“I was not delivered unto this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep. I will hear not those who weep and complain, for their disease is contagious. Let them join the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny…” ~Og Mandino
On Perspective…
During my period of “selective ignorance”, I have attempted to refocus on some of problem solving abilities, working on maintaining perspective of how I address challenges in my life. I have purposely limited my time on social networking while looking inward to answers some serious questions about myself. Allow me to express what I have learned…
I have definitely learned how to find a little bit of joy in the midst of these issues, especially when I recognize their purpose & results. I am always prepared and open to the lesson of the challenge that is before me. That not only assists me to get through but it makes me a living, walking example to those who are watching me. In most cases, I am truly blessed with what is needed to get me to the next level…learning through the challenge, becoming stronger for my next challenge in life. My faith is a major factor in this perspective. I am a firm believer that God blesses me with these trials to conquer and draw closer to Him strengthening my relationship.
I always talk about the elements of my prayer. Supplication, asking for the blessings of wisdom & discernment to make good decisions. Thanks, appreciating the opportunity to exercise the wisdom granted through the challenges in my life. So when you are going through YOUR challenges, embrace the struggle of this “Beautiful Struggle” we call life because you will be stronger. Be blessed, #BeDynamic
Test Of A Man
The test of man is the fight that he makes.
The grit that he daily shows.
The way that he stands upon his feet.
And takes life’s numerous bumps and blows.
A coward can smile,
When there’s not to fear.
And nothing, his progress bars.
But it takes a man to stand and cheer.
While the other fellow stars.
It isn’t the victory after all,
But, the fight that a brother makes.
A man when driven against the wall,
takes the blows of fate.
With his head held high.
Bleeding, bruised, and pale!!
Is the man who will win, fate defied,
For he isn’t afraid to fail.
~Author Unknown~
#BeDynamic
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
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.
First Line of Defense
I had a blast at the UFC Fan Expo in Boston which included me getting a FREE ticket to UFC 118! While attending the expo’s many attractions, I got all of the fighters’ perks (Free shirts, hats, supplements, bags etc.) even chilled with them in down time. I realized that I got all of the attention because I looked like one of them, an MMA fighter. It made me think about a book I read “Restoring the Male Image” by Alex O. Ellis. In the book, Mr. Ellis talks about the impact of your image (from attire to walk) at times can be your first line of defense. Wear a suit, people will initially treat you like a businessman, wear baggy jeans & baseball cap people will initially treat you like a thug (in many cases) and in my case wear a tight fighter t-shirt & flip-flops and you’ll get treated like a MMA fighter (in UFC arenas).
When you go to a job interview or business meeting, people decide whether they want to work with you within the first 15 seconds, without any type of conversation. The point is this, if you ever wondered why people treat you a certain way upon meeting you, they judged you based on your appearance. I am not saying that this is right but as Earth Wind & Fire says “that’s the way, of the world”. In this world of micro-branding, if you want the part, you have to look the part, play the part then be the part. I think the next UFC event I attend, I’ll wear a suit….nah, I liked getting free stuff. Be blessed, #bedynamic!
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
: Tests Of A Man : 