I’ll admit, I have a few of ...]]> If you’re a rabid sports fan, you probably have a closet full of jerseys representing your favorite teams. Most of them have the last name of a famous athlete scrawled across the back. If you aren’t a sports fan, I know you’ve seen these wearable shrines.

I’ll admit, I have a few of these jerseys among my wardrobe. Wearing them makes you feel one with the player and the team. You’re showing your support by dressing as your sporting heroes. You’re displaying your respect and admiration for all they have accomplished. At times your allegiance may even transcend the sport. Maybe you are a fan of an athlete because of what they stand for off of the field as much as their play on the field.

What’s troubling is, I’m paying to wear the name of a person that I will never meet. They will never know me or even care that I admire them. In fact, if I met them in person and got to know them, I probably wouldn’t like them. That seems to go with celebrity, they are often unpleasant people.

This is equaled by any famous person not just athletes. Actors, politicians, and performers may have talents we admire. We wear their name and image and support their cause, but we have no relationship with them.

What if we approached fandom from a different perspective? What if you went down to your local t-shirt store (do they exist?? lets pretend they do) and ordered a slew of shirts with the last name of a person you know who is facing turmoil in their lives?

Imagine visiting the bedside of a friend waging war against cancer wearing a shirt emblazoned with their name on the back. You admire and respect an elder in your congregation for the advice and guidance he has given you over the years, so you splay his name across your back. Real people you know and have a relationship with that deserve your respect and admiration.

To carry it further, what if you plastered the name of your Savior across everything you wore? We are often proud to wear the colors of our favorite teams, but less comfortable wearing our faith on our back.

We don’t backdown when proudly sporting our team’s jersey at an unfriendly away game, but do we do the same in a world which is unfriendly turf to all who love God? Are we afraid to proudly show our true colors, who we are deep down, far beyond a sports fan… a Jesus fan?

I have no dispute with sports fans, I’m one myself. When I spend $75 to show my love for an athletic club I’m telling the world that my team is important to me. Isn’t it more important that I tell the world that Jesus is the most important thing to me? After all, He is someone I will meet one day and He knows the number of hairs on my head.

This is bigger that what I choose to wear. This is about who I am, what I talk about, and how I support those in need. When I live for Jesus, not sports, the world we see my true colors and I might just have a chance of recruiting some more players to His team.

How do you show your support for His team?

You’re not alone. We all face periods of discouragement. Spans ...]]> Do you ever feel like a failure… in your work, your family, or your spirituality? Maybe, at times, collectively. Do you ever want to throw your hands in the air and give up… just walk away and find a dark corner to hide in?

You’re not alone. We all face periods of discouragement. Spans of time when things just aren’t going right. Days when we wish we could go back to bed. Strife and turmoil ridden weeks when success seems desperately out of reach.

Navigating these turbulent waves appears impossible. Our boat is taking on water and there is no land in sight. The seas get rougher by the minute and the anxiety is crippling. A desperate scan of the horizon reveals no hope. Seemingly, it’s inevitable that we will go down with the ship and be left to drown at the bottom of the sea of life.

Life’s storms are turning points. The decisions we make when facing adversity will alter the course of our lives and the lives of those we love. These times that try our souls make or break us. But, real strength is only gained when muscles are pushed to their breaking point. Iron is sharpened not by a soft bed of moss, but by iron.

Perseverance must be our watchword. We must maintain emotional acuity if we hope to ever emerge victorious. In his masterpiece, “If” Rudyard Kipling wrote,

 If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

Life’s curve balls prove we can’t emerge victorious without help. Our will to “Hold on!” is provided from on high. Though we often try, we don’t have the strength to go it alone. If our life is centered on serving God in all that we do, then we have help. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Does this mean we will never fail? No. It means we can find the strength to face anything.

When you’re losing your grip on life, “Hold On” and gain strength with these four techniques.

1. Pray. Strengthen your relationship with God. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. No matter what you are failing in, if it’s purpose is for God’s glory, He will strengthen you.
2. Study. Strengthen your faith. Read of the battles the brave men and women of the Bible endured for God. Wonder at the perfect life of our Savior and all He bore for you.
3. Encourage. Strengthen your relationships with others. Share what you are going through with someone. Listen to their struggles. Pray with them and gain new courage realizing others are standing with you on the front lines of life.
4. Exercise. Strengthen your physical body. Taking care of yourself gives you the stamina physically and emotionally to soldier on for Christ. You will be healthier and better prepared for a long life in His service.

If you follow this simple workout plan, you will strengthen your grip and be able to hold on to God and His plan for your life no matter what you face.

How do you find the strength to hold on?

Death is ushered into life through sociopaths, terrorists, and natural disasters. It makes some of us want to hole-up ...]]> A cursory evaluation of the world we live in is terrifying. Everywhere we look, it seems, we see man and nature racing against one other for one purpose… to kill us.

Death is ushered into life through sociopaths, terrorists, and natural disasters. It makes some of us want to hole-up in the safety of our homes, until we hear of the latest home invasion.

Our perspective becomes skewed. There is no safe room. Every place and every person are a threat to our lives. We become consumed with “what if” and reject “what is.”

If we allow our perspective and reality to battle “Mano-a-Mano”, who emerges the victor? Who lasts the 10 rounds and comes out on top? Usually… perspective.

Our inaccurate perspective becomes reality in our eyes. Every stranger is a killer, every foreigner a terrorist, and every storm cloud a tornado.

We shatter our rose-colored glasses and examine the world through a magnifying glass. We enlarge the bad and myopically overlook the good in people and nature, both blessings from God.

Think about it, why are mass-murders, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters so mind-numbing to us? Because they are rare. They don’t happen every day, but when they do, they are major news items. We become transfixed and must read and watch, in horror, every detail. In turn, we begin to believe that these tragedies await us around every corner.

We ignore reality. The innumerable days that have passed without incident. The kindness we have received from complete strangers, the lessons we have learned from people from far off lands, and the breathtaking handiwork that God has surrounded us with.

God be praised, most of us will never be the victim of a violent crime or natural disaster. Many of us, however, fear we will. 20% of Americans worry about being murdered. From their perspective, the chances of it happening are high, but reality is only 1 in 18,690 people will become victims. The odds of becoming a terrorist victim on an airline flight are 1 in 10,408,947 yet 36% of Americans fear themselves or a family member becoming a victim of terrorism.

Like an artist who is too close to his canvas and steps away to view the entire painting, aligning his perspective with reality, we need to take a step back and view life accurately. Do bad things happen every day? Yes! Does that mean they will happen to you? Absolutely not!

Does that mean we throw caution to the wind? No, but irrational fear, stress, and worry lead to high blood pressure and heart disease, and possibly early death.

When our perspective alters reality, we live irrational, unproductive lives. We fail to act even in the smallest ways. Our perspective is that we are just one person and there is very little we can do in our small corner of the world. We lose sight of the fact that it takes just one person to change the world, for good.

If we aren’t careful, our perspective of God can be skewed in the process. We see all of the bad in the world and begin to question Him and His creation. We must never do this, because there is nothing more real than God’s Love. This indisputable fact should align your perspective with reality. Despite the problems we face every day, God loves each and every one of us and will never stop.

So, when you begin to lose touch with reality through a skewed perspective, race back to the arms of God and the reality of His everlasting love.

How do you keep your perspective from altering your view of reality?

The 4 valves of ...]]> A leaky heart valve can be a serious medical condition. In most cases, there are no symptoms or problems. However, if the leaky valve interferes too much with normal blood flow, congestive heart failure can occur.

The 4 valves of the heart control the flow of blood as it moves through the chambers of the heart. Since the heart is the distribution system of this vital substance to all parts of the body, it is essential that it is kept operating properly.

Like our physical heart valves, our emotional “heart valves” regulate the flow of our affections. If these valves begin to leak, the vital flow of compassion, service, patience, and joy are interrupted. Not only is our emotional heart damaged, those that are fed by this fundamental flow suffer as well.

Our heart valve leaks when we fail to channel our time, talent, and resources to where they are needed most, others. We may “leak” a dribble of ourselves to those that need us, but it isn’t enough to do them any good.

While this is occurring the health of our emotional heart suffers. It’s working overtime to serve one purpose, gratifying ourselves. This may seem rewarding, but this neglect actually engorges the heart so that it demands more and more.

We end up completely unhealthy. Our heart is swollen with our excesses while our other vital organs, humanity, suffer from the anemic concern they are given.

This condition demands immediate treatment. Similar to the way the medical condition is approached, the leak needs to be plugged and the flow of blood needs to be channeled in the right direction.

We can easily diagnose a leaky valve by simply listening to the sounds of our hearts. Place a stethoscope to your heart and listen carefully. If your conversation and time is dominated by your wants and desires, you’ve got a leaky valve.

The repair of the physical aortic regurgitation will result in improved physical health. Similarly, restoring our emotional hearts will advance our spiritual health.

Here are 3 Remedies for A Leaky Heart Valve:

1. Medicine. The heart can be renewed by filling it with the restorative power of God’s word. When we meditate on the selfless love of our Lord and Savior our hearts can be healed. Open your heart and allow the restorative power of this drug to flow through it.
2. Repair. Through diligent prayer and constant effort we can repair the leak in our heart. This is an invasive procedure which demands deep soul searching. For this remedy to be effective, you must be willing to alter your behavior and be prepared to reexamine its health daily.
3. Replacement. This is the most extreme treatment, but may be necessary. Your heart valve may have become so unhealthy that it needs replacement.  You just might need to tear yourself down so you can be built up again. Similar to the life of Jesus, his journey wasn’t completed until his physical life was destroyed and then begun anew.

When your heart is functioning properly it can effectively serve others far better than yourself. Monitor it daily to make sure there are no leaky valves.

How do you keep your heart healthy?

I would guess, depending on where you live, this has never happened to you. You’ve not ...]]> When was the last time the battered and bruised victim of a robbery blocked your path? How often do you pass a person lying on the side of the road in the clutches of death?

I would guess, depending on where you live, this has never happened to you. You’ve not had to choose between helping the victim of a violent crime and passing on the other side of the street.

Aiding a person in this situation is the perfect example of showing love to your neighbor. Taking the time and risk to help is true sacrifice and the ultimate fulfillment of Jesus’ admonition. It is love in action.

Society has evolved dramatically since Jesus first shared the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Most of us don’t journey on foot through wilderness and expose ourselves to bands of robbers. We travel in the safety of our locked cars, or in the company of hundreds of commuters on public transportation.

Even if there is a problem, help is usually nearby and we can leave the helpless in the hands of the police or some other form of public assistance. It seems, opportunities to love our neighbor are dwindling. Our Great Society has taken care of our problems. Is there anything an individual can do to aide his neighbor anymore?

Of course there is! In fact, it has never been easier. Even as relationships continue to fragment as we isolate ourselves from one another in the comfort of our homes, there are more opportunities for us to use modern technology to love our neighbors.

Here are 3 ways to use technology to expand your neighborhood and serve more.

1. Financial support – Fundraising websites have made it convenient and secure to help people financially across the world. The days of extended correspondence and writing checks and waiting for them to clear are fading in the rear view mirror. Almost instantaneously, a need can be shared and money can be raised. It may not even be someone we know directly, but we can become a member of their tribe through a common connection. We can help a neighbor we have never met and may never know.

2. Awareness – Social tools like email, Facebook, and Twitter have simplified communicating needs to multiple people at one time. Depending on the number of contacts or “friends” you have, you can share a need with hundreds of people with one click. This opens the door for others to serve in areas they would never know of otherwise. You can love your neighbor simply by informing people about a need.

3. Adoption – There have always been an abundance of orphans needing loving homes. In the United States, we are blessed with a system that ensures these children have a safe place to stay and plenty to eat. Although less than ideal, they are at least protected and off the streets. Most children across the world don’t enjoy this luxury. Many live in filthy conditions with little food and even less love. It has never been easier to reach an orphan in a third world country and make them a part of your home. Travel is now relatively easy to destinations that were once near impossible to reach. We can work through the safety of adoption service websites and view pictures of the children in need.

As Jesus concluded the parable of the Good Samaritan he asked the lawyer, “So which of these do you think was a neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” He answered, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” 

Today, there are so many ways to show mercy… so many ways to use technology to love our neighbors. Find one that fits you and get to work. Your community will grow and you will have neighbors all over the world.

What other ways can you use technology to show mercy on your neighbor?

Man’s inclination is certainly not to be anyone’s servant. Much blood has been shed for ...]]> There is no freedom in life. As much as the patriots of our great land may deny it, life is about servitude. We are bound as slaves in our mortal coils. We have no choice.

Man’s inclination is certainly not to be anyone’s servant. Much blood has been shed for independence and liberty. Brother has killed brother over the very concept of slavery and its consequences. But God makes it clear that our time on His great blue marble is captivity.

We are each obligated to bondage, but the good news is, we can choose our master. We can select who we are bound to and who we serve. We are not forced into the relationship.

In fact we have been purchased by our true Master. A great price has been paid, but many run away from Him to serve another that makes empty promises of freedom, rights, and tolerance.

Our true Master has one simple promise, life everlasting. The other, a great liar, promises a temporary life of fulfillment, pleasure, and satisfaction, but his reward for your service is eternal death: permanent separation from your true Master and from His promises of eternity with Him.

Our true Master expects hard work, dedication, and our undying commitment. He is honest and tells us how difficult the work will be. The other promises a life of ease and riches. Not only can he not deliver what he promises, his service results in great dissatisfaction, depression, and misery.

Everyday we have the choice of who we will serve. No one binds us in chains and forces us to bow the knee in front of them, but our decision can bind us. It is our choice who we kneel before, but you better believe we submit to one or the other.

We either yield to the will of our true Master or abandon Him and run to the other. We bow before him as he promises all our heart desires. The wiles in his armory can even trick us into thinking we are serving the true Master by corrupting His message.

Like an evil advisor we listen to him telling us what God expects, wants, or offers, rather than going to the Source and finding out what He desires, deserves, and promises… all clever manipulation.

Our loyalty will be seen in our actions. Or service to our true Master will result in serving others. We will live to serve. Ministry to the other will result in living only to ourselves.

Jesus makes it clear there is no middle ground. “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

You must choose this day whom you will serve. Who will it be?

How do you find joy in your service to your true Master?

It certainly has a negative connotation. Something is annoying us and we want it to cease and desist, ...]]> “Please, stop!” How often do you hear these words? I hear them most often when I’m doing what I call singing, and usually utter them when my boys are tearing the house apart.

It certainly has a negative connotation. Something is annoying us and we want it to cease and desist, immediately, so we share our opinion, often accompanied with yelling.

The please portion is not a requirement. In fact, it’s probably rarely used. It’s an additional word that prolongs the suffering, so we shorten it to just “STOP!” It may be impolite, but we get our point across in one simple word.

This curt phrase has positive applications as well. There’s tremendous suffering in our communities that we have within our power to quell. All it takes is for us to act.

Here’s a list of 7 kinds of suffering people you know are dealing with, along with an extra bonus of solutions to the problems.

Please, stop…

1. Hunger – In your community, there are thousands of people without the basic needs of life. You can fill several empty stomachs with a small donation. Better yet, you can fill those same hearts with the food that will never leave them hungry. Share the Good News of Jesus with those with famished souls.

2. Loneliness – Be a friend to the friendless. We all know people who have no one to talk with. Take time and show them you care. While you’re at it, introduce them to a friend who will never leave their side, Jesus.

3. Homelessness – Homelessness is not just for the outcasts of society any more. People in your neighborhood and those you sit next to at work are facing foreclosure. Open you home to them, provide them with a place to stay while they get back on their feet. Bring them into your church family. Give them a refuge from the perils of life.

4. Fear – Uncertainty in life can be paralyzing. When we know there’s hope for the future we sleep better at night. Give someone promise for tomorrow. Share your blessings. Relieve their fear by sharing the joy that comes from knowing the Lord.

5. Depression – One of the the great pandemics of society today is depression. The stress of life becomes overwhelming and many see no hope for the future.  Help people navigate this storm by giving them perspective. Although they may be in the midst of a downpour, help them see the silver lining in the clouds. Give them hope for tomorrow in the promise of a glorious eternity with Jesus Christ.

6. Strife – We all have the friend to whom bad things always happen. It seems if something can go wrong it always happens to them. Their life is filled with turmoil and trouble. Provide a place of stability for them. Be a rock they can lean on and help them to stand by providing a firm foundation of friendship. Show them the peace that comes from the hand of Almighty God.

7. Doubt – Like fear, doubt, leaves people dreading tomorrow. They begin to ponder the meaning of life and if they serve any purpose. Suicide may even creep into their thoughts as they see no reason in living another day. Show them their value in your life and the lives of those around them. Help them understand life is most gratifying when we are serving others. Teach them that God knows them personally and how in Him each day has new meaning.

Look at the suffering around you and shout, “Please, Stop!” It’s within your power to change lives and change the world.

What else can you do to stop the pain in peoples’ lives?

This is how my boys and I approach fishing. Every time we hit the pond we hope to ...]]> Our desire is usually for the biggest and the best. We have been convinced by advertising and the world around us to never settle, always look for something bigger and better.

This is how my boys and I approach fishing. Every time we hit the pond we hope to reel in a really big fish. Unfortunately, we haven’t hooked that trophy bass yet, so we are always looking for new techniques, baits, and locations to help us reel in larger fish. Still, most of our catches are pretty small.

Life is a lot like fishing. Whether we recognize it or not, we are always casting our line of relationship. Each person we encounter decides whether to take our bait or move on to something more tempting. We are always hoping to reel in a “big fish”, but they are few and far between.

These “big fish” are the friendships that we deem rewarding because of what they provide to us. They usually involve little work and lots of fun. We like our bonds to be pleasant, free of turmoil and trauma.

Often, unintentionally, we hook people we measure as “small fish.” A relationship begins to develop that we weren’t looking for. It’s takes up a lot of our time and is unpleasant. Maybe the person is too needy and we don’t want to take time to help with their problems. We relate briefly, but then seek to throw them back in the pond as quickly as we can.

We determine our time is better spent somewhere else: with the “big fish” we have already caught, or out seeking a better catch. We seek relationships where we can receive rather than give.

However, those “small fish” that grab hold of our lines have an acute need for strong, giving relationships. They have troubles in their lives they don’t know how to deal with. They are hoping desperately that we will help. Your bait was appealing and they have grabbed on and won’t let go.

Are you avoiding these “small fish” so you can focus on the “trophies” you already have on your wall? Are you releasing despondent people that need your companionship because the affiliation lacks a pleasant fragrance? Are you focusing on relationships that give rather than take?

Life’s not about what we need, it’s about who needs us… a life we can touch by casting in their direction. We need to reel in those fish that need us and grow the relationship into one we can proudly display.

When we focus on our needs, the needs of others go unmet. We can miss opportunities to change peoples lives and help them grow.

Keep the fish you catch, despite their size. Feed them. Nurture them. Help them grow into trophies.  Then, teach them to fish. Show them mercy, so they can go out and do likewise.

How do you nurture the “small fish” you reel in?

I rely on my primary hard drive for accessing and saving my daily ...]]> I’m very cautious when it comes to my electronic files. Having a hard drive crash will make you that way. I meticulously backup my files to ensure I am protected in case of a computer nightmare. 

I rely on my primary hard drive for accessing and saving my daily work. I trust that it will operate properly, but not completely, that’s why I have a backup.

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had a failure, but those were catastrophic times. I didn’t always have backups to save the day.

My backup is just that, a place to go in case of emergency. My first resort is my primary drive, if that fails, I access my back-up and life is rosy again. I’ve got a backup plan in place.

Is God your backup plan? Do you turn to Him only in case of emergency?

Too many of us rely on ourselves or other people rather than on God as a first line of defense in this world. We may not even consider God until things become dire and we need a backup to restore order to the lives we have crashed.

We turn to doctors to repair our broken bodies, counselors to mend our battered marriages, and self-help books to save our bankrupt spirits. Then, if these things don’t work, we turn to God.

That, my friends, makes God our back-up. If we can’t fix our problem or if we can’t find someone else who can, then we turn to God. We make Him the “In Case of Emergency” alarm on the wall. When our problems become too big, we pull the alarm hoping to have Him rush in to our rescue.

Don’t get me wrong, medical science can do wondrous things, counselors can provide great advice, and the experience of man is a great resource, but none of them trump God.

God should be our primary source for restoration, repair, and salvation. Long before and long after man and his solutions is God. As Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning, God…”

Bring this powerful statement into your life each day and gain reassurance in the existence and power of God as your first option. Dwell on these things:

1. In the Past, God… Meditate on what God has done. Look at how He has gotten you through the times your life has crashed.

2. In the Present, God… Consider what God is actively doing in your life now. The new day He has granted and the air with which your lungs continually swell.

3. In the future, God… Put tomorrow in God’s hands. Worry only begats more worry. The sooner we learn to trust God and His plan for our lives, our primary hard drive, the better off we will be.

Never relegate God to the roll of back-up in your life. Keep Him in the foreground and the troubles of life will fade into the background. They will become unimportant when compared to His power and love.

Let go and let God.

Fill in the blank, In 2012, God _____________.

Now, that place was just across the hall, but it was a million miles away to me. I ...]]> I recall vividly the day I became independent. It wasn’t a choice, it was thrust upon me. My brother decided, after years of sharing a room with me, he wanted his own place.

Now, that place was just across the hall, but it was a million miles away to me. I was heartbroken. What had I done? Why wouldn’t he want to go on living with me forever? The delusions of a younger brother, I know, but it was agonizing.

Now, I hadn’t done anything. My brother still loved me, as much as a pre-teen boy can love his adoring younger brother, but he wanted his own room.

One of the luxuries of our modern age is space. Not the far reaching universe explored by daring astronauts, “personal space”… what my brother wanted.

Just a couple of generations ago, families, even extended families, lived in homes composed of one large room. Everyone was very close, physically, there was very little privacy, and almost everything was shared… from clothes and shoes to chairs and beds. You always had someone next to you, invading your personal space.

This idea of “space” is a relatively new concept.  It’s a product of our blessings. As we attain more, we spread out and want the independent area to do our own thing. In essence, the more we acquire, the further removed we become.

Most people I know dream of a day when they can have enough money to move out of the suburbs and get some land. They are tired of the zero-lot lined subdivisions or apartments in which so many of us live. They want to get away from the crowds, from the people, and be out on their own.

They don’t want isolation, they just want to be able to chose when to invite people into their world, their space, and when to keep them out. How many people do you know who buy a big house on a large tract of land so they can “entertain”, yet, they never do?

Being hospitable and interacting takes a lot of work, especially when you have a big house to prepare and clean afterward. It’s not like having the neighbors over for coffee, everything become a big production.

This reverse of this concept was recently a reality for me. My family attended a conference that required us to share a one-room hotel room and, worse yet, one bathroom. I was really dreading this. I just knew we would drive each other crazy, but it was actually wonderful.

We were together, in one small room, at the dawn and close of each day. We talked and laughed and no one was able to go to their room and close the door. There was no personal space, no isolation. We shared everything, a TV, a bathroom, and beds. We grew closer emotionally through the physical proximity.

These few days helped me realize this concept of having our own space is driving a wedge in our relationships. Our efforts to be by ourselves keeps us from intimately knowing those around us, from sharing the defeats and victories in our lives, and prevents us from serving one another.

How can we reach those that need us most, physically and spiritually, if we are separating ourselves? As we are blessed, we need to think of greater ways to serve others, bring us closer, rather that spreading out. This will mean less personal space and independence, but will reap greater personal rewards than an empty 50 room mansion ever will.

How do you balance personal space with building relationships?

Depending on the day, depending on your mood, your answer may vary.

Each day we live, life presents new opportunities and challenges.

One day is filled with joy and celebration, while the next is beset with grief and mourning. That’s life… through and through.

We ...]]> Fill in the blank. Life is____________.

Depending on the day, depending on your mood, your answer may vary.

Each day we live, life presents new opportunities and challenges.

One day is filled with joy and celebration, while the next is beset with grief and mourning. That’s life… through and through.

We don’t control the assignments life hands us. We wake up in the morning and our inbox is full.

We can’t go through the paperwork and pull out the things we want to face and throw the others in the trash. We have to deal with the good and the bad.

It can often seem that the requirements of each day are insurmountable. Day after day, the burden becomes heavier until we are physically stooped under its weight.

Our attitude and outlook begins to tarnish. Sunny days are filled with rain. Dark clouds hover over us wherever we go. We grow negative, pessimistic, and angry toward life.

We are consumed with what is wrong, not what has gone right. We are like the Children of Israel after God had performed wondrous signs and freed them from their captivity.

We complain and obsess over the journey ahead forgetting who delivered us to this point in our life.

Our faith is evaporated. We refuse to look at what God has done and continues to do, we myopically focus on our current condition and say, “Why me?”

We may not have control over the lemons we are handed in life, but we determine what we do with them.

We can bite into life and pucker at it’s bitter taste or sweeten a sour situation with the proper outlook and make life more palatable.

Effective living is all about attitude, perspective, and most importantly faith.

If we wake up each morning with a heart of acceptance, understanding our purpose in life and God’s plan for us, we can better handle the challenges we face.

Start each day completing the sentence in a uplifting manner. There is a bumper sticker I like that states it pretty simply… Life is Good.

After all, life comes from God. We read in Genesis 1 that looking upon his creation he saw that it was VERY GOOD. Who are we to question Him and the works of His hand?

This needs to be the vision for our lives. Go out and make it good. It’s within your power, no matter your situation, to make life good. Prioritize your perspective and order your life properly.

1. God. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

2. Others.  “…in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

3. Self. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

No matter your wealth, you are richer than most in the world. No matter your health, you are one step closer to Home.

Find the fortune in each day, in each person, in each situation, and remember Life is Good!

How do you find the good in each new day?