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Above My Pay Grade!

I remember in college working with a guy and anytime he would encounter something that negative, to much of a challenge or going to be overly frustrating, he would simply respond: “That is above my pay grade!” It was his way of saying: “They don’t pay me enough money to deal with those kinds of issues, they belong to the higher ups!” The thing that was really cool about this guy is that he did not let anything rattle his cage or get him shook up. He really rolled with the punches and made the best of most every situation that ever came his way.

So many times in my life, I have wished that I could be more like that, but I have always told myself that I just care way too much. The truth is: I have often cared about the wrong things and have ended up way above my pay grade, which just ended up costing me even more.

Life has this way of throwing us curve balls. Truth be told: Life has a way of beaming us up side the head with the ball. When life gets to be more than we can handle or more than we signed up for, we don’t need to sweat it. We just need to admit to ourselves and everyone else:
That’s above my pay grade!” There is no shame in being honest, real and down to earth when it comes to things that are bigger than we are.

One of my favorite quotes is: “Don’t Tell God How Big Your Storm Is, Instead Tell Your Storm How Big Your God Is!” This is another way of saying that some things are above our pay grade, but we know the ONE Who can take care of it. We have been given amazing power and whatever comes our way that we do not have the power to take on and handle, God is willing to take on and handle for us, if we will get out of His way and trust Him.

We are trying to learn about our power and how to use it! We have each been born with amazing, incredible and supernatural power. Power that had the ability to open closed doors, move mountains and produce miracles, but we have to believe and if we really do believe then our life of faith will make the impossible, possible through Jesus.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. -Romans 5:3-5

We are learning that much of what we worry about is a waste! This is why we should not waste our energy and time worrying, but instead on trusting in God’s power and strength. Look back on your life and you will discover that most of the times you wasted time worrying was spent on things that you never ever really needed to worry about.

We are hopefully understanding the greater purposes to the challenges that God ALLOWS to come our way. God allows troubles and tribulations to come into our life to help us learn patience and trust in Him. As we begin to practice patience, we will discover that much of what happens to us is trying to change and grow something inside of us. The more we learn this most basic of lessons through the experiences of the ups and downs of life, the more we learn that so many times we deceive ourselves and rob ourselves of greater blessing than we could dream or imagine.

Next time there is something you can’t handle or shouldn’t handle, just admit that it is above your pay grade and trust the Master to take care of the rest…

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Deal With It Or It Will Deal With You!

Dealing With Worry Before It Deals With You!

Worrying, anxiousness and doubts are a part of life and living. Most all of us know what it is to worry about an unpaid bill, are to be anxious about meeting at work or to have doubts about a relationship. We’ve all been there, done that and have the t-shirt.

The problem is when our worry begins to take over our life. When worry consistently and persistently keeps knocking on our minds door, leading us to become obsessive, compulsive, distracted and defeated. If we are not careful, we begin to create things to worry about by generating a series of “what if” thoughts and “worst-case” scenarios that dig deeper the pit of despair that often becomes our prison of daily experience.

The best advice I have ever been given about worry is maybe also the most simple. Are you ready for it? When it comes to worry – DON’T DO IT!

22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? -Luke 12:22-24

Don’t Do It!

Jesus told his disciples: “Do not worry about your life.” That’s it – period. Just don’t do it! I feel like I need to say more about this, but what more is there to really say? We can come up with excuses, justifications and reasons why we can’t, won’t or don’t stop, but the truth is: They just don’t mean very much. If you are worrying – stop it, don’t do it!

As children of the most High God – we’ve got the power! We are created in the image of God. We have been endowed with supernatural power from on High. Life does not get to tell us what to do, unless we decide to give life our God-given power. It’s time to take your power back and use it to live the good life of blessing you were created for.

Jesus said: “Don’t Worry!” And if Jesus said: “Don’t Worry!”, then what’s the point of worrying? If Jesus tells you to do something, then you can bank on the fact that you have the power to pull it off. Don’t waste the precious gift of blessing that God gives you by not using it. Use it, grow it and mature it for everyone’s blessing and for God’s glory.

If Jesus tells you not to do something or not to do something, then you’ve got the power! The real question is: Are you going to use what God’s given you and deal with “it”, whatever “it” happens to be or are you going to let “it” deal with you???

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Take It Easy!

We know what it is like for life to become toss and tumble. We can find ourselves in a very uncomfortable spot, before we even realize what it really going on. And often times, we are the very ones that put ourself in these challenging and frustrating places.

There is a favorite song by the Eagles that sums up how we can be our own worst enemy and then with the chorus reminds us of what really matters by encouraging us to ’take it easy!”

“Take It Easy” By The Eagles!

“Well, I’m running down the road tryin’ to loosen my load.I’ve got seven women on my mind. Four that wanna own me, two that wanna stone me. One says she’s a friend of mine.”

“Take It easy, take it easy. Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy. Lighten up while you still can. Don’t even try to understand. Just find a place to make your stand and take it easy…”

The Scriptures teach us that we have the power and the control, if we are willing to use it. And when we use it, we are on our way to living our best life.

“5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.” -Philippians 4:5

You have to know your gentleness, before others can! You cannot give to anyone else what you do not posses for yourself. Before you can give any good gift to others that you love and care about, you must first obtain that gift for yourself. Our Creator is gentle with us and when we open our heart and life to receive gentleness/taking it easy from Him, then we have a great gift to share with others.

The gentle life doesn’t force anything, it simply allows, learns and grows… The things I can’t change will either change me for the better or the worse – it really is my choice!

Here Are A Few Keys To Living Gently:

1.) Allow! Let be whatever is going to be. Don’t fight it, instead embrace it and get from it whatever it is coming into your life to teach you. We waste so much every fighting fights that are a complete waste of energy and time. Stop wasting and learn to simply let life unfold like the beautiful flower that it is.

2.) Learn! I really believe that this human experience is all about learning who and what we are, so that we can enjoy and get the most out of eternity. The ups, downs and sideways come into my life to teach me, grow me and help me to become an even better version of myself, so that I can benefit from all the amazing blessings that God wants to flow to and through my life and living.

3.) Grow! If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: The longer I live this thing called life, the more I realize that every moment of every day is about becoming and growing into the amazing and beautiful creation of God that gives Him glory and everyone blessing. I know that I am getting this life right, when this life is causing God and others to smile.

We don’t have to have everything figured out, we just need to learn to take it easy and enjoy the journey, because God will get us to where we need to be. Our challenge is to not get in the way.

Take it easy friends!