There is a lot going on in the world, way too much fighting and turmoil for my liking. I choose peace. That doesn’t mean I ignore what is going on around the world but it does mean that I don’t allow the events to bring unnecessary stress, anxiety, and depression to my life. As we watch television and interact with social media it is difficult to keep emotions in check. We get drawn in and before we even realize our emotions drift and worry surfaces. It is difficult to find a balance between having awareness and concern for…
What is it that makes us scared to put all of our faith in Jesus? Some of us are well versed in the Bible, devoted to prayer, faithful in attending worship services, and/or generally live our lives by the “golden rule.” If we are doing some or all of those things, what makes us hesitant to surrender to Jesus? Could it be that we think we have surrendered to Jesus, but in reality are still in control of our daily lives? I have found that I frequently have to surrender and give up control. I surrender and shortly after…
It is time to restore our self-esteem, faith, and hope. A recurring theme as I walk through life is stress and anxiety. In years past it is not something that has been part of my everyday conversations. Currently, there is seldom a day that goes by without having a serious conversation with someone regarding a form of stress or anxiety. I believe all the stress and anxiety people are facing puts a strain on our self-esteem. We start to question if we are enough. We begin to talk poorly about ourselves rather than treating ourselves with respect. It…
When I am feeling discouraged I find myself consistently using the same tools to navigate myself out of that dark place. I have learned not to let myself dwell on things that lead me to negative feelings about myself or others. We all face different levels of discouragement. Some are so deep it is difficult to function other times it is an inconvenience that interrupts an otherwise uneventful day. It may be created by my own actions other times from the stress of being in an uncomfortable environment. The moment I feel discouraged I look for an opportunity to clear…
I learn daily from things I do right, things I do wrong, and from being observant regarding what is going on around me. I am grateful that I am able to choose a positive approach to most daily challenges. I have learned not to dwell on any one situation. I don’t allow myself time to worry. I do, however, look for something I can learn that will move the situation forward. Always looking for opportunities to grow from the “storms” that we experience. Am I able to move through the challenges and be better prepared for the future? Hindsight…
How is it that we allow ourselves to get tangled up in assumptions? Why do we stop short of asking the questions or doing our research? I remember a time when I was asked to take a look at a business opportunity. I tend to be entrepreneurial and typically will listen to the pitch. I have a few standard benchmarks the business has to pass before I will spend time evaluating an opportunity. This business passed the basic test and I was intrigued enough to find out more information. The person pitching the business made a 30-minute presentation and…
This past weekend a very valuable lesson resurfaced as we celebrated Independence Day with our friends, family, and community. Years ago a friend of ours started what has now become a family tradition of renting a golf car for July 4th. It was Friday and the girls and I were anticipating the arrival of the golf car rental. Hopeful that it indeed would arrive and that it would arrive in the fashion of a six-passenger. We love to be able to take lots of friends and family to all the community festivities. When it comes to celebrating July 4th…
There is something about the July 4th holiday that inspires me to think about our freedom and how grateful I am to those individuals who have made a difference in this world. I started to reflect on how simple yet powerful it is to make a positive impact on those around us. The words of Mother Teresa have always inspired me to realize that all of our actions matter. “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” I find that people who send messages of hope make a…
Sometimes it is me whom I judge and sometimes it is others. It happens so quickly that my filter has to be ready to block those critical thoughts immediately. I quickly say a prayer asking for forgiveness and remind myself that I don’t know all that is going on so best that I don’t judge. We are all equal in the eyes of God. So why is it that we sometimes feel we are not equal to those around us? Is it that we allow ourselves or others to make us feel we are not worthy? We all…
What is your biggest fear? There have been times in my life when that question has stopped me in my tracks. Fear was never a word in my vocabulary. I did not have time for fear. Or maybe it was that I had not yet pushed myself to experience fear. Sometimes my fears are unknown. I don’t know that something is preventing me from moving forward. It might be something happening in the world or something specific to my life. There are times when fear camouflages itself making one feel unable to function. Baggage that has built up over…