Here is the whole L.I.F.E. Is Simple, It’s Just Not Easy series…

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Life is simple, just not easy. It can get incredibly overwhelming and confusing at times. Life is a roller coaster that has many ups & downs, twists & turns. Sometimes we are enjoying the ride, sometimes we feel like we want to throw up. Sometimes we yell “give me more!” sometimes we want to yell “get me off this ride!” No matter who you are, where you come from, or where you are going, life is life. Life is about living. It is about embracing it to the fullest and making the most of the time we have been given.

So what does it take to live a full life? What does it take to get the most out of life? How do we embrace the ride?

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”

~ Hunter S. Thompson ~

Life is simple in that we have been given a gift to love, laugh, and learn! Remember when you were young? The greatest decision of the day was what toy you wanted to play with next. Then as you got older more and more pressure and responsibility were required. Somewhere along the years’ life probably got a little confusing, chaotic, and sometimes frustrating. Yet in the midst of the chaos, you probably experienced incredible times of joy, hope, and great memories. Most people spend their whole life trying to recapture those great memories and regain what they once had. Instead of forging ahead into a greater future they are trying to recreate the good times of their past! For some reason, it is easier to live in the past than it is to venture out into the future. But the future can be so much greater than the past if we know how to navigate it and make the most out of it. All it takes are simple truths to live by in order to enjoy it. These truths are not easy though, they can get challenging, but the reward is worth it!

So here is the first ingredient it takes to navigate our future and live a full L.I.F.E.

L = Leadership

Most people think of leadership as a position of authority in a business. But leadership is SO much more than that. Leadership is about stepping up and taking responsibility for action. Leadership is more about you than it is any one else. The most important person anyone will ever lead is themselves. Everyone is called to be a leader by leading themselves well! You are responsible to lead your life, no one can do that for you! You can’t delegate your life to someone else. You will never get the most out of life if you don’t lead yourself better than you lead others. Leadership is not about others until you can learn to lead yourself. If you can’t lead your own life, how could you lead others? You can’t take people where you have never been yourself. You can’t give what you don’t have.

Over the years I have been known for having a passion for leadership. Most people think it is because I love business organization, but the reason I love leadership is that I believe the quality of our life is dependent upon our ability to lead ourselves. I remember as a teenager the draw I had to lead, not because of position or authority, but because I was so drawn to learn how to lead myself and make a difference. When I began to learn about leadership and study it with all I had, I learned that leadership was more about me than it was the masses. It’s said that one day, Frederick the Great of Prussia was walking on the outskirts of Berlin when he encountered a very old man walking ramrod-straight in the opposite direction.
“Who are you?” Frederick asked his subject.
“I am a king,” replied the old man.
“A king!” laughed Frederick. “Over what kingdom do you reign?”
“Over myself,” was the proud old man’s reply.

Under God, we are the ruler of our own life. God has given us the responsibility to make choices and watch over our life to make sure it is honoring to Him. We are the master gardner of our soul responsible to take care of our thoughts, actions, and character. When we come to accept the duty of leadership in our own life we will begin to take the first step towards greatness!

So how do you lead yourself well?

1. Believe In Yourself

Sometimes the greatest obstacles we have to overcome lie within ourselves. The HARDEST person you will ever lead is YOU. It has been said that if you kicked the person responsible for most of your mistakes, you wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week. In order to outperform your limiting beliefs, you have to gain confidence in yourself. Do you believe in yourself? I want you to think about that question. Do you really believe in yourself? Do you believe that you are able to do what you want to do and become who you want to become?

2. Believe In Your Purpose

Let your purpose become a fire within you that is burning for something greater. Do not conform to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by God’s power and purpose. Here is what happens when your WHY is bigger than your WHY NOT…

~ When your WHY is bigger than your WHY NOT nothing will knock you off course. ~

~ When your WHY is bigger than your WHY NOT you know your mission every day. ~

~ When your WHY is bigger than your WHY NOT others are inspired. ~

~ When your WHY is bigger than your WHY NOT you are disciplined to follow through. ~

~ When your WHY is bigger than your WHY NOT courage fills you. ~

~ When your WHY is bigger than your WHY NOT you are willing to endure hardships. ~

~ When your WHY is bigger than your WHY NOT you produce results. ~

~ When your WHY is bigger than your WHY NOT there is power to change things. ~

~ When your WHY is bigger than your WHY NOT you take responsibility. ~

3. Believe In Your Skills

When you are who God created you to be, you don’t need to worry about being someone else. Don’t play the comparison game! You will always lose when you compare yourself to someone else. There will always be those that are further along than you. Instead of thinking less of yourself, challenge yourself to keep pushing ahead. When you compare yourself to others who are above you, worthlessness can easily set in. On the flip-side, there will always be someone who isn’t as far along as you. The danger in comparing yourself to them is that you can easily let pride slip in. Either way, comparing always leads to a false sense of reality. Author and Speaker Joyce Meyers said,

 ”God will help you be all you can be, but He will never help you be someone else.”

Embrace who God made you to be and use the special blend of gifts and talents that He has entrusted to you. Your worth is invaluable and your potential is limitless because our God is limitless, and we are created in His image. Step up from the shadows so that you are able to step out into greater things, as you step on the platform of your God given gifts and strengths! You have a future to get to.

The next ingredient that we need to have a flavorful life is…

I = Intentionality 

Intentionality is about doing things on purpose and with a purpose. Too many times in life we miss out on great things because we don’t go after them. Life should not just be accepted it should be intentionally lead. Without a clear intention, we tend to get knocked off course. Victor Frankl said,

“Without a clear purpose any obstacle will send a person in a new direction.”

Life is about being intentional, and being intentional is about being purposeful. Here is a great story about intentionality…One day little Johnny was in his back yard having target practice with his bow and arrow. He would pull the bow string back and let the arrow fly into a fence. Then he would go to where the arrow had landed and draw a target around it. Several arrows and targets later, his sister said, “You don’t do target practice that way. You draw the target, then shoot the arrow.” Johnny’s response: “I know that, but if you do it my way, you never miss!”

Sometimes we live life like little Johnny. We let our life go any direction it takes us and draw a target around wherever we end up and call it life. But we need to be creating the life we want. We have to be intentional about our direction and purpose. Life doesn’t just happen to turn out great, it turns out great because we have followed the path of greatness. Life does not just turn out terrible, it turns out terrible because we have followed the path of terrible. John Wooden said,

“Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.”

Whatever path we are on will lead us to a destination. We must make sure the path we are on is the path we need to be on. Just because your life has been on a certain path does not mean you can’t turn around and get on a different path. In my book Life Rules, I talk about Rule #5 SMILE More Than You FROWN. In this rule I share about one way we smile more than we frown is by doing what we love. Too many people are living their life like they are in prison, feeling trapped by the path they are on. However, you do have the choice to stop going down the path you are currently on and make a u-turn! We are never trapped. We are only trapped by our limited thinking. We have to be intentional about the paths we travel down in life. If the path is not working out, my Lord, switch paths! If the path is where you need to be going down, DON’T LOSE HEART, keep on keepin’ on! Be intentional! How do you be intentional?

1. Get A Plan

We have all heard the statement…if you fail to plan, you might as well plan to fail. Most people spend more time planning their vacation than they do their life. They spend more time planning their grocery list than they do the direction of their future. If I were to sit down with you and ask you, “What is your life plan,” how would you respond? Do you have one? Have you taken the time to set out a plan for your life? Most people never get to where they want to go in life because they haven’t taken the time to chart the course. Anyone can SIMPLY live life and exist but it takes someone who can CHART a course to get the MOST out of life.

2. DO more than you don’t

Doers are those that make a difference. Don’t-ERs are those that don’t make anything but excuses. In order to make a significant impact in life, you need to have a do-type-attitude. The kind of persistence and perseverance that causes you to step out when everyone else stands down. Doers are not crowd followers, they are the ones leading the crowd. To contribute more than you consume is to be a doer in life. Doers contribute their potential for the greater good. They give of themselves in order to move things forward.

 James 1:22

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James knew the difference between a doer and a don’t-ER. He knew it so well as to encourage Christians to not simply hear God’s Word but to do something with it. Don’t-ERs always make excuses.

3. Never Settle

Don’t put a lid on yourself. Don’t settle for where you are. Press on for greater things. All you need is within you, you just have to mine it out. Never allow your negative thoughts to become who you are. You were created for so much more than you could ask, think, or imagine. You have a purpose and a destiny waiting for you. Don’t allow others to steal it away, and don’t steal it from yourself either. Rise up and break through the lid. Never trade passion and purpose for comfort and status. Comfort is a trap that can cause us to lose our mission. God has more for you to do on this earth, no matter what stage of life you are in. You are never too young or too old to be used for a great purpose.

Life is simple…it’s just not easy! Following these tips is easer said than done, however when we start to incorporate more intentionality in what we do the more we will create the life we need to live!

The next ingredient to live a flavorful L.I.F.E. is…

F = Faith

Matthew 9:27-30

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied.  Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored.

Our faith is what activates God’s power within us. When we believe and build our faith it builds us up. God operates in the currency of faith. Faith is what fuels our spiritual life. Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  

We must have faith in God and that He will reward us as we seek Him. We need faith that He will bring His best plans for our life. As we seek Him He will provide for us. The Bible calls God, Jehovah Jireh, which means our provider. God will never call us to something we can’t attain. Whatever He starts in us He will complete for us. If He has called you to it, He will see you through it. Always remember where God guides, He provides. It takes faith to keep our eyes on the hope we have in Christ. When there seems to be no way, or when all things are going the opposite of what we thought, we must keep the faith.

 2 Corinthians 5:7

For we live by faith, not by sight.  

We are called to live by faith in the unseen. Even when our eyes tell us one thing we have to keep faith in the things not yet. What we see on the outside isn’t always what is taking place in the spiritual realm of things. It may seem that nothing is happening on the outside but God is moving things around behind the scenes of life. Faith keeps our eyes focused on what is real. It has been said, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” But the reality is, the opposite is true in life. We will see it when we believe it. Not until we believe the possibilities do we begin to see the opportunity for those possibilities. When we have faith it opens up our sight to see the potential God has for us. Not believing is to walk with blinders on covering the opportunities we do have. Seeing is not believing. Believing is seeing, and it takes faith to see the unseen. When we lose faith, we lose hope. When we lose hope, we lose perspective. When we lose perspective, we lose reality. When we lose reality, we lose everything. We have to keep our faith active and alive.

How do you grow your faith?

1. USE IT

You cannot grow your faith if you don’t use it. Think of faith like a spiritual muscle, it has to be worked out in order to grow. If your faith is dormant it will begin to wither away. Faith is meant to be active and growing. Faith without action is dead according to The Bible in the book of James. What are you believing God for? What are you having faith for God to do that is bigger than you? Make a list of some B.I.G. (Bold, Intentional, God-Sized) dreams that you are standing in faith for.

2. LEARN IT

You will never grow in your faith if you are not intentionally learning about faith. If you are not in God’s word learning about how to use your faith, when to use your faith, where to use your faith, what is God’s definition of faith, then you will never get more of it. We grow by what we know. If you are coming to know God’s word and the faith He is calling you to you will begin to grow your faith. How often are you pursuing opportunities for your faith to grow by great books, God’s word, and others teaching you? Make sure you have a healthy dose of learning about faith!

3. GIVE IT

One of the best ways to grow your faith is to share your faith. Inspire others in their faith and you will find it will grow your own. What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you! When you give your faith to others by modeling it, talking about it, and inspire others with it, it will grow not only in you but in them. What you give away God tends to give you more of. So give your faith away to others and believe God to do great things for them! Don’t be jealous or hoard your faith share it!

E = Endurance

Life is simple, it’s just not easy and it takes endurance if you’re gonna make it.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

We must run with perseverance, that means hang in there! Don’t grow weary and lose heart when you are believing God. Philosopher Thomas Carlyle said,

“Endurance is patience concentrated.” 

The ability to “hang in there” is one of the toughest, yet rewarding traits to have. Our impatience can cause us to plow ahead and damage what could have been if we had been patient. It is like the Captain who ran too far ahead of the Calvary and was mistaken for an Indian, it didn’t turn out too well for him! Be in step with God’s timing. Don’t rush your life. Make sure you stay the course. Just because you aren’t seeing results immediately does not mean God is not working! All things will unfold when they are supposed to if you are in God’s timing! Don’t go by your watch, go by God’s watch. Patience is about TRUST…Do you trust that God is in control? Do you trust that He is leading you?

How do you endure?

1. Stay Determined

You do not get to the top without determination. You do not climb a significant mountain without an unwavering sense of commitment to the journey. Only climbing when you “feel like it” will never take you to the heights. You only get to the top by hard work and endurance. “Feeling like it” may get you started but it won’t keep you going. You have to determine within yourself that NOTHING will hold you back from your dream to make it to the top. Too many people give up short of their dreams because the terrain gets too rough for them. When faced with obstacles and challenges they give up. But in order to reach the top we have to fight through the set-backs and unforeseen challenges. Always remember this…you can’t climb a smooth mountain. It is the rocky places that we can use to become better and stronger in life.

2. Stay Encouraged

If God has commanded it, don’t question it. Don’t let discouragement set in and steal your joy. God will be with us wherever we go. That means in our failure He is with us to pick us up and brush us off. Do not be terrified of the circumstances you go through, rather be strong and courageous. Our strength is not in ourself but in the one who holds the universe in the palm of His hand. He is able to do more than we could ask, think, or imagine according to His power that is at work within us.

3. Stay Focused

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said it best,

 ”Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never — in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”  

Endure to the end and follow through. Don’t stop short on your journey. Fight the good fight, and finish the race as the Apostle Paul said. Endurance is about pacing yourself for a marathon, not a short sprint. We need an unwavering commitment to the mission God has put in us to see it till the end. Don’t be like the kamikaze pilot on his 40th mission. Commitment is more than words, it is action that follows through at all cost.

Joan of Arc knew her purpose at an early age. When she was seventeen she led 3,000 French Knights in battle. Once she told a military general, “I will lead the way over the wall.” The general replied, “Not a man will follow you.” To this Joan of Arc said, “I won’t be looking back to see if they’re following me.”

Don’t let obstacles and others derail you from your mission. Outlast your critics and show them they are wrong. Not by words, but by action and dedication. LITTLE by little, DAY by day, is how you make GREAT leaps. Don’t give up on your dreams and your goals. No matter what age you are, where you came from, or what obstacles stand in your way, always blaze new trails towards your destiny. If you fall down, get back up, brush off the dust and get going again. Failure is not fatal, it is a growth lesson if you allow it to teach you. You may go through the valley of the shadow of death, but remember it is only the shadow. Never surrender your purpose and your mission when God has put them in your heart! Stay focused on your goals!

Then keep calm and let your faith continue on!