Two Can Accomplish More

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed someone else's help? Maybe you needed their strength, their wisdom, or simply their company. Regardless of what you needed them for, it was necessary. I love reading stories from the Bible where two people were able to accomplish great things. Stories like David and Jonathan, Paul and Timothy, or Peter and John. I think all of us have stories where you teamed with someone and accomplished something you probably couldn't have done by yourself. When two people work in unity towards a common goal the results can be amazing! Teamwork is such a powerful force in whatever realm it operates. Today you may have to get something done. If you're able, ask someone to help you. It will probably take less time and you'll have fun with someone else with you :)

Others First?

This cute picture says it all. A bigger dog giving preference to a smaller dog. The small dog lays on the big dogs bed while the big dog tries to get whatever it can onto the small dogs bed. The big dog isn't complaining, whining or being a victim. It's OK to him and has a "no worries" mentality, or at least that's how I read it :) How are you when it comes to putting others first? Or giving others the preference? I've blogged about this kind of choice before because it's so important. In a me first culture it's easy to live that way when the Bible tells us we're to give the preference to others. This is clearly spoken to us in Romans 12:10, "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another..." But realistically what would this look like in your day or life? It really comes down to giving precedence and honoring one another. What would our culture look like if people gave preference and honored others? No more me first or pushing others down so you can get ahead. I think things would be very much different to what they are. Today you will get many opportunities to put yourself first. And at the same time you'll get just as many opportunities to prefer others. What will your choice be :)

Love Life Regardless of What's Going On

Have you ever noticed how kids can have the simplest and purest perspectives on something? They can be happy, excited and unconcerned about everything that's going on around them. They could be in the middle of a storm and yet you wouldn't even know it. How easy it is for adults to do the opposite. If they're having a bad day everyone around them knows it. If they're stressed out you may be the one to bear the brunt of it. If things are going well it's obvious. Whatever happened to being a person of faith who doesn't walk by their feelings or emotions? Regardless of your day, be a person of faith. A person who's filled with God's joy, His peace and His comfort :) Today is great day because you have the Lord on your side. His mercies are new every morning. His joy comes in the morning. His peace is for us. Don't be overwhelmed because of what comes your way, but love life because of what Jesus Christ did for you :)

It's Too Much to Handle...

All of us at times can become overwhelmed with everything we have on our plate. Whether it's the mom with a newborn, parents with teenagers, a young family with mounting bills, or a businessman with deadlines. Pressures can build to the point of a person bursting. What's a person to do when in this scenario? Maybe it's to panic, freak out or even ignore it? Yes these are all options, although not very good ones. When I find myself in a situation or season that's heading down the road to becoming overwhelming, there's one thing I always do. And that's go to the Lord. Psalm 61:2-4 brings such peace and strength to me when it says, "I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge,  a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.
^3 4 Let me live forever in your sanctuary,  safe beneath the shelter of your wings!" God is my rock of safety! He's my safe refuge! My fortress that protects me from my enemies! It's in this place I'm safe in the shelter of His wings. Next time you're overwhelmed with life, make God the first one you run to and not the last. He's more than you need and is waiting for you :)

Nothing in Life is Maintenance Free

Well I just completed a couple of hours of working in the yard and around the house. I dug up some roots, pulled some weeds, bagged some leaves, sprayed a bug shield around our house and a few other general things. When you really think about it, nothing is maintenance free in life. Your house is going to need some work, so is your yard and your car. But it doesn't stop there when it comes to maintenance and making sure things continue operating as they were designed. How about your body, your marriage, relationships, and even your walk with the Lord? These are all things that we must continually take care of to make sure they're working well. I sometimes think it's easy to forget about upkeep and maintenance. Maybe because we don't enjoy doing it or perhaps we do genuinely forget. But one thing is very certain, if you don't take care of things, they will deteriorate very quickly. Don't let anything in your life deteriorate because of your lack of care :) Take note of what Proverbs 24:30-34 warns us about, "I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds,  and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
^31 32 a little folding of the hands to rest-then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit, scarcity will attack you like an armed robber."

I Want! I Want! I Want!

I want a new car. I want an iPhone. I want a motorcycle. I want a new pistol and rifle. I want some new clothes. I want more sleep. I want to go to Italy. I want to go BSU football games. I want a Starbucks coffee. I want to eat out more. I want some new sunglasses. I want some new tennis rackets. I want...I want...I want...Well I really only want these things if it's what God wants me to have. I want to do His will and not my own. Have you ever thought about everything you really want? Then have you thought about what God wants for you? It's easy to say you want God's will and all He has for you, but when it comes down to it there are lots of things you want where He's not involved. I can't help but think of Galatians 2:20 which reminds me, "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Is that true about you today? Sure there are lots of things that would be nice to have, but I don't want them if it's not God's will for me. I'd rather be in the middle of God's will and have nothing, than be out of His will and have everything :) Let me desires be that of Jesus and may I never forget His words in Luke 22:42, "Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."

Don't Think You'll Never Get Caught...

I love it when people succeed! Whether it's in the classroom, in life, in athletics, or in any other area. I love seeing people work hard and achieve success. There are so many examples of people who have put lots of heart, effort, sweat and tears in their efforts to succeed (like Tim Tebow and Gabby Douglas). I've been saddened in the past 24 hours with all the stories coming out about cycling great Lance Armstrong. Having tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, he's now being stripped of what I consider one of the greatest sporting accomplishments of all time, winning seven Tour de France titles. He also received a lifetime ban from competitive cycling. Armstrong said he will no longer fight the allegations and will accept the consequences. For a man who battled cancer and won, and who's done so much for cancer research, this is such sad news. Unfortunately we're seeing more and more stories like this one. People achieving great things only to find out they may have cheated. Unfortunately the use of performance enhancing drugs continues to grow. The science of using them so that people won't get caught also grows. It's such a trap for people to think that they'll get away with breaking rules. Unfortunately for them, the hidden and secret things of shame will be revealed. Whether it's on earth or before the Lord, they will be exposed. Don't feel like you have to cheat to win or get ahead. The Lord's the one who's in control of that :) I don't know if Lance Armstrong really did use performance enhancing drugs. But the truth will come out. Read more here at http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/brennan/story/2012-08-23/lance-armstrong-usada/57258738/1