MOVING ON

“If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if the tree falls toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie.” (Ecclesiastes 11:3 AMP)

King Solomon said that where the tree falls, there it lies.  It is done, and we will not raise it up again.  But it is what we do from this point forward that makes the difference.

Something that seemed so sure turns questionable and something for which we had little hope suddenly works out.  Regardless of how things appear, they can be totally different -- and it is what we do from now on that will make or break us.  Moving on does not mean we do not care; it means we will not let it keep us from living fully. 

-- Toni Engstrom 

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THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).

There is a story of a man who looked up at the heavens and said, “Dear God, there is so much pain and anguish in Your world; why don’t You send help?” And God answered, “I did send help -- I sent My Son and they crucified Him. Now I am sending you in the power of My Spirit to make a difference and to ease the pain and anguish you encounter.”  

-- Unknown 

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A PURPOSEFUL LIFE

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

-- George Bernard Shaw from the introduction to his play "Man and Superman"


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MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Nothing in the spiritual life adds so much satisfaction as truly making a positive difference in the lives of others. Serving others helps those we serve flourish; and we flourish in the serving of others.
-- Robert Schnase in Five Practices of Fruitful Living


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CROSSING THE GOAL LINE

Here are the key ingredients to making a difference…

Have a mission in life. You have to be a part of something bigger than yourself. Get involved in making life better for people. Adopt a needy child or become a foster parent. Be a coach or a tutor to inner-city kids or run for school board.

Seek out and surround yourself with great role models. Frankly, I don't like hanging around mediocrity. I don't want my mind affected by a "just good enough" attitude. When you're on a team with great people, everyone in the group motivates and inspires each other to work their hardest and be the best.

Work hard. It may mean taking extra classes, doing more reading, watching less TV. If you really want it -- whatever "it" is -- you'll get it done. If you don't get it done, then you don't really want it, you just wish you had it.

Be bold, be daring, be courageous. If you want to win big, you've got to take some calculated risks. If you care enough about serving Jesus Christ, then you don't worry so much about what other people might say about you or do to you.

Be persistent. Very few touchdowns are made with a single 99-yard pass. Most come at the end of a 10- or 15-down drive made up of five- and three-yard gains, even some lost yards. If you don't hang in there, you'll never get to cross the goal line and do the Lambeau leap! But if you're persistent, ain't nobody gonna stop you.

-- Reggie White in Men of Integrity magazine, September/October 2002, Vol. 5, No. 5


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MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.

I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.

I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It's OK to stumble...I will get up. It's OK to fail...I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.

I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.

Today I will make a difference.

-- Max Lucado in On the Anvil


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