POSITIVELY THANKFUL

I consider myself to be a positive person. I generally take the view that the glass is not only half full, but a waiter will be around soon and top it off before I get to the one-quarter mark.

It was almost two years ago that I got the news that I had breast cancer. The call came from my doctor the day before Thanksgiving. My response to him was, "God says to give thanks in all things, so thank you." I was sure that God would bring good out of the situation, even though I couldn't see the end yet. I'm happy to report that He didn't disappoint. Unfortunately, that positive attitude seems to slip in the smaller matters of life.

On a recent trip to Ephesus, our group visited the house where John took Mary and she lived out the rest of her life. It was a peaceful place that touched everyone in the group. There was a fountain area in the gardens where you could get 'holy water'. Beside it was a wall where prayers were written on bits of cloth or paper and tied to the wall. I felt moved to write prayers for family and friends so I opened my travel bag to look for my pen.

My bag had an section with a pen loop and I had placed one in it when I packed. When I opened my bag and didn't see the pen where I expected to find it, I told my friend that I must have lost it. She looked down, stuck her hand in another area of the bag and said, "Here it is". Thankful, I took the pen and started writing my prayers. As I did, others in the group asked to use it to write their own prayers.

I sat in the peace and quiet of the garden while person after person poured their hearts onto pieces of tissue, scraps of paper and torn travel guides. As I sat waiting for my pen to be returned, God laid it on my heart that He had used my pen to bless others and that I had almost missed the opportunity to participate in the blessing because my pen was not where I expected it to be.

I knew I put the pen in my bag. Why then, if I am a positive person, didn't I have faith in what I knew rather than what I could see? How many times have we missed God's blessing because He didn't show up like we expected Him to, because He wasn't where we thought He should be, or because we choose to see with our eyes and stop depending on what we know in our hearts?

God is crazy about us! He rejoices over us! He cares about our physical and spiritual well being. Why then, when things get tough, do we fail to see Him in the midst of our struggles? Why do we not view our challenges as His intimate confidence in our ability to learn and grow through the experience with Him?

In this season of Thanksgiving, dig deep and look at the things that aren't going like you hoped; the things that are not what you expected or where you expected them to be and truly lift them up and thank God for them. It is through these things that He shows us the best of Himself. It is through these that He perfects our faith. It is through these that He will walk with us and take us to the blessings He has in store. There is sunshine on the other side of your dark clouds.

Have I told you how much I appreciate you? I do!

FRESH BREWED FAITH

(This month's blog is borrowed from Gwen Smith. I have added my own comments, but the bulk of this work is hers).

Every morning I walk straight to the coffeepot and push the ON button. I'm a total coffee girl. I like it piping hot, extra dark roast with half and half, and I struggle to function without my first cup of coffee. I crave the first sip and relish the warmth of the mug in my hand. I jokingly call it "my warm, happy friend." My mornings just wouldn't be the same without coffee.

We should have the same attitude about our faith and our jobs. We should wake up each morning bursting at the seams to be with God. To be in His presence. To listen for His still small voice. To savor Him. To ask for His guidance during our work day. A faith that is brewed fresh daily, strengthens us, renews us and enables us to mount up with wings like eagles. To experience the power of God in our work lives. To run and not grow weary. To walk and not faint.

Like a morning with no coffee, there are times when we are sluggish in our faith and our attitude toward our jobs. There are times when we need a shot of God-caffeine in our day. A spiritual espresso. What can we do at these times?

One practical way to build your faith is by remembrance. When David was just a shepherd boy, he had courage to face a giant partly because he remembered the previous victories the Lord allowed him to experience. His past victories fueled his faith. Ours do the same. We can face our giants (heavy work loads, busy calendars, grumpy co-workers, declining profits, difficult clients) with equal confidence when we pause to remember how God has worked in our past.

What has God brought you through in the past? Think on these things and choose to trust him to bring you though all you will face today and tomorrow. God has equipped you with your talents and has placed you where you are for a purpose. When you trust God with a fresh brewed faith He will be your Strength and Sustainer. Fill up your faith cup every morning by getting alone with God. This energizing, percolated faith is available to all who ask, seek and knock (Matthew 7:7-8)

Have I told you I appreciate you? I do!

A TRIED AND TRUE ECONOMY

Whenever we experience difficulties, we look to our history to study trends and solutions that helped turn around a previous situation. The future is always unsure; however, the past is tried and true. The past is our compass to navigate through the future.

Business development is a struggle right now. It may be a bigger struggle today than in the past, but it isn't a new challenge. To crack the code on successful new business development, look at what has worked before.

In our own model, we have direct clients or we partner with an agency that does not have an internal media department. Our biggest past wins have been through our partner relationships. History shows us that this should be our focus for short-term business growth.

History also shows that faith at work in the workplace is one of the best new business development tools available. The belief that God equips us, places us where He wants us to serve and provides the opportunities to expand our influence can carry a company to great heights. The emphasis is on belief.

Do we believe that God is bigger than the current economy? Do we believe that God can help a situation where expenses exceed income? Look at history. When Jesus feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish and had twelve baskets left over, the balance sheet didn't add up. When the wine ran out at the wedding in Cana, Jesus turned water into about 120 gallons of the finest wine. Elisha took the little bit of oil the widow had left and filled all the jars she borrowed from neighbors. Biblical history is full of these accounts and we can trust them to get us through anything we face today.

Believing is the first step, taking action is the next step. In every instance the people involved had to put forth effort or sacrifice to see the rewards. The young boy in the crowd sacrificed his lunch so Jesus could use it. The widow had to trust Elisha with her last bit of oil when she was facing bankruptcy. You see, the basis for the miracle was their own resources! God will multiply what we surrender to him—multiply it beyond our dreams.

How do we apply these lessons from history?

• First, don't let current challenges take your focus away from the fact that God is in control - in our companies, in our economy, in our lives.
• Second, remember that God gifted you to do what you do and placed you where you are for a purpose - His purpose. Work every day to please Him.
• Third, make the sacrifices necessary to work harder and smarter and become a part of the solution. When you are part of the solution, you are also part of the blessing.

The past is our compass to navigate through the future - even a history 2,000 years old.

Have I told you how much I appreciate you? I do!