We’re just like that! God wired us for 220 volts! But sometimes we have 110-volt thoughts that cut our power in half! And life just won’t work for us that way!

When we have thoughts that are limiting and negative, they diminish our power, and sap our energy! Thoughts like: “I’m not good enough” “I’m not worthy of God’s love” ” I don’t deserve God’s love” ” I can’t enjoy God’s blessings because of who I am,” all stop us from living at our highest capacity. These kind of thoughts and beliefs never empower us–they weaken us and stop us from living life to its full potential!

Just like the 220-volt outlet doesn’t care what type of appliance gets plugged into it, once it’s plugged in, the electricity flows right through it–and so it is with God and us. The outlet doesn’t say, “Hey, you’re a can opener! I won’t give my electricity to you!” or “Hey, you’re a red cappuccino machine! I only give my power to silver ones!” And, God doesn’t care about who we are either! When we, whoever we are, plug into God, His power automatically flows into us!

Only we can limit that power. Just like having a water hose with a kink in it, our mind can often block the flow of God’s love, wisdom, forgiveness, blessings, power, etc. We need to get the knots out of our mind, or should I say, we need to get the “nots” out of it! “I’m not good enough, I’m not smart enough, I’m not perfect” etc.

We need to plug into our Higher Power, our Higher Source. The great I AM: “I am more than enough, I am smart enough, I am perfect at being me!”

If we’re going to enjoy life, to live it to the fullest, we must use all of our potential–all 220 volts! When we turn ourselves over to Christ and commit ourselves to God–we tap into the greatest power there is! We become a more powerful, energized person! Our life works at the highest level possible!

God has given us every tool we need for our lives–we have no limitations. There is no lack of anything. However, it’s up to us to tap into it!

There was once a traveling salesman who was out selling all kinds of tools to various farmers. He came upon this one farmer who was out clearing some land, chopping trees down with an ax, sweating, tired, and nearly exhausted. The traveling salsman showed him a chainsaw and told him how much easier and faster it would work to cut all the trees down in half the time. So after hearing that, the farmer bought one.

A few weeks later, the traveling salesman stopped by to see how the farmer was doing with his new tool. And, there he was, still chopping away at the trees with his old ax! When the salesman asked him why he wasn’t using the chainsaw, the farmer yelled, “It doesn’t work! I tried chopping with it–it was too heavy, I can’t even sharpen the blade because I couldn’t get the chain off!”

With that, the salesman picked up the chainsaw, pulled the cord, and revved the engine! And he quickly chopped down the tree to the farmer’s amazement!

Sometimes, we’re just like that farmer. We’ve got all this power available to us–we just don’t know enough to pull the cord and get our engine going! We have all this power inside, the potential to achieve great and wondrous things–we just haven’t started the motor!

Let’s commit now to allow Christ to come into our lives. Let’s bring Him into our hearts, our minds, our thoughts, our being! Let’s look at all the talents, abilities, and gifts we have–and let’s use them! Let’s find all the good, the love, the kindness, the compassion, the power to conquer anything–that is already there, within us!

Let’s tap into the power, strength, knowledge and resources available to us in our God. Let’s release all thoughts of limitation, lack, and negativity. Let’s overcome our fears and doubts.

Let’s ignore outside distractions, other people’s negative opinions, questions, fears and judgements.

Let other people operate from a 110-volt mentality, but not us, and not you! When you have Jesus Christ, you have 220 volts to work with! Use it! Keep plugged in! And then plug others in to Him, too!

It may motivate you more toward your own goals to know that some of the most famous and well-known people in modern time, as well as many throughout Scripture, including Jesus, had to overcome many obstacles before they finally reached the top. It takes persistence and total commitment to your goals, but it is possible. Only you can prevent yourself from reaching those goals, only you can stop short of the pinnacle and only you can decide that nothing can deter you from achieving the life you want–only you can be determined to succeed–no matter what!

Thomas Edison’s father called him a “dunce.” His headmaster in school told Edison he would never make a success of anything.  It took Edison 1,000 attempts (or 999 “failures”) to invent the light bulb! Henry Ford barely made it through high school.

A common list of the failures of Abraham Lincoln (along with a few successes) is:

• 1831 – Lost his job
• 1832 – Defeated in run for Illinois State Legislature
• 1833 – Failed in business
• 1834 – Elected to Illinois State Legislature (success)
• 1835 – Sweetheart died
• 1836 – Had nervous breakdown
• 1838 – Defeated in run for Illinois House Speaker
• 1843 – Defeated in run for nomination for U.S. Congress
• 1846 – Elected to Congress (success)
• 1848 – Lost re-nomination
• 1849 – Rejected for land officer position
• 1854 – Defeated in run for U.S. Senate
• 1856 – Defeated in run for nomination for Vice President
• 1858 – Again defeated in run for U.S. Senate
• 1860 – Elected President (success)

Joe Paterno, head coach of the Penn State University football team, was asked by the media how he felt when his team lost a game. He rapidly replied that losing was probably good for the team, since that was how the players learned what they were doing wrong. I call that “learning by exception”–it’s the answer for next time! Next time, you can always do it over, do it again, do it differently–but only after learning what didn’t work the first time!

With God there is always a next time, another chance, actually many chances to get it “right.”  With God, there are always u-turns (or “You-turns” as I like to call them). You can always turn around, turn away from distractions, turn up a new idea, turn toward God, turn things over to God.

Setbacks and failures mean little or nothing in themselves. The whole meaning of any setback — or any success, for that matter — is in how we take it and what we make of it –what the story we tell ourselves about it, and more importantly, what we tell ourselves about us! The beliefs we hold about what events, circumstances, or obstacles mean often lead to our lack of desire to keep going, or to start again, or to keep moving forward.

If we begin to believe the negative, limiting beliefs that others may have placed upon us in our past, if we just accept them as true for us, then we fall prey to confirming those beliefs, and, by giving in to them, we actually create the results of them. On the other hand, when we hold positive, empowering beliefs, then those beliefs also become our reality. As Jesus put it: “All things are possible to those who believe.” So it’s a matter of us always paying attention to what we want to attain. You can do that by applying the 80/20 rule: put 80% of your thoughts, time, and effort into the 20% of the things that will help you succeed. Ignore the 20% of the things that didn’t work, and focus on the 80% that did.

We often look at high achievers and assume they had a string of lucky breaks or made it without much effort. Usually the opposite is true, and the so-called superstar or “overnight success” had an incredibly rough time before he or she attained any lasting success. The only difference between them and us is having the determination to keep going no matter what, to work through the pain, to persist in finding a way to make it work, to allow the circumstances that “rub you the wrong way” to shape your character, and to stop only after crossing the finish line.

Think back to a time in your life you have found difficult. See what you gained as a result of what you learned, what strength you found even in the most trying times, or what strength you find now in your having overcome it. Perhaps you may never have been aware of what you gained until you think about it now. The pearl is created within an oyster because of the irritation it finds in the sand within it. So by living through painful times, we can become stronger people–the transformation depends on our ability to discover something useful to us, finding new resources that emerge from within us, in spite of the pain.

Sometimes the only reason we don’t succeed at something is that we don’t have a compelling enough “why.” If the why is big enough, the how is usually not a problem. This compelling why is connected to your life purpose, personal objectives, or mission statement. It’s the answer to the “why am I here?” and “what is it that God sent me here to be, do, or accomplish?” “What do I want to be remembered for?” It is the basis of your motivation, without it you have no compass to direct you through life.  Highly motivated people are able to identify and tap into the power of a compelling why in everything they do. It gives them the fuel to drive through life’s varying roads without ever running out of gas, or getting burned out.

Until you identify the reason or reasons why you want to do something, for whom you want to do it, the pain you might alleviate, or the pleasure you or others might find from it, then you won’t be motivated enough to start or motivated long enough to persevere through everything it might take to achieve it. And, at the same time, when you have a strong enough reason why, then just the doing of it brings its own reward. It’s how you can enjoy the journey all the way up the mountain, feeling fulfilled throughout the journey, without postponing the celebration to only upon the arrival at the summit.

So when we have a strong enough purpose, a no-quit attitude, a commitment to see things through to the end, a desire to change and make adjustments along the way, a willingness to accept feedback and suggestions, a positive set of beliefs in our ability to succeed,  an openness to learn and grow, an acceptance that success takes time, energy and effort, an understanding that there’s only progress, never perfection, then what we once called “failure” is not an option and no longer even exists in our mind!

“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t
wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”

How do you approach each day? Awaiting possibilities of good, blessings, opportunities for love, happiness, peace, joy? Or dread and fear of negative things, worrying about things that may never happen, or that are out of your control?

You get what you expect. If you seek, you find. It’s all just a question of what you’re looking for. As a line in the song “Mitzpah” says, “if good is what you’re looking for, then good is what you’ll find.”

You often miss opportunities, open doors, or Divine appointments because you’re looking in the wrong direction. You cannot climb uphill thinking downhill thoughts! Which window and which glasses are you looking out from? Try God’s…use “SON”glasses because you know and believe that your future is bright!

Keep looking up–that’s why God put the stars up there in the heavens–so you’ll see how high you can go and how vast your options are! And if God knows all the stars by name, surely He knows yours, and cares for you!

Start your day asking God to show you the possibilities laid out just for you! And then reach out and hold onto each one as they come to you. See how high and far you can soar! Aim at the sun (Son). You may not reach it, but you will fly higher than if you never aimed at all.

As soon as you awake,  remind yourself to live only for this day. Yesterday has vanished, and tomorrow is not promised to us. Refuse to think about either the past or the future. Live in the only moment you have any power over or any choice in, the gift of now: the present.

Give God your heavy loads of your yesterday’s memories and tomorrow’s worries–after all, they are two days you can do nothing about! So give them to God and just walk lightly through today. Ask God to guide you along your path, and to clear any obstacles along your way. Listen for G0d’s guidance, and follow His directions.

Watch for small and big blessings throughout your day–then share some of them with others around you. Most importantly, share the gift you can give everyone and anyone: the gift of yourself! Be there with and for those you love, and for those who need love. Be to others what Christ has been to us all and what He gave so freely of: time, personal attention and unconditional love. You’ll always find that the more you give to others the more you have given back to you! Kindness is like jam: you can’t spread even a little without getting some on yourself!

At the end of the day, you will find that because you looked for it, you found something, or many somethings, to be grateful for, to realize how blessed you are, and reasons to be happy that you are alive! As a result, you will look forward with even greater expectation and positive anticipation to find all the good that God has in store for you tomorrow. So, know that you can alter your life by altering your attitude. And PACE yourself: Positive Attitude Changes Everything!

Luke 12: 6-7:  Jesus said to the whole crowd of thousands who were listening to Him and to His disciples, “Dear friends, what is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows!”