Living within the Parameters

Limits. Boundaries. Do you ever feel constricted by the boundaries that have been placed on your life?

I'm here to tell you that you aren't alone. I've tried too hard. I've tried to live an excellent life. I've tried to meet the standards that were consciously or subconsciously set for me by those who surround me.

The fact is, I refuse to continue living within the parameters that people have set for me. I'm breaking out. Yes, I may fail. I may fall flat on my face. Truth is, if I cannot risk it now, when?

My life's purpose is not to meet your standards. I have nothing to prove to you. You no longer have control over my life with your expectations. You think I will fail? I know. You've thought that all along. Is that why you still stand here? Is it gratifying to you that I fall on my face?

O well. Let it be as it should. I'm refocusing my attention to the ONE who really matters. You may sneer, but that's okay.

Let it be as it should.

Expect Great Things

Each day, we have the opportunity to expect great things from God. When you wake up and confess that the day is going to be awful, it automatically shuts the door for greatness. Achieving greatness is as simple as your frame of mind and confession of the mouth. However, even if you confess that the day will be great, it doesn't mean that nothing will go wrong. Nonetheless, greatness can be birthed despite and through trials, tribulations, and troubles.

Everyday, wake up and say to God:

Today is YOUR day. Use me; mold me. I have favor with You and with all whom I have contact. Today is going to be a great day because I have great expectations.

I know that you will be with me every moment of this day. I know, and am grateful, that you will protect me from the dangers of this world--protecting my physical body, my mind, and my heart. I thank you for your peace which will steady my heart when I feel troubled.

Let my actions and words glorify and edify You; may they be a witness to those who surround me. I open my life and day so that you can freely operate in and through me, so that I, and those I am able to minister to, will experience You in a whole new way and will be changed.

I thank You for who You are and what You do. I thank You for Your faithfulness to me in all things.

Expect great things from God--you'll be surprised at the outcome.

Peace in Tomorrow

Life is full of uncertainties. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Short of divine intervention, you will never know what tomorrow holds.

Anticipation--it's scary; it's powerful. Anxiety. Will it be good? Will it be bad? Do I have the strength, the faith, the trust in God to make it through unscathed? Will the laughs outnumber the tears? Will I grow? Will I make an impact?

Questions. The unknown is full of them. Luckily, God wants you to have the answers to those questions! We have the mind of Christ, which in turn means that we know His innermost thoughts. If we stay connected with God through every passing second, we will have peace knowing that He is in control. Will we know what will happen at every moment? No. But God's peace will keep us waiting with eager anticipation, instead of anxiety.

Through His peace, we will know that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). The fear that lies with the unknown will be subdued with high anticipation of God's greatness.

His Passion

pas . sion [pash-uhn]
-noun

1. a powerful emotion or appetite
2. ardent love
3. a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything

Finding passion. Finding passion takes desire. Passion is an unrelenting drive. You have to want something so bad that it hurts, so bad that you'll stop at nothing to achieve your goal. Your passion is your obsession. All you want to do is eat, sleep, breathe, and live your passion.

We find ourselves being passionate about the everyday things of life--basketball, cooking, eating, knitting, or even croquet. In ten years, who knows if these passions that we hold so dearly will even be present in our lives. In ten, twenty years, we will have new passions and desires.

How is it that we have so much passion for these things that will pass, but we lack true passion for the one thing in our lives that saved us and that will always be there? The challenge is to become a truly passionate Christian. Fill your every waking moment with God. Desire nothing else but to be the best Christian that you can be. Desire everyday to love Him a little bit more, trust Him a little bit more. Dive into Scripture and into communication with God. Quickly you will find that burning, can't sleep or eat, desire that pushes you to be a better Christian.

Push yourself to find His passion.

The Fire

Passion--the key element in achieving greatness.

Passion is the fuel by which dreams are allowed to transpire. Take away passion, and all that is left is a book of unrealistic fairy tales that will never become reality. Passion is never satisfied with second place and is never moved to quit of failure. Passion presses on with no regard of circumstance or situation.

Passion--it's the force that drives you outside at night in the middle of a storm with a kite and a key. Passion--it's the force that differentiates a man standing and a man flying. Passion--it's the force that makes you pick up your battered body and play one more quarter. Passion--it's the force that distinguishes first and second place. Passion--it's the force behind any great man.

Dream all you want. But if you want your fairy tale to be etched on your life pages, you are going to have to be the spark that ignites the fire.