heart

Giving: Between You and God, Not a Dollar Score

/ Robert Bruton / Leave a comment

1. God Sees the Heart — Not the Amount

From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture shows that God measures the heart, not the size of the gift.
When Jesus watched people giving in the temple, He didn’t praise the wealthy donors — He honored a poor widow.

“She put in two small coins, yet she gave more than all the rest. For they gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on.”
— Luke 21:1–4

That story shatters the idea that God keeps a dollar scoreboard.
Her gift had no financial power — it was the faith behind it that moved heaven and earth.
Faithful giving is an act of trust and worship, not a transaction.

2. Giving Is Between You and God Alone

Jesus made it clear that your giving is private, sacred, and personal — between you and God.

“When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.”
— Matthew 6:3–4

That means:

  • It’s not for show.
  • It’s not about impressing a pastor or congregation.
  • And it’s definitely not a negotiation for a blessing.

Your generosity becomes a holy conversation between your soul and your Creator — a reflection of gratitude, faith, and love, not a financial strategy.

3. Blessing Comes Through Faith, Not Finances

Nowhere in Scripture does God say, “Give Me money, and I’ll give you more back.”
Instead, He says, “Believe, and you will see My glory.”

“Without faith it is impossible to please God.”
— Hebrews 11:6

Faith opens the door to blessing — not money.
If blessings could be bought, they would no longer be a gift of grace.
Grace means unearned favor; it’s God’s goodness given freely, not bought with tithes or “seed offerings.”

“You cannot serve both God and money.”
— Matthew 6:24

The so-called “prosperity gospel” confuses cause and effect.
Faith doesn’t grow because you give more money — faith gives because you trust God more.

4. God’s Economy Is Not a Business Transaction

Some preachers teach that giving money is like investing — “sow this seed, and God will multiply it.”
But that’s not how God’s kingdom works. God doesn’t run a financial exchange. He runs on love, trust, and obedience.

“Freely you have received; freely give.”
— Matthew 10:8

If someone tells you that you must give money to be healed, to get a breakthrough, or to earn favor — that’s spiritual manipulation, not Scripture.

The truth is simple:

  • You cannot buy a blessing.
  • You cannot pay for faith.
  • You cannot purchase God’s favor.
    What God wants is your heart — not your wallet.

5. God’s True Reward

God blesses faith, humility, and obedience.
Sometimes blessings are material, but often they’re peace, strength, guidance, or joy — things money could never buy.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
— Matthew 6:33

When you walk by faith and not by sight, you position yourself for real blessing — the kind that lasts eternally, not temporarily.
You don’t give to get; you give because you already have — grace, salvation, mercy, and love.

6. The Early Church Understood This

The first Christians didn’t give to earn divine returns. They gave because they were transformed.
They understood that generosity was a natural outflow of gratitude.
They lived as if everything they owned already belonged to God.

“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.”
— Acts 2:44–45

That wasn’t forced giving or seed planting — it was faith in action. They did not seek to be blessed, but because they already were.

7. The Real Measure of Generosity

God is not counting dollars; He’s counting love, faith, and compassion.
A heart that gives out of faith is infinitely more valuable than a hand that provides out of guilt or fear.

World’s ViewGod’s View
Give more, get more.Believe more, trust more.
Dollars measure devotionFaith measures devotion
Blessing is financial gain.Blessing is spiritual fullness.
Giving is an obligation.Giving is worship

8. The Heart of the Gospel

God gave His Son freely — not because we earned it, not because we could repay Him, but because love gives.
Our giving should mirror that same spirit: free, loving, and without condition.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”
— John 3:16

That’s the model.
Giving out of love — not pressure, not performance, and never purchase.

When you give quietly, faithfully, and from a sincere heart, God smiles — not because He’s keeping score, but because He sees trust.
Blessing flows from belief, not balance sheets.
Faith moves mountains; dollars do not.

1. The Early Church’s Heart for Sharing, Not Accumulating

The Didache (c. A.D. 70–120)

One of the earliest Christian manuals — used to teach converts — says:

“Do not be one who opens his hands to receive but shuts them when it comes to giving.”
“Share all things with your brother, and do not say that they are your own.” (Didache 4:5–8)

This reflects the same spirit as Acts 2:44-45 — believers cared for each other so that no one suffered lack.
There’s no mention of tithes to clergy or “seed faith” gifts — only mutual support and practical compassion.

2. Justin Martyr (A.D. 150) — Worship Through Giving to the Needy

In his First Apology, describing Christian worship to the Roman Emperor, Justin wrote:

“Those who have and are willing to give freely what each thinks fit. The collection is deposited with the president [the elder], who helps the orphans, widows, those who are sick, or in prison, and strangers sojourning among us.”

This is crucial — in the second century, giving was voluntary and its purpose was clear:
Supporting people with low incomes, not enriching leaders or building luxury.

3. Tertullian (c. A.D. 197–220) — Condemning Greedy Teachers

Tertullian, one of the earliest Latin theologians, said of Christian gatherings:

“Every man once a month brings some modest coin, but only if he is willing. There is no compulsion; it is all voluntary. These gifts are not spent on feasts or drinking, but to support and bury poor people, to supply the wants of boys and girls destitute of means and parents, and of old persons confined to the house.”

(Apology 39)

This demonstrates that giving was modest, voluntary, and compassionate — directed to people in need, not for personal gain.

4. Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 190) — Against Wealthy Preachers

Clement warned believers not to confuse wealth with blessing:

“It is not in the power of the rich man to possess much, but to use much rightly.” (Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?)

He rebuked those who hoarded money under the name of religion, teaching that true wealth is found in mercy and righteousness.
His message: God entrusts wealth as a tool, not a trophy.

5. The Apostolic Constitutions (A.D. 250–300)

A later manual describing how churches should operate:

“Let the bishop distribute the offerings to those in need… for the orphans, widows, the afflicted, and strangers in distress.”

Again, the focus was not on luxury or personal enrichment, but on pastoral stewardship — caring for the vulnerable as a sacred duty.

6. Summary — What the First Christians Believed About Giving

Early Church EraPurpose of GivingMethodRecipients
Didache (1st century)Sharing and equality among believersFreelyFellow Christians in need
Justin Martyr (2nd century)Charity as worshipEach gives what he decidesPoor, widows, orphans, prisoners
Tertullian (2nd century)Mutual aid, not indulgenceVoluntary monthly offeringsPoor, elderly orphans
Clement of AlexandriaStewardship, not greedMoral teachingThose suffering
Apostolic Constitutions (3rd century)Pastoral duty to serveCommunity-managedNeedy and afflicted

7. Why This Matters Today

What you see in those early writings is a radical contrast to modern “prosperity gospel” culture.

  • No one demanded tithes or promised blessings for donations.
  • Church leaders lived modestly, serving others first.
  • Generosity was the fruit of love, not the price of a miracle.

The first Christians believed that faith without compassion is dead (James 2:14-17).
They measured devotion not by what you gave to a building or preacher, but by how you loved your neighbor.

1. What the Bible Really Says About Tithing

Old Testament context:

  • The tithe (Hebrew: ma‘aser, meaning “a tenth”) was part of the Mosaic Law.
  • Israelites gave 10% of their agricultural produce and livestock to support the Levites, who had no land inheritance (Numbers 18:21–24).
  • There were actually multiple tithes — one for the Levites, one for festivals, and one every third year for the poor (Deuteronomy 14:22–29).
  • It was a national, agricultural system designed for Israel’s theocracy, not a command for New Testament believers to give 10% to a church.

Key verses:

“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” — Malachi 3:10

However, note that this was addressed to Israel, with the intention of maintaining the temple and priests.

2. The New Testament Standard for Giving

Jesus never commands Christians to tithe, but He affirms generosity, sincerity, and care for others.

  • Matthew 23:23 – Jesus tells Pharisees they tithe but neglect justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

“These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”
His point was not “tithe or be blessed,” but “don’t think money replaces love or integrity.”

  • 2 Corinthians 9:7 – Paul gives the most straightforward New Testament principle:

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
The emphasis is on freedom, sincerity, and love — not pressure or manipulation.

  • Acts 2:44-45 – Early believers shared everything so that no one among them was in need.
    Giving was voluntary and communal, focused on people, not luxury or hierarchy.

3. Why God Doesn’t Tell Your Pastor He Needs a Jet

God’s Word never endorses the accumulation of wealth for spiritual leaders.
Scripture consistently warns against using religion for financial gain:

  • 1 Timothy 6:5–10

“…people who think godliness is a means to financial gain… For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”
Paul’s warning is specifically directed against those who exploit faith for personal gain.

  • Titus 1:11

“They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach — and that for the sake of dishonest gain.”

  • Matthew 6:19–21

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Jesus contrasts worldly riches with eternal values.

A pastor claiming “God told me I need a plane or a Rolls-Royce” contradicts these teachings. God doesn’t need luxury to advance His mission — He desires humility, stewardship, and service.

4. The True Biblical Spirit of Giving

The Bible emphasizes compassionate generosity, especially toward the poor and oppressed.

  • Proverbs 19:17

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.”

  • James 1:27

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.”

  • Matthew 25:35–40

Jesus said, “I was hungry and you gave me food… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

God wants your heart more than your money.
Giving to help a struggling neighbor, feeding the hungry, supporting honest missions, or serving your community — that is the essence of godly giving.

5. Summary

False Prosperity TeachingBiblical Truth
“You must tithe or God won’t bless you.”God blesses from grace, not payment (2 Cor 9:8).
“Sow a seed into this ministry to get a miracle.”Giving is never transactional; God can’t be bought (Acts 8:20).
“The pastor deserves luxury for his faith.”Leaders must be humble servants (1 Peter 5:2–3).
“Money equals faith.”Love and obedience show faith, not wealth (John 14:15).

Bottom Line

God calls us to give freely, wisely, and compassionately, not under compulsion or manipulation.
The measure of your faith isn’t the size of your offering, but the sincerity of your heart and love for others.

Robert Bruton is a multifaceted creative visionary whose work spans literature, photography, and filmmaking. As an author, Robert's captivating storytelling delves into the mysteries of human nature, life's challenges, and the pursuit of purpose. His written works resonate with readers, offering profound insights and inspiration from his journey of perseverance and creativity.

https://www.amazon.com/author/robertbruton

Unleashing Your Inner Blacksmith: How Forging Your Life Can Transform Your Journey

/ Robert Bruton / 3 Comments

Every masterpiece begins as raw material. Whether a blade in a blacksmith’s forge or a life filled with untapped potential, the transformation process involves fire, effort, and intention. That’s the heart of the new book, Forge Your Life: Transform Challenges Into Strength and Purpose, a guide that challenges you to step into life’s forge, embrace its heat, and emerge stronger, wiser, and uniquely brilliant.

This isn’t just another self-help book filled with lofty platitudes and quick fixes. Forge Your Life is a call to action, a manual for those ready to turn their struggles into stepping stones and their setbacks into opportunities. It’s about becoming both the blacksmith and the masterpiece—actively shaping your life while honoring the journey that brought you here.

Let’s dive into why this book resonates deeply and how it can inspire you to embrace life’s challenges with courage and purpose.

Life Is the Forge, and You Are the Steel

Imagine a piece of raw steel, untouched and unrefined. It holds potential, but it remains lifeless until it enters the forge—rigid, unformed, and brittle. To transform that steel into a blade capable of beauty and strength, it must endure fire, hammering, and polishing. The same is true for you.

Forge Your Life teaches that adversity is not something to avoid but embrace. Life’s challenges—whether they come as heartbreak, failure, or uncertainty—are the fires that prepare you for transformation. The book doesn’t sugarcoat the discomfort of growth; instead, it shows you how to lean into it, trusting that the process will refine you.

When you stop fearing the fire and start working with it, you discover that life’s most challenging moments often hold the most significant growth opportunities. This book provides the mindset, tools, and actionable steps to help you face the heat and come out stronger on the other side.

Embracing the Fire: Why Adversity Is Essential

One of the most powerful messages in Forge Your Life is that adversity is not your enemy—it’s your teacher. The fire of challenges softens you, making you malleable and ready for change. Without it, you remain stuck, unable to break free from limiting beliefs, outdated habits, or fear of the unknown.

The book shares actionable ways to reframe your relationship with adversity:

  • View Challenges as Catalysts: Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” ask, “What is this teaching me?”
  • Lean Into Discomfort: Growth begins at the edge of your comfort zone. The book encourages you to step boldly into discomfort, knowing it’s a sign you’re evolving.
  • Focus on Resilience: Each challenge you overcome builds your strength and prepares you for the next stage of your journey.

By shifting your perspective, you’ll see life’s fires not as punishment but as opportunities to grow, adapt, and forge your life of happiness and success.

Click here to buy at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DNNJL4S9

God’s Package Does Not Arrive Overnight

/ Robert Bruton / Leave a comment

When you say a prayer earnestly and put faith behind the prayer. God, is packaging up your blessing and sending it on its way to you.

The key to receiving your blessing is not put a time limit on God. You can’t click overnight delivery while asking God for anything. But he does get your help moving; the real question is, will you be available when your package arrives?

prayer, faith, God, Jesus

Some answers come quickly, while others take time. Can you stay in faith long enough to receive the gift he has for you?

Something we never know is what God has to do way out in front of our lives to move the right people, right timing, proper resources, for our blessing to manifest. If we learn to have faith in our daily walk, do the work before us to allow our benefit to come.

What comes is always more than we imagined. Why? Because we stay in faith!

Of course, you cannot sit on your fanny and expect God to put the package right in your hands while you sit on the couch. Do what your heart tells you to do daily.

If you get enough prayers going, do the work before you. It’s imaginable that blessing will begin to come in all the time. How exciting!

The Bible says, “you have not because you ask not.” Begin to imagine the life you want where the money is not the problem, resources, education, connections are all not the problem.

Begin to believe God for everything you desire in your life. Walk daily in faith and begin to see your life change in ways you never thought possible.

For example, I had asked God to publish one book in 2019, just one. I published 8 in 2019 thank you very much. I did the work, and God put in my heart stories that I put to paper. I have already published 2 more books in 2020.

Remember, God does not run an overnight package service. What he does run is a miracle service if you do the work and believe.

  1. Start praying for the life you want!
  2. Write down these prayers and read them daily!
  3. Do the work before you. No matter how small a step you take, take action!
  4. Let God know that you believe with all that is you every day. 

Do these few things every day. Don’t lose hope or faith even in the darkest moments of your life. It’s hard, but that mustard seed of faith can move mountains.

Never worry about how! God has you.

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Single Mom Living My Best Life

/ Robert Bruton / Leave a comment

My New Book just published today. Enjoy the Introduction, and you have a link at the bottom of the page to visit my Author Page available at Amazon. Single Mom’s its your time to shine! 

Even Mary, the Mother of Jesus, had Mom struggles!

Mary: “Jesus, what are you doing, son?”

Jesus: “I am taking a bath like you said, mom.”

Mary: “How many times have I told you boy stop walking on that water. How are you ever going to get clean if you keep walking on that water?” “Sit down and take your bath!”

See ladies, even Jesus Mom had her parenting troubles. 

A Guide for Extraordinary Change

single mothers, mom, parenting

Introduction

‘When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.'”—Erma Bombeck

Well, let’s start with the obvious. I’m not a single Mom, and why should you listen to this dude?

How about answering a couple of questions first?

  1. What if you could learn self-confidence enough to crush all your goals?
  2. What if you could learn to earn more money than you ever have?

No, we’re not selling pipedreams!

I felt compelled to share my life experience, knowledge of business, my Christian faith for single moms that might be struggling to make ends-meat.

What I am suggesting to you is that if you lack confidence, don’t believe you can go any further than where you are right now. You could not be more wrong.

This book will teach you confidence building through faith.  How to overcome negative mindsets. Most importantly, how to not only sell how valuable you are but potentially find a career in sales. Perhaps even further in whatever endeavor YOU choose! How about an I want a job, not a have-to-have mundane job?

Sales skills can help you advance any job. When you can ethically build value in products or services, you offer. You will begin to see your career move like the wind. I will teach you to do this in a fun and engaging way.

Throughout the book, exercises, notes, and learning will occur. Get a notebook to have ready to do some fun work.

Taking our life and turning it on its axis, shaking it up, and on the other side is your joy, peace, and smile!

Many times, over the years, I have heard Pastors say. Bring everything to the Lord. Nothing is too big or small. Joel Osteen once said if God can bring into existence the universe. Don’t you imagine he can bring into reality your dreams?

TD Jakes, who makes me laugh wonderfully. Talks about bringing wimpy prayers to God. He, too, uses the analogy God flung the universe into existence, and all you’re going to ask him for is, “Oh Lord, please, I need to pay my rent.” He, in a bold voice, says stop asking God to pay your rent but ask God for the means and way to have a mortgage.

With work and faith together in this book, we can move mountains.

Get all the stereotypical sales guy images out of your head, open your heart, and let’s learn! When I speak about sales skills if you can use your power of persuasion in the betterment of your life. Wow, watch what you can do!

Single moms of which by the way I was raised by one. Perhaps I have some insight given the struggles my mother endured.

When I was three years old, my father took me, my little sister and Mother to my maternal grandparents’ home. Dropped us off to never return. I can remember my mother from time-to-time crying uncontrollably.

Fast forward my life to times I remember how hard it was on my Mom. One morning I remember when I was seven, maybe eight years old. My mother was in the bathroom, and I heard a crash and a break in the bathroom sink.

My mother had saved her money to by some sort of face cream, something just for her. It dropped and apparently broke in the sink to the point of being ruined. I remember hearing her crying so hard, saying, “I never ask for anything why?” “I saved for months to get this, oh God.”

It was haunting to me. I knew my mother’s heart was torn for something she had struggled so hard to get.

Over the years, my mother gave up her life for my sister and me. She never really dated because my sister and I had terrible times with she would leave us. We had abandonment issues so severe that my mother simply stopped trying to have her own life.

She also worked her ass off, never in my life can I remember that my mother took a sick day from work. Two times in her life, she was hospitalized for cysts in her breasts. Doctors wanted to do a biopsy. Thank God she was always okay.

My mother made clothes, and other personal items work well beyond what they should. Just so, my sister and I could have new things. Or just food on the table.

She made sure we got to ski competitively. That I had new skis each season. Paid for ski trips to races. As a child, you don’t realize what this is assuredly costing our family.

Now that my mother is in her eighties, I can reflect on what she did for me in my life. The sacrifice (although she would never say that) she made for me. I don’t think any of us would change our life.

For me, maybe at this moment do I now realize why this book and why you.

If I could bestow any bit of wisdom upon you. My mother in her day did not have the same access to the internet, cell phones, information as you do today. Her choice was to, at any cost, make sure my sister and I were cared for. She did that with grace.

Some of you will say well, that’s what a Mother is supposed to do. That be the case, my mother passed this test with grace. Today, however, I believe if you’re a single Mom, you might have an opportunity to not only be the Mom you want to be but to be the individual you dream of being. I tell ladies you can have both!

You have before you a world in which you have choices beyond just taking care of your children. You can also have a life with not only your children but one in which you can have an experience to the point that you say to God at the end of your days. “Thanks, that was a hell of a ride!”

Limits are only set by you. There is no stone tablet, no law, nothing to prevent you from achieving all that life has to offer.

My mother was a voracious reader all her life. Now sitting here writing this. It occurs to me that maybe, therefore, I wanted to write as my career!

Since I cannot change the trajectory of my Mother loving choices. Maybe, just maybe, I can share with you enough to help shape the trajectory of your life. I can share useful information, but this is a path you must walk.

You don’t know how the course of our life and the lives around us will shape us. I believe that I understand better why I am an author today than ever before.

Click Here to Visit My Page Author Page

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Life Detox

/ Robert Bruton / Leave a comment

This is the first chapter of Life Detox. How we can cleanse, mind, body, and soul. Sometimes it’s just time to rip off the bandaid and be done with it! Choose to begin anew!

Chapter 1 

Why 

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”—Michael Jordan

Perfection is not the goal; persistence is our focus. 

You’ve all heard you need to find your way. True but, in this scenario, the why needs to be you’re sick-and-tired-of-being-sick-and-tired! Enough is enough. Well, I can tell you that over a year ago, that is where I found myself. 

(Get a pad of paper to do some writing) To make any lasting change, grab the paper! 

Here are some questions you need to ask yourself:

 

  • Is your life where you hoped it would be right now?

 

  • Are you depressed most of the time?
  • Are you merely going through the paces of daily life with no real direction, work, go home, that’s about all?
  • Are you unhappy? Why?
  • If money, time, education, depression were not the problem. What would fulfill your life?

 

 

Please take the time to put some real thought into the questions. If you follow along this way, we can save you a great deal of time. 

You must get very clear on what you would like to see your life become. One of the biggest epiphanies I’ve experienced don’t worry about the HOW, set your sail to the horizon of where you want your life. 

Imagine getting on a boat for a long journey. You set sail, and off you go. Along the way, you most assuredly will face rough seas. When you begin the rough journey seas, severe weather is not part of the equation when you decided to set sail. 

The end destination is more important than how we get there! If you had a chance to visit some beautiful faraway island, once in a lifetime opportunity. Would you not go because you MIGHT run into bad weather? Did you not go because you thought the how was more difficult — focusing on the “what if’s” instead of the outcome? 

Logic would suggest you have a plan that includes how. So how do you plot this course change in life without knowing how you’re going to traverse the course to a destination. When you set out on any journey let’s say a storm comes up, do you sail directly through it? No, you may have to recalibrate a new route. 

My point is you don’t know all the “how’s” that will change your course unexpectedly. However, if you worry yourself before you set sail, you’ll stifle any chance of real change! 

I can hear you! “How do you not worry about how?” These are bullet points that will explain: 

 

  • Have a clear definition of the result. Know what you want clearly! 

 

  • Learn to meditate on the result you desire, see it in your mind’s eye. Feel in every part of your being what it would feel like to have achieved that which you want most. 
  • Have unwavering faith it will happen. A prayer might sound like “God you know what I desire in my heart, I have faith you will provide everything I need for that, what you put in my heart to achieve. I don’t know how we will do this; I trust you have the way.
  • Pray for wisdom and guidance.
  • Set realistic expectations. Reach to be sure.

 

 

How to turn from wishful thinking to ACTION:

 

  • What is one step you can take right now to begin your journey? Forget the words significant steps, little steps. Every step forward creates forward momentum. 

 

  • Learn the difference between activity vs. productivity. 
  • Learn to plan your day for production — set reminders for tasks that produce results. Stay on task!
  • Take time to research and put into action what you learn to achieve your desire. Fill yourself as though you’re filling a pitcher with knowledge.
  • When self-doubt and the like hit your noodle, remember this, whatever negative thoughts you’re having it’s temporary. Work through it even when you think you cannot.

 

 

The how will come to you. Take steps every day, and you will begin to gain momentum. 

“When you begin to worry, go find something to do. Get busy being a blessing to someone; do something fruitful. Talking about your problem or sitting alone, thinking about it does no good! It serves only to make you miserable. Above all else, remember that worrying is useless. Worrying will not solve your problem.”–Joyce Meyer

A struggle for everyone.  When everything in your life is overwhelmingly worrisome. So how do we get through that?

When you begin to realize that no matter what you’re going through in life, it’s temporary. If you get flustered stifling any sort of progress the situation stalls or gets worse.

Begin to look at trials and tribulations as a coaching exercise. Learn to realize God is coaching you to become a world-class you! What do coaches do? They train you to go beyond what you believe you can do. Stretch yourself beyond your limiting beliefs.

Life is changing for me. I don’t look at difficulties as a problem, but a learning experience is preparing me to handle anything life can throw at me. Yes, at times, you can feel alone, lost, and defeated. At this moment I think of myself as running dead last in a race. I can choose to fail, or I can run my heart out and win.

God is merely working all of us out. He is training us to handle anything the enemy can throw to disrupt our life. Why can’t God fix my life? He is trying by letting you work through the pain to strengthen your resolve.

It hurts I can’t do it! God never puts more on our plate than we can handle. Hard to understand, but here is the skinny. Get through this because on the other side of pain is your destiny. Bigger and brighter than you can imagine.

Change the way you look at problems. They’re not happening at you they’re happing for you!

Here are some exercises you can do to change your state-of-mind: Crank up some music that gets you dancing. Music can immediately improve your state and put a smile on your face. 

 

  • Breathe. Take 60 seconds or so and breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, beautiful and relaxing. 

 

  • Pray — nothing like a good prayer. You can hand God the garbage he is ready to be a blessing to you and carry it out. 
  • Meditate. Find the right place to meditate and relax your mind and body.

 

 

Take a walk. Get outdoors and walk to help relieve muscle stress. Throw on some headphones and good music. Change your state-of-mind, and you will change your life. 

Time outdoors can be incredibly cathartic to the soul. Taking in nature, walking by a river, standing on the beach, anywhere that God has touched the landscape. You can look up and happily say to God, “show off.” Smiling in awe of the world around you. 

When you can take these moments to find clarity in your head, good thoughts, new ideas, and fresh perspectives will become the norm. 

One thing that I did put up a bird-feeder. Birds are incredibly funny and beautiful to watch. I have found myself sitting for long periods just enjoying my birds and clearing my head when I’m not trying — just enjoying the moment.

eBook, Self Improvement, Happiness

 

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