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Peace, Purpose, & Personal Growth
Peace & Purpose
Finding peace & purpose begins with knowing yourself, inside-out. What is important to you? I mean really important? Who are you?
A Few Questions to Ponder...
- What motivates you?
- What are your top five talents/gifts/desires?
- Top five skills/weaknesses?
- What are your best/worst qualities/features?
- What do you truly enjoy?
- Do you really like yourself?
- Love yourself?
- Like others, love others?
- Why and/or why not?
- Have you ever examined what you say to yourself, and how you say it?
- Or whose voice it is that you are hearing in your head?
- How do you spend your time and energy? Your money?
- What are your favorite "things to do"?
- Do you know who you are and what you want?
Do you know that you are a child of the Most High God?
Whom Shall I Fear?
"Lighthouse Sunset" Humbolt County, CA
"As You Love Yourself..."
Do you realize that YOU are the ONLY YOU? Do you recognize that each and every individual is unique, and equally important and cherished by your/their Creator?
- Is it your goal to "live life to the fullest"
- Is it "Seize the day"?
- Is your motto "Today's a new day..."?
- How do you "get ready to face the day"?
Do you know that Jesus calls the Holy Spirit "The Helper"?
Gifts of The Spirit
Do you see and love yourself as God sees and loves you?
What do you say to yourself?
What do you say to and about others?
How does this reflect on who you are?
Exemplary Examples
Reflecting on Today - R&R
Sunset on Ft. Bayou, Ocean Springs, MS
Personal Growth
"Personal Growth" is one of those phrases that we've all heard. Perhaps we've thought about it or perhaps we haven't. I would imagine we're all still growing at any age, even if it's just "growing older." For us to grow in the direction we truly want though, we have to recognize who and where we are currently. This begins with the realization that YOU are the ONLY YOU in the world, and that YOU have choices.
In the Image of God...He Created Them
"And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them; and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky/heavens, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'"1
"In the image of God"... how often have we paused to reflect on or ponder this message and all that it implies? Do we really believe it? Can you imagine the respect we would have for ourselves and others if we were to "take God at His Word"? And the peace that would result worldwide if we simply embodied just this one truth?
Blessed-Peacemakers> Sons of God
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
... in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them; ...
"I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable (well-pleasing) to God, which is your spiritual (rational) service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world (age), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me, I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment as God has allotted to each a measure of faith."2
Very Good
"And God saw all that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.3
Be Fruitful..."The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law."4
Have you ever thought about fruit? That the seed planted determines the fruit produced; that growth is from the inside-out yet each type of fruit requires a specific balance of nutrients, sunshine and water all of which are applied from the outside; that each family of fruit matures within a specific amount of time; that the varieties and benefits are many...
And Multiply... "Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My Name, there I am in their midst."5
The Lord's Prayer
Sunrise from Daytona Beach Florida
Peace be with you
"Jesus therefore said to them again, 'Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.'"6
"Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God."7
So, what is our purpose? Perhaps we should consult with The One Who made us and Who knows all and find out!
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."8
"but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”9
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing -- life forever."10
