Tag Archives: Priest

What’s Your Story?

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I have had this title going off inside me for some time now. I hope that by the end of this post, you will be on the right path to finding your story.

I want to ask you a question – WHAT IS YOUR STORY? I’m sure this question prompts many different thoughts. We all have a story and each story will vary because no one path in this life is the same. But I want us to not look at our story as defined by the life we have lived; but instead, by the one life that was given.

1 Peter 2:9 (AMP) “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s} own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Now, let me ask you again after reading this scripture – WHAT’S YOUR STORY? Our real story starts as a YES. The very simple answer to a life-changing question. Do you believe?

We, as believers, have been chosen and set apart. We are designated for something great; royal above any royalty this world has ever seen. If we dig into the deep meaning of this word, “chosen” we find: “to pick, gather, picked from among the larger group for special services or privileges”. If you go back and reread the scripture now with this meaning and see it as God speaking personally to you, then you will see and know your true story. Your story is uncommon and there will never be another like yours. So live like it, and do it all to the glory of God!

Just a heads up, my next blog post is a kick-off on Kingdom Relationships.

Passion

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“When you catch a glimpse of your potential – that’s when passion is born.”
Zig Ziglar

I like how Zig brings the word “glimpse” into this quote. I believe many are not living a passionate life. So many have allowed the day-to-day things to become a place of comfort or just events and it bleeds over into every area of their life. If we could get a glimpse of the real us, we would live more passionately. Marriages become just a sustaining relationship with no positive emotion when passion is gone. Dreams sink into the memories of yesterday when passion is no more. Our work and service to others becomes nothing more than works when passion is gone. In anything we do, if passion is not present, then it cannot grow and many times it actually separates.

What is PASSION? According to Webster it is, “A strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something: a strong feeling (such as anger) that causes you to act in a dangerous way: a strong sexual or romantic feeling for someone.”

The absence of passion is something that many never see coming. It’s when the passion is completely gone that we normally see the result of its absence. I read a great book by C.S. Lewis titled “The Screw Tape Letters” and it focused around the theme of deception. Via deception, passion can easily become no more. Almost everything we start has some level of passion, but if the coals of passion are not daily stoked, they can easily be smothered out until the artic chill of lifelessness sets in.

“Live with passion”
Tony Robins

“Passion is the genesis to genius”
Tony Robins

You see, God created us for a purpose, but that is not revealed until we live on purpose. Passion is birthed from desire! My desire to serve my God, bless and serve my wife and be a blessing to family, friends and strangers comes from a desire to live a Kingdom life. These are also the ones that fuel me to fulfill my God given dreams.

“We must daily stoke the coals of passion”
Keith Spanberger

Here are a few steps you can take to rekindle passion in your life:
1. Realize it’s never too late to start over again. As long as you have breath it’s not too late.
2. Close the door to negativity. It might mean removing people or things; whatever it is, close the door on it.
3. Realize you are worth it. You deserve to live a passionate life in every area.
4. You’re not anyone else. Don’t try and be someone else or compare yourself to another. Realize that you are one of a kind. A Kingdom original. God created each of us as one of a kind, so be just that.
5. Stop making excuses. It will never be the perfect time to start, so you might as well start RIGHT NOW!
6. It does not have to be perfect to begin!

These are just a few thoughts and I’m sure you can add your own to this. I would love to hear your ideas and any other thoughts below.

So why not start now making today the day you start stoking the coals of passion in every area of your life. Let your spouse know that they are important to you. Let the world see your passion for life. Let your desire to live life to the fullest breath put passion into all that you do. I want to close with this scripture that was part of my Bible time yesterday. I hope it speaks loudly to you and pushes you to be and do more than you ever thought possible.

Galatians 6:9 (AMP) “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.”

CHANGE

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change 4-9-15

“The one consistent thing about life is change.”
Dr. James Zirkle

When we think about change, most of the time it is not something that one looks forward to OR it’s for fear of something that could happen. Even the very definition “to become different, to make (someone or something) different, to become something else” can spark fear if it is not put into proper perspective.

2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP) “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.”

Just knowing that change is needed is not enough, we must implement it. Honestly, we ALL have areas that must receive some type of change and in this post I am going to focus on one that hit home for me. It’s in the area of health and fitness. (Just an FYI, a Health and Fitness page will soon be coming to the http://www.kingdomthinking.org site and I have some awesome contributing editors that have a wealth of wisdom in this area!)

My wife, Debbie, and I have really tried to implement a cleaner eating and healthier lifestyle over the last few years. As you incorporate change, you will find one of two main reasons why someone decides to make a change. The first area brings us back to fear of what could be or even might be. Fear and faith cannot dwell together and fear will zap everything if we allow it in. The next area is one that is defined in a quote I read yesterday from Charlene Johnson, “In my 20’s I forced myself to workout – and my every effort was focused on getting a better body. Now in my 40’s the physical side effects are just a bonus. Now I see my fitness as a gift that helps my mental wellness, my quality of life, creativity, patience, strength, confidence and longevity. Funny how the wisdom and experiences change our perspective.” That quote pretty much summed up why we are making the life changes we are, but for those doing it in fear, you’re fighting a losing battle. It’s like trying to drive a car with no motor.

“Fear creates powerless pursuit.”
Keith Spanberger

I’m going to end this post here, but only for NOW! I want you to take a piece of paper and pen and write down the areas where you have allowed fear to take over. Now give these areas to God and walk away from them and NEVER look back. Last, destroy the paper and step into the peace of God that surpasses ALL understanding.

It’s time for YOU to live a fearless life, so live it on purpose with purpose!

When you feel like God’s not listening…..

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God-is-waiting

“The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what you
want most for what you want right now”
Zig Ziglar

Have you ever had one of those days that makes you feel like God is just not up there hearing what you have to say? (Now this is NOT the time to get a holier-than-thou attitude and say, “Oh no, not me,” but instead, just be real.) WELL, “I” have been in this place and it’s not a good place to be in!

For most people, it’s hard to find joy in waiting, as we are a society that wants everything NOW. We teach our children to have patience, but when it comes to us and God and our prayers, we think we must have an instant miracle, move, and/or manifestation, or something must be wrong. We bounce back and forth between “is it me or is it you God, who is delaying this”? We track the response time as if the answers to our prayers are on a travel schedule. I believe that one of the secret recipes to a joyful Kingdom in life is finding joy in the moment. Now I will be the first to admit that this is NOT always easy. I have learned that in those times, the best thing I can do is reassure myself of God’s promises by daily diving into His Word. Here are a few anchor scriptures that I cling to:

Deut 31:6 (NKJ) “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

1 John 5:14 (AMP) “And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.”

Mark 11:24 (AMP) “For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].”

You see, the truth is that God never leaves us, He always hears us, and He never withholds from His kids. Even before we gave our life to Christ, He knew us and through the power of choice we either let Him in or keep Him at bay.

So how do we overcome?
1. Don’t let the situation change who you are. (I stole that from my wife!!!) – You see, we can’t let a temporary circumstance create a change in us, but instead, we must create a change in it.
2. Don’t give up! His Words in Mark 11:24 are powerful words to hang your prayers on. Make those three words your battle cry in tough times. I have my own three-word battle cry and it is “SUCK IT UP”. (CLICK to read “SUCK IT UP” post)
3. Continually fill yourself with the Word and don’t stop when things get good, but instead, make it your lifestyle. I like how Tony Robbins says that “leaders are readers,” but I take it one step further with what you put in you is what comes out during those tough times. A good business book can give you insight into certain techniques and processes, BUT nothing that truly pertains on how to live and thrive in His Kingdom. So get a good balance on what you are filling yourself up with, but always focus on the Word.
4. Stand no matter what! 1 John5:4 (AMP) “For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.”

Those are just a few thoughts that will help you in your daily life. I hope in some way you have been encouraged by this post and would ask that if you know someone else that could benefit from this, to please forward it to them.

QUESTION: How do you handle the season of WAIT?

I look forward to your response.

NEW Kingdom Thinking Podcast #23

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NEW - KT iTunes logo

Kingdom Thinking Podcast #23

Creating a Life that Counts….

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“Don’t count the things you do, do the things that count.”
Zig Ziglar

As all my readers know, I’m a firm believer that life is a journey that must be lived on purpose with purpose. So many sabotage their journey before they ever get started.

When I read Zig Ziglar’s quote, I saw great truth in it. We are going to make a decision to either be inwardly OR outwardly focused. A person who is inwardly focused, will always be thinking about themselves. In every decision they make, it will be about THEIR greater good above all others. Now the person who is outwardly focused, is always looking for how they can better those around them. They look for ways to bring the greater good of others up above themselves. I have met a lot of people in my life, but only a few that have truly put others before themselves. I have said it before, but if someone is always pointing to their own success and giving the glory to themselves, then RUN!!!

It boils down to this – we are ALL called to be world changers. A world changer has an outward focus and their goal is, “What can I do for others”? I was thinking about the traits of a world changer and this is what I came up with:

1. They are persistent about what they’re passionate about.
2. They have defined goals.
3. They have someone that speaks into their life like a mentor.
4. No matter what hits, they keep a positive outlook.
5. They invest in themselves and others. They see the importance of learning and imparting what they are learning.
6. They track their progress in their personal journey.
7. They surround themselves with positive, like-minded people, which will help bring them up to a new level.

People that are real and have character traits like I just mentioned above, will love you too much to allow you to stay like you are, no matter where you are in life.

“You can’t change the world until first changing yourself.”

So right now, you are standing in what could be the greatest second of your life; what are you going to do with it?

What If?

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what-if

“Don’t allow the What IF’s to rule your life!”
Me

Life is too short to allow the “WHAT IF” I fail moments to rule us. I have a note on the inside of my calendar that says, “Remove the negative WHAT IF’S from my vocabulary”. In this post, we are going to talk about failure and how to make it work for us.

“We learn from failures, not from success.”
Bram Stoker

Now I can’t say that I totally agree with this statement; however, I still like it. I believe that we can learn from every event that we pass through in life. Notice I said, “Pass through”? I believe that graduating from one event to another in life, offers us lessons on what to do and what not to do; but, if we allow them to stop us or turn us back, then nothing has been learned. For many, failure becomes a stopping point, where for others, it just becomes a lesson in how not to do something.

“Failure is an event and not a person.”
Zig Ziglar

One sure thing about life, is that it comes with a fair share of opportunities, both good and bad. One of the greatest failures that can happen to those that have the honor to stand in front of individuals, whether in large or small settings and impart wisdom, is that they sometimes fail to prepare themselves in how to embrace the good, the bad and the glorious. Notice I said, “Impart wisdom”? Many are just repeating knowledge they took from someone else’s writings or teachings, but nothing more. Knowledge without wisdom is just information and we need more than information to succeed in life. Pastors, mentors, life coaches, etc. have the opportunity to help others embrace life and all that comes with it and learn from it, but we have those that shade it as doom. Others may shade it as clouds and rainbows, but life is like a bipolar friend. One minute it’s up and the other it’s down, and one minute we are laughing and the next we are crying. If we can get the right perspective on life, then we can take every moment and enter into “Life University”. We can then graduate from it with a degree on how to truly live a Kingdom Life. There is nothing more humbling than failure and sometimes no better teacher. The fear of failure has stopped so many from finding their place in life, and for others, it has helped them find their voice.

I want to offer a few suggestions on what you can do to bring change into your life:

1. Inventory your life on paper. Be real and not emotional.
2. Look for areas you can change NOW!
3. Add some type of exercise.
4. Change your eating habits.
5. Change your daily routine.
6. I find that starting and ending my day talking and listening to God, is the perfect way to bring balance to a wobbly world.

Now this list is by no means a complete list, but instead, it’s a starting point for change and no race was ever won without a start.

So the best way I can think of to bring this post to a close, is by telling you this: Failure is not forever and no matter what you are going through right now, it is temporary. You might feel like your whole life has been built for failure, BUT the only person that can change this is YOU! So bring forth the change!

I hope this has in some way spoken to you and will either help you or better you to help others.

CAUTION: Speed Bumps Ahead!!!!

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“Your greatest battle is in your mind; not your circumstance.”
Author Unknown

Have you ever been driving along minding your own business when BAM, out of nowhere, you are blind-sided by something you did not see coming? Most of the time, we find traffic signs that let us know what lies ahead; but unfortunately, life doesn’t offer these warning signs. So what do we do when we encounter these speed bumps? Hopefully, that question will be answered in this blog post.

Let me tell you a little story. Recently, my wife and I joined the “empty nesters club” and we decided to find some things that we could do together that are out of the box for us. We joined a local running club and if you know me, you would know that running has NEVER been my strong point. IN fact, to run a lap around the track one time without stopping, was a miracle! So, we join this club and show up for the first day and meet our fearless leader, Jim “Papa Turtle” Hardin who is 67 years young and seems to be able to run FOREVER! Did I mention FOREVER?? Anyways, I find that our morning run will be a little over 3 miles and mind you it’s 5:00 am! Did I mention its 5:00 am and January?! So we are off and Jim motivates us the entire run with encouraging words and stories that make the run go by faster. Moving forward to now, we are running 2 – 3 times a week minimum and 3.5 miles each time. Now fast forward to present, specifically to last Thursday, when we were running and right at the 1.76 mile mark, I get a horrible cramp in my left knee which is followed by a POP and then me sitting on a curb unable to walk. How many would say this is bad? It’s cold, I’m sweaty, it’s dark and I’m in pain. There were no warning signs for this event that just happened! I have found that asking “WHY” is not a motivator, but what I do or think next is what’s important.

You see, life has its way of offering what I call speed bumps as we journey forward and most of the time, there is no warning. Side thought here, I have also noticed that when we stand still and do nothing or go backwards in life, there are no speed bumps OR rewards. What happens when we get to those speed bumps, makes all the difference in life. We have got to learn to find the opportunities in the circumstances or speed bumps. We must learn that we are only down for as long as we allow the circumstance to rule the moment. I myself already have plans for three upcoming 5k runs and I told this body of mine that if I have to do them on crutches, I will. So SUCK IT UP and let’s keep moving!

I was reading in my Bible and noticed that when Jesus healed people, most of the time I found the word “immediately” within the same scripture. If you look up the definition of immediately, you will find, “at once, instantly, without any intervening time or space.” As a Christian who walks by faith and not by sight, that was what I grabbed ahold of. I’m not saying this is what you should do if you find yourself in the same place! What I do want you to take away from this, is that when you hit those speed bumps that your very next decision, thought and/or action, sets the stage for what the road ahead will be like.

If a dream fails, it’s not the end; but instead, the beginning to a new one IF you can see it that way.

If you lose or get fired from your present job, it’s not the end of the world; but instead, a promotion to something new IF you can see it that way.

If you get a negative medical report or injury, don’t let it end life; but instead, let it ignite you to pursue what you CAN do with greater passion than ever before.

We have all heard the statement, “When life gives you lemons make lemonade”, but I add to that by saying, find a way to grow bigger, think larger and live without walls during those seasons.

Life is too short to let the speed bumps hold you back. Whatever you are going through this day, find opportunity in that circumstance and make it a stepping-stone to greater things.

Today, right now, this very second, is the beginning of something new or just another second of the same old same old. You decide!

THERE!

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“In everyone’s life there is a place called there; BUT it’s not at the end of the journey we find it, but instead in the very second of life we are in right NOW.” ME =)

So many live their lives saying, “One day I will be THERE,” as if the word there was a destination. After you read this post, I challenge you to see it from a different point of view for a moment and possibly forever. Stay with me as I dive deeper into this thought in this Kingdom Thinking post.

My wife, Debbie, and I, just joined a local running club to give us something new to do together in life. Running has not been something we normally do; however, it is especially out of the box for me. As I was running yesterday, I started thinking about this place we call THERE. I was looking at my running times and my distance and foreseeing better times and longer distances and thinking to myself that those would be in a place called THERE. Admit it, you have done the very same. Then a thought popped into my blazing fast mind. No matter what, THERE, in this mindset, is never attained and therefore becomes a place pursued but never reached. For many, life is built for pursuits instead of rejoicing in the victories! I immediately started thinking about the fact of what was going on – I am running and I am getting better each time. As soon as I start running, THERE becomes now. It’s the place I’m in and I’m rejoicing for what I’ve been blessed with and not with what I don’t have. I’m running and my times keep getting better and my 5k non-stop running distance is getting farther and the list just keeps going! YES, all this came from one AM run. This is what happens when I’m left to myself, and my mind and spirit man engage together. =)

I have decided that THERE is my new NOW and NOW that I’m THERE the journey looks so much different! Are you one of those that are always telling yourself that ONE-DAY YOU WILL BE THERE? STOP and realize that you are already in a place called THERE and life is what we make of it. Start enjoying it NOW and all that it has to offer. The good, the bad and the ugly are all a part of life, so SUCK IT UP and make the best of it. I recently heard someone say, “There are treasures even in the trials of life”. That is so true, but it all starts with how you are viewing life.

You must understand that the greatest, most defining moment in your life is this one right now and you are not promised another. Think about it. What if you live for that distant place called THERE, but then that THERE never arrives for you or at least what you think that THERE is? The only second in time that you have been promised is the one you are currently in now and that one is precious. It can’t be gotten back if wasted and it can’t be put on hold for later. So now that you’re THERE, what are you going to do with it?

I can’t wait to hear!

Suck it up! NEXT…..

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Suck it up - NEXT

I was truly blessed from the responses to the last blog post, SUCK IT UP; however, as I thought about it more and more, I just kept seeing the next chapter. So let’s continue the journey in this post.

“I would rather start and fail than not to start at all.“
Author unknown

In every situation, there is always a NEXT, but the NEXT is normally dictated by OUR response to the situation. I can look back at my life and see how I handled things and what came NEXT and I see a corresponding reaction to the action.

Before we move any further, let’s define the word NEXT: “coming after this one, coming after the one that just came, happened, etc., any other.” It seems pretty straight forward that next is only to be after something else. It’s an elementary process of order that we cannot change!

We will never realize the NEXT until we conquer the NOW! Adding to this even deeper, we are not to focus on the NEXT, but instead on the NOW. Confused yet? Stay with me! Most of the time we want what’s next without conquering the now. You see, this isn’t the case in real life. My wife and I were recently watching a movie and the leading man was having a conversation with the leading lady that went something like this: “You know what I hate most about the statement, happily ever after? It’s not the end of the story, but instead the beginning.” It’s the same for me in these blog post topics, as we SUCK IT UP and conquer the NOW, advancing to the NEXT is what matters. We are by design created to conquer, grow and increase rather than fear, hide and fail.

A good writer never sees the end of the story as the end, but instead as a start to the next great novel. A runner never sees the end of the race as an end, but instead as a conquered goal that advances them to the next one.

I know so many associate the statement, “SUCK IT UP” with a negative thought, but it can also be taken as a great motivator used for positive. It all depends on how you are willing to take it. Those three words have become my battle cry in moments of weakness. First, I know according to Philippians 4:13 (AMP) “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am [b]self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].” Second, the excitement for what’s next makes me want to conquer the now.

So I kindly say to you this day, SUCK IT UP and know that you can do it!