As Forrest Gump said; Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what your going to get.
Those words ring very true in life. You never know what you will get from one day to the next.
Everyday seemingly starts the same, and may seem like any other day; but in the blink of an eye; it can all change just that fast. A bad day can turn out amazing and and amazing day can turn dark fast.
So; eat up and savor every moment that life has to offer.
Opportunity is a beautiful thing when taken.
When someone prays for patience, do you think God gives them patience? Or does He give them the opportunity to be patient?
If they prayed for courage, do you think God gave them courage? Or do you think He gives them the opportunity to be courageous?
If they prayed for the family to be closer, do you think he gives them warm fuzzy feelings? Or does God give them the opportunity to love one another.
The best gifts given in life are the opportunities that we have to explore and learn on our own. Be thankful for the ability given to us to learn daily and cherish those the blessings forever.
Have you taken your opportunities lately?
Proverbs 3:13 NIV
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,
Doors come in all sizes, shapes, and forms.
Some are massive and heavy, small and light, made of wood, metal, glass, etc. and with locks; that you can open and close at will.
Then there are those doors that are invisible and you can’t see them; but they are there. Some of them will open and some stay locked forever.
These are the doors that require faith. The ones that you can’t physically open; the ones that you can’t always understand why they remain closed; the ones that seemingly force you to take a different path and door.
Not all doors are meant for us; or are good for the well being of our lives. There are hidden traps, disasters, and unknown events that cause havoc upon us.
Then there are some that are seemingly great, but are not meant for us right then; because it is not time for that door to open; or a better door lies ahead.
Understanding this and having the patience to wait is hard, and will take every ounce of your strength to get through. It may take, days, weeks, months, and even years for one to open; but the benefits of waiting are worth the reward that waits upon you.
Be thankful for the blessings of closed doors, detours, and roadblocks. They protect you from paths and places that are not meant for you, your family or your friends.
Lean not on your own understanding, but on your faith.
Revelation 3:8 NIV
I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
Balancing your daily life can be quite the task. With work, family, chores, children, school, hobbies, church, errands, and other outside distractions; days, weeks, and even months can become hard.
Prioritizing and finding the time to fit it all in can become extremely stressful: especially if you are doing it alone. Like a juggler; you can only have so many balls in the air; before you begin to drop some.
Understanding that it is only possible to fit so many things into one day and that some things must wait is the key. Removing things that are not essential; is perfectly fine and does not make you a failure.
Being humble is ok; and asking for help from friends or family can save your sanity, your health and your family.
Find that balance for a healthier, happier and more stress-free life.
Psalms 68:19 NIV
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Small steps lead to big things; that open up a world of possibilities.k
In our daily lives; small steps; one foot in front of the other; no rushing; no haste, slow and steady; can be a great guideline for living life.
American astronaut Neil Armstrong took the first small step on the moon in 1969.
A step that opened the doors to information about the moon and space. A step and a quote that has been remembered to this day.
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” ~Neil Armstrong
Let your small steps lead you to your big journey one step at a time. The rewards are endless.
Proverbs 16:9 NIV
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Proverbs 16:9 NIVLohttps:rd establishes their steps.
Be the one that helps others look forward to tomorrow.
The one that gives hope; the one that brings smiles; the one that fills others with love.
Be the one that gives others encouragement to help other people.
Be the one that helps change lives.
Be the one that wants to make a difference.
As you travel along your journey, keep your eyes focused on the new beginings. Glance back only enough to remember where you came from, but not enough to turn around and go back.
~ Charlie Walker
Weakness is a trait that everyone has in some form or fashion. It covers different facets of our lives.
It may be in the form of a physical lack of strength, good health, firmness, vigor, or feebleness.
It may be a lack of effort, energy, enthusiasm, or a feeling of an inadequate or defective quality in a person’s character.
It might be a self-indulgent liking or special fondness of something or an object of special desire; something very difficult to resist, like chocolates, candy, soft drinks, tv, hobbies, etc.
Then there are those weaknesses of addictions, habits, drinking, gambling, smoking, self-loathing, and so forth.
No weakness is greater than another. They are all as hard as the next and everyone has their own struggles with them.
How we handle them, seek help for them, and work on getting through and past them that matters. Prayer, counseling, the ear of a friend, self-help, and even groups can help.
Never consider a weakness as a failure; it is a part of life that we face, and from our weaknesses come our strengths, and our best qualities arise for all to see.
Your weakness is your super power.
Isaiah 40:29 NIV
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Celebrate life
Celebrate life at the start of each and every day that you wake up. Sing praises and count your blessings for the health you have, the breath you take, the steps you walk, the food you have, a place to live, transportation, money, employment, family, friends, and everything else that we take for granted.
Enjoy the life you have and the journey that you are on, no matter if you are in the valley or the mountain tops, and be grateful for it all.
Spread love, hope, and a positive attitude to everyone. Help all you can, anytime you can and be the example for others to follow. Tell people that you love them often and how important they are to you and to others. Forgive those that hurt you with words and actions and show them kindness and love.
Make your life, your family and friends more important than work and other things that may rob you of your joy.
Praise the Lord for all that He provides for you.
Celebrate the life that you have been blessed with.
Matthew 6:9-13 KJV
Focus
Focus! How many times have you heard that in your life?
It is such a simple term, something that seems so easy to do, but can be lost in an instant. We start fine, our mind trained on what we need to do, then poof, just like that we are thinking of something else.
We have that “Squirrel Effect”. We can’t decide which way to go and we find ourselves stuck in the middle of the road with oncoming traffic. Our minds drift to other things and we lose sight of what we are doing. We think we have it; we call it multitasking or too many tabs open. But we keep loading things onto our plates, filling them to the brim, burying what we were working on, and shifting our focus all over the place and to other things. Before we know it, we have lost track of the original thought pattern and what we were focused on, scrambling to get back to what we needed to get done.
Keeping your focus takes work, determination, and a mindset that is void of detractions. Putting on the blinders to block out all things around, saying no to oncoming things, or setting them aside for later. It takes a lot of effort, willpower, and a desire to finish a task at hand before taking on another. Like a set of binoculars, when it becomes out of focus, everything blurs together, making it hard to see.
Remind yourself to focus on what is at hand when other things fill your mind. Do not let distractions, people, events, work, and other things take away from what you are trying to get done. Prioritize what needs to come first and work on it, then move to the next when completed. Take a step back, relax, take a deep breath, pray, remove the confusion, stress, and anguish created by a lack of focus, and turn it into a positive outlook and accomplishment.
Focus on your focus. Remain steadfast and make room for the peace that is rewarded at the end.
Isaiah 26:3 NIV
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
Journey-of-Inspirations 