The Miracle Morning

Today is the first day of my Miracle Morning!  #miraclemorning #halelrod

I told you all that I am obsessed with podcasts.  So a few weeks ago, listening to The Rich Dad Radio Show, I heard an interview of Hal Elrod about his book (and process) The Miracle Morning.  Obedient consumer that I am, I downloaded the book to my kindle right away.  I might have been skeptical that any method would be life changing for me; but I struggle with mornings SO much.  It made sense that the sluggishness of my mornings was setting up my days for failure.

I read the book pretty quickly.  A few days later (maybe a week?), I finally went to the website and downloaded the 30 Day Life Transformation Challenge.  I read through the documents and answered the questions on Sunday.  Last Monday was supposed to be my Day 1 :).  I got through steps one and two on Monday, and that was the extent of my challenge last week.

It's OK!  I started over today.  I woke at 5:15 - YES 5:15 am.  I'm feeling good and more prepared to take on Monday than I normally would be.

If you want to live your life with purpose and to your full potential, helping others and yourself, I recommend the Miracle Morning.  Who's up to the challenge?

Have a fabulous day!

Compassion International

My daughter and I were able to somewhat experience the life of a poor young girl in Uganda.  Compassion International has done an amazing job creating this eye opening experience.  We walked through a replica of Julian's small home and school.  We heard how her mother struggled to provide for her and her siblings after their father died.  She explained that her mother refused to profit from arranging marriages for her and her sisters.  We learned about Julian's sponsor family from the US and the difference they made in her life.  Julian was able to finish school and go on to college in Uganda.  She's now going to school at Baylor University for her master's degree in social work!!

It was very touching.  One of the Compassion volunteers shared some of her personal experiences and even pulled out her photo book from one of her trips to see ONE of her sponsor children.

Of course - the Luquette's are now proud sponsors of a sweet four year old Ethiopian girl!!  Meagan and I are looking forward to writing letters, sending goodies and receiving updated pictures from her.

We didn't change the world today, but we just might make life better for one little girl on the other side of the world.

God Bless!

Pennies from Heaven

Well, maybe more than pennies.  But you might ignore this if the title read "let's talk personal finance".

So I am HOOKED on podcasts! I started out listening to a variety:
 #TheGlennBeckProgram
 #LifeWithLisaWilliams
 #HalfSizeMe
 #TheDaveRamseyShow

But over the past several weeks, I just can't get enough of finance/money podcasts:  #TheRichDadRadioShow
 #BeWealthandSmart
 #SmartPassiveIncome
 #SoMoney


SOOOOOOOO much information!  Sure, some of it is over my head, but I'm learning. It's refreshing to listen to people who've started their own business, or pulled themselves out of debt, or become millionaires just by living a frugal life.  It's opposite of anything you'd see on TV or online.  They are real people (SUCCESSFUL people), sharing their real life stories.  They make financial freedom an attainable goal; not something imaginary.  Notice, I didn't say they make it easy. But for me, it's just a constant reminder of small sacrifices and risks that we must take if we want to be financially free.

A brief overview of the podcasts I mentioned:

The Dave Ramsey Show - down to earth financial advice for ordinary people - usually people trying to payoff debt. Listeners call in with scenarios and questions, and Dave gives them advice.  If you're not familiar with Dave Ramsey, you should check out his website and read his book Total Money Makeover.

So Money - I just discovered this one last week and I LOVE it!  Farmoosh Torabi interviews various financially successful people who are what she calls SO Money!Last week she did a series called Millionaire Next Door.  Again, nothing so extraordinary that the average disciplined person couldn't achieve.

Smart Passive Income - this one is more of a hodgepodge of "side hustles" you might try to earn some extra cash; but any of them could turn into a full time business.

Be Wealthy and Smart and The Rich Dad Radio Show are the ones that I mentioned are sometimes "over my head".  They talk about the declining value of the dollar, why you should buy gold, and how to prepare for the looming financial bust - or something like that :).  But like I said, I'm learning.

Having said all of this, I guess I'm pretty high up on the financial nerd scale.  But the truth is, these successful people are motivating me to save and to make better financial decisions.  I know what I'm supposed to do, but I'm a spender, not a saver.  I lack the discipline they have, but I'm getting better.  Through podcasts and lots of prayer, I think there's hope for me.

Check out some of these podcasts and tell me what you think!

God Bless!

Faith

Hebrews 11:1New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Triumphs of Faith

11 Now faith is the [a]assurance of things [b]hoped for, the [c]conviction of things not seen. 

Matthew 10:16-23

Jesus said to his Apostles: "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

Wow!  Jesus said this over 2,000 years ago.  Does it not appear that he was thinking of us right now in July 2015?  But how many times over the last 2,000 years has this passage spoken directly to a particular group of followers in their specific situation.  We are not the first to experience hostility as a result of following Christ.  Jesus tells us to be shrewd yet simple.  The passage goes on to warn that our trust should be in Jesus, not man.  If we put all our trust in man, we will be disappointed.

So let Jesus send you out today and trust in Him.

God Bless!

This should bother Christians more than gay marriage

I apologize for such a "heavy" topic on the 4th of July.  I do wish you all a Happy Independence Day!  But what the heck is going on here?  "School Implants IUD's in Girls as Young as 6th Grade Without their Parents Knowing".  http://www.lifenews.com/2015/07/02/schools-implant-iuds-in-girls-as-young-as-6th-grade-without-their-parents-knowing/

In Washington state, it's funded through a Medicaid program called Take Charge. Planned Parenthood of course promotes it on their website.  Teens can apply for it using their income (which is non-existent) and they don't have to use their parent's insurance.  "If you do not want your parents to know you're using birth control and keep the services you receive confidential, you may apply for Take Charge. Your parents' insurance will not be billed."

The same schools that are offering this, don't allow the students to buy soft drinks or candy bars at school - because those are unhealthy.  And I bet those same students would be suspended from school if they were found with even a baby aspirin in their possession.  

How can this be legal??  What can we do to stop it?  

This makes me feel helpless and sad.  But I know that’s not doing any good.  Shaking my head and mumbling “what is this world coming to” is no longer an option.  We have to do something.  What should we do?

1.     Pray – beg Jesus to work through us

2.     Be charitable no matter what.

3.     Vote – we need to be informed voters and vote in every election. 

4.     Talk to our own children – be their parents; don’t leave that job to the government.

5.     Read, research stay informed about what’s going on in the world- especially in our country.

#5 is REALLY difficult for me.  What’s accurate?  What’s true?  How do we choose our battles?  Should I really worry about what’s going on in Washington as long as I am voting for and supporting the right candidates in Louisiana? 

Please enlighten me with your ideas J.

Happy 4^th!

Sensibility

"A woman's sensibilities play a great part in the life of a family and often actually determine its course, and these same sensibilities should play their part in the life of the nation and of mankind as a whole."  Pope Pius XII

How do you live your Christian faith?

If you were captured and put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict?  I think that’s how the question goes.  In other words, does your faith go beyond Sunday service or morning prayer? I struggle with this.

I go on a silent retreat every year.  The retreat goes from Thursday afternoon to Sunday.  Of course, who couldn’t live their faith during a 4 day silent retreat?  So much prayer and meditation; so many blessings.  No distractions.  It’s seems miraculous!!  I leave there on FIRE for Christ; on FIRE for my faith.  I have a plan (approved by God Himself during our quiet time together) and there’s absolutely nothing that can deter me.  This year is going to be different!!  I guess you see where this is going.  :)

It doesn’t take long for life to get in the way of my plan (God’s plan, of course).  I get discouraged and eventually lose some of that fire I left the retreat with.  But I know God is there with me, patiently waiting for me to follow through, to be faithful.  Thanks be to God!  God provides the situations, the people, the trials, the opportunities for me to live out His plan for my life.  I just have to be docile to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.

But back to the original question.  How do you live your Christian faith?  Nearly 2,000 years after Christ’s death and resurrection, how can we live our faith in everyday life?

How can we live like Jesus lived?  How can we bring Christ to others?  It’s all laid out for us in the Gospels.  Love, charity, compassion, forgiveness, faith, sacrifice.  How many times a day do you have the opportunity to practice these virtues?  Sometimes it seems unreasonable that we would be expected to live such a virtuous life in this day.  I mean really, I can forgive my children, but you want me to forgive a murderer?  Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, why do I need to sacrifice?  I have no problem being charitable with my family and friends, but with the annoying neighbor?  We must turn to the gospels and other new testament books.

Search "love" on biblegateway.com.  I got 234 results in the New Testament.  Not surprisingly, the first is 1 Corinthians 13 The Excellence of Love.  When you work to build Christ's Kingdom, are you acting with love?  Are your intentions pure?  If I am turning people away from Christ, I am probably not acting with love.  BUT acting with love does not mean conforming or staying quiet when truth is in question.  Love " 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;"

Forgiveness!  God sacrificed His only son that we might be forgiven and saved.  We probably won't be asked to sacrifice a loved one, but we are expected to forgive and ask for forgiveness.  " Then Peter came and said to Him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven'" Matthew 18:21-22.  If you are struggling with forgiveness, I suggest you read "Left to Tell" by Immaculee Ilibagiza,  Immaculee truly lives her faith through forgiveness, love, and charity.  

Hebrews 11 - The Triumphs of Faith - Here we get a synopsis of the many examples of supernatural faith throughout the bible.  We can fret all day long about how difficult it is in "today's world" to keep the faith; but honestly, it was no easier for them.  Many did not live here on earth to see God's promise become a reality.  Their reward is in heaven.  And best of all:  "39 And all these, having [y]gained approval through their faith, did not receive[z]what was promised, 40 because God had [aa]provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect."  God has BETTER plans for us than we have for ourselves!

I think most of us could do a better job reflecting Christ in our everyday lives. Be charitable, forgive, don't judge.  Stay close to Christ through prayer and reflect on the Gospels.  Ask God to use you to bring others to Him.  He will provide many opportunities!!