Tony Warrick's Blog, page 4

Dear Mom – A Thank You Letter From A Grateful Heart

As Mother’s Day approaches, it’s certain to awake all types of emotions from joy to grief and everything in between. This is true for me because my mother passed away two days before Mother’s Day in 2016. Nevertheless, whether or not you know your mother, like or dislike your mother, you must accept one thing — she gave you life. And for that reason alone, you should be thankful.

All my life, in a direct way or ind...

Be Thankful on Mother’s Day

As Mother’s Day approaches, it’s certain to awake all types of emotions from joy to grief and everything in between. This is true for me because my mother passed away two days before Mother’s Day in 2016. Nevertheless, whether or not you know your mother, like or dislike your mother, you must accept one thing — she gave you life. And for that reason alone, you should be thankful.

All my life, in a direct way or ind...

Welcome to My New Website

Like many of you, the last 12 months have been full of transitions, progress, growth, hardships and pain, surprises, and disbelief. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis has been an unprecedented human experience. The fear and uncertainty of this pandemic have been crippling. Nevertheless, this is the perfect time to seek the hope found in God.

For the last 15 years, I have been entirely focused on investing in people, helping them find balance in their lives, understanding God’s love, and helpin...

5 Tips for Saying No Effectively

“How do you do it?” I asked.

She replied, “Do what?”

“How do you put your foot down sometimes and say no?”

“I just had to learn to say no,” she answered. “I used to feel so guilty when I said no, but I had to learn to be true to myself.”

This was the start of a conversation between my co-worker, Ms. Delayna Anderson, and I. We were discussing the difficulties of saying “no” to people, especially to individuals we love.  We both agreed that saying “no” could seem uncaring and somewhat selfish. We also confessed that a small amount of fear exists in letting other people down. Moreover, there is a fear of being ostracized or criticized, or of jeopardizing a friendship. Then Delayna said something I thought was brilliant.

She said,

Learning to say no can earn you respect from yourself as well those around you.
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“WOW!” I thought. “She is right!”

When I think about it, the ability to say no is carefully linked to self-confidence. When I had low self-assurance and low self-regard, I frequently felt anxious about upsetting others, and I had a habit of ranking other people’s needs more highly than mine. I would feel drained, worried and irritable because I was undermining any efforts to improve my quality of life.

As Christians, there are times when we find it difficult to say no. Many of us feel compelled to agree with most requests because we are people-pleasers. However, did you know that being a people-pleaser is a form of idolatry?

Matthew 5:37 says, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” The Apostle Paul teaches us in Galatians 1:10 that we should not try to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people is the goal, then we must question whether we are serving Christ. Let me say it this way: when you are a people-pleaser, you have allowed people’s opinions and thoughts about you to become first in your life, anything you put before God becomes a god. But, if you focus on pleasing Jesus, everything else will fall into place.

I want to start the day by helping you say no, just in case you need to say it today. So, here are five tips for saying no:

Keep your response simple. If you want to say no, be strong and unwavering, but you do not have to be rude. Use expressions such as “Thanks, but I’m afraid it’s not convenient right now.” Or, “I’m sorry, but I can’t help today.”Give yourself some time. Use expressions like “I’ll get back to you later” and then contemplate your options. This tip will give you more confidence to say no.Consider a compromise. Suggest ways to move forward that help both of you, but do not compromise if you really want to say no.Separate refusal from rejection. It is important for you to remember you are turning down a request, not an individual.Be true to yourself. Be clear and honest with yourself about what you truly want. Get to know yourself better and examine what you want from life.

I want to encourage you today to stop worrying about the way people feel or think about you. Focus on what God wants you to do and leave the consequences to Him. When you learn to say “no” confidently, you will be able to say “yes” faithfully. By the way, many times what God tells you to do is not going to make any sense to the people around you, and it’s not supposed to. You have God’s approval, and that is all you really need!

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2 Words You Need To Embrace

I would like to share a thought with you today that comes from more than twenty years of working with people in my community.

Did you know that it is often our mentality that is most profound? Do you want to know the difference between the mentality of a victor and the mentality of a loser? It is having the ability to move forward during and after a hardship.

We all had times when individuals or situations influenced our lives in a horrible way, and times when we felt cheated, neglected, deeply offended, or abandoned. Perhaps you were facing a difficulty yesterday and you just did not know how to handle it. Whatever the circumstance, your ability to move forward after the situation will help decide whether you thrive or miss the mark. Let us look at the life of Christ for a powerful example for us to follow.

Our Savior, our Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords came to earth with all power and authority. Yet, people taunted Him, mocked Him, mistreated Him, and lied on Him. Nevertheless, Jesus Christ never tried to defend Himself. He did not get into an argument explaining His position.

Jesus rested in who He was. He restedin His purpose. He rested upon the calling on His life. Jesus was able to moveforward because He knew He would have victory in the end.

The way to keep from feeling like afailure and feeling like you cannot win in life is to allow God to develop yourcharacter. If you want God to build your character, you have to learn how todeal with the difficulties and disappointments of life by trusting and havingfaith in God. And know, just like Jesus, that you will have victory in the end.

Romans 5:3-5 says, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

With that being said, here are twotiny, but valuable words that you must learn to embrace:

MOVE…FORWARD!

I want to challenge you to write thosewords on a Post-it note and stick iton the mirror in your bathroom, on the dashboard of your car, and on thecomputer monitor at your job. Rather than thinking about the lack of fairnessin your mind, turn those thoughts loose and move forward.

When you wake up everyday, choose toset your life on a pathway to victory by keeping your eyes straight ahead andignoring the distractions. Look for opportunities to be humble, and let Godadvance you to a higher place in His time. Know that your God plans to takecare of you, not to abandon you, and plans to give you hope and a fruitfulfuture.

Follow Jesus’ example to not seekrevenge. Find confidence in knowing who you are in Jesus Christ and let God takecare of those individuals who have mistreated you. He will do a much better jobthan you can anyway! Write this down and meditate on this today:

Move forward to win! For yourself, for your family, for your friends, but mostly, move forward to bring God glory!
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3 Ways To Recognize When You Become A Thankful Person

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday! I get to enjoy family, football, and most importantly FOOD (especially my famous sweet potato pie, yum)! Nevertheless, would you consider yourself a thankful individual? With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, this is a great time to think about that question. After all, we are called to follow the life and teachings of Jesus, and His life and teachings were characterized by gratitude.

During Jesus’ ministry, He repeatedly declared His thanks to the Father. Before breaking the bread and fish to feed thousands of people, He paused to give thanks (Matthew 15:36). Before raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus stood at the tomb and thanked the Father for hearing the prayer that was about to be answered (John 11:41-42). And just hours before His death, Jesus expressed gratitude as He blessed the bread and wine of the new covenant (Mark 14:22-23).

How about you? Are you expressing thankfulness on a regular basis? Your life should be defined by it. However, becoming a thankful person is not a matter of self-effort. It is not merely about choosing to try and be more grateful. Instead, it is a daily decision to surrender control of your life to the Lord. Here is what I believe:

Genuine thankfulness flows from a grateful heart, and a grateful heart is a magnet for miracles.
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So what does it look like when Christ transforms you into a thankful individual? Here are 3 ways to recognize when you become a thankful person.

You will be filled with confidence in God and His will for your life.
Knowing that He is working everything out for your good (Romans 8:28) and developing within you the priceless treasure of faith, you can respond with praise and thankfulness even in painful trials (1 Peter 1:6-7) .You will recognize God as the source of all good things.
Contentment and peace will be apparent in your life because you will understand that whatever God chooses for you is best—whether much or little. Your gratefulness will be based not on externals but the joy of your relationship with Christ.You will understand that a thankful person is a generous person.
God wants His children, like flowing streams, to pass blessings on to others. Selfishness always stifles gratitude but giving increases it.

This year, do not let Thanksgiving Day be your only expression of gratitude. Choose to surrender your life to Christ, asking Him to give you a thankful heart. Then thank Him for His faithfulness in both good and hard times.

Have a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving!

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My Beautiful Ashes

We are not defined by our birth or by our experiences. We are defined by God’s word and were created to display His grace and mercy. Still, the life we are born into, and the circumstances of our life can and do impact what we believe about ourselves. Life can offer expectations of success, love, a future; or can convince us otherwise.

I began life unwanted and unloved. A mother who did not want me, and a disconnected, distant father became the perfect storm to set my life on a path of pain and trouble. I was told I was a mistake and I believed I was damaged… So, I lived ashamed, discouraged, and broken.

My mother was a deeply wounded person, who had herself been broken. A mental illness marked her and became the catalyst for the abuse she inflicted on everyone around her. It regularly poured out onto all three of her children in twisted and dark ways – but I was her biggest target. The abuse I received changed me. I internalized every terrible word she said and carried the pain of every beating she gave. It cast a shadow over who I believed I was and followed me for a good portion of my life.

The identity God created me with had been altered. It changed what I believed about my value and worth as a person, so I spent a good part of my life filtering every experience and circumstance through that brokenness.

Maybe you can relate.

Perhaps the wounds of your broken past are woven through your life today. They could be masterfully hidden beneath a successful, well-planned life. Or, maybe there’s a trail of chaos, hurt, and pain that follows you everywhere you go. Living in brokenness is a hard way to exist, and not at all aligned with God’s plan for our lives.

Many times, we think we’re capable of hiding our brokenness. We think no one sees, through the masks we wear. But, I bet if we asked the people around us, they’d say we’re not concealing it as well as we think. The thing is, as much as we believe we can outrun our pasts, we cannot – at least on our own. Eventually, we will always come face to face with the pain and hurt.

I know what it feels like because I was stuck in that place for a very long time. I wanted a different life but had no idea if – or even how – it could be different. Living that way was not God’s plan for me – and it’s not his plan for you.

My healing came through finding out who I am in HIM, and knowing that became the balm that healed the broken child inside me. It changed how I saw myself, and everyone around me.

Knowing who you are in God is one of the most impactful ways to the shattered heart because it has the power to change how you see yourself.
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For me, it all started with a challenge to read a list of scriptures showing what God thinks of us. I was to read at least one verse every day – so I did. At first, nothing changed. Honestly, I didn’t believe the process was going to work. Yet, I continued. Day after day. Week after week. It took a while, but eventually, something shifted! The words I read started to sink in, and I began to believe what I read. The Bible promises (Isaiah 55:11) that his word will accomplish what he intends, and he intends for us to be whole. Looking back now I understand that God’s word is transformative; if you read it, it will change you.

Here’s what I found out…

The scriptures told me that you and I belong to a savior who calls us beautiful (Psalm 45:11) and describes us as a masterpiece (Ephesians 2:20). He says we are clothed in dignity and strength (Proverbs 31:25). He says we’re more precious than rubies (Psalm 3:15).God uniquely created you and I. Jeremiah 1:5 says that even before we were formed in our mother’s womb, He knew us and set us apart. We were not happenstance or an afterthought. We were well planned and loved before we came to be.Our identities have been mindfully fashioned. Ephesians 2:10 says we were created with a purpose which God prepared in advance. That means He not only knew us; He knew who we would be. Every part of who we are was intentional.We’re His masterpiece. The same God that created the earth, the sun, the ocean, and stars, fashioned you and me. Psalm 1:16 says “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. ” So, every beautiful sunset and sparkling, starry night is His handiwork – including us! Zephaniah 3:17 says He’s with us and rejoices over us with gladness. Deuteronomy 7:9 says He keeps his promises. Ephesians 2:4,5 says He loves us even when we fail. And, Romans 8:38 says He’ll never leave us.

Knowing who I am in God changed my life and friends, it can change for you too. The challenge is yours. Here are some ways to get God’s word into your life:

Get an easy to read version of Bible – and read it!Download a Bible app. Many have a scripture a day feature.Find and follow good Christian authors (like Tony!)Do an internet search for “what does the Bible say about….”

Friends, I encourage you to try it. It changed everything about my life and was the key to finding hope for a different life. I am convinced it can do the same for you. And if you’re wondering about my parents and the abuse, and how that all factors into this story, you’ll want to read my upcoming book. The title – “Beautiful Ashes” – comes from Isaiah 61:3 which is my life verse. That beautiful promise says, “He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, blessing instead of mourning, praise instead of despair.“

For a long time, I could not reconcile that scripture with what happened during my early life. No, friends, it took years to make peace with that verse. But, has now grown into the story of God’s redeeming love, and it’s the story in my book.

Despite what you may believe today, good can come from the hard things in your life. God restores to completeness. He doesn’t just patch us up, He returns us to wholeness
So, will you join me on this journey? I look forward to sharing my book with you in October! You can sign up to be notified when it releases HERE. Also, you can also find me at mybeautifulashes.com, and I’d be honored to speak at your next event.

Shelley is an author, speaker, and mentor who uses her life experiences to help women identify and pursue their God-given purpose and identity. She has a passion for women–especially those broken and held captive by difficult past experiences. After years of struggling with a painful history of sexual, verbal, and physical abuse, she found healing through faith. The insights gained through her restoration journey, along with her passion for helping other women find freedom, have become the foundation for her writing and ministry.

Follow Shelly: shellfurtado 

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What Are You Magnifying?

Magnification is the process of enlarging the appearance, but not the physical size of something. In other words, magnification enlarges beyond the truth, giving false or misleading information, which changes our perspective.

For example, everyone knows that a magnifying glass makes things appear larger than they are in reality. Subsequently, when we magnify an object we are able to make new discoveries, which influence our viewpoint.

Did you know that we have a habit of magnifying non-physical things also?

Think about the news stories and headlines you’ve encountered this week. Is it possible that either your local news station or your local newspaper magnified a story, making it bigger than it was originally? By discussing the story repeatedly, the story becomes larger, influencing your outlook on it. 

The more you reflect on something, the larger you perceive it to be. That is why you must have the right perspective about your problems. If you focus on things that did not happen for you or how someone was hateful towards you, those issues can seem so large that they consume you. However, if you focus on Jesus and magnify Him, things will seem simple and you will be consumed by His love and grace.

Do not focus on what is seen; focus on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
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It is time for you to magnify the great things in your life. I want you to focus on all the amazing things God has done for you. Think about how much Jesus loves you and what He endured for you. Meditate on the goals, promises, and dreams He has given you. Magnify His holy words!

Today, I want to encourage you to keep the right perspective. I would like you to count your blessings by magnifying five awesome things God is doing in your life. Then I want you to hold that list close to your heart and think about how great your God is.

The gift of today is that Jesus’ yoke is easy and His burden is light. When you magnify Him in every area of your life, you embrace the victory He has in store for you! You will start seeing what God sees, feeling what God feels, and hearing what God hears. With Christ’s victory in our heart, you cannot help but achieve those promises He has given you.

“Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!” ~ Psalm 34:3

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4 Keys to a More Powerful Prayer Life

From Christians to Jews, to Muslims, to Hindus, to Buddhists, to heathens, nearly the world’s entire population does it. Our favorite sports teams do it; our favorite actors do it, even our enemies do it. Almost everyone claims to pray. Yet, many individuals do not understand it. Even those who practice it consistently are frequently unsure about how it works.

Most believers in Jesus Christ do not have a functional understanding of prayer. They are mindful that they are supposed to do it, so they imitate what they’ve heard and/or seen, regardless of whether they believe it truly works. However, it is difficult to maximize something you do not understand! Thus, the most logical question would be “What is prayer?”

Prayer is our way to communicate with the unseen God.Prayer is agreeing with God’s plans and purposes, in order for them to be accomplished on earth.Prayer is man exercising his legal right on earth in order to summon heaven’s influence on it.Prayer is the creation getting the Creator involved in any given situation.

Because we are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven, prayer is an essential Kingdom principle on earth and our number one responsibility. In other words, prayer is not an option for a believer in Jesus Christ. It is a necessity.

Here is my definition of prayer:

Prayer is an earthly warrant authorizing Heaven’s interference.
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Let us take this a step further…

As you already know, our Heavenly Father has sovereign power over all His creations. Nevertheless, He did something that was very interesting in Genesis 1:26 -28. God gave humankind legal authority to rule over the earth.  Psalm 115:16 says, “The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.”

Since the earth was given to mankind, and God honors His agreement with mankind, He works through us when He wants to accomplish things on earth. Our Heavenly Father, who is faithful to His word, was so dedicated to this agreement with humanity that when He wanted to function unrestricted on earth, He came as a man Himself, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, prayer is a result of God’s faithfulness to His word and His established governmental system between Heaven and earth. Here is something I learned a few years ago:

Without God, we cannot move, and without us, God will not move!
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I’m not saying that God cannot, but from what we understand from the Bible, He will not because He chooses to operate on earth with the cooperation of mankind. God is actively seeking the cooperation of a human to agree with His plan and purposes, which will empower our lives and advance the Kingdom of God.

So, what does this mean for you today?

It means that prayer significantly involves knowing the will of God and agreeing with that will to come to pass. It means you have the authority to move mountains out of your way through your faith in Jesus Christ. It means you are powerful! It means you are not a victim of your circumstances, but you have victory over your circumstances.

Here are four keys to a more powerful prayer life:

Base your requests on God’s sovereignty. Understand that God is the creator and you are the creation. Therefore, pray with the expectation that God will answer you because you are His child and He is a faithful, loving, and magnificent Father.Confess your sins. Admit any thought or action that falls short of God’s will and/or any transgression against the laws of God.Claim the promises of God. If you honor God and claim His promises with a right attitude and pure motives, you will receive what you asked for, according to His will, and you will grow in intimacy with Him.Be very specific about what you ask for. If you want specific answers to prayer, then make specific requests. If your prayers contain general appeals, how will you know if they are answered?

Right now, I want to join you in prayer. Send me a prayer request so together we can see Jesus do more than we could ever imagine while experiencing the peace and joy that God freely gives each day.

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Jesus Will Be There For You

There is one thing I am certain is true: we all have to live in the reality of the unexpected. None of us truly knows what tomorrow promises, what today may produce, what new challenges or new opportunities might appear.

Do you know anyone who went to the doctor’s office when they were not feeling well, only to learn they have cancer invading their body?Do you know anyone who went to work on a Friday, only to find out that they have been fired from their job?Do you know anyone whose child was killed by the local police?

Life is filled with so many uncertainties. So how do we kick-start our day with assurance and confidence? For those individuals who are followers of Jesus Christ, the answer is by FAITH.

Faith means being sure about the things we hope for and knowing that something is real, even if we do not see it. In other words, when you come across an unforeseen situation, do not panic. Jesus will be there for you. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and have faith that the Holy Spirit will provide the solution, giving you wisdom at the time of your uncertainty.

Today, I want you to be strong and courageous. Walk with confidence because God’s mercies will never end; they are new every morning. When you least expect it, by faith, doors will open, and by faith, your breakthrough will come. Everything you have waited for will be here. Therefore, abide in and abandon yourself in God’s faithfulness!

Do not be afraid, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. He promises to be a lamp for your feet. If you live by faith and not by sight, I promise everything will be all right. If you fear the present, look back and see how God took care of you in the past. In fact,

People may do you wrong, but God will be your defender. Situations may look impossible, but the impossible is very possible with God.

God will never turn His heart away from you! He is closer to you than you think. Always remember, God’s plan is the master plan and you can cast your cares upon Him for He is good and His love is faithful!

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