Category Archives: Growing

Blogroll, Growing, mindfulness, Personal, Uncategorized

Tired Of Being Tired?

I hear people say it all the time: “I am so tired!” We live rushed and busy lives and still at the end of the day, we have all kinds of stuff that needs to be done. Almost everyone I talk to, could use some rest. What most of us fail to realize, is that there are different kinds of rest and rest is very necessary to our doing our best…

1. Sleep! Sometimes we just need to lay down, close our eyes and forget about everything. Our body needs sleep time to rest and rejuvenate physically, mentally and spiritually. Take the steps you need to take to get ready for this time, so you can get it’s maximum benefit.

2. Home Alone! There are times when you need to be home, all by yourself with nothing to do. This gives rest to all the different areas of your life by just allowing you some time to let your guard down.

3. Vacation! Everyone needs a little time away and a good vacation allows you that. A good vacation should allow you to vacate your normal everyday living for an option that contributes to your rest and rejuvenation.

4. Art Appreciation! We need to take time to enjoy a good book, moving music or creative works of self expression. It’s an extra benefit, if we can actually take time to be involved in creating something special from our own self expression.

5. Solitude! We need time away from all the “Noise, Noise, Noise!” It is absolutely amazing how spending just 5-10 minutes sitting in silence can work wonders in our life and living. Just a few minutes of solitude allows us to do a soft reset that makes a bigger difference than you realize.

6. Outside Time! This is one of my favorites. Just taking a few moments to go into nature for a walk or just to sit on a bench, while we feel the warmth of the sun or the energy of a gentle breeze. To hear the chatter of the squirrels or the sweet songs of the birds does something that words can’t explain.

7. Take A Break! You know the old saying: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!” Everyone needs time to break away from the normal and the mundane to experience whatever else it is that life has to offer and it is amazing the difference that a small break to enjoy a hot coffee or a cool drink, with some good conversation can make in helping us to be and do our best…

Blogroll, Church, Family, Friendship, Gratitude, Growing, Ministry, Personal, Uncategorized

Why Go To Church?

I talk to people almost everyday that have given up on their struggle to find a church they are comfortable in and I have to admit that even while I’m not out there trying to find that special place, because we’ve been blessed with a very special fellowship at Grace Place, but I certainly understand the struggle. I once heard that if you find the perfect church, don’t go, because you will mess it up.

There are some great benefits in going to church, even if it’s not perfect. Below are a seven reasons why I think everyone should make and take the time to participate in church every chance you get.

1. You Have A Chance To Meet God!

2. You Might Bless Someone Or Someone Might Bless You!

3. You May Hear Something That Takes You To A Whole New Level!

4. If You Do Nothing Else, It’s A Great Time And Place To Practice Gratitude!

5. Interactions With Others Open Up All Kinds Of Possibilities!

6. It’s Possible You Might Get Inspired To Discover, Grow And Use Your Spiritual Gift.

7. It’s A Small Investment With Big Return!

Church, Discipleship, Family, Friendship, Gratitude, Growing, mindfulness, Personal, Uncategorized

Overcoming Fear With Love!

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The Beetles used to sing a song: “All You Need Is Love!”, which became a very big hit for them. And the whole song is pretty much the title repeated again and again and again. We know it’s what we need and most of us, when we are honest with ourselves would admit that love is what we really want. And while many of us have our moments, the truth is, we were created for much more than just moments.

I used to believe that the opposite of love was hate, but I have come to believe that it is so much more than just hate. At the very heart of hate is fear, which I think is the true opposite of love. I’ve noticed in my own life that I am drawn to love or fear. When I start getting away from love, it is not to hate, but fear, which can later manifest into hate.

In this world we live in, we often find ourselves caught up in this tug of war between love and fear, because our ego tells us that we are what we have, what we do or who people think we are. The real challenge is that most of this takes place in the back ground, below the surface and often without our noticing, until it’s already moving us away from what really matters.

God is love, so God, who is love created you in love to be love. Stop for a minute and let the truth of that statement simmer in your heart and mind. Now here is the powerful truth each of us needs to get a hold of, believe in and put into practice: We have the ability to choose! We can choose to live in love and it’s power to help us become all we were created for and so much more or we can chose to live in fear, which will ultimately take us to a place of hate, which will keep us for away from the blessings we were created for.

Here are three things we can do to realign ourselves with the perfect love we were created in and for:

1. Remember You Are God’s Special Creation Of Love!

2. Love God, Yourself And Others!

3. Bless Others And Allow Yourself To Be Blessed!

1 John 4:18 says: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.