In his poem If, Rudyard Kipling suggests that one of the great challenges of life is dual ability to “walk with crowds and keep your virtue” and “walk with Kings and not lose the common touch.” Neither are easy, and the latter may be harder. But keeping the common touch will get your further faster.
Read MoreAfter being struck by what is arguably the most poisonous arrow in the human quiver, Jesus stayed focused and stayed grateful.
Read MoreThese days, when someone says “you’re so extra,” it usually isn’t a compliment. Typically , it’s an insult. It is most often said in response to some display of emotion or investment of energy that is deemed inappropriate or unnecessary. In fact, most of us learn quite early not to give ourselves freely to anything or anyone to avoid embarrassment or rejection. We tip toe through life, studiously avoiding commitment. As Jim Carey put it, we “disguise our fear as practicality”.
Read MoreI read once that one of the greatest regrets that so many people have at the end of their lives is that instead of living the life they wanted, they lived the life that someone else wanted for them. I am convinced this happens because we give the people we trust and often admire too much influence over our decisions. You gotta know that you know, and be prepared to disappoint people who disagree with you. You might be wrong. But at least the decision will be yours, and not someone else’s.
Read MoreIf we do not learn patience, If we accelerate through scripture in search of absolutes, in pursuit of popular shortcuts, we risk much more than the food we love.
Read MoreCertainly, we should pinch pennies. But sometimes we can pinch the wrong penny. Being stingy is one thing. Being cheap is another. Stingy is making sure you don't overspend. Cheap is an unwillingness (not inability) to spend. And in the long run, being cheap is a losing strategy.
Read MoreIt is a fight to have our behavior match our uniform. I don't want to work somewhere and not like the food. Believing in where you are, what you’re doing, and what you’re selling is the key to lasting effectiveness, impact, and fulfillment.
Read MoreBut please don’t allow the opportunity to overwhelm you! When you find yourself in a situation that may seem “too big” for you, realize that the situation is “an acknowledgement of your growth, and an investment in your future.
Read MoreMost of us have upgrade-itis (Yes, I made that word up). We are constantly bombarded with savvy marketing messages that attempt to persuade us that we need the newest and latest shiny object. Of course what they fail to tell us is that rarely do the new devices do a better job of what they already do.
Read MoreWhatever you are planning, leave room for God's plan, He might surprise you.
Read MoreIt is important to be results oriented. We all wants results! We want better results on our jobs, in our relationships, and with our goals. But many of us fail to appreciate the relationship between our process and our results. The former usually explains the latter. If you want to change your results, examine the steps you took to get there. If you "show your work" you can see exactly where your thinking, praying, or choosing was off.
Read MoreDon't be so quick to rid yourself of irritations or irritants. You may be ridding yourself of insight, effectiveness, and opportunity.
Read MoreMore of us would be much further along our life's path if we stopped getting off at the rest areas. Any place worth going, anything worth having, and anything worth doing is going to cost more than you think, and take longer than you expected.
Read MoreLet me encourage you: One day, you will be at a crossroads. You will have exhausted your resources, and will be unsure of how to get to the next phase of your journey. In the hour of your greatest need and perplexity, God will send a stranger to help you along the way.
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