Don't Tiptoe on Your Big Goals

I never would have left California if all I did was tiptoe on our exit strategy.  Big goals require bold moves.  Burn the bridges.  Don't look back.  Bulldoze your new trail.  My apologies to the tulips.

Are you ready for a monumental change in your life?  If the answer is, "I don't think I'm ready," ask yourself a follow up question.  "When is the right time to be ready?"  I believe stalling is a technique we use to avoid confronting our fears.  My wife posted this note on our refrigerator... Fear is not from God.  That stirring feeling you have inside your stomach is your calling.  It's calling you.  It won't go away until you take action.  If you don't answer the call, you will be left with one thing at the end of your life – regret.  These people tiptoe through the tulips, but they never experience the mountain tops.  Go climb a mountain.

Do You Have What it Takes to Get Out of Debt?

I'm not there yet.  It's been a long journey.  Debt elimination is a serious challenge.  It requires a lifestyle change.  If your debt has become a permanent member of your family, this post may help you.  Are you ready?

Sit down with your loved ones at the dining room table.  Imagine the cookie monster at an empty seat.  He's your debt monster.  Sure, he looks loveable and he's been with you for a long time.  The cookies he's eating represent your retirement income.  The longer he's in your life, the harder it will be for you to get out of debt.  Why do you and your family love him so much?  Doesn't he look adorable?  If you're going to defeat him, you need to change your attitude.  You need to see him as a monster.  He's your enemy.  Those cookies he's eating belong to you.  He's a thief.  Every member of your household needs to agree that the cookie monster has to go.

If you're like me, you have more than one cookie thief in your household.  They may try to team up and shackle you to your over-sized mortgage, forcing you to give them all your hard earned dough.  If this is what your household looks like, there's hope.  Make a plan.  You don't need to eliminate all the debt monsters at once.  Go after 'em one at a time.  Start with the scrawny one.  Stop feeding him.  Once you take away his cookies, he has no reason to stick around.  Don't feel guilty.  Someone will feed him.  They live in mansions and drive new cars.  There's always room in their budget for a new pet because these people love to borrow money.

What will your home look like when you become an empty nester and all the cookie monsters have moved out?  If you can visualize what your life will look like when you're out of debt, this may help you stay motivated until your last debt has been eliminated.  The pay-off is huge.  No auto loans.  No credit card bills.  No mortgage.  Freedom to travel.  And lots of cookies in the cookie jar to enjoy on rainy days.  I'm not there yet but every month another cookie monster moves out of our home.  Let me know if this story is helpful.  Your comments are appreciated.  Maybe you can forward it to someone you know who is too fond of cookie monsters?

Why the Truth is Distorted

Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them ~ Acts 20:30

We live in a fallen world.  The power seekers will do anything to gain fame and fortune.  Lurking in the shadows is the greatest truth distorter of all times.  He was created to reflect light, God's light.  It went to his head.  He thought he was the light.  Now he spends eternity turning people away from the source of the light.  If he can tell 99% of the truth to get you to buy a 1% lie, he will.  People of all faiths have been duped.  The chosen ones recognized Jesus as someone who could disrupt their own power and they crucified him.  Christians battle Christians over who is right and who is wrong.  Muslims believe Mary conceived a son without an earthly husband but don't recognize Jesus as God.

There is only one way all the distortions will be uncovered.  Jesus will return to set the record straight.  The Evil One will lose his power.  If anyone tells you that you are not worthy, agree with them.  It's impossible to earn your way into Heaven.  Tell them that when you knock on the door to Heaven, Jesus will open it for you – not because your light shines like no other, but because you are willing to reflect God's light shining upon you and follow Jesus.  Go to the source of the light.

Sharing a Private Mulligan Moment

 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends ~ John 15:13

Today's story wouldn't have been possible without two things – permission from our youngest son to share a private Mulligan moment and his willingness to step forward and defend our country during troubled times.  Shane begins his future soldier training today.  He enlisted in the army and chose to serve in the infantry.  Behind every soldier is a family, a network of friends, a community and a country.  He leaves for boot camp the first week in January.

Shane revealed his predisposition for the military by age two.  He wore pajamas that looked like fatigues, carried a camouflage backpack to school and always asked for toy guns and paint ball equipment for birthday gifts.  The first time we introduced him to the monkey bars at the park, he wouldn't come down.  He played on the offensive and defensive lines in high school football and wrestled.  His recruiter got excited when Shane talked about his desire to learn mixed martial arts.  His favorite spectator sport is MMA.

Our enemies fight for the wrong reasons.  They believe if they blow themselves up to kill us they will be rewarded in the afterlife with a multitude of virgins.  They kidnap and rape because they believe they are entitled.  They force others to believe as they believe or be murdered.  I feel sorry for these people.  They are not allowed to read the Bible.  They are blinded from the truth.  They are misinformed.  Their god did not send his only son to die for our sins.  Our God gives us a choice to follow or not follow.  Our country gives us the freedom to worship or not worship.  And our son, soon to be private Mulligan, chooses to defend all our country stands for.  He is not afraid.  I'm thankful for his willingness to defend our freedom no matter what his sacrifices may cost him.  One of Jesus' closest followers said it best in John 15:13,  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

You have our 100% support Shane.  I promise you will be in our daily prayers.  

How to Get Through Intimidating Situations

30% of the population has at least one debt collector in their life.  Schoolyard bullies dominate the playgrounds.  And every workplace has one or two people who thrive when they're intimidating others.

I will never forget what someone close to me said after he visited the bully in detention.  "Something bad must be going on in your personal life for you to want to pick on me,"  he said.

The bully replied, "you're right.  My home life sucks.  I pick on you because I'm trying to feel better.  I'm sorry for hurting you."

"I came here to forgive you and to tell you if you ever need anyone to talk to, you can talk to me."  The two shook hands and became friends.

The story could have ended differently.  Who wants to confront difficult situations?

In my case, when a creditor tried to harass me, I remained calm.  I learned everything I could about debt collection laws.  And I stood up to the attorneys who overstepped their authority.  They backed off when the judge threatened to sanction them for their violations.

The world will always be full of bullies.  Don't allow them to take away your peace.  Breathe.  Confront them.  Do your best to understand why they are attacking you.  Pray for them.  Forgive them.

How Do You Arrange Your Priorities?

 Here's a puzzle for you.  Please arrange the pyramid showing how you spend your time.  There are five categories... Work, Family, Hobbies, God, and Social Media.  The area of your life where you spend the most time earns five stars and goes on top of the pyramid.  Be honest with your rankings.  Don't worry.  You won't be asked to share your answers with anyone.  This test is confidential.

One more question – how do you feel about your life?  Are you in balance?  Are you satisfied?  If not, read on...

There was a time in my life when I focused most of my time and energy on my work.  It was at the top of my pyramid.  God was at the bottom.  He got squeezed out by all the other areas of my life.  I was out of balance.  I needed help re-arranging my priorities.  I did something drastic.  I flipped my pyramid upside down and put God up on top, followed by family and then work.  My hobbies and social media are no longer at the top of the list.  I have balance in my life.  I'm happy.  And I feel fulfilled.  My challenge for you today is to turn your life upside down.  Put God at the top.  Do this for thirty days and see what happens in your life. 

Jeremiah Inspires a Labor of Love

But if I say, “I will not mention his word
    or speak anymore in his name,”
his word is in my heart like a fire,
    a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
    indeed, I cannot. ~ Jeremiah 20:9

Jeremiah spoke to his people for forty years.  He didn't just say the words, he felt them.  What an amazing gift.  He loved his people.  He felt their pain.  He's known as the "weeping prophet" because he wanted a "fountain of tears" to weep for the fallen ones.  What I like most about Jeremiah is his optimism.  He understood God's grace.  He felt God's promise of a new covenant in his heart.

What happens when you know God in your heart?  Jeremiah shares how impossible it is to hold it in.  Imagine a woman in her final stages of pregnancy.  That kid is coming and nothing can stop him or her.  God's word is not meant to be locked up inside.  It's magma pushing through to the surface of a volcano.  When it erupts, everyone sees its power.

I urge you to go directly to the source.  Experience what Jeremiah experienced when he felt God's love inside his own heart.  Find the connection.  It's like drilling for oil.  You will discover your own labor of love.  Time itself will stop.  You will say to yourself, "I can do this for forty years."  And in your heart you will know one thing – it's impossible to not do it.  That's what I feel every morning when I wake up.  My labor of love may produce 12,775 additional stories provided my connection remains intact for the next thirty-five years.  That's only one drop of water in God's ocean of grace.  God's love is enough to give you a whole new attitude.  He will inspire your own labor of love.  Today is a great day to get started.  Happy Labor Day.