Category Archives: personal growth

Blogroll, complaining, Condemnation, Criticism, emotions, Excuses, Growing, influence, life, mindfulness, personal growth, self help

Only You Can Prevent Word Fires!

It’s absolutely amazing how careless we have become with our words. I guess we have always been this way, but it seems to have gotten worse with the advent of social media and I think that the ability to hide behind a mask has made some folks a little more brave and a lot more careless with their words.

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! -James 3:5

Smokey the Bear taught us that a simple spark can set the woods on fire and destroy in minutes what nature took years to grow and develop. And James is explaining that our words can work in much the same way in our lives and living.

We can use our words to tear down or to build up. Our words will either break us or make us better. If we use our words to complain and spread negativity, then they will defeat and ruin us, as well as those around us. When we line our words up with God’s Word and seek the positivity of the Gospel, then they will lead us to blessing and victory.

I hate to say it, but sometimes, those of us who call ourselves Christians can be some of the most negative and pessimistic people you could ever run across. And before we get to busy thinking that it is someone else that we are talking about here, we would do well to look in the mirror and review some of our more recent conversations for revelations that the Spirit might use to surprise us with some gentle correction.

The bottom line is that we can use our tongues to set a fire that provides a warm, safe place. A place where people can be themselves without fear of retribution, judgement and condemnation. Or we can use our tongues to set a fire that will destroy the very blessings we were created to live in.

I can remember my Granny saying when I was just a little boy: “Think before you speak!” I have found that when I really take the time to do that, sometimes I don’t speak at all, because I know it is better to keep my mounts shut, than to light that fire. At other times, after thinking before I speak, I have found that I changed my words so that I might light a fire of acceptance and comfort of others, which changes their life and mine.

My prayer is that God’s words will be my words and provide comfort, healing, encouragement, joy and love to all around… So I will do my best to think about a couple of other forest animals and what Thumper shared with Bambi: “My Mother said: “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say nothin at all!”

Blogroll, Growing, Personal, personal growth, Uncategorized

My Most Proud Moments!

When I think back over my life and think about the moments I am most proud of, I think of many, but a few stand out and bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

The first one that came to mind was when I accepted Christ as my Savior and was baptized. I remember a Pastor’s class and him asking folks of all ages that had gathered how they felt in the moments after accepting and believing Christ was their Savior. He was going to skip me, because I was so young, but I waved my hand in the air, because I wanted to share with everyone and this was the beginning of real ministry for me.

The second proud moment for me was when I was ordained. To sit through that council, answer those questions, share my testimony and then have the men I had grown up admiring come and lay hands upon me and pray for me was one of the most proud and humbling moments of my life.

When I married my beautiful Bride Joy and when she gave birth to our two beautiful daughters had to rank up there as proud moments. Words cannot even come close to describing how I felt in those moments.

Each church I have been called to minister at have been proud moments for me. For a group of people to entrust their lives into your hands and ministry is such a great blessing and not for the faint of heart.

Just knowing that I have had an impact on making someone’s life a little better is one of those things that makes me proud. I have been blessed with many moments that I was proud, but looking back I have to acknowledge it wasn’t me, but Christ in me that made it all possible, each and every time. G3! = Give God Glory!

Blogroll, Enlightenment, God, Growing, mindfulness, personal growth, purpose, spiritual enlightenment, Uncategorized

Learning In The Dark!

In a lot of different ways, we are living in very dark times. People are scared, worried and frustrated. And the big temptation is to curse the darkness, but what good will that do? Cursing the darkness only breeds more negativity. Instead of cursing the darkness, maybe we should go running right into the middle of it? Why??? Because in the middle of the darkness, it is much easier to see the light and this is the very place that our tansformation begins to take place.

Think about the dark times of your life: You thought they were going to kill you, that you were not going to make it through, but you are still here, fighting the good fight. The reason why you are still here is because what you thought might be the end, was really the beginning of your transformation and growth into something more and better.

When we find ourselves in that deep, dark hole that we think there is no way out of, when the blows of life have knocked us flat on our backs and when it seems that all hope is lost, it is then that the miracle takes place. In the very midst of the darkness, which we hate so much, we begin to see a glimmer of light, we feel the encouragement of hope, which promises that this thing called life is not over just yet.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” -John 1:5

When we come face to face with the limits of what we can’t do, it is at this place that we begin to discover what God can do, will do and has done. The darkness is necessary to help us really appreciate and be grateful for the light. As we move from darkness to light, we make the amazing discovery that we are more than just flesh, we are SPIRIT, which makes us so much more than anything we will ever face.

When you find yourself in the dark, do not focus on the darkness, instead, begin to look for the light and in the process discover the amazing gift of transformation, growth, life in the Spirit and all that comes with it…