There has to be more to life!
1.There has to be more to life than living paycheck to paycheck or encumbered by an insufficient fixed income.
2. There has to be more to life than living one's life shackled to some other human being's dreams.
3. There has to be more to life than spending one's life working hard to build someone else's business.
4. There has to be more to life than living according to someone else's plan.
5. There has to be more to life than the mediocrity dished out by a greedy corporate world who treats employees as slaves so that they can get richer and richer, while the hard workers can barely make ends meet.
6. There has to be more to life than the grim reality that is being exposed nightly on the six o' clock news.
7. There has to be more to life than finding unimpenetrable ceilings that keep us from living out the call in our hearts.
8. There has to be more to life than putting on our Christianity on Sunday mornings.
9. There has to be more to life than meets the eye.
10. There has to be to more to life than the years we spend toiling on planet Earth.
There is more to life! There is more to life when you get on board with the very creator of your soul who just happens to be the creator of all. He designed you for a great and glorious purpose! He didn't design you to be chained to the mediocre ways of the world. He designed you for purposes that HE will reveal to you when you surrender your life to HIS will and when you get on board with Him. Don't you think the time has come to let go of your grasp of the inferior and accept that which is superior and eternal?
copyright (c) Kathi Dameron November 29, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Friday, November 25, 2005
Financial Literacy 101
Right off the bat I want to set the record straight by saying I am no Suze Orman. With that disclaimer in place, it is because of some of the financial mistakes I've made along the journey that I have learned a few do's and don'ts that will hopefully help someone else.
Financial Literacy is critical. Teach it to your children!
Do's
Invest in income producing assets.
Focus on keeping liabilities and expenses down.
Add multiple streams of income generating assets to the plus side of your financial statement.
Live beneath your means.
Cut up your credit cards.
Understand that money is freedom.
Take a Christian Financial Planning seminar.
Ask questions.
Understand your credit scores.
Create a written financial plan.
Set goals and write them down.
Determine your household income.
Track your daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual expenditures.
Invest in an accountant.
Keep up with all of your outstanding obligations.
Read contracts with a fine tooth comb.
Create a realistic savings plan.
Tithe the top ten percent of your gross income.
Duplicate wealth building practices of the wealthy that have financial integrity.
Turn to God and pray over your finances.
Say no to unnecessary expenditures.
If you have a businees, hire smart people.
Become proficient at accounting and investing.
Make positive affirmations about your financial well being.
Make sure your financial house is in order before you get married.
Discuss how you will handle finances before you get married.
Thank God for everything you have and recognize that you are His chosen steward of all that He has given to you. Remembering that The Lord is the True owner of all wealth!
Don'ts
Don't stick your head in the sand when it comes to your money!
Don't sign anything without taking the time to analyze what you are agreeing to.
Don't spend more than you make.
Don't buy on credit, unless you can pay the bill in full each month.
Don't try to keep up with the Jones.
Don't find your self-worth in materialistic things.
Don't use stuff to fill the hole in your soul... it won't work!
Don't try to impress people by the stuff you own or the money you have.
Don't judge others by the possessions they own.
Don't rank people by social economic status.
Don't be greedy.
Don't use money to manipulate others.
Don't marry someone just because they have money.
Don't marry someone who has created a financial mess, until they straighten it out.
Don't marry someone who won't put their financial cards on the table.
Don't expect anyone to bail you out if you get in financial trouble.
Don't enable someone you love by continually bailing them out of their financial troubles.
Don't turn your back on someone who you could help and who is genuinely trying.
Don't ignore the whisper in your soul when God asks you to help someone.
Don't flaunt your wealth.
Don't think you are better than someone else because you drive a nicer car, live in a bigger house, wear more expensive clothes, or send your children to better schools.
copyright (c) by Kathi Dameron November 25, 2005
Financial Literacy is critical. Teach it to your children!
Do's
Invest in income producing assets.
Focus on keeping liabilities and expenses down.
Add multiple streams of income generating assets to the plus side of your financial statement.
Live beneath your means.
Cut up your credit cards.
Understand that money is freedom.
Take a Christian Financial Planning seminar.
Ask questions.
Understand your credit scores.
Create a written financial plan.
Set goals and write them down.
Determine your household income.
Track your daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual expenditures.
Invest in an accountant.
Keep up with all of your outstanding obligations.
Read contracts with a fine tooth comb.
Create a realistic savings plan.
Tithe the top ten percent of your gross income.
Duplicate wealth building practices of the wealthy that have financial integrity.
Turn to God and pray over your finances.
Say no to unnecessary expenditures.
If you have a businees, hire smart people.
Become proficient at accounting and investing.
Make positive affirmations about your financial well being.
Make sure your financial house is in order before you get married.
Discuss how you will handle finances before you get married.
Thank God for everything you have and recognize that you are His chosen steward of all that He has given to you. Remembering that The Lord is the True owner of all wealth!
Don'ts
Don't stick your head in the sand when it comes to your money!
Don't sign anything without taking the time to analyze what you are agreeing to.
Don't spend more than you make.
Don't buy on credit, unless you can pay the bill in full each month.
Don't try to keep up with the Jones.
Don't find your self-worth in materialistic things.
Don't use stuff to fill the hole in your soul... it won't work!
Don't try to impress people by the stuff you own or the money you have.
Don't judge others by the possessions they own.
Don't rank people by social economic status.
Don't be greedy.
Don't use money to manipulate others.
Don't marry someone just because they have money.
Don't marry someone who has created a financial mess, until they straighten it out.
Don't marry someone who won't put their financial cards on the table.
Don't expect anyone to bail you out if you get in financial trouble.
Don't enable someone you love by continually bailing them out of their financial troubles.
Don't turn your back on someone who you could help and who is genuinely trying.
Don't ignore the whisper in your soul when God asks you to help someone.
Don't flaunt your wealth.
Don't think you are better than someone else because you drive a nicer car, live in a bigger house, wear more expensive clothes, or send your children to better schools.
copyright (c) by Kathi Dameron November 25, 2005
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Creating A Family Legacy
The news of his death had brought thousands upon thousands of mourners to the small waterfront community that he had retired to twenty years earlier. It was a funeral, unlike anything the town people had ever seen. Brightly painted florists vans from across the state caravaned across the historic old draw bridge to the small island church to deliver arrangements large and small. Zee had left a legacy that spanned generations and continents.
Small and large groups huddled together on the expansive beach front grounds surrounding the quaint chapel at the sea. Laughter and tears united old friends and introduced new ones in a beautiful, poignant celebration of a life well lived. Snippets of amazing stories could be heard as I meandered my way through the crowds. This was a man that had been loved! This was a man who had left behind a powerful legacy and whose legacy will live on long after his body is lowered into the ground and the mourners return home.
What legacy are you creating today that you will leave behind when your time on this earth passes away? It's the important things in life that really matter. But what are those truly important things? The world masks what is important and deceives us into believing that there is significant value in the temporary and materialistic things of our 21st century world.
Think about it, the shiny new car that carried a whopping $42,000. 00 price tag when you drove it off the lot, in ten years might bring in 10 % of the original price when you get ready to trade it in for a new model. The expensive toys, gadgets, clothes, and stuff you had to have; eventually wore out, became worthless and found their final home in a landfill. While the things of this world will rust away, the things of God will live on for all eternity.
When your days pass away and you enter the Heavenly place... will you have left behind a legacy that glorifies God? Will the inheritance that you leave be one that gifts your family, friends, and all that knew you and even many who didn't, with treasures that transcend the materialistic?
There is nothing wrong with leaving your children with an abundance of worldly goods, but I am asking you to consider what eternal treasures are you bequething to the world. Perhaps it is a good time to stop and assess the legacy that you are creating. Is it a legacy with eternal value or is it a legacy that is only based on worldly value?
How does your legacy stack up? An eternal legacy:
1. Leaves others thirsty and inspires them to desire to know more about who and what influenced you.
2. Leaves others with extensive positive memories of how you quenched your thirst.
3. Points to God as the True source that quenched your thirst.
4. Points to God as the Answer to any problem of life.
5. Shows how you loved the Bible and read it daily.
6. Shows how you enthusiastically made the Bible the basis of your life, marriage, family, and career.
7. Shows how you fearlessly witnessed to your children and others about the God you loved.
8. Illustrates how you taught your children to love and depend on God and to how to establish their own personal relationship with their Creator.
9. Illustrates how you read and studied the Bible with your children and that they recognize the importance of doing the same with their children.
10. Illustrates how you prayed with your children and people who came across your path for God's Will.
In the final analysis were you successful in living a life that really mattered and did you succeed in making a positive impact on the lives you touched? Is the world a better place because you did more than just pass through? Do you expect to see your family and friends again one day and spend eternity with them?
Ok, so maybe you havn't done all these things yet. It's ok. It is never to late to get started in creating a powerful family legacy that will span generations. The guidance in how to proceed
is contained in the greatest book ever written. Won't you ask God to lead you according to His divine will and unlock some of the sacred mysteries of how you can create an extraordinary legacy with your life? Agape!
copyright (c) Kathi Dameron November 20, 2005
Small and large groups huddled together on the expansive beach front grounds surrounding the quaint chapel at the sea. Laughter and tears united old friends and introduced new ones in a beautiful, poignant celebration of a life well lived. Snippets of amazing stories could be heard as I meandered my way through the crowds. This was a man that had been loved! This was a man who had left behind a powerful legacy and whose legacy will live on long after his body is lowered into the ground and the mourners return home.
What legacy are you creating today that you will leave behind when your time on this earth passes away? It's the important things in life that really matter. But what are those truly important things? The world masks what is important and deceives us into believing that there is significant value in the temporary and materialistic things of our 21st century world.
Think about it, the shiny new car that carried a whopping $42,000. 00 price tag when you drove it off the lot, in ten years might bring in 10 % of the original price when you get ready to trade it in for a new model. The expensive toys, gadgets, clothes, and stuff you had to have; eventually wore out, became worthless and found their final home in a landfill. While the things of this world will rust away, the things of God will live on for all eternity.
When your days pass away and you enter the Heavenly place... will you have left behind a legacy that glorifies God? Will the inheritance that you leave be one that gifts your family, friends, and all that knew you and even many who didn't, with treasures that transcend the materialistic?
There is nothing wrong with leaving your children with an abundance of worldly goods, but I am asking you to consider what eternal treasures are you bequething to the world. Perhaps it is a good time to stop and assess the legacy that you are creating. Is it a legacy with eternal value or is it a legacy that is only based on worldly value?
How does your legacy stack up? An eternal legacy:
1. Leaves others thirsty and inspires them to desire to know more about who and what influenced you.
2. Leaves others with extensive positive memories of how you quenched your thirst.
3. Points to God as the True source that quenched your thirst.
4. Points to God as the Answer to any problem of life.
5. Shows how you loved the Bible and read it daily.
6. Shows how you enthusiastically made the Bible the basis of your life, marriage, family, and career.
7. Shows how you fearlessly witnessed to your children and others about the God you loved.
8. Illustrates how you taught your children to love and depend on God and to how to establish their own personal relationship with their Creator.
9. Illustrates how you read and studied the Bible with your children and that they recognize the importance of doing the same with their children.
10. Illustrates how you prayed with your children and people who came across your path for God's Will.
In the final analysis were you successful in living a life that really mattered and did you succeed in making a positive impact on the lives you touched? Is the world a better place because you did more than just pass through? Do you expect to see your family and friends again one day and spend eternity with them?
Ok, so maybe you havn't done all these things yet. It's ok. It is never to late to get started in creating a powerful family legacy that will span generations. The guidance in how to proceed
is contained in the greatest book ever written. Won't you ask God to lead you according to His divine will and unlock some of the sacred mysteries of how you can create an extraordinary legacy with your life? Agape!
copyright (c) Kathi Dameron November 20, 2005
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Exclamation Point Living !
It was a day filled with all the promise and hope of a young bright eyed graduate on commencement day. She was not graduating today though , she had done that decades earlier.
And yet in a very real sense she was graduating and embarking on a new course. She had been given an opportunity to step back and assess her life. Horrified by the picture, she decided to make some changes. In the stillness of the morning she knelt beside her bed and asked the master for a new canvas, new brushes, new paint, and new experiences. Dear Lord, help me to paint each day as you would have me paint them. Help me to splash bold exclamation points of joy and your extraordinary love wherever you send me.
What picture do you see when you step back and reflect on the painting of your life? Do you see a copy instead of a masterpiece? Do you see blurred and washed out colors instead of rich vibrant strokes? Do you see the brush strokes of someone else, strokes that don't even come close to representing the drawings of your soul?
Ten Simple Secrets To Exclamation Point Living :
1. Set aside time to pray or meditate daily.
2. Set aside time to record your dreams, desires, and aspirations in a journal.
3. Read books that encourage you to move forward confidently in the direction of your dreams.
4. Be careful with whom you share your dreams. Make sure that they are people you can trust and who will be encouragers and not bulldozers of your sacred dreams.
5. Connect with others who also are inspired to exclamation point living.
6. Identify your fears and address them head on.
7. Reach up for purposes bigger than your own
8. Tell people what you appreciate about them.
9. Realize that obstacles are simply opportunities that are there to equip you to reach a much higher goal.
10. Ask for help and remember to give thanks and credit where it is due .
copyright (c) Kathi Dameron November 19, 2005
And yet in a very real sense she was graduating and embarking on a new course. She had been given an opportunity to step back and assess her life. Horrified by the picture, she decided to make some changes. In the stillness of the morning she knelt beside her bed and asked the master for a new canvas, new brushes, new paint, and new experiences. Dear Lord, help me to paint each day as you would have me paint them. Help me to splash bold exclamation points of joy and your extraordinary love wherever you send me.
What picture do you see when you step back and reflect on the painting of your life? Do you see a copy instead of a masterpiece? Do you see blurred and washed out colors instead of rich vibrant strokes? Do you see the brush strokes of someone else, strokes that don't even come close to representing the drawings of your soul?
Ten Simple Secrets To Exclamation Point Living :
1. Set aside time to pray or meditate daily.
2. Set aside time to record your dreams, desires, and aspirations in a journal.
3. Read books that encourage you to move forward confidently in the direction of your dreams.
4. Be careful with whom you share your dreams. Make sure that they are people you can trust and who will be encouragers and not bulldozers of your sacred dreams.
5. Connect with others who also are inspired to exclamation point living.
6. Identify your fears and address them head on.
7. Reach up for purposes bigger than your own
8. Tell people what you appreciate about them.
9. Realize that obstacles are simply opportunities that are there to equip you to reach a much higher goal.
10. Ask for help and remember to give thanks and credit where it is due .
copyright (c) Kathi Dameron November 19, 2005
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Agape Cove Bookstore News
To all the wonderful friends of the Agape Cove Bookstore, the bookstore will be back up and running by Friday, November 25, 2005. The site you will see is a fully operational completely secure back up site that will be in place until the new bookstore is rolled out in 2006. I think you will enjoy the new site when it is available. I can't wait to get the new site in 2006! I heard we will have about a million different products, will be able to do international orders, and will have a suite of technological improvements that one Spread The Word leader described as STW on steroids!
If you would like to order a product before Friday please call me at 850-422-3599 and I will help you place your order directly with the customer service department of Spread The Word.
We know that lots of our Spread The Word Bookstore Owners originally came to our online stores in search of a book, but decided to buy the whole bookstore when they saw how easy it is to have their own online bookstore. If you would like to get your own bookstore before the December price increase, I would be happy to help you get started!
I' d also like to take this opportunity to invite you to learn about the exciting new opportunities that Spread The Word Ministries will be rolling out in 2006.
Right now is a great time to reserve your very own store at pre-launch prices!
http://nashville.spreadtheword.com/
Agape! Kathi Dameron
If you would like to order a product before Friday please call me at 850-422-3599 and I will help you place your order directly with the customer service department of Spread The Word.
We know that lots of our Spread The Word Bookstore Owners originally came to our online stores in search of a book, but decided to buy the whole bookstore when they saw how easy it is to have their own online bookstore. If you would like to get your own bookstore before the December price increase, I would be happy to help you get started!
I' d also like to take this opportunity to invite you to learn about the exciting new opportunities that Spread The Word Ministries will be rolling out in 2006.
Right now is a great time to reserve your very own store at pre-launch prices!
http://nashville.spreadtheword.com/
Agape! Kathi Dameron
Family Bible Time
"There is NO space between us!" declared the mother. It was an emotion packed defining moment in a great movie with a powerful lingering message.
In a day and age when so many movies offer so little value, here was one with food for thought based on something more than the satisfying of temporary hunger. Since watching that movie last week, the mother's adamant declaration to her young daughter has sent ripples echoing through my soul..."There is NO space between us!"
Is there space between you and the people that you love? What sort of space is it? Is it the kind of space that you really want? Or would you like to be closer?
Family Bible Time is an extraordinary way that your family can draw close together. It is a time to cast aside the ways of the world and focus on what really is important. We live in a world that puts a premium on things that are hindrances to family closeness. When you step back and take a look at your life, what do you see? Do you see space or do you see closeness? Do you see your family spending quality time together having fun and growing together? Or do you see everyone going off in separate directions creating more and more space?
To some it may sound too old fashioned or too impractical or too out of step with the times. However, I believe that when done in a loving, encouraging, relevant, and fun way ... Family Bible Time will become your families most cherished time together.
In this season of Thanksgiving, why not take some time to rethink your priorities? Set aside a time daily (or at least weekly) to join together with your family for a treasure hunt. The Bible is overflowing with hidden treasures for you and your family to discover together!
copyright (c) Kathi Dameron November 17, 2005
In a day and age when so many movies offer so little value, here was one with food for thought based on something more than the satisfying of temporary hunger. Since watching that movie last week, the mother's adamant declaration to her young daughter has sent ripples echoing through my soul..."There is NO space between us!"
Is there space between you and the people that you love? What sort of space is it? Is it the kind of space that you really want? Or would you like to be closer?
Family Bible Time is an extraordinary way that your family can draw close together. It is a time to cast aside the ways of the world and focus on what really is important. We live in a world that puts a premium on things that are hindrances to family closeness. When you step back and take a look at your life, what do you see? Do you see space or do you see closeness? Do you see your family spending quality time together having fun and growing together? Or do you see everyone going off in separate directions creating more and more space?
To some it may sound too old fashioned or too impractical or too out of step with the times. However, I believe that when done in a loving, encouraging, relevant, and fun way ... Family Bible Time will become your families most cherished time together.
In this season of Thanksgiving, why not take some time to rethink your priorities? Set aside a time daily (or at least weekly) to join together with your family for a treasure hunt. The Bible is overflowing with hidden treasures for you and your family to discover together!
copyright (c) Kathi Dameron November 17, 2005
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
How To Pray Scripture
Do you know how to pray? Prayer is a deep and meaningful conversation with God. It goes way beyond the superficial. It goes deep into the heart and soul of who you are and who God is.
It is a two way conversation that will empower you to begin to understand and fulfill your purpose in this life. If you are like me, you might need to work through a bunch of layers first, though. The only right way to do that is by letting the Lord be the facilitator and allowing Him to cleanse you of all the inferior clutter that got embedded inside you along the way. Power wash us Oh Lord!
The following is an activity that I do often. It is very simple, yet quite powerful. I wish I had been taught to do this much earlier in my life. It would have made a big difference! Fortunately, God doesn't waste anything and HE allows us opportunities to teach others, so that maybe someone else will be saved from making the same kind of mistakes that we did. I hope so!
In the Bible, Jesus teaches us how to pray and I encourage you to look up the scriptures that describe those teachings.
The activity that I am going to tell you about is based on whatever scripture you happen to be studying.
Step 1 : Read the scripture.
Step 2: Copy the scripture.
Step 3: Write a personal prayer for each scripture asking God to open your spiritual eyes to understanding what message He wants to teach you and then to help you manifest this wisdom in your life according to His will.
Step 4: Take it to the next level! Think about it, meditate on it, write it on you heart, and share it with others!
copyright (c) Kathi Dameron November 16, 2005
Links to Other Blogs: EvangelicalAggregator
It is a two way conversation that will empower you to begin to understand and fulfill your purpose in this life. If you are like me, you might need to work through a bunch of layers first, though. The only right way to do that is by letting the Lord be the facilitator and allowing Him to cleanse you of all the inferior clutter that got embedded inside you along the way. Power wash us Oh Lord!
The following is an activity that I do often. It is very simple, yet quite powerful. I wish I had been taught to do this much earlier in my life. It would have made a big difference! Fortunately, God doesn't waste anything and HE allows us opportunities to teach others, so that maybe someone else will be saved from making the same kind of mistakes that we did. I hope so!
In the Bible, Jesus teaches us how to pray and I encourage you to look up the scriptures that describe those teachings.
The activity that I am going to tell you about is based on whatever scripture you happen to be studying.
Step 1 : Read the scripture.
Step 2: Copy the scripture.
Step 3: Write a personal prayer for each scripture asking God to open your spiritual eyes to understanding what message He wants to teach you and then to help you manifest this wisdom in your life according to His will.
Step 4: Take it to the next level! Think about it, meditate on it, write it on you heart, and share it with others!
copyright (c) Kathi Dameron November 16, 2005
Links to Other Blogs: EvangelicalAggregator
The Secret Keys To Life
What did Joy find on the onion skinned parchment pages? No wonder her late husband, a world famous scientist had been so excited. For it was on those sacred ancient pages that Joy found real answers.
In her hands, Joy held the secret keys to life. There were fifteen of them written in a language that Joy would come to decipher. The journey was life transforming.
Joy is a fictional character in a story I started to write last January. But the message is not fictional. The message is as real as the moon and the stars that return each night. Some nights we don't see any stars, but even on those evenings when we don't see them are they still real?
To begin your own personal journey into discovering the sacred keys to life, I invite you to dig deep and start your own personal or group expedition into the Greatest Book Ever Written!
Its a love story written with all the wisdom and answers to help you to live the extraordinary life you were created to live, regardless of past hurts, regardless of all the mistakes you have ever made, and regardless of all the times you thought you knew all the answers.
Come won't you open your Bible to John 14 and ask the Holy Spirit to be your Divine Tour Guide into an extraordinary journey allowing HIM to take you to places that will open your heart and open your eyes to the truth. He has a journey for you that
will reveal things beyond your wildest imagination!
copyright (c) by Kathi Dameron November 16, 2005
In her hands, Joy held the secret keys to life. There were fifteen of them written in a language that Joy would come to decipher. The journey was life transforming.
Joy is a fictional character in a story I started to write last January. But the message is not fictional. The message is as real as the moon and the stars that return each night. Some nights we don't see any stars, but even on those evenings when we don't see them are they still real?
To begin your own personal journey into discovering the sacred keys to life, I invite you to dig deep and start your own personal or group expedition into the Greatest Book Ever Written!
Its a love story written with all the wisdom and answers to help you to live the extraordinary life you were created to live, regardless of past hurts, regardless of all the mistakes you have ever made, and regardless of all the times you thought you knew all the answers.
Come won't you open your Bible to John 14 and ask the Holy Spirit to be your Divine Tour Guide into an extraordinary journey allowing HIM to take you to places that will open your heart and open your eyes to the truth. He has a journey for you that
will reveal things beyond your wildest imagination!
copyright (c) by Kathi Dameron November 16, 2005
The War on Christmas : What do you think?
Should Christians boycott retail giants that have banned the words "Merry Christmas" from their holiday merchandising displays and advertising?
But what is "Christmas" anyway? To retailers Christmas is revered as the best sales season of the year, to school children it is a two week vacation from school and a boatload of gifts, and to the original pagans who first celebrated the holiday it had nothing to do with Jesus Christ.
What does Christmas mean to you?
But what is "Christmas" anyway? To retailers Christmas is revered as the best sales season of the year, to school children it is a two week vacation from school and a boatload of gifts, and to the original pagans who first celebrated the holiday it had nothing to do with Jesus Christ.
What does Christmas mean to you?
Monday, November 14, 2005
Question of the Day
Question:
In the last 4 years over 7000 people across America have been linked together in a unique way.
Each one of these individuals found a solution to a deep need. Some came with minds buzzing with questions about life's biggest concerns. One by one each person came and found something far beyond what they could have imagined.
Musicians and authors came looking for a way to promote their own music and books.
Avid readers came looking for lifetime savings on their book purchases.
Critics came looking for ammunition to disprove.
Pastors came looking for ways to share their sermons with the world.
Businesspeople came looking for ways to redirect their dollars back to a community with an eternal purpose.
Some came in search of a book or cd they couldn't find at their local bookstore.
Some came looking for ways to evangelize to a lost and hurting world.
Some came looking for a job.
Some came looking for a resource for their new or existing ministry.
Young parents came looking for ways to keep mom at home with young children.
Home school families came looking for home school products.
Some came looking for a retirement income.
Some came looking for a revenue engine for college expenses.
Some came looking for financial freedom.
Some came looking for a way to pay their monthly bills.
Some came looking for a home based business opportunity.
Some came looking for new friends, new experiences, and a feeling of community.
Some came looking for hope.
Some came looking for a new beginning.
Some came in search of a new career.
Some came looking for a gift.
Some came looking for a better life.
I believe they all came because they were led by something bigger than themselves. From every denomination they came, every walk of life they represent. The gossamer thread that unites them is THE KING OF KINGS, The LORD OF LORDS. God's children from across America united for a single purpose... to Spread The Word throughout the land and to put life changing resources on every corner of the Internet.
My question to you is do you have a need? Maybe this is an answer to prayer for you, your family, your ministry, or maybe somebody that you know who is looking for a way to live out the GREAT COMMISSION in their life. Being a part of this adventure has given me the opportunity to reach out in ways that I would have never imagined possible.
I would love to invite you to hear live testimonies from people whose lives have been transformed through this amazing organization.
If you would like to know more I invite you to dig deeper by visiting my website, dropping me an e-mail, or calling me at 850-422-3599.
Copyright (c) November14, 2005 by Kathi Dameron
In the last 4 years over 7000 people across America have been linked together in a unique way.
Each one of these individuals found a solution to a deep need. Some came with minds buzzing with questions about life's biggest concerns. One by one each person came and found something far beyond what they could have imagined.
Musicians and authors came looking for a way to promote their own music and books.
Avid readers came looking for lifetime savings on their book purchases.
Critics came looking for ammunition to disprove.
Pastors came looking for ways to share their sermons with the world.
Businesspeople came looking for ways to redirect their dollars back to a community with an eternal purpose.
Some came in search of a book or cd they couldn't find at their local bookstore.
Some came looking for ways to evangelize to a lost and hurting world.
Some came looking for a job.
Some came looking for a resource for their new or existing ministry.
Young parents came looking for ways to keep mom at home with young children.
Home school families came looking for home school products.
Some came looking for a retirement income.
Some came looking for a revenue engine for college expenses.
Some came looking for financial freedom.
Some came looking for a way to pay their monthly bills.
Some came looking for a home based business opportunity.
Some came looking for new friends, new experiences, and a feeling of community.
Some came looking for hope.
Some came looking for a new beginning.
Some came in search of a new career.
Some came looking for a gift.
Some came looking for a better life.
I believe they all came because they were led by something bigger than themselves. From every denomination they came, every walk of life they represent. The gossamer thread that unites them is THE KING OF KINGS, The LORD OF LORDS. God's children from across America united for a single purpose... to Spread The Word throughout the land and to put life changing resources on every corner of the Internet.
My question to you is do you have a need? Maybe this is an answer to prayer for you, your family, your ministry, or maybe somebody that you know who is looking for a way to live out the GREAT COMMISSION in their life. Being a part of this adventure has given me the opportunity to reach out in ways that I would have never imagined possible.
I would love to invite you to hear live testimonies from people whose lives have been transformed through this amazing organization.
If you would like to know more I invite you to dig deeper by visiting my website, dropping me an e-mail, or calling me at 850-422-3599.
Copyright (c) November14, 2005 by Kathi Dameron
Favorite Quotes That Resonate With Truth
I love discovering beautifully written quotes that gift the reader with a powerful jolt of wisdom.
Who penned these great golden quotable nuggets? What were their lives about? Those are the questions that inspire me to dig deeper to learn more about the writer of these divine drops of inspiration. Here you will find some quotable treasures and a little something about the writer.
"It's never too late to become what you might have been." George Elliot, a leading female writer of the Victorian era who took on a male pen name so that her writings would be taken seriously.
"Belief consists in accepting the affirmations of the soul, unbelief, in denying them."
George Elliot, Victorian female writer whose writings were infused with realism and psychological perspicacity.
"Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts; not amid joy." Felicia Hemans, Nineteenth Century Poet
"Thou art coming to a King! Large petitions with thee bring: For HIS grace and power are such, none can ever ask too much." John Newton in 1779. John Newton was the author of "Amazing Grace, How Sweet The Sound." While trying to navigate through a violent storm Newton experienced what he would later refer to as his "great deliverance. " A deliverance that would save a wretch like him.
"What may first seem like a road full of obstacles is actually a series of opportunities to help you along to your destination." Bruce Wilkinson, author of The Dream Giver, a modern day parable that will help you get started on your own daring adventure.
"The mind is like a pond. On the surface you see all the disturbances. Yet the surface is only a fraction of the pond. It is in the depth below the surface, where there is stillness that you will come to know the true essence of the pond, as well as your own mind." Nice picturesque quote from Dr. Wayne Dyer, who has written oodles of positive living books. I like some of what he says but I don't agree with him when he says this world is all there is.
"There are a couple ways to live life without opposition. If you want to live life without any criticism, do nothing and say nothing. But if you are going to accomplish anything extraordinary in this life, beware of the vision vandals." Ed Young, Author of High Definition Living : Bringing Clarity To Your Life's Mission and Founding and Senior Pastor of Fellowship Church in the heart of Dallas/Fort Worth Texas.
" We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken away from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." ~ Victor Frankl; 20th century psychiatrist, professor, scientist, existential philosopher, holocaust survivor, and author of Man's Search for Meaning. Frankl was a longtime concentration camp prisoner who was stripped to naked existence and experienced the deplorable inhumane deaths of almost every member of his family. In the midst of such suffering, comes the realization that to live is to suffer and to survive is to find meaning within that suffering.
"Paraphrasing the words of Robert Kennedy at the 1968 presidential campaign, there are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why. . . while trailblazers dream of things that never were, and ask why not?However, they are not renegades. They are people who are doing the personal work, releasing their fears, reviewing the facts, and moving forward in expressing their vision. They are willing to trust themselves in achieving their dreams and assist others in doing the same. Trailblazers are not superhuman; in fact, they make mistakes. Not only do they learn from their mistakes, but they share their lessons with others." Lucinda, a Spread The Word Ministries Internet Bookstore Owner.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that every has." ~ Margaret Mead
Who penned these great golden quotable nuggets? What were their lives about? Those are the questions that inspire me to dig deeper to learn more about the writer of these divine drops of inspiration. Here you will find some quotable treasures and a little something about the writer.
"It's never too late to become what you might have been." George Elliot, a leading female writer of the Victorian era who took on a male pen name so that her writings would be taken seriously.
"Belief consists in accepting the affirmations of the soul, unbelief, in denying them."
George Elliot, Victorian female writer whose writings were infused with realism and psychological perspicacity.
"Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts; not amid joy." Felicia Hemans, Nineteenth Century Poet
"Thou art coming to a King! Large petitions with thee bring: For HIS grace and power are such, none can ever ask too much." John Newton in 1779. John Newton was the author of "Amazing Grace, How Sweet The Sound." While trying to navigate through a violent storm Newton experienced what he would later refer to as his "great deliverance. " A deliverance that would save a wretch like him.
"What may first seem like a road full of obstacles is actually a series of opportunities to help you along to your destination." Bruce Wilkinson, author of The Dream Giver, a modern day parable that will help you get started on your own daring adventure.
"The mind is like a pond. On the surface you see all the disturbances. Yet the surface is only a fraction of the pond. It is in the depth below the surface, where there is stillness that you will come to know the true essence of the pond, as well as your own mind." Nice picturesque quote from Dr. Wayne Dyer, who has written oodles of positive living books. I like some of what he says but I don't agree with him when he says this world is all there is.
"There are a couple ways to live life without opposition. If you want to live life without any criticism, do nothing and say nothing. But if you are going to accomplish anything extraordinary in this life, beware of the vision vandals." Ed Young, Author of High Definition Living : Bringing Clarity To Your Life's Mission and Founding and Senior Pastor of Fellowship Church in the heart of Dallas/Fort Worth Texas.
" We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken away from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." ~ Victor Frankl; 20th century psychiatrist, professor, scientist, existential philosopher, holocaust survivor, and author of Man's Search for Meaning. Frankl was a longtime concentration camp prisoner who was stripped to naked existence and experienced the deplorable inhumane deaths of almost every member of his family. In the midst of such suffering, comes the realization that to live is to suffer and to survive is to find meaning within that suffering.
"Paraphrasing the words of Robert Kennedy at the 1968 presidential campaign, there are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why. . . while trailblazers dream of things that never were, and ask why not?However, they are not renegades. They are people who are doing the personal work, releasing their fears, reviewing the facts, and moving forward in expressing their vision. They are willing to trust themselves in achieving their dreams and assist others in doing the same. Trailblazers are not superhuman; in fact, they make mistakes. Not only do they learn from their mistakes, but they share their lessons with others." Lucinda, a Spread The Word Ministries Internet Bookstore Owner.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that every has." ~ Margaret Mead
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Catastrophic Weather, Global Warming, & A Call To The Right Priorities
The frequency and intensity of catastrophic environmental changes and natural disasters clearly indicates that our world is in an emergency environmental state. What is really going on with this onslaught of severe weather conditions? Ruthless tornados ripping through the mid-west, killer hurricanes that have wiped coastal communities off the map, earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, fires, extreme temperatures, the list goes on and on.
As the stewards of this planet ... we have not taken care of this incredible gift. One can only wonder the consequences of our choices. The man-made chemicals that are such a part of life today are contributing in deadly ways to the destruction of the ozone layer. What are the other contributing factors? Even the scientists don't seem to have the answers. Of course they don't have all the answers! But most likely they are right on target in recognizing that we are witnessing the symptoms of global warming? So what do we do now?
Perhaps for answers and solutions we might find a message in the simple and direct Old Testament Book of Haggai. During the time of Haggai a voice was heard, that called the people to the right priorities. It is a short couple of pages. I challenge you to draw your loved ones close together and read, discuss, and pray about this message and how it is relevant to life today.
In addition to prayer here are some other ways you can help. The Union of Concerned Scientists have provided a list of ten solutions.
Recommended Reading:
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/ten-personal-solutions.html
As the stewards of this planet ... we have not taken care of this incredible gift. One can only wonder the consequences of our choices. The man-made chemicals that are such a part of life today are contributing in deadly ways to the destruction of the ozone layer. What are the other contributing factors? Even the scientists don't seem to have the answers. Of course they don't have all the answers! But most likely they are right on target in recognizing that we are witnessing the symptoms of global warming? So what do we do now?
Perhaps for answers and solutions we might find a message in the simple and direct Old Testament Book of Haggai. During the time of Haggai a voice was heard, that called the people to the right priorities. It is a short couple of pages. I challenge you to draw your loved ones close together and read, discuss, and pray about this message and how it is relevant to life today.
In addition to prayer here are some other ways you can help. The Union of Concerned Scientists have provided a list of ten solutions.
Recommended Reading:
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/ten-personal-solutions.html
Saturday, November 12, 2005
The Passing of A Legend
Peter Drucker departed this earth yesterday, November 11, 2005 in Claremont, California. He was 95 years old. What was it that made Peter Drucker stand out? Besides being the author of several of my college textbooks, he was one of the world's highly esteemed visionary pioneers of modern business management, business economics, and business philosophy. I loved the way that he taught that management was more like conducting an orchestra than conducting a military unit.
Drucker understood the value of people and considered that the strengths and contributions they brought to the organization were more important than titles on an organizational chart.
Peter Drucker... Thank you for your contributions to this world. We will miss you and look forward to meeting you again one day when our time on this earth passes away.
Drucker understood the value of people and considered that the strengths and contributions they brought to the organization were more important than titles on an organizational chart.
Peter Drucker... Thank you for your contributions to this world. We will miss you and look forward to meeting you again one day when our time on this earth passes away.
Confidence In Something Better
Fill my heart, Oh Lord with Your Presence!
Andrew Murray who lived in the 1800's and during the first two decades of the 1900's writes in The Holiest of All, "The more the soul is filled with that glory, and worships Him (the Lord) in it, the more it will see with what confidence it can count upon Him to do a divine and supernatural work in us, and to lead us to an actual living fellowship with God as our Father. Let us turn away from earth, let us meditate and gaze and worship, until He, who is the outshining of the divine glory, shines into our very heart, and He, to whom the Father hath given such a place as Creator and Upholder and Heir of all, take that place with us too, and be to us the beginning and the centre and the end of all."
What beautiful words penned so long ago, yet filled with relevance for today's world.
Where are you placing your confidence? Has an age old rift separated your heart and led you into placing your confidence in the temporary things of this world only to later discover that the very things you have invested in are empty and meaningless? Did you work tirelessly to build a private empire, to amass great collections, or to one way or another sell your soul to the devil in exchange for something you thought you needed in order to be happy, fulfilled, or at least feel important? It is not too late to change all that. Not at all. It only requires a true desire on your part. Would you like to have that desire? The Bible promises that when we ask and we seek the door will be opened to us.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Secrets of Smart Women
Secrets ~ Something kept hidden or unexplained, shared only confidentially with a few.
Smart ~ To cause or be the cause of poignant pain. To feel or endure pain or distress.
Women ~ God's feminine creation that is uniquely endowed with the gift of birth.
From the desk of writer, Kathi Dameron comes a sneak peek into her upcoming book "The 365 Secrets of Smart Women."
1. Smart women think and speak positively.
2. Smart women believe that a great attitude is essential.
3. Smart women have high expectations and believe anything is possible when it comes to fulfilling the purpose for which they were created.
4. Smart women are conscious communicators and recognize the essence and nuance of communication.
5. Smart women are able to speak and listen from the heart.
6. Smart women are driven by their passion.
7. Smart women know how to entertain.
8. Smart women are not afraid to make direct personal appeals for support in what they are doing.
9. Smart women treat investing in their own education as a lifetime priority.
10. Smart women are not afraid to be creative and think outside the box.
11. Smart women build a deep personal relationship with their creator.
copyright (c) November 11, 2005 by Kathi Dameron
Unveiling The Mystery of A Woman's Soul
By revealing the core desires every woman shares--to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a grand adventure, and to unveil beauty--the authors invite women to recover their feminine hearts, created in the image of an intimate and passionate God.From the publisher:Every little girl has dreams of being swept up into a great adventure, of being the beautiful princess. Sadly, when women grow up, they are often swept up into a life filled merely with duty and demands. Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the pressure to be a "good servant," a nurturing caregiver, or a capable home manager.
What Wild at Heart did for men, Captivating can do for women. This groundbreaking book shows readers the glorious design of women before the fall, describes how the feminine heart can be restored, and casts a vision for the power, freedom, and beauty of a woman released to be all she was meant to be. By revealing the core desires every woman shares-to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a grand adventure, and to unveil beauty-John and Stasi Eldredge invite women to recover their feminine hearts, created in the image of an intimate and passionate God. Further, they encourage men to discover the secret of a woman's soul and to delight in the beauty and strength women were created to offer.
What Wild at Heart did for men, Captivating can do for women. This groundbreaking book shows readers the glorious design of women before the fall, describes how the feminine heart can be restored, and casts a vision for the power, freedom, and beauty of a woman released to be all she was meant to be. By revealing the core desires every woman shares-to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a grand adventure, and to unveil beauty-John and Stasi Eldredge invite women to recover their feminine hearts, created in the image of an intimate and passionate God. Further, they encourage men to discover the secret of a woman's soul and to delight in the beauty and strength women were created to offer.
Courting Disaster
Are we as a nation courting disaster by allowing landmark decisions that attempt to remove God
from our society? And on a more personal level, are we courting disaster by making personal choices that exclude our Creator? We were created for a magnificent purpose, yet the only hope we have to live out that purpose is through a deep and meaningful relationship with the very one who created us.
Truly a groundbreaking manifesto on the meaning of life was the best selling book, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
from our society? And on a more personal level, are we courting disaster by making personal choices that exclude our Creator? We were created for a magnificent purpose, yet the only hope we have to live out that purpose is through a deep and meaningful relationship with the very one who created us.
Truly a groundbreaking manifesto on the meaning of life was the best selling book, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
Darwin's Black Box
From within the highest ranks of the scientific community comes a startling new theory of creation that not only contradicts Darwinian orthodoxy but opens the door to theological arguments biologists have dismissed and ridiculed for more than a century. "Charmingly convey(s) a sense of biochemistry's hidden beauty".--"The New York Times Book Review". Line art.From the publisher:Virtually all serious scientists accept the truth of Darwin's theory of evolution. While the fight for its acceptance has been a long and difficult one, after a century of struggle among the cognoscenti the battle is over. Biologists are now confident that their remaining questions, such as how life on Earth began, or how the Cambrian explosion could have produced so many new species in such a short time, will be found to have Darwinian answers. They, like most of the rest of us, accept Darwin's theory to be true.
But should we? What would happen if we found something that radically challenged the now-accepted wisdom? In "Darwin's Black Box," Michael Behe argues that evidence of evolution's limits has been right under our noses -- but it is so small that we have only recently been able to see it. The field of biochemistry, begun when Watson and Crick discovered the double-helical shape of DNA, has unlocked the secrets of the cell. There, biochemists have unexpectedly discovered a world of Lilliputian complexity. As Belie engagingly demonstrates, using the examples of vision, bloodclotting, cellular transport, and more, the biochemical world comprises an arsenal of chemical machines, made up of finely calibrated, interdependent parts. For Darwinian evolution to be true, there must have been a series of mutations, each of which produced its own working machine, that led to the complexity we can now see. The more complex and interdependent each machine's parts are shown to be, the harder it is to envision Darwin's gradualistic paths, Behe surveys the professional science literature and shows that it is completely silent on the subject, stymied by the elegance of the foundation of life. Could it be that there is some greater force at work?
Michael Behe is not a creationist. He believes in the scientific method, and he does not look toreligious dogma for answers to these questions. But he argues persuasivelythat biochemical machines must have been designed -- either by God, or by some other higher intelligence. For decades science has been frustrated, trying to reconcile the astonishing discoveries of modern biochemistry to a nineteenth-century theory that cannot accommodate them. With the publication of "Darwin's Black Box," it is time for scientists to allow themselves to consider exciting new possibilities, and for the rest of us to watch closely.Virtually all serious scientists accept the truth of Darwin's theory of evolution. While the fight for its acceptance has been a long and difficult one, after a century of struggle among the cognoscenti the battle is over. Biologists are now confident that their remaining questions, such as how life on Earth began, or how the Cambrian explosion could have produced so many new species in such a short time, will be found to have Darwinian answers. They, like most of the rest of us, accept Darwin's theory to be true.
But should we? What would happen if we found something that radically challenged the now-accepted wisdom? In "Darwin's Black Box," Michael Behe argues that evidence of evolution's limits has been right under our noses -- but it is so small that we have only recently been able to see it. The field of biochemistry, begun when Watson and Crick discovered the double-helical shape of DNA, has unlocked the secrets of the cell. There, biochemists have unexpectedly discovered a world of Lilliputian complexity. As Belie engagingly demonstrates, using the examples of vision, bloodclotting, cellular transport, and more, the biochemical world comprises an arsenal of chemical machines, made up of finely calibrated, interdependent parts. For Darwinian evolution to be true, there must have been a series of mutations, each of which produced its own working machine, that led to the complexity we can now see. The more complex and interdependent each machine's parts are shown to be, the harder it is to envision Darwin's gradualistic paths, Behe surveys the professional science literature and shows that it is completely silent on the subject, stymied by the elegance of the foundation of life. Could it be that there is some greater force at work?
Michael Behe is not a creationist. He believes in the scientific method, and he does not look toreligious dogma for answers to these questions. But he argues persuasivelythat biochemical machines must have been designed -- either by God, or by some other higher intelligence. For decades science has been frustrated, trying to reconcile the astonishing discoveries of modern biochemistry to a nineteenth-century theory that cannot accommodate them. With the publication of "Darwin's Black Box," it is time for scientists to allow themselves to consider exciting new possibilities, and for the rest of us to watch closely.Virtually all serious scientists accept the truth of Darwin's theory of evolution. While the fight for its acceptance has been a long and difficult one, after a century of struggle among the cognoscenti the battle is over. Biologists are now confident that their remaining questions, such as how life on Earth began, or how the Cambrian explosion could have produced so many new species in such a short time, will be found to have Darwinian answers. They, like most of the rest of us, accept Darwin's theory to be true.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
The Truth About Intelligent Design
Put to the test and spreading like wildfire! Here we go again! What is so difficult to grasp about the concept of a Creator?
Laban Sauce with Carmelized Onions
More Stirrings From A Spiritual & Gourmet Chef
This morning I have this vision to marry together the spiritual and gourmet in a recipe and Bible study format. Please let me know what you think. This is new and uncharted territory for this writer ~ aka day two of this blogging adventure.
Part 1: Recipe ~ Laban Sauce with Carmelized Onions
Part 2: Bible Study ~ Recognizing Laban: Are You A Modern Day Laban?
Laban Sauce with Carmelized Onions
Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium high heat. When skillet is hot and the butter is melted stir in one freshly chopped onion and a bit of fresh minced garlic. Dust the onions and garlic with a light sprinkle of Lawry's Seasoning Salt and Cavender's Greek Salt. Allow the onion and garlic to saute until nicely carmelized. (A bit of brown sugar and a few tablespoons of Jack Daniels can be added if you like.)
Meanwhile heat plain yogurt in a small saucepan with 1 teaspoon fresh garlic.
Serving Suggestion: On a bed of fragrant steamed basmati rice add toasted almonds, grilled chicken strips, carmelized onions, and drizzle with the Laban Sauce.
You can substitute other things for the chicken if you like. A roasted vegetable medley, grilled fish, beef, lamb, or shellfish would be delightful substitutions to this dish.
Recognizing Laban: Are You A Modern Day Laban?
Have you met Laban? He's one of those characters who lived in Old Testament times. While reading about him he might remind you of someone alive today. What character traits did this Laban guy exhibit?
Assignment: Read about Laban in your Bible.
1. What book of the Bible will you find the story about Laban? _______________________
2. List scriptural references pertaining to Laban _________________________________
3. What lessons can we learn from Laban's life? __________________________________
4. Write a prayer relevant to these scriptures and the lesson.
5. Dig deeper and use search engines to find sermons and articles that teach more about this subject.
copyright (c) November 10, 2005 by Kathi Dameron
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Stirrings From a Spiritual & Gourmet Chef
Soups, Chowders, and Stews
While not as sophisticated as many of its culinary cousins, a lovingly executed soup, chowder, or stew on a cold and blustery winter day offers substantial fare that transports the soul into
lingering moments of gustatory heaven. As far as food goes there is nothing in the culinary world that can quite compare to the nourishing satisfaction created by the slow simmering synergy of a few choice humble ingredients. The depth and richness can not be denied.
Are you hungering for something that will satisfy you to the depths of your soul? Once upon a time I mistakenly believed I could find that deep and abiding satisfaction in a rich bowl of soup, chowder, stew, or some sophisticated gourmet adventure. Believe me... I tried! Tried so hard to satisfy deep and unquenchable hungers that never seemed to go away.
"Kathi..." a voice whispered to me in the stillness "you are hungering for something far deeper. No matter how much you eat, you will never satisfy your hunger. You have been self medicating yourself. But honey you've grossly misdiagnosed your condition! Your hunger is spiritual, not physical! There is only one place to satisfy your hunger. Do you want to know
how to satisfy that hunger," the voice asked.
copyright (c) November 9, 2005 by Kathi Dameron
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)