Resolution?!

Think on this…its comical to me how people make New Year’s resolutions. They desire to loose weight, workout more, and be better human beings. Now, you may be thinking, "what’s wrong with that"? Nothing, but the issue is, most people break those resolutions within the first few days of the year. How about we approach this new century a new way? Let’s stop making resolutions and start asking God to both guide and lead us into the better future He already has for us.

My wife and I have discovered that when we commit our plans into the Lord’s hands things work better than we could ever anticipate. While going over our 2009 prayer requests, we discovered that God had done almost everything we prayed. The challenge for many is they don’t believe that God would hear their prayer, or they don’t like depending on anyone else including God to get things done. I am convinced that I can’t do anything good unless He helps me. But that’s just me.

God loves you, and He has so much more for you than you could imagine. “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 God has a plan we just have to follow. He knows how to lead us toward better health, a better life, and a more glorious future. Follow Him and your future is resolved! ... Just a thought.

May Christmas Never End

Think on this…some people can’t stand the hoopla around Christmas. It has a lot to do with the commercialism and the shallow things attributed with the day. I understand that. I have a solution; let Christmas day, be everyday. I think there is merit to the frustration people feel over the December 25^th push. What would it look like if we carried the true spirit of Christmas everyday?

I think it would be amazing if the warm feelings persisted all the time. How wonderful would it be to see smiles in March? What if the people you loved looked for opportunities to make you feel special in June? How wonderful would it be to have families coming together in August? Then they would tell their relatives how much the loved them, and make sure that no good thing went unsaid. Awesome.

What I am learning is, that is the way God wanted things to be. That is the way people who are overwhelmed by the fact that heaven came to earth are supposed live and interact. “And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:12-14 When we get a glimpse of that miracle we might live everyday like it was Christmas…Just a thought.

Think on this..."The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.

While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—'God saves'—because he will save his people from their sins." This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term:

Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;
They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").

Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus." Matt 1:18-25 ...Just a thought.

Worst – Best Christmas Ever

Think on this…when I was a child Christmas was a big deal. We were poor so my mom would often get help from local charities to supply us with more toys than a kid in the projects should have. It was wonderful. It was all preceded by my hometown’s big Christmas parade and tree lighting ceremony. The entire main street was lit up beautifully. It set such high expectations for the season.

As was our custom we moved a lot. We not only moved to most dangerous city in New Jersey, but also the country, Camden. This is where I was exposed to gang violence, guns, and gambling. That Christmas we had nothing, and I mean nothing! No food, no tree, no nothing. I got a “hi” for Christmas, and that was that. It was depressing, to say the least, for my little sister and me. I didn’t have the true meaning of Christmas (the story of Jesus) to give me hope, so long faces were abundant.

Then about mid afternoon there was a knock at the door. My older sister and brother entered. We had not seen them for a while; so our spirits were up. They also had presents with them, and the tone of the day turned on a dime. My older sister, who was in high school, spent almost all of her money buying us gifts, anticipating our lack. My brother and I went to the local Chinese store to purchase fried chicken and fries for dinner. Why are Chinese store always open? Never mind. The point was they came, and they were Christmas!

As I am listening to my wife read the Christmas story from the Bible with our Godson, I am taken back to my worst-best Christmas. We decided that he would not have to go through what I went through, as he is also the child of a single mother. We can give gifts, and he has been given plenty, but we want to be the gift. I challenge you to follow the example of my older sister and brother, the example I now follow; it’s the example of Jesus. BE THE GIFT. “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 …Just a thought.

Beginning to look at lot like Christmas

Think on this…I love Christmas. I know for many it is just another day, but you must admit, people are often nicer and more compassionate around this time. Well, not if you are in the middle of the shopping frenzy. My point is that this should be a special time in which we remember the greatest gift the world has ever known, and that is the birth of Jesus. Once you look past the overwhelming commercialism you might just see what is so special about this season.

I do understand that Jesus was most likely not born in December. I also grasp the fact that traditions like a Christmas tree, and a Yule log are rooted in pagan rituals. Don’t get me started on the whole Santa Clause mythology; all these things make it hard to see power and the worth of the holiday. Then you have countless people going into debt to buy gifts that will totally forgotten by the next Christmas. Do you recall the Christmas shopping season starting after Thanksgiving? All of a sudden Christmas starts the day after Halloween, it all seems to be about the money. Looking at what this holiday has become, makes me sad.

What is Christmas supposed to be? It’s supposed to be a day in which we remember that when we were without hope, God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Jesus came to the earth to rescue us from our impending doom. So, Almighty God, identified with our human condition. We didn’t have a God who watched us from afar, but one who understood what we were going through and cared enough to do something about it. "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" —which means, "God with us." Matt 1:23

That is Christmas. That is a reason to celebrate. We are celebrating God’s love, not store discounts, red-nosed reindeer, of jolly snowmen. Jesus is the reason for the season. Of all my non-Christian friends I have not met one person who thinks that Jesus’ birth and life was a bad thing. So, his birth should be celebrated! I am sorry that people would make you think the holiday was about anything other then that… Just a thought.

Avatar

Think on this…I went to a see the movie AVATAR and it was the best movie I have seen in a really long time. (No spoilers here). I left the movie wanting to stay in that world painted by the creators. The concept of an avatar is intriguing as a Christian. The principle is, although your body is in one world, your true self is in another. The avatar is another representation of you that exists in a new reality. I know it is a bit out there, but due to the emergence of online virtual worlds the idea of an avatar is quite common.

As a Christian this rings true. How? The bible says, “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.” 1 Peter 2:11 As comfortable as I have become in this world, its not my ultimate reality. I have a spirit that lives in this body that is tied to this world. In essence what you see is my avatar. That is why I am constantly fighting against these desires in me that long for the unhealthy yearnings that this life provides. The real me longs to live in the wide-open spaces with God. The more we remember that the more victory we will see in our lives…Just a thought.

Tired Yet Determined

Think on this…I have been investing a heavy amount of time, energy, and money into finishing my book, College Impact: Empowering Collegiate Christians for Campus Influence. I am so tired. I am wired to knock things out fast, because my attention span is not the longest. Processes that take a long time to complete wear me out. Now, I know that this is a journey that God has me on, so what do I do in the mean time?

I work, I stand, I continue, I endure! I have learn that sometimes God allows life to hits you with exactly what you need to not only help you grow, but to see your own resolve and commitment. Sometimes you can’t and won’t be able to stop while working through issues and/or circumstances. Your responsibility is to not quit. That is the lesson I am learning at a whole other level and I share it with you. Don’t give up because you are tired, frustrated, and ready to quit. If it’s worth it, then fight for it. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24 …Just a thought.

News Worthy?

Think on this… I miss the good old days when the top news story was of a shooting, stabbing, major fire, etc. Now to gain headlines all you need is to have cheated on your spouse, dated someone who dated someone famous, or “accidentally” shown your genitals. All these things have somehow become news worthy.

Now, some would blame the media, because they control the content. But, as a former employee of a national news agency, I don’t think they are to hold the bulk of the blame. They are in the business of sharing content that grabs your attention long enough to show advertisements. The more people they can get to watch their network the more money sponsors pay. It’s we the viewer who drive what’s important to the broadcaster. If we want to see nipple slips, then they are sadly way too happy to oblige us.

Yes, there used to be standards and practices that kept news people’s feet to the proverbial fire, but those rules shift with our standards. I think we should look to our thirst for meaningless content before we lob arrows at the media. Then and only then we will be able to keep them in check. The bible says, “What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.” Isaiah 5:20 We have lost our sense of what is right and important. We should require more from ourselves first… Just a thought.

Unemployment Lessons

Think on this…I have been talking to many people that are either unemployed, nervous about losing a job, or are wrestling with financial stresses. As an unemployed person, I have learned a lot about myself and the whole emotional struggle people go through in the process. The reality is that we as a country are having a difficult time economically. It affects everyone. I have friends that are upper middle class and higher and even they are living much leaner than before. The moral of the story is that you are not alone in the struggle.

Now, as a “preacher” or “minister” how am I supposed to guide people in this tough season of life, when I myself am in the same situation? First, I don’t put that pressure on myself. Second, I have learned that God does not sit by and watch us suffer. He is at work in the midst. As a Christian, I have learn to trust Him with my every need. While trusting, I am to do what I can do.

That means that I can write, work on blogs, encourage others, and learn new skill sets. There is always something that we can do as individuals. Then, we present what we can do, and God does what we can’t do. I love that. So many people are asking God to do what they can do, and why would He need to do what he has gifted us to do. Here is the principle, “Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” God wants us to exercise our faith by taking the steps we know to take and trusting him with the rest…Just a thought.

Tiger Woods

Think on this…everybody is talking about Tiger Woods, some would argue for good reason. Okay, so another privileged athlete tries to get away with cheating on his wife and kids (when you cheat on a wife you cheat on the kids, don’t get it twisted). Haven’t we heard this story before? Why are we so shocked? So disappointed? Aren’t these people doing exactly what we as society want them to do?

You see, we love to deify athletes and celebrities. They are the glamorous beings with which we can’t get enough. Due to the TMZs of the world, we must know every time they get onto or off of a plane, go to a public bathroom, or throw trash away. This creates a “them and us” mentality that gives them license to be or at least feel they are above the law. Then when they don’t live up to our high standards for them we demonize them, it’s the cycle that repeats. It’s so bad that celebrities can’t even go to most churches because star-struck pastors are asking them to “share something “ with the people. That is the saddest of all.

What do we do then? I think we need to no longer participate in the paparazzi driven media. Let these people live like humans instead of gods. Maybe they won’t feel the sense of entitlement that empowers this bad behavior. If someone should falter, we should have some compassion because, but by the grace of God, we would be in the same situation. Then we can let the family work through the tough issue in private instead of the court of public opinion. The whole situation is bad, but for the sake of his children, maybe we should let them work this out.

I have much compassion because the Bible says, “Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence.”…Just a thought.

Down with OPP

Think on this…Those who are into hip-hop from the 90's will remember the song, "OPP" from a group called Naughty by Nature. The song was vulgar in its suggestion as the trio's name suggests, but they had thousand yelling their anthem. I have a different approach for the acronym, O-Other P-People's P-Perspective. I can be so committed to “my vision” and “my way” of accomplishing that vision that I can actually kill it. There are people whose job is to help me. To that degree their perspective is as valuable as mine.

I challenge you to allow someone new to push on the “vision” God has given you. God brings the right people at the right time to accomplish His purpose within you. Those additional voices can sometimes come from the most unsuspecting places. "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." Proverb 11:14 If you always have to be the smartest person in the room that is a problem…Just a thought.

It’s simple, LIVE YOUR DREAM!

Think on this…if you have been following my blogs you probably have seen the recurring theme of becoming who you are suppose to be in spite of your past. That is my story. Even now while unemployed, I am still pushing toward the dreams God has given me. I am have finished my book, created a website, signed a contract with a publisher, produced a trailer for the book, and am on the brink of the books release. I have been hustling. I have to do my little part so God can have something to bless. Please, live your dream. Life’s too short not to. “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”1 Thessalonians 5:24 I hope my life encourages you to trust God and take a chance. Please visit www.damianlboyd.com …Just a thought.

Holding you Down

Think on this…it goes without saying that there are some people with whom you need around you, to keep your sanity. To say it in the current vernacular these people “hold you down.” For some it’s their parents and for others it’s good friends. There is nothing sadder then witnessing relationships that are vital to an individual’s mental health deteriorate. Whether through anger, bitterness, misunderstanding, or intentional injury these separations happen every day. To the detriment of both parties involved.

For me, it’s my wife who “holds me down.” She is my sounding board when all else is unclear. I honestly don’t know what I would do without her. But some times she bugs me J (love you baby, she reads my blogs). We don’t always flow as smoothly as I wish we would. On occasion we hurt each other, but to the degree that I excommunicate her from my life, is to the degree I will fail. Why? Because she is there to “hold me down!” I can’t allow petty things to get in the way of my own success or her success for that matter.

If we knew the damage we cause ourselves by allowing our relationships to wither we would think twice. “Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody.” Romans 12:17-18 Yes, some people are toxic, but many more are simply flawed and in need of our forgiveness. Why? For our own sake and theirs…Just a thought.