What does your eye see? The scripture says, The person that has a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for this person gives of his [or her] bread to the poor” (Proverbs 9:22).

There is a story of a Russian woman on a very small pension. One morning she looked into her refrigerator and realized she had only one frozen chicken—and nothing else. In her village dozens were hungry and without any food, so that day she made the decision to take that chicken and make a pot of soup.

You would think that she would savor every drop of that soup, but instead she took it to the streets and began feeding the hungry. So impressed were her neighbors with her act of kindness that others began supplying bread, and even vegetables from their gardens. Even more astounding was the day the mayor walked by and noticed the impact this woman was having in her village. He called his office and told the city clerk to find a facility for her to open a kitchen, and to supply her with whatever she needed!

In the midst of her poverty, this woman found a principle of true wealth. Her eye was full of abundance, and her thoughts were pointed in that direction. With one chicken she became the solution for the needy of her community!

Scripture: Proverbs 22:9 (paraphrased)   http://bit.ly/1GM2cPj

My husband, Kevin, and I founded the 100 Tent Project, and Tatiana is just one of dozens of Russian missionaries committed to helping the estimated 100,000 unreached villages of Eurasia through this unique method of connecting with these isolated communities and regions.

Tatiana and her evangelistic team travel from village to village with their 350-seat tent, bringing good news of encouragement, joy, and hope to regions overwhelmed by hopelessness.

No, Tatiana was not a public speaker, an educator, a government official, or an official voice of any sort.  She was a Babushka, a grandmother, who was gripped by what she saw—a staggering need with no apparent solution. But with God’s help, direction, and the gift of one great tool: a big, bright yellow and white tent, she brought an answer that has impacted the entire area.

Follow this link to find out more about the 100 Tent Project and learn why the project began, as well as its intended purpose and destination:  http://bit.ly/1SgDNLR.  If you’d like to get involved in these rural regions of Eurasia and invest in the 100 Tent Project, I encourage you to go to www.LeslieMcNulty.com.

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.

The phrase “Made by Edison, Installed by Barnes” was developed out of a relationship sought after by a young man named Edwin Barnes. With no money, no contacts and no natural reason to be offered a job, let alone a partnership, Barnes was so determined to meet Edison that although he had no money, he traveled on the freight train as “blind baggage.” Edison recounts how this young man showed up looking like a mere tramp. Yet in Barnes’ eyes Edison saw a certain insatiable desire to obtain his goal, so he hired him to sweep the floors. Though a long way from his sought after goal, Barnes swept those floors with intensity, unwilling to lose the chance not only to work for Edison, but to meet his influential friends.

Barnes literally thought himself into relationship with Edison. He was not willing to give up on his idea of partnership with this great inventor. His opportunity came two years later, and as is typical with opportunity, it slid in the back door disguised as defeat.  Edison had invented a new dictating machine, and not one of his current associates saw its potential. Except for Edwin Barnes. Barnes saw the potential of this machine to revolutionize the lifestyle of the business executive, and he set about developing his business plan. So thorough was his plan that Edison could not deny him the opportunity, and Barnes made millions on his first partnership deal.

His success can be attributed to these key habits that he consistently exhibited with great intensity:

• He knew what he wanted to accomplish;
• He used the power of imagination to circumvent poverty and other difficulties;
• He was willing to start at the “bottom” in order to gain know-how and exposure;
• He created and seized opportunity;
• He maintained a dogged determination to bring his goal to reality;
• He worked long hours with concentrated focus for many years to get exactly what he wanted;
• He talked relatively little and produced big;
• He was not deterred by ridicule, criticism, setback, or obstacles.

How do you build your dream team? Before considering a new team member, here are a few of the questions I ask:

• Does the person I am considering for my team believe in my ability to succeed?
• Does this potential team member respect me, the vision, and the existing team?
• Do their skills complement mine?
• Is this person emotionally responsible for their intents and their actions?
• Do they have initiative?
• Do they positively energize me and the team?
• Do we have fun together when we dream together?

I want to encourage you to get out your Live Your Dream booklet and take some time to begin working through the questions. Meditate and reflect, and you will see good things begin to happen in your life!  If you don’t have your copy yet, go to my website and download your free “LIVE YOUR DREAM” worksheets! http://bit.ly/1KOOCxR

I know from personal experience the importance of attitudes and self-regulation. As a college athlete and team captain, many times my emotions would have to take a back seat for the sake of the team and the game before us.

I remember an entire stadium with thousands of people jeering at me as I walked across basketball floor. My maiden name “Clutts” pronounced “klutz,” means the clumsy one. The fans in that city were cruel as they began to jeer at me, the KLUTZ!

But something rose up in my heart; an emotional cue—a strength and awareness that demanded that I stand erect, strong, and focused—not only for me but for the sake of my team. An awareness of who I was, along with the reality of God within me, reminded me that all things were possible and allowed me to keep my emotions in check.

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)