Monday, October 10, 2005

Positive Thoughts, Positive Life

I'm sorry I haven't written here in awhile, but mainly it's because I let myself get busy with other things. Life over the past few months has definitely been interesting. Mostly, I have just had a change in my old mind set.

It may shock some of you, but I'm not sure if God is leading me down the Medical School road anymore. It had been my "dream" for so long that I just never really thought that there was anything else. The main reason I had wanted to go to medical school was to use that in the future as my ministry. Lately, I have had other opportunities come up that will give me more time to minister in the Missions field and even around me.

Rodney and I are new business owners. In essence, we are independent contractors. What's exciting is that our business is so hot right now that as we expand, anyone who is interested in becoming an independent contractor with us has to qualify by going through a 3-step interview. It is awesome.

The point is that our business has given us a new lot in life. I will have more time to volunteer as an EMT, to do mission work, and we can escape the corporate pyramid (in which we are at the bottom with no real hope of truly going beyond that). It's just that corporate America has deceived everyone into thinking that they are going to be okay when it is time to retire when in fact, 98% of people will not be able to survive on the government's payout (Social Insecurity which Rodney and I won't even have anyways) and will probably continue working. That just isn't right in my mind.

So, on that our business has encouraged us to change our mind set. We now spend time reading and listening to positive CDs. We hang around people with high moral values and positive outlooks in life. We have finally begun to realize that those people who are negative either have no dreams, no positive outlook on life, or are afraid of the success of other people making them look bad.

Yesterday was awesome! We did some "dream-building" and went on the Parade of Homes in the Raleigh area. It was absolutely amazing. My favorite house was a $2.5 million house that was simply gorgeous. We looked at a $4 million house, but I still loved the $2.5 million one. I could actually see myself in that house. Now, you might think that that is materialistic, but aren't we all when we go to work everyday chasing money? Besides, if I ever thought a $2.5 million house would become the center of my life, I would never have one. I just look forwards to the day when money will no longer be a worry, a stress, or a problem. I also look forwards to being able to give more that I ever would have been with this new outlook on life.

So, on to the point of this blog. Positive Thoughts = Positive Life. I just read an amazing book called Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen. The main reason people are unhappy or unsuccessful in today's world is because of their thought process. They allow their poor circumstances to overcome their emotions and life and so they live unhappily. Happiness is a choice though. It is written at the top of our mirror in the bathroom: "Choose to be Happy today." The Lord wants us to live in abundance and happily. He wrote that out for us. We are also in his favor. When you choose to be happy and realize that you are in His favor, life becomes a whole lot easier to manage because you don't worry about circumstances as you choose to be happy in spite of them.

The Lord wants to bless you a 1000x over. You just need to seek those blessings! Mainly you do that by giving. Give your life, money, work, etc over to him and he will bless you with an abundant life.

I believe this with 100% of my heart. I know He will provide for us, because He already has. He will bring the right people into our lives whether they be our friends, family, or strangers. He has already brought amazing people into our lives since our wedding. It is no coincidence. We know it was God as we asked Him to bring those people.

Even doubt as small as a mustard seed will cause you not to be able to move those mountains in your life. I know, because I have been there.

I choose to be happy, to dwell on positive things. If I do that, then I know I will have a life of abundance and happiness as the Lord desires us to have.

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4