Evidence

Last week my fourteen year old son asked me to give him a challenge to help him stay focused on doing the right thing at school. I suggested that he look for evidence of God in everything and everybody he saw; for He is all around us. He came up with some pretty cool stuff… When asked why she did what she did, Mother Theresa replied: “Each day I rise and go into the streets of Calcutta and search for God, in all His hideous disguises.” If you look for Him, you'll see Him today. (Sometimes we just need to use 14 year old eyes)

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Trust

The salmon swims upstream for a thousand miles and finds the exact place where it was spawned to lay its eggs and die. The bear wanders out to the right place in the stream to wait for the salmon to arrive from its long journey. The salmon doesn’t complain or fret over its lot in life, or its arduous struggle. The bear doesn’t retreat to the cave after an unsuccessful day of fishing and worry about the future, filled with self doubt. We humans do these things... Maybe we can learn a lesson from nature today, and just TRUST the process, stay in the PRESENT, and do what we KNOW to do.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Survivors

I’m a big believer in the importance of attitude, perspective and rising above the victim mentality... This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to meet some of the finest examples of this when I spoke to a group of Brain Injury Survivors at Southern Regional Hospital (I love the fact that they call themselves “survivors” and not victims). These are some of the most beautiful, courageous, and optimistic individuals that I have had the pleasure of working with. It reminds me that ANYONE can change, and we can ALL find purpose in this sometimes “roller coaster” existence. I salute them, and hope that we can imitate their attitude this day.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Mindset

I’m excited... Today I get the privilege of speaking at Southern Regional Hospital to a group of brain injury victims and health care professionals. I have and will again make it clear that I am NOT a Doctor (I don’t even play one on TV!), but they still want me to speak about attitude and mindset— which I LOVE to do. I am convinced, and science has proven that the mind has tremendous capabilities to repair, reprogram and rewire itself according to how we think, react, respond and experience life— so I’ll talk about how I’ve seen that principle at work in my life and the people I work with... However, I’m the most excited about meeting these wonderful people and spending some precious time with them— I’m a lucky man.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Live Life

Today’s CHOICE: I will notice and appreciate what comes before me today. I will EXPERIENCE it. I will really “see” what comes into my path today: the sights, the colors, the shapes, all the unique individuals... I will try to “listen” to all who speak to me today; the sounds, the words, the music all around me... I will pay attention to the smells that I encounter today: the good ones, the bad ones, the evidence of humanity and nature... I will take the time to “taste” the food that I eat today: not in too big a hurry to miss the simple pleasures... I will “feel” the emotions that pass through me today as I encounter people, places and things on my journey... I wonder how many times I’ve missed the wonderful sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings around me, in me and through me, just because I was trying to get “somewhere else.” I’ll choose to stay PRESENT today... Care to join me?

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Labor of love

“Fear knocked at the door... Love answered, and there was no one there.” Perfect love drives out fear, and fear tends to be the biggest enemy of success and victory... Why not focus on the aspects of your work that you LOVE today. Take your focus and attention off of the things that you fear: the challenges, obstacles or what MIGHT happen, and focus solely on your target. Find the love in your labor, for that IS true success.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Found

Some find Him in their fear. Others find Him in their pain. Some find Him in their victory, and others in their shame. Some find Him in the darkness, when they feel all alone. Others find Him in the crowd, or in a place they never intended to roam... The whole point down here? Just FIND Him. He's not far; He's everywhere, all the time, and He's been following you all along. (Sometimes all we need to do is open our eyes)

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Possibilities

What do I REALLY believe is possible today? Can good fortune really just show up? Can the person that really needs my help the most just happen to meet me? Can just the right opportunity for my family magically appear? Can the perfect idea that will take my work to the next level just pop into my head? Can I have a day of ridiculous success and victory? What I BELIEVE is possible today, makes ALL the difference. Why can’t ALL those things show up in my life today? I believe they can, and perhaps they will. (Go find it, it’s looking for you)

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Attention

I'm on my way to spend time this morning speaking to a large group of teens. This generation needs purpose, power and passion more than ever... The brain is ALWAYS learning, and pays careful attention to what WE pay attention to. It rewires and reprograms itself according to what WE show is most important to us. Focus on drama, negativity and stress all day, and THAT is what your brain is learning, wiring and searching for MORE of. Don't give your valuable time, energy and attention today to things you do not want MORE of. Seek what you truly desire, for it is seeking you.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Cinderella Stories

March Madness... I love it. Because anything can happen: any team can win on any given night; upsets are the norm; and nothing is a “given.” Real life is a lot like that: great comebacks really do happen; the “favorite” doesn’t always prevail; David sometimes slays Goliath... People love an underdog and typically pull for a great comeback. That’s good news for you and me today. It means that the odds don’t really matter and anything IS possible. Go write your own “Cinderella Story” today— we’re all pullin’ for you.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Character

Character: “the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing; moral or ethical quality; qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity.” We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, HOPE. And hope does not disappoint us... What people need right now is hope. Let’s not be so quick to complain and spread the bad news out there. Suffering and perseverance are doing their good and important work, so that we can have strong character and lots of much needed HOPE. Trials are never fun or comfortable, but they are very important. Let’s try not to waste them today.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Momentum

Momentum: “force or speed of movement; impetus, as of a physical object or course of events: The car gained momentum going downhill. Her career lost momentum after two unsuccessful films.” Everything we do today will affect momentum: thoughts, emotions and actions; these determine the course of our day. The CHOICES we make today will either increase our momentum, or shift our energy in another direction. Today I will choose carefully and continue to build positive momentum, as I create space for good news to show up in my life... Go FIND some great news today— it’s all around you.

catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Perspective

Imagine yourself at the end of your days. A long life, well-lived; your body worn, but still beautiful. Eyes focused, with the wisdom and strength that come from experience. A deep spirituality, born out of many years of living, learning and growing. This old soul KNOWS what is and isn’t so important... Now ask that older, wiser “you” if the things that you’re so worried about today will matter when you get to that future place in time. Sometimes a little perspective makes ALL the difference. Now, I’ll go and try to focus on the things that REALLY matter today.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Open Doors

People pray. Doors open. Sometimes we walk through. Strangers become friends. Doors close again. We worry and fret, and pray some more. New doors open. We run through. Now we have a story to tell. Friends become partners along our journey... The lesson? Look for the open doors; don’t worry about the ones that close; find a friend; learn to TRUST the process (God is good ALL the time, all the time God IS good).

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Overcome

Overcome: “to gain the victory, win, conquer; to overpower or overwhelm; to get the better of in a struggle or conflict; to prevail over the opposition, debility, or temptations.” I LOVE being around Over-Comers. I am blessed to be surrounded by them all the time, and they INSPIRE me. Men who are overcoming drug and alcohol addiction; incarcerated men who are overcoming unbelievable odds as they rehabilitate broken lives; kids who are overcoming abuse and neglect in the inner city neighborhoods; and professionals who are overcoming economic obstacles and opposition as they rebuild or relaunch their careers... Here’s to those who will find the courage and power deep within themselves to OVERCOME today (you are the true, unsung heroes).

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Participate

Today is a VERY important day... You are needed, and there is very important, specific work to be done. There are things that need to be said. There are people who need to be met. There are tasks that need to be accomplished. There are individuals that need to be heard. There are deeds that need to be done. There are souls that need to be served. There are sacrifices that need to be made. There is a life that needs to be lived... And who will speak, listen, act, serve, love and give, if not you and me? Yes, today is a VERY important day. Please show up and be AVAILABLE. Thank you for your participation in LIFE today.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Miracles

Miracle: “an extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause; an event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God.” Some people say that miracles don’t happen anymore. I'm not one of those people. I believe miracles happen EVERY day; we’ve just developed sophisticated ways of explaining them away... A child’s cancer simply disappears; a hopeless addict puts down the pipe; a gangbanger chooses love over respect; a death row inmate finds a purpose; a marriage on the rocks finds love again; a family in financial ruin finds a way out of the storm... Please don’t try to tell me that God isn’t in the miracle business any more. Just OPEN YOUR EYES today and look at the world through eyes of faith. You’ll be amazed what you find.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Fear vs. Faith

“Don’t be afraid, just BELIEVE. Did I not tell you that IF you believe, you would SEE the glory of God?” It seems to me that fear is the enemy of victory. When we turn our focus and energy to fear, and what we lack, and what we dread, then we remove our powerful attention from what is POSSIBLE and from the source of our miraculous answer. Today I will focus my thoughts, my desires, and my SIGHT on what is unseen, what is possible, and what is PROMISED to me... It turns out to be a much better plan than worry, dread and fear. I hope you set your frequency on faith as well.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Believe

“Everything is possible for him who believes.” That means NOTHING is impossible. If you can conceive it, you can achieve it. EVERYTHING; no limits, no boundaries, no ceilings, and the ONLY thing that gets in the way is a lack of faith. So why not go for it? Stretch your imagination, expect a miracle, and put it to the test... What have you got to lose? Oh yeah, and by the way: VERY LITTLE is possible for him who doubts. Miracles are waiting...for the BELIEVERS.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Trials

I just returned from spending the day in a Federal Court Room with my young friend, who I have shared about previously. His trial has now become a Federal Case (which you might have heard about in the news) and he is in desperate need of your prayers. I know that many who read this have been affected by violent crime, and this young man has made some serious mistakes in his life; but over the past year, I have witnessed a powerful change within him. He has taken responsibility for his actions, sincerely sought forgiveness, and has now devoted the rest of his life to helping kids choose a better way... Please pray for his redemption-- I truly believe that he still has some very important work to do down here.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Originality

Original: “arising or proceeding independently of anything else; created, undertaken, or presented for the first time; an original work, as opposed to any copy or imitation; fresh and unusual.” Aren’t you glad that we’re all assorted and unique? How boring would it be if we were all alike, just a bunch of clones and robots? But we’re not; each one of us is wildly individual, and there’s NEVER been another just like you. You are the EXACT combination of molecules, DNA, soul, spirit and energy that the world needs; and you have been put here at JUST the right time, and at JUST the right place, in order to fulfill your intended purpose. The fun part? Trying to find out what that is... Dig deep and figure it out— but for heaven’s sake, don’t be unoriginal (you were born to stand out).

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Stubborn Dreamers

What EXACTLY do you want today? What would happen if you set ALL of your focus, attention, energy, determination and desire on THAT and that alone... Removing all distractions, worry, excuses, complaining and fear— what if you went after that target like you’ve gone after every other thing in your life that you REALLY wanted? All your passion, zeal and fervor focused like a laser beam on one deliberate pursuit… Do you really think you’d be denied? We usually get what we REALLY want, because we’re willing to do whatever it takes. The problem comes as we get older and begin to explain away our dreams and desires... Here’s to all you Stubborn Dreamers out there who refuse to take NO for an answer. Salute!

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.

Friends

Once upon a time, a man fell into a large pit. Unable to climb out, he began to yell for help. The first to come along was a doctor. He wrote him a prescription, dropped it into the hole and went on his way. Next, along came a priest. He offered up a prayer, and continued on down the road. Then a teacher happened upon the man. He wrote an assignment, dropped it into the pit, and simply walked on… Then a FRIEND came along, and he jumped into the hole with the man. “Now why did you go and do that?” the man said, “now we’re both stuck.” Then the friend replied “I’ve been in THIS hole before, and I know the way out.” How can we really help anyone if we don’t fall into a few holes along the way? Keep your head up, there IS a plan.

Catch it, come along, pass it on.

It's all about LOVE.

I imagine as we look back over our lives, the thing that will stand out the most is LOVE; who you loved, what you loved and who loved you... There are different types of love: the protective love of a parent for a child; the “puppy love” in high school; the mature love of a seasoned marriage; the enduring love of a best friend; the faithful love of a dog; the exhilarating love of a new relationship; the adoring love of a child for a parent; the unique love of a grandparent for a new born; the unequaled love of God... If it’s all about love (and I believe it is) then maybe we should focus some of our valuable time and energy on it TODAY. Pick up the phone, write a note, or just drop by and tell someone “I love you.” It very well might be the most important thing you do all day.

Catch it, come alive, pass it on.