Choose To Be Brave

The best thing about being blessed is you won’t be able to contain it to yourself.  One way or another you must share it.  When you feel the love of God overflows, you have no alternative course of action but to share it.

Everyone has a story to tell.  What’s your story? 

It doesn't matter if it isn't the best story in the whole world.  It is okay even if it is not “for Hollywood” or a novel-like story.  It is your story.  And because it is your story, it hasn't ended yet.  You can still make it as one of the best stories ever written.  Who would stop you?

What’s my kind of story?  It’s a story of grace.  A story of second-chances (lots of it, actually), of mercy and forgiveness.  It is a story of hope.  Hope that comes from God.

Many people would raise their eyebrows if ever they read this article, (if they really read it) especially the ones who knew me so well. 

“Well, that’s not the Roy we know,” they will probably say. 

And I won’t blame them.  This isn't the life I intended to live.  This isn't the life I wanted.  Very much so, this isn't the life I have lived.  But by God’s grace, I am living the life I thought I never deserved.  God is putting blessings in our tables, who are we to say no? After all, these are not ours to keep but to share to everyone.

Twenty-fourteen is really starting to be a great year for us.  Not because there is such a thing as great year but because we resolved to make it greater than 2013.  And we know God hears our prayers, He is making Himself felt in more ways than one. 

Why did I say my story is a story of second chances?  Because I've failed in the past... many times.  But God never gave-up on me.  He keeps on giving me another chance to try again and make it right the second time around.  Most of the time, that second time becomes second-time-version-seven-zero.  And His message is clear - He is not giving up on you, too!

I won’t give you a list of my failures.  There’s nothing romantic with failing.  But there’s nothing to be ashamed about it either.  In failing we learn.  And my failures have been the instruments God used to make me see life clearer.  He picks me up every time I fall and He lets me walk my way again.  That's how forgiving God is and that's how much He believes in us.

God has been so good that I can boast about it.  And I boast about the goodness and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ – not for what He has done – but for Who HE is. 

Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.” - 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (The Message)

In the articles after this, you will be reading about God’s grace and mercy.  It’s all about how to LIVE THE GOOD LIFE after all, isn't it?  I’m not talking about my faith, I am talking about God’s grace.  Those are two totally different things.  Faith is something you give to God and share with people. It’s imperfect just as you are. But grace – God’s grace – is perfect because it comes from One who is Perfect. 

Today, when your faith is called by the Lord to be lived, through His grace, how would you answer?  I, I choose to be brave.

http://www.choosetobebrave.org/

Your Shadow and Your Past

In the office, there's this certain group that has been observing us for quite sometime now.  They're frequent visitors at our workstations, looking over our jobs, timing how long it takes for us to do a certain task, etc.  In short, they're there where ever we are.  That's why we call them our "shadows."

Shadows follow and never leave us.

Have you ever wondered why shadows are black?  Or, why are they always opposite from the light?  Or, can't we just leave our shadows somewhere else?  And, what's their use anyway?

Shadows, like the past, are just indicators of our presence but are not meant to replace who we are or what we are.   A shadow exists because there is a "light" that shines upon us. There are no shadows without light.

Shadows are black so that it will not be given more attention than our being.  In a stricter sense, it only shows that shadows are of less importance than who we are. And so is our past - it only tells us of what we've been before and who we once were. It is not as important as who we are right now.  Who would want to look and talk to a shadow if he or she can look and talk to the living, breathing, caring and loving person?

Shadows are always opposite the source of light.  The same with our past, we cannot look at our future and look at our past at the same time. We can keep looking at our shadows but in doing so, we  are turning away from the light.  The choice is always ours.

Can we leave our shadows somewhere?  Of course not.  The same way, we cannot leave our pasts behind or ignore it every time. But, we can make the conscious effort to set it aside and focus on the more important things - the people around us and the grand future that waits for us.

What's the use of our shadow, anyway? It is a reminder that we exist and are of physical beings. And, it also reminds us that between the shadow and the source of light is where we always stand.  Between the past and the future is the present.  A reminder that among the three - the past, the future, and the present - is a choice we have to make to LIVE THE GOOD LIFE.

So next time you see your shadow, remember to look on the opposite side, and there you will see the "source of light."

Be More....

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13-14

What If You're Not Afraid...

...what will you do?

Will you scale the highest mountain?  Will swim the deepest ocean?  Will you cross the widest desert?  What if you are not afraid, will you do the things that your heart desires?

What will I do if I am not afraid?

I will tell the world all the things that I want to say.  I will do things that I love to do.  I will sing songs like no one's hearing.  I will dance like no one's watching.  I will write even if no one's reading.  I will write even if my grammar's as bad as it could get.  I will make friends with my enemies.  I will be frank to all people, tell them things that I hate and love about them.  I will hide nothing and from no one.

But I am afraid.  I am afraid that people may not understand me. I am afraid that the people who matter to me will judge me for the things that I do instead of the kind of person that I am.  I am afraid that people will hate me and ridicule me for being true.  I am afraid that I will hurt the people that I love. I am afraid that when I try, I might fail. I am afraid that my life may change and I will no longer be comfortable with it.  I am afraid to be disappointed, to be hurt and to fail.

Why are we afraid?  What is the source of our fears?  What are we afraid of?

We feel afraid because all we have are the wrong foundations, wrong reasons, wrong cause, wrong "WHY" of things..

Should we be afraid if we do things for love?

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. - 1 John 4:18

In the same manner, we learned...

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?  But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." - 1 Peter 3:13-14

Should you still be living in fear knowing that if you do good things because of love, the Lord

...Your God, [who] takes hold of your right hand and says to you, "Do not fear; I will help you."?  - Isaiah 41:13

So next time you feel afraid, ask yourself... why am I afraid?  If I will do this for God and for love, will it make my dream of BEing MORE and ACHIEVING MORE be realized?  I firmly believe so...