Surviving vs. Living

As I left work today, I asked someone how their day was. There reponse to me was, "Well, we survived!" As I walked down the hall, I found myself in another world thinking of how we manage our daily lives. I don't want to ever just survive, I want to THRIVE. Now, I'm not saying the lady who answered my question was trying to be negative, I'm sure that is just a common phrase we use around the world of education. However, I do believe we should be careful about what becomes "normal" to us. If we don't watch ourselves, we will allow small words/thoughts to become a part of our lives and before we know it, our attitudes begin to change. On the popular show SURVIVOR, the goal of the game is to simply be the last person standing. If I were in charge of reality shows, I would create a SURVIVOR that had as many people as possible standing in the end. You see, I believe that anyone can survive (God gave us that fight or flight sense that allows us to do so). However, it takes a believer, a faithful servant to not only survive life, but to actually enjoy it.

I don't want to look back on my life and think to myself, "that was fun, I should have smiled." I want to smile now!! I don't want to merely "make it", I want to be above my circumstances (no matter how bad they may SEEM). It takes a humble person to encourage others on days when they themselves could use it. If we begin to speak postive words in our own lives and into the lives of others, it may just make us feel better. If what you're doing right now isn't making you feel like you are thriving, try speaking LIFE into and about people, rather than negative thoughts. Sometimes we don't even realize we are being negative...that's where Satan likes it. When he can fool us without us even being conscious of it. Don't fall for it!! Even when you don't feel like it, speak LIFE. I'm not saying we should be fake, but often people think they have to change the way they feel BEFORE they can change the way the THINK. When, in all actuality, the opposite is true. We should change the way THINK which will lead to a change in the way we FEEL. Act "AS IF"...(as if you are THRIVING, not just SURVIVING). The most perfect man to walk the earth didn't die on a cross for us to survive, He intended for us to THRIVE!!

Dear God,

Please fill my heart with what you want my mouth to say, and give my tongue the power to say it. Open my eyes to people who need me and opportunities that need encouragement. God help me to realize that our mouth is our biggest enemy and strongest asset in life, and give me self control to make it my asset rather than the previous. Help me to know that staying silent is not always what You want. give me courage not to play it safe, but to be brave with positive thoughts. Thank You for all you have blessed us with, thank you for Your unending grace, and thank You for planting a passion in my heart to help people. Give me guidance to make that vision become a reality.

Amen