Tag: devotional

No Excuses – Just Do It!

Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

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Heard something extremely profound today from a young, yet very intelligent young man…’Excuses sound best to the person that’s making them up!’ Such a true statement that really got me thinking. Every time life throws a curve ball, don’t duck and run away because the ball is coming fast.  Instead brace yourself and get ready to knock the ball out the park.  In other words, look at it as an opportunity.  I always say that how we deal with things is always based on perspective.  Is your mind-set so restricted to the point where simple things get you off track?  Here’s something else to consider, is your perspective based upon someone else’s opinion?  I am not opposed to seeking advice from other people, especially when they have more experience.  What I am opposed to however is allowing another individual’s opinion to completely change yours.  People’s opinion are based on their perspective and if they don’t have the right perspective, then their opinion isn’t always going to be the best.

Now back to making excuses.  It’s good to be solid, structured and organized.  But if you don’t have a little wiggle room and possess the ability to adjust, this journey called life is going to be a little tougher than you think.  Do not allow situations, circumstances, people and most importantly yourself to stop forward progress. It’s so easy to come up with a list of reasons why you can’t do something to try and justify it.  It may even feel good at the moment, but those feelings are temporary.  It will eventually catch up with you.  Don’t take the easy way out! I promise you, every person that has ever been successful in life put their pants on one leg at a time, just like you.  When they were faced with adversity, they fought their way through.  Instead of making excuses, they stood up to the test and did what they needed to do. If they can do it, so can you.  You can have results. You can have excuses.  You cannot however, have both.  Everything you need to succeed is already on the inside of you.  I say no excuses! No apologies! No explanations! No justifications! Just do it.  God Bless 🙂

~letstalkaboutlife365.com~

Philippians 4:13 KJV “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

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You Are Important

Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

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I’ve come to realize that a lot of people put up a big persona about their life, making things appear far different from what they really are.  Why is that?  Why do you want things to seem bigger than they really are?  Is it to draw importance from other people?  I was listening to a sermon the other day and the pastor said this, the art of life is when you think what you do is important.  This is such a true statement. When you think that what you do is important it is important, simply put.  You do not have to put on a show to try to make things appear bigger and better than they are.

Some people are missing their purpose and destiny in life trying to find something big and impressive so that people will think that they are significant.  And maybe if other people think you’re significant I will start to think the same way.  Wrong! People thinking you are important will not change the way you feel about yourself.  It will not change your self-esteem. This is why it’s called SELF-ESTEEM.  Until you think high of yourself, me thinking highly of you will never be enough. Stop looking to others to find a sense of importance.  I’m here today to tell you, you are very important.  You are special and you were created for a purpose.  Be the best you that you can be, and let everyone else do the same.

~letstalkaboutlife365.com~

Song of Solomon 4:7 NLT “You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.”

That’s Just Who You Are!!!

Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

Kindness is one of the most valuable gift you will ever give someone.  No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted.  I’m sure you’ve heard however the saying, don’t take my kindness for a weakness.  You’ve probably even had to tell a few people those exact words a time or two.  This is basically saying that just because I am nice, I will not be taken advantage of.  Now, lets look at the flip side of this.  Why are you nice? We were all taught the golden rule growing up, treat others how you want to be treated.  So, are you nice because you want others to be nice to you? Are you nice because you are expecting something in return? Or are you nice because that is just who you are?  The best obvious answer of course would be because that’s just who you are.  Ok, got it. So let me give you this scenario and see if this gets you thinking…
There’s a person who you help out, give things too and consider to be a friend.  You see them one day and they act as if they don’t even know who you are.  Not only do they not speak, but when you speak to them, they look you dead in the eye and completely ignore you.   What is your initial response?  Do you get mad because of how “kind” you were to them? If the answer is yes, which let’s just be honest, that’s going to be most people’s answer, than you have to go back to my initial question.  Why are you nice? My point here is that you have to acknowledge that good or bad sometimes our behavior is motivated.  Motivated by what, just depends on the person.  If your motives are truly right, then the behavior of other people won’t determine whether you are nice or nasty.  You will keep being you because that’s just who you are.  Kindness is a character trait.  It is not something you can simply take off the shelf and put it on like an outfit when you feel like it.  If you are doing that, then guess what, being kind is just not apart of who you really are.
So if someone I’ve been kind to stops speaking to me or acts if they don’t know me, I have decided that I will take that as a lesson learned about them.  I will not allow it to hinder me from being me and showing kindness towards other people.  As I’m writing this, I have to admit this is truly a tough pill to swallow, but I know that with the help of God nothing is impossible.  Even concerning my emotions and especially concerning my character.  The bible says that we are the likeness of Christ, and I believe wholeheartedly that in doing so, there are certain things about me that I am just going to have to get together.  This issue I’m talking about today is one of them.  You don’t like anyone so much that you allow them to pull you away from the likeness of Christ.  Be thankful when you learn who people are for real, but I’ll say it again, don’t let that change who you are.