Samuel was ninety-two years old and blind. . .but he was mentally sharp even after his wife Sarah went home to be with the Lord.  However, Samuel didn’t feel he should live alone anymore.  His two children and their families lived miles away in different states so Samuel decided to move in a residential living facility for seniors.

On the morning of his move. . .Samuel was packed, impeccably dressed and waiting for his cab to take him to his new home.  Right on schedule the cab arrived at 8 AM.

Samuel, as was his life-long custom, arrived early and had to wait a few minutes before Jasmine, a young assistant at the facility came to take him to his new room.

Even though Samuel had to maneuver his walker down the corridor . . .he was able to maintain a brisk pace.  Jasmine began to describe Samuel’s room in detail as they walked together.  She said the room had a new couch, recliner, desk area and best of all, a big window looking out at the forest. Plus, he would be able to move freely with his cane because of how the furniture was arranged

Samuel interrupted Jasmine’s detailed description and said:  “I love it.  I love it.  I love it.”

Jasmine smiled and said “Mr. Samuel, we’re not there yet.  You haven’t seen your room.  Hold on and I’ll show it to you in a minute.  It’s down the next hall.”

10.  Your future is not in the past but is determined by what you do TODAY as seeds for tomorrow’s harvests.

  9.  When we say what we can’t do instead of what we can do…we are defeated before we start.

  8.  Don’t wait for your circumstances to change…create the changes you desire.

  7.  Today focus on the 3M’s…making, managing and multiplying God’s money.

  6.  Think about why God woke you up this morning…what He wants you to accomplish today…and then do something to make it happen. 

Here are the Top 5 Rich Thoughts Nuggets of the week.

  5.  The best way to get high blood pressure is to spend our time worrying about things we can do nothing about.  Pray instead.

  4.  The enemy will do everything possible to discourage and dishearten you from achieving what God wants to do in and through you.      

  3.  Before you go to sleep…ask God to help you turn your dreams into reality…starting tomorrow…with divine connections.

  2.  The greatest achievement of the enemy is not an active sinner but an inactive Christian unaware of the power available to them.

 # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  Never allow your circumstances to cloud your thinking; destroy your dreams or make you settle for less than His best for your life.

The Way to Change Things … a Mother’s Day Message by Bev Herring

There are really three ways to run a church.

First, the Pastor can do it all.

Second, the church can pay for everything to be done.

Third, develop people to handle all the details.

The problem with the Pastor doing it all...is that the church must rely on the capabilities and strength of one person or couple.  So the church ends up, at the best, limited, and at worst the couple gets totally burned out.

But...you can also use money.  It just takes a lot of it to finance a church budget...even a small church. 

Your reaction to adversity . . .will determine how you’re viewed.

If you’re viewed as someone who seemingly goes nuts every time something doesn’t go your way…it will be what people believe about you.

If you continually lose it.

. . .not only will others see you that way. . .but more importantly. . .you will begin to believe that’s your typical response and it will become a habit.

In a negative context. . .you become what you believe you will be. . .by how you act and react.

Conversely, if your reactions are governed by applying the fruit of the spirit. . .then you will become what the Word says you will be.

Matthew 9:27-31 in the Message Bible says:

“As Jesus left the house, he was followed by two blind men crying out, “Mercy, Son of David! Mercy on us!” When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I can do this?” They said, “Why, yes, Master!” He touched their eyes and said, “Become what you believe.”

10.  A successful man/woman is an ordinary person who steps outside their comfort zone to take a risk.

  9.  Think of one thing you can do TODAY to improve the quality of your life TOMORROW…then do it.

  8.  If you don’t act on a God idea…you will never experience what might have been.

  7.  Your future is not determined by what others do…but rather what you do.

  6.  If we want to change where we are in life…we must believe God will do what He says He will do…regardless of our circumstances.

Here are the Top 5 Rich Thoughts Nuggets of the week.

  5.  If you’re in debt…your life is not your own.  Not only that…but your money is going to make somebody else rich.

  4.  If you think nobody is thinking about you right now…you’re wrong.  “. . .the Lord is thinking about me right now.” Ps 40:17 TLB          

  3.  “My people are destroyed (bound) for a lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) Ignorance, not Satan, will destroy you…so get wisdom.

  2.  There are three kinds of wealth.  Financial wealth is what you have.  Personal wealth is who you are.  Spiritual wealth is what you do with what you’ve have.

 # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  Every word you speak is a seed.  Your words will produce a harvest…the only question is…what will you be producing?

Do you feel like you’ve been going through bad stuff?

Are you convinced that you shouldn’t have to deal with the mess you’re dealing with?

What you’re facing at the moment may stink . . . but that doesn’t necessarily change the circumstances.

Recently, I was reminded of a story that was told by former President Ronald Reagan.

The story concerns twin boys around six.  Each of the boys had developed extreme personalities that worried their parents.  One was a total optimist . . .happy, giggling all the time. . .while the other twin was a total pessimist, crying and whining about everything.

Have you ever thought about how you’d like to be recognized?

Genesis 37:19 says:

“And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.”

The dreamer cometh.  I think I like that.

The context of this scripture may have been made in a negative way…but Joseph’s dreams are what sustained him through every trial and brought victory and preservation to his brothers when they needed it the most.

10.  An unspoken prayer will always go unanswered.

  9.  If you have God…you lack nothing.  If you don’t have God…you lack everything.

  8.  In God’s economy…your success is never at someone else’s expense.

  7.  Never spend more time listening to a critic or cynic than you do listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

  6.  Believing things will change without you changing…makes as much sense as watering artificial plants.

Here are the Top 5 Rich Thoughts Nuggets of the week.

  5.  If we haven’t written down the desires of our hearts…we’re not serious about their manifestation.  Habakkuk 2:2-4

  4.  If you decide to stay as you are…then you will stay where you are in life.  Three key words…learn, change and improve.       

  3.  God’s Word overrides…overrules…overcomes fear and overflows with blessings for those who walk by faith.

  2.  Straying from God is not a result of what’s in your bank account but rather what’s in your heart.

 # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  Don’t let people you’ve known in the past…keep you away from your future.

If only. . .I could have gone to college.

If only. . .I graduated from the right college.

If only. . .I could find a job.

If only. . .I could find a better job.

If only. . .I could make more money.

Have you ever come across someone whom you haven’t seen in years and the very first thing they say to you is. . . “Wow, you’ve changed so much that I barely recognized you.”

Some people fail to recognize a change in your appearance, maybe a change in your hair color, radical new cut or even hair loss.

While some people will recognize the change in your outward appearance few may recognize the inward changes in your life.

There are also times that we may not recognize someone because of a change in their conversation, behavior, attitude and/or character.

While you may on occasion fail to recognize someone for one reason or another. . .there is one thing you will never fail to recognize.