Courage to Continue

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill

Regardless of whether you have suffered a failure or wonder why no one remembers what a success you were in the past, it is in today, in the present that we live. To allow ourselves to wade in the waters of the past will eventually pull us under when the floods of change come. Start a new endeavor with joy and enthusiasm. There will be nay-sayers along the way and you will feel as though you are alone in the heat of the desert, but they don't have to be your downfall. If is your choice. Choose life! The dream you dream, the hopes you hope can still come to pass. Place your faith, courage and trust in the right place, and you will know each day that you are but one step (or a windfall) closer to the goal before you.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Treat Those Around You As they Aspire to Be

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, Treat people as if they were what they should be and you help them become what they are capable of becoming.

There were experiments done in the 60's or 70's regarding students and how they learn. Students were chosen at random to be those deemed "gifted" or "average" or "special need." The teachers were not told of the test, but only that certain students were found to be each of the categories. Over the period of the semester, the researchers found that the students who were designated "gifted," improved their grades, felt and behaved with more confidence. The extra time, encouragement and expectations of their teachers changed the students (and their parents) perception of themselves. Sadly, those who were average ended with "average" scores (for some of them, these scores were lower than they had been previous to the experiment) and those classified "special need" had decreased self esteem and scores because they believed themselves less capable as less was expected of them. At the end of the semester, the teachers, parents and students were all let in on the "experiment." I have to wonder what long term effect those experiments had on those students.

You and I have a choice everyday how we will treat those around us. Are you treating others in such a way that they aspire to be a better person? Are people encouraged after they've been with you? How would you feel if you were treated as though you are who you aspire to be? Wouldn't it be wonderful?

Let's do it! Let's help each other to rise to our better self. Let's treat others the same way you want them to treat you. (Luke 6:31)

Good Things

He surrounds me with loving kindness and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things! Psalm 103:4-5

Look around – are you one displaying loving kindness and tender mercies - is there someone that sticks out that does? Thank God and thank them.

Let’s be one of life’s good things to another today.

Don't forget to sign up for the blog!

Run with strength, courage & no regrets!

"Fear regret more than failure." ~ Taryn Rose

Run with passion toward your calling, casting aside doubt and fear, for they will rob you of your joy and determination and yield regret for those things you gave up on or never attempted.

I had a voice teacher who once told me of her mother's sudden death. She had spoken of so many wonderful plans and trips they had gone on. I aspire to be as she. "I really don't have any regrets. My mother and I went on the trips we said we would and did the things we said we wanted to do together."

I want to be a "doer", moving forward and pulling people up and pushing them toward their dreams at the same time; no room for fear or worry, only strength, a vision and the power imbued upon me by God. It is then...knowing that I gave it my all...that I will not have regrets. Dream, run toward them, hold them high and be a do-er!

You are sooooo close - Keep it up!

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." Thomas Edison

We are living in a time when seeing commitments through is not as common as giving up, especially on ourselves. If we were guaranteed success after a certain number of days, weeks, or years, would we stick it out? Often in our impatience, we don't give ourselves enough time to succeed. You give your neighbor, relative, friends your support along their long trek. It's time you give yourself the same. Continue down the path of doing good - believing in others, encouraging them and believing in yourself long enough to reap that which you have sown.

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. (Galatians 6:9)

What are you leaving behind?

Offered as a prayer -Give us true ambition—ambition to find our greatness in serving others, and the ambition to put into life more than we take out. — William Barclay

My parents always said as we hiked, visited parks or most anywhere to always leave a place better than we found it…. Often this found us picking up trash left by less careful trekkers, but we saw it not only as a duty, but a delight to make the area more beautiful. There were those that would look at us as though we were nuts or at other times, we may encounter a somewhat grateful glance for the small improvement.

In this “true ambition” we are to understand that it really is the only eternal thing we have to offer this world – and as believers – we are not home, but only here for a short while until we go home to be with our Heavenly Father. I believe we are to "leave this place in better shape than we found it." Hopefully - at least in our "neck of the woods," we will leave it clean, but more importantly marked by greater faith, hope and love because of how we have walked in faith, shared our hope and lived out our love toward our family and others.

HOME I’m so grateful God is in control and preparing our way. In my Father's House are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2) Now go out and change your world! You can do it – one smile, act of kindness, conversation (or even piece of the discarded) at a time. ENJOY!