Tag: joy

Don’t Let ANYONE Steal Your Joy!!!

Our daughter’s wedding was a HUGE success. Everything about the day was truly blessed. Even the weather cooperated, which wasn’t looking good the week before. But as with everything in life, there were several people issues that were annoyances to my wife. My message to her was simple—Don’t let anyone steal your joy from what was a perfect day.

No, not every day is perfect. Some far from it. But there is always one thing in life that is perfect day in and day out. And that’s God. He is perfect everyday, no matter what is going on in your life. So, my message to you is simple—don’t let anyone steal your joy! God is always there to help!

Trust me, I know that people can be really annoying. But shame on you if you let anyone get to you. God has hardwired joy into you whether you know it or not. So, falling back on God—Father, Son & Spirit—and His perfection is the guard to stop anyone from stealing your joy.

We think it’s shame on people for stealing our joy when it’s actually shame on us for letting anyone steal our joy. In fact, they don’t steal it. We give it up.

Feel your joy slipping away? It may sound way overly simple but turn to perfection. Turn to God. LISTEN for and to God because He is always there.

Have a joy-filled rest of the week!

Don’t Let ANYONE Take Your Joy!!!

There is only one person in control of the joy that is hardwired into you. And, yes, you are hardwired with joy. More on that in a minute. The point I want to make is that only you can make you feel. No one else can make you feel. And only you can let anyone else steal your joy. You are in complete control of your joy.

God made you. He made you with joy. I know, I know. Things can happen that make you feel less than joyful. A death, a breakup, any kind of loss can be a joy killer. But you are in complete control. No life situation, no person can take away your joy unless you let it or them steal your joy. Yes, it is that simple. God is simple and He means life on this earth to be simple. We are the ones who complicate life. We are the ones who let our joy fade away.

Let go, let God. If you don’t feel joy in your life, let go. Let God do the driving. Give in to Him and you will find your joy. Your joy is in Him, in you. No matter how “down” you may be, let go. Joy is in you and God will help you find it.

Have a day filled with JOY!!! 

Guns and Hate

I’m tired of guns and mass killings! I don’t like guns but I don’t want to take away anyone’s guns except for military assault weapons, which have no place in a civilized society. Bad enough we need them in the military.

I’m even more tired of hate. We’re letting hate consume us. And I don’t want to hear any excuses that it’s President Trump, members of Congress, or anyone else spewing hatred. It’s up to each one of us to “love” each other, as God commands us to do. And that‘s the God of all of us. God is about love; hate is anti-god (call it Satan, devil, demon, or whatever you want to).

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. 1 John 4:20-21

Each one of us needs to drop the hate in our lives. Smile more. Help someone in need. Pay it forward. Don’t hold a grudge. Move towards love and move as far away as you can from hate.

No, none of this will stop the mass killings. We need to do something about gun violence and mental health. That’s a big societal issue that we all need the politicians to stop jabbing at each other and do something constructive. Now!!!

But in the meantime we can all do our part by starting with a smile and a good word. Forget how someone makes you feel. Only you can make you feel. Feel good! Make others feel good today! It’s a start.

And have a FANTASTIC day!!!

Only Looking Ahead

That’s the only way to live life. Looking ahead; never back. Would-of, could-of, should-of, etc. are about the past. And getting bogged down in the past holds you back from getting ahead. Enjoy today—every second of it—but keep your sights going forward, not backwards.

Thinking about what you did yesterday is helpful in deciding what you need to do differently today and tomorrow. The past is important for correcting mistakes and moving forward as a better person. But getting bogged down in the past constantly wishing that you had lived your life differently is like quicksand. You will keep sinking stuck in the past.

For better or worse your past has shaped who you are today. And today is a new day rich in endless possibilities if you just keep your sights ahead. And in case you don’t know this, no matter what you did in the past that was wrong, God has already forgiven you. Totally and unconditionally. Every wrong was nailed on that cross with Jesus. Acknowledge what you did wrong and the forgiveness will be clear.

I know people who live today wanting to somehow change the past. You can’t. It’s impossible. What you can do is move forward using the past as instruction for moving ahead.

Only looking ahead—the ONLY way to live life.

Have a GREAT day today and tomorrow moving straight ahead in your life! 

Only One Person Can Take Your Joy Away

You. If you let anyone else take your joy away it’s your fault. So, no matter how you slice it, you are the only one who can take your joy away. And if you think you have no joy, think again.

God hardwired joy into each one of us. But we let circumstances and people take that joy away. Note that “we” let circumstances and people take that joy away.

Let me try it once again—only you can let anything or anyone in life take your joy away.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

Jesus came that you may have life, and have it “to the full.” Life to the full is joy. The joy of knowing that no matter what happens in this world, there is a joy of eternity around the corner. Meanwhile, enjoy every moment!

This isn’t more mumbo-jumbo. Turn inward to God and you will find joy hardwired inside of you. It may seem tough—especially when life gets a little rough—but you will find God, and your joyful side, if you just spend some time with God. Quality time.

Shame on you if you let anyone steal your joy!!!

I recently wrote about finding joy in the moment and not worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. Just relish in the joy that the moment brings.

Have a joyful day!!!

Joy in the Moment

I’m someone who is constantly thinking about what I should have done yesterday and what I need to do tomorrow. I almost always forget about the moment I am in… and taking joy in it. That’s a recipe for losing any joy in your life.

I’m telling myself over and over again to take joy in every moment. Yes, planning for tomorrow is good, as is thinking through what you should have done differently, better yesterday. But tomorrow and yesterday can’t overshadow the moment you’re in—and taking joy in it.

Jesus said it all too well:

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10 

Don’t ever let anyone steal your joy (more on that in the next post). And that “anyone” starts with you. Plan ahead and look back, but don’t forget to live in the moment. And find joy in that moment.

I’m at Laguardia airport in New York and all I want to think about are my next three days in DC—and taking off for a week over the July 4th holiday. But I’m trying to take my own advice, and live what I am writing now in the middle of the airport chaos, to live in this moment. And taking joy in it!

Have a GREAT and JOYFUL day! Take some breaks today, smile, and live in the moment!!!

Only You Can Make You Feel!

I can’t make you feel anything. Regardless of what I may say about you, I can’t make you feel. Only you can make you feel.

I hear all the time people saying that so-and-so makes them feel one way or another. Even my wife on occasion will say something about how I make her feel. But now she stops and smiles before she says anything because she knows what I am going to say—“Only you can make you feel!”

You may think this sounds insensitive. That we can say anything to and about anyone with free license. Far from it. Our words can be like swords. What comes out of our mouths need to thoughtful, compassionate, and positive. We have no free license to say anything we want. But words can’t make us feel. Only we can make us feel.

One moment, Jesus was going to be made a king. The next, they were ready to throw Him off a cliff. No wonder He went away by Himself for some quiet time to think and pray. Jesus didn’t let the highs and lows get to Him. We need to take some lessons here.

I know it’s tough when people can say mean things. It can hurt. But, once again, you control that hurt. There’s no better way to ignore the “noise” by getting away from it. And thinking and praying, making sure you open up and LISTEN for/to God. It may not be easy, but I can sure tell you it works! 

Your feelings are yours exclusively. You control them. No one else. And your ability to really control them will only get stronger thought getting in touch with God—Father, Son, and Spirit.

Take control today! And have a SUPER one in the process!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

I don’t just wish you a “Merry Christmas” today. I wish all of you, regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the true meaning of Christmas—joy, love, and peace in your life today, in 2017, and beyond.
 
It’s bad enough we live in a divided world, but our country is more divided than ever before in modern history. So, not just for one day, but for all days, let’s each try to spread some joy, love, and peace. If we are going to heal, we need to heal ourselves and help others heal.
 
Merry Christmas!!!

Don’t Let Anyone Steal Your Joy! Not Anyone!!!

You may not realize it but you are hard-wired with joy. God created you and God is total joy. So, you are joy at your very core. You may not feel that joy but that is your fault.

The problem is we let others steal our joy. We live in a world where we hang on what others think about us, talk about us, and do to us. And in the process we let others steal our joy. But it is all our fault because no one can steal your joy unless you let them.

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

Are you trying to please people—or God? Trying to please people is a losing battle. You will never do it and your joy will be lost in the process. Living to please God taps into that joy hard-wired into you.

Enjoy the weekend!

Living Your Purpose is the Real Joy in Life

Each one of us has a special, unique purpose in life. Understanding that is key to life. Living that purpose is the real joy in life. We are lost souls until we understand God’s purpose for us. Living that purpose brings real joy, fulfillment, and peace in life. Life is that simple; the way God means it to be for each one of us. Continue reading “Living Your Purpose is the Real Joy in Life”