About That LIFE: Living LIFE to the Fullest... God's Way!

CREATING PERSONAL BOUNDARIES

2015-08-30T19:33:00.004-07:00

Know that you have a right to personal boundaries. You not only have the right, but you must take responsibility for how you allow others to treat you. Your boundaries act as filters permitting what is acceptable in your life and what is not. If you don't have boundaries that protect and define you, as in a strong sense of identity, you tend to derive your sense of worth from others. To avoid this situation, set clear and decisive limits so that others will respect them, then be willing to do whatever it takes to enforce them. Interestingly, it's been shown that those who have weak boundaries themselves tend to violate the boundaries of others.

Recognize that other people's needs and feelings are not more important than your own. Many women have traditionally thought that the needs of their husbands and children are more important than their own. This is not only untrue, but it can undermine the healthy functioning of the family dynamic. If a woman is worn out mentally and physically from putting everyone else first, she not only destroys her own health, she in turn deprives her family of being fully engaged in their lives. Instead, she should encourage every family member to contribute to the whole as well as take care of himself or herself. Putting themselves last is not something only women do, but many men as well.

Learn to say no. Many of us are people-pleasers and often put ourselves at a disadvantage by trying to accommodate everyone. We don't want to be selfish, so we put our personal needs on the back burner and agree to do things that may not be beneficial to our well-being. Actually, a certain amount of "selfishness" is necessary for having healthy personal boundaries. You do not do anyone any favors, least of all yourself, by trying to please others at your own expense.

Identify the actions and behaviors that you find unacceptable. Let others know when they've crossed the line, acted inappropriately, or disrespected you in any way. Do not be afraid to tell others when you need emotional and physical space. Allow yourself to be who you really are without pressure from others to be anything else. Know what actions you may need to take if your wishes aren't respected.

Trust and believe in yourself. You are the highest authority on you. You know yourself best. You know what you need, want, and value. Don't let anyone else make the decisions for you. Healthy boundaries make it possible for you to respect your strengths, abilities and individuality as well as those of others. An unhealthy imbalance occurs when you encourage neediness, or are needy; want to be rescued, or are the rescuer, or when you choose to play the victim.

WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW?

2014-10-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

(James 4:13-17)

¹³Now listen to me, you that say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to a certain city, where we will stay a year and go into business and make a lot of money.” ¹⁴You don't even know what your life tomorrow will be! You are like a puff of smoke, which appears for a moment and then disappears. ¹⁵What you should say is this: “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶But now you are proud, and you boast; all such boasting is wrong.¹⁷So then, if we do not do the good we know we should do, we are guilty of sin.

Setting goals is a spiritual activity. In order to live as an OVER comer and OVER your circumstances, you must learn to live UNDER submission and UNDER authority of the Heavenly Father. As we make plans for tomorrow, it is imperative we do not plan outside of God nor leave him out of the equation. Proverbs 16:3 says if you commit your plans to the Lord, you will succeed. It is foolish to simply drift along in life without plans. We are called to make the most of each day filling it with noble, compassionate and excellent things.

¹⁵So be careful how you live. Don't live like ignorant people, but likewise people. ¹⁶Make good use of every opportunity you have, because these are evil days. ¹⁷Don't be fools, then, but try to find out what the Lord wants you to do. (Ephesians 5:15-17).

We cannot be effective in the kingdom of God without the discipline of planning. By setting goals it allows us to focus our energy on God, stretch our faith and give us hope for a future. Find out what matters to God for you to do, then do it. It is only when we miss the mark in reaching the goal He set for us to do that we sin.

Let the size of your God determine the size of your goals.

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

2014-10-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

Romans 15:13 (NLT)

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Tired of feeling empty and reaching for goals that were created out of frustration, hurt or rejection? It's time to try something new.

We may often find ourselves indulging in things that only temporarily satisfy our needs and desires. This is what I refer to as artificial sweeteners. We cheat ourselves with the use of these fillers in various areas of life. Giving the wrong people or things permission and power to occupy space in our lives inevitably creates a lack of availability to receive what God has for us. We become artificially full with their sweetness, that there is no room for the main course which ultimately provides the nourishment we need for a healthy life.

Most decisions come from a place of vulnerability and insecurities in our current situation or in those things which are temporal. We settle for a mere appetizer for fear of not finding the life for which we truly hunger and thirst after. The life that you long for is available to you when you let go of what you think is for you....or not for you. Begin to feast on those things that will bring forth your ultimate growth rather than snacking on people, situations or self-doubt that will only stunt your full development.

Don't spend another moment of your life filling up on artificial sweeteners when you were created to get full off of life.

DREAMS DO COME TRUE

2014-09-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

Psalm 34:17-19 (NLT)

¹⁷The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
¹⁸The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

19 The righteous person faces many troubles,
    but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Are you a dreamer? Do you long for your dreams to come true? Do you wonder why good things seem to happen to everyone else but always skips right over you?

We can't find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow because we are merely hoping to see the rainbow at the end of our storm. 

The key to our dreams coming true....is to dream His dreams for you. We dream because of desire; He dreams because of purpose. Planning a life outside of God's perfect preset plan leads to failures, setbacks, disappointments and devastation. But your twists, turns and troubles don't define you or compose your identity. Your help is only a prayer away. 

Focusing on people, goals, material possessions and dreams that are not His best for us affects every area of our life.Turn away from doing things your way and find rest in Him. Set your heart's desire on only Him because He is committed to your success.

LIFE ON THE BIG SCREEN

2014-07-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. (John 14:18 NLT)

There are consequences to sin and willful disobedience to the Word of God. But no matter what you have been through or what you are going through God still has a purpose and plan for your life. His plan comes with a full warranty with your name on it. What God has intended for you, is just for you and can not and will not be transferred to someone else. Despite our turning away from God, He never gives up on us.

God knows where you are at this very moment. He may not be happy with where your life is right now, because He is a Father who always wants the best for His children. Sometimes the choices we make hurt Him but He's not going to abandon you. He cares about what you care about. He can wrap your struggles in His strength. Hopelessness does not hinder Him. Your life is meant to be lived without limits. God has already created the blueprint for the life He has predesignated for you and it is written in His Word.

WHEN OUR VISION MAY TARRY

2014-07-29T12:56:00.002-07:00

Habakkuk 2: 1-3 (NKJV)

I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.²Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.³For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

God has a storehouse of blessings that He has reserved for you and me. However, our timing to receive those blessings may not be the same as our Lord's.

God has a specific timetable that He requires to accomplish His purposes in the life of the believer. Sometimes that timetable seems excruciatingly cruel and painful to us, yet it is needful.

When we read that Joseph remained a slave in Egypt and was then placed in prison after being wrongfully accused, it would be easy to second-guess the God of the universe. Oh, how cruel and uncaring, we might think. Joseph thought he was going to be delivered from prison when he interpreted a dream for a court official, but then he was forgotten another two years. Why? An early release possibly would have disrupted God's perfect plan.

Although it is sometimes difficult to understand, the Lord is just and gracious in His dealings with His children. When He does decide to move on our behalf, we will appreciate the delay and will often possibly not understand the reason the delay was needed.

"And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him." (Isaiah 30:18 KJV)

If you are awaiting the fulfillment of a vision in your life, ask the Lord for His grace to sustain you. It will be worth the wait.

--O. Curtis White
Executive Director
Second Chance Community Services Inc.
OPEN WINDOW TELEVISION-Producer/Director

The Happiness Manifesto

2014-07-27T20:25:00.004-07:00

Happiness is a Choice

Smile at the World and the World will smile back

Connect Deeply

Be Kind

Love Fully

Find What Makes You Happy and DO IT OFTEN

Forgive Yourself

Forgive Others

Eat Healthy

Exercise Regularly

Challenge Yourself

Hug Your Family, Hug Your Friends, Hug the WORLD

Think Positive

Treat Yourself

Relax

Have Fun

Trust in Others

Be Trustworthy

Happiness Brings Love, Success & Fulfilment. Love, Success & Fulfilment Bring Happiness

Set Your Own Goals

Learn and Experience Everyday

Life is Exciting. Life is Your Choice. Life is Fun.

Count Your Blessings

Give to Others

Laugh Out loud

Sing

Dance

Go a little bit silly!

Travel the World

Know Yourself

Be Resilient

Say I’m Sorry

Say Thank You

Say I Love You

Help and Teach Others

Feel the Sunshine

Be Brave

Be Excited

Be Creative

Be You

Live Your Passion

Live Your Purpose

Change the World, One Smile at a Time

THE VISION OF GOD

2014-07-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

The way we see God controls the way we look at everything else. The more clearly we understand Him, the more confidently we can make our way through life.

A new vision of God will help you find your part in GOD'S PLAN, and give you a new, divinely directed perspective on everything in your world.

ACCEPT YOURSELF... YOUR LIFE.... AND YOUR REALITY

2014-06-25T23:44:00.001-07:00

Have you ever felt like your world has fallen apart?

What do you do when you feel like all you ever worked for, aimed for, thought about, doesn't really matter?

There may have been times you feel like there's no real purpose in your tomorrow.

You have the power to change your current situation. You can overcome these feelings of depression and defeat and find your purpose by first learning to accept who and whose you are. This is not any easy first step in the journey to your discovering your destiny. In fact, it may be one of the hardest things you will ever follow through on, but it's definitely the most rewarding.

When we find ourselves at the lowest points in our lives, it's easy to look in the mirror and point out our insecurities. We focus on our faults instead of God's favor. But, instead of counting all the things you wish you could be; start counting your blessings and those things for which you are most thankful. There are things in your life right now that you possess that bring out your natural inner and outer beauty. Begin to see yourself as God sees you. The reality is you are a one-of-a-kind original treasure made in the image of the Creator. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

TODAY, stop focusing on your problems and begin focusing on the promises. "For we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28) This scripture serves as reassurance that no matter how far you have fallen; how far you missed the mark; or no longer travel the path to your purpose.

God uses EVERYTHING you have gone through to bring about His perfect predestined plan for you to live an abundant LIFE.

NO LIMITS LIVING

2014-06-24T06:54:00.003-07:00

A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS

It's not only Possible.... It's your Purpose.

As we draw close to God, He draws near to us and then we will discover His will for our life.

Contrary to popular belief, His will is not a mystery that cannot be unlocked. It is true that we are not privy to the details of our predestined path; because God in His infinite wisdom chooses to keep some of the finer points of His will to himself. Spending time in prayer and reading the Word of God gives us unlimited access to a limitless God. God desires His children to live life without limits. He does not want us to just live or think outside of the box; with His permission, we can live without a box. The scriptures provide a ‘blueprint’ for successful living; while your prayer time allows a two-way communication between you and the Father.

This is how He reveals himself to us.

It is your responsibility to let go of your own agenda, allow God to veto your plans and reclaim your access to Him.

GOD'S PERFECT PLAN

2014-06-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 29:11 states clearly that God has a definite plan catered just for your life; a plan for a hope and a future. This is a personal promise from a personal God and reaches you right where you are. He knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb. All of your days have been ordained by Him and each day has purpose.

No matter what God’s plan is for your life; it includes prosperity, protection, hope and faith. We may not understand the peaks, valleys, detours and roadblocks we face in our lives, but the promise of God found in Proverbs 3:5-6 states He will make our paths straight if we trust His plan. The Father has the very best in mind for you—ALWAYS.

YOU HAVE A CALL

2014-06-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

You may be feeling confused, frustrated or ready to throw in the towel. You are ready to let Satan win this battle because you feel there’s absolutely no way you will win the war. But let me encourage you; the fight is fixed and you have already won. You were predestined to win. No matter your past or current situation. There is nothing to hard for God. He is at work in every circumstance. Romans 8:28 says that ALL things work together for the GOOD for those who love God and are called according to His purpose….that includes YOU!

You have been called to something greater than your past or even your present circumstance. God is ready, willing and able to lead you through both good and bad times so that you can fulfill His purpose in your life. He uses our circumstances to shape our trust and character. Trust God with your future. His plans will give you renewed peace and joy. He does not desire that we live a life of mediocrity, but He wants to free us from the pain of our past. Often times, it’s easier to look back in time and see what God WAS doing, than it is to guess what He WILL do. All God wants is a chance to demonstrate His infinite love for you in a fresh new way.

Will you ANSWER His Call?.... He is calling you right now!

6 Keys to Finding Your Purpose

2014-06-16T21:54:00.000-07:00

6 Keys to Finding Your Purpose

Solve the mystery of what you're meant to do with your life

Published on November 30, 2012 by Dr. Susan Biali, M.D. in Prescriptions for Life

Here are “Six E’s of Finding Your Purpose”

1) Elusive

Many think that purpose should be obvious and easy to identify, an idea that leads to much frustration and disappointment. More typically your purpose will slowly emerge as you put one foot in front of the other, following where your heart, talents and life seem to be leading you.

2) Evolving

There may be the occasional person who knows their purpose from the time they were a child, sets out on the perfect course of study, and spends their whole life doing what they were meant to. This wasn’t my experience, and chances are it wasn’t yours either. As you go through this journey, gaining wisdom about yourself and receiving delicious, surprising clues from life (I liken it to a treasure hunt), your sense of purpose will evolve and change. As you seek and live out your purpose, don’t be afraid to let it evolve if it wants to, even if you were sure you had already discovered and embarked on what you were destined to be in this life.

3) Emerges from Experience

By all means set out on the course that feels and seems right to you, but be open to learning from it and adjusting. What experience or purpose is calling to you? Give it a chance. If it causes you to change your mind or even abandon what you sincerely thought was the right path for you, you’re wiser for having tried it.

4) Exactly perfectly timed

Sometimes when things don’t happen in the time frame we’re expecting, we think all is lost or that we were wrong to begin with. In our society in particular, many mistakenly believe that fresh starts, success and exciting, passionate purpose are only for the young (the young being anyone who is younger than us). If you’ve got a dream and your heart still beats with it, even though nothing seems to be happening, keep at it and don’t let go. Other times, you may feel it right to step away for a while and come back when it calls you again or circumstances shift.

5) Eminently qualified

Go for whatever calls you. Sure, get as much training as you’re able to and need to get started, but don’t hesitate to go for something even if you don’t have all your ducks or qualifications lined up in a row. Some of the best artists have never taken an art class. Your natural genius may even be negatively impacted by an “expert” imposing their theories or structure regarding what its expression should look like. Just get started, and next steps will become clear.

6) Enjoyable Adventure

Don’t get too stressed about this or put too much pressure on yourself about clarifying your purpose. Your purpose might indeed be something grand and complicated, or it may be as simple as dispensing love and kindness wherever you go. Remember to be present in the moment, and delight in watching it all unfold. LIFE really is beautiful!

"FRUITFUL SUFFERING"

2014-03-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Genesis 41: 46-55

Joseph named his second son Ephraim. Ephraim was given to him after he had been delivered from his suffering of 13 years. Joseph said that he named him this because God had made him fruitful in the land of his suffering. Ephraim means "twice fruitful."

Joseph was fruitful in two instances. He was fruitful during his time of adversity and in his prosperity. When God brings us into a time of suffering, it can be a fruitful time. It's rare for us to see the fruit during the suffering period. But know that the roots are going deep into the spiritual soil of our soul because of our pressing in to God during our time of suffering. This is producing a work in our character that cannot be seen until it finishes the process. Such was the case for Joseph.

Samson had great anointing but possibly lacked character. We see many today who have great anointing yet lack character. But God is raising up Joseph's who not only have great anointing for these days but also great character. Suffering produces character.

If you find yourself in a time of suffering, now is the time to press into God. Let your roots grow deeper. Whenever there is a famine, tree roots are forced to drive deeper into the soil to find water. These times are designed to create such a deep-rooted faith that our natures will be changed forever.

O. Curtis White
Executive Director
Second Chance Community Services Inc.
OPEN WINDOW TELEVISION-Producer/Director

LET GOD DO IT....

2014-03-13T15:34:00.002-07:00

God's WAY is better than your way.
His PLAN is Bigger than your plan.
His DREAM for your live is More Rewarding, More Fulfilling, BETTER than you've ever dreamed of.
Now stay OPEN and let God do it HIS WAY.

DESTINY AND PURPOSE

2013-11-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

Embrace your Destiny and Live with Purpose.

LIFE has a special purpose for you, so use your God-given Gifts and Talents to reach your FULL POTENTIAL. Remember, God does not provide a VISION without PROVISION.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

LIVE THE DREAM!!!

New Dreamvotions returning soon.

THE NOON DAY DEMON

2013-08-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

"The way of the slothful man is as a hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain." Proverbs 15:19 KJV

Sloth, the fourth of the seven deadly sins, is today the most misunderstood of all—which is ironic because, properly understood, it is the characteristically modern sin. For a start, Sloth is more than a state of carefree lingering and more than physical laziness. It's roots are spiritual rather than physical. It is a condition of explicit spiritual dejection that has given up on the PURSUIT of God, the truth, the good, and the beautiful. Sloth is inner despair that finally slumps into an attitude of “Who cares?”. It is what the medieval spoke of as “the noonday demon.” It is a sluggishness of spirit, feeling, and mind that eventually overcomes the body like an after-lunch sleepiness. CALLING is the best antidote to the deadly sin of sloth.

There are three principal points of entry for modern sloth, overlapping at times but quite distinct, and calling runs counter to them all. The first is philosophical. Loss of faith in God, and therefore in eternity and immortality, leads to an erosion of vitality in life itself. The second point of entry for sloth is cultural. We live in a world of convenience, comfort, and consumerism. And when life is safe, easy, sanitized, climate-controlled, and plush, sloth is close. When comforts and convenience sap our energies and idealism, inactivity secretes sloth into our minds like a poison in the blood. Then, as lethargy and futility overtake us, we progressively lower our ideals and succumb. The result is a slump into the sin of sloth—“the sin which believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, loves nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and only remains alive because there is nothing it would die for. The third main entry point for sloth is biographical. There are natural points in our lives when each of us is especially prone to losing a sense of the noteworthiness of the worthwhile. Today the most talked about is the pent-up frustrations of a “midlife crisis".

The truth of calling addresses all these entry points of sloth. Personally summoned by the Creator of the universe, we are given a meaning in what we do that flames over every second and inch of our lives. Challenged, inspired, rebuked, and encouraged by God’s call, we cannot for a moment settle down to the comfortable, the mediocre, and the boring. The CALL is always to the higher, the deeper, and the farther.

This Week's Charge: Be in ACTIVE Pursuit of your dreams!!!

Excerpt From: Guinness, Os. “The Call.”

SIN ON REPEAT

2013-08-05T11:52:00.001-07:00

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conﬂict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (Galatians 5:16–18).”

While we're on this side of the dirt, we're not going to live a sinless life. We will be tempted, but temptation isn't sin. It is a test to check our hearts to evaluate or values and priorities. Our response to our sins, though, determines whether our dream remains 3D and in vivid color or fades to black and white. We do an excellent job hiding sins of cowardice, self-pity, self-sufficiency, greed and jealousy. No one knows about our lies and gossip. We easily explain them away and insist, "They're no big deal." In many cases, we actually feel that we can justify our sinful attitudes and actions.

Yet every time we are tempted, we face a choice. To turn from sin or continue to walk therein creating a barrier between God and us Thankfully the presence of sin does not disqualify us from achieving our dreams because God has provided the ultimate solution for sin. Christ died for all our sins—past, present, and future. We can wallow in shame, or we can gladly embrace His forgiveness. Christ has already paid for our sins. He opened the door to the prison and set us free.

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death (2 Corinthians 7:10)” Godly sorrow points us to Christ, refreshes our spirits, and reminds us of His grace. But worldly sorrow (what we call shame) crushes our spirits and leaves us feeling helpless and hopeless. Confession is agreeing with God about our sin, about His forgiveness, and about our new direction to honor Him.
Sin hardens our hearts and causes problems in all of our relationships—unless we practice confession and repentance. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Recurring sin is slavery and when allowed to fester can lead to dream destruction. It oppresses us and kills our dreams, but God's gracious forgiveness restores us and renews the dream—even better than it was before.

This weeks charge: Has the Holy Spirit pointed out any excuses you've used to let dream busters prevent you from ﬁnding and fullﬁlling God's dream for your life? If so, what are they? What are you going to do about them?

Excerpt From: Clay, Doug. “Dreaming in 3D"

HEALING THE HURT

2013-07-08T08:10:00.001-07:00

“God "heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).

At any point in the life cycle of a dream, but especially when it appears the dream is dead, we can be derailed by unresolved hurt, failure, or recurring sin. Everyone gets hurt from time to time. One of the most important skills we can learn, and sadly, one that too few have mastered, is the ability to resolve those wounds so we can move beyond them. It's not to minimize the severity of hurt as some pains experienced are of enormous magnitude. “If we don't address these open wounds so they can heal, we take on the persona of a perpetual victim. we've all been victims, but we don't have to remain victims. We need to learn to grieve and forgive. Grieving is the natural process of admitting the reality of the pain, facing it squarely, and resolving the hurt.

We need to forgive the perpetrator. We have the power and motivation to forgive only because Christ has forgiven us. We draw deeply from the well of His forgiveness, and only then can we express His forgiveness to those who hurt us. Forgiveness sets us free from the prison of our bitterness. Hurt is a very common experience, but it takes courage and insight to trust God, grieve, and forgive so those wounds don't ruin our lives. We simply can't remain stuck with a victim mentality and fulﬁll God's dream for us. The two are mutually exclusive.

Some of us are haunted by past failures. Some of us are perfectionists and believe that we should never ever experience failure. When we don't learn from failure and we let it color our lives too starkly, we become ashamed. There is a big difference between guilt and shame. We feel guilt because we've done something bad, but we feel ashamed because we've concluded we are bad, unworthy people. Guilt can be a very healthy response that leads us to repentance, but shame gnaws at us and leaves us feeling helpless, hopeless, and worthless. God sometimes allows failure to test us and give us a glimpse of what's in our hearts. Our ability to respond positively to setbacks fuels our creativity and lays the foundation for future successes. If we wait for the ideal time to deal with dream busters of hurts, failures, or recurring sins, we might miss the best opportunity of our lives.

This weeks charge: Refuse to have a victim mentality. Don't allow past hurts to poison your thoughts, outlook or relationships.

Excerpt From: Clay, Doug. “Dreaming in 3D"

DREAM CYCLE

2013-07-01T08:01:00.001-07:00

Victor Frankl, psychiatrist and Nazi concentration camp survivor stated “What a man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. What he needs is not the discharge of tension at any cost, but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him.”

Nobody likes suffering. In virtually all other eras of history, people expected to suffer as a normal part of life. But modern advances in medicine, technology, and communication have made life so easy for us that we expect to avoid difficulties and setbacks. If difficulties occur, we are shocked, and we think they should end immediately. But life doesn't work that way.

A dream often goes through a predictable cycle of birth, death, and resurrection. The death of a dream, then, is a normal part of the progression. If we bail out of God's dream when we come to that point, we miss the glory of the resurrection. When dreams go backward, We need to understand that God is purifying our hearts, marshaling resources, or setting up His perfect timing to accomplish His good purposes. He's committed to take us through the curriculum He has designed speciﬁcally for us so that we learn life's most important lessons. The things that appear to be dream busters are tests.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer (2 Corinthians 1:3–6). Dream busters look like the end of the road, but if we trust God with them, we can experience a resurrected—puriﬁed, directed, and strengthened—dream. American revolutionary Thomas Paine wrote, "the harder the conﬂict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value."

THIS WEEK'S CHARGE: Don't give up on a dream that you believe is dying. Hang on for the glorious resurrection?

Excerpt From: Clay, Doug. “Dreaming in 3D.”

GOD-ISSUED CAMOUFLAGE

2013-06-20T06:34:00.001-07:00

"The attitude you should have is one of that Christ Jesus had: He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God. Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took on the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness. He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death - His death on the cross." Philippians 2:5-8 GNT

God has outfitted each of His front line non-professional, commonplace, everyday ministers with camouflage. It's part of His strategy in equipping us to carry out His plan. This camouflage could resemble an ordinary job in fields like education, healthcare and business. Or it may even take on the appearance of a neighbor, student, family member or co-worker. The purpose of our ministry camouflage is NOT to hide our faith; but rather, it will allow people who have been turned off by some aspect of Christianity or organized religion to get to know Christ--through you--apart from their own baggage. While we draw close to Jesus as we draw close to them, they'll smell the aroma of Christ on you and will likely want MORE.

Camouflage comes in many forms and styles, and as a follower of Christ you've been issued one tailor-made just for you. The Father sent Jesus to earth in camouflage as is mentioned in today's text. The people who encountered Jesus in His everyday life didn't know they were up close and personal with the Son of God manifested in the flesh. His normal appearance, His parents, His humble beginnings as His vocation as a carpenter ALL played a part in His camouflage. People felt comfortable being with Jesus. They invited Him to their homes, asked to join them for dinner and introduced Him to their friends. Perhaps Jesus was modeling for all of us how we can share His love, grace and truth through the camouflage of our jobs and circumstances. Even as He hung on the cross, He wore the camouflage of a lowly criminal, and while in the presence of an actual criminals, one chose to believe in Him and join Him in heaven. God can use your challenging circumstances to serve as camouflage by placing you in a better position to minister to someone else in need--perhaps in a similar circumstance. Your camouflage ministry uniform is one of the best assets you have as you serve others and bring God up close to them.

This Week's Charge: Identify your various forms of ministry camouflage and daily share the love of Christ

~~Inspired by the book "You Are God's Plan A" by Dwight Robinson

PURPOSEFUL LIVING

2013-06-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

WELCOME!!!

2013-06-13T13:27:00.001-07:00

Hey DreamChasers,

Thank You for stopping by to visit the brand new re-designed "Live LIFE Forward: Dreamvotion" blog. Please take a moment and leave a comment to let me know what you think. Join the mailing list for updates, news, special discounts and fan favors. And don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the FREE iTunes PODCAST currently available.

The Domino Effect (Dreamvotion WK18)

2013-06-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

"The Domino Effect"

I'm sure we are all familiar with stacking dominoes in various patterns just to later watch them all neatly fall down. Just as you reach out to tip over the first domino to set off the chain reaction, such is LIFE. Our words and actions have powerful effects on others. Every time you something to people to encourage or discourage them; or do something to serve or disserve them; you make an impact on their lives. Then those people go on to impact others around them in similar ways. God calls every follower of Jesus to give a "kingdom tip" to the domino in front of him or her. Our words and actions cause a consequential and exponential impact on the lives of others around us. Each person impacted because we intentionally touched just one. Though we seldom see past the domino in front of us, we can trust God to take our seemingly inconsequential actions of obedience--spiritually prompted prayers, inspired words and individual encounters--to make a much wider impact over time than we could ever imagine. Matthew 9:37 reads, "the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few". Jesus didn't try to reach the masses all at once. He always focused on the person directly in front of Him, performing single acts of service and changing one life at a time. Neither should we waste our energy worrying about the second, eighth or twelfth domino down the line. All we need to focus on is tipping whatever ONE domino God has placed in front you. It's not necessary to wait until all the dominos are lined up and all questions answered before touching the person in front of us. Every heart has multiple entry points. Jesus didn't live by a formula. He saw a need, engaged a person's heart and compassionately reached out toward each situation differently. Do not allow fear and self-consciousness to rob you of blessings others and being blessed yourself. We must first get over ourselves, engage our hearts and LOVE will show us what to do. And the domino effect of allowing God to love through you will change not just one life, but countless others.

THIS WEEK'S CHARGE: Love the person in front of you, as God leads.

Inspired by the book, "You Are God's Plan A", by Dwight Robinson

Be Filled (Dreamvotion WK17)

2013-05-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

"Be Filled"

Romans 8:26-28 The Message. Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Before Jesus was crucified He promised that God would send "another counselor" in His place who would refresh, empower, Lead and keep us connected to him. The Holy Spirit was sent to dwell in our hearts and remind us that we've been adopted into the family of God. The Holy Spirit also keeps us in line with the will of God. We can't fulfill God's dream without being filled with the love and power of the Holy Spirit. Paul states in Ephesians 5:18 we are to be filled with the spirit. The verb tense means to 'keep on being filled' suggesting a strong ongoing relationship with continuous conversation. As we commune with God our hearts overflow with His traits of kindness, forgiveness, love and wisdom so much so that we share them with others. When we conform to the image of God it results in a vital , soul-satisfying, stimulating relationship with Jesus. The Holy Spirit ensures us of God's love, giving us real hope and helps us in times of difficulty and confusion. We can always have confidence that the Spirit of God knows and is praying to the Father on our behalf. God's dream for us is introduced by the Spirit of God and confirmedou by the Word and people of God. The dynamic interaction of these three gives us hope, heart and a handle on God's dream for us. They inspire, correct and propel us to persevere during hard times. Being filled with the Spirit is understanding the entire scope of God's will and ways. Our relationship with the Spirit is a process that is a beautiful blend of HIS activity and OUR obedience. Learn to listen to His whisper, absorb the truth of His Word and make the fruits of the Spirit the building blocks of our daily lives--only then are we able to truly LIVE THE DREAM!

THIS WEEK'S CHARGE: Empty yourself completely to make room for Holy Spirit to fill you completely.

"Dreaming In 3D", by Doug Clay