Facing Deficiencies

Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them; but do not let them master you. Let them teach you patience, sweetness, insight.
- Helen Keller

EVERYONE you will ever meet has a deficiency or a weakness. Some hide them better than others. When someone points out that deficiency in your life, acknowledge it, and face that giant. A wise man once pointed out to me that God allows our deficiencies to surface not to embarrass us or to cause us to give up, but more appropriately to allow us to fix them, so we can be more like Him. You don't have to be weak to have weaknesses, but do not let them have control.

Helen Keller knew about weaknesses and deficiencies, but overcame them and became a great orator, author, and developed several foundations. The order of the Southern Cross was conferred upon her because of her charitable work. It wasn't always this way. Up until the age of 2 years old, Helen was a perfectly normal child. Then at the age of two years old, she contracted a very high fever that left her both blind and dumb (speechless). She began to throw tantrums because of the frustration that she faced because that she was now unable to communicate. It wasn't until Anne Sullivan came and made her realize that these disabilities did not make her worthless. These deficiencies caused her to learn patience, allowing a new insight about the value of not letting weaknesses to overcome her.

Even if life starts out normal, and takes a terrible turn, we can make it! We need to be aware that trials come to make us strong. The Bible says, "Greater is He that is in us, than He that is in the world."

Courage and Strength

Hard things are put in our way, not to stop us, but to call out our courage and strength.
- Anonymous

Next time you are faced with hard times, you should realize that the Bible says, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind." You have the power, through God, to push back anything that comes against you. The Church is being called to the strength and courage she knows. God wants to use us more now than ever before to bring about miracles, signs, and wonders. Push your fears aside and step into the courage and strength that God has provided for the Church, even if you are in the midst of most difficult times.

Within You

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
- William Morrow

Truer words have never been spoken! If you have the fortitude you can face any storm or adversity with the utmost confidence. It isn't what you face that makes you! It's what you do with what you face that changes you! Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world, according to God's Word. You have the greatest potential to be anything you want to be right inside you. You already possess the power. Use it! Become! Change your world! You have the power within!

There is a Time

Charles Dickens began his book, “A Tale of Two Cities”, with these words:
“IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,”…

Mr. Dickens penned those words in regards to the year 1775; they express how he felt about that particular time.

We, like Dickens, are living in "the best of times," and "the worst of times." There has never been a better era in which to live, but the world has never been more wicked than it is now. It is your choice as to which side you will live in. Will you choose to live in "the epoch of belief" or the "epoch of incredulity?" The world and it's violent ugliness has created a time so bad that it is unprecedented in the history of the world. We are, however, living in the greatest, most powerful time the church has ever known.

Happy Busy People!

"The happiest people are those who are too busy to notice whether they are or not."
-William Feather.

An idle mind is the devil's workshop! I have heard this comment for years and believe it to be true. No I am not talking about resting. Everyone needs rest sometime. When you just sit around however, your mind becomes a playground for mischief. I have often heard quoted, "If you want to get a job done, ask a busy person." These people often have a better outlook on life, and see life as a journey and not a destination. Hence, their whole life is consumed with keeping themselves occupied and making forward progress. We all derive satisfaction when a goal is accomplished and done well. This makes us happy. Therefore, most happy people are busy people.

ARE YOU HAPPY?

Happiness is a Choice

Our greatest happiness in life does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.
- Thomas Jefferson

Happiness is a by-product of living well, and with a good conscience. Living well with a good conscience comes through living for God. Being happy is a choice. I can either be happy or miserable. When worries try to overwhelm us, and they will, we need to poitively make a choice to smile through the pain and laugh through the sorrow. I have made a choice that I will not go through life miserable.

"Don't Worry, Be Happy!"

UNITY ≠ UNIFORMITY

Uniformity and unity are not at all the same thing. According to Random House Dictionary, 2006, uniformity and unity are as follows:

u·ni·form·i·ty /ˌyunəˈfɔrmɪti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[yoo-nuh-fawr-mi-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -ties. 1. the state or quality of being uniform; overall sameness, homogeneity, or regularity: uniformity of style.
2. something uniform.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Origin: 1400–50; late ME uniformite < MF uniformite < LL ūnifōrmitās, equiv. to L ūnifōrm(is) uniform + -itās -ity]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

u·ni·ty /ˈyunɪti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[yoo-ni-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -ties. 1. the state of being one; oneness.
2. a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.
3. the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole; unification.

In short, uniformity is when all the parts are a cookie cutter copy of each other, whereas, unity is the homogenizing of parts into a whole.

Never will you find true uniformity among people because we are so vastly different depending on our background, environment, socioeconomic status, race, educational diversity, cultural diversification, etc...

Unity on the other hand is taking what we have and blending it together toward a common purpose and goal in order to achieve maximum success. My son is the bass singer for a group name "freeWAY" (formerly known as the WAY quartet). Each young man's voice is so uniquely different from the other; you wonder how could they possibly blend these four voices. It is really quite simple! Each man seeks to blend with the other and form one harmonious sound. Each one will get his chance to solo and show off his vocal talent and uniqueness, but for the homogeneity of the group, they choose to lay aside personal preferences for the sake of the whole.

With regard to the Bible, God has certain absolutes! No one ever crossed those without getting God's attention, oft times with consequences. With regard to these points, God expects conformity. No group will ever see eye to eye on all their convictions, however, biblical principles are not convictions, they are mandates. It is time we guard our own convictions but meld our spirits into a unity of the brethren. I heard a man once preach a message that we need to "Save the Bean Patch", referring to guarding our principles. I agree! Yet, we need to save the bean patch, even if our brother is not growing the same beans as I am! I shouldn't go around trying to pull out his beans because he is not growing the exact same variety as mine. Isn't his bean patch also important? I am in no way eluding to the compromise of God's message of Oneness, Holiness or Sanctification. Simply stated, even though we do not see eye to eye on every point, if our biblical message is the same, aren't we brethren, even without uniformity, but with unity?

Am I diluting what I believe by doing this? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I am "...endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace... until we all come to the unity of the faith..." Ephesians 4:3,13

I Can't Get Close Enough

I reach out my hands to draw you in,
but I can't get close enough.

I see you in each smiling face,
tho I can't get close enough.

I whisper your name in the stillness of night,
still I can't get close enough.

I breathe you in with every flowery fragrance,
I can't get close enough.

My soul craves your touch,
I can't get close enough.

I kneel my knee at the wood,
again I can't get close enough.

Then you come and dwell within,
suddenly you are close enough.

Nature Speaks of God

Howling winds caress mountain peaks

carving them into picturesque silhouettes--



Trees raise their branches in silent submission

to the heavens above them--



Rivers flow carving out their deep crevices

like tears flowing down a muddy face--



Vast valleys wind through the earth

searching for that pristine meadow--



Man finds his God by raising his hands

in deep contrition to his Creator.

What Are You Becoming?

Majestic are the mountain peaks, but have you seen what they have to endure to be majestic? The Giant Redwood or the Sequoias have had to suffer the cruelest of storms to be as magnificent. The blooming desert has faced long harsh summers and unrelenting winters, yet bloom with the most insignificant amounts of water. The mighty rivers rush to the ocean but have you seen what they had to cut away to be mighty? Just remember, whenever you face your difficult moments in life, God is either trying to make you majestic, magnificent, beautiful, or mighty.

A Single Voice Above the Noise

There is a single voice above the noise. When the world is whirling about and the constant banter of mundane sounds pound out their lyrics in our heads, is there a single voice above the noise? You can stand near the oceans' pounding surf or the crash of immense falls and still hear it. Yet, all the while, it is soft, gentle and calm. Do you hear it? Sshh, be still, do you hear it now? Yes, He is calling. He is the Single Voice Above the Noise.

I Am Bound To My Convictions

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.
- Abraham Lincoln


You may not always win but you MUST be true to your convictions. In light of some recent developments in our organization, this even rings more true with me today. I would rather be with people who may not see it just exactly the way I do, but will respect my convictions, than to be with those who are simply bitter spirited. They portray one image and live another all the while rejecting those who don't quite measure up to what is portrayed. Webster defines this as hypocrisy!

He can do more for others who has done most with himself.
- S.D. Gordon

It should be understood that before we are able to do much for those around us that we must prepare ourselves for the task. Too many people are quick to offer an opinion or assist in fixing a problem when they themselves have no discipline in their own lives. It is no wonder Jesus said, "He that is without sin, cast the first stone." We we fix ourselves then we will have no trouble in working with those who ask for our help.

Legacy

The legacy you are leaving behind -- is it temporal or eternal?

According to Random House Unabridged Dictionary, legacy means:
1. Law. a gift of property, esp. personal property, as money, by will; a bequest.
2. anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor

Are you simply leaving possessions or are you leaving something more lasting?

Friendships

The firmest friendships have been formed in mutual adversity, as iron is most strongly united by the fiercest flame.
- Charles Caleb Colton

When forging friendships make sure that you chose friends who will love you even when you are in the most difficult of times. Remember, a true friend loveth at all times!

Be Your Best!

If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Resolve this year to be the very best that you can be!