GATLINBURG, Tenn. (BP) — The pastors of three churches whose buildings sustained major damage in Gatlinburg, Tenn., wildfires Nov. 28 say God is at work in their congregations despite sadness and tragedy. Meanwhile, Tennessee Baptist Convention executive director Randy Davis has called for prayer amid ongoing ministry efforts by Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief workers. Click on this link to continue reading this story from Baptist Press

‘Try me, Lord, if you think there’s a way
I can try to repay all I’ve taken from you
Maybe Lord I can show someone else
What I’ve been through myself, on my way back to you’

                                                                                                   — ‘Why Me Lord’ – Kris Kristofferson —

Every single morning for the past nine months I’ve posted a motivational quote and tried to add a few of my own words simply to help people get their day off on a positive note. But, today I write for me and I’m just inviting you along. As a writer I have never been afraid or timid about baring my soul and I’ve been accused of wearing my emotions on my sleeve. Whether it’s right or wrong, I readily admit that I often write from my heart and not my head. Today, I write from the heart.

I love the song “Why Me Lord” and cannot listen to it without crying. Perhaps there are five million other people who feel the same way I do but I see myself in every single word of that song. I feel incredibly blessed and feel that I have been handed God-given talents to reach out to people. I struggle daily with ‘why’ (just like the song) — because there is certainly nothing I have done to deserve the many blessings God has given to me.

I posted the second verse to this song because this is exactly where I am at in my life today. All four of those lines literally grab my heart as I read them. As I trudge along trying to find my path, my direction, my way to repay all I’ve taken from God, please say a prayer for me. And thanks for riding along this morning!

God’s blessing to you on this day! Have a great Tuesday and a blessed day!

‘Every weakness you have is an opportunity for God to show his strength in your life.’

‘My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.’ 2 Corinthians 12:9

God’s blessings to you on this day! Have a great Saturday and a blessed day.

‘For with God all things are possible.’ – Luke 1:37

I love the fact that it does not say, many things, or nearly all things or a majority of things are possible … but it says ‘all’ things are possible with God. That one little three-letter word is the key to that verse because all means all, big and small. What a great comfort it is to know that, regardless of the situation we’re facing, with God all things are possible.

God’s blessing to you on this day! Have a great Friday and a blessed day!

‘Be grateful for small things, big things and everything in between. Count your blessings, not your problems.’

Through the years I have had a tendency to be grateful for the ‘big’ blessings in my life while completely ignoring the many small blessings that God put squarely in my path. One of the best things that has happened to me in recent years is working on developing an attitude of gratitude and being able to recognize that from the moment we open our eyes every morning our blessings are countless throughout the day.

In my case, giving thanks to God for everything in my life, even the challenges that have made me stronger, has proven to be a life-changing experience. If you really take the time to see the gifts God has provided I can promise you that your blessings — small and big and in between — will outnumber your problems 1,000-to-1.

God’s blessings to you on this day and my prayer is that we all learn to count our blessings and not our problems. Have a great Thursday and a blessed day!

‘What if you woke up today with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday?’

Perhaps the best way to know the answer to that question each day is to give thanks to God for all things. I recently read a story that pointed out that a grateful heart is one that finds the countless blessings in the seemingly mundane, everyday life.

In my morning ramblings I post a lot of quotes and write about the importance of ‘attitude.’ I have often pointed out that our attitude is the one thing we are in control of every single day. The older I get the more I am convinced that an attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life-changing we can acquire. I should point out that an attitude of gratitude does not change the scenery, it merely cleans the glass you look through daily so you can see the bright colors you’ve been missing.

In all things, give thanks! And by doing that, we will all know the answer to the question today’s quote asks!

God’s blessings to you on this day! Have a wonderful Wednesday and a blessed (and thankful) day!

‘Today be thankful and think how rich you are. Your faith is rock solid, your family is priceless, your time is gold and your health is wealth.’

And beyond those things – faith, family, time and health — what’s really left that can’t be replaced? You’re right if you answered … nothing! Of course, there will be some naysayers who point out the struggles they’ve experienced in their lives. To this group I say: ‘Be thankful for your struggles because they helped you stumble across your strength.’

God’s blessings to you on this day! Have a wonderful Tuesday and a blessed day!

‘Today give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine they see all day.’

Many times in life it’s the little, seemingly insignificant things that matter the most — things like a kind word or a smile. How many times have you gotten up in the morning and your mood changed (good or bad) because of a negative or positive comment? If you’re honest, it happens often.

I am a big believer that there is very little difference in people, however that ‘little difference’ is attitude and the big difference is whether it’s positive or negative. So, as you go through you day, smile at people, hold a door open for someone, strike up a conversation, ask somebody how their doing — in short, throw a little sunshine out there today and I guarantee it comes right back to you.

God’s blessings to you on this day! Have a great Monday and a blessed day!

‘Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the small, quiet voice at the end of a long, difficult day saying: ‘I will try again tomorrow.’

Borrowing a line from rock legend Bob Seger, it’s important in life to learn to ‘turn the page.’ We’ve all had those days — some of us many consecutive days — when you feel you gave your best and at the end of the day still feel beat up by life’s difficulties. If we don’t put each day to rest and start fresh with a renewed energy, it’s easy to start dragging one bad day to the next and then the next and the next, and soon we’re dragging a trunk full of bad days with us everywhere we go. And that’s a lot to pack around day, after day, after day.

Remember, every day is a new beginning, another chance. Every morning starts a new, bright, clean page in your life story. The beauty of this is that you are the author, you hold the pen in your hand. Leave the baggage of a bad yesterday behind and write a great story today!

God’s blessings to you on this day! Have a terrific Sunday and a blessed day!

‘Look for something positive in each day, even if some days you have to look a little harder. Let the challenge make you stronger!

I am a believer in the law of attraction, the theory that a person attracts into their life what they focus their attention toward — positive, negative, good, bad, happy or sad, etc. I try to apply this with a daily (sometimes minute-by-minute) prayer to God to help me focus on the positive in each day. While there might be naysayers to this approach, I base my thoughts on positive things I’ve witnessed in my own life.

The key words in today’s quote are: ‘even if some days you have to look a little harder.’ Because, let’s face it, some days you do have to look not just a little harder, but a lot harder. While I recognize the many blessings in my life, I also give positive thanks daily for the ability to do difficult tasks and manage a crazy life schedule, for strength, stamina, endurance and some days for the sweat dripping off the end of my nose. And just as the quote says, the experience has made me stronger. However, the greatest asset is that I believe it has drawn me closer to God and strengthened my faith. Plus, one little added bonus for an old guy who still has a little mischief left in him  … I know a positive attitude is annoying to all the ‘Chicken Littles’ I encounter who are looking for a black cloud and a reason to scream that the sky if falling.

God’s blessings to you as you look for something positive in this day! Have a super Saturday and a blessed day!