A DREAM THAT WILL CATCH YOUR HEART

That all-too-quotable Yogi Berra once said, "If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else." (I think that happened to me once.)

But even if you know where you want to end up, do you REALLY WANT to be there? I'm not talking about traveling now, but where we're going with our lives. Is the dream you are following really that important to you?

Most people are not lazy. They simply have uninspiring goals. They don't accomplish what they set out to do because they lose interest. The dream they are following is simply not that important to them.

But then I think of Dennis Oehler. He ran the 100-meter dash in 11.73 seconds. Record-holder Maurice Greene ran it in 9.79 seconds, almost two seconds faster. So what's the big deal? Maurice Greene has two legs. Dennis Oehler has one. One leg -- and a huge dream.

The truth is -- we are always highly motivated when something means a great deal to us. If I fell into a deep lake and I didn't know how to swim, I would become highly motivated in an instant. Climbing from the lake would mean more to me than anything else in the world. My effort would be no less than astounding and I would suddenly become one of the most excited and enthusiastic persons imaginable.

And that goes for anything that is truly important to us. If we want something badly enough, we will find necessary energy, excitement and drive to grasp it.

Writer Tim Redmond says this about following worthwhile dreams: "There are many things that will catch my eye, but there are only a few that catch my heart...it is those I consider to pursue."

Is your dream big enough -- important enough -- to catch your heart?

-- Steve Goodier

Who or what controls your life?

"When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us:…peace."
Galatians 5:22 NLT

Calm in the storm

"The world is not terribly impressed with Christian T-shirts, billboards, and bumper stickers. In fact, truth be told, many unbelievers are turned off by these impersonal attempts at witnessing. However, the world is stunned when it sees a Christian overflowing with peace despite a personal crisis. "Her life is falling apart, but she isn't. How is that possible?" "If I were in his shoes, I'd be a nervous wreck, but he is so calm. Why?"

The peace that the Holy Spirit produces within us is supernatural tranquility of soul. Storms can be raging all about us, but within us is the calm assurance that God has already saved us from our worst predicament—sin and death. Would he rescue us for the world to come only to turn around and abandon us in this world? Of course not!

The Spirit-filled Christian is peaceful because he or she knows the perfect love that drives away fear (1 John 4:18). Ask God to give you his peace in the midst of the storms you are experiencing.

Praying God's Promise:
I want to be marked by your peace, Lord. I need it so that I don't worry myself silly. More than that, I need it for your glory—so that others might see the wonderful comfort and assurance that is available only in you. Teach me how to rest in the knowledge that you are in control.

from Praying God's Promises in Tough Times by Len Wood (Tyndale) pp 154-55"

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

This week's promise: God will give you peace

How is it with your soul today?

"For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.
Psalm 32:7 NLT

If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 NLT"

Peace like a river

"H.G. Spafford was a businessman in Chicago. He was a dedicated Christian. He had some serious financial reversals, and during the time of readjustment, he lost his home. He realized his family needed to get away for a vacation. Spafford decided to take the entire family to England.

He sent his wife and four daughters ahead on the SS Ville du Havre. In midocean the French steamer carrying his loves ones collided with another and sank within twelve minutes; 230 people lost their lives. The four daughters drowned, but Mrs. Spafford was rescued. She wrote her husband, "Saved alone."

Mr. Spafford was almost overcome with grief. He had lost his property, his four precious daughters were buried beneath the deep waves of the sea, and his wife was prostrate with grief on the other side of the world. But he put all his trust in God and wrote a song that has comforted thousands since that time:

When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
"It is well, it is well with my soul."

from 1001 Great Stories and Quote
by R. Kent Hughes (Tyndale) p 304 "
Content is derived from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation and other publications
of Tyndale Publishing House

Details, details!

"But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won't take it away from her."

Luke 10:41-42 NLT

"

Martha and me

"I can relate to Martha. If I were planning a party, she'd be the one I'd ask to help. Martha knows everything needs to be just right.

When Jesus showed up at Martha's door, she did what I would have done. She started getting everything ready. But her sister, Mary, had other plans. Mary didn't share Martha's need to please, so she sat with Jesus. She knew the house was a mess, but she also knew that Jesus wouldn't be there long, so she forgot about the cleaning and plopped down at his feet. What nerve, Martha thought to herself. Doesn't she know there's work to be done?

Finally, Martha had to speak up and expected Jesus to scold Mary.

But that's not what Jesus did. "My dear Martha," he said, "you are so upset over all these details!…" Jesus took Mary's side. He said that Mary was the one who had the right idea. She did nothing but listen and was praised; Martha did everything but listen and was chastised.

The Lord's priorities are not the same as ours. Jesus isn't as concerned about our lace tablecloths and clean kitchens as we are. He's concerned with the state of our heart—the time we spend at his feet, reflecting on his words and resting in his presence.

from Embracing Eternity by Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins and Frank M. Martin (Tyndale) p 209

Is your home marked by the fruits of the Spirit?

"When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit is us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.…Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. It we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or by jealous of one another.

Galatians 5:22-26 NLT

"

The Spirit-filled home

"How do you remember your childhood home? Was it a loving and welcoming place? Maybe there were evidences of kindness and generosity—fresh homemade cookies, a dollhouse or model planes you and your dad built together, a warm welcome always waiting for you, an old couch to be shared with brothers and sisters.

Perhaps you don't have such wonderful childhood memories. Not everyone does. Homes can be places of cruelty as well—places full of criticism and humiliation, places characterized by conflict, jealousy, and pain. Loving homes don't just magically appear. They are the result of a husband and wife's commitment to letting God's Spirit control their lives. When you follow the Spirit's leading, God produces kindness, goodness, patience, and love in your lives. Then the home a marriage creates can become a light to the neighborhood, a place where friends and neighbors can experience genuine love and acceptance. If you are married, what type of home do you want your marriage to create? Ask God today to plant the seeds of loving kindness in your life, your marriage, and your home.

from Praying God's Promises for My Marriage by Jon Farrar (Tyndale) pp 132-33 "

The fruit of kindness

"When the Holy Spirit controls your life, he will produce this kind of fruit in us:…kindness, goodness.

Galatians 5:22 NLT

"

In spite of it all

"On that ghastly Friday morning, which ironically has become known as "Good Friday," Jesus was a swollen, bloody mess. Most of his friends had hightailed it hours before, leaving him alone to face the physical agony of crucifixion, the emotional anguish of a jeering crowd, and the spiritual horror of separation from God the Father.

Yet during this entire nightmare, Christ responded, well, strangely. On the way to his execution, he paused to console a group of grief-stricken women. He used what little breath he was able to catch to pray for those who were so merciless to him. He demonstrated compassion and forgiveness to a criminal dying at his side. And he took pains, literally, to see that his grief-stricken mother below him would be cared for by a friend.

In the ultimate "tough time," Christ oozed kindness and goodness. And because his Spirit lives in us, we also have the capacity to use personal tragedy as an opportunity to care for others.

Praying God's Promise:
Cause your kindness and goodness to flow through me, Lord. It is not natural for me to think of others or to think of glorifying you, especially when my own life is filled with pain. Teach me to live supernaturally. I want to be selfless like you, Jesus, always looking for opportunities to bless others.

from Praying God's Promises in Tough Times by Len Wood (Tyndale) pp 154-55"

Reflecting Christ

"…you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Colossians 3:12 NLT

"

Clothed in kindness

"A doctor once stepped into a taxicab and discovered an unusually friendly driver.…he asked the man why he was so cheerful. "It all started," he said, "when I heard about a taxi driver who was so kind to a passenger that the man remembered him in his will, leaving him $65,000. I thought I would try it, and maybe somebody might leave me something. But after I tried it, I found it was so much fun being good that I decided I would do it for the fun of it, reward or no reward."

The world would certainly be a more cheerful place if we all had such good dispositions. Imagine walking down the street and seeing nothing but smiling faces.…

Life is not a bed of roses, and most people are too happy to let you know that. That's what we tell ourselves when we want to appease our guilt on those dark and dreary days. I'm not the only one who's had a bad day, we think. People are just going to have to understand.

Maybe they do, but how does Jesus feel about it? Kindness should flow out of the life of a Christian. The world has an excuse to be angry, but we don't. Redeemed people should act like they're happy to be redeemed.

This is what separates believers from those who haven't discovered the goodness of Christ. We have a reason to rejoice. We have a standard to uphold. We have a Savior to pattern our life after.

from Embracing Eternity by Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins and Frank M. Martin (Tyndale) p 86

This week's promise: God is always ready to help us and expects us to help others

How do you respond to those who seek to hurt you?

"Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don't be concerned that they might not repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked! You must be compassionate, just as the Father is compassionate.

Luke 6:35-36 NLT

"

The sign of a loving heart

"Our enemies are out to hurt us. They want to steal from us, cheat us, and do evil against us. Yet Jesus says we are to be kind to them. What is his point? We reflect—or should reflect—God to the world, and God is kind—even to the unkind, the ungrateful, and those whom we consider to be "hopeless" cases. Kindness is based on the love we have for others, not the love others deserve.

Kindness is the sign of a loving heart, one of the greatest of all virtues. A kind person is pleasant, good, gracious—always appreciated. There's a lot of talk these days about "random acts of kindness." Maybe this is because we live in a society starved for good deeds. God is our model for kindness. The kindest act ever committed was God's sending his own Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we might live forever in heaven. God also showers us with kindness each day, sending sunshine and rain, food and friends, comfort and encouragement, boundless love and wisdom.

...taken from God's Daily Promises

SURPRISED BY JOY

Sometimes fact is more mysterious than fiction. I clipped a newspaper article several years ago which tells a story that is strange... and beautiful.

Stan heard in church about a Denver, Colorado (USA) family facing a rather bleak Christmas holiday. Medical bills robbed them of any extras; they would not even have a tree. Stan's pastor asked him if he would get them that tree.

So Stan and his son Jay headed up into the Colorado Rockies in the family pickup. However, the truck skidded off the icy road and hit a boulder that shattered the windshield. Jay was showered by glass slivers and suffered from shock and crash trauma. Stan was uninjured, though somewhat shaken.

Cars sped past that day -- maybe 200 of them. Only two stopped to help. A gentle, dark-haired woman took the boy into her car to comfort him while her husband and another man helped Stan move his truck off the road. Then this kind couple drove father and son to Stan's home and quietly left without identifying themselves.

Stan was discouraged that he was unable to cut a tree for the family that his church was trying to help. But later in the month, the pastor asked if Stan might deliver a food basket to the same unfortunate family. He found the house, but he could hardly find his speech when the door opened. For standing there before him was the same couple who had stopped to help him on the mountain road when so many others had
passed him by.

There is a strange power in love. Some folks may call it an amazing coincidence. Others might say it was divine providence. But I choose to think that love has its own power, and that sometimes these kinds of mysteries are better left unanalyzed. Let them remain mysteries. And enjoy the wonder of it all. For whenever we choose to be kind, we just might be surprised by joy.

-- Steve Goodier

WE NEED EACH OTHER

Many living things need each other to survive. I have lived for most of my life near trees known as Colorado aspens. If you are familiar with this tree, you may have noticed that it does not grow alone.

Aspens are found in clusters, or groves. We're told that the reason for this is because aspens can multiply from the roots. They send up lots of new shoots every year. These become saplings that grow quickly and make new baby aspens of their own. In some groves, all of the trees may actually be connected by their roots. It is as if they are one tree.

Another tree, the giant California redwood, may tower 300 feet into the sky. We've seen pictures of tunnels carved into massive trunks wide enough to drive an automobile through. It seems they would require the deepest of roots to anchor them against strong winds. But instead their roots are actually shallow -- they spread out wide in search of surface water. And they reach in all directions, intertwining with roots of other redwoods. Locked together in this way, all the trees support each other in wind and storms.

Aspens and redwoods never stand alone. They need one another to survive.

People, too, are connected by a system of roots. We grow up in families that nurture and guide us. We learn early to make friends who support us in different ways. We are not meant to survive long without others. And like the giant redwoods, we do best when we hold onto one another and help each other to keep standing through life's storms. We need others to hold us up, encourage us and to stand with us.

When I'm not doing well, it is often because I am going it alone. I don't always let others in. I forget to ask for help; I keep my problems to myself. And though I may not see it, others around me might be doing the same thing.

It helps to remember how much like those trees we really are. It might be time to let someone else help hold you up for awhile. Or perhaps someone needs to hang on to you.

-- Steve Goodier

FACE VALUE

Ted Engstrom in HIGH PERFORMANCE (Here's Life Publishers, 1988) tells the story of a trusted advisor of President Abraham Lincoln who recommended a candidate for Lincoln's cabinet. Lincoln declined and when asked why, he said, "I don't like the man's face."

"But the poor man is not responsible for his face," his advisor insisted. "Every man over forty is responsible for his face," Lincoln replied, and the prospect was considered no more.

That makes me want to look into a mirror! It's always been a comfort to me that I am BEHIND my face. I can look at something else. Lincoln, of course, was referring to the man's expression and disposition rather than his features. And I believe that we do bear some responsibility here.

If our faces convey the thoughts and attitudes nurtured in our minds, then we are responsible for our faces. And we are responsible for how we will "face" each day.

One woman reported that she had just paid for some purchases when she heard the cashier say something. Not understanding, she asked her to repeat it. "I said have a happy day," the cashier snapped. "Are you deaf?" Here is a person who seems to be unaware of how she is facing others.

Earl Nightingale put it like this: "Our attitude is something we can control. We can establish our attitude each morning when we start our day. In fact, we do just that whether we realize it or not."

And that's the point, isn't it? If I realize that I am already choosing my attitudes every day, I can make better choices. If I realize that I am already choosing my face, I can put on different face.

If I face the day with a little more hope and confidence, more generosity and love, I'll be happier for it. And who knows? Maybe a modern day Lincoln will say he likes my face.
-- Steve Goodier

GIFTED FOR SOMETHING?

I heard of a woman who operated a daycare for children from her home. As she transported children in her car one day, a fire truck zoomed by. The kids were thrilled to see a Dalmatian on the front seat, just like in the old-time stories.

They began a conversation about the duties of a "fire dog." One child suggested that they use the dog to keep the crowds back. Another said the Dalmatian is just for good luck. But young Jamie brought the argument to an end when he said, "They use the dog to find the hydrant!"

He reminds us that we all have useful abilities, if sniffing out fire hydrants is a useful ability. Some of our skills are apparent. Some are hidden. Some probably haven't even been discovered. Some can be improved with work -- lots of mine fall into this category.

Madame Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize (she won two), said this about giftedness: "Life is not easy for any of us, but what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."

I like that. "We must believe that we are gifted for something." Do you believe you are gifted for something? Do you know what that "something" is?

American football's William Floyd probably thought his athletic ability was his greatest gift. But then he injured his knee halfway through his 1995 season with the San Francisco Forty-Niners. The talented athlete was out for the rest of the season. It was then that he found a gift he may not have known he possessed.

William Floyd still wanted to contribute and he did NOT want his self pity to spill over to the rest of the team. So he stood on the sidelines at every workout and in every game and encouraged his teammates on. He shouted and cajoled; he motivated and consoled; he became a dominating presence and a source of great inspiration for his
team. He had a remarkable ability for bringing out the best in others.

At the end of the year, his teammates voted him the player "who best exemplifies inspirational and courageous play." As much as they needed him on the field, they discovered how much they needed him on the sidelines, urging them to do and to be their best. I wonder if his newly-found life skill, his gift of positive motivation, could prove more useful than even his athletic ability?

What if we believed we were "gifted for something"? What difference would that make?

And what if we believed we should do something about it? What difference would that make? What difference COULD that make?

I think a lot of life is about finding that out.

-- Steve Goodier

Your Front Row

Everyone Can't Be in Your Front Row

Life is a theater - invite your audience carefully. Not everyone is spiritually healthy and mature enough to have a front row seat in our lives. There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance.

It's amazing what you can accomplish when you LET GO, or at least minimize your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not-going anywhere relationships/friendships/ fellowships!

Observe the relationships around you. Pay attention to:
Which ones lift and which ones lean?
Which ones encourage and which ones discourage?
Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill?
When you leave certain people, do you feel better or feel worse?

Which ones always have DRAMA or don't really understand, know and appreciate you and your gifts that lies within you? When you seek growth, peace of mind, love and truth, the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the FRONT ROW and who should be moved to balcony of your life.

You cannot change the people around you...but you canchange the people you are around .

Ask God for godly wisdom and discernmentand choose wisely the people who sit in the front row of your life.

'Just because no one has shown up who can love you on your level, doesn't mean you sink to theirs!'

GREAT HAPPINESS

Not long ago I answered a telephone call from an old friend I'd not heard from for a long time. "Hi, Steve," he said. "I just wanted to see how you're getting along." For whatever reason, our paths had simply not crossed for months. It was good to talk with him. I wondered why we hadn't kept in touch better.

Toward the end of the conversation, he said, "If you need me in anyway, I'll be happy to help out." And he meant it! That call came at just the right time, as they so often do. I needed those words of encouragement. I hung up the phone feeling a satisfying lump of warmth in my chest.

And that day I re-learned something important about life: life is primarily about people -- not plans and schedules, not to-do lists and a million tasks left undone -- it's about people.

To love and to know that we are loved is the greatest happiness of existence. And happiness seems to be something that is in short supply for too many of us! My friend reminded me that it is never enough just to love; we must also express it. What good are our affectionate feelings toward others if we don't find ways to let them know?

George William Childs put it like this: "Do not keep the alabaster box of your love and friendship sealed up until your friends are dead. Fill their lives with sweetness. Speak approving, cheering words while their ears can hear them and while their hearts can be thrilled and made happier. The kind things you mean to say when they are gone, say before they go."

Happiness ... may be just a phone call away.
-- Steve Goodier