I have analyzed and narrowed life to 2 options we are presented with in our daily lives.  These are not mind blowing/revolutionary ideas or concepts either.  I meet this decision everyday when I wake up, and so do you. 

Option A) You can make up excuses, compare yourself and be jealous of other things, complain about circumstances, mope around miserable since you view your life is boring or a waste, and etc.

or

Option B) You shut up and decide to show up for your life, speak and declare life over yourself, see the positive and good things in life, strive to improve your surroundings despite circumstances, and be who God made you to be.  Oh, and Love.

Does Option B sound too far fetched?  Maybe because you're making up excuses right now about how difficult that "mole hill you're turning into a mountain" looks like from one angle.
I tell students all the time that making excuses and complaining is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but you aren't getting anywhere with it.

You choose.  Enough said.  

For those who have worked with kids, have you ever had 2 or more students who would not stop going back and forth of how they despise each other?  It’s more than annoying!  As an instructor, you can do all you can to get in each students face and tell them to stop, but there just seems to be a chasm within that is never satisfied with verbally berating another person.

I, and many others, call this the “hurt people, hurt people” scenario.  One has hurt feelings/self-esteem deep within from some unfortunate encounter(s), and all they know to do is to be mean/ugly to others.  One may lash out to enjoy seeing others in misery, they “have nothing else to do”, build up their self-esteem by tearing others down, or some other preposterous reason from a result of a pain within.

How does an instructor actually stop such a thing?  Patience, being direct, not budging/tolerating any of it, having a rule for behaving/saying such things, or speaking life into both parties are a few ideas that immediately come to mind, which I have used in a group setting.  There is also the situation where one party is the attacker for no reason what-so-ever, and it even hurts to hear the vile coming from them towards one who clearly hasn’t done anything to deserve the treatment.

These scenarios are far too common in our society and schools.  Kids learn it from TV, movies, home, and friends.  So, without dragging this message out from the very sound basics of what I’ve already mentioned, enjoy this fine example of our wonderful friends from The Office. 

Just remember..."You are the Silent Killer"...

Seriously.  As a man who lives in a world where women are so often socially oppressed, viewed as an object, are severely placed under large amounts of cultural stress and expectations even by other women, and so many more degrading things, it frustrates me to the point where I must speak up and encourage the women of this world.  Men, when are you going to stop focusing on the problems you have with women and just simply show that you care by your words and walk?  Get over yourself.

Women.  You’re beautiful physically and most importantly within.  You’ve been hurt, and your identity has been so skewed by the world you don’t even know what’s a truth or lie about yourself.  I believe a woman’s deepest fear is rejection/fear of abandonment.  You want to be pursued and know you are loved.  Why else do many of you expect that boyfriend of yours to call you every single day?  Yet seriously, reject those stupid pathetic lies of how unworthy, ugly, or unintelligent you are.  It’s just a bunch of butterfly surprise.

Women are so great at verbally expressing themselves of how they feel and believe in...anything really!  You’re amazing at resolving issues in just a few short sentences (example is a school setting).  The amount of care, compassion, and concern women have is beyond my comprehension.  Overall, your nurturing ability brings so much peace.  Like tenderly caring for a sick person.  I applaud you for your hard work and dedication to whatever you’re passionate about in this world in order to make it a better place.  Your work and heart has not gone unseen.

Women are amazing at creativity.  Pinterest or HGTV anyone?  Your minds work in such amazing ways to make a basket looking like a plain wicker basket to looking like a something from a designer magazine.  How?  I don’t get it! Yes, women do love shopping, designing things, creating magnificent delicacies, and much more.  It’s those creative juices flowing to create a better and healthier place to dwell many people ignore.  Your ideas and voice matters.  We need you, even when we act like we don’t.

Women are adventurous.  There is a side of you, which desires to be apart of something bigger than yourself.  To take risk, put you outside your comfort zone, try new things, set goals to achieve, and more are all apart of who you are.  However, I believe women especially want to be adventurous with someone else.  A counterpart.  Friend(s).  Life is definitely not meant to experience entirely alone.  Continue to challenge yourself socially, physically, and mentally.

There are so many more things I can brag on about the women I have lived life with up untill now.  I am amazed and encouraged by them all.  I set the bar high for all the other guys, but I believe you need that as a woman.  You need men who will speak up on behalf/along with you to fight whatever oppression or injustice there may be.  So, during this time of year with many focused on Valentines Holiday, take heart and know there are still solid men in the world who don't view you as a piece of meat.

I encourage you to read a letter God told me to write for women.  Click Dear Woman Of God.

With Love,

A Dangerous Man Of God

It starts with an idea.  An idea, which could change the status quo, break down mental and physical walls, and revolutionize an area…or even the World.  What is “It”?  “It” can be whatever you want it to be.   For example, the idea of ending/putting a stop to human trafficking and slavery in our modern world.

Think about this…

1.  It starts with a human being.
2. They come with a message.
3. This person and message gathers others.
4. With these others, they gain a momentum.
5. This momentum creates a movement.
6. This movement, within itself, develops a management.

However, this management should not take over, but come under the person with the message.

7. If the management takes over, then there will come maintenance.
8. Over time people could create a monument. 
However, this monument is a reminder of what was, but now is dead.
9. Unfortunately, sometimes the movement/person/message goes into a morgue.

Let me try to explain that the “morgue” is what I imply by something being dead and simply not continuing.  With this concept, the idea is for those who follow the initial person with the message to apply and acknowledge the message to such great detail they eventually become representatives of whatever “momentum/movement” there may be.  Even though the initial person may pass away, the message and idea continues with even greater prominence.  The Maintenance, Monument, and Morgue “stages” are all factors of something that I consider to be “coasting”.  I mean that the same energy and motives are not there as they would be from the beginning.

Refuse to accept the status quo, and cancel out the bottom 3.  I believe that after a management, it should go straight back up to the top with the initial person.  This would create a cycle that does Not Stop. The main man with the message would pass on the authority to another, they eventually do the same, and etc.
Be responsible for what you know.

Who or what came to mind as you were reading this concept?  Was it a specific person you’ve met first hand, or a concept you’ve heard at a conference?

A main theme from this is that those who don’t invest in others will lose their legacy and future.  What sort of influence do you have?  Is it positive or negative towards your environment?

I challenge you with
1.     Maintain Integrity of the message (whatever it may be)
2.     Secure the future
3.     Make disciples.

Why it doesn’t happen most of the time?
1.      Too expensive
2.     Time consuming
3.     Misconception of authority
4.     Negative mentality
5.     Too slow.  The “instant mindset” ideology.

I was once challenged with “How do you expect to change the world if you’re not changed yourself?”.   Then, I was challenged by another saying “Our goal as leaders is to not change people, but to serve and love others.”.  How do we expect to give authority unless we haven’t been under any ourselves?

I cannot conclude this message without proclaiming how this whole concept of movements, legacy, and discipling is a Huge message from God for His people.  Look at the exhortations and mandates He has given us through the Bible, especially in the New Testament.  It’s clearly there in plain words.  If you are a Christian, are you doing this?