Overcoming Our Jericho!

Too often our Dreams and Goals seem to have a wall around them that cannot be broken down. It is as though they are unattainable. Joshua 6 gives us many principles that help us to overcome those walls.

Our Dreams and Goals will not surrender to us. We have to work for them in order to achieve them. Just like Joshua, we have to learn how to deal with many personalities, follow instructions regardless of how simple or how difficult they may be. The instructions were given to Joshua and the people to test (1) Their Patience (2) Obedience and their (3) Faith.

The shout that the people were to give is never detailed in scripture. However, I believe that they were to shout an affirmation! It came before the final push of victory. It has been proven that those who say daily positive affirmations not only perform better, but also achieve those Dreams and Goals they have set for themselves.

Once those walls fall that are guarding our Dreams and Goals, we are able to enjoy the promised rewards of victory! Our celebration of those victories are usually public for others to see. When we do celebrate those victories, others are encouraged to chase their Dreams and Goals as well!

Blessings,
Dr. Tim

We can have it all when the walls fall!

DOLLHOUSE DREAMS AND G.I. JOE ADVENTURES!

As a kid, one of my favorite toys was a G.I. Joe action figure. I didn't have any sisters, but I did have several cousins that were girls. Their favorite toys were their dolls. Sometimes when we were all together, those dolls and action figures came alive! We would play for hours telling each other what was happening and what would happen next.

A few weeks ago, I heard a lady say that she wished she could live her "Dollhouse Dreams". She seemed to be unhappy with her present state of affairs and asked me if I had any suggestions. I said, "Yes I do." I then began to share with her how she could live those Dollhouse Dreams.

There are four things that we did as kids that we should do today in order for us to have the success we want.
1. We saw ourselves as what we wanted to be! Whether it was a Hero that came to the rescue in the nick of time or a Princess that ruled in an enchanted kingdom. How do we see ourselves today? However we see ourselves determines the course of action we take for our lives.
2. We created the story! It was all based on the choices we made. Whatever we wanted to accomplish, wherever we wanted to go, whatever we wanted to see, it was all up to us! What story are we creating for our lives today? What choices are we making?
3. We acted out what we created! It did not stay as only a dream. We acted on it. We became the very person our action figures or dolls were supposed to be. Truth is, we are today acting out the story we have created. For some, it is not nearly as exciting as it was then.
4. We controlled the ending! Through the danger, excitement, and all of the suspenseful unknowns, we decided how it would end. Today, we still decide how it will end.

It is not too late nor are we too old to have the life we desired as a kid. All we have to do is apply these four principles right now. Don't wait. Decide today that we are the action figures and dolls. Make it happen!
Reflecting back on those days, I can now see that those days were really a rehearsal for our lives.

Blessed,
Dr. Tim 

"She Just Won't Quit!"

As the end of June approached, I watched in delight and amazement as my wife worked feverishly to finish the goal that she had set for herself. June is the year-end month for her company.

She fell just slightly short of her personally set goal but was in great spirits. She continued to speak of what she actually did accomplish even though the ultimate goal was not reached. Her persistence is amazing! She has already begun the new business year with a work ethic that would fill others with envy.

She didn’t quit, offer excuses as to why she fell short, whine, or blame others for her missed opportunity. SHE REMAINED PERSISTENT!

If you really want to be successful, you probably spend a lot of time reading motivational books and articles because you want to know what qualities are required for success. After reading through the long lists of how to, there is a short sentence that tells us if we really want to be successful, we must have persistence.

Onetime Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said, "Persistence is the hard work you do after you're tired of all the hard work you've already done." Well said. Persistence means, simply, refusing to give up - but especially when faced with difficulty or opposition. It is the quality of never giving up when we encounter challenges. It is holding on to our dream. Of refusing to be discouraged no matter what the odds, no matter what happens.

We are even told that the reason they are successful today is because they were persistent. They persevered in chasing their dream, no matter what happened. When success gurus and other successful people tell you that they got to where they are today because they were persistent, they are actually leaving out a very important part of the story. And the part that they are leaving out is this: They forget to tell you that before they were persistent, they had a goal, and they had a plan on how to get there. All along the way, after every step they took, they stepped back to evaluate the results to see if the results they were getting were the results they wanted. If they weren’t getting the results they wanted, then they would change the steps they took.

These successful people did have persistence, but they were only persistent about holding on to their vision. They were never persistent about the method they took to get to their goal. All along the way, they were prepared to be very flexible and experiment to see what techniques and strategies worked best to get where they wanted to go.

People who admire persistence often use the example of Thomas Edison who kept trying to produce an electrical light bulb even after ten thousand failed attempts. But people often forget that while Thomas Edison was persistent in believing in his goal, he was not persistent in the way he tried to achieve it. Thomas Edison did not repeat the same experiment over and over again ten thousand times. Thomas Edison performed about ten thousand different experiments on his way to trying to find a practical electrical light bulb.

Every time he tried an experiment to produce an electric light bulb, he then backed up and took some time to evaluate the results. He figured out what was working and what wasn’t working. Then he would try something different the next time. And he would keep track of the results.
So, remember this crucial difference the next time someone tries to tell you that persistence is the key to success.

Honey, your persistence is an example to all! 

Blessed,

Dr. Tim

Small Hinges Swing Big Doors!

I heard that quote for the first time the other day and it has had a big impact on me. I really like it because it's true. No matter how big the door, a couple of small hinges can easily swing it open. No matter how big a door, no matter how much it weighs or how expensive that it might be – the door cannot and will not serve its purpose without the benefit of the hinges. The door’s function is predicated on these small, innocuous and oftentimes inexpensive pieces of metal which gives a door the stability to achieve its purpose. If you don’t believe me remove the hinges from all your doors and then you will experience just how important small contributions are.

In other words... small changes can have huge effects!

Those small changes lead to big changes and eventually the successes we so desire regardless of whether or not it is in our spiritual lives, personal relationships, or professional lives. It can also be true in the negative! If we allow small negative details to influence our lives, we soon have major problems to overcome.

However, our goal here is to swing those big doors of opportunity in our favor and bring the successes we dream about daily.

Having a big goal can be very motivating, but when you actually start to take action it can seem like you'll never hit it. That discouraging feeling can destroy your dreams of success. That’s when we have to remember those “small hinges”.

Disney started his business from a garage and created one little mouse, next he owned a studio, then Disneyland and now Disney World and even Euro Disney!

Jim Carrey took a job as a janitor at a tire factory at age 15 when his father lost his job. He also worked as a security guard. To relieve his stress, he visited local comedy clubs, which instilled his love of comedy – and prepared him for a blockbuster career.

Rachael Ray started out working at the candy counter at Macy’s in New York City. She later managed the fresh-foods department, which helped pave the way to her sizzling cooking career.

Robin Williams was a street mime before he got into acting.

If you’re in sales, maybe increasing your networking for just an hour per day will give you the leads necessary for production. Read more or listen to motivational cd's daily. John T. Reed boldly claims that after 6 months of studying something for 30 minutes per day people in your region will seek out your expertise, and after 1 year people nationally will seek it out. Whatever your occupation or dream, there are “hinges” upon which your future successes swing!

The point is…we need to be doing the small things in order to achieve the big things!

Blessed,

Dr. Tim

Open Up, I'm Coming Through!

What's New?

Today, many are beginning a journey through this next year with resolutions to change some things in their life. These New Year resolutions are usually made on the spot, out of guilt, and a misguided attempt to start the year off fresh. It is a valuable thing to take the time to reflect on the past year and ponder the coming year with what we want to create in it.

This year, I have decided to not make any New Year resolutions but to make some New Year commitments! Resolutions say "I'll try" and commitments say "I will"! Someone wrote, "Resolve means to "decide" to do something, but commit means to "devote oneself unreservedly to doing". There is no guilt or regrets from the past year, but there are some things that I want to be different.

My commitments this year are to study scripture more, pray more, become more involved in ministry, and of course....lose weight! Yours may be different, but you will never accomplish them without a commitment!

Here's to you and your blessed New Year. Give God the glory He deserves, serve Him, and regardless of what others say....Jesus is Lord!

Blessed,
Dr. Tim

One thing that will I will not change is my love for the "Crimson Tide"! ROLL TIDE ROLL!