Today – Words Of Affirmation!

Gary Chapman wrote a classic when he wrote “The Five Love Languages!”  It is one of the most read and best advice books on making relationships work that I have ever read!  I think that every person should read this book and learn what their personal love language is and start looking to discover the love languages of the people that God has put around them for relationship!  We all have a love language – that is – we all have a way that love is best expessed to us and experienced by us!  According to Dr. Chapman there are five love languages and I want to spend a few moments encouraging you to love those around you this week with all five!

The first love language is called “WORDS OF AFFIRMATION!”  We communicate our love to others with words of affirmation by seeking to verbally build the person up rather than tearing them down!  This is a tough one now a days, because the world we live in is often negative, pessemistic and destructive.  Take some time today to make a list of some of your most important relationships!  With that list in mind – come up with some creative ways to communicate your love for these people by using positive words of affirmation that build up and encourage.  Think about what you like and appreciate about these people.  Ask youself:  “What and who do I often take for granted?  Make some calls, go out for some lunches, write some notes and make some visits with the purpose of using your words to build up those very special people that God has put around you!

-Are you where you want to be and are you doing what you believe God created you to do in life?

-Have you taken time to seriously pray and reflect on your goals and what they need to be?

-When will you take the time to write down your goals for clarity and accountability?

-What measurable action have you taken that moves you away from where you are and toward the goals God has given you?

Each one of us have a definition of success.  A picture of what we think success looks like and feels like.  The problem with most of our definitions, is that we have borrowed them from someone else, they are not really our own!  We need to take some time to think about what it means for us to be happy, fulfilled and successful!  What does it mean for you?  What does it look like?  What does it feel like?  Take a few moments to fill in the following statements:

*I experience fulfillment, happiness and success in my life when…

*I experience fulfillment, happiness and success in my family when…

*I experience fulfillment, happiness and success in my job or ministry when…

Success and failure are not accidents, they are consequences!  When you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!  When you take the time to put together a plan for your life and work that plan, you will experience some success!  God has given us all that we need -what we do with it – is our choice and will determine our judgment!

Do you ever just stop and take the time to think about what it would take to really make you happy?  Most of us are not really that far off from happiness!  We just need to take the time to figure out what it is that would get us there.  Once we get this figured out – it is usually just a few simple adjustments in our living that carry us to the place that our Creator created us for.  I think that most of us think about thinking about what would make us happy.  I think most of think about we could and should do something about it, but that is just about as far as most of us ever get – we think about it!

Stop thinking and start answering the question:  What do you want?  What is it going to take to get you to that special place that God has created for you?  Once you answer the question – get busy chasing down and catching whatever it is!