YOU HAVE TO DO THE HARD THINGS!

You have to make the call you’re afraid to make.

You have to get up earlier than you want to get up.

You have to give more than you get in return right away.

You have to care more about others than they care about you.

You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.

You have to feel unsure and insecure when playing if safe seems smarter.

You have to lead when no one else is following you yet.

You have to invest in yourself even though no one else is.

You have to look like a fool while you’re looking for answers you don’t have.

You have to grind out the details when it’s easier to shrug them off.

You have to deliver results when making excuses is an option.

You have to search for your own explanations even when you’re told to accept the “facts”.

You have to make mistakes and look like an idiot.

You have try and fail and try again.

You have to run faster even though you’re out of breath.

You have to be kind to people who have been cruel to you.

You have to meet deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that are unparalleled.

You have to be accountable for your actions even when things go wrong.

You have to keep moving towards where you want to be no matter what’s in front of you.

You have to do the hard things.

The things that no one else is doing. The things that scare you. The things that make you wonder how much longer you can hold on.

Those are the things that define you. Those are the things that make the difference between living a life of mediocrity or outrageous success.

The hard things are the easiest things to avoid. To excuse away. To pretend like they don’t apply to you.

The simple truth about how ordinary people accomplish outrageous feats of success is that they do the hard things that smarter, wealthier, more qualified people don’t have the courage — or desperation — to do.

Do the hard things. You might be surprised at how amazing you really are.

January 16, 2014 0

Truth

G’morning all! To arrive at truth you must exit the road of illusion. By nature we are all creatures of habit. We become content with driving down the same highway of life passing the same scenery. From time to time we catch a glimpse of a sign telling of another reality but the unfamiliar brings about apprehension, so we stay where we are. Answer the beckon of truth. #BeDynamic or be forgotten!

September 18, 2013 1

And Now A Word From Our Sponsor…

“God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Fear has been my biggest culprit in life. Fear has been the driving force in a lot of the decisions that I have made. Fear of failure, rejection or even successes have paralyzed me. But in 2013, I am living a fearless life.

The biggest obstacle to overcome is the one staring back at you in the mirror. It stops us from progressing and in most cases, starting. Always start, never quit & do not stop moving forward for any reason…especially fear! Fear is a liar! You were not created to be fearful. You were created to love, be loved & to conquer.

Be blessed, #BeDynamic

February 21, 2013 0

The Gift Of Adversity

Within every adversity is a seed of equal or greater opportunity” ~Napoleon Hill

God will never put a dream in your heart, that He can’t put in your hand. But you have to be prepared for it. Thus brings about the adversity. Over the past 3 years, I have learned to shift the way I see my adversities, to treat them as gifts, not enemies, transforming pain into purpose. The first lesson that I learned, everything occurs in perfect timing.

Whatever you teach the world you get to learn & apply. It has been said that we teach most what we need to learn. And when we do that we invite those adversities and/or lessons into our lives. So in the midst of that adversity that you are facing, go to a quiet place, and ask God, “I welcome this adversity. What is it here to teach me?”. That is the most powerful question to be asked because adversity is a gift wrapped in unattractive paper.

“Within every circumstance is a spiritual lesson.” ~James Allen

Once you get the lesson the circumstance will pass away, and new circumstance arises. But when the same adversity keeps coming about, find that lesson, because once you do, you will be prepared to move forward. As long as you’re alive, change is involved. The day you stop growing is the day you die. When adversity comes, welcome it & ask “What is this here to teach me?” But also take notice of the beginning quote. There is a seed that needs nourished & taken care so that it can come forward.

October 26, 2012 2

And Now A Word From Our Sponsor…Who am I?

Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

1Timothy 1:13, 15-16

March 29, 2012 1

And Now A Word From Our Sponsor…Keep Moving!

As I sit here on the eve of the year 2012, I’m thinking about the happenings of the 2011, my triumphs and pitfalls. I am extremely blessed and I thank God for all of my blessings but there was one consistent feeling of emptiness that I felt throughout the year 2011. It wasn’t until this morning, Friday, December 31^st 2011, that I really came to grips with this feeling in regards to my relationship with God.

In case you don’t know, I am totally starting my life over, with NOTHING in hand. I felt empty, but that feeling of emptiness can be a wonderful gift from God. There is something about “nothing” that moves God’s hand. I was distracted from His will, depending on myself and I wasn’t empty enough. God basically led me to a place of nothingness where I can lean on nothing but His provision. And that is where I currently am.

The story of the prophet Elisha (2 Kings Chapter 4) really taught me that:

Emptiness is a gift from the Lord
Emptiness tells us we have a need
We must admit our emptiness
Only God can truly fill us.

Although I learned from the prophet Elisha, I may have learned even more from the destitute woman. I realized that regardless of the situation or where I am, I must GET UP and keep moving toward my purpose. While moving toward my purpose, I have to move past other people’s perception of me, whether good or bad. And most important, I have to remember that my purpose is from God.

Happy New Year…Be blessed, #BeDynamic

January 1, 2012 0

The Power To Surpass Myself

This is the first blog of 2011 which shows how focused I have been…I pray that you are blessed with the following thoughts. I needed this…

I have to admit that I have truly been stuck in a rut for the past 6 months. We all need dreams, goals & aspirations because without them we would only feed our desire for pleasure. I have lost focus of my dreams. Forward looking dreams create in us a stronger character by encouraging to be & do more than where we are right now. Dreams stir up a restless heart, causing us to want to be more, do & achieve more also.

God created us with the ability to dream. He leads us to think beyond our ordinary, moment-to-moment existence. I haven’t followed nor really reflected on my dreams and when you do that, you can stifle a meaningful experience that gives greater meaning to your life. So where do I start to manifest the dreams that I have been blessed with?

Dreams require prayer. Before we do anything we must seek the will of God. Difficult dreams are not those that require us to do something , but those that require us to change. Dreams are fragile. They are private matters that are incomprehensible to others in most cases. If we share our dreams in the beginning will cause some second guessing because they don’t understand your vision. Criticism that our dreams cannot be realized can cause loss of confidence. And finally dreams require commitment & endurance. “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3). The worth of the dream is exemplified by the difficulty of realizing it. Be blessed, #BeDynamic

July 3, 2011 3

Where The Battle’s Lost & Won!

“To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill. ” ~Sun Tzu (Art of War)

The end of the year always bring about deep reflection of what has happened this past year and how I would like to grow the next year. This year I am attempting to go to the very beginning of where good decisions are made and the battle is won or lost.

I enjoy reading about strategies and tactics. One of the most notable strategists of all time is Sun Tzu. One of his most famous strategies is to prepare to win before battle is even engaged. I used to ask myself “Where do I start?” and over time I have realized that “The battle is lost or won in the secret places before God, never in the external world”. I have spent a lot of time trying to “figure” things out on my own. I am a praying man but when I look back the best decisions I have made in my life have been when I have wrestled ideas out before God in prayer before making my next move. You cannot fail. The battle may take one day or may take a year but decisions should be wrestled alone before God.

Most times, I wait until circumstances then put God to the test, and more times than not, I have failed. I am learning to get things settled between myself and God deep in my soul where no one else can mettle and then I can move forth with certainty that the battle is won. When we try to fight out the battles externally first, we lose. When I have wrestled with God, I may lose (in a sense) but I have always come out with clarity and resolve to do what is right.

So as I prepare for the New Year, I am going to get alone with God, fight it out before Him, and settle the matters there FIRST. Have a safe and happy new year. Be blessed, #BeDynamic.

December 27, 2010 0

And Now A Word From Our Sponsor — Servant Leadership

The biggest need of the church today is leadership. People are willing to follow God’s vision but have no exposure to vision and/or effective leadership. Over my lifetime while worshiping in church I have noticed decline in the strong leadership in the church and especially the black church. I am a strong believer that everything rises and falls on leadership. The crazy part is that most believers become convinced that when they follow Christ, they must become sheepish, quiet and withdrawn, confusing meekness with weakness. EVERYONE plays a part in leadership in the church and it is OK to question decisions made by leadership without being ostracized.

In March 2009, I took on a major project at my previous church and I was challenged and undermined by the leadership with no opportunity for discussion. I had restriction place on my small leadership role that had never been placed on anyone else in that church. Instead of getting angry I decided to pray and ask God for discernment in what was happening. I exited that place of worship. My sister who stayed at that church has gone through a similar situation in that a new “process” has been added for conflict resolution just for her case. There were six days/opportunities to address this conflict, instead the leader decided to address it during morning worship. All parties were prepared for this new “process” except for my 5 month pregnant sister leaving her to feel embarrassed. Two points came to mind to mind during my study of the book of Micah:

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8

God holds leaders responsible for creating an environment of justice. God holds leaders accountable for creating healthy environments. The people learn to love justice and show mercy when their leader creates an environment for both. In both cases above, leadership created an unfair and unjust environment by not communicating with the parties involved. Morning worship is NOT the venue to resolve personal disputes.

“Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge who accepts brides, the powerful dictate what they desire – they are conspire together. The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen has come, the day God visits. Now is the time of their confusion” Micah 7:3, 4

Leaders who fail to practice servant leadership become self-serving. Without a cause to better the overall congregation and worship experience, this leader found a cause to serve their own (and their family’s) interest. This self-service eventually becomes a thorn in everything that will go on. In the examples exhibited, the leader made both decisions based on a personal preference and benefit for them and their family.

Be blessed, #bedynamic

September 2, 2010 0

And Now A Word From Our Sponsor – Put On!

¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ~Ephesians 6:11-17

I listen to a lot of Hip-Hop music and sometimes I think these guys can preach, and preachers can rap. While listening to Jeezy & Kanye West’s song “Put On”, they talk about putting on for their city. The basic premise to “Put On” means to “show off”, “put on a show” or “represent”. This lead me to think who or what do I “put on” for. We as Christians should “put on” for our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. But what are we putting on. Before we put on out Sunday’s best, before we go to choir rehearsal, we need to put on the “full armor of God”. Although we think the battles, trials & tribulations are with people, they are not. We are battling “against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” so your best suit and practicing is cannot help with dealing with the challenges of the world. So the next time you think about putting on, make sure you include these things:

The Belt of Truth
The Breastplate of Righteousness
The Shoes of Peace
The Shield of Faith
The Helmet of Salvation
The Sword of Spirit

August 24, 2010 0