Self-Growth

Prosperity Minded – 6 Conflicting Thoughts Battle For Your Success and Failure

Prosperity Minded – 6 Conflicting Thoughts Battle For Your Success and Failure

Prosperity Minded Leads to a Life of Success!

Prosperity Minded Leads to SuccessProsperity minded leads to success.

Successful people train their minds to

think success and see themselves

attaining their goals.

They understand the power of their thoughts,

attitudes, and beliefs and use them as tools to become successful.

So, become prosperity minded and become successful. Sounds easy, right? Wrong!

The problem? Success doesn’t come easy because thoughts and attitudes of failure bombard us daily. Take a look at these six conflicting thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs that battle daily for our success and failure.

6 Conflicting Thoughts That Battle For Your Success and Failure:

CONFIDENCE vs WORTHLESSNESS

1. Confidence

Success says, “You are confident and you can do whatever it takes to succeed and prosper.”

Confident people see themselves as being able to overcome any challenges on the road to success. Their confident attitude empowers them to move forward with a vision of success and the ability to rise up and take on any task at hand.

“For the LORD shall be your confidence, and shall keep your foot from being snared.”
— Proverbs 3:26

2. Worthlessness

On the other hand, failure says, “You are worthless, you don’t have what it takes to succeed, and nobody else believes in you either.”

Those who lack confidence and struggle with feelings of worthlessness, are filled with thoughts of assumed failure. They are sure no one else believes in them and they in turn take on the same belief and lack the confidence needed to stay motivated toward success.

DETERMINATION vs DEFEAT

3. Determination

Determination says, “You are committed to the end, no giving up.”

Determined people are prosperity minded and the motivation to succeed seems to emerge naturally from the depths of their heart and soul. Tell the determined person they can’t, and it only fuels their determination to show you they can.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:57

4. Defeat

Now, on the other hand, defeat says, “You are sure to fail and make a fool of yourself, like you always do, why even bother trying.”

People that live with a spirit of defeat seldom accomplish anything meaningful because they avoid all situations that might result in failure. Thoughts of failure overtake their mind so much so that they rarely make goals toward success, let alone take steps to achieve them. They constantly create excuses why they should not even try.

FAITH vs FEAR

5. Faith

Faith says, “You trust in God and His great power to guide your daily choices toward success. Your future is bright.”

People with strong faith believe they can achieve their goals, and they aren’t afraid to take risks because they trust in God to direct them and help them on their road to success and prosperity. Wrong turns and set backs on the way, do not shake them up, because they have faith that God will work things out and that He is ultimately in control.

“Jesus said unto him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.’”
— Mark 9:23

6. Fear

Fear says, “You always have bad luck, you have no control, and something bad is sure to happen. You are destined to fail.”

Those who live with a spirit of fear have a mind full of negative thoughts of worry, lack, tragedy, no control, no options, and blame toward others and situations. They avoid risks at all costs to avoid any embarrassment of failure. They feel stuck and they have no faith in themselves or God to make choices and do what it takes to succeed.

Take Control – Prosperity Minded

Success has no limits for those who are prosperity minded and get control of their thoughts, attitudes and beliefs. A prosperity minded person who defines his or her goals based on God’s Word will find they begin to soar to new levels in all areas of life, including; relationships, spirituality, finances, and career.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”
— Philippians 4:13

Your goal now? Train yourself to have an abundance of success attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs. Let the Lord be your confidence. Give thanks to God who gives us victory through Jesus Christ. Have faith in God. Believe in yourself and know you can do all things through Christ. Think success – be prosperity minded.

May you be prosperity minded, strive for success, and live a life of growing prosperity!

Be Blessed to Be a Blessing!

Cheers,
Brenda

 

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Prosperous Thoughts – 7 Things to be Mindful of to Help Manifest Abundance!

Prosperous Thoughts – 7 Things to be Mindful of to Help Manifest Abundance!

Change Defeating Thoughts to Prosperous Thoughts

Prosperous Thoughts to Help Manifest Abundance!Prosperous thoughts help

manifest prosperous living.

No doubt: successful individuals do not

reach their goals by filling their minds with

thoughts of failure and defeat.

Overcoming the challenges and obstacles,

on the road to abundance, requires a determination to succeed and a positive mindset.

“We demagnetize ourselves by wrong thinking and lack of faith…We see only the obstacles in our path, and forget that man, working with God, is greater than any obstacle that can oppose itself to his will.”
— Orison Swett Marden

7 Things to be Mindful of to Help Manifest Abundance:

1. Question Self-Limitations

Question why you limit yourself from reaching your potential. Are you simply afraid of what others will think if you don’t succeed at your first attempt? Do not put a limit on your potential and abilities. If you continually say “I can’t” then you won’t even try. Instead ask “How can I?”

2. Question Limitations From Others

Why accept the limitations others put on you? People enjoy telling us what we can and cannot do. Don’t fall into the trap of filling your mind with other people’s limitations.

3. Monitor Everyday Thoughts

Turn on the mental radar, because even the most well intentioned person will find negative, defeating thoughts try to sneak in under the radar. To often we begin to affirm those negative thoughts without even realizing it.

4. Reprogram Negative Attacks

A passionate dream that you desire to accomplish is hard to keep to yourself. It is normal to want to share your ambition with others, but also way too common to have others ridicule you about it. Learn to quickly reprogram the negative attacks and laugh it off when others laugh at you!

5. Visualize Your Abundance

Keep a visual image constantly in your mind of the goals you desire to manifest. Place pictures and notes up around your living and workspace that positively affirm a mental image of your desired goals.

6. Renew Your Mind Daily

Renew your thought life daily like a mental bath. Keep your thoughts positive, clean, and empowering. The most empowering way to renew your mind is with the Word of God and filling it with who He says you are and what you can do.

7. Turn Thought Habits Into Action Habits

Continue to be mindful of your thought life until positive, productive, prosperous thoughts are a habit. Once they become habit, you’ll find that positive, productive, prosperous actions follow. As these actions become a habit, you’ll automatically move toward a prosperous life.

Final thoughts: Regardless of all the negative thoughts currently filling your mind, it is possible to change those thoughts to the better and become prosperous. Begin today to start making some positive changes to your thinking and soon positive changes will manifest in your behavior and your life!

May your mind be filled with prosperous thoughts and your life be filled with growing prosperity!

Be Blessed to be a Blessing!

Cheers,
Brenda

 

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Spirituality: Stop Destructive Gossip and Live at a Higher Spiritual Level!

Spirituality: Stop Destructive Gossip and Live at a Higher Spiritual Level!

Use Words to Encourage and Stop the Gossip

Stop Destructive GossipGossip can zap the power out of

one’s spirit quickly.

Gossip is negative, mean spirited,

and destructive.

It is an addictive, bad habit for the gossiper.

Gossip will pull the gossiper, and those

around him or her, down to the lowest spiritual level.

If all that isn’t bad enough, God considers gossip a serious sin in the same league as murder, God hating, and other wickedness. (Romans 1:28-32) Gossipers are not in right fellowship with God.

“A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.”
— Proverbs 20:19 NIV

Harmless Good Fun Or Destructive Gossip?

I’m sure you will agree that gossip is something we should not take lightly. What is truly unfortunate, is the fact that most Christians do not consider gossip a sin or wrong! At most, they consider it an insignificant bad habit.

Gossip is a key factor hindering growing prosperity in many people’s lives. And unfortunately, it is rarely recognized. Almost instantly, without thinking twice, gossipers will let rumors, bad-mouthing, confidential information, and idle, malicious talk fly out of their mouths.

If only they knew the damage they are causing! The Bible tells us that a Christian who’s mouth is out of control, deceives his own heart and his religion is worthless. (James 1:26)

Let’s face it: Gossip is not harmless, good fun. It carries a negative tone of abuse that is often demeaning, critical, judgmental, harmful, and hurtful. This is why God has much to say about it and warns us of it’s destructiveness.

Dealing With Gossip

Everywhere from family, work, school to church settings, gossip has become a common destructive factor. It is clearly evident that busybodies are everywhere these days. But the question to ask ourselves is: “Am I guilty of gossip?”

Gossip is often disguised as concern for others or as asking for prayer. However, whenever there is talk about others in an unfavorable way, there is gossip.

Keep in mind: Gossip is a sin that separates us from God and hinders our prosperity. God does not bless sin. Gossipers often deal with unexplainable troubles and rarely get their prayers answered. (Psalm 66:18, John 9:31)

“He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”
— Proverbs 13:3 NIV

Tips to Deal With Gossip:

  • AWARENESS. We all have tendency to gossip from time to time. To overcome this tendency and have a more spirit-filled, gossip-free life requires awareness when it happens.
  • PRAYER. It doesn’t matter if you are struggling with a gossip addiction or if you are a victim of gossip, turning to God in prayer is a must. As a gossiper, repent and ask for forgiveness and pray that God help you take control of your words and make them words of encouragement. As a victim, pray that God bless the other person and help them become free as He helps you maintain a forgiving, loving heart.
  • AVOID. Stay out of other people’s business and avoid association with those who gossip. Refuse to engage in gossip.
  • CHOOSE. Decide to speak words of encouragement, hope, and love. Steer conversations in a positive direction. Choose to be silent if only destructive words of gossip are on your lips.
  • LOVE. Walk in love and address gossipers directly and privately in attempting to resolve your issues with them. If confronted for gossiping, be humble and in love be willing to work out your issues.

Believe me: Gossip can spread quickly like a deadly infection. Do not be ignorant of the destruction it carries. You can put a stop to the negative spirit of gossip and choose to walk in love and a higher spiritual level in life.

May your mouth always speak words of encouragement and may your life be full of growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing!

Soar higher in Him,
Brenda

 

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Time Management – Overcome the Pressure of Time and Invest It Wisely!

Time Management – Overcome the Pressure of Time and Invest It Wisely!

You Can Overcome the Pressure of Time

Time Management Overcome the Pressure of TimeTime management is an important life skill.

Time is precious; we never seem to have enough of it.

More than that, we tend to be overcome with

the pressure of time, as we continually find

our “to do” list filled with too many tasks and

not enough time to finish them.

Sound familiar?

Well, why not choose to overcome the pressure of time,

rather than let it overwhelm you?

You can manage your time and take control of your life.

“Make the most of every opportunity.”
— Colossians 4:5 NIV

Time is a Gift – Do You Use It Wisely?

Time is one of the valuable gifts God has given us. And even though we may be aware that each day is a gift, none of us know how much of it we have left to use on this earth.

We are encouraged to use our time wisely in Psalm 90 verse 12: “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.”

The question is: What are you doing with your days?

Time Wasted or Time Invested?

When analyzing how we manage our time, we will most likely find that much of it is spent on “time wasters.” “Time wasters” are those things that soak up our time and distract us from accomplishing our goals.

Games, TV, Facebook, email, phone calls, and surfing the web are all common “time wasters” these days. And if you are procrastinating tackling your “to do” list, these distractions can easily take up way too much of the day.

The next thing we’ll probably notice is that a lot of our time is spent on the daily maintenance tasks of life. Not the most exciting activities to do, but yet necessary.

Keep in mind: without a vision of the future, we can easily get caught up in doing things today that lack lasting investment.

One of the most important principles, in our walk with God here on earth, is that time and activities spent for His kingdom have eternal value. Investing the time God has given us in kingdom work is not only satisfying, but will see everlasting rewards.

Time Management Tips

Managing your time gives you power. Disciplining yourself to improve this skill will reap life-long benefits.

The following time management tips will help you get started:

  • Make a “to do” list of the things you need to accomplish.
  • Prioritize the list and put a “P” in front of the main three to four priority items that need to be accomplished for the day.
  • Focus the first part of your day accomplishing the priority items.
  • Refuse to be distracted by “time wasters.” Remove distractions as much as possible in order to complete the priority items.
  • Motivate yourself to complete the priority items first by considering how great you’ll feel once you have accomplished them.
  • Schedule time for leisure activities and remind yourself they will be a reward to look forward to once you have completed your priority tasks.
  • Ask God to help you throughout the day.

Word of warning: don’t let the seemingly endless “to do” list cloud your vision and make everything seem like a chore, especially when it comes to relationships. Time spent in relationships is a valuable investment. This is no less true when it comes to spending time with the Lord.

The truth is, we don’t have to perform for God when we spend time with Him. It should not be a chore. He wants us to be still and to know that He is God. Spending time in His presence will result in joy. Regardless of how busy our lives become, we must guard our time with Him.

Are you starting to see the light? Time is a precious gift to be valued. How we invest our lives demonstrates where our heart is and reveals what is most important to us. Overcome the pressure of time by learning to manage it and invest it wisely.

May you invest your time wisely and enjoy a life of growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

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Achievement: Why Live with Regrets When You Can Live to Succeed?

Achievement: Why Live with Regrets When You Can Live to Succeed?

Achieve Success With No Regrets!

Achieve Success With No Regrets!Achievement is connected to our

personal growth and that is a lifelong

learning process of ups and downs.

Do you let setbacks, failed ventures, or

wrong choices weigh you down with regrets?

Refuse to let your life fill up with regrets.

Why? Because living in a state of regret will hinder your personal growth and ability to achieve success.

The Pain Of Regret

Regret is a feeling or sense of sorrow or remorse over a past choice. Regret is like a first cousin to condemnation. They both leave us feeling guilty, defective, and unhappy.

In the short term, this can actually be a positive thing…

  • It is like a wake-up call to show us how our life got off course.
  • It makes us take a look at the choices we have been making in life.
  • It makes us realize we can’t live this life on our own and it is important to cry out to the Lord for help.

“The godly cry out and the Lord hears; He saves them from all their troubles.”
— Psalm 34:17

We can, and should, learn from our mistakes and successes on our journey of life. And no doubt, living with regret and condemnation is a negative, low confidence, unhealthy state to be in. It keeps us stuck and unable to move forward.

“The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him.”
— Psalm 34:22

Remember: we have been blessed with the gift of life and a purpose for our time here on this earth. Why live in a way that causes constant regrets, and even worse, regrets we may have once we are in heaven and look back on how we lived our lives?

Success Is Full Of Challenges

The road to success is full of challenges and struggles. Achievement in any degree requires work, and often an outright battle. The storms of life can blow through and make it a fight just to survive at times, let alone stay on track pursuing our goals and desires.

“A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.”
— Psalm 34:19

If you look back in history, the greatest, most successful individuals had to invest a lot of effort in order to successfully achieve their goals. They had to push through their challenges with much determination. So we shouldn’t be surprised at the labor involved in achieving our goals.

Live With Purpose to Succeed

Live with no regrets by choosing to fight through the battles that come your way. Don’t quit. Run the race to finish – run the race to win.

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…looking unto Jesus.”
— Hebrews 12:1-2

Take a moment to feel the pain of past regrets. No doubt you prefer to avoid those feelings of remorse, caused from not having done something you should have, or for making poor choices.

Today is the day to say no more regrets. Do not be afraid to step out and give the thing you know you should be doing a try. Do everything in your power to achieve it. Don’t give up at the first hurdle in your way. Learn to move beyond your mistakes. We all make them.

And remember always: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 1:8)

Purpose to make positive choices in life and avoid future regrets. Leave the past in the past and move forward with no regrets.

Put this to the test right away: Maintain the mindset that you will always do your best to achieve whatever task is at hand. Strive to be the best person you can possibly be. Live life with no regrets – live to succeed.

May you choose to always do your best, live an amazing, successful life with no regrets, full of growing prosperity!

Soar higher in Him –

Cheers,
Brenda

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Bible Promises Quiz – Can You Answer These 7 Power Promises from the Word?

Bible Promises Quiz – Can You Answer These 7 Power Promises from the Word?

A Quiz to Help You Draw Power From the Word!

Bible Promises QuizPower is available in the Word

and waiting at this very moment

for each one of us to tap into.

If we all can use extra wisdom,

help, strength, faith, and so on,

then the real question is…

Why are we not tapping into this great power source that has been provided for us?

Good question – huh? Even if you are already drawing on the power of the Word, chances are it is not in the measure it should be. I encourage you today, as I encourage myself, to dig in and fill up!

Check out these seven great Bible promises. See how many of the blanks you can fill correctly. Give yourself an extra point for each blank you answer without looking at the choices.

Quiz – Can You Answer These 7 Bible Promises?

 1. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you _______.” (Jesus in Matthew 11:28)

A. direction
B. hope
C. strength
D. rest

2. “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful… Whatever he does shall _______.” (Psalm 1:1,3)

A. is forgiven
B. prosper
C. will fail
D. pleases God

3. “Call unto me, and I will _______ you, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

A. come to
B. always help
C. answer
D. encourage

4. “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in _______, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13)

A. bank
B. hope
C. train
D. spiritual

5. “And we know that _______ things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

A. all
B. many
C. most
D. spiritual

6. “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, _______on these things…and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

A. pray
B. forget
C. think
D. worry

7. “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be _______.” (Matthew 5:4)

A. comforted
B. sad
C. blessed
D. resurrected

Answers to the Bible Promises Quiz:

1. D – Rest

The solution to tension is trust. Jesus invites us to bring all our problems to Him. In exchange, He offers an end to turmoil and stress. When our task seems to hard, we need to invite the Lord to help. His presence will enable us to work in relaxed efficiency.

 2. B – Prospers

Going God’s way helps us prosper and ensures that He will give what is best for us. Drop all thoughts of failure, and believe that what you attempt in faith will prosper.

3. C – Answer

God not only hears our sincere prayers, He answers them. We must listen for His answer and look for His guidance.

4. B – Hope

To hope is simply to look forward in faith. Discover how much easier life becomes when you face it with hope. Today, say and think only hopeful things.

5. A – All

God is working in all the things that happen to us. Nothing is outside His loving purpose. Believe that, and remind yourself and others daily.

6. C – Think

Again and again the Bible urges us to think, to focus on positive things. The result? God’s own peace. (Verses 7 and 9) Write down five things that are good and thank God for them every day.

7. A – Comforted

The deepest solution to bereavement is God’s tender comfort. From the loss of a loved one to the loss of a job, He can transform any mourning by His understanding presence.

How Did You Do?

  •  4-5 points, Good Job
  • 6-7 points, Great Job
  • 8-14 points, Excellent!

Conclusion: Commit these Scripture verses to memory. Draw on the power and practical wisdom they hold. Let these seven Bible promises from the Word of God empower you.

May you tap into the great power source of God’s Word and live a life of growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

p.s. how did you do? leave a comment and post your results…

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Godly Humility – How Can a Humble Heart Put You On the Road to Destination Greatness?

Godly Humility – How Can a Humble Heart Put You On the Road to Destination Greatness?

A Life of Humility that Leads to God’s Richest Blessings!

Godly Humility Leads to Destination GreatnessHumility needs to take root in the heart first…

and then it will begin to grow and expand

into every area of life.

Humility has to be taught to us by God

and is not generally something we easily learn. 

“I believe the first test of a truly great man is his humility.” 
— John Ruskin

Power to Change

Humility changes the way we see God and helps us submit our heart to Him. It changes the way we view others and gives us a servant’s perspective. Humility is not denial of self, but it is an embracing of God’s Word within us. It allows us to lay aside our personal wants and needs and adopt His desires and goals for our lives.

“Be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” 
— 1 Peter 5:5-6

Humbling ourselves under God’s hand allows Him to raise us up to greatness at the proper time. Keep in mind; greatness from our perspective is different from God’s. God is more interested in our humility than He is of our ‘great’ works.

Do you want to be blessed? Then develop a servant’s heart.

“Whoever, wishes to be great among you shall be your servant.” 
— Jesus Christ (Matthew 20:26)

Destination Greatness

When we humble ourselves before God, we gain new strength and insight. God prepares us for greatness and blessing. He will often allow intense pressures and adversity to humble us and refocus our thoughts so that we begin to think the way He thinks. Pain, embarrassment, and criticism are like safety checks to keep us from becoming proud and arrogant.

When facing challenges, we have a choice. We can either be hardened by our circumstances or humbled by them. If we choose to be humbled, we will gain God’s perspective and quickly discover that He is guiding us to victory (spiritually and physically).

Don’t be fooled though; if we choose to have a hard heart, we open the door to bitterness and close-mindedness. And remember, God resists the proud. Pride and rebellion are the opposite of humility and they separate us from God.

God says He hates a proud look and a proud heart is a sin. (Proverbs  6:17, 21:4) Pride is not only dangerous it is destructive and does not fit who we are in Christ. Humility transforms us into the image of Christ and empowers us to stand strong through the storms of life.

Many people view humility as a sign of weakness, but it is not. It is a sign of strength and spiritual maturity.

How Do We Gain Godly Humility?

It starts with a commitment to study God’s Word and a willingness to submit to Him. Then God will begin to show each of us individually the steps we must take in our lives to gain true humility. God develops humility within us through the power of His Spirit.

Humility is not something we practice in church or to impress others. It must reflect our lifestyle and who we are deep inside.

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” 
— Micah 6:8

In our love for God, we must be careful to walk humbly before Him. When we begin to understand the greatness of God’s love, humility will become our first choice. To bring God glory and honor simply because we love Him is at the heart of true humility.

Needless to say: Living a life of humility may not be easy, but it certainly leads to God’s richest blessings.

May you humble yourself and experience all the abundant goodness God has for you and enjoy a life of growing prosperity!

God bless you –

Cheers,
Brenda

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Self-Growth – Uncovering the Great Power of Possibilities Within! Part 2 of 2

Self-Growth – Uncovering the Great Power of Possibilities Within! Part 2 of 2

Self-discovery by Finding the Presence of God Within!

Finding the Presence of God WithinThe following are words of wisdom and encouragement,

from Orison Swett Marden.

They are excerpts from chapter 7 “How to Find Oneself”

from the book “How to Get What You Want.” 

Although written back in 1917,

these words still hold great insight and the ability to stir us up and check our current progress in life.

This is part 2 of 2 for men and women who strive to make the most of their lives and never stop growing on their journey through life.

Excerpts from “How to Find Oneself” by Orison Swett Marden:

Self-discovery is simply a question of finding the presence of God within ourselves.

When we become conscious that the kingdom of God is within us it becomes a great self-illuminator, because it takes us back to our source, connects us with infinite life, with the great cosmic heart of the universe. It is a trolley pole which connects us with the mighty current of infinite power, and then our life problems seem easy because we are not pushing our car ourselves. God does that.

Many people had never really met themselves until they became acquainted with the reality of their connection to the Creator. That is, they had never up to that time found the best part of themselves.

They had previously been getting their living by their weak faculties instead of their strong ones. They had been in the position of people living in poverty on a little corner of their vast estate, ignorant that there were great deposits of undiscovered, unmined wealth.

The possibilities of mental expansion, enlargement of vision, quickening of the mental faculties, increasing the efficiency,—in other words, the possibilities of self-discovery are almost unbelievable.

We find ourselves in very different ways. Struggling with difficulties, disappointments, failures, great responsibilities, has been the means of recalling many human beings to themselves.

The greatest of their latent possibilities lies so deep in some natures that it takes the impact of a tremendous emergency, a great life, or national crisis to call it out. Any ordinary event, the easy way of prosperity, will not do it; it must be something which shakes them to the very center of their being and knocks out from under them every support.

They must feel that they have nothing to lean upon but the creative power within—only the God who made them.

So long as there is no supreme call made on the great within of them they never know their own resources. On the other hand the structure of many a divine success has risen out of the ashes of a burned fortune or apparently ruined hopes.

Like the plants which must be crushed before they will reveal their sweetest fragrance, or their beneficent properties, many people never reveal the sweetest thing in them until they are crushed by some great sorrow.

They go through half a life or more unconscious of the richness which lies buried within them, when suddenly some great grief, some overwhelming misfortune reveals a wealth of personality, and of power which not even those who knew them best dreamed they possessed.

Many people pass their fiftieth, even their sixtieth milestone, before they find themselves, before something happens which unlocks a new door in the great within of themselves and reveals new powers, new resources, of which they had never before been conscious.

Then in a few years after their discovery they have redeemed half a lifetime of ineffectiveness.

We often hear men and women who have found themselves tell of the particular things which awakened their ambition; the accident, the sorrow, the emergency, the book, the suggestion, the encouraging friend, which first gave them a glimpse of their own possibilities, uncovered powers which they never before dreamed they possessed.

If all of the people who have done things worthwhile in the world would only give an account of how they were awakened, tell of the things that had aroused their ambition,—the incident, the circumstance, the book, the lecture, the sermon, the advice, or the catastrophe, the failures, the crisis, the emergency, the afflictions, the losses in their lives, what a wonderful help it would be to the strugglers who are conscious that they have locked up within them forces which have not been aroused and which theycannot seem to get hold of.

The man who can write a book that will enable people to discover their unused assets will do an incalculable service to humanity.

“Great masters are they who help you to find yourself, the others simply find you.”
— Dr. Frank Crane

There are a multitude of things which assist our self-discovery. Keeping our minds in a positive, creative condition; keeping ourselves physically at the top of our condition, in perfect health; maintaining mental poise, a cheerful, happy mental attitude, by keeping our minds free from fear and worry and anxiety,—all of these things are great aids to self-discovery.

And there is no secret about any of these things.

Self-confidence is a potent self-discoverer. Distrust, self-depreciation closes the doors to the locked-up potencies and powers within. Faith opens the door and releases them.

Seek every possible experience which seems to open up your nature and release new force.

For instance, great lovers of music after listening to a wonderful voice, or going to an opera, feel something inside of them released, something which had been locked up before, something which they never really knew they possessed until then.

If you would get at your hidden resources, stimulate your growth and your power, you must be continually improving yourself somewhere; increasing your intelligence by closer and keener observation, by the constant study of men and things, the broadening of your mental and spiritual outlook, the getting away from self and the enlarging of your sphere of service and helpfulness.

We are all in a continuous process of development, and, as yet, strangers to the immense possibilities that sleep in the great within of ourselves. Uncovering these possibilities, finding our resources, should be the great object of every human being.

“Know thyself!” This is really the chief business of man—to learn to know himself, to realize the power that is his through his inseparable union with his Creator.

The end of part 2 of 2.

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“‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”
— Jeremiah 29:11

God bless you and be blessed to be a blessing!

Soar higher in Him,
Brenda

P.S. Image credit thanks go to Billy Alexander

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