October 31, 2018

There are some people who are plagued by the “what if” syndrome. They are constantly thinking about things that have happened in the past and what might have been the outcome if they had just done, or said something differently.

The tragedy is, such an individual is continually second guessing their decisions in the present moment. They have set up a pattern of thinking and speaking which does not allow them to confidently move forward in their lives. Everything they do comes with a spirit of timidity and fear, rather than with confidence and faith that things will work out well.

I would like to suggest a different usage for “what if” thinking. What if we chose to use this term in regards to seeking to achieve some positive outcome through faith. What if we placed goals and dreams before our minds that would encourage and push us towards the accomplishment of that which we truly desired. What if we allowed ourselves to believe and live out what the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of sound judgment.”

Would such a decision make a difference in your life, if you chose to follow what the Apostle Paul wrote? What if it really did make a difference? Would you be willing to do it?

October 30, 2018

Francis P Martin in his book, Hung By The Tongue stated, “You must know God’s will for your life in order for you to think correctly. . . . If you do not know where you are going, how can you apply faith and correct words to direct your life?”

Having a dream, chief aim and goals in you life are important if you want to be the best version of you possible in the fulfilment of your purpose and destiny. It is not necessary to know all the details in your journey, but it is advisable to know what your next step will be and that it is taking you in the right direction.

Remember, go as far as you can see and when you get there, you will see further. Then continue to go as far as you can see, because you will then see further. Faith and trust that the Holy Spirit will guide you to where you need to be, if you will pay attention, is a valuable asset. Proverbs 3:5-6 tell us, “Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. {6} Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.”

I believe we need to make the decision to align our thinking according to God’s directions for our life. In so doing we are not giving up our right of choice, we are exercising our free will to follow the One who knows what is best for our life. Like Jesus, we are declaring, “I have come not to do my own will, but the will of the one who sent me” (John 6:38).

In the living out of your, “Why am I here?” question, you will find the benefits and value of that answer.

October 29, 2018

Yesterday I had a few minutes to spare and my computer was already set up to create a video. I had planned out how I was going to proceed and I was holding a specific prop I was going to use for the video. Before I began recording I held up the prop to see what it would look like on screen. It did not show up. That seemed strange, so I changed the background and held up the prop again. It still did not show up. Time was slipping away for this opportunity to record the video as I stood prop in hand trying to figure out what was going on. Have you ever had one of those brain fog moments?

As I am staring at my prop, the light bulb finally turned on as to what was happening. I was working with virtual studio software and my prop was green in colour. The camera is not supposed to recognize green. By the time I stopped laughing, it was too late to move ahead with what I was going to do. No big deal it will happen later. Lesson learned.

How often do we beat ourselves up when something happens and things do not go as we planned because of something that we were responsible for? Accept responsibility, but do not diminish who you are. You deserve better than to beat yourself up over it. Ask yourself, “How important will this event be ten years from now?” What you think, believe, say and intend about yourself matters because it will impact your ability and actions in the future. If you would never say demeaning things to someone else, do not do it to yourself either.

Putting yourself, your abilities, your character into a negative light is not the way to become the best version of you possible. See yourself as God sees you and move forward to be and do better from what you just learned. You are worth it!

October 28, 2018

Joel Bauer teaches the importance of dressing for the way you want to be perceived by others, but this principle really applies to every area of our life. Yesterday our family was part of a celebration of life service for a long time friend. Since the location where we hold our church services was not large enough to hold the group that would be gathering, we partnered with another congregation to not only make the service happen, but also the fellowship time after.

It has been our policy that whenever we have a “funeral tea” or “celebration of life” fellowship we bring out the glass and crystal serving dishes for the sandwiches and goodies. My wife has built up a large collection of dishes over the years. It has been part of our philosophy of living that we want to acknowledge the value and importance of the contribution the person passing on has made in this world.

Over the years, having attended many such events staged by others, this has not always been the case. Sandwiches and goodies displayed on paper and styrofoam just doesn’t provide the same energetic feeling. There is a significant perceptive difference as to what is expressed towards the one who has passed on. It took a significant amount of effort to transport all the glassware to another location yesterday, but the work was worth it. The ladies of the other congregation graciously assisted in the set up of the plating and admitted it does make a difference.

Make the necessary effort to do what you need to do to express the best you in every situation, because you never know who you might positively impact and influence as a result.

October 27, 2018

Recently I attempted to join a webinar I was invited to. I am now so used to Joel Bauer planning and checking to make sure everything is working properly 15 to 30 minutes in advance of the webinar, I was left feeling disappointed when I closed out the screen and moved on with my life after 10 minutes of no sound. Technical glitches do happen and sometimes there is nothing that can be done, but this was a reminder to be early and check to make sure things are working properly in advance so people will not be disappointed and miss out on what you are seeking to communicate.

This is true in relation to everything we do. When we fail to communicate our passion there will be someone who needed to hear what we had to offer and missed out. The one year on-line mentoring training Joel provides is not just about marketing. It covers personal development and very specific and detailed instruction in so much more. I would encourage you to take advantage of this training, no matter what your vocation, age, or passion in life. I have watched the transformation in the lives of a number of individuals personally and listened to the testimonials of those who have applied what they have learned. This could be you also.

The day I made the decision to register for this mentorship program was a day I made a very wise choice. In that moment of time the program did not even exist. Now that it is complete, it is so much more than was originally promised. Joel not only teaches you to over-deliver in what you do, he lives and demonstrates by example that very fact. You might want to take advantage of the opportunity before the price increases, because the value far exceeds the cost in this moment of time.

Go to: https://lr342.isrefer.com/go/M4MRL/countryparson and watch the videos and sign up to attend the two day mentoring event in Los Angeles, December 1-2, 2018. Joel is providing a full scholarship for this event and it may be the last two day training he will be conducting in North America. Do not miss out. Opportunities come and go and do not always return. Make a decision to attend that could potentially change and transform your life.