Category Archives: appreciation

affirmation, appreciation, bible, change, faith, God, grace, Gratitude, Growing, journey, Lessons, life, personal growth, scripture, self improvement, Suffering

It’s All Good!

Many years ago, one of my best friends tuned his back on me, stabbed me in the back multiple times and began the unraveling of a life that I had spent all of my life trying to build and grow. The confusion, heartache and stress that it brought into my life, ultimately brought me to a place of just wanting to die. I asked him multiple times what was going on, what had I done in an attempt to find out how I might could fix what was obviously very broken. I never found out the answers to any of the thousands of questions that I had and eventually that became okay, because at the end of the day – that’s life.

As I sit here this morning, thinking about how grateful I am for the blessings that God has poured out upon my life, I can’t help but think back to those very dark times when I really didn’t care if I made it though another day or not. While I did not want to live, because the frustration, heartache and pain was just too much, God never left me. His presence was always with me, holding me and keeping me safe from myself. God used a lot of different things and people to help put the broken pieces of my life back together again. I am sure that to others I appeared broken, confused, lost and probably best just forgotten, but to God this “ole boy” was a different story.

Only a small handful of people really know the struggle between light and darkness that I was engaged in and of those that would say that they did, most of those people did nothing to help me, instead they looked down their noses in judgement and speculated in their gossip. It’s sometimes seems that others get their good feelings for themselves in the misery of others, which makes absolutely no sense to me, but I am sure that I have been guilty of the same.

At some point, the God, Who never left me, helped me to find my way out of the darkness and into His marvelous light. All of my life, I have witnessed God doing amazing and beautiful things through ordinary people. I now have a better understanding of how God uses the broken to bring blessing and it has changed the way I live by changing the way I see life, others, myself and God.

While I was lost in the darkness, wandering around trying to make sense out of the senseless and discover the purpose which I had lost somewhere along the way, God was preparing me to receive a gift, a new and improved outlook which reminds me that “God Gives Beauty For Ashes!”

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes,the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD,that he might be glorified. -Isaiah 61:3

My point is this: Whatever is going on in your life at this particular time – EMBRACE IT! In my ole country boy way of putting things, I would just have to say: “It’s All Good!” It is true that God uses even the bad for our good as we love and trust Him. Life is probably not going to work out the way you think it should, no matter how good your thoughts and plan might be. Things will happen. Some days the sun will shine on you and some days the rain will fall, but remember this: There is a God, Who loves you and who has a plan to bless you. According to that plan, He will use even the bad for your good as you love and trust Him…

appreciation, change, choices, Control, Enlightenment, Expectation, faith, God, grace, Gratitude, Growing

Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes!

We live in a world where most everyone likes to complain, but very few really want to do anything to make a difference. The problem is that complaining very rarely changes anything meaningful, except for most folks attitude and it tends to make attitudes worse, rather than better. Change is actually a natural part of life and it’s going to happen one way or another. The seasons change from spring to summer, from summer to fall, from fall to winter and then from winter back to spring. Change is a pretty simple concept: In order to experience change, something or someone has to change. Change generates change…

The Scriptures teach us about change. In fact, one might say that the Scriptures are a guidebook to assist us in making and experiencing the most meaningful change. Jesus began his earthly ministry with a message of change, when he said: “Repent, for the Kingdom Of Heaven is at hand!” Jesus was challenging us to change before it’s too late and change isn’t possible. Repentance is the spiritual word for change and it literally means to change direction! It carries with it the idea of acknowledging that you are headed in the wrong direction and doing a u turn to head away from the wrong and into the right. This is the best change we could ever make and it is a changing that continues to challenge and change us everyday of our life and living.

Jesus did not come to give us rules. Jesus came to set people free! When Jesus challenges us to change, it is so we might be able to tap into the supernatural power that allows us to experience meaningful change that make life better and more pleasurable. Life is supposed to be and opportunity for growth, where we are blessed to bless. God blesses us, so that we can bless one another and in the process, God gets the glory for the amazing work He does on us, in us, to us and through us.

Please understand: You were created to dominate, not to be dominated. Do you ever feel like you are just getting run over by the world? That’s not the way God created you to live. God wants this life to be a growing experience of blessing. A life where we receive His best and share His best. In order to change, you have to change. What are the changes that God is challenging you to make in your life and what are you doing to make them happen? I will make you this promise: If you do your part, God will do His!

affirmation, appreciation, choices, Enlightenment, Growing, Healing, Lessons, life, Miracles, Mystery, Life,, Nature, personal growth, self improvement, spiritual enlightenment, vision

Soul Play!

I don’t have a soul, I am a soul! What an amazing truth to buy into and build our life upon. I think one of the reasons I often have such a hard time getting in touch and staying connected to my true self is because I way to frequently lose sight of the reality that I am a soul.

Soul is not something that I look for and find. Soul is something that I am. Soul is what I am, when I am the truest, most real version of the self that God created me to be.

I don’t have to look for soul, because soul will find me, because soul is who I really am. Soul actually chases after you and me, longing to be discovered and embraced.

This dance with the soul is much like a game of hide and seek. Our goal should be to do anything and everything we can to be found. To be found by our soul reconnects us with everything that really matters in life and eternity.

At the end of the day, soul wants to be with you as much as you want and need to be with soul, so why not just give in and let it be???