Seeing With NEW Eyes - the CONCLUSION

 

 Well, here we are with the conclusion of this series but, friend, by no means is this the CONCLUSION of what God has been doing, IS doing and WILL CONTINUE to do in the lives of my wife and I. 

I've shared a LOT of details about "happenings" in our lives since the end of 2020 and, at the same time, I've left out a LOT more that I could have shared but simply felt that it would have been too time consuming. Hopefully I've shared enough with you that, for some, it will create a spark of curiosity or praise about these things. 

Thing is, I'm looking at the information that I had already written down (a record of these things, so to speak) and I realize that I'm going to have to even cut out a LOT of the things that I have left of these events in our life. (As a matter of fact, I had to re-record the podcast on this one because the first time through was just too long!). 

I love the fact that I have shared so much but that it is just a "sampling" of all of the things that I have recorded so that I will remember these things in the future. So, saying all of that, let me simply say that I HAVE to share with you this one last situation that we experienced just in the past few days.

As I type this article, it is Monday, September 13, 2021. On Friday evening, September 10, 2021 I came across a post on Facebook by a young, single mother that does foster care for several kids on top of raising her own child. She is an amazing young lady and we have sent $100 several times over the past several months. The intention has been to do that every month but, sadly, it had been a couple of months. When I read her post stating that she was asking for prayers because Satan was "attacking" them hard at that time I thought, "I need to send her that money like I've been talking about!".

Saturday morning, September 11, 2021, I was preparing to send the $100 to her via an online channel so that she could receive it quickly when the thought hit me that my wife and I had actually committed to doing more than that "if/when" something particular happened. What was that? We said that when we sold my motorcycle for a certain amount of money that we would send $500 to this precious young lady with plans to increase that in the future with God's help. Well, we didn't sell the motorcycle yet BUT we did sell one of our cars on Thursday (9.9.21) for - guess what - the EXACT amount of money that we had discussed about the motorcycle.

Now then, I called my wife in the room and we discussed the fact that we had said - out loud - that we were going to do this and that, even though it was not the motorcycle, it was the EXACT amount of money that we had discussed and that since we had said it "out loud" that we knew we had committed to doing this "as to the Lord". In other words, HE heard us say it so we felt that it was a commitment to Him. We both agreed that, indeed, we needed to send the $500 to her and prayed over that decision and for it to be a blessing in her life and in the life of those kids that she cares for -  and then I hit the "send" button. 

Within a few minutes I heard back from her and she basically said something like, "You will NOT believe this and THANK YOU!" She shared with me that they had to make an unexpected trip out of town and leave their dog at a kennel. Friday night (9.10.21) she got the bill and was floored. She was moved to tears because she did not know how she was going to pay this unexpected bill. The amount? You may have figured it out by now...$500! Hello???

Friends, my wife and I had NO IDEA that ANY of this was going on. We had NO IDEA that she had received this bill and we sure had NO IDEA what the amount of that bill was. On top of all of that, the TIMING in this (God's timing, by the way) is quite amazing. If we had not sold that car the day before she received that bill and the day before I was reminded that we needed to send her some money, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. Well, it would not have been the exact amount needed.

There's so much more that I could say about this whole situation but I hope that what I've shared is enough to get your attention.

Listen, I don't know who you are or what you believe. I don't know if you are a believer or if you are one that doesn't even know for sure if God even exists. Here's what I do know: 

1. Whether it's asking/seeking to even know if God is out there OR  

2. Whether you are asking/seeking His guidance in and for your life  ---- HE HEARS YOU!

I'm not going to get real deep into this right now because my next series is going to deal on this more (the idea of "Asking - Seeking - Knocking" and what it means for each of us) but let me ask you a quick question that I've asked before in this series: "If you are asking for guidance or if you are simply seeking...are you LISTENING, WATCHING and OPENING YOUR EYES for what may be sent your way as an answer?"

Opportunity doesn't always knock. Neither do "the answers" that you seek.

May you also begin to SEE with NEW EYES, friend!

Until next time, remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube    Project141 

Seeing With NEW Eyes - The TRANSFORMATION (Part 3)

 

I just finished recording and posting the podcast that goes along with today's article. Be sure to click on the link at the bottom of today's article to listen in. It's always good to LISTEN as well as READ since I don't have a script that I follow. That being the case, the two will not be exactly the same and you may pick up some extra "nuggets" from one or the other!

Let me begin by asking you this question: If you seek and ask God for direction...or ask him to "lead you" in your life and decisions, what does that mean for you and what is it you are "looking for" to where you would know?

That is a HARD questions to answer - at least for me it has been!

Let me ask you another question: How many of these "things" have to walk right in front of you and even "slap you upside your head" before you pay attention and see them for what they are? 

Follow me?

In this "transformation" series that I am currently sharing, I let you in on my wife and I's journey over the past 7-8 months of "seeking" God's guidance in and for our lives. Here's the deal: I've been "in church" literally all of my life and was even in ministry for around 20-25 years or so.

Yet, at the same time, I have known that I have not fully given myself up to fully surrender to God and allow Him to take me and use me in the way that was designed before I was even born.

Oh, don't get me wrong...I KNOW he has used me for His good and glory along the way. I honestly believe your reading of this blog article is a part of that process and I hope that you are always encouraged in the process even though I may challenge you on a few things in and for your own life. 

(Here's what I mean by getting an extra little "nugget" from either the podcast or the article. I didn't discuss this part in this podcast!)

I'm trying to share as much detail as I can in the podcast and, that being the case, I'm not covering very much material or covering a very large "time-frame" in this journey that has taken place over these past few months. But I want to make sure that I "point out" things that have made a HUGE difference even if I didn't fully understand that along the way.

But, I tell you this, friend...even up to yesterday, for example, God is still doing things that make me literally start laughing out loud in how it connected to something else that he "brought across my path" earlier the same day! What's He up to? I don't know for sure but I can sure tell you that He is up to SOMETHING in and for my life!

So, be sure to listen to the podcast that goes along with this article and simply ask yourself this question: "If I ask God to lead me and to guide me...will I do what He says? Will I open my eyes to SEE who and what He may be bringing across my path?" Hey easier said than done, my friend, that is for sure!

One thing I did share in this podcast that I want to be sure and share with you here: Opportunity doesn't always knock! Stop waiting for that to happen! Sometimes it may walk down the sidewalk in front of your house and you may have to run out there and tackle that sucker!

Stop sitting around and waiting. Start watching. Start paying attention - expectantly - for what may be passing before you every single day.

I'd love to hear from you. You can leave a comment here but I'd prefer you to do so on my Facebook page (link below). Either way is good as long as I hear from YOU!

Until next time, remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube    Project141

Seeing With NEW Eyes: The TRANSFORMATION (Part 2)

 

 If you have not done so, be sure to go back and read the blog article that preceded this one as well as listening to the two podcasts that I have posted so far in this new series entitled, "Seeing With NEW Eyes" (see link at bottom of article). 

I will tell you that I did not get as far in that second podcast as I had planned...but that's o.k. because I want to say what God wants me to say and share as I go along the path of this story of TRANSFORMATION that has been taking place in my life as well as in the life of my wife. 

We have been married for a little over 39 years now and we are more focused and happy than ever before. It is because of what we are experiencing TOGETHER along this path. 

Now, some of you may already be getting "scared off" due to the language that I am using and you may be thinking this is going to be some strange, mystical, cultic-religious article but you can just relax, friend. I will say this though: If you listen to my podcasts, I now pray during each one and I will say what you will hear me say on those podcasts...I don't know who is reading this but if you are, you are reading this for a reason. You likely don't even know what that reason is but I firmly believe that there is a PURPOSE for you being here, right now, reading this. 

And, whether you want to believe that or not I want you to consider the fact that acknowledging the possibility of that being true does you no damage at all. None.

As I said, in this series I am sharing with you information and events that have taken place that has taken my wife and I down a path of TRANSFORMATION. What does that mean, exactly?

Perhaps it is best to begin with a "dictionary" definition of the root word - transform. Here is what is recorded in the Merriam-Webster dictionary for the word, transform (transformation) - 

a : to change in composition or structure

b : to change the outward form or appearance of

c : to change in character or condition

 

Simply put, it is the process of CHANGE taking place ("change in character or condition") and, yes, even - at times - a resulting change in the "outward form or appearance of" an individual, in this case. 

If, for some reason, you think that sounds a bit odd, consider how often you hear someone tell a lady that is pregnant with child that she is "glowing". Have you ever told someone or heard it said about someone that "It is easy to know that you are happy...it is written all over your face!"? It could be as simple as turning a frown into a smile or a life of desperation into a life of hope and promise.

I also want to call out a scripture that is found in Romans 12:2 which reads... "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (NKJV)

Two sides of the spectrum discussed here: being CONFORMED or being TRANSFORMED.

Being "conformed" is just the opposite of what was defined by the word, "transform". Whereas the word, "transform" indicates CHANGE, the very idea of "conform" indicates more of "molding to" (which, yes, is a change) and not "changing from". 

Let me go further with this comparison...ANYTHING that is poured into any type of a mold is being CONFORMED to the shape and limitations of that particular mold. That which is being poured into that mold has no ability to be anything different or shaped any differently than that particular mold. Yes, even people can be "molded" into a certain way of dressing, talking, behaving and, overall, living. 

However, a TRANSFORMATION is taking place when a caterpillar enters into it's cocoon and comes out as a butterfly! Completely changed! And, once again, it is possible for people to undergo such a transformation. No, I'm not talking about a person becoming an animal or anything like that but, instead, a person becoming something that they (or others) never thought that they could or ever would. 

THIS IS POWERFUL! 

The Bible verse listed above states that one way that this transformation can take place is by the "renewing of your mind" (and some versions indicate that this is to be a DAILY process). In other words, "making" your mind "new" on a daily basis. Allowing your mind (mindset) to "grow" and "expand" in it's knowledge and thought process. Never allowing it to be the same. To never, ever stop thinking and growing in this way. 

THIS IS POWERFUL!

When you listen to the podcast you will hear a song playing in the background that is titled, "Rattle", that is sung by Zach Williams. In case you don't know the story of what this song is talking about, you should go look up what is found in the Old Testament in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 37. Ever hear the song that goes something like, "...ankle bone connected to the - leg bone, leg bone connected to the - knee bone..." ? That song is also referring to this occurrence found in Ezekiel 37.

Are YOU, perhaps,  going through a DRY season? Do you feel that you are just a bunch of "dry bones" that are lying out in the middle of the desert? Take heart, friend, because TRANSFORMATION is possible!

Perhaps you are one that is going through a POWERFUL and TRANSFORMATIVE change? LET ME HEAR FROM YOU - I'd love to hear your story just as I am sharing mine with you!

  Listen, I'm not trying to be "preachy" or anything like that. I am, however, trying to be encouraging by sharing this amazing story that my wife and I are experiencing right now as I write this blog article. 

The other day, the image you see above is a thought that "came to me" so I wrote it down...just as you see in that image. I knew it was something that I needed to see and hear and, I honestly always feel that, at the same time, it is something that others probably need to see and hear as well. (Remember when I said that I don't know why you are here but that there is a REASON for you reading this article? Maybe THIS is the reason.)

No matter what is going on in your life and no matter how LONG this has been going on...I want you to "feel" those dry bones begin to move and I want you to listen closely to see if, maybe, you don't begin to hear those dry bones begin to "rattle" in preparation for the TRANSFORMATION that might be coming your way!

So, right now - today - I want to encourage you to, first and foremost, LOOK UP! Stop looking down in defeat and begin to look UP to what lies ahead and then make that next step and GET UP! That's right, GET UP and get ready to put some life back into those legs that were intended to move you forward and then, do just that - GET GOING and, friend, don't you dare stop...KEEP GOING!

Easier said than done? Maybe. But you won't get anywhere lying out in the middle of that desert now, will you? YES, YOU CAN do this!

In my next podcast and blog article I plan to start getting into SPECIFIC details about people and situations that have come into our lives over the past 7 months or so and how they  - all different - have come together to aide in this TRANSFORMATION that is taking place in our lives. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts and, like I mentioned above, I'd love to hear any stories of transformation that you have to share. The best place to do that is on my FaceBook page (see the link below). 

Until next time, remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube    Project141

Overnight Overhaul?

This is not an exact quote, but I've heard it said many times: "We often over-estimate what we are able to accomplish in the short term and under-estimate what we are able to accomplish in the long term."

 

In other words, we often expect  HUGE, UNBELIEVABLE results and we expect those results NOW! And, on the other hand, we often don't like to think about anything considered "long term". If we "can't get no satisfaction" right away we often lose sight and focus.

 

Several years ago I had my own home-based business in the weight loss industry. I had incredible results with the product and, over 13 months I lost 100 pounds and was in the best shape of my life. Those around me saw that and, quite honestly, it was easy to get people signed up on the product. But the problem was this: too many wanted my results but they wanted them in a month or two! They weren't really willing to do what I had to do to get the results that I got.

 

That reminds me of what I heard a friend of mine in that same company say on many occasions when discussing how he achieved what he had achieved (he was a LOT further up the success chain in that company than I was). He would say that people in the company would come up to him and talk about how they wanted to be where he was and enjoy the success that he enjoyed. He would say to them, "There are a lot of people that want what I have. But are you willing to do what I had to do to get here in order for YOU to get here?" Regardless of their words, their actions indicated that the answer was, "No".

 

We live in an "instant" society! Hey listen, I get impatient with the microwave oven in my house! (That's no lie!).

 

Folks, change does not happen over night. You've likely heard me compare the turning around of a small watercraft to that of a huge cruise ship. Yes, they BOTH can be turned around to go in the opposite direction but the bigger the ship the longer it takes and the more effort it takes to turn it around.

 

How does a snail get from point A to point B?  Simple, they just keep on moving.

 

One step at a time, friend, one step at a time. One day at a time. One change at a time.

 

HOWEVER, what if you could get a jump start and boost to help you make the most out of each minute, step, day and change? Let me tell you about such an opportunity....

 

DON'T MISS THIS EVENT! It doesn't matter who you are or what you do for a living, you don't want to miss this life-changing event. You've heard me talk about Dani Johnson many times before right? My wife and I will be attending one of her live events in San Antonio, Texas on July 12th - 13th and we'd love to meet YOU there! Go here to check it out for yourself and get ready to take your life to the next level!

 

That's the great thing about being a part of a community such as this one...you don't have to travel the road to positive change by yourself! Nope, not at all!

 

AREN'T YOU GLAD?

 

I know I am and, friend, I hope to see you in San Antonio next month. Let me know if you plan to attend so we can be sure to meet face to face.

 

But, for now, whatever you do, be sure to...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

 

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