Below is a letter I wrote a few years ago to someone I cared for. This person went on to believe what the world had to say and shunned me. I have moved on and the Lord has my life going in a new direction. I just wanted to share a little more of MY lifes story to those of you who care to listen. As I read back through this letter today I realized that even then the Lord was at work in my heart even though I was not living for him at the time. HE KNEW what HE wanted me to be doing and where I should be. I am forever grateful that I finally listened to him and took the course I did. I have deleted this persons name from the letter and any personal references.
____________________________________________
(Name withheld),
Today has a purpose. Pay attention to that purpose, and youll uncover this days many treasures. There is a reason why we have arrived at this point. On this day there is much to be learned, to be accomplished, to be experienced and to be lived. When your thoughts, your actions and your efforts consistently follow a clear and positive purpose, achievement is inevitable. Look deeply at the things you treasure most, and you will see that purpose. Purpose brings together all the seemingly unconnected parts of life. Purpose creates positive value out of the triumphs and the setbacks alike. With a clear sense of purpose, vast and magnificent resources are put to use in the service of an even greater good. With a clear sense of purpose, even the tragedies and disappointments cannot stop you. There is always some part of you that knows what your purpose is right now. The more of your life you connect to that purpose, the more magnificent life will be. The way to build endurance is to endure.
The way to build confidence at doing anything is to practice doing it. The way to build a friendship is by being a friend. The way to build trust is by being trustworthy. The way to build wealth is by creating and providing value. The way to build a reputation for integrity is by being sincere and honest. The way to build a life of meaning and fulfillment is by honoring and valuing every moment. The way to build a future thats bright is by making the most of all you have in the present. The way to build strength is by welcoming challenge. The way to build wisdom is by exercising your mind and your heart together. The way to build true greatness is by living with positive purpose and passion. The way to build whatever you want is to give the best of whatever you have the vast majority of the things you do are not forced upon you. They are your choice. Yes, certainly there are powerful influences on your life that are outside your control. And yet, the choice of how to respond to those influences is yours. There are plenty of perfectly understandable reasons, rationalizations and excuses for the things you do.
And yet, the actions you end up taking are the direct result of the choices you make, whether there are good reasons behind them or not. It is indeed a demanding job to be responsible for your own behavior. It is also a magnificent opportunity. By exercising thoughtful, purposeful control over the actions you take, you can achieve whatever you decide to achieve. By always remembering that your behavior is your choice, you can use that behavior to extremely valuable benefit, for yourself and for your world. Before you act, remind yourself that you are in control of your actions. Then choose to take those actions that will lift you ever higher. If you run away from a problem, you will soon encounter an even stronger version of it. Instead, turn to face the problem, work your way through it, and then it will never be able to hold you back again. The path to freedom is not through avoidance and denial. That strategy only ends up heaping more trouble on top of the trouble thats already there. The path to freedom is through truth, acceptance, effort and determination. There is no problem that can survive such a positive onslaught.
Although it is a pain, though it is an inconvenience, though it is messy and complicated, though it may be embarrassing, go ahead and deal with it. The sooner you deal with a problem, the less of your precious life it will steal from you. The problems you ignore, avoid, and deny grow stronger. The problems you deal with disappear. So which outcome would you prefer? Choose to promptly deal with it, and choose to be truly free. Where your mind lives is where your life is headed. What you think about most willingly, when you have nothing else you must think about, will define the direction of your life. No matter what may be happening in the world outside of you, you have the power to choose your own thoughts. And the thoughts you choose can have an enormous impact. When all is quiet, when the necessities of the day have been tended to, when your mind is free of any constraints, what kinds of things do you think about? The thoughts you have at such times, the thoughts you choose to think, are the thoughts that will show you who you truly are. Steer those thoughts away from anger, limitation, worry and envy.
Direct your mind toward thoughts of love, possibility, confidence, abundance and generosity. Whatever may be going on in the outside world, your mind can live precisely where you choose for it to live. Choose to let it live in an empowering, life-affirming, rich and creative place. Choosing the life you want begins with choosing the thoughts that will direct you to it. Those thoughts are yours to choose this very moment. Today, you can be a positive force in a negative world. Today, you have the opportunity to truly make a difference. When you come across greed, incompetence, disrespect, despair, or injustice, dont simply get angry or frustrated. Instead, get busy. Get busy thinking of what specific steps you can take to make it better. Then get busy committing yourself and taking those steps. You cant do anything to prevent what has already happened. Yet you can do much, in your own way, to make your corner of the world a more peaceful, loving, creative, intelligent and caring place. When youre tempted to curse the negativity thats all around you, stop and remember that your cursing will do little good.
Rather than focusing on whats wrong, step forward and do something thats overwhelmingly right. Improve your corner of the world, and that corner will grow more positively influential. Keep on being a positive force, and little by little, you can create a great and wonderful transformation. The most successful job youll ever have is being you. You were born for it, youre perfectly equipped for it, and youll find genuine, profound fulfillment in being the person you are. The most impressive youll ever be is by being you. That will make a far more positive and valuable impact than trying to imitate someone else or attempting to play one-up with your neighbor. The most value youll ever create is by being you. You have many unique and worthwhile things to contribute to life, and the more you truly give of yourself, the better life will be. When you come to a fork in the road, and have trouble deciding which way to go, be you. Take the path that more closely expresses the distinctive and irreplaceable person you are. The happiest youll ever be is by being you.
Theres a reason why happiness feels so good, and that reason is to encourage you to be the happy and fulfilled person you are meant to be. In you there is greatness that youve just barely begun to realize. Be you, and let your own special greatness fill the world with light. There have been situations in your life that you thought you would never get through. And yet, you did. There have been challenges you faced that you thought you would never overcome. And yet, you did. There have been losses youve suffered that you thought you would never be able to get beyond. And yet, you did. For you are here today, stronger, wiser, more experienced and more knowledgeable as a result of it all. Though the road has had its rough spots, youve successfully made your way along it. There will certainly be more rough spots ahead, and there may even be some particularly difficult ones right now. So it pays, every now and then, to look back and remember that even though you thought you wouldnt get through, you did. And perhaps, if you think about it, youll see that theres really never any reason to doubt yourself.
Because when life has challenged you to make your way through, you did. And now, even more importantly, you will.
Barron
_____________________________________________
What a wonderful thing after reading through all that to realize now all you really need to be truly happy is to call on the name of the Lord!
____________________________________________
(Name withheld),
Today has a purpose. Pay attention to that purpose, and youll uncover this days many treasures. There is a reason why we have arrived at this point. On this day there is much to be learned, to be accomplished, to be experienced and to be lived. When your thoughts, your actions and your efforts consistently follow a clear and positive purpose, achievement is inevitable. Look deeply at the things you treasure most, and you will see that purpose. Purpose brings together all the seemingly unconnected parts of life. Purpose creates positive value out of the triumphs and the setbacks alike. With a clear sense of purpose, vast and magnificent resources are put to use in the service of an even greater good. With a clear sense of purpose, even the tragedies and disappointments cannot stop you. There is always some part of you that knows what your purpose is right now. The more of your life you connect to that purpose, the more magnificent life will be. The way to build endurance is to endure.
The way to build confidence at doing anything is to practice doing it. The way to build a friendship is by being a friend. The way to build trust is by being trustworthy. The way to build wealth is by creating and providing value. The way to build a reputation for integrity is by being sincere and honest. The way to build a life of meaning and fulfillment is by honoring and valuing every moment. The way to build a future thats bright is by making the most of all you have in the present. The way to build strength is by welcoming challenge. The way to build wisdom is by exercising your mind and your heart together. The way to build true greatness is by living with positive purpose and passion. The way to build whatever you want is to give the best of whatever you have the vast majority of the things you do are not forced upon you. They are your choice. Yes, certainly there are powerful influences on your life that are outside your control. And yet, the choice of how to respond to those influences is yours. There are plenty of perfectly understandable reasons, rationalizations and excuses for the things you do.
And yet, the actions you end up taking are the direct result of the choices you make, whether there are good reasons behind them or not. It is indeed a demanding job to be responsible for your own behavior. It is also a magnificent opportunity. By exercising thoughtful, purposeful control over the actions you take, you can achieve whatever you decide to achieve. By always remembering that your behavior is your choice, you can use that behavior to extremely valuable benefit, for yourself and for your world. Before you act, remind yourself that you are in control of your actions. Then choose to take those actions that will lift you ever higher. If you run away from a problem, you will soon encounter an even stronger version of it. Instead, turn to face the problem, work your way through it, and then it will never be able to hold you back again. The path to freedom is not through avoidance and denial. That strategy only ends up heaping more trouble on top of the trouble thats already there. The path to freedom is through truth, acceptance, effort and determination. There is no problem that can survive such a positive onslaught.
Although it is a pain, though it is an inconvenience, though it is messy and complicated, though it may be embarrassing, go ahead and deal with it. The sooner you deal with a problem, the less of your precious life it will steal from you. The problems you ignore, avoid, and deny grow stronger. The problems you deal with disappear. So which outcome would you prefer? Choose to promptly deal with it, and choose to be truly free. Where your mind lives is where your life is headed. What you think about most willingly, when you have nothing else you must think about, will define the direction of your life. No matter what may be happening in the world outside of you, you have the power to choose your own thoughts. And the thoughts you choose can have an enormous impact. When all is quiet, when the necessities of the day have been tended to, when your mind is free of any constraints, what kinds of things do you think about? The thoughts you have at such times, the thoughts you choose to think, are the thoughts that will show you who you truly are. Steer those thoughts away from anger, limitation, worry and envy.
Direct your mind toward thoughts of love, possibility, confidence, abundance and generosity. Whatever may be going on in the outside world, your mind can live precisely where you choose for it to live. Choose to let it live in an empowering, life-affirming, rich and creative place. Choosing the life you want begins with choosing the thoughts that will direct you to it. Those thoughts are yours to choose this very moment. Today, you can be a positive force in a negative world. Today, you have the opportunity to truly make a difference. When you come across greed, incompetence, disrespect, despair, or injustice, dont simply get angry or frustrated. Instead, get busy. Get busy thinking of what specific steps you can take to make it better. Then get busy committing yourself and taking those steps. You cant do anything to prevent what has already happened. Yet you can do much, in your own way, to make your corner of the world a more peaceful, loving, creative, intelligent and caring place. When youre tempted to curse the negativity thats all around you, stop and remember that your cursing will do little good.
Rather than focusing on whats wrong, step forward and do something thats overwhelmingly right. Improve your corner of the world, and that corner will grow more positively influential. Keep on being a positive force, and little by little, you can create a great and wonderful transformation. The most successful job youll ever have is being you. You were born for it, youre perfectly equipped for it, and youll find genuine, profound fulfillment in being the person you are. The most impressive youll ever be is by being you. That will make a far more positive and valuable impact than trying to imitate someone else or attempting to play one-up with your neighbor. The most value youll ever create is by being you. You have many unique and worthwhile things to contribute to life, and the more you truly give of yourself, the better life will be. When you come to a fork in the road, and have trouble deciding which way to go, be you. Take the path that more closely expresses the distinctive and irreplaceable person you are. The happiest youll ever be is by being you.
Theres a reason why happiness feels so good, and that reason is to encourage you to be the happy and fulfilled person you are meant to be. In you there is greatness that youve just barely begun to realize. Be you, and let your own special greatness fill the world with light. There have been situations in your life that you thought you would never get through. And yet, you did. There have been challenges you faced that you thought you would never overcome. And yet, you did. There have been losses youve suffered that you thought you would never be able to get beyond. And yet, you did. For you are here today, stronger, wiser, more experienced and more knowledgeable as a result of it all. Though the road has had its rough spots, youve successfully made your way along it. There will certainly be more rough spots ahead, and there may even be some particularly difficult ones right now. So it pays, every now and then, to look back and remember that even though you thought you wouldnt get through, you did. And perhaps, if you think about it, youll see that theres really never any reason to doubt yourself.
Because when life has challenged you to make your way through, you did. And now, even more importantly, you will.
Barron
_____________________________________________
What a wonderful thing after reading through all that to realize now all you really need to be truly happy is to call on the name of the Lord!
