ImNoBetterThanU

  “As we behold the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed…” — 2 Corinthians 3:18      No one remains unchanged throughout life. Every single day our hearts are being molded, our minds are being instructed, and our desires are being guided. We  are all continually being shaped...by what? I am glad you asked... The primary instrument of that formation is our attention.     What we choose to consistently focus on will eventually influence who we become. This is not "motivational language"...in my opinion, the self-help fad has gone too far... This is actually grounded in Scripture and supported by how our minds work. I can also say, as I believe most would agree, that this is also confirmed by lived experience. Your heart follows where your eyes lead.      If your attention is fixed on the world, using its standards, definitions of success, and constant noise, it should be of no surprise you when your life begins to look the same. Dis...

There a huge distinction between Christians thoughtfully engaging with political issues and letting their political stances become the main thing that defines us. It can very easily distort your identity. A  primary goal of the enemy is to attack your identity. Many believe the major issue in the church today is that too few believers care about politics...is it possible that they greater issue is that too many are obsessed with politics? Perhaps letting partisan battles overshadow our primary calling. Many people insist politics has no place in the church, often citing "separation of church and state" as the reason. But that phrase (which does not even appear in the Constitution) was never meant to banish faith from public life or silence believers on moral questions. In reality, nearly every area of life, including politics, has deep ties to gospel truths that have simply been politicized over time: justice, life, marriage, freedom, care for the vulnerable, stewardship of c...

     Many women accuse public figures such as Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson, and Joe Rogan of promoting “toxic masculinity.” (I admit that I disagree with some of what all three will say.) However, one could argue that it is the relentless messaging from the left and oftentimes from women themselves that labels “toxic masculinity” as the root of countless societal problems is what is actually pushing young men toward these voices. When boys and young men are repeatedly told that traditional masculine traits like strength, assertiveness, and ambition are inherently harmful, what reaction would one expect? These traits are inherently ingrained within a man's DNA and no one wants to walk on eggshells constantly. Men will naturally seek out leaders who affirm those exact qualities and who can provide a sense of male purpose and identity without constant apology. The louder and more frequent the condemnation of “toxic masculinity” as the default villain, the more intriguing the...

Sometimes it can feel like I am the odd one out, sharing tales of dew-kissed trails and starlit tents and hammocks hanging near the creek for nature's white noise to assist in sleeping. I can be sharing these stories with co-workers in the office, church friends at bible study, friends over coffee, or that neighbor who's always out walking the dog. They listen intently, smile, laugh at the mishaps where I fall in the creek. But it almost always ends in "Sounds fun, but... nah, not for me. Too many bugs, too far from WiFi, I need a daily shower..." And I get it. Life is a grind, we have created times with deadlines, carpools, endless to-do lists. Who has time for "roughing it"? Or why would one remove the comforts of life and intentionally make things inconvenient? I believe in this quiet philosophy I have been mulling over in my mind. Deep down, we are all wired for wildness. Not the extreme kind, but the simple innate desire for what is untamed. Just think ...

      In the complicated journey we call human life, many souls teeter on a delicate edge, social media stands as a treacherous instrument manipulated by the elite that control the algorithms and AI. Both the foreign and domestic elite have control where they can subtly inject madness into our minds as we live comfortably in a false domestic security, where we are under the illusion and confusing this digital storm for genuine insight. Recent events (yes the assassination of Charlie Kirk) expose a  more serious crisis. Young men and women, are radicalized online at breakneck speed, fueled by the aforementioned elites and their algorithms and AI exploiting their depression and isolation. It has claimed many lives we never even hear of. Take Tyler Robinson, mired in disputes over his controversial ideology and lifestyle. Many want o argue on whether he was far-left or a "groyper", the truth is now out but whether he was left or right, it does not matter enough to bring...

Busyness.. Complexity... Honestly this list could go on and on...      We need to just simplify. How is it that we get so caught up in things that we allow our souls to get so cluttered. Makes me think of a quote from the movie The Brothers Bloom where one of the characters told the other she believed he was constipated in his soul. Too graphic for you? So sorry...welcome to my blog. #keepinitreal Public Service Announcement: I also do not condone the watching of the aforementioned movie if you are easily offended HA!      So for me in 2017 I want to simplify; allowing the simple things to keep me holding on. Life will be much easier. With all the clutter, the "constipation", it causes unnecessary stress and tension that can lead to a feeling of being lost. For me, it will also cause me to (figuratively) hold on to things so tightly that eventually I will lose my grip and free fall. Thus falling into a state in which further causes confusion an...

     Well, here we go with day three of my non-original content. Ironically, this post is  about journaling which could also be called blogging. I find it kind of humorous and I can assure you I had not read ahead so I had no idea this topic was coming. I guess I really should get back into this regularly writing gig haha      When you begin journaling and reflecting on yourself, you may experience the following benefits: Clarify your thoughts and feelings. Taking a few minutes to jot down your thoughts and emotions will quickly get you in touch with your internal world. Know yourself better. By writing regularly you will get to know what makes you feel happy and confident. You will also become clear about situations and people who are toxic for you — important information for your emotional well-being. Reduce stress. Writing about anger, sadness and other painful emotions helps to release the intensity of these feelings. By doing so you wil...

     Good morning! This is day two of my non-original content I am posting that is coming from https://www.myinteractivehealth.com Just hoping, again, to inspire and educate at least one person on health and fitness.       I am hoping to begin writing again soon whereas I think we can all use an additional outlet. Anyway, I hope someone finds this information I am sharing today useful.  What is the mind-body connection?      Your mind and body are powerful allies. How you think can affect how you feel. And how you feel can affect your thinking.      An example of this mind-body connection is how your body responds to stress. Constant worry and stress over jobs, finances, or other problems can cause tense muscles, pain, headaches, and stomach problems. It may also lead to high blood pressure or other serious problems. footnote 1 ,  footnote 2      On the other hand, constant pain...

     So I realize that I have not posted anything to my blog in a very long time. Well, as you all know life gets in the way and the last few weeks/months I have just not been feeling like doing much of anything above and beyond just being. My next few posts are not original material, but I just thought I would share the information and maybe it will help or motivate someone.       Exercise is about more than keeping in shape. It also can help with your emotional and mental health. Exercise can help you improve your self-esteem, keep your mind off problems, and give you a sense of control. In general, people who are fit have less  anxiety ,  depression , and stress than people who are not active.      Research suggests that exercise can help specific mental health problems. Exercise may help prevent depression from coming back ( relapse ) and improve symptoms of mild depression. footnote 1 Be safe while you exerci...

     Believing, caring, encouragement, kindness, etc.      These aforementioned actions can change the world! Do you not believe me?Have you ever complimented someone to see them immediately light up with joy and gratitude? What if we were more consistent in this. Using our words to build up rather than tear down?      I would love if anyone reading this would commit to a 30 day challenge. Heck even just do it the remaining nine days of January and tell me what you see.      Keep in mind you are encouraged and welcome to go far above and beyond what I ask of you. However, if you choose you can start small as I lay out in the forthcoming sentences.     Choose one individual and tell them something encouraging everyday. This can be in person, via text, through a phone call, Hangout (or Facetime or Skype), or however you choose. Again if you choose more than one person, go for it! Or if you choose to enc...

     So I just came out of a whirlwind of a near fantasy month. So amazing it is difficult to describe.      It began with the celebration of our freedom on Independence day weekend.  How can one not rejoice in a time as such. With everything going on in America many have lost hope, but hopelessness is not  what our nation was built upon. As Bono of U2 stated, America is not a country it is an idea. The definition of an idea is "a thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action" or "the aim of purpose". It is ever evolving and whether you believe it or not we do maintain a certain level of control within the shaping of that idea. One thing we have to remember is that media thrives on the negative because they want ratings. They will use images and sounds to paint a picture to portray to the minds of the world in a way they feel will draw more people in and increase their ratings. Kind of sick, I know. But there is also so much good progr...

    You, yes you are created for greatness, but you are also built for relationship. Actually we all are, but for now let the focus be on you .     You have a calling, an intentional purpose in life. Stephen Covey says you want "to live, to love, to learn, and to leave a legacy." Your calling is what you will do in life that fuels your passions and creates an environment of true accomplishment for you. The kind of accomplishments that impact the world...your legacy.      If you look throughout history at great men and women they all had the ability to get up when knocked down. You need to do that too and the more quickly you get up the better. You ever increase your risk of further pain or suffering the longer you stay down. Just look at giraffes; at birth the newborn baby giraffe will immediately begin the ever so challenging journey to its feet. What happens next? The mother will knock the newborn baby giraffe over. Seems cruel right? Well, it is...

     Are you content in life? Complacent? Comfortable?      Well are you?      Or are you working to improve yourself?      You may be in the best place of your life. Great friends, great job, debt free, 100% healthy, etc. But is that where you want to stay? I would hope not. There is never any reason to stop growing in life. When I was younger, I used to always quote a saying. "Birth is the beginning if the dying process."      There is so much wrong with that statement.  Whereas one could argue the "truth" in that statement I would have to wholeheartedly disagree. While we are on this earth we have so much to live for and when you are living your life to the fullest and the best of your ability then you can truly have an incredibly positive impact on those individuals placed in your path.      Have a I perfected this thing called life? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Fat chance! But you know wha...

     So today on this Memorial Day of 2015 when we honor our fallen troops of past and the men and women currently serving our country to protect our freedom I felt led to open the blog, blow off the dust, and write a new post.      Today I exercised my great freedom by participating in  the Murph Challenge . I did not really have a strong desire to do so, but knowing all the sacrifices made by the aforementioned men and women I felt I could endure some suck in honor of them. More specifically Lt. Michael P. Murphy endured far more than I have in my entire life so it only felt right. His story can be read here .      I can also say that as hectic a day as I have had, awakening at 5:30 this morning and just now getting to a point where I can sit an relax (now 5:25 pm) this was sincerely the most amazing and memorable Memorial Day I can remember in all of the 39 times I have revolved around the sun. Good exercise, good friends (see bel...

     Perception of limits is so skewed; naturally by human nature. Such a negative connotation comes from boundaries, rules, regulations...whatever you can think of that is limiting in our world. Have you ever thought that without these limits life would be what was truly limited?      Percentages, time, symbols, language...all things created by man.      Are there truly limits?      Where do they begin?      Where do they end?      Distance...      Emotions...      Finances...     Honestly the list could go on. But how much of our "limits" are simply created by our own perception?      My perception tells me that my life over the last few months has been limited in many ways. Too many hours at work limit certain things. Allowing someone into your life far too rapidly to only have them vanish without a moments notice. Poor cho...

I want to preface this entire post by saying I am not preaching or condemning those that make choices differently than mine. I am simply thinking out loud through my writing (Typing Out Loud). I have always found writing to be therapeutic and wish I could get back to doing so more often. Physically       It has been scientifically proven that what you ingest becomes one with your body. Even common sense will tell you that. Does everything you ingest come out of you? No. Your body absorbs much of it. Sure our bodies are designed to emit waste which we do through sweat, urine, feces. That is why I do not follow the whole IIFYM theory.      As many of you know 2014 has been a year where I have intentionally dedicated to be a more healthy individual. Exercising regularly and eating better. Back to the IIFYM, I know many people that follow this ideology and they eat pies, candy, ice cream...well whatever they want so long as it fits within their daily macro...

     So earlier today as I was checking out my feed on Google+ I ran across someone using Matthew 6:3 - 4  to be what I felt was condemning to Christians for participating in the ice bucket challenge for ALS. It also had a link attached to a blog pointing out all the things the organization does to "violate Biblical ethics".      Now I agree that it is good to educate others on practices that may not align with your values and belief system, but at the same time this challenge has raised a lot of awareness and I would bet raised millions of dollars for a disease I have had ties to in my past. There is no known cure and it always  leads to death. Family members have to watch their loved ones deteriorate physically while their mental awareness remains intact. It is a horrible disease.      I am sure not everyone will agree with my opinion on the matter, but I think we need to be careful of being so judgmental and unwilling to do b...

       This last Friday evening and then Saturday we had a conference at my church entitled "oneness Weekend". At first glance many may believe this to be a marriage conference. It was not...or was it? We are called to be the bride of Christ and I can assure you after this last weekend I feel closer and deeper in relationship with Him than I did when I awakened Friday morning.      This all began Friday evening when J.T. Mlinarcik Began by giving a highly detailed medical account of what Christ went though on that bloody Sunday more than 2,000 years ago. By hearing it laid out by a medical professional it makes it all more tangible than just a story in a book. I have always known that it was much more brutal an experience than ever depicted by any movie or photo I have seen, but it still brings it to a new life.      All of this led me to realize that I could definitely suffer more for His glory. I am no different than most Americ...

     I have been consistently pursuing a healthier lifestyle for several months now. This includes but is not limited to: healthier eating, more exercise, more rest, and more "me" time. Aside from just feeling better, my primary motivation is to have better health in general for Andrew's sake. I know the time will come when I will get to spend more time with him and I am not getting any younger. I want the precious time I do get with him to be the best it can be. If he wants to go to the park for four hours I want to be able to "hang" with him. As he gets older he will likely get into other sports or active lifestyle hobbies and I want to be able to do those things with him.      The progress I have seen in 2014 has been tremendous. It is a direct result of my dedication and consistency. This is also helping my finances, the gym comes out to approximately a dollar a day and so I can redirect money from other "entertainment" activities to chip away at...

Words...      They are powerful. More powerful than most want to admit. All of us at one time or another have had our feelings hurt by words. All of us at some point in our lives have been hurt by words and were at that time, and many of us still to this day, in denial.      Words are far more powerful than most will admit...redundant you say? I am just trying to get my point across. Before you begin judging me just know that maybe I am writing this post to myself. As "aware" as I like to think I am of the power of my words I need help in this area. Especially in the workplace.      For those of you that know me well, you know that not only am I very  social, but I love people. Now if any of my coworkers are reading this they may be thinking that this is a failed attempt at painting a picture of myself to the world that does not truly exist. If my family is reading this they may be saying I have a strange withdrawn way of showing ...