Tag Archive | Religion and Spirituality

This is Your Life

I remember several years ago there was a TV show called “This Is Your Life”. They would highlight the life of a person by bringing in people from their past to surprise them. They would play a clip of a person from the past sharing a memory while the contestant on the show would try to figure out who was speaking. Often the contestant had no idea how they had impacted the person from the past and on occasion would not even remember knowing them.

Today, you are impacting someones life while creating your past.. So in order to live today to its fullest and not regret your past, you must

Put God first
Treat people with dignity
Offer words of encouragement
Do what is right even when no one is watching
Go the extra mile no matter how tired you are
Show up and be connected

While God’s grace covers our mistakes and gives us a clean slate, it does give us permission to blow our days away without thought to consequences…We will be accountable for every word or deed so make today count because…

This is Your Life!

Love Lee ♥

What’s Your Weakness?

Mar16

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and it is human nature to want to showcase your strengths and hide your weaknesses. However, it is in your weaknesses God can use you the most. Without weakness, God’s supernatural strength can not be exalted.

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. II Corinthians 12:7

Countless times I have counseled people who were at the end of their rope feeling there was absolutely no resolution for the problems they were faced, only to later hear them report God’s goodness and mercy; singing His praises for the deliverance He provided.

Wayward child returned home
Financial issues resolved
Crumbling marriages restored
infirmities healed

If You Want To Impress People Showcase Your Strengths But If You Want To Influence People Share Your Weaknesses.

When you share you weaknesses, God becomes the center of attention and His power is showcased. The focus is removed from you and placed on God’s power. By transferring the focus to God your problem becomes really small and His power becomes very strong.

Thus, your value is not determined by your problem but instead your value is determined by your God.

What’s Your Weakness?

Love Lee ♥

How to Avoid Workplace Drama

Mar15

How to Avoid Workplace Drama is one of the best written articles I have read.

How To Avoid Workplace Drama

While we must follow Christ’s command to love we can also take some pro-active measures which are based on common sense.

NO MORE DRAMA!!!

Love Lee ♥

What Are You Talking About

Mar14

When with others, what is the focus of your conversation? Is it your family, your possessions, your job, your hobby, or perhaps your passions? Are you able to talk about anything other than you? Are you able to relate?

In speaking with a friend recently she said, “that gal had no idea who she was talking to…all she could talk about was her spa days, cruises, and shopping sprees. Does she not have a clue?”. You see my friends comment was founded. She did not even have a job or a means to pay her mortgage or purchase food.

When conversing with others it is very important to know your audience. So, how do you get to know the person you are speaking with?

Turn the conversation away from yourself: Remove the words me and I from your conversation. Allow the conversation to be about the other person.

Give your full attention to the person you are speaking with: Remove the mental distractions which occupy your attentions

Ask questions about their life: Generally people will to tell you about their lives but want to be asked. It is vital to know your audience.

Really listen to what they are saying: Hear both the spoken and unspoken words. Listen to the true meaning of what they are saying.

Monitor your facial expressions: Your face says it all…are you conveying you care, you’re bored, you disapprove?

Be aware of your body language: Are your arms crossed in front of you, are you slouched down, are your hands on your hips? Your body language speaks volumes!

Most importantly, let your thoughts and conversations be wholesome, positive, and non judgemental.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalms 19:14

So, My Friend…What Are You Talking About?

Love Lee ♥

Is Your Life an Open Book?

Mar11

Picture if you will a big thick book laying on the coffee table. Although the book has not been opened or read, a story lives within the pages. Words carefully placed on the pages by the author to create an exciting, informative, and intense read and I am certain the author is oh so proud of his masterpiece.

Did you know you my friend your life is like a book and between the covers is the most touching and tender story. Your heavenly Father began writing your story before you were even born. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…” Jeremiah 1:5

Wow…How cool is that? He began writing your story before you were even born. He knows the number of hairs on your head. He penned your life within the covers of His book. He is the divine author who has described you with the most vibrant adjectives. As He wrote your story, He laughed, He cried, and He felt intense passion. You are His Masterpiece and He is so incredibly proud of you!

For some the ending of the story remains a mystery but for those who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior the ending is already crystal clear because in-fact there is no ending….they will live on forever in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Your story can sit over there on that coffee table collecting dust or you can open it and share the fabulous pages of your life with others. The Author of your life is incredibly proud of it and would love to hear you read it out loud to others!!!

I ask you my friend…

Is your life an open book?

Love Lee ♥

What’s Your Attitude?

Mar10

This morning as I reflect on my calling in life and why God has placed me where I am…my first thought was I am humbled. Then I began to think…Do I even understand the meaning of humble?

The Dictionary defines humble as:

1: not proud or haughty : not arrogant or assertive

2: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission <a humble apology>

Then gives synonyms and antonyms which helps paint an even clearer picture of humble…

Synonyms: demure, down-to-earth, lowly, meek, modest, unassuming, unpretentious

Antonyms: arrogant, bumptious, chesty, conceited, egotistic (or egotistical), fastuous, haughty, highfalutin (also hifalutin), high-and-mighty, high-handed, high-hat, hoity-toity, huffish, huffy, imperious, lordly, overweening, peremptory, pompous, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, self-asserting, self-assertive, supercilious, superior, toplofty (also toploftical), uppish, uppity

In this day and age whether climbing the corporate ladder, advancing your business, or networking, only the outgoing, strong, and most boisterous tend to “move up” in the life. So when one hears humble it is often equated with being weak. Unfortunately the humble spirit almost always grates on the nerves of those who are not…

Paul urges us to “walk in a manner Worthy of the calling to which we have been called, with all humility, and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). Yep, that means we must love those that portray all the antonyms of humble; which I might add is in itself not an easy task!

1 Peter 5:5 reminds us, “… Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Now I don’t know about you but I certainly do not want to be in opposition with God…I want to bathe in His grace!

Psalm 25:9 encourages us saying, “He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way.”

Yes, I think it is very accurate to say I am humbled and I am so blessed by God! However, for me to remain humble and show love around those people who exhibit all the antonyms above….that is the true test! Am I humble enough…NO WAY!!! So I pray God will help me grow more humble daily!!!

What’s Your Attitude???

Love Lee ♥

Two Wrongs Don’t Make It Right

Mar9

Have you been wronged? Someone hurt you so deeply that you feel you will never be able to forgive?

No matter what has been done to you or how you have been treated allowing God to avenge those wrongs can provide so much freedom. Think about it…by taking matters in your own hands to avenge the wrong which has been done against you then you are no better than the person who hurt you.

I am sure you have heard the saying…

“Two Wrongs Don’t Make It Right”

May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 1 Samuel 24:12

To harbor ill feelings, want to do harm, or speak negatively about the person who has hurt you is counter productive to healing and wholeness…Your healing and wholeness!

Really, do you think they are affected??? Absolutely not!!! They will not lay awake at night replaying the hurtful words or deed, they will not have a knot in the pit of their stomach, and they most likely will not even consider apologizing…

They most often believe they are right and may not even realize how their words or deeds have affected you.

Let go…Let go…LET GO and LET GOD!!!

Love Lee ♥

Moaning or Growing

Mar8

Frequently you hear people complaining…In the grocery store when it takes longer than expected to get through the checkout, at the gas pumps over the price of gas, at the dinner table when the meal is not to their liking…Gripe… Gripe…Gripe!!!

Constant Belly Aching and Moaning…Reminds me of the Israelites when they fled Egypt and were in the wilderness. God was with them but it seemed no matter what He did they were never satisfied. In-fact…one minute they were praising God and the next minute they were complaining!!! Talk about short-term memory!!!

Aren’t we like that? God does something awesome for us and then at the first sign of adversity we are back to our Belly Aching and Moaning…totally forgetting all He has done for us?

God wants to grow us and build our faith in Him…How can we possibly grow without a challenge? It is through our challenges He is able to reveal Himself to us. It is through these challenges we are so dependent on Him. But rather than complaining we should allow Him to shine like a beacon in our lives!

”Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4(NIV)

Are You Moaning or Growing?

Love Lee ♥

Come Out With Your Hands Up

Mar7

“Come out with your hands up”…is a phrase frequently heard when the policed are in the process of capturing a criminal. When the criminal makes the decision to surrender, he or she comes out with hands in the air as an act of surrender to the authorities. While they could cry out “I surrender” the police would not recognize the surrender until they see hands in the air…

I am of the belief actions speak louder than words and for me this is especially true in worship…I am frequently moved to lift my hands to demonstrate my cry for mercy, show of affection and act of surrender, relinquishing control and drinking in His anointing allowing my focus to turn completely to Him. For some this act of worship is not customary or even comfortable but it is a Biblically correct act of worship and is acceptable in the sanctuary!

Cry for Mercy: Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. Psalms 28:2

Show of Affection: I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. Psalms 63:4

Focus on Him: I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees. Psalms 119:48

Act of Worship: Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. Psalms 134:2

I know…I know…You are thinking to yourself, “But it just isn’t comfortable” or “I just feel weird” or even “I don’t want people looking at me”…