How Surrender Brings The Greatest Blessing

November 4, 2012 by 11 Comments
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How Surrender Brings The Greatest Blessing

 

Have you ever watched people walking their dogs? Some dogs are in sync with their owners. They happily trot directly ahead on a short lead, in pace with their master. And then there are those other dogs! It seems as if these dogs are walking their owners instead of the other way around. You see them constantly straining at the leash, eager to follow every distraction and oblivious to their master’s desire to protect them. The route the master wants to take makes no difference to these dogs. They are determined to have their own way – unwilling to yield to their master’s will.

Much like these pets, some believers have a hard time surrendering to the Master’s guidance and protection. Surrender can be perceived as negative, but let’s find out what it truly means in the context of our relationship with Jesus.

What Does It Mean To Surrender?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, surrender is an act of yielding or resigning your life or the possession of something into the power of another; to give up or to yield to the influence, passion, or power of another.

For example, the living Bible says, “We are not our own bosses…” and Romans 14:13 says, “Try instead to live in such a way that you will never make your brother stumble by letting him see you doing something he thinks is wrong” (TLB).

So instead of following our desires and impulses, we are to yield our lives to the influence of Jesus in every aspect of our beings. Evangelist T.L. Osborn once said, “You are painting a picture of Jesus to others by every word you speak and every deed you do. Make sure you are painting a good picture.” Surrender is easier said than done. But our motivation to surrender has a big part to play in how consistently we yield to Jesus.

What Is Our Motivation For Surrender?

Surrender is based on love. When you truly love someone, you surrender your plans and desires, and instead do that which honours and pleases the other person. You give serious consideration as to how your actions affect another person.

In surrender to Jesus, you now think about how your actions affect your relationship with Him and with others. Your surrender to Jesus is not a one-time experience. It becomes a daily experience. And an experience that deepens over time. To the extent we surrender, the more we are willing to surrender.

What Is The Extent Of Surrender?

We choose to surrender to the will of Jesus’ every day rather than demanding our own way. When you go your own way, choosing to be strong-willed or self-focused, you’ll experience the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit (and your own conscience) warning you to stop. I know this for a fact, because I have experienced the convicting power of the still small voice of the Holy Spirit many times.
Once you become a Christian, you need to recognize that your body and your spirit are now God’s dwelling place or house (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Believe me, God cares about His house.

Now that you have invited Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior and surrendered to Jesus, you no longer belong to yourself. You belong to God. He owns you. By the way, He can’t just be your Saviour without becoming your Lord. Lordship implies authority over you.

Many Christians want Jesus to be with them to help them out when they get into trouble (like a personal maintenance man), but they don’t want Him telling them what do when things are going smoothly.

So, your surrender extends to considering Jesus in everything that you do. Consider means “to think seriously; to have regard for; to respect; to take into view in examination.” When you consider Jesus, you take into account His opinion and His view of things. You want your attitudes, thoughts, motives, words, behaviour, and yes, even your appearance to honour Him.

You’re more highly motivated to please Him than to please yourself or others. Ask yourself, “Do I consider Jesus in what I think, what I say, and in what I do?” “Do I represent Jesus well to others?” Are people attracted to Jesus when they look at you? It’s good to ask yourself, “Can people see Jesus in the way I live? Does my lifestyle as well as the words I speak help or hinder people in becoming closer to Jesus? ( Romans 14:7). Surrender to Jesus is the path of blessing and has a significant outcome on our lives.

How Does Surrender Determine The Outcome Of Our Lives?

Your life, whether it is a good life or a difficult life, is determined by choices you make daily, living submitted and surrendered to God or living your own way. When you have your personal time with God each day, acknowledge that you know He owns you and you want Him to keep you and lead you.

The choices and decisions you make will affect your future. Jesus understood the power of choice, and He chose to live submitted and surrendered even in the face of great temptation. He showed us that it is possible for us to submit our will and surrender to God.
God gave us free will because He wanted us to love Him and obey Him by our own choice. God won’t force us, even though He knows the end result of an unsurrendered will is difficulty, heartache, pain, hardship, and sometimes destruction.

So when we Christians know that the Bible instructs us to live a surrendered life, why do we ignore that knowledge? Most often it’s because we want to fulfil our own desires or lust. When you decide you will go your own way, you unlock and open doors or windows to the enemy.

Sometimes Christians wonder why their lives are full of heartache and difficulty, but if they will take time to re-evaluate the choices they have made, they will discover where they have made themselves vulnerable through poor choices. Choices in which they stubbornly insisted on going their own direction instead of surrendering to and obeying God’s promptings and warnings. When you are self-willed, stubborn, rebellious, and unsubmissive to God’s authority, the enemy has much greater opportunity to rob you or even to destroy you.

Once you decide to surrender your life to Jesus, obeying God’s Word will become easier, your natural way of doing things. You will begin to see the Word as a guideline to live by.

To Sum It Up

When you are under the guidance and direction of the Master, surrendered to His good plan and ways, you won’t be straining at the leash, following after every distraction that comes up. Surrender is a blessed state, motivated by love for Jesus and extending to every aspect of our lives. It is of highest importance to Believers because it determines the outcome of our lives.

 

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Discover the Good Life You Were Born to Live

September 30, 2012 by 21 Comments
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Discover the Good Life You Were Born to Live

 

 

This past summer, our family took a road trip from our home in Vancouver, through the Rocky Mountains to Alberta, and back to BC. It was so much fun – especially to see the ways we are each so different in how we prepare for a journey. My husband studies the maps, planning out every detail – including the exact distance, the travel time from place to place and where we will be sleeping. Similar to his father, our son likes to research our destinations and plan things to do.

On the other hand, I have the motto: “Let’s do it.” I love the excitement of starting out and seeing where the road leads. For me, if we follow a rabbit trail here and there, it only adds to the adventure of the trip. Our trip reminded me that life is similar to a road trip.

Life Is Similar To A Road Trip

There are many roads that can take us from where we are to where we want to be. It is the choices and decisions that we make along the way which determine how quickly we progress to our desired destination or maybe arriving there at all!

We all know that God has a plan for our life. He has our “road trip” mapped out. It began at our birth and He is there to help us discover the life we were born to live. If you have read this blog for any time at all, you know that is why I write. My purpose is to help you discover the life you were born to live and then ignite your passion to do it.

Unfortunately, many people never find purpose in their life. They become confused, sidetracked and bewildered about their own destiny in God. Some even choose routes that lead them away from God.

Are You In A Season Of Questioning?

Perhaps you are in a season of questioning your purpose in life. You are asking yourself where you fit in and where you belong. I am here to encourage you to know, without a doubt, that you were born with a great purpose in mind. There is no one in the entire world who can fulfill the destiny God has planned for you. But you’ll never know that destiny until you make a conscious decision to discover His will for your life.

Make a choice to believe that God has a wonderful, pre-planned journey for you. And the fulfilment of that plan will equip you with everything you need: the anointing, prosperity, healing and wisdom to get the job done. You need only take the first step to get back on the road to your purpose.

Why Not Get Back On That Road Right Now?

Begin by renewing your mind (Romans 12:2). Our mind is a battlefield and what we allow to happen there determines our destiny. In practical terms, this means to turn your thoughts towards the things of God. If you want to keep your thoughts in line with God’s good things, you need to be prepared. When your thoughts take a negative turn, purposely bring them back to God’s good things by thinking on things that are “true, noble, right, pure, lovely and of good report” (Philippians 4:8).

When you understand that your thoughts control your life, you can begin to shape your destiny. It is of highest importance to choose thoughts that enhance your purpose. It is a fact that you will take action on whatever you habitually think about. Directing and controlling your thoughts will keep you on track with God’s will for your life.

Although I can’t tell you your purpose in life, there are many Bible promises that tell you it will lead to greater joy, peace, success and blessings. The word “bless” means “to empower to prosper.” And the word “prosper” means “to excel in every area of life.” Everybody likes that, right? But knowing that you need to get on with your purpose and knowing how to do it are two different things.

Two Things You Need To Know

Maybe you’re still not sure what to do to pursue your purpose. You may feel that you have been off track for so long, you’ll never be able to get back on the road to your destiny. Stick with me. I want to show you that in God there is hope. It is not easy to follow a plan that you don’t quite understand and is not fully revealed. That is where we need to rely on our faith and trust God.

1. Allow this truth to occupy your thoughts for a while: God has your best interest at the forefront of His mind. Remember, God loves you more than you can comprehend. You are not an afterthought or an accident. He created you as His workmanship, His handiwork.

And why did God recreate you in Christ Jesus? So you can do the good things He planned for you long ago. He predestined you to take paths which He prepared ahead of time in order for you to live the good life which He made ready for you to live (Ephesians 2:10).

Please don’t just skim through these words. Meditate on God’s love and purpose for you and your life will be transformed!

2. Purpose in your heart to stand strong in Him and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit (Joshua 1:6-7; John 14:26-27). How? Get in the Word and allow it to transform your way of thinking. Ask God to help you align your inner image with how He sees you – destined for the good life.

There is absolutely no reason for you to fear what God has planned for you. He is the master coordinator between the things to be done here on earth and your unique personal profile. He will cause your path to intersect with those things that both serve His purposes and give you fulfilment  You will experience that sense of purpose that you have been looking for. When we are living out God’s purpose for us, we are living a full and abundant life.

You And I Were Created To Live Full And Abundant Lives

Our lives are designed to be filled with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost on a daily basis (Romans 14:17). I love that scripture because it is the foundation of our purpose.

It is exciting to see that God has a plan for our lives (Ephesians 2:10). And He has planned a good and full life for us. A good life means that we live under His full protection. He has provided all things for us including health, wealth and wholeness in every area of our life. Abundance in all things so we can be a blessing to those around us.

Fullness and abundance are the fulfilment of God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:3). So when you see the goodness of God manifest itself on the job, at home or in other areas of your life, and people tell you that your promotion, prosperity, good health and peace of mind are just a coincidence, don’t accept it!

Be firm in your conviction, look them straight in the eye and say, “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes!” (Psalm 118:23).

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How You Can Learn to Love Yourself

September 23, 2012 by 28 Comments
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How You Can Learn to Love Yourself

 

You and I are uniquely designed for such a time as this; for a specific purpose. We all have different personalities, gifts, skills, talents, preferences and experiences. God never intended for us to be a clone of someone else. We should embrace, love and accept the masterpiece He has created each of us to be.

We all remember the experiences from when we grew up from childhood into adulthood as we go through different experiences; some are positive and some are negative. Apart from how or why we go through some of these experiences; God can use them to our benefit.

These experiences help to shape and mold us into the people that we become. As we grow and develop as individuals, we gain a concept of who we are and what we were created to do and achieve. Gaining a concept of who we are and loving ourselves unconditionally empower us to live an authentic lifestyle.

Embrace Who You Are

We must appreciate ourselves. Although it may not be a reality for some, when we look in the mirror, we should see one of the best people we know. It is important that we know ourselves better than we know anyone else, all our flaws included and be able to see ourselves as an unique and beautiful individual, empowered by God to succeed in every area of our lives.

We were wonderfully made by a loving God who does all things well. He purposely made us for a time such as this. Though others may resemble you and play some of the same roles as you, there is only one you; and only you can do what you have been created to do.

Knowing and Loving Who We Are

When we know and when we love ourselves as we are gives us the ability to live freely. When we take the time to appreciate the gifts and the abilities placed within us, we can appreciate the gifts and talents of others.

Taking the time to discover and develop the things that we are good at and interested in helps to nurture and cultivate our abilities so that we are always striving to be the best we can be for ourselves as well as for others.

Sometimes we run into challenges as we try to embrace our self image on our journey to self-realization. I dealt with a lot of insecurities when I was young; I still remember how uncertain I was in some situations. It almost prevented me from discovering the life that I was born  to live and to know God’s plan for my life.

I was always seeking after the approval of others; as I learned to walk in the image of Christ and see myself the way God sees me, I started to overcome many obstacles step by step.

While we need to be able to relate to others and enjoy their company, we also must learn to do so without being oppressed by their opinions. We never should be in bondage to other people, because that is what it is.

I am so glad that God showed me a way out; He will do the same for you. Although there are times when it tries to return; you and I need to remind ourselves that we are free. Through all this self-realization and acceptance, I was able to make a quality decision.

Either I was going to remain the insecure person I had been for years, or I was going to be insecure in who I was. I chose the latter, and once I started on my new journey toward self-acceptance and self-love, I began to focus on fulfilling my God-given purpose.

Eliminate Being Critical

When we are critical or when we are overly critical this means that we have a negative outlook on life. We tend to look at others and everything with fault finding, harsh accusations, humiliating attitudes and a tendency to unfairly judge ourselves as well as others.

Critical people tend to look down on everyone in a negative way in an attempt to build themselves up. The word critical actually means to find fault or to judge with severity, often times way too fast.

Being critical is opposite to God’s nature. He does not focus on the negative aspects of anyone and anything. He is love, and His very nature is to see the best in everyone and every situation. Therefore, we should not be quick to find fault, but to believe the best.

We do not have to be naive and unrealistic. However we can choose to see things from a positive perspective that agrees with God.

When we begin to read the Bible on a regular basis and understand God’s character, our thoughts will agree with Him. We will begin to understand that if we are to walk with God, we must agree with His plan. God can, and will, use everything He has placed on the inside of us for a specific purpose.

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which is a SPIRITUAL Devotion that helps you to make the right choices in your life by clicking here

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What Report Do You Believe?

September 9, 2012 by 34 Comments
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What Report Do You Believe?

Everybody is going to encounter problems in life, even the person who is in right standing with God. We can expect it because God said so in Psalm 34:19, but God promises also that He will be there for us and that He will rescue us. Not only will God deliver us, He wants to deliver us!

The state of the economy has played a significant role in the lives of many people over the last few years. People have lost their jobs and homes and some have diminished or completely emptied their life’s savings. Just watching the news can trigger some hopelessness.

Even though the reality is that the economy has affected our lives, dwelling on it won’t change the situation. We can’t be moved by things we see, like high gas prices, closing businesses, and negative bank balances. Our focus should be on the One who can change it all.

There is a lot of darkness in the world now. And if the only thing we’re feeding off of is negative television, negative news reports, and negative people, we’re going to be negative.

Positive Options

Thank God there are positive options also available through television, radio, music, books, and even magazines. When we take in negative information, we are influenced by it and ultimately participate in it by complaining and finding faults in others.

Let’s have a look at the story of Caleb in Numbers 13 and 14. Moses and the Israelites were traveling through the desert in search of the Promised Land. God told Moses that Canaan was the place designated for His people to inhabit. He asked Moses to send spies to inspect the land and its people. The land was already rich in resources and filled with everything they could possibly want or need.

When the twelve spies returned, they confirmed that the land was indeed flowing with milk and honey. The grapes were sweet and ripe and everything was plentiful. But soon their report became flooded with doom and gloom about the people who lived there.

All they could focus on was how big the people were. As a result, the spies feared they would be destroyed. They described the people in Canaan as giants! Rather than seeing themselves equipped for potential battle, the spies described themselves and their own people as small, defeated grasshoppers. The Israelites heard the report and began to stir. They constantly complained and were overcome by fear.

However Caleb, one of the spies, had a different report. He saw the same land and the same people the other spies saw, but he chose to see things from a positive perspective. Numbers 13:30-32

But the people were overcome with fear and began complaining to and about Moses. Rather than accepting the hope that Caleb provided, they chose to believe the negative report of the other spies.

Have You Missed Out?

How many blessings have we missed out on by choosing to focus on the negative? I believe one of the most valuable lessons we can learn from this story is the value of choosing a positive perspective. Had the Israelites chosen to believe Caleb’s report, they would have entered into the Promised Land in God’s timing.

Instead, they opted to believe all the negative things they heard, and, as a result, they were overtaken with fear.

The perspective we choose to take on is by which our circumstances generally determine the type of life we will lead and the results we will achieve. The results the Israelites received would have been far better had they chosen to trust Caleb’s optimistic perspective.

Instead they bought into the negative report, complained, and remained ungrateful. Canaan flowed with milk and honey just as God said. The spies confirmed that it was filled with everything they could even need or desire. Sure there were giants, but as Caleb reminded them, God was on their side. Their victory was guaranteed!

Being positive is a choice. We choose to see the glass as half full or we can choose to see it as half empty. Either way, it’s the same glass. Caleb, as well as Joshua, saw the glass half full while the other 10 spies saw it as half empty.

These great men of faith were able to see beyond the obstacles and embrace the destiny God had prepared for them. Although they were outnumbered, it was Caleb and Joshua’s optimistic view that earned God’s favor. He blessed them by allowing them and their descendants to live in the land.

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which is a SPIRITUAL Devotional that helps you to make the right choices in your life by clicking here

 

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How Often Should You Be Blogging?

August 22, 2012 by 24 Comments
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Here we are in week 4 of our Social Media series; many of you have let me know how much you appreciated the topic of blogging. Some of you even told me that you are thinking about starting a blog yourself.

There are so many ways to go about blogging, really. It is just fun! I always tell people, if you like to encourage others and you like to talk; blogging is for you. It really might be your thing to do. There are others out there that need to hear your story; something that you know or something that you have experienced in your life.

Think about it; how much fun that would be.

Anyway, today my good friend Elizabeth will be talking to you about a few more details about blogging. She is a lot of fun.

Here is Elizabeth Maness:

 

 

How Often Should You Be Blogging?

by Elizabeth Maness

We’ve read tons of posts on this subject and it seems like everyone has a different opinion and there is no right or wrong answer. The only one who can determine how often you should be blogging is you. I am about to give you the best blog tip ever so listen up and take notes.

The best way to determine how often to blog is to first determine what your goals are as a blogger. People blog for different reasons and those differences will determine how often you should be blogging.

What Are Your Goals As A Blogger?

To truly get this blog tip, you have to first identify what your goals are as a blogger. Are you blogging for your business primarily to help drive more traffic to your site? Are you blogging to provide value to your readers with the expectation to monetize your blog through ads and affiliate programs? Some people blog for personal reasons with no intention other than to share with others and build a community. So what are your goals?

Personal Blogging

There are a ton of personal bloggers out there; those whose sole purpose is to simply share with the world their own personal experiences and stories, grow community, and connect with like-minded people. Figuring out how often to blog if you are a personal blogger is simple. It’s always a good idea to have some consistency. Create a schedule of some kind and train your readers when to visit your blog for new updates.

The one truth about blogging frequency that rings true no matter what your blog is that the more pages there are on your site to index in search, the more chances you will receive more traffic from search.

Blogging for Business

Blogs that are attached to your business website are a little different in nature. The main purposes of your blog should be to add value to your readers, establish your authority and expertise in your industry, and to increase search engine traffic. It would never be a bad thing to blog every day, if you can come up with enough relevant, compelling content, which can be a challenge.

We tell our clients that at a minimum they should be updating their blog twice a week, on consistent days, every week. If you send out an email twice a week, making those days the same day you update your blog is a good idea, that way you can include the link to your updated info in your emails.

When Blogging Is Your Business

So your blog is your business. What do you think you should do? As with any business activity if that is the primary way that you are making your income, or if you want that to be the primary way you make your income, then you should be going blog crazy.

It will be more important for you to have fresh, relevant, engaging content updated very frequently. You want to have as many pages as you can index in search engines, as most of your income will come not for referrals, but from search engine traffic. If blogging is your business then you should blog every day.

If you can’t imagine updating your blog that often, or find that you have trouble coming up with content at that rate then fill your days with guest posts to help out and also bring additional traffic to your site. The more you blog, the more you will be successful at driving traffic to your blog. And when blogging is your income, traffic matters a great deal.

So to sum it up, there is no real answer. Consistency is essential and there is no way to deny the benefits of blogging more often. What are some things you have learned about the frequency of blogging? Do you have any blog tips to share?

 

 

 

Elizabeth Maness
CEO AssistSocialMedia.com

Owned and operated by Elizabeth Maness,mompreneur, building business branding and relationship using social media since 2003.

 

 

 

 

 

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Your Words Will Direct Your Life

August 19, 2012 by 36 Comments
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Your Words Will Direct Your Life

by Olga Hermans

 

Your words will either cause blessing or curses to come into your life. They will take you up or bring you down. You can change the atmosphere of your soul with pleasant words, such as: In my pathway is life and there is no death. (Prov. 12:28.) The joy of the Lord is my strength. (Neh. 8:10.) Because You are my Shepherd, I shall not want. (Ps. 23:1.) You will never leave me or forsake me. (Heb. 13:5.)

I would say that it is a good thing to think about the power of the words we use on a daily basis. We all like to live the best life possible, isn’t it? Well, then we also need to look at the way we choose our words.

Our words have the ability to improve our attitude, strengthen our mind, heal relationships, give wisdom in the midst of chaos, communicate ideas and speak peace into a situation.

There are so plenty possibilities for the words we use. Unfortunately, there are just as many negative possibilities. Words can create confusion, anger, hatred, and tear down in just a few moments what has taken years to build.
Although you may not notice that your words do anything negative in the world around you, I challenge you to consider ways that you can do more good in the world through the power of your words. Consider these questions as you seek to do just that:

1. Do I often find myself wishing I could take back something I’ve said or written?

The blessing and curse of words is the same: They cannot be easily undone. That’s why it is critical to choose your words carefully. Whether it is the words you use to communicate with your children or handle a conflict in your work environment, once you say something, it’s said, and once you fire off that mocking email, it’s a permanent record. You can do damage or good in a matter of seconds. Make sure your words do the latter.

2. When I hear gossip, do I give in to the urge to encourage more conversation or do I change the flow of the conversation to something more positive?

I know, I know. Some gossip is awfully tempting, but make a choice to steer clear of all of it. When you embrace all that is possible for your life, you become much less concerned with negative conversation. What does it mean to gossip? Is gossip when you tell something good about what someone else does? Of course not. It is when someone tells things about another by revealing a confidence, or with the intent to “sow discord.” Proverbs 11:13 says, “A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.”Be on your guard about any negative words you allow into your environment – whether through people or media.

3. Do I wait until I am angry or frustrated to give people my opinion about their behavior, or do I take time to calm down before speaking about an emotionally-charged topic?

Nine times out of ten, waiting to respond to a situation that has you emotionally charged will result in a much calmer and wiser response. Wait a set period of time (it could be ten minutes, 24 hours or more) before addressing someone about an issue if you think you may say something too harshly or that you may later regret. Your communication will be clearer and more effective when you have time to take the emotion out of your response and think about the words you want to use.

4. When I am feeling down about my circumstances, do I speak negatively about myself?

The power of your words not only affects others, but perhaps most significantly, they affect you. Become aware of what you say about yourself – whether speaking to yourself or others. Do you beat yourself up for making a mistake? Do you tell yourself or others that you aren’t smart enough, experienced enough, talented enough, attractive enough or good enough to succeed in your endeavors? Even if your self-esteem leads you to believe these things are true, tell yourself the opposite. “I have everything I need to accomplish my dream. I am a good person. I am getting better day by day. My circumstances, whether positive or negative, do not define who I am.” Use your words to enhance, enrich and empower your life rather than allowing them to tear you down.

5. Do I feel the need to always voice my opinion?

Some of the wisest people in the world speak the least. They are secure enough in who they are that they don’t feel the need to prove their worthiness by expressing their opinion and knowledge at every given opportunity. Instead, they listen without judgment. Through their listening, they learn and gain wisdom. Practice being quiet, even when you feel the urge to let everyone hear your opinion. Of course, there are times when expressing your opinion is critical. Learn to discern the difference between speaking out of insecurity or a need for attention, and speaking out of authenticity and mutual benefit.

If you get control of your tongue, you can direct your entire life the way it is supposed to go. Begin speaking the truth of God’s Word, and you will see your life driven by the Word of God instead of the storms of life.

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which brings an encouraging message 5 days a week to your inbox by clicking here 

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How To Train Your Children To Make The Right Choices

August 12, 2012 by 33 Comments
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How To Train Your Children To Make The Right Choices

by Olga Hermans

 

My children are all grown up now; I have a daughter and a son. I love them both; they are on fire for God and desire to serve Him with everything they have. They are truly a blessing to me and my husband.

But….if I would have a chance to do everything over again, I would spend less time on teaching my kids to obey me and spend more time teaching them to make wise choices. I remember the times that I thought it was the most important thing for them to obey us as parents. That is how I had grown up and so I didn’t know any better.

And of course, don’t misunderstand me. It is good for children to obey their parents, but it is better for children to hear directly from God and obey Him because they want to.

So, what are we doing when we make all the decisions for them? They won’t know how to make decisions for themselves.
There are so many areas in life where they need to know how to make a decision and how to choose for themselves. You can start with things that really don’t matter; things where they don’t sin when they make the wrong choice.

I remember when one of my children wanted to build a friendship with some body that I knew wasn’t the right choice. I knew that this friendship wasn’t going to last for more than one reason, but she wanted to hold on to that choice just to find out later that it really wasn’t what she had expected from it and it was a short friendship.

So, now she knew that some choices that seem to be right are not always right.

Then there comes a time that your children get older and you need to allow them to say no to you at times. For example: you might want to go to a particular restaurant for lunch, but your children don’t like it. It’s okay to let him or her make some of the decisions as long as it is not rebellion or manipulation.

Another important aspect of teaching our children to make right choices is allowing them to experience the consequences – good or bad – of their choices.

You and I as parents want to “rescue” our children from experiencing the negative consequences of wrong choices. When we do this, and we all do, we actually teach our children that it is okay to make a wrong choice because someone will always be there to save them and in the end, we set them up for failure.

Remember Eli in the Old Testament with his sons: Hophni and Phinehas. Eli should have taught them and warned them about the wrong things they were doing; they were dishonoring the Lord and defiling the temple and their own temple. But, Eli never confronted them and kept them employed as priests at the temple, which was not a good thing. The Bible says, “their sins will never be forgiven.”(Samuel 3:14)

This is difficult for us as parents to confront our children for certain things. I am much more confronting with our children than my husband is. I know the heartache of being in the unknown of some things in life and I have wished many times that my parents would have informed me of certain things. My father was a hard working business man, but he never talked to us about what he had to do to come that far.

He only told us that money didn’t grow on trees and that we had to work hard to make some money. So, when he died at 57 years of age, we all were in the unknown and experienced some heartache in our lives.
You see, if we rescue our children from certain consequences in life, we are not allowing the law of sowing and reaping to operate in their lives.

Here are 4 ways you can help your children make the right choices

1. Allow your children to make their own choices some of the time and as they get older; allow them to say no to you as well. When you do, it lets them feel independent and it shows your children that you trust them.

2. Let them experience the consequences of their choices; the good, the bad and the ugly so to speak. If you protect your children from the bad consequences, they will never learn from their mistakes.

3. Teach your children to follow their conscience; this should be fun! Every child loves to learn this; it makes them feel responsible for themselves. Every child has a conscience. Why do we as parents always have our kids check with us when they have to make a choice to watch a certain movie or read a certain book? We should be training them to listen to that red and green light on the inside of them.

4. Last but not least, we need to teach our children to think right thoughts, because our choices are a product of what we have been thinking about.

I think that most children don’t even realize that they have choices. We owe it to our children to teach them that they have control over what they think. That is the only way that they can have control over their own life. We as parents don’t have any control over what they are thinking, even God doesn’t have that control; we need to inform our children that what they think and speak will eventually become their destiny.

I truly believe that if we do these things we empower our children to make the right choices; they will do mighty exploits on the earth because God’s blessing will be upon their lives.

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which brings an encouraging message 5 days a week to your inbox by clicking here 

 

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How Your Family Can Benefit from Social Media

August 8, 2012 by 42 Comments
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Today is another social media day and my friend Mandy Edwards talks about how families can not only benefit from social media but embrace it in a way that it is fun and bring our relationship with our chilren even to a higher level.

Using social media is among the most common activity of today’s children and adolescents. Ok, there are some risks inherent to online social networking, but there are also many potential benefits. Social networking can provide opportunities for new relationships as well as strengthening existing relationships, whether your kids’ friends are close to home or across the world. It’s important to be vigilant when your kids are getting involved in online social networking, but it’s also good to encourage positive relationships through various avenues, including the Internet.

I know you will enjoy today’s post from my friend Mandy who I also met in the same business networking group online where we learn and receive input from each other. So, I will not put you on hold any longer; here is Mandy!

 

How Your Family Can Benefit from Social Media

by Mandy Edwards

How Your Family Can Benefit from Social Media

“Okay sweetie, let me take a picture so I can post it on Facebook for grandma.”

“I saw where you tweeted you ate at Olive Garden!  Was it good?”

“Oooh, I love the pin of that recipe you made last time you were home.”

Any of these sound familiar?

Social media has integrated itself into our lives – both professionally and personally.

I always blog about how social media can benefit your business, but today I’m blogging about how families can benefit from social media.  Yes, families can benefit.

Example: me.

Born in Iowa, I moved to Missouri when I was 10, then Georgia when I was 16.   I have lived in a lot of places.  My mom was an Army brat.  My dad lived in one town for the first 28 years of his life.  Moves and military have my family spread everywhere.  My parents live in Louisiana, I am in Georgia, my sister is in South Carolina (until October, then the Marines are moving them to Southern California) and my extended family lives in Missouri, Texas and Tennessee.  Without social media we would have such a disconnect.  But thanks to it, we stay in touch more than we did B.F., you know, Before Facebook.

Social media does a wonderful job of keeping grandparents up on what their grandkids are doing.  Parents overseas in the military can Skype each day with their loved ones back home.

Social media is meant to be social.  We can let those who cannot be with us be a part of our lives.  I know my mom appreciates seeing all the pictures of the things my two girls do – she feels likes she’s here while being 12 hours away.

Some benefits of families using social media are…

  1. More Involvement – when families use social media to stay in touch, they are more involved in each others’ lives.  It’s like a family reunion when everyone is on!
  2. Closer Relationships – by staying involved, relationships can become closer.  I know with my mom on Facebook, I message back and forth more than we talk on the phone.  Having that ongoing conversation helps with communication.
  3. Parents can keep up on their kids – If you are friends with your kids, then you can see who they are interacting with.  And trust me, you will want to do this.  I am still thankful we didn’t have Facebook when I was in high school and college.
  4. Sharing the Love – Memories.  Remembering past events.  Family members can post pictures of loved ones gone before us and share the great memories they had.  You can see a loved one’s wedding pictures if you couldn’t make it.

Of course, there is always a flip side to the benefits, but that can be another post on another day.

In the grand scheme of life, communication is key.  Social media provides an effective and efficient way for family members to interact.  With the launch of Google+’s Hangout, multiple family members can video chat while living in several different states.

In today’s world, families are busy and there is a communication breakdown.   Family dinners are a thing of time gone by – fast food dinners in the car between dance and ball practice are the norm.  Teens spend more time with their noses down texting.  Video games keeps tweens glued to the TV.  Social media brings all of them away from this and allows them to video chat and interact with their family members, especially those who do not live close.

What are some ways your family is benefitting from social media?  Comment below!  I’d love to hear!

About Mandy Edwards

Mandy Edwards is the owner of ME Marketing Services, a marketing firm in Statesboro, Georgia that specializes in social media marketing for small businesses.  The local go-to person on spcial media, Mandy is a momprenuer , President of her local chapter of BNI – Business Networking International and 2013 Chair for her local Relay for Life.

For more information on Mandy, please visit www.memarketingservices.com.  You can also follow her on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (@memktgservices).

 

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3 Things You Need, to Discover The Life You Were Born to Live

August 5, 2012 by 37 Comments
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3 Things You Need
to Discover The Life You Were Born to Live

by Olga Hermans

#1. A Plan

The purpose of life is to discover your gift, which means that you need to discover the things that you like to do. If you are inspired and motivated to “Discover The Life You Were Born to Live” and make a difference with your life, then you must have a plan. Nothing will just happen automatically. The primary reason why most people do not succeed is because they do not plan. Planning is one of those lifestyle choices.

This morning my husband and I were talking about some things that we want to do with our life. He said a few things that just hit home to me. “Yeah, yeah, that’s where we’re going” was my quick reaction to it. And I saw it so very clearly what we are going to do in the next few months, the next year and the next five years.

I’ve discovered that most people do a better job at planning a trip that will only last for a week than they do planning their life which is a lifetime. A lot of people do not succeed simply because they do not plan. God didn’t just wake up one morning and said, “You know, I think I will make a universe.” That is not how God operates. Nothing that God does is by coincidence. God is the master-planner.

If you are one of our valuable readers, you have read a few times that we have talked about the fact that God has a plan for your life even before you were formed in your mother’s womb.

You know as well as I do that if you want to be a doctor, then you have to make plans to be a doctor. If you want to own a business, then you have to make plans to own your own business, and if you want a better life, then you have to make plans for a better life. All of that is a choice.

So many people live for the moment. Whatever happens, happens. What will be, will be. You are not going to experience God’s best with that attitude. It takes planning. Success in any endeavour requires planning and planning is a choice. If you never succeed at anything, it is simply because you didn’t plan to succeed. Success doesn’t come easy, if it did, everybody on the planet would be successful.

Just a few weeks ago I was at a party where some of my friends shared that they had gone through very stormy conditions in their life. Life can be full of stormy conditions and that is why you need a plan. With a plan you can maneuver through life’s storms much easier.

A person who never sets goals is like a ship without a rudder; a ship without a rudder is like a person who just wanders aimlessly through life. Aimlessly wandering is like depending upon which way the wind blows. There are a lot of people like that today.

#2. Positive thoughts, words and actions

This universe is governed by certain laws, which were put into motion by God Himself. One of them is called the law of gravity. This works for everybody the same way because it is a law. If you let go of a book in your hands, it will drop on the floor. If a baby rolls over to the edge of a table too far, it will fall on the floor. This law of gravity cannot decide that because the baby is a baby, it will not go into affect.

If you don’t want to be a failure, then you have to learn certain laws that produce success. One of these laws is also the law of seedtime and harvest; or the law of cause and effect. The way you live today is the result of the seeds sown in the past. If you don’t like the way you live, then you have no one to blame but yourself. So, if you don’t like the harvest, stop planting it.

I want to encourage you to take the time to sit down and carefully look at what you have been doing that is preventing you from having success. Most importantly, take time to listen to yourself. Whether you realize it or not, you are applying the law of cause and effect or as the bible calls it, the law of sowing and reaping every time you speak.

In my new book “Pursue your Destiny with Passion and Purpose” I cover this subject in great depth. It is a very important subject and we need to learn to apply this law and put it to work for the contentment and happiness of our life.

# 3. Perception

In order to discover the life you were born to live, you have to learn how to become perceptive. Every problem has a solution. Many times people fail, because of wrong perception. By changing how you perceive your problems, you can literally change your life from failure and defeat to victory and success.

You know the story of David and Goliath. When David saw Goliath, his perception of that challenge was totally different from that of his brothers and the entire armies of Israel; they perceived Goliath as too big to kill. When David looked at him, he thought he was too big to miss. Same giant, same problem, a different perception.

You and I are created by God to succeed and not to fail. Success does not come without adversity; there is no such thing as success without adversity. Most people run from it though.

Learn to look at every situation, every problem, and every challenge with a different perception that your problems are subject to change. That is how you can endure anything.

If you don’t like the way you are presently living, then it’s time to make some choices. If you don’t like where you are, then you have got some decisions to make. One thing you have to do for sure is to Pursue Your Destiny with everything that is within you. Stir up your passion to make a plan, to think on good things and let those thoughts come out of your mouth. Use your words as the rudder on that boat and decide to take some action. You will see your life from a totally different perspective.

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which brings an encouraging message 5 days a week to your inbox by clicking here 

 

 

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Using Social Media Strategies To Relate To Your Partner

July 31, 2012 by 31 Comments
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Today is a special day; I am so excited to introduce to you my friend Susan Preston who writes on relationships and social media strategies on her blog. Susan and I have met in a business networking group online where we learn and receive input from each other. I know that you will receive something new from her today concerning your relationship with your partner using Social Media.

Here is Susan; enjoy her post!

 

 

 

 

Using Social Media Strategies To Relate To Your Partner 

by Susan Preston

 

Just about everybody uses some kind of social media site these days. I just finished commenting on what are the essential elements that are necessary when using social media on a facebook post. Then it hit me, what if we spent even half as much time on Relating with our partner, as we do with our friends, potential clients and clients…can you imagine how much better our relationships would be?

Since we go to relationships to give and share, by using the five strategies that you use everyday when you are on your social networks you will find that you have even more so to bring to your relationship. I believe that you will find that it will help you to relate with your partner at an even deeper level, thus bringing your relationship to an Extraordinary place!

Five Steps On How To Use Social Media Strategies To Relate To Your Partner:

Be You:

It is so important to be yourself in your relationship. By embracing who you truly are and tapping into your true Magnificence and then sharing yourself with your partner, it will help them to feel like they can do the same and be themselves. Don’t try to be like you think they want you to be, but rather who you really are.

By continually filling yourself up with love, joy, happiness, self-esteem, honor, respect and worthiness, etc. you will be able to share yourself at a much more deeper and meaningful level. Now you have two people who are building a relationship who are totally comfortable being themselves, that is a Win-Win situation for everyone!

Listen Attentively:

You need to listen to your what your partner is saying. They maybe sharing with you their problems and frustrations and if you are so busy trying to do other things while they are talking, you may miss the true meaning of what they are trying to say. Make it about them! Really listen generously, to what they are saying not what you think they are saying. Reflect back on what they said to make sure it is accurate. Tune in to what they truly need and feel what’s going on underneath it all. It is so important to make them feel that they are being heard and that they truly matter! By giving them your undivided attention, they will feel like they are a priority rather then as an option in your life.

Engage:

After you listen to them, engage with them. Acknowledge what they are feeling. Give your input into the situation in a kind and loving way. Sometimes, just by acknowledging what they are feeling is all that is necessary. If there is a way to help them, do so. Don’t go overload them with your opinion. Your partner may not always remember what you say, but they will always remember how you made them feel.

Give:

Since relationships are a place that we go to give of ourselves, by filling yourself up with all the goodies as I call them [love, honor, respect, etc.] you will have even more to give of yourself on a consistent basis. You see you cannot give to others on a consistent basis what you don’t give to yourself first. A lot of times people try to do so, but end up feeling drained and empty and don’t feel like they have anymore to give.

Making it about them at times makes them feel that you appreciate them and you know yourself, when you feel appreciated you want to give even more. People love to feel that they are a significant part of their partner’s life.

Share:

When you continually fill yourself up with all of the goodies, you will find you are much more creative and inspired. Thus, as a result you will be able to share yourself as well as your creativity and inspiration to help with a challenge that your partner maybe going through. Share who you are and some of the great things that are happening in your life and business, but do it graciously. By doing this, you will help your partner to feel comfortable about sharing who they are.
By using these five strategies, it will take your relationship to that next Amazing level. You might even want to message them privately on facebook and ask them on a hot date. We spend so much time using our social networks why not get creative using them to relate to your partner! I would love for you to comment below how you might use social media to relate to your partner, thanks!

Is your mindset keeping you from growing your business? If you would like more help with this or if you are having challenges in any of your relationships, Susan would love to help. Click on Free Consultation and Susan will give a free 30 minute consultation to answer any pressing questions that you may have to give you the clarity that you may need, in order to move in the right direction.

Susan Preston is a Mindset Motivator & a Relationship Mentor. Susan can empower you to Master your Mindset and Ignite your Relationships by helping you to get the clarity to take your life and business to that next Amazing level. She brings a lifetime of experience to help you create that balance in every area of your life so that you are truly living your Dreams! You can see more of Susan’s work at http://SusanCanHelpMe.com.

 

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