You Have Greatness within YOU!!!

Les Brown

This is the day to confront yourself. Declare that you are making a radical change in your mind, your finances, your relationships and how you show up in life. Moving forward is what you must do to live the life that's waiting for you.
This is the day that you decide there is no turning back! Take time to find out what you must do to transform...to overcome...to leave behind...and to embrace this new you. Step up and step into the discovery of what is possible when you make up your mind that there is no turning back! You have GREATNESS within you!!

Meditate On This

Meditate On

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty…He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge…

Psalm 91:1, 4

Peace In The Midst Of A Storm

Whatever season you are in, whatever the circumstances surrounding you, the Lord is able to give you peace, security, covering and protection. You do not have to be afraid, even in the midst of a storm. The psalmist describes this beautifully: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty…He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.”
There is no safer place in the universe than under the protective shelter of your Savior’s wings. It does not matter what kinds of circumstances may be raging around you. You can call on the Lord for His unmerited favor, protection and peace that surpasses all understanding.
What blessed assurance you can have today, knowing that even if destruction rages around you, there is always refuge and comfort in the Lord—your unfailing peace, protection and supply!

Daily Bible Quotes

Every day is a beautiful day for inspiration and faith from Daily Bible Quotes!

It's 7/18 and here is today's scripture:

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.     Philippians 4:7

True Compassion Begins with Self-Compassion

True Compassion Begins with Self-Compassion

davidji | July 18, 2014 | Giving, Inspiring, Living, Loving

We are all such an important thread in this magnificent global fabric of love and along with awakening and cultivating our innate gifts of acceptance, forgiveness and gratitude, we should also focus on awakening compassion. If we can be just a bit more accepting, grateful, forgiving and compassionate each day, then we indeed are transforming the world by transforming ourselves!

Compassion is often misunderstood and confused with other emotions. True compassion is the ability to be sympathetic, empathetic, as well as having the desire to alleviate another’s pain and suffering.

Beyond living life at the level of, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” compassion looks to heal others even in instances when you would not heal yourself. There are many people we like, even love, yet the depth of our compassion for them is shallow. Perhaps fear, jealousy, resentment, guilt, or anger color our perspective and each of these emotions carry with it a certain attachment that prevents true compassion.
There are many people and things we think we love, but often it is because of our current relationship to them. Most likely, if the relationship changed, so would your feelings about those people or things. For example, let’s say you “love” your boss and he treats you really well. But, if your boss fires you today, your feelings about him or her would change. You might not be as forgiving of his actions that you previously accepted or blessed because of your “attachment” to him. You might even say that you don’t like him anymore since you were fired.
If your partner, fiancé, lover or spouse came home today and told you they were leaving the relationship, you might not look upon them with the same level of forgiveness, support and sweetness as before. Most likely, that’s because you have more attachment to them rather than compassion for them. Or perhaps you are confusing loving-kindness with a more attached definition of love.
How can we know if we are feeling compassion about something and are not simply attached? In the examples above, the moment the relationship changed between you and your boss or you and your partner, most likely so did the level of rooting for that person. You stopped feeling the way you had.

True compassion is independent of attachment. @davidji_com (Click to Tweet!)

Imagine if our compassion could transcend our relationships and the attachment we have to them – pure sympathy, pure empathy and pure desire to help them heal. It is the ultimate characteristic of emotional intelligence. But all compassion starts with self-compassion. If you are not rooting for yourself in every moment, how can you root for others? If you can’t empathize with your own plight, then you are not connected to your own heart. Healing others begins with healing yourself.

Let’s begin to root for ourselves! Let’s place our attention – from the moment we awake, until the moment we fall asleep – on accepting ourselves, forgiving ourselves, seeing gratitude in each moment, and allowing compassion to flow through each thought, word and action.

If we are just a bit more loving to our self this week, those around us will feel our acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude and compassion … and the world will be a better place.
Peace. -davidji

Is It Too Late

Is It Too Late?

Terri Cole | July 18, 2014 | Living

Life is made up of decisions. Small ones like whether to have your coffee hot or iced. And big ones, like accepting or rejecting a new job offer. It is the decisions you make that set the course for your life. Yet, just as important as the decisions themselves is why you make them.

From a very young age most of you were taught to honor your word and to finish what you start because, nobody likes a quitter. There was fear around letting others down or hurting their feelings. So in order to honor what you were taught, when you a made decision, you stuck with it.
What do you do when you are midway down a path towards something you thought was ‘right,’ to discover, you were wrong?

Need to have a difficult conversation? Here’s how..

If you do not CHANGE direction, you may END UP where you are heading. Lao Tzu via @Terri_Cole (Click to Tweet!)

I know many of you fear there is such a thing as a point of no return. You believe there is a point past which you must stick with the choices you have made. Though it is this mindset that can lead to resentment, pain, and a boatload of unhappiness. When you end up staying on a path that you know in your gut is no longer right for you, no one wins. Want to transform your fear into courage?
It is important to remember that no matter what is happening at any point in your life, you can choose to change it. You are the only one in the driver’s seat navigating the direction your life will go. You can change routes or make a U turn at any point. You can say no to that which you already said yes. You can choose differently. You can change your mind. You can ALWAYS course correct.

At ANY point in time, you have the right to CHANGE your mind.

Honoring your instincts is part of trusting yourself. By authentically honoring you, and your internal ‘knowing’, you’ll inspire others to do the same. To begin this start by taking small steps. Set aside time daily to dial into how your body is responding to choices you are making. Notice where you allowed yourself room for correcting, and where you felt constricted to move forward in spite of perhaps wanting to choose otherwise. Allowing yourself to course correct can take some getting used to, but it can save time, energy and regret down the road .
In the comments below I want to hear from you! Share with me one situation that you feel may need course correcting. I know that this can be a heavy topic depending on the situation. So honor yourself no matter where you’re at. Awareness of the need for change is half the battle.
See you in the comments, and as always, take care of you!
Love Love Love
Terri

You Are Awesome

Words of Wisdom

Joel Osteen Ministries

God knew there would be unfair situations. That’s why He’s already arranged a comeback for every setback, vindication for every wrong, a new beginning for every disappointment.

Bishop Dale C. Bronner

If you don't get control of your mouth, you'll damage relationships & have a very hard time getting control of your life! It is a process. Ask the Holy Spirit for help & give someone permission to be your accountability partner! As you learn to hold your peace, you'll keep your peace! -Bishop Dale C. Bronner

Paula White

Stop looking for someone to complete you and look for someone to completely ‪#‎accept‬ you “as is”!

Bill Winston Ministries

Lions show power from their roar. The Word of God that you speak from your mouth creates miracle power. ‪#‎StirUpTheLion‬

A Jolt of Joy

Psalms 16 

1 KEEP and protect me, O God, for in You I have found refuge, and in You do I put my trust and hide myself.

2 I say to the Lord, You are my Lord; I have no good beside or beyond You.

3 As for the godly (the saints) who are in the land, they are the excellent, the noble, and the glorious, in whom is all my delight.

4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who choose another god; their drink offerings of blood will I not offer or take their names upon my lips.

5 The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot.

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good heritage.

7 I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel; yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.

8 I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety,

10 For You will not abandon me to Sheol (the place of the dead), neither will You suffer Your holy one [Holy One] to see corruption. [Acts 13:35.]

11 You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. [Acts 2:25-28, 31.]

 

Devotional

Have you ever wondered why you have not been able to tap into the miraculous, fulfilling and ultimate joy that the Bible talks about? Perhaps your frustration stems from the fact that you have been looking for joy in all the wrong places. If you believe that an impressive college education, a spotless home or 5 well-behaved children are your password into the Kingdom of Joy ... you have it all wrong. If you somehow think that losing 27.5 pounds or marrying the person of your dreams or being the owner of a passport filled with impressive stamps from exotic and far-away places will give you a money-back guarantee to perfect and perpetual joy ... then once again my friend ... you have it all wrong. Joy is found in one place and one place only ... "In His presence is fullness of joy!"
If you desire a joy so pervasive that it will trump every other circumstance in life then you must spend time in the presence of the Lord. If you are desperate for a joy that will literally defy all of your life's depressing situations then you must choose to marinate in His presence.
How do you do that? Well, it's really not that difficult. You choose to make it a priority to spend time reading your Bible every day ... you might turn on a worship CD and even sing along with it! If you are very bold and extremely desperate ... you will choose to lift your hands in the air as an act of surrender while you worship. Another exciting option is to spend time alone in prayer every day. Just you and Jesus. Simply close the door to your bedroom and kneel beside your bed as you have a heart to heart conversation with the one who knows you the best and loves you the most.
When you get up off your knees and walk out your bedroom door in order to face the world ... you will find that you are not alone. You have a new best friend to walk through the day with you. What is the name of your new BFF? You can simply call this friend ... Joy!

 

3 Ways To Overcome Fear

3 Ways To Overcome Fear

Hayley Hobson | July 12, 2014 | Inspiring, Living

Do you remember the last time you felt real fear?

I was talking with a client the other day and she said “I can’t make a decision, I’m just so scared!”

It got me thinking about how fear can rule our lives. Our bodies have been programmed since the beginning, with a “fight or flight” response to keep us alive. There were REAL dangers: being eaten by wild animals, invading armies, disease and sickness. Here’s the crazy thing – our bodies don’t really know the difference between staring down a wild animal and being afraid of losing a job or a boyfriend when our brains view the threat in the same way.
We, as human beings, are hardwired to live. Unfortunately, however, far too often we become fearful of situations in our modern every day lives the way our ancestors did about being eaten, over situations that are far less life threatening, and, instead of it moving us to action the way it should, it paralyzes us. We get so caught up in the scenarios and outcomes and we let the fear of those possibilities prevent us from taking necessary next steps. We let the “what if’s” overwhelm us and get in our way.

It is absolutely appropriate to respond to the fear of surviving being hunted down by a mountain lion. It is not appropriate to apply the same fear response to surviving tax season or a big break-up. You’ve got to live in the here and now.

One morning a few weeks ago, I got a call that a neighbor’s daughter had been in a freak car accident that sent the truck she was in into a creek, where she was swept away and died. I was in shock. Horrified. My very first response was “Where’s my daughter.” She wasn’t in the house. I panicked – my heart started pounding out of my chest, all my muscles were tight and I couldn’t think straight. I was simultaneously grieving for my friend’s horrible loss and terrified that the same was happening to me. It was totally irrational to think that way but that’s exactly how your body is supposed to react in “fight or flight.” I found Madeline about ten minutes later playing in the bushes in the backyard. It took me another hour to recover from the panic.

A week later I couldn’t find my wallet.  I panicked – my heart started pounding out of my chest, all my muscles were tight and I couldn’t think straight. My body reacted the same exact way to the fear that my daughter was missing, as it did to the fear that my wallet was missing.
Get this – If I can’t find my wallet, sure, it’s going to be a pain in the butt to get my cards replaced, but no one is going to die. But my body doesn’t know the difference.

When your brain decides ‘this is scary’, your body is going to react.
Fear lives within each one of us but we have a choice whether to let it rule us. I’m not saying that dangers don’t exist. But getting lost in the ‘what ifs’ over situations that are a far cry from life threatening, in a future you can’t predict, is a waste of energy.

Here are a few ideas on how to combat fear if you find it residing inside of you:

1). STAY PRESENT
The future does not exist yet. Your thoughts and projections into a future aren’t real. Stay in the present, tuned in to your senses and use your mind. You are hard-wired to survive. There is an unconscious aspect of your being that inherently knows what to do.

2). TAKE A DEEP BREATH – MAYBE TWO!
Even self defense instructors teach their students to take a breath when they are faced with a physical threat. By reminding yourself to breathe (sounds silly, but you CAN forget to breathe when you’re completely freaking out), you are not only ensuring that your brain gets the oxygen it needs to function properly, but deep, deliberate, slow breaths, slow your heart rate which calms your body, making it easier to think more clearly. When you are in a calm state of mind, you are better prepared physically to choose how you are going to react to your situation.

3). BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
So much of our fear has to do with how we perceive ourselves and our strengths. If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything. If you doubt yourself, you will not succeed. You are what you believe, so even if it seems crazy to believe you can outrun a mountain lion, survive a flood, a devastating divorce or a run in with the IRS, believe it.

Plan For Failure

Plan for Failure: Being Consistent Is Not the Same as Being Perfect

James Clear | July 14, 2014 | Living, Working

You probably realize that consistency is important for making progress, doing better work, getting in shape, and achieving some level of success in most areas of life.
I write about the power of consistency often: why repetition is more important than perfection, how small gains add up to big results, and why falling in love with boredom is essential for mastery.
But once you realize the power of consistency, there is a danger that comes with this knowledge. And that danger is falling into an all-or-nothing mindset.
As usual, I don’t have this all figured out, but let’s talk about how to be consistent and how we can use science and research to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls.

The All or Nothing Mindset

Once you realize that consistency is essential for success it can be easy to obsess over becoming flawlessly consistent.
For example…

• Trying to lose weight? It’s easy to convince yourself that if you don’t follow your diet perfectly, then you’ve failed.
• Want to meditate each day? Beware of focusing so much on never missing a day that you stress over sticking to your meditation schedule.
• Looking to become a successful writer? You can quickly brainwash yourself into thinking that successful authors write every single day without fail. (The same goes for artists and athletes of all kinds.)

In other words, it’s really easy to confuse being consistent with being perfect. And that is a problem because there is no safety margin for errors, mistakes, and emergencies. (You know, the type of things that make you a normal human being.)
Cutting yourself some slack becomes even more important when we consider the science behind habit formation and continual improvement. Research shows that, regardless of the habit that you are working to build, missing a single day has no measurable impact on your long-term success.
In other words, it is all about average speed, not maximum speed. Daily failures are like red lights during a road trip. When you’re driving a car, you’ll come to a red light every now and then. But if you maintain a good average speed, you’ll always make it to your destination despite the stops and delays along the way.

The Idea in Practice

My friend Josh Hillis is a fat loss coach.
When working with clients, Josh doesn’t even bother tracking their daily calories. He only looks at the calorie total at the end of each week and makes adjustments based on that.
Consider how different this strategy is from the typical nutritional approach. Josh doesn’t care what you eat for any individual meal. He is not concerned if you make a mistake or binge eat once or twice. He realizes that individual meals don’t matter if you maintain the right “average speed” over the course of the week.
I find this to be an empowering way to think about consistency and progress in nearly any area. It’s never my intention to make a mistake, but if I do, I have given myself permission to view my progress over a longer timeline than a single day or an individual event.

How to be Consistent: Plan For Failure

Consistency is essential for success in any area. There is no way to get around the fact that mastery requires a volume of work.
But if you want to maintain your sanity, reduce stress, and increase your odds of long-term success, then you need to plan for failure as well as focus on consistency. Research from Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal has shown that the number one reason why willpower fades and people fail to remain consistent with their habits and goals is that they don’t have a plan for dealing with failure.
Planning to fail doesn’t mean that you expect to fail, but rather than you know what you will do and how you will get back on track when things don’t work out. If you’re focused on being perfect, then you’re caught in an all-or-nothing trap.
Meanwhile, if you realize that individual failures have little impact on your long-term success, then you can more easily rebound from failures and setbacks.

Meditate On This

Meditate On

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23, NLT

Guard Your Heart

The Bible tells us that the heart is where the issues of life spring forth. What we allow to enter our hearts will affect our thoughts, actions and even our bodies. In other words, the condition of one’s heart determines the course of one’s life!
That is why Jesus, who bequeathed to us His peace, tells us, “…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). So if we want to walk in His peace and rest, we need to guard our hearts and not let them spiral into negative thoughts, worry and fear. The Book of Wisdom also tells us that a peaceful and cheerful heart promotes health (Proverbs 17:22).
Beloved, there may be many things in our lives that we want to “guard”, such as our families, health or careers. But God wants us to guard our hearts above all else, and He will guard the rest!

Daily Bible Quotes

Every day is a beautiful day for inspiration and faith from Daily Bible Quotes!

It's 7/15 and here is today's scripture:

And if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly.'     1 Kings 8:47

Positive Quotes

You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.

— GEORGE LORIMER

 

 

I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.

— LUCILLE BALL

 

A problem is a chance for you to do your best.

— DUKE ELLINGTON

 

My challenge to you: Start looking at your challenges as friends that are going to help you grow.

— CLAIRE WINELAND

 

Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.

— VICTOR KIAM

 

 

 

Depression: Healing Through Psalms

Proverbs 27 

1 DO NOT boast of [yourself and] tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring forth. [Luke 12:19, 20; James 4:13.]

2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.

3 Stone is heavy and sand weighty, but a fool's [unreasoning] wrath is heavier and more intolerable than both of them.

4 Wrath is cruel and anger is an overwhelming flood, but who is able to stand before jealousy?

5 Open rebuke is better than love that is hidden. [Prov. 28:23; Gal. 2:14.]

6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are lavish and deceitful.

7 He who is satiated [with sensual pleasures] loathes and treads underfoot a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8 Like a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who strays from his home.

9 Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; so does the sweetness of a friend's counsel that comes from the heart.

10 Your own friend and your father's friend, forsake them not; neither go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near [in spirit] than a brother who is far off [in heart].

11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me [as having failed in my parental duty]. [Prov. 10:1; 23:15, 24.]

12 A prudent man sees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished [with suffering].

13 [The judge tells the creditor] Take the garment of one who is security for a stranger; and hold him in pledge when he is security for foreigners. [Prov. 20:16.]

14 The flatterer who loudly praises and glorifies his neighbor, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted as cursing him [for he will be suspected of sinister purposes].

15 A continual dripping on a day of violent showers and a contentious woman are alike; [Prov. 19:13.]

16 Whoever attempts to restrain [a contentious woman] might as well try to stop the wind–his right hand encounters oil [and she slips through his fingers].

17 Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose].

18 Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit; so he who patiently and faithfully guards and heeds his master shall be honored. [I Cor. 9:7, 13.]

19 As in water face answers to and reflects face, so the heart of man to man.

20 Sheol (the place of the dead) and Abaddon (the place of destruction) are never satisfied; so [the lust of] the eyes of man is never satisfied. [Prov. 30:16; Hab. 2:5.]

21 As the refining pot for silver and the furnace for gold [bring forth all the impurities of the metal], so let a man be in his trial of praise [ridding himself of all that is base or insincere; for a man is judged by what he praises and of what he boasts].

22 Even though like grain you should pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

23 Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds;

24 For riches are not forever; does a crown endure to all generations?

25 When the hay is gone, the tender grass shows itself, and herbs of the mountain are gathered in,

26 The lambs will be for your clothing, and the goats [will furnish you] the price of a field.

27 And there will be goats' milk enough for your food, for the food of your household, and for the maintenance of your maids.

Pursuit Of His Presence

Proverbs 6:20-23 
 

20 My son, keep your father's [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you]. [Eph. 6:1-3.]

21 Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck. [Prov. 3:3; 7:3.]

22 When you go, they [the words of your parents' God] shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you.

23 For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching [of the law] is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life, [Ps. 19:8; 119:105.]

Devotional

Faith in All the Right Places

by Gloria Copeland

“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” Matthew 12:35
Have you ever heard someone say, “I’d have no problem at all believing God’s Word would heal me if He’d speak to me out loud like He did in Genesis, but He hasn’t!”?
The correct answer is, “No, and He probably won’t either.” You see, God no longer has to thunder His Word down at us from heaven. These days He lives in the hearts of believers, so He speaks to us from the inside instead of the outside. What’s more, when it comes to covenant issues like healing, we don’t even have to wait on Him to speak.
He has already spoken! He has already said, “By whose [Jesus’] stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). He has already said, “I am the Lord that healeth thee” (Exodus 15:26). He has already said, “The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up” (James 5:15).
God has already done His part. So we must do ours. We must take the Word He has spoken, put it inside us and let it change us from the inside out. You see, everything—including healing—starts inside you. Your future is literally stored up in your heart. Matthew 12:35 confirms that.
In other words, if you want external conditions to be better tomorrow, you’d better start changing your internal condition today. You’d better start taking the Word of God and depositing it in your heart just like you deposit money in the bank. Then you can make withdrawals on it whenever you need it. When sickness attacks your body, you can tap into the healing Word you’ve put inside yourself and run that sickness off!
Exactly how do you do that? You open your mouth and speak—not words of sickness and disease, discouragement and despair, but words of healing and life, faith and hope. You follow the last step of God’s divine prescription in Proverbs 4:20-24: “Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.” In short, you speak the Words of God and call yourself healed in Jesus’ Name. Initially that may not be easy for you to do. But you must do it anyway, because for faith to work, it must be in two places—in your heart and in your mouth. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).
So get into the Word. Fill your heart with the good treasure of God’s Word for your healing...and speak forth from your heart that Word in faith. Then you’ll have your faith in all the right places!
Speak the Word
“By the stripes of Jesus I am healed. He is the Lord who heals me.” —1 Peter 2:24; Exodus 15:26
Need prayer? Call 817-852-6000. We’re here for you, 24/7!
Also, visit www.kcm.org/youversion to receive a free gift from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland.

Read This before You Listen to All the Give up Advice

Read This before You Listen to All the Give up Advice

Annika Martins | July 6, 2014 | Living

I’m pretty sure there’s something in your life, right now, that you need to give up. Let it go. End it.
I can think of a few things that I need to let go, too.
But too often I’ve relied on Give Up thinking to justify thoughts like, “Ohh, sweet Mother of Relief! So it’s cool if I skip exercising again – for the 37th week in a row? Phew!”

We sometimes use Give Up thinking to justify easing away from the very things we should be striding towards.

Instead of being thoughtful and selective about what we’re giving up and WHY, we often pull the Give Up card the minute things get tough. Too quick on the draw.
Giving up the dream of living in a palatial mansion or deciding to quit an unhealthy relationship might be some of the kindest decisions you can make for yourself and the people around you.
Those are probably healthy, soul-justified Give Up decisions.
But don’t corrupt the Give Up mantra into a lazy cop out.
If you have a track record of slipping out the back door the minute there’s a little heat in the kitchen, I’ve got some tough love for you (which really means, I’m saying this to myself first + foremost):

Put your whining in perspective.

Mothers push trucks out of the way to save their babies.
Firefighters walk into burning buildings to pull strangers from the smoke.
There are places in the world where children are accustomed to eating once every three days – at best.
And you can’t bring yourself to take the dog for a proper walk?
Separating the recycling from the regular garbage is too much of an agony for ya?

Instead of dwelling on why you want to say No now, ask yourself why you said Yes then.

What made you fall in love with your work? Your spouse? Your kid? Your pet? Your neighborhood?
Put your finger on the enthusiasm that made your skin tingle way back when. Marinate in that.
Bring that passion into this moment right now and let it decide how you proceed. Whatever is driving you to Give Up might become a tiny speck when you hold it up against the light of that original Love.
And if you’re rationalizing giving up because you’ve been ‘holding the vision’ of this person or this job or this experience for months now and the fact that it hasn’t arrived must be proof it’s not meant to be…

Visualizations alone are good for your blood pressure, but not much else.

The Law of Attraction preacher who told you that mental exercises were all that’s required to build the life of your dreams has essentially sent you out into the wilderness with an empty water bottle. It’s such a lovely bottle, but it’s useless without the wet stuff inside.
Yes, of course, state your intentions. Write them on your bathroom mirror. Tell your friends what you’re doing. Meditate on the vision of that future reality as often as possible. Absolutely, yes.
But in between the affirmations and chanting, you have to take ACTION.
Make the call. Send the email. Go to two more networking events this month. Ask for the help you need. Pay for the support you don’t have. This is what hustling for your dreams looks like.
If you’re about to give up on something because chanting and meditations didn’t manifest it for you, visualize this:
*I have just grabbed you by the shoulders and am shaking you violently with every word: YOU CAN DO THIS.

Dream and move at the same time. @annikamartins (Click to Tweet!)

Of course, there are times when giving up is the way to go. If that’s where you are, quit it hard and quit it strong. I’m writing Part II about this necessary type of giving up, next month.
A true Give Up decision is clear and grounded. Even if it requires difficult conversations or disappointing the ones we love, the appropriateness of that decision will ring high and clear in your heart.
But if your Give Up feeling is fuzzy and awkward and can’t sit down comfortably… that’s probably not a genuine call to let something go. That sounds like a corrupted Give Up. That sounds like fear of the necessary hard work of creating the life you’ve been dreaming of.
And Mr. Fear is not to be trusted.
Love,
Annika

How to Feel Supported, Cared For and Treated Well (You Know, the Way You Treat Others)

How to Feel Supported, Cared For and Treated Well (You Know, the Way You Treat Others)

Stephenie Zamora | July 4, 2014 | Living, Loving

Recently I was reading an article focused on building supportive relationships… it said something along the lines of “be the friend you want to have” in order to receive that type of friendship, partnership or consideration in return.
While I understand the sentiment, this advice is flawed.

Yes, treat people the way you want to be treated, as the golden rule states… but settle for nothing less than that treatment in return. Nothing. Less.

Just because you’re nice, supportive, loving, considerate and an amazing friend, doesn’t mean that everyone will treat you the same way. Some people just take, without giving anything in return. And if you just continue to be that super awesome friend to them, you’ll end up feeling resentful, taken for granted and exhausted. No bueno.
Now, this isn’t about only giving if you get something in return. Giving, supporting and loving simply for the purpose of generosity is amazing. Give freely. Give fully. BUT, don’t continue to give to someone who simply takes, takes, takes and expects more. Don’t stay in relationships that don’t support you in return.

Relationships should be an equal exchange of energy. @StephenieZ (Click to Tweet!)

Whether you’re giving your time and talent in exchange for compensation or you’re giving love and support to a friend, it’s all energy. Sometimes an equal exchange is simply the thanks, gratitude and recognition from a friend for the support you gave her. Sometimes it’s about receiving the same unconditional support and attentive ear from your significant other that you give to him. Sometimes it’s about the other party reciprocating the time and talent you gave in a barter situation.
Regardless, for everyone to feel supported, taken care of and happy, there needs to be an equal exchange.

How to Be the Friend You Want to Have Without Completely Giving Yourself Away

1) Look after yourself FIRST.

You can’t give energy if you don’t have it and if you’re not putting yourself first, you will never have anything to share. Always take care of you FIRST, never expect that anyone will do the same unless you set that standard for yourself.
You deserve time off, a massage, to say no to something you don’t want to do and a night of nothing in front of the TV. If you don’t demand that level of respect and attention for yourself, yet you’re constantly giving, giving, giving, you’ll find yourself burnt out with no one to support you.
You set the expectations that others have. So set the expectation of mutual respect, honoring of time and deserving of care.

2) Stop giving SO MUCH.

I love giving and I love supporting others. LOVE it. There’s a very good chance that you do too, and that’s AMAZING. If everyone had the capacity to give, the world would be a better place.
Unfortunately, us givers tend to over do it. We give and give until there’s nothing left. Until we find ourselves totally broken down and overwhelmed… and with no one there to pick up the pieces.
It is not your job to help, support or save any other grown person.
You do not have to say YES to every request. You don’t have to help your friends with every pickle they find themselves in. You don’t have to work for free because it’s family.
This is your life and your well of energy, choose wisely who you support and how much you give. There is absolutely nothing wrong with saying no. Not today. Not ever. Enough is enough. Give what you can, THAT is enough. Sometimes the best thing for a taker is to stop supporting them, let them figure things out for themselves… and if you lose that “relationship” because you’re no longer willing to give endlessly to it, it wasn’t one that was serving you anyways.

“The love that you lost
wasn’t worth what it cost
and soon you’ll be glad it’s gone.”
- Linkin Park

3) Stop wasting time in unsupportive “relationships.”

Just don’t do it.
If someone you’re constantly supporting can’t find the time and space to support you, this relationship is going nowhere fast. Do you really want to surround yourself with people who can’t think about you, for even one second, when there’s something happening with them (and believe me, there will always be something happening with them)?
Watch for the red flags… do you listen intently and give them your undivided attention for every upset in their lives, but they can’t seem to do the same for you? Do you try to ask for support or vent your frustrations, only to have them turn the conversation towards themselves?
Do they expect you to drop everything and come to their side (physically or metaphorically), yet are “too busy” or self consumed to come to yours?
If someone can’t reciprocate the energy you’re putting out, this relationship is going to become toxic and draining FAST. Don’t waste your time.
You deserve so much better, and I promise you, there are people out there who are more than ready and willing to show you. Make space for them to come into your life by releasing those that aren’t serving you.

Take Action Now

Take an honest look at the relationships in your life… where are you giving too much of yourself? Who is supporting you in return and who isn’t? Which people lift you up and which ones suck your energy? Once you’re clear, pick one relationship to further nurture (one that lifts YOU up in return) and one relationship to step away from (one that drains you).

Pursuit Of His Presence

Isaiah 40:28-31 
 28Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

29He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

No Time to Faint

by Gloria Copeland

“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” Proverbs 24:10
This is the day of adversity! Whatever you are facing today, you can’t afford to be weak. You can’t afford to faint spiritually in the trials of life. If you do, you’ll be in trouble because, naturally speaking, things aren’t going to get better in this world, they’re going to get worse.
But don’t let that scare you. For 1 John 5:4 tells us that “whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
Did you know you can become just as strong as you want to by spending time in the Word? The only one who can put limits on you is you. If you’ll give the Word more time, it will give you more strength.
That’s what wise believers do. They keep themselves strong by spending time in the Word every day. They stay strong and ready because they know this is an evil day we live in.
Wake yourself up to the Word by getting out your Bible and meditating on it every day. Get tapes and books of anointed men and women preaching the Word. Listen to them and read them again and again.
Keep that Word in your heart. Keep it going in your eyes and in your ears until it takes over the very thoughts that you think. Keep yourself strong and ready...and free to operate in the Spirit of God.
If you do, when adversity strikes, you’ll have supernatural strength to overcome and walk in the victory. Remember, this is no time to faint.
Speak the Word
“I refuse to faint in the day of adversity for I am strong.” —Proverbs 24:10
Need prayer? Call 817-852-6000. We’re here for you, 24/7!
Also, visit www.kcm.org/youversion to receive a free gift from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland.

The Poverty of Womanhood

The Poverty of Womanhood

PP B-School Alumni | June 30, 2014 | Living

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“If there is to be a future, it will wear a crown of feminine design.” –Sri Aurobindo
Eighteen months ago, a single conversation with an eleven-year-old girl in Kenya changed my life.
I was traveling at the time with a non-profit organization, helping to deliver birthing kits to midwives in remote and impoverished Maasai villages deep in the Kenyan scrubland.
One day, we drove over rough terrain for two hours to a particularly isolated village. The women wore beautiful, brightly colored shukas and layers of beaded jewelry, and the young warrior men carried spears for lion hunting and donned fearsome horned headdresses. A $1500 plane ticket and twenty-four hours had transported me from my cosmopolitan home and bounty of Western world privileges to a place where water is a luxury and the culture has remained largely unchanged for hundreds of years.

There couldn’t be a group of people with an experience of life more different than my own.

Walking without purpose around the village, I met a girl. We greeted each other in a mix of English and Swahili. Again, I sensed an immense chasm between us as a result of our unthinkably different lives. Innocently, I asked her why she wasn’t in school.
She looked down at her bare feet. “Hedhi,” she said quietly in Swahili. She had her period.
And I realized then that while this girl and I had utterly different experiences of life in nearly every way, each month she and I both bleed.
For me, my period was a monthly nuisance that made me tired and intensified my desire for carbohydrates and dark chocolate. For her, it was deeply stigmatized, and would alter the course of her life. Unable to afford or access sanitary pads, she stayed home from school for days each month during her period. If she fell behind and dropped out as many girls do when they miss days of school each month, she would likely marry and have children at a young age, and be unable to ever liberate herself from poverty. She would be unable to shape her own future.

The Poverty of the Western Woman

When I returned home to the U.S., that girl haunted me, because I knew there were hundreds of millions of other girls like her around the world.
I began to reflect on my own experiences and perspectives on my period, and those of my sisters and friends and the women in my own society. The more I learned the more I realized: we are not so different from that girl.
Yes, even as economically privileged women we face our own poverty of womanhood. Sure, we have access to more products for managing our periods than we could ever need, but the products that we buy from at the drugstore are made with cotton that has been sprayed with pesticides, and toxic synthetics that amplify our likelihood of Toxic Shock Syndrome, endometriosis, infertility, gynecological cancer, and other reproductive diseases.
We then place these products in or next to some of the most permeable tissue in our bodies, polluting our delicate ecosystems over the course of our reproductive lives for an aggregate of 10 years.

Furthermore, menstruation is not so taboo in our culture as it is in others, but still we are silent and mostly ignorant about its significance to our physical, psychological, and spiritual lives.

There was a time in history when women lived according to their cycles and were worshipped and revered for their life-giving power. But when masculine power sought dominance, all things feminine, including menstruation, were demonized and degraded, and we are still battling that stigma today.
Most of us are disconnected from the natural rhythms of our bodies because the masculine structure of our society does not accommodate what it would ask of us. The point in our cycle when we bleed, for example, is an in-built and natural time for physical and mental rest (hence why we typically feel tired and foggy), as well as deep spiritual reflection. But instead of resting, we pop painkillers, double our lattes, and push through it because we don’t see it as a legitimate reason to slow down.
Instead of worshiping our female bodies, we demonize them. Instead of standing in awe and reverence of their immense power and intuition, we seek to control them. The capacity to create life is our most sacred power, but when we inflict hatred or resentment on the process that allows for it, we profoundly degrade our personal power.
Instead of flowing through life according to our natural instincts and bodily desires, we ignore them in order to conform to a way of living that wasn’t designed with consideration for our sex and indeed oppresses us in systematic ways.

A Periodic Revolution

My divinely feminine soul was awakening, and I ached for a way to reconnect women around this universal experience—to change the negative experience of menstruation, and therefore womanhood, on a global scale.
So I created a company called Cora. Cora delivers safe and healthy organic tampons, pads, and liners, plus tea and artisan chocolate, to women monthly by mail. For every monthly box shipped to a woman in the U.S., we give a month’s supply of sustainable sanitary pads to a girl in a developing country who would otherwise miss days of school each month during her period.
We’re starting our giving initiative in India, where 88% of girls lack access to affordable sanitary pads, and one in four girls will drop out of school at puberty. Without pads, they resort to using old rags, mud, or ash. But these methods are ineffective, so girls stay home for fear of a humiliating leak. They are also unhygienic, causing vaginal infections that are difficult to treat.

Many of the girls are the daughters of sex workers in Kolkata’s red light district. Education is their greatest hope for a different life. Without it, they are trapped in poverty—likely to become prostitutes themselves just to survive.

A New World for Women

When we uphold the validity of our bodies’ internal cycles, and give ourselves permission to live according to its engrained wisdom, we live as our truest selves. We are liberated to make choices in our day-to-day lives that are rooted in a deeper knowing, and honor desires that are encoded in our DNA.
Changing the experience of menstruation globally begins with a reverence for every aspect of women’s lives.

Honoring womanhood is a personal practice first, but the bounds of its impact are endless. @Molly_Hayward (Click to Tweet)

How To Avoid Emotionally Abusive Relationships

How To Avoid Emotionally Abusive Relationships

Karen Salmansohn | July 2, 2014 | Living, Loving

Want to find your soulmate? Read on…
Once upon a time I used to suffer from what I call Prince Harming Syndrome – the tendency to date men who were either Trouble or TroubleD.
I remember once I was sharing a dark story about a particular Prince Harming with my buddy Scott, when the man at the next table at the café interrupted.
“Excuse me,” this stranger said. “I hope you two don’t mind, but I must confess I overheard you talking … and well … I’m a psychoanalyst … and I’m worried about you,” he said, staring directly at me. “Do you mind if I give you my free therapy opinion?”
“Not at all,” said Scott, answering for me.
“I have nothing to gain by telling you this,” the anonymous psychoanalyst began. “I don’t want or need your business. But as a psychoanalyst, I cannot help but recognize how this man you’re with is emotionally abusive. He sounds like a classic control freak … with sadistic tendencies … and you, well, you are a classic masochist … since as of right now, you are choosing to stay.”
“Masochist?” I repeated.
I looked at Scott. He meekly shrugged.
“But it’s good news, too,” the anonymous psychoanalyst said. “Masochists always have the most hope for change, because masochists always blame themselves. So … search deeply for why you’re with this man, your responsibility for having chosen him … and get out while you can!”
He then grabbed his brown leather briefcase, and whisked out of the café — like some masked psychoanalyst avenger.
I felt both horrified and validated. My Prince Harming had been assessed by a professional to be a sadistic control freak.
And me? I still had yet to figure out why I had chosen him.

In my mind I wasn’t a masochist. I’d been tricked. The way advertisers use “bait and switch” my Prince Harming had employed “date and switch.” He truly did start out so nice. And he seemed so charismatic, smart, funny, successful.

“You really should end this dysfunctional relationship,” Scott urged me. “Trust me. You’ll meet and marry a great guy soon enough. You’ve just got to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince.”
“I accept that,” I told him. “It’s just the pigs, dogs and jackasses I mind kissing.”
Scott and I laughed heartily at the time. Thankfully shortly after this talk I developed the inner strength and clarity of mind to leave this Prince Harming. I recognized, however, just because this man was no longer in my life, it didn’t mean my masochistic dating tendencies had left too. I needed to do some serious self-exploration, and understand why I had this urge to go towards bad boys — rather than run from them.
Happily I’ve since broken free from my Prince Harming Syndrome and am living happily ever after with a true Prince Charming — thanks to the empowering insights and techniques I’ve enthusiastically researched and am now excitedly sharing.

My Hope: I want to help as many women out there as I can to also break from their curse of being attracted to Prince Harmings — so they, too, can live and love happily ever after.

Having “been there, dated that,” I wanted to offer up right here, right now seven quickie empowering tips from the book which helped me break my pattern — in order to help others break theirs.

7 Tips To Help You Find Your Soulmate

1. Did you have a parent with a bad temper?

If so, you’re experiencing what Freud called Repetition Compulsion. Your past is sneaking into your present. You accept being shrieked at as being “normal” when it’s not. Some part of you from childhood feels “you’re bad” and deserves anger as a ritualistic behavior. Well, I’m here to tell you, the time has come to stop these anger rituals!

Nothing in your past is in your present making you do anything you don’t choose to do. @Notsalmon (Click to Tweet!)

You are not your past history! You are not your past failures! You are not how others have at one time treated you! You are only who you are and what you do now in this moment.
2. Are you hooked into pain because of low self-esteem?
Perhaps you feel like you don’t deserve healthy love because of your weight, career, etc. If so… either improve your weight, career, etc., or change your view of these things. Start loving yourself — flaws and all. Focus on what makes you hot stuff! You’re funny, kind, generous, a great kisser. A guy should be so lucky as to be with you! The more you believe that you deserve healthy love, the more you will conquer and attract.
3. Have you stopped being a hopeless romantic — and now think romance is hopeless?
Have you lowered your “dating bar” so low that now only the slimiest reptilian snake-y guys are wiggling through? If so, raise that bar, by surrounding yourself with friends and family who are in healthy, loving relationships, so you’re reminded that “good love” is out there, and know what it looks and sounds like!
4. Are your values off-kilter?
Do you care more about money and good looks than you do about your self-esteem and happiness? You must remind yourself: The number one reason to merge your life with a man is that he makes you feel happier-not more anxious and depressed. You must also remind yourself of your top values for a man. Make a list and on it should be: even-tempered, kind-hearted, gentle, a good listener, a compromiser, etc. Also write how you’d feel being with this type of man (relaxed, safe, content, happy, etc.). Keep these lists in your wallet.
5. Are you an “enterpainer”?
Are you used to entertaining everyone with your tales of drama and conflict? Do you get attention and feel important every time you complain about how awful this man is? Stop settling for attention for the negative stuff in your life. Get rid of Prince Harming, and seek positive passion and purpose.
6. Do you keep telling yourself it’s not three strikes and Prince Harming is out-it’s 3,452,103 strikes?
Are you more afraid of the pain of temporary solitude than the pain of abuse? If so, accept that when you break up, there will be a temporary period of aloneness. Decide now to use your alone time to do things you’ve been putting off. Take a class. Join a club. You’ll get through the solo time.
7. Are you afraid to break up?
Don’t let the prospect of saying goodbye to a Prince Harming make you feel like a failure. Re-frame this as a success story. This ending represents your brand new beginning! Every time you miss your Prince Harming, repeat the word “Forward!” Remind yourself you’re moving forward, away from this self-hurting tendency and towards a better, brighter future.

Oscar Pistorius is suicide risk, depressed, doctors find

Pretoria, South Africa (CNN) -- Oscar Pistorius is depressed, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and is a suicide risk, the doctors who spent a month evaluating his mental health concluded.

But he does not appear to have a history of abnormal aggression or psychopathic tendencies linked to "rage-type murders in intimate relations," they found.

The conclusions, read at the athlete's murder trial on Wednesday, are a "slam-dunk for the defense," CNN legal expert Kelly Phelps said.

Pistorius loved Steenkamp, agent says

Pistorius begins mental evaluation

Photos: Oscar Pistorius murder trial

Pistorius begins mental evaluation

The double amputee sprinter is on trial for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home last year.

He admits killing her but says he mistook her for a burglar and thought he was defending himself.

The prosecution says the two had an argument and he killed her intentionally.

The psychiatric report seemed to suggest that Pistorius's version of events was plausible.

"When Mr. Pistorius's appraisal of the situation is that he might be physically threatened, a fear response follows that might seem extraordinary when viewed from the perspective of a normal bodied person, but normal in the context of a disabled person with his history," the doctors found.

One of the questions Judge Thokozile Masipa must consider in determining her verdict is whether Pistorius behaved reasonably in the circumstances.

Several witnesses have testified that Pistorius tends to arm himself and go towards danger, rather than away from it, when he thinks he is under threat.

The track star's specialist sports doctor testified Wednesday after defense lawyer Barry Roux read the mental health report.

Wayne Derman said that Pistorius was "hypervigilant."

Mentally sound

The trial restarted Monday after a monthlong break when Pistorius was evaluated by mental health experts at the prosecution's request.

Pistorius evidence revealed

How will Pistorius evaluation play out?

Pistorius trial on hold for mental exams

They found he was not mentally incapacitated when he shot and killed Steenkamp.

An independent panel of doctors said that Pistorius was, at the time he shot Steenkamp, not mentally ill or incapacitated in any way that would make him "criminally not responsible of the offenses charged."

The report added that "Mr. Pistorius was capable of appreciating the wrongfulness of his act."

Had the doctors deemed Pistorius mentally incapacitated during the shooting, the trial would have immediately ended in a verdict of not guilty by reason of mental illness.

Verdict

At the trial's conclusion, Judge Masipa will have to decide whether Pistorius genuinely made a mistake or killed Steenkamp intentionally.

If she does not believe the athlete thought there was an intruder, she will find him guilty of murder and sentence him to a prison term ranging from 15 years to life. South Africa does not have the death penalty.

If Masipa accepts that Pistorius did not know Steenkamp was the person he was shooting at, she could find him guilty of culpable homicide, a lesser charge than murder, or acquit him, according to CNN legal analyst Kelly Phelps.

A verdict of culpable homicide would leave the sentence at Masipa's discretion.

Pursuit Of His Presence

Hebrews 6:9-14 
 9Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

The Certainty of God’s Promise

13When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”

Devotional

Continue in the Word

by Gloria Copeland

“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews 5:14
Reading, studying and listening to the Word of God is vital to walking in the spirit. Fellowship with God through His Word opens the door to your heart so the fruit of the spirit can flow out of it. This fruit is listed in Galatians 5:22-23 and is a part of your new nature as a believer.
When you think about it, you can easily understand why. The Word is spiritual food. The more of it you put in your heart, the stronger your spirit becomes. If you’ll continue to feed on the Word, eventually your spirit will be so dominant that it can overcome your flesh every time (Hebrews 5:14).
The opposite is also true. If you spend your time feeding on soap operas, romance novels and the 6 o’clock news, your flesh will grow stronger and your spirit will weaken. And though you’ll still have the inner desire to be loving and kind, the flesh will bully you into acting like the devil!
If you’re especially wanting to strengthen your spirit in a particular part of the fruit, one of the wisest things you can do is feed on what the Word has to say about that specific area. If you’ve been running short of joy lately, for example, make it a point each day to read and meditate on what the Bible has to say about joy and rejoicing. Build up your spirit in that area. The moment light comes, faith is there.
Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Continuing in the Word will help the fruit of the spirit to flow, to make you free from the bondages of the flesh. “Walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
Speak the Word
“I will continue in God’s Word and walk in the spirit, and I will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” —John 8:31; Galatians 5:16
Need prayer? Call 817-852-6000. We’re here for you, 24/7!
Also, visit www.kcm.org/youversion to receive a free gift from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland.