Motivation of the Day

"It's not whether you get knocked down. It's whether you get up again."

~ Vince Lombardi

Motivation of the Day

"If you can DREAM it, you can DO it!"

~ Walt Disney

What Doesn't Kill You Only Makes You Stronger

Have you ever encouraged your child to play ball against his older, more skilled brother to help make him a better player? Or maybe you remember as a kid playing pick-up games at the neighborhood playground with some players whose skills were more developed than yours. You knew the purpose was to make yourself better by giving you tougher competition. Yet many of us have failed to translate that into our adult lives.

If you get a new coworker who outperforms you, do you get frustrated and discouraged? Or maybe your company's competitor comes out with a new product or service that you feel puts your company to shame. Do you feel defeated? In these tough economic times, perhaps your spouse was laid off and you were forced to cut your budget and watch your spending... maybe even get rid of some luxury items.

You could easily view any of these as setbacks, or you can welcome them as challenges that only serve to make you better. If that coworker outperforms you, step up your game. Evaluate your current standards, and then work hard to improve them. When your company's competition trumps what you offer, put on your thinking cap and come up with something new and unique to entice your customers. When money troubles arise, learn to appreciate the finer things in life and to do more with less.

Throughout the Bible, God tells us to not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8 proclaims, "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” In Joshua 1:9 we are told, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

For further reading, check out:
Deuteronomy 1:20-22
Deuteronomy 31:7-9
Joshua 1:8-10
Joshua 10:24-26
1 Chronicles 22:12-14
1 Chronicles 28:19-21
2 Chronicles 20:14-18

Never Give Up

In 1998, a beautiful wife and mother of three was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was originally told that she had six months to live. The positive, Godly thoughts of this woman said otherwise. Her youngest child and only daughter was a senior in high school at the time. By that doctor's calculations, the lady would not live to see her baby graduate from high school. This Godly woman, though, assured her daughter that not only would she be there for her high school graduation, but she would also be there for her college graduation, she would be there to watch her walk down the aisle, and she would be there to see her children be born. Today, that incredible, beautiful lady is a happy, energetic, cancer-free grandma.

You will encounter times in your life that people put you down, discourage you, beat you up, take away your hope or give you negative responses. How you handle these responses, though, will determine their outcome and the effect they have on the rest of your life. Staying strong, thinking positively and keeping your head held high are the keys to reaching the destination you desire. And no matter what, Never Give Up!!