There used to be a commercial from a bank that had a song that said:  “I’m different and don’t care who knows it, something about me ain’t the same.  I’m different and that’s how it goes, ain’t going to play any black sheep games!  Being different is not a bad thing, it is actually a good thing!  The thing that makes you different, is the thing that makes you – you!  The thing that makes you – you, is the thing that gives you the ability to be powerful and make a difference in this world!

We need to stop trying to fit in with the world and start fitting into who God created us to be!  We need to figure out what gifts God has given us and build our lives by using our gifts for God’s glory!  What is it that God has given you that makes you uniquely you?  Figure that out and use it and you will be amazed at just how special your life really is!  What do you think really matters – what kind of sheep you are, or the fact that you are a sheep?

Mistakes do not have to be a bad thing, in fact mistakes can be a good thing, if we are willing to learn from them.  I do not like to make mistakes!  I grew up believing that “if you want something done right – do it yourself!”  This is a very flawed way of thinking!  The fact is:  No matter how good or gifted we are, we can’t expect that we will do everything perfectly every time!  In fact if you are a human being – living on the planet earth – you are going to make mistakes.  Not only do we need to learn to accept our own mistakes, we must also be willing to accept the mistakes of others.  The problem comes when we keep making the same mistakes over and over agian!  Remember:  If we were perfect people living in a perfect world, we would not need grace!

So, get out there and take some of the chances that God is leading your to take!  Put your heart on the line and live like you’ve never lived before.  Let God use you to do the incredible and impossible and when you miss the boat and make a mistake, realize that God’s grace always has another boat on the way!  When you are making mistakes, you know that you are taking chances!  When you are taking chances, you are inviting grace to take full effect in your life and in the lives of others!  Take a chance, make a mistake, learn from it and grow forward for God’s glory and everyone’s blessing!

Every morning I get up early and go for a walk on the beach.  For the past several mornings, I have had an elderly African American man that has walked by me and every morning as he makes his way up and down the beach he greets everyone that he passes with a hearty and healthy “GOOD MORNING & GOD BLESS YOU!”  After we exchanged encouragement to each other and praise to God this morning, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said simply:  “Every moment of every day YOU decide to live POSITIVE or NEGATIVE!”  Every moment of every day, regardless of what is happening in my life, I get to make the choice of how I am going to respond!  I like to think that I am generally a pretty positive person, but I am many times swayed by the world that I live in and the sway often pulls me toward the negative!  I am going to do all that I can in the days a head, with the rest of my life to try and live POSITIVE!

I think the positive life comes when I truly trust in God with all of my heart and ignore my own understanding.  I need to acknowledge Him in all my ways and in everything that I do and know that He is making my paths straight!  (Proverbs 3:5-6)  I pray that God will help me to live this POSITIVE life, I ask that you would help to encourage me to live the POSITIVE life!  I believe that my POSITIVE life will make a difference for others!