Chasing Change

To All Whom I Have Hurt

2011-05-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

I realize that the list of those people I have hurt or let down in this life is much longer than I could ever think. I know that it would include the obvious close friends and family, but I also am aware that there would be others on this list that I never even cared enough about to ask their name. As I sit here to write a sincere apology, what is resting upon my heart I send out to everyone with love, whoever you may be.

This apology is not a plea for forgiveness. It is not meant to set right the wrongs that I have committed or to make the things I have done easier to deal with as I go forward in this life. I am only trying to offer my deepest regret for not being able to see my existence as it was truly meant to be earlier in my journey. I am putting forth with the utmost sincerity the feelings I have inside about how my neglect to living the way I knew I should have been living may have negatively impacted you as our paths crossed.

I intend for this entry to carry a message of hope. As I spent time this morning thinking about specific hurtful instances and visualizing disappointed faces with certain memories, my intentions shifted away from the pain and more toward prayer for healing. Moving from recollections of fear and remorse, I was lifted up by an internal sense of gratitude for the opportunity to go forward with a focus dedicated to fulfilling a greater purpose far more important than the distant past.

Today I am reminded that I live my life far from perfect, but I trust as I stay centered around faith that I will be guided in a direction that will allow me to show those who enter my life that we are all serving one another in an effort to bring glory to the one true God.

To all whom I have hurt, I am truly sorry for how my selfish actions may have negatively impacted your life. These situations from my past have become forever part of my story, and despite how much I would like to forget I will use them as I give all of my heart to becoming the person I was created to be... and for that I am eternally grateful.

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"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a rightous man is powerful and effective." - James 5:16

Wrinkled Paper... Faded Ink... All Heart.

2011-04-16T09:18:00.001-07:00

I was cleaning out my car when I came across a pile of wrinkled up pieces of paper. They were the many random thoughts that I had decided to jot down as I was on my way from here to there. As I read through this pile of notes, each and every one brought back the same powerful raw emotion I was feeling when I was first motivated to capture them on paper... and I am so grateful that the spirit inside of me was able to shine through in such a way. This morning I was inspired to share...

Life can go fast. Slow it down. Concentrate on what is important. Simplify. Pray. Chase what is in your heart. Resist temptation. Conquer the overwhelming. Do not be afraid to get lost, but pull yourself back with periodic reflection. Anchor yourself to God and let the Holy Spirit guide you toward his destiny for you. Arrive at your end knowing you did everything you could do. Smile. Praise God.

The paper... wrinkled... my hand writing... faded and hard to read... the meaning behind them... directly from the heart. I sincerely hope these words may impact your day as they did mine.

To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ.

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Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. - 2 Corinthians 4:16

Living Breathing Potential

2011-04-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

We all have it inside of us. It grows when we grow and disappears when we turn away from what is within our heart. It accompanies us in everything we do... in every thought... in every decision... in every action... we carry living breathing potential. It's there just waiting behind the scenes for the opportunity to help us bring out our own unique, something special into this world.

I truly believe that we were all meant to flourish. We were given abilities and talents to accomplish things yet unseen, and in order to achieve these hidden results we must rely on the unseen potential that we harbor underneath reluctancy and hurt. We must be able to see past anything holding us back and utilize this intangible power to become the amazing confident one of a kind person we were created to be.

This morning I found myself remembering my days running cross country in middle school. Even though I was blessed with athletic ability, running long distances always gave me a challenge. However, I stuck with it accepting that I may not be the best. I would show up and run... settling for middle of the pack results until one Saturday morning when I was influenced by something deep inside.

I remember the sun shining through the bus windows that morning as the team made its way to the biggest invitational of the year. During that longer than usual drive, I discovered I would be running in the "B" race. I had never been a "B" in anything that I had done, and it definitely made me think about quitting. Instead of giving up, I made a decision to cross the finish line first... I was determined to win.

I ran as hard as I could later that day for the entire race. I left the pack of other "B" racers with a sprint and didn't stop until I broke the tape waiting for me at the finish line. I did it... I won the race... and even though my body was in pain beyond belief... I remember feeling a sense of joy unlike any other. I had given my all and allowed the potential I had always had inside to shine.

It turns out that my time for that "B" race would have placed me in the top ten for the actual invitational. Before my effort that day, I had not been able to be in the top ten of my team let alone a huge invitational.

Who would have thought that I had it in me? Why had I not been able to reach that potential before this ever inspiring "B" race? What was holding me back then... what may be holding me back now?

There are so many things that can keep us from experiencing the joy thats just waiting for us to enjoy. It is up to us to be able to look beyond what we may think is keeping us from it, and rely on a force more powerful than our natural abilities to carry us to our future.

There is no need to dream... we are called to believe. No matter how hard it may be, we must be able to trust what we know is right and take that first step toward our true potential. We were meant to accomplish great things... to flourish beyond our dreams... beyond what we thought possible.

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Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

Josh Wilson "I Refuse"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbH0IWZL05s

Searching for Opportunity

2011-03-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

This world that we live in sure does give us plenty of opportunity to grow. Unfortunately, this chance to become better more often than not requires a certain degree of pain and hardship. This reality has shown up in my life time and time again... requiring the innate sense of survival I was born with to persevere. As I look back at all the experiences that have helped shape who I am today, I can only be grateful for the ability to overcome... but part of me can't help but to also reflect on where I may have come up short of making the most out of what was right in front of me.

When was I so blinded by my selfishness that I let an opportunity to make an impact fade away? When did my feelings of "Me, Me, Me" cause me to miss out on something that was destined to inspire real change in my life or the lives of others? Is it possible that I can minimize these unintentional failures and maximize my purpose on a daily basis?

Last week, I was walking into target to pick up some things before work when I came across a shopping center employee diligently picking garbage out of the bushes. Now it is one thing to pick up garbage in the parking lot, but this man was getting every last piece hidden amongst the landscaping. At that moment, I knew why the shopping center where I work was kept so clean. It was his dedication... his attention to detail... his daily devotion to doing his job to the best of his ability.

Instead of walking by this man uninterrupted, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to let him know his work was appreciated. I stopped my brisk walk, looked him in the eye and gave him the most sincere thank you I could possibly offer. After he smiled back with a few nods of his head, I continued on my way into the store delayed by only a few seconds.

Only a few seconds... that was the price that I paid to stop and offer encouragement into the life of this man. It was a very small price to pay considering the overall impact it had that day...

I would hope that it may have made his job just a little easier for the next few hours knowing that his work was appreciated, but I really don't know if it actually made a difference in his day. However, I do know that it changed my day. I would be challenged later during work by some hectic stressful moments and unruly customers... and when I was tempted to give in to the pressure, I remembered that man's face and his dedication which then provided all the inspiration I needed to continue giving my best.

We will be challenged each and every day with what life brings our way. On the other hand, we will also be given opportunities to overcome these challenges in so many different ways that we can not possibly recognize all of them. We must simply open our hearts to the possibility that the next opportunity will be right around the corner and look for ways to act on them when the moment arrives. We must be willing to trade "a few seconds" for the chance at making a lasting impact... that is what will help us avoid unintentional failures and empower us with a greater purpose.

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When the tide rushes into our world, we must rest assured that the water will recede. It will be then that we will sift through the rubble of what remains... finding remnants of what really matters and build up upon an even stronger foundation solidified by the challenges we faced... and overcame. Text Red Cross to 90999 to donate $10 or click here to read more about how you can donate to other Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Efforts.

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2 Corinthians 12:9-10 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The Truth

2011-03-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

When thinking of "The Truth", what exactly comes to mind? What role does "The Truth" play in our lives?

Do you think of honesty, integrity and other essential values? How about the importance of these values in defining character? Does it bring to mind instances of enlightenment or does it make you recall heart ache when "The Truth" didn't quite agree with what you thought something should be? Does it make you recall times in the past where "The Truth" may have escaped your understanding along with the corresponding consequences?

No matter what it may be for us individually, I think we can agree that "The Truth" is something we all experience from time to time and continue to expect to discover as we become more mature with age. The overall concept should be something that makes us think about life in general... the path we are on in our journey and the resulting lessons we have been taught through experience.

Therefore as I think more about this concept, I truly believe that we do not learn the truth... we can only feel it.

"The Truth" is not something that can be read in a book or gained through research. It can not be told to us through words. We must develop it through a conscious understanding of our experiences. Only then will it give us the opportunity to embrace what is actually real... and allow us to develop wisdom.

We must take what we encounter in life and use it to arrive closer to where we are supposed to be. Our reactions to "The Truth" is what will matter... they will help us learn more about ourselves and this world that we live in... and get us where we want to be when our day comes.

Even though "The Truth" can be tough, going forward with a positive attitude will give us the best chance to flourish. Life is definitely the greatest challenge we will ever face, but with trust and faith we must continue to move forward as we feel "The Truth" and use it to become the best we can be.

Monkey Trap

2011-03-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

I read a story last week that has spun around in my head causing me to contemplate what it is I am meant to be and how exactly I am destined to get there. It described an ancient Chinese remedy for catching monkeys where coconuts where hollowed out through a small hole just big enough for a little hand and then filled with rice. Once a group of hungry monkeys stumbled upon these irresistible sources of food, they would smell the rice, reach inside and grab it only to find out that their fist full of rice would not fit back out the opening. The monkeys that were unable to let go of the rice would then become the ones that were caught.

This simple trap worked only because the monkey's hunger was in control of its actions. With this very conclusion, I could only take the next step and relate it to my very own life. What exactly is my rice and what is keeping me from opening my grip to let it go?

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this and to a degree I am at a loss for an answer... but I feel that finding the answer will lead to freedom from whatever may be holding me back.

As I continue searching for my purpose in this life, this very story will remind me that my hunger cannot be the driving force behind my actions. It must come from a much higher and more meaningful force lacking the selfish tendencies that have proven to be my very own trap.

In my search, I have longed for a consistent joyful happiness fueled by an inescapable rationalization that tomorrow holds the answer. Going forward in this journey, I must live with the urgency that today is the time to find what I have always been looking for out of life. I need to live for a higher power with such dedication that my hunger no longer matters. My search for the person I am meant to be only needs to depend on who I am at this very moment. When I can live for a greater cause my search will make sense. My goals and dreams will have meaning and purpose with trust and faith delivering my true destiny.

I will trust going forward... and stand upon faith with a heart filled with love and my arms held high.

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It's not everyday that something inspires us to look deeply into who we are... and even more why we are. When those moments happen, what is it that makes it so incredibly meaningful that it is remembered for the rest of our days? How can that something touch us in such a way that it can forever change our path and ultimately redefine who we will become?

You matter... no matter what happens... you will always matter.

Praise God.

A New Creation in Christ

2010-09-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

A New Creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 4:1-6:2)

This world that we live in definitely brings one test after another challenging us to become the amazing creation God had in mind when we were formed. However, it is completely up to us to make the decision to pursue it. Deep in my heart and soul, I feel that we have all been given everything we need to get where we were meant to be. We must listen and obey in order to accomplish our purpose and carry forward the message that lives in the death of Jesus.

Sit and think about the following for a moment:
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

When we feel like quitting... when we get frustrated... when we get angry... when we question going forward... we place our faith ahead of our flesh remembering that "our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." We are living a temporary assignment away from home and work to please God so that when it is our time to be with him we can confidently await the promise of heaven.

We must recognize that our sins will not be held against us. We become a new creation when we accept Christ as our Savior. We become reconciled to God. "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."

As I read these passages today, I could not help but to think about how God's mercy has allowed me to arrive exactly where I am. It became clear to me that I must take the light shining in my heart and help others find it too. I am fully able to "Let light shine out of darkness." I was helped to find the glory of God through the face of Christ and am determined to help others also find this saving grace.

When I think back over the past two years of my life, I see a transformation that has reformed who I am and what I stand for on a daily basis. It amazes me how a desperate honest conversation with God guided me to becoming a new creation in Christ forever changing the rest of my time spent in this world and therefore eternity.

The once dark, sick and isolated world of my life has become filled with hope relentlessly bright and shining with love from every angle. I trust obediently and through that trust I am provided with all that I need to experience the joy I was meant to receive to bring glory to God. I am so grateful and invite all of you to join me in pursuing God's will living with this dedication at the forefront of our actions.

The Best Decision

2010-06-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

I have had a couple days now to sincerely take the time to think about the direction of my life. In this time of reflection, I have considered all the thoughts and actions over the past year that have literally defined who I truly am as a person. I attempted to find areas in my life that may need some improvement and looked for things to pursue by exploring what exists deep within my heart. It has been a worth while evaluation and believe that this type of honest reflection is exactly what will keep me from simply going through "The Motions".

Looking back at the past 5 months, I am filled with a feeling of joy knowing that through determination and dedication I have found the path to a better brighter future. Along the way, I have experienced feelings that were previously denied and learned to trust in a way that I didn't know was possible. I opened myself up to the impossible, expected blessing and turned to God to conquer any doubt that stood in the way. I am so grateful for all that I have and will continue to give my all to show my gratitude in everything I do.

This morning I looked into the mirror and saw a person staring back at me that I have not seen in a very long time. He had a sparkle in his eye and a glow that shined with a light that was as bright as the morning sun. I could not help but to think back to all the times I looked in the mirror only to be disgusted by wasted potential and blatant ignorance. There was no sparkle... no light... just an emptiness filling a void for what could be.

When I started on my journey of change, I had no idea what the future may hold. However, I did know that there was something more out there to find. I knew deep inside that something was missing... and I took that first step forward following that inspiration. I found hope and put all my faith into something so much greater than myself... and it was the best decision I ever made.

Beyond "The Motions"

2010-06-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

It has been over a month since the last time I sat in this chair with the objective of giving my all to sharing about my dedicated journey toward change with this blog. I am pleased to write with a sincere smile that the month of May was absolutely amazing filled with more of the same type of unpredictable inspiration and generous blessing that I shared during the first 4 months of 2010. I feel guilty for not sacrificing the time and energy needed to share them, but also trust that God has been leading me in my decision to place more focus on some other areas in my life.

However, it feels wonderful to be here right now concentrating on the things happening in my life that are filling my heart with joy and look forward to once again writing about the incredible experiences that are helping to shape me into the person God wants me to be. I am committing to a minimum of ten posts per month for the rest of the year. I hope you are as excited as I am to embrace all that life has to bring in the upcoming months and trust that you will be expecting the same type of positive exciting events from your own journey. It is sure to to bring experiences to enjoy... challenges to conquer... emotions to feel... and ideas to explore... so together let's take it all in and flourish as we attempt to shine with every single thought and action.

Over the next twenty four hours, I will be reflecting on the changes in my life that have occurred over the course of the first half of 2010. I will be evaluating my progress toward my goals and develop a truthful assessment of my determination to accomplish the desires God has placed in my heart. I invite you to join me in this exercise. Give it your all. Don't hold back. I encourage you to listen to the following song and use the next few minutes to start an honest internal conversation asking yourself questions you normally wouldn't ask. I think it will help us prepare for what lies ahead and allow us to move beyond simply going through "The Motions".

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Matthew West "The Motions"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaHmiFaX_pk

This might hurt, It's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care, If I break
At least I'll be feeling something
Cause just OK, Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't want to go one more day
Without your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions

No regrets, Not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let your love, Make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something real
Just OK, Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life

Take me all the way

A Different Path

2010-05-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

You may or may not have noticed, but this is the first post I have made for the month of May. I decided to take a break after four months of daily writing. I put forth a lot of effort into making these posts interesting and inspirational and started to feel overwhelmed by the urgency of self inflicted deadlines. After praying on this undesired sense of obligation, I felt that I needed to take some time to re-center myself around the real purpose of this blog.

Over the last week of my life, I continued experiencing all that it means to be alive. I worked through challenges... I enjoyed blessings... I looked for inspiration... I helped others... and I talked with God throughout it all. Even though I didn't write about it, time kept on moving forward and I moved right along with it. With this realization, I discovered exactly what I was looking for... an understanding of what matters most.

I will not elaborate on exactly what I found. However, I encourage you to go on a search of your own. I sincerely believe the answer to what matters most exists uniquely inside of each of us. We just need to take time and place effort into finding it. When we do, we can use it to not only keep up with time, but live at our best no matter how fast it seems to go.

Going forward with this blog, I will keep pouring my heart into sharing my amazing journey as well as discuss some other stories from my past that have formed me into the person I am today. With God on my side, I expect to keep it interesting and inspirational. I hope you find it to be just that... and wish you the same type of exciting, positive experiences in your own life.
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This morning I lifted my hands to the sky and took a few deep breaths. I stretched out my arms as if I could grab the clouds, looked up with praise in my heart, and asked for the positive change in my life to never end. I felt chills surround my body as I was filled with what I can only describe as the grace of God. Soon after this wonderful experience, I picked up my baseball bat and continued another blessed day with some welcomed exercise.

After hitting pretend home runs for about 15 minutes, I decided to take a different path for my run. I did not put much thought into it at the time, but it was so refreshing to break away from the usual route through my neighborhood. I enjoyed different scenery, waved/smiled at different neighbors, and conquered different terrain. I ended up running longer/harder than I have all year, and I honestly didn't think about it until I made it back to my house drenched in sweat.

After putting more thought into it, I started to relate how life can often fall victim to the same type of boring, uneventful routine that had taken over the path I have been choosing to run. I have been stuck running the same loop day after day without even knowing it. It wasn't until I decided to run outside of that loop that I noticed what I was missing... and became aware of all the other wonderful possibilities. A sense of familiarity was literally stealing from my ability to get the most out of my time running.

This makes me wonder about other things in my life that may be stuck in the "same loop". What else in my life could use a new and exciting path? Is there more joy and happiness out there just waiting to be discovered? If so, what is holding me back from receiving it?

My desire is to find this refreshing feeling of newness in everything I do. However, it is going to require me to move outside of my comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory. I will have to veer away from the normal routine and look for "new roads" for which "to run". It may be scary to take on the unknown, but I trust that taking a different path will more often than not lead to positive change. When combined with steady faith and unwavering obedience, this change can only move me in one direction - forward toward becoming the person I was meant to be.
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Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Greatest Commandment

2010-04-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

It is so easy to get misdirected in this life. Our actions and decisions often influenced by internal desires resulting in behavior that reflects a selfish greed to seek only what seems to be best for us at the current moment. How can we live so that we can avoid falling victim to this wicked temptation?

I have found that the answer clearly resides in Mark 12:29-31 where Jesus provides his response to the following question - "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

The world around us brings one situation after another that requires more from our choices than this painful lust for self gratitude. We can choose to see that we have an ability to overcome this reckless urge, or we can remain lost in a life that offers nothing more than temporary satisfaction. The choice is ours...

I am often tempted, but when I begin to feel lost in my ways I turn to the words of Jesus. I center myself around his life and give all my love to God. I hold nothing back. I ask for help. I accept guidance. I act on his will. I open myself up to the possibility that I could do something more, and I often find that I have more love to give outside of my own desires.

With each circumstance and every interaction, there is a right way and a wrong way. We may not always find ourselves on the correct path, but we can rely on God to change our course by loving externally with everything we do. We can escape the downfall of acting in self interest and discover the reward behind the greatest commandment - indescribable joy.

Laws of Leadership V

2010-04-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

This will be the fifth and final installment to a series of blog posts dedicated to "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. Reading, analyzing and applying the laws to my life has proven to be a rewarding exercise that will provide valuable direction in my journey toward striving to be a leader in everything I do. The truth behind each law will be used to identify opportunities and recognize areas for improvement as I make my way to achieving success in the omnipresent world of leadership.

The "Law of Priorities" gives an understanding that leadership will always require an ability to effectively prioritize regardless of how efficiently an organization is being run. Therefore, activity is not an indicator of forward progress unless it is critical to accomplishing future goals. The Pareto Principle states that a focus on the top 20 percent in terms of importance will produce an 80 percent return on effort. For example if your to-do list has ten items on it, the top two will give you 80 percent of the benefit for the entire list. In order to prioritize, we should use Maxwell's three R's: What is Required? What gives the greatest Return? What brings the greatest Reward?

The next law explains a harsh inescapable reality of leadership. Leaders must have an attitude of sacrifice and be willing to do whatever it takes to reach the next level. Maxwell uses Lee Iacocca and his dedication to saving Chrysler starting in the late 1970s as an example of the "Law of Sacrifice." In order to incorporate the changes that needed to take place, Iacocca gave all his time working around the clock neglecting his usual mandatory time with family. He also worked for a salary of one dollar. However, his sacrifices were seen by the entire company and created a culture that allowed Chrysler to work its way back to elite status. All leaders need to accept that the higher the level of leadership, the greater the sacrifices.

The most effective leaders recognize that when to lead is as important as what to do and where to go. Timing is everything and this concept leads into the "Law of Timing." With every single move made by a leader, the result will always fall into one of four categories outlined below.

The Wrong Action at the Wrong Time Leads to Disaster
The Right Action at the Wrong Time Brings Resistance
The Wrong Action at the Right Time Is a Mistake
The Right Action at the Right Time Results in Success

Simply stated, the right choice at the right time will lead to incredible results, but if either is wrong the result will always be negative.

Maxwell next goes into what he explains as leader's math. It simply means that although leading followers will bring growth, leading leaders will expand the boundaries of growth. The "Law of Explosive Growth" shows that leaders who develop other leaders multiply their growth since each acquired leader will also bring their followers. Basically, an organization will experience a multiplication effect that goes far beyond adding resources, reducing costs, increasing margins or anything else just by working to develop leaders.

The final law in this powerful book is the "Law of Legacy" which states a leader's lasting value is measured by succession. The best leaders have an ability to think ahead and value what is best for a company. Through creating a leadership culture, an organization is enabled to be successful regardless of his or her presence. Great leaders will have incorporated ideals and values that will carry on long after they are gone. A legacy will be created that puts the organization into the position to do great things in the future without them.
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"The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership"
Follow Them and People Will Follow You
By John C. Maxwell

"Everything rises and falls on leadership. Most people don't believe me when I say that, but it's true. The more you try to do in life, the more you will find that leadership makes the difference. Any endeavor you can undertake that involves other people will live or die depending on leadership. As you work to build your organization, remember this:

Personnel determine the potential of the organization.
Relationships determine the morale of the organization.
Structure determines the size of the organization.
Vision determines the direction of the organization.
Leadership determines the success of the organization.

I wish you success. Pursue your dreams. Desire excellence. Become the person you were created to be. And accomplish all that you were put on earth to do. Leadership will help you to do that. Learn to lead - not just for yourself, but for the people who follow behind you. And as you reach the highest levels, don't forget to take others with you to be the leaders of tomorrow."

Law of the Lid
Law of Influence
Law of Process
Law of Navigation
Law of E.F. Hutton
Law of Solid Ground
Law of Respect
Law of Intuition
Law of Magnetism
Law of Connection
Law of the Inner Circle
Law of Empowerment
Law of Reproduction
Law of Buy-In
Law of Victory
Law of the Big Mo
Law of Priorities
Law of Sacrifice
Law of Timing
Law of Explosive Growth
Law of Legacy

Rise Above

2010-04-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

This week I have been challenged by stress. It feels like my trust in God is being tested by a variety of external forces waging war on my ability to live with the extreme joy I have been experiencing. However, I refuse to allow any of these factors to control my thoughts and will use my faith like a shield defending my peacefulness from the chaotic world around me.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

The above passage was sent to me by someone very special at exactly the time I needed to read it. It allowed me to change my focus from the overwhelming nature of the pace of life to God's all consuming love for me. Even though life continues its attack, I am able to reclaim now as the moment to praise God and restore my ability to live for his glory.

Work can seem to control our lives. Bills can steal happiness from our hearts. The world can trick us into the unthinkable. However, we must never surrender to these external forces. By refusing to relinquish our joy, we wear an armor so mighty and strong that we can overcome anything.

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

One week from today, I want to be able to look back on the stress in my life and laugh. I want to smile at its attempts to rob me of my joy. I want to be confident it did not hold me down. The only way I can guarantee these desires is to rely on complete trust in God. There is absolutely no room for doubt... no room for worry... no room for panic. I believe with all my heart that God works for the good of those who love him and will use this faith to rise above.

ACTIONS... words

2010-04-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

There is an expression that is commonly used to emphasize that what we do is much more powerful the anything that we say. You may have heard it a few times in your life and filed it away just as I did into a category of memorable yet overlooked cliches. However, it may help to pull the phrase from storage and use it today to make an impact, because there is no doubt that "Actions Speak Louder than Words".

Even though I may not have always implemented them over the course of my life, I have been consistently blessed with quality ideas. Every once in a while, I would act on this God given inspiration which more often than not produced desirable results. However, it took solid effort to turn these sparkling rays of possibility into reality. There is no doubt that simply talking about it made no difference at all. It was my lack of consistency in following through on these ideas that kept me from accomplishing what I was truly meant to achieve.

The good news is that I have found that it is never too late to start dedicating time and energy toward fulfilling this unrealized potential. We can revive past reflections of ingenuity and transform them into actions. We can decide to stop talking about something and work to make it happen. We can make now the time we will make our words change into the difference we have always wanted to make.

We have the ability to do so much more than talk. Everything we need to turn our words into actions rests solely on our decision to make it happen. Simply by living the way God inspires us to live, we will influence others through the truth that lives in our actions. We cannot talk about helping others.... we cannot think about living a positive lifestyle... we cannot plan on making a difference... we need to just do it. We need to silently speak louder with every step we take.

Not So Silly Putty

2010-04-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

Is there anything that you do alone by yourself everyday? What do you think about during these activities? Who do you think about? What more can be done to make these frequent actions more meaningful?

Everyday I spend approximately 2 hours sitting at my desk checking email, downloading music, catching up on facebook and writing these blog posts. Whenever I begin to feel stressed, I reach to a very peculiar source sitting on my desk for help to relax and focus my thoughts. You may laugh, but it is good old fashioned 'Silly Putty'.

I spend roughly 5 minutes squeezing the pink mystery substance between my fingers during one of my typical stress relieving sessions. It helps me forget about whatever may be bothering me and concentrate more on the 'silly' toy in my hand. This time has grown to be a daily fixture to my schedule. However, yesterday it seemed to have a much greater meaning.

As I picked up the red egg shaped case, I simultaneously began talking with God. Statements of gratitude and prayers filled my head throughout the entire time my hand shaped, molded and formed the putty. By simply inviting God to share that time with me, I was blessed with even more relief than the exercise normally produces on its own. It was at that moment of realization that I knew my time with Silly Putty would never again be spent alone.

I doubt that you play with Silly Putty on a daily basis, but I do bet that there are other routine actions you can think of that fill your schedule. I encourage you to identify these frequent tasks and invite God to spend that time with you. By turning your thoughts to him, he will restore energy and fill your being with everything you need to move forward more efficiently.

Seriously, take a few minutes during one of these common occurrences to thank God for the day's blessings, relieve the day's hurts and/or request strength to overcome the day's challenges. Use the time to grow your relationship with God... you may just discover that this previously overlooked time can be transformed into a more meaningful rejuvenating session of restoration.

More Than Words

2010-04-25T19:28:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love the "txt: How to Read Your Bible" message series that the leadership at Suncrest is guiding the church through currently. Today was part 3 titled "The Model" covering Philippians 2:1-11. Andy Kaiser led the service breaking down Paul's letter to the Romans into actionable hope-filled words. I am continually amazed at how the Bible can come alive and mirror events in life inspiring actions that go far beyond our own ability.

In my ever evolving list of topics, I have been working on an idea that requires me to document specific instances that show others that they are more important than I. I have been searching for opportunities and will continue to do so over the next few weeks. I have found that this selfless behavior has actually given me more reward than the instant gratification that indulging in selfish desires could ever produce. It has also proven to provide a lasting joy that consistently lifts up my day and creates a renewed spirit ready to overcome any challenge that stands in the way of living at my best.

Philippians 2:3-4 reads, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Digesting this verse today, I felt the words become more than a passage from the Bible. It shouted truth into my life and solidified God's direction in my heart. I was able to relate directly to someone who felt the same generous outpouring of hope and love in his life over two thousand years ago that I have been blessed with in 2010. It was a very powerful experience.

Reading the Bible has become a valued part of my day and helped my relationship with God reach a much more intimate level. The more I look to him for strength and guidance, the more he delivers combining the spirit living inside me with the truth of his word. It is through this amazing transformation that the words come alive and take form as fuel for living in the will of God.

From Scared to Overjoyed

2010-04-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up and immediately glared at the clock. It said 7:20 and I felt very uneasy... to the point of freaking out. It only lasted a few seconds, but in those few seconds I went from scared to confused to doubtful to unbelievably overjoyed. As I sat up not quite sure of my surroundings, I suffered from a feeling that I was supposed to be somewhere else. Was I late for work? Am I back in time? Was the last two years of my life a dream?

It may seem ridiculous or even crazy, but this is not the first time this has happened. There have been several similar rude wake ups over the last month. Mostly they occur on the days that I do not have to set my alarm clock. I think that I am trying so hard to do well in life that I my mind is in overdrive. I really need to relax and concentrate on living one day at a time to the best of my ability. By following this mindset, I will be able to enjoy the peacefulness that accompanies always following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Getting back to the intense emotions of the moment, I woke up feeling scared. I was not scared due to direct danger. I was scared because I felt like all the hard work I have done to change my life might suddenly have been reversed. It reminded me of the horrible feelings I felt when I was trapped in the lifestyle of my past with no visible way out. I am so glad it was only a second or two before I moved on to confusion.

The confusion stage allowed me to look around my room and realize that I was in a safe place. I was not quite sure what exactly was going on since I was still waking up. After another couple seconds passed, I had recognized that everything was alright and it was simply another day. However, I needed to confirm in my head that I was not late for work or missing some sort of previous scheduled appointment. After this jam packed process, I took a deep breath, smiled and turned my thoughts to God as my head plopped back down into my pillow.

It was a wonderful feeling to escape from a short relapse of negative thinking only to quickly acknowledge that everything was absolutely terrific. In fact, I was filled with such a feeling of joy that I could not think of anything else to do except thank God for his work in my life.

I must admit that it was a relatively interesting start to my day, but in the end I was left reassured that today was going to be fantastic. I am free from my yesterdays and tomorrow is tomorrow. Today everything is wonderful, and I will carry this blessing into all I do.

The Me I Want to Be

2010-04-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

I started to read "The Me I Want to Be" by John Ortberg this evening. My community group for church will be using it to guide us through the next several weeks of meetings. I am looking forward to the upcoming discussions and sharing them with others that sincerely care. Topics such as 'Finding My Identity', 'Renewing My Mind', 'Deepening My Relationships' and 'Transforming My Experience' will definitely serve as a catalyst to finding exactly what the title suggests - "The Me I Want to Be".

The first chapter of the book is titled "Learn Why God Made You." I believe that this is a perfect way to start out the study. It definitely centered my thoughts around what truly matters. Becoming "The Me I Want to Be" will not be a selfish endeavor, but a search for how I can accept God's wisdom and use it to bring him glory. My priorities need to be aligned so that my happiness will not depend on particular achievements or experiences, but a lasting joy provided from God as reward for bringing blessings to everyone and everything around me regardless of circumstance.

As the book shifted toward living a flourishing life, it made me think about how my life is different now from years past. I have found peace from the pressures of the world through complete trust in God's plan for me. I listen to his guidance through the Holy Spirit knowing that his understanding goes beyond my ability to ever comprehend. I put the needs of others before my own and judge the results by the joy shared in our hearts. My happiness absolutely has nothing to do with how much money I make or the possessions I obtain. Happiness is a result of the journey toward discovering the person that God wants me to be.

Ortberg writes, "God made you to flourish - to receive life from outside yourself, creating vitality within yourself and producing blessing beyond yourself." This quote summarizes the realization that helped me move from a sad selfish lifestyle and into a world of peacefulness and joy. By filling our hearts with love, we will begin to live a constant transformation that will take us to extraordinary places. We were created to be great using the unique gifts God provided, and the path we take to get there will determine the level of greatness.

Laws of Leadership IV

2010-04-22T19:47:00.000-07:00

This will be the fourth installment to a series of blog posts dedicated to "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. As I go about each day, I have been keeping each law in mind in order to focus on becoming a stronger leader in every aspect of my life. I have discovered that I can depend on these laws to help me make more sound decisions on a daily basis. By living under the guidance of Maxwell's hard earned experience, I am working my way toward reaching my goal of someday becoming a successful, effective leader.

Over the course of the last 12 laws, we have seen that leaders need to possess the ability to gain the trust and respect of others in order to establish a connection that will encourage people to follow them toward a common purpose. Obviously great leaders have some level of natural ability, but how does a person develop all the other attributes that enables him/her to become exceptional?

The "Law of Reproduction" states that it takes a leader to raise up a leader. A majority of effective leaders have been formed under the direction of other established leaders who mentored them. By surrounding ourselves with talented individuals who care about our development, we will absorb the same characteristics over time. Therefore, we must avoid authority figures who do not recognize the tremendous value of developing our abilities or are not secure enough to help us become better. We must find people who can see the big picture and challenge us everyday, because it will be these lessons that truly form us into leaders.

Next, the book goes into a fundamental difference between leaders and followers. Maxwell states, "The leader finds the dream and then the people. The people find the leader and then the dream." This quote brings us to the "Law of Buy-In" which simply means that people buy into the leader before the actual vision.

Many people believe that people will follow any cause as long as there is a solid plan supporting something good. However, people do not at first follow worthy causes. They follow worthy leaders who promote worthwhile causes. This point is exactly why actors and athletes are used in advertising. People want to believe in things that are promoted by the people they respect. As leaders, we will never get any credit for having a good vision. It will be our ability to get people where they need to go that determines success which will always begin before the vision is even shared.

In Maxwell's next law called the "Law of Victory", a true leader always finds a way for the team to win. He states, "Victorious leaders feel the alternative to winning is totally unacceptable, so they figure out what must be done to achieve victory, and then they go after it with everything at their disposal."

Successful leaders are always pursuing victory independent of circumstance. They can envision a way to conquer any obstacle and use their leadership to make others see it too. They respond to pressure and show their best in times of adversity. They refuse to back down and are quick to identify alternate routes to accomplishing the desired result. When a leader combines these characteristics with a team that carries unity of vision and a diversity of skills, victory will be inevitable.

Leaders must also find a way to make things happen. The first step in the process must be to prepare and motivate everyone involved in order to create something called momentum. Momentum is often a leader's best friend and that is why the next law is called the "Law of the Big Mo".

A leader is expected to get things started. He or she is responsible for taking action. However, it is important to know that small victorious steps have the ability to make a large impact during the early stages of a project. These adolescent victories will allow the team to pick up momentum that will be required to take on whatever stands in the way. The greater the momentum, the easier it will be to overcome unavoidable challenges and obstacles.
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The following is a recap of the first 12 laws. A more in-depth explanation of each can be found in the first three entries under the title "Laws of Leadership".

Law of the Lid
Law of Influence
Law of Process
Law of Navigation
Law of E.F. Hutton
Law of Solid Ground
Law of Respect
Law of Intuition
Law of Magnetism
Law of Connection
Law of the Inner Circle
Law of Empowerment

The Stage

2010-04-21T20:16:00.000-07:00

After returning home from a blessed day at work, I was able to catch the last 30 minutes of American Idol. I have always been a big fan of the show and look forward to the performances each week. I could only imagine what it must feel like to be one of the contestants. After all, they are ordinary people just like you and I being instantly thrown onto television's greatest stage to show off their amazing musical talents. I give them a lot of credit for being able to do so well considering their lack of experience.

During the performance shows, I often find myself thinking about how great it must feel to walk out on the stage. The atmosphere must be electric filled with an incredible amount of energy. The fans... the judges... the lights... the cameras... it has to be so overwhelming. However, the contestants seem to take everything in stride and put forth their best efforts with hopes of becoming the next 'American Idol'.

After considering the power of such a situation, I was left thinking about the stage concept. These contestants get in front of millions of viewers week after week and sing with all their heart. Attempting to win votes, they do everything they can to put forth their absolute best performance. Sometimes they rock... sometimes not so much, but they try. How cool would it be to have a stage like that where we could lay it all on the line and put our best out there for everyone to enjoy?

The more I contemplated this interesting thought, the more I realized that this stage exists for all of us. Everyday, everywhere we are living on a stage that can give us the same amount of opportunity and satisfaction that Idol offers it's contestants. Through our actions in everything we do, we have a chance to perform influencing and inspiring those around us. We may not be in front of television cameras or spotlights, but we are living our own precious one of a kind life that is in itself amazing. We should definitely be using our time on stage wisely!

Looking at my journey over the past few months, I am so amazed by all the encouragement I am blessed with on a daily basis. I do not know how to explain it... except that God is definitely working in my life. As I keep focusing on trusting him with all my heart, I believe that he is using others to lift me up. Just as the American Idol contestants receive votes for performing well, I feel like I am rewarded with all the positive words from so many different people.

It just goes to show that life really is an enormous stage lit up by God's glory. However, it is up to us to shine under his spotlight. With every move we make, we can earn supporters and make a difference. We can use the gifts God gave us to really make the world a better place. By making the effort, we just might find that the excitement of television's biggest stage really isn't that far out of reach.
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But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. - 1 John 2:5

An Hour Adventure

2010-04-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

This morning I had about an hour to spend before starting work after completing a prior obligation. I stopped at Taco Bell to grab a quick lunch and visited Best Buy to look for an mp3 auxiliary cable for my car. During this hour that started out as a way to kill some time, I had some very interesting experiences with some very positive side effects.

First of all, I want to confess that I am a fan of some good Taco Bell. However, I am very particular about my Taco Bell experience. I have learned through past experiences that the quality of food at Taco Bell varies greatly from location to location. In order to judge the quality, I always check the cleanliness of the bathroom before ordering from an unfamiliar restaurant. I have found this method to be an awesome indicator of the food quality and service.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a sparkling clean restroom upon walking into the facilities at this Taco Bell. After my quality inspection, I approached the counter only to be greeted with a smile and an emphatic greeting. I placed my order and within one minute I was handed my food by an energetic young woman who offered a sincere "Thanks for Choosing Taco Bell. Enjoy!"

I was so happy with my meal and overall Taco Bell experience. It tasted great... the service was excellent... the restaurant was clean. I literally thought to myself, "Wow these people are doing an absolutely wonderful job!" Upon leaving this blessed establishment, I walked to the front counter and asked to speak to the manager. As she reluctantly approached, I smiled at her and said, "I just wanted to thank you for lunch. You all are doing a wonderful job!"

When I walked up to the counter, I almost went to the left to continue right out the door. I am so glad that I stopped to take 15 seconds to extend my feelings of gratitude. I literally felt a rush of energy radiating from our short and to the point conversation. She was happy I was pleased... I was happy to tell her I was pleased... it was a win-win situation that we shared together.

After my amazing lunch, I headed over to Best Buy. This was my first trip into a similar work environment since starting my job in retail management. I was surprised by how I now viewed the entire shopping experience differently. I was comparing their store to mine... taking hints from the good and making mental notes of the bad. I appreciated the prompt and friendly customer service giving me a first hand account of what customers want from their shopping experience.

After finding the auxiliary cable and walking the store, I proceeded to check out. I found myself behind a couple who just bought a computer monitor. The clerk was explaining insurance options, and I could sense he was trying to hurry. As he gave me a glance, I could tell he was sorry for the extended wait and expected me to show frustration. However, I was contently patient and offered a few words encouraging him to take his time. After waiting about four minutes, he checked me out and thanked me for waiting. He then shocked me with the same salutation I like to use, "Have a blessed day!"

When I began to wait, I almost gave in to a go-go-go mentality. I felt the urge to give out a look of discontent, but I am so grateful that I recognized it as a chance to practice patience. In return, I was rewarded with a connection with the clerk. He didn't just give me an ordinary "Have a nice day!" He gave me a sincere "Have a blessed day!" and I did! Praise the Lord!!!

After my hour adventure, I had a wonderful day at work. I felt great all afternoon and believe it showed in everything I did. Even though I had a very long day that started early this morning, the joy in my heart made it a long day full of happiness. I attribute all this to God and thank him for the guidance he provided. Without the direction of the Holy Spirit, I might have let hard work go un-celebrated or even surrendered much needed happiness to impatient behavior. Both of which would have been a crime, stealing directly from the joy God had planned for my afternoon.

Really?

2010-04-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

I am going to take a journey back just 12 months. It was a pivotal time in my life. I was in the midst of the beginning of a journey traveling away from the hurt of a past life. The future was unknown, and the only thing holding me together was the unconditional love of my family. I knew deep in my heart that there was something special waiting for me, but I had absolutely no idea how I was going to get there.

About the same time, I started discovering God's unconditional love. He provided guidance to continue taking steps in the right direction. He gave power to resist temptation. He handed over strength to conquer challenges. Most of all, he filled me with faith and through it my life has been restored. I no longer have to wonder about how I am going to get to where I am going... my faith leads me.

If someone would have told me a year ago that I would be where I am, feeling how I feel I would have called them crazy. I could only imagine the conversation... You will have a career... Really??? You will have car... Really??? Your family will be proud of you... Really??? You will be filled with joy... Really??? I would have said that all these blessings were merely a dream...

However, I would have been wrong. The last year of my life has shown me that God really can make the impossible possible. I made the choice to give my all to him and now I have more than I could have ever dreamed... and I trust that he has many more amazing blessings planned for me.

This morning I arrived at work and began working on a few tasks in between assisting customers. About an hour into my shift, I was called into the district manager's office. He asked me how things were going after my first four weeks. After giving him my reply, he handed me a paper with my name on it. It was a promotional offer for the Assistant Manager position.

If the smile on my face could talk, it would have screamed "Really???" Needless to say, I was ecstatic. I want to say that I can't believe it, but in my faith I definitely felt it was possible. I was aware of the open position. I thought I had the skills and ability to excel at the job. I knew that if I worked really hard I would be able to earn it. I just didn't think it would happen in four weeks!

I am very excited about the opportunity and am confident I will be successful in the position. I will be challenged, but I have God on my side. I trust that it will be another step in the journey to becoming the person I am meant to be... and that faith will lead me toward my destiny.

What's Important?

2010-04-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

What is most important to you? What truly lives inside your heart? Do your actions and decisions reflect your dedication to these things in life? Is there anything you can physically do to better express these internal feelings? What is holding you back?

I must admit that this exercise takes more than a few minutes. In fact, I have been thinking about these questions since I left church, and I plan to contemplate them all week long. I want to reflect on each day to find out if I am honestly showing what lives in my heart. I want to make sure that I am not missing opportunities to promote the things that are most important in my life.

When I think about my past and things that were important to me, I am filled with feelings of regret. I can't help but to remember times I should have physically expressed myself differently. For some reason or another, I simply held back.

Why? What stopped me from taking a few moments to give a heart felt thank you? What kept me from making those things that were important to me know they were important to me? Also, what might have been different if I never held back?

This morning Pastor Greg Lee spoke of an event earlier in the week that provided one of those moments that absolutely put everything in perspective for him. He continued to share how it made him look at his life and really reach out to what was most important to him. He hugged his children a little tighter... held his wife a little closer... and praised God a little stronger. After everyone demanded to know what the incredible event was, he admitted that there was no specific occurrence... however he made a very good point.

As Greg shared his realization, every person in attendance was relating to the experience. We are often provided these wake up calls and have all at some point or another felt exactly how he said he was feeling. However, sometimes it can simply be too late to make the changes needed to reflect what lives in our hearts externally. The time needs to be now. Hug our children tighter today... Tell the special people in our lives just how special they are... Reach out and praise God right away... we simply cannot wait for adversity.

In the second message of the "txt: How to Read Your Bible" series, we discussed the amazing things that happened to Paul in Acts and Philippians. Even though what happened to him was unjust, what happened through him was incredible. Because he expressed what was in his heart in everything he did, he was able to make what was important to him flourish.

Paul advanced the Gospel through circumstances that otherwise would have been disastrous, and he was rewarded with true joy. I believe that we too can move past intermittent happiness and into a world of pure joy. However, we must live our lives just as Paul did making the most important things in our lives important in every action and decision we make.

The Difference

2010-04-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful eight hours at work today. I am feeling much more confident now that I have a better understanding of the products offered and their locations inside the store. The past four weeks have seemed to pass at the speed of lightning. In the course of a month, I have had one learning experience after another filled with valuable lessons that only hands-on training could have provided.

I sincerely enjoy interacting with customers throughout the day. I am constantly surprised by the diversity of people that I meet. Even though some are unreceptive, it is rewarding to be able to share a positive attitude with so many people and attempt to make a positive impact on their day. I am continually uplifted by these interactions and always look forward to connecting with each customer often simply through a heart felt smile.

When I am assisting customers, I am as genuine as I can possibly be. I have found that people respect the honest nature of a sincere connection. Even though conversations are rather short, I believe that there is a huge opportunity for making an impact. Whether it be to promote the company or pass on some positive energy, these first impressions have the ability to go a long way.

Looking back on my first four weeks, I have met a lot of wonderful people. However, I have also encountered a fair share of negative individuals. Over the past week, I noticed myself avoiding this type of customer as much as possible. After thinking more about these interactions, I must change this behavior.

I will be giving more attention to these seemingly unhappy people and give my all to sharing the joy God has provided me. Instead of avoiding these customers, I will put extra effort into extending my own peace and happiness. Even though it may be challenging, I know that these times will offer the greatest opportunity to make a difference... and that difference is what truly matters.

Raining Sunshine

2010-04-16T16:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day. It made it very easy to move through the day full of joy. I also noticed a big difference in many other people's attitudes. I participated in several conversations at the Soup & Serenity program that were full of praise for the gorgeous weather. As I continued my day with a few errands, everyone seemed to be just plain happy. It was a perfect day to have off from work...

However, this morning was a different story. The weather was wet and dreary. There was not a single ray of sunshine in sight. It was difficult trying to wake up and start my day with the same energy as the previous day. From the minute I crawled out of bed, I was fighting the urge to let the rainy weather influence my mood.

After recognizing how much it was affecting me, I took some time to reflect on my attitude. I considered the thoughts I was having and the feelings I was experiencing. I identified that there was a challenge in front of me that definitely could help me grow stronger.

Before I left for work, I had decided that I would do everything I could to carry the same positive attitude I was blessed with yesterday. Even though it was dark and rainy, I wanted to live like it was raining sunshine. I put a smile on my face and thought about all the wonderful things in my life for which I am grateful.

Not only did it make me feel better, I think I was able to pass some of the energy on to those around me. As the morning progressed, I had forgotten that the day started with rain clouds. My heart was full of the same joy that the sunshine brought into my life 24 hours earlier. I had reset the tone of my day through my thoughts and actions.

I know that it can be tough to live with a steady stable attitude and a heart full of joy. There will be times in life when the sun simply isn't shining, and things are not quite working out how we expected. However, it is at those times that we should rise above and live like everything is absolutely beautiful. With complete trust in God, we can find sunshine in every situation.

Laws of Leadership III

2010-04-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

This will be the third installment to a series of blog posts dedicated to "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. As I go about each day, I have been keeping each law in mind in order to focus on becoming a stronger leader in every aspect of my life. Obviously, I value giving my all in everything I do and believe that this very mind set will lead to leadership opportunities. With a solid understanding of what it means to be an effective leader, I will be better able to serve those around me as they are looking for someone to follow.

Every leader wants to have an effective, efficient team that works well together. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. People may have negative attitudes or live with values that continuously cause them to make poor decisions. Maxwell suggests that over time this will be naturally corrected depending on the quality of each individual leader's attitude and values.

The "Law of Magnetism" suggests that people are naturally attracted to leaders who are like themselves or reflect who they want to be. People want to follow leaders that share a common attitude, age, background, values and leadership ability. Therefore if it seems the people we are attracting could be better, then it is time to take a good look at ourselves and work to improve those very attributes in our own character. Who we are is who we will attract...

The next law states something that I think is very obvious, but often overlooked by many leaders in today's culture. Leaders who are able to establish a strong connection with others will be more successful at convincing them to follow their direction. However, the connection needs to be sincere and heart felt to achieve results. Using the "Law of Connection", effective leaders know that you have to first touch people's hearts before you can ask them for a hand. It will take time and effort, but people need to know their leader cares and genuinely wants to help them in all areas of life. By connecting with people on an individual level, leaders will gain trust and therefore followers.

Leaders are mistaken if they believe they can handle everything themselves. It will take a core of solid reliable people to drive results in any type of organization. In the "Law of the Inner Circle", a leader's potential is determined directly by those closest to him or her. Leadership expert Warren Bennis was quoted, "The leader finds greatness in the group, and he or she helps the members find it in themselves." Every leader needs to be focused on continually developing the 'Inner Circle' and hire the best people that can be found. It will ultimately be this group of people that allow an organization to reach it's full potential.

The next law is the "Law of Empowerment. Theodore Roosevelt once said, "The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it." Leaders must be secure enough to give power to others and let them use it to the best of their ability.

Discouraging and undermining the best people in an organization will lead to failure. This happens all the time due to resistance of change, lack of self-worth and fear of job security. Leaders simply do not want to risk helping subordinates because of their own insecurity. However, great leaders believe in their people and lift them up with every opportunity. In fact, the best leaders often give all the credit to their people... and know thats where it belongs.

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The following is a recap of the first eight laws. A more in-depth explanation of each can be found in the first two entries under the title "Laws of Leadership".

Law of the Lid
Law of Influence
Law of Process
Law of Navigation
Law of E.F. Hutton
Law of Solid Ground
Law of Respect
Law of Intuition

PTL

2010-04-14T19:27:00.001-07:00

Praise the Lord!

It can often be too easy to dismiss the miraculous occurrences in life as simply coincidence or good luck. However, I know with all my heart that these explanations are so far from the truth. With every encounter... with every event... with every blessing, there was something so much more in-depth going on in our lives. The Lord was at work carrying out a plan that goes way beyond our own understanding.

God knows me better than I know myself. He feels what's in my heart and experiences every emotion that fills my very being. He has never had to guess when it comes to my life, and I trust that he never will. He gives me challenges to make me stronger and sends me strength in times of need. Sometimes I may not agree with his decisions, but I have learned through faith that he knows better than I.

There have been times in my life that I felt abandoned by God. Instead of turning to him, I allowed our relationship to drift further and further apart. Even though I was running from his embrace, he never let me go. While I was living a sinful lifestyle, he was finding a way to save me from my negligence. He sent me everything I needed and more to become the person he desires me to be... and I praise him for it.

It is comforting to know that no matter what is going in our lives, God is working in our favor. He is providing exactly the right people, places and things that we need to become better servants of his will. However, it is up to us to recognize the blessings and listen to his guidance in order to receive the rewards he has waiting for us. It will be our trust and faith that will allow his plan to succeed... and regardless of life's current status, we should always turn our hearts to the Lord and give him all our praise.
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Psalm 103 1-5,20-22
Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits -- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

//

Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.

Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Smile He Loves Us!

2010-04-13T08:59:00.001-07:00

I was pleased to see the sun shining when I opened my eyes this morning. I sat in bed a few minutes before I actually decided to get up. During that time, I noticed that my mind was once again racing. I was thinking about work, bills and tasks that need to get done. After realizing that I was stressing out, I prayed for relief and stood up with an understanding that everything will work out. I walked out of my room with a grateful heart and a big smile on my face.

I decided I would spend my morning doing things that would take my mind off of everything. I completely let go of all thoughts that had to do with future events and committed myself to living directly in the moment. I began by washing the wheels on my car. One by one, I gently scrubbed the alloy with some soapy water and watched the grease and grime disappear. After completing the surprisingly relaxing task, it felt great to stand back and look at them sparkling in the sunshine.

Next, I grabbed my headphones, my running shoes and a baseball bat excited to get some exercise. I began a daily routine that I absolutely love to do. I stretch and warm up while holding the bat before starting a series of about 100 swings. During this exercise, I often envision myself facing a real pitcher and hitting home run after home run spread out all over the field. I even sometimes throw in some commentary... like I am in my own home run derby. I definitely have fun with it.

After completing my swings, I usually go for about a mile run. I do not look forward to this part of the routine, but I always feel wonderful after it is over. During the fast jog, I found myself looking up to the sky and praising God for everything he has blessed me with over the past few months. At about the halfway mark, I hit the point where my body tells me to stop running.

I often struggle to keep going, but I also know that it is at that point where I obtain the greatest benefit. As I contemplated walking for a minute, Train's "Calling All Angels" began to play on my headphones. The first line of the song is "I need a sign, To let me know your here". As I was searching for the strength to continue, the lyrics echoed in my head as I looked up for encouragement. Suddenly, I noticed something a few strides ahead and was amazed that it was a green and white frisbee with a giant smiley face on it reading "Smile God Loves You".

Needless to say, I completed the rest of the run at an amazing pace. In fact, I finished that mile feeling like I should run a few more. I was once again in awe of God's presence in my life. The stress and anxiety that I have been feeling suddenly seemed foolish. I almost feel embarrassed that I needed to nearly trip over a frisbee to remind me about God's love for me, but it is an image that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The next time I feel stressed or discouraged, I will definitely think back to the image of this green and white reminder and smile with reassurance that no matter the circumstance, God loves me.

I Dreamed a Dream

2010-04-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

I had a dream last night that really influenced my overall mood. I immediately recognized the effect this morning as I was waking up and drinking my coffee. The imagery was playing over and over in my mind. There was nothing bad that happened in the dream, but it brought back some intense feelings from my past.

During my morning prayers, I expressed concern about the dream and asked for help to overcome the feelings that were clouding my mind. I was sincere in my request and was inspired to spend a few moments after my prayers to reflect on the dream. The reflection made me think about reasons why I might be experiencing these strange feelings. I took a deeper look into my life and reached a conclusion that allowed me to temporarily dismiss them.

I tried not to think about the dream after praying to God to help me move past it. However, I was having trouble going about my day without the reflections from my past flashing in and out of my thoughts. I was scheduled to work in the afternoon and knew I absolutely had to find a way to overcome the menacing nag. I decided to turn to God's Word to guide my thoughts past the dream.

After spending about 20 minutes searching for direction, I felt relieved from the stress that I was experiencing. I am grateful that I was able to identify and address the feelings that were holding me back from living at my best. The dream was an unexpected surprise that threatened my happiness and ability to go about my day joyfully. However, God once again intervened and helped me become victorious. I am so glad I turned to him!
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Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The Bible

2010-04-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

This morning Suncrest church kicked off an eight week message series called "txt: How to Read Your Bible". I am so glad that they are placing such a strong emphasis on this topic. I believe that it will help me learn how to develop a deeper relationship with God and show that God's
Word can provide guidance and direction for every situation in the journey through life.

The message started by pointing out that the Bible is an uncommon book meant to be read by the common man. It was intended for everyone and was originally written in a way that would make it readable for the normal everyday person. Today it exists as the most owned book in existence. However, it is also the least read. There may be something scary and intimidating about something that is so sacred and holy.

Before I turned my life over to God, I found myself filled with unmeasurable amounts of desperation and hopelessness. At that time in my life, I knew that I was wasting my life and wanted to find a way to overcome the strongholds in my life. However, I seemed to keep digging myself deeper and deeper into a dark unforgiving hole of despair. When I finally found myself surrounded by the absolute worst imaginable circumstances, I opened a small green pocket Bible labeled New Testament.

I had been introduced to God as a young child through the Catholic church. I memorized prayers and learned about Jesus. However, I had never opened a Bible to read what was inside. In my teenage years, I began to slowly drift away from God eventually giving up completely on pursuing a relationship with him. Before I could ever experience it's truth and power, I had decided that the Bible had no practical place in my life.

Upon opening this strange little green Bible that somehow found it's way into my hands, I started to read a section labeled Matthew. I found it very interesting and began to feel what I now know was the Holy Spirit fill my entire body. For the first time, I experienced the guidance and direction of the Bible. After finishing this section called Matthew, I started on another called Mark and then moved to Luke and then John. Over the course of eight days, I read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John three times and in it I found the strength to survive the worst time in my life.

I look back on that time in my life as a turning point. I am so grateful for that little green book that found a way into my life at a time of need. I am so glad I decided to open the book and begin reading the words that would literally change my life. It blows my mind to think that something so wonderful had escaped my attention for so many years.

Over the next eight weeks, I am looking forward to learning more about effectively reading my Bible. I have realized through experience that reading it with desire, patience and an open heart helps drive my relationship with God. It has grown to become an essential part of each day allowing me to center my thoughts and actions. With the direction of Suncrest, I trust that I will be able to take this daily time of blessing and learn how to maximize it's influence in my life. Their is a wealth of wisdom in God's Word, and I want to do everything I can possibly do to apply it to my life.

In God I Trust

2010-04-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

This will be my last official week of training for my new job. I will begin my new position on Monday and look forward to giving my all to doing the best that I possibly can. Even though training is over, I know that I will be constantly learning over the course of my new career. I will be welcoming every new challenge and using each as an opportunity to become better. Overall, I am simply excited to see exactly how God will use me.

Ever since last weekend, I have felt a refreshing feeling of newness in my life. This past Easter celebration encouraged me to recognize God's presence all around me. Throughout the week, I have been rewarded with a deeper relationship with him. My prayers are full of praise, and my heart is full of love.

As I continue on my journey, I can only imagine how I will continue to change both spiritually and professionaly. I trust that each positive improvement will become another stepping stone forming a path that will take me to exactly where I am supposed to be. I realize that I will be confronted with hardships from time to time, but I am consoled by the understanding that God will never give me too much to handle. I have been blessed with a new direction and plan to use all the wonderful gifts I have to pursue my restored potential.

As I start this upcoming week, I will be using the freshness in my life as fuel for determination. I am determined to follow Jesus. I am determined to succeed at work. I have given my life over to God and trust him completely... and this will lead me to where I am supposed to be.

Avoiding Sticky Situations

2010-04-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

I have a large candy jar sitting on my desk. I definitely have an intense sweet tooth and love making fun exciting mixes of my favorites. I recently decided to cut up a bag of sour filled twizzlers and add it to the medley of hard candy already occupying the jar. After about a day, the moisture of the twizzlers had spread throughout the container causing all the other candy to stick together. I was left with one large clump of colorful sticky candy...

As I was carefully picking at the clump piece by piece, I noticed myself reflecting on how the addition of the twizzlers affected the entire jar. Even though the amount of twizzlers was small compared to the candy, the moisture carried through to every single piece changing the contents forever. I also realized that there was nothing I could have done to prevent it except keep them separate. No matter how hard I tried, I could not keep the candy from taking on the moisture once both were in the same environment.

With this understanding, I began to relate my candy debacle to life. Over my journey of change, I have noticed that the type of people in my life has changed dramatically. I have been blessed with many new friends that bring a fresh welcomed feeling of happiness into every interaction. It is so wonderful to have people in my life that I can trust and turn to for solid advice and support. Their positive energy helps me stay focused on living at the best of my ability and encourages the joy filled life I was meant to live.

Just as the moisture of the twizzlers spread to all the other pieces of candy, the attitudes, values and beliefs of the people in our lives will influence our own thoughts, actions and experiences. In order to avoid becoming 'sticky', we must separate ourselves from the negative 'moisture' of certain people and environments. It is up to us to surround ourselves with friends, family and situations that are relentlessly positive to support a lifestyle full of love, hope and happiness.

Laws of Leadership II

2010-04-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

This will be the second installment to a series of blog posts dedicated to "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. As I go about each day, I have been keeping each law in mind in order to focus on becoming a stronger leader in every aspect of my life. It is important to recognize that leadership ability is strengthened through time and experience, but it will help to have an understanding of what it means to be an effective leader. Simply follow these laws, and people will follow you.

The following is a recap of the first four laws. Upon reading each law, I encourage everyone to reflect on it for a few moments. If interested in a more in-depth explanation of each, the first blog entry can be found under the title "Laws of Leadership".

Law of the Lid
Law of Influence
Law of Process
Law of Navigation

The fifth law of leadership is "The Law of E.F. Hutton" due to the fact that people listen when the read leader speaks. Maxwell named it after the old E.F. Hutton Financial Services television commercials that would show two people talking in a noisy public place that would suddenly go quiet when they started talking about E.F. Hutton's financial recommendations. Regardless, it stresses a valuable point that exists in every team setting.

The real leader of a group can always be identified by simply observing a meeting. It will become obvious through the actions of everyone in the room. Who are people watching when somebody asks a question? Who do they wait to hear? The person they look to is the leader, and s/he will have influence over the group making him or her a potential asset toward getting objectives accomplished. We can also use this law to determine our own level of leadership simply by asking ourselves the question, "When we speak, are people listening?"

The next law is the "Law of Solid Ground" and emphasizes trust as the foundation of leadership. In order to be a successful leader, there is no room for taking shortcuts or falling short of expectations, especially early on in a new position. Trust is built through competence, connection and character over time. These three things are portrayed through consistency, achieving results, making sound decisions and admitting to mistakes. People will tolerate mistakes, but a direct violation of trust will destroy future relations. Therefore, it is very important to not break the confidence of others... ever.

"The Law of Respect" states that people naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves. Respect is gained through actions and past results. It can also be carried through reputation and influence. Once respect is earned by an individual, people will inherently look to him or her for direction. Maxwell's theory is that people naturally want to be more like people they respect. Therefore, people will follow them.

The next law is probably the most difficult to understand, because "The Law of Intuition" combines facts with other intangible factors such as instinct. Leadership intuition is what separates the great from the good. Leaders with exceptional intuition can see things other people can't, make changes and move forward before others even know what's happening. In other words, great leaders are able to think on their feet and adapt to provide an effective alternative to any situation that may arise.

Necessity of Change

2010-04-07T18:37:00.000-07:00

Moving forward is a necessity of change. In order to continuously develop, we are required to accept new circumstances and adapt accordingly. If our focus is on becoming better, these new circumstances should challenge us to step beyond our comfort zone. We will need to rely on our past experiences to help us deal with each unique situation, but also understand that we will not always reach our expectations.

However, we can be sure to keep building on the foundation provided by yesterday's lessons by always giving our best. We need to reflect and learn from every experience to keep us moving forward toward our goals. We must believe that the outcome of each individual challenge will never be as important as our overall journey to victory. It will be incessant hard work and dedication over time that ultimately delivers success.

The first quarter of 2010 has been very rewarding. I feel that I have been able to grow as a person by viewing each challenge as an opportunity for improvement. Whether personal or professional, the activity at hand offers me the chance to become the person I want to be. However, it is up to me to take advantage of the opportunity and decide to make the most out of it. Even though I may be tempted to simply do what is expected, I know that I need to always push myself further.

I am very grateful for the blessings I have received and trust that there will be many more over the next nine months. As I make my way toward them, I realize that I need to continue seeking opportunities that demand all that I have to give. Tackling one challenge at a time, I am dedicated to living the rest of my life focused on change... and it all begins with moving forward.

Narrow Path, Small Gate

2010-04-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

This morning I was reading through my daily devotional covering Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, Seek, Knock". The verse reads, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

I have found through my experience on this life changing journey that these magical words are completely true. If the heart honestly desires help from God, these words transform into promises that will become reality as rewards for carrying out God's will through our thoughts and actions. He will not let us down. In fact, he will often go above and beyond our loftiest expectations.

After finishing the day's suggested verse, I continued reading to only come across another verse that supplied exactly the inspiration that I needed to help take me beyond the mediocre effort to which I sometimes fall victim. Matthew 7:13-14 reads, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

It's interesting to reflect on my life and look at sources of motivation as I made my way to becoming a man. I remember early on in childhood I did everything I could to make my parents proud. Later in my teenage years, I remember trying to do things that would help gain popularity with my peers or impress girls. Even later during early adulthood, I was living and basing decisions on how much money it would produce later in life. I find it strange that I never considered those reasons to be absurd or silly. Even though I still want to make my parents proud... even though I still want my peers to respect me... and even though I still want money, I know that those things are relatively insignificant compared to earning eternal life.

Throughout this journey of change, I have shifted my priorities to reflect the will of God. I have also decided to follow the example put forth through the life and death of Jesus in everything I do. However, there are times when I find myself settling for less than my best. For example, I have not been successful at carrying out my desired exercise program and find myself giving in to the urge to eat unhealthy. I will also sometimes look back on a situation where I knew I could have done more, but I decided to hold back. I sincerely believe that this lackadaisical behavior could be keeping me from experiencing even more blessing in my life.

As I continue forward in this journey, I will use the imagery of a shining narrow road leading to the most beautiful exclusive gate imaginable in order to keep me on track. When I feel like I want to give in, I will envision myself entering the gate into everlasting life with others that have walked the same road. It will motivate me to go beyond good and reach great. It will move me past normal and become exceptional. It will lead me to finding the person God wants me to truly be.

As I walk along this narrow path, I invite everyone to join me. If there is a piece of garbage on the ground, give up a few moments to throw it away. If a person is in need, take the time to reach out with love. If the Holy Spirit is talking, listen to it with an open willing heart. Life on Earth is simply too short to be lazy. We need to stay on the narrow road and constantly search for the gate that promises us true life. By never letting this destination slip away, we will eventually arrive and look back on the world with a smile that will shine for eternity.

Feeling Lucky?

2010-04-05T17:32:00.000-07:00

As I was completing a training activity at work, an advertisement came on over the radio that said, "Luck is what happens when hard work and opportunity meet." I stopped for a minute to reflect on the message of this unexpected interruption. I found that I completely agree with the statement and believe that it provides a definition of luck that more accurately captures what it means to be "Lucky".

The American Heritage Dictionary definition of the word lucky reads, "Occurring by chance". This meaning would definitely apply to winning the lottery or hitting a jackpot at the casino, but I do not think that it should be applied to the unbelievable events that occur everyday. People all too often rely on this term to provide an explanation for the otherwise inexplicable taking away from the real reason why things turned out the way they did.

I have been called lucky many times in my life. However, I am reluctant to admit that I am lucky. I refuse to accept that my life experiences have "occurred by chance" as the dictionary definition states. I believe that everything happens for a reason and put my trust in God who is always in control. I know that he is inspiring my hard work and providing the opportunities that lead to my good fortune. Therefore, I would rather refer to myself as blessed and give God the praise that he deserves.

I encourage everyone to think twice before attributing the next amazing situation/result to being lucky. It may help to step back and take a good look at everything that went into making it happen. I am confident that we will find that it really wasn't luck that put us in the right place at the right time... that produced an amazing series of events... that made us feel like something was meant to be... it was God working in our lives.

Shadow of Hope

2010-04-04T18:31:00.000-07:00

What would your "perfect day" be like? Who and what would be included? How would it make you feel? What kind of impact would it have on your life?

These are all questions that I never actually thought about prior to today. However, I have now been blessed with answers to each after celebrating this glorious Easter Sunday. Throughout the entire day, I felt God's presence both in my heart and all around me. It was amazing... absolutely amazing!

Suncrest concluded the 3 part "In the Shadows" series with a wonderful message entitled, "Shadow of Hope." The entire service was filled with uplifting energy and discussed a topic that has the power to change lives. It made it clear that Jesus gave up his life so that in his resurrection he would provide boundless hope to those who seek it. Because of his abundant love and irresistible grace, everyone can find true joy regardless of circumstance simply by turning their hearts to him.

During all four Easter services, Pastor Greg Lee invited me on stage to discuss my journey of faith and how it conquered my battle with addiction. I have been praying for God to use me, and today he took control of my body to deliver a message that will inspire others to defeat similar strongholds that may be keeping them from experiencing God's best. I am so grateful to have had this life experience and hope that my story will help people see that with God the impossible becomes possible.

Even though it was an amazing experience, my participation in the service was not the most memorable part of my day. It was the encouragement and support that came before, during and after each service. I felt a love from family, friends and even people I previously had never spoken with the entire morning. I exchanged smiles that radiated with joy and connected on a deeper level with many individuals that went far beyond the ordinary "hello how are you doing's." I was also blessed with an uncountable number of hugs. I just can't describe how great it felt!

Throughout the rest of my day, God rewarded me with a heart of happiness. I was able to spend the afternoon with my family. We played... we ate... we played some more... we ate some more. We shared laughter... we shared concern... we shared life. What more could I ask for?

Yes... today was my definition of a perfect day. It was full of love amongst the people who are closest to me. I felt the presence of God at work all around me and my heart was filled with his grace. I will take the memories of this day with me for the rest of my life and move forward with a changed perspective... a perspective that will forever cherish the "Shadow of Hope" that Jesus made possible.
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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In God's great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. - 1 Peter 1:3

Taking a Walk of Trust

2010-04-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

I believe that God gives everyone challenges to overcome and life experiences to endure in order to build character and make us stronger people. He will never give us anything that we can't handle and will provide everything we need to live victorious. However, it is up to us to ask him for the strength and courage required to succeed. We must trust him with all of our heart and be open to his guidance through listening obediently to the Holy Spirit.

This morning I was compelled to visit the Shrine of Christ's Passion in Saint John, IN and take a walk of prayer to spend some time re-centering myself around Jesus. I almost didn't go on account of the rainy gloomy weather. After contemplating the visit for awhile, I ultimately decided that I would brave the rain and use the opportunity to connect with the sacrifices Jesus made toward the end of his life.

I am so glad that I made the decision to still go despite the wind and rain. It was a very rewarding experience that allowed me to reflect on the power of the story behind this weekend's Easter celebration. As I was gently soaked under the rainfall, I spent some time at each station talking honestly with God and praising Jesus for his sacrificial death on the cross. I was able to recognize how blessed I am to have the wonderful things in my life and realized that I owe it all to him.

In order to live under the direction of the Holy Spirit, I have found that I am often required to move out from my comfort zone. Some things may be as simple as stepping out in the rain while others can be much more complicated, but in the end we will be rewarded for carrying out the will of God. However, it is completely up to us to live with the required dedication and determination. Once we give our lives to God, we will see the world in a different light and experience what it truly means to be a child of the Almighty Father.

I have been asked to share my story at the Easter service tonight and tomorrow at church. Of course I jumped on the opportunity, but I know that it will require me to move beyond the shame that accompanies my past and my fear of speaking in front of people. However, I have complete trust in God and believe that he will speak through me to reach others that may be suffering from similar strongholds. I can't wait to see just how God will use me and look forward to taking advantage of the opportunity to move one step closer to becoming the person God wants me to be.

Shadow of the Cross

2010-04-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

I am more excited about this Easter weekend than I have ever been in all of my life. I am filled with a fresh feeling in the core of my soul that radiates newness of life and boundless hope. I cannot fully explain just how powerful it is, but I can honestly say it is something that will stay with me forever. I am positive it is largely due to it being the first year I am celebrating the resurrection of Jesus with a complete dedication to following him and completely trusting God. Combined with the change in the weather, this is definitely my new favorite time of year.

I attended the Good Friday service tonight at Suncrest entitled "Shadow of the Cross". It was an amazing service that was filled with the strong emotional energy that resides in the contrasting nature of life, death and rise to eternal glory. With a candle lit stage decorated with mirrors, I felt connected to Jesus as I gave all of my heart to worship.

There was a life sized wooden cross hanging over the stage providing a clear visualization of the intensity of the situation. I found myself imaging the excruciating pain and the psychological torture of such a humiliating death. At that point, I was blessed with a changed outlook on what it means to truly suffer.

We were encouraged to look into the mirrors lining the stage and think about who we really are and who we want to be. In the past, I have often conducted a similar activity. I am reluctant to say that there were so many times in my life that I was sickened by what I saw looking back at me. However, tonight I saw myself in a new positive light. I have been restored to a person capable of serving God and living a truly meaningful life.

Jesus took the weight of the world on his shoulders so that we would have the opportunity to escape the chains of past sin and experience resurrection in our own lives. As this weekend continues, I will be celebrating what Jesus has done for us in everything I do. I pray that we all see the impact of the cross in our lives and embrace Jesus for truly being our Saviour.

Surviving the Flood

2010-04-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

There was a man stuck on his roof in a raging flood calmly watching the water rise. Just as the water was streaming over his roof, a boat showed up and offered to rescue him. The man politely denied and said, "It's alright. God will save me."

Almost a half hour later, the water had reached his waist and another boat arrived asking him to jump aboard. He again put forth the response, "I'm ok. God will save me." Soon the water was up to his neck, but he still remained at peace with the situation. All of the sudden, a helicopter appeared and began demanding the man to come with them. However, he once again denied the help and said one last time, "I'm going to be fine. God will save me."

The flood soon claimed the man's life. Upon arriving in heaven, the man stood before God and asked, "Why didn't you save me?"

God replied, "I tried three times. Did you not see the two boats and the helicopter?"

A very close friend shared that with me last night. He went on to explain that the story does a wonderful job summarizing how God has always been at work in his life. He said he simply didn't recognize all the ways God was trying to save him from his past reckless lifestyle. He continued to tell me how grateful he was the he didn't drown and now keeps his heart open to all the different ways God reaches out to him.

After reflecting on that conversation, I was able to identify the same trend in my life. It is absolutely crazy to think about all the chances God gave me to escape the flood of my past. It is even more insane to think about how many times I denied his help. However, God never gave up on me, and I am so thankful that he kept my head above water.

I have learned that no matter how challenging something may be, God will always provide the strength to overcome. I have also learned that it is up to me to ask for and accept his help. He may not always send us blessing the way we expect it, but as long as we seek his love and compassion, I have faith we will find it in everything we do.

One Full Day

2010-03-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

I had a very full schedule today requiring a constant on-the-go pace. The day went by so quickly, but it also presented me with a few surprises along the way. Even though everything was not exactly smooth, I was able to use my attitude of faith to keep going strong. In fact, I recognized each interruption in the day's journey as a chance for blessing. Looking back on the full day of events, I can now see that the surprises were actually what made the day special. I am grateful that I had the presence of mind to make the most out of each individual opportunity and feel blessed to have worked through such a chaotic day while sustaining an amazing feeling of peace.

My day started out at 5:15am after awakening to the not so pleasant beep, beep, beep of the alarm. I am not used to getting up early and am still adjusting to the new schedule. However, I was able to talk with my father before he left for work. Over the past year, it seems like I never get to talk with him until after he has already worked a long day. Even though it was tough to wake up, it was wonderful to get to spend some time with my Dad to begin my day.

I arrived to work at 7am. Even though the training manager had the day off, I was able to work closely with the assistant manager. Together we covered a lot of the same topics I covered on Monday, but I was able to learn it from his perspective. I believe it provided me with a more well rounded view of the required tasks. I was a little skeptical of how everything would go since I had no prior meeting with the assistant manager, but it turned out to be a very productive 8 hours.

Directly from work, I had to go to a dentist appointment. I do not enjoy having my teeth cleaned, and dread my six month check ups. I was surprised to see a new hygienist, but the process seemed to go smoother than normal. I was pleased she took the time to talk afterwards and offer suggestions on how to improve my oral hygiene. Also, it turns out that I will not need to get the costly x-rays and fillings I was expecting until July. I was very happy with that news, since I should have dental insurance at that time.

After leaving the dentist, I had an hour to make it to my Wednesday night meeting. Upon deciding that I was hungry, I thought I would try out a few of the new A1 sliders at White Castle. I was surprised to see a friend from my past working the register. He was someone that I have prayed for over the past year. Needless to say, it was wonderful to see him doing well.

After catching up with him, I got in my car so I could make it to my meeting in time. However, I was met with a lane closure on the main road that was backed up for miles. I tried to take alternate routes, but there was congestion everywhere I went. I eventually made it back to the main road and decided to simply wait in the traffic.

Even though I was going to be late, I decided to use the time waiting in my car to pray. As I was praying, I also spent some time reflecting on my life. I came to an understanding that the journey through life can sometimes be like my search for a way around the traffic. We might find that it is easier to accept the pace of life and wait patiently to get where we are going. Instead of hectically searching for shortcuts, we can make the most out of what is directly in front of us.

Despite the treacherous traffic, I arrived at my meeting only fifteen minutes late. The meeting went well with several positive conversations, but it was a meeting after the meeting that meant the most. I was able to have a heart to heart talk with a very close friend that I have known for 20 years who is conquering the same strongholds that I am in my life. We were able to share words of encouragement and ended the conversation with a big hug.

I was finally on my way home at about 8:30pm. When I walked in the door, my mom informed me that I needed to go to the dealership to finalize the purchase of my new car. After filling out all the paperwork, I was told that I could spin a wheel to attempt to win $500 dollars. With all the confidence in the world, I spun it never doubting that I would hit one of the three spots out of twenty marked winner. The wheel gently slowed and the rubber stopper pointed to the word winner! I know right.... a new car and $500 dollars!!!!

I thought today was going to be busy, but I had no idea how it would turn out. However, I began the day with faith that God would be with me through it all, and I definitely felt his presence during every single amazing event. Using extreme trust and a positive attitude, I have found stronger relationships, better health and blessed memories.

Everything Will Work Out

2010-03-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

Needless to say, it was very easy to wake up this morning. I immediately walked into the bedroom adjacent to mine to look out the window. As my eyes adjusted to the bright morning sun, I produced a huge smile after looking down at the beautiful car in the driveway. I guess I just wanted to confirm that the previous day's events actually were real.

After pouring my morning cup of coffee, I went outside and drank it in the charger while listening to some music. I once again found myself in disbelief and spent some time praying. I was so excited to get into my new car and drive to work. However, I also knew that I had a lot of things to take care of to finalize the purchase before my shift started at 1. With help from my mom, I began to call banks and insurance companies looking to get the best possible deals on a loan and insurance. I did not anticipate how difficult it was going to be and at one point began to fear that things may not work out.

As soon as I noticed my thoughts turning negative, I immediately turned to God to help me relax. Even though there were unpromising conversations with several companies, I trusted deep inside that if it was really meant to be everything would work out. Everything from finding the car to driving it off the lot seemed so unbelievably natural that I truly felt nothing could keep me from becoming this car's next owner.

I was unable to make it to the dealership before starting work. I spent most of the morning on the phone trying to work out the best deal. With the help of my very supportive parents, I was able to find affordable options that will fit into my budget. Even though it is not officially mine, it looks like I will be signing tomorrow night. In the mean time, I will be thinking nothing but positive thoughts and keep my faith that everything will definitely work out the way it is supposed to work out.

Titanium

2010-03-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

Right now I feel as if God has literally picked me up and placed me directly on top of the world. Seriously, I am not joking around when I say this right now. I am absolutely in awe of his work in my life. He has blessed me beyond belief with amazing amounts of love, hope and faith. On top of all of these wonderful blessings, he somehow found a way to go beyond my boldest dreams.

First of all, I absolutely love my new job and everything that goes with it. I completed my first day of off-site training today. I have been doing really well at adapting to my new position and learning the required responsibilities. I sincerely believe that the opportunity was made for me. I am looking forward to growing professionally and realize that my future with the company is full of endless possibilities. It is a wonderful thing to feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

Secondly, there is a shiny titanium 2008 Dodge Charger parked in my driveway.

I absolutely cannot believe it. After returning home from the dealership, I sat parked in my driveway shaking my head in complete disbelief. Before stepping out of the car, I spent some time talking to God with tears filling my eyes. Somehow, Someway he has provided me with transportation that surpasses anything that I could have ever hoped to drive.

After getting home from work, my mom suggested that we go to a car dealership to look at a car. She said that an advertisement caught her eye this morning and that she had an undeniable urge to check it out. I definitely needed transportation and have been praying for a safe, reliable vehicle. However, I have very limited funds and knew that it would take something close to a miracle for me to find it. I never would have guessed that it would come disguised as my favorite car.

Ever since I saw it for the first time, the Dodge Charger has had a special place in my heart. I rented one for a vacation I took to Miami two years ago and for a whole week experienced what it might feel like to actually be an owner. From that point on, I always knew I would own one. I just never thought it would be now.

Going back a short two weeks, I would have never imagined that I would be driving the car of my dreams to a job that I really enjoy. Yet, that is exactly what I will be doing tomorrow. I find myself asking, "What did I do to deserve this?" As I search for an answer, I will continue living my life centered around Christ. I am so grateful for the blessings in my life and praise God for providing me with everything I need... and the Titanium Charger.

Shadow of Confusion

2010-03-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

The message at church this morning started a 3 part series called "In the Shadows". Upon reading this title, I started to think about all the things that the title brings to mind. I must admit that the term carries quite an ominous nature for me. I immediately began to imagine a dark figure lurking on a shady corner. Nonetheless, I am very interested to see where this series will go.

The message today began the series by discussing the topic "Shadow of Confusion". I found this discussion to be very relevant to my own spiritual journey. Over the course of my life, I have survived many challenging times. Even though I have always been blessed, I did not always recognize the source of that blessing. My attitude toward Jesus has seemed to change with the many seasons of my life. However, this message made it very clear that Jesus has never changed. It is actually the "Shadow of Confusion" that can make it seem that way.

Confusion can be caused by many factors, but I mainly recognize it in my life when I can not identify a purpose for why something happened. I desperately want everything to make sense and when it doesn't I react in strange ways. I find that I look for someone or something to blame. I might get angry and frustrated especially when I do not have the power to correct something. It is a very powerful emotion. It can be so powerful that it often leads to significant consequences that can drastically change the outcome of events if handled incorrectly.

I think that confusion gains power through our own inability to deal with something we do not understand. When I find myself in such a situation, my mind begins to race with exaggerated thoughts. It is very easy to begin assuming worst case scenarios leading to a feeling of panic. Once I enter this state of mind, I can no longer effectively make good decisions often resulting in undesirable outcomes that could have been prevented.

We must overcome feelings of confusion with a solid relationship with Jesus. A strong faith and extreme trust can help us deal with any situation that may arise in life. Also, it may help to turn to God's word to provide understanding. We can also use time in prayer to ask for peace of mind. However, it is extremely important to react before the "Shadow of Confusion" brings darkness to our lives.

Welcome the Overwhelming

2010-03-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I was reading an article critiquing the current season of American Idol in Entertainment Weekly when I came across the word underwhelming. Even though I didn't agree with the writer's review, I found his word choice very interesting.

I believe the use of 'underwhelming' caught my attention since I more often contemplate the opposite end of the spectrum. I find that I am much more inclined to identify and refer to things that are overwhelming in nature. In fact, I do not recall ever complaining about or trying to improve a situation that was underwhelming. However, I now believe that there may be a great amount of potential benefit to focusing on such areas in life after reflecting on the idea.

It is entirely too easy to concentrate too much on the people, places and events in life that cause excessive amounts of stress. These overwhelming things in life can often take control of everyday thoughts and actions stealing valuable energy from completing more productive activities. I am suggesting that this wasted energy can be reclaimed simply by shifting attention away from the overwhelming and placing it toward improving the underwhelming.

For example, I have been bombarded throughout the week with unfamiliar policies, procedures and information at my new job. It would have been very easy for me to get discouraged by submitting to it's overwhelming nature. However, I have welcomed the challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow professionally. Essentially, I have replaced an underwhelming unemployed situation with a more overwhelming employed situation... and I love it!

So the next time we feel overwhelmed, what will we do? Will we let it stress us out and take control? Or will we welcome it as a chance to become a stronger person and fill an otherwise underwhelming gap? The choice is ours...

Laws of Leadership

2010-03-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Over the next few weeks, I will be reading a book on leadership called "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. I plan to read a law each day and dedicate some time after completing each chapter to reflect on the lesson. I recognize the importance of actively seeking leadership guidance and am very excited to digest this acclaimed text. I have been looking forward to reading it for a while now and figured this would be a wonderful time since I will be striving to be a leader at my new job.

I am only on the fourth day of this journey, but I already feel that I am gaining valuable information that will help me tremendously going forward. I enjoy reading Maxwell's style of using real people and true stories to bring the material to life. His own experience, professionalism and leadership effectiveness shine on every page as he shares his hard earned wisdom. However, I also realize that it will be up to me to take the time-proven information and apply it to situations in my life. After taking this step, I expect to move out from my comfort zone and into a higher level of leadership.

The book begins with the first law which is named "The Law of the Lid." It basically states that leadership ability will ultimately determine a person's level of effectiveness. It is completely up to us to take control of developing the skills and characteristics of a successful leader. Using a hungry determination, we can achieve the necessary attributes over time. Basically, we will only go as high as the level of our leadership ability.

The next two laws were "The Law of Influence" and "The Law of Process." A true measure of leadership is influence. Without the ability to make others follow you, you can never truly call yourself a leader. He states that true leadership does not come from a title and cannot be awarded, appointed or assigned. It comes from an earned influence that is acquired through "The Law of Process." Leadership is slowly developed through hard work and dedication. The goal of aspiring leaders must be to get a little better every day by building on the previous day's progress.

Maxwell's fourth law is "The Law of Navigation." It outlines the importance of looking ahead to plan for the future by identifying possible obstacles and thinking of solutions before it's too late. He suggests that we look to our past experiences and gather information from available resources such as other people before making commitments that may be irreversible. It is important to always have a clear strategy that will prepare us for the road ahead.

As I get ready to start my fourth day at work, I accept that I am on a journey that will require me to constantly improve. I look forward to every challenge as an opportunity to learn and develop into a person more prepared for the next situation. I have a clear vision of where I want to be and will chase the end result with all my heart. Using focus and discipline, I have faith that I will emerge as a leader.

Beyond First Impressions

2010-03-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

The week before I started my first day at work, I decided to go get a haircut. However, my normal stylist was on vacation and would not be back until later in the week. Instead of waiting for her to get back, I scheduled an appointment with another stylist at a completely different place. After requesting a number 1 guard for blending my hair, I immediately noticed it was much shorter than the guard my other stylist uses to cut my hair. I looked like I just started boot camp!

It took a while to get used to the new style, but after a few days I adapted and began to really enjoy having short hair. However, I didn't think about how the haircut might affect other people's perception of me. It wasn't until a co-worker approached me today to ask if I was an army man. Of course I laughed it off, especially when he went on to tell me how him and a few others were expecting me to be a stern drill sergeant.

They quickly found out that I am quite the opposite. I could tell through certain conversations and mannerisms during those interactions that a few associates were expecting me to be completely different. I believe they were pleasantly surprised to discover that I am relatively easy going and wasn't about to start shouting commands.

I have been meeting many new people over the past several days. With every shake of the hand, I am unconsciously putting forth an image that will create a valuable first impression. Some of the encounters will serve as the starting point for a working relationship that could very well determine future team success. On my drive home this evening, I began to reflect on this realization and asked myself the question, "Is there anything I can consciously do to help create a more positive first impression?"

After thinking about it, I have come to the conclusion that I need to be exactly who I am, no more or less. I should concentrate on being kind and strive to always put forth a professional image. Following these guidelines, I am confident that I will be able to establish productive working relationships while staying true to my values. This way I can be sure that it will be my actions and behaviors over time that accurately shape other's perceptions of me... and not simply a haircut.

Values

2010-03-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

Today I spent the day completing a series of on-line training covering a wide range of topics including everything from company background to sales techniques. Many of the other employees acted as if I was in for a long boring day, but I sincerely enjoyed the training. I was able to develop a better understanding of the company's vision, culture and expectations of its associates.

Specifically, I was very pleased to learn more about the company's Code of Ethics. It feels good to work for a company that stresses the importance of practicing strong values both inside and outside the workplace. Furthermore, the structured Code of Ethics clearly defines shared principles that unite the company and will help the business successfully accomplish objectives.

I was pleasantly surprised through the training to find out that each of the company's values directly aligns with the things that are important to me under my own Christian based values. Before I joined the company, I had learned through experience that a firm obedience to a strong core of values provides a structured framework to finding success in life. I feel comfortable working in an environment that supports such a framework and look forward to leading through my own actions and behaviors.

I pray that the company continues to operate under the guidance of strong core values and that my fellow associates take the time to recognize the importance of following them. I also encourage everyone to take some time to reflect on our own individual values that exist deep within our hearts. By taking a personal inventory, I believe that we can all identify the things that are most important to us. With this understanding, we will be better able to make them shine in everything we do... and be fully prepared to conquer the situations that may threaten our ability to make the right decision.

Kindness Goes a Long Way

2010-03-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

Today I completed my first full day at my new job. Wow does it feel great to say that... I have a job!

I will be involved in several different training activities over the course of the next two weeks. I am looking forward to absorbing as much as I can in order to hit the ground running in my new position. I know I have a lot to learn and am going to take advantage of every opportunity to ask questions, learn from other associates and use their feedback to become the best I can possibly be.

I spent most of my time today behind the cash register learning how to complete sales transactions. I am rather good at adapting to computer software so learning how to perform the transaction processes went really smooth. However, I found that adapting to each individual customer's demeanor proved to be much more difficult.

I believe that I have always been a very kind person, and I think that it shows through my interaction with others. My personality should help me when I deal with customers, but I learned through today's experience that I need to adjust my level of intensity to fit each customer's current mood.

For example, there was one man who approached the counter with a rather ominous energy radiating from his body language. As I belted out my usual "How are you doing today?', he immediately said, "Horrible... absolutely horrible." I have been training myself to be positive no matter what the circumstance and tried to convince him that things are not actually that bad. I wanted him to see a brighter side, but I think my positive attitude may have made him more upset.

Throughout the entire day, I came in contact with a very diverse assortment of people. Some of the customers were in a rush, some wanted to chat, some were very spacey and others were just plain rude. I will need to accept that people will all carry their own types of attitudes and outlooks in order to be successful at my new job. I plan to stay true to my own positive style, but I also plan on looking to recognize how I can best adapt my attitude for each individual interaction.

Although some people seemed angry and rude, I was very pleased to exchange smiles with many others that were kind, gentle and patient. Since it was my first day, I definitely had to make a few customers wait a little longer than normal. I was glad that certain people were able to understand the situation, and I am so thankful for their empathy and encouragement. It was truly refreshing to come across those people helping me to stay focused and keep going strong in my training. Because of their unselfish behavior, I was able to feed off of their energy and effectively work through the day's challenges.

I would like to end with a huge thank you to all the kind, gentle and patient strangers that truly brightened my day. I will definitely use their spirited actions as inspiration for my own life. It really reinforced how we can use blessed outward expression to make the world a better place for all.
_________________________
Colossians 3:12
Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Know, Go and Show

2010-03-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

At the bottom of every email that I send, there is a quote from John C. Maxwell that reads, "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." Over the course of my lifetime, I have always felt like I was blessed with certain gifts that would make me a wonderful leader. However, my old lifestyle temporarily stole my ability to progressively develop leadership skills, and the choices I habitually made blocked the path toward my hopes and dreams. Because of my decisions, I was incapable of either knowing the way or going the way, and therefore I definitely could not show the way.

After being saved and restored by the grace of God, I am now able to look back on my past experience as a blessing that helped me become a much stronger person. I have grown as a person with a much more clear understanding of who I am and who I want to be. Throughout my journey of change, I have been able to realign my objectives in life realizing that my drive for leadership is even stronger today.

In order to reach my goals, I need to first understand that the knowledge, skills and abilities required to be a successful leader are not developed overnight. I must acquire leadership ability over time with an unyielding dedication to pursuing it. I am determined to constantly seek leadership opportunities and knowledge while always giving my absolute best to whatever I do. Whether it be reading books or serving the community, I approach every activity as a chance to expand my current understanding with hope that I will emerge as a leader in the future.

In my experience I have realized that it can be really easy to begin thinking we simply were not meant to become leaders, which in turn makes it even easier to avoid taking advantage of leadership roles and opportunities. However, I want to encourage everyone to live life with a leadership mindset and push yourselves to being a leader in everything you do. God blesses us everyday with challenges to overcome and triumphs to celebrate. These daily events and the people we encounter through them provide us with the lessons needed to become the people we were meant to be... and simply by giving our all to everything we do, we become leaders who know the way, go the way and show the way.

Refresh

2010-03-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

The title of this morning's church service was "Refresh". It called for us to think about whatever it may be in life that is holding us back from receiving God's best and give it over to him. The message stressed the importance of turning to worship in order to center our souls and find peace. Specifically through song, we can praise God and thank him for the love, hope and control he provides in our daily lives.

A central theme to the message revolved around recognizing that life is not about us. We must continuously look for opportunities to reach out to others and allow God to use us to carry out his will. During worship, we should rejoice for what God has done and is doing in our lives. At the same time, we should be asking him to make our lives about his purposes and plan for us.

Over the past year, I have prayed every night for God to fill my heart with his love and use me to accomplish his goals for my life. I have found that this powerful prayer has allowed me to open up to the guidance of the holy spirit. I can feel God at work in my life and am continually surprised at the opportunities he provides helping to transform my life. I have been rewarded with unexpected riches that go far beyond the physical value of money and look forward to a future filled with more unimaginable experiences.

As I prepare for another week, I am placing extra emphasis on starting 'refreshed'. Normally, I organize my desk and go over the upcoming week's calendar. It usually provides a feeling of reassurance to start my Monday with an understanding of future events. However, I am sometimes left with a nervous anxiety after this weekly routine. Today I am replacing that uneasy feeling with my trust in God. I identified the events that are causing me stress and have given them over to God. I know that he will guide me when it comes time to handle them and that faith is so refreshing.

Tomorrow ?

2010-03-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I was unemployed and engaging in the seemingly never-ending process of searching for a job. In the mean time, I was looking forward to my brother Steve coming home for a week to train me to learn his online poker strategy. My parents were getting ready to leave with my Mom's sister on a vacation to Mexico that has been planned for over a year. I would have never guessed how the week would unfold...

I was offered a job last Wednesday ending my job search. My brother became ill and would have been unable to come home to train me regardless of my employment offer. My aunt was unable to accompany my parents to Mexico after my Grandpa suffered a mild heart attack early this week (Please keep them in your prayers). Each of these events could have never been predicted...

I am absolutely amazed at how much can change over a short period of time. It really reinforces how important it is to concentrate on living in the moment. It is impossible to tell what the future may hold, and therefore we should avoid worrying about tomorrow. We must use our human ability to adapt to our circumstances and always follow our hearts keeping faith that God will lead us toward our true destiny.

One of the first bible versus to really catch my attention was Matthew 6:34 which reads, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

My experiences in life have taught me that God works in wondrous ways. He has a supernatural view of the world and uses his big picture understanding to align forces that make the world turn at his will. He can make the impossible possible and use a time frame that goes far beyond our ability to ever comprehend.

We must not waste valuable time and energy on questioning why something happened. Instead, we must live with an unwavering trust in God focusing our attention on living at our best right now. Therefore no matter what tomorrow may or may not bring, we can be at peace today and have faith that God will always provide everything we need to handle any situation.

Little Extra

2010-03-19T18:32:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to wash my clothes. I usually do the laundry about every two weeks, but it is a task that I put off as long as I can. When I take on the chore, I use an entire afternoon to wash all dirty whites, colors and dress attire. I'm not going to lie... I just do not enjoy it.

I am not quite sure why I dislike washing my clothes. I think it may be because of the tedious nature involved in separating, loading, unloading, folding and putting away the clothes. Also, I always have doubts in the back of my mind and feel as if I am always doing something wrong. Did I use the right detergent? Are the settings correct? Did I separate everything correctly? It makes me stress...

However, I recognize the importance of the laundry process. I sincerely believe that looking sharp begins with properly washing, folding and hanging my clothes, especially when it comes to my dress shirts and pants. I have found out that a little extra effort often goes a long way when it comes to washing these items. I take extra care to make sure any stains have been individually sprayed and load each article one at a time. After carefully drying them, I take my time to neatly hang them. If needed, I smooth out any wrinkles and place them in my closet.

When it comes time to choose a shirt, I am always glad I put the extra effort into the cleaning process. I enjoy looking good, and a clean crisp shirt can really have a positive influence on my day. Every once in a while, I will notice that I hastily put a shirt away and immediately get disappointed by the wrinkles or the odd shape to the collar. It is those times that serve as a reminder to take my time and use a little extra TLC with my dress clothes.

As I was putting away my clothes this afternoon, I could not help but to think about how I can apply the same concept to practically every area in my life. I often find myself rushing through activities for no apparent reason except to be finished with the task. I should never be too busy to put a little extra effort into whatever it is that I am doing. Whether it be a tedious chore or a relationship, I am going to make it a priority to always give a little extra. Using this mind set, the closet of life might just reward me with the same blessed feeling of putting on a crisp clean shirt.

Hop of Happiness

2010-03-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up with a big smile on my face and definitely had an extra hop in my step. Obviously, I am really excited about the new job scheduled to start next week. However, I think there was more to my elated mood. I was looking forward to sharing the news with everyone throughout my day.

Everyone who has been a part of my life knows how hard I have been preparing for a job. I anticipated that they would be very happy for me and expected to have several happy conversations. I absolutely love to bring positive energy into the lives of others, and today I was prepared to use the news of my employment to fuel every interaction.

First, I was excited to sit down and talk about the opportunity with my parents. They have been very supportive throughout my unemployment. My Dad gave me a big congratulations, and my Mom gave me an even bigger hug. I could tell they were very glad to see me so excited. Through our conversation, it was obvious that finding something that makes me happy was much more important to them than finding the job.

Next, I headed to the Soup & Serenity program that I volunteer at on Thursday. As I entered the kitchen, I was surprised by how many of the other volunteers immediately wanted to know the interview results. I am so glad I was able to tell them that I had been hired. It really makes up for all the other times I had to tell them that the opportunity just did not work out. Once the program started, I was even more amazed at the congratulations I received from the attendees. It really made me realize how close I had grown to them by gathering their prayer requests each week over the past 3 months.

I am so grateful for the extra energy God blessed me with today. It felt great to be able to share my happiness with everyone around me. From my family to the strangers I chatted with at Taco Bell, I hope my positive energy carried over into their lives. I am so thankful for the extra hop in my step and glad I used it to the fullest.

Trusting, Believing, Expecting

2010-03-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

Last Friday evening, I received great news that I passed all the pre-employment checks and tests for the job I talked about last week as being a perfect fit. At that time, I was told to be patient and to expect a call back next week to move forward in the interview process. I kept a positive attitude throughout the weekend and looked forward to hearing back from them. I spent time praying about the employment opportunity and put all my trust in God's plan for my life. I have had the strangest feeling that this opportunity is the one that I have been waiting for... and this morning I discussed it with the training manager in a second round interview.

The interview went very well leaving me even more excited about starting the job. She seemed very interested in my past experiences and how I plan to use them if I were offered a position. I answered honestly with all my heart hoping that she would truly feel just how interested I am in developing a career with the company. After about thirty minutes of questions, she explained how the on-boarding process would work if I were hired. She continued to inform me that I will most likely hear back from them for another interview later in the week. I thanked her for her time and with all the confidence in the world I said, "I look forward to meeting you."

I have spent the last week believing with all my heart that I would be receiving an offer. I even envisioned myself managing in the store and succeeding at the position. I refused to have any doubts as I filled the unknown nature with faith filled thoughts and prayers. In fact, I expected every part of the interview process to go more quickly than they stated.

I am very excited to say that I have been made a verbal offer of employment early this afternoon. When I first interviewed last Wednesday, I was told to expect a call back later in the week. I was called back an hour after the interview. When I completed the pre-employment tests, I was told that I would have to wait throughout the weekend for the results. I was blessed with the good news on Friday at which time I was told to expect a call back the following Thursday. I then received a call on Tuesday for an interview on Wednesday. At that point, I was informed of another possible interview later in the week. However, I was called back with a verbal offer later that same day.

I trusted... I believed... I expected... and God delivered in his own amazing supernatural way. He has given me faith, commitment, dedication and determination leading me closer to reaching the potential that he restored. I am so grateful for this opportunity and will give my all to doing my absolute best. I can only imagine what my future holds and look forward to finding out as I continue trusting, believing and expecting.

Friends with a Stranger

2010-03-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

What would you say if you were asked to provide encouragement to a complete stranger? What would you include in the message? What would you leave out? How would that conversation change if you knew they were coming from a similar background? How personal would you be? Would you have any doubts that you were the right person to reach out to the person?

Today I sat down to write a letter to someone I have never even met who lives on the other side of the country. I do not know anything about the person except that he is struggling with his current circumstances. His mother attends the Soup & Serenity program that I volunteer with on Thursdays. Last week she asked me to send him some words of encouragement with hope that I may be able to help him see the world in a more positive light. I welcomed the opportunity and looked forward to a chance to share my blessed outlook on life.

As I sat down to write the letter, I found myself asking myself the questions above and spent a good amount of time deciding on the content. I began the letter stating an understanding of our stranger status, but then I shifted the attention to my belief that everything happens for a reason. I wanted him to know that the letter was the possible beginning to a friendship and that I viewed it as an opportunity for both of us to reflect on our lives to provide encouragement to each other.

Next, I continued with a summary of my life story. I decided that I should be as sincere as possible with hopes that he might be able to connect with my journey thus far in life. I placed a strong emphasis on how my developing relationship with God has transformed my life. I explained that recognizing Jesus as my Savior and committing to follow the example he left through his life and death on the cross changed my direction and perspective in life. Even though he may not be a believer, I pray he will receive the message with an open heart and allow God to fill him with the Holy Spirit.

After sharing my perspective on living with a positive outlook, I concluded with words of encouragement. I reassured him that he could accomplish anything he desires as long as he gives his all toward achieving his goals. I also asked him to believe with all his heart that God has something wonderful planned for his life and to trust his guidance. I ended by mentioning that there are people out there waiting to help that really care and that the more he looks, the more he will find... and sometimes they will even find you.

Family Fun

2010-03-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

My family celebrated my father's 56th birthday yesterday. We shared a delicious lunch of Chicago style roast beef sandwiches and followed it up with an amazing Trinidad cheesecake from Fannie-Mae. I believe everyone had a great time visiting with each other and think my Dad really enjoyed spending time with his wife, sons, daughter-in-law and grandchildren to bring in another year of life.

In between lunch and dessert, my niece and nephew spread out two puzzles on the living room floor. I have never been a big fan, but I decided to sprawl out on the ground and help my nephew start on his 100 piece transformers puzzle while my niece took on a 300 piece scene of Tuscany. It proved to a wonderful activity for a family to do together. We all took turns sharing our own strategies and tried to convince each other which one was best. After many laughs and about an hour of dedicated searching, they were almost complete. It was a race to find the last piece...

However, I had taken a piece from each puzzle and found a way to hide them early in the process. I put one in my nephews pants pocket and the other in my Dad's without them noticing when I did it. As each puzzle approached the end, a nervous frantic search started for what seemed to be a missing piece. I didn't let them search for long... I quickly asked them to check their pockets and waited for the "how did that get there?" look on their face. I jokingly told each of them that they must have known what piece was going to be last and decided to put it in their pockets. At that point, they knew it was me.

I am so grateful for the time my family spent together yesterday. The memories made while working on the puzzle will last forever. We were able to enjoy each other's company and pig out on some tasty food. Sometimes it can be so easy to get caught up with life and forget that some of the simplest things provide the greatest escape... especially when it is done with family. I look forward to never losing sight of that realization and plan to always make the most out of the many future celebrations to come.

Yesterday my family came together for my Dad's birthday. We ate, we played, we sang and we ate again. Loving and lasting memories were made, and it was clear that we are all definitely blessed in life... and that was the gift that brought the biggest smile to my Father's face.

Faithfully Praise

2010-03-14T19:48:00.000-07:00

I am using this Sunday night to reflect on this past week. I am just amazed at the wonderful things God has done for me over the past five days. I received blessing after blessing and am so thankful for the developing relationships, extraordinary events and employment opportunities. As I prepare for another exciting week, I am praising God for his undeniable presence in my life and asking him to continue building upon my faith.

I really enjoyed the message at church this morning. It stressed the importance of surrendering your heart to God and living with extreme faith. Pastor Greg Lee asked the question, "Who knows God exists?" After almost everyone raised their hands, he went on to ask, "Can you prove it?" Scientifically, the answer is no.

However, I think Greg would agree that proof was present throughout the entire service. The worship team... the journey of Suncrest... every individual in attendance... all provide proof that God exists through his greatest blessing of faith. It is through faith that God changes the world and brings glory to his kingdom.

God is constantly using his supernatural powers to bless us and build our stories that are undoubtedly all intertwined. We must recognize his work in our lives and realize it is him providing us with everything we have. With complete trust in him, we will experience true joy and see exactly how he consistently delivers on his promises... at which point we should always take the time to give him praise.

Variability Is the Enemy!

2010-03-13T09:29:00.000-08:00

Looking back to September of 2004, I remember walking swiftly on a hot humid day through the Indiana University campus on my way to a lecture on process analysis. I arrived to class covered in sweat expecting this class to be just like all the rest. I couldn't have been more wrong...

Eagerly waiting for lecture to begin, I found myself skimming through the book for the course. I had always been interested in learning how to make business processes more efficient and thought that I had a gift for recognizing opportunities for improvement. However, the professor's first four words of the lecture diminished all my previous experience in the area. It would provide an understanding that I have found can not only be used in business, but can also be applied to many other aspects of life.

A shorter 350 pound man walked to the front of the lecture hall and shouted, "Variability is the enemy!" After scanning the crowd of about 300 students, he pushed up his wire framed glasses with a big awkward expression on his face. Once again he shouted, "Variability is the enemy!" This time he said it so emphatically that his swollen neck and body shook with each forceful word. "Variability is the enemy... don't ever forget it!"

It turns out that this principle provides the key to improving business processes. After learning to identify variability, a person gains the power to potentially transform anything that seems to be a great way of doing something into a more efficient and effective process. I say potentially since implementing ways to eliminate the variability is often just as important as recognizing it.

Even though it is meant for analyzing business processes, I have found that this same principle can be applied to our own lives to increase our quality of life. I have struggled with ups and downs that often would lead to extreme emotional swings. These swings seemed to always bring about prolonged feelings of anxiety and depression. In order to eliminate this negativity, I found that I needed to remove variability in my life.

My trust in God has provided the stability required to conquer variability in my life. I have learned to listen to God's guidance through following the Holy Spirit. This dedication has shown me that there is absolutely no middle ground when it comes to the choices put before me. Therefore, I can always find peace knowing that I am moving in the right direction. I never have to worry about my past or what my future holds. I can live in the moment and remain consistent behind a shield of faith.

Commitment. Determination. Dedication.

2010-03-12T19:04:00.000-08:00

Commitment. Determination. Dedication.

These three powerful words provide a succinct summary of what I have found to be crucial components to achieving success thus far in my journey of change. I sincerely believe that each serves a critical role in developing the ability to efficiently reach my goals. Even though they are independently important, they seem to carry an even greater significance when practiced together toward a common purpose.

Since I was a young boy, I was taught to associate these words with what it takes to be successful. However, I never took the time to really think about and define what they actually mean. In fact, I did not discover their true meanings until I was faced with an urgent requirement to conquer life threatening adversity. After a long battle of trial and error, I was eventually blessed with an understanding of each and that understanding has made a remarkable impact on my life.

I wish I would have been able to arrive at the understanding without having to learn the hard way. On the other hand, it may be the journey to discovering their true meanings that makes them so valuable. After all, I have learned that the terms in themselves are actually rather simple in nature. It was the principles behind them that proved to be powerful.

I have spent a lot of time trying to think of ways to explain these terms to others looking for change in life. However, I have come to realize that there is nothing I can say that will accurately describe them. All I can do is stress the importance of seeking them in life and hope others find exactly what I have found. Commitment, determination and dedication are created from the heart and will exist only as long as they stay there.

Speaking of Inspiration

2010-03-11T18:12:00.000-08:00

I am on a mission to create a speech that will inspire people. I want to make it so memorable that the time shared will never be forgotten. I have spent a lot of time thinking about the topics to include and the style that should be used to deliver them. I have filtered through a multitude of experiences and will continue to sift through ideas trusting that diligence will lead to the powerful presentation that exists in my heart.

The time spent working on this task has proven to be more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. It requires me to dig deep into the story that exists behind the person I am today. I have discovered recollections of events that carry an energy so intense that I get the chills upon thinking of how to express them in words. The process has truly uncovered an emotional awareness that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

This mission that started with the goal of helping others has opened doors in my life that would have otherwise remained closed. I have found that approaching these doors has allowed me to travel into new territory and expect that walking through them will produce an even greater insight into the person I am meant to be. As I continue crafting the speech, I am so grateful for the blessing that has emerged from the process itself. I can only imagine the wonderful things God will do with the end result and am excited to find out!

I encourage everyone to take the time to go on a similar journey. It does not have to be writing a speech or anything along those lines. We have all been blessed with our own specific set of gifts that will lead to our own unique ways of reaching out to those around us. Simply make the effort to physically inspire others... it may just lead to more than you could have ever imagined.

A Perfect Fit

2010-03-10T19:32:00.000-08:00

This morning I had an interview for a possible opportunity as a sales specialist for a large retailer. I was notified of the job opening through a good friend at church. After reading the description and responsibilities, I immediately knew the job was perfect for me. I was amazed at how well the requirements fit my specific skills and abilities. I sincerely feel like this is the opportunity I have been waiting for to start me on my way toward reaching my goal of becoming a future business executive.

I enjoyed the interview and was glad to meet such a highly motivated store manager. She made me excited to join a team that values working hard to achieve continued success. As I shared my story, I could tell that the manager appreciated my dedication toward personal improvement and vision for my future. She seemed genuinely interested in having me join her leadership team almost to the point of disbelief. I represent exactly the type of employee she is looking for to assist in the store's mission to provide excellent customer service and hit future sales goals.

Needless to say, I am looking forward to hearing back from the store about their decision to move forward with my employment. I completed all the pre-employment test this afternoon and am expecting great news. However, I realize that my background could prove to be an obstacle. I understand that companies must rely on a potential employee's history as a guide for future behavior, but I pray that they are able to see beyond my past mistakes. I know that I will go above and beyond their expectations and hope they see that I am truly a gift waiting to be opened.

As I wait to find out their decision, I am comforted by my faith and trust in God. If this opportunity is right for me, it will simply fall into place. I am expecting the best and truly feel God's supernatural power working all around me. Regardless of the outcome, I will remain positive and move forward with a big smile on my face. I will continue to give my all and leave everything else to God.

Anything Is Possible

2010-03-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

First of all, I would like to report that the judge appreciated the bold letter I gave to him this morning. After congratulating me on my progress, he expressed that he enjoyed reading about my journey of change and appreciated the extreme sincerity. He informed me that everyone involved in the program agrees that I have went above and beyond their expectations. With a big smile on his face, I received his judgment that I will be granted early dismissal in May. My eyes filled with tears of joy as I recognized that I will be free of one of the heaviest reminders of my dark past twelve months prior to the originally scheduled end.

I have been filled with a feeling of joy that goes far beyond the good news I heard this morning. It is a degree of joy so amazing that it can only be attributed to the grace of God living inside my soul. I feel so lucky to have had the life changing transformation, but at the same time know that it absolutely had nothing to do with luck. I am simply being guided by God's supernatural power and living my life under his will.

I have found peace with my current situation and feel that I am on my way toward accomplishing many wonderful things. I have been able to escape past feelings of anxiety and distress with a complete trust in God. Even though the path is unknown, I am not worried about my future. I have been blessed with a faith that provides extreme comfort. I know that I will never fail as long as I always listen to my heart and give my all in every situation.

The judge's decision goes to show that anything is possible in life. We have all been blessed with the gifts and resources needed to accomplish our dreams. We simply must focus on making 'the anything' become reality. However, it is incredibly important to choose to think and act with a desire to achieve results that align with the values that God placed in each of our hearts. By following this mind set, 'the anything' in our lives will always reward us with an amazing feeling of joy.

Believe Boldly

2010-03-08T20:18:00.000-08:00

I had a hard time falling asleep last night and actually tossed 'n turned for 6 hours before finally dozing off. Every once in awhile, I will suffer through a night with no sleep because my mind is racing with ideas. I have learned to try to clear my mind before saying my prayers hoping to push out all the thoughts that might threaten my ability to sleep. However, sometimes I have ideas that simply take control and begin to multiply leading to more thoughts stealing any chance to rest.

Last night I am glad to say that the lost sleep was well worth it. My mind was generating great ideas for several different areas in my life. I found myself rising from bed every 20 minutes to write down one brilliant idea after the next. This morning I awoke to a mess of post it notes and organized them according to their corresponding thought. After shuffling my notes, I immediately began to act on a bold idea that will hopefully impact my immediate future.

I am scheduled to meet with a judge tomorrow as a part of my probation for past actions. I have worked very hard to change my life around and hope that my dedication toward personal improvement will impress him. My background has seemed to be an obstacle in my job search and still have over a year before my probationary term is complete. However, I was blessed with the idea to write a sincere letter to the court asking for early dismissal from the program. I used many of the post it notes to form the letter and believe that it will help represent my progress. I know that the letter is very bold in nature, but I trust that God has inspired me to write it. I have faith that God works with supernatural powers and will use the letter to speed up the process of clearing my past mistakes.

Even though it is quite bold, I am so grateful for the idea and motivation to ask for what would normally seem impossible. Furthermore, I am so thankful for the ability to believe in something so far fetched. Regardless of the letters impact, it will show initiative and further prove my determination to move forward toward my goals.

I encourage everyone to expect the impossible in life and believe that God will reward you with unbelievable results. No matter what it may be, we should listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and put it into action by giving our all. When we act boldly and put all our trust in God, absolutely anything is possible.

Forever Changed

2010-03-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

Today the message at Suncrest discussed the power of the Holy Spirit and the changes it will bring to the life of a follower. Pastor Greg Lee stressed the importance of totally trusting God with everything in our lives. He made it clear that between the life we are living and the life we could be living exists a gap that can never be filled with anything except the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. It is this mysterious gift available to everyone that often turns the impossible into reality. After accepting the Holy Spirit, we become servants of God with the ability to accomplish his will.

The Holy Spirit changes our direction, perspective and potential. We will instantly move from being an object of God's mission to a participant in a movement so much greater than ourselves. An absurd amount of time and effort is wasted on serving selfish objectives that lead us down a dark and treacherous road. The Holy Spirit will direct us toward a path that will transform our perspective. We will suddenly become aware of what is truly valuable in life ultimately allowing us to reach our full potential.

The topic of this message has played an important role in my life. Before becoming a follower, it is so clear that God was always pursuing me. His love and compassion were present in my life even when my resistance was in full force. I failed to see it at the time, but looking back I recognize that it was his protection that allowed me to survive. Over the past year, I have accepted God's guidance and listen obediently. Because of the power of the Holy Spirit, my entire life has been forever changed.

The path that I have taken to arrive at this moment in my existence has definitely not been one that I would have planned. However, I am so incredibly grateful for the blessed life I have been given. I have a great deal of faith and sincerely trust God to lead me toward serving a purpose much greater than anything I could ever think of on my own. It is because of his love and compassion that I now have a positive direction, an enlightened perspective and unlimited potential.

Experienced Flooring

2010-03-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I helped a friend remove carpet from her house in order to prep the area for a new hardwood floor. I was glad I could help her out using some of the experience that I gained last year helping my former boss rehab one of his rental properties. After moving furniture and ripping out the old carpet, we uncovered the original tile that was most likely put down when the house was built. The process went rather smoothly, and a new fresh feeling seemed to fill the air after the dusty old carpet was tossed out the window.

In the mean time, the original tile remains uncovered complete with paint stains and chipped corners. It may not be clean and shiny, but it will serve its purpose as the current floor's surface. The old tile displays the rich history of the house and will continue to carry that history forward as it serves as the foundation for the new hardwood that will be used to cover it.

As I reflected on today's task, I found myself incorporating the story of the old dirty tile into my own life. My dedication toward change has often lead me to strip myself of old dusty habits leaving my true inner self completely exposed. I went on to further recognize that my past experiences represent the same stained and chipped history of the old dirty tile. I must never forget about those experiences as I continue on my journey of change. Just as the old dirty tile, my experiences will always serve as the foundation for the 'new shiny hardwood floors' of my future.

Today's reflection has also reminded me that I have participated in a good number of "blue collar" jobs since leaving my office work over two years ago. I have never had a full-time job of this type, but I have come to enjoy the intermittent work. I discovered that there is a certain satisfaction that accompanies manual labor. After completing a task, the hard work is rewarded with a feeling of accomplishment. I have found that I experience a feeling of joy upon looking back at a completed job, especially when I know I gave it my best effort.

As I continue seeking employment, I trust that God will lead me down the path that best supports his plan for my life. Whether I end up working outside or in an office, I believe that I will find happiness through my occupation. However, I have come to realize that the specific occupation will not supply the happiness. It will be up to me to make the most out of the opportunity God puts before me by always living with joy in my heart. Through my attitude and actions, I need to make the decision to follow God's guidance and receive the happiness he will provide.

A Sunny Walk

2010-03-05T19:57:00.000-08:00

Today was filled with sunshine. It was so nice to step outside and look up to a bright blue sky. I took advantage of the change in weather and went for a walk. I was able to use the time to really get in touch with how I have been feeling. After recognizing some true feelings, I reached up toward the warm sun and thanked God for his presence in my life.

During the unplanned walk, I was able to really be honest with myself. I identified certain areas in my life which require more attention as I continue on my journey of change. Specifically, I believe that I can make a much better effort at becoming more healthy. I want to start making changes to my diet and exercise routine.

I think that I need to implement more discipline to this area of my life in order to meet future goals. Thinking back ten years when I was in better physical shape, I followed a strict schedule and kept track of my progress in a journal. I will be developing a similar method this weekend and plan to begin following it on Monday. I look forward to feeling more healthy and really believe that hard work in this area will carry over into several aspects of my life.

I am glad I took the time to reflect today and identify ways that will enable me to continue working to become a better person. The last couple of weeks have really been a challenge for me. To be perfectly honest, I have found myself fighting off negative behavioral patterns from my past. Using my faith and support from those close to me, I have been able to rise above and am so grateful to be sitting here writing with a victorious grin on my face.

I have very high expectations for this upcoming Spring season and look forward to all the wonderful events God has planned for me. I knew going into this journey of change that times would be tough, but I had no idea how great it would feel to overcome those challenging times. I will continue to give my all toward everything I do and trust God will take care of the rest.

The Greatest Lesson

2010-03-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

I was blessed with the idea to ask a very broad question to some of the people that I would speak with today at the Soup and Serenity program. I was hoping that I would be able to get a few candid responses and use their answers as inspiration for a possible future blog. I respect the hard earned experience that accompanies every person's life story and believe that we can learn a lot from our elders. While engaging in sincere conversations, I found a way to simply ask, "What is the greatest lesson you have learned over the course of your lifetime?"

I was quite surprised by the various responses to this powerful question. Some people seemed to be caught off guard, while others jumped at the chance to share their wisdom. A few people voiced some concern about getting so personal, but some wanted to think about it throughout the week and share their thoughts at next week's program. Overall, it was just wonderful to connect with others through amazing life stories and listen to first hand accounts of some priceless lessons.

During the most touching conversation of the day, I felt a connection to a woman as she spoke about the pain she had experienced and dealt with after a long relationship had ended. Just like she was describing, I knew what it was like to fall victim to depression after losing someone I thought was the person for me. But as she continued her story, the tone of her voice began to change and a smile emerged shining with the grace of God.

She went on to say that she ended up developing a deeper relationship with God and found peace within herself after overcoming that challenging time in life. She now looks back on what seemed to be the most horrible thing that ever happened to her as a true blessing. She continues to live a very blessed life with a loving husband of 36 years and 3 healthy children that have went on to give her 7 beautiful grandchildren. She concluded passionately that, "Sometimes what seems to be the worst can easily become the greatest."

Her greatest lesson in life is definitely one that carries over into all of our lives. We never know what God is doing in our lives and should trust that he is always working with a much greater plan in mind. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from other's experiences and look forward to using this same question during future conversations. I encourage everyone to take some time to identify people in life that may have valuable life lessons to share. By asking the right questions, we may be able to avoid having to learn the hard way - which could just turn out to be the greatest lesson of our life.

Oldie But Goodie

2010-03-03T14:50:00.000-08:00

Music has always played a significant role in my life. I remember being about 6 years old and going absolutely crazy for Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA." I would skip throughout the house playing the air guitar and totally get caught up in the moment upon hearing it. My mom soon came to realize that she could always cheer me up by playing that specific record.

As my life progressed, I developed a tolerance to a wide variety of music. Mostly, I found myself buying anything that inspired me emotionally. From Vanilla Ice to Celine Dion, every album in my music collection carries a purpose that I can tie to a certain state of mind. There are certain songs attached to memories that will last forever. Upon hearing these songs, I can immediately recall those experiences and feel as if I am actually there again reliving the moment.

When I first hear a song that I really enjoy, I get very excited to listen to it and often will play it over and over again. However, I find that as time goes on I seem to lose the excitement that was once tied to the song. Before long, I begin to take it for granted. It eventually gets lost in the music collection and becomes just another memory filled song from my past.

However, I have come to realize that the songs from my past are just as good now as they were when they first were released. In order to enjoy them, all I have to do is find them and listen as if they are brand new. The same excitement and emotion fill my heart making me remember why they were once special to me.

As I continue fighting through this tough time in my life, I cannot help but to think back to different stages in my life. Exploring years of experiences that have made me who I am today, I am reminded of the diverse range of emotions from each time period. I can remember times when I was so excited about living life. But as challenges seemed to take control, I eventually lost my passion for certain hopes and dreams just as I did for songs throughout my life.

I believe that I will find hidden passion stored in forgotten hopes and dreams just like I have found lost excitement in certain songs from my past. All I need to do is identify what they may be and chase after them. After remembering how strongly I feel about them, I think I will once again experience the same past emotions and get excited about accomplishing them. It may not lead to me skipping around playing the air guitar, but I am pretty sure it will help me live with a new energy that will be sure to make life more interesting.

Refreshed

2010-03-02T17:04:00.000-08:00

I was lying in my bed early this morning feeling tired and worn down when I started to think. Usually I welcome new and exciting ideas, but today the thoughts seemed to be accompanied by anxiety and doubt. I immediately recognized the negative feelings and began praying for help to overcome them.

I know I have a hard time accepting my current situation and often find myself fighting back the could have, would have, should haves. I must constantly remind myself of how far I have come and keep my faith strong trusting that God has something wonderful planned for me. I really think my current state of mind is being influenced by the sickness that kept me grounded throughout the last week. However, I am feeling much better and am looking forward to being more productive during the rest of the week.

I really am excited about getting out of the house during the next two days. I feel as if I might have given in to a weekly routine and need to focus on changing things up by incorporating a few new and fresh events. As I continue looking for employment, I need to concentrate more on the gained experience than the discouraging results of past interviews. With every new day, I will seek opportunities to serve others and keep finding ways to improve myself. God will provide everything I need and guide me exactly where I need to be.

As I work through this challenging time, I want to thank all my family and friends that have provided support and continue to help me move forward toward my goals. God has definitely blessed me with your kind and generous presence in my life. By overcoming these challenging times, I am confident that I am building strength that will help shape me into the person God wishes me to be. Tonight I praise God and end this day looking to Hebrews 10:35 for encouragement as I anticipate waking up tomorrow refreshed... ready to continue chasing change.
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Hebrews 10:35, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."

3 F's

2010-03-01T16:40:00.000-08:00

Bear Grylls is the host of a reality show called Man vs. Wild airing on the Discovery Channel. I absolutely love watching his adventures as he voluntarily takes on the toughest environments Mother Nature has to offer with nothing except a few key survival items. As a former member of the British Special Forces, Bear has an amazing drive to conquer all the harsh situations he encounters during his battles with nature. He does a wonderful job providing helpful tips and demonstrations that teach viewers different ways to stay alive regardless of the circumstance.

I used to spend time imagining myself escaping to some far-off land alone with nothing except the clothes on my back. It may seem ridiculous to desire something so extreme, but at the time it helped me forget about all the trouble and hardship I had brought upon myself through years of self destructive behavior. I knew deep down inside that I was a strong person meant for much greater accomplishments and figured that I would be better off trying to survive in a natural environment away from society rather than face the strongholds in my life.

Obviously, my past tendency to think about attempting to survive on my own out in the wilderness naturally attracts me to watching Bear succeed at his adventures. During a recent episode, Bear was speaking of his experiences living through his toughest situations by himself while being challenged by some of the most dangerous conditions known to man. He stressed the importance of adequate food and shelter, but placed an even higher amount of importance in keeping your hope and spirits high in order to survive. Bear said he always keeps the 3 F's close to his heart in order to find the strength to come out of each situation alive.

I am so grateful to say that I never followed through on my desire to escape my life's problems by running away to some secluded forest in the mountains. I can now see that would have been crazy considering I have absolutely no experience surviving on my own in the wilderness. Furthermore, I would have never gained the strength and wisdom that God has blessed me with over the last couple years through overcoming the adversity in my life. However, it seems that by fighting through the toughest situations in my own life I have found the same 3 F's Bear Grylls mentioned to also be number one to my survival - Faith, Family and Friends.

Our Responsibility

2010-02-28T16:01:00.000-08:00

Today's message at church was the second of a four part Jesus Mission series entitled "Our Responsibility." Upon hearing the title, I was very interested to hear more since I have committed myself to doing everything I can possibly do to play a part in Suncrest's journey toward changing lives. Over the next nine months, I will be praying for the church as well as fasting on Wednesdays. I am also keeping myself open to other possibilities as things move along and more opportunities come into view.

The main idea behind the message focused on how God designed the world with certain systems that followers can rely on to guide them in their journey to serve God. Just like other laws in nature, these systems will always hold true and should be used for direction as we are making decisions in our lives. I can see how a blatant understanding of these types of systems will better enable us to serve God and hold our actions accountable for the level of blessing in our lives.

In his most profound spiritual system, God blesses us expecting we will share the blessing. After living by this fact, we will be able to accomplish exactly what God desires for us in this world. We can all make a difference in the lives of those around us simply by making it a priority to promote positive energy and use our individual gifts to benefit the community as a whole. Also, the system continues with the recognition that our future blessing from God is going to be dependent on how we use our current blessing. We must trust God to replenish our lives by participating in a never ending cycle of receiving and giving blessing.

Our faith will be the cornerstone for the effectiveness of God's systems in our lives. In order to successfully carry out his will, we must all take an active role in sharing God's goodness existing in our own lives with others throughout our daily activities. We must take time to acknowledge the wonderful things God does for us and allow those blessings to permeate the world through our actions... which will then truly spread his glory far beyond our physical reach.

The Olympic Spirit

2010-02-27T12:10:00.000-08:00

For the better part of three weeks, we have been blessed with constant access to one amazing story after another through the extraordinary sporting celebration known as the Olympics. Even though their programming is jam packed with commercials, NBC has done a wonderful job covering both the intense competition and the stories behind the games. I have sincerely enjoyed watching the wide array of winter sports and the featurettes that have allowed the viewers a glimpse into the lives of the athletes.

There has been some amazing and unbelievable stories unfold over the last few weeks. We have been exposed to many personalities that just radiate inspiration into our own lives. I have been especially moved by the story of Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette. She brought tears to my eyes with her emotional short program performance. I admired her courage for deciding to still skate after losing her mother to a sudden heart attack only a few days prior to the competition. Her determination which earned her a bronze medal will be forever etched into the history of the winter games and something that us fans will remember for the rest of our lives.

These games in Vancouver have really shown the power of the Olympic Spirit and helped to restore the sometimes questionable image of the human race. I am very grateful for all the fond memories made over the last few weeks and would like to congratulate all the remarkable athletes for their unrelenting Olympic journeys. Each and everyone of them deserve honor and recognition for their devotion to excellence and positive representation of their home country.

As the closing ceremonies quickly approach, I pray that people all across the world recognize these monumental moments and that we use the inspiration in our own lives as we each make the push toward greatness. I sincerely believe that the energy and emotion packed into the Olympic Spirit can help us live better lives regardless of each individual situation. No matter what may be in store for us, we should carry the mentality of an Olympic athlete by training, competing and celebrating each achievement like gold medal competitors. After implementing this spirited attitude, my guess is that we will suddenly see the same type of powerful, awe-inspiring stories begin to play out in our own lives.

Dr. God

2010-02-26T17:26:00.000-08:00

After waking up with night sweats, I knew that my body was doing all that it could do to fight off the illness that has been plaguing me all week long. I have tried to carry a positive attitude through the episodes of chills and lingering headaches, but there has been no signs of improvement over the last couple of days. I have prayed for strength and guidance and have started to feel pressure about recovering. With anticipated interviews next week, my health will be very important to allowing me to put forth the best possible representation of myself.

I asked my Mom to drive me to a mandatory meeting that I absolutely could not miss this morning. After witnessing my symptoms and foul mood first hand, she offered to help me pay for a visit to the doctor and any medicine that he may prescribe. I stubbornly denied the generous offer keeping my faith that I could beat this evil sickness. However, she purposely took a wrong turn on our way home so we would have to drive by the doctor's office. I gave her a hard time since I could not wait to just get home, but she insisted we at least stop in to check for future appointment times. It turned out that my doctor had a last minute cancellation and would be able to see me right away!

I found out that I have an infection that has been going around that seems to linger for weeks without the treatment of antibiotics. After receiving this news from my doctor, I was so grateful for my Mom's persistence and the unexpected visit to the doctor. It very well could have saved me from another full week of agony which could have also led to a blown employment opportunity.

I have no doubt that God heard my prayers and found a way to restore my health. Even though I started the day feeling helpless over my symptoms, he somehow made it possible to not only overcome my sickness but overcome it as quickly as possible. After a restful weekend with medicine, I will be able to begin a new week feeling healthy and ready to amaze potential interviewers.

Today's trip to the doctor shows how God can make unthinkable things happen when we least expect them. We just need to always trust his guidance and keep ourselves open to his solutions. Because with his help, we will be able to conquer any symptoms holding us back from reaching our best.

Watch Your Step

2010-02-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

Last night, I had a conversation with my Mom as she was comforting our precious Pomeranian named Belle. Belle is getting older and seems to be having trouble breathing with intermittent seizures. She is the absolute cutest dog and has overcome a lot of obstacles in her life after being born as the runt of the litter. She is an inspiration to me and always brings a big smile to my face.

My Mom has done a wonderful job keeping Belle healthy. She has a huge heart for animals and gives her all to looking after them whether it be our pet dogs or the wild birds in the yard. God definitely blessed her with an amazing motherly gift, and she has made the most of her gift raising three healthy sons and numerous long living pets.

During our conversation, my Mom spoke of her experiences raising small children and tiny dogs. As she held Belle on her lap, she shared stories of how she had to always be very cautious throughout the years to avoid accidentally injuring her small vulnerable loved ones. She said that she still and will probably always live with that same attention to her surroundings as she goes about her day.

It was great to be able to have a sincere talk with my Mom. I will forever be grateful to her for her unconditional love and the wonderful life lessons she has provided over the last 28 years. Going forward in life, I will remember back to the conversation we had yesterday as she made Belle forget all about her discomfort. I realize that I may not have children or small dependent animals in my care, but I will always have important decisions to make as I move forward in my journey. If I apply a similar dedication to those situations, I am confident that I will be able to raise strong and healthy outcomes throughout my own life.

Sick... No Way!

2010-02-24T17:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I woke up with a tickle in my throat and a slight headache. I immediately thought to myself, "Oh no, I hope I am not getting sick!"

I absolutely hate not feeling well. Since the ominous feeling yesterday morning, I have been battling my body's urge to just shut down. I have forced myself out of bed and worked to continue on with my day as if I was feeling perfectly well. The soreness in my throat and pain in my head has seemed to increasingly intensify over the past 36 hours. However, I refuse to let myself succumb to this illness.

I remember a time back in elementary school when I really did not want to go to school. In order to stay home, I knew I would have to act like I was sick. Using my absolute best acting ability, I convinced my mother that I was actually ill. As the day went on, I continued to behave as if I had all the flu-like symptoms and thought I was just so slick while I enjoyed watching Tom & Jerry. However, I began to actually feel a headache and too much of my surprise ended up with a 102 temperature by the end of the day!

I am a firm believer in the power of the mind. I am absolutely positive that simply by thinking like I was sick, I was able to physically make myself ill. Ever since that experience in my childhood, I have lived with an understanding that I could accomplish extraordinary things with strength of mind. Looking back at my life, I can now see that I should have used this ideology in several situations to help me overcome the challenges before me. As I continue in my journey to be the best I can possibly be, I will use the power of my mind to to not only heal my current state of health, but overcome future obstacles that are vulnerable to my positive thoughts.

Throughout the past two days, I have been speaking healing words over myself and praying for restored health. I have faith that I will defeat the physical symptoms that are threatening my ability to enjoy the wonderful day God provided for me. Only time will tell how much longer I will have to endure... but I am confident that I will endure and in the mean time will live at my best.

American Pickers

2010-02-23T16:00:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy watching "American Pickers" on the History Channel. Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz search for America's lost treasures in this new program where a television crew follows them as they scour the country determined to find interesting items and antiques for their company Antique Archaeology.

As I watch the show, I am struck by their passion for the work they do as well as their relentless determination to pull valuable relics out of obscurity and back into stores, museums and living rooms across the globe. I feel inspired by the way they are able to make a living with a job that they absolutely love. It is evident through their attitudes and actions that they have been blessed with a rewarding career that brings a great deal of satisfaction to their daily lives.

I also admire their extraordinary determination as they search for the undiscovered gems that fund their business. They have developed their own "picking science" that provides a sort of method to their memorabilia-seeking mission. They often find themselves way off the beaten path in rural towns across the country digging deep into abandoned barns and scrounging through junk filled basements.

I believe that everyone could benefit from living a life full of this same type of intense determination. We all have 'hidden treasures' in our lives that are just waiting to be discovered... we just need to 'dig deep' to find them.

Also, antiques are often discovered on the show covered in mildew, dust and dirt. However, the pickers are careful not to overlook these items. They concentrate on uncovering these filthy treasures and reap the benefits often through large financial gain.

Just like the pickers do in their search, we must take time to evaluate the opportunities in our own lives. We may think they seem unattractive at first glance, but if we take the time to 'remove the dirt' we may just discover a chance to 'uncover a hidden treasure'.

"American Pickers" encourages me to chase after my dreams and work to discover my true passion in life. The program helps me recognize that determination will be required to discover blessings in my life and also makes me realize that I may need to 'dig deep' and 'remove the dirt' to find them. I look forward to watching more episodes on Monday Nights at 8pm... and as the pickers continue searching for their next valuable piece of American history, I will also be out there determined to find treasure in my own life.

Fruit of the Spirit

2010-02-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

I have spent much of my life searching for a seemingly elusive notion of 'happiness.' I would look for things that brought a smile to my face and indulged repeatedly in those activities with expectations of experiencing continuous joy. However, I found that my desire to satisfy my urge for instant gratification always took me down a path toward future disappointment. It was these selfish ambitions that eventually took over my life and destroyed any chances for me to enjoy lasting joy in life.

Galatians 5:22 reads, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

After reading this passage for the first time, I immediately felt a rush of emotion that fueled an intense drive to find this 'fruit' in my own life. I remember thinking to myself that I could experience things such as love, peace and joy simply by replacing my negative tendencies with a more positive attitude. I knew I was struggling with problems in my life, but thought I had the power to conquer them relying solely on my own determination. I became committed to living a life geared toward being kind and good thinking that I would be rewarded with a new life free from the evils that had taken over my ability to find 'happiness'.

I eventually came to realize that my determination in itself was unable to conquer my sinful lifestyle. I failed in my attempts to discover the 'Fruit of the Spirit' and found myself suffering from the same wickedness, over and over again. I soon reverted to questioning God and wanted to give in to the desperate nature of my ill-framed mind that worked so hard to divert my attention away from an honest hunt for the truth.

Luckily, God continued to fight for his glory in my life and provided an eye opening realization that would lead me to finding the missing link to my happiness. I began to see that the 'Fruit of the Spirit' was not something I could receive through my own strength and determination. After giving my all toward developing a relationship with Jesus, God rewarded me with all the love, joy and peace I needed to live the fulfilled life I desired. The more I followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the more I experienced things such as patience, kindness, and self-control in my life.

The key to enjoying the 'Fruit of the Spirit' has been practicing obedience over my sinful nature. By turning to Jesus, I have been able to move away from the notion of success as taught to me by society and overcome my selfish desires. I have learned to trust God and realize that he will provide everything I need to live an abundant life.

The Jesus Mission

2010-02-21T15:14:00.000-08:00

Suncrest Church kicked off a four week message series this morning centered around "The Jesus Mission" and the account found in Acts detailing the rise of 'church' which began with Jesus ascending into heaven. Pastor Greg Lee communicated plans that will allow Suncrest to expand locally, regionally and globally to continue Suncrest's mission of being used by God to change lives. Upon listening to the wonderful plans, I felt so blessed to be a part of something so far-reaching and am excited to provide support for such an amazing mission.

The Jesus Mission in Acts 1:8 reads "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Upon spending time thinking about this verse, I was able to look back at just how Suncrest has helped me in my journey toward becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. This church that did not even exist when I was born has followed God's guidance and found a way to directly reach into my life. They have helped God transform me from a desperate lost soul into a hopeful joy-filled servant of God. Absolutely amazing... and I am just one of many they have reached with God's love and compassion.

I am so grateful to be a living, talking example of how the power of the Holy Spirit can restore a person's life. Over the past year, I have allowed the Holy Spirit to live inside me and became committed to following its guidance with all my heart. I cannot think of a more wonderful feeling than when God showed me that he has been and will always be present in my life. It's a feeling that I will continue to share with other followers and try to help others who have not been so blessed to experience.

I declare my own mission of living a life driven by the Holy Spirit to help God change lives. I expect God to use me as I move forward in my journey and turn to him for strength as I look for ways to assist with the Jesus Mission. Through my actions and prayers, I will be joining not just Suncrest, but a church of people all across the earth promoting something that will continue to change the world - The life of Jesus Christ.

Tale of Two Thieves

2010-02-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

Editor/writer, Fulton Oursler, is the man behind the quote "Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves - regret for the past and fear of the future."

After reading this quote this morning, I began to think more intensely about regret and fear with a determination to find out how to escape falling victim to the thievery of which Oursler refers. I can definitely relate to each of these negative feelings by looking back at times in my life where I was unsuccessful at living a life full of joy. Tension, nervousness, anxiety and worry are just some of the horrible reactions I identified in my life that served as consequences to regret and fear.

Keeping faith that God desires the best for everyone, there must be a way to overcome these negative emotions in our lives. We are meant to live blessed and fulfilled free from the negativity that steals our ability to experience true joy and receive God's grace. In order to overcome these pitfalls, it may help to combine a better understanding of regret and fear with a deeper look into the quote itself.

In my research of each thief, I have come to acknowledge that they are definitely psychological in nature. Also, regret and fear are related through the deeper meaning of each inside of our mind. While we may fear future loss, failure and hurt, we most likely regret our past actions that resulted in the same losses, failures and hurts. Therefore, we must accept the things we cannot change in order to avoid fearing a future with similar consequences. We should still learn from our mistakes, but also prohibit our minds from dwelling on them.

After analyzing the quote, I also noticed that between 'regret for the past' and 'fear for the future' is the present. I would like to suggest that we can avoid the burdens of regret and fear by focusing our attention on living life in the moment. The feelings experienced as a result of fear and regret have absolutely nothing to do with what we are experiencing in the now.

By living in the present and trusting God, we can conquer the negativity of regret and fear in our lives. We should take comfort in the fact that God will provide us all the strength and courage needed to overcome any challenge. We will then be free from the anxiety that accompanies regret for the past and fear of the future. Even though bad things may happen, it is up to us to trust God's plan and keep horrible experiences from stealing our peace. I invite everyone to allow God to arrest these thieves in our lives and keep them forever locked up away from stealing the joy in our lives.

Window of Opportunity

2010-02-19T14:49:00.000-08:00

There were two men sharing a hospital room and every day the man closest to the window would share an account of what was going on outside with his roommate who was confined to his bed. The man would go into great detail describing beautiful sunsets, children playing in the park and many other wonderful things. The bed-ridden man enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the outside world and soon noticed it was the highlight of his day.

When the bed-ridden patient checked in to the hospital, he was run down by the setbacks in his life and did not really care much about his declining state of health. However, his roommates accounts had given the man a new look on life. He became determined to get better so he could enjoy all the wonderful things the world has to offer.

With his new positive attitude, the bed-ridden patient began to show signs of improvement. However, the patient closest to the window suffered from complications and passed away. Grieving the loss of his friend, the other man asked the nurse if he could be moved over to the window. After the orderly began to move him, he was so excited to see the view he had heard so much about from his friend. Much to his surprise, the only thing outside the window was a dark and dirty brick wall.

The man was upset and confused about the situation and conveyed his frustration to the nurse. It was at that time the nurse informed him that his friend was blind.

Throughout my journey of self improvement, I have realized that God has given me the ability to decide how I wish to view my life. I can directly influence my attitude and reactions to life's challenges by choosing to stay positive and look for the good in every situation. If I had always lived with this mind set, I know I could have saved myself from a self induced feeling of depression that controlled my life for several years.

This story shared above goes to show that even though life can bring undesirable circumstances, it is completely up to us to see good in every situation. Our attitude and outlook can grant the power to transform even the darkest days into shiny opportunities of hope. By making the decision to be positive, we can stay happy and full of joy even if there happens to be a brick wall right outside our window.

A Glance Away

2010-02-18T17:17:00.000-08:00

I spend a lot of time in front of my computer at the desk in my bedroom where I often engage in periods of intense thinking, writing, reading and praying. During each of these activities, I find myself looking for inspiration and motivation to help me reach the next amazing thought or formulate another intriguing blog entry. Therefore, it is so important for me to create an environment that supports my dedication to these tasks by surrounding the area around my computer with items that provide positive energy.

Looking around my desk, I see pictures of my family, my favorite quotes, a written copy of my goals and the bible. I also have a childhood piggy bank, my baseball cap and of course my candy jar. I turn to each of these objects for encouragement and inspiration as I spend time working at my desk. They absolutely create a positive atmosphere that increases my productivity and continually bring a smile to my face.

I also believe that this intentional motivational decorating can be applied to many more locations other than just the area in which we work. Throughout the day, several positive objects placed strategically throughout the most common places of our daily routine can lift our spirits and completely transform our overall attitude.

For example, we could place a beloved picture on the bathroom mirror, the dashboard of the car, the locker at the gym, and next to the lamp by the bed. That's a smile while we're brushing our teeth, a smile on our way to work, a smile before our workout, and a smile before we go to bed! That would be totally awesome, right?!

I encourage everyone to take some time to identify these type of places and add some inspirational items. I am definitely going to continue to allow the objects around my work station to brighten my days and keep me on track toward my goals. I am also planning to expand this concept to other places that I often see throughout my day. By using this method, I will have several sources ready to provide me everything I need to keep going strong... and they're only a glance away.

I Just Forgot

2010-02-17T14:28:00.000-08:00

I recently watched the movie "17 Again" and found myself drawing motivation from the overall message of the story. The movie used a concept similar to many other movies where the main character magically finds his or herself suddenly at a different age in life. However, "17 Again" did a pretty good job making a seemingly familiar plot become unique using a few interesting characters and comedic relief.

The entire movie is spent setting up a final scene where the main character transforms back to his original self after realizing that he was not living the way he should have been living before he had the magical transformation. He has an 'awakening' that makes him see what is truly important and decides to make the choice to live the rest of his life dedicated to his wife, children and new values. After his re-transformation and reuniting with his almost ex-wife, he apologizes for his previous behavior where he says to her, "Your the best decision I ever made... I just forgot."

In this Hollywood movie, everything seemed to work out well for the lucky character who was able to salvage his almost 'lost' life and family. However, I noticed myself wondering how often people get through their entire life without being blessed with such an 'awakening'. I also tried to imagine the horrible feeling that would accompany such an 'awakening' at a late stage in life. It is definitely something that I never want to experience....

It is reassuring to know that we all have the chance to keep that from happening. No matter what stage we are at in life, it is never too late to take a good look at our lives and find ways to concentrate more on our relationship with God and the people/things closest to our heart. With life's overwhelming nature, it is extra important to periodically take a step back and make sure we are keeping a well balanced lifestyle that aligns with our values and goals. This small effort has the potential to save us from a harsh, desperate realization of regret.

I am so grateful to have had the 'awakening' God blessed me with at this point in my life. I feel so blessed to wake up each day focused on pursuing this journey of change and look forward to continuing on this path. As I move forward, I am determined to give my all toward everyone and everything in life and under God's guidance I trust I will never have to use the excuse "I just forgot" when it comes to the people/things I love.

Spiritual Warfare

2010-02-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

I am currently in the middle of a study in my community group focusing on the book "Spiritual Warfare" by Jerry Rankin. We were reluctant to begin the study since it deals with acknowledging the devil along with his evil ways. However, the book does a great job highlighting the way the devil attempts to carry out his demonic actions in order to prepare us as Christians to help stop him from stealing God's glory in our lives.

Last week the chapter was entitled "Satan's Favorite Fiery Darts." I found the material to be very informative and believe that the topics should be in the back of our minds as we give our all toward living a holy lifestyle. The devil will use every attempt to take advantage of us at our most vulnerable moments and tries to influence us to live self centered lives through his cunning tactics.

Unforgiveness and anger are perhaps the most common ways the devil finds a way into our lives and becomes successful in his efforts to block God's goodness. By failing to forgive, anger and resentment seem to build deep inside the heart and give satan the ability to use those feelings to influence our attitudes and actions. We are often directed toward harboring these feelings eventually leading us to practice self pity and intense loathing.

In most severe cases, we hide away these feelings of bitterness and resentment only to bring them forth later in life after experiencing something traumatic or similar to the hurts we have covered up with a false sense of forgiveness. It is through this misdirected behavior that satan receives fulfillment since it allows him to steal our joy and keep us from enjoying the happy victorious life God wants us to live.

Direct anger is another weapon satan uses to keep God's people from receiving the holy spirit. This tactic is quite tricky to acknowledge and defeat since it often manifests itself before we are aware of its presence in our lives. Afterall, the feeling of anger is often a reaction of the flesh to a situation that threatens our own physical or emotional well being. It can easily be shrugged off and accepted as a 'normal' part of life. A good example used in the book is the all too familiar concept of "Road Rage."

The book defines that anger is always focused on a specific object, usually another person. Without recognizing this innate response, we are more likely to let the anger control our actions and carry out the evil intentions of the devil. Anger leads to negative criticism, discouragement, verbal abuse and selfish behavior. Even if we think it is under control, it can often show up in condescending words, extreme sarcasm and our attitudes. To conquer our anger, Jerry Rankin says "We had best leave indignation up to the Lord... we are to walk in holiness, selflessness, loving one another and led of the Spirit, the fruit of which is self-control."

The chapter also hits topics such as doubt and pride along with some other ways the devil specifically attempts to create dissension in our lives. Even though it is a tough subject, I have found that I am more equipped to fight off satan's attempts to enter my life after giving time and effort toward identifying his evil intentions. I am so grateful for the wonderful friends I have made through my community group and together we form an army smiling under the light of God's grace.

Bed Bath & BEYOND

2010-02-15T15:41:00.000-08:00

Last night I decided I would pursue a potential employment opportunity by attending the Bed Bath & Beyond hiring event that was advertised in the newspaper this past weekend. The advertisement stated that they would be taking applications and giving on-site interviews all week long from 8am-5pm until they filled all the open positions. I was not quite sure what to expect so I approached it just as if I was going to a regular interview. As I finished getting ready this morning, I tightened up my neck tie and said a quick prayer to St. Joseph for employment before heading out the door.

On my drive over to the event, I found myself rehearsing the typical interview questions and spent some time thinking positive thoughts. I planned to arrive about 9am thinking that the interviewers would appreciate an extra hour to let their Monday morning coffee kick into effect. When I arrived at the temporary hiring location, I was shocked to see a line of people wrapped around the building. I couldn't believe that there was over 100 people waiting to apply and started to contemplate going home instead of waiting in the freezing cold for a job I might not even get.

Upon finding a parking space, I thought about the choices in front of me and decided that braving the cold to pursue the job opportunity was the right decision. I approached the long line that was wrapped to the side of the building providing shelter from the bitter wind. The people who were waiting were very diverse in every sense of the word... but considering the situation in very good spirits. I immediately noticed that I was over dressed and also lacked the hats and gloves most people were wearing. I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb and again found myself questioning whether or not I should leave.

Taking my place in the back of the line, I greeted a stranger with a big smile and a look of astonishment. I felt a good vibe from this strangely happy line of the unemployed and even overheard a few people joking about it being the longest line they have ever seen for a hot dog (which was sort of funny because there was a hot dog place directly next to the entrance to the unmarked event). I spent the next 75 minutes in that line where I shared a positive attitude with others and absorbed some of their energy along the way. It was quite amazing to take in such a positive life experience for it being such a lousy situation.

The interview went well and after another 45 minutes I walked away from what I would call the BEYOND part of Bed Bath & Beyond with a memory that will last for the rest of my life. I may or may not get asked for a second interview... we will have to wait and see. However, I did get the chance to spend some time on a cold February day standing in a line with complete strangers from all different backgrounds with a common hope of finding employment.

With every one's positive attitudes and uplifting spirits, I found the time I spent in line quite enjoyable and am glad I decided to give this effort my all. At the very least, it will make a good story to share with a laugh later in life. Who knows... I may have found employment or even better made the first step to starting a promising career... or maybe established a business contact to help later in my job search... or met someone that will become a lifelong friend. One can never know for sure what God is doing in our lives, but I do know that all these things are now possible because I decided to give my all toward what seemed to be a horrible situation.
____________________
Prayer to St. Joseph for Employment

Dear Saint Joseph, you were yourself once faced with the responsibility of providing the necessities of life for Jesus and Mary. Look down with fatherly compassion upon me in my anxiety over my present inability to support my family. Please help me to find gainful employment very soon, so that this heavy burden of concern will be lifted from my heart and that I am soon able to provide for those whom God has entrusted to my care. Help me to guard against bitterness and discouragement, so that I may emerge from this trial spiritually enriched and with even greater blessings from God. Amen.

Completely. Committed. Follower.

2010-02-14T10:29:00.000-08:00

Today's message at Suncrest was entitled "Completely. Committed. Follower." and addressed what it means to live as a follower of Jesus Christ. It provided an outline designed to help guide us in our journey toward serving God in every aspect of our lives. The message clearly spoke of the importance to take steps to grow spiritually in faith and become active in seeking opportunities to move beyond the status of believer.

In order to live a committed lifestyle, we must surround ourselves with others that value a similar relationship with God. Participating in fellowship will provide the support our faith will need to continue to grow stronger over time. We will encounter times in our lives that will require encouragement and direction that will come directly from established friendships blessed with God's grace.

We must also place an unrelenting desire toward cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus. The holy spirit resides inside each of us and will direct our thoughts, attitudes and actions toward receiving God's glory. We must learn to accept and listen to its guidance in everything we do. Through the power of prayer, we can invite Jesus to join us in our daily adventures and allow God to provide the strength needed to live a fulfilled life.

It is also imperative to dedicate ourselves to serving God by placing our interests below the interests of others. By living an unselfish lifestyle, we allow God to use our gifts and talents to carry out his will. We should look forward to every opportunity to sacrifice the desires of our own flesh and trust that God is always leading us toward fulfilling a plan that is so much greater than ourselves.

As we continue on our journey, we need to also take time to bring others closer to God. We must take advantage of every chance to show compassion toward people who may be struggling and show God's grace through our own actions. We have been given the gift of the holy spirit and can show how grateful we are by sharing it with people who are less fortunate.

I realize that I will need to periodically re-center myself around the fundamental aspects of being a Christ follower. I will spend time identifying areas in my life that I should concentrate on to better serve God and new ways in which I can continue to grow spiritually. I trust the holy spirit living inside of me and will never question its guidance... I am a follower.

Out of the Comfort Zone

2010-02-13T15:32:00.000-08:00

I attended a clinic for umpires today held by the Regional Umpire Network. It was a good group of about 8 men who all seemed very interested in learning more about official baseball rules and solid field mechanics. Most of the attendees were experienced umpires, and it was evident in their appearance and body language. As the leadership expressed the objectives for R.U.N, I recognized that I had a lot to learn and began to feel as if I was in over my head. After finishing the rules discussion, my anxiety increased as it was time to move on to the live training.

As they called my name to put on a face mask and step behind the plate, I found myself experiencing the uneasiness of an unknown situation. I was surrounded by a bunch of strangers and felt tempted to simply let the next guy go ahead of me. However, I turned my thoughts to God and asked him to guide me as I began to suit up.

With my nerves in full gear, I assumed my brand new stance behind the catcher and watched the first pitch cross the plate. In that split second, I felt a rush of adrenaline and instantly knew that being an umpire is something that I would sincerely enjoy. I immediately stood upright, turned to the right and pointed my finger as I yelled confidently for the first time as an umpire, "Strike!"

It is not everyday that an opportunity to take on something that pushes us out of our comfort zones enters our lives. Even though fear and anxiety might try to hold us back, we should take advantage of the opportunity and look at it as a chance to strengthen our overall character. I believe God wants us to push ourselves to stretch beyond our 'limits' and purposely provides us with these chances to become stronger people. After rising above these challenges by giving our all, God will reward our courage and we will be that much closer to becoming the person we are meant to be...

Waiting with Expectancy

2010-02-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

I have been waiting to get a break on employment for what seems like forever. Keeping with my faith, I wake up each day excited for whatever is in store for me and expect good things to happen. However, I find myself questioning if I have been waiting too passively and wonder if there is anything else I could be doing to live with more expectancy.

I have been putting all my heart and soul into my prayers trusting that God will provide the guidance I need to get through this time in my life. I have faith that I am on my way to bigger and better things and believe that they will come to pass in his time. But as time continues to pass, I believe I need to put more concentration on supplementing my prayers with actions that demonstrate my expectations and prepare me for the future.

When talking with people about my search for employment, the conversations have become routine and almost always bring up the 'state of the economy'. I have heard it so much I can feel the negativity eating away at my efforts. During future thoughts and conversations, I will refuse to acknowledge the slow economy along with any other negative topics. I will spend more time imagining myself with a job and prepare myself each day as if I actually had a job. I will not let uncontrollable outside forces discourage me from expecting employment.

I also plan to take physical steps that will help me to put more actions behind my prayers. Instead of spending all day in my comfortable clothes, I am going to put on nice work attire to do my daily writing and job search tasks. I will be designating time to focus on developing job skills throughout my week that will be beneficial to me after finding employment. I will live each day on a schedule that aligns with a typical day at the office. These behaviors will help me overcome any limiting thoughts and help prepare me for the wonderful blessings God sends my way.

I realize that I cannot see everything that God is doing 'behind the scenes' and will continue to rely on my faith to keep me going strong. I must continue to be positive and hopeful in my job search using actions to support my expectations. I am going to talk as if I will be finding a job tomorrow and act as if I already have a job. By replacing negative thoughts with preparations for a blessed future, this time of unemployment will help shape me into a more determined, skillful future employee.

Heart of Happiness

2010-02-11T07:10:00.000-08:00

One of the most influential lessons I have learned over the course of my lifetime is that happiness begins in the heart. God has granted everyone with all the tools required to live a life full of joy. We simply need to make the choice to promote a joyful lifestyle and make living with enthusiasm a priority throughout the day. Problems and circumstances in life are too often permitted to take control leading to discouraging thoughts and attitudes. When this mind frame takes root, all the joy and happiness we are meant to experience gets destroyed by negativity.

Depression ruled my life for a long time before I realized that I did not have to allow sad thoughts and self pity to drive my internal spirit. It was tough to break free from my old thought patterns, but I used determination to start replacing the anxiety and stress with feelings of joy and peace. I recognized that there will always be problems and setbacks in life... and if I had to wait for those things to go away to be happy, I would never again experience the pleasure of pure joy.

After God blessed me with this new wisdom, I began to implement physical actions to accompany my positive attitude. Even though my situation was much less than ideal, I made a conscious effort to smile as much as possible throughout my day. I looked for opportunities to share moments with the people around me that carried positive energy. I walked around in confidence with my head held high and my shoulders back. Before I knew it, I felt an ever growing feeling of pride and my new behaviors became habitually natural.

We can celebrate life the way God intends us to by finding happiness in everything we do. Through living with positive attitudes and joy filled hearts, we can transform our lives and share energy with others leaving them happier, more encouraged and more inspired than they were before being around us. It's a choice to have a heart of happiness... a choice with an easy decision.

Conquering at the Core

2010-02-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

I struggled with 'demons' in my life for a long time before I was able to get honest with myself and attack them at the core of their existence. I use the term 'demons' as a representation of the evil attitudes, thoughts and actions that seemed to plague my life before I was saved from that lifestyle. Deep down inside my soul, I always felt the need to change and truly believed that I had so much more to offer the world than I was accomplishing while suffering from the strongholds in my life. After years of half hearted attempts, I found salvation using God's guidance to identify the real root causes of my problems.

In order to start the process, I needed to declare a desire to make my faith the most influential force in my life. I realized that there was absolutely no room for making excuses to justify my future actions and made the decision to replace negative feelings stemming from 'unfair situations' in my past with a desire to use them to make me stronger. At that moment in time, I noticed that something changed inside me and started to enjoy the positive attitude that transformed my life.

Early on in my journey of change, I found myself covering anger, doubt and sadness with forced feelings of love, hope and joy. However, my dedication had to constantly endure the relentless negative thoughts that seemed to reappear over and over again. I came to realize that I simply could not mask the ugliness in my life and began to take a deeper look inside to discover that these emotions were the result of dark buried secrets. Secrets that held the keys to the chains that were holding me back...

After working to let go of the hurts from my past, I was able to conquer the bitterness that was influencing my behavior. I no longer feel the need to blame my past and live everyday in the moment trusting that my future will be full of blessing and good fortune. Today I am confident that there is absolutely nothing that can keep me from receiving God's best!
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If you feel that something may be holding you back from receiving God's best, pray with all your heart for his help and guidance... and you will receive it.

"Heavenly Father, please allow me to see the truth about myself. I no longer want to suffer from the evil that keeps me from receiving your grace. Give me the strength to conquer negative attitudes, thoughts and behaviors and replace them with actions that bring lasting hope, love and joy."

Picture Perfect

2010-02-09T08:37:00.000-08:00

I was captivated by a picture in the newspaper the day after the Super Bowl. The picture showed MVP quarterback Drew Brees holding up his son Baylen high above his head during the celebration after his team, the New Orleans Saints, defeated the Indianapolis Colts. In a cloud of confetti, Baylen wearing noise reduction earmuffs is seen absorbing the action in front of a huge sign that reads 'Champions'. It captured a moment in time that carries a message that absolutely transcends the game of football...

Upon seeing this unforgettable image, I immediately felt the power that drives the gift of life. The picture represents the true motivation of the human spirit and succeeds at drawing an emotional response that brings a perspective to light that is too often overlooked. Through all the hard work and dedication, what are we actually living for each and every day?

I used the inspiration to reflect on my own life and took the time to identify what is really important to me. I was able to gain an understanding about myself that will accompany me going forward as I continue on my way conquering challenges and celebrating victories. By knowing what is first and foremost in my life, I have the ability to make better decisions and more efficiently chase after my dreams.

During the time I spent reflecting, I also found myself comparing the scenario in the picture to my relationship with God. By putting myself in Baylen's tiny little shoes, I could imagine that Drew Brees would represent the Almighty Father who holds me up constantly to take in all that this life has to offer while providing me with 'earmuffs' to provide protection from all the 'noise' that will bombard me on my journey.

Through this abstract thinking, I also came to the realization that just like Baylen experienced, there have been times where I was unable to comprehend just how amazing a moment really was until later in life... and at those times God was always there holding me up, protecting and celebrating with me in the midst of all the confetti.

Conditioning the Conscience

2010-02-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

I imagine it is different for everyone, but I believe we are all aware of an internal voice that attempts to give us advice throughout our day. I have heard many people refer to it as the conscience, and I am fine with using that term. However, I have learned throughout the course of my lifetime that this little voice is the guidance of the holy spirit providing the direction needed to overcome temptation and walk in the grace of God.

If I made a list of all the unsavory situations of my past, I can recall hearing the warnings of my conscience that could have saved me from the strife that resulted after refusing to listen to its guidance. In fact, that little voice inside my head has spoken to me during the most critical turning points of my life. It is at those times that my choice to disregard its advice lead to life changing consequences. Luckily, God never gave up on me and has shown me the mercy and forgiveness needed to transform my life.

I have come to realize that I can always rely on my conscience to lead me toward the right path and believe that the more I listen to its direction, the more it will speak to me. When I was continuously making bad decisions, the little voice inside my head seemed to grow softer making it easier for me to disregard. Before I knew it happened, I was making horrible decisions without even feeling an ounce of regret causing a spiraling effect in my life that eventually left me drowning in a sea of remorse.

However, I have found that the conscience can be conditioned in the same way we build up our muscles. Through hard work and dedication, we can work out our conscience by relentlessly turning to its direction throughout our day. After awhile, it will become second nature to 'exercise' its guidance and the quality of our lifestyle will show the size of our 'muscles'.

As I move forward in my journey, I am dedicated to listening to and following the guidance of my conscience. I have noticed that the direction of the holy spirit goes far beyond just showing up during times of need. By continuously acknowledging its presence, my conscience has grown to become a leader in my everyday life sparking ideas and actions that propel me toward fulfilling my destiny.
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James 1:21-22
"Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

February 7th 2010

2010-02-07T10:47:00.000-08:00

Today, February 7th of 2010, millions of people across the world will place all their attention toward what is arguably the greatest sporting event of the year - The Super Bowl. Throughout the day, we will experience coverage of inspirational stories, time honored traditions, heart felt performances and of course an action packed game of football. Even if we are not fans of the game, lasting memories will be made as we share this day with everyone that we love...

When I woke up this morning, I felt an amazing feeling of excitement and knew that February 7th, 2010 would be a day I would remember for the rest of my life. Now I absolutely love football, but the emotions I was experiencing were unrelated to the game that would be played later in the day or any of the accompanying festivities. Today I would experience true joy knowing that I have been forgiven for all my past sins and reborn into a life dedicated to following Jesus Christ.

I was baptized by Pastor Greg Lee today - February 7th, 2010 - at 12:10pm. A moment in my journey through life that will forever mark my commitment to living the rest of my life under the guidance of the holy spirit. As I approached the stage, I had the most wonderful feeling of peace absolutely knowing that I was exactly where I was supposed to be at that very moment. When I emerged from the water, I opened my eyes to see the world in a new light and trust that this light will stay with me for all of eternity.

There was a story in the newspaper this morning that told the story of Pierre Thomas, the running back for the New Orleans Saints. This young man has risen above one challenge after another and now finds himself playing in the biggest football game of the year. During all the hype throughout the week, Pierre made a quote that carried an intense message that truly showed how grateful he is for everything in his life and resonated with the same passion he gives toward living.

I set out this year with certain objectives in mind and trusted with all my heart that many positive and exciting events would happen along the way. When I was baptized earlier today, I experienced one of those moments and will remember February 7th, 2010 forever. I imagine I feel as proud as Pierre Thomas feels about making it to the Super Bowl... and that is why I am going to close this entry by saying exactly what he said during his interview this week. "Making it here was destiny. God paved this road for me, to take this journey, and I wouldn't change it for anything."

Reaching New Heights

2010-02-06T09:15:00.000-08:00

I have come to realize that it is God's intention to offer everyone the opportunities needed to continually advance their lives toward reaching ever increasing levels of glory. However, we must choose to pursue what is right and take advantage of every chance to listen to the guidance of the holy spirit. The amount of God's favor in life will directly correlate to how well we follow his directions leaving our battle with free will to ultimately determine the amount of blessings we will experience during our lifetime.

Throughout my past struggles, I personally experienced God's unrelenting attempts to bring me back into his glory. Unfortunately, I repeatedly ignored his presence in my life and avoided following the blatant path back to righteousness. As I continued to choose a life of misery, I continued to be harassed by a small nagging voice deep within my conscience. It was not until after I decided to follow Christ that I was able to acknowledge that this voice was God living inside of me. He knew my greatest weaknesses, my embarrassing faults and my inner most secrets... and he also knew how to relieve the burden that accompanied each of these areas.

Upon listening to God's guidance, I began to notice that one door of blessing eventually led me toward another door of opportunity. I was experiencing favor in my life that just a short time ago seemed forever out of reach. All of the sudden, things in my life that I had been putting off were coming to pass one by one, and the problems that had haunted me seemed to disintegrate into a future of endless possibilities. I noticed that every step of faith and open gesture of obedience was rewarded with a deeper understanding of God's plan for me and an increasing feeling of grace.

Today I pay attention to the voice inside me and avoid becoming so busy and self directed that I miss what God is attempting to say to me. I act on his guidance and have learned to immediately address the issues he brings to light. By living in this way, I have learned to expect his blessings and honestly the more I look for his favor in my life, the more I find. God wants nothing more than to see everyone reach new heights, but it is completely up to us to make the decision to follow him to the next level.

Escape in the Moment

2010-02-05T12:02:00.000-08:00

As I returned home from running a few morning errands, I started in on a common routine of kicking off my shoes replacing them with my extra cool poker themed slippers. Next, I hung up the keys to the car and placed my leather jacket on a hanger in the closet... I then reached down to greet the amazingly energetic dogs and walked to the bathroom sink to wash my hands. It was during this simple, often overlooked occurrence that I found myself overflowing with sensory perceptions that produced a much needed moment of relaxation.

As the unique light from the energy saving light bulbs reflected off the highly decorated fixtures, I invited the warm water to run across my weather worn hands gently covering each individual finger tip. After adjusting the faucet to release a slightly less hot stream, I gave the distinctly orange dispenser a double tap to begin a rather ritualistic lathering only to suddenly find myself absolutely enjoying a blast of aroma that somehow carried the likeness of freshly cut flowers. I proceeded to rinse off my now sanitized hands allowing the steam from the sink to fill my lungs, one deep breath after another. I then swiftly grabbed the hanging hand towel, turned each knob to stop the flow of water and glanced at a joyful image of myself in the mirror.

I know it might seem sort of ridiculous to experience pleasure from washing my hands, but there was a true sense of joy created simply by taking the time to really appreciate the task at hand. I was able to escape the menacing thoughts that seem to captivate my mind... I was not worried about any past activity or feeling any anxiety about some future event. I was able to focus all my attention on something that was happening in the now and I loved it!

There are so many opportunities throughout the day that offer a chance to get lost in the present... simple everyday actions such as walking the stairs, brushing your teeth or cooking dinner. They all offer a chance to shift our thinking away from stressful thoughts and take a break from the busy hectic lifestyle that at times seems unavoidable. Whether it be for a few seconds or couple hours, we can emerge from a peaceful internal escape more refreshed and energized - ready to take on whatever the next moment may have in store.

Lean on God

2010-02-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning excited for another day, but I also was experiencing a strange feeling that I have not felt in some time - confusion. It is very hard to explain the exact feeling since there really was not a specific thing that I could pinpoint causing me this sense of disorientation. It was not a welcomed frame of mind, especially since I have been so confident in my faith that God is in control and has been leading me every day toward living a more productive life. I immediately turned my thoughts to the Lord and using prayer placed an extra emphasis on strength of mind.

For some reason or another, I continued to harbor feelings of doubt as I went about my day. I found myself wondering about my desire to find employment and began questioning my efforts. These indefinite thoughts quickly turned into more contemplations about my qualifications and character. I was in desperate need of finding focus and realized that this would be a perfect time to turn to the word to look for guidance.

Proverbs 3:5 told me everything that I needed to hear - "Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight and understanding."

I believe that my lapse in reasoning was being influenced by the devil and am thankful that I let God help me conquer my feelings of confusion. He quickly restored my confidence and reminded me that I have been living at the best of my ability. I am determined to overcome the adversity in my life and will continue looking forward to receiving all the blessings God has planned for me.

I believe that we will all have days where it may seem like something is holding us back from receiving the glory that God has planned for us. Whether it be internal thoughts or physical obstacles, turning to God will provide the strength needed to rise above any challenge. So when in doubt, lean on God...

Biomimicry

2010-02-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

I was recently reading a Harvard Business Review magazine article entitled, "Use Biomimicry to Make Better Products (And Companies)." Even though this concept of Biomimicry sounds like it could be complicated, it is simply looking to nature for innovative ways to develop or improve products. For example, the Speedo swimsuit Michael Phelps and other Olympians used in Beijing was called the "shark suit" since it was developed to mimic the way sharks move through the water.

Companies are turning to consultants specializing in this field to help brainstorm and implement ideas that carry a positive impact to products, processes, and the overall "footprint" of the business. The companies are experiencing unprecedented profits simply from taking the time to identify and utilize the more efficient, effective solutions existing in the environments surrounding them. I have fallen in love with this concept and what's not to love... nature has been evolving over the past 3.8 billion years to produce the most amazing and awe inspiring God given advancements on the planet.

As I was moving through the article, I found myself agreeing with this philosophy and getting excited to practice using such principles to enhance my thinking and hopefully bring improvement to my life. I may not be producing products or managing a business, but I am the CEO of my life... and I can use all the inspiration I can find.

I love watching animal planet.... and recently I was amazed by the extreme dedication of the adult male emperor penguin. It will hold the egg of its unborn offspring on it's feet under a warm piece of abdominal skin while the mother sets off to sea. This 'watch' can last for over 120 days during which time the daddy penguin doesn't eat losing up to 40 percent of his body weight. He devotes all his time and energy into protecting the egg from the frigid cold until his mate returns to take over control... now that's just crazy amazing!

I know I will never have to watch an egg while my penguin wife goes to play in some far off region of the artic, but there are certain areas of life to which I can apply that degree of unrelenting dedication. I can definitely remember the sacrifices of the male emperor penguin as I continue to fight through this period of unemployment and keep my talents and abilities 'warm' as I wait for my next job.... or how about I focus my attention on the egg of faith as I trust that God will reward my dedication to him with an abundance of favor in my life.

No matter how we decide to look at it, 'Biomimicry' is just too awesome to ignore! Whether we are looking for the next great idea or ways to improve our attitude, God has blessed us with a world that holds all the inspiration we need. All we need to do is observe...

Sustaining Peace

2010-02-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

While discovering how to feel at ease may seem like a huge accomplishment, it is even more important to find out how to sustain peace. An unrelenting faith seems to offer the best chance to perpetually profit from the joy that accompanies a peaceful lifestyle. When tempted with a challenging situation, it is faith that will drive the ability to move forward with a positive attitude providing a sincere belief that, no matter how trying, each situation can and will work for good.

Even though faith does not promise to instantly deliver us, we can rely on it to lead us toward a brighter future. We must avoid living a lifestyle that resembles a roller-coaster of highs and lows that causes us to practice our faith more in times of need or express our gratitude only when everything is going smooth. Consistency in spiritual behavior will result in a peaceful consistency of perceptions and reactions to daily events - whether good or bad.

It is also important to live with 'big picture thinking' to enjoy a more peaceful life. I approach every situation trusting that God knows best and that his guidance will lead me to my true destiny. As long as I am doing my best and listening to the holy spirit, good things will find their way into my life and I can relax believing that I am right where I am supposed to be. There may be times in life that simply don't make sense... but it is at these times when I must acknowledge that God is in control of a much greater plan that I cannot understand.

As I followed yet another lead for employment today, I faced a blatant disregard to my true character from a HR Coordinator. She did not even give me a chance... I felt angy and discouraged since I know I have the experience and ability to excel at the position. However, I quickly corrected my negative reaction by focusing on my faith. I trust that God has a different plan for me... a plan that will ultimately bring much more favor into my life.

Finding Peace

2010-02-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

When looking for peace in life, it is important to realize that the search will not require physical travel... but rather an internal journey to the heart and soul. People are born into a selfish world that can often teach practices that do not support living a peaceful lifestyle. We often face daily struggles that are relatively trivial in nature but have the ability to produce far reaching consequences if allowed to dominate our feelings, emotions and actions. Feelings of anxiety and uneasiness must be replaced with an attitude that supports a positive outlook in life starting now and carrying into the future.

When I accepted that God is in control and truly understood he wishes the best for me, I was able to relax and take comfort trusting that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I admit that there are circumstances that I would like to see changed sooner than later, but I have faith that God will lead me there when the time is right. He has a much better understanding of the 'big picture' and will bring me timely opportunities along with the strength and motivation to pursue them.

Given my current situation, I constantly encounter reminders of my failures and find it hard to overcome the feeling that I could be living in an expensive house starting my own family with a high paying job and a fancy car to match. However, I know deep inside that I am a much better person after surviving my past and can see how I am more prepared for a future that supports having a LOVING family with a job that brings JOY to my life. If I end up with an expensive house and a fancy car, I will be thankful but realize that those things are not what I need to feel fulfilled. Without the awakening God provided me, I could easily have spent my entire life living with objectives that would lead only to an ending filled with disappointment and regret.

By opening up myself to God, I have been blessed with a mind set that allows me to experience hope in every situation. I have no doubt that each difficulty in my life is another lesson to be used for forming me into the person I am meant to be. I am surrounded by the beauty of God's grace and it is only a matter of time before I find myself living the life I have always imagined - and with that I have found peace.

Fork in the Road

2010-01-31T10:59:00.000-08:00

This entry will complete the first month of writing about my journey in 2010 toward living a life centered on Christ and my dedication to becoming a better person. I have shared hopes, dreams, actions and stories that have helped guide me along my way. However, there has been nothing more powerful than the strength God has provided through my commitment to living a life consumed by him.

I am proud to say I was part of the message series at church today entitled, "Fork in the Road." Everyone has a story that can somehow be improved through defining a relationship with God and working to improve their life by making a conscious effort to accept and obey the guidance of the holy spirit. I realize that it can be troubling to identify and acknowledge the things in life that are holding us back from receiving God's best, but I also know that making the decision to confront these strongholds will deliver us into a world without regret. God wants everyone to feel joy and lead fulfilled lives...

Joel Osteen wrote that 'Happiness is a decision you make. Not an emotion you feel'. No matter where we may find ourselves, we have the ability to transform our life into an existence that breathes joy into our souls and the world surrounding us. It is an amazing feeling to know that I have been forgiven for my past mistakes and have been given the blessing to follow my hopes and dreams. I find relief with my new lifestyle trusting that I will never have to look back on my life with the weight of regret on my shoulders asking "What could I have done differently?"

At some point, we all will come to a 'fork in the road' that offers the chance to decide which way we are going to go in the future. We must use this opportunity to repent for our past actions and offer all that we have to give toward living the rest of our life in the light of God's grace. The path may not be easy to follow, but the challenges along the way provide the opportunity to experience pure joy - the ultimate reward.