True Positive: Day Three – Hope

July 9, 2017Leave a comment

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Despair comes easily when we find ourselves in a difficult situation. Generally speaking, it is a basic human tendency to defer to the negative. It takes a deliberate effort to look for hope when circumstance seem bleak, but that’s what positive people do. We must be honest and realistic about our pain, but through our grief we can look for glimmers of hope.

There is always hope. It may seem like a small sliver, but God can bring good even through the darkest night. Hold onto hope as you cry out to God. Trust the God of all hope to bring you through and ask Him to infuse you with hope. When Jeremiah lamented his own troubles, he made an intentional turn toward hope. He wrote, “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end (Lamentations 3:21-22).”

As we focus on God’s unfailing love, let’s ask Him to give us a bigger picture of hope through the power of His Spirit at work within us. As Paul wrote, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope (Romans 15:13).”

New Thinking for the New Year

January 2, 2017Leave a comment

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Why is it that we stay in the same rut, thinking the same thoughts and yet expecting different results? Isn’t that the definition of insanity? Every January 1^st offers the opportunity to make new plans and take positive steps forward in our life, and it begins with our thinking. As we determine to make improvements in our life, let’s begin with a fresh start and a positive perspective.

Every year, I like to think of a new motto, a key Bible verse and one word to focus on for the next twelve months. Here are mine:

Motto: Live Clean in 2017! In every area of my life, mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally, I want to clean out the old negative habits and form good healthy new habits.

Key Bible Verse: Proverbs 31:25 “She is clothed with strength and dignity.”

My Word for the Year: Strength

Along with these inspirational objectives, I also like to ask myself a few questions as I think through specific goals. Here are three questions to consider for the new year:

How do I want to improve from last year?
Who do I want to get to know better this year?
In what ways can I reach out and be a blessing to others?

Three simple questions that can guide your thinking for the new year. I hope it is a wonderful 2017 for you as you step out of the old and bring in the new.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

The Apostle Paul

5 Holiday Happiness Boosters

December 12, 2016Leave a comment

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Although we sing about Christmastime being the “hap, happiest time of the year,” many people struggle to experience the joy of the season. Whether it’s family relationships, financial struggles or stress-filled schedules, this time of the year has the potential to make us feel emotionally snowed under. Here are a few holiday happiness boosters to help you discover delight in the season.

Determine to find the treasure in everyone. Let’s face it, during the holidays we are surrounded by a few (or more) negative and annoying people. But just as every coin has two sides, so every person has both difficult qualities and pleasant ones. Sometimes we have to dig a little deeper to find the hidden treasure in a person. Make it your own personal challenge to discover the treasure in every person you encounter from the lady in front of you in the checkout line to the family member who sees life differently than you.

Choose to forgive. Make a positive decision to give up the grievance or bitterness you are harboring in your heart toward someone. It is only weighing you down and making you unhappy. Move forward and let go of whatever you are holding onto, and you will experience a great sense of relief and freedom. You may need to continue to set wise boundaries from hurtful people, but hand your unforgiveness over to the Lord. He came at Christmas to offer forgiveness for all our sins, how can we not do the same for others?

Stay healthy. Be deliberate about taking care of your body during the holidays. Get the rest you need and don’t forget to take your vitamins (I know I sound like your mother). A good stress-relieving walk will strengthen you, both physically and emotionally. And be thoughtful about what you are putting in your mouth. If you eat yucky foods – you will only feel yucky. Try to be intentional about eating green and lean when you can throughout the holidays.

Give joyfully. Keep your gift-giving perspective bright and loving. Instead of getting frustrated and stressed out as you shop, turn your attitude toward the wonderful thought that this is an opportunity to bless others. Pray for each person on your list and ask the Lord to show you what would be meaningful to that person. Remember, you can choose your perspective, so shop with a heart filled with love rather than grumbling.

Be Thankful. Every morning this week, take a moment to thank the Lord for at least five ways He has blessed you. Gratitude to God brings a fresh delight to your day. As you thank God for your immediate blessings, take a moment to reflect on the fact that Holy God came to this earth as a humble baby to bring us the greatest present of all – His Presence. He came to show us love and to offer His life as a sacrifice for our sins.

My hope for you this Christmas is that you will find your strength in Him and that you will know the love He has for you.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:9,10

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Shine the Light of Hope During the Holidays

December 5, 2016December 5, 2016Leave a comment

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The beauty of the Holidays always makes me smile. The colorful trees and joyful decorations along with the music and celebrations make it a magical time of the year. But there is a flipside to this glowing holiday – the rushing around, trying to get a million things accomplished, the pressure of getting just the right gifts and the challenges that come from difficult relationships. Often, our joy can be zapped by the busyness and stress of the season.

Ultimately, I want to live with joy, love and forgiveness throughout the holidays – and I’m sure you do too. I don’t want another Christmas to whiz by without sharing the hope of the season with others. Here are a few simple ways to intentionally live with hope and shine the light of Jesus into the lives of the people around us.

See Hope. Every person has potential, so let’s open our eyes to look for the positive possibilities in each person we encounter throughout our day. It’s easy to focus on the glaring negatives of friends and family (and even strangers) and see nothing but their mistakes. Aren’t you glad that God looks at us with eyes of grace and hope? If He sees our potential, shouldn’t we do the same for others? Remember, He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Since God sees hope in us, let us allow the God of hope to love through us.

Speak Hope. Our words have the ability to offer life, but they also have the ability to tear down and destroy. How we use our words says a lot about our character. Do you use your words to say kind and uplifting truths to the people around you, or do you use your words to gossip, complain, argue and grumble? During this season and all year through, let us use our words to infuse joy and hope into the lives of others.

Bring Hope. We can’t do everything, but we can do something. There are simple ways to bring hope to the people God has placed in our lives, so let’s be intentional about doing it. Ask God to open your eyes to the needs around you and consider one small act of hope that you can do this season. Share a meal, decorate cookies and give them to neighbors, greet people with a smile, write a note to someone who has been a blessing to you this year – it only takes a moment to brighten another life.

In our world today, every person could use a hearty dose of hope. Let us be lights that shine hope through the darkness in our world this Christmas.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13

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How to Be a Thankful Person

November 24, 2016Leave a comment

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Thankfulness is a game-changer! It’s one simple attitude that can make a monumental difference in your personal relationships, your work and your outlook on life. I know it may sound simplistic to say that being a thankful person can have such a powerful impact on our lives, but this one mind-shift has the potential to transform your actions and interactions with others. So how can a person develop an attitude of gratitude? Here are a few ways to redirect your thought-life and make positive difference in the world.

Write it down. Start the habit of writing down your blessings in a thankfulness journal every morning as you enjoy your first cup of coffee. Write down at least five things that happened over the last 24 hours for which you can be thankful. You will begin to notice and pay attention to all the good things in your life, rather than being overwhelmed with the negative.
Turn around challenges. When you face frustrations, mistakes, difficulties or challenges, instead of thinking that the world is against you, look for something good. Every challenge has a silver lining, but you must look (sometimes long and hard) to find it. Keep your focus on the benefits and what you can learn from your difficulties.
See the best in others. There are no perfect people. Everyone has their own set of flaws, but thankful people choose to find something good in everyone. It’s easy to focus on people’s negative qualities, so it takes a deliberate effort to look for the good points in others. It’s a choice, but one that will turn your relationships around and open up your heart to the people around you.
Stop grumbling. It’s time to get rid of the complaints and use your time and energy to do something positive. Negative talk only leads to discouragement, bitterness and anger. When you are tempted to grumble, save your words and find something productive you can do to make a difference. Turn grumbling into gratitude through loving actions.
Step back and look at the bigger picture. Often we get worried and upset over circumstances and events, but if we step back and look at the bigger picture we can gain perspective. Often I ask myself, “In the big scheme of life, how much does this really matter?” When we look at things in light of eternity, it reduces our fears and opens our hearts to the opportunity to find blessings in the long run. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “Our light, momentary afflictions are producing in us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen, but the things that are unseen.” Now that’s the perspective of someone with an attitude of gratitude!

Be a grateful person and you will become happy and content with life. It begins with simple habits formed over time to change your perspective. Most important, start each day thanking God for His unfailing love. Let’s celebrate Thanksgiving every day of the year!

I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.

Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!

…How kind the Lord is! How good he is!

So merciful, this God of ours!

…I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.

Psalm 116:1,2,5,17