Monthly Archives: October 2021

Blogroll, Expectation, Growing, Healing, journey, life, love, peace, positive, self improvement

It Is What It Is!

I am a quote junkie. I love quotes. I collect them, inspect them, disagree with them, embrace them, post them, print them and share them. They encourage me, challenge me, grow me and make me think. One of the quotes that I often say back to myself and other is: “IT IS WHAT IT IS!” Some people love it and some people hate it, but you know what I say? “It is what it is!”

I mean let’s face it, there are some things in this life we can change and there are other things in this life we can’t change. If you can change something and it needs to be changed, then by all means – change it! You have incredible power and can do some amazing things. Do what you can, with what you’ve got and enjoy the journey.

There are some things in this life we can’t change and if we can’t change it, then what’s the point of worrying about it, stressing over it and getting all bent out of shape? If we run into something we can’t change, then it’s time to accept and admit: “It is what it is!”

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” -Philippians 4:11

Stop resisting what is that can’t be changed and instead learn to embrace it. We embrace it, by learning whatever it is here to teach us. So many times, I have wasted my life by getting frustrated and off path by something that I could do absolutely nothing about. I would hate to know how much time I wasted trying to change things that couldn’t be changed.

One of the big lessons I’ve learned from having to face the reality that some things will never change, is that maybe the change needs to take place in me. So in the grand scheme of things here is my simple advice: Change what you can and grow from what you can’t, because at the end of the day: “It Is What It Is!”

affirmation, appreciation, Blogroll, enemies, faith, God, grace, Gratitude, Growing

What Doesn’t Kill You, Makes Your Stronger!

There have been times in my life when I have had to go through some very hard stuff. Some of the stuff was of my own making and some of the stuff was because of the evil doings of others. I know what it means to live in the light and I totally understand wandering around in the darkness trying to find your way.

Live your life long enough and all of us are going to have struggles, challenges, difficulties and set backs. I’m not talking about just having a bad day. I am talking about trying to figure out if you even want to continue on with this day or not?

I decided a long time ago that if I did not have something positive or encouraging to say, then I would just keep my mouth shut, but don’t let that make you think for one minute that I have not had more than my fair share of dances with the devil.

For most of my life, people have seen a guy that is happy, fulfilled and excited about life and most of the time that is who I am, but there are moments when the dark clouds roll in, when I begin doubt everything that I thought I was sure of and this is when the real battle of faith takes place.

I’m not going to get into the gory details, but trust me when I tell you that I know darkness, fear, the loss of desire, sin, defeat and depression. I know all to well about the long dark nights of the soul and had more than my fair share of times that I did not think I was going to make it back from that trip.

Why would I tell you this? Because I want you to understand that the guy you see, so full of life and sure of himself is a guy that has to battle to get to that place and stay on top of that hill. I tell you this, because when I talk about God the difference he makes, it is not from story that I learned as a boy growing up in Sunday School, it is from personal relationship, an up close and very personal experience of struggles made up of victory and defeat.

I tell you this, because I am only here today by the GRACE of GOD. I understand what it is to lose it all. I know how it feels to think that everyone has left you and you are all alone. I know the excitement of being celebrated one minute, only to be cast aside and forgotten the next. I know the battle of getting lost inside of your own head, of getting beat up and beat down by your own thoughts. I know pain and can tell you that there have been times when she was my closest friend.

That is why when I say: “God’s Grace Is Sufficient!” I know what I am talking about. I have always loved motorcycles and back in 2008 my dream of having my very own Harley Davidson came true. A fresh off the showroom floor 2008 Heritage Softail. Apart from my family, it is about the only thing of any monetary value that I have left from the first half of my life. There have been many times that I threw my leg up over the seat, grabbed the handle bars, started the motor and rode into the wind, not knowing if I had a future. But after a little time of seeing the pavement flow past my feet, hearing the strong rumble of the motor, while smelling the freshness of the air I breathe, I could feel the touch of my God, reminding me that He will never leave me or forsake me and I could taste and remember that “GOD IS GOOD!”

Blogroll, Control, emotions, faith, Growing, Healing, judgement, life, mindfulness, Miracles, self help, self improvement, vision

The Only Person You Can Change Is Yourself!

We live in a world that is always trying to shape us into what someone else thinks or says we should be and the real problem with that scenario is that the shape is always changing depending on who happens to be holding to loudest bullhorn at the time.

Most of us have things we would like to change about ourselves and most everyone at some point in their lives can come up with a pretty good list of things they would like to change about others, but if you live your life long enough, you will learn pretty quickly that you cannot change others, no matter how much you think you love them and/or how much you think they love you.

There have been times in my life when I have convinced myself that I could love, encourage, inspire, educate and motivate others to change to be their best self and live their best life, only to eventually come to the realization that the only thing that can change another person is themselves.

If a person does not want to change, then they won’t, it is as simple as that. There is nothing you can do to change someone else, so stop trying to fix everyone else and work on yourself, because we all have enough of our own stuff to deal with.

If you don’t like or love someone the way they are, then that is your problem, even if they are wrong and even if they are cheating or hurting themselves, because their life is their life to decide for themselves. You do not have the right to change anyone else, just like no one else has the right to change you.

Think about it for a moment: God has the ability to change anything and anyone He wants to, but He does not do it. Instead, He gives us time and space to learn and grow through the ups, downs and sideways of life. If and when we are ready to make a change, then God is ready to empower us to do what we need to do, to live the better life we were created for.

“Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” -Ephesians 4:22-24

Stop blaming others and quit getting caught up in the delusion that you can fix others. If you are honest with yourself, you have to admit what a hard time you have fixing yourself. In fact, take your eyes off of others and give your life and living a hard and honest look. Determine what you need to change, decide what you can do about it and get to work.

It is true that we can’t change anyone else, but we can change ourselves and the change in our lives can serve as motivation for others to think about changing themselves too…