APPROVED AND ACCEPTED

We are all created to be winners in life. We are born with a need for love, acceptance and a sense of purpose. Yet it doesn't take long before we  experience a 'Goose Egg', a zero on our personal scoreboard. We learn quickly that the approval we seek is based on our performance and that idea spills over into our relationships and every area of our lives.

If we score high we get the job, the promotion, the marriage proposal etc. In this fast paced unforgiving world our self worth depends on our ability to stay on top. We are judged on our accomplishments and when they fail to measure up we lose favor in the worlds eyes and in our own estimation.

Babe Ruth was once baseball's home run king. But did you know he was also the all -time strikeout champion? He struck out almost twice as often as he hit home runs. I guess that means he was booed twice as often as he was applauded. If he let all those discouraging thoughts fill his mind he would have thrown down his bat in defeat. Instead he kept on swinging. Just like sports fans, we tend to cheer ourselves on when we are doing well, but how quickly we criticize ourselves when we fall into a slump.

If you are feeling discouraged today let me give you some great news! You can make a comeback. All you need is the proper encouragement from the right source. From my own experience I can tell you that Jesus never rejects us, no matter how many times we strike out. He actually cheers us on and encourages us to keep swinging.  Our success is His ultimate desire and he is infinitely patient with us. He told us in the Bible  His love for us is unconditional. That means there are no strings attached. Our good or bad performance has nothing to do with His acceptance and approval of us.

God provided the total acceptance we crave because we believe in Jesus. We don't deserve it, we can't earn it, and we can't mess it up! All we need to do is accept it by faith. Your circumstances and your feelings might doubt what the Bible tells you so you have to make a choice.

Will you continue to listen to negative voices of failure and rejection or will you believe God has great things planned for your life because He loves, accepts, and approves of you unconditionally. 

You don't need to hit a home run everyday to be accepted by God. He approves of you just as you are...imperfections and all. Trust Him. His love for you is unchanging, unconditional, and eternal.

Scripture verses:
Romans 5:8  But God shows His love for us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 2:8  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you."

What does unconditional love mean?   It's when someone loves us without expecting anything in return.

TRUE GRIT

Remember how exciting it was at the beginning of the new year when you were faced with a fresh beginning! You probably made a list of goals and dreams you wanted to accomplish and exploded out of the gate full of optimistic plans and a heart bursting with anticipation. I believe God gives each one of us these longing to provide purpose and direction for our lives.Yet with the mid year mile marker in our sights, we might begin to focus on how hard and long the road to success is and let our enthusiasm fizzle.

If this sounds like you...CONGRATULATIONS!! YOU'VE MADE IT TO THE CROSSROADS OF YOUR JOURNEY. The middle of every project is where we begin to feel the stress and strain of our progress meet opposition of many kinds. Even the strongest athletes are not safe as the race turns tough and the finish line is still far off. This is NOT the time to quit!

 It's time to regroup. The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up for being human. Lift up your head for a moment and BELIEVE if God planted these goals, visions, and desires in your heart He will help you reach your Summit. "My God will meet all my needs according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

Now it's time for you to make a decision. Will you let another year come and go without giving it your best shot? Or will you get up and resume the climb to the finish line. Dig deep within your psyche and you will find that gritty person you were created to be. Fuel your passion and take small steps forward despite issues, problems, setbacks and failures. Do whatever you need to do to keep a fresh vision of your goals. No matter how far behind you have fallen...be positive. Cling to the path you are traveling with everything you've got. You're not alone. Stay focused on God's strength, not your weakness. Nothing is impossible with God.

I'll see you at the finish line!

FREEDOM FROM TOXIC OVERLOAD

In about 340 BC, Hippocrates said,
" Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."

Seems the "Father of Medicine" was spot on. Within the last 15 years there has been a shift toward nutritional research. Academic clinicians now believe food is the original medicine. Dr. Brenda Rea from the Loma Linda University says, "What people eat can be medicine or poison. As a physician, I now realize nutrition is one of the most powerful lifestyle changes you can make to reverse the effects of chronic disease." There is also growing evidence that regular detox/cleanse regiments help us rid our body of toxic residue that builds up over time in our vital organs. These toxins, due in large part to an increasingly toxic world, are poisoning our bodies, causing disease, and in extreme cases premature death. The good news... doing a cleanse is like hitting a reset button for your body. Detox drinks can be whipped up in your kitchen without a doctors prescription, and without laying out big bucks. A little bit of prevention goes a long way to boost energy, cleans the liver, aid weight loss, reduce inflammation and promote healing.

But why stop here when you can experience a cleanse at a deeper level, with eternal results? The Great Physician, Jesus Christ, explained over 2,500 years ago, the secret of inner peace and spiritual  healing. The word of God tells us to get rid of malice, envy, deceit, and slander of every kind. Science has proven that when we hold onto anger, hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness we poison our minds, and the devastating results eventually take a toll on our overall health. Our merciful God gave us the recipe to detox our mind, body and spirit. All we need is a quiet place to sit, one on one with our creator, and let it all out. "If we confess our sins , he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."( 1 John 1:9 NIV)  If we release these toxic emotions to God, the purifying waters of his mercy will free us to experience His forgiveness, love and healing. Confession is the medicine placed in our fragile hands to help us attain peace, joy and health.

DIRECT YOUR FOCUS

 When coaches are searching for potential hurdlers they are not looking for the tallest, the fastest, or the strongest athlete but instead the person who is not afraid of hard work, has a good attitude, and is committed to the sport.  Hurdlers need to put their minds and bodies through some tough lessons to learn the techniques associated with jumping. The coach realizes most beginners, no matter how dedicated, experience the same weaknesses. Although the hurdle is an inanimate object; it just sits there- many new athletes fear it. It begins to grow in their minds eye and they lose their focus. Once the athlete stutter steps as he makes the approach, the jump is compromised, and he ends up knocking the hurdle down, disqualifying him from the race.

Although I'm not an athlete per se; I am a hurdler in a spiritual race, and totally understand this concept since life if full of obstacles. We are told in the bible to, "Fear nor, for I am with you; Be not discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10 NIV) As a spiritual athlete in training, the Holy Spirit began to teach me how to successfully jump life's hurdles.

The first thing I needed to learn was how to condition my mind and emotions daily in order to make them strong. The best way to develop spiritual muscle is by soaking up the word of God. This might seem like hard work in the beginning but when you stick with it, studying the word energizes you. The second thing we need is a good attitude so we can "mentally" approach a hurdle without fear. When we focus on our problems they seem bigger than they really are and we forget our God is with us. My coach taught me not to look at the hurdles in life as obstacles to be avoided or stressed out over. These temporary problems are used as training tools by God to strengthen us so we learn to trust and rely on him. The last thing a spiritual athlete must do is stay committed to the race. As believers, our growth in the Lord takes time, effort and prayer.

Once I learned to deliberately direct my focus on God, I began to have a steady stride that propelled me forward in faith. No matter what hurdle you might be running toward in your life God promises to be with you, to strengthen you, to help you, and to uphold you.