Christian Books – Donna Louis – Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff

Distractions – something that distracts : an object that directs one’s attention away from something else. – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distractions

At one time or another we will all have little annoyances or distractions that confront us. Don’t sweat the small stuff and let these things take you off course. You have a heavenly assignment in life to complete so keep moving forward. Check out my website

Distractions come in all forms, shapes, and sizes. You could be at a picnic outdoors and a fly or bee refuses to leave you alone. You could be traveling on the road and as soon as the red light turns green you have someone behind you honking their horn at you. You could be at work and a co-worker who decides not to work and is surfing the internet keeps calling you wanting you to look over at what they have on their screen. You could have a rude service person in the drive thru where you are trying to get the food you ordered. You could be on the highway driving, and you are already doing 10 miles over the speed limit, but you have someone tailing you and once there is an open space in another lane, they pass you and signal you in an inappropriate way. You could have a good friend or co-worker tell you that the things you are aspiring to accomplish in life will never happen just quit while you are ahead. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff

These are all things that you don’t sweat. Don’t let these distractions stop you from fulfilling your calling in life or having a positive mental attitude and a great day. Believe it or not these annoying distractions are sometimes disguised as test and challenges that you will need to pass in life to reach a life of thriving. Keep your eye on the goal and don’t deviate looking from left to right. For example, if your goal is to eat healthy most of the time then don’t succumb to the triple cheeseburger with large French fries’ meal. If your goal is to stay away from sweets don’t go into the bakery or the ice cream parlor. If you are looking to stop that alcohol addiction don’t drive past the liquor store just to prove you won’t be tempted. If your dream is to become a great speaker than stay away from family and friends that don’t fuel your dream in a positive way and go sign up for some sessions at Toastmasters.

Don’t allow the little irritants to get in your way. If you allow them to have the upper hand then you will not die empty. What do I mean when I say die empty? Author Wayne Cordero released a book titled “Dream Releasers” back in 2002 and he had a chapter titled Die Empty. The subtitle under that was “The Wealth of Graveyards”. He stated that graveyards are the richest places in the world because they contain all the people who never accomplished their dream whether it was because of fear which is the main killer of dreams and goals or other factors. Don’t add yourself to the population of these people. Live to die Empty. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff

Don’t allow the small irritations, distractions, and annoyance to rob you of the abundant life Jesus died to give you. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff. Check out my website

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Breathe

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. – Genesis 2:7

By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. – Psalm 33:6

Everyday that we wake up that means that God has given us the breathe of life for one more time. We have been given another 86,400 seconds if we make it through the day to breathe. When you have breath that means that God still has plans for your life because when you stop breathing and you die that means he is done with you. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Breathe

The same way that God has plans for you is the same way that Satan has plans to stop you from reaching your goals and moving into that life of abundance that Jesus died to give you. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” – John 10:10. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” – Ephesians 3:20. Check out my website

For everyday that you live God has his plan for your life and Satan has one as well. God’s plan is to take you step by step into that good life that Jesus died for you to have, and Satan’s plan is to distract you, so you never get there. If you have ever wondered why, you had a great night sleep but as soon as you wake up your mind is bombarded with negative thoughts and feelings, and you can’t shake them. That is Satan and his army trying to get you going in a downward spiral before you even get out of bed. It is very important that you fight off the negative and reach for the positive. Therefore, memorizing Bible verses are so important so when the attack comes you can retaliate immediately before Satan gets an upper hand. When thoughts tell you that you can’t accomplish your goals you fight back with, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13. When other thoughts tell you that health issue that you have that runs in your family or the addiction that you have been trying to beat you never will and you will succumb to it you retaliate back and say, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” – Isaiah 54:17. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Breathe

Time is moving swiftly, and life is short, so you need to be steadfast and strive to accomplish the assignment that God set for you when he created you. Our birth date and death date has already been determined and assigned by God, so it is important that we stay diligent and focus on our goals and assignment from God. We cannot afford distractions of any type. When they come and they will in many forms just breathe. Breathing is one of the first things they teach you in yoga. Satan has an arsenal of weapons to throw at us. On those days that is when you think this is Murphy’s Law, (if anything can go wrong it will). These are the times when your child is behaving unruly for the day, when the car gets a flat tire, when you are cooking dinner and it burns, when your dog refuses to go in the backyard and relieve himself, your husband refuses to take out the garbage, your laptop freezes, and you were in the middle of working on your proposal for work. STOP & BREATHE. These are the distractions Satan sends.

Pray, speak of God’s goodness and the gratitude you feel for all he has done in your life and BREATHE. Remember this too shall pass and to everything there is a season. Check out my website

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Celebrate The Small Wins

Celebrate – to praise (someone or something) : to say that (someone or something) is great or important, to do something special or enjoyable for an important event, occasion, holiday, etc. – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/celebrate

Win – to achieve victory in a fight, contest, game, etc., to get (something, such as a prize) by achieving victory in a fight, contest, game, etc., to get (something) by effort. – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/win

Celebrations come in all sizes. It does not have to be a huge event with lots of people. It can be a one-person celebration depending on what the celebration is all about. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Celebrate The Small Wins

We should all celebrate the small wins in life as well as the big ones. When we accomplish something, we should be proud of the fact that we reached a goal we wanted to. Remember that God is the one that works along side us to accomplish these feats, but we still should be happy and celebrate. Not all the wins we receive may be goals we were striving for sometimes we are just gifted with wins which is awesome. No matter how small the win is we should celebrate it. Check out my website

Here are some examples of small wins:

Checking in at the weight center & being told you lost 2lbs.

Cutting down from 1 pack of cigarettes a day to ½ a pack

Being upgraded from a seat in coach to first class

The doctor tells you that according to your test results your health issue is improving

You are expecting a package delivery between 8-11am and the package shows up at 8:09am

You get an entire airplane row to yourself for your flight because the plane is not full

You are alive for another day which means God is not done with you yet

You make it safely to and fro on the roadways since there are so many accidents and fatalities everyday

You have signed up for gyms in the past and never went but now you are going and using the equipment

As a business owner you have made your first sale

You are finally able to forgive someone for the hurt they have caused you, not forgetting but forgiving

You start eating more healthy meals instead of a lot of fast food

You start reading your Bible daily and not just leaving it in your home as a dust collector

You find money in a pocket in your clothes that you forgot about even if it’s only $5.00

You’re running late for work, and you hit every green light and you make it to work on time

While at the supermarket you find an item you love and when you get to the cashier you find out it is on sale and you’re saving money

There are so many small wins we all receive daily in life, and we need to celebrate those wins. It doesn’t have to be that we go shopping, splurge and eat lots of things we shouldn’t or a host of other things that start taking us in the wrong direction and negates the wins. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Celebrate The Small Wins

Celebrate the small wins in life and prayers answered because once you have those wins that will help you to believe more, strive harder, and be bolder in your prayers to God.

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Lean On

“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed”. – Geneses 2:21-25. Check out my website

And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of everything that creepeth upon the earth, there went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. – Genesis 7;6-9. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Lean On

There is something that stands out in the previous two passages. Do you knw what it is? God clearly wants us to have companionship and lean on each other. That was his reasoning for creating Eve so Adam would not be alone. That was his reason for commanding Noah to put two of every animal in the ark. God even says that in his word, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” – Matthew 18:20. Check out my website

Husbands and wives are to lean on each other. Children are to lean on their parents for wisdom and understanding until they are adults themselves. Our pets lean on us as they depend on us to care for them on a daily basis. Parents sometimes when they reach their golden years look to lean on their children for some assistance. God designed us to be a support system for each other and to lean on each other. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Lean On

Unfortunately, nowadays with all the stress, strife, chaos, and confusion in the world there are a lot of people having mental health issues especially since Covid entered our lives. There are so many clinics and places where you can go to get assistance and just to communicate with others. Communication is a major essence of life. Homeland Security launched a campaign that is titled, “If you see something say something.” In July 2010, DHS launched the campaign in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative (NSI), with the goal of training state and local law enforcement to recognize behaviors and indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime. – https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/about-campaign.

This should not apply to just terrorism; this should apply to everything especially those that are suffering with mental health issues. This is one of the reasons why the suicide rate continues to climb rapidly especially with young people. If you are having any strange thoughts or feeling say something to someone. If you are a parent, friend, co-worker, family member, church buddy, etc. and you see signs in someone that looks to be depression, or anxiety or a host of other things please don’t just look the other way. If you see something, say something. This could save many lives.

Lean On and lift up those around you and God and the angels in heaven will be rejoicing!

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Receiving

Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. – Mark 11:24

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. – Colossians 3:23-24

Are you good at receiving? If not, that is something you will need to cultivate. I don’t mean receiving on those special dates during the year. Sure, ever since we were children, we have been able to receive for our birthdays, graduation, Christmas, and growing older for dates such as Valentine’s Day, wedding anniversary, etc. I am speaking about being able to receive daily. It’s not just receiving gifts it is receiving on other levels. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Receiving

Many of us have difficulty receiving compliments. Women maybe better at this than men especially when it comes to glamour. Women receive compliments quite often about their makeup and that’s a good thing since it takes time to apply it. However, compliments come in all types. People give compliments about makeup, dress, hair, mannerism, etc. There are also characteristics compliments such as integrity, ethics, conscientiousness. People can also compliment you on your voice, your smile, how you make them want to be a better person. All of these are forms of receiving. Check out my website

When Jesus was here on earth, he gave us an extraordinary example of receiving. “And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore, said he, Ye are not all clean. So, after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” – John 13:1-17. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Receiving

So, you can see from the previous passage that Jesus had to rebuke Simon Peter and chastise him when he told Jesus you shall not wash my feet. Jesus clearly showed us in this example that we have to be willing to receive at all times and the master is not greater than the servant.

Cultivate the attitude of receiving as it will bless your life.

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Conscientiousness

Conscientious – very careful about doing what you are supposed to do: concerned with doing something correctly. Meticulous, Careful, and Scrupulous. – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conscientious

Are you a conscientious person or a person who does things haphazardly because you don’t care? These traits will tell people a lot about your character. These are things that prospective employers try to hone in on during your job interview. In your personal life as well as your professional life those surrounded around you want to see a person who is conscientious. Being careful and meticulous about what you do is a trait that will go along way with everyone. Your employer wants to see you exhibit this at work. Your spouse wants to see that you are conscientious with their feelings and your marriage. A true friend who loans you their car to use wants to be sure you will be careful while it is in your possession. Parents expect that when they drop off their children at daycare that the personnel are conscientious. People who own pets who are going on vacation and leave their pets at a boarding facility expect that while their extended family member their pet is separated from them the staff will handle and care for them in a conscientious manner. Check out my website

There is a TV show that my husband loves to watch called “Swamp People”. I am not an alligator person, so I only see it when I am in the kitchen, and he is watching it. I will say one thing if these people didn’t live in the bayou and were city people and into corporate America, they would be exceedingly rich. Not just millionaires but billionaires. Their drive, persistence, conscientiousness, never give up attitude, work ethic to fill all their tags for alligators they must catch in the one-month season is tremendous. They believe in hard work, dedication, and will endure the long hours if it takes their last breath. If you want to get ahead in life, don’t expect God to do it all for you. You have a part, and he has a part. If you do your part, he will do his! Christian Books – Donna Louis – Conscientiousness

Jesus was conscientious when he walked this earth with everyone he encountered. All the teachings he did, all the miracles he performed. Even with Lazarus when he raised him from the dead. Jesus realized that his power was bestowed upon him from his father God almighty and so he made sure he always prayed and showed reverence.

Being a conscientious person is one of the legacy’s that you want to leave in life so it can be admired, duplicated, and passed on. If you are not presently no worries just ask God to help you in that area and he will work with you. It’s never too late. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Conscientiousness

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Pain

Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. – Lance Armstrong

Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave. – Mary Tyler Moore

You can’t get around pain and opposition, but you can try to be joyful in the trial, and thank yourself for the trial, and thank God for the strength to get through it. – Mary J. Blige

We have all felt some type of pain at one time or another in our lives even infant children. Whether it is the pain of a headache, toothache, birthing a child, the death of a child, the death of a parent, the loss of a home or apartment, the loss of a job or a business, the death of a spouse, the loss of a person walking out and leaving you, not getting approved for the loan, a bankruptcy, the loss of a limb, losing out on a promotion at work, the repossession of a vehicle, a devastating medical report, the list is endless. However whatever pain we may be enduring we must remember what God said, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” – Isaiah 41:10. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Pain. Check out my website

There are a lot of buildings that are engineering marvels and for everyone of them there was great study and detail that went into the construction of them. According to where a building has been erected the engineers had to consider what havoc the elements might bring. For example, in Florida they need to consider the hurricane element and make sure the building is sturdy enough once completed.

Our heavenly father God almighty has considered all of that when he created you as to how much pain you would be able to endure. If you are still here and I’m sure you are because you are reading this then that means you have endured 100% of the pain that has come your way. While going through the challenges, tests, trials, and pain you thought you would never make it but here you are still standing. You are stronger than you think. Remember what the Bible says, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. – Ephesian 6:11-18. Check out my website

Don’t waste your pain because it is there to grow you up and develop you into the person God designed you to be when he created you. You have a bright future ahead of you. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Pain

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Count Your Blessings

Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, and you will be singing as the days go by. So amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Count Your Blessings

The above lyrics are from the favorite gospel hymn “Count Your Blessings” written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. who lived between 1856-1922. It is said that over his lifetime he wrote lyrics for over 5,000 songs. – https://amazinghymns.com/count-your-blessings. Check out my website

Do you realize you are blessed even if you don’t think so? Material and worldly things cannot go with you when you leave this earth. We need to realize that whether we receive small or what we would call insignificant blessings or enormous ones they are all blessings. I want to state this very clearly if you have the heart of a hoarder and not a giver you will never be blessed in the way that you want to. Gods word clearly states that, “For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.” – Mark 14:7. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Count Your Blessings

Do you have any of the following?

A place to lay your head and sleep

Food to eat

Any magnitude of good health

A true-blue friend that is there always

Are your parents still alive or at least one of them?

Do you have a vehicle to drive whether new or old?

Do you have family members that are there for you?

Do you have a church home where you are fed the word of God?

Do you have use of your five senses?

Do you have clean clothes to wear?

Do you have clean drinking water?

Do you have the breath of life running through you?

Well, if you have those you need to count your blessings. Anything above and beyond that is God blessing you exceeding and abundantly which is what he said in his word, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” – Ephesians 3:20. By the way we know that all of us have at least one thing from the above list which is the breath of life or else we wouldn’t be seeing or reading this. Check out my website

They say successful people make a list everyday of at least 10 things to be grateful for. Try doing that and see how God will bless your life if you learn to COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.