Category: LISTEN

When Work Gets in the Way of God

I’ve been really, really, really busy at work. Did I say “really” busy? Oh yea. Although I do make it a regular morning activity to pray, God too often takes a backseat to work and all the things personally I have going on, including my daughter’s wedding in less than two months. Yep, lots of things going on. But, at times, not enough God going on.

One thing that has taken a backseat is writing this blog. As I have said in the past, if this helps just one person, great. But I first write it for myself to force writing about life as it should be centered on God. If God isn’t the first and last thing you think about each day—with a lot more God during the day—it’s a problem for me. A day without a lot of God is a day that can get really bad fast.

I think having God by your side—and always less than a heartbeat away—is a day when you are always safe, no matter what the day brings. The problem is we get so wrapped up in our work and personal lives that it’s easy to leave God behind. We can’t stop for even a few minutes to have a conversation with God. That’s me lately.

So, it’s way past the New Year but its time for a resolution. A resolution to give God some time in my life, some meaningful time. To stop, talk and most importantly LISTEN, because God is always reaching out trying to talk to you and me. Really. LISTEN and you will hear. It’s my first Secret to Life. It’s why I started writing this blog a long time ago.

So, spend time with God—and tomorrow and the days after tomorrow!

Be You!

This is a very simple message. Be you! Not someone else. Be you. God created you as a special, unique individual. You have a special, unique purpose in life. But you will only realize that purpose if you be you.

I think more people aren’t comfortable in their own skin. They don’t like being them. They need to realize like Paul did that they are what they are by the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:10).

When God created you He threw away the mold. Even if you have an identical twin who you look and think alike you are special and unique. One of a kind. The secret to life is understanding that and connecting to God to realize the unique purpose He has for you.

Connecting with God is simple. You have to listen for and to God. Unplug from the world. Stop the noice and distractions. Plug into God. Give Him some time out of your busy life. He’s less than a heartbeat away. If you do I guarantee the world will become a clearer place. And your place in it.

Be you! And enjoy being you. You are special and have a special day and week ahead!

Why Do I Write About the Secrets to Life?

I went back years to help me remember why I started this blog writing about the Secrets to Life. The answer is simple. Simply because they work! I have found 7 simple Secrets to Life that by following them lead to a happier, joyful life that is more peaceful and more fulfilling. We are all searching for answers in life and I have found some simple ones. That doesn’t mean that I am perfect or my life is totally blissful every second of every day. All it means is that I have found some simple ways to live that help keep me on a straight path or back on the straight path when I take a wrong turn on occasion.

I write for you as well as for me. Writing about the Real Secrets to Life helps me remember them and truly live by them. If I can help just one other person, and that person in turn helps one or two others, then that’s even better.

LISTEN, READ, LOVE, FIGHT, BELIEVE, LIVE & PRAY. They are very simple secrets to a life that should shine. As I write over and over again, God means life to be so very simple. We are the ones who complicate our lives. We gather habits and emotions like hoarders filling a house with junk. We find it hard to let go of those things we store up in our lives that clutter and can totally inundate our lives. Light can’t shine in a life filled with junk.

I try to make Jesus my role model in life. If you look at Jesus’ life he lived it according to 7 simple little words—LISTEN, READ, LOVE, FIGHT, BELIEVE, LIVE & PRAY.  He listed for/to God the Father and understood his purpose in life. He read the scriptures and actually became the living Word. He gave us a new commandment to love and, in the strongest show of love, gave up his life for us. He fought the devil constantly and understood the presence and power of evil in the world. He taught us to believe and showed us we can do anything if we have faith and don’t let doubt get in the way. He lived a life of purpose, knowing that this life on earth was only the opening act to eternity. He taught us how to pray and was constantly going away to pray.

The 7 Secrets to Life I have found are a real roadmap for life. They keep me centered and help me when I falter, which I do all the time. I think they can help you but that’s up to you to decide.

Have a WONDERFUL week!  And keep it SIMPLE!

The Unique, Special You!

That’s right, when God created you He threw away the mold. You may even have an identical twin but you are unique, one-of-a-kind. And in God’s eyes you are special.

We all have a role to play in life. A unique, special, God-given purpose. The ultimate key to life, and the road to the after-life, is realizing and understanding that role. As Paul says, we all have special talents to use for good. It doesn’t matter who you are, or what talents you have, you have a purpose.

There is only one way to really understand that purpose. You have to LISTEN for and to God. That’s why I have come to realize that to LISTEN is the first Secret to Life.

Paul also realized that by the grace of God he was what he was. By the grace of God you are what you are. Understand your purpose and act on it and life becomes clearer. Everything comes into perspective.

Start by LISTENING for and to God. Tune the world out and tune God in. Find a quiet space and place to hear God. Open your ears, mind, and heart to “hear” Him.

This may seem like a major revelation or impossible task but it’s really simple. Just LISTEN for and to God. God means life to be so simple. Unfortunately, we are the ones who complicate it.

Have a GREAT rest of the week. And find your purpose. Yes, you are special, unique, and God-given purposeful. Yes, you!

Stuck in the Desert?

The Israelites were beyond stuck in the desert. Their 11-mile journey to the Promised Land took 40 years. Yes, 40 years. Maybe God was exaggerating a bit here in the Bible but His point is well taken—the Israelites aimlessly wandered the desert for a long time. They had no direction. Worse, they had no purpose. They were a people lost.

That’s how I feel about al of us today, and at times myself included. We have lost a focus on God. He’s not an important part of our lives. We complain. We are lost. We have little to no purpose. Where are we even headed? Wars, mass shootings, pandemics, and the list goes on.

I’m not trying to be Debbie Downer here. I’m just saying that like the Israelites we are lost, wandering the deserts in our lives. God gave us the Bible and the accounting of the Israelites lost in the desert for 40 years for a reason. For now.

God gave each one of us a unique, special purpose in life. Do you know yours? I think I have a fix on mine but it gets cloudy at times. Like today. But that’s when I get in touch with God and get my bearings. If each one of us finds our way then all of us start moving to the Promised Land.

Too much “religious” mumbo-jumbo? Here’s what I’m saying. Find your direction in life. How? Ask God. It’s that simple. Ask and listen. You won’t hear if you don’t take the time to listen. That’s why I say that LISTEN is the first Secret to Life. God will tell you if you just ask and LISTEN. If more of us find our way we can start leading others. But it all starts with God. If I have learned one thing in life it’s that I can’t do it without God. He’s sets the course. I walk but God leads.

So, take some time to ask and LISTEN. Really LISTEN. Then you can move on to the other Secrets to Life.

Sound too easy? That’s because it is!

Get out of the desert today! The Promised Land in your life awaits.

Where is God???

Inside. Inside of you, inside of me, and inside of every living person. That’s where you always find God. The problem is we look outside of ourselves for God and outside these days is not a pretty picture. There’s strife all across the globe punctuated by a terrible pandemic. We look outside and nowhere we look can we find God. But that’s because more so than ever we aren’t looking for God, and certainly not looking for God inside of us.

God created all of us. He’s woven into the fabric of our DNA. Our DNA is God’s DNA. He is always inside. He never leaves. The problem is we don’t look for God. We don’t give Him a thought. We certainly don’t LISTEN for and to Him.

You want to find God in your life? Just LISTEN. There’s a reason why I list LISTEN as the first Secret to Life. But in order to hear God in your life you have to take the time to LISTEN for and to God. He’s there. You have to be there. You have to find quiet time and open your mind and heart to God. It takes just a little effort to tune out the world and tune into God.

Try it. Look for God in your life by taking the time to LISTEN for and to God. Boy, what a difference living becomes. Looking at all the chaos on the outside becomes almost calming when we find God in our lives.

LISTEN! It works if you give it the time, mind, and heart!

Enjoy!!!

Listen. He’s Talking to You. Yes, You!

My first Secret to Life is simple: LISTEN. LISTEN to God because He is talking to you. Yes, to some this sounds crazy or the delusions of a religious fanatic. I can assure you I am neither. Simply, I have found that if you stop and LISTEN for/to God He is “speaking” to you. But you have to stop and really LISTEN.

Several things to understand.

First, you can’t ever possibly hear God if you don’t stop and really LISTEN for/to Him. Our lives are so busy and are a cacophony of sounds and diversions. We don’t stop for anything. We don’t have quiet time. We don’t think that God is ever talking to us. We don’t. We don’t. We simply don’t. So, how can we ever expect to hear from God?

Second, “hearing” from God is not waiting from some booming voice on high. It’s not necessarily in the ears. It’s in the heart. In the mind. In the soul. Yes, I hear God talking to me. But it’s an inner “talk.” And I only hear God when I stop and really LISTEN. Every once in a while God needs to give me a whack on the side of the head to get my attention. But I only “hear” from God when I stop and LISTEN.

Finally, If God is “talking” to me I can assure you He is talking to you. There is nothing special about me other than the fact that I am simply another child of God. We all are.

Stop your busy world. Find a quiet time and place to LISTEN for/to God. You will “hear” Him. But you have to really LISTEN. Really LISTEN.

There is a reason why LISTEN is the first Secret to Life.

LISTEN! And open up a whole new world of possibilities! You are special, unique, and have your own purpose in life.

Is God Lost?

I have heard more people questioning where is God? Is He hiding? Has He given up on us? All good questions in the middle of a pandemic that has claimed over a million lives, civil unrest that has virtually locked down some big American cities, and a world seemingly one button away from nuclear destruction. It just seems that we all hate each other and God is lost in all of this mess. Well, NEWS FLASH: God is NOT lost. We are!

I don’t know how many times I have written about this—too many to count. But our current story is the story of the Israelites thousands of years ago. They fled Egypt to make what was an 11 day journey across the desert to the Promised Land. It took them 40 years (as in 40 YEARS!!!) to finally cross over to the Promised Land. And only two Israelites who fled Egypt made actually made it to the Promised Land. All others died along the way.

The Israelites had no vision of where they were going. They doubted God, complained to Him, and turned their back on Him worshiping false idols. Wow!!! We have no vision of where we are going, what this country or even the world should be. We turn our backs on God, even during the scourge we call COVID-19. We have thrown Him out of our schools, and want His name off our dollar bills. And those idol bills we worship with a passion! The story of the Israelites has become our story. We are the ones aimlessly wandering in the desert of this world.

Whether you like it or not, God made you and me and everyone else. He is hardwired into each one of us. As such, God is less than a heartbeat away. Always there, always present. We’re the ones who deny that presence. We doubt, complain, and deny. We turn to all the idols we have built.

What can you do? Keep God front and center in your life. LISTEN for/to Him. Understand the unique, special purpose He wants you to fulfill with your life. Smile, laugh, love. Get away from the crowd. Craft your own path. Find your own Promised Land. It’s not hard. It just takes centering your life on God.

Take a read of the Old Testament dealing with Moses and the trials in the desert. Think about that and reflect on today. Then, set out on your own path and enjoy every step of the journey.

Have a TREMENDOUS day walking your walk with God in your life!

Listening to COVID-19

I’m not one of those people professing that the novel coronavirus is a plague sent from God to signal the end of times. Yes, they are out there. I don’t think COVID-19 is anything “sent” from God, to punish us or otherwise. We’re facing a pandemic because viruses are a part of nature and we simply don’t do enough to respond to new ones. (Why is a different story for a different post.) My point in this post is that you should be listening, and learning, from COVID-19. What is it saying to you about you?

I know it sounds strange but I am trying to “listen” to this once-in-a-lifetime (let’s hope it is!!!) experience to hear what it tells me about me. What’s really important in my life? What do I miss in this pandemic? What does it tell me about my family and friends? What does it tell me about people I don’t know? I could go on and on.

COVID-19 has told me that life can hang on a thread. Yes, you can walk across the street, get hit by a car, and die that suddenly. But with COVID-19 raging all around us, death is all around us more than we have ever experienced. Cancer, the flu, heart disease are all killers, but COVID-19 deaths have come in a wave—OK, a tsunami.

I miss a lot of things that I thought I would never miss—like traveling for business most weeks. But I have a new appreciation for my family (my sister-in-law had a really bad bout of COVID-19; it was scary), my friends, my work, my health, and a lot of other things I take for granted. And listening to COVID-19 has helped tune my faith. After all, everything I am, everything I have, every breath I take, and everything else is in the hands of God. I may plan the way but God sets the course (Proverbs 16:9).

I hope this finds you well and safe!

And have an OUTSTANDING day!!!

What’s Really Important???

The novel coronavirus has been a virtual two-by-four to the side of the head in realizing what’s important in life. Health, life, safety, freedom, liberty, toilet paper, any kind of paper products, family, friends, meals together, school, bars, indoor dining, going out anywhere, the gym, traveling, airplanes, etc, etc, etc? All important to a degree but what’s most important? God.

The novel coronavirus and COVID-19 disease that has spread across the globe should be telling us how fragile, and precious, life is. To think that a microscopic virus can wreck so much havoc is beyond comprehension when you really think about it. It has disrupted life on a scale that’s now even tough to consider. But in any disruption, in any storm, there is always God. And if this experience has not driven us closer to God I frankly don’t know what will.

God the Father has created everything—you, me, coronavirus. Everything! God has a unique, special plan for you and me. Jesus shows the way and the Spirit empowers us along the way. This is the simplicity of life. In all this mess, this is what is really, really important. God. Father Creator, Son Savior, and Spirit Advocate.

If there has ever been a time to sit back and reflect on where we are going and what’s most important in life it’s now. What’s my real purpose in life? Where am I heading? What should I be doing differently? How can I LISTEN better for/to God? These are some of the questions I am asking myself. We all should be asking these questions and more.

I hope you have a really productive, and safe, rest of the week! And ask yourself what’s most important in your life.

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