Enthusiasm or Lack Thereof

I talked to someone recently about my struggles in finding a job. That person has worked with me on a number of video projects and said that I don't seem excited about media production. I was taken back by that because media production is how I spend most of my time: I have to communication degrees, I work in media, and I volunteer in media. If I just wanted to kill time there are a number of things in the world to choose from, and this is what I choose. But then when I thought about it, I remembered that this isn't the first time I've heard something similar. 

I worked at Sears a while back and my manager would consistently give me a 1 out of 5 in enthusiasm. That really hurt my feelings because I worked really hard. I could keep up an area with no help, if I closed my area was always clean and organized as opposed to ALL other areas that would need everyone to pitch in so things would look presentable. I could smile and laugh all day long and appear enthusiastic but I don't see how that over shadows my work. People are always saying that non-verbal communication is 95% or some ridiculous number of communication but that's because people are too lazy to dig deeper. It isn't because people say more with their bodies.

At that same Sears job, one day there was a young lady who clearly had a sad demeanor. Even though her body language may have said that she didn't want to be at work, she was at work. She did everything that she was supposed to do. She greeted customers, she offered credit apps, and etc. Still several customers reported that she had "an attitude problem". The manager observed her demeanor and basically agreed and sent the young lady home. If anyone had bothered to talk to her, then they would have learned that her mother, father, and brother had been killed in a car accident a few days prior. To add to that, she was given custody of her only surviving brother. She didn't have a sad demeanor because she didn't want to be at work and she didn't have an attitude problem. If anyone had bothered to scratch beneath the surface then they would have learned the truth. I know a lot of people may wonder why she didn't tell anyone and blame her saying that she should have been transparent about the situation. I refuse to blame her. It isn't her fault that someone else made a judgement based on a shallow observation.

Thankfully, nothing that tragic has happened to me. But I don't think it's fair that people expect me to express myself the way that they express themselves. I show enthusiasm by investing my time and even if I tell you that with a straight face and a steady voice it doesn't make it any less valuable that your expression.

Flipping Burgers at McDonald's

As a child, especially in middle school, teachers always encouraged my peers and me to go to school. Oftentimes, the "motivation" came as one line, "get an education so you don't end up flipping burgers at McDonald's". As an adult with a Masters Degree I see that this line could potentially ruin someone because life rarely turns out EXACTLY the way we want it to turn out just ask college grads because according to a 2012 McKinsey survey, half of those college grads  are working jobs that don't require a degree. From talking to people who I identify as successful, I have not heard or read a specific strategy. Everything sounds like "right  place right time" stuff. So you may or may not end up flipping burgers but there wasn't much that you could have done to prevent that outcome. Just because you are flipping burgers doesn't mean that you can't do anything else because your job is not a reflection of your potential. By all means keep applying for other jobs. I have a friend who did  just that.

My friend Hannah worked at museum in member services. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Mass Communication; for fun she volunteered at a church. At that church, among other things, managers assigned Hannah to transcribe youtube videos so producers could reproduce those videos. At this point, Hannah amassed experience as a staff writer and as an instructional television worker. Clearly her skills qualified her to do more than transcribe youtube videos. She got her education and though  she was not flipping burgers her job was not a reflection of her potential. Fortunately, Hannah received an opportunity. She now works as a senior script writer at an advertising company. Hannah did not become qualified to be a senior script writer when she got that job, she was already qualified for that job and SO MUCH MORE!

Your job is not a reflection of your potential, whether you have a degree/diploma or not. Sometimes flipping burgers may be the only job offered to you, sometimes you may be looking in the wrong place, other times your fabulous education may "over-qualify" you from flipping burgers when you really need a job. Either way, if you work in an industry that society does not esteem, please don't let it affect your self-esteem.  Those people flipping burgers are capable of doing so much more but just like the rest of us, they need jobs. Please stop belittling the service industry; honestly, the entire society relies on these people and we should hold them up in higher esteem while saving some of that high esteem for ourselves.

In case you are wondering, I'm not flipping burgers. I do contract work through a company that I established 3 years ago, ByJRochelle. I established this company after I couldn't even get a job flipping burgers! I still had my skills but no one wanted to pay me to use them. Emphasis on pay, because I do a lot of volunteer work. I volunteered with Hannah and her new step in life is encouraging to me. Hannah didn't have to get a job as a copy editor, then an associate writer, then after years become a senior writer. She went from A,B,C to H,I, J. I can do that too, and so can you!

Concurrently Realistic and Unrealistic

I have a friend who used the book Start by Jon Acuff to embark on a journey. She is searching for new career opportunities and instead of staying at home conducting my job search, this book has inspired "[her] to overcome her fears, take action, and go after [her] dream of helping others through personal development strategies and media". I was really excited about her project, to say the least. Anyway, she gave me a copy of the book and I'm listening to it right now. Somewhere in the beginning, Jon makes this statement:

You have to be brutally realistic about your present circumstances and wildly unrealistic about your future circumstances. #Start @JonAcuff

I've been thinking about this for some time now; obviously not in those exact words. I've been thinking about it for months after a conversation with an under-employed friend who takes any assignment that he can get his hands on. In fact, I have several friends are are unemployed and under-employed. I give them advice on finding jobs and generally discourage them from taking "anything". To which they all tell me in so many words that they don't have the luxury I have of being married to a successful husband who provides everything that I need. Every time i heard that, I tried my best to defend myself saying that I felt the same way before I was married. To add to this, I was at my YMCA class one day and the instructor suggested that we all go out for eat afterwards since none of us worked anyway. I could very well go to breakfast, but then I'd have to admit the truth: that I had nothing else to do.

The funny thing is no one seems to know that I'm unemployed except the people my husband tells.

It's because I'm not being brutally realistic about my present circumstances. I do very limited contract work. I HAD 2 monthly clients and everything else is sparsely sporadic. At this point one contract job has ended and I am unsure of the future of the other. I have to go back and reread this chapter but at this point I don't see how I can accept this and still be unrealistic about my future. However, at the church that I attend this is what is promoted. If you read my other blog, I share my sermon notes from Lakewood Church and the general message is of hope. I think that I could be a grammy, tony, academy, winning actor, director, writer, producer. Every great person used to be unemployed so I'm sure that I can be great too.

That's all for now..

Break Out

I acted in a television commercial today. The commercial will seek to raise awareness about Joel Osteen's book, Break Out. 

Break Out discusses how God Created us to leave our marks on our generations and not just get by with average, unrewarding or unfulfilling lives. God created us to leave our marks on our generations. This book gives five ways to go beyond our barriers  and live extraordinary lives.

I'm not sure that any book can give 5 ways to go beyond my barriers. Every time I talk to anyone about what I can do to be successful usually, everything that they tell me is circumstantial and good luck. But Joel Osteen is very encouraging. He has a way of saying things that encourages me to want to try anyway. So even though I thing it's all luck, I say if it's all luck, then why not try. It may not work, but what if it does. It's funny how most people are eager to believe the worse when there is an equal opportunity that the best can happen.

Either way, I had fun today. I can't wait to see myself and my friends in the commercial. They shot the commercial with a Canon C300 and the videographers seemed to be excited about that. All of the extras in my scene are members of Lakewood Church's drama team. Many of us are working actors, some of us act on the side. I feel so honored to be a part of the drama team and I'm believing that we will all break out soon. :-)

If You Really Love Me...

Gary Chapman wrote a book entitled "The Five Love Languages...:" which outlines five ways to express and experience love: acts of service, quality time, words of affirmation, gifts and physical touch. Unfortunately, Physical Touch and Receiving Gifts are definitely the red-headed step-children among love languages. From a young age, we hear phrases like "money can't buy you love",  "she's a gold digger", and "he just wants me for my body".  As a matter of fact, society and media view words of affirmation, acts of service, and quality time as the love languages we must forge to receive "physical touch" or "gifts".

Society shuns people who speak and hear love as physical touch or gifts. The fact of the matter is people are different. What makes one person feel loved will not necessarily make another person feel loved and by nature, we tend to express love to others in the way we wish they would express love to us. Oftentimes we are told rather bluntly that our way is wrong. Of course no says "your way is wrong" they say, "you just want me for my body", "don't touch me" or "you ain't nothing but a gold digger". The receiver sees the giver's love as insincere and when the giver fails to receive a positive reaction, he or she becomes frustrated. Those on both ends feel unloved when the problem is that they are speaking the wrong love language. So if you really want to share love you need to learn about love languages. If it turns out to be physical touch or receiving gifts don't become judgmental.

I'm even guilty of being judgmental in this area. In the south, physical touch seems to be a popular love language. Everyone wants a hug, guys want to hold hands on the first date, people want to put their hands on your shoulder while talking. Though I have eased up a little, this bothers me. I don't like to hug "random people" and I certainly don't want random people putting their hands on my shoulders while talking. Unfortunately, many people took my disdain of physical touch as  statement of how I felt about them. Even though I affirmed and spent quality time with them, I was not speaking their love language. Furthermore, my facial expression and reaction just solidified their summations that I didn't love them. Before I was married, physical touch as love language was off limits. I was saving ALL forms of touch for my husband. This is probably why that with my husband (and only my husband) my primary love language is physical touch, imagine that!

Physical Touch and Gifts have negative connotations but if you continue to speak your own love language and not your loved one's language, then you fail to communicate. Proverbs 21:2 says that every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord knows the hearts. God is the only one who truly knows a person's heart so it's not our place to judge we are only commanded to love.

Do you know the love languages of those in your household? do you know your own love langauge?? You can click here to discover your love language and to learn about all 5!

You Are Valuable

Jentezen Franklin @ Lakewood Church

• Hongkong is the capitol of Tattoos. Born loser is the most popular tattoo . Before a tattoo Is placed on a persons body, it is already permanently inked on your mind.

• Christoper Columbus
• According to Earl Rosenthal, author of The Palace of Charles V in Granada (1985), the motto is closely associated with the Pillars of Hercules, which, according to Greek mythology, were built by Hercules near the Straits of Gibraltar to mark the edge of the then known world. According to mythology the pillars bore the warning Nec plus ultra (also Non plus ultra, "nothing farther beyond"), serving as a warning to sailors and navigators to go no farther and also a warning not to go farther.
• After Columbus sailed to the Americas, The Spanish coat of arms depicts two crown-topped pillars of Hercules (with red banners displaying the motto in Latin, "PLUS ULTRA," meaning "More Beyond," alluding to Columbus' discovery of the New World).
• That tattoo was removed!

• Roger Banister
• Roger Bannister was the first person to break the 4-minute mile demolishing a long standing myth that it could never be done.  Once he broke through the paper barrier, 17 other people broke the 4-minute mile that year and over 100 the next year.
• That tattoo was removed.

• • Philippians 3:11-14
• If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

• Do not be overcome by the devil's tattoos .

• Romans 12:1-2 KJV
• I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

• l am who God says l am.
• A hundred dollar bill's value doesn't change no matter what it goes through because it's creator says that it's worth one hundred dollars. Even if someone uses it to buy drugs, then it's used to bribe someone in a bad business deal, then pay for a prostitute…it's still worth $100

• How to remove a tattoo: a laser light stirs up the blood on the inside .
• 1 John 1:7 "...if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

• IF Satan keeps bringing up my past then it means that he doesn't have any new material. When you are reminded of your past, praise God that you aren't there anymore.

The Real Jesus

John Gray @ Lakewood Church

• Jesus is calling me to present an accurate picture of His character. Jesus is not comfortable or Safe...l haVe the answer and I need to share it.  Sometimes God asks you to''go out of your way )
• John 4:3-11 KJV
• He left Judæa, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

1. *Jesus went out of His way.
2. *Jesus was intentional and related to the woman at her point of need
3. *You have to be relational relatable and relevant
4. *Jesus didn't judge her

Be A Magnet for Blessings

Joel Osteen

God will send blessings for you IF you honor Him with your life

• Deuteronomy 28:1-2 KJV
  And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.
• Continue being your best where you are.
• you don't have to Worry and play games to get people to like you . All you need to do is honor God will and he will make the divine connections.
  IF you are not faithful in the wilderness then how can he trust you In The promised land. God has explosive blessings in my future.

• Proverbs 13:22 KJV
  A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
• There and some eventualies in my future. I just need to seek God and not the things.
• Matthew 6:33 KJV
  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
• You cant have faith if you don't have hope. Do not become complacent because you do not see anything happening. Dream big!
• Hebrews 11:1 KJV
  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

← Cow story d

There was a missionary living in a town where a dairy farmer was selling milk for ridiculous prices. One day a few of the cows walked over to that missionary's house. The missionary returned the cows. This continued for weeks. Finally, the dairy farmer told the missionary to keep those cows. The missionary started selling milk for lower prices putting the dairy farmer out of business. 

• Proverbs 13:21 KJV
  Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repaid.

Victoria Osteen

• Luke 2:37 KJV
  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
  Sometimes that's what we want to do as believers.
  God didn't design us to struggle. So we have to make a decision to love ourselves.
• If you know that there are discouraging people and situations in our paths then we need to plan ahead.
• Psalms 3:3 KJV
  But thou, O Lord , art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
• If you aren't feeling peace about a situation then stand still.
• No one can fill my needs but God. God has my destiny today,  but it's up to me to decide how long it would take.

Activating The Right Genes

I just happened to watch Gattaca this morning while getting ready to head to Lakewood Church where the sermon title was "Activating the Right Gene". The movie was about "a genetically inferior man assumes the identity of a superior one in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel" and the sermon was about how though we may be "genetically predisposed" to certain negative traits we can choose to activate the things that God says about us and not what science says about us! It got me wondering if there are things about myself that I feel have been inherited through my bloodline and will inevitably hold me back. I'm still not sure. In this blog I want o talk about the movie and the sermon.

Gattaca

The first Title card is a scripture from the Bible, "Consider God's handiwork; who can straighten what He hath made crooked? (Ecclesiastes 7:13)"  We soon meet  Society categorized Vincent Freeman as less than suitable given his genetic make-up and Jerome Morrow as a perfect genetic specimen. Jerome is a paraplegic who lacks desire and Vincent Freeman is a "god child" willing to risk everything to succeed.

I thought one of the most interesting parts in the movie was when Vincent said that from an early age he came to think of himself as others thought of him, chronically ill and wherever he went genetic prophecy preceded him. I actually talked about this movie with my husband on the way to church. When people decide that they have a disadvantage anything that happens becomes evidence to that belief but Vincent proved that the things that happened were only evidence that he was human. I don't want to give away too much of the movie, because I want you to go watch it. I watched it for free on my Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 using the Crackle app.

Joel Osteen at Lakewood Church

• There are genes that you can deactivate.
• Its easy to use genes as an excuse but I need to take responsibility For myself. Not only can I put A stop to a curse but I can pass down a blessing
• Iniquities will continue until someone takes a stand to put a stop to it.
  Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV
  I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
  ★ Ernest Hemingway's Family has a history of suicide .
  ★Make choices that help my family
• IF Saul had taken care of his enemy (in l Samuel 15) when he had the power then Esther may not had to deal with that issue 500 years later. 
  Ezekiel 18:2-3 KJV
  What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord God , ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
  My family may have made decisions that set me back but this is a new day. Deal with the issues that are holding me back.
• James 5:16 KJV
  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
  ★You can not sweep things under the rug and expect it to go away. 
• Dont learn to function in the dysfunction.
• ★Don't Take The Scenic Route
  The Osteens went on a trip and the bellman took them down a beautiful winding road to their bungalow. So that IS the way Joel would go. The next day Joel's son told him that there was a shorter way. Joel refused arguing that he was going the way that the bellman went. On the last day of
  the trip Johnathan asked if they could go his way just once, so they did. His way was shorter; it turns out the bellman was taking the scenic route and according to the map, it was a big circle .
• ★ Sometimes what l have seen modeled may not have been the right way. I need to examine the things that I do and determine whether that the best way.

Victoria At Lakewood Church

Someone May Need to Borrow Your Shoes

Acts 20:35 KJV
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

• God wants us to be tanked up because it is more blessed to give then to receive . we usually think about physical gifts but words one free encouragement is free and etc...
• Joel and Victoria went to Italy and bought his dad some nice shoes. After his dad died , Joel wore those shoes for 2 years.
• Joel's dad had lived a life that Joel wanted to glean from.
• We need to live in such away that others want to borrow our shoes.

Have God Esteem & Keep Growing

****Victoria Osteen****
Have God-Esteem

1. Proverbs 18:14 NLT....The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?
   The bible says that the spirit of a man sustains the man. Your spirit is constantly trying to change you and that's why you have to be careful of what you let get stuck in your head.
2. Hebrews 4:16 NLT...So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
   When you go boldly before someone it's a reflection of what you think about that person. You trust that person and respect their admonishment.
3. Acts 13:22 NIV...After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
   David was a man after God's on heart but he wasn't perfect. He was confident in God and took time to meditate on God.
4. Romans 14:22-23 NIV So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
   As long as you don't condemn yourselfyourself you can ask God for anything.
5. When your perspective changes then everything Looks different.

*****Joel Osteen*****
Keep Growing

• You Have to take responsibility for your own growth. You can't coast through life on what you already know. 50% of the people who graduate high school will never read another a book.
• I Have a responsibility to myself, to my family, and to God to develop my hidden treasures. I Have tooin much in me to not be proactiveproactive.
• Pablo Casals continued to practice guys cello for 5 hours daily well into his eighties so that he could continue to get better.
  http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Casals
• The Tale of 2 Lumberjacks
  Two lumberjacks, a younger one and an older one, raced to see who could cut down the most trees in a single day. At the end of the day the winner was obvious. The older lumberjack had won. The younger man could not believe it!"How could you have cut down more trees than I did?" he asked. "Every hour you sat down while I kept right on cutting. I don't understand. How could you have cut more trees while sitting so much?""When I sat down, I was sharpening my axe," the older lumberjack said. "Why didn't you stop to sharpen your axe?" "I didn't have time," the younger man said. "I was too busy cutting!"This story reminds us that in order to be an effective servant, to make our lives count for Christ, we should take time regularly to "sharpen" our lives.
• If you sharpen your skills you may not Have to work as hard.
• God has shifted things in my favor and it's up to me to be prepared.
• David was a shepherd: He had a minimum wage job and no friends. David's brothers were in the army: they had Huigh praying jobs. David could have drowned in self pity but instead he took time to work on his skills and become a skilled marksman devoted to his flock and when God needed someone to kill a giant, David was ready!
• Proverbs 18:16 NIV...A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
• Don't use your position as an excuse to slack off: Proverbs 22:29 NIV...Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.
• Joseph in the Bible is a good example. He didn't wait until he was at the top he started from the bottom.
  After many setbacks, Joseph learned humility and wisdom. He was a hard worker, even while a slave. Joseph loved his family and forgave terrible wrongs done to him.
  The account of Joseph in the Bible is found in Genesis chapters 30-50. 
• Never present only a problem. Don't have destination disease.
• People won't always care who the popular kids and athletes were.
• Use the time that you have wisely: you can use your drive time, workout time, waiting time, and etc to grow. During your downtime read the Bible, listen to the Bible, read a book, take an online course, and etc.
• Be careful of who you spend time with.
  Who you associate with matters.

Joel Likes To Start With Something Funny...

A young girl is standing on a street corner, preaching about God to whoever will listen. A businessman stops to listen, and can't believe what he's hearing.Finally, he interrupts the girl and says, "Excuse me, but are you saying that EVERYTHING in the Bible is true?"The girl responds, "Why, yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."He says, "So you're saying that the story of Jonah and the big fish is a true story?"The girl says, "Yes, that's what I'm saying."He says, "Okay, so tell me how Jonah could survive for three days inside of a big fish!"The girl thinks for a moment, then says, "Well...I'm not sure. But when I get to Heaven, I'll ask him."He says, "But what if Jonah went to hell?"The girl says, "Then you can ask him!"

Releasing the full you

05/05/2013

Joel @ Lakewood Church

Romans 12:2 KJV
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The caterpillar goes from being one of the most plain insects to one of the most beautiful,  a butterfly. Like that caterpillar,  we may start plain but we aren't meant to stay that way.

That caterpillar has to push himself out of the cocoon.  In the same way,  it's up to me to push myself out.  Negative thoughts can impede the full you from coming out.

● You have to change your thinking because
inside of you is everything I need to be that beautiful butterfly soaring to places that I never imagined.

● John Osteen grew up in a plain lifestyle but he felt the urge to do something more.  His family discouraged him but he had to ignore those thoughts and renew their minds.

● A lot of the time,  we get programmed by the words that other people speak over us but we need to reprogram our thoughts with what God says about us

● The enemy fights you for where you are going.

Judges 6:11-12 KJV

And there came an angel of the Lord , and sat
under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi–ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
● God calls you what you will become,  not what you are.  It's up to me to come into agreement with what God knows about me not my circumstances or what I think about myself.

● A Plantation owner was throwing out dead wood when a sculptor asked if he could have the wood. The plantation owner laughed and told him to take it since it was useless. The sculptor carved an eagle.  A few weeks later the Plantation owner saw the Eagle displayed at the sculptor's hut and offered to buy it for $500. The sculptor told him that it was the dead wood. The sculptor saw the Eagle on the inside it wasn't useless.
Micah 4:9 KJV
Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.

● We are children of the most High God, there are kings and Queens on the inside and it's time for them to come out.

*********Victoria Osteen***********
The Season of Graduation

When God prepares you for a challenge you get stronger in the midst of it.

It is what it is as I get better over time.
You don't need to take from others because they don't have what I need, that's why I can rejoice when others rejoice.

This is a season of graduation. When you finish with one thing, it's hard to see what God has for you but like Abraham we have to follow God even though we don't know where he's going.

Hebrews 11:8-10 MSG
By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God's call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by
God.
-Sometimes like Abraham, things take a long time! In this times when we have a front row seat to the longest wait we have to remember that God has perfect timing.

Nehemiah 8:10 NLT
And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the L ord is your strength!"
-In that time of waiting we have to praise God to strengthen ourselves. That praise needs to be stored up so it can minister to me.

Keeping Your Vision in Front of You

Joel @ Lakewood Church

• Keep the right things in front of you because if you aren't looking at it then you are not moving toward it.

Zechariah 4:6-10 KJV

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord , which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Proverbs 29:18 KJV

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

• When you believe big, you please God!  Don't be afraid to set a new standard for your family.  God is not limited by any of my perceived deficiencies.

• His dream for my life is bigger than my dream.
• Don't be limited by your own imagination (or lack thereof); don't let the enemy decide what you imagine.
• Let a new image take root.
• If you aren't healthy right now but you should put things in front of you that remind you of when you were.  More importantly make plans to live and not die.

2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

One translation says that those things are subject to change.

Genesis 13:14-15 KJV

And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

Conrad Hilton: In 1932 Conrad N. Hilton wrote "The Greatest of Them All" onto a photograph of The Waldorf Astoria New York in New York City. It was his dream to own this hotel and include it in his prestigious portfolio of hotels. In 1949 he realized his dream, extending his version of "the light and warmth of hospitality" to the legendary New York landmark. Today, the hotel is the inspiration for the distinctive luxury hotels of The Waldorf Astoria New York Collection, the new Hilton brand established in 2006, to which the original Waldorf Astoria New York is affiliated. 

********Victoria Osteen**********

Forget and Press

Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

• ·Forget the past
• ·Set a goal.
• ·Press forward.

EXAMPLE: When you lift weights, you start with small weights and its hard but if you keep pressing then you get stronger. 

• We shouldn't operate in our circumstances because the more you mediate on it the more it will take root. Don't associate yourself with your circumstances.

You have to decide what you will dwell on and remove yourself from situations that will drag you down.

Walk out of harmful identities and walk into the identity that Christ on you, it is a HIGH CALLING!

God Will Finish What He Started

Joel @ Lakewood Church

• God never starts something with the end in mind and he has already set the completion date. God has already lined everything up.
• There are some people who you shouldn't tell about God's promises. (Secret Petitions) Psalm 37:4 AMP...Delight thyself also in the [Lord]; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
• Luke 2:25-27, 29 ESV
  Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
• David had to go on the run after he received the promise that he'd be the next king. He was in the wilderness where he couldn't see anything happening. He had to reminded of who he was and what God had promised (1 Samuel 25)
• A group went fishing and the people who knew that area told the leader that if he found himself near a certain place to head dew north and he'd make it back to dock (that was the promise). Well they went fishing and a thick fog set in limiting their visibility. The leader noticed where he was and told them to head dew north. The trip was taking long and the others started to plant seeds of doubt but he kept going and they made it back. When things look foggy, you just have to keep going.
• Genesis 30:22-24 MSG
  And then God remembered Rachel. God listened to her and opened her womb. She became pregnant and had a son. She said, "God has taken away my humiliation." She named him Joseph (Add), praying, "May God add yet another son to me."
• God doesn't forget even after you give up because I don't have the final say, God does.
• Paul Osteen (http://www.paulosteen.com/who-we-are/) Re
• Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to heal Lazarus, but He had a resurrection in mind! Sometimes you think God is too late, but he has something better in mind. (John 11)
• Zechariah 4:8-10 MSG
  After that, the Word of God came to me: "Zerubbabel started rebuilding this Temple and he will complete it. That will be your confirmation that God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me to you. Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings? They'll change their tune when they see Zerubbabel setting the last stone in place!" Going back to the vision, the Messenger-Angel said, "The seven lamps are the eyes of God probing the dark corners of the world like searchlights."
• If you hit a setback then begin again!
• Philippians 1:6 NIV
  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

********Victoria Osteen*********

• When you dance in the freedom that you have God gives you more freedom.
• I'm released from everything except doing my best.
• Faith is now and God has everything that I need. God is working through me for his good pleasure.
• God has my victory in His hands.
• My blessing is in stock for future release.
• I'm not under my circumstances, I'm

Making God A Part of Your Everyday Life

• Joel @ Lakewood Church
• 
  
• ·Some people put God in a Sunday morning box, but he wants to be the center of my life; at work, at the grocery store, etc...
• Proverbs 3:6 NIV
  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
• There are somethings that you may be able to do in your own strength but when we acknowledge God, he crowns your efforts.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV
  pray continually,
• You should have an attitude of prayer.

John 15:5-8 NIV
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.    If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.    If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.    This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

• When you humble yourself and admit that you can't do things on your own then God will exalt you. When you do this it's a sign of strength and if you can't then it's a sign of pride.
• Hebrews 11:6 KJV
  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
• God rewards you for making an effort.
• Matthew 6:33 NIV
  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
• One translation of seek says, to make it a vital necessity. Your life should depend on it and it shouldn't be an option. You may have to rearrange a few things to make God a priority.
• John 4:14 NIV
  but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
• Our praise should outweigh our petitions.
• When you talk to God talk to Him the way that you talk to your friends; when you talk to God speak the scripture even if you don't understand it because the Word is a living seed that will take root and sprout when needed because the holy spirit is your teacher.

*******Victoria Osteen @ Lakewood*******

1. We are ambassadors of peace and ambassadors represent.
• Romans 12:18 NIV
  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
2. You have to settle it in your heart that you will be at peace. That doesn't mean that you lay down and let someone make you a doormat.
• 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
  For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
3. When your heart and mind are not at.peace then you begin to react instead of respond.
• Philippians 4:7 NIV
  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
4. You have to learn to manage some relationships and you have to always pray for people who seen "hard to manage".
• Psalm 34:14 NIV
  Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
5. Seek means that you have to take action and pursue means that you can't stop.

Taking Control of Your Happiness

Joel Osteen @ Lakewood Church

• A lot of people are sacrificing their own happiness to keep everyone happy. We are not responsible for anyone else's happiness. If someone gets upset because you don't help them then they are trying to manipulate you. That person will never be free if you keep being a crutch. If that person is not taking responsibility and you keep giving in you are not dealing with the real problem.
• You need to cut the strings. It's like a toddler throwing a fit. As long as someone can pressure you they will keep doing it.
• Life is too short to go through life sacrificing your dreams for people who make poor decision.
• I am not the potter, God is. The best thing sometimes is to not rescue the person.
• You have to put your foot down and say I love you but I'm not going to feel guilty because I'm not making someone happy.
• Luke 15:17 NLT
  "When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, 'At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!
• Sometimes people have to come to a place where no one is bailing them out.
• Be careful of high maintenance people.
• Lift, thrust, weight, and drag are the factors of flight. People will usually fall into one of these categories. Make sure you spend the majority of your time with lifters and thrusters.
• You can't go where God is taking you with certain people on board.
• Get prayed up, praised up, and encouraged before you go to places where you have to be around weights and drags. You can't go into the day in neutral.

******Victoria Osteen @ Lakewood Church ******

Psalms 44:5 NLT
Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes.

We need to take the pressure off of ourselves, it's not our work, it's God's power.

Victoria sat there for a day waiting for the fog to lift so that they could enjoy themselves. What made it worse is that the weatherman said that it would be sunny. Finally they went down to the lobby to find something to do and the concierge told them that 10 minutes down the road it was clear and sunny. It had only been a pocket of fog. That's what a lot of people do, they sit in a fog waiting to enjoy life when they really need to get up and move around.

Thank you for the S-O-N, he's always shining.

Compass Class: Laugh Yourself to a Better Marriage

What's Sex Got to do With It?

There are some so uptight about sex that they don't want to say sex, they say intimacy.

Ezekiel 23:21 NLT
She lusted after lovers with genitals as large as a donkey's and emissions like those of a horse. And so, Oholibah, you relived your former days as a young girl in Egypt, when you first allowed your breasts to be fondled.

Sex shoyld be used to build love and not consummate.

Why would God use sex as a metaphor for Christ and the church if it were a filthy or naughty thing.

Sex is the only form of love exclusive to marriage.

Sex shouldn't be based on hormones or desires that come and go.

Get Over It

JOEL @ LAKEWOOD CHURCH

• A lot of people go through life thinking that people owe them something. Your poor upbringing, that bad relationship, none of it was a surprise for God. God wasn't having a bad day when he made me.
• Psalms 139:14 NLT
  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
• You can be pitiful or you can be powerful but you can't be both.
• God has given me the grace that I need to run my race. So I don't need to start comparing myself to others because I'm anointed to be me.
• God had already arranged a comeback for every setback.
• If anyone had a right to have a chip on their shoulder it was Job. There he was living right and he lost everything.
• It's very easy to make an excuse for being bitter. Sometimes we want things from people that they don't have. If you only look to people, they will always let you down. No one person can meet all of your needs, they will always fall short. Let people off of the hook. When you are bitter it poisons every area of your life.
• It's easy to remember what we didn't get.
• Psalms 27:10 NLT
  Even if my father and mother abandon me, the L ord will hold me close.
• Matthew 5:45 NLT
  In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
• A bitter root will always produce bitter fruit. If the whole world stinks then maybe you need to make some changes on the inside. When we don't let things go it doesn't hurt the other person, it hurts you. You forgive for your own sake.
• Hebrews 12:15 AMP
  Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God's grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it--
• Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown(October 19, 1876 – February 14, 1948), nicknamed "Three Finger" or "Miner", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher at the turn of the 20th century. Due to a farm-machinery accident in his youth, Brown lost parts of two fingers on his right hand[1] and eventually acquired his nickname as a result. Overcoming this handicap and turning it to his advantage, he became one of the elite pitchers of his era.
• Your handicap can become your advantage if you just get over it.

The Cry for a Kingdom MAN

Pastor Bobby @ Hope Alive

Luke 17:21 NLT
You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's over there!' For the Kingdom of God is already among you. "

Matthew 13:44-46 NLT
"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls.  When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!

1. A kingdom man is over who is pursuing the Kingdom of God.
A. Usually men are associated with pursuing women, money, and power. Those things are normal but should be under the subjection of the Lord.
B. A man's man is always pursuing treasure.

2. A kingdom man's goal is to advance the kingdom of God for the betterment of those within it.

3. A kingdom man rules according to God's rule.
A. Visually demonstrates the comprehensive rule of God in every area of his life.
B. In authority because he is under God's authority.
C. Is under the covering, protection, and provision of God.

There is no neutral: a man is either a hero or a villain.

When God went looking for a person to answer about the fall he went looking for a man.

The Instinct to Increase

T.D.Jakes @ Lakewood Church

• "If you don't break up with fear you can miss your destiny."
• "Jesus died not to give us religion, but to give us relationship."
• Matthew 25:14-29 KJV
  For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
• Consider the culture and the context of the time. 

1. This was being told in a caste society: whatever you are born into is what you are supposed to be. 
2. There was no responsibility in a caste system for anyone to uplift anyone or I interact outside of your circle.
3. Slaves were forbidden from owning anything.

• The servants had been gifted.

1. We all have things that we did not earn.
2. I'm an asset not a liability.
3. In spite of...

• God assesses your abilities.
  

1. Not equally... (people who compare themselves to others will never be happy. You should be comparing what you got to what you had.)
2. God is not fair, but he is just. He only gives you what you can handle. (All three men received an opportunity; God wouldn't give me the opportunity if I couldn't handle it)

• Most extremely gifted people are also lonely.
  

1. The gift set them apart from the other slaves.
2. The isolation is an opportunity for you to work your magic.

• Matthew 25:19 NLT...After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.

1. I don't need to give an account for what he gives me.
2. You have to be excellent on your own level. If you are excellent on your level then God will allow you to break some walls, shatter some ceilings, and step into another dimension.
3. Winners don't bury their talent and expose their fear; winners burt their fear and expose their talent.
4. All 3 servants received the same information but they processed it differently.

• The determining factor for the outcome is not the command, it's the instinct.

1. Though they were slaves, at least 2 of them weren't thinking like slaves.
2. Slaves only obey orders, masters follow their instincts.1