Facing A Better Year

     2009 has taken us through a myriad of issues in America and world wide. Yet, you hear the voice of optimism all around you. It may not be on the lips of every person that you run into, but you can hear it.  On the radio, on TV, in group sessions, by text, by email, in pictures, on billboards, on bumper stickers, in churches, in schools, in video, in movies, riding in the car alone, riding in the car with friends and/or family, in business meetings, in music gatherings, from the lips of a child, from the heart of a parent, from a brother to sister, from a sister to brother, from brother to brother and from sister to sister.  It's everywhere, the voice of optimism is not dead.  We face a new year with prolonged hopes, hopes carried from the previous ear, hopes generated at the beginning of the year, hopes that give us a new lease on life, a second chance, a chance to be heard, a chance to express productive passion.  Optimism, what a wonderful thing. No, not the superficial optimism that hopes but is deferred by lack of action, lack of energy, lack of confidence or belief...optimism that is full of hope, full of joy, full of genuine vision, ordinary ideas, extraordinary foresight, the simplest of concern and the most powerful which helps to change the life of a person, be they male or female, adolescent or infant.

     Incorporating the greatest of optimizers, God; creator, inventor, ruler, lover, father, leader, director, encourager, provider, comforter, engineer, designer, motivator, wisdom giver, author, finisher, faithful one, caregiver, host, ceo, cio, cfo, coo, builder, visionary, the vision, the logos, tenderhearted, lionhearted and many, many, many other wonderful names that are befitting to his glory.

     This is your year, our year, a year that will have you focused, listening, optimizing, genuinely optimizing, learning, bearing with, making changes, making new and healthy applications to your life, living life, dispelling fear and believing the best.  With all of the issues that I've faced in my life up to this point, and knowing all of the fears I've come through and all of the challenges that I've encountered, I yet speak, write and believe I have more to offer than what my present circumstances may have tried to limit me to become this year.  I pass on to you my friends, hope.  Encouragement, you're already empowered, you were when you were born, you just had to mature and learn proper application of the tools that have been given to you.  You must know that every resource that you need to excel has been placed around you in some form or fashion that adds to the quality of life, thought, reason, wholeness and direction.  Of course of our own accord we lack so much, but with God's direction and first-position placement in our lives, we have less susceptibility to be misdirected.  Even in the midst of a rebounding economy, we yet face a better year.

In The Face of Fear

We all must face fear with the lie that has been perpetrated against us at various times in our lives. It's true...I learned something over the past week: "Never Let Your Feelings Tell You How to Feel," and "Never Let Your Feelings Tell You How To Believe." Wow, this was such a profound statement, I had to share it with those of you who have taken time to read this.  And I trust this will be of encouragement to those who haven't ever read any of the Finding Heart First Blogs.
Fear is not for the lion-hearted, as a matter of fact it really isn't for YOU, period.  Did you know that fear is a learned behavior?  Who told you that you had to be afraid?  Society has portrayed the image as a norm, but this is a lie.  Not being fearful doesn't mean go out and do something unwise, rather it is a conscience awareness of knowing what opportunities and possibilities await the brave-hearted.  Sure, none of us really understand this until we grow in years, but for you my friends who may not be as wise in years as I've grown to see, this is a heads-up, a quick tip, info ahead of it's time for you before you reach the age threshold that I have passed over.  I'm still very young, but maybe I'm just an old man in a youngman's body. Nevertheless, this is a gift for me to share with you, an informational gift.  Receive it -you're very welcome.