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Decision Making

Aug17

Decision-MakingHave you ever been in a decision making situation and had absolutely no idea which way to go? I have been in these types of situations so many times in my life, I stopped counting long time ago. The key to making good decisions is to stop and wait. What I mean by that, is sometimes we are simply too close to the situation and our minds go in so many different directions that it becomes impossible to make a good decision.

It’s kind of like running our mouths without stopping to think about what we’re trying to say, in the kindest way of saying it. Sometimes people can be rude or cruel, just by the way they are saying things. They could be completely telling the truth but if they don’t stop to think about what they are going to say or how they are going to say it, it can come across so brutally that people become angered towards your bluntness rather than listening to the truth you are actually saying.

Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.”

It’s the same thing with decision making. When you have a difficult situation that you really need an answer to, you start thinking about all the “what ifs” of life. If I go this way, this could be the result or if I go that a way, the result could be different. And it’s easy to get caught up in all the “what ifs” to only never make a decision. Or worse, making the wrong decision.

Don’t let your words or your decisions be made with folly or too much thought. Yes, we need to think things through and make good decisions. But the key is to stop and and surrender the situation to God. Whether it’s a soul mate, financial, healing, purchases or any other type of decision…the Bible will always have the answer.  If you don’t have a Bible with you at the time, you can simply slow down, get quiet and talk to God. Let Him take charge of the situation and fill you with His peace that surpasses all understanding. When you do this, your decisions will have better results and amazing long-term implications.

God knows the end from the beginning. He knows what paths your life is to take and the results He wishes to see in your life. Every decision needs to include Him for the optimum results.

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Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

So today…surrender it all. Begin every moment, every thought, every word, and every decision asking God for His wisdom. He will give you the peace and wisdom to a more rewarding life and better decision making. He wants the absolutely best for you in all areas of life. Let Him guide you, for there is nothing too hard or too small for our Heavenly Father. And when God is involved with the decision making process, you can boldly and confidently walk in peace straight ahead, looking forward and never looking back!

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Tip The Scale

Aug3

dont-quitHave you found yourself up against insurmountable odds? Do you look back and find yourself wondering if the good fight of faith is really worth it? Have you found yourself wondering if things will ever get better?

Well friends, I think we could all answer with a resounding “YES”! We all have had times in our lives that make us wonder what the heck is going on. We have all faced difficulties that seemed so overwhelming that the stress of it all weighs so heavily that we really think about quitting. Today, there are so many believers facing their toughest challenges. However, the biggest challenge of it all is how will you respond to it?

When we face trials, it is so easy for us to throw up our hands and say “I quit”. It’s those times where you don’t feel like praying, don’t feel like getting out of bed, don’t feel like dealing with anything and just allow yourself to fall into a pity party. But the problem with quitting is that it allows depression to set in. It gives your enemies and situations total control over you.  You ultimately give them the power to determine your outcome. If they are doing terrible things or saying hurtful things about you, why would you want to allow them to control your path and outcome?

There are numerous instances in the Bible about opposition, impossible situations and feelings of hopelessness. Just read about Jonah, Job and David to name a few. They all found themselves in impossible situations where it didn’t look like things were ever going to change. You read about them going through stress, worry, hopelessness, sadness, anger and grief. Jonah even ran away from God completely. Atleast he tried to. How many of us are in these type of situations right now?

In times like these, you really need to dig in and “Tip The Scale”.

See, God works in steps. Most of us have no clue what God’s ultimate plan is for our lives. God usually gives us one step at a time and at each step, we find ourselves in some sort of a battle. But what God really wants to see is if we will continue through the trial and trust Him to work it out for our good. God told us that we would face many trials in this world but He also promises to restore and establish us through His grace.

1 Peter 5:10 ESV “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

So what do we need to do in order to “Tip The Scale”?

James 1:12 ESV “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

God promises to work it all out for our good. You don’t have to understand the circumstances. You don’t have to ask the “why me” questions. You don’t have to wonder how in the world you are going to get out of your situation. God will make a way when there aren’t any. God will turn things around and restore your life far greater than you could ever imagine. So be of good cheer when you are facing a trial because God must be closer than you think to “Tipping the Scales” in your favor. Pray, rejoice and sing to the Lord for impossible odds set the stage for God’s amazing miracles to happen!

Blessing

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The Balancing Act

Jul19

StressedOutFaceYou’re running here, running there, got to do this, got to do that…ever feel like you’re getting no where fast? Have you ever gotten to the end of the day saying “where the heck did that day go”? Ever just want to throw your hands up and say I quit? Ever feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders that just seems to keep growing bigger? Ever try harder only to find yourself getting less accomplished? I know I sure have.

Well, today I’m here to tell you…there is amazing news to help you get back on track. God created the earth, the seasons, harvests, festivals, the sun, moon, and time. More importantly, God created you and your purpose in life. There is absolutely nothing that goes by without God knowing it first, since He knows the end from the beginning.

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.” ~ Genesis 1:14

It is so easy to get discouraged. The harder and quicker you work, it seems like the “To Do List” never gets smaller. What we really need to realize is that God is in charge. We can be so busy that we actually never get anything done. What we really need to ask ourselves is…is it just busy work or is it really important in the big scheme of things? When we have such heavy loads every day, we are going to find ourselves worn out, stressed out, and just plain ol’ tired. Then we’ll find ourselves moving towards frustration and sickness because we just don’t have anything left to ward off the negative feelings and the sickness.

Sometimes I wonder to myself, if I really got everything done on my “To Do List” today, would it really matter. And guess what…the answer is usually “NO”. We love to make lists and feel the sense of accomplishment and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, does it really matter if the laundry doesn’t get done today? Does it really matter if you didn’t bake that cake or a homemade meal today? Does it really matter if you rescheduled your appointment? Does it really matter if you didn’t respond to all those incoming emails and phone calls till tomorrow? We tend to make everything a priority that simply may not be a priority at all.

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“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” – yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” ~ James 4:13-15

When you find yourself with a crazy scheduling day ahead of you, take a moment and ask yourself, does it really matter. Would my world as I know it really come to an end if I didn’t get all these things done today? We all need balance in our lives and we can trust God to help us balance it out. When you make Him your top priority, each and every day, He will help you get things done quicker, easier and less stressful.

God cares about you and can stop time for you. All you have to do is ask! Ask for the wisdom to determine what is truly important. Ask Him to help you get everything done today. Ask Him for a good night’s sleep. Ask Him to help balance your life out. For when you do, you will have enough time for all the things in your life. God can take 3 hours of sleep and wake you up feeling more refreshed than if you had 8 hours of sleep. God can stop or reverse time if He wants to.

So just remember…when you put first things first, everything else will fall into place.

You will be happier, healthier, and less stressful every step of the way.

Have a wonderful and relaxing day today! God, time and balance is truly on your side!

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Clear The Clutter

Jul5

stressed_outOver the past decade relationships and families have really suffered. Technology has become such a huge part of our daily lives and we simply think we can’t live without it. Televisions, DVR’s, Facebook, Twitter, email, selfies, chat rooms and cell phones have all become second nature. You hear stories about people breaking up through instant messaging, you see commercials with families texting each other at the kitchen table; the madness of it all is quite overwhelming. So how in the world are you to keep first things first and determine what truly is a priority and what is just cluttering your life?

Hey, I’ll be the first one to say…technology can be fantastic. I use it everyday myself. But, the world we are living in is draining us dry. People are so eager to post a selfie or tell us everything going on in their lives via Facebook or Twitter; you have to stop and wonder how in the world does anybody get anything accomplished anymore?

Heck, there was a time in my life where I wore two cell phones, a pager and a laptop everywhere I went. I was always on call. The stress and pressure of it completely drained me. Even with all the technology, I always felt like I got nothing accomplished. I couldn’t even go to the bathroom without carrying one of my phones with me. I honestly felt like I was going to miss something. Does that sound like you?

What I did next might not be for you but I had a choice to make. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t worldly. It wasn’t popular. But I knew that I had to do something drastic to break the cycle and clear the clutter in my life. I dumped my cell phone. I stopped carrying my laptop. I stopped checking Facebook, Twitter, and emails every day. I decided to take my life back.

The most important thing we can do is clear the clutter from our daily lives and determine what is important. For me…I wanted closer relationships where I could actually have real conversations not just an LOL tweet. I wanted people to know that I really cared about them and what was going on in their lives; but in a real, meaningful way…spending quality time with them. I wanted to hear God’s voice clearer and know His direction for my life, so I started devoting my first few minutes to Him every single morning.

Was it easy to make the change? Absolutely not. Was it worth it? Absolutely, 100% Yes!

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It wasn’t until I made these drastic changes that God started using me. It wasn’t until I made a choice to spend the first few minutes of every morning with Him that He decided to take me on an amazing journey.

Technology is great but I had to make a conscience decision and effort not to allow it to be first in my life. Once I did that, things started changing. I noticed that I was sleeping better. Waking up with energy to burn. I wasn’t so stressed. I could remain calm under pressure. And I was able to get much more accomplished in 24 hours than ever possible.

I’ve never been happier and God has used me in ways I’ve never dreamed of. His dreams for me are so incredible that I don’t want to miss a single moment. But not only that, I have true relationships with people I love. I can honestly say that God has made a major impact in my life. Not just with Him but in everything that is truly important to me.

So why don’t you clear the clutter and start putting Him first in your life. You don’t have to do anything drastic like I did. Every morning when you wake up take a moment to say Thank you Lord, I’m in your hands and this day is going to be awesome. Start giving yourself a nightly break. Set a time where all the electronics are shut down and spend that time with people you love or reading your Bible or taking a walk around the block or volunteering as a family.

Just by taking these small measures could begin your amazing journey too. What comes next is worth much more and the rewards are far greater than you could ever imagine. Peace, joy, happiness and contentment are within your grasp! Don’t miss your moment…take that first step today!

Referenced Scriptures

Matthew 6:31-33: “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Proverbs 16:3: “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Note: you can replace the word “money” and enter “technology”, “addictions” or anything else that has a hold on you.)

John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

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