Know What Stands Between You and Your Destiny

July 28, 2011 by 12 Comments
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Know What Stands Between You and Your Destiny

by Olga Hermans

 

Are you in for a little challenge today? We’ve all had our share of adversities and we will continue to face hard times but harsh conditions have a way of bringing out the champion on the inside of us. Let’s have a look at our life experiences not in a self-pity manner or in a manner that brings disappointment or shame but from the standpoint of turning all our past experiences into hope for someone else.

If you would do that it would bring out your own uniqueness, your own message and you would move towards your destiny with great expectancy.

You might be going through something that somebody else is going through right now and they need your wisdom for that certain situation. They need to know what you know. Here is a very suitable quote form Myles Monroe: “Most people think the greatest tragedy in life is death. The greatest tragedy in life is to live and not know your purpose”.

Having lived your whole life and never really having that assurance of know what you have accomplished what you were meant to do is a very discouraging thought. So, if you are saying that you don’t have any dreams or you don’t have any goals, you definitely need to spend more time with God. Because God has a destiny for everybody on this planet and that includes you!

Sandi Krakowski

Some of us are called to be entrepreneurs and to be successful, like my coach, Sandi Krakowski. She went through a lot of trauma as a young girl; even gang raped in her 20s. She is a true survivor turned thriver – $500K debt – given a year to live – to creating and owning one of the fastest growing online business-coaching and information publishing companies in North America. Today she is totally debt free for the past 5 years and medically completely healthy and she gives God all the credit for it.

Others are called to be a mother of 12. Yeah, my friend Charlotte Siems is a pastor’s wife and she has 12 children.

Or my friend Denny Hagel who has a passion to help parents raise their children and is doing this already for over 25 years and is very succesfull.

It doesn’t matter what you do as a career or calling, God wants to use you and impact people around you. He wants you as you are, as He designed you to be; nothing less and nothing more. Here is another great quote from Mike Murdoch: “Your life’s assignment is not your decision but your discovery”.

Of course there are some decisions that you have to make to make it all happen. I remember the moment that my husband and I decided to go to VBI-Tulsa; that was a major decision for us and one of the best decisions we have ever made. But it wasn’t easy; our children were 13 and 11. We moved from overseas; they had to learn English, leave their friends behind and make new friends. But our lives have never been the same since.

Decisions are like falling dominoes in a line, each one toppling one irreversible consequence against another. After that we went back to The Netherlands to start a bibleschool, which also was a big decision that we did not regret. Life is too short for regrets. That’s why it is soo important for you to know who you are, what is important to you and what you want to do with your life.

God orders our steps; that means that He is always endeavouring to maneuver you towards your destiny. If you will listen to Him, then you will always be in the right place at the right time with the right people. That’s the reason you need to be sensitive to His leadership.

I believe that God has some extremely exciting things on the horizon for you. No matter how miserable your life may be at this very moment, God has a plan and God’s plan is to turn your life around. Make a choice to not run from Him, when you are distressed and unhappy, then He will and He can turn your situation around. He always knows what to do; He knows exactly what it takes to turn your life around.

What stands between you and your destiny? God’s will for you is always triumph! ALWAYS! 2Cor.2:14. That means that God always wants the very best for your life, no matter how impossible your circumstances look at this very moment. If you stumble and fall seven times, get up again ad go again. Remember, your hard times make you strong!

Satan will come between you and your destiny. He’ll create barriers. He’ll create obstacles, tests and trials because he knows more than you do that God has a powerful plan for your life. He will stand between you and your destiny. He will come up with the most ridiculous situations so that you will be discouraged and want to quit, and never fulfill what God has planned for you.

Let me remind that the difficulties that you are facing today, the thing that is trying to keep you from your destiny today, could become that stepping stone to your greatest victory! Don’t let the devil steal your destiny. God is always there to help you; He will change your whole life. Just as He did with my coach Sandi Krakowski; she is a great example to many.

Never get the idea that your life is no good because you weren’t on drugs or because you hadn’t made a terrible mess of your life. I know people think they don’t have a good testimony because they didn’t experience a whole lot of things. I think that, that is a wonderful testimony and there are people who want to hear it. People are looking for evidence; they are looking for what you have on the inside of you.

If this article is talking to you, it may be time to reexamine what you are doing. You are not meant to live an unfulfilled life. Make sure that you are doing THAT particular thing that is part of your destiny. Don’t spend years and years in a meaningless existence, doing something you dislike, staying there simply because it is convenient and you don’t want to rock the boat. Let me help you to step into your divine destiny; I wrote this book especially for you.

There are many people who have no clue what they are supposed to do in life, don’t let this  be you!
Go and get my book NOW by clicking here!

 

What Did You Think?

Please take a quick moment and leave your comments below.  Thank you!

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Simple Steps to Pay Yourself First

July 25, 2011 by 13 Comments
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Many of our readers that completed our survey told us that they would love to read more on money issues. I am pleased to tell you that my friend Beau Henderson with whom I did The RichLife Fast Track 30 Day Coaching Program, as some of you will remember, was more than willing to be  our guest today at The Choice Driven Life.

I have learned a lot of things from him lately all around making the right choices for our financial life as well. One choice that we should make and that would give our fnances a boost, you will learn from him today.

I am so glad to introduce Beau to you our valuable readers. I am very blessed to know Beau and even more honored when he said yes when I asked him to be our guest on the blog today.

You will learn a principle that is definitely going to change your life, if you apply it.

Enjoy today’s article by Beau Henderson!!

 

 

You are the most important asset that you have. Take care of yourself.

 

Simple Steps to Pay Yourself First

by Beau Henderson

 

Are you saving regularly?

Many people never save because they think it is too complicated, but the concept of saving is really quite simple.  Developing the discipline of saving is what takes a little work.

The three reasons I hear most for not being able to save are: I don’t make enough, I’ll save what’s left, and I have too much debt.
Do you relate to any of these reasons for not saving?

Let’s examine these excuses together, one at a time, and find out how you can start to pay yourself first.  The good news is that You can begin to save now, today, because paying yourself first is a mindset and a habit that has nothing to do with the size of your paycheck.

Reason #1: I don’t make enough money…

There are two kinds of people – those who save now and those who wait. The employee who makes $2,000 a month and gets in the habit of putting $50 of it away will have $600 saved by the end of the year. The same employee who waits until they can “save more” will have $0. And after 10 years, they still won’t have anything saved, and will still be waiting to have enough to save.
Are You Playing the “When I/Then I” Game?

It goes something like this… “When I can save $200 a month, then I will start to put away money for the future”.  The problem with this game is that it rarely, if ever works and our nature is to always create the next “When I/Then I” scenario instead of developing the habit needed to be successful with money.
Get into the habit of setting aside a portion of what you make now.

It doesn’t matter how little, it can be $5 or $5000. The important thing is to get in the habit. If you can bump up that amount annually by at least 3% or $25 a check as your pay increases, and in ten years, you’ll be saving at least $250 a paycheck. But it will never add up like that unless you get started.

Reason #2 I’ll save what’s left…

And typically what’s left is nothing. It happens to everyone. Saving won’t happen if you approach it this way. It is human nature to spend what is there, so don’t even give yourself the option. Take out the amount first, before you’ve even see it. Have it automatically deducted if you can, and put it into a separate account. Once you get in the habit of doing this, you won’t even miss it.
Put it on Auto Pilot For Success

To be successful at paying yourself first make savings automatic.  Your company’s 401k, 403b, SEP, or other retirement plan can deduct a percentage of your income pre-tax from your paycheck.  You can set up an automatic draft to fund after tax savings like ROTH IRAs, brokerage accounts, and savings accounts.  You have to plan for real life  and can set up automatic drafts to fill up separate buckets for emergency savings, car fund, house maintenance.
Reward Yourself to Stay on Track

All of this automatic saving is great, but if you want to stay on track you have to build in some rewards for all of your disciplined hard work.  Most successful clients build in buckets or automatic accounts to fill up for things like a road trip to see the grandkids, an annual trip to Vegas, or a deep sea fishing trip with the guys.

Remember, financial success is about living well.  These memorable experiences are priceless and need to be planned and saved for or else we are right back to playing the “When I/Then I” game in this area as well.

Reason #3 I have too much debt…

The truth is those that have the discipline to pay themselves first get out of debt faster.

Debt won’t go away unless you pay it off and nothing will get saved unless you start now. So split the difference. Come up with a formula that works for you.   People that have a succesful relationship with money create a formula using these 4 components:

Example:

1.      An amount you can live off – 70%

2.      An amount to save – 10%

3.      An amount to go towards debt – 10%

4.      An amount to give away – 10%

If you need every penny, the breakdown can be 97%, 1%, 1%, 1%.

What happens when the debt is gone?  You’ll be able to increase your savings without having to change your lifestyle or spend a penny more.

Paying yourself first puts the focus where it should be – on the person whom the money was meant to serve. In my experience, it is never the behavior of the investment that makes the difference so much as the behavior of the investor.

You are the most important asset that you have. Take care of yourself. It might be hard at first, but getting into the habit now will result in easier saving tomorrow. This is one of the core principals necessary to building a RichLife. It is my most sincere hope that you achieve yours.

What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to paying yourself first?

 

Beau Henderson is a financial advisor, author, coach, radio personality, and CEO of RichLife Advisors. He has helped over 3,000 clients to not just improve their relationship with money, but to live the life of their dreams.  For more tips on how you can apply the principal of wise stewardship to your everyday life, get a copy of Beau’s newest book, The RichLife – 10 Investments for True Wealth.

 

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How to Have a Thought-Life You Can Be Proud Of

July 21, 2011 by 9 Comments
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Our Mind Can Be Like Those Old Typewriters


How to Have a Thought-life You Can Be Proud Of

by Olga Hermans

 

In Deut 30:19, God says, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses; therefore choose life.” He gives us an option, but He wants us to do the choosing.  A choice often means we can go the easy way or the hard way.  We can go the way we feel like going or we can go the way we know is right. To make a right and wise choice means we will probably have to discipline ourselves to do something we don’t feel like doing, but know is best.

As the Bible tells us, discipline doesn’t bring immediate joy, but it does bring lasting joy later on. The enemy is always out to destroy us and he often tries to do that by influencing us to make bad choices – to choose to do what feels good or is easy now, instead of what will be beneficial in the long run.

These choices may temporarily satisfy the flesh, but they don’t please God or satisfy us permanently. We should discipline ourselves to make good choices that honor God and His Word. God encourages His children to walk in the Spirit and the way we do that is by choosing to take time to listen to the Holy Spirit and do what we know is right even if it doesn’t feel good.

We’ve all known or know a time when we were in a disagreement with somebody and the air was filled with tension. You can choose to apologize and do what will restore peace or you can choose to stay angry and wait for the other to apologize; we have all been there.

So, what is more important? To be right or to choose for peace? The answer is that it is the right thing to make peace and if we don’t, we are sinning. God is our vindicator and if we need to be shown to be in the right, He will take care of that, but our part is to honor Him by doing what we know is right according to His Word. God can always work out the details but we need to make that quality choice to keep the peace.

You have to realize now more than anything that making right choices is the key to a happy life, and keeping our minds on right things is another one. Don’t let your mind wander around and do whatever it pleases. We have been given the spirit of discipline and self-control. You have been given a sound mind.

I love to sit beside my husband when we are riding down the road; I like to look out of the passenger side window while my husband is driving. He would give a smile if he would be reading this :), but my mind can go off on a drift or wander off onto something that is totally worthless and will not produce anything good in my life.

That doesn’t make me a bad person; it just means I have a choice to make. Will I be lazy and let it “drift”, or will I once again discipline myself to stop thinking that wrong thought and find something good and noble to think about?

I once heard an analogy that someone made; she said our mind can be like those old typewriters. We are focussing on something and our mind starts to wander away from us just like that handle on the typerwriter. I know this typewriter probably tells you my age more than anything else, but, when you start typing, that handle would go all the way to the right and you had to push it back to start e new line.

That is how our mind works, we are in a conversation or something, or reading a book or whatever we do and our mind wanders off…outside the window and we have to push it back just like that old typewriter. Do you get the picture?

My mind can drift when I am in a conversation with my husband, but it also happens when others are speaking and what they are saying really isn’t that interesting to me. It seems to be important to them, but it isn’t to me. My mind starts to drift to thoughts like: “I really have some more important things to do. Or, this is boring… or this goes way too far, I cannot believe this.” Things like that? Oh, you ever thought those things?

Then suddenly a message from my pastor or somebody comes up that we have to treat other people the way we like to be treated. Ouch!! We need to make the other person feel valuable, because they are. So, I am faced with a choice: do I walk in love and show respect for the person talking to me, or do I just pretend that I am listening while I have these wandering thoughts?

Are you surprised that these thoughts happen to me? Let me tell you a secret: they happen to everyone. We are not bad people because bad thoughts come to us but if we don’t resist them, we can become whatever we choose to focus our thoughts on.

The Bible tells us to seek good (1Thess 5:15). Seek means to make an attempt. We all have to seek to think right thoughts. It takes discipline and training, but we can do it. Determine today to set your mind on right things and discipline yourself to keep it set on them and you will enjoy the great and powerful life God has in mind for you.

When you find yourself stuck in a”wandering away” thought that is detrimental to you and you have a hard time staying focussed; get busy doing something good to bless someone. One thing you should not do is stay passive and merely wish you could get it off your mind. Be aggressive and refuse to lend your mind to the devil for his activity.

Remember that bad thoughts lead to bad moods and bad decisions, so don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t add to the quality of your life. Think on that typewriter, I have to do that many times. 😉

You know, if we are deciding on what we think on or decide where our thoughts go; it all comes down to making decisions. We have to make a choice to activate our will to stay focused. Learn How to Make Decisions Like an Expert in 7 Easy Steps by reading our FREE Report.
Click here to receive it.

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How to Manage Your Happiness by Keeping Yourself Sane

July 18, 2011 by 9 Comments
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God Does Not Want You To Sacrifice Your Happiness To Keep Somebody Else Happy

 

How to Manage Your Happiness by Keeping Yourself

By Olga Hermans

 

Oh, how important it is to keep yourself happy and not be living to please everybody else. How easy we can get in that habit of taking on a false sense of responsibility, thinking that it is our job to keep everybody happy. Of course, it is always good to reach out to others and to try to help as many people as possible.

Do you sense the “but” coming? Too often, though, we get out of balance. We’re doing everything for everybody else, but we’re not taking the time to keep ourselves healthy and happy. God does not want you to sacrifice your happiness to keep somebody else happy.

Your first priority is to take care of yourself. I don’t mean to the extent of being selfish and only me, me, me. That is not what I am saying, but I am saying that you cannot be responsible for someone else’s poor choices. If you do, before long, that person will be controlling you and manipulating you.

I think we all know how that feels. God has not called you to be unhappy simply to keep somebody else happy. Truth is, some people don’t want to be helped; they don’t want to change. They just like the attention. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for somebody like that is not to help them.

I remember the time with my oldest sister, who lives in The Netherlands and is mentally ill. I don’t know how she did it, but she could make me feel so guilty if I wouldn’t do that particular thing that pleased her. A few years ago there was a time that I called her every day at the same time and spoke scriptures into her mind. She so enjoyed it and it looked like she was doing so much better.

Anyway, my husband and I were going to a conference in Dallas. She told me how afraid she was to not have me call her and this and that. So, ok I told her I would call every day. I think the 2nd or 3rd time I called her at our agreed time to hear from the front desk that she had gone to a movie. That was the moment that I started to realize I had to do things differently although she was mentally ill.

Life is too short to go through it being controlled and manipulated by people who refuse to make good choices on their own. You are not responsible for everybody else’s happiness. If people are controlling you, it’s not their fault; it’s your fault. You must learn to set some boundaries. Quit allowing them to call you at all hours of the day and night to dump their problems on you.

Many people are all upset, frustrated and discouraged because they’ve made a wrong choice of taking on way too much responsibility for somebody close to them who won’t do what is right. They carry a heavy load, trying to keep someone else happy.

You can be free from all that if you will just give those people to God. Quit trying to be the keeper of the universe. That is not your job. Of course, is not easy at first. My decision towards my sister was very hard on me, but I had to do it. I am not talking about selfish or self-centeredness. We should be givers and care for each other. But there is a big difference between giving and allowing somebody to control you and make you feel guilty until you do what they want.

To reduce stress, be aware of high-maintenance people in your life. Some people are almost impossible to keep happy. Maybe this is a turning point for you. If you have been living to please everybody else, or constantly trying to fix everything, rid yourself of that false sense of responsibility. Yes, be kind and compassionate and yes you should reach out to others. It’s like the saying that says: “you can’t help anybody who won’t help themselves”.

You gotta run your race and not let people control you and manipulate you; you will not only have less stress and more time and energy, but I also believe you will be much happier, and you will be free to fulfill the best plan that God has for you.

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How to Improve Your Decision Making Skills to Make Better Choices

July 14, 2011 by 5 Comments
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Many Times Our Dreams Do Not Become Reality Because Of The Decisions We Make In Our Lives

 

How to Improve Your Decision Making Skills

to Make Better Choices

by Olga Hermans

 

As I was pondering about my next post for this week, being extremely busy with the writing of my eBook “Pursue Your Destiny with Passion and Purpose” and also giving a new look to my FREE Report I thought about how so very important it is to take our God-given destiny serious and to be able to improve our decision making skills so we will NOT regret our choices.

So, I want to give you 5 crucial components to help you step into your destiny by making decisions that matter.

1.  Research: gathering information and collecting data

Gathering facts is very important in making a good decision that you will not regret. Let’s say you want to buy a product that is completely new to you – say a cleaner that you could use on your granite countertops without scratching them. Here you are in the store and a decision is right in front of you.

Have you ever wondered why some of the vitamins that you take are so outrageously expensive?

There is something like research and development. In order to know their target audience, the habits and preferences of their customers, companies spend vast amounts of money each year doing research to develop a new product.

So, how much research and development have you put into the decisions you make? Particularly the decisions with lifelong ripple effects that will move you toward your Destiny? Have you conducted adequate research into the character of that person that you might marry to make sure that s/he is who s/he says s/he is? I hope you see how important research is. Let’s get to the next point, shall we?

2.   Responsibility

Being responsible is something a lot of people don’t know much about. God’s definition of a dreamer is not someone who sits around with his head in the clouds, but it is someone who sees the possibilities of great things and understands it will take a lot of hard work and determination to see it through to the finish.

People that pursue their destiny with passion and purpose are people who are willing to sacrifice and pay the price up front in order to cross the finish line with self-respect and honor. Lazy people are always unhappy and they don’t understand why.

The reason they’re unhappy is because God didn’t create people just so they could sit around and do nothing, bearing no good fruit. We need to be engaged in life. If we want to see change in our life, then we need to ask ourselves what choices we can make to change things.

3.   Rising Higher

God’s plan for each of our lives is that we continually rise to new levels. But how we go about in life, and how much of God’s favour and blessings we experience, will be directly related to how much we decide to follow His directions.

Throughout life, God will deal with us and bring areas to light where we need to make choices to improve. He often speaks to us through our conscience or through a still small voice. He knows the things that are holding us back.

He knows our weaknesses, faults and the inner secrets that we keep hidden. When He brings these matters to our attention and if we want to get closer to our destiny, we have to be willing to face the truth about ourselves and take the correction that God brings to us.

4.  Root Issues; dealing with them

We love to fix things on the surface, like cleaning up our behaviour, trying to be more friendly, more loving and kind. Not spending so much money, or stop using credit cards to buy something on impulse. Not manipulating people any more, not getting so angry and upset. It is a good thing to make choices to try to improve, but so often we are not dealing with the real source of the problem.

People can have a root of insecurity that causes them to feel defensive or have a root of bitterness. Perhaps you have been spinning your wheels, going around in circles year after year, and are not really happy. You need to be honest enough to say, “God, show me what it is. Am I relying on other people to make me happy? Do I have unrealistic expectations?”

“Am I going to be happy only if I get married? Am I allowing my circumstances to keep me down? God, show me the truth about myself.” Some people say, “I’m depressed because my parents were so depressed”. No, you can change. You are a child of God, so you have the greatest power in the universe on the inside of you. You can break any addiction and overcome any stronghold.

You can fulfill your God-given destiny. You may have a negative history, but please understand, you don’t have to have a negative future. What’s important is not where you come from. What matters is where you are going. One of the main ways we can honor God is by taking responsibility for our choices, not blaming our past, not blaming our circumstances. We must get down to the root, take responsibility. Rise up and do something with it. You can experience the good things of God and fulfill your destiny.

5. Rearview: looking back and adjusting as necessary to stay on course

It is an amazing fact but true: the decisions we make today don’t simply affect ourselves; they affect our children and our children’s children for multiplied generations. The Bible talks about how the iniquity of the fathers can be passed down for three to four generations. That means that bad habits, addictions, negativity, wrong mind-sets and other types of iniquities can be passed down.

It is time to rise up and make a decision to do something about it. It may have been there for years, but the good news is it doesn’t have to stay there. You can be the one to put a stop to it. You can be the one to choose the blessing and not the curse. We’ve heard a lot about the generational curse, but equally important is our generational choice.

We don’t have to stay the way we are. Put a stop to any of the negative patterns in your family’s bloodline. It is a spiritual battle. You must take authority over all the strongholds that are keeping you in bondage. One of the first things you must do is recognize what it is, identify it, get it out in the open and deal with it. As you do you will see God’s blessings and favour in your life and you will be able to make the decisions that bring you closer and closer to your destiny. This will definitely help you improve your decision making skills and to know without a shadow of a doubt how to make good choices in discovering the life you were born to live.

Tweet this: Destiny is no matter of chance It is a matter of choice It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved WJB #TheDailyChoice

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How to Simplify Complicated Lifestyle Choices

July 7, 2011 by 9 Comments
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Learn to Make Good Choices

 

How to Simplify Complicated Lifestyle Choices

by Olga Hermans

 

We can make life so complicated that we try to learn how to deal with the complexities of life, but don’t realize that our life is getting really cluttered.We get stressed because of it, don’t know why and don’t see the answers that we need for the issues that come up. I personally don’t think that, that is the will of God for our lives. God wants us to come to Him for answers and when life is too tough for us to handle.

Everything you could ever want or need can be found in the presence of the Lord. God has a benefit plan for us that is greater than any plan offered by any organization in the world. The God of the universe, Who spoke the world into existence, is giving you the opportunity to walk boldly into His throneroom to fellowship with Him at any given time. Every good thing you could possibly desire is waiting for you in His presence, everything you need to know is right there.

It is so simple. Yet so many believers miss this powerful truth. Think about it. Each day believers say no to God; He is waiting on us to come to Him to have a good time with Him and have all our questions answered. Instead they choose to spend their time filling their minds with garbage on television, with gossip or just mindless things.

Let’s have a look at a passage where we can see how 2 sisters handled this in their own life.

“As they (Jesus and the disciples) continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home.  She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.” The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it–it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.” Luk 10:38-42 Msg

This passage reveals a lot about how complex our life can be some time. If you think about it, how many people had the opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him directly? Not many, but Martha had that chance, and yet she didn’t take that opportunity.

Things are much the same for us today. Many people work hard, are dedicated, and are committed servers in church. They receive the Lord, they love Him and they serve Him, but they don’t experience the benefit of being in His presence.

Those things were all true for Martha; she obviously loved Jesus, eager to serve Him all the way and she was in His presence, right? But there is something else that was true for her that is also true for many of us today. The bible calls it being cumbered, being distracted, being upset or like the Msg. Translation says being pulled away.

In other words, Martha made things so complicated in her life that she couldn’t get to the feet of Jesus to hear His Word. Martha was a servant in the presence of the Lord, but she wasn’t choosing the best thing in life. She wasn’t being changed by the presence of the Lord.

When we want to be changed and experience the transforming power of Jesus, we have to be able to put things aside, even though they may be good things. If we want to experience His presence and His power, we must simplify our lives and come to that place of stillness and choose needful things.

Mary did that, instead of simply doing what would seem good or right to the natural mind; she took the time to be with Jesus to listen and receive answers for her own life directly from Him, how cool is that? When we choose to complicate our life by doing a lot of things that don’t make any sense, there will always be cares and anxiety in your life. Luke 10:41

Actually almost always when you start to be bothered, fretful, uneasy, worried or fearful about the very thing that you are doing, that may be the very sign that you are doing something that is not needful. The things that we do, don’t have to be necessarily bad; they can be very good things, but they are able to complicate our life.

There is another thing that when we choose something that is not needful, we become critical. You can see how Martha complained to Jesus. Luke 10:40.

Those that are distracted by life’s complications have a tendency to get critical towards others.

Martha loved Jesus, but she started to complain to Him about Mary. Here you can see the proof what a complicated lifestyle does. Getting critical towards others is a warning sign to us; it’s a red light that goes off.

The very fact that a critical spirit began to rise up in her against her sister was a warning sign that there were too many complications in her life. When there is criticism along with anxiety in your life, you should get on the alert to simplify your life.

The moment we recognize these signs of a complicated life, we have to turn our heart back to the Lord and find that place of stillness and begin to simplify our life. When you do that, then and only then will you find the answers and solutions you are looking for. It is then that you will begin to enjoy the benefits of God’s presence.

Obviously we have responsibilities we can’t ignore. Getting in that secret place with the Lord, where we get still before Him will simplify our life but that doesn’t mean that we lay down our responsibilities at work.

And of course, we do have our responsibilities as a spouse or a parent. In fact, we shouldn’t make any drastic changes out of the blue. When we seek the Lord for direction, He will show us how to make changes in our behaviour that will set us on the course to simplify our life.

“Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). Jesus indicates that although Martha’s choices were okay, they weren’t the best. She could have made better choices that would have benefited her more and simplified her life. But notice, Jesus didn’t make her choose differently.

Nobody can override your choices. Neither God nor satan will make you choose something. You are responsible to choose things for yourself.

Since you have the responsibility for choosing, how do you choose the good part? The best way to make good choices is to measure your options against what God created you to be. Make choices that will help you fulfill your purpose and reject those choices that would encumber you and hinder you from reaching your destiny.

Post/Tweet this: Nobody can override your choices. Neither God nor satan will make you choose something. You are responsible to choose things for yourself.

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Celebrating July 1st and July 4th

July 4, 2011 by 7 Comments
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Canada Is Americans’ Favorite Foreign Nation According To A Recent Gallup Poll and Canadians Consider The US as Favorite


Celebrating July 1st and July 4th

By Olga Hermans

 

It is that time of year again to celebrate our beautiful nation’s freedom. I am so sure that God has great plans for Canada and  the United States, it doesn’t really matter what some people believe or say. It matters what you beleive and I hope I can give you just a little snippet of what I believe of these two great nations.

I hope you have a wonderful and safe Dominion Day as we used to say here in Canada and a Happy Independence Day in the US as you might be reading this post today. Take some time to remember the foundational truths of your nation. Let’s keep praying for our leaders and all others that govern our nations.

I believe very strongly that everything is going to be ALL-right for those that believe and that God speaks life and prosperity for these great countries and so should we. That the heavens are raining down righteousness and that the earth is springing up righteousness and salvation. Pray for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

I am so proud of our Prime Minister Harper who makes a strong stand with Israel; Canada is known all over the world for its strong conviction to be a friend to Israel no matter what happens. This is what he said: “There are, after all, a lot more votes, a lot more, in being anti-Israeli than in taking a stand. But, as long as I am Prime Minister, whether it is at the UN or the Francophonie or anywhere else, Canada will take that stand, whatever the cost. And friends, I say this not just because it is the right thing to do, but because history shows us, and the ideology of the anti-Israeli mob tells us all too well if we listen to it, that those who threaten the existence of the Jewish people are a threat to all of us.”

Support of Israel is based on the Genesis 12:3 principle, ‘I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.’The bible confirms that God blesses the Gentiles through the Jewish people. The Jewish people gave to Christianity the Word of God, the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and the prophets. Not to mention that Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the 12 disciples and Paul were all Jewish! Take away the Jewish contribution to Christianity and there is no Christianity. “Judaism does not need Christianity to explain its existence, but Christianity cannot explain its existence without Judaism.”

It might not be coincidence that Canada Day and Independence Day are that close together. Did you know that Canada and the

The Peace Arch Was Dedicated In 1921 To Celebrate The Existing Century Of Peace Between Two Great Nation, The United States and Canada.

United States are currently the world’s largest trading partners, share the world’s longest border and have significant interoperability within their defense sphere. There are close cultural ties between modern day Canada and the United States, advanced in large part because both nations predominately speak English. Canada’s population and economy are roughly one tenth that of the United States. The international perception is that Americans and Canadians are virtually identical. Canada is Americans’ favorite foreign nation according to a recent Gallup poll and Canadians consider the US as favorite.

The Peace Arch, the only international gateway ever erected in the interest of peace among nations, The Peace Arch was dedicated in 1921 to celebrate the existing century of peace between two great nation, the United States and Canada.

Do you remember that Glenn Beck started the 912 Project? 9 Principles and 12 Values. The 12 values are: Honesty, Reverence, Hope, Thrift, Humility, Charity, Sincerity, Moderation, Hard Work, Courage, Personal Responsibility and Gratitude.

I like to expand on 2 of these 12 values, because they bring home to us what we can do personally: honesty and personal responsibility.

1. Honesty. “Lies will get any man into trouble, but honesty is its own defence.” Prov.12:13

Honesty is the core value of a character. It is the stabilizer or governor of the soul. We cannot separate truth and honesty from God. Honesty is more than truth; it deals with motives and intents. It is a voice on the inside of us that suggests truth before we lie.

The founders of our country understood this when they formed the constitution. Swearing under oath meant to “tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. They knew that honesty as more than truth; it meant the whole truth of the matter.

Isn’t it interesting that we can put a man on the moon and win world wars, but we can’t stop dishonesty? In order to create a honest society we must start at home, teaching our children to be honest and to respect law and authority. Honesty is of God; it is the right way to build a righteous and fair society.

Ask yourself this question: what can you personally do to help your community the value of honesty?

2. Personal Responsibility. “A faithful employee is as refreshing as a cool day in the hot summer time.” Prov.25:13

To be responsible is to give account or to be dependable and can be trusted. These kind of people are hard to find, but we come in contact with we will notice that they have a different motivation than the average person

Being responsible is more than making a commitment. People who live with this value in their life do things for the sake of getting them done or they enjoy seeing it get done. Jesus was a true servant. He was truly and purely motivated from within. He saw what we were, and took the responsibility of making sure we got the opportunity of being what we could be.

It cost Him something, but He now has earned the greatest name ever in the history of mankind, and also in the world to come.

Ask yourself this question: do you consider yourself a responsible person? If yes, why?

Remember this as you celebrate today! The American/Canadian flag does not fly because the wind moves past it.
The American/Canadian flag flies from the last breath of each military member who has died protecting it.
Our Soldiers don’t fight because they hate what’s in front of them..they fight because they love what’s behind them.
Thank you to our troops for fighting for our freedom.

 

 

Let’s Celebrate the Freedom
We Enjoy in Our Countries!!


I hope you’re having a great and fun weekend, celebrating freedom – whether you’re a Canadian or live in the US or abroad. As a Dutch born neutralized Canadian living in Vancouver BC, I just love to celebrate freedom in many, many ways. Freedom of choice, free enterprise, and spiritual freedom. How about you? How are you celebrating independence and what does true freedom mean to you?

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How to Be Emotionally Strong – Gaining Control Over Your Emotions

June 30, 2011 by 12 Comments
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Most People Approach Life Like A Roller-Coaster Ride At An Amusement Park


How to Be Emotionally Strong –
Gaining Control Over Your Emotions

By Olga Hermans

 

The other day I was at a party and we were all chatting along and all of a sudden the question came up: “isn’t anyone happy anymore?” Actually there was a male in our group and started sharing with us that he dates women frequently, but the relationships always seem to end the same way. He said, “All the women I meet don’t just have so much emotional baggage, they have cargo!”

Do you have friends who have these emotions like: resentment and bitterness, depression, grief, gloom and despair? We all have emotions, but I believe one of the main goals of every person should be emotional stability. We should seek God to learn how to manage our emotions and not allow them to manage us.

God wants you to use wisdom. Before you do something, wisdom says wait a little while until the emotions settle down, then check to see if you really believe it’s the right thing to do. The Bible says in Colossians 3:15 to be led by peace in making decisions. Don’t let your emotions make your decisions. A good statement to remember is this: “Wisdom says wait; emotions say hurry.

Most people (I am not talking about you and I) approach life like a roller-coaster ride at an amusement park. They allow their lives to happen to them. They strap themselves in and with grim determination; they hang on during the ups, downs, excitement and fear. They don’t have a clue how much stress they have on the inside of them.

The longer the ride lasts, the more accustomed they become to the knots in their stomachs and the tension in their neck. We seem to have forgotten that there might be a different way to live. I don’t know about you, but when I get off a roller-coaster ride, I feel very wobbly in the knees. An emotional roller coaster can also cause a person to be a little wobbly – unsure, unstable, stressed-out, weak and incapable of functioning to the fullest.

Emotional roller coasters sap people of physical and psychological health, often leaving the mind and the body almost without energy and strength.

I have said this before that I had a sister who died due to anorexia. I remember the time that she started this deadly behaviour. I was only 14 and she was 17/18; she was not happy for who knows what the reason was. She started to have these emotional outbursts of anger and bitterness. There was a time that it looked like the emotions started to settle down, but the fact was that she started to cope with it by starving herself and not giving herself room to be who she really was. It had an effect on our whole family.

My other sister got married, seemed to be very happy on the outside. After my parents had died she became depressed and suicidal; very angry and bitter at everybody around her. Her emotions became too much for her, because she didn’t learn how to manage her emotions but allowed them to manage her. At this moment she and one of her daughters are in a mental hospital.

Do you want to know what happened to me? During a time of deep distress in my life God came and visited me in my own home, He picked me up and delivered me out of darkness into His marvellous light. He changed me on the inside, delivered me completely from smoking 2 packages of cigarettes a day and from nail biting instantly, He also completely healed my marriage. Of course there were and are some areas that I have to work through. He never told us that life would be easy, but if we do life together with Him, life is so much easier.

I am telling you all this because I know that emotions can be very deadly and very toxic. Many people suffer depression, fear, worry, stress and try to cope with it. Mother Teresa said that the greatest disease of mankind is the absence of love. I couldn’t agree more. Your answer to you feeling like this is that you start to realize that you are valuable and priceless.

The Bible encourages us strongly that we are to love others as we love ourselves. Matth.22:39 and Lev. 19:18. You know, to be able to love begins in receiving God’s love and then learning to love ourselves. How are you able to love yourself? By having feelings of worthiness, value and purpose in life.

“You are beautiful!” Is this a compliment to you? Well, it was meant to be, because YOU ARE beautiful. God says that about you! You are valuable to Him; He loves you as nobody else can love you.Whoever you are and wherever you are, you are precious, priceless and extremely important to an amazing God in heaven. He knows your name. He sees your life and he cares about the inner desires of your heart.

Walking in love is a choice and acting on that choice takes effort. Love means that you turn yourself inside out for others, to turn your thinking upside down from the way the vast majority of people in the world think. A person who makes a commitment to walk in love is a person who nearly always discovers he has made a very extreme decision. Walking in love requires not only an intentional, initial choice, but an ongoing intentional choice.

Loving as God loves requires practice, practice, practice. Practice and not being jealous, proud, rude, or selfish and you are on your way to attain happiness and live the life you desire.

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How to Plan the Ultimate Rich Life

June 27, 2011 by 11 Comments
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God Wants To Bless And Prosper You Beyond Your Wildest Imaginations


How to Plan the Ultimate Rich Life

By Olga Hermans

 

Many people are in the woods over God’s blessings. They don’t know where good things come from, and they don’t know where bad things come from. You can’t resist bad things if you think God is giving them to you.

God wants to bless all of His people, but some have their arms folded. It is time to acknowledge, “Lord, if you made the whole universe for me, then I am going to receive what You have for me.” God is interested in your prosperity. He wants to bless and prosper you beyond your wildest imaginations.

“A RichLife doesn’t just happen.
Whether it’s building long-term financial success, achieving better health,
spending more time with your kids, seeing the world—
or more likely a combination of all these things and more—
whatever your vision of a meaningful life is, you have to seek it,
plan for it and maintain it. This is where you start.”
~ Beau Henderson

Beau Henderson

Last May I mentioned in an article that I had won a contest; “The RichLife Fast Track 30 Day Coaching Program”. It was phenomenal I must say; I met two of the nicest people that I have ever met. Beau Henderson and Jodi Nicholson coached me and others from the beginning to the finish of the 30Days.

Living in God’s abundance means different things to different people. To some it means healing and wholeness. To others it means a fluency in their finances. I know one thing; “It Is Time for a Life More Abundantly.” You know the bible says that we may prosper in all things and be in health, just as our soul prospers. 3John 1:2

That is exactly what Beau says here in his statement: a rich life encompasses our whole life, not just one separate part of it. Say, if you would have all the money you need and then some, but your marriage is in ruins, or your children don’t want to know you; you would be very unhappy.

Prosperity is a result. It is clear that God wants His children to prosper. How can anyone deny that? However, prosperity should not be the end in itself. It ought to be the result of a quality life.

This is very funny, as I looked up this scripture and see what I found out: in this text the word “prosper” literally means “to help on the road” or “succeed in reaching”. It clearly implies that divine prosperity is not a momentary, passing phenomenon. It is intended for every area of our lives: the spiritual, the physical and emotional, and the material. However God does not want us to overly emphasize any one area. We must maintain a balance.

I know many people have been robbed from their health or finances and somehow seem to tolerate it. Do you know what I am talking about? There is a poverty and lack mentality in some people that is against the will of God. We need to replace this poverty mentality with some knowledge and a plan.

A plan? Yeah, you need a plan. Many mysteries have been revealed in my life, things that were hidden away had to come to the surface, because one of the most important things they taught me was that we have to be honest with ourselves and in fact; brutally honest.

Let me tell you what I learned and had to implement in my life in these 30 Days. You see without taking action there will be no change. The first thing you need to know is where you are. It is like the GPS system in your vehicle, it must have two pieces of information to function.

First you must know your destination, and second, you must know your current location. Without knowing these two locations, there is no way you can accurately map your path. While this is true for mapping a trip, it is even more important when mapping your journey for successful retirement.

They had us look at the different areas in our life: financial, spiritual & personal, professional, legacy, relationships, environment, fun & personal growth.

When there are areas of weakness that tend to drag us down, become a nuisance and keep us out of balance. It’s best to have all areas complimenting each other; this may require toning down one area to balance another.

They had us look at our personal core values; oh boy…were they ever talking to me! Values and principles are so vital to our life, because that is what you build your life upon. Proverbs 23:7 says “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he”. Truth always comes to us first in thoughts and ideas, forming concepts in us that turn into principles for living.

They become our values and disciplines that create our character. When real character is formed, we are prepared for anything. We become solutions to problems. We are structured for success and positioned for blessings and favour from God and man.

Another assignment was to write down our personal vision statement; a strategic plan for the future of how you see yourself and want to be seen by others. “He who fails to plan, plans to fail” is so very true!

So many times we set goals that are vague and we have no commitment; we are just hoping and wishing that something will happen. We were taught to do it in the R.I.G.H.T. way which means: REALISTIC, INSPIRATIONAL, GIFTS, HARMONY, TIME TESTED & TRUE.

These goals need to feel right, because the next step is to take action. Every day you need to make steps toward your goals to reach the outcome. Consider a goal of saving $1,000.00 a year for 5 years. At the end of 5 years most people don’t just walk in the bank and make one deposit. They make small deposits frequently or consistently each day, week or month towards the desired goal or outcome.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

It is needless to say that this was a very productive month for me. Well, I didn’t tell you all this to let you standing there in the cold. I am planning to interview Beau Henderson here on The Choice Driven Life. I gained a lot of wisdom from a man that wants to help people to live the RichLife; I am VERY thankful!

Post/Tweet this: God Wants To Bless And Prosper You Beyond Your Wildest Imaginations #TheDailyChoice

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8 Bad Habits and What You Can Do About Them

June 23, 2011 by 16 Comments
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Bad habits are easier to abandon today than tomorrow. ~Yiddish Proverb

 

8 Bad Habits and What You Can Do About Them

by Olga Hermans

 

Would you say “YES” to the following statement? “We are created by God for progress, accomplishment and fruit bearing”. Ok, so if we want to be sure we are being fruitful and passionately pursuing our purpose, we might have to take a serious look at our lives. It is possible that you and I are doing things that are not doing us or anyone else any good at all. I have discovered some things which I will share with you, but you can probably add to the list and please do so in the comment section; I can’t wait to read what you have to share. On the other hand this might not be a list that you would expect such as the habit of smoking or overeating and so forth, but it nevertheless is an important list and I hope that you will add your habit in the comments, ok?

So, here we go:

1. Worry is a bad habit

Why? Because it is a waste of time. Jesus told us not to worry because it does no good. (Matt 6:34) There are many things in life we cannot do anything about, but God can. Worrying does not move the hand of God, but faith does. When you exchange your worry for trusting God; you will see progress. The next time you are tempted to worry, just remind yourself it won’t do you or anyone else any good.

After all, it is hard to be passionate about your purpose and worry. Worry slows down your drive and puts roadblocks up in front of your determination. So, why do it?

2. Guilt is a bad habit.

We are going to make mistakes, and to be honest, if we wanted to, we could waste every day of our lives feeling guilty about yesterday. But we don’t have to, because Jesus bore our sins on the cross. He paid for them so we might live free from the tyranny of them.

Perhaps you need a new attitude toward guilt, and a new way of looking at it. Do you feel obligated to feel guilty when you make mistakes? If so, you need a new attitude. Our attitude is what feeds our feelings. Many people say they cannot help feeling guilty. We as human beings make mistakes; that is precisely why we need a Saviour.

3. Trying to change everything is impossible, so it is a bad habit

When you try to change what only God can change is a waste of energy. There is an old saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Isn’t that how we approach life sometimes?

We know that ultimately it is up to God to work something out; yet we continue struggling and try to do something that only God can do.
I have tried to change my husband, it has not worked so far. So why would I want to struggle with it any longer? God is the only one that can change him, or is it me who needs to change? Have you been there?

4. Complaining is one of those bad habits that we have

Most of us have a tendency to complain each time something displeases or upsets us. It might be a great miracle of God if we get through one complete day without complaining about anything or murmuring in our hearts. Let me tell you that nothing positive will ever come from it. What it does is that it creates a negative atmosphere where the devil finds opportunity to work.

I am actually pretty sure that grumbling, fault-finding and complaining open a door for the devil to bring destruction into our lives.
The whole world seems to be complaining about something, but each of us can make the decision to set a different and more positive example. If you cannot change something, then change the way you think about it, but don’t complain about it.

5. Anger…isn’t that a bad habit?

Anger is very dangerous; do you realize that it is one letter short of danger? I have heard a minister say once that refusing to be angry gives you back your life. Being angry and bitter doesn’t hurt your enemies but it does hurt you. They are probably out having a good time while you are sitting at home upset.

The world is becoming filled with more and more angry people all the time. In Vancouver, they lost a hockey game and all hell broke loose – looting, burning, destruction and you name it. Patience and long-suffering are character traits we don’t see very often any more, but we need to.

Anger is an emotion that will surface from time to time, but Jesus said not to let the sun go down on our anger. The longer we keep anger, the more opportunity it has to take root in our lives and choke the life out of us.

You might be angry at God, yourself or someone else, but it is time to give it up. Anger is useless. It doesn’t change anything except you, and not for the better. Make a quality choice today like that minister said: “refusing to be angry gives you back you back your life”.

Pastor Billy Joe always said: “don’t get bitter and you will get better”!

6. Fear is also one of those bad habits we make

Fear can actually steal your destiny. Anyone who lives in fear will never fulfill God’s purpose for their lives. Fear hinders progress and that is exactly why the devil uses it as his favourite weapon against people. The devil does not want you to go forward. If you do decide to go forward, you will have to confront fear because fear will never evaporate or disappear. It must be confronted.

If we seek God when we are afraid, we would hear Him say what He said to the Israelites: Fear not for I am with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you. God is greater than any problem you will ever have.

7. Blame is a game that you shouldn’t play

If you are playing this game, it might be time for you to stop it and start taking responsibility. Maybe you say: “it is not my fault.” As humans we seem to be determined to do things over and over even when they don’t seem to work. We blame each other, we blame ourselves, and we even blame God. Instead of blaming, we need to let go of the past and press into the future. God doesn’t want us to spend our days feeling guilty; He wants us to be responsible.

The first step toward change is the decision to take responsibility to do what needs to be done and to stop blaming. Be responsible, be bold!

8. Comparison doesn’t bring you anything either

I am satisfied with everyday life until I start comparing it with someone else’s life or business. It is very tempting to compare what you have to what someone else has. Stop looking to the side and start concentrating on what’s in front of you. God has an incredible individual plan for each of us.

We all have times when we wonder why God doesn’t deliver us from a difficult situation or why He has not done something we have asked Him to do. Plus we also have the tendency to look at someone else we know definitely seems to have life easier than we do and the comparisons begin. Don’t waste your time comparing, because it only leads to jealousy, envy, resentment and confusion.

Trust God that He has a good plan for you. He may take you on a road you would not choose, but He has a reason.

Post/Tweet this: Bad habits are easier to abandon today than tomorrow. ~Yiddish Proverb #TheDailyChoice

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