Daily Stop & Thinks

Every morning you have two choices: continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them. (Rebekah Radice, social media strategist)

Most people would likely want to forget their nighttime dreams. But, there are times when we might stay awake, thinking about tomorrow’s tasks or “dreaming” about the things we’d really like to do. Radice suggests our options: consign those nocturnal aspirations to the “not possible” category or set out right away to plan how to achieve those dreams.

The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out (Proverbs 20:5).

The secret of life … is to fall seven times and to get up eight times. (Paulo Coelho, Brazilian lyricist and novelist)

We all stumble from time to time; that is, we make mistakes, we fail in some way or another. But, like a toddler, learning to walk, we have to get back up and keep moving forward as best we can. Success is often the result of learning from repeated failures and advancing to the next step.

Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again (Proverbs 24:16).

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. (C. S. Lewis, British apologist and author)

We often view people on a personal scale of value or achievement. To us, there may be many extraordinary people—athletes, artists, scholars, etc. But, in Lewis’ view, everyone is extraordinary. Why? Because all people have been created in the image of God and have eternal souls. If that’s true, it ought to affect the way we see ourselves and everyone else.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).

When you’re going through something hard and wonder where God is, remember, the teacher is always quiet during a test. (Often quoted)

Remember what it was like to take a test in school, no matter what level? You went through mental gymnastics to try to recall what the teacher had said on that particular question. Where was he/she when you needed help? Don’t forget when difficulties come in life, God has not left the room; He remains with His children at all times.

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it. (Rick Warren, American pastor and author)

We can learn a lot from history—whether it’s national, cultural, or personal. It’s helpful to know, for example, how progress has been made in medicine or technology that affects our lives today. On the other hand, it isn’t helpful at all—in fact, it’s harmful—to feel trapped by the events of our past lives. We need to move on with hope and determination.

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me (Philippians 3:13-14).

Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. (Martin Luther King Jr.) Late civil rights leader

King went on to say, “There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions.” In a political season, we are often inundated with such “easy answers.” And it’s critical that the electorate think hard about the issues. King’s further comment may be an indictment of modern society: “Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”

Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults (1 Corinthians 14:20).

Finding good players is easy. Getting them to play as a team is another story. (Casey Stengel, 20^th century major league baseball Hall of Fame manager)

Stengel’s observation about players reveals an important principle about teamwork. We saw it demonstrated in the recent Olympics where athletes of great talent were assembled and organized to work together to achieve the desired goal for their country. It’s great lesson for us to apply to our working together with our colleagues in any worthy endeavor.

Striving together as one (Philippians 1:27).

It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a rebel who has no heart for truth. (the Bible)

This is a paraphrase of a biblical proverb that makes a lot of sense in 21^st century life. Costs for higher education have skyrocketed at a pace exceeding normal inflation. Fewer and fewer families can afford college costs without enormous amounts of financial aid. But why pay the expense when so many don’t seem to aspire to discover and propagate truth?

Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it? (Proverbs 17:16).

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. (Edith Wharton, 19th-20^th century Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist)

Where there is darkness, people of goodwill, want to bring light—whether it’s physical, emotional, or spiritual darkness. Sometimes, we can provide significant help with our own abilities or means, but often, we can only offer what someone else has made available to us to use. In either case, sharing light may be our most useful contribution to those in need.

You are the light of the world. . . . Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify [God] (Matthew 5:14; 16).

Think for yourself and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too. (Voltaire, pen name for François-Marie Arouet, 18th century French writer and philosopher)

It’s strange, isn’t it, that in a culture where individual independence is so highly valued, so much intolerance is often shown to those who offer an opinion that is contrary to the current “political correctness”? We should value our highly-thought out opinions and guard them with care, but we must learn to give others of differing opinions the same privilege.

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions (Proverbs 18:2).

A thankful heart hath a continual feast. (W. J. Cameron, Canadian author)

Cameron also says, “He who sits by the fire, thankless for the fire, is just as if he had no fire.” Why? Because, he says, “Nothing is possessed save in appreciation, of which thankfulness is the indispensable ingredient.” In other words, if we take our possessions for granted, we don’t fully appreciate what we have. To do so, we must develop thankfulness.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.” (Inspiration Line)

Many people value security so much that they hesitate to step outside their safety zone to try anything new or different. Yet, life itself is something of a risk. It could be dangerous to cross a busy street or to drive on a highway with speeding traffic. The far greater risk, however, is simply to do nothing, to forfeit growth and gain, trying to avoid possible harm.

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. (Hebrews 13:5-6)