.  You can pray until you are blue in the face, but if you don’t act on the word you will never see the results you could see.

Jesus is a prime example of this.  He didn’t just pray, He acted.  Think about the feeding of the 5,000 as recorded in Matthew chapter 14.  Scripture teaches us He took a young boys lunch, blessed it (prayed) and then began to break it.  As He did it began to multiply and as he continued to break it, it multiplied, so there was enough to feed every one present with 12 baskets full left over.  If prayer was enough, in this case, Jesus would have simply prayed and it would have multiplied on its own.  But it wasn’t.  It was as He added the action of breaking the bread, to his prayer that the loaves and fishes were multiplied.

I don’t know what it is you are praying and believing for, but my question for you today is, “Are you adding action to your prayers?”  Is there something you know you should be doing but aren’t?  What instruction or principle in the Bible could you act on that would demonstrate your faith in what God has promised?

Here’s a recent example of what I am talking about.  My wife, Holly, and myself, desired to do something special for people less fortunate than us on Thanksgiving Day.  Our older children had several friends that didn’t have any place to go for Thanksgiving Day.  Our desire was to invite them to our house and throw a BIG Thanksgiving feast for them.  The only problem was we didn’t have the resources to do it.  Holly prayed about it and then she went to work doing something about it.  She shared her desire with some friends, and on Facebook, and the next thing you know people began to contact us and share their desire to be a part of it.  Before long, we had enough food to feed around 12 young people with enough leftover’ to make up 10 extra plates that Holly, Chelsea and Diana took and found some homeless people that hadn’t had a Thanksgiving meal, and fed them.  I am convinced that if we had simply prayed for the young people that had no place to go, and the homeless people that had no food to eat, nothing would have happened.  But our prayers, accompanied by action, allowed us to have everything we needed to meet the needs of these people.

Today I want to challenge fellow believers to not just pray about their situations, but rather ask God what they are supposed to do, and then do it.  Couple action with your prayers and you will be amazed at what happens. 

Blessings

G Samuel Verret 

Faith That Overcomes

1 John 5:4 “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

Our world is filled with difficulties. All you have to do is look around you for a moment to know this is true. As believers this should not catch us by surprise. Jesus warned us of times like these. In fact He said, “These things have I spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

The word tribulation means trouble or difficulty. While the world is in a mess, economically, socially, politically, and morally, as believers we have the promise that through Jesus, and the finished work of the cross, we have the power to overcome the difficulties and troubles that come our way in the world.

The above scripture teaches that if we have been born again we overcome the world. If you have made Jesus the Lord of your life, according to this verse, you are a world overcomer! That’s how God sees you. He doesn’t see you as overcome, barely getting by, or about to go under. No, He sees you as overcoming.

This is why it is so important to renew your mind to God’s opinion of you and not the opinion of others or even your own opinion of yourself. According to Romans 12:2, transformation or change can only take place as you reject the wrong opinions (what we call facts) and replace them with God’s opinions (the truth). Jesus said, “You shall know the truth (NOT THE FACTS) and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32) One of the things I have learned in my walk with God is regardless of what the facts are they are always overcome or trumped by truth.

For instance, when my son was diagnosed with cancer, the cancer was a fact. It was real. All the medical evidence bore out the fact that cancer was working in his body. However, the word of God says, “By whose stripes you were healed. “ (1 Peter 2:24) Now that is truth. Truth is what God says. John 10:10 declares, “Thy word oh Lord is truth. As believers, we chose to believe the truth about the situation and not the facts. While we didn’t deny the reality of the problem, we did deny the finality of it! As a result of believing the truth instead of the facts we saw a miracle of healing in Devin’s body. We overcame the situation by faith in the finished work of the cross!

Now, it is important to understand that faith does not insulate the believer from trouble. Just because you are a child of God does not mean you aren’t going to have any trouble or difficulties in life. Just read the Bible and you find that many great men and women of God faced great difficulties in life. Scripture teaches, “It rains on the just and the unjust alike.”

While faith does not insulate us from trouble it does give us the ability to overcome the trouble. Our theme scripture today says, “This is the victory that overcomes the world – our faith!”

My challenge to you today is that you will get your eyes off of the problems you are facing and onto the solution to them found in God’s word. Get your attention off of the facts of your situation and on to the truth of God’s promises concerning the difficulties you are facing. Remember, through faith, you are a world overcomer!

The Turnaround Specialist

As a kid growing up in a Pastor’s home we moved around quite a bit. It seemed like every few years we were moving to a new place. Changing schools. Making new friends. Getting to know a new area. While it was always an adventure, at times it was very difficult because I would just get familiar with our new locale and have made some new friends, and then we would move again. I was often envious of other kids that had “roots.” That grew up their entire lives in one place with life-long friends and relationships.

As a young man I didn’t always understand why we had to move so much. However, as I reflect back on those times, and the reason behind all the moves, I have come to understand why we moved so much. You see, my father, Elisha Verret, was a “turnaround specialist.” He would be called in to take churches that were in trouble with declining membership, a building in need of repair, congregations that were split down the middle, and financial difficulties.

My father had the God-given ability and anointing to take troubled churches and turn them around. Though it’s been many years now, I can still remember most of the churches my dad was called to pastor. I remember the struggles, the long hours of hard work, and the times I heard my father in his study weeping before the Lord as he prayed for the people in the church and for wisdom to do what he had been called in to do. But more than anything, I remember the victories; the numerical growth in membership, the remodeled or newly built buildings, and a better financial situation than when we arrived. I remember the turnarounds that occurred not only in the church corporately but also in the lives of individuals.

Looking back I wouldn’t trade those days for anything in the world.

While, in my estimation, my dad was a great “turnaround specialist,” there is another “turnaround specialist” that I really want to focus on. His name is Jesus Christ!

When you read about the life and ministry of Jesus, you find story after story of lives that were turned around because of His ministry, His love, His touch, and His caring for the needs of others. You read about the prostitutes, tax collectors, lepers, lame, blind, deaf, demon-possessed, and religious people whose lives were totally changed and transformed because of this man Jesus! People who were outcast, hopeless, helpless, rejected, beat up, beat down; people whose lives were ravaged by life, by others, and by sin that were forever changed because of their encounter with the greatest “turnaround specialist” of all time. Jesus always left people better than they were before He found them!

The good news is that this Jesus “is the same yesterday, today, and forever!” He has never changed. His power has not diminished with time. His love, compassion, and grace have never (and never will) come to an end. His mission and purpose has never deviated from what it was when He walked in shoe leather on this earth. He is still in the business (if I can use that term) of “seeking and saving that which is lost.” He is still all about radically changing the lives and the circumstances of those who come in contact with him.

I don’t know what you are going through today. Maybe it’s a sickness, a financial problem, an addiction you can’t seem to break. Maybe you are suffering from years of abuse, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Perhaps you have been rejected by your family, your friends, you loved ones, or people whom you have trusted. You may be lost when it comes to your purpose, your reason for existence. Maybe you have given up on life, lost hope, feel helpless, and are of the opinion “what’s the use.” Or maybe it’s something I haven’t listed here. Regardless of what it is Jesus wants you to know that He can turn your life around.

Regardless of what you have done, what you have experienced, who you’ve become, or what you are going through at this very moment, there is hope. There is a way out. Your life can turnaround. Things don’t have to stay the way they are. You don’t have to be bound to a life of sorrow, regret, pain, rejection, or hopelessness. No, there is a way out. I believe today, that God desires to turn your pain into power for His purpose. He desires to change your life from the inside out. He desires to undo the mess of your life and make it a message of hope to others going through what you’ve been through.

You see, God loves you not because of what you do or don’t do; He loves you because you are you. He created you. You are the apple of His eye. You mean the world to Him. Unlike others you have come in contact with, He doesn’t see you for who you’ve become or what you’ve done, He sees you for who you can and will become through His power in your life. He sees the finished product not just the work in progress!

I write this today because in my own life I know this to be true. I have personally experienced the work of the “turnaround specialist” in many areas of my life. I have seen God heal my body when the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. I have seen God deliver me from things that had me bound from which I was unable to free myself from. I have seen God meet financial needs when there didn’t appear to be any way out of the difficulty I found myself in. I have seen God heal my broken heart from rejection, betrayal, and divorce. I have seen God restore the ministry He called me to as a young child, even though many had written me off as finished. (I could go on and on.)

Understand today, “God is no respecter of persons.” He doesn’t love or esteem one more than another. God doesn’t have favorites. His love for all man is unmerited. There is nothing you can do to earn his grace or favor. It is offered to ALL unconditionally. What God has done for one He will do for you. He desires to “show Himself strong” in your behalf. God desires to give you the “turnaround” you so desperately desire. And, He will, if you will come to Him and ask Him for it. If you will accept His grace and allow His power to begin to operate in your life.

Today is a great day! Why? Because today is the day when the greatest “turnaround specialist” of all times is going to begin to turn your life around for your good and His glory!

What Matters Most – Part One

Today I start a series of blogs to help you determine what really matters most in life. 

A few days ago, our adopted son, Eli, posted something on his Facebook page a few days ago that really got Holly and my attention. He said, “I miss what matters most.”

That got me thinking about life and what really matters most. In other words what is really most important in your life?

There are many things that seem to be important but when you step away from them and analyze them they really aren’t what matters most in life.

In our day we are inundated on a daily basis with advertisements and commercials of products that someone has determined we need and can’t live without. Many times without even thinking we plop down our hard earned money for things advertisers tell us will make our life better. In most cases the only ones whose lives are better off because of these products, are the ones that are doing the selling, because of the profits they made at our expense.

Most of the things we think we must to have in order to live a fulfilling life can be done without.

There are things that matter much more than a new car, a large house, the latest computer or smart phone. While these things may be nice to have, when it’s all said and done does it really matter what kind of car you drive, computer you use, or smart phone you possess?

Jesus made a powerful statement one day. He said, “A man’s life does not consist of the abundance of things which he possesses.” Some of the most miserable people you will ever meet have all kinds of stuff, but when it comes down to possessing what matters most they don’t. Howard Hughes had everything anyone would ever desire, yet he lived the last years of his life as a recluse, and died an unhappy man.

A big part of success in life is our ability to differentiate between what is really important and what isn’t. Every day we are faced with many situations and circumstances screaming for our attention. We are faced with choices of things that demand our responding or not responding.

In order to determine what matters most to us, and what we give our attention to, we need to ask ourselves some questions.

• Does this matter in terms of my values and my goals?
• Is it worth my time and effort to deal with what I’m presented with?
• Does this lead me closer to living my purpose or further from it?
• Could it be that this is a distraction from what matters most in my life?

Asking yourself these questions, and being honest in your answers to them, gives you clarity and helps you avoid the things that get you off track from what matters most in your life.

As believers, our priorities - what matters most to us – are many times at odds with the way the rest of the world thinks. Living for the moment, life is a party, doing the minimal, instant gratification, you only live once, get all you can, are all catch phrases of our society. In their search for happiness and fulfillment they seek after and pursue things that in the end to not produce true happiness and fulfillment because they really don’t matter most to living a fulfilled life.

Over the next few blogs, I will be sharing my thoughts as to what I have personally discovered to matter most in life. Things such as

1. Your relationship with God
2. Your relationship with your spouse
3. Your relationship with your family
4. Your thought life
5. Your habits
6. Your divine design
7. Your dream and vision
8. Your career
9. Your health
10. Your finances

In my next blog I will be sharing more about what matters most in life, especially when it comes to our relationship with God.

Someday I’ll…

Years ago, I heard author/speaker Denis Waitly say something I have never forgotten. He said most people live on a fantasy island called, “Someday I’ll.”

Someday I’ll…

• Pursue the dreams in my heart.
• Find my purpose and live it.
• Set goals and do what it takes to reach them.
• Write that book I’ve been thinking about for a long time.
• Start the business I’ve dreamed of starting.
• Get married and start a family.
• Start an exercise program and get healthy.
• You finish the sentence, Someday I’ll_____________________________________

Sadly, most people will never realize the fulfillment of their dream, or live the life they were created to live, not now, not ever.

Why? Because they are waiting for the perfect timing, the right circumstances, someone to give them a break, or the assurance they will never fail.

I am reminded of the scripture that says, “He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4) There is no such thing as the perfect time or the right circumstances. If you are going to live your purpose and see your dreams become a reality you have to get started regardless of the time or circumstances.

Well, I have exciting yet sobering news for you, someday doesn’t exist. Yesterday’s someday has become today. Today is the day you can make the decision to follow the dream in your heart; God’s plan and purpose for your life!

If you are going to experience God’s best for your life, if you are going to live your purpose, if you are going to make a difference in the world around you, then you are going to have to leave “Someday I’ll” and do something today.

The greatest thief of time is procrastination. Putting off till tomorrow what needs to be done today has become the biggest hindrance to success and accomplishment for most people.
My challenge for you today is to get off of “Someday I’ll” and begin right now to live the life God has for you to live. Make the decision to start right now doing something that moves you toward your goals and aspirations.

Today is your day to start living the life God intends for you to live. No more excuses. No more putting it off till later. No more allowing fear to stop you in your tracks. As the old adage goes, “Today is first day of the rest of your life.” Make it count.

Share your comments below.  What have you been putting off till later, and why?

The Power of a Dream

The world belongs to the dreamer. Everything that has ever been created or developed started as a dream or idea in somebody’s mind. All of the technological progress that we have experienced started as a dream.

You will never be successful if you don’t have a dream. 

Dreams are the foundation for personal success. A dream is a mental picture that you have of something that you would like to see accomplished. It is a true definition of faith. Hebrews 11:1 declares, “Faith is the subject of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In other words, it is the inner image of the finished product. It is seeing things as they can be instead of as they currently are.

Seven things about dreams:

1. Dreams give you purpose. Life is meaningless without purpose. In order to be fulfilled in life you must have a purpose or reason for being. Your purpose in life is found in the dream of what you want to accomplish.
2.  Dreams give you direction. They help set the right goals and set you the right priorities. They give you something to aim at. Dreams help you do what you were created to do.
3. Dreams help you focus. Through having a dream you are able to fully concentrate on what needs to be accomplished. We are all faced with many things in life that can distract or deter us from what we were created for. Dreams help us to not be distracted.
4.  Dreams motivate and inspire you. They are what give you a passion for life. When you truly have a God-given dream you think about it all the time. It fills every waking and sleeping moment. You become obsessed with it. It encompasses everything that you do. You eat it, sleep it, drink it, talk about it, study it, read about it and pray about it. It is what gets you up in the morning. It is something you can’t wait to get up and pursue.
5.  Dreams keep you going inspire of adversity. When you have a God-given dream it doesn’t matter what opposition comes your way, it can’t stop you. Adversity cannot slow you down, deter you or keep you back, when you have a dream. It doesn’t matter what comes your way, lack of finances, health problems, interpersonal relationship problems, a dream gives you a reason not to quit or give up. A dream will cause you to be persistent. “Quitters never win and winners never quit.”
6. Dreams are the seed to your future. What you dream about today determines where you will be tomorrow. The key to your future is found in the dream you have today. Instead of accepting life as it now is, get a dream of where you want to be and what you want to do.
7. Dreams must be acted on. I saw a sign not long ago that said, “Don’t just dream it. Do it!” Dreams can produce powerful results, but only if acted upon. At some point in order to accomplish great things, you must put legs on your dreams. They can only be effective if acted on. I like to say, “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary!”

What is your dream?  What are you going to do about it?

How To Be More Productive

There is nothing more exciting or fulfilling them accomplishment. You were made for productivity. If you are not been productive, you can be. If you’re productive, you can be more productive.

Paul Meyer said, “Productivity is never an accident.  It is always the result of a commitment to excellence intelligent planning, and focused effort.”

The following keys will help you be more productive:

Be informed.
Knowledge is power. In order be more productive you must know what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and how it needs to be done. Skills must be learned that will assist you in doing things in a more productive manner. Attend seminars, read books dealing with your particular project, ask questions of others that have accomplish similar tasks to what you want to accomplish.


Get specialized training.
This goes hand-in-hand with point one, be informed. In order to be more productive, proper training is essential. Take courses that will help you develop your skills. Find a mentor or personal coach that can train you to be more productive. Work hard practicing the skills you develop.

Set goals.
Goals are essential to productivity. They keep you on track and give you something to focus on. The goals you set must be realistic, inspiring, and obtainable. The goals keep you moving in the right direction. Someone has said, "a goal is a dream with a deadline on." Your goals should stretch you. They should get you out of your comfort zone. They should push you to excellence.

Make plans.
Planning your work is also essential to being more productive. Great achievers not only plan their work; they also work their plans. A plan is simply a road have to guide you on the road to productivity. You can improve your planning skills by asking yourself to following questions when planning a project or task: What? Why? Who? Where? And how?

Do it!
While information, training, goals, and plans are essential to being more productive, they are futile without action. Great things are not accomplished by talking about them; they are accomplished by doing something about them. Someone has said, "Actions speak louder than words." Nothing could be truer. You will never be a person of productivity, unto you become a person of action.

Be aware.
To be more productive you must be aware of the things that rob you of productivity. Although there are many "productivity thieves," perhaps the following list will help you to be more aware of what can steal your accomplishment. Procrastination, lack of planning, lack of effort, negative associations, just to name a few.

Follow through with persistence.
In order be more productive, you must be persistent. Remember the saying you learned what you were a kid "quitters never win, and letters never quit." Well it's still true today. Great achievers have learned to never quit, regardless of the adversity. By never giving up on your ideas, goals, and plans, you will enjoy a life of greater productivity.

7 Keys to a Healthy Relationship With Your Spouse

In the book “Yes You Can” by Sam Deep and Lyle Sussman, “like in the organic system, a human relationship is subject to entropy—meaning that it is always in a state of decay.” In order for relationships to grow and flourish hard work is required.

All relationships suffer from this malady if given time. However, there are things you can do, principles you can live by, that will help insure that relationships do not die needlessly. Like a beautiful garden, it is possible, through proper cultivation, to develop loving, lasting relationships.

It is important to remember that all of life is about relationships. Your emotional stability, self worth, spirituality, security, and personal success are all dependent on how you relate to those around you.

You cannot live in isolation all your life. It was never God’s intention for you to be totally autonomous. In fact scripture is plain on this matter. In Genesis 2:18, God said us “it is not good for man to dwell alone.” The Apostle Paul teaches us in Romans “that no man is an island.” In other words, God desires for us to be in healthy, growing relationships.

The following principles will aid you in the cultivation of your relationships:

Make the decision to build a loving, lasting relationship All of life is centered around the choices you make. It is imperative that you make the conscious decision to cultivate your relationships. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Get rid of the idea that the feelings you have now about your partner will always be the same. Understand that if you’re going to make your relationships work, you’re appointed have to put a great deal of time and effort into them.

Communicate

Communication involves much more than what you say. It also involves your ability to listen to what your partner is saying. It involves the ability to empathize with what they are feeling. Communication is about much more than proving a point or winning an argument. In order for your relationship to grow you must seek a common ground of understanding and agreement.

Pray together

This may sound trite or even elementary, but it is highly important. No truer words were ever spoken than “the family that prays together, stays together.” There is something about developing intimacy with God that helps to build intimacy with your partner. It is easier for your “horizontal” relationships to be right, when your “vertical” relationship is right. Pray for God to bless your partner with health, peace, provision, and favor on a daily basis. Try it and see what happens.

Learn to relax

It is a good thing to learn not to “select a small stuff!” Don’t get been out of shape about every flaw or shortcoming that your partner has. Remember, they probably see yours also. Constantly pointing them out, griping, or complaining about them, only adds fuel to the fire. The Bible says, “it is the little foxes that spoil the vine.” Takes a few deep breaths. Step back and ask yourself, “is it worth destroying this relationship because of the small stuff?”

Be quick to forgive

Scripture says that we are not to let the sun go down on your wrath. Everyone does things that upset, offend, or even hurt their partner. No one is immune to this. People in loving, lasting relationships, are those who learn to forgive their partners when they make a mistake. To have a winning relationship, be quick to apologize when you do something to hurt your partner, and quick to forgive repair

Give appreciated gifts

Everyone loves to receive special gifts from their partners. There is nothing like receiving an unexpected dozen roses, or a cute romantic card from your partner. Surprise your partner with something out of the ordinary. It doesn’t have to be something expensive, it could be something you may. The point is when you give your partner cars, give us or even ton, you are saying they are valuable to you. The golden rules that is, “doing to others, a she would have others do unto you.”

Seek to really know and understand your partner

It is amazing in marriages how much you think you know about your partner, when you first marry them. After years of being married many people have awakened to realize they don’t really know the person they are married to. Why? Is it that the person has changed so much? Usually it’s because we don’t spend enough intimate to time with our partners, getting to know them. Seek to understand their dreams, their desires, their aspirations, their needs, and their wants. If you put forth a little effort in this regard you’ll be amazed what you learn. The Bible says, “to dwell with your wife with knowledge.”

Yes, you can enjoy winning relationships. Quick whining about your relationships and start winning, by doing your part to make it work. Keep the faith. Believe for the best. Be patient, and you will begin to see the fruit of your efforts!

Inch By Inch

Success in Increments


The old adage, “inch by inch anything is a cinch,” still rings true today. As much as we dislike it most success comes in small pieces. Seldom do we experience “overnight success.” Most get rich quick schemes are nothing more than scams designed by con artists to get our money.

These schemes would never be successful if people weren’t always trying to achieve great success instantly. Our society is caught up with instant gratification. If we can’t have something right now, we don’t want it. This desire for instant gratification is one of the major causes of debt in our world today.

There actually is no such thing as an overnight success. People who have head this label attached to them many times worked for years developing their skills and talents.

Tom Lehman who has became one of the top golfers in the world is one such person. Although his rise to stardom on the PGA tour seems to have come fast, Tom actually struggled for years on the seemingly endless trail of mini-tour events worldwide. His success today is the result of years of lessons, practice, and patience.

One-man who was called and overnight success said, “I might be and overnight success, but it sure was the longest night I’ve ever known!”

Perhaps you have heard it said that, “the longest journey begins with a single step.” Regardless of what you are desiring to accomplish, if you don’t get started you’ll never get where you’re going.

Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, started with one store in Batesville Arkansas. After years of hard work and his refusal to adhere to the advice of his detractors, he developed a network of stores that cover the majority of the United States and many countries around the world. His vision, hard work, and patience, eventually caused them to become the wealthiest man in America. This success came incrementally, one store at a time.

The children of Israel were told that they were to drive out the inhabitants of the promised land little by little, lest it be overrun with wild beasts. In God’s scheme of things victory is experienced a little at a time. Jesus said in John 8:32 “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Notice he didn’t say it would make you free, which would denote an instant and complete freedom. Rather He said “it will make you free,” which denotes an ongoing, day by day freedom. In other words freedom comes in increments.

The following principles will help to guide you to success over the long haul:

Clear Cut Vision 

Know exactly where you’re going and what you intend to accomplish. Write it down. Having a written vision helps to motivate you and keep you on track. Your vision in life is what gives you purpose. Without purpose you just meander through life never really accomplishing anything more than taking up space.

Have a plan

No coach would take his team out to play game without a game plan. No contractor would think about building a skyscraper without a set of blueprints. You see a step-by-step plan is essential to getting anything done. Some people think others that are successful are so because they are lucky. Denis Waitly defines luck as “Laboring Under Correct Knowledge.”

Get busy

Once you have written your vision and developed a plan for attaining it, then you have to get busy. As the great NIKE ad says “Just Do It.” A vision and a plan are important, but they are worthless if you don’t put them into action. A lot of people are great dreamers but they are lousy doer’s.

Stay focused

To focus is to concentrate on the task at hand. It is to concentrate on the desired result. As a teenager I had the opportunity to work on a farm one summer with my grandmother and her husband. One day I helped plow the fields. I quickly learned that if you were going to plow a straight line you had to pick and object on the horizon and focus on it until you reached it. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted by other things. One major reason why people with good intentions never follow through is because they allow themselves to become distracted.

Practice patience

Patience s not putting up with something but rather it the is constancy. It is the ability to stay with a project until it is finished. It is not quitting in spite of the obstacles or adversity. The primary reason people quit is because they are not seeing the results they want to see. Remember success is incremental. It doesn’t happen overnight. Grossly