Those tuna sandwiches

Daydreamer or Visionary?

It’s not enough to merely daydream about “stuff you’d really like to do.” You need to have a determined goal — a Vision. A vision won’t take shape until you have a plan, and without a plan, there can be no course of action. Without action there is no change. Without change no growth…

Begin where you are – With what you have

God will multiply when you begin where you are, with what you have. In the sixth chapter of the Book of Mark, we find Jesus, feeding thousands of people who were hungry; both in body and in spirit. The miracle of the loaves and fishes reminds us:

God always has a plan.
God knows what we need.
God is compassionate.
God provides resources.
God gives us opportunities for excellence.

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. -Michelangelo

Make a sandwich!

The key to beginning is faith. Step out of your comfort zone! The key to increase is diligence and persistence. Diligence is a focussed pursuit and persistence is a resolute determination towards purpose, regardless of difficulty. Purpose is our why.

Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed. – Mark 6:41-44

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. – Proverbs 19:21

and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills – Exodus 1:3

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:14-16

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10

The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.” But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

“With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!”

“How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.” They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.”

Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed. – Mark 6:30-44

February 22, 2018 0

What Are You Waiting For?

"Growth can be uncomfortable - even painful! It requires leaving the security of where you've lingered, to step into the abundance of where you are supposed to be. " - Carmela Kaeha

Ever notice how we are always waiting on something?

Waiting can be annoying. Waiting can be painful. Sometimes, waiting is an excuse! We wait in line to order our coffee, or food. We wait for our order to be filled. We might be waiting inside the lobby or we might be in the drive-thru, but either way, we are waiting.

What about those times when our self-doubt causes us to wait? Like: Wait until we feel more confident. Wait until God gives us another sign. Wait until the timing is perfect.

The only timing that is perfect is God’s timing.

Stepping out in faith will never ever be in our earthly view of perfect timing. It requires a deep and intimate relationship with God; praying and reading His Word. Trusting God is tough 24/7. Just remember, God delights in us and He gets the glory when He works miracles through us and equips those He has called.

Fear of failure is crippling. God wants to get up and walk. So, what are you waiting for?

#forwardprogress #sureandsteady #onestepatatime 🐢The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5) 🐢I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. (Psalm 32:8)

February 2, 2018 0

365 wonderful words like: puppies and ice cream

Everyone has inside them a piece of good news. The good news is you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is. -Anne Frank

A collage of puppies and ice cream — Who doesn’t love puppies and ice cream?

We all have amazing potential

Can anyone say puppy or ice cream without smiling? How about stringing those together such as, the adorable puppy loves sharing my ice cream. Those are the kind of words, and word strings, that easily create a pleasant atmosphere in one’s mind. Words are very powerful and depending on the words we choose, can either encourage or discourage.

Why should I encourage?

Encourage is described as a verb to stimulate spiritually. Its many synonyms include: applaud, brighten, cheer, comfort, console, embolden, energize, enliven, excite, exhilarate, fortify, gladden, praise, reassure, refresh, restore, revitalize, and strengthen. Our vocabulary is rich with words that can trigger a smile or joyful thought. Imagine what an immediate change there could be if everyone spoke kindness. Here are simple and very basic ways to incorporate encouragement in your daily routine (remember to smile):

Say thank you, to the grocery clerk
Say good morning, to your co-workers
Greet as you hold open someone’s door

But I am often discouraged!

Discourage is defined:to deprive of courage, hope, or confidence; dishearten; dispirit. Words of discouragement break down both parties in an exchange. Whether it is texted, published, sung, or spoken; discouragement destroys. It is like a cancer to the giver and receiver. Encouraging others lifts your spirits. My personal go-to is the bible, and I read the promises that belong to all His Creation.

Here is a very interesting 94 second video that briefly explains a fascinating scientific discovery about how words affect a water molecule!

Try it, you’ll like it!

Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason a water molecule responds positively. We each possess the power to encourage rather than discourage. When given a choice to build up or tear down, it is beneficial to both the speaker and the hearer, to speak in a way that is encouraging. Look for ways to speak words of encouragement every day of the year, everywhere you go, because so many in this world are hurting. Who knows, you might end up with a puppy or an ice cream!