Fact vs. Truth

     When I first started speaking things to life I didn't understand how it worked. I didn't understand speaking something that wasn't true. For example, why would you speak that you are healthy when you are sneezing your head off? Now I understand but I still had no idea how to explain why you speak lies.
     Recently however I was reading a Joseph Prince devotional. He worded it perfectly. "It may be a fact that you are sick. The doctors say that you are sick. The X-ray film shows that you are sick. But God’s Word says that by Jesus’ stripes you are healed! (Isaiah 53:5) That is the truth about your situation. What is the difference between fact and truth? Facts change, but truth — God’s Word — remains!"
     You see speaking things to life is based on authority given to you by God. Since He gave you that authority, anything you say is true. Even if it has yet to be, the moment you speak it, you give it life!

May Word of the Month: CONTROL

Control means to exercise authority or influence over. It's the power to manage, direct, or dominate. The only things you can control are your attitude and actions. You are the only one besides God, who created you, that has authority to direct your life. You can influence your circumstances merely by thinking about them differently. All you have to do is stay positive. However your quality of life will not change just because you dream of a better life or pray for one. God moves through us. Therefore we have to take action. Only then can prayer be answered. However action without prayer in usually dramatically less effective as well. Everyone knows a united team is stronger than any one man. Team up with God. Pray. Take action. Stay positive. Be persistent and keep an ear open. Sometimes God shouts, other times he whispers.

Tis the Season..of Words!

          Christmas is about so many things. It is about Christ being born. It is about the joy of giving being greater than receiving.  It is about sharing time with loved ones.  It is about eating, singing, and being merry.  God says He wishes above all things that would be prosperous. He also inhabits the praises of his people. Christmas is all about being prosperous and giving back to others. It is about praising God and thanking him for the family and friends in your life.
          All these things we do during this season revolve around our words.  To celebrate the birth of Christ many people read the story of his birth from the bible.  You tell loved ones that you love them. You eat and laugh together. You sing christmas carols and decorate trees. You may do like me and turn the lights off at night and stare at the lit tree. Sometimes I curl up with my brother, tell him I love him, and talk about how pretty the tree looks. You sing songs and pray over dinner, praising God in the process.  You bake pies and cookies and spend time with family cutting up in the kitchen. You tell stories of crazy things you did in the past. You go to bed on Christmas eve thinking about the day you will spend together and if your mom will like her present.  Words allow you to express all that holiday spirit you are feeling inside.
          So this Christmas remember the power of words. Also feel free to comment and tell me about your favorite part of Christmas or any of your special family traditions. Merry Christmas!

OCD

           Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is a serious medical condition and with biological factors. Mostly it effects your thought process.  Serious emotional problems can trigger some OCD compulsions. Emotional problems also cause the compulsions to worsen. Many people with OCD can live happy and productive lives with medication and/or therapy.
          The thing that makes this disorder so difficult to manage is that tape of thoughts that runs through your mind over and over. People with OCD have to put forth more effort to keep their thoughts calm and positive. They often go through something called exposure therapy to help them realize that their negative thoughts and fears are not true.
           Exposure therapy can teach us all a good lesson. They talk through the fear first. What would happen if your worst fear came true? Then when they are ready, the therapist exposes them to their fear. After they sit in their anxiety they prove the tape in their mind wrong and are empowered!
          There is a lesson there for all of us! You have to question that voice in your head. Does it really tell the truth? Where is it coming from? Is it your thoughts about yourself? Maybe you have decided that you can't dance. So the little voice in your head reminds you before you have a chance to dance with a guy you like. Maybe the devil wants to spread suffering so he whispers lies to you that you are ugly. Or maybe God is trying to speak to you. Maybe He is telling you that you need to overcome this fear so you can do what you are called to do. What he has put you on this earth to accomplish may be revealed if you can only learn to listen!
         

Abraham Lincoln

          Abraham Lincoln once said, "One day I shall be president." True to his word he became president. He decided what he wanted and went after it with no doubt that he would have it. Lincoln also said, "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other."
          Lincoln said many wise things like, "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." "Don't interfere with the constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties."I'll let you guys debate whether you think that is what America is doing now. However, he also said, "My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth."
          Lincoln said, "Be sure to put your feet in the right place, then stand firm."  I think this is awesome advise! Most people lack confidence enough to stand up for beliefs. They are not confident and sure of who they are as a person. It is encouraging to see someone who has a set of principles and bases his decisions on those principles.        
          This most famous thing Lincoln probably ever said was, "Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." That quote is right up there with "I have a dream." and "We hold these truths to be self-evident.."
          "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."
"Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be." These two both are lessons in speaking things to life and watching your word choices.
          Lastly, Lincoln said, "Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right." I believe he definitely has his priorities right!

Keeping Your Promises

          A wise man once said, "An honest man's word is as good as his bond."(Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra) Friends need to know they can rely on you. If you want true lasting relationships with others there has to be unbreakable trust between you. 
          People who don't keep their promises do not protray a good business image. Being on time and following through with things that you say you will do, is key. It shows the customer that it is about them and not you. It builds loyalty. For example, if you make a contract with another company, you have to follow that contract or face legal charges. If you say something about your product to get people to buy it, it better be true. If you sell it to someone and it is not true, you lose more than the trust of that one customer. You lose every potential customer that asks their opinion.
          It is especially vital that you keep promises to children. They hang on your every word. If you break a promise it breaks their heart and weakens your bond. Teaching your children to keep promises is giving them a legacy. It is a legacy of integrity that they will pass on to their children. 
          Many of the promises people break seem small to them. But to others they are large. For example, if you tell a loved one you will call or visit, you should. To you it just slipped your mind. To them it is an indication of your lack of thought and caring for them. If you need to, when you make a promise like that, book it in your calendar right then. Keeping these promises only requires a change of attitude. It is a maturity issue. Either you chose to think twice before you speak, so as to mean what you say, or you don't. Also if someone asks something of you that you don't want to do, say no. Don't promise and then blow them off. They may not be important to you but if you lie, you lose your creditability. You do not lose it with just them. You lose it with anyone who knows and yourself. 
          Keeping promises to yourself builds belief in yourself. If you want to be sure you can keep promises to yourself then you need to do 3 things. One, make your promise or goal specific and realistic. Two, have a clear plan of action. Lastly, ask yourself if you want your promise or goal bad enough to do what is required on a daily basis. The last part is crucial. Don't lie to yourself here or your will not keep your promise to yourself! 
          (NKJV) Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." In other words, God keeps his promises. (KJV) 3 John 1:2 says, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." So hold fast to the promise of God that you will prosper. Then in his name and his honor remember the importance of keeping your promises!

Ward Off Illness

          I personally believe that your words have the power to heal. This subject however is the cause of much debate. You guys can hash this out in the comment section. However, I believe that you can speak things into existence. Of course a big part of the debate on this is that for many people the belief is tied to a strong belief in God. I am a christian and I believe God can heal anything. I don't believe that He always chooses to, no matter how hard we pray. My dad was sick with Lou Gehrig's and my grandmother said if he prayed and had faith he would be healed. My dad told her that he had asked to be healed and God had clearly said no. I don't think that comment was angry just resolved.
          However, many people have had miracles happen to them. I will give you one example that happened to people I know. The first was a mom who just gave birth to her second child. Her first child was a few years old and able to talk. This little girl had been told that God existed and prayed but had not went to church or sunday school. She did not know who Jesus was or is at all. When the mom went to wash dishes, she took the newborn in a carrier and sat her in the kitchen floor. The first born girl was running through the house and into the hall. All this seems normal but there was a problem. Let me back up a little. When the newborn was first home and in the crib, there was a loud crash. Something broke. The mom ran into the room expecting to see a rudely awakened baby screaming. Instead she found the baby fast asleep. Later a relative came to visit and started calling out the babies name as soon as she entered the room. The baby did not turn her head. The relative hid behind the baby and spoke into each ear. The baby did not move. Only when the relative moved into the babies sight did it react. The mom finally decided that she had to take the baby to a hearing doctor. But she allowed no one in the family to speak what might be wrong. She would not allow the family to call any relatives and tell them. When she went to the doctor she told him if something was wrong he had to tell her without saying it. After the exam the doctor came in, slowly sat down. and sighed. When he looked at the mom all he said was, "why don't you come back in a few weeks." The mom knew what this meant but didn't voice it. At home no one spoke it. Now go back to the mom washing dishes. The baby is in the floor. The oldest girl is running through the room and into hall. After a moment the oldest girl comes back into the kitchen. She walks up to the baby. She puts her hands on the babies ears. Then she says, "By His stripes you are healed!" She kisses the baby on the head and runs back into the hall. The mom hearing this is startled and yells out the oldest girls name. The baby jerks and starts to cry. The mom picks up the baby to comfort her and runs after the oldest girl. The mom asks why the oldest girl did that to the baby. The oldest girl says there was a man in the hall that told her to do it. She says his name was Jesus. The next doctor's appointment the baby was declared perfectly healthy.
          Can words heal? Can not speaking a sickness prevent or reverse it? Is God somehow involved in the process? I don't have all the answers. Still, there are enough of these stories that I live healthy and say, "I never get sick. I will be 80 years old and climbing mountains! You are only as old as you feel."

Old MySpace Blog

          I had a blog on myspace but now I can't get into my account. I wanted people to be able to see the last post on myspace. So I am copying and pasting the content here.


          I think people have changed their perception of America. It was intended to be inclusive and tolerant of everyone. People that needed to seek refuge could find a safe place to rebuild their life.  They could practice their religion and we could practice ours. We were supposed to be a big pot of vegetable soup. Each ingredients different but coming together to make something good.  Now we see ourselves as m & m"s.  All those colors but when they go into the melting pot they blend and all you see is milk chocolate. We think if we see someone praying to a God we don't worship in public that they must be stopped so we all blend. Or that they are trying to impose those beliefs on us. We were intended to be a country of vegetable soup with all kinds of different cultures and religions present. Saying people can't show their religious beliefs in public is like vegetable soup broth without any vegetables.  Without the vegetables the soup is bland and isn't nutritious. Just like you get different and good things (nutrients) out of each vegetable, you get different and good things from each culture and religion that influences the country. 


Hope you enjoyed it! I am not sure how often I will be posting. Part of me wants to have a set time. Part of me thinks that I will just forget or that I won't know what to write. So for now I'll just write when I have something on my mind. See you soon!

Speak It To Life

          People do not understand the power of words. Everyone has that tiny voice in their heads. All day long it whispers your subconscious thoughts to you. If you are insecure about your weight, it tells you that you are fat and have a hard time getting down on the floor and back up again. If you lack confidence in hand eye coordination, it tells you that you can't dance or play catch well. Have you ever sang the jingle for some product? Those companies strive to make the jingle stick in your head for a reason.

          Have you ever thought about using the power of your words to your advantage? You may not be Christian but this is just an example.. God said let there be light and there was light. Kenneth Copeland did a sermon once talking about the power of your words. He said that the power of God was manifested in his words. If God said dog, a dog would appear. If he said a Dalmatian dog with one leg shorter than the others and a long fluffy tail, that is what would appear. (Not his exact words but you get the point.) I believe the same is true for us! If you speak that you are a great dancer you will become one. I believe that all these years you have been brainwashed by that negative voice repeating things to you. All you have to do it speak the opposite enough and that will become the reality! So speak positive into your life!