Inspiration Shared By Lady Braids

Inspiration On 1/5/12

Often in life we make no time to listen. Really
listening to our partners or our children requires
us to move away from the human nature of
"what about me".

Listening and understanding other people helps
in our inner journey of self understanding. I have
found that the time spent making other peoples'
dreams spring to life has been the most rewarding
experience for my own personal growth.

Too often we get locked away in the I syndrome.
I did this, I done that, I am important,
I ... ,
I ... ,
I ... ,

We all need to feel important and loved - that is one
our strongest human passions. I find true importance
in listening and helping others. Try some today, you
will be pleasantly rewarded.

 -- © John Ahern

Inspiration On 09/06/11

Study military strategy and you will find a re-occurring theme,
divide the enemy. Separate them. Isolate them. If you've ever
watched a nature episode on the Discovery channel then you
have seen how the animals hunt and divide the weakest off
from the herd. 

Satan, our enemy, wants to do the exact same thing. Separate
us. Isolate us. Make a man feel like he is all alone. "No one
else at your church would be able to help you with this," he
whispers. "No one else is struggling like you." And the big lie
he whispers to me all the time, "No one else really cares."
Which is just a step away from saying, God doesn't care.

Even though I know they are all lies, I can't believe how
quickly I will fall for them. I have to "speak" the truth to myself. 

But there is still something else we all need. It helps us carry on
during battles. We need encouragement. Some of us may not
realize how much we need it.

At our recent Men Who Win Advance, several men took the
scary risk of sharing their weaknesses and struggles. I call it
scary because Satan whispers in our ear, "These men will
reject you if you tell them that." That might be true if we
shared our struggles with men of the world, but never true
when shared with men of God.

Immediately each man received encouragement. We laid
hands on each one and prayed for him. Those men left
feeling restored and uplifted. They felt stronger. Part of
the reason for feeling stronger, they knew they were not
alone.

The next day after it was over, one man sent me a text,
"May the Lord rock your Spirit today." At the time I did
not know who it was, but it still immediately brought
encouragement. I did not feel alone. I knew if I needed
someone to cover my back, I had it.

You might be saying, "No one ever encourages me." First,
have you let anyone know of your struggles? Have you let
another man of God see your weakness? That's really
important. We can't help each other fight the enemy if we
don't know how or where the enemy is attacking us through
you. Secondly, I would remind all of us of the Galatians 6:7
principle, "You will ALWAYS harvest what you plant." (NLT)
If you want to harvest some encouragement, then go plant
some today. I guarantee you will be surprised how many
men need to be encouraged.

 -- Jamie Futrell
     Men who Win Ministries
     http://www.menwhowin.com/

Inspiration On 07/06/11

Many of us are afflicted with what communicator Nido Qubein terms
"agenda anxiety" - the feeling that what we want to say to others is
more important than what they might want to say to us. So we don't
listen. We try to impress rather than express, not realizing that two
monologues do not make a dialogue. 

The truth is that our relationships work when communication works.
And communication works when we hear the words behind the words;
when it becomes as important for us to listen as it is for us to speak;
and, when we truly understand each other. For me, it takes more
than merely listening with my ears. I also have to listen with my heart.

My colleague and friend Roy Trueblood collaborated on the book
MANAGING FROM THE HEART. In it, the authors discuss what it
means to communicate from the heart as well as from the head.
Here are five principles of "H-E-A-R-T" communication. These are
great tips for better talking and listening in personal relationships.

H - Hear and understand me.
E - Even if you disagree, please don't make me wrong.
A - Acknowledge the greatness within me.
R - Remember to look for my loving intentions.
T - Tell me the truth with compassion.

Noted author and psychotherapist Virginia Satir said this about
communication: "Once a human being has arrived on this earth,
communication is the largest single factor determining what kinds
of relationships he makes with others and what happens to him in
the world about him." It seems important that we get it right.

I realize that the quality of my life will be largely determined by
the quality of my relationships. And my relationships will improve
when I learn to listen with my heart.

 -- Steve Goodier