November 7: Just Live Grateful Lives

Affirmation: Be courageous. Be strong. Do everything in love.

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Ponder, Personalize, Practice: Today begin to personalize Luke 12:7. Focus on the statement that God has numbered the hairs on your head. Read Luke 12 to get the context. What does that tell you about God’s love and care for you?

Luke 12:7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows. 

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Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown

Guidepost 5: Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith, Letting Go of the Need for Certainty

“All humans have a craving for certainty and control.

But there’s only so much you ever can control in life. There’s a limit to the level of certainty you can experience. (Especially if you’re creating something new or meaningful.)

Which is why intuition and faith are so helpful. They’re powerful tools for navigating uncertain environments.

Intuition might seem a nebulous word. But it’s actually quite simple. Intuition is a cognitive process where your mind compares the situation you’re in with all the others you’ve ever experienced. This happens at a subconscious level, which is why it’s difficult to explain your intuitions and hunches.

As Brown says, “Intuition is not a single way of knowing…it’s our ability to hold space for uncertainty and our willingness to trust the many ways we have developed knowledge and insight, including instinct, experience, faith, and reason.”

So if you want to get great at navigating uncertainty, cultivating your intuition and faith is essential.”

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Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews 

1. The Responsible Decision 

The Responsible Decisiond

The Buck Stops Here.

From this moment forward, I will accept responsibility for my past. I understand that the beginning of wisdom is to accept the responsibility for my own problems and that by accepting responsibility for my past, I free myself to move into a bigger, brighter future of my own choosing.

Never again will I blame my parents, my spouse, my boss, or employees for my present situation. Neither my education or lack of one, my genetics, or the circumstantial ebb and flow of everyday life will affect my future in a negative way. If I allow myself to blame these uncontrollable forces for my lack of success, I will be forever caught in a web of the past. I will look forward. I will not let my history control my destiny.

The buck stops here. I accept responsibility for my past. I am responsible for my success. I am where I am today—mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially—because of decisions I have made. My decisions have always been governed by my thinking. Therefore, I am where I am today—mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially—because of how I think. Today I will begin the process of changing where I am—mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially—by changing the way I think.

My thoughts will be constructive, never destructive. My mind will live in the solutions of the future. It will not dwell in the problems of the past. I will seek the association of those who are working and striving to bring about positive changes in the world. I will never seek comfort by associating with those who have decided to be comfortable.

When faced with the opportunity to make a decision, I will make one. I understand that God did not put in me the ability to always make right decisions. He did, however, put in me the ability to make a decision and then make it right. The rise and fall of my emotional tide will not deter me from my course. When I make a decision, I will stand behind it. My energy will go into making the decision. I will waste none on second thoughts. My life will not be an apology. It will be a statement.

The buck stops here. I control my thoughts. I control my emotions.

In the future, when I am tempted to ask the question “Why me?”, I will immediately counter with the answer: “Why not me?” Challenges are a gift, an opportunity to learn. Problems are the com- mon thread running through the lives of great men and women. In times of adversity, I will not have a problem to deal with, I will have a choice to make. My thoughts will be clear. I will make the right choice. Adversity is preparation for greatness. I will accept the preparation. Why me? Why not me? I will be prepared for something great!

I accept responsibility for my past. I control my thoughts. I control my emotions. I am respon- sible for my success.

The buck stops here.

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Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love by Bob Goff

November 7

We Don’t  Need To Make An Acceptance Speech To Receive Grace or A Keynote When We Give A Little. Just Live Grateful Lives.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”                1 Thessalonians 5:18.
A friend of mine was confirmed for a government position in which he would lead the initiative to curtail human trafficking in the United States and around the world. I was lucky enough to attend the swearing in ceremony. As amazing as that was, my favorite part was the end, where my friend was given the floor to say a few words. It wasn’t an acceptance speech he made. It was one filled with genuine gratitude. He reflected on the cast of people who helped him get to that point, and how they shaped him. It was really beautiful.
I am sure we can all think of times when someone has done us a favor, maybe helped us get a job or loaned us some money. We call them in tears to say they will never know how they changed our lives. Then we call them again.

I’m always a fan of sending cookies, but most people don’t want others to feel indebted to them. We simply help each other out in life because we recognize that we need each other. We do what we can, hoping the other person will help do what they can. When we give people a hand up, nothing would bring us more joy than seeing them take advantage of opportunities to do the same for other people. We don’t need to hear praise as much as we want to see them multiplying that love.
We don’t need to make an acceptance speech to receive some grace or a keynote when we give a little. Living grateful lives and giving away what we received in equal measure is enough.

What are you grateful to God for today?