Tag: christian living

Sacrifice

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One of the greatest lessons of the Bible is the lesson of sacrifice.

The ability to give up something in the present so that you can improve the future. Parents sacrifice their wants and needs to provide for there children so they can have a better future, for example.

Sacrifice is very similar to discipline. The main different being, in discipline we have a pretty clear idea of what good for oneself is likely to come about through the discipline, whereas in sacrifice we don’t have a clear idea of what good the sacrifice is likely to bring about.

But very often it is better than we expect.

When Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son, he did not know what good could come out of it, he just had the faith in God that it was for the greater good. In the end the sacrifice was a ultimate test of Abrahams faith. From that point he went on to achieve great things.

So, how does this relate to you?

Well, whatever you truly want in life is going to take sacrifice on your part to get there.

If you are unhappy in your relationship, then you might have to make the sacrifice of walking away into the unknown.

If you are unhappy in your job, you might have to sacrifice your time to learn some extra skills so that you can apply for a new position.

If you are unhealthy or overweight, you might have to sacrifice the enjoyment you get from eating 2-3 takeouts per week. Or the glass of wine with dinner each night.

There is no sugar coating sacrifice, sacrifice is difficult.

Another thing about sacrifice is, if you dont pick a sacrifice, a sacrifice will pick you.

An example, maybe you dont leave the hurtful relationship, or the unfulfilling job. Well, by making that choice you are choosing to sacrifice your happiness, and mental health for pain and sadness.

All change is difficult but when you come to the realisation that by not challenging yourself, not stepping outside your comfort zone, YOU are making the choice to live unhappy and unfulfilled.

From today, make decision that will more you forward…

towards the person you’ve always wanted to be.

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My Experience with Covid

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In September last year, I myself got Covid. And from that experience I understood why governments were so concerned. At that time it was the Delta variant. I will never forget the pain in my head, the closest I can describe it is, as if there was a heavy weight on my head at all times, plus my head felt constantly hot.

Then there was the uncontrollable coughing, that at times felt like it wouldn’t stop, which affected my breathing. I had to learn to relax and breathe slowly in throught my nose and out throught my mouth, so that I would not panic. Plus, I lost my taste of food, which limited me to the simplest of meals.

But the worse part of all was my bodes inability to regulated my body temperature. Meaning that I was unable to sleep for long period of time.

Thankfuly after two weeks I felt much better.

But as bad as having Covid was, for me it wasnt the worse part of the last two years.

For me, it has been the countless stories spread online, only leading to me feeling anxious and confused. This virus affects everyone differently, so when some people get it and have mild systoms they wonder what all the fuss is about which leads to frustration and anger.

The internet is a wonderful creation, but the last two years have shown its darkside.

Thankfully now there is talk of the virus becoming endemic, (coming to an end) as the Omicron variant is much less mild but also highly transmissible meaning that it is now the dominant variant. And the other more harmful variant will fade away. Also, studies are showing that natural immunity is giving people as much protection against the virus as the covid vaccine, which is exellent news.

2022 is finally showing us rays of hope that we all so desperately need.

What have we learnt?

The pandemic has shown just how much we take for granted. Firstly, and most importantly, our freedoms. The ability to do what we want when we want. Then there is the fact that any delays in the food chain can leave us without essential supplies in weeks.

The glamour life most of us live is nothing but smoke and mirrors.

The mirrors (media) help create an illusion, and the smoke (technolgy, internet, phones, apps) is frequently used to divert our attention.

Its time that we all wake up to the fact that the world that has been sold to us is fake. “Life isn’t about having, it’s about being. You could surround yourself with all that money can buy, and you would still be miserable.

I know people with perfect bodies, with the perfect job, the perfect house who don’t have half the happiness I’ve found. On my journeys I’ve seen more joy in the slums of Peru than in wealthy estates worth millions.

Why is that?

When you look for happiness in mere objects, you will l find that they are never enough.

You will only find contentment when you use your natural talents and and abitities. When you recognise that the, “if I just had X, then I would be happy syndrome is a mass delusion.

True happiness comes from helping others and from accepting who we are, flaws and all.

Wishing you all the best in 2022.

I Made You

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One winter’s day a man came upon a small boy sitting and begging on a windswept bridge. The boy was shivering from the cold and obviously needed a good meal.

On seeing him the man got very angry, and prayed to God and said, “Lord, why don’t you do something about this boy?”

To his astonishment he heard the voice of God speaking to him, saying, “I have already done something about him.”

This surprised the man, so he said, “I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but whatever you have done doesn’t seem to be working.”

‘I agree with you there,” replied God.
“By the way what did you do?” asked the man.
“I made you”, came the reply.

The man could see the young boy in distress but expected someone else to help him. A small act of kindness was all that was needed.

It’s so easy to ask for things to be better in our world but sometimes it’s our responsibility to do what we can to help.

Often we can be praying for things that are in our control to solve.

Focus On The Good

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With so much negativity all around me, it is refreshing to see people moving forward and planning for the future.

Focusing on the good in difficult times is challenging; there is no doubt about that. But when you look at the alternative, concentrating on the bad, then it is a task worth investing your time.

When you focus on the negative, you will notice that the problem you have will grow bigger and bigger, you will begin to see things that you didn’t think of at first.

Worrying and feeling anxious very rarely, if ever, resolves a situation. However, what does help is sitting down and asking yourself what you can do to make things better and whatever you come up with, getting to work on it without delay.

When you focus on solutions, you will find them.

Enjoy your weekend.

How to Fill Up on Faith When You Are Full of Fear

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I can only speak for myself, but the last year has been one of the most challenging years in my life. Usually, a person of great faith, that faith has been shaken.

Almost every conversation I have with people nowadays is rooted in fear. People are worried about the future, uncertain of what the future holds. And rightfully so, there are a lot of unknowns moving forward.

2020/21 has been a very confusing time, and it’s quite natural to be fearful, so how can you increase your faith when you are full of fear?

Well, the first step is to realise that FEAR is the absence of FAITH. Meaning that if you are feeling fearful, you are purposely or unintentionally focusing on more fearful thoughts.

So how can you reverse this?

Take it upon yourself to focus more on faith.

This is not easy, but what has helped me immensely is to connect with nature as often as I can. Although, of course, sometimes the negative thoughts are so strong that you can not shake them off.

When I find that negative thoughts have a firm hold of me, I have learned from experience that you must change up your routine.

So instead of the familiar, go to a new location, walk through a forest or beside the ocean. When surrounded by new places, our minds are forced to take in further information; when we walk on uneven surfaces or hear new sounds, our minds have no choice but to take our awareness into the present moment; otherwise, we may bump into something or trip or fall.

As powerful as the mind is, it can only think of one thought at a time, so if it is torturing you with the same thought over and over, it is time that you change your surroundings. You will not believe the difference that it makes.

What most people do, however, is they keep the same routine, letting the same thoughts replay day after day, not knowing that there is a better way.

Most of us have plenty to worry about, but the more we dwell on our worries, the bigger they grow.

Increasing your faith is about changing your focus; it’s about connecting more with nature and connecting more with God. You can make the shift; you get to choose how you spend your time; you can spend time doing things that build you up or things that tear you down.

Choose today to get close to God and spend time surrounded by his beautiful creation. Spend time with the people that build you up and want the best for you. Do the things that bring you joy and happiness and give you the most pleasure.

Getting through this pandemic is difficult; your mind will default to the negative, and the reason for this is that there is negativity all around us. Therefore, we must take it upon ourselves to feed our minds with information to build us up and help us grow.

The most crucial time to do this is first thing in the morning. It is reported that the first 30-60 minutes set the tone for the day. So play, read, or listen to something that will uplift your spirit and make you feel good.

Change up your routine. If your default is checking emails and notifications, put that off until after breakfast; if it is to tune into the morning news, put on some music instead.

It sounds almost too simple to be effective, but you will not believe the difference that it makes.

You give yourself the chance to experience life without being bombarded with marketing and negative news.

Everyone needs a ray of light in their lives, be a ray of sunshine for someone else this weekend.

Thanks for reading.

God bless you all.

Feeling Drained Off All Your Energy?

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There is so much uncertainty in our world, and if you are not careful,
fear can take control of your thinking.

Layer on top of that past hurts, regrets, and disappointments, and
you may feel drained of all your energy.

In my opinion, it is vital to do self-work to remove any negativity that’s
in your power to remove. Necessary to strengthen your faith and build
on that faith through your words and actions.

The Power to Change Your Life is a boxset containing, The Power of
Surrender, The Power of Mountain Moving Faith, and The Power of
Words. I combined these books as I think they provide an excellent
foundation moving forward.

Available for FREE today on Amazon.

Wishing you all the best. I will keep you in my prayers.

https://amzn.to/3xgZZML

The Power to Change Your Life

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We know we must change; we know it would be beneficial, but something holds us back? Fear, doubt and worry play their part, but I believe the real reason we find it hard to change is much deeper…

We are all born with unlimited potential, but over time, most of that potential fades away.

But why?

Growing up we are constantly reminded of our limitations.

Maybe a parent, guardian or classmate told you something so many times that you believed them. “You’re aiming too high. No one has ever done that before. Better to play it safe, don’t take risks.

They might have meant well, but they were projecting their fears and failures on you. Because they might have tried, or they don’t believe that they can do it. It’s important to know that it’s not really about you. It’s about what they feel and their fears inside.

Or maybe what was said was more destructive, “You’re not good enough, you’re not intelligent enough, you haven’t got what it takes. You haven’t got the looks or the confidence.

If you were told any of these types of things as a child, it is quite natural to experience resentment, anger, or bitterness when you replay what was said or done. But it is so vital that you release them feelings or they will get the best of you.

Down Memory Lane

Growing up, I was bullied, meaning I felt inferior to others for most of my life. I didn’t feel like I was popular enough. Intelligent enough, talented enough. No doubt holding this attitude had an impact on my life. But thankfully, I never held negative feelings towards the people that hurt me. I just kept moving forward and did my best.

Only years later did I realise that holding this attitude was a gift.

To make progress, to be truly happy, healthy, and successful, you must learn to let go of the past so that it doesn’t affect you in the present. What happened may not have been fair. What was done to you was wrong, but letting it replay in your mind will not help. All that replaying the hurt will do is make you more depressed, angrier, and more enraged.

Replaying past events can even make you doubt yourself, which will affect your language, meaning you say things like, “I couldn’t do that, I can’t learn new things, I’m not good with people, relationships, money, etc.

The negativity of the past can affect you in the present; it can affect your faith, it can affect your thinking, making you question what you can and can not do.

One hurt or mistake can limit what you can achieve.

The one person that hurt you can cause you to mistrust everyone and make you think that all people are the same. They’re not.

The one mistake you made can make you doubtful of your abilities, meaning you never try anything that challenges you or anything new.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

When you remove all negativity from your thinking, your faith will grow. meaning you will speak more confidently, and expect good things to come into your path.

By taking specific steps, your life can improve in amazing ways.

In my new book, The Power to Change Your Life, I break down the process in a simple, understandable way. Not in a list of dos and don’ts, but through relatable stories that will help you digest the information quick and easily.

There are seeds of greatness within each of us, but those seeds can lie dormant when we choose to focus on the past.

If someone gave you a plant to look after, you would love and care for it, ensuring that it got the maximum amount of nutrients and light. But for some reason, we choose to neglect the gift of life because of a few wrong decisions and hurts?

Resulting in us growing weak and never having the strength to bloom.

Choose to plant your seeds of greatness today, and you will not believe what you will achieve.

Experience the power of change; let the loving energy of God flow into your life.

Click on image below to download your FREE eBook (for a limited time)

Stuck in overthinking?

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When you start to overthink a past hurt or mistake them, thoughts will soon fill your mind. What happened may have happened years ago, but within minutes you can be feeling the same feelings as if it only happened yesterday.

Regret, pain, and bitterness can rob you of your joy.

And once negativity gets a hold of you, it can be tough to shake it off.

If you are feeling overwhelmed at this time, it can seem like there is no hope, that there is no way that things can get better. Emotions like fear, worry and doubt can blind you from opportunities that are right in front of your eyes.

But there is a solution…

You must actively fill your mind with faith.

Thinking thoughts of faith may seem simple, but it’s not. And the reason, the last thing you want to do when you are feeling down is to read something that will lift you up. Reading words of faith when you are in the grips of fear will initially make you feel uncomfortable, but when you do, something remarkable happens.

Your faith is released.

Knowing will soon replace doubt; peace will soon replace worry.

When life is not going to plan, the negative thoughts will come, telling you that you’re not good enough, smart enough, talented enough, but you must develop ways to remove those limiting thoughts and replace them with ideas that will give you strength to propel you forward.

Nothing is impossible to the person who challenges their fears and chooses to release their faith.

Click on image below! Offer end 23:59 27th June