If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right.
Henry Ford
The mind is a very powerful tool but you have to use it right. Roger Bannister didn't let people tell him what he couldn't do - he did it. After breaking the four minute mile 336 people did it again within 10 years - why? Because they knew it could be done and they went out and didn't believe all of the negative input and they did it.
Proverbs 13:20 says, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Surround yourself with people that tell you not what you can do but with people who believe in you and support you in what you want to accomplish in your life.
We need to address our own four minute miles and breakthrough just like Roger Bannister did over 50 years ago. Enlarging vision involves not only visioning what you want for yourself but also being gratified in what we have and giving thanks. We all have plenty to be thankful for but we sometimes dwell on what we don't have.
24 comments:
Frank,
I appreciate your Henry Ford quote. Thank you for opening the blog for chapter four--BREAKING THE BARRIERS OF THE PAST. I agree with you that the mind is a powerful tool. I was thinking of how Tori fought back after her motorcycle accident to reach the level of agility that she has today. We just came back from watching her participate in a ballet performance in Eureka Springs, AR. I remember a time when we wondered if you would walk again, much less dance!! Joel says that "what you will receive is directly connected to how you believe". Thank You, Lord, for giving Tori the faith to believe in herself. Sometimes we had trouble with faith during that time, but it seems that Tori never did. She never gave up. Because she kept doing her part, God did His. Since the accident she gave birth to another beautiful daughter and now is even performing in ballet!! She inspires me to start expecting supernatural blessing in all areas of my life too. I think by our positive outlook, we can change the negative cycle that may have been passed down to us from past generations and that we can affect our children and grandchildren by our positive expectations. She makes me want to follow Joel's advice to "dream bigger dreams. Enlarge your vision. Live with expectancy. Make room in your thinking for the great things God wants to do. Your best days are ahead of you." Amen.
I also like the Henry Ford quote and the story of the 4 minute mile. I am in a place of wanting to quit, but I realize it takes perseverance to succeed and I want to succeed. I am wanting something better than I have had in the past. I am willing to work for it. I have energy and am thankful for that.
I also am learning how to eat properly to have normal blood sugar. And I see that I can still have my sweets, in small doses. God is so good! He has been keeping Tom and I safe. We took the GEO Prizm to get checked out for the brake light coming on. They discovered we needed fluid for the breaks. And they found not only did we have a nail in our front tire, but the spare was flat too. Thank God we did not find out the hard way! We then took care of it. Then I noticed the Grand Prix was wobbly and took it to get looked at and they found the bearing was loose or something and needed to be replaced in the front. Now I don't have to take the risk of the car freezing up on me like happened to Tom several years ago. His truck bearing froze to the axle and he had to get off the highway fast. God protected me from that possible hazzard too!
I know I need to think big and work hard to get there. God is my guide and my rock! I want to see the fruition of my belief that I can do this insurance business. I have open arms for all God has for us!
Good for you, tfc. I imagine getting your blood sugar at a normal level is no easy task but realizing that you can do it is breaking through a huge barrier. Joel points out that the battle is in our minds. I like your positive take on the car problems too. Instead of feeling down and out about them, you feel blessed that you found out about them and that God protected you.
Isaiah 61:7 says, "For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them." Joel interprets that to mean that "if you'll keep the right attitude, God will pay you back double for your trouble. He'll add up all the injustice, all the hurt and pain that people have caused you, the abuse and embarrassment, and He'll pay you back with twice as much joy, peace, and happiness." That was my favorite part of the whole chapter. I now feel that when something unpleasant happens, that I will receive back twice the amount of pleasant things. What a promise! I remember the first time I read that portion of the book was last summer after I found out that Tori was feeling under the weather. I started doing my usual "mom worrying thing". Then I thought about this verse and felt suddenly better. I interpreted it to mean that for this worry, I would receive twice as much peace. I declared it and believed it. I went to Arkansas and spent a few days with Tori and her girls to help her care for them, and I did feel twice as much peace as I had felt worry. God did pay me back double for my trouble. I claim that verse all the time now.
Another part of chapter four that speaks to me is when Joel points out that God sees every time we forgive and has promised "to take all the evil that's come into your life, turn it around, and use it for your good." Through forgiveness, I can learn not to judge others and to see everyone, including myself as guiltless. Matthew 7:1 says, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." Joel says that "God sees every time you've been taken advantage of. He sees every time you turn the other cheek and let an offense go by." I just feel so blessed that God loves us that much and that He gives us what we need in every situation.
God gives us what we need, but we can't go around with a victim mentality and expect to live in victory. Joel says, "You can't live in a perpetual pity party and then wonder why situations aren't improving in your life." We are not victims. If we are feeling wronged, or like someone is dumping on us, or that someone is taking advantage of us; if we find ourselves feeling that love is ultimately dangerous and hurtful, we need to remind ourselves at that moment that we are believing that what goes on in the world outside us is the cause of what we think and feel. We need to remind ourselves that we are not the helpless victims of others' thoughts and actions. Since all unloving thoughts about ourselves project outward and thus determine what we see in the world, we are ultimately the victim of our own thoughts and not of the outside world. When we are feeling unloving or unloved, it is b/c at a core level we don't believe we deserve to be happy. We can choose to remember that it is our own unloving thoughts about ourselves that make us believe we are victims, and we can choose to change those negative thoughts into loving thoughts at any given time. Jerry Jampolsky says this in CHANGE YOUR MIND, CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
Patty, you hit the nail on the head. I had alot of questions and wonderings concerning this chapter. The bible promises that God will give us a 'twofold recompense for our former shame". If we keep the right attitude, God will pay us back double. He'll add up all the injustice all the hurt and pain that people have caused me, and pay me back twice as much joy, peace and happiness. What an awesome feeling. If we change our thinking God can change our life. I have been praying for a sign if I should stay in this environment. I've been waiting on God to make a move but maybe God is waiting on me to stretch my faith. I want to be the victor not the victim. All your sentences Patty, I felt were me.
Last night, our Ladies of the church, thru ballots, elected me as one of 7 on the bd. It made me feel really good, and needed, out of 77 ballots I got 64 votes. I am more popular than I give myself credit for. I love this book so much, I know it is helping me see the light. I am so thankful!
Wow! They picked the right person for the job, Jean. I know that you will be wonderful on the board. Thanks for saying that my sentences spoke to you. That is so gratifying! Your favorite part of chapter four and mine are the same....receiving double for our trouble. I love that verse and that idea. I know that if we will change our thinking, God will change our lives. If we want MORE in life, we have to make a whole-hearted decision to have a high-quality life. We need to synergy of support too. I guess that is why this blog is so important to me b/c we can come together as we are studying and teach each other and lend each other support. Jeanie, I hope you do what is best for your life so your life can have deep meaning for you and you can follow the desires of your heart. I guess we just have to be willing to change our thinking and start believing Him for bigger and better things. Joel says we "can't go around thinking thoughts of defeat and failure and expect God to fill us with joy, power, and victory." Maybe that is why you were elected to the board of your church. You are now living a joyful life of victory and power, and the ladies of the church can see that, and they want that for the church as well. Jeanie, the people around you, in your circle of family and friends will want what you have and will want to be around you even more as you declare yourself a conqueror. Joel says, "Have some determination. Begin speaking in terms or victory rather than defeat. Your words have amazing power, so quit talking about what you can't do, and start talking about what God CAN do. Keep your mind focused on God's goodness. Stay in an attitude of faith and victory." What good advice! He goes on to say, "You were born to win; you were born for greatness; you were created to be a champion in life." Doesn't that make you feel good? God loves you that much.
It's probably no coincidence that our sermon at church this morning was about breaking the past barriers as well. Joel says, "This is a new day, and God wants to do a new thing. Enlarge your vision. Stretch your faith. If you believe, all things are possible. It's time to go to a new level. It's time to get fresh vision. Go beyond the barriers of the past. Tear down strongholds in you mind. You've got to change your thinking." To help us visualize "stretch", the minister had a wooden giraffe by the podium. It was quite effective. She talked about decisions we may have made in childhood that served us well then, but that they were formed from faulty or insufficient data, from a child's point of view. Unless we uncover and defuse them, it's like driving with the emergency brake engaged. We keep trying to move forward, but something is slowing us down and sometimes stopping us. I thought that was a good analogy.
In discussing the hold our past has on us, Jerry Jampolsky says that we are never upset for the reason we think. When we are upset about something, it appears that what is happening outside us is the cause of our distress. In actuality why we are upset has nothing to do with this; it is instead a reminder, something projected from our unhealed past. We can ask ourselves this question, "When, where, and with whom have I experienced this same feeling before?" We need to quickly uncover the experience from our past that we now need to forgive, heal, and release.
Thanks Patty for the great advice. This week and last has been hectic with work, meetings at nights and I haven't had good quality time to study yet. I am feeling grateful this week and counting my blessings. Hopefully tomorrow night I can blog about the chapter. I am thinking more positive thoughts and go out of my way to be helpful to anyone I encouter during the day by saying or doing something positive to or for them. It makes one feel sooo good!! Jean
Jeanie,
I hope that you realize how much you have grown. Mom told me that Willard noticed a difference in you. He said you seemed to be happier. He doesn't even know that you are enrolled in the online bible study. When people start noticing growth like that, it is so awesome!! You are an example to me! God bless! I can't wait to hear your comments on chapter five. You've encouraged Frank and me both with your positive comments. We are so proud of you. We want some of that to rub off on us and on everyone with whom you come in contact!
Jeanie,
I'm sorry that post was from me. I think the computer defaults to Frank's account.
Love you,
Patty
Questions and assignments for chapter four:
1) How would you describe yourself?
2) What are some of the hard choices you face with your dreams, goals, or tasks?
3) Are you being tested at the edge of the promise of your life?
4) Is there something in your past that endangers your future?
5) Oftentimes sin is passed down from generation to generation. Failure often begets more failure. Success seems to beget more success. What are you producing in your life and why?
1) How would I describe myself?
I really do believe that I have become an overcomer. I believe that I make lots of mistakes but God loves me anyway. I've also come to love myself. I repeat the verse, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" a lot. I'm very grateful for the gift of life. I try to always stay in the present moment b/c that is where I find peace. I practice forgiveness all the time so that I can have inner peace. I feel like I have a choice about my emotions so I choose joy, and when I get down, I remember that I don't have to stay down. I have a choice, and I choose happiness.
Elizabeth Said: Wow, You know this book is a blessing. I need to be reminded how God works in my daily life. I was considering the car "fixes" that were pointed out before it became an emergency. But it is every day that God protects me and leads me. I have overcome many things, but not my biggest struggle against Chocolate. It is not the need for it but the leaning on it when Christ is the one I am to lean on.
These items are what my preacher seems to be also talking about on Sundays and so it is really driving home the point that God created me for a reason. I need to allow that purpose to shine through me.
God Bless you.
Elizabeth, thanks for sharing. Chocolate is a temptation for me too.
I'm glad God kept you safe by drawing your attention to some safety details on your car. He's such a wonderful God! I'm so thankful.
I think I want to answer another question:
2) What are some hard choices you face w/your dreams, goals, or tasks?
I guess my hardest choices are with trust. I want to just rely on God more and trust that everything happens for a reason. I had a hard time with my layoff in 2002 at the time, but it has been a blessing that I didn't see at the time. I'm so much happier and less stressed with substitute teaching than I was with contract teaching. As far as my goals are concerned, I basically just want to see my daughters healthy and strong but that seems more like a goal for them than for me. My goal is to support them in their health. Next week I am going to Kimball, NE, to take care of Teresa while she gets her wisdom teeth extracted. My goal for Chad is just to see him continue to succeed in college and figure out what he wants to do in life. My real goal is to stop worrying about them so much. I have been doing a much better job of that the last couple of years. My tasks as keeper of the home are hard sometimes. My walk-in closet is a disaster. I want to face my tasks with more joy and more energy. I think I can accomplish this by remembering to be grateful for all that I have and to be willing to part with some of it so that my life and my closet can be more manageable.
Elizabeth Said: I have goals of sorting and cleaning out my apartment. I realize I have too much. And I do not seem to spend the time needed to sort it. I try to maintain what I see as "clean" but I know to Tom it is a mess. My mom will come here in a month to visit and I want to offer her rest not more sorting. I also struggle with setting goals for my self and my business. I want to succeed, but it seems hard to plan to succeed so I know where I am going. I want to stop spending money I don't have, but... life happens. so you see I have many struggles.
Elizabeth, it would seem that you and I are in the same boat. It's hard to sort and let go of stuff. I found that the hours of our goodwill store coincide with my housecleaning hours though so I am grateful for that. They take donations on Saturday and Sunday so I can take the stuff down there right away before I change my mind. It is so liberating to get rid of junk. I need to do a lot more of it. I have struggles with spending money too, especially this time of year. I hope that your business succeeds, Elizabeth, b/c I know it's hard to keep your vision when you don't see results.
I'll answer question three while I'm on the blog.
3) Are you being tested at the edge of the promise of your life?
I'm not sure I understand this question, but I am thinking from rereading the chapter that it might be talking about the Israelites who took forty years for an eleven-day journey. I wonder sometimes if I am doing that. I take the long way around something and complain the whole time when there is a shortcut that would eliminate the problem. I'm specifically thinking about cleaning out my closet. I know how much I hate to sort and get rid of stuff, but if I would stay positive about it and grateful that I have a closet and plenty of clothes, shoes, etc. and grateful that I might be able to help someone else out by giving stuff away.....maybe I would get more joy from the task. That's just a small example, but the question asks about being tested at the edge of the promise for my life, so I'm thinking it might be asking about something bigger. Hmmm.....I wonder if I am about to break through something like Roger Bannister when he broke the four minute mile. I'll bet he was tested big time and right on the edge when he finally made his big breakthrough. I know that I have to stay positive b/c those kind of thoughts are what open my life to great possibilities. I have to quiet any negative chatter in my mind and listen to the still small voice. "Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust. Teach me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul." Ps. 143:8. I'm thinking that I have been tested a lot with Tori's accident and everything, but I did make a huge breakthrough when I learned how to quiet my mind by taking peace breaks. I've talked about them several times during bible study. During my peace breaks, I will not let my mind go to the future or to the past for a certain amt. of time....usually ten minutes ....then if that is not enough time to break my worry pattern, I take another peace break and so on until I have my worry under control. I know that's not as dramatic a breakthrough as breaking the four-minute mile, but hey, for me that's huge. Another place I am being tested at the edge of the promise of my life is with my weight. I recently lost 66.7 lbs. but it would be oh-so-easy to put it back on my body. However, I know some strategies to resort to when my mind tries to play tricks on me and tries to tell me that I'm hungry when I'm not. One of them is to remember that I love myself enough to take care of my body. I love my family enough to want to take care of myself so I have energy to take care of them.
I wrote down a paragraph this afternoon at work so I wouldn't forget tonight. Guess what? Here it is!!!I have a big problem at home I feel. One bedroom is so full of stuff (that I have bought at garage sales) and it is so overwhelming to me I quit sorting after a few minutes. I am a keeper. My husband says, you keep bringing things home, something has to go out. I need God's help in getting this project done. I guess I need to ask God's favor on this one. Would that help? I always have been a quiet one, keeping to the background and not necessarily speak until spoken to. But I am trying to overcome that quietness and be more agressive to speak first.Working in a church has helped with that, sometimes I am the only one there so if someone comes in I represent that church if it is a stranger. We gets lots of people off the interstate asking for assistance. Now after reading your comments... Wow, I can't believe we all were on the same wave length talking about extra stuff we have to get rid of. We are blessed with too much stuff. I have realized for a long time circumstances happen for a purpose although we may not know why and may not know until we get to heaven. You know I cannot wait for that. I am not afraid of dying but of leaving my friends and loved ones behind.
Getting rid of stuff is the hardest part...hey, that could be a song! Jean, you're right, we are on the same wavelength here. I also think all of our husbands would be happier if we could part with some things. The weekend before Thanksgiving Frank & I did some cleaning out of stuff. I played some nice relaxing music...Enya. That helped. I really do think God will show us His favor and give us strength in this task, just like He does in all our activities, if we ask. Jean, thanks for sharing about how you are coming out of your shell. I appreciate your comments on the blog so much. It really encourages Frank and me. The more participation there is, the more ideas and viewpoints get put out there for others to think about and keep the blog going.
Now on to question four:
4) Is there something in your past that endangers your future?
Well, I thought about this question a while, and there are a lot of things in my past that could endanger my future. One of them was a past marriage in which my ex was abusive to my children. I'm afraid it had long lasting effects on my oldest child. I wasn't as careful as I could have been and married the wrong person. I never had peace about the marriage, and I have no idea of the lasting harm it could have done. I know that I pray constantly that my oldest daughter will be emotionally and mentally healthy, and I've seen some pretty good results for the last year and a half. I think a lot of that has to do with my changing attitude. I've taken responsibility for my part in the whole mess and have talked with her about it. She's also undergone some counseling. I just thank God that I have such a precious man now. Frank is such a jewel and so good to my girls. I think I did receive a double blessing for my past sorrow like Joel said in this chapter when he said "God will give us twofold recompense for our former shame," Isaiah 61:7. I'm claiming God's favor in this and breaking that past barrier so that it doesn't have any power over my future or the future of my children.
From Elizabeth: Wow, Patty and Jeanie, we are on the same wave length! I have a huge burden to share, but am unsure of who to share my extra stuff with. I am tired of taking it to good will type places since they charge for it when they get it free. Now I know they do good so I am not bad mouthing them. I was just thinking there are people out there who have no money for things and so shopping at the cheap recycled stuff place is not always an option. So I have an Idea I started in St Joseph called "Connect the Dots" I tell you that I have an extra TV and you hear of someone who needs one and we get connected. No one stores the stuff in the meantime and a need gets met. What do you all think? I just don't know how to start it. It may be similar to bartering stuff, but I am not looking for anything in return. And those looking for a new couch may just need a change of color, but not have money to replace their couch. My mom helped me when I needed one but it cost over 100.00 to do it. God Bless you all!
Elizabeth, your connect-the-dots idea is a good one with a catchy name. I don't know how you would start something like that unless you would post it on a bulletin board at church or somewhere or send out email to everyone you know to see if someone has a need for what you have. I rely on Goodwill to take my stuff only because I need some place to unload it right away to get it out of my way and out of my mind. Jean, I was thinking about calling on God's favor for our situations of collecting too much junk, and I think it's a good idea. In the chapter on living favor-minded, Joel suggests this prayer: "Father, I thank You that Your favor is coming on me in a new way, and it's going to turn this situation around." I like how Joel starts with gratitude in his prayer. I think we need to begin from a heart of gratitude for what we have and then from a heart of giving, be able to part with it. I like what Frank quoted from the movie FACING THE GIANTS too when he talked about the two farmers who prayed for rain. One went and prepared the field after he prayed. I guess that's what we have to do. Declare God's favor and then prepare to receive it. Frank and I learned a practice from Tori and Caleb called "Segment Intending" where you take a certain block of time and set your intentions on your goal and then you take action. For instance, with my closet cleaning, if I set three hours to clean it out. I would work for those three hours and see how much I could get done. If I finish fine; if not, I will set another time limit when my schedule allows. All the while, it's important to be kind to yourself and gentle with yourself while you are sorting. It's important to stay in an attitude of gratitude too. It's also important to reward yourself with a job well done, like maybe going to a movie or taking time to read your favorite magazine or whatever trips your trigger.
Now on to the fifth question:
5) Oftentimes sin is passed down from generation to generation. Failure begets more failure. Success seems to beget more success. What are you producing in your life and why?
I guess I am trying to learn from past mistakes and be successful so I can pass that on to my children and grandchildren. One thing I'm learning is to stay in the present moment and be fully engaged in life. I want my daughters to practice this too b/c their daughters are growing up so fast. I think sometimes we spend so much time regretting the past or being anxious about the future that we forget to enjoy the present moment. Yet every moment is so precious and when it passes, we can't retrieve it. So it is so important to use all our senses just to take in our world and be grateful for it. I think that in the past I've spent too much time in worry or regret, and I don't want to do that anymore. I also don't want my children to do that so I'm hoping to set a good example for them. If they could stay present and enjoy their daughters' cute little antics and realize how precious these moments are, then they will have memories for a lifetime and their daughters will enjoy having their mothers' full attention. I only say that b/c I wish I would have realized how fast my kids would grow up. I think they do a better job of focusing on their daughters than I did.
I came across this quote from Dr. Micheal Beckwith and want to share it: "Stop telling God about your big problems. Tell your problems about your BIG GOD."
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