- Memorize Scripture seriously and watch what happens.
- Give grace to yourself. If God can, you can too.
- “Many dreams die during suffering. Endure.” David Goggins.
- “Better circumstances do not necessarily make for a better life.” Scott Pauley
- Learn to thank God instead of complaining.
- Stand up straight. Confidence is free.
Category: 2023
-
Thoughts No. 3
-
Thoughts No. 2
- Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
- Listening to music is essential to a better tool belt to create music.
- If you have a need in life, ask God. It’s hard to go wrong.
- Asking God for a thankful spirit goes a long ways.
-
Thoughts No. 1
- Life is so much more basic if we talk to God about everything. Pretty sure I’m like .1% along in that journey, but I’d like to think I’m on the path.
- Forethought goes a long ways.
- “If you ever get to live the dream, be deliberate about it.”
- Prayer for confidence in what you’re supposed to be confident about goes a long ways.
-
It’s now-a-days I wonder if I’ve put too much on my plate.
Probably.
I’m learning to pray more about it all, at least I think I am.
Was I truly being led of the Spirit when I accepted projects, or even my own project idea?
I think I need to learn to just wear different hats and accept that it’s a good thing to be able to wear different hats. And when I’m not wearing a certain hat, don’t bear the weight of it. Just think of systems to place each hat in and let the system do its job. Just show up. Do the thing. Take the hat off. Move to the next thing.
Yeah.
I think that’s the solution. 🙂
-
A Plain Path
Psalm 27:11 – Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
I’ve been burning out. Slowly but surely, trying to push myself has been grinding my spirit into a sad powder, haha. The more I work the less I want to work, and it continually leaves me questioning my direction more and more. It’s left me unsatisfied, tired, and depressed. Is what I’m doing worth it? Am I just doing all this in my own strength?
The biggest reason behind my burnout is I’ve let myself spend less and less time with God. The days where I’ve given consistent time to Him puts my spirit to rest. I feel refreshed and hopeful. I know that even if I expend myself today, I will have what I need to accomplish what I need and I don’t have to worry about the next day. As I’ve lost the habit of being with Him, so leaves my peace, assurance, and joy.
Then for the first time in a long time, I spent a couple hours with God yesterday and it was such a breath of fresh air. To open up the Word with no agenda is a beautiful thing. That’s when I came across a phrase in Psalm 27:11. “Lead me in a plain path.”
- “Lead” – I’ve been wrestling with the idea of “being led.” Will God lead me places I truly don’t want to go? What if I have to let go of things I’ve built up or held dearly?
- “Me” – I mean… it’s me. Other people may have one view of me, but I have another. Is it okay to ask God to lead me? Do I have enough value?
- “Plain path” – These are the two words that got me the most. I want this. I want something obvious, and yet doable. The future, though unknown, doesn’t have to be obscure. We just have to know today, and thankfully God promises to show us His plain will today if we ask and seek.
I’m thankful His Word is always available to lead and to guide us.
My satisfaction will never come from a grinding work ethic or connections or progress per se. It come from Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus, for never letting me go. “Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.”
-
The Value of Pain
What’s the value of pain?
In fact, what’s the value of pain when you don’t even know what’s causing it?
- Pain results from nerve endings.
- When a child puts his hand close to a fire, the child would naturally withdraw his hand because the pain he felt was real. The fire sent a signal through the nerves saying, “This hurts. You don’t want to go any further. You are safer to retreat your hand.”
- Pain is just as relevant related to emotional nerve endings.
- An elderly lady once heard me express some pain that went back to my childhood, and the first thing she told me was, “You were hurt. It was genuine. You have every right to feel hurt.” Emotional health can be just as important as physical health, and understanding the relevance can be very important to how you frame your circumstances.
- Pain is what we were created to feel.
- When we hurt, it’s important that we let ourself hurt and not bury that pain, but rather listen to what it has to tell us. When you feel something, beating yourself up can only worsen what’s already going on. If a person is bleeding profusely, loathing himself instead of going to the hospital can only prolong and intensify the consequences.
- Pain caused from the unknown is still valuable.
- Just because you can’t pinpoint why you feel a certain way doesn’t negate the value of what is going on. It’s a driving force that can lead you to good conclusion even if you never understand the source of what drove you in the first place. Disillusionment doesn’t have to mean discouragement. In fact, a certain acceptance of disillusionment can lead to bravery, and thus you’ll find freedom in moving forward.
If you find yourself with a big question mark in the midst of your pain, you’re not alone. Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” And yet, if we put our faith in God, there’s a unity with him on the other side of whatever you’re going through.
- Pain results from nerve endings.
-
Where Would I Like to Be?
I’m typing this as a quick update before I go to bed, and it’s coming from a place of knowing I need to post again, as well as the need to publicly state a vision.
I’d like to get to the place where I post regularly again here. Regardless of how many people know who I am, I doubt many people will find this blog. That’s fine with me. I think for me, it’s like a public record saying, “This is who I am, and some literature that I believe defines me.”
I’d like to get to the place where I create more music and am consistent about it. I think that as long as I am moving forward, that’s good. I want to learn guitar eventually, and get better at my own vocals.
I’d like to get to the place where my podcast is a weekly thing where I can record an amazing conversation within 30 minutes, and have it minimally edited and posted within another 30 minutes. I think my podcast is an amazing outlet to gain value from the amazing people in my life and share their hearts and minds with the world.
I’d like to get to the place where I can write a book. I have a devotional in mind and there’s already a lot of content at my disposal.
I’d like to know that I was clean, organized, and professional about it all.
There’s a few things. I think I’ll post something else next weekend.
Thanks, guys.
cjmurray.blog 