God And Finances

For so long I've struggled with my finances and wondered why. Why do some people have wealth and some people struggle just to make ends meet?

So, I figured that being poor meant that I was just that much closer to God and it was meant for me to be poor.

I realized that what I was doing was affirming a lie.


Throughout the Bible, we see that God has a lot to say about finances. God wanted to be involved with Abraham’s finances, and He wants to be involved in mine and yours.

If you want God to be involved in your finance you have to understand and follow basic principals.

Here are just a few:

• “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase: so they barns be filled with plenty, and they presses shall burst forth with new wine. “Proverbs 3:9-10

• He who gives to the poor will not want but he who hides his eyes [from their want] will have many a curse. “Proverbs 28:27 AMP

So, you have to realize that in order to have true riches the motive of your heart must be pure, to bless others and establish Gods covenant.

I realize that riches come from my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And I pray that my heart is in the right place when asking the Lord for a financial harvest.

From Gigi

Just remember:

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19

Will Smith Talks About How You Can Have What You Want In Life

This video is AWESOME!!! Get ready to be inspired. No more excuses about not being able to pursue your dreams.

Just check out This video and leave your comments.

How To Determine What You Want In Life

What do you really want in life?

Most people don't discover what they want in life until it's time to die - and that's a shame.

Most people spend the best years of their lives watching television or doing things they dislike. An author described humanity by saying, "Most people die at twenty and are buried at eighty." Are you one of the living zombies?

What do you really want in life?
Some people struggle in answering such a question. When asked what they want or what their goals in life are, many are unsure. They dillydally in their decision, hardly giving any thought about what they want in life. People without definite goals are letting time pass them by. Are you one of these people?

If you are undecided about what you want out of life, do not worry. There are many ways of discovering your purpose in life.

To discover what you want in life, try looking deep into your heart. Oftentimes, people are ruled by logic. People live by what they think they should be or by what others like them to be. The discovery process is the perfect time to listen to your heart. What your heart desires comes from the whispers of your authentic self. Your authentic self is the real you.

Listen to your heart to be able to listen to your authentic self. What your heart says usually feels right. What your heart desires is what you usually love to do and this represents your passion. Anything done with passion is like play where the task is accomplished without hesitation. You pour out your very best and feel no pressure or resistance.

You will totally enjoy doing things that are your passion. Setbacks, difficulties, and obstacles will make it more challenging, but should not deter you from pursuing your goals. Naturally, there may be barriers that may prevent you from reaching your goal, but your heart's desire will find ways to overcome these barriers so that you may ultimately get what you want in life. Remember this: the universe supports people who are pursuing their passion and those who are pursuing their destiny.

However, this does not mean that you don't use your head. People are born with both the mind and heart. Your duty is to live your best life and be in harmony with your mind and heart. The poet Rumi Wisely said, "Live completely in the head and you cannot feel the breath and rhythm of life. Live completely in the heart and you may find yourself acting like a love-struck fool with poor judgment and discipline. It's all a fine balance - the head and heart must forge a lifetime partnership if one wants to live a beautiful life."

Listen to your instinct. Part of human nature is the mysterious and spontaneous reaction on things. Often times, these are called instincts. Your authentic self communicates with you and guides you via instincts. Instincts are those gentle nudges that urge you to act and follow a certain path. Your role then is to listen attentively.

Often times, we listen to what others say and allow them to run our lives. Parents often do this to their children. "We come from a family of doctors, so my son must also be a doctor." How often do we hear this from parents who have good intentions for their children? Parents unconsciously block the true expression of their child's real self and calling. Friends and critics will discourage you and point out the impossibility of your dream. Before heeding their advice, evaluate the accomplishments of the critics. Did they achieve their dreams? Do they dream big at all?

Remember, it is your destiny that is in line, not theirs. It doesn't mean, though, that you will not listen to what other people say. Hear them out just the same. But the final decision should be yours.

There is only one thing to remember: Every person, to live truly and greatly, must define how he wants to live and what his brightest life will look like. Listen to your instincts and follow your heart's desire. You will never go wrong.

4uvyp62rfx,Who links to my website?

IS YOUR MUSIC STILL IN YOU

A Porsche With A Lawn Mower Engine:

When you don’t combine your passion with your work, it’s like putting a lawn mower engine in a Porsche. Yes, it will move along, but you’ll be in danger once you get in traffic and you’ll certainly never experience the speed, the elegant maneuverability, and all the other things Porsches are specifically design to do.

Genesis 1:26 tells us that God created man in His image. When we’re not true to ourselves, we lose the power of authenticity, imagination, and innovation with which He made us. Our lives become performance-based, setting the stage for compromise in all areas. Currently, I’m working with a high-level financial executive who, after 26years with the same company, is being “invited” to leave.

Now he’s trying to catch up with new opportunities because for more than a quarter-century, as he says, “I’ve had my head down and pencil up.” I also recently spoke with a young man who has a history of starting businesses that, in his words, “have nothing to do with my passion.” And he wonders why it’s such struggle to make those enterprises work.

Then there was a dentist who, after years of growing frustration, told me, “I just keep getting better at what I intend to get out of.” If you relate to such feelings, take a moment and do some self-inventory – as yourself a few questions about how you think:

• What things might be blocking you from finding your passion and/or integrating it into your life and work?
• Is responsible work suppose to be stifling? Do you see it as only a means to a paycheck?
• Does fulfilling God’s will always mean sacrificing your true passions?
• If you following your calling will your income drop dramatically?
• Would unleashing your “music” really cause you to suddenly become irresponsible, impractical, and unrealistic?

Now consider this: What if we have a choice? Perhaps the realities of life don’t need to pull us away from our strongest passions but, rather, can push us toward them. And what if the release of that unique “music” in you were to engage your deepest passions, utilize your strongest areas of competence, and display God’s purpose for your life?

Augustine once said, “To work is to pray.” Does this describe how you feel about your job—that it’s a prayer offering to God? The idea may seem odd if you think of prayer only as something we do on our knees. But if we recognize it as a time of being present with the Lord, then our work can engage our hearts and spirits in a way that places us in His presences.

Closed And Open Doors:

The drastic economic changes resulting in the sudden loss of jobs are causing many people to think they’ve failed. But what if such an unexpected closing door is really a necessary step toward finding your music? Without experiencing inevitable “failures”—things that go differently than planned—we rarely reach our full potential.

A world-class golfer doesn’t become great without hitting a lot of balls into the lake. Most people don’t find that “perfect job” before going through a few initial disappointments. And on a larger scale, we know through Scripture that faith rarely matures and deepens unless the believer encounters radical uncertainties and grapples with doubts and trails.

I think we need to change our definition of “failure.” In reality, it seldom means the end of hope. Rather, I believe it’s a needed and often healthy part of the process toward becoming the person we were created to be.

Several years ago, I had the privilege of talking with Dave Anderson, founder of Famous Dave’s restaurants. Having grown in poverty in Chicago and on an Ojibwe reservation, he had determined as a kid that he would find a way t become wealthy and never again has to deal with the difficulty of his childhood. Yet he found that as long as he pursued money as his objective, it remained elusive and just out of reach.

With the eventual failure of his initial goal, however, he decided to quit focusing on making money. Instead, he turned everything over to God and began to concentrate on doing exceptionally what he most enjoyed—which was, as you might guess, perfecting the art of barbeque.

The financial gains of his business came secondarily and never eclipsed his goals of maintaining excellence and inspiring people. Today, he’s accomplished much more than founding a successful franchise and creating over 20,000 jobs. Not only has he brought change to struggling communities and served in advisory positions to two U.S. presidents and three governors; he is also a visionary philanthropist who has influenced thousands of young people through the LifeSkills Center, his students leadership non-profit.

We usually dismiss our “day dreams”—even the ones that come from our inner most selves—as just random thoughts passing through our brains. Should we pay attention to those “dreams,” or just hunker down and be “realistic” and “practical,” considering the shape the economy is in? With jobs vanishing, homes being foreclosed, billions of dollars going up in smoke, and industries teetering on the brink of disaster, surely now isn’t the time to dream. Or is it?

Recently I read about fascinating inventions coming out of the slums in Nairobi, Kenya. The heading on the story said, “When you have nothing anything is possible.” Haven’t you experienced in your life how those times of trial often release your most creative ideas? Aren’t some of our best ideas born of problems? The truth is that our “day dreams” are not always frivolous; they’re often the seeds of inventive solutions that can change live—and not just our own.

Reawakening Your DNA:

This is a time for hope, not despair. Circumstances beyond one’s control might lead to losing a job and maybe even a home, but losing hope is a choice. I’m not talking about denying reality; I’m encouraging you to open your eyes to the possibilities for creating a better reality than you currently see.

If you lose hope, you won’t be looking for new solutions—and will miss them even if they pass right in front of your nose. So, focus on what you’re moving to, not what you’re moving from. Why not take the opportunity to acknowledge those talents and gifts God has given you and ask Him what He would have you do with them? Change—even when unwelcome or unexpected—often wakes up the music that has been sleeping inside us.

I’ve seen doctors move to the country to take up organic gardening, pastors find fulfilling careers as artists, and housewives emerge from the years of raising children to release their gifts in writing and counseling. What makes you enthusiastic?

The word enthusiasm actually comes from the Greek en theos, which literally means “God in us.” It’s something that comes from deep within and connects us to that which is meaningful, purposeful, and eternal.

As Frederick Buechner said, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s hunger meet.” Ask yourself, What is the world hungering for right now? How can I use my unique gifts and enthusiasm to satisfy that hunger? Don’t stop seeking until you find the answer. There may be a door you can’t see now that God is waiting to open for so go ahead: Knock.

Don’t forget to take the “Taking Inventory” excise below:

• What do I really love to do (and when I’m doing it, time just flies by)?
• What is my greatest contribution to others?
• What did I enjoy as a child but was told it was unrealistic or impractical to focus on as a career?
• If money were not important, what kind of work would I spend time doing?
• What are the recurring themes in life that I find myself drawn to?
• How do I want to be remembered?

This article was written by: Dan Miller and he was kind enough to let me share it with you. I hope you enjoyed reading it. I look forward to reading your comments.

I recommend you get his book, “No More Mondays”.

Are you ready to take action and turn your dream/passion or hobby into reality? I recommend Sitesell. I use it myself. It's a great tool. Go and check it.

WHAT’S KEEPING YOU FROM PURSUING YOUR DREAMS?

I was watching one of my favorite shows on television over the weekend called “Home Delivery.” The show is about how they lend a helping hand to people that write into the show and are faced with life struggles or someone that may have a dream and need a little help getting to the next level.

This one episode was about a 15 year old boy born paralyzed from the waist down, not only that but his mom had abandoned him because of his birth defect (now, this is not going to be some sad story). The amazing part of this story is that this kid had a BIG DREAM to become a rap singer and writer. His focus and energy was not on his problem but on perfecting his craft so that he could share his dream with the world.

He didn’t know how he was going to bring life to his dream or how he was going to get his music out to the world, he just knew he had something great, something worth sharing so he wrote to the television show “Home Delivery” and they helped him achieve is dream.

He got a chance to record his rap song at a professional recording studio and he also got a chance to sing live on a radio show in his home town, allowing hundreds of people the opportunity to hear his music.

His message was that” no matter your back ground or what hand life has dealt you, you can always achieve your dreams. Don’t every give up.”

I have a question for you, are you letting your circumstances stop you from pursuing your dreams? Don’t feel bad, we’ve all been there. Sometimes we just need a little encouragement.
I think I can help you. Go to my website Dream-Pursuit and sign up and you’ll receive information that will motivate and inspire you to take that step toward your dreams.

Ps. I like to know what your dreams/passions are (just leave a comment after the article). I look forward to hearing from you.

Wishing you great success
Gigi

How Looking At the word "Failure" in A Positive Way Can Help You Accomplish Great Success

What is failure? Most of us have the idea that failure is a something bad. Our schools tend to reinforce the idea. We study the final results of people’s lives and don’t look at their early mistakes. We look at people like Oprah and Tiger Woods and we focus on how great they are now.

We don’t look at the poems that did not work for Mia Angelo, only the masterpieces that survived. Their first efforts ended in the wastebaskets.

We get the impression that these people were somehow born with a mature talent, fully developed skills, never made mistakes, and that everything they did was perfect. I bet their waste baskets were overflowing as yours and mine are.

Every great artist, scientist and businessman made thousands of mistakes before they made the masterpieces that we study and admire today.

Thomas Edison is a great example. He tried thousands of different ways to make the light bulb work. And once when an interviewer asked him how he could continue to go on after thousands of failures, Edison replied, “I haven’t failed thousands of times. I succeeded in finding thousands of ways that the process won’t work.” That’s how we have to learn to regard failure, as attempts, that just didn’t work the first or second time.

Failure is nothing more than a successful way of finding out how a process won’t work. If you try, made a mistake, and then analyze why you made the mistake, you will have learned a great deal.

Remember, there is no shame in failing. Failing is just a necessary part of growth and development. If you have never made a mistake before, it just means you have never tried anything new. That is the biggest failure of all. So if you have a dream or a passion you like to pursue and you’re not afraid of failing go sign up at Dream-Pursuit and start moving forward with your dreams.

Don't forget to tell a friend.

Ps. Your friend Gigi

Wishing you great success.