Midweek Motivation #3

There is a long holiday weekend just around the corner.

Maintain your focus to maximize your accomplishments.

Leaving work with a clean slate allows you to fully enjoy the break!

May God Bless America!

www.workoutyourfaith.blogspot.com

MONDAY MORSEL #13

"And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other , our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

Closing sentence of the Declaration of Independence.  What are we willing to pledge to renew their idealism today?

Road Trips, Restoration, and Renewal

Yesterday morning we sent off a group of around 30 members of our church family, including our daughter Olivia, to Texas to work with a small congregation there on outreach efforts this coming week.  This road trip for them will be of great value to them in growing their faith and aide the membership of their hosts to restore their spirit of service and renew their efforts to reach those who have not found, or who may have forgotten about Jesus.

After sending this group off on their week long journey to Texas, Angie and I took a little road trip of our own.  We set out on the highways and byways of North Central Arkansas and enjoyed the beauty of God's creation.  For those who may never have been to Arkansas they have missed out, as our state is full of beauty that in many cases can only come from God.  The photos I have included are from Blanchard Springs near the microscopically small town of Fifty Six, AR.  What a beautiful site to have right here in our backyard.

Not only did we visit the spring, but stopped by Lake Norfork, a man made reservoir, but nonetheless capturing the beauty of God's creation all around it,  Throughout the journey it was hills and curves, trees and pastures, streams and sunshine, so much to take in and absorb.  The beauty of it all awoke my heart and restored my soul in a way that could not occur just hanging around the house.

The other piece of this journey was just spending some quiet time alone with my lovely wife.  We don't do that enough any more.  We enjoyed one another's company, talked of various subjects, and enjoyed a whole lot of oldies music, primarily from the 50's and 60's.  Yes we are old souls, and yes we are proud of it.  Had we not have taken advantage of this time together, in this way, we likely would have stayed in the ruts and routines of laundry and yard work.  Such a day would have done little to thrill our souls or inspire us in any way.  I am thankful to God for allowing us to take such a road trip, and even more thankful for what it meant to us emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.

Enjoy the beauty of God's creation.  It doesn't take a grand trip to the Rocky or Smoky Mountains, a vacation at the beach, or hiking in the Grand Canyon to set our eyes on God and His vast creative powers.  There are elements of it visible in everyday life, and additional bursts of it all within a one day road trip of your home, I dare say wherever you might live.  To DO WELL this week I challenge you to get off the beaten path, out of your routine and to seek God in a simple yet special way. 

Midweek Motivation #2

Midweek Motivation #2

God is all powerful yet provides us with great beauty with the subtle colors of his palette.  How do you show your softer side?  Your challenge for the remainder this week is to show the "true colors" of your softer side in some way each day.

www.workoutyourfaith.blogspot.com

Monday Morsel #12

Control your time, when it escapes you it cannot be recovered.  This is a vital discipline no matter how you define success in your life.

The Journey

The camel is built by God to face the challenges of a harsh environment.  We too are built to withstand a great deal of adversity in our lives.  The difference between the camel and the human is how we are built to withstand such trying circumstances.

The camel is built to physically withstand harsh desert conditions with little food or water.This has allowed the camel to become a widely used mode of transport for long journeys in lesser developed parts of the middle east.  

We too can survive difficulties but it is less because of our physical abilities and much more related to our faith and ability to make decisions.  God has designed us to seek after Him, and given us the ability to reason and make decisions.  We don't always do either of these as He would desire.  In the book of Ecclesiastes God lays out the path we should take in chapter 12 verses 13 and 14; 

13 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter

Fear God and keep His commandments,

 For this is man's all.  

14 For God will bring every work into judgment,

 Including every secret thing,

Whether good or evil."

God has set in us a need to seek after Him, some will and some won't.  That is the stark reality of free will.  When we encounter difficulties it is far better to have that relationship with our maker.  The ability to seek Him in prayer.  In His church there is great support as we are encouraged to bear one another's burdens and to exhort one another in good times and bad.

Yes we each need to make a decision to take care of our physical well being by making better choices related to our diet, our activity level, our hydration, our amount and quality of sleep as each of these have a tremendous impact on our health.  An even bigger YES is that we need to take care of our spiritual life as well.  Many of us face chronic disease processes, others have very acute medical conditions, some that are life threatening, others face relationship or marital struggles, and still others may be facing financial crises.  It is during these difficult times that the relationships we have built with God and with others of like mind will give us the spiritual and emotional reserves we need, much like the camel has the physical stores to journey through the desert.

Our journey is unique to each of us, the trials we face are often due to poor decisions we have made.  Others are thrust upon us.  Are we ready?  Will we be able to sail the stormy seas of life just as the camels are known as the ships of the desert?  

My encouragement to you today is to examine yourself.  Are you physically prepared for your journey, and more importantly are you spiritually prepared?  If you have taken care of these two aspects then despite the uneven ways and difficulties that arise you are prepared to Do Well.

Midweek Motivation #1

Your Rocky Moment?

In the fall of last year I spent a few days in Philadelphia on business.  Among the sites I visited was the "Rocky" statue outside the Museum of Art.  In the classic film, Rocky ran the steps behind it triumphantly in his training.  What would trigger a Rocky moment for you?