The eye of a needle, why getting through it is easier then you might think.

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In the New Testament Book of Matthew there is a verse that says that it is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle then it is for a rich man to enter heaven.  This is a very interesting verse, but one that is misunderstood by many and it has been used to demonize wealth in far too many cases.  The reason I want to touch on this subject today is not to say whether wealth is good or bad, but rather the motivation behind wealth.  Now there are a few guidelines that I want to set out first and then we will tackle the topic of wealth, or what I like to call your motivation to obtain wealth or notoriety.

First, to those who say that wealth is wicked, they have either never obtained it, or they so covet it that they have managed to spin it in such a way that those who have obtained it, have somehow skirted the "acceptable" practices of man.  There is nothing wrong with obtaining wealth, and the sooner some of these idiots figure that out the sooner we can move forward and use wealth in ways that benefit others.  Secondly, and this is not meant to demonize those who look at wealth as some human shortcoming, but if wealth was never intended to be enjoyed by man, then why in heavens name did the Creator of the Universe provide us with the resources to achieve it.  If one person is able to do it, and once again God is not a respecter of people, then it only makes sense that everyone should be able to obtain it as well.

I marvel at those who want to dismantle wealth as though they are doing their part for humanity.  Could it be that their inability to obtain wealth is the driver behind their disdain for it?  I only throw that thought out to you so you may ponder it.  Wealth in and of itself is not bad, the motivation behind why you want it or what you will do with it is an entirely different thing.  If one's motivation is to obtain wealth so they can feel better about themselves then they will always come up on the short end of the stick because even with wealth it is doubtful that you will ever understand who and what you are.  I will tell you this, most people who are unable to achieve wealth, or at least what the world has defined wealth to be, is simply because they have yet to see themselves as worthy of having wealth and until such time as you can see yourself as worthy, wealth will forever pass you by.  As individuals we are worthy of wealth and it has nothing to do with what family you were born to, or where you came from.  I have struggled with this for years and for years I have struggled financially.  I could not understand why nothing worked for me.  I knew I had the ability to achieve great wealth, but even my desire for it was not sufficient to overcome my feeling that I was not worthy of it.  I know this may sound like some oxymoron, but there are countless people who deal with the very same issue.

So the question is, how does one see themselves as deserving of wealth and is seeing yourself this way a bad thing?  First and foremost you must see yourself as the Creator sees you and that is as a divine being.  Once you are able to understand and come to grips with this then seeing wealth, or walking in it,  is a simple as 1-2-3.  If one is able to see the divinity that resides in us, then the reason for obtaining wealth will be in line with your purpose here on earth.  Money in and of itself is not a bad thing, hoarding it up for a rainy day is.  If you base your worth on your wealth then you have really missed the boat. Conversely if you are able to come to grips with your worth, then I will guarantee you that wealth will follow.  Have you ever asked yourself why you desire money?  If you have, what was the answer?  There was a time that money meant everything to me because I thought that it would put me in a place where I was respected and people would want to know my secrets for success, and it would have filled a void in my life.  Well that is what I thought; what I discovered is that money at that moment in time was nothing more than a band aid on a very deep wound.  I could have had a gazillion dollars and still I would have been empty.  It was not until I discovered my destiny and began to walk in it that I could understand my worthiness and then money or the lack of it was no longer the driver nor the focus.

When you understand your destiny, your worth, then the eye of the needle becomes as large as you need it to be in order to walk right through it.  When you fully come to terms with what you were placed here to do then the eye of the needle is no longer seen as an impossibility but rather a gateway.  It all comes down to your own understanding of why you are here, what you should be doing, and then the rewards of any endeavor will be yours to do with as you desire.  Wealth is not wicked, not when you couple it with worth, your worth, our worth, and the world's worth.  When you can see your worth, your divinity, then wealth will no longer be something you strife after, it will become a part of you because you have finally seen it as it truly should be seen, your birth right.  How you go after it is now up to you, but if I were you I would certainly try to understand it and don't let other's opinion of it get you off your chosen path.  The path to your destiny will lead you to wealth and that wealth will be something you will share with others and then you will have begun to change the world.

It's time to smell the roses.

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It's another Monday morning and you get to do it all over again.  Your week has pretty much been laid out for you, and there is hardly a free moment to catch your breath.  Now you are OK with this because you know that the progress you make this week is just going to build on the progress you made last week and on the progress you will attempt to make the week after.  You recognize the challenges ahead, or would be challenges, and you move full speed ahead.

This will be an exciting week, there is no doubt, and with this excitement comes an anticipation of what comes next.  What is the next great adventure, endeavor, or effort?  Face it, you're not getting any younger and if ever there was a time to move forward with things, now is such a time, and you are just the person to do it.  Your focus has never been so well tuned, and your energy seems to have no end.  You just know that you can continue on, mastering all that needs to be mastered, and using these skills to achieve the dreams and desires of your heart, yep, you just know it.

Time out! This scenario happens all the time.  This scenario plays out in every town, every city, every state, and most likely in every family.  This scenario is what will be the demise, your demise, if you are unable to step back and just let go of all that you think you need to do today, and simply spend some time smelling the roses.  There are people who will spend an entire lifetime trying to achieve something and never ever give themselves the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their own labor.  There seems to be one challenge after another, one more hurdle or one more obstacle to get around, but once it is overcome, then it is smooth sailing and they can finally enjoy life.  Problem is, they never get around to enjoying life because they are so programmed to keep going, keep moving, keep doing, what they feel they should be doing.  OH, it is definitely time to slow down, and simply smell the roses.

I know that we all have goals and dreams.  I have huge dreams and goals, but that being said, I don't know of anyone who on their death bed will say that they wished they had just one more day to achieve just one more goal, spend one more hour at the office.  No, they will tell you that they wished they had just one more day to tell those closest to them what they mean to them.  They would give anything to let those closest to them to know the love they have for them and the desire for them to find true happiness and contentment in life.  In the end most would say they wished they had allowed themselves the opportunity to really enjoy the things in life that they never allowed themselves to enjoy.  You have the ability and opportunity to do just that today if you will just step back and smell the roses.

When was the last time that you just stepped outside on a moon lit night to look at the stars and marvel at the universe and the beauty present?  When was the last time you just sat by the ocean and observed nature and the splendor of the waves coming across the beach?  When was the last time you simply stopped everything and took a deep breath and thanked God for all the opportunities given to you and the ability to achieve all those things you have achieved?  There is a general mindset amongst certain people that if they take anytime away from the project at hand that they are somehow robbing humanity of the greatness they are attempting to bring to it.  Hey, I applaud you for your diligence, but you have missed out on quite a bit of joy and happiness that should be yours if you would simply slow down and smell the roses.  I have joked to people in the past that why put off until tomorrow those things that can be put off until next week.  Is there anything so important in life that simply taking twenty minutes to enjoy your surroundings is going to mean the beginning of the end?  If you think so, then you have a very warped view of life and and even more warped view of your importance or perceived importance to the rest of humanity.  Don't get me wrong, I am sure you have great things to accomplish and without a doubt will probably accomplish them, but at what price?  What price is too high to get something done?

Please take some time today to enjoy some of the simple joys of life.  A smile from your kids, a wink from your significant other.  The birds chirping or the sound of the wind blowing through the trees.  The sight of an elderly couple holding hands and casually walking in the park.  There are so many things that you can observe, and yet when was the last time you afforded yourself the opportunity to do this?  Our time will come to an end some day, and the last thing you want to think about is all the time you spend getting to a certain place in life and yet never affording yourself the opportunity to enjoy all that you accomplished.  There are times when a day at work seems like a week, a week like a  month, and a month like a lifetime.  We get wrapped up in all the stuff we are supposed to do and times passes by.  Before you know it time is coming to a close in this life of yours and there is nothing you would not give to have just a single minute extra, if for no other reason then to take those sixty seconds to just sit back and smell the roses.

Do yourself, and those around you a favor, and just relax for a minute and think about and be thankful for all you have, all you can do, and all that awaits you in the future.  If you can not appreciate all that you have right now, why are you working so hard for other things that you will undoubtedly not appreciate either?  Think about it, but think about it while you are taking a few minutes just to enjoy everything that is going on around you.  Take in the fragrance and know that it is there for you any time you desire it.

Is it time to turn your sadness into joy? Maybe you just need a little motivation.

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You've just been knocked down for the 99th time and you're tired of it all.  That nagging boss of yours has just ruined your plans for the night by demanding you stay late and work and don't even think of taking Saturday off:  it will be business as usual.  If he has to be in the office then everyone will be in the office.  You have just been told that the hotel you wanted and thought you had booked for your weekend get-a-way has overbooked and now you are without accommodations for what was supposed to be a wonderful weekend away with just you and that someone special.  Just think all of this in one lousy 24 hour period.  If things get any worse:  OH wait, how can things get any worse you are thinking to yourself.

I get it.  It has been one of those weeks and you just need to escape and forget about things, but how do you do that?  When I find myself in one of these moods I am reminded that joy is something that has to be accepted in life and it is something that is readily available to everyone, and by everyone I include you as well.  There are many things that we can find joy in.  Loved ones, friends and family, a thought or memory of that remarkable experience not long ago.  The smile you received from that stranger who just happened to pass by you and you got the sense that he or she knew exactly what you were going through and it came at just the right time.

There are times when it seems like joy is something only read about in a book, and try as you might you have not been able to bring it into your life, at least not recently.  Every time you take one step forward it seems as though you have been knocked back three steps.  You can be in a group of people and you can see the joy others are experiencing and question yourself as to why you are not able to feel the same way.  Why has joy evaded you and why is it so damn difficult to escape the never ending on slot of demands, demands, demands on your time?  OH, I get where you're coming from.  I have been there, and it never seems to let up.  There is however a way out.  It will take some cleverness on your part, it will take determination, and it will require that you let go of certain things you may have been taught by caring, albeit, incorrect individuals.  If you are ready to turn your sadness into joy, then follow along, and let's make sure you never look back on those things that have done nothing but keep you bound up in sadness.

I was recently looking at some old pictures of a very dear friend.  He was very young and yet he has the same eyes and smile now as he did then.  In this one picture he was displaying this huge smile and you could tell he was laughing up a storm. By my estimations he was all of about three years old.    The joy was evident, and I dare say he was not aware of some of the things that he would go through during his adult life.  Most of us can think back on similar times and remember those moments when life was not centered around work, or bills, or sickness, or any other malady that might be here today. We knew that all our needs would be taken care of and that there was love for us whenever we needed it.  When did we loose this child like faith and more importantly why did we loose it?  When we were young, most of us, knew we would be OK.  We knew we would be fed, clothed, housed, and loved.  We actually took it for granted, because to be absent of these things just never came into our thoughts.  When did all that change?  We as adults have let the cares of this world dictate our joy, or in many cases the absence of joy.  We have forgotten that we are in fact entitled to joy, peace, and happiness and anything other than these were never intended for us.

True happiness and joy comes to you when you realize that you are here because this is your appointed time and everything you could ever need or want is exactly what you should expect in your life.  God does not bless only a few select individuals.  What God does for one will be done for you.  The only reason you may have missed joy and happiness is because you have not realized that joy and happiness are yours simply because you are here right now.  Walking in joy is nothing more then coming to terms with your divine nature and understanding that you can never separate yourself from the source of your creation.  Just because joy may have escaped you recently does not mean you will never get it back, nor does it mean that you have done something to make it go away.  We as humans are so good at believing that we are less then what we are.  In the eyes of Spirit we are perfect, yet we are unable to see our perfection.  You must begin to see the perfection in you if you are ever going to walk in absolute joy, accepting what is yours and knowing that it comes to you not because you have done anything to earn it, but simply because it is yours.

If you are able to recognize the greatness of your design, the perfection of your calling, and the oneness that you share with the Creator, then you will begin to walk in joy and all the cares of this world will no longer be able to detain you or keep you from enjoying the best that God has for you.  Walking in joy is something that should come as natural as breathing.  It should be as normal as your heart beating and as common place as you blinking your eyes.  You must accept the fact that you are worthy of joy.  You must accept the fact that there is nothing you can do that will ever make God remove what is yours, and joy is yours, you simply need to accept it and walk in it.

Yes there will be those who will challenge you in this life, but I will also bet that they are also void of joy in their life.  If everyone were walking around in joy just think how different the world would be. Don't let the absence of joy in someone else's life be the reason you are void of joy.  Just because they are unable to accept it does not mean you have to deny it.  Joy is there for you, not because you earned it, not because you did something special, but simply because it is a promise to you, and it is a promise that will never be broken.  Begin to see yourself as worthy and then you will walk in a joy that will motivate others to want what you have, and then the cycle will begin for them as well.

You may have believed it once, but it doesn't need to define you.

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It's a throwback Thursday and it got me thinking: how often do we measure ourselves based on what has already happened or what we have already done?  I know that I have been guilty of this, and quite frankly it really hasn't done me any good, not any good at all.

I have had to learn to free myself from myself; those imposed expectations, some realistic, some unrealistic.  I have had to walk away from my past, even when my past didn't want to let go of me.  Now I am not saying that we should never learn from our past.  We often talk about learning from past experiences, in an attempt not to have to relive whatever may have taken place that brought about hurt, fear, or even loss.  There is no question that we should be open to these lessons, but when you allow them to take control of your tomorrows then you have a problem.

I don't want to mislead you, I think there is a time to reflect, to look back, and maybe marvel at what has taken place.  The point I want to make is that you can't trap yourself in the past, your past.  What may or may not have happened before can not and should not define you.  As humans we have a tendency to look at the past and use it as a gauge for what we should expect in the future.  If one was told they would never amount to anything by some one, you must choose whether to accept these words or let them roll off you.  The simple fact is that even though one may have failed at something in the past doesn't mean that you have a life sentence of failure for your future.  We must let go of past hurts and failures if we are ever going to move forward in life.  Once again, I had to free myself from the trappings of past failures and hurts.  There is not a single person alive today who has not had to do just that, or will have to do it at some point in the future.  What we believe will ultimately become our reality, and what becomes our reality can and most likely will define us.

My epiphany came not long ago.  My AH-HA moment so to speak, when I realized that I had placed myself into bondage because I was unable to let go of things from the past.  I had began to believe that nothing good would ever come in my life because up to this point I had been fighting the demons of my past.  I had to come to the understanding that I was in fact deserving of goodness in my life and most of what I had gone through, before my eyes were opened up, was a direct result of what I put into place because of my thoughts, words, and actions.  I am about to say something right now, that some will discount, others will think about, and others will run full boar with.  I will say that there was a time when I would not have tackled this subject, but I have also gotten to the point in my life where I refuse to beat around the bush any longer.  So here you go:  you are first and foremost a divine creation.  You are on par with others who have come before you who hold positions of importance to the rest of humanity.  God is not a respecter of people, and God is the same today, yesterday and forever.  We as a divine being were never intended to walk around in doubt, fear, sorrow, or any other emotion that man has conditioned us to believe, that is not a mirror of the true nature of God.  The Creator of the Universe knows nothing about lack, sorrow, fear, doubt. These are all man made and these are what we allow ourselves to walk in, even if we were never intended to walk in them.  Until you can grasp the concept you will have to deal with these emotions and feelings.

The time has come for you to free yourself from man's expectations and truly walk free and only display those characteristics that are truly inspired by our creator.  If you are unable to focus on joy and happiness, then you will never get to the point where you are experiencing it.  If you only look at the bad in the world, the hurt, turmoil, then you are just setting yourself up to live a life full of the negative things in this world and not the splendor that God created just for you.  We have to get away from the notion that God is unreachable and only if you have spend countless years in study of the sacred texts and other such things, are you worthy of an audience with the Great and Powerful Creator.  These are man's concoctions and not God's.  We are not some tiny being who just takes up space.  We must see ourselves as the most important creation that God ever made and that we are in line for the throne.  We are all royalty, individual and corporate.  We must forget about the past and look at things through the creator's eyes.

I for one do not wish to go back to life the way it was.  I've had enough pain and sorrow in my lifetime to last twenty lifetimes.  I choose to believe that I am not a failure, a loser, one who will always need help from others because I was not good enough to do it myself.  I choose to believe that I am one with God and God is one with me.  There will be those who will think I have gone mad for saying that, but they will be the ones who will not be able to make the leap later on when they need it the most.  It is time to be free from what you always thought and it is time to be free to be what you were always intended to be.  Until such time as you can accept these words, you will find yourself still dealing with all the ups and downs of life.  You will still have questions to ask, but never get the answers you seek.  If you are unable to believe in your greatness, then greatness will forever be just a dream and never a reality.  There are things that you have been destined to complete and because of that you must make a decision.  Will you believe all the garbage you have been taught in the past or will you move forward in the knowledge that your divine nature is real and because it is real you have abilities that you will marvel at?

It is time to free yourself.  It is time to understand that you are special and able to accomplish impossible things.  Think about this for a while and then let me know what happens.  Your freedom from your past will enable others to be free from theirs.  You will be doing something for humanity that is greatly needed right now.  You will be a catalyst for change in the world.

Truth, Direction, and Faith. Time for a change, are you ready to accept it?

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It's another morning, you are stepping out of bed, hitting the floor, and pow it hits you:  it's another day doing the same thing as yesterday and probably the same thing tomorrow.  You think for just a second about getting back into bed and just praying for a change.  This scenario is played out in numerous homes, in many lives, each and every day. The reality of what life has become hits you and in so many cases it is not remotely close to what you had dreamt about so, so many years ago.  It is in this moment that getting back into that bed is quite appealing, and never far from your thoughts.

Is it time for a change?  Is it time for you to change?  I am about to say something that may seem like it has come out of left field somewhere, but I have never been one to mince words, so why start now.  Changing situations is fine, changing your surroundings is fine, and even changing what you do from day to day is fine, and often the best thing for you.  What you can never change is who you fundamentally are, and why you are here on this planet now.  Today is the day that you will begin to discover your truth, your direction, and display the faith to go after those things that were intended for you in this life.

I recently hit a turning point in my life.  I have been struggling with certain areas for what seemed like eternity.  What I had to do was believe.  I had to display faith in the knowing that I was who I was supposed to be and doing the things that I was designed to do.  I had to realize that I had fallen prey to the constant changing landscape, but this landscape was not mine.  My own personal landscape, the reason for my being here has never changed and will never change.  The change I had to incorporate into my life was a determination to move forward in the truth that I understood and walk down the path of my own destiny, not what someone else thought or said that I should be doing.

There comes a point in every one's life when you have to decide: do I take the path that leads me in this direction or do I take the path that leads me in another direction.  I had to come to terms with, and believe, the simple yet often misunderstood fact, that I am one with the Creator of the Universe.  My path was charted long before I was born and my only obligation is to walk down that path.  Your only obligation is to walk down the path that has been charted for you, one which you are uniquely qualified to walk down, with all the abilities required to complete your journey.  Our getting up each morning, repeating time and time again, those things we hate, is not the life you were supposed to live.  Certainly there are people who are happy with what they have, with what they do, and who they are.  They understand that where they are at right now is exactly where they are supposed to be, doing the things they are doing.  Sadly, that is not the case for most people today.

We will all have to come to a crossroad sooner or later.  This is the point in each person's life where they make the decision to either walk in their destiny, or forever have an emptiness inside that is impossible to fill, no mater how you try to fill it.  The void inside cannot be filled with money, or status.  The void will not be satisfied with accolades or atta-boys.  This void will only be filled when you are completely walking in your pre-determined destiny.  What amazes me the most is people who refuse to seek out their destiny.  Maybe this is because they feel as though they will never be able to do the one thing that will make them happy.  Maybe they would rather walk around with a void then miss what they truly desire but can't believe they will ever have it.  Please trust me when I tell you that walking in your destiny will bring you happiness, contentment, and a knowing that there is no longer a void in your life.  I have tried to fill the void in my life many times over, and until now there was nothing that would satisfy my hunger, that is until I finally gave in and started to walk out my destiny.

If you woke up this morning dreading the day, knowing that there would be very little difference from yesterday, and all you were doing was setting up tomorrow to be the same way, then might I suggest that it is time for a change.  Inside all of us is a truth, and with that truth you will be provided with the direction to go.   All you need to do is have faith.  Faith that says that my tomorrows will be full of promise, full of joy and happiness, and full of opportunity and possibility.  A faith that is unshaken when all others around you are falling prey to man's insidious ways.  A faith that will allow others to follow your lead and they to will discover the wonders of their own destiny.  Yes it is time for a change.  It is time to shake off your weary past, and walk into the future.  Sadness will be a thing of the past.  Isolation will no longer be your way out of the hurt and discontent you have been feeling.  You will walk in a newness of life, with purpose and direction.  This truth, the new direction, and your unabridged faith will carry you to places of beauty and tranquility.  This is your new home, and this will be your new path.  All you need is truth, direction and faith, and right now you have all three.  I wish you well on your journey and I am here to aid you in anyway I can.

Once a thing of value, now it's just a dime a dozen, or is it?

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There have been many things that we once thought extremely valuable, come to find out the value was only in how we perceived something and not from any monetary measurement.  My collection of marbles was very valuable to me, but to the rest of the world, a dime a dozen.  OK, how about my nearly perfect copy of a copy of that once famous story book; you know the one with whats her name.  Yea that one, it has to be worth something.  Yea, no, not so much!  Again, a dime a dozen.

There are things of value out there, but it is generally based on want, need, desire, and to a very large extend availability.  What I think is valuable could be junk to another person.  Junk to one is treasure in the eyes of the person who finally found that item that had been lost years ago, and finally has found a new home.  There is however something that has more value to it then you could ever measure, and Mr. Steinbeck has made the point quite nicely: the free exploring mind of man.  We as humans have yet to fully understand the mind or the capabilities of it.  I am not a doctor so I will not sit here and pretend that I have all the answers, far from it.  I still have issues understanding what goes on in my mind on a daily basis.  What I do know is this, and as simple as this might sound, there are so many people out there who still don't get it.  Your mind is capable of things that many feel are only possible in story books or on the big screen.  The problem with what you can conjure up in your mind, is that your mind will also be the very same vehicle that will tell you why certain things cannot be done, or should not be tried.  It is a double edged sword, but one that you can overcome, but it will take some work on your part.

Our mind is capable of dreaming up some very complex ideas, and at the same time things that are as simplistic as putting one foot in front of the other.  We are not mindful of what our mind is doing every second of every day.  We don't wake up and begin thinking about breathing or walking, talking or any number of things that our mind does throughout the day.  Things just simply happen without giving mind to it.  On the other side of the coin we do think of things that almost seem impossible yet these are the things that we are unable to let go of.  These thoughts continue and even when you attempt to let go of them they seem to hang on for dear life.  Thoughts of great achievements, thoughts of grand adventure, and thoughts of what if.  Why do we have these thoughts?  Why do we wonder about things and then wonder why we are wondering about them?  I am a firm believer that the mind, which should be controlled by the heart, and the heart which is a mirror to your spirit, is our map to achieving those things that we were destined for.  If you are one who believes that the mind is limitless, then you must also agree that the mind is capable of almost anything and everything.

In my mind I can see my future, and that future is something that was designed for me before I ever took my first breath.  My task is to get my mind on the same page as my spirit, and when I do that, then there is nothing that I imagine that seems impossible to complete.  Everything that exist today in our modern world; computers, smart phones, air travel, space travel, you name it, it all came from a single thought from a single person.  Certainly many others have taken part in bringing these things about, but there is no denying that it all came from a single thought.  How many times have you had a thought and without any effort seemingly just ignored it or tossed it away because it seem oh so far fetched or impractical, or both?  There are people out there who will measure thoughts and then based on their own personal "possibility index" either run with the idea or toss it out.  Here is my question for the day:  if these thoughts are coming to you, what is the reason you are having them?  Why did they come to you and not someone else?  A simple thought can become a dream and that dream can become a part of your destiny.  God, the Creator of the Universe does not do things simply to take up time, and what he puts into our spirit, which ultimately should be the driving force behind what comes from your mind, is put there for one reason and one reason only: to get you to understand and walk in your destiny.

I know destiny is not something you think about daily, but in truth it should be something you are thinking about constantly.  If I told you that today you could have the desires of your heart, and that you could be doing the one thing that is most important to you, where do you think your mind would go?  I guarantee you your mind would be thinking about the possibilities.  It would take you to a place where you are experiencing the things you always dreamt about and always desired.  You would feel a joy and happiness that may have been missing from your life for what seems like forever.  If we try to escape the drudgery of our daily lives by slipping into a day dream, a dream of our destiny, you have to ask yourself why this is happening.  Your mind, your thoughts, they can be an ally or then can be your worst enemy.  You must get your thinking in line with your heart and spirit.  No, not always an easy thing to do, but it is something that you are going to have to get better at.  From the very beginning your mind has been the one thing that you have had the most difficulty controlling because it is bombarded with conditioning from others since you were first born.  That conditioning is what has screwed your mind up because you have filled it with things that are not real and have taken away from you the things that you should be focused on.

Your mind, your thoughts, are not just a dime a dozen.  Your thoughts are priceless and once you are able to line your thoughts up with your destiny, then you will begin to see the value of the unlimited mind of man.  Please, do yourself a favor and begin to think about the possibilities in life.  These possibilities are not limited because you may have a few years under your belt.  Time means nothing to the mind.  Minds may forget from time to time, but your spirit does not.  Ask God to control your mind through you spirit. Allow your spirit to fill your mind with the possibilities that surround you and when you can line up your mind with your spirit, then you will begin to see what is possible and what you were destined to do in this life.  It is time to line things up and it is time to understand the value of what you have.  A mind is a terrible thing to waste because what comes from the mind can and should be priceless, especially when it is directed by your heart.

A penny for your thoughts.

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This phrase was first thought to be coined, no pun intended, by British Playwright John Heywood, or so it is believed.  Some of his other notable catch phrases and I will paraphrase some of them were: "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth", "It went in one ear and out the other", and "It's an ill wind that blows no good."  Not bad for a man who help set a standard for the likes of William Shakespeare.  I only provide you with this tidbit of information as I have used this phrase in the past and was just curious about its origination.  However, the origination of this catch phrase is not the main reason for using it today.  I was awakened at three this morning with the title to today's blog, and because of that I just thought it prudent to find out about it.

The main focus for today's blog is all about how does one handle, what one is handling, and do you invite other's to come along for the ride?  I am very guilty of keeping my feelings and emotions all to myself, and only when push comes to shove do I break down and share with others what might be going on in my life.  I have had to learn, sometimes the hard way, to open up and let people know what is on my mind and allow others to be there for me.  I have found that most people are closed off to others simply because they are often afraid of what others might think.  Pride and ego once again taking center stage and instead of helping it becomes a very destructive force.

ALERT, ALERT, ALERT:  broken record time again.  Life is a journey and if you decide to do it all alone then you are making a mistake of epic proportion.  This journey we call life was never intended to be done alone and if you have not learned that by now, you are eventually going to have go round Robin Hood's barn once again.  I have never known a single person who has been able to navigate every portion of his or her life without the assistance of someone else.  Now there are those who will require little help and others who will need the assistance of others almost on a daily basis.  Needing help does not diminish who you are.  It does not take away from the success you will achieve.  If anything it allows others to be blessed by virtue of their desire to help one in need.  Now I am not talking about someone who is trying to be a modern day martyr.  The person who is always there to pull some one's butt out of the fire, but they will state to others how difficult it was and why are they the ones who always have to be there to help.  These martyrs only do because it gives them something to complain about and at the same time solicit the accolades from others about their heroic actions.  Thanks , but no thanks:  I help because it is the right thing to do, not because I will glorified for it.  Enough said on that point I guess.

When I see someone in a struggle and I make the statement "a penny for your thoughts", I am genuinely concerned with what they are carrying around with them and want to assist them as best I can.  I will caution you:  if you are not prepared to hear their answer, do not ask the question.  I have done this before and once I opened the gates, there was no way for me to stop it.  The horse was already out of the barn.  The flood of this and that kept coming and I was lucky to get out of there with my own whits.  Use your intuition, follow your heart, and if you are lead to ask someone what is going on, then do it.  If you don't feel lead, then move on. Trust me, there are others out there who will be there for them.

A penny for your thoughts is truly born out of love.  Love for your neighbor, your family members, co-workers, and others.  It is not there out of some kind of "Oh I better do something because no one else will do it."  If that is your point of view, please don't waste your time.  Let someone else be there for them.  If you cannot do this out of the kindness of your own heart, you're wasting your time, and ultimately will leave the person you are attempting to help in worse shape.  If you're the one who needs to spill your guts, then spill your guts.  Keeping things bottled up will only lead to a massive explosion later on, and normally this type of eruption comes at very inappropriate times.

A penny today is not worth what it used to be worth, unless that penny is used to open up a dialogue with someone in need of a loving ear to listen, and a warm heart to feel.  There have been times when I would have given everything I owned just to have someone to talk to.  There have been times when all I wanted was a shoulder to cry on, if for no other reason then I would no longer feel all alone in this big huge world.  We have all been there and we will all be there again in the future.  When I offer someone a penny for their thoughts its because I truly desire to hear what is going on.  Never play around with this, it is like playing with fire if your motives are not honest and pure.  If you are the one who is in need of an ear to listen then simply put that request out to the universe and expect that person to come around to you.  It may not be the one you expected, but I assure you it will be the one who will be able to help you out of your situation.

It is better to be a penny wise then a pound foolish.  Don't allow pride to come in and steal what could be your escape route to a life less stressed and more fulfilling.  Allow others to offer you that penny for your thoughts and in turn, you will be offering up your own penny to others as you help them escape the troubles of life.

Faith for all your tomorrows.

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I believe in all my tomorrows because I am living in the here and now.  I have learned from the past, but I refuse to be trapped in the past. I have faith for all my tomorrows because in reality I really don't have another choice.  If I can't believe that tomorrow will be better then today then why continue on with whatever struggle I might be going through?  That is more of a rhetorical question or statement, but it is something that I want you to look at today.

Faith is the assurance of things that have yet to be manifested, but deep down you know that things will be as you desire.  Our faith is tried each and every day and with each passing day you must make the decision to hold on to your dreams and desires. There are many times when what you are believing for seems like a distant horizon, but as one of my favorite songs says, it is something that you must hold on to or forever let it slip away and give up any chance of ever achieving your dreams.  I really feel as though many people give up on their dreams simply because they feel as though they are not worthy of having what they truly desire. This my dear one is simply not true.  You are just as deserving as the next person, and once you can grasp on to this concept the sooner you will gain ground on your dreams.

I have been around people who could care less whether I or anyone else ever achieved the things they desire most in life.  It may be because they have failed or they just haven't had the best of luck in achieving their own goals or dreams.  Run from these people and run fast.  They will do everything in their power to pull you down to their own level of misery and trust me, it will do you no good.  As I have said so many times in the past, surround yourself with those who support you and believe in you.  The ability to stay about the fray is largely dependent on who you choose to be around, so the decision is yours to make.  I know first hand what it is like to have someone pull you down into the muck and mire, and it is like sinking into a pit of quicksand.  Get away from these people and never look back.  Forget about what others may think, they are not the ones who stand to loose.

If you knew with absolute certainty that when you woke up tomorrow morning you would be in the most perfect place in the world, your own personal heaven here on earth, walking in your own dream world, achieving all you ever dreamt of achieving, how would that make you feel?  If you knew with certainty that what you desired would be there, how would you be feeling right now?  If you knew with absolute certainty that what you want most in life would be there just waiting for you to pick it up, how would that change your life today?  If you can't answer these questions then maybe you have already given up on your dreams, and if you have that is a travesty.  Trust me, I have been there.  I have almost thrown in the towel, but quitting would have been premature and then I certainly would not be where I am at today.  My faith told me that I would achieve my goals and dreams, all I had to do was believe.  Now believing is not always the easiest thing to do, but when it is all said and done do you really have a choice?  If you quit believing then you have just sealed the deal and the results will not be what you had hoped for.

Just as I am sure that the sun will rise again tomorrow morning, I am sure that I will continue to walk in my destiny.  This is the assurance that you must find and this is the assurance you must begin to walk in.  If you are to have faith for all of your tomorrows then you must know that your today was preordained and that there are things that you were sent here to accomplish.  You see it's pretty simple:  your being here right now was no mistake.  Your being here right now was something that was planned out long ago, and what you have been sent to do is what should keep you moving forward toward your dreams and desires.  There are no guarantees that things will be without the ups and downs of life, but there is a guarantee that if you turn your back on your destiny, then there is no doubt that you will miss out on what you were supposed to have in life.

I truly believe that most people are hopeful.  Most people want the best in life and for the most part many feel as though they will eventually get there.  It is the ones who have lost this hope that concerns me the most.  If I had the ability to flip a switch and instantly everyone would understand their destiny and walk in it, I would certainly flip it.  Alas, all I can do is continue to preach the message of destiny and maybe, just maybe, others will pick up on it and make the decision that walking in their destiny is truly the only acceptable outcome to this thing we call life.  If you need someone to coach you along, speak life to your dreams, pick you up when you fall, then I am there to do that for you.  You will only be alone in your journey if you close yourself off to those who love you most and want the best for you.

Yes we must have faith for all of our tomorrows.  That faith start with living today and knowing that today will be the best day of your life, especially if you can let go of all the days that have come before it.  Yes learn from the past, but don't be trapped by them.  Unshackle yourself from your past and then begin to live for the future, your own tomorrow.

Belief, truth, and your reality.

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Today can be your day of discovery.  Today can be your day of revelation.  Today can and will be your day of belief, truth and a new reality.  All it will take is a little faith, a little understanding, and just a tad bit of luck.  I bring luck into the picture because there are some of you who will need that little extra push from a higher authority to really grasp what I am about to say to you.

As individuals we all have different beliefs.  Who is to say who is right and who is wrong?  Just because I believe differently than you doesn't make me right nor does it make you wrong.  I don't have the right to tell you that you are all over the map when it comes to your own thinking because as far as you are concerned I am probably all over the map as well.  What we have to do is give others the benefit of the doubt and realize that what one believes is based largely upon what they have experienced in life and their experiences are most likely going to be different from mine.  What I want to get you to see today is that what you believe is going to become your reality sooner or later, and in that reality you will have to exist in this thing we call life.

The biggest problem rises when we believe things that simply are not true and in that non-truth you set up a reality that was never intended to be your reality.  Once again we let the conditioning of man to dictate what we believe and what we don't and often that will get us into a real pickle.  I can remember being told as a young teenager that I would never amount to anything.  Talk about a kick in the balls, but that was my reality for many years.  It took many years to get over these comments, and many, many hours of meditation and prayer.  I would never wish this on anyone else, but if you have experienced these negative words, maybe it is time to throw them out and pick up a new mantra for your life.  You are limitless, you are the best, and you are destined for great things to quote the picture above.

I had a texting conversation with my dearest friend just yesterday.   Contrary to what some might think, I still struggle with self-worth, self-love, and questions of what will come to me in the future.  As depicted earlier I was the recipient of less than promising words while growing up. The problem with this is that I took these words to heart and subsequently it has taken me years to realize that I did not have to accept what had been spoken over me.  We talk about physical abuse which has become very prevalent in the world today, but verbal abuse is just as harmful and it is a plaque in the world today.  If you have been on the receiving end of these types of words, then I will tell you that the time has come to change your beliefs and thereby change your reality.  My friend made a very salient point:  until I can believe that I am worthy of my destiny, I will never be fully released to help others discover their destiny.  If I am unable to love myself, I will never ever be able to receive love from others, at least completely receive love that is.

Here is what needs to become your new truth, and in doing this it will become a new belief and then it will turn into your new reality.  You are worthy of love, you are worthy of abundance, you are worthy of the greatness that was placed in you the moment you entered this life.  Only when you truly believe this will you take your rightful place in this world.  I hold no grudges against those who have spoken these words to and about me.  What I have done is changed my thoughts, my beliefs, because until I could do this I was doomed to walk in a place that I was never intended to walk in.

I know of no one who truly desires to exist in a world that is only darkness, dread and fear.  What many people have done is accept certain things in life, but that is only because they have yet to come to the realization that they do not have to be trapped in this darkness, dread, or fear.  Yes my friends it is time to change your beliefs, and then you will take your rightful place.  This change is much like the tiny caterpillar who must escape or shelter itself from its current existence in order for it to become the beautiful butterfly that it was destined to become.  If we look or stay cemented in the words of the past we will never fulfill the calling we have for the future.

Belief, truth, and reality:  what is past is past, and what is destiny is what you must begin to walk in.  There may be days when hurts of the past will try to grab hold of you again, but now you have the ability to shed these words and when you do you will break away from the past and enter into a new domain that is nothing but joy, happiness, and peacefulness.  I have learned much over my lifetime, and I dare say that I have much more to learn, but I have also begun a journey that was always my journey to take.  I have ceased letting the words of the past stop me from assuming the place that was always set aside for just me.  I have taken my rightful place and now you must decide if you will accept your rightful place.  Your place is one of beauty, one of contentment, and one of knowing that you are just where you need to be, doing the things you were intended to do, and having an impact on those who have been waiting for what you have to offer.

Belief, truth, and reality, this is your starting point, and I can't wait to see where you finish up. You are a wonderful creation and once you discover this fact you will see a change in your reality and this change will have an impact on you and countless others.  Oh how I long to see the many changes that will come to you and the smile it will put on your face.

Change, the only constant in the universe.

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Either you love change or you hate it, there never seems to be a middle ground.  Whether you love or hate change really doesn't matter, because change really is the only constant thing in life.  Many joke about change, many lament the affects that change has on lives, and many run from change like rats off a sinking ship.  No matter your view of change the one thing that you need to understand is that change is good.   I have witnessed friends and loved ones mired down in the riggers of life and were it not for change, albeit, change thrust upon them, they would still be mired down in those same situations that have kept them from enjoying a wonderful life.

What I want you to see today is that change is good and change will provide you the "breakthroughs" that will ultimately lead you to the destiny that resides in you.  I was in a relationship once and although I knew things needed to change, I was determined to hold on simply because of the familiarity and comfort that the relationship provided to me.  It wasn't that the relationship was doing me any good, it was the simple fact that I was more comfortable in my current situation then I was in wondering what life would be like if things did change, you know the great unknown.  I have often talked with people and made the statement that some individuals will only accept change in their life when their current situation becomes so uncomfortable that change is the only alternative.  I have been there, and I am sure you have been there as well.  I have run from change and there have been times when I have embraced change with everything inside of me.  Some of the changes you go through will be easy and others will be like asking you to cut off your left arm.  No matter what comes to you from the changes that will attach themselves to you I can assure you that they are necessary and they will put you into a place where things will once again be right in the universe.

People are primarily resistant to change because they simply don't understand it and quite often the change that is thrust upon them comes with no real reason or explanation; at least not that they can see in the moment.  Have you ever been in a work environment where you get a new boss or supervisor who comes in and changes everything?  This change would not be so bad if you only had the reasoning behind it and were not being kept in the dark.  Most of the time when a change is spelled out and explained, then the confusion or discomfort is diminished greatly.  Unfortunately many managers and supervisors have not learned the fine art of explanation, but that is a topic for another day.

As disconcerting as change can be at times it is also an opportunity for newness.  It's almost like one chapter is closed and another one is opened up.  Change brings possibilities and new opportunities and in life today opportunity and possibility is always a good thing.  Change will refresh almost any landscape in some one's life.  It affords you the opportunity to try new things, experience new things, and grow because of new things.  Change once played out to its conclusion becomes your new reality.  All the scary notions that you once had go away and you are able to move forward with something that is now more comfortable, more tolerable, and more understood.  Without change in your life you would have no future.  If you remained a toddler how would you ever complete the things that you were designed to complete?  Going from toddler to adolescent, to young adult, and onward to middle age, are all changes that must come about.

Now everyone expects change as it pertains to age and ability, but the change that comes aside from this is what tends to put many in a tail spin.  However, change is change no matter what it pertains to.  If we can accept going from young adult to middle age, then why is it so stinking difficult to accept change as it pertains to relationships, or employment, or any other thing that changes in life?  The answer to this is simple: with age changes we expect them, with other changes they come to us unexpectedly.  Fear of the unknown, fear of what this change will mean, fear of not having control: resistance to change stems from fear, and fear once again is nothing more then the absence of love in one's life.  Love conquers fear every time, and whether you understand it or even believe it, you are loved by your creator.  This simple fact should set you up to understand that no change that ever comes about is coming to you to hurt you.  Change that is directed by Spirit is always change designed to help you get to your destiny. You see it is always, and always will be about your destiny.

Grasp change and hold on to it.  Change does in deed do a person good.  Were it not for change then you would never be where you are today.  Whether expected or unexpected change brings about those things that you need, and in most cases probably deep down want.  How many times have you cried out to others to get you out of this mess, or that trap, or even out of failed or soon to fail relationship? Realizing that change is a constant then the sooner you can accept this fact the sooner you can accept the change that is going on all around you.  I encourage you to open up and take what is coming to you, because in the total scheme of things, it is always easier to accept change then to fight a loosing battle, because in the end change will win out.

It is a good day for change, and then it becomes a good day for whatever you are hoping for, praying for, and believing for.  I leave you with this:  if you are unwilling to change, especially when a change is required, you only open yourself up for stuff that you really don't want, and quite frankly will most likely not have the ability to handle.  Do yourself a favor and accept change with open arms, an open mind, and an open heart.  In doing this you will handle whatever comes your way with flying colors.

Another Day, another Adventure: are you ready for that?

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If you haven't discovered it yet, each day brings a new adventure.  Unfortunately many people look upon this with dread, instead of looking at it as the opportunity to try something new, experience something different, and change things up from time to time.  Misadventure is what some people like to call it, but that just comes from a place of uncertainty, doubt, and fear.  Today I want to speak to the adventurist in you.  That identity in each of us that may be covered up because of various hurts and missteps, but none-the-less it is still there.

When was the last time you just threw caution to the wind and went out and did something crazy, you know something spur of the moment and totally out of character for you?  Oh, I know, that just wouldn't be appropriate, now would it?  Yea I get it, what would the neighbors think or say?  After all you do have an image to protect, don't you?  So let me ask you this Mr. or Mrs. Thing:  when was the last time you really enjoyed your life?  You know that life that is based on this image of what you think others think about you?

When we place our self in a mold and never allow for any variety then we often get mulled down by the repetitive nature of the life we have created for ourselves.  Notice I said the life "we" created?  This is not really the life that was intended for you, because life should always be an adventure and when you take the adventure out of life, you take away any possibility for positive change to come about.  Once again I am going to be a broken record, but it has to be said.  Everything we go through is a learning experience.  That being said, if what you are intended to learn comes from different experiences, then why in the world would you shut your self off from those different experiences?  There have been occasions in my life when I have been invited to try something new and at first I was not even interested in trying it.  It took some prodding from others, but in the end I made the decision to try these things out and wouldn't you know it, I loved what I did.  Had I stood fast and refused to try something new I would have cheated myself out of a wonderful experience and learning opportunity.

Now I know that life has a way of putting each of us into a box.  We have this responsibility or that expectation, but once again these are self-imposed edicts.  You can change things up, but you have to want to change things up.  If all you ever do is tow the line and never give place to change or the unexpected, then you have eliminated any chance for something great to pop up and surprise the daylights out of you.  I love surprises, they tend to bring an excitement, and in that excitement you have the chance for growth and change.  I would hate to think that life is always going to be the way it is now, especially if the way it is now really sucks.

So today is another day.  It is different from yesterday and it will be different from tomorrow.  Today is your first opportunity for adventure, at least an adventure that you may never have tried before.  What you choose to do today may not be totally out of the ordinary, but even if it is just slightly different from yesterday at least you have given yourself a chance for change.  People find themselves in ruts because people are unwilling to try new things, go to different places, or simply throw caution to the wind and just let it all hang out.  Think about it this way, why do we like taking a vacation?  We all need rest and relaxation from time to time.  Sure most of us have the weekend to recoup from the work week, but often two days off is not always enough.  That five to ten day vacation that you have been planning is great because you get to get away and do something different.  You get to forget about work, if only for a few days, but those few days are what will charge up your batteries.  But why wait for a vacation to charge up your batteries?  Why not just take an adventure and see where you end up?  It could be a simple as taking a different way home from work.  It might be packing up an small travel bag and when Friday gets here you just drive for a few hours and see where you land.  Not everything has to be planned out to the letter.  Not everything has to be voted on by committee and only then will there be action put in place.

Yes today is another day, and today can be an adventure, but only if you let it.  Maybe it's just me, but I get bored easily, and when I get bored I get frustrated.  When I get frustrated I sometimes get mad.  Face it I am human and I deal with the same issues everyone else deals with.  The answer to my frustration or boredom is to change things up, add a spice to life, allow myself the freedom to just do something crazy for the sake of my own sanity.  Maybe what you need is the same thing that many others need, a change, a shift, a new opportunity, a new adventure.  If variety is the spice of life then I want a ton of variety because I want my pantry to be full of spices.

Allow today to become a new adventure.  Believe it or not, today does not have to be just like every other day.  Today can be the start of something wonderful.  Wonderful because you have allowed chance to come into the picture and just do something completely different, completely out of character, and something completely spontaneous and crazy.  I can't wait to hear the stories from each of you.  Get out there and have the adventure of your life and then help someone else have an adventure as well, it will do you some good.

It is in knowing who you are that allows you to be who you are.

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Knowledge will indeed make you free.  There are so many people walking around without the foggiest notion of who or what they are. Is it any wonder that they are the very same people who will complain when things are not going their way or life in general is a constant struggle? In today's bonus blog I want to tackle the issue of knowledge and just why discovering what makes you who you are will set your feet on the path of success and fulfillment.

I, just like many other people, have days when I have to remind myself that what appears to be real is more often than not just an illusion.  I have been re reading a tremendous book by one of my favorite authors, Dr. Wayne Dyer.  I have learned much from his writings and I encourage you to pick up some of his work.  It will open your eyes and mind to things that will help you along your journey to discovering your destiny.  In this particular work I was reminded that I was divinely created for a specific purpose.  Your being here is not just some willy-nilly happening.  Your being here right now was divinely inspired and once you can grasp the importance of you being here you will have taken one giant step toward your understanding of the perfection of your own design and the plan for your life.

I think there is, in most people that is, a desire to be famous for something.  A desire to achieve something great, something remarkable, and something that will place your name in some record book.  There is nothing unusual with this scenario.  If people were to be completely honest with themselves I think we have all had these thoughts at one time or another.  The one thing that needs to be looked at is why do these thoughts come in?  Are you looking to be successful because it will fill a void that might exist in your life?  Are you looking for this accomplishment because you want to prove to all those who said it could not be done that it could?  There really is no right or wrong when it comes to setting a goal and trying to achieve it.  What one has to look at is the motivation behind the goal. When I was much younger I longed to be just like J.R. Ewing.  I wanted to be a Baron of Wall Street. I wanted to reach the top, but then I had to recognize the reason behind my desires.  My desire to accomplish these lofty goals was just an attempt to feel better about myself.  I could have accomplished all of these goals, but without a knowledge of who I was, why I was here, and what I was created to do, nothing was going to fill the void that existed in my life.  I was attempting to fill the void with what others had done in the past, but what others had done was designed for their life, not mine.

One of the greatest flaws of mankind is we have allowed others to condition us to believe certain things that just are not true.  Success is not measured against what you may have deposited into your bank account, or the size of your home, the job you might have, or even the car you drive.  Success is when you have a complete knowledge of your destiny and you are taking steps to walk in that destiny.  We have to get way from the notion that success is measured against anyone else.  If your calling, your purpose in life, is to be the greatest mom or dad, then that is just as important as someone who may have a calling to lead a nation.  We have allowed man to dictate what is or what isn't a measure of success.  I know from the deepest part of my being that I have been sent here to inspire others to learn about their destiny and help them in any way that I can to step out in that destiny.  I am not motivated by how much money I can make, or how famous I will be.  Will those things come about, oh sure they will, but that is not my motivation.  When one is motivated to accomplish something because of what it will do for them, then that is a tall tell sign that they have yet to recognize the true meaning of destiny, or more important, their own destiny.  One's destiny is always going to be something that will be focused on others verses focused on self.

We live in a world that has blurred the vision of the Creator's original design.  Sooner or later we are all going to have to step back and ask the question "Why am I here?"  You are here to make the world a better place.  What you do may affect only one person and what you do may affect millions.  The number of people who benefit from you walking in your destiny is not important.  What needs to be done will be done when you accept your calling and walk in it.  Knowing the reason you were put on this earth is the one thing that you must get a handle on.  You can attempt to do many other things, but they will all be one huge act of futility until you understand the reason for your creation.

I know that the words I write will have an impact on others.  It may speak to one, it may speak to thousands.  I simply write because that is what I have been put here to do.  I trust that God will open the doors for me to walk through and then I must do my part and walk through them.  My motivation is no longer focused on filling a void that existed. My motivation is continuing on this journey that was designed for me long before I took my first breath.  My motivation is to leave something for others to benefit from long after I have taken my last breath.  I still have much to learn. I know there is still knowledge out there for me to gain from, but I long to gain that knowledge, and I encourage you to begin to gain knowledge as well.  Knowledge will indeed set you free.  The freedom you gain from it will be the freedom you need to walk in your destiny.  You are a fantastic creation with fantastic qualities that others need.  It is time to learn about who and what you are and in doing that take a giant leap toward your destiny and the destiny of others.  I look forward to learning about all that you learn about yourself.

Sometimes a nuisance, sometimes a necessity.

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Those pesky one-way street signs seem to pop up at the most inopportune times.  You need to zig and they will only let you zag.  You need to turn left and yet it says you can only go right.  Had enough yet?  It also seems like these signs creep into your territory just to get under your skin and ruin what should be a stellar day.  Believe it or not these signs have been designed by experts who know the flow, the lay out of the land, and what works best.  Well maybe expert is an over-rated term, but we will give them the benefit of the doubt.  These signs are there for a purpose, and whether you like them or not, you should follow them.

 I like one way streets because I have nothing coming at me from the other direction, and with the exception of a possible car backing out into the street, I have a straight shot to my destination and a very wide berth to get through.  What I want you to see today is that one way streets are what you should be on when it comes to your life's purpose.  There truly is only one way to go through life, and until such time as you determine what that direction is, you are going to find yourself going against traffic at every turn, and what should be a happy Sunday afternoon drive, becomes a horrid, almost impossible experience.

When one is trying to discover the purpose or the meaning of life, then one needs to understand that there really is only one way of getting there.  These one way street signs should be a reminder to you that you are on the right path, doing the right things, and soon you will be to your destination.  I actually love seeing one way street signs because it is a reminder to me that I am on the right road and that my life is exactly where it needs to be, heading in the direction that I need to be going in.  Face it, once you get onto a one way street it is almost impossible to turn around and go the other way.  Think of it this way:  if you are on top of a ten meter diving platform you have two choices.  You can either jump off, which is the preferred way, or you can simply walk back, in which case you have not completed the task at hand.  Going down that one way street will get you to your destination, and when all else is done, that is the end result you should be looking for.  In life, as it pertains to discovering your destiny and walking in it, there really is only one direction you should be going in, and that one way is what the focus should be on.

I have seen people being tossed about by every manner of distraction, and this has done nothing to aid them in discovering their own purpose for being here. Most people have an idea of their purpose in life, but then they allow their own intellect to creep in and screw it all up.  Instead of following their intuition, their heart, they allow what they see, what they have experienced, and what they have been conditioned to believe, to be the driving force in all they do.  My dear friend, follow what is in your heart and forget about what may be in your head.  As smart as we are as humans, we are not nearly as smart as our intuition, which is spot on most of the time.  Once again the conditioning of man has directed us to a path that may not be the best path to be on, nor is it the path that will lead you to the one place that will provide you true happiness and joy in life.  I have allowed my intellect to guide me in the past, and although there is a time and place for this, I have found out that my intuition is far more accurate, and accuracy when it pertains to discovering your destiny is what it is all about.

There really is only one way to discover your destiny.  You can attempt to go the wrong way on a one way street, but we all know what the outcome will be if you choose to do that.  Do your self a favor and forget what others tell you is the right way or right direction to go in, and just follow your own perfect intuition.  You were given intuition for one reason and one reason only: to provide you a sure fire way of doing things right.  We all have hindsight, and we all know that hindsight is in deed twenty/twenty.  How many times have you thought to do something, decided against doing it, and when all the crying was over you figured out that what you thought was indeed the right thing to do was in fact the right thing to do?  The one way street you are is the most direct route to finding and walking in your destiny.  The one way street that is staring you in the face, although it may not be what you had intended to go down, is in fact the perfect solution to what you may be facing.

Oh I will admit that one way streets are sometimes a nuisance, but they are a necessity.  These streets will keep things flowing smoothly and they will help you get to the one place that you have always been destined to be.  Traveling hither and yon is like trying to navigate through a can of worms, but in the end that one way street will be the best route to take.  It is time for you to hop on the one way road to your destiny.  It is time to forget about all the detours you have experienced in life and come to the conclusion that there are some one ways roads worth taking.  Find the good road that leads to your destiny.  Travel on it with the assurance that it will lead you to the one destination that has been set aside for you and only you.  This final destination will be the most beautiful place you have ever seen, that you will ever be in, and one that you will never want to leave.  There is a right way, a wrong way, and then there is the one way.  Which one will you choose?  I wish you safe travels, and when you get to your destination let me know how it turns out.

When you think you're all alone and unloved, don't give up hope. There are those who love you, no matter what.

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Love, it's something we want, something we need and to many people, something that seems like it takes a lifetime to find.  You can try to go through life never admitting this, but in the end, love is the only thing that really matters in life.  I have spent the better part of my life trying to understand love; trying to figure out why I love the way I do and why I have loved those who have come into my life.  I have found love, lost loved, cried over love, and wondered if love would ever find me.  The biggest lesson I had to learn was that I would never find love until I was able to love myself.

I was looking at a picture of a very dear friend the other day, he was very young, maybe four or five years old, and yet the same smile he displayed in the picture is the same smile he has today.  The picture showed a young boy full of joy, happiness, and laughter, and yet today, although the smile is the same, was there still joy, happiness, and laughter?  I literally began to cry as I thought of him laughing in this picture, wondering if he still felt the same way today in light of all that he goes through on a daily basis.  I know there have been times when he has felt very much alone in life and I will tell you that feeling alone is a desolate place to be; when all the walls around you seem to be closing in and there appears to be no one on your side and all others are against you.  It is so very hard for me not to want to just reach out and hug someone and tell them that they are not alone when I see people who are struggling with feelings of loneliness.

There are so, so many people walking around today feeling unloved.  They move in and out of their day wondering where this thing called love is hiding and why oh why are they unable to locate it?  When there is an absence of love in your life it is almost impossible not to feel alone. You might be in the middle of a huge crowd of people and due to the lack of any meaningful relationship feel as though you are the only person within a million mile radius.  Love is something you should never fool with, as love is something that can alter a life in ways you never imagined.  I have seen love turn the heart of the most hard hearted person in the world.  I have seen love melt the cold, calculated heart of someone who's only intent was to divide and conquer anyone they came in contact with.  I have seen love turn the poorest person into someone who felt as though they had all the riches of the world for themselves.

There's an old 70's song that talks about looking for love in all the wrong places.  The question arises:  why do people look for love in places they know will hurt them?  The answer is pretty simple:  people look for love because love is the one thing that people need, whether or not they ever want to admit it.  Love is the one thing that can alter a life for better or for worse.  The three most important words one can hear is "I love you".  These three little words can change a life forever.  These three little words can either build you up or in the absence of ever hearing them, tear you down.  These three little words can mean the difference between success and failure in almost any venture you might consider entering into.  Receiving love from another person is the one thing that will reach your very core and it is love that will push you to be the person you were always intended to be.
It's easy to tell someone you love them, it's not always easy to show them.  Loving someone is not always convenient.  Loving someone is not always easy, and loving someone is certainly no guarantee that love will be returned to you by the person you are showering your love upon.

Your creation was brought about by love.  When I say this I do not mean love between the two who bore you.  Face it, there are lots of babies being born today who have not come about because of a loving relationship.  The love I am talking about here comes from the Creator of the Universe.  God's love is unconditional and it is infinite.  Spirit's plan for your life is based on love, and in that love you will be able to discover your destiny and walk in it.  If your creation was brought about because of love then isn't it reasonable to assume that love is something that would be important in your life?  Most assuredly, if love is important in your life then isn't it also reasonable to assume that God would see fit to provide love to you when you need it most?  There are those around today who can and will provide you the love you seek, without requiring anything in return for it.  When those feelings of loneliness or those feelings of being unloved rear up, all you need to do is realize that love will manifest itself to you because God is always and will always provide you with what you need in the moment.  Never give up hope.  Never give into doubt.  Never believe that you are unworthy of love.  The fact that you were created is sign enough that you are worthy of love and that is also a guarantee that love will find you when you need it most.

I have given love freely and I have received love freely.  It is now time for you to accept the love out there for you and when you do the loneliness that you may encounter will be fleeting and you will then feel what it is like to truly be appreciated and loved.  You do not have to settle for second best.  You are deserving of the best kind of love.  Those three little words mean the world when they are spoken from the heart and they go to your heart.  Open up and receive these words and know they come from my heart to yours.

Inspiration, it's more than just words, it sometimes takes action.

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If I had a nickel for those times when I should have done something, or could have done something, or even thought that I would have done something, I could retire the entire national debt.  We are all prone to wanting to do things, but at times not being able to put action behinds our desires.  Often we get mired down in worry, fear, uncertainty, and even doubt.  What I want you to see today is that we need inspiration, but along with inspiration is also a need on your part to put action behind certain things to help you get from point A to point B.

I can inspire others all day long with my writing and spoken words, but a failure to put any action behind what you are inspired to do is worthless and will never get you to where you are supposed to be.  Now just in case you might think that I am immune to this, let me assure you that I deal with inaction all the time, and I must admit that my inaction is often caused by that same worry, fear, uncertainty and doubt.  I have had to teach myself a whole new way of thinking, and it is my hope that after today you will take what you are learning and apply it to your own situation.  My curse, that I have carried with me for far too many years, is my own feeling of unworthiness.  I wrote about this not long ago, and in an attempt to not bore you to death, I will not repeat it all, but I do want to make one important point.  I had to begin to believe that I was worthy to carry on with my destiny.  My vision is huge, my desire to reach the world with my story of destiny is unquenchable, and my love for what I do is unmatched.  I will say that it was not always this way as I fought the demons of past failures, past hurts, and past fears which tried to stop me and make me feel as though I was not worthy of such an undertaking and it should be left to someone else more suited for it.  It took me coming to the understanding that what God has created is special, and there is nothing that has been created by God that was not first fully perfect.  If God decided to put me here, at this appointed time, then who am I to question Spirit's wisdom.  Knowing that I am divine and in Spirit's likeness, has allowed me to realize that I have a purpose and there is nothing that I can do to take away from the fact that I am fully equipped to accomplish the things that I was created to accomplish.

It is in this like manner that you must come to the conclusion that you as well are fully equipped to accomplish what you were placed here to do.  Doubt and unbelief has been the nail in the coffin for too many people who have left their destiny behind because they simply could not believe that they had what it took to accomplish it.  Doubt and unbelief is nothing more than not knowing who and what you are, and why you were placed here.  Doubt and unbelief is the world's way of letting people off the hook.

I think the greatest lie ever told by man was that people will always have to struggle, will always have to fight, will always have to settle for something less then they desire.  Once again we have been conditioned to believe that lack, sickness, fear, doubt, hurt, pain, suffering, and loneliness, is all part of the human existence/experience and that there is no escaping it.  Well that is just dumb thinking and the sooner you can let go of these thoughts the sooner you can free yourself from the worry, fear, uncertainty, and doubt that has left you frozen in your tracks.  If all I ever do is get you to understand just how powerful you are because of your creation, then I will have put you into a great place for you to take control and ultimately walk in your destiny.  What we think and what we say is what sets up our future.  If you are able to see yourself accomplishing the desires of your heart, then you have taken the crucial first step in being in the place you truly desire to be in.  I know people who have great dreams, but because of their past, they are unable to truly believe that they will ever get to the promised land.  Please do yourself a favor and begin to believe.  Believe in what is inside of you.  Believe that you have every right to walk in your destiny.  Believe that there is no one who can do what you were placed here to do, but you.

As sure as I am sitting here right now, I know there are people out there who want to do something, but lack the belief that they will ever get the chance to do what is truly important to them.  My role in this life is to empower people to let go of the past and begin to walk in the present that will allow them to stroll into the future.  My role is nothing more then speaking and writing words of inspiration that will equip others to take their rightful place.  We all have a destiny, and without you walking in your destiny there will be others who will have a difficult time discovering their destiny.  We are all connected and what you do or don't do will affect others.  There are so many people out there who want the best for you.  There are people all around who need what you have to offer, and that is what you should remember when you doubt that you have a calling.  The ability to be, the ability to want, and the ability to know what you were placed here to do is now what you should be focused on.  When all is said and done, the wasted energy you have spent on other things is energy you will never get back.  It is time to refocus and re energize.  There is nothing better in this world then knowing that you are in the right place, doing what you are supposed to be doing.  You could offer me all the riches of this world, and I would turn it down if it meant that I could no longer talk about destiny to others, and help them in my own little way to discover and walk in their destiny.

Inspiration is wonderful, but inspiration with action is priceless.  You can and will walk in your destiny, not because I said so, but because you are worthy of it and you deserve the best that this world has to offer.  There is nothing better in this life then being who and what you were created to be, and the reward will be yours when you come to this very same conclusion.  It is time to take the first step, and it is time to lay to rest the concerns that you will never be what you want to be.