Embracing Change 

Embracing Change 

From time to time, I will share a variety of topics related to personal growth and development. These thoughts are part of what we do at the Preacher’s Pen, but also related to our efforts at 4031 Coaching.  

Today, we will mention a few tips and strategies on “Embracing Change.” Change affects every aspect of our lives from family, work, church, etc. We are all impacted by change and how it gives us opportunity.  

Here are a few thoughts to share.  

Embracing Change 

Change is an inevitable part of life, and it can be challenging to navigate. However, with the right mindset and tools, you can learn to embrace change and use it as an opportunity for personal growth and development.  

Here are some tips and strategies to help you deal with change in a positive and productive way. 

#1 – Acceptance 

The first step in dealing with change is acceptance. As the saying goes, “The only constant in life is change.” Life is always changing, and the sooner you can accept this fact, the easier it will be to adapt to new situations. Remember, acceptance doesn’t mean giving up or being passive; it means acknowledging the reality of the situation and choosing to move forward. 

Sometimes, change is an opportunity to get out of our comfort zone and move forward. Remember, Abram and God asking him to pack up everything and move. That is one change in his life that brought great opportunity.  

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” – John F. Kennedy 

Remember, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8.28 

#2 – Don’t Get Too Comfortable 

It’s easy to become comfortable in our routines and resist change. However, change often happens when we least expect it, and it’s important to be prepared for anything that comes our way. By staying open to new experiences and being willing to step outside of our comfort zones, we can build resilience and learn to adapt to change more easily. 

Our comfort can give way to apathy. An individual may become so comfortable, they find themselves complacent and apathetic toward moving forward.  

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts 

Remember, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” – Romans 12.2 

#3 – Talk About Your Feelings Towards Change 

Change can bring up a range of emotions, and it’s important to acknowledge and express these feelings. Talk to someone you trust about how you’re feeling, whether it’s a friend, family member, or therapist. Sharing your thoughts and feelings with others can help you feel supported and understood, and it can also provide new perspectives and insights. 

As Christians, we can talk to our spiritual family. Most importantly, we should be taking to God. (Philippians 4.6) Throughout change, our communication with God should be a priority.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” – Steve Jobs

Remember, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5.7 

#4 – Try to Turn the Change in Your Favor 

Change can be challenging, but it can also present new opportunities. Try to look for the silver lining in the situation and see if there are any ways you can turn the change to your advantage. Remember, every challenge is an opportunity for growth and development. The change we are experiencing may work out to be a great opportunity that we can imagine.  

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor Frankl 

Remember, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4.13 

#5 – Keep Changes You Can Control to a Minimum 

Change can be overwhelming, especially when it happens all at once. If you have control over the changes in your life, try to introduce them gradually to give yourself time to adjust. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. 

There are times in our life where changes bring worry. Those times of worry are moments we probably want to avoid. As Christians, if we believe God is in control of our lives, then our worries should be made known to Him. Consider the words of Christ in Matthew 6.19-34) 

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Socrates 

Remember, “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” – 1 Corinthians 14.33 

#6 – Join Support Groups 

Sometimes, change can be so significant that we need the support of others who are going through similar experiences. Consider joining a support group to connect with others who understand what you’re going through. Sharing your experiences and learning from others can be incredibly helpful and healing. 

The biggest support group Christians have is their brothers and sisters in Christ. As we pray for one another, support one another, and look out for one another, we should know we are loved. The experience of like-minded brothers and sisters will help us gain much throughout life. They will be a support network we can count on.  

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller 

Remember, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” – Hebrews 10.24-25 

#7 – Trust Your Instincts 

When faced with change, it’s important to trust your instincts and listen to your inner voice. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to speak up or remove yourself from the situation. Remember, you are the expert on your own life, and you know what’s best for you. 

You might trust yourself because of your experience and ability but remember the One who designed you with your strengths and abilities. We have gained much in this life, but never forget the One who gave us those opportunities.  

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” – Benjamin Spock 

Remember, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3.5-6 

#8 – Change Can Lead to Unforeseen Opportunities 

Change can be scary, but it can also open up new doors and opportunities. By staying open to new experiences and embracing change, you may discover new passions, meet new people, and find new paths in life. Remember, every ending is a new beginning. 

“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer 

Remember, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 

Here are a Few Actionable Steps 

  • Practice acceptance by acknowledging the reality of the situation and choosing to move forward. 
  • Step outside of your comfort zone and try something new to build resilience and adaptability. 
  • Talk to someone you trust about how you’re feeling and seek support if needed. 
  • Look for the silver lining in the situation and see if there are any ways you can turn the change to your advantage. 
  • Introduce changes gradually if possible, to give yourself time to adjust. 
  • Join a support group to connect with others who are going through similar experiences. 
  • Trust your instincts and listen to your inner voice. 
  • Stay open to new experiences and opportunities that may arise from change. 

Remember, change is a natural part of life, and with the right mindset, tools, and God, you can learn to embrace it and use it as an opportunity for personal growth and development.  

Keep moving forward, and trust that everything will work out in the end. 

If you are a Christian, your change to live for Christ is powerful. Consider Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5.17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”  

Just some thoughts, 

 

 

 

 

Where Love Knows No Bounds

Where Love Knows No Bounds

Alzheimer’s has robbed Michael Joyce of his memory, so he forgot he’s married to his wife of 38 years.

Uniquely, he knows he loves her, so he asked her to marry him.  Linda agreed, thinking he would soon forget, but he didn’t.  The next morning the 68-year-old Michael asked, “When are we doing this?”  That question began the process of putting together a plan for the married couple which live together in Frankton, New Zealand, to once again wed.

Michael woke up on their wedding day and proclaimed, “Today’s the day!”

They exchanged vows at a scenic lake near their home on January 20, 2018 with friends and family gathered to support them.  The 64-year-old wife/bride wrote, “Amidst the often sad and frustrating times living with Alzheimer’s… there is joy!”* The resilience of love has a way of pleasantly surprising us.

Love is more than just a feeling, it is actions founded upon the commitment one has for another. The original language of the Bible uses different words for love. Each word has their own meaning and their own purpose.

In the marriage relationship, the commitment one has for the others is shown, not just in the word, “love” but in the actions shown. Those actions consist of honor, respect, commitment, protection and grace. Take a moment and read through Ephesians 5.21-33 and notices the actions of love between husbands and wives.

Further, notice how the love of a husband and wife is compared to Christ and the church.

Just a thought,

 

*Source: Beaumont Enterprise, 1/26/18

4+3 at 43

4+3 at 43

Last year, on this day I offered “42 Things I Learned at 42.” This year, I thought about adapting the list to consider the age of 43, but it seems necessary to make a different list for a different year.

I have not written much this year because it has been hard to write over the past three years. My thoughts seem more scattered than ever. I want to write more, but you often wonder who is reading it and how it is affecting their life.

Today I share with you a few thoughts as I think about what affects me the most each day. If you want to read them, go right ahead. I am not responsible for what chaos occurs.

Here they are…

#1 – Where Are You Going?

Often a favorite question of parents to their teenagers as they are walking out the door, but it is a relevant question at any age. While one may know where they are going physically, I would ask, “Where are you going in your life?”

The hope and dreams we have as children were probably squashed by the reality of life. We heard too much of “you can’t” and “that will never work” that we became accustomed to following the status quo. Instead of creating business and being the employer, we maintain business and become the employees.

The question, “Where are you going?” should be examined on a life-long scale. Consider three other questions:

Will your life be great at the end? Will you start to close your eyes for the last time, will you have any regrets? Many times in life we say we will want to live a life of no regrets but are you living it? As said by many people, “You cannot go back and make a new beginning, but you can start today and make a new ending.”

What are you working toward? Every day, I look forward to where I am going. When I walk into my office and say, “Echo, what is my flash briefing?” it tells me the news highlights of the morning and every time I long for a better world.  I know where I am going and sometimes I want to get there a little faster. (By the way, I am talking about Heaven. I hope you are going there too.)

Who are you taking with you? The greatness of any success is not achieving it alone, but taking someone with you. It has been said by many successful people that “it is lonely at the top.” Taking someone with you to your success not only decreases the loneliness, but it aids someone else in their goals. Who are you taking with you?

 #2 – Who Do You Love?

About 14% of people started singing the song “Who Do You Love” by Bo Diddley, 53% of people started singing the George Thorogood version, and the other 33% are googling “Who Do You Love” by Bo Diddley on their phones.

As I read the topic of love, I find it is constantly filled with fully, huggy garbage instead of what true love is and can be. True love is the other person, not about you. It is about how you act, react and respond to the other person. I believe it was Josh McDowell who said that love is “when someone’s emotions, thoughts, and actions become more important to you than your own.”

To whom do you show love? Love is not just words; anyone can speak words. Your love is shown to others in actions…your actions toward someone else. Love is more than holding hands, hugs, and gifts. Love is sleepless nights worrying about a teenager or college student. Love is doing things behind the scenes knowing no one will ever see. Love is letting someone else take the rewards of success because they need it more than you. Love is expressing hard words and actions to someone else, so they can do better than you ever have.

Love listens. Remember, love is more than words. Love is listening. It is listening to voice tone, to breathing and life. Listening is more than hearing; it is focusing on the other person no matter what you want to say.  It is holding your thoughts until you understand the other person’s point of view. Love is asking questions when you do not understand. Love is uncomfortable. It is hard to listen and not say a word, but love does. Love responds with compassion and hope for the individual. Love listens.

Love is not perfect. Before we venture any further, to my religious friends, God’s love is perfect; it is our love that needs work. Love is a lifetime or work. It is work because people change and when people change our thoughts and feelings toward them change. Love allows you to look at the person and go through the changes with them. Those changes are where love is uncomfortable. Love does change; either for the better or the worse.  While love is not perfect, that does not mean we should not strive to love more every day.

#3 – Maybe You Should Stop Caring?

A few years ago, I decided not to care anymore. I got to a point where I realized I could not make people change their minds, no matter how hard I try. As Jim Rohn said, “I told myself I would die trying, and I almost did.”

I got tired of trying to live up to other’s expectations and start living the life I was meant to live. Each of us is unique. We are different but unique means “one of a kind.” You should realize that you were created like none other and you need to be living like you were meant to live.

Seriously, What Matters? Too many people focus on what others think instead of what they need to be doing. At the end of your life, will it matter how many Facebook Likes, Instagram Follows or Snapchats you had? Not one bit. In my choice of opportunities, I have been there when people have died, and not one wished to work more, send another status or criticize more. Do you not what they want? They want their family to know they love them…that is what matters.

Build Yourself Up. Spend more time growing yourself than you think. Do not let your education stop with a degree, but let it continue with wisdom. Take your experiences and learn from them. Do not let the opportunities to build yourself up in the present sit idly by, but take advantage of them. Stop spending hours in the blackhole of Youtube videos of idiocy and watch ones which will help you become better. To build others up, you must first build yourself up.

Care for Others.  I know I said to stop caring, but do not stop caring for others. You cannot care what others think, but that does not mean to stop caring for others. There is a difference. As blessed people, we have a responsibility to care for others. We live in one of the richest nations of all-time. When we realize our blessings, it becomes necessary to bless someone else. First, care for your family. Your family is where your caring starts.

#4 – Stop Whining and Start Living

Do you know what whiny people turn into in a year? More annoying and whinier people.  Seriously, experiment with it and see if I am right.

Focus on the Excellent. Stop focusing on the good and focus on the excellent.  Average people will focus on average things. I am not sure you are meant to be average, but you are meant to be excellent. Now, not everyone will be excellent as the world pictures excellent, and that is because the world is wrong. Yes, I said it, the world is wrong. The stereotypes of the world are chaotic and wrong. We are all created to be excellent, find your excellence. I believe Martin Luther King said it best, ““If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

Spend More Time Complimenting. Spend less time whining, criticizing or what have you and more time complimenting someone. For many years, studies have shown people respond to a compliment or a suggestion than they do a negative word said with a negative attitude. Momma always said “there is good in everyone; you just have to dig deep enough to find it.” Find it and tell them about it.

Live a Mature Life. The world is full of too many Al Bundy’s. You remember Al, right? The man living in his past all the time on the non-family show “Married with Children.” He always talked about the “glory days of high school” and the “great high school football years” instead of achieving greatness in the present. There are too many people in the world living in one past success and not creating greater successes. Grow every day.

Bonus:

Can I offer another one? Laugh. Just laugh.

Final Thoughts:

I hope my short bits of wisdom help you out today. Maybe in the future, there will be a few more cycles of thought put into writing and stretched across these pages. I appreciate your time today.

Just some thoughts,

Why I Love the Church! Guest Post – Dale Jenkins

Why I Love the Church! Guest Post – Dale Jenkins

“Church.” Depending on your vantage point that very word carries a lot of weight. For some it is a word of intense pain, for others, it is pillowy soft.  the church disappointed me. The church hurt me. The church came to my side. The church supported me. The church abandoned me. The church saw me through the roughest days of my life. The church ostracized me. The church is my family.

The church of Jesus is not very popular with some today. Some politicians don’t like churches because we don’t pay taxes. Others despise the church because they were scarred by somebody in the church years ago, and they believe everybody in the church is a hypocrite.  Many believe the church is judgmental and narrow and therefore don’t like it. There are those who are a part of the church but who seem to have a love/hate relationship with it.

I have chosen to love the church and here is why:

(Note, I could give a very cleaned up “churchy” list, i.e. Because of its founder, because it is where the saved of God are)

  • I love the church because the Bible tells me to: For some of you that may be hard to swallow but I’ve tried to live my life without a guide and it just gets me in a mess. And the world’s most proven and reliable guide is the Bible. So when Peter in his epistle says “love each other deeply” I have made a decision to do that.
  • I love the church because it is where I can fail safely: Everyone – EVERY ONE who is a member of the church has admitted in the admission exam that they are sinners. Repentance from sin is a part of God’s plan. So in so doing, you are saying, I am human, I make mistakes, I fail. Sometimes churches get in the way of themselves and appear to be cleaned up too much. We are only clean in the sense that we have the continual cleaning from Jesus. I admit because sometimes church ends up looking more like a display case of trophies than a rescue site from sin that that is hard to love. But again, I have made a decision to do that.
  • I love the church because it is where I can ask questions without repercussions: There are those who think you can’t ask questions in the church. I dare you, try it. Ask away.  God invites investigation, i.e. Psalm 8:3. Now, the world seems to think this is not so, but oddly, it is the intelligencia of the world that will shoot you down. Try that. Find an atheistic scientist, professor, lecturer and question him. Suggest to her that God might be real. Ask them if there is any possibility they might be wrong. Then, get out of the way!
  • I love the church because I can have fun with the people there without feeling dirty or mean. Yes, there are rules. Guess what there are everywhere. Even places that tout there are no rules. Try it, go to Little Caesars (just the most recent place to try the “there are no rules” marketing ploy) and try to go behind the counter and start dipping in the pizza sauce with your hand multiple times and drinking, open the register and take out all the cash – there are rules everywhere. Yes, there are rules in churches but those rules are ones that lead to greater long-term health and happiness. Leonard Sweet in The Gospel According to Starbucks, suggests that you may find more genuine fellowship in your church than anywhere else. When I go home from a night out with my brothers I don’t have to wonder if I committed a crime, harmed another, lost my wit and did something that when I am sober I’ll regret. I’m not suggesting that Christians never sin together but my experience says that long-term good memory fun comes here. I love the church because I love the people in the church – the flawed but faith-filled people who are IT.
  • I love the church because it gives me instant family: Imagine you are on the road traveling in a city you don’t know well and you run out of gas. It’s late and the stations are closed. It feels like a rough side of town. Your family is in the car and it’s 11:45 at night. Your heart is racing and you see a group of 4 or 5 guys coming down the street toward you. What’s that in their hand? A gun, no, it’s a Bible! Would you feel better if you knew they had just come from a bar or a Bible study? I imagine you can answer that one quickly. I love that I can go anywhere and have instant family and friends and help if there is a local church there.
  • I love the church because it does good: Tornado, flood, earthquake, wreck, broken home or broken heart, big disaster or small collapse the church comes through. It is not the corner bar, the Muslim mosque, the local association of atheists but it is the church. Same with inner city relief organizations.  Check out most of the higher institutions of learning – they were started by people of faith. Research the history of healthcare and hospitals – they were started by believers. Who constantly visits with and conducts services for those in prison?  The church.  Who establishes crisis pregnancy centers to help women in desperation?  The church.  Who teaches the moral values that undergird ethics in business?  The church.  Who taught many of us older people, long before the Civil Rights Movement, to sing, “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.  Jesus loves the little children of the world”?  It was the church.  Who feeds the poor in your community? The church. When Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, who was there first with the most practical help?  Who sent the most money without scraping any off the top?  Who’s still there today?  The church.  Whether national disaster or local emergency you’ll see God’s Family step forward, yearning to help!

 “Thank You, Father, that Jesus loved the church with His life. Even though we stumble and have our share of black-eyes and wrinkles, He loves us anyway.  We’ve been cleansed by the washing of water through the Word.  May the church strive to be a worthy bride for the coming groom.  In Jesus’s name, Amen.”


Dale has preached for 40 years and is currently blessed to work with the Spring Meadows Church of Christ in Spring Hill, TN. He and his brother Jeff run TheJenkinsInstitute.com that provides multiple resources for ministers and churches. 

Why I Love the Church! Guest Post – Dale Jenkins

Why I Love the Church! – Guest Post by Steve Miller

I love the church because:

God planned and designed it.  The church of Christ was established in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 2:2-3; Acts 2). This church would have a distinctive founder, builder, head, body, mission, plan of salvation, membership, worship, name, doctrine, and work (Isaiah 28:16; Ephesians 2:20; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 4:4; Mark 16:15; Acts 2:38; Acts 2:47; John 4:24; Acts 11:26; Colossians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 15:58). The church of Christ is the church of the New Testament.

Christ purchased it.  Inspiration teaches, “There is one body…” (Ephesians 4:4). What is the one body? We can stay in the book of Ephesians and answer the question. “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (1:22-23). Paul is teaching exactly what Jesus Christ taught. Our Lord said He would build His church, (Matthew 16:18) which is the one body. It is built upon the one foundation, Jesus Christ (2:20; 1 Corinthians 3:1).  Jesus is head and savior of the body, the church: “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). The church is under the authority of Christ: “Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ…” (Ephesians 5:24). Jesus loves His body, the church: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church (Ephesians 5:25, 29). Christ died for the church: “…even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25).

I am a member of the body. “For we are members of his body…” (Ephesians 5:30; Acts 2:47). We are reconciled to God in the one body: “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Ephesians 2:16). We are to have unity and growth in the body (Ephesians 4:16).

The relationships within the church strengthen me.  The spiritual, emotional, physical, social, recreational, and intellectual parts of life are shared with brothers and sisters within the church on different levels.

Love (agape) serves as the example from the Godhead and is to be exhibited among the children of God in the church.  We are blessed with relationships with those who have the same spiritual goals and who serve under the same Head, Jesus Christ.

It’s mission is to fulfill the statement of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20.  We have one mission; to make known “the manifold wisdom of God” (3:10).  God desires the salvation of the world and the church is to preach the gospel to every one.

We Believe the Bible.  We believe the Bible to be the verbally, inspired, inerrant, plenary, Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We believe the Bible to be our only authority in religious matters (Colossians 3:17).

It faithfully proclaims how to be saved. The Bible teaches us that we are saved by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:5, 8-10). In order for man to get into the grace of God, he must do his part which is through faith (Ephesians 2:8). The Bible teaches that we must hear the word of God (Romans 10:17). After hearing the word of God we must develop a working faith (James 2:14-26). Then we are commanded to repent (Acts 17:30). The Scriptures then instruct us to confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Acts 8:37), and be baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Romans 6:1-4).By obeying the gospel plan of salvation we have forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, membership in the church of Christ, and are made heirs to the blessings found in Jesus Christ. This makes us a Christian only.

It is restoration minded. The Lord’s Church is not perfect on the human side and is always in need of improvement.  The church of Christ pleads for a return to New Testament Christianity. Our goal is to speak where the Bible speaks and keep silent where it is silent, calling Bible things by Bible names and doing Bible things in Bible ways. “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).


A native of Ohio, Steve has been preaching for over 27 years serving as full-time minister in congregations in Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, and South Carolina.  He is currently serving as one of the ministers for the church of Christ at Gold Hill Road in Fort Mill, SC.  After graduating James A. Garfield High School, he completed a B. S. degree in Business and Ethics at Asbury University (Wilmore, KY) and the M. A. Min., from Freed-Hardeman University.

Steve and his wife Deanna have two children and are enjoying their first grandchild, Maisy.  He enjoys books, research, writing, Church / Restoration History playing and listening to vintage Country and Bluegrass music, collecting vintage country music memorabilia and photography.