Thursday, November 21, 2013

Positive approach

Conflict can be interesting and enticing, but is not particularly useful. Rather than giving in to the drama of conflict, choose to be genuinely helpful and cheerful, and make yourself much more effective.Sure, you can get attention by being negative. But you can get much more done by taking a positive approach.Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, offer some workable options for setting things right. When you feel like giving criticism, find a way to give it in the form of encouragement.You don’t have to be nice just to be nice. Be nice, helpful, positive, upbeat and encouraging because that’s how you, and everyone else, will make the most progress.You’ll never be able to get back the time and energy you waste on conflict. Yet when you invest your time and energy in being a positive influence, the rewards for doing so will expand exponentially as time goes on.Your most effective, productive, profitable, compassionate and intelligent choice is to be positive in your interactions with others. It’s a choice that lifts the lives of everyone involved.Ralph Marston

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.Psalm 119:105

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Energized by the possibilities

Acknowledge and accept what is, but don’t settle for it. You can take what is, whatever it may be, and add great value to it.

If you’ve allowed yourself to fall behind, or if events beyond your control have held you back, you don’t have to stay behind. You can fully embrace where you are, and then begin to step solidly forward.

It is never too late to experience the true fulfillment of making a real difference in life. No circumstance is ever too burdensome to separate you from your authentic purpose.

Don’t let yourself get caught up in judgments or comparisons. Instead, let yourself be energized by the positive possibilities of right now.

Whatever has happened, has happened, and now the thing to do is move forward with renewed energy. You can do it, not because of where you’ve been or what you have, but because of who you are deep inside.

Take this day, this moment, this unique place and time, and give it the best you have. There is greatness within you, so let it come flowing forth right now.

— Ralph Marston

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.—Romans 14:19

Monday, November 18, 2013

Taking action

You can plan and prepare and talk about it for weeks or months or years, but that’s never enough. Action is what will make it happen.A verbal commitment is good and a written commitment can be powerful. Yet there is no true, effective, life-changing commitment until there is action.When you take action, there is no guarantee of success. Yet when you do not take action, there absolutely is the guarantee of failure.Act early, act often, act intelligently, act with persistence, and be willing to adjust your actions based on the results they bring. The only way to achieve the goal is to get in the game and make the effort.Right now you have the time in this day. Fill it with effective, directed, focused, positive, purposeful action, and you’ll always be thankful you did.Action will take you from here to there, from nothing to something, from dream to reality. Get up, get going, take action and make your reality the best you can envision.— Ralph Marston

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.—2 Peter 3:18

Friday, November 15, 2013

Real, fulfilling life

Life gives to you what you give to life. The way you experience life depends on the way you choose to live it.If you act according to your own greed, you will suffer from the greed of others. If you live with hatred you will be the recipient of hatred.When you live out of a sense of authentic love, you will receive love from others. Live with true respect, and you will be truly respected.You cannot possibly get the good things you do not wish to give. You cannot possibly avoid receiving in return whatever it is you offer to life.A puzzle that is solved for you is really not any fun. A life that is lived for you is no life at all.Make your own way, shoulder your own burdens, and give your very best in every moment. That is real, fulfilling life, and it is priceless.— Ralph Marston

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.—Acts 16:30-33

November 14, 1998

Commitment

Anyone can get excited and enthusiastic, given a sufficient amount of stimulation or inducement. Excitement will get you going, but it is not enough to keep you going. Excitement, by its very nature, wears off.Beyond the initial excitement, success requires commitment. Commitment keeps you going long after the novelty has worn off. Excitement begins the process of achievement. Commitment sees it through to completion.Excitement is a reaction. Commitment is an intentional decision. Success occurs when you’re able to transform the energy of your excitement into a solid and lasting commitment. That’s not easy. It takes effort. It takes dedication and focus. It demands a level of motivation that goes beyond the thrill of the moment. To be committed, you must find a personally meaningful, driving reason to support your commitment, and then continually remind yourself of that reason.Excitement is so satisfying and energizing because of the promise it makes. Commitment is what actually delivers on that promise.— Ralph Marston

Philippians 3:13
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Beautiful reality

Act not out of judgment, but out of love. Live not from a position of fear, but from a perspective of joy.Let go of the need to prove how good you are. Live in such a way that real goodness, joy and generosity flow naturally from all you do.Instead of seeking to gain more advantage, discover new ways to give more value. Instead of worrying about what might be, live the immense treasure of what already is.Don’t waste your time looking for happiness in this thing or that. Let happiness always find you right where you are, doing whatever you are doing.See life not as a contest where some must lose in order for others to win. See it as an opportunity to lift yourself higher by lifting many, many others through your unique gifts.Let go of the illusion that you must struggle. And let in the beautiful reality of how very good life can be.— Ralph Marston

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.—Romans 14:13

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Embrace responsibility

Don’t blame others, don’t blame the situation, and don’t blame yourself. Instead of wasting your energy on assigning blame, empower yourself by accepting responsibility.The way you experience life is no one’s fault. It is your choice.Fully accept and embrace responsibility for all that surrounds you, and something amazing happens. You gain the power to make a positive difference.If you run from the troubles, they grow stronger and chase you more and more relentlessly. Yet the moment you take responsibility for those troubles, you begin to have some control over them.If you merely wish for your dreams to come true, they won’t. Yet when you step up and take responsibility for bringing those dreams to life, they begin to take on real form and substance.Responsibility is the key that gives you access to all the best life has to offer. Embrace responsibility in all things, and unlock the great value that is yours to live.— Ralph Marston

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.—1 Thessalonians 3:12

Monday, November 11, 2013

Experience the richness

You put a lot of energy and effort into living. So on a regular basis, take time to fully experience your life and the world in which you live.Spend some time that has no purpose other than to take in all the richness of which you’re a part. Let go, for a while, of the need to analyze, to criticize, to judge and react.Allow your thoughts to be still. Feel the wonder, the goodness, the beauty of simply being, and knowing that you are.Experience life, not in order to gain any advantage or to impress someone. Experience life because the depth of its richness has no limit.The more fully you experience and appreciate life, the more you’ll find yourself needing less and having more. Experience life, and you’ll clearly see how truly rich you already are.Life is a gift so precious that it has no equal. Experience life, and give that gift to yourself and others.— Ralph Marston

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.—Romans 14:1

Midday Motivation

Never, never, never give up.-Winston Churchill

Friday, November 8, 2013

Highest vision

Look up from what you’re doing and look around for a minute. See what a beautiful world you’re in.Take your mind off the problems for a moment, and focus on the positive possibilities. Consider how very much you are able to do.Turn your attention for a while away from the worries and anxieties. Remind yourself of all your many blessings.The direction of your focus is the direction your life will move. Let yourself move toward what is good, valuable, strong and true.The things that fill your awareness are the things that will fill your life and your world. So expand your awareness beyond your own concerns and toward the best of what can be.Look up and look confidently toward the highest vision you can imagine. The moment you do, you’re on your way there.— Ralph Marston

If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.—Romans 14:8

Midday Motivation

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.-Bill Cosby 

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Forever thankful

Do you remember anything special that you did exactly one week ago, or one month ago today? What can you do today that will make today a day to fondly remember for a long time to come?This day is an entire day of your life. You have the opportunity to live this day in such a way that it will make a positive difference for years to come.You can express your love in a new and unique way. You can begin an ambitious project that you’ve been meaning to start for a long time.You could take the time and make the effort to learn a new skill that will add value to every day of your life. You could visit a place you’ve never been to before, or re-connect with an old and dear friend.You can thoughtfully re-commit yourself to your highest priorities. And then you can take real, effective action that will bring those priorities to life.You can live this day in such a way that you’ll be forever thankful for what you’ve made of it. Get started now, and make it one to remember.— Ralph Marston

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.—2 Corinthians 9:7

Midday Motivation

I've come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.


Tony Robbins 

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Carefully listen

Stop worrying so much about what you’re trying to say, and listen for a while. Though it may seem strange, one very effective way to express yourself is by listening.Listen, carefully, lovingly and attentively to the world around you. Listen to others and listen to life.Let go of your assumptions about what you expect to hear. Listen not only with your ears, but also with your heart and spirit.Pay attention to what life has to say to you. There is no end to the valuable lessons you can learn.When you think you know it all, you deny yourself the opportunity to learn new things. When you interact with others only to impress them with how much you know, they’ll soon understand that you know very little.The more you listen, observe and learn, the more powerfully you’ll be able to express yourself. Take heed of what life has to say, and what you learn will carry you far.— Ralph Marston

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"—Hebrews 13:6

Midday Motivation

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.-Thomas A. Edison

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Fully there

Wherever you are, be there fully. For where you are is where you can most effectively act and live.If you’re constantly wishing that you were somewhere else, you diminish the opportunities for where you are now. When your thoughts are in another place or time, your actions lose much of their effectiveness.It’s great to dream, to plan, to aspire, to reach for new and improved circumstances. And yet the way to successfully do that is by being the best you can be in the place where you now find yourself.It’s great to keep yourself focused on an ambitious goal. And that focus is the most effective when it is crafted from the perspective of where you are now.To successfully travel the path from here to there, you must start with being fully here. The more you give your attention and your energy to making the most of where you are, the more quickly you’ll move along that path.There is much to be accomplished, much to be lived in every place and in every moment. Be there fully for all of them, and life will be rich indeed.— Ralph Marston

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin...—Romans 6:5-6

Midday Motivation

I don't believe you have to be better than everybody else. I believe you have to be better than you ever thought you could be.-Ken Venturi

Monday, November 4, 2013

Too valuable to waste

Consider what a truly great day you have today. Think of all the magnificent possibilities that are yours right now.You can fill the next hour with sixty minutes of focused, purposeful, effective effort. You can bring new and meaningful value to your work, your home, your family, your community and your dreams.On this day you can learn, experience, work, feel, love and play. You can make creative use of whatever you have to move in the direction of whatever you desire.The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. So let yourself imagine something wonderful, and then enjoy the wonderful experience of making it happen.Though it might seem easier and more comfortable to just do nothing, that’s really not the case. If you waste the great possibilities of this day, you will very soon come to regret it.So avoid that regret and jump into action. Today is much too valuable to waste.— Ralph Marston

For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.—Romans 8:3-4

Friday, November 1, 2013

Get life going your way

Don’t wait for life to go your way. Get your own thoughts and actions going your way and the other things in life will reliably follow along.Step forward and take a positive, active role in creating your own future. Instead of worrying about what might or might not happen, work to make what does happen the best you can imagine.With every moment and every choice, you have an influence on the way your life unfolds. Instead of being a victim of circumstance, find ways to utilize each circumstance for meaningful, positive purposes.Though you cannot control every influence in your life, you absolutely can control what you make of those various influences. Make the choice, again and again, to make the best of them.Take what comes, whatever it may be, with gratitude and positive expectations. Do what you must to make something good out of it.There is always a way forward, so take it. There is always something useful, valuable and positive you can do, so do it, and get life going your way.— Ralph Marston

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.—Proverbs 27:1