Today we continue with the next power phrase to help you develop the positive kind of thinking necessary to turn your negative situations into opportunities: 

Power-Phrase #2: “Great people are ordinary people with extraordinary determination.”

Standing before a large audience of farmers, Dr. Schuller recalled another family tragedy. During the great depression and several years before the tornado disaster mentioned in the previous blog post, a drought destroyed the family crops, forcing his father to mortgage everything to survive.  Dr. Schuller recalled entering the bank and seeing a sign on the wall that stated “Great people are ordinary people with extraordinary determination.”

Five years after the destructive tornado, Schuller’s father had completely rebuilt the farm, paid off the mortgage taken after the Great Depression drought, and retired a successful man!

Have you ever considered how to generate a positive thought? Over the next three days I want to introduce 3 “Power-Phrases” for you to frequently recite. Allow them to fill your sails with the wind of positive expectation!

Power-Phrase #1: Tough times never last, but tough people do. 

This phrase comes from the title of one of over 37 books authored by Dr. Robert Schuller, pioneer of the first televised church service.

Living positive in a negative world, or developing positive–thinking patterns in difficult situations, provides the creative energy and stamina necessary to tackle life’s biggest challenges.

You may be thinking, if you only knew the problems I’m facing!  Well, Dr. Schuller’s family certainly had their own share of problems. His own father, at the age of 60, lost everything when a devastating tornado destroyed their livestock, their crops, their family home and their barn. Nothing was left! Ten farms were utterly destroyed by that storm—only one man rebuilt! http://bit.ly/1Jvt5rc

Recently a leading global medical research institute listed the following benefits that can be attributed to positive thinking:

• Lower rates of depression
• Longer life expectancy
• Increased resistance to the common cold
• Lower risk of heart disease and related death
• Better overall psychological health
• Lower stress levels
• Better stress management and coping skills
• Increased physical well-being

These facts alone should enthuse you about the real life benefits of thinking positively. One positive thought can indeed cultivate the dream that is in your heart!  http://bit.ly/1FcdCOj

When Jesus comes into a life He brings the world with Him. Suddenly, a person with limited motivation, expectation and imagination starts to dream of doing the impossible.  Dare to think limitless in some area of your life. Understand that there is more to you than meets the eye. Jesus sees the real person you are to become. He puts a vision in your heart that is bigger than what you can do without Him.

Scripture gives us an expectation of this new life that will ignite our passion for the adventures God is calling us to. Years ago, as we got out of a boat into the water off Bahol Island in the Philippines, the moonlight hit the water at just the right angle to reveal thousands of snakes in the water beneath us!

We survived, and you will too, as you get out of the boat and take the risk of walking on water.  God will never give up on you. Never forget that. And that’s not all: as we throw open our doors to God, we discover at the same moment that He has already thrown open His door to us!

What if you had God’s complete attention for 5 minutes and could ask any question you want? Let’s look at a recent survey done by USA today entitled: “Questions for God.”

In the survey the following question was posed to adults:

If you could get in contact with God directly; ask a question, and get an immediate reply—what would you ask?

34% wanted to know: “What is my purpose here?”

19% would ask: “Will I have life after death?” Have you ever thought about life after death?

16% want to know: “Why do bad things happen?”

12% had no idea what they would even ask.

What burning question might you have for God?

Scientists say, God? What need is there for God when we have science that certainly explains all?  Yet, with all of our medical understanding, scientists still face increasing incurable ailments of the mind, soul & body, and the fact that they do not have all the answers.

So who is God and where does He fit into your world? In reality, He is only one step—one decision away!

Imagine arriving in an Evenki village in the Ural Mountains of Russia just days after 13 young people committed suicide.  This was the scene that missionary evangelist Tatiana encountered one cold, fall day.  She had been waiting for the road over the marsh to freeze over so that she could deliver supplies and bring good news to the families of these forgotten Evenki villages. The pain and the suffering that she encountered in this village impacted her so deeply that she determined to eradicate suicide from these remote villages.

According to the most recent available global data, almost 125,000 people commit suicide each year, with the highest percentage being the former Soviet states. Of these states, Tatiana’s area was one of the highest.  Why is this suicide rate across Tatiana’s region so incredibly high?  Hopelessness.  In a region reflective of much of rural Russia, hope of advancement, achievement and success is non-existent.  For many, even hope of survival is absent.

Well into her sixties, evangelist Tatiana from Buryatia, Russia, just north of Mongolia, determined to change this tragic statistic.  Today she is a hero in her region, and well known for her work in the 100 Tent Project.  It is documented that due in part to her tireless efforts among the children and families to bring humanitarian aid, children’s education and the Good News, mass suicide has been eliminated in these forgotten Evenki villages.

Where does life find you today? You may be in the midst of a hurricane or a financial storm. Perhaps you are facing other issues. Remember, peace is not the absence of turmoil. Peace is the rudder of the soul that provides solitude in the midst of turmoil! God promises to keep in perfect peace all who trust in Him; all whose thoughts are fixed on Him!

Have you found the source of peace? Mahatma Gandhi said, “A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.” The scriptures say, whatever is true, noble, and right, whatever is pure, lovely, and admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. And the God of peace will be with you. http://bit.ly/1IzEZ40

Scripture: Philippians 4:8 (paraphrased)

There is a story of Jesus traveling to the other side of the lake with His disciples. A storm raged against the boat, yet Jesus was asleep. His disciples were distraught and a bit annoyed that Jesus was asleep with no apparent concern for the danger that they were facing! When they awoke Him He spoke, “Peace, be still…” and to everyone’s amazement, the storm ceased.

I remember one of our Florida hurricanes that blew against our house. The water pounded so hard that it sounded like machine guns blasting against our cement walls. My husband was sound asleep—I couldn’t believe it! I decided to write out my prayer to God because I wanted to sleep too.  As soon as I committed my prayer to Him, I climbed back in bed and drifted off to sleep!

You see, peace is not resignation—but resiliency…an individual’s ability to properly adapt to stress and adversity.

Scripture: Mark 4:39

Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered. The tensions grew. Yet, two pictures still remained veiled.

As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd. A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Surely this was the winner. The second painting was uncovered and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace?

A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; the crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. However, a spindly little tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls, and one of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters. In the elbow of that branch, a little bird had built a nest. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested pure peace.

If a little bird can transcend such turmoil, how do you and I find peace in the crazy world in which we live?

The scriptures say, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

I remember many years ago meeting a young Congolese man brought from his village for prayer. His eyes were wild, his hair was filthy and matted, and his clothes were nothing more than rags. The villagers were afraid of him and restrained him, concerned that he would lunge at me.

I remember looking into this young man’s wild eyes and speaking the simple words of Christ, “Peace be with you!” Just as quickly as I spoke those words, he was gone.

The next day as I made preparations for our evening prayer service, I met a nicely dressed young man along with his mother. She said to me, ”This is a miracle! My son has been tormented since childhood, but yesterday when you spoke words of peace over him he suddenly became calm. He slept through the night and awoke with a smile. He is normal! He hasn’t been that way in years!”

Perhaps today, you are like this young man and your past actions or thoughts haunt you. Scriptures say there is no peace for the wicked. Maybe you know someone who has turned to alcohol or sleeping pills looking for peace?

Peace is the foundation of that which is good. The scriptures define peace as being well, happy, healthy, prosperous, restful, safe, whole, secure, quiet, and set at one with God. Peace brings those created in God’s image back into harmony with the Creator.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and this is the victory that has overcome the world. This is true inner peace, and this is our faith. Pray this with me today, “Thank you Jesus, for coming into my heart! Today I receive the inner peace that only You can bring into my life!”

Scriptures: 1 John 5:4 (paraphrased)