John Harrell's Blog, page 17

Going It Alone

All of us have changes to make in our lives. Perhaps we want to get up earlier, lose some weight, eliminate judgment or start reading more. What stops us? We stop ourselves.

Will power alone won’t do the trick. We need something more. Or perhaps we need someone to help us. God can and will help us. All we have to do is ask and believe. Pretty simple, huh? So why do we make it more difficult than it has to be?

Pride stands in the way. We have this warped belief that if we can’t change ourselves without outside intervention, we must be weak. Here’s some truth: when it comes to changing a habit that stops us from fulfilling our purpose, we are weak. We are battling an invisible enemy who is much more powerful than us. We need God’s intervention to win this fight.

Accept the things you can’t change by yourself. Ask for help. He will answer. That’s not my promise. That’s God’s promise…

Awaken

Let’s admit it, life can be routine and boring. We go through a lot of the same motions every day. Where is the adventure?

It’s up to us to create our own excitement. Sitting around waiting for something to happen is a waste of time. Life is meant to be lived, not merely existed through.

Awaken your senses. Make the neurons in your brain come alive. You can do this by creating new experiences for your mind to behold. Take deep breaths. Inhale every good smell with intention. It’s time to feel alive again.

Turn the television off and go enjoy your life. Start now…

You Gotta Do It

I love inspiring stories. The underdog is the one I root for. Doing the work to get yourself through the rough times builds resilience, strength and confidence.

We find ourselves in the stories of those who came before us. We think, “if they made it, then maybe I can, too.” We have so many lives to study from history.

Write your own story. Keep a journal. Writing helps you sort your thoughts. In a way it simplifies life. As you live your life, you are creating your own history.

Keep on creating memories. The world is watching and learning…

With Honor

We admire those who do the right things when others might be tempted to do wrong or take a shortcut. Those people handle their lives and decisions with honor and integrity. A lot of good happens in the dark, out of sight, too.

During most of Jesus’ time on earth, he didn’t call attention to himself. There are many miracles he performed, yet instructed the recipient to not tell anyone. He wasn’t trying to bring honor to himself. Weird, huh?

When your eyesight has been restored from a supernatural experience, human nature is to tell everyone by shouting it out! I probably would. In fact, I know I couldn’t keep quiet.

Every day we have decisions to make. We all make some left turns when we should have gone right. But hopefully we get more correct than incorrect. When we make a mistake, or we treat others wrong, make an apology unless it might cause more harm than good.

Handle your business quietly, and with honor. Allow God to guide you. He sees everything, including the heart of man…

Tell Me About It!

There are some very creative people in the world. I’m constantly amazed by some of the things people come up with on TikTok, Instagram and other platforms. And they do it quickly!

There are others I avoid. Some people revel in cutting others down. By doing so, I guess they are trying to establish their moral superiority over the rest of us. No one is better than anyone else. God sees us as His children, and God loves us equally. Although, I believe I’m Gods favorite to make Him laugh! My life can resemble a walking sitcom.

Some people try to force their own brand of leadership on others. If you’re a leader, you know it and other people will recognize it. It’s not necessary to shout it from the rooftops.

Show up well in life. Give others the best version of you. Be unguarded and open in your interactions with others. You will both benefit…

A Little Extra

During the time of Jesus, a Roman soldier could order a Jew to carry his equipment one mile. The law said one mile was required, not one step further. So can you imagine the surprise, shock, and possibly anger the Jewish audience felt when Jesus said, “If anyone forces you to go one mile with him, go two.”

Giving more than is required is the key to a successful life. This applies to your work as well as your home life. Extra effort is one of the ways you separate yourself from the mediocre.

Some people have the mindset that they are cheating themselves if they give more than they are paid for. They are cheating themselves out of the benefits they receive from giving others more of their efforts. The benefits are not always immediate, but you cannot stop the pendulum from swinging back your way.

Give more to get more. See what happens…

Performance Review

Everyone is accountable to someone. Even the president of a company has to answer to his or her Board of Directors. You can’t escape the responsibilities of life or work.

Who does God answer to? The shortest answer is no one. He’s in control of everything. So let’s examine how He has performed.

God tells the truth. Always. Check the box for honesty. God gets us out of the stupid messes we create. Adaptability? Check. God is with us during our worst times. He’s a compassionate God. He cares. God celebrates our victories. He’s not a selfish God. And God gave us a guidebook for how we should lead our lives. All we have to do is read it and apply it.

As human beings, we can fall into the trap of praying for something, but we don’t get the answer we want so we get frustrated. Or we don’t get an answer at all. Those are the times we give God a less than stellar review. And it is in these moments where trust and faith intersect. No matter what you are going through, always believe. He will come through. The supernatural realm works with a set of rules and circumstances that we cannot fully understand. Don’t give up.

From my observation, God gets a 100 on His Performance Review. Every single reporting period…

100 Days

Beginning January 1st, I eliminated alcohol for 100 days. April 10th, yesterday, was day 100. What a relief!

The benefits of eliminating alcohol for 3 months are many. Too many to list here. But by staying sober it allowed me to consider my relationship with alcohol. It’s not always healthy.

I like the taste of Crown Royal. I really do. Yet I found myself drinking on days I didn’t need to. That was getting me nowhere. I figured out that I was drinking on days I felt lonely. But booze isn’t a good replacement for people. Human connection is solid whether you are at Happy Hour or just speaking on the phone.

I will celebrate tonight with a cocktail. But I have resolved to not drink when I’m feeling lonely. Feelings pass, and the truth is, I enjoy solitude. So I guess I have grown over the last 100 days.

You can do anything for 100 days. Anything. Never doubt yourself…

Stradivarius

A Stradivarius is a string instrument created by the Stradivari family beginning in the late 1600’s. They are known for their excellent craftsmanship, tone and durability. There are about 650 instruments remaining in the world, and a Stradivarius violin sold for $18 million dollars in recent years.

As rare as a Stradivarius is, you are more rare than they are. Around 1,100 instruments were created by Antonio Stradivari, yet only one of you has lived, breathed and walked on planet Earth. And considering that over 100 billion people have lived since the beginning of time as we know it, this makes you even more rare and valuable.

Be fearless in showing the world who you are. You were created to stand out and to use your unique gifts to make a difference in the world. Don’t hide your identity. Show yourself!

You have a lot to offer to mankind. Don’t waste your talents…

The Power to Change

If someone is described as being graceful, it’s believed they show elegance and grace. That is quite the compliment!

Elegant people are stylish, beautiful even. But being full of grace can mean the person shows compassion in situations where some might respond in anger. Compassion is needed now like never before.

Our world is struggling. People are worried, living beyond their means and they are spending more time disengaging than meeting life head-on. This must change.

We need God and we need each other. We must take the time to encourage others. We must be honest, and we can encourage people without sacrificing our integrity.

If you are one of the struggling people, you aren’t alone. Reach out to your friends and family. Go do something for someone who can never repay you. Act, don’t just accept life as it comes to you.

You have the power to change the world. It begins with changing yourself…