Hone In On Your Creative Edge

People who have come to uncover their creativity can be some of the most unfocused people on the planet. I can speak from such a point of view because I can be one of them. I have so many ideas that it would be impossible to pursue them all. It has gotten to the point where I have an idea folder in my phone and I just jot down my free flowing ideas and revisit them. I have found (in my limited experience) that it is important to hone in on (or focus on) what I'm most passionate about and give the majority of my energy to that. This allows me to complete my goal and put out something of exceptional quality. Whatever you are pursuing, hone in on one element of it and kill it. Maximize your current endeavor and then move on to the next project. You will have less stress and frustration, and gain satisfaction from finishing the job.

Are You Sleeping on Your Creativity?

I recently tried to take a nap the other day and felt that still, small, voice say, "you need to get up and work". I instantly shrugged it off, rolled over, and commenced trying to catch some shut eye. The voice again said, "you need to get up and work, you are missing out on creativity". That was enough to get me up and start punching away on my laptop. As I write this, I wonder how many people are sleeping on their creativity. Maybe not literally sleeping, but not doing their part to put the creative energy within them to work. I don't ever want to miss an opportunity to get into my creative zone and produce something that is new, exciting, and perhaps will change some one's life. Every time we let our laziness, fear, ignorance, or other vices keep us from tapping into our creative potential, we do ourselves and the world a terrible disservice. So go create something!

The Artistry of Marriage

Sometimes I can feel my heart get extremely lonely on this journey called life. Perhaps you too have had the feeling that you are all alone even though you are around several other people. Feelings like this make me so appreciative to have another person who I can share my joys, dreams, fears, insecurities, and ultimate success with. I realize how unbalanced I could become if I didn't have someone to compliment me. Though there are struggles, ups, and downs, nothing can compare to having someone (going in the same direction) to journey with on this side of eternity. I've heard it said that to stay married is a skill, but to become happily married and stay that way is an art. Well, the latter is what I'm after.

You Don't Know What You Are Made Of Until You Are Tested

It's easy to be a star football player from the comfort of your couch. We know everything that the guy on the field is doing wrong and if he would just do what we command (with our chips and beer in hand), he would win the game. I'm afraid that the game is a lot different when you are actually on the field. I'm sure we would all develop a little more humility once we took a helmet to the rib cage and had our faces shoved into the turf. Then reality sets in, perhaps this wasn't as easy as I thought it was we think to ourselves. Time out! The fact is that we don't know what we are capable of until we are placed into the crucible of life. Testing brings out the real us, comfort does not. See how you react to the worst that life has offer or accept the seemingly beneficial challenges that it presents in order to see what is really on the inside. Once you conquer that situation, then you have bragging rights and new authority, but until you actually live through and pass certain courses in the school of life, don't assume you are ready to be on the field.

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For The Joy Set Before Me...

Believer's in Christ eventually come to understand that there are significant "death" points in their life. We either have the choice to undergo these periods of death allowing the resurrection life of Jesus to flow through us, or we can choose to take the easy route and let our human nature continue to live and abort the plan of God in our lives for that moment. Some death points and periods are bigger and have greater magnitude than others. The little "deaths' that we die daily prepare us for our big death that we will face that will give life to many others. The joy set before us that allows us to undergo these deaths is all of the lives that will be touched for the better by our obedience to God.

Inner Transformation Leads to External Transformation

Many people are often focused on how they can transform their sphere of influence. We want to see positive transformation in our families, on our jobs, in our churches, and in our communities. Positive transformation is progressive in nature, there are building blocks that lead to greater levels. To change a city, family, community, the individual must change first. The very things that you desire to see shifted in your respective spheres of activity must first shift in you. A transformation in you will allow you to see what needs to transform in your surroundings and will give you authority to work on initiating the change, you are working from a place of integrity. So get busy transforming the spehre of responsibility assigned to you by God, but remember that first step starts with you undergoing that tranformation.