Pursue laughter. Chor•tle n: A joyful laugh or chuckle. Word coined by writer Lewis Carroll by combining the words chuckle and snort. Laughter reminds us that we are fully alive and that God the Creator is both generous and genius. A buoyant spirit is an invitation to the world to see the joy of heaven God affectionately planted inside you. If you lack the ability or desire to giggle, belly laugh, twirl with squirrels, or revel in the random, you may be missing out on one of God’s most powerful, healing salves for the aches of life. Convinced that humor is not in your DNA? Ask God to help you get up and over the “What’s so funny?” hump. Read—even study—jokes (clean ones), watch comedies, and hang out with clowns (funny friends). Allow yourself to let loose! Before you know it, you’ll be unstoppable!
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. —Proverbs 17:22
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In fact, let’s get started right now! Here are a few points to ponder. Chuckle or groan—it’s your call!
• Why don’t sheep shrink when it rains? • Why don’t penguins fly? Because they aren’t tall enough to be pilots.
• How do they get the deer to cross at that yellow road sign?
• I wondered why baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.
• With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. • Why did the cowboy buy a dachshund? He wanted to get a long little doggie.
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Live your dreams. » Write that book already. » Attend a red-carpet event. Shine. » Take your child or grandchild on a special trip, just the two of you. Create a photo album to remember it. » Learn to play guitar. » Learn how to surf. » Protest something publicly (and mind your manners).
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» Play the violin—alone, please, if you’re an amateur. » Try every flavor on the Ben & Jerry’s menu (not in one sitting!), and refuse to feel guilty. » Get a good camera, and become a decent photographer. » Make peace with your in-laws. » At least once, attend a major sporting event such as the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the Stanley Cup, the World Cup, or the US Open.
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Honor the strength of others. Traveling past a city, you instantly see the brilliance of the skyline stretching up to dominate the sky. The roads and lights pulsate with energy and power. The entire city seems to breathe with possibility. What you don’t see is the elaborate matrix of water pipes and power systems that run beneath the streets, pumping, coursing, and supplying the city. If you cut these veins, the city dies. The same is true of the mighty oaks in the park at the center of the city. They tower, sway, and provide refuge and beauty for others. What you don’t see is the extraordinary root system that pumps water and nutrients into each trunk. Many times, the strength of those around us is unseen. It runs deep within them; it finds its wings in the holy places of meditation and prayer and face time with God. Although the world programs us to analyze and assess others instantly, we can’t score, evaluate, or even begin to understand the strength that lives in another person. But we must honor it, for it carries life to every soul. Avoid drawing conclusions based on appearances or stereotypes. Handle others with care, and take time to discover their strengths.
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Fight for love. Throughout history, there have been heroes and warriors of every nation and creed, but no one fought harder for love— and won—than Jesus Christ. Even when loving rebellious, self-centered, and hateful people shifted from frustrating to deadly, Jesus never quit. He fought, died, and rose again—because of love. But it wasn’t just any love. It was a higher love—an absurd, illogical, crazy love not common to this world. It’s that kind of love we’re going for. Bring that love to mind when you are tempted to give up on a difficult person, relationship, job, church, or calling. Pursue love. Make love a habit. Fight to see it rise again.
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Be a Good Samaritan. He was robbed, beaten, and left for dead. A priest passed by. Then a Levite. Both stepped over the river of need that lay quietly heaving at their feet. Then mercy bent down. A Samaritan man, moved by pity, stopped to carefully bandage the man’s wounds. He then carried him to a nearby inn to recover (see Luke 10). Step outside youself. Look around. Who are your neighbors? What do they need? Some wounds will be visible, others hidden. At some point, everyone needs a helping hand. REAL-LIFE CHALLENGE: Be aware of what’s going on around you this week. Cook a meal for that new mom or homebound neighbor. Be the one to help change the flat tire. The next time you see a blood drive, roll up your sleeve.
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Become a more positive person. It’s not a secret. You’ve been compared to Eeyore on more than one occasion. The invitations have slowed to a trickle, and the crowd splits like the Red Sea when you walk in the room. Maybe you’re just going through a negative phase, or maybe your whining, cynicism, and criticism have become a lifestyle that’s costing you some serious joy. So how do you become a more positive person? Here are just a few suggestions to get you rolling:
• Admit you’ve become or are naturally negative.
• Realize you have a choice in how you act. • Surround yourself with positive people. • Exercise regularly. • Laugh out loud. Hey, it works!
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• Go serve someone; volunteer. • Forgive yourself; forgive others. • Live in the present. • Practice gratitude. • Read books about the areas in your life you’d like to improve.
• Get a life coach (or a positive friend) to hold you accountable.
• Do something you love every day. • Allow God to reshape your heart, thoughts, and words.
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Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them—every day begin the task anew. —Francis de Sales
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Trust God in business. Few other situations can sculpt and refine your faith more than trusting God in an entrepreneurial adventure. An amazingly creative and courageous business life is a roller coaster—risks followed by playing it safe. Great blessing and then being burned. Surviving recessions that take out our neighbors and learning to trust God for each day’s manna. The key to success? Keep moving forward, keep trusting, and refuse dwell on past mistakes. Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (kjv). If we are plowing new ground and pursuing the greater adventures God is planting in front of us, looking back only ruins the field for the next harvest. God is concerned about the journey. Trusting Him is the grandest adventure of the Christian’s life. That means trusting Him for your business too. REAL-LIFE CHALLENGE: Pray over your business daily. Pray for your employees and clients. Ask God for opportunities to serve others and make His name known through the way you do business.
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Tap into the martyr’s heart. Go on! Rack, torture, grind us to powder: our numbers increase in proportion as you mow us down. The blood of Christians is their harvest seed. —Tertullian
Few of us can truly relate to the possibility of being put to death for our faith. But hundreds of thousands of early Christians met cruelty and hate with courage and heroism. It would be impossible to count those consumed in the fires of persecution that still rage in parts of the world. Martyrs have been beheaded, crucified, stoned, burned, and dragged through the streets for professing Jesus Christ. Among them are Stephen (the first Christian martyr), Paul, James, Peter, Andrew, and others. Later, the fiery faithful such as Polycarp, William Tyndale, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Jim Elliot stepped into heaven as martyrs. Study the lives of the martyrs as part of your Christian heritage. Their courageous lives laid the groundwork for your ability to worship freely and tell others about Jesus. •
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Ponder: How did martyrs deal with persecution? What did it cost them daily—and what does it cost you? REAL-LIFE CHALLENGE: Help Christians around the world who are being persecuted for spreading the gospel. You can provide medical assistance, food, clothing, and other forms of aid. Go to www.persecution.com to learn more.
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Maintain a balanced digital diet. Your heart is God’s living room. To be specific, it is where the Almighty dwells. So guard that place. Put your life on a balanced digital diet. Limit the stream of information, ideas, ideologies, and opinions daily knocking at the door. God has allowed you to live in a digital age. That’s awesome! Be good at it. But remember: your daily manna and power come from His presence. So recharge daily and fast once in a while.
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. —Isaiah 30:15
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