Keep Pushing

The world is moved not only by the mighty shoves of the heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.
- Helen Keller

No matter how small and insignificant you feel, simply remember, you are doing more than you feel that you are doing. If everyone quit pushing, no matter how small the push, nothing would ever be accomplished. Few heroes ever changed the world, it is the small touch: a mother brushing the tears away from her child, the hug from a friend, a kiss from your lover. These small seemingly insignificant pushes or touches are what keeps people going.

YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR WORLD WITH JUST ONE SMALL PUSH AT A TIME! KEEP PUSHING!!

Goodness and Strength

To be capable of steady friendship or lasting love, are the two greatest proofs, not only of goodness of heart, but of strength of mind.
- William Hazlitt

When we love, or at least have a strong friendship with someone, we are willing to forgive and continue our love with them. We can strongly disagree and not strain our love for one another because our love is not based on whether we agree or not. True love is based on our heart and mind. It is no wonder that the Bible states, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." (Mark 12:30) Jana and I have had a lasting love simply because of our profound love for one another and our strength of mind to keep it that way--you can too!

Just a subscript: You can learn a lot more from listening than you can from talking. If you want to learn something about someone, take a seat, shut your mouth and don't argue back. You might be surprised how much alike that you really are! It is physically impossible to listen and speak at the same time!

Chance Of A Lifetime

A day dawns, quite like other days; in it, a single hour comes, quite like other hours; but in that day and in that hour the chance of a lifetime faces us.
- Maltbie Babcock

Sometimes life gives us only one chance at something, and we will never get that chance again. In a single moment we can seize the chance of a lifetime and our lives are forever changed, or we can miss the opportunity and forever regret the missed chance. Every moment of every day, be aware of the chance that life affords you and apprehend that moment. It might be the one chance that you get to make a difference!

One Of Life's Important Lessons

The most important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one's work seriously and taking one's self seriously. The first is imperative, and the second disastrous.
- Margot Fonteyn

While I think that everyone should have a God measured amount of self-esteem, self-pride, and self-worth we must be careful not to take ourselves too seriously and think more of ourselves than we ought to think. The Apostle Paul writing to the Romans said it best, "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." (Romans 12:3) The Apostle James writes in chapter 1 verse 14 of his book, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed."

While you may disagree that this quote and these verses of scripture do not intertwine, I respectfully ask you to reconsider them again. Most people who take themselves too serious think more highly of themselves than they ought.

Work hard so that when your name goes on what you completed people can see that you have done a good job, but don't brag too much about your work. Let others do that for you!

Trials Build Character

Trials, temptations, disappointments -- all these are helps instead of hindrances, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the fibre of a character, but strengthen it. Every conquered temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.
- James Buckham

Temptations are brought about because of Satan or ones-self. The Bible says that, "God tempteth no man but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed." If you can overcome temptation then you will be stronger.

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.