Every have one of those weeks when everything you planned didn’t really matter?  Someone pushed the gas pedal on your week and all you could do was hold on and hope to survive?

This has been one of those weeks for me.  I had all kinds of things on my agenda that I needed to get done.  At the beginning of the week, I thought this was going to be one of those amazing weeks.  The kind where you get so many things accomplished and I was very excited about  jumping in and getting it done.

Monday hit and within the first couple of hours, I was already way off the track that I had planned to be on.  And with every hour and day that passed, I lost track of my plans as they floated out of sight.  I was thinking last night:  “I have not done anything that I planned to do this week!”  But I don’t feel bad and I am not frustrated, because while I did not get any of the things accomplished that I had planned and hoped on accomplishing, I did get a lot of ministry done.

Most of my accomplishments this week came from running from one person to another.  I did not really feel like I did much for me or for them, but the Spirit is teaching me that it’s not always in what I can see.  There are so many hurting, lonely and frustrated people out there and many of them are our family and friends.   The important thing is that I was willing to take the time to have a conversation, share a touch or try and meet a need.  We often get so busy with our living out the pursuit of our own personal agendas that we miss the opportunities that are begging for our attention and focus.

Take the time to step out of your plans and into the possibility of being used by God to help someone know that He loves them and has an amazing plan for their life.  The beautiful thing about doing this, is you start to tap into the love and amazing plan He has for your life too, and this is never a waste of time!

For some reason I have been thinking a good bit this week about a lot of the people who have influenced my life over the years.  I am not a perfect person and I have and will continue to make more than my fair share of mistakes, but I am a man who loves my Creator, enjoys serving others and genuinly desires to make life better for everyone that I can.

I am a simple man who still has a lot of little boy left in him.  I like to ride with my windows down and my arm out the window on a sunny day.  I really am more interested in what I can do for you, than what you can do for me.  I appreciate all of the help that anyone is willing to give me, but sometimes I am still too proud to ask for it.

While I am not a great man and will probably never be famous.  I do think I am a good man.  I know that I am a sinner saved by grace and my appreciation of this reality drives me to want to be and do good for God’s glory and man’s blessing.

The point I am driving to is this:  I am a good man, not because I am so good, but because of the influence of all the different people who have invested in my life through the years.  I could not possibly name all of them, but wanted to highlight a few, to help us realize that we might be the good and positive influence in and on someone else’s life.  So here are just a few and I emphasize (just a few!)

1.)  The Trinity!  This is probably an obvious, but I am nothing and would be nothing apart from my relationship with God.  He is the loving Father, Who created me with amazing potential.  He is the giving Son, Who gave what I could not give, so that I might live an abundant and everlasting life.  He is the comforting Spirit, Who guides and directs my moment by moment living.

2.)  My Family!  My family has been an incredible influence and encouragement to my life.  I literally could write pages about how so many have helped, encouraged and motivated me along the way.  I hope and pray that something I do reflects positively on the blessing they are to me.  My Wife, Daughters, Dad, Mom, Sister, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Inlaws, Outlaws and even distant relatives have made and continue to make a difference in the man I am.

3.)  All My Friends!  I have been blessed with many friends.  Some have come and gone and a handful have stayed true through all of the years.  All of them have influenced my life and helped me to become the man who I am today.  Through the negatives and in the positives, I don’t think there is much that I would change, because I have learned and continue to learn so many amazing things.

Life is about influence.  I am working hard to try to be a positive influence on everyone in every way that I can.  I still have a lot of work to do, but I am continuing to learn as I continue to be influenced everyday.

For those of you who have influenced me – thanks – I really do appreciate it.  For those of you who allow me to influence you, I don’t take the privilege lightly and I thank you for opening your life to me and hope that I help to make life better and maybe even a little more fun along the way for you!  Blessings!

Is it possible to go through a tough time and experience joy at the same exact time?  The answer is yes, if you are Christian and if you choose to!  Why & How?  Because nothing is able to separate us from His presence and His presence makes all the difference when facing tough times.

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  James 1:2-4

No matter what you are going through, there is always the option of His joy.  Just get into His presence and you will experience it.  It really is just that simple – try it and you will be glad you did!