Dreams

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Freedom to Fly

 

Take off the limits and soar to new heights.

I remember growing up in central Florida on a little peninsula called Merritt Island. My friends and I would go surfing whenever there were waves and I have very fond memories of those times. I also remember when there weren’t any waves and we’d find ourselves strapped to a wakeboard in the Indian River being yanked behind a speeding boat with some crazy buddy driving! Sometimes we’d stop at Humphrey bridge and really get the adrenaline pumping. My buddies and I would climb up the platforms from the water and throw caution to the wind! We’d just jump! Moments before you take the jump, you’d get a crazy feeling in the pit of your stomach and then after we’d leap off the platform, it was pure excitement! Recently, I’ve found life to be very similar.

I’ve always been a free spirit and a free thinker. Unfortunately my freedom has gotten me into trouble from time to time because not only do I think freely, I speak freely as well. If you’re reading this and you happen to be on my list of not-so-favorite people, don’t worry I won’t be speaking freely about you. This post is about perspective. More specifically perspective when it comes to our current or future situation. How we perceive things and keeping a right perspective is huge when it comes to our destiny, our happiness, and our joy level. I want to give you permission to fly. We all have the freedom to fly to new heights and soar to new destinations. God has built freedom into the work of the cross, the resurrection of Jesus, and the Spirit-filled life. Ever wonder what it would be like to just go do what God has called you to do; without hesitation, without man-imposed limitations, without others getting in your way… shedding all fear and just going for it?!

This is the call of freedom, to run wild in the purpose of God and chase Him with all your heart! Currently I find myself thinking in this realm a lot more. I guess when you go through rejection, transition, restoration…. you eventually land in freedom. It’s a beautiful place to be.

The only thing holding us back is us.

Well what about the devil? The devil is a defeated foe.

What about the boss who keeps holding me back? That boss isn’t the key to your destiny.

What about people who don’t like me? People didn’t create you for greatness, God did.

Listen, God is for you and if He wants you to succeed, if He wants you to be the CEO, if He wants you to be financially free, if He wants you to be happy, if He wants you to be whole inside and out, then there is no force on the face of planet earth that can stop Him! Oh and by the way… He does want all those things for you and much much more!

If you find yourself unemployed… look at it different, you now have the freedom to create your own future with God’s divine guidance and inspiration.

If you find yourself single or divorced… look at it different, you now have the opportunity to find someone who truly cares and loves you.

If you find yourself lonely or depressed… look at it different, you can’t get any lower, the only place to go is up!

[quotes style=”classic” align=”center” author=””]When we change our perspective we can change our life.[/quotes]

When we change our perspective we can change our life. God has given you the freedom to fly. So start flapping those wings and get to soaring to new heights! God has something great for you in the future! It’s time to jump!

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Just Go Ahead and Be Childish

 

Ever been accused of being childish?

Yeah me neither. Ha! But just for the sake of conversation, being called childish isn’t such a bad thing.

When we were little kids we all had dreams of becoming something great. Maybe when we were in kindergarten we were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up. Fireman, policeman, President… everybody has answers. Not just any answers but answers that are aspirational in nature. No one ever said they wanted to be average, divorced, addicted, depressed. Ever wonder why kids don’t answer that way? I have. I’m going to venture out and say that they answer that way because inside of us is a God-given hope for the future. Inside every one of us, God plants a seed and a glimmer of excitement for what could and should be. When children answer the question about the future it’s usually positive. As grown ups we look at that and think, “Aw how cute, how naive.” It’s because we’ve allowed life’s terms to become our terms. We’ve lost our unreason-ability to not accept what is. A few things about kids we need to remember is that they don’t accept reality, they dream big, they are unreasonable, and they have faith.

Matthew 18:3 NIV
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Obviously we shed the child-like tendencies that revolve around selfishness and immaturity but we should retain the stubbornness that comes with dreaming big. Somehow we’ve allowed life to beat us up and get us to believe we are less than what we’ve been created to be. It’s time become who we’ve always wanted to be. I know it sounds so simple and idealistic but how do we do that? How do we become the person we’ve always wanted to be? Just start. Start being the person you’ve always wanted to be. Respond the way the person you’ve wanted to be would respond. Act the way the person you’ve wanted to be would act. Speak the way the person you’ve wanted to be would speak. Live the way the person you’ve wanted to be would live.

Just go ahead be childish, be stubborn, dream big, don’t allow who you’ve always wanted be to die to who you’ve become.

Go ahead and be who you’ve always wanted to be.

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Dig Deep, Build Big

 

The height of your future may depend on how deep you are willing to dig.

I’m fascinated by creators. People who make stuff, people who build things, people who restore old things, all of those kinds of creators fascinate me because they have a vision of what they think something could and should look like. It doesn’t stop with vision, they go out there and build it. Let’s take skyscrapers for instance. The idea of skyscrapers started out in the mid 1800’s. In 1931 The Empire State Building was built. It was the first building to be over 100 stories high until 1978. The interesting thing about skyscrapers is the foundation in which they are built. The Empire State Building has a foundation of over 55 feet deep. Some foundations of skyscrapers can be over 150 feet deep depending on the conditions of the soil surrounding it. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world at over 2,700 feet with a foundation of 165 feet deep! It seems the higher want to go the deeper you have to prepare.

Preparation always precedes advancement.

Digging deep is important for us to build big. Usually the depth of our past is an indicator to the height of our future. It’s important for us to dig deep into our past and figure out why we behave the way we do. We can’t live there, we shouldn’t live there but it’s important to identify certain experiences that have shaped some of our outlook on life.

Beyond digging deep into our past we have to dig deep into our purpose. Recently I had to deconstruct what I felt called to as a pastor and minister. It was an eye-opening experience but it actually galvanized my resolve and my purpose. I know more than ever what I’m called to. It’s important to ask yourself tough questions. Digging deep is the key to building big.

The next time you see a skyscraper think about the foundation, think about how deep the foundation goes. When we dig deep we can build big!

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Unlimited Faith

If money wasn’t an issue, what would you do?

A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.
-Ecclesiastes 10:19 NIV

So the recent Powerball came and went, I think it was like is $1.5 Billion, the largest Powerball in history. So did you win?

Yeah… me neither.

But what if… what if you did? What if you had all the money you needed to do everything in your heart that God has called you to do? I’ve heard people say all the amazingly generous things they would do with all that money. Help orphans, trafficking victims, plant churches, and the list goes on and on. It’s fun to imagine what we would do without the limit of money. After all, Ecclesiastes is true when it says, “money is the answer for everything.” Obviously money doesn’t solve all of our problems but in my years of coaching and consulting and speaking in churches, I’ve had so many conversations with pastors about how to add more people and more money. It’s what I do, I help churches grow in these two areas. So what would happen to your life if you had an unlimited amount of financial resource? All of sudden the limits are off and we start to dream. Let yourself dream for a moment.

This is your anointed imagination, this is the vision that God has given you. Then reality hits and you realize the limits of limited resource. The interesting thing is that God wants us to get back to vision mode. We must understand that we actually do have limitless resource in our heavenly Father. God responds to faith. He doesn’t respond to anxiety, fear, or doubt. You actually do have all the money you need to do what’s in your heart. You may not see it yet but it’s there. It’s there by faith.

Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

God provides what we need by faith! Start making strides towards doing those things that you dreamed about. God isn’t limited by a lack of money, He’s limited by a lack of faith! This is why I love being surrounded by people of faith. It’s why I love planting churches. I have never been let down by God in the area of finances. He has been and always will be faithful! God comes through no matter what. It’s just what He does.

So you didn’t win Powerball… so what! You have the God of the universe on your side to see all of the dreams He has put in your heart to succeed. After all, it’s His dream and you are the steward of that great dream! It’s time to live with unlimited faith!

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Don’t Give Up!

Our resolutions should continue to be resolved.

Well it’s the end of the very first month in 2016. Many people have made resolutions. We’ve resolved to lose weight. We’ve resolved to budget our money. We’ve resolved to go back to church. We’ve resolved many things to make us better and to improve our lives. We get back to the gym on the first day and things feel good but about two weeks of visiting the gym our resolve seems to dwindle. Our determination seems to dissipate. So what to do? What do we do when we aren’t seeing results. Well, when we start a new process of improvement, we must remember that it is a process and it will take a while. Seeing results overnight just isn’t gonna happen. Some people start tithing for a month or two and don’t see immediate blessing so they just give up. They may start running on the treadmill for a couple days and don’t get anything but sore and so they give up. Fruit is grown, it doesn’t just magically appear.

[quotes style=”classic” align=”center” author=””]Inspiration leads to motivation which can lead to determination but it’s up to us.[/quotes]

Results come with time, hard work, and patience. Inspiration leads to motivation which can lead to determination but it’s up to us. When motivation stops our determination must start. When we make a decision to change it’s up to us to have the determination to manage that decision throughout our lives. This is where most people fail on their resolutions for change. They make a decision but they don’t manage it. They slip into to indecisiveness. When you make a decision, stick to it! If what you are doing isn’t working then change what you are doing. The thing you don’t want to do is give up. Do something, do anything but do not give up! At the end of my life, I’d rather try a bunch of different things and fail than being successful at quitting.

When you make a resolution you resolve to do fix a problem. The word resolve means to settle a problem and find a solution. How silly would it be to find a solution to a problem in your life and then stop doing the solution? Solutions take work. An inspiring solution will motivate you but like I said before, that motivation will eventually need to become determination because it will get tough. It will get harder and harder so we must hang in there and grind through a little bit. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve given up on things and I do regret those decisions. I don’t live in regret but I am more determined than ever to stay focused and stay in the game! I’ve learned from giving up. It’s a hard lesson and I am writing this to save you the pain! Don’t give up, don’t give in! Whatever you are facing isn’t bigger than your GOD!

Job 23:13 (NCV)
“But he is the only God. Who can come against him? He does anything he wants.

Luke 1:37 (NCV)
God can do anything!

Psalms 57:2 (NCV)
I cry out to God Most High, to the God who does everything for me.

Psalms 59:9 (NCV)
God, my strength, I am looking to you, because God is my defender.

Romans 8:31 (NIV)
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

The scripture is filled with verses and promises that God is bigger and stronger and greater than anything we could ever face! So don’t give up, your God is with you and He will empower you to win this year! Be resolved to overcome any obstacle in your way this year. You can do it and God is for you!

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Creative Rhythm

 

It’s important to find your creative rhythm.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. -Genesis 1:27 ESV

No matter who you are, you are creative. Everybody has something inside them that needs to be expressed. God has placed gifts and talents inside everyone of us. It doesn’t have to be in one particular thing; it could be art, photography, dance, programming, writing… really absolutely anything! We think that creativity is reserved for the Michelangelo’s of the world, but that is false. The scripture tells us that God created us in His image and He created the heavens and the earth. God is a creative God and He has hardwired creativity into every fiber of our being. It’s up to its to discover it and use it for His glory. From accounting to songwriting, there is creativity in every person.

I’ve helped people find their creative rhythm through branding, marketing, design, and consulting for years. Our creative rhythm is the timing, pace, and environment in which we can produce and express what God has put in us. Once we are through the discovery process of what we are good at and maybe more importantly, what we aren’t good at it. We can focus on our strengths. We can then move forward in producing the idea through our creative rhythm. I’ve listed a few things for us to think about when it comes to finding our creative rhythm.

1. Solidify Your Ideas
God will give us ideas left and right. Some are for now and some are for later but it’s up to us to write them down. I use a couple different systems of idea collection. I still use a legal pad and love writing ideas down in big black bold letters. This is more for ideas I’m going to do right way or very shortly. Then for more bigger long-term ideas I use Evernote. From there, I go to developing and solidifying those ideas. I first decide if it’s even an idea with pursuing. This helps guard your time in producing something that may just be mediocre at best. Solidifying your ideas takes strategic planning in steps and laying out processes. Ideas are fun but then it takes work to produce them.

2. Find Your Place 
This is the place we are going to produce the thing God put in us. I used to work from Starbucks when I didn’t have a space of my own but this became more distracting than anything else. These days I have a nice little desk in my home office. It’s a place where I can sit with a cup of coffee and write or design or edit or whatever. It’s a guarded place and a place that helps me stay focused. Take the time to locate or carve out a space that is dedicated to being creative.

3. Find Your Time
This is probably one of the most important aspects of finding your creative rhythm. It’s finding the time you are creative. The actual time of day when we feel energized and motivated to produce something. For me I’m most productive between 8am and 2pm. From 2-6… I’m worthless… I get sleepy and feel the lull… honestly I just want to take a nap! Towards the evening I start feeling it again and that’s when I must decide is it worth staying up for? Ha! So whether you are an early bird or a night owl, you should utilize those times to create.

Although these aren’t the only ways to find your rhythm, I do hope these thoughts helped you think about how you can get started. You have it in you and it’s vital your destiny that it is expressed. God wants to take the creativity in you and use it for His glory. Take the time to work on your dream. If you aren’t taking one step everyday towards your dream on a daily basis then no one is either! It’s up to use to set the pace and produce the gift and express the creativity that God has put on our lives.

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Please leave your thoughts if you feel led and let’s continue the conversation! May God bless you!

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Your Roadblocks to Success

Our heart is our biggest hinderance to success.

Last week I posted about having a roadmap to success. Well this week it’s probably important to follow up with various roadblocks that can keep us from success. I may have missed doing this last week but we should probably define success. Not a dictionary definition but something I’ve gathered over the years… this is just my humble opinion and it may change as I grow. I define success as doing better than I was before; in my heart, my mind, and my world around me. Notice I didn’t say if I was richer, more famous, or any of the exterior trappings of success. I am coming through one of the worst seasons of my life but I am doing it successfully because my heart is healthier than ever (mind, will, and emotions) and I am doing better internally than I have in years. The interesting thing is that when our hearts are doing well everything else on our outside will eventually begin doing well too. It’s a matter of perspective. Keeping our joy level high. Keeping our words positive. Keeping our motives pure. These are what help you stay on the roadmap for success and helps us get through your roadblocks to success.

I’ve listed a few roadblocks that I’ve found to success and a few explanations of each. This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means but one that will have major impact if we take heed. If you can learn from my experience and I can learn from yours then we won’t have the same bad experience!

1. Naivety – Being naive isn’t all bad. It is a very good characteristic to have actually because it has a foundational trust built in with it. I’m actually a very naive person but I’ve been very betrayed and taken of advantage of because of my trusting nature.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. -Matthew 5:8 NKJV

Being naturally naive is ok, there’s a purity in heart that comes with it. Being wise is a choice. If you are naive like me, then it’s imperative to use wisdom and surround yourself with people who have your best interest at heart. You know they have your best interest at heart by what they do not what they say.

2. Selfishness – Being selfish is something we are all born with. You don’t have to teach a baby how to say, “Mine!” It just does. If we want to stay babies then we stay in a world that revolves around us. I’ve been around way too many church leaders who were building their world around themselves. If you truly love people then you will build your world to serve them. When people are selfish it sabotages their future. Selfishness is something we must take responsibility for because it starts in our own hearts.

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. -James 1:14 NKJV

3. Pride – The original sin. This is where every sin is birthed from. When we make ourselves god we replace the God who made us. Pride has been the downfall of many leaders throughout the years and has brought much pain to so many people. When we humble ourselves and accept that the world doesn’t revolve around us, God shows up with his grace and favor on our lives. Sometimes we just have to let go of the fight and let God take control.

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” -James 4:6 NKJV

4. Greed – This is selfishness’ slimy cousin. I’ve found that greedy people are highly insecure people. Not insecure about their looks or what not but truly insecure. Meaning NOT secure in the fact that God will meet their needs. Greed has a way of blinding people to the truth where they just can’t accept the truth, even if it’s right in front of their face, but want more anyway. I’ve not had the unfortunate experience of being a greedy person but I have had the experience of watching what happens to someone when they rely on people to meet their needs instead of God. It becomes a sad shallow show indeed. The antidote is faith. Having faith in God will clear the roadblock of greed out of your life.

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:19 NKJV

Hopefully this list has helped you. I know from experience that these things will hinder our success. True success is when God elevates you. When our hearts are right then God will do the elevating because when our time comes, He knows we will be ready.

 

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Please leave your thoughts if you feel led and let’s continue the conversation! May God bless you!

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Your Roadmap For Success

Vision is the key to a successful life.

The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision. -Helen Keller

People walk through life with perfect 20/20 sight. They can see physically what’s in front of them but spiritually they are limited. Some people are even blind to the vision God has for them. At some point , if your seeking it, God will put a white hot vision right in front of you. This vision will be perfect just for you. It will empower your soul, compliment your gifts, motivate you when you are weak, and encourage you when you are discouraged. There is a power in vision to help guide you through the various ups and downs of life.

Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction. -Proverbs 29:18 NIV

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. -Proverbs 29:18 KJV

I love this verse in both of these translations. This verse builds into us the foundation for the importance of vision. Vision builds restraint in our life. If we have a vision for a strong marriage then we will build in the parameters in order to keep that relationship strong. If we have a vision to build a large ministry then we will do what it takes to make sure the ministry God entrusts us has integrity. I can tell you from painful personal experiences that when we lose vision for our marriage, ministry, career, or finance then we have lost the key the ingredient for success. Truly without vision our lives will perish. Vision builds restraint in our lives. This is the power of vision. Vision will help us to be disciplined in our thinking and our behavior. If we have a vision to become physically in shape then that vision will motivate us to eat right and get our butts in the gym. If someone comes up with an idea, then ask, “Does it fit into the vision?” If not, then it doesn’t deserve your attention. Your vision for your life is your roadmap for success. It keeps us on the right path.

Maybe your vision is cloudy. That’s ok. Maybe you’ve experienced the death of a vision. I know it’s hard to hear this… but that’s ok too. Jesus is in the resurrection business. He resurrects dead things. Things that we thought were done… well, that’s His specialty. Read more on rising from the ashes in this post. God can give us a vision for something we thought we’ve screwed up.

The awesome thing about a vision is that it is a powerful component that will help motivate others to join in with you in accomplishing it just so long as the vision is from God and about others. If your vision is just about your success then you’ll have a tough time getting others on board. If your vision is about helping others and getting other people to the next level and we all win, then that’s something others can get behind.

Another thing I’ve found about vision is that it has a redeeming quality about it. God will give you a vision for a new future. Maybe you’ve experienced a failure in your marriage; God will give you a vision for a new one. Maybe you’ve failed in a ministry; God will give you a vision for a new one. Maybe you’ve failed in a small business venture; God will give you a vision for a new one. Whatever area that you have a passion for and a gifting in, God will give you a vision for.

Don’t rush the vision and don’t doubt but take heart in this verse from Habakkuk 2:2-3 NKJV…

Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

God’s vision is never late but it is never early. We must trust that right now, right where we are is where God wants us. We are being prepared for the great vision our great God has for us!

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Please leave your thoughts if you feel led and let’s continue the conversation! May God bless you!

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Overcoming Insecurity

Insecurity will keep you from the best of life… if you let it.

Insecurity is one of those things I’ve had to deal with my whole life. Living on the praise, criticism, opinion, love, hate, advice, or input of other flawed humans is just asking to be let down. To put it bluntly, insecurity sucks. It reminds me of that old Tool song, ‘Sober’… although the song is talking about something different, the line that sticks out to me is… “I will find a center in you, I will chew it up and leave, I will work to elevate you, Just enough to bring you down”.

Kinda says it all about insecurity. Insecurity drives at the center of who you are or who you were created to be. It’s a toxic ingredient that seeps into every area and relationship we have… if we let it.

“Only the insecure strive for security.” – Dr. Wayne Dyer

I’m not a fan of all Dyer’s stuff but he hit this one on the head. If we are striving for something then it means we’ve yet to attain it. If we are striving for financial security then we aren’t content in what God has provided. If we are striving for relational security then we don’t trust the one God has put in our life. Ultimately insecurity is birthed out of not being secure in Who God is and who He’s created us to be. This is such a great quote because for me it says that I am already secure. As a believer, I have security in a strong God and my need for affirmation, lasting affirmation, can only come from Him.

John 13:3… Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

So there are three things that will help us overcome insecurity. I have overcome insecurity step by step and am finding continued success in this area by looking at how Jesus dealt with it and knowing a few basic things. From this one passage we can see three vital principles that will help us overcome insecurity.

1. Jesus knew what… The first thing I’ve found in overcoming insecurity is to know what you’ve been given.  We are children of the Most High God. We have been given dominion and authority over the power of the enemy and that includes fear and insecurity! When we know what we have been entrusted with, our view of ourself changes to the way God sees us.

2. Jesus knew who… The second thing is that Jesus not only knew what He had, but WHOSE He was! Know who you are. Knowing who your are takes knowing who you aren’t. You have purpose and no matter what it looks like right now or how insecure you may feel, you are God’s. 1 Cor. 7:23 Jesus knew he had come from God and so have you. You are birthed from heaven, don’t get bogged down in this day-to-day earthly life. Yes we must deal with the things of this world but remember to deal with it from a heavenly perspective!

3. Jesus knew where… Jesus knew where he was going… back to God! Think about that… If you have a relationship with God (if you don’t … click here for more information about doing that and let me know you’ve received Jesus!) but if you have a REALationship with God through Jesus Christ, you are returning to God! That right there should take a ton of pressure off. Not only are you returning to God, but He has given you something to do here on earth! God has a plan and He will help you know where to go.

I’ll say it again, insecurity sucks but you can overcome it anytime it tries to rear it’s oh-so-ugly head… by just KNOWING!

As a practice it would be helpful to confess these three points over your life every morning!

1. Thank you God that you have given me power to live victorious in this life! I have the resurrection power of Jesus living in me and I can overcome anything today! In Jesus’ Name!

2. Thank you God that my identity and security is found in Christ alone. No job, title, or person defines me today. I am defined by my Father in heaven as a child of God. I am protected, loved, and favored by Him. In Jesus’ Name!

3. Thank you God that my future is secure in you. I will not fear, doubt, or worry today because my destiny is in your hands. I trust you today Lord with everything. In Jesus Name!

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Please leave your thoughts if you feel led and let’s continue the conversation! May God bless you!

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From the Ashes

Failure is not fatal or permanent, quitting is.

So I’m a child of the eighties as you may have gathered from my last post. I grew up on Nintendo, Cap’n Crunch, Rubik’s cube, checkered Vans, Sundeck board shorts… yeah the whole shabang. One eighties movie that stands out in mind as I was thinking of this post is “Top Gun.” Yeah that’s right “Top Gun” was the movie with the two super cool fighter pilots and their drive to make it to the top; a feel good movie by all rights but there is one part that brings us all down. Goose. The part where Goose goes into a flat spin and crashes and burns. We loved the character Goose and were all sad when it happened. He was like our friend that we felt like we knew, so when he died in the movie we all were pretty bummed. I actually remember as a kid, people crying when Goose died! It’s just a movie people! Get a grip! It’s not real life…. the actor who played Goose was still alive at the movie premiere… relax.

One thing that is real though… crash and burn moments.

We’ve all had those moments in life when we’ve crashed and burned. Some more major than others. Some of us maybe mouthed off to our boss once too many times and got fired, maybe some have seen the crash and burn of a marriage, some of us have experienced the crash and burn of a dream; regardless of your crash and burn moment the one thing I know from experience is that failure is not fatal, final, or permanent, quitting is. The only way we actually lose in life is when we give up. If you wake up one more day, pray one more prayer, breath one more breath, dream one more dream, hope one more time…. then you are living. You have not given up hope. God is the God of hope, He is the God of new beginnings.

One thing that the Holy Spirit keeps prodding me about is the city I currently live in, Phoenix. Just the name itself has prophetic overtones for my life and maybe yours as well. From early Christianity and mythology the phoenix has been a symbol of rebirth and resurrection. It’s been a legend that has inspired people for generations because generations before us have failed. We are not alone. Many people before us have had crash and burn moments. Those moments don’t define us as people only what we do with those moments will. I’ve experienced probably the worst crash and burn moment of my life but from what I know about the phoenix is that it rises from the ashes. It’s gets up from the fire that tried to destroy it and is more powerful and victorious than ever. I was in church a few weeks ago and our worship pastor started singing a spontaneous chorus that lit me up! It went like this, “You will come through the fire and you won’t even smell like smoke!” That is our God! That is what He wants to do with our failure. He leaves it in the fire and when we come out we won’t even smell like the failure that tried to define us!

You need to hear this. This is your moment of being reborn into the calling, purpose, and destiny he has designed you for. Don’t shrink back, don’t allow others to try and define you. This is your time to walk through the fire, allow to burn off what it needs to and then rise from the ashes. Oh and as a reminder… you won’t even smell like smoke.

 

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Please leave your thoughts if you feel led and let’s continue the conversation! May God bless you!

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