Blend

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in the great state of Missouri! We are so blessed to be spending this Memorial Weekend with my oldest Tender Warrior, Payton! :)

Several years ago I went through a training session, and took an assessment tool, titled "Leading From Your Strengths." Now, the first mind blowing concept that was taught is that there is not a right or wrong with certain attributes, just different. For example when it comes to decision making; there are people who can make snap decisions and others that need to take their time, process, and then make a decision. There are times when both are needed...not right, not wrong, just different.

There was also another concept that really resonated with me; instead of stoically sitting their within our own styles, work towards the other person, blend. And here is where this can really become key; say I am more of a "snap decision" type of person - I am! :) - and my Beautiful Bride is more of a "process it and then make a decision" type of person - she is! :) So now, we are in the thick of this beautiful, crazy thing we call life. A decision needs to be made. I am ready to make a decision. She is processing it. We talk, or at least try to. I want to make the decision, she wants to wait a little longer and process it. And then the real trouble starts...I can sit there and be critical of her - "Why can't she make a decision?" - and she can sit there and be critical of me - "Look at him, haphazard in his decision making?" We then start picking each other apart. Neither is right or wrong, we are just different. However if we don't recognize that we are just different in how we make decisions, and learn how to work with each of our strengths, we make the entire issue into something else all together different. Is there times when each style is needed? Absolutely! And it would be wise to learn our different styles, recognize when each would benefit us, and then actually apply what we know! When we do this well, life is pretty awesome! And when we don't? Well, it is less than glorious. Not only do we struggle in the decision making process, we also struggle in our relationship because we are now fighting, picking each other apart, etc., making an issue out of something that was never the issue in the first place - the simple fact that each of us has our own strengths.

I want to encourage us this morning, Friends, to blend. Instead of picking the other person apart when there is a difference between who we are and who they are, work towards them. No, you don't need to be who they are and they don't need to be who you are. It would be wise to recognize that we all have strengths, we all have weaknesses within our strengths, and to move toward the other person, to really understand them, appreciate them, and to understand that there are times when all of us have something to add to the greater good. Nobody is always right and nobody is always wrong...we are all valuable, we all have a critically important purpose, and we all have something of value to add. When we sit there, refusing to work towards and with others, we are operating at 1/2 strength. Let's be different!

I want to encourage all of us, when there is a difference, let's seek to understand. Let's commit to people and not get so hung up on characteristics...we all have strengths and weaknesses, talents and something less. It is an awful small world when we only want or accept those who think, act, and do what we think, act, and do. Let's be different! Let's look for the greatness and goodness in others. When there is a problem, challenge, or issue, let's look in the mirror instead of out the window. Let's figure out what we could do better/different instead of telling others what they should be doing! 

I want to close by sharing a scripture, a quote, and the lyrics from a song.

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." - Romans 12:18

"I'm not going to let what someone else does or doesn't do determine the type of person I'm called to be." - Unknown

Undivided

Tim McGraw and Tyler Hubbard

You see, Billy got picked on at school

For things he couldn't change

He tried his best to play it cool

But in the seventh grade

You either fit right in or you don't fit

That's just the cold hard truth

I wish that I'd have been the friend

That Billy never knew

I think it's time to come together

You and I can make a change

Maybe we can make a difference

Make the world a better place

Look around and love somebody

We've been hateful long enough

Let the Good Lord reunite us

'Til this country that we love's

Undivided (yeah)

You either go to church or you gonna go to Hell

Get a job and work or you gonna go to jail

I just kinda wish we didn't think like that

Why's it gotta be all white or all black?

And when we gon' learn to try on someone's shoes sometimes? (That's right)

When we gon' start to see from someone else's eyes?

I think it's time to come together

You and I can make a change

Maybe we can make a difference

Make the world a better place

Look around and love somebody

We've been hateful long enough

Let the Good Lord reunite us

'Til this country that we love's

Undivided (oh yeah)

Undivided, oh yeah

We're all the same to God

No matter what we get His love

I'm tired of lookin' left or right

So I'm just lookin' up

I think it's time to come together

You and I can make a change

Maybe we can make a difference

Make the world a better place

Look around and love somebody

We've been hateful long enough (hateful long enough)

Let the Good Lord reunite us

'Til this country that we love's

Undivided (come on)

Oh yeah

Undivided, oh yeah

Oh yeah (get a job and work or you gonna go to jail)

Undivided (I just kinda wish we didn't think like that)

Yep (why's it gotta be all white or all black?)

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well! :)

Kev

Embrace the Challenges

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! It is my youngest Tender Warriors birthday today! Such a blessed day! I am truly excited to live this one fully! :)

Last week I was listening to a Christian radio station while working out. One of the things this radio station does is let people call in and say a prayer. On this particular morning they had a little boy, 6 or 7-years old, call in. His school district was having state testing and he wanted to say a prayer. The radio host asked him if he was excited for his test and he joyfully exclaimed, "Yes!" Somewhat shocked by the precious boys response the host asked, "Why are you so excited?' Without hesitation the little boy said, "Because my Mom said I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." The little boy then said one of the sweetest, thoughtful prayers I have ever heard.

Now, a couple of things:

1. If you have never had a child pray an earnest prayer over you let me simply say, "it hits different."

2. I have thought about that little boy, his eagerness to take his test, and about how most of us don't quite look at the test of life that way a lot this past week. My hope this morning is that perhaps we can shift our perspective when the tests of life come our way.

Now this first thing you might be thinking - or perhaps it was just me! :) - "yeah Kev, but this is just a little boy. His test is nothing compared to what I am facing." The Bible tells us some things about this....

"And said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 18:3

"Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." - Luke 18:17 This one really hit me. Please, read it again. "Receive the kingdom of God like a child.)

"And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." - (There it is again!) Mark 10: 13 - 16

Right about now wisdom is telling me that instead of rebuking or explaining away a child's faith, it would be good to learn from it! :)

So, being properly educated about what type of faith I should have, I am left with, "What is the problem?" Why do we go to such great lengths to avoid the challenges of life? O.K., maybe it is just me, but why? :) I mean, most of us aren't looking at this day, this season of life, and hope that we have some challenge to face or some trial to go through.

I found a great post by Pastor John van Gorkom that is very thought provoking. It was written on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 and the full article, titled Embrace the Test, can be found at lifelinkdevo.com. Here are a few excerpts from Pastor John's post:

"When I was in school, I loved tests. They were an opportunity for me to prove myself. They were a way in which I could qualify myself. I have since learned the terrible dysfunction of that. But nevertheless, I still love tests. Today, at my age, my favorite tests are difficult golf holes and fishing around a cold front. They still provide me opportunities to prove myself as well as improve myself and grow.

However, there are many tests that I hate. Financial loss is an unpleasant test. Pain and suffering are hardships we'd rather not endure. There are many such tests in multiple areas of our lives, and we tend to see them as an interruption to what we consider normal, so therefore we hate them.

However, tests are designed to prove us and improve us. Our insecurities may cause us to hate tests because we doubt we have anything to prove, or that we will be proven insufficient. Security embraces tests. Our pride may cause us to hate tests because we don't think we need to improve. Humility embraces tests."

"Life is filled with tests. The life that is filled with the Holy Spirit sees every test as a means by which God proves us and improves us."

He then shares James 1: 2 - 4

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

My whole hope here is that we will simply change our perspective, and therefore our attitude, about the challenges we face in life. That instead of running from them, instead of fearing them, we will embrace them, recognizing them for what they are - an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to become all that we are capable of becoming.

There are many different season of life - this is Biblical. There are times we will stand on mountain tops and there are times we will find ourselves in deep valley's. So as I have thought about that little boy, about the challenges we face in life, is it a coincidence that these lyrics from the Tauren Wells song, Hills and Valleys, have been on my mind all week, and that I have sung them repeatedly?!?! My Beautiful Bride can testify I have sung them over and over and I must say, I truly don't appreciate her commentary on my singing abilities! :) 

"On the mountains, I will bow my life

To the One who set me there

 In the valley, I will lift my eyes

To the One who sees me there

When I'm standing on the mountain

I didn't get there on my own

When I'm walking through the valley

I know I am not alone!

If you have never listened to the song, I would strongly encourage you to do so. And of course, I would be happy to sing it to you though Kath would not recommend this option for you! :)

I want to close by sharing a couple of quotes/thoughts with you that I came across this week:

"Champions always want to be challenged.

Many times, one does not know how much is within until an unexpected challenge arises.

When one can overcome this, the satisfaction is even greater.

So, enjoy being tested and up against the odds." - Dr. Jim Afrenow

"God has something great for you but you must take action with faith and go through the battle to seize it. It's never going to be easy. It's not supposed to be. The struggle builds character, fosters humility, develops your strength and makes you appreciate the journey." - Jon Gordon

"Stop trying to skip the struggle.

That's where character is built.

Embrace it.

Learn from it.

Grow from it." - Unknown

Our lives have great value, meaning, and purpose. We have to go through - the way of the buffalo! - the challenges to develop into all we were created to become, and perhaps, to find out who we really are. And please never forget, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well.

Kev

Mom: Perfectly Imperfect

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)

Last Sunday was Mother's Day...the day we celebrate the incredible women who so selflessly sacrifice for others and are the embodiment of unconditional love! Facebook and Twitter were flooded with messages from children - young and old - profusely thanking their Moms and showering them with the love. And something real struck me; while the Dads and kids are proclaiming that their Mom is the "Best Mom in the World" or the "Best Mom Ever", when Moms wrote messages, more often than not, they included something like, "I am not perfect..."  This really bothered me and I have spent a lot of time in thought and prayer about it this week.

While Moms are not perfect - none of us are! - I would argue that they are as close to perfection as anyone since Jesus! My Bible tells me to love without condition; Moms do this perfectly! My Bible tells me that the greatest among us serve others; Moms do this perfectly! My Bible, and the world, tells me that greatness is found in sacrificing for others; Moms do this perfectly! Moms, you are losing the argument here! I don't, however, want to argue with you...I know how that will turn out! Y'all are pretty good at that one too! :) No, my heart this morning is to simply encourage you...

I don't have much experience at being a Mom however I have spent a lot of time thinking about and praying for you all this week. I have a thought for you that was revealed to me during one of my talks with God about you this week:

Your kids don't love you because you are perfect, they love you because you love them despite their imperfections.

I did some research and I want to share a couple of things that I hope speak to your hearts and help you as you continue to walk your blessed journey. First I want to share excerpts from an article titled 3 Things To Remember If You're An Imperfect Mom which was written by Jessica Kastner on November 5, 2020. You can read the full blog at thehumbledhomemaker.com.

1. Focus on what makes you great.

"It's all about the memories and quality time we spend with our kids. Of course we should always be praying to improve, but by focusing on our strengths and celebrating how we rock it as a mom is key."

2. Nothing will ever be perfect if kids are involved. Period. And the sooner we accept it, the better!

"When we learn to live in the moment and not get hung up on the guaranteed wrenches thrown into our day, we become much more joyful, relaxed moms."

3. Find your own mother style.

"I don't believe there's this magic, one-size-fits-all way to mother. The longer you're a mom, the more you learn to craft your own style and approach parenthood in a way that suits your personality, and your kids' needs."

"It's less than ideal at times, but allowing ourselves to approach every part of motherhood, with a blank canvas, really thinking about why and how we do things, can be very freeing, and much more conducive to joy."

I also want to share some excerpts from 7 Reasons to Stop Trying to Be a Perfect Mom. It was written by Jennifer Houston on May 4, 2014. You can find the full article at womanitely.com.

1. Children will strive for perfection.

"When you are trying to do everything perfect and you are obsessed with being perfect, your children will strive for perfection too."

"Don't dwell on past failures and mistakes. When you make a mistake, there's actually a lesson for you to learn. Learning from mistakes helps your children develop and grow and you should realize it now when they are small."

2. Do your best

"Parents set examples for kids, so stop trying to be a perfect mom, instead focus on being the best mother you can be and allow yourself room for some imperfections. Your children will do their best and will know that it's okay to make mistakes every now and then."

3. The perfect Mom doesn't exist

"Nobody is perfect and the perfect mom doesn't exist. When you're trying to be a perfect mother, you're aiming for something that is impossible."

"It's wonderful to be a mother, so don't waste your time attempting to make everything perfect."

4. You're stressing your family out

"Striving for perfection is a hollow goal that can never be reached. When one family member strives for perfection, the whole family suffers. It leads to misunderstandings and can even cause lots of fights."

5. You're stressing yourself out

"You should always keep in mind that perfection makes people miserable. Do your best, be happy and be confident in being the mom that you are. Learn from your mistakes and move on."

6. You can become unbalanced

"If you're focused on one area of life, you can become unbalanced and it's a bad thing. While being a mom is an important position and one of your top priorities, it's bad to focus only on it."

7. Make progress

"Instead of trying to be a perfect mom, try to make progress in all areas of motherhood. Again, mistakes are good and you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. Realize that you are a wonderful mother and wife. You don't have to be an ideal mother. Your children love you for who you are, remember it."

Finally, I want to share a quote by Rachel Marie Martin titled, The Brave Art of Motherhood:

Live Bravely.

Bravery doesn't mean you are perfect.

It means you try.

It means you show up.

It means you love.

It means you care.

It means you give.

It means you hope.

Live with courage.

Bravery is imperfectly perfect. 

You are brave.

Moms, you are truly amazing! Your position is ordered and ordained by God! You are more than enough, you are everything! You are the one who was chosen to be the Mom for your precious child(ren)! I pray that you will see today, the beauty that we all see in YOU!

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well! :)

Kev

Are We Receivable?

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new opportunity begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)

My Beautiful Bride, Kathy, leads a women's group at church. It is something God had really burdened her heart to do and, despite her own fears and doubts, she chose to be obedient to this call. Not surprisingly, God has brought together such a wonderful collection of beautiful souls that love and encourage one another. It has been awesome and awe-inspiring to watch!

After their meeting this week she went out to lunch with a couple of the ladies from her group. One of them decided to share her story with Kath. This beautiful woman with a priceless soul has endured a lot. One of the outcomes of the many hardships she has faced, many created by "Christians", she had walked away from the church. She has only recently started going back to church and when she heard about this group, she wasn't sure she wanted to participate. She didn't know if this group would be like other "Christians" she had encountered...would they shame? Would they judge? Would they hold up their (pretend) perfect lives and use them as a weapon against her? So you know what she did? She did research. She jumped on Facebook and looked at Kath and other women that are in the group. She read their posts and looked at their pictures. All in an effort to see if she thought they were loving and kind...or something else.

I have thought about that conversation several times. What message are we sending to people with the lives we live? Are we so busy trying to cover our brokenness that we lose the ability to connect with people just like us, the broken? Are we so busy trying to portray that we have it all together that we fail to let others know that we are doing the very best we can to hold it all together, just like them? That is definitely not the life I want to live...and I don't believe that this is the life God has called any of us to live. While perhaps cliches, I do believe these two statements are true:

1. Our messes become our messages.

2. Our tests become our testimonies.

But only if we keep it real. If we drop the masks, stop the facades, and genuinely do life with people. But that can only happen if we are receivable.

I have referenced the book, Love Kindness; Discover the Power of a Forgotten Christian Virtue, by Barry H. Corey many times. This is one of the best, most thought provoking, books I have ever read. I would highly recommend it! In Chapter 1 - it is not a mistake that it is the first chapter...it was very well thought out! :) - Barry talks about first and foremost being receivable. I want to share several excerpts with you. And it should be noted, Dads, that most of what Barry references is what he saw his Dad live out every day...not just what he talked about!

"...a receivable life. Love your enemies. Receive a child in Jesus' name. Pray for those who persecute you. When you're slapped on the cheek, turn the other. Listen to the the shunned harlot. Talk to the scorned tax collector. When someone takes your coat, give him your shirt. When someone tells you she wants you to walk a mile with her, walk two."

"Knowing I was the student that moment as we turned onto the next street, I waited for my father to continue. He told me that in everything he did, he would choose to make himself receivable to the people God placed in his life.

He actually used the word receivable. This was the word that made him tick. I don't know if I've heard other followers of Jesus refer to themselves that way, but the word works for me. My father gave me the vocabulary to articulate his way of life and to help me understand it in mine.

He stopped walking and turned to me. "Barry," he said, "if the lives God intersects with mine don't have the opportunity to receive me, how will they know the love God has for them?" I nodded."

"I've got to live my life so strangers, friends, aching, lonely, family - they receive me," he said. "And through me they see God's inexhaustible love."

"Over the years I've been quick to relegate the way of kindness to someone who is simpler, who is less of a leader than I am. I am quick to conclude that some people have the knack for kindness, but it's not my thing. I'm too busy, too proud, too shy, too apathetic, too fearful, too macho, too passive, too oblivious. When I do this, I'm missing the point that for followers of Jesus, it's not an option but a mandate, not an occasion but a lifestyle. This has been my struggle for the better part of my life.

We're okay with occasional acts of kindness, but a life of kindness? That's for those less burdened by the strains of responsibility and who have a lot more margin to pencil kindness moments into their schedules. Kindness is too soft for leaders.

But the Bible never talks about kindness as a gift you either have or you don't. It describes kindness as a fruit of the Spirit, a virtue that is meant to grow from all Christians, even when other people don't like the kindness they see in us. 

This may sound counterintuitive, but the objective of the receivable life is not to be received, but to be receivable. The goal of the kind life is not to be thanked; it is to be obedient. Whether or not the grocery clerk or the college professor receives my overtures of kindness should not be my concern. Jesus never said we would be received. He simply said we need to make ourselves receivable - that is, to remove the distance or obstacles that keep others from seeing Jesus within us. In fact, Jesus said that sometimes, despite our lives of grace, we will not be received. We can expect, then, to be ignored, rejected, or ever persecuted. He even assures us of solidarity with him when we are snubbed, affirming in the Gospel of Luke that "whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me" (10:16).

I sometimes confuse living to be received and living to be receivable. Living to be received focuses on how others respond to my kindness. This is out of my control. Not only that, but living to be received ultimately inflates my ego. Living to be receivable is different. It decreases the ego because it's kindness that is not waiting for a thank-you. Living the way of kindness should not be measured by how people perceive me. Living the way of kindness calls us to a posture of humility, and humility is most authentically lived when I accept that my kindness will sometimes be rejected. Kindness focuses on how I open myself for others to receive me, whether they choose to or not."

"Those who live the receivable life make it easy for some to love them. They also make it easy for some to despise them. But they don't make it easy for anyone to forget them. Kindness always stands out."

"The way of kindness is not just having the right theology; it's being the right kind of people. It's understanding that our lives as Jesus' followers mean we have a common humanity with everyone, and therefore there's no need for exceptionalism. We owe all human beings the honor due them as beings made in the image of God."

Let's not strive to be perfect, to hide all our faults and flaws. No, let's strive tirelessly to be receivable. To let others know that they are not alone and, most importantly, let's let them know of the love, mercy, and grace that God has for them.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your families. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well! :)

Kev

The Crucible

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this glorious Saturday morning from the great state of Missouri! :)

What a last few days it has been! On Thursday my youngest Tender Warrior, Landry, my Beautiful Bride, Kathy, and I drove from Alabama to Illinois. As soon as we got there we loaded up Payton's, my oldest Tender Warrior, stuff into a U-Haul. Yesterday we drove from Illinois to Missouri, unloaded it into his 3rd floor - 3rd floor!!!! - apartment and began the task of putting together a home.  While it has certainly been busy, the testimony would not be accurate if I didn't tell you everything has gone great and, despite being tired, we have truly had the best time together! This does, however, explain why I am quietly typing Happy Friday in a hotel room on a Saturday morning while everyone else is asleep! :)

This morning I simply want to share a few thoughts, reflections, and hopefully put a few tools in your toolbox as we all journey down this beautiful path called life. 

Crucible - merriam-webster.com defines crucible as "a severe test" and "a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development."

Two quick questions:

1. What do you value? Or, more specifically, what are your values?

2. How do you know?

I will tell you where these questions come from. Our leadership team at work is working through the book, The Leadership Challenge. We are at the beginning, discussing values. We have challenged ourselves with really reflecting on, and writing down, our values. This is important because the things you and I do, the decisions we make, are all run through the filter of our values. We will not do anything, at least not consistently, that runs counter to our values. Having clarity around our values helps lead, guide, and direct us in our decision making and, when we are able to accurately communicate them to others, it also helps us in building relationships. And there is one real key component in all that; I don't have to have the same values as you to respect you, to like you, or to be your friend. I do have to know who I am and I do believe I should respect who you are. If either one of us has to compromise our values, or if either one of us is trying to change the other, we don't have a healthy relationship.

So now, to get more to the point of what I want to talk about this morning; how do you know what you truly value? How do you know what your values are? I would offer that we don't, not really, until they are put to the test. We can say we value something, we can believe we value something, however the moment of absolute clarity, of absolute truth, will come with the testing of that value, that belief. And the tests don't always have to be big, grandiose, tests...they can happen in a million small tests every day.

So a couple of things I want to encourage all of us to think about this morning:

1. I want to encourage us all to embrace the crucibles. Yes, I am serious! :) No, none of us want problems and challenges. We spend most of our lives trying to avoid them. However it is in the tests of life that we learn, grow, and become all we are capable of becoming. It is in the tests that we find out what we truly believe, we find abilities we did not know we had, and we find out how strong we truly are. It is a matter of shifting our perspective. Instead of looking at challenges and problems as something that should be avoided at all costs, the next time we find ourselves in them, let's lean in and ask ourselves what we can learn. Let's not doubt our abilities but rather look at the countless challenges we have already overcome at this point in our lives and know, based on our past history of success, that we will overcome this challenge, this obstacle, as well.

I also want to encourage us all to also think about where we are going to go, what are we going to turn to, where are we going to find our strength when these challenges and obstacles come. The reality is we are all going to face them...how will we deal with them? Some people turn to faith, some people turn to alcohol and drugs, some people simply run. The choices we make in these crucible moments are going to greatly impact the men and women, husbands and wives, dads and moms, the friends, that we will become.

I want to share a couple of lyrics from Lauren Daigle's song "Peace Be Still". These lyrics speak to my heart so powerfully! And I would also encourage you to listen to the song.

"I don't want to be afraid/Every time I face the waves/I don't want to be afraid/I don't want to be afraid/I don't want to fear the storm/Just because I hear the roar/ I don't want to fear the storm/I don't want to fear the storm

Peace be still/Say the word and I will/Set my feet upon the sea/Till I'm dancing in the deep/Oh peace be still/You are here so it is well/Even when my eyes can't see/I will trust the voice that speaks

I'm not gonna be afraid/'Cause these waves are only waves/I'm not gonna be afraid/I'm not gonna be afraid/I'm not gonna fear the storm/You are greater than it's roar/I'm not gonna fear the storm/I'm not gonna fear at all"

Please, look it up and listen to it. Reading the words, though powerful, do not do justice to it. And I want to encourage you, Sweet Friends, as you encounter the storms of life, the big one's and the little one's, lean into them, give your very best to them, and trust God to lead you through them. I can testify, having walked this out, God is good and it always works out!

2. One of the things I am not real fond of is saying, "If I was that person, I would do [fill in the blank]." I need to be very careful because I don't know everything there is to know about that person and that situation. Heck, I have a hard enough time keep up with my own stuff! :)

Barry Corey, in his book Love Kindness, talks about having a firm center and soft edges. Know who you are, what you stand for, what you believe and don't compromise these things...the cost is to great! And at the same time, be loving and kind to those who you encounter on your life journey. Not one time does the Bible tell us to judge or ridicule others. Not one time does the Bible tell us that we should be telling other people how to live their lives, what decisions they should be making, and it certainly doesn't tell us to belittle them. Over and over again we are told to love people - for who they are, where they are. Firm center and soft edges...this would be a great legacy to leave.

I can't sit here and honestly tell you that I hope you and I have no challenges or problems for I know I would then be wishing that you and I don't continue to learn, grow, and become all that we were created to become. I do wish us all great faith, wisdom, and courage as we continue on our life journey's. I do hope and pray that we lean in and then we strive every day of our lives to become all that we were created to become and that we tirelessly give of ourselves to love, care for, and serve others.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well.

Kev