Tag Archives: 4 Pillars

Re-Focus Yourself for His Purpose

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I hope that every one of you is off to a great start in 2014.  I know I have been away for a few weeks as I took time to focus more on my family and our time which has pulled me away from writing.  As my first post of the year, I really wanted to write something that was impactful and really set to the tone for what you can expect from me and my writing this year and going forward.  When I first began this blog at the end of 2012, the primary focus for me was what I could do and build to make life more fulfilling for me and my family.  As the year and my writing evolved and through my time in scripture each day that focus began to shift as it still seemed that something was missing.  Later in 2013, the writing really began to get shift in focus to bring faith further to the forefront and discovering what God has called us to do.

I want to begin 2014 with a renewed focus in my writing and helping each of you that read my writing with the goal of discovering God’s purpose for you.  You see, before, it was more on what could I do for myself to help achieve what felt to be the purpose, but where it needs to be is what was I created for and what do I need to do to fulfill the reason I am here and was created.  In my daily reading this morning, it began with this, “Joy comes from seeing the complete fulfillment of the specific purpose for which I was created and born again, not from successfully doing something on my own choosing.”  This is from “My Utmost for His Highest,”  We all struggle with this in life and it can sometimes take time to find that purpose, but if first takes turning to God.  We cannot EVER do this on our own.  We need Him through it all.  It’s not about what we want, but what He wants from us.

Sitting in church these past couple of weeks, my Pastor’s teaching has been focused Purpose and what is that purpose.  What and opportune time for that message and I can certainly hear God talking to me through Him more as I refocus and hone in my real purpose.  Yesterday, the message was very clear.  Our personal mission in life is as follows: What I believe God wants me to do? Hebrews 11:1-8
To worship God with all that I have – Abel
To walk with God in a manner that is pleasing to HIM – Enoch
To work along side God as he gives me assignments – Noah
To witness the works of God – Abraham

What a powerful message!  This is something we have to work at everyday, but the primary reason God has created us is worship Him, walk with Him, work with Him where he assigns, and to witness His works.  It doesn’t get much simpler than though.  Don’t listen to what the world thinks you should do, return to God and listen to Him through The Word, through fellowship with others, and through prayer.  He has that plan for you and will reveal that to you.  You just have to act on it.

We all have unique gifts and abilities that we are blessed with.  God will use those abilities and our experiences in life to be able to fulfill His purpose for us.  For me, large part is to continue writing to you to witness to you from my life experiences to show how much God loves us and works through us and how the redemption through Christ works through us.  He has been working wonders in my life these last few years.  Drawing me closer and closer to Him as I walk with Him each day.  We all have trials and tragedies of different kinds in life, but God uses those to work through us and bring us closer to Him and that’s what He’s doing in my life and will through yours.

If you struggle with your purpose in life, return to scripture and prayer.  That is the first step to unlocking what it is you were truly made for.  Don’t listen to what the world thinks.  Don’t be complacent.  God is calling on each of us and has a unique purpose for each one of us if we choose to accept it.  Let’s all begin this focus today if you have not already.  Turn to Him and I promise you, that you will see amazing things through Him.  Trials will still come as the world and the evil of Satan tries to engulf you.  That won’t end, but you can be strong and give it up to God, nail your struggles to the Cross and push forward to what you were made for.  Never settle, because God has a plan for each one of us.

Gratitude for Christ Jesus

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We are now less than two weeks away from Christmas.  The season seems to be flying by this year as it seems like we just passed Thanksgiving.  I know everyone is busy in the hustle and bustle of their Christmas shopping as we near the big day and celebration.  I look forward to all the time with my family over the coming weeks.  If you recall, in my last post, I wrote about the moment of Christ’s birth and how pivotal that moment was in the history of the world.  So profound that the armies of heaven came down to sing praises and glory to God.  Simply amazing.

As we near closer to the day and through all of the craziness that has started to accompany this season, have you stopped to reflect on Christ and His purpose for coming.  As you know I read through scripture everyone morning.  Part of my reading right now includes devotional on Christmas Carols and the meaning behind them.  One this week, was on “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”    Particularly from that song, was a focus on the words, “Mild He lays His glory by; Born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth; Born to give them second birth.”

Christ came to this world to save us from our sins and the fate we deserved as a fallen creation.  He set aside his glory and took the punishment we so much deserve so that we could be re-born through Him.  1 Peter 1:3 says “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation.”  Christ came and gave his life to give us new life.

Reflect on that today.  Remember what the purpose of Christ was.  Not just that He was born in a manger in Bethlehem, but the reason for it all.  He came here for each and everyone of us.  How amazing!  Reflect on this today and throughout the season.  Give thanks to Jesus for what He did for us.  We did not deserve it, but because of God’s unfailing love, we now have new life.  I am grateful everyday for this.

The Christmas Season Has Arrived

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I hope everyone of you had a very Happy Thanksgiving, those readers here in the US at least.  We are now entering what has to be my absolute favorite time of year, as it is for many more.  That of course is Christmas!  I have many great memories throughout the years of Christmas.  Waking up early to sneak downstairs when I was younger, the time with my family in the morning opening gifts and just hanging around, and then making our trip over to my grand parents house in the afternoon to spend the rest of the day with them and aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Since I became a husband and father, my joy now is with my wife and kids.  The traditions we have of decorating the house the day after Thanksgiving.  No shopping for us.  The joys of Christmas morning to see their faces light up when they open their own gifts and the great time we have to spend together.

The biggest and most important part of the season of course, is the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  That is the reason we celebrate Christmas each year.  Part of my annual tradition is to add to my daily time in scripture, devotionals and readings about the birth of Christ and the prophecies leading up to his birth and so forth.  This year, I chose to go with a 25 day devotional that unlocks the themes behind many of our favorite Christmas Carols.  It’s great reading.

My devotional yesterday, covered “Angels We Have Heard on High.”  This really made me stop and think about that moment when Christ was born.  In Luke 2, Luke describes the shepherds in the fields that night and an angel appearing before them to announce the birth and “Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”” (Verse 13-14 (NLT)).

Have you ever really stopped to think about that moment and how profound that really was?  This was the most profound event that had or has ever happened in our history.  God came into this world as a human, as Christ Jesus.  Our savior, to deliver us and set us free from the slavery of our own sin.  This even was so profound that the angels of heaven, the armies of heaven made their presence known here on earth to sing praises to God.  It is such a pivotal moment in human history since our creation.

When I stopped to think about that, it was absolutely amazing.  I never had really reflected on just how profound that moment was.  In actuality, we can’t even begin to comprehend the true glory of that moment. It’s amazing to really think about though.  It has been weighing on my mind so much the last 24 hours, that I had to make sure I shared my reflection of the moment.   Just goes to show more and more just how awesome our God is.  How He has continued to show his unfailing love for each us.  No matter what, He will not abandon us.  What amazing love!!!

I will reflect more on Christmas over the next month with you all, but for now, I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas!  Enjoy this great time of year!

Overcoming the Villains of Your Story

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One of my daily readings this morning discussed why we see villains in every story out there.  Examples used were Little Red Riding Hood with the Wolf, Dorothy and and Wicked Witch of the West, and Frodo and Black Riders.  These are just three examples, but as we all see, there is a villain that is in nearly every story line written and filmed.  The reason is because there are villains in every aspect of our life.  They are everywhere we turn trying to tell us no, trying to destroy who we are, trying to keep us from fulfilling our God given purpose, and so much more.  The reading was a an excerpt from the book Walking the Dead.  One that is on my reading list.

The final line of this reading reads, “You have an enemy. He is trying to steal your freedom, kill your heart, destroy your life.”  Satan and his demons are all over this world and they come disguised in so many different forms.  They infiltrate so much in our lives.  They bring destruction, they whisper and tell us we won’t amount to anything.  They tell us that we cannot come alive through God’s path.  They try to lure us away to the pleasures of this world.  The lusts, the idolatry, and so much more that is always in front of us.  They use people to spew out anger and negativity at us to discourage us from doing anything that Godly and on His path.  Have you ever had those days where you feel you are riding high.  You feel God’s blessings our on you and then all of a sudden things come crashing down.  Something happens that pulls you away, someone says something that infiltrates your soul, or just a feeling of depression, anxiety, and anger comes over you from nowhere.  I certainly have, and there is the evil coming at you.  That is the evil one trying to pull you back to Earth and away from God’s path

So what do we do when we encounter these villains?  How do you battle back?  The answer is simple. Through Jesus Christ.  He is THE Hero of our story.  He is God incarnate and came to this world to defeat sin and death through the shedding of His blood and His Resurrection.  One of my favorite versus in the Bible is John 16:33, which states,” I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

As a fallen creation we are filled with trials and sorrows that come through our lives.  These villains are always upon us and trying to bring us down in every way.  They try to test your faith and strength.  Even Jesus was tested in the Wilderness for 40 days and what a victory He had.  He was and is the ultimate show of strength.  He overcame for us all to open our doorway to God’s Kingdom.  Even as I write this blog today and any other blog I write.  I can always fill the Holy Spirit filling me and inspiring the words I put down.  As I write, however, I can feel the evil tugging at me trying to stop those words from flowing and sharing with you all.

So what can you do knowing that there is evil always there and knowing there is a Hero to turn to?  The answer is simple, give it all up to Christ.  When those trials and tribulations come your way.  When you feel the anger, the sorrow, the bitterness coming through you, turn to Jesus.  As Revelation 12:12 says, “…But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.” Pray for the strength that is in you already to come alive to battle.  Ask Christ to take that burden.  He is the answer.  He has already overcome and all we have to do is turn to Him as the hero of this story.  It is all about God.  Turn to him always to fight those spiritual battles that you will face throughout life.  Give it up to Him.

Being Bold and Showing Your True Self

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I have found my writing through the 4 Pillar Blog to be a great avenue for me.  Through my journey and growth in God I have been able to use my writing as a way to discuss what I learn and share my testimony.  In my own writing, my hope is that I am able to help others as well who may be going through struggles with their own lives to find their way to God by learning the amazing things he has done through my life.

For those that know me personally, they know that for most of my life, I did not proclaim my faith with boldness.  I would talk about it in passing from time to time, but never really got out there to really show it.  In the last two years especially, I have used my writing though as way to get bolder and really show who I am in my faith in God and how He has helped my growth.  It’s not about being in your face, “Look at me, I’m a Christian” either.  It is about being proud and proclaiming loudly that I trust the heart of God and am allowing Him to work through my life.  This has been a growing process for me, but I proclaim it louder and louder each day, in my writing and conversations.

I receive daily emails from Ransomed Heart Ministries that include daily readings that have been written by various authors in this ministry.  I’ve mentioned before that I read Wild at Heart and am currently reading Fathered by God by John Eldredge who is the President of this ministry.  One email this week had a reading from the book, “The Sacred Romance.”  It really spoke to me about the daily battle we have in our lives of being bold and pursuing the heart of God or giving in to the evil that is in this world.  Here is a bit from the message.

There is another great “revealing” in our life on the road. We run our race, we travel our journey, in the words of Hebrews, before “a great cloud of witnesses” (12:1). When we face a decision to fall back or press on, the whole universe holds its breath—angels, demons, our friends and foes, and the Trinity itself—watching with bated breath to see what we will do. We are still in the drama of Act III and the heart of God is still on trial. The question that lingers from the fall of Satan and the fall of man remains: Will anyone trust the great heart of the Father, or will we shrink back in faithless fear?

As we grow into the love of God and the freedom of our own hearts, we grow in our ability to cast our vote on behalf of God. Our acts of love and sacrifice, the little decisions to leave our false loves behind, and the great struggles of our heart reveal to the world our true identity: We really are the sons and daughters of God.

Reading this spoke to me about my own life and the decisions I have made in life, some good, some bad that either shows trust in God or fear and faithlessness.  Whenever we stand-up and are bold about our faith and whenever we choose the path of God we show our true identity to the world and it gets louder and louder and we begin to see the evil pushed back more and more.  As this reading said, and as is stated in Hebrews, there is a great cloud of witnesses.  They wait for how we will act and the decisions we make.  Stand and be who each of us were created and called to be.  When you do so, you come alive in the creation you are that God intended for you to find and become and you can overcome the evil that is in this world.   Be who you were always meant to be, not what this world thinks you should be.

Is It Time to Move or Be Still?

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Have you ever come to a moment where you faced a the daunting decision of making a dramatic change in your life, such as a career change?  Do you ever sit and ponder wondering what the results would be if you change and the risks that are involved in those changes?  We are often faced with the challenge of whether or not to make a big change in our life.  It could be changing jobs or career entirely, walking away from your work to do something independently, changing the church you attend, or any of a number of other things.  These big changes can have been consequences on your life, both positive and negative.  The challenge we face however is not really whether or not to change.  Often times you know it is the right calling, but the whether or not to take that leap and move.

I firmly believe that the path we take through life is all a part of God’s plan for us and each road we go down is a significant part of our spiritual journey and growth.  How we choose to manage that growth however is up to us.  We can learn from them and take our cues from God on the next steps or we can sway from that path and choose what may feel like the safe alternative.

Many people, whether they like to admit it or not, myself included, took safer paths through life building on careers doing work that seemed like the right thing to do even though it may not be what really brings you to life.  We go through this for many years and then one day through our own journey, we realize, this is not where we are meant to be.  God had another purpose for me and now that I know what it is that’s where I need to go.  The problem is that we get so caught up in the comfort that we cannot decide whether to make that change and take the risk.  We are faced with the choice of either moving or being still and staying where we are.

While every change is different and some more dramatic than others, we have a choice to make.  You can plan through it effectively or just out right leap.  Either way, my challenge is this; if you are faced with the decision of moving or being still, it is time to move.  If you pray about it regularly and you feel God telling you it is time to move, then it is time move.  Take that leap into the unknown.  It is a scary thing.  I tell you what, it scares me to change.  But that fear is from the evil one and all those that tell you that it is not right.  If you feel down deep it is right then that is you coming to life and that purpose that God created you specifically for awakening like  sleeping giant eager to burst out to the world.  Listen to your heart.  Pray on it each day and ask God to reveal his purpose to you.  It is there inside each and everyone of us, but just needs to be awakened.

This year, I’ve gone through some serious changes in my own life and how I approach my path and growth.  God revealed this door to me to share my testimony through writing to all of you and through other channels as time goes forward.  It’s been a serious transformation for me.   The change is still happening, but I know where my purpose lies now.  I made the next dramatic move a few months back by stepping away from my doctoral studies.  I realized that it was work that was building toward that safe career path, but not one that truly spoke to me.  I didn’t care how much time I had already put in.  I knew it was not the right path, so I had to step away.  Let me tell you, however, it was hard to do.  It took time, but I finally got there and made the choice.  When I did, the burden relief was huge.  I felt free to really pursue my real calling and purpose and hear I am.

We all have different callings in life.  Although I would are to say that a lot of that calling and purpose revolves around advancing God’s kingdom in some way.  It’s how you choose to do that matters.  If you feel that urge to move, if you know it is what God is calling you to do, then make that move move.  Be bold.  Take on that battle.  Don’t let the evil one and the world stop you.  Take that leap.  It may seem scary, but when you do, you will feel it in your soul that this is what you were meant to do.  You will come alive!

Returning to Your True Father

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As I have written about many times, I have been on a long spiritual growth journey these last few years.  It has taken me through ups and downs as I’ve learned more about myself and my calling in life.  A big part of that journey is also dealing with the kind of father I want to be and how the influence of my Dad molded my beliefs and direction.   It all correlates to the how I relate to my family (my wife and kids) and how I am now guided through life.

As I shared last month, my life took a wild turn 4 years ago when I lost my Dad suddenly in a car accident.  I struggled with that for some time as I tried to find answers and a sense of purpose in life now that the one person I thought was invincible and a giant in my life had now been called home and stepped into eternity.  It was all so sudden and how to move from that was quite a challenge.

I then shared with you my spiritual journey from there and how I buried my self in scripture everyday to get my life back in order and regain purpose.  This journey began about 3 years ago and has been amazing.  My walk with the Lord everyday has helped me grown immensely as a man.  I recently finished a book called “Wild at Heart” by John Eldredge and now reading his next booked “Fathered by God.”  These readings have helped give me better perspective about my purpose as a man created in God’s image and my real purpose in life.  It has helped me to understand that in life we all have wounds that we have to deal with and learn to accept and overcome.  As a man I am called to live the life of a warrior now for God to stand and fight for His Kingdom and be bold in my beliefs and how I share my testimony with all of you.

As I’ve written before, I recognized that the tragedies that are put in front of us are a part of the plan that God puts before us to help us return to him.  That is how I came to grips with my Dad’s death.  He was called home suddenly, but it was a call to return to God.  It is up to us, however to recognize that calling and then find our way back to Him.

Yesterday while reading “Fathered by God”  I came to another realization about God’s plan and purpose for each of us.  My Dad was an amazing man.  He guided my growth even through times where I was an idiot and his influence helped me through the challenges of my teenage years and early adult years in how I dedicated myself to my family and made sure that I was always there for my wife and children.

When I lost my Dad however, I felt I lost that influence.  Who do I turn to now?  Who can I confide in and seek out for guidance as I continue to grow.  At 35 years old, I’m not close to done growing.  The answer came to is that while I lost my earthly Dad, I now had to turn my true Father.  My creator, my redeemer, and my sustainer.  He is the one that I now had to turn to for my guidance and my continued growth to live my existence in God’s image.  I am still an unfinished man and have a great deal more to go.  My time spent immersing myself in God’s Word has become my time to turn now to my Father for my continued growth.  My Dad, Rocky, brought me a long way, and now God is there bring me the rest of the way.  I turn to God for his guidance, Jesus for his salvation, and the power of Holy Spirit.  That is what I now have to bring me through life and to live out my purpose, fully alive in God.  The Glory of God is Man Fully Alive!

So what does this mean for you, especially you men out there who are wondering through life unsure of yourself or who to turn to.  I can testify that we are ALL meant to turn to our True Father.  He is the one that created us and is the the true end of all things.  Turn to scripture and I promise you that the Word of God WILL bring you a long way.  If you allow yourself to open up to God and the Good News, I promise you that your life will forever change.  He has brought me so far these last few years, since I fully turned to Him.  As I said, I have a long way to go still, but I am so thankful that I still have my Father to turn to.  He will never abandon us and will bring us through any storm we come across in life.  He will give you the strength to battle the evil one and sustain you through.  All we have to do is return to Him.

How Will Your Next Chapter Read?

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As I have shared with you many times, my faith and life journey has gone through an amazing adventure the past few years.  It has led me from a dark shadow and doubt to a renewed sense of who I am and who I want to be based on what I know that God has called me to be.  Last year, a colleague and friend of mine gave me a book called “Wild at Heart” by John Eldredge.  With everything I had going one, it took me a while to really sit down and read this book.  A couple of months back, I made a tough decision to step away from my doctorate studies to refocus myself.  At that point I decided to finally start this book.  For me, I am not one that can sit and read a book in a weekend.  This was a slow and deliberate process.  But what a journey, let me tell you.  This book has ignited me in my journey with God and my journey and growth as a man, husband, and father.  I feel I am more ready than ever to take on this world and use my life testimony to share with others and relate with others in their lives and where they have been and where they are going.

We all have a calling in life and reason for why God created each and every one of us.  There are many who never realize that calling and slump through life complacent, miserable, and never know what it means to truly come alive.  “Wild at Heart” reaffirmed my belief that we are called by God to a purpose and it is up to us to answer that calling.  To not let the evil of this world tell you that you can’t.  You have a chance to get away from the dredges of everyday complacency and get out there and live the life you were created for.  For you men out there, this is a calling for you to live as the adventurous and wild spirit that you were intended to be.  Remember you were created in God’s image.  Everything that is God is about the risk, adventure, strength, and courage that is reflected in men.  Remember as boys, we were wild.  We wanted to explore, we built forts, played war, looked for new adventures.  That is the embodiment of God in us as men.  When we grow, we tend to lose that sense of adventure as the world begins to call.

I challenge each and everyone of you to spend time in prayer and scripture every day.  Ask God to show you what He has called and created you for.  He will show it.  I promise you.  And don’t fall into the trap that once you figure that out, everything will change instantly.  It will take time and dedication to get there, but you can do it.  It’s like I tell my wife as she slowly builds her photography business.  Each day is a growth journey.  The more time you put into the effort, the better you get, and the closer you get to fulfilling that purpose.

We all have the opportunity to come alive folks.  Focus on those key areas of life that will help you come alive.  It is up to you to write the next chapter of your life and where your journey takes you.  What will your next chapter in life read?  Will you continue to live a complacent life that does not help you come alive, or will you step into the calling that you were created for.  Let’s all step up to this challenge.  I sure will and I hope that you will join me.  We can all get there.  

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4 Years in the Whirlwind

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I have not taken the time to write as much as I would like these last few months.  A few blog posts here and there, but as often happens to us, life and priorities get in the way.  This morning, however, I felt compelled to make sure I wrote something new.  I’ve mentioned this some in my writing and its definitely something that has taken precedence in my book.  4 years ago today, on October, 13, 2009, my entire family and I were tossed into what I call, the whirlwind.  On that day, we lost my Dad after a terrible rush hour accident that claimed his life and two of his co-workers, with injuries to six more of his co-workers.  It was a day we never imagined would happen and dealing with that tragedy was something we never thought we would have to deal with.  We were forced to come to terms with a lot from dealing with our own struggles of faith in why this happened, to dealing with the person that set this event rolling by an act of stupidity.  It was an emotional roller coaster that still plays out to this day.

In dealing with this tragedy, I have had to come to terms with a lot in my own life.  First, the loss of my Dad in such a tragic way, profoundly scarred me and sent me into a dark shadow for many, many months.  I tried to find my way through my faith, but honestly, it was not strong enough yet.  For some time, I did not think a thing else in life mattered.  If something like this could happen to someone like my Dad, who was a wonderful man of God, and an awesome Father, what was the point of things.  I was not angry at God, but I just did not know what to make of it all.

After the first year or so, I began to refocus my life and worked to really make sense of all of the emotions I’ve had to deal with.  I have a wife and children that depend on me and I knew that I could not spend my life dealing like that.  I began to read more books related to faith and then finally found my way to the Word of God.  I made it a point to read every single day.  I knew that through God’s word I could find the answers I was looking for in life and a way to make sense of all of of the emotions I dealt with from this tragedy.

Through this journey, I have learned the power that forgiveness has.  I’ve learned that despite the anger I have for the one that set this whirlwind in motion, I knew that forgiving was one of the only ways to release that anger.  It freed me from the burden of constantly worrying about this guy and was a huge step to move forward.  From there, I learned to simply surrender to God’s will.  To let him take control of my life and understand that He is in control and has a purpose for everything we deal with in life.

So what of this purpose?  What does it all mean?  Truth be told, my brother, Rob, said it best at my Dad’s funeral when he said that we may never know all of the answers until we go to meet God face-to-face.  I do however think there is a reason that has been revealed now.  We often hear the question of why God allows these terrible things to happen.  The purpose of it all is quite simple actually.  These tragedies are are allowed as they bring us back to God.  Often times people stray away.  I’m know exception, but through tragedy, many times people find there way back to God as they search for their own answers.  This was no exception.  I sometimes think that God looked at Dad, knowing he already had a devoted son, and this was a way to grab the attention of the rest of us.

We all deal with tragedies in different ways.  The bottom-line however is that through any tragedy in life, if we surrender and turn to God and find redemption through Christ, there is nothing we cannot overcome.  Nothing is impossible through Him.  Let Him take control.  We will always go through all of the pain and emotions that come with any tragedy, but know that God loves you through all of that.  He is there with you and waiting for you to turn to Him and I promise you, that you will find the healing and the power you need.  He is so Awesome!  If I did not have Him to turn to, I don’t know were I would be now, 4 years later.  I certainly would not be here writing this.  His love and His healing is so real, if you choose to seek it out, surrender, and let Him take hold of your life.

Thank you for reading.  I am closing today with this little prayer that you can say just help on your own journey.  God Bless you all!

Father, thank you who you are and for continuing to love us everyday.  Help us to love you and love each other more and more each day through all of the events of life. Thank you for the redemption we have through your son Jesus Christ.  Guide us each day as we learn to seek you more and let you take hold of our lives.  In Christ’s name – Amen

Dad and me Christmas 2008

Complacent or Purposeful

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Do you ever stop to evaluate your own life to figure out if you are living a life that is planned out and expected of you?  Do you ever get the notion in your mind that there has to be much more in life waiting for me than what has presented itself?  Do you find that you are just going along in life following a plan that just does speak to you or ignite you?  Are you feeling complacent?

Those questions are just the tip of iceberg when it comes to looking at our lives and how we live.  I have seen all to often where people jump down a particular path because it is either acceptable, safe and secure, or what they’ve been taught to do.  In addition, often times life circumstances happen that bring about decision that seem like a good idea at first, but as time goes on you realize that it really is not who you are or you chose that path for the wrong reasons.  It’s not a great feeling because then you start to find yourself stressed and not sure what you can do change.

Often times what is needed is for you take a step back and completely re-evaluate your direction to figure out what it is you are doing and whether or not the path you chose is the right one.  At this point your assessment should look at whether your life is just complacent and settling with your circumstances or if you are living out your real purpose and living purposefully.  I am sure many will say, if giving a true assessment will say they’ve become complacent.

In some ways, I’ve felt the same way.  not with my beautiful wife and children but in overall career and education paths.  Sometimes it feels like I’ve settled into rolls just to make sure they were provided for.  Nothing wrong with that, but when it becomes a problem is when you feel like your path is sucking away at your own soul.  I’ve certainly had that feeling.  The beauty part is that no matter what path you take, every part of it is a part of your journey and growth.  Going through those challenges better prepare you for the making the changes you really need to make in your life.

So what do you do if you find yourself complacent and realizing that you need to make a change.  Well that is simple, CHANGE.  I know it sounds daunting, but that’s what needs to happen.  Figure out what it is that truly makes you happy and go do that.  Live a purposeful life and don’t let naysayers stop you.  Author Joseph Campbell said, “We must let go of the life we planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.”  There is a lot more out there waiting for you accomplish in life and life is way to short to sit back and let it all pass by.

Take life by the horns and take the lead on the direction you want to take.  Choose to live a life of purpose and say goodbye to a life of complacency.  It’s something that we can all do.  You don’t have to live miserable and unhappy in nowhere jobs.  You don’t have to keep up with the Jones’s.  The life you lead is between you and God and he will get you to that life of purpose if you trust in Him.  Be purposeful and you can Come Alive!