What Blocks Forgiveness

Some people will never forgive another’s faults – but God always will.

Some people will hold a grudge forever – but not God.

Some people are reticent to accept forgiveness when offered, and all the while God is standing by, with arms wide open, inviting, offering grace, and willing to receive us. 

Consider this:

What blocks forgiveness is not God’s reticence but ours. God’s arms are always extended.  We are the ones who turn away.

What’s so Amazing about Grace

~Philip Yancey

We tend to beat up on ourselves.  We tend to talk down to “self” and call ourselves demeaning names like

  Rat

    Low life

      Louse

        Unforgiveable

Yet, when we look at the images of God in the scriptures we see the open-arms of God.  We see God calling to us (Zacchaeus), searching for us (the lost coin), and running to us (the Prodigal son). 

Sometimes, we humans do a great job of wallowing in our misery.  We love to drown our sins in the mud of our sins.  All along, God is saying “come to me, rise up and walk, neither do I condemn you”, and other incredible words of grace and forgiveness.

When do we begin to believe the incredible grace that God offers? 

Grace does not depend on what we have done for God but rather what God has done for us.  Ask people what they must do to get to heaven and most reply, “Be good.”  Jesus’ stories contradict that answer.  All we must do is cry “Help.”

Reach out today.  There is abundant grace available for you and for me. 

God not only loves you, He likes you a whole lot.

P Michael Biggs

www.up-words.net

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Persistence

If you name any accomplishment in this world, when you scratch below the surface you’ll find persistence. 

Name any Olympic champion and somewhere along the way you’ll hear about their philosophy of persistence.

Some individuals who demonstrated persistence are …

  Steve Jobs

    Steve Wozniak

      Bill Gates

        Michael Jordan

          Winston Churchill

Need I go on? 

I love what Winston Churchill said:

“If you are going through hell, keep going.”

And this one …

“Thankfully, persistence is a great substitute for talent.”

~Steve Martin

Born Standing up: A Comic’s Life

Og Mandino wrote about this topic in The Greatest Salesman in the World.

“I will persist until I succeed.”

Persist!  Now!

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Say Your Lines

In the 2^nd grade our school put on a play and I played Ben Franklin.  Mom made me this amazing costume that looked early American with white stockings, the pants gathered at the knees with elastic and two big buckles for my shoes made from cardboard covered in aluminum foil. 

I said my two short lines.  All is forgotten except the costume, and this is not about costumes. 

We all have lines to say, and I hope we say them well. 

-For some, it is baking the best cherry pie in town and taking it to a family in bereavement.

-Others write beautiful notes that speak of thoughts and prayers being sent to someone at a time in need.

-I’ve known a few who were handy men and women and they stood ready to help in any way possible. 

-Some help others by driving a wheel barrow, mowing a lawn, painting a fence or washing an automobile just because it is a line in the drama of life and they can play that part very well.

-Tonight on our way home from downtown Seattle we saw a man helping a stranded motorist change a flat tire on the side of busy I-5.

They are just saying their lines; doing what needs to be done,

     Right on time

          Not too loud

               Not too soft

                    Never late

… and they remember every word.

Just showing up and delivering because that is their role for the moment.

Where would we be without those who simply say their lines? 

There are roles for you and me, and sometimes, our world around us needs our star performance.

Say your lines.  Be a part of the drama of life.

P Michael Biggs

www.up-words.net

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Are You Important

The great need in life – to be important to someone. 

Are you – important, or are you tolerated?

Does someone really think you matter? 

This matter of importance is more about the quality of our relationships than it is about status, prestige, money, influence and political posturing.

Our importance factor reaches down to the depths of our soul, our self-worth.  We all greatly desire to be important to someone. 

Seth Godin wrote a book called Linchpin and it deals with this subject on a business level.  A linchpin is that critical person who proves to be a problem solver, the golden haired man/woman who can do no wrong and wins the day every time for the cause. 

That’s great, but I’m talking about the small two-bedroom house on East Elm in bad need of a paint job and a new roof.  Who is important in that house, or in any house in the world for that matter? 

In our relationships, the greatest gift we can give is still found in some old fashioned qualities – love, care, and being made to feel important.

Being made to feel important – that’s profound.

I feel important every time Carolyn sends me a note on one of my blogs.

I feel important when a long-time friend writes or calls out of the blue just to say “hi”.

I feel important when they remember my name at my favorite restaurant.

I feel important when my grandkids rush into our condo and give Carolyn and me a hug.

Somebody nearby needs to know that you think they are important.

Go.  Say the words.  Do the act.

P Michael Biggs

www.up-words.net

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Values

Let’s talk about values.

What drives you?  What measuring stick do you use to determine your worth? 

Is it a large bank account?

Is it a certain car?

Is it a cushy job?

Did you get elected to that coveted position?

Here’s the point. 

What if you don’t achieve any of these marks in your life?

What if life pretty much sucks right now?

Is life over?

Are you valueless?

In the middle of all that life hands us, it is good to remember these wise words from one of my favorite authors.

“Shame resilience is the ability to say, “This hurts. This is disappointing, maybe even devastating.  But success and recognition and approval are not the values that drive me.  My value is courage and I was just courageous.  You can move on, shame.”

~Brene Brown Daring Greatly

I love that. 

A while back, on another blog site, I posted a poem entitled “In the Arena.”  Here it is again.

“It is not the critic who counts;

not the man who points out

how the strong man stumbles,

or where the doer of deeds could

have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man

who is actually in the arena,

whose face is marred by dust

and sweat and blood;

who strives valiantly;

who errs, who comes short again and again

Because there is no effort without error

and shortcoming;

but who does actually strive to do the deeds;

who knows great enthusiasms,

the great devotions;

who spends himself in a worthy cause;

Who at the best knows in the end

the triumph of high achievement,

and who at the worst, if he fails,

at least fails while daring greatly.”

~Theodore Roosevelt

Sometimes referred to as

The Man in the Arena)

Daring greatly is all about courage and values!

You care so much for what is right that you dare go into the arena and face the giants just because you believe in something worth believing in. 

May the ranks of mankind swell with those who dare greatly!

P Michael Biggs

www.up-words.net

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Courage

We love courage in action.  We love the very idea of courage.  

    Bravery

       Guts

          Valor

             Daring

                Audacity

Courage is a virtue. 

You demonstrate a certain amount of courage every day.

-You get out of bed.

-You drive on the highways of your town.

-You express yourself to another human being.

Carolyn recently held a talent showcase for her piano students.  Each student performed a musical score or two for the eager audience. 

Can you imagine the amount of courage it took for some of those kids to perform in front of their parents, grandparents and peers? 

… And every one survived the experience.

Love this …

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues

because without courage, you can’t practice

any other virtue consistently.”

~Maya Angelou

Have you ever had to face a creditor and ask for grace?  That is courage.

Ever had to stand your ground on a moral issue?  Courage won the day that day.

You learn that it is not the end of life.  It is simply taking a necessary action and surviving the outcome.

You gain courage by doing courageous things. 

A closing thought.

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Bad Prayers?

I admire Billy Graham.  He is a model of ethics, morality, integrity and a Christ-follower all rolled into one man.

I also admired Mother Theresa.  The work she performed in such a self-less way will last an eternity.

It seems as if either of these individuals could whisper a simple prayer and BAM – the heavens would part, the seas would be stilled.  Maybe even a few cripples would walk.  Just by their prayers.

Well, I’m not Billy or Mother Theresa, yet I pray.  You know what?  God hears my prayers.  And yours too.

Isn’t that amazing? 

I don’t prayer earth-shattering prayers like The Lord’s Prayer, or The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, or The Serenity Prayer.  Sometimes my prayers seem so weak and anemic. 

At such times as these, I’m reminded of what one of my favorite authors once said.

When we reach the end of ourselves, our abilities, our strength, our money or our whatever, we all say the same prayer – “Help.”

That’s not a bad prayer either. 

Actually that’s a great prayer.

HELP!

For sometimes, that is all we can get out. 

And God hears.  He actually listens to the likes of you and me. 

I stand amazed by His grace.

P Michael Biggs

www.up-words.net

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

I Really Explored Myself

The mindset of living without regret really grabs me.  In reading biographies we often see that the outcome toward living a successful life rests in one’s ability to squeeze the towel dry. 

A favorite book is Mindset.  Read this.

“When you’re lying on your deathbed,

one of the really cool things to say is,

“I really explored myself.”

~Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.

I really explored myself!

Gotta love that one.

Yes, you chased a few rabbit trails.

Yes, you found a few dead ends.

Yes, you made a mistake or three.

And there are perhaps a thousand other negative results we could relate.

But look at what we discovered along the way. 

We know self.

We left few stones unturned.

We found resilience and strength we would otherwise never have known.

We found ourselves.  

And isn't that a worthy comment to make at the end of one’s life?

I found myself. 

P Michael Biggs

www.up-words.net

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time