Inspirational Message # 3C Week of Sunday August 12, 2012 by Alfred Harrell Copyright 2012
Stepping out of our “comfort zone”
Each and every person reading this has at some point in life, I believe, has experienced what I will call the “what if factor” or the “if only factor” because as an individual the choice was made to remain in our comfort zone when faced with a decision that posed an outcome different from a similar situation in our past whether it was to changes careers, jobs, place of residence or our place in a relationship. Oprah Winfrey once said, “I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.”-O Magazine, September 2002
So if we as individuals have come to believe that we have a “personal calling” then that calling may require us to step out of our comfort zone in any of the aforementioned areas or perhaps one not stated above.
Stepping out of our comfort zone may bring us unimaginable blessings if the steps are done under prayerful reflection along with quiet time meditation upon the issue at hand; the reason I say this is because our ever wired minds are sometimes to noisy to hear GOD speaking. Now while it is true that GOD can do whatever He wants and chooses to do, think about this the time: when you had something to tell someone but they were too busy saying what they had to say to really hear what was on your mind and heart, nothing lasting coming out of your mouth was probably heard.
I’ve been that type of person and sometimes still am, so take it from me, important information does get lost in translation, information that could possibly create a positive outcome to the forefront while forcing possible negative outcomes involved with stepping out of the comfort zone into the background. Even if things do not turn out as hoped for there is still a life long lesson learned from whatever decision was made.
Genesis chapter 12:1-3 and Hebrews 11:8-10 talks about a certain man who chose to step out of his comfort zone and the results of his doing so, I invite you to read those texts and gain what personal life lessons from them as you see fit however remember this if you life long enough something in this world may challenge you to step out of your comfort zone.
Genesis chapter 12:1-3 1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
Hebrews 11:8-10 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Scriptures used in this article are from the (NIV) New International Version as used on http://www.biblestudytools.com/
Until next weeks message and thank your for reading, Alfred Harrell
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Sunday, August 5, 2012
The wealthy nobody’s everybody knew Copyright 2012
Inspirational Message # 1B Week of August 5, 2012 by Alfred Harrell
The wealthy nobody’s everybody knew Copyright 2012
Mr. Pete, I will call him, lived in a small house that resembled an oversized storage shed more than any place we would call a home. According neighborhood rumor which really was closer to neighborhood gossip, Mr. Pete was a little off his rocker; rich folk if they lived like him that is Mr. Pete would be called eccentric.
Older people on the block vaguely remembered a well-dressed lady use to visit him by means of a fine car, a Cadillac they think, many years ago that would arrive at his house late in the evening and was gone before the rising of the sun the next day. After each visit whichever family had been struggling in some way in the neighbor would find a box at their back door with money, some non-perishable food or just a gift card with a note attached to the box saying “tell no one the size of your gift, just give to someone as you have received- freely”.
The point is no one ever really knew Mr. Pete or the lady until Mr. Pete died and the announcement of his death in the local newspaper drew dignitaries from across the state to this little neighborhood of poor and middle class people located in a town few people had ever heard of and only a few tourist ever visited because of it historical significance as one of oldest towns in the state.
Nobody had taken the time to get to know the wealthy nobody’s everybody knew. Mr. Pete, born Peter Black and sister Beatrice Black, the lady who visited him monthly were last living relatives of Thomas and Bernice Black who had amassed a small fortune during the short lived gold rush of the Appalachians.
Peter after his parents death wanted to carry on a family tradition only on a grander scale than what his parents had done for his sister and him which was to give as they had received but only with a twist which was a note attached to the gift that read “tell no one the size of your gift, just give to someone as you have received, freely”. Beatrice assisted him in this by visiting him with boxes filled with what he believed some people needed to make their life a little easier.
Upon what was his belief as too what was needed by some people based, quite simply upon the things he observed from a distance during his evening walks through his neighborhood, sometimes he guessed right, sometimes he didn’t, all that truly mattered was that he added a little joy to some else life like his parents had done his and Beatrice. So it was with the wealthy nobody’s everybody knew.
So what’s the moral of this story: even if you and I are not wealthy financially, we are very wealthy if we freely share with other what we do have and in a loose application be as the person of Psalms 112:1-9 which states, “1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. 2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. 5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. 7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. 9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.”
***The characters of this are fictional
Scriptures used in this article are from the (NIV) New International Version as used on http://www.biblestudytools.com/
The wealthy nobody’s everybody knew Copyright 2012
Mr. Pete, I will call him, lived in a small house that resembled an oversized storage shed more than any place we would call a home. According neighborhood rumor which really was closer to neighborhood gossip, Mr. Pete was a little off his rocker; rich folk if they lived like him that is Mr. Pete would be called eccentric.
Older people on the block vaguely remembered a well-dressed lady use to visit him by means of a fine car, a Cadillac they think, many years ago that would arrive at his house late in the evening and was gone before the rising of the sun the next day. After each visit whichever family had been struggling in some way in the neighbor would find a box at their back door with money, some non-perishable food or just a gift card with a note attached to the box saying “tell no one the size of your gift, just give to someone as you have received- freely”.
The point is no one ever really knew Mr. Pete or the lady until Mr. Pete died and the announcement of his death in the local newspaper drew dignitaries from across the state to this little neighborhood of poor and middle class people located in a town few people had ever heard of and only a few tourist ever visited because of it historical significance as one of oldest towns in the state.
Nobody had taken the time to get to know the wealthy nobody’s everybody knew. Mr. Pete, born Peter Black and sister Beatrice Black, the lady who visited him monthly were last living relatives of Thomas and Bernice Black who had amassed a small fortune during the short lived gold rush of the Appalachians.
Peter after his parents death wanted to carry on a family tradition only on a grander scale than what his parents had done for his sister and him which was to give as they had received but only with a twist which was a note attached to the gift that read “tell no one the size of your gift, just give to someone as you have received, freely”. Beatrice assisted him in this by visiting him with boxes filled with what he believed some people needed to make their life a little easier.
Upon what was his belief as too what was needed by some people based, quite simply upon the things he observed from a distance during his evening walks through his neighborhood, sometimes he guessed right, sometimes he didn’t, all that truly mattered was that he added a little joy to some else life like his parents had done his and Beatrice. So it was with the wealthy nobody’s everybody knew.
So what’s the moral of this story: even if you and I are not wealthy financially, we are very wealthy if we freely share with other what we do have and in a loose application be as the person of Psalms 112:1-9 which states, “1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. 2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. 5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. 7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. 9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.”
***The characters of this are fictional
Scriptures used in this article are from the (NIV) New International Version as used on http://www.biblestudytools.com/
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
PERHAPS!
Some people are ready to blame Obama for the ills in America. Some people are looking for a great "white hope". Too many us have chosen to overlook that our congress holds the true power so perhaps the changes needed in our country should change there without any of us voting a straight party ticket as so many of us do. Perhaps the time has come for us to look finally look at where the individual canditates up for election to Congress stand on issues important to us and vote accordingly in November so that perhaps "we the people" and "a government by the people" will again mean something. So far all I see and hear is why President Obama or Mitt Romney is right or wrong for our great nation and which one of them is raising the is most money to defeat the other instead of hearing what Democrats and Republicans might do cooperatively to help get America moving forward on behalf of all its citizens and just those who have the power to influence the voting process. Well perhaps then I will post something not written in choppy sentences. One who will vote with his head in this election and not a heart biased political or religious rhetoric. Alfred Harrell
