Fuel to Keep Running: Vision (The beautiful suit factor)

It is especially hard to be consistent in anything these days because of the barrage of options and marketing aimed at our minds. With all this information available at our fingertips, both good and bad, it is super easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. I often find myself in a place asking the question is it even worth it to keep working so hard in pursuit of what I am after. Moments of discouragement settle in as life has its way. But I have discovered that the way to overcome this (and I am still learning) is to reflect on the vision that God has planted in my heart. I don't know how or when it will happen, but we are promised that every vision that God has given us will eventually materialize if we keep trusting him. So keep your vision alive and trust God for its realization. It will happen if you don't give up. Ultimately, the vision is meant to draw us into a closer relationship with Him. The benefits of it are just a pleasant byproduct.

P.S. For those wondering about the beautiful suit analogy, its just one of the little reminders of my own personal vision that helps me stay motivated. What's yours?

Who will you be 10 years from now?

That is a hard question to answer and truthfully, no one knows but God. That does not mean that we should not take a proactive approach to planning for our future. We make future success a little surer by making wise decisions today. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day battle that we lose sight of tomorrow. We should concentrate on today and not worry about tomorrow, yet in the same breath it is wise to make decisions today that can set us up for a better tomorrow (should it come). What new skills can you begin to develop today or what new information can you begin putting into yourself that will make you better in the future? What relationships or connections do you need to begin building today that will bear fruit tomorrow? Some things to consider.

How The Game of Chess Changed My Life

I recently made a trip to my barbershop to get cleaned up and noticed that they had a chess board set up. I always get excited when I see a chess board in certain social circles I'm involved with, because for me it denotes a level of intelligence and sophistication that I admire. I immediately asked who in the shop partakes in the game and it started a lively discussion on the benefits of it. This conversation led me to open up (which I rarely do in this particular environment) and share how I learned how to play the game in the 10th grade and how it shaped much of my decision making thereafter. I became acquainted with the game when I was going through a stage of negative rebellion (nothing at all like the R.E.B.E.L. Movement) and offensive behavior. The more I played chess, the more I begin to reflect on my life decisions and how they would affect me, not only in the present, but in my future as well. This was definitely a game that helped me turn a new and more positive leaf in life. I thank God that He allowed me to discover it and used it as a way to put my feet on a better path.

Random fact: Chess is coined "The Game of Kings"