Don't Give Up

Don't Give Up by Rick Warren

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NIV) Failure is never final. You’re never a failure until you quit, and it’s always too soon to quit! You don't determine a person’s greatness by his talent, his wealth, or his education. You determine a person’s greatness by what it takes to discourage him. So what does it take to discourage you from going after your dream? It may be as simple as a friend or relative or family member telling you, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” The Bible says in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (NIV). You want to know how many times I wanted to resign from Saddleback Church? Just every Monday morning when I think, “God, surely somebody could have done a better job than I did yesterday. This thing is too big for any one person.” God says, “Just keep on keeping on.” I may not be real bright sometimes, but I don’t know how to quit. I don’t know how to give up. God works in your life according to your faith. The Bible says, “Without faith it’s impossible to please God” and “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” and “According to your faith it will be done unto you.” So what are you doing in faith? You need to ask yourself every day when you get up, “God, what can I do today that will require faith?” That’s an important question, because that’s what’s going to please God. There are a lot of things in your life you don’t have control over. You didn't control who your parents were, when you were born, where you were born, or what your race or nationality is. You didn't control what gifts and talents you were given. You didn't decide how you look. But you do have complete control over how much you choose to believe God. God uses people who expect him to act, who never give up, who take risks in faith, who get his dream and go after it. It’s your choice whether you want to be the kind of person God uses to accomplish his purpose. Talk It Over What are the things that discourage you and keep you from pursuing your goals? How do you think God wants you to respond to those circumstances? What act of faith is God asking you to do today? God Bless! 204me

PREPARE TO FLY ..

A young woman sat on a park bench over lunch and while she sat there she noticed a butterfly trying to come out of its cocoon. She watched it struggle and struggle for more than an hour.

Eventually feeling sorry for it she reached for a small pair of scissors and gently used it to clip open the cocoon. To her surprise the butterfly that was released did not fly away but instead it just sat there totally crippled. 

You see, what she did not realise is that the struggle a butterfly goes through, is what pumps blood into its wings so that it may be able to fly! 

Isaiah 40:31

King James Version (KJV)

³¹ But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

The eagle is an unusual bird, because it has mastered the ability to fly into a storm. It "mounts" strong winds as though it is going up a staircase. It is the only bird that you will find flying during a storm. 

This year, 2014, approach life with the majesty of an eagle! Do not be afraid of headwinds or opposition; use them, mount them like stairs for your success! The word "wait upon" comes from the Hebrew word, "qawah", which denotes someone who is "serving" as they wait. It is an active process and not passive.

You might be struggling to get a job; you might be struggling to make your finances work; you might be struggling to fund your education; you might be struggling to make a small business successful; you might be struggling to get ahead in your job; you might even be going through viscous persecution, that even threatens your very life.

Listen to me; from today, start thinking about it differently! No matter how dark, no matter how challenging, you are not going under; you are going over...just don't give up!

 

204me

Change History by the words that you speak.

Fifty years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and spoke words that would change history. “I have a dream…”As a preacher, King understood the power of words. His bold declaration became a pivotal moment in the American Civil Rights Movement and shifted the destiny of his followers.The power of the spoken word is one of life’s greatest mysteries.
All you will ever be or accomplish hinges on how you govern what comes out of your mouth. What you allow to occupy your mind and proceed from your mouth either lifts your life to the heights of success, or sends it to the depths of failure, sadness, and discontent.

Most believers live beneath the standard God has ordained for His children—they don’t realize every declaration and decree has the power to change the trajectory of their life and alter destinies.

Too many people release careless words into the atmosphere—then wonder why they aren’t experiencing the life God promised.

Scripture reveals that the universe responds to our words—good or bad, purposeful or errant. So don’t waste your breath! You will be held accountable for every idle word, but you will also be rewarded for words spoken in faith.

Your words are the raw material that forms the life you were meant to live! Just as great architects select the perfect combination of brick and mortar to build towering skyscrapers and timeless monuments, consciously choosing your words pulls the resources of heaven into your circumstances.

Remember, words released into the atmosphere do not disappear or dissipate. They are not limited by geography. They are suspended—incubated in the Spirit realm—until conditions are right for them to be realized.

So don’t waste your breath! Use your words to release God’s power and presence in your life today. Speak life transforming, destiny-altering words!

By: Cindy Trimm

I Spoke to my unborn child!

I do believe that although you have not been formed in my womb, you are there, in the deepest place, where God is downloading you with all things pertaining to life, for the skyscraper life  you are to lead. At times though, I so badly want to meet you, but when I look at how rough the world is, the disfunctionalities in society, how the abnormal things have been made normal. I question my desire to bring you into such world. Amidst the fears I’m reminded though, that my fears can’t abort Gods purpose, because I know that is what you are. So in the midst of my fears which are  at times overwhelming, I know I must yield to the greater will, Gods creation of you.

At times, in my secret place when no one is watching, I push my tummy out and pretend you are there, I talk to you, because in my heart I believe you are listening. Insane others may say, but not at all for me, cause I know that every word I speak, one day I will see the fruits therefof.So let me speak to you my dear child, let mama tell you one of the greatest lessons I recently learned and wish to share with you, which I believe will help you as you try and make sense of world and your place and purpose in it.

If there is one thing that I will drill into your head from the time your mind can comprehend, is that you can be anything that you want to be. You see my love, all my life I desired to be on TV, not for fame but I believed and still believe that media is one of the greatest mediums, which can be used constructively when placed in the right hands. But because of external pressures I began to down play my dream, because in a home of academic and high achievers being on TV is seen as  aiming low and ambitionless.

It’s painful my love, to live in the shadow of others , to try and impress people who will never really be impressed by you, and who will later not be there to assist when their expert advice on the “best career path “fails dismally. So If asked what I know now, that I wish I knew then, I would wish that I trusted and listened to my inner voice more than the opinions of others.

I look back though, at times with regret but also with gratitude because I see now that they are certain lessons that can only be learned through the fire. And maybe all that I have been through is to teach you you, not to go down the similar path, not to make the same mistakes, and if you make them, to know that I am here to walk you through it all. So my love, when you know what you want in life, stick to the convictions of your heart, let nothing  down play your dream, not even you, There is no bar, you will have as far as your eyes can see.

 

Sometimes all we need is a PUSH!!

I have often heard people say no man is an island, that somehow we are all created to be beneficiaries of each other’s God given talents and gifts. In a society however which promotes a culture of “every man for himself” it is rare to find people nowadays who are able to see greatness is others and then make it their priority to ensure that they enhance it or provide a platform for that gift to flourish.

There is a question that I challenge myself with daily, which says: Whose success has become my priority, whose life has become better because of my existence?” If there is something that I fear most is to become so great that I forget that the greatest calling is to serve .I have learned it is in serving ,giving your life tirelessly   for those who can’t return the favor,that true love is expressed and the UBUNTU ideal made a reality.

While travelling in a taxi the other day I met a young man who taught me a valuable life lesson without even being aware of it. In our conversation he expressed his desire to one day be a lawyer, despite his family financial problems. He was now on route to his part time job of cutting grass, just so that he can get money to cover his fees for the next term.

What struck me about this young man, was his determination to fight for his life. I found myself struggling to hold back the tears as he explained how for many nights in the past term he had gone without food, or just on a slice of bread, these just a few of the many challenges that he was currently facing. As I was listening to him, desiring so much to just give a huge cheque to cover all his needs, yet knowing in reality that all I had in my wallet was a lousy R2.00 and what can that do?

Eventually after he was done, I got the courage to speak, still not sure what to say when the words “I believe in you and I know you can do it” came rushing out. Where I got the boldness to say that to someone I hardly knew still amazes me , but it came from a sincere place. He then burst into tears, and there I am looking at him, thinking ok did I say something wrong? He sobbed for like a good five minutes and we girls know there’s nothing more painful than seeing a man. Trying so hard to fight the tears, he explained that all his life, he had never heard someone tell him that. All his life he longed to find someone to believe in the possibilities of his dreams. His last words as he walked away.. “You have given me hope.”

I left that day moved and so inspired and like Oprah I had an AAAAAH moment and it hit me as I watched him disappear at a distance that “sometimes all we need is a push. “At times  all people need is the assurance that they have the inherent power in them to overcome. When you expose people dynamic and transformational power of love, you give them reason to believe, to hope, to live. I  have come to know that the human spirit understands one thing love, its born of  love , for love, to be loved. Once it finds this love, it thrives, lives and believes.

Let me end by leaving you with this to ponder on: The true character of a man is measured by the way he treats those who can do nothing for them. Be love, spread love, live love!

 

 

5 Ways to Put Steam into Your Dreams

1.      Be a Goal-getter.
It’s been noted that on average, only about 5% of people write down their goals. Yet the 5% who do, end up accomplishing those goals 95% of the time. A small percentage of doers can make a BIG difference. If you write out your goals you have a better chance of accomplishing them…when you see it, that’s motivation to do it! GOals help you to go and propel yourself forward, without them you lack direction.

2.      . Read information  that stretches your mind.
Remember that “a mind stretched by new ideas, never returns to its original dimension.” What you feed your mind today, will grow in your life tomorrow. Begin to feed your faith and let your fears/doubts die of starvation.

3.      Love and appreciate who you are.
Too many times we focus on our weaknesses and become so self-critical, that we ignore the value that we have within. You canʼt expect anybody to love and appreciate who you are, if you donʼt love and appreciate yourself first. You will eventually attract who and what you are. Know who and whose you are. When you don’t know who you are, you leave it to the world to define you. Embrace your uniqueness and know your worth!

4.       Believe you can.
The power of belief is what will unlock the door of opportunity. The faith you have to look situations in the face and say, “in spite of what it looks like, I still believe” will catapult you to the next level.

5.      Step into the winnerʼs circle.
Whether youʼre in the winnerʼs circle or not, depends on whoʼs in your circle. You are who you hang around. You will either be a chicken or an eagle, a chump or a champion, a worrier or a warrior…which will you choose? You canʼt be a whiner and a winner at the same time! Take responsibility for your life, by getting in the drivers seat and push on the path of your purpose and destiny.

                                                                                                                                       by @EddieConnorJr

 

 

 

10 Secrets for a Succcessful Life

1.Forgive yourself and others


To be successful in life, you have to learn to forgive yourself and others for things that have happened in the past. It’s often easier to forgive others than to forgive yourself, but you need to say ‘I am no longer a prisoner of the past, but a pioneer of the future’. You cannot change what happened, you can only learn from it.
This doesn’t mean that you won’t face challenges and crises as you strive to achieve your dreams and ambitions. On the contrary, in Cantonese the word ‘crisis’ consists of two concepts, ‘danger’ and ‘opportunity’. We have to remember that in any crisis, there are opportunities, and we can choose to focus either on dangers or on opportunities. Opportunity is born through the birth pains of crisis.


2. Dare to dream


The poorest person in the world is the person without a dream, and the most frustrated person is a person with a dream that never becomes a reality. To be successful, you need to live your own dream and not try to live the dreams of others. You have to be successful for your own reasons. Share your dreams with others with care, because negative people will discourage you from striving
for your dream. All of us need encouragement as we dream. It is like oxygen
to the soul.


In South Africa there are generally two kinds of people – undertakers and caretakers, and neither of these are dreamers. The undertakers are people who always criticise and say that something will never work. Caretakers are those who are always taking care of other people’s dreams and never focus on their own potential.


When you dare to dream, you begin to use words like ‘it can be done’, ‘it is possible’ and you begin to understand the power of words. Words can build or break. Dreamers are people who have a positive attitude. They realise that it is not what is happening to them that counts, but how they react to the challenges. Dreamers think big and know that success does not come from doing the same thing the same way all the time. They constantly stretch themselves to improve.


3. Show determination and commitment


Staying power is all-important in reaching your dreams and goals. You need determination and commitment.
Embrace the five Rs:
Resolve – Determined and committed people resolve to do things now because they are hungry for growth and for success.
Refrain – Determined and committed people refrain from talking to negative people and refrain from negative influences.
Repeat – Once you are successful, you need to repeat the exercise so that you become even more successful. Success is a matter of repetition and consistency.
Responsibility – Realise that you alone are responsible for your future. You alone are responsible for the outcome of your efforts.
Re-invent yourself – Don’t become complacent. Consider new ways to become even more efficient in your skill.


4. Be disciplined


As you mess with success, you begin to understand that you have to be disciplined.
Self-discipline is often the missing element in many lives. Nobody can discipline you, but yourself. At some time or other you have to say ‘No’ to certain things in life – this is called delayed gratification – you pay now, you play later.
Although a lack of discipline might not have any immediate impact on your life, you need to realise that the pain and regret of these errors are only delayed, and will come back to bite you at a later stage. Both success and failure involve future consequences, namely the inevitable rewards or unavoidable
regrets resulting from past activities.


5. Make a difference


I urge you to show grace and generosity to those who are less fortunate than you are. Remember, what you do for your self disappears when you die, but what you do for others will remain a legacy. That is true success.


6. Set a SMART goal


Now that you know what you want to achieve or become, you need to define it by making it a goal. Your goal has to be:
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Attainable
R – Realistic
T – Timely


7. Adapt to technology


Dependency on technology will increase in the future. Spend time learning new computer programs to improve your productivity, not as just another new toy.


8. Embrace diversity


Get comfortable with other ethnic cultures, religions and customs. Learn a little about the customs and attitudes belonging to workers from other cultures
and countries. You do not have to compromise any personal values or standards in order to do this.


9. Be creative


Being creative demands thinking outside of the box and looking for innovative ways in which to solve persistent problems, increase productivity or produce a new product or service. What worked last year may not necessarily work today. When a challenge presents itself, be the first to offer a new viewpoint or recommend an alternate course of action. Your ideas, combined with the creative ideas from other employees, will help your organisation renew itself as necessary to be competitive in the 21st century.


10. Check your attitude


Believe in yourself and have an ‘I can’ attitude. Train yourself to look beyond the negative events and to see the opportunity cocooned within an obstacle. By doing this you will add value to those around you. Refuse to grumble when circumstances are adverse. Refuse to complain. Be grateful for where you are now, and for where you are headed. Your attitude determines your altitude!

*The above is an extract from David Molapo's book Choose to Change*