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"Do a deed of simple kindness; Though its end you may not see, It may reach, like widening ripples, Down a long eternity." Joseph Parker Norris

"Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.   Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand."  Acts 13:11 We are not meant to merely exist but to really live.  The last 39 days have defined God's purpose for our lives, offered direction, defined success as not being a societal norm, clarified our roles and our shape.  It has detailed the five questions of our purpose-driven life. What will be the center of my life? This is our worship.  There is nothing stronger in life to keep us together when we feel it all starts to fall apart-not family, career, money or hobbies.  God takes away the worry and fills us with peace. What will be the character of my life? Who you are is more important than what you do!  Making a list of characteristics you would like to work on and develop is a great start. ...

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. . . ."  Ephesians 5:8 Love God with all your heart Love your neighbor as yourself Go and make disciples baptize them into. . . teach them to do all things . . . Balancing out the five purposes of our lives it not an easy task.  Many times we focus on the ones that come easiest to us and neglect the others.  Keeping on track and accountable takes joining a small group or having a spiritual partner, regularly evaluating spiritual health, journaling, and sharing your experiences with others. It is one thing to go through The Purpose Driven Life and just read it; next, we have to apply it and discuss it.  Finding others will help to look at all sides of the text as well as reading the passages noted by Rick Warren.  I am almost done reading and evaluating these passages myself.  I highlight the phrases that jump out at me and re-read the ones that really jus...

"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us. . ."  Psalm 67:1 Ways to think world-calss and not worldy: Shift our mindsets from self-centered to other-centered thinking.  This is the ability to mature and stop thinking like children. . .we are now adults; let's act like it! Shift our thinking from local to global.  Praying for others regardless of whether you know them or are affiliated is a great step to going beyond are amazing technological outreach.  We are defenseless against prayer. . .so pray away! Recognize here & now are nothing compared to eternity.  Basically-do not sweat the small stuff.  Use that energy to do God's work.  See what is temporary and what is forever! Get creative!  Not all of our purposes or missions have an easy button.  Think outside of the box to accomplish what God has laid before you.  No excuses!! It is almost the New Year and each one of these can be implim...

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.  Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."  1 Peter 3:4-5 Sharing your message is not about the materialistic parts of your life like money; it is about sharing your testimony, life lessons, godly passions, and good news.  There are many points in our life where God has entered our lives or worked through us in our many life experiences.  Sharing these times with others will reinforce His glory.  Each one of us has a legacy with the Lord and it is important for those stories to never die.  Our personal experiences will be easier for others to relate to and usually more triumphant within the non-believers. Life is about trial and error but we do not have forever to learn all of life with this simple phrase; so we rely on those who...

"The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified."  Matthew 28:5 Our mission, should we choose to accept, is to come to Him and go for Him.  We are the body of Christ are should be obedient in His name.  It is a lot of responsibility and a great honor to represent Christ our Lord.  Sharing the Lord with others is like knowing the cure for cancer-it would idiotic to not share something that could save lives.  Relationships are key to our mission-with God & with others!  Maintaining God in your life and helping non-believers is an eternal reward.  All other things will vanish-job, money, cars, clothes, etc.  We will have to sacrifice what we want for what He needs.  We will have to get rid of self-seeking ideals and let God work through us without resistance from our ego.  Accepting God's mission will come at a high price in many parts of our lives.  Forever is w...

"And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows. . ." 2 Corinthians 12:3 Imperfect, limited, weak-human!  We all have many flaws which so many of us hide, run away from, or excuse.  The fact is, God works even better through these weaknesses.  These are the things and times where God demostrates His power through you.  Without these imperfections-how would we know just how mighty He is and how strong He makes us. Admitting we are flawed or weak can be a hard feat, but we are.  We will never have it together every minute of every day.  There is no way for God to work through us if we are not sure who we are or who He is.  We can start by making a list of these weaknesses and be content with the list before us.  These things are what push us to depend on God and other people in the most humble and sympathetic way. We can all agree opening up to these flaws is a vulnerable state....

"Real servants don't try to use God for their purposes. They let God use them for his purposes." Thinking of ourselves less [not thinking less of ourselves] is a hard task.  Most people serve for admiration, self-seeking ideals, to be liked, and achieve their own goals.  This is a type of manipulation.  True serve requires humility which most of us have to relearn daily as our egos seem to always be in the way.  There is no bargaining with God or part-time faithfulness-either you are in or you are not. We should be worrying about making God look good not ourselves.  We should keep busy in God's work and realize we are all on the same team.  There is no place for jealousy, pity, complaining, or criticism.  God is in us as us and it is our job to do the work he has given us.  It is our opportunity and right to accept this challenge with all our heart and soul.  Serve others-serve Him! "Therefore if you have any encouragement from...

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."  Matthew 10:16 The word servant has been taken out of today's society.  It has been a word with burden, hurt, and feeling of being inferior.  It has been misused, abused, and taken advantage of.  It is no wonder why so many of us shy away from it only to let the me first mentality take over.  It is important to rekindle the word for its positive stand point.  We were built to be servants and in serving; we serve God. One of the hardest parts of serving in today's society is lack of time.  So many of us are consumed by status-who we know, who knows us, how much money we make, our job title, what labels we wear,etc.  God is not asking us to drop everything and become a holy gypsy.  He is merely asking us to be available when divine appointments arrive.  We will have to make sacrifices and let go of control as most times we a...

"What you are is God's gift to you; what you do with yourself is your gift to God."  Danish Proverb Most of us have a good idea of what some of our capabilities are.  Some of us naturally have abilities like singing, dancing, being able to remember facts, playing sports, public speaking, etc., but what if we have a hard time pinpointing our gifts.  It is all about trial and error-an experiment!  Many people do not know what they are good at until they try something new, something that scares them, something they never thought they would do.  Asking the people that are closest to us is also a good starter.  Make sure they know it is not a fish for compliments but an honest question.  They can probably think of things you have not. Next, think about how your life's experiences and situations have helped to shape you.  Take some time out of the hussle and bussle to see how God has worked in your life-through pain, fears, joys, sorrows, m...

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."  1 Peter 4:10 Each one of us is born unique and house abilities that are part of a bigger story.  Our natural abilities were given to us by God as a piece of a puzzle.  No one else has our distinct make-up or can fit where God has placed us.  We were all made for His purpose.  It is just as important to build our spiritual abilities as using our natural abilities. First, acknowledge your abilities and be grateful for what He has given you.  It could be accounting, managing, creativity, baking, teaching, good with a certain age group, leading, fitness, etc.  Second, find a way to use your ability for the good of others.  Thirdly, donate some of your earnings or time for the grace God.  This could be doing a service free of charge, donating to a church or organization, or helping your community. Being u...

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. "  1 Corinthians 12:4-6 S piritual Gifts H eart A bilities P ersonality E xperience Each of us is given gifts by God.  None of us receive them all and each of us has a unique set of them-no two codes alike.  God wanted us to rely on others' and that is why we are all so unique in our spiritual gifts.  Be thankful for the gifts you do have and be blessed when some one enters your life with a gift you have not received.  Learn to lean on them so to let them use their gift and vice versa. Our heart is the center of our motivation.  It is our desires, interest, ambitions, and dreams.  " Your heart determines why you say the things you do, why you feel the way you do, and why you act the way you do. "  (W...

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved."  Ephesians 2:4-5   Life is a two way street not just where we take by eatting and breathing but where also give by contributing.  First and foremost we were put here to serve God.  We are part of the ministry he sacrificed His life to enable.  We do not have to be deacons, priests or other clergy to minister.  We are commanded by God to serve and is not optional if we are to be christian.  Once we have grown spiritually and accepted God;'s grace, we must utilize what He has tought us.  It is not enough just to learn it-we must impliment it every day.  The trouble with this day in age is God has been taken out of most every thing including our lives.  Science takes away every day miracles.  We are left with a stagnate life. ". . .if you don't wake up tomor...

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  Phillipians 1:6 Maturity in anything can never be rushed or it loses its flare.  maturity is a process of believing, belonging, and becoming which many people try to zip through.  So much of society is looking for an easy button in just about every situation, temptation, relationship, or journey.  The obsession with speed and business has diverted many of us from what God is looking for-strength & stability.  He knows we are slow learners.  "It doesn't matter how many steps you take but rather the direction they are going." Part of the problem with maturing is we have to acknowledge deep-rooted problems, are required to change bad habits that usually seem comfortable, and face ourselves in the mirror.  Most people want to believe they are perfect the way they are and thus avoid taking steps; even when the...

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."  1 Corinthians 10:13   Temptation never has the last say.  There is always a way out!  Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Life says, "The battle for sin is won or lost in your mind. Whatever gets your attention will get you." (pg. 136)  This idea is stating that if we fight the feeling or emotion of the temptation, we are more likely to give in.  An idea is the most contagious thing on this planet and if the focus is continually on it, it will pull harder.  It wants to break us.  Find something better to think about that is honorable, spiritual, lovely, pure, noble, and right.  Be sure to share your struggle with someone.  Whether it is a support group or specific friend, most temptations cannot be fought...

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."  James 1:2-3 Temptations are all around us.  Every day we have the opportunity to lie, cheat, steal, be unfaithful, yell, deceive, be unaccountible, and irresponsible.  By no means are the sins of today a punishment.  They are the stepping stone to developing character.  They are God's wake up calls where we are given choices.  The four corners of temptation are predictable which gives us an edge to making the right choices. Temptation always focuses on a desire within you and whether it is a bad desire or not; temptation has a way of twisting and turning your desire to be sinful.  It feeds your ego and always begins in the mind.  This is where doubt, deception, and disobedience come into play.  Temptation wants you to doubt God and what is right.  It will conjur ...

"Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."  Romans 8:5 God gives us so many chances to build our character.  He puts us in difficult situations, in the face of difficult people, and reflects trials with ourselves.  Each hump in the road or detour is a chance for others' to see the reflection of jesus within us.   Most of us have come to this point at one time or another where we are at our lowest and there is no room for superficial praying.  It is the time where your faith is the purest! It is important to stay focused among the chaos.  God's plan is always good even in the midst of horror, terror, and fear.  It is more important on what is happening to you on the inside than what is happening on the outside.  I personally never understood that until recently.  Not only was I mad and ang...

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”    John 8:12 The bible is more than a book.  From cover to cover, it offers authority and answers to every question, doubt, or situation here on earth.  It is set truths which offer us guidance and counsel and acts as our own personal table of contents for our lives.  There is much to learn and help us grow within the pages of the bible.  Many times we find our ego trying to confuse us and helping us to stray.  It is important to follow God's word regardless of whether it feels right to us.  God's words are flawless and priceless.  They are the means to set anyone free. Freedom is a word we all know and we all long for in some sense.  The bible is the key whether you read it, research it, remember it, receive it, or reflect on it.  The words should be honored, and we sh...

Like most parents, they want their children to become adults and grow-up.  They do not want you to just age but grow in personality, character, and intellect.  Being one of God's children, he looks for the same.  He wants us to intentionally commit, desire, and otherwise persist in growing.  What we choose to commit to is what we become.  With that being said, some of us will float through life with no direction, some of us will put only half in, and some us will commit completely [usually to some materialistic means].  No matter the commitment [or lack there of], it has a consequence; so choose wisely! I used to think my choices were just that, mine!  Through Christ I have found this is not quite right.  The work I put out is the only responsibilty I have.  How I treat people.  How I react.  How I portray christ & his values.  How I handle situations.  It is developing what I already have.  God...

"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone."  2 Corinthians 3:2 We have been blessed by being created in the image of God.  We have been given rights of intellect-being able to reason, think and solve.  We have been graced with an immortal spirit.  We have the honor of giving and receiving.  We also have the abilities to decipher right from wrong making us accountable to God.  We by no means will ever be God, but should hope to mimick his values, attitude and character.  He is looking for us to develop our character not our unique personalities which usually takes letting go of the false sense of control we all have inside us.  He never promised us this life on earth would be easy, simple, or a place where all your dreams come true.  More than likely there will be plenty of times we are uncomfrotable.  We are but a small part of a bigger story and are not here to live for ourselves....