Dreamgirl

"When I first saw you, I said oh my, that's a dream, that's my dream.  I needed a dream, when it all seemed to go bad. Then I found you. And I have had the most beautiful dreams, any man's ever had".

"When I first saw you.  I said oh my, oh my. That's my dream. That's my dream.  I needed a dream, to make me strong.  You were the only reason I had to go on. "

These are the lyrics from the song, "When I First Saw You", from the Dreamgirls movie soundtrack.  These words captured exactly how I felt when I first saw and met my wife.   I couldn't have asked for a better wife than her.  She is truly the woman of my dreams.

Today, millions of people celebrate valentine's day.  Also, about the same amount of people wish they had a "dream person" to spend today with.  Relationships can be tough sometimes.  So can being single.  It is my suggestion that we should enjoy every season of life that we are currently in.

So this Valentine's day,  I will enjoy my life and marriage with my wife, Nicci Willis.  She is living proof that dreams do come true!

If you are married or in a relationship, be inspired to take some time and tell that special person how you care about them.  And if you are single and desiring the person of your dreams, be encouraged that although no one is perfect, but "dreams" still do come true.

Happy Valentine's Day!

"The Worst Time Ever"

Imagine that it's the fourth quarter of the biggest game ever.  Your team is down by six and is on the one yard line of the opposing team's side of the field.

It's desperation time. You need a big play.  You are in charge of calling the plays and the captain of the team.  You can play it safe and run the ball, but that won't get the job done.  Sure, it may give you some more room to work with and get you out of such a dangerous area.  But you are on limited time,  and a safe 1st down won't win the game.

To make matters worst, your throwing arm is hurt because you have been sacked a few times during this game and you have been throwing the ball all day long.

A big play is a big risk.  A big pass is an even bigger risk.  You determine that a pass over the middle is the best option.  The defense is expecting a run or a pass outside to stop the clock.  A pass over the middle is risky because it's a high risk of being intercepted.  And if it's intercepted, the other team can easily get a touchdown to win the game.  To run this play seems like The Worst Time Ever! 

Have you ever felt like it was the worst time ever to start something new in your life?  The worst time to take a chance and do what you love and pursue your passion?

This is what's called the genius of desperation.  When your back is against the wall with little options.  It's when your up to your ears in debt and your burning desire is to pursue your passion for writing.  The worst time ever to start a business is when you are paralyzed with fear.  It's no less of a perfect time to do something for You, when you have so many people depending on you. Your confidence is low because you have made mistakes and failed at doing the even the more safer, reasonable things.

The genius of desperation is that you have nothing or less to lose.  This pressure can be used to take chances or try things that you normally wouldn't have under any other circumstances.  When you are going through "the worst time ever" it causes you to focus on the things that really matter.


Sometimes the best decisions can be made during the worst time ever.  Let us be encouraged to use this pressure to our advantage.

"Big Fifth Grader"

Repeating a grade.  Nobody likes it, but sometimes it is necessary.  The learning, growth, and development that was supposed to take place during this time period just simply didn't happen.  And if the child did advance to the next grade, they would not have the skills required to succeed at this level.

As a parent, this can be a tough decision to make.  On one hand, you want your child to be in their "right" grade, not get teased for "sticking", and stay with friends they have went to school with since kinder garden.  On the other hand, you want what's best for your child in the long run.  And you don't want your child to constantly struggle through the years ahead.

If the decision to repeat a grade is made, many times the child is upset.  This is understandable.  A lot of times, they will have the same teachers, same classes, and same tests.  Their friends and peers go on and leave them to the next level of education.

I was thinking about this idea of "sticking" when it comes to our spiritual lives.  A lot of us are frustrated with being on the same level spiritually that we have been on for years.

God desires to have a closer relationship with us and take us to higher levels of faith, knowledge, and  revelation of Him and His kingdom.   We have bigger "kingdom assignments" to accomplish in our lifetime, but many of us are stuck taking the same tests of years ago.

As a result, we have become a population with a lot of "big fifth graders", in a spiritual sense.   A lot of us have been saved, going to church, and have had a relationship with Christ for 10, 20, 30 years, but still spiritually immature.

Some of us even have the nerve to be angry at the people who have advanced to new levels, dimensions, and realms of faith.   This anger, jealously, and also guilt are the very stumbling blocks that prevent spiritual growth.

We have to realize that in order to advance in the Kingdom of God, their must be times of testing, trials, and hardships.  These are the training grounds for advancement in the Kingdom.  Out of ignorance, frustration, and the lack of perseverance that we quit, fail, or drop out of the very things that were sent to help us.

This scripture sums this up the best:  All this is evidence that God's judgement is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
2 Thessalonians 1:5   

 We are kingdom citizens, and the kingdom of God rises under pressure.  Let us be mindful of this as we go through the tests, trials, and hardships in life.  Nobody likes to be the "big fifth grader"!