Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Mark Batterson (2011-01-18) in his book, Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny (p. 154). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition . We strive to do what we can to define who we are.  We drive the right car, we wear the right clothes.  We live in the right place.  We even put our kids in the right activities, the right school but we feel like we still come up short. Maybe it is because of something that we did when we were younger that no matter what we do or what we have we just can’t get away from it.  That thing defines us in our mind. Maybe it is what someone said about you.  That is what defines you.  Maybe it is because of an unpleaseable person in your life.  No matter what you did, it was always wrong.  You got an A but you should have gotten an A+.   No matter what it was it wasn’t enough so you always felt like you were a failure or you were told you were and because they were an adult you believed them. Listen you are not defined by what you did wr

A thought by Andy Stanley (2009-08-22) from his book, It Came from Within!: The Shocking Truth of What Lurks in the Heart (pp. 88-90). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition. But the major problem is they are never going to get enough.  What a horrible existence but so many people live it.  We think that is a responsible thing to do to acquire and maintain but it can be greed if it’s for the wrong reason. Now the basic premise of greed is very simple.  It means that I don’t trust God to meet my needs.  And this lack of trust seems to get greater and greater the older we get.  It really does but worrying about retirement is a good thing isn’t it?  Is it?  Listen, worry is never a good thing.  It says I don’t trust you God. Now it is important to be a responsible person, to make sure that we save and plan for our future.  It really is but to worry and worry and live in fear of not having enough is not what God wants from us.  I also don’t think He wants us to leave it all up to H

A thought by Greg Darley (2010-11-15) from his book, Passion Is Not Enough: Four Elements to Change the World (Kindle Location 1103). Backstage Publishing. Kindle Edition . Well we are truly in uncertain times.  And uncertain times show us where we have really put our trust.  For many it is in God.  Their faith comes to the front.  For others it’s the government.  It is so important to them what party is in power.  Their trust is totally in who the President is and what party controls Congress.  For others it’s their job.  Their total trust is in what they make and if something would happen to their job then their life would go down the tubes.  For others it’s their mate, their relationships. Now the only thing that is a sure thing to have your faith in is God.  He is the only one who will be their when all else fails.  Yes, all those other things have their place in your life and God uses them even during the difficult times.   My mom is 87 years of age and she lost he

A thought by Greg Darley (2010-11-15) from his book, Passion Is Not Enough: Four Elements to Change the World (Kindle Locations 914-915). Backstage Publishing. Kindle Edition . There are people who have an opinion about what everyone else is doing but they don’t want anyone to have an opinion about what they are doing.  I have tended to not have an opinion but also don’t want anyone else’s opinion.  But Solomon in his book of Proverbs in the OT says that there is safety in many counselors.  He is saying that in making decisions don’t do it on your own.   Now we do need to have confidence in our abilities but real confidence can withstand other views, other thoughts, and other experiences.  The truth is we have only lived the one life that we are living and that is the only experience we have and taping into other people’s experiences gives us a greater view of the situation.  Of course we may not want other perspectives.  They may just cloud the issue because we want to do

A thought by Greg Darley (2010-11-15) from his book, Passion Is Not Enough: Four Elements to Change the World (Kindle Location 620). Backstage Publishing. Kindle Edition. I have met some people who don’t believe that.  To them they have no strengths.  Somebody somewhere has emphasized that fact into them.  They could tell you all their weaknesses but they don’t have any idea what their strengths are.  But God doesn’t work that way.  Every one of us came into this world with a purpose on His mind.  He built into us strengths with that purpose in mind.  Granted life can chisel away at those strengths but they are still there to be developed.  Now they are there not to be misused on us but to be used in making a difference on others and on the world.  People say but I don’t have any strengths but you do.  You just need to believe you do and then do some real self-investigation.    There are a number of good test out there.  The book StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath is a gr

A thought by Seth Godin (2011-03-01) in his book, Poke the Box (p. 61). The Domino Project. Kindle Edition . That is the difficult thing isn’t it?  We all it seems have at some moment come up with that idea that will make a major difference.  We are sure that no one else has ever thought of it but we don’t do anything with it and it is lost. Whether you believe it or not you have a tremendous idea about your task at work there in the inner workings of your mind.   It is that idea that will make your task more effective.  It may be that just right idea that will make your office more successful.  You may not realize it but by doing what you do every day you are the person to come up with that needed idea.  But you are afraid of rejection or being laughed at so you keep it to yourself.  It probably isn’t that good any way you think.  So the idea is lost. Now someone somewhere is going to come up with the idea and he is going to go for it.  It isn’t as good as yours but be

A thought by Andy Stanley (2009-03-31) in his book, The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be (p. 104). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. If I really want it then it must be the right thing to get it.  Have you ever had that go through your mind?   I know, all the time.  I’m sitting in a Starbucks close to Louisville, Kentucky seeing all these people outside with their 32 flavors cups of ice cream and I want so much to go get some.  I want it so bad so it must mean that it is God’s will for me to have it?  Right?  Wrong.  I got up early this morning to walk my 4+ miles and I’m not going to blow it.  But so many times what we really, really want tempts us to get off the path that we have chosen.  For me I was in the car yesterday for nearly 15 hours and it seems that I should be rewarded but that reward would set me back from the daily task that I have chosen to get below 200 lbs. by 2012.  Yes possibly the circumstance of yesterday cou