The advertising industry spends 100s of Billions of dollars per year to get us to buy more. The amount spent probably goes into the Trillions when small businesses and individuals are added.

So how can we harness this power?

First, you have to know how the advertising industry works. I’m no advertising whizz, but I know that it has something to do with; when our brains see something over and over and over; when we see that brand in the supermarket, to our minds it’s more familiar which equals better in some way.

I have always been interested in the power of the mind and how it works. Today, I would like to share an idea that I have been using for years to keep my mind focused; which works similarly to the advertising industry.

We all have dreams and things we would like to achieve, but all too often the day to day stresses of life blur that vision. God, I believe sent each of us here with a special gift; a gift to add something to the world, to make it better in some way.

What we need is a constant reminder of that vision. When we are focused on adding value to other peoples lives, we are happier and less stressed.

From a very early age, I have always wanted to inspire people and help them realize, to be happy and fulfilled is their birthright.

What I started to do was change the passwords for all my accounts to my goals – words, and phrases to keep me on the right path to fulfill my destiny. (Also changing wallpaper on my phone and computer.)

Very straightforward, but very powerful; as 5-10 times a day, when I log in – I am reminded of what I was sent here to do.

If one day I am off track, letting stress or worry blur my vision, a few simple words can realign my focus on the bigger picture.

Yes, like everyone I have my bad days, but I have fewer and fewer. Another idea, (as I try to expand this simple idea) is to have an uplifting CD in my car, so when driving around each day, I’m listening to something to further my knowledge or deepen my connection with God.

Most books come as an audiobook so the learning is endless. In the car, I am very rarely stressed; it has become my little sanctuary.

Our minds like to default into worry and stress; it makes such a difference when you have methods of surrendering to Gods plan for your life, letting His energy flow – so we can heal and spiritually grow.

Any thoughts or ideas you may have or use, please share in the comment section below.

Thanks for reading and have an inspirational week
Rev J Martin

Most people have the desire to do something great with their lives. The problem being, they don’t believe they possess the inner power to follow them desires.

So what holds us back?

It’s the constant story we keep telling ourselves. I’m not talented enough, smart enough. I’m too old. I haven’t got the time.

I’ve been there myself; I blamed everyone and everything. I told myself a story of lack, a story that contained a lot of some days; some day I will write, some day I will stand up for myself, someday I will follow my true calling, some day, some day, some day.

Guess what? That day never came.

What I came to realize was, some day never comes; it is simply a little story we tell ourselves to feel better about not taking action.

I always wanted to inspire people and thought about writing for years, but I  told myself that I wasn’t intelligent enough, I hadn’t got the patience, I hadn’t got the time; bottom line, I was telling myself I just wasn’t good enough.

This was my story, my inner dialogue until I changed it.

In my new story I started to study writing, I made the time to read, write and research. I was good enough; I did have the patience.

Your inner dialogue is much more powerful than you realize. It is the difference between you living the life you desire, and living a life where you are waiting for five o clock to come around. The sad fact is if you are living this type of life; happiness only arrives when you retire.

Break time.

Your Heavenly Father did not put on this planet to clock in, and clock out; you were put here to add something to society.

We all have God-given talents and abilities, but we need to embrace them, nurture them, and help them grow. Even Ronaldo; who is arguably the best soccer player on the planet, when asked about his talent said; There’s no talent here, I just train harder than everyone else.

Let your new story begin with; From today I’m no longer trying to improve my weaknesses. Instead, I’m going to develop my God-given strengths. Instead of shying away from life, face it head on.

Every step you take and plan you make, when broken down is a story you tell yourself. They say everyone has a book in them; what is the next chapter of your story going to reveal about you?

Start changing your story.

If you have ever seen The Truman Show; A brief synopsis for those of you that haven’t. Jim Carrey is an insurance salesman/adjuster who discovers his entire life is actually a television show.

Well, what you do day to day is your show. At first, you may say it would make a boring story, but guess who the director is? Guess who the producer is? Guess who is the leading character.

Start asking yourself, what would make my story more interesting?

This may sound crazy, but when you look at life from this perspective, life changes.

Maybe you stress out more than you like. If this is the case, decide your character is calm and collected. If you find it very hard to forgive, make the act of forgiveness the turning point in your characters life. If your life has no direction, sit down and plan out the life you would like to lead. Apply for the courses, the interviews, attend the gym, the classes.

Of course with all acting their will be re-takes and edits, but unless you change your story, the plot can not move forward.

Take a step of faith today.

Rev J Martin

As we arrive at the end of the year, it’s impossible not to reflect. Also, New Year’s resolution’s come to mind; losing the extra Christmas pounds is always high up on everyone’s list.

We consider how successful last year’s resolutions were, and how much progress we made in the last 12 months, tending to focus on the negative.

It’s vital that we do not take any negative energy from this year into the next.

Instead, look back and see the faithfulness of God in your live throughout the year, all the positive things that happen, how He has helped shaped you into a better person.

Be filled with a sense of wonder what God may have in store for you in 2017.

Maybe when you reflect on 2016, it hasn’t been the best year. Lost, or pain may cloud your vision. Maybe you had challenges that seemed to take your life in a different direction than you planned.

Maybe you missed out on opportunities as you lacked the faith or confidence in your abilities.

We all miss out on God-given opportunities, but as long as we look at them as learning experiences, then they were not missed entirely, as spiritual growth occurred.

We all learn and grow in different ways, and at different speeds. Our Heaven Father knows this, so each of us must walk a unique path to learning what is needed.

The road to your destiny is not as straightforward as A to B.

Many missed opportunities are Gods way of telling us; there are changes ahead to fulfill what we desire, but we must be prepared.

Life Lesson
Look at setbacks as learning experiences, do not focus on them, taking your eyes off the road in front of you, with self-pity and regret, or you may miss something greater around the next bend.

We need to turn our attention away from past mistakes, away from missed opportunities, and focus our attention on the present. Using the New Year as a fresh beginning, as a chance to use the lessons learned in 2016 to make the coming year better.

You may not have been there for a loved one in their time of need, but instead of dwelling on it, shake off the guilt or regret, and learn from it. Turn a negative into a positive, by being there for everyone that means something to you in 2017.

As you get ready to celebrate the New Year, leave behind all the negative feelings toward others or yourself, leave behind the regret, the guilt, and the bitterness.

Replace them feelings with love.

Forgive others for not being who you would like them to be. Forgive them and set them free.

Do not bring any negative thoughts or feelings into 2017. Do this, and it will be your best year yet.

Isaiah 48:18
Forget the former things, do not dwell in the past

Happy New Year to all
Rev J Martin

The thought of pushing God away doesn’t seem a good option; surely I need Him on my side is often people’s first response. And, they are right, but this is what most people are doing each day.

For some reason, they think it’s ok to take matters of God into their own hands.

They feel it’s their right to worry, doubt, judge others, seek revenge or hold bitterness in their hearts.

When you hold onto these negative thoughts and feelings, they slowly fill the mind and heart. Before long, they will consume your thinking, andl restrict the space for God to work little miracles in your life.

Peace of mind is a small miracle for those that do not have it.

…so is happiness ….joy …and love.

So what is required? What steps are needed to make the space again?

Well, in my new book, Make Space For God, I would like to take you on a journey of discovery. When you learn to empty out the negative, your life will only ever be filled with good things.

Peace, happiness, joy, love, and the inspiration to take your life to new levels.

As a little Christmas present, my new book is free until Thursday at 11.59pm. (link)

Have a wonderful Christmas season.

Rev J Martin

Everyone has there unique ways to spend the Christmas period. For me, Christmas has always been family time. When I was younger, I  loved the open fire, and this love is something that has stayed with me throughout the years. Sitting watch films with a glass of homemade ginger ale reminds me of my childhood.

For many, it can be a very stressful time; people get into massive debt. Debt which can loom over them until March. Christmas is not about, spending more than you can afford, just to impress people you already know love you.

Today I decided to write a blog post on the five essential things that you need to do this Christmas period, so you feel the genuine spirit of Christmas.

One
Christmas is a time to reach out; God is counting on you to be his messenger where ever you go. I see many people walk straight past homeless people, instead go over and encourage them; buy them a hot coffee. When you do this, you just released God’s grace into that person, and also everyone that witness your act of love.

Two
The most valuable present you can give is to be present for someone. Call a friend who is discouraged, tell them you are thinking about them and remind them there are better days ahead.

Three
Be careful you don’t forget the real meaning of Christmas, which is summed up in John 3:16, God loved us so much that He gave His Son, Jesus so that we can have eternal life. Christmas is a time to celebrate Jesus main message which was, love and forgiveness. Forgive someone that has hurt you.

Four
Spend time with family, listen more than you talk. The family is our foundation, and although often the hardest relationships, they are ones we need to feel secure.

Five
Last but by no means least, put up feet up. After spending weeks running around getting everything prepared, it’s vital that we take the time to relax and reflect and be thankful. No matter how bad thing may seem, take the comfort that there are those worst off.

I wish you a Merry Christmas.
Rev J Martin

Recently, I received a comment from a reader, regarding my book The Power of Words. In the book, I wrote mainly about the power that words have to shape our lives. Making sure that we speak words of victory, and not of defeat.

The point the reader was making was, thoughts also matter. The reader made a very valid point; thoughts do matter. Yes, it is true, we do tend to think negative thoughts sometimes. Maybe a thought repeats in our mind over and over, but we do not speak it out.

Every Step Of The Way

If this is the case, then speak out the opposite of what is troubling you. For example, I am simply am not confident enough to look for a new job. Speak out;  God is directing my every step, he will lead me to the perfect job, to challenge me; to make me grow.

Of course, saying this once is not going to make much difference. It’s like a DVD, each time we cancel a negative thought, we are putting a scratch on the DVD. Eventually, there will be so many scratches, the DVD will no longer play.

The same goes for negative thinking, when we speak out, carry out, the opposite of what is holding us back, we erase the old thought pattern, replacing it with a new one.

Negative thinking can be a very dis-constructive behavior if left unchecked.

Divine Destiny

Mostly, negative thinking only affects people to a level they can deal with. It may hold them back from their destiny, but they can still lead a normal healthy life. Because of this, people can get into a comfort zone.

As long as they don’t challenge themselves then, all is ok.

This is the worst case scenario. If you have fears, and you don’t confront them, then, them thoughts have you trapped. Most of what troubles or worries us, has happened in the past, we can no longer change that, no matter how much we replay it in our minds.

From today, we need to speak out what we want to achieve.

The mind like’s sameness, but look at nature, it never stays still, it is always evolving and regenerating. It so important that we do the same.

I speak in the book about writing a decree, of the person that you want to become, and read it daily. This practice can significantly help with negative thinking patterns, as you start your day with a positive statement of the person that you want to become.

The Sun is Shining

When you do this, your words are like the sun shining on a flower. From day to day it may not seem like the flower is growing, but over the weeks and months, it is very visible that the flower is growing.

Like with a flower, one day you will blossom into the person in your decree. To others, it will seem like luck, but you will know that it has been your faith and persistence that paved the way.

Success in any area of life doesn’t happen overnight, in some cases, it can take years. But it all begins with the words you speak on a daily basis.

Today I would like you to be conscious of the thoughts you think, if they are harmful or destructive in any way, speak out the opposite.

Thought – “it’s just the way I am, I can not change.”

Speak out – In nature everything changes, so I am going to allow God to change me. May God give me the strength to do what is necessary for my greater good.

Have a great weekend
– Rev J Martin

Negative thinking – Afterword
Of course in some cases, negative thinking can be severe. If this is the case, and you can not speak to a friend or family member, I recommend that you talk to a professional. There are many organizations that you can ring anonymously for free.

Busy week, it’s easy to just caught up with life; we can easily forget about visiting people, doing important tasks, and many other things.

The last two weeks, I have got caught up with my daily activities, releasing my new book, The Power of Words. I would like to thank everyone that purchased it, or any other of my books, I hope that it is helped you in some way.

Today I just took a moment and stopped. I had forgotten to do a lot of important stuff, like writing my weekly blog post. Writing 500-1000 words doesn’t take much time, but it does mean sitting in my chair and typing.

48 Hours

It’s important that in the next 24:48 hours you simply stop what you’re doing. Just take a few moments, press the reset button. Think of some of the things that you’ve been putting off, spending more time with loved ones,  going for a walk in nature, visiting parents or old friends.  Make it your priority this week to do some of them things.

We all need to press the reset button, to realign our values. It is so easy in this busy, hectic world where information comes from every angle. It’s enjoyable, it’s educational, it is part of our life, but we can easily neglect our values, the things that mean the most to us.

Importance of balance

It’s so important that we do the things that keep us balanced, spending time with those that developed us into the person we are today. The people that encourage us, teach us, ground us.

Everything seems to be important when we are caught up in the busyness of the day.  It’s when we reset, we instantly see the few things that matter.

This week I will be realigning my values with a reset.

My Top 10 Core Values

Love. The presence of love in my life, the love for my family, my friends, my faith and for myself. This for me is the single most important source of light and energy that I can tap into when I have the need to be filled-up; or when we see the need to fill someone else up with grace, hope and our love.

Forgiveness. The purpose of forgiveness is not to absolve someone of the sin(s) committed against you; but to free yourself from the pain and the anger that is keeping you stuck. When you forgive, you are better able to let go of the past and keep moving forward with your life.

Compassion. We are all part of this thing called the human condition. No doubt we have different skin colors, religious preferences, and political points-of-view, but at the end of the day, we still need to take care of one another.

Respect. We are all different, yet we are all the same in the sense we want to be recognized for how we think and believe. When we show the proper respect we are not only validating the other person’s dignity; we are also enhancing our own.

Patience. Patience is a value which can also improve productivity because it creates a better state of mind, a clearer state of mind, for better decision making.

Caring. Caring for others, as well as self-care, allows you to extend a helping hand and to pass along some unexpected grace. When we take the time to demonstrate we care; we demonstrate the fact there are still plenty of good people left in this world.

Honesty. To live authentically; to live honesty, keeps our hearts and souls pure and our minds free of doubt or uncertainty. When we are honest, we know we are doing the right things.

Listening. One of the best gifts I can to others is to listen; to really listen to what they are saying and to be fully present in the moment with them.

Sacrifice. Sometimes it’s appropriate to put someone else’s needs before your own. This is the meaning of sacrifice. Along with sacrifice comes some discomfort; perhaps even some pain. This is what makes sacrifice a value to live by.

Appreciation. Taking a brief moment to say, “thank you,” or acknowledging the exceptional job the restaurant server did when waiting on you is not only encouraging for the beneficiary to hear; it fills your soul with more appreciation too.

Press the reset button this week, focus on your values and let all the stresses drain away
Rev J Martin

My mother has a great passion and love for the crucifix. Personally, it always reminded me of the pain and suffering that Jesus went through. Yes, I am thankful for what Jesus did for us, but for me, it’s always been his words and deeds that inspired me, as with this words I could always inspire others.

This week my view on the crucifix changed.

I have always been a person that wants to help and please others, sometimes putting my important plans to one side.  Yes, it’s imperative to help others, but some people take advantage of the good nature shown to them, you might be able to relate.

They always seem to need help when you are about to do something important. Rather than say, No, which would leave them unhappy, I will say, Yes, of course I will help you, which leads to me cancelling plans that would help others, meaning being unhappy that I have taken the path of least resistance.

I say, taking the path of least resistance, because saying no to certain people creates resistance, as they will, ignore you, tell others how you didn’t help them, how you let them down in their time of need. All the times that you were there for them seems to mean nothing.

When you are a person of good faith it means that you have the qualities of Jesus, you are caring, generous, selfless. These are fantastic qualities to have, but you will find that there will be people in your life that will take advantage of these qualities.

In my life, certain people always take advantage of my good nature; they often take the caring that I could give to others, for themselves. No matter how much energy I spend on them, it is never enough.

The more I give, the more they seem to take, all my prayers and energy is wasted on them as they never truly listen to my advice.

Jesus did not take the path of least resistance, if anything, he took the path of most resistance. Jesus did what he wanted to do, even though it meant those around him questioning and judging him. Jesus followed his heart to the point of his death, to show the world he believed in this ideas so much, that he was willing to die for them.

The crucifix on the wall now means something very different to me, it reminds me to take the path of resistance like Jesus did. Rather than drop everything and help certain people, I am going to say, I have something important to do now, but I will be available in one hour, tomorrow, next week.

From today, the crucifix  will give me the strength to say no to those that take advantage of my good nature. Instead, I will focus more on the important tasks that will ultimately help those that need it.

Have a good week
Rev J Martin