Christian Books – Donna Louis – To Everything There Is A Season

To everything, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. – Ecclesiastes 3;1-8. Christian Books – Donna Louis – To Everything There Is A Season.

Well, it has finally arrived. The summer season is officially here. Family barbecues almost weekly, crowded beaches, long lines at amusement parks for rides, sailboats, powerboats, boats of all types in the water, picnics, bonfires, going to a drive-in movie theatre, take a nap in a hammock, go to live outdoor concerts, fly a kite, go on vacation, etc.

Summer is a great season and an outdoor season, but all the seasons have their highs and lows. Summer season lows can bring sunburn, dehydration, mosquito and insect issues, etc. We all also have seasons in our lives where we encounter high and lows. Farmers know a lot about seasons. Christian Books – Donna Louis – To Everything There Is A Season. Check out my website

Spring – this season normally begins in the latter part of March and ends in the latter part of June. When spring comes, and the weather warms up, farmers begin to prepare the soil for planting. Spring is the season of new life and new growth. Once the ground is thawed out from the cold of the winter, farmers often plant their crops. In April and May, the fields get planted with the seeds of crops. These crops may be ready for harvest in only a month or not until many months later. This is an exciting time for the farmer. This same principle applies to us because we come alive and feel like we have been revived. However, just like the crops, there will be highs and lows. Some things will go well and be ready for harvest and some things may need more time. That doesn’t mean we give up on our dreams and pursuits we just must persevere. Christian Books – Donna Louis – To Everything There Is A Season.

Summer – summer occurs from the end of June till the middle of September. During the summer months, there are constantly things to do around the farm. There is always plenty of weeding in the garden to do, and there is never a shortage of cutting grass. We can learn a lot from ants and how they operate in the summer months. The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer. – Proverbs 30:25. Ants never quit. When they are on the trail for food, they don’t let any obstacle stand in their way. They just don’t stand there shaking their heads in disbelief. They don’t give up on their goal. They don’t start to feel sorry for themselves and decide that success isn’t for them. They confront their obstacles and walk around it, over it, though it or under it, until they achieve their desired outcome. They think winter all summer. In life, we should be using the exact same process. Christian Books – Donna Louis – To Everything There Is A Season.

Fall – During the months of fall, usually late September to late December, farms are busy with getting things ready for the chilly winter months. It is important that it is dry out when harvesting takes place because hay and most of the crops cannot be stored while they are wet. This makes harvesting stressful for many farmers due to the constant change in weather during the fall. In our lives, the fall season is also stressful sometimes. Children are returning to school, more traffic on the roadways because the schools have re-opened. With children returning to school then all their school activities such as football, music class, ballet, etc. come back and take even more of a dent out of our daily grinds. Our employers are looking for strong closing 3rd quarter tax numbers before the 4th quarter starts. This is when we need to pace ourselves and connect closer to God to renew our strength every day. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31. Christian Books – Donna Louis – To Everything There Is A Season.

Winter – Once winter rolls around on the farm, everything settles down on the farm. Even when it’s too cold for crops to grow, farmers still have duties on the farm. Even after the combines are sparklingly clean and put away for the winter, crop farmers don’t stop farming. The winter months are a time to prepare for the coming year by budgeting for and purchasing things like seed and fertilizer. When the wintry weather comes around and there are cold rainy days and the snows have descended upon us and we revert to eastern standard time for some of us things can become a little depressing. One great pick me up is the Christmas lights on people’s homes and stores. Christian Books- Donna Louis – To Everything There Is A Season.

There are times in everyone’s life when things go wrong and not according to plan. Unfortunately, I can almost guarantee that there will be disappointments and let-downs, making certain periods of your life seem like Winter. However, statements like, “Life is always hard and disappointing”, “I can never get ahead where things go my way” and “I’m always stressed” can be extremely damaging and depressing after a while, making our low periods seem longer and sometimes actually last longer. Understand that tough times always end, things do get better and Summer is coming!

Remember life is what you make it. Sure, there will be highs and lows but try changing your thought pattern. Say things like, “I have an inbuilt optimism and know that the lean times won’t last forever. Everything and everybody prospers me.” Start to look at the glass as if it is half full and not half empty. Christian Books – Donna Louis – To Everything There Is A Season. Check out my website

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Running Hot and Cold

Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God. – Leviticus 18:4

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. – John 10:4

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. – John 8:12

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory. – Isaiah 3:8

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey. – Joshua 5:6

But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: – Deuteronomy 28:15. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Running Hot and Cold. Check out my website

There are times in life when you will be running hot and cold. If you have a fever or chills you will feel hot and cold. When you take a shower you normally combine the hot water faucet and the cold, so it is a mixed temperature, so you don’t scald your body with too much hot water and you don’t freeze your body with too much chilly water. If you’re old-fashioned and wash your own dishes or if it’s just yourself and maybe someone else in the household instead of running the dishwasher you wash the dishes yourself and use the same format as the above example and mix the water temperatures. If you go into a sauna which is meant to make you sweat and remove toxins from your body while you are in there you are hot but once you come out, you need to wrap your body with a bathrobe or else you will immediately feel cold. These are all examples of running hot and cold. However, you should not be running hot and cold in your spiritual life. When Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross for you he did not have second thoughts and run hot and cold. Christian Books – Donna Louis- Running Hot and Cold.

When life is great you are running hot. You are quick to read your bible, follow your bible, go to church, follow the golden rule, give your tithes to the church, help your neighbor, be kind to a co-worker, volunteer your time at organizations, give to charities, etc. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Running Hot and Cold.

When life is testing your faith then you are running cold. You have no intention of reading your bible because God is not answering your prayers. You don’t even know where the bible is. Going to church is the last thing on your mind. You don’t want to follow the golden rule because why should you be nice to others when you are in pain with your personal issues. I need every penny I can get my hands on so why should I tithe. There are many other people in the church who are tithing so the church doesn’t need my money. I can save my tithe money, so I can buy all my Starbucks lattes for the week which I need to keep me awake to go to this treacherous job where nobody cares and are the most ungrateful bunch of people I have ever encountered. I’m not the only person on the block so my neighbor can ask someone else to borrow their lawnmower. I work 60 or more hours per week, so I don’t have time to be kind to a co-worker or volunteer my time at different organizations. I am not donating or giving to any charities because I am a charity case myself. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Running Hot and Cold.

WOW, that was a mouthful! Let me take a breath.

God provided us all with a beautiful thing called memory and remembrance. Let’s reflect a moment, shall we?

1-Even though your credit score is not 800 God got you approved for that brand-new car when your old car the clunker that it is was on its last leg.

2-There have been three rounds of layoffs at your job within the last year, but you are still employed so you can continue to pay for that new car.

3-You don’t have healthcare, but God continues to keep you healthy and strong where you can move around on your own and you still have use of your five senses.

4-There are times when you didn’t have enough money to pay your cell phone bill or buy groceries for the week, but you do have that trusty old water bottle in your place where you could take out all the coins and change and go to the supermarket and put them in the coin star machine and then go to the customer service desk and get bills and handle what you need to.

5- What about the times when you wrote a check to pay a bill for a disconnect and you are hoping the check doesn’t clear the bank before your pay is direct deposited. You get lucky and it works for your good.

There are countless other examples that I can use but I know you all get my drift. Remember what the bible says, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” – Hebrews 13:5. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Running Hot and Cold.

God has made some very powerful promises to us and if we would just be obedient and heed his words we will be abundantly blessed. Stop Running Hot and Cold, God doesn’t. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Running Hot and Cold. Check out my website

Christian Books – Donna Louis – The Battle Is Not Yours – It’s The Lords

And he said, hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, thus saith the Lord unto you, be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you. – 2 Chronicles 20:15-17. Christian Books – Donna Louis – The Battle Is Not Yours – It’s The Lords.

Notice the words that are used in this passage: You will not need to fight. Position yourself. Stand still and see. Do not fear. There are a lot of action words here, but it’s clearly conveyed that all God’s people must do is be obedient and submissive to God and He will do the rest. Christian Books – Donna Louis – The Battle Is Not Yours – It’s The Lords. – Check out my website

In the book of Judges, Chapter 7, there was a man named Gideon, who had an army of 32,000 men and was about to wage war on the Midianites. The Midianites were the people whose hands the children of Israel were delivered for seven years by the Lord because Israel did evil in the Lord’s sight. Christian Books – Donna Louis – The Battle Is Not Yours – It’s The Lords.

When the Lord was ready to destroy the Midianties he sent an angel who appeared unto Gideon and said, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.” Christian Books – Donna Louis – The Battle Is Not Yours – It’s The Lords.

Now, as Gideon was prepared to wage war, the Lord wasn’t pleased with the company of men Gideon had. And the Lord said unto Gideon, “The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, ‘Mine own hand hath saved me.’ And so, as you read on further, you will see that Gideon cut down his company of men from 32,000 to 10,000.

God again spoke to Gideon and said that the men he had with him were still too many. Verse 4 reads: “And the Lord said unto Gideon, “The people are yet too many; bring them down to the water, and I will try them for thee there; and it shall be that of whom I say unto thee, “This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.” As you continue to read on among verses 5-8, God explained to Gideon what formula he would use to lessen his troop. As you can clearly see, God will not share his glory with any man. He cut the troop down to 300 men. Remember, back in verse 2, where God says, “Less the men say mine own hand hath saved me.” Christian Books – Donna Louis – The Battle Is Not Yours – It’s The Lords.

And so, the Lord delivered the Midianites into the hand of Gideon and his downsized army of 300 men. “And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said unto him, ‘Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.'”

God used a very unusual way to deliver the Midianites into the hand of Gideon and his army, you can read the entire story of Gideon in the Bible in Judges 6:11 – Judges 8.

We all know the classic movie by director Cecil B DeMille “The Ten Commandments” and how pharaoh’s army was destroyed in the Red Sea. “And the Lord said unto Moses, stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared, and the Egyptians fled against it, and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And the waters returned and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Thus, the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. – Exodus 14:26-30.

God is an all-powerful, almighty, awesome Lord. God is a Lord of justice and will never leave you or forsake you ever. God is a conqueror. Test your faith, what problem do you currently have that needs to be battled? Are you going through a battle with an employer, spouse, family member, friend, or even your children? You can’t change them only God can. Remember, The Battle Is Not Yours – It’s the Lords. – Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Chess and Life

To achieve our goal in life we must take the initiative we must also do the same when playing chess. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Chess and Life .

In life as well as in chess, we must decide what to retain and what to discard and ensure proper timing of our decisions. To achieve our greatest goal in life as well as in chess, certain sacrifices must be made.

Mankind seeks answers about life, death, and the existence of God as he plays chess against the devil. Both life and chess involve strategic thinking, tactical thrust, and positional play. Like the three stages of life; childhood, youth, and adulthood- Chess has three stages; opening, middle game, and end game. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Chess and Life.

In the game of chess, to begin with, there are rules, and the end is to capture the castle of the other which humans have attempted from the beginning of time.

It is widely accepted by most historians that the game of chess originated in India … chess (until then the game was mainly played by royalty and the aristocracy). Chess originated in India and India is the cradle of human intellectual achievement. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Chess and Life. – Check out my website

Like most competitive situations, chess offers a litany of positive learning experiences. Cognitive abilities, logic, strategy, etc. However, there are some elements of chess so rich in value that they should not be overlooked. The similarities to life are astounding. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Chess and Life

Accountability – Nowhere in sports nor nearly any competitive environment does there exist a situation where 100% control of the outcome is completely within your hands. In chess, the entire competition is internal. There aren’t any elements that can influence this outcome outside the realm of your own mind.

Creativity – Many chess battles are defined by electrifying moves that abruptly change the dynamics of the game. Often the most unexpected moves are the most potent. Few competitive environments promote imagination as a resource for handling seemingly inevitable defeat.

Falling Short – Learning from your past mistakes is one of your greatest assets. Assessing what doesn’t work is one of the core elements of improvement. Yet in a few other places do you get to experience the process of learning from failure as you do in chess.

Individuality – When playing the game of chess, you are forced to rely entirely on your own thought process. Competitions abound but few that take place entirely within your mind. When your mind is thinking empowering thoughts, and this leads to victory, you develop confidence in your ability to solve problems using your own mind rather than external sources.

Patience – There goes that word again – Patience. For those of us that have a Type A personality where we want things completed days ago this is not good news. However, this is precisely what is required to help you win chess games. In chess, particularly at the beginner levels when the propensity for blunders is high, avoiding your own mistakes can win you a lot of games. The difference in chess is that errors are reduced by developing patience rather than technique.

Wisdom – As you continue to persevere and never give up you will acquire wisdom in the game.

When you see a good move, look for a better one. – Emanuel Lasker

The game of chess is the most fascinating and intellectual pastime which the wisdom of antiquity has bequeathed to us. – Howard Staunton

We are formed by little scraps of wisdom. – Umberto Eco

Every day we all are to live a life of accountability like Jesus did when he was here on earth. God blessed us all with different gifts and we are to work with those gifts to produce our creativity. We are not to dwell on failure or falling short because God is continuously keeping us on the Potter’s Wheel molding and refining us daily. We are to be proud of our individuality because God created each one of us differently, so we would all bring something of greatness to this world. Patience is something that all of us will have to acquire. God will continue to work with us and test us until we have it. Think about how patient Noah had to be when he was building the ark and once the rains came and ceased after forty days until the waters abated and he and his family could come out of the ark. If nothing else can you imagine the patience he, his wife, and children had to have for the smell of the ark with all the waste from all of the animals. Remember there was no Febreze in those days! If that example does not resonate with you think about Joseph and the patience he had to have from the time he had a dream at 17 years of age that he would be the ruler of Egypt, and it didn’t manifest until 13 years later. Finally, wisdom, we are all to crave, pray, and desire wisdom. In the bible, there is an entire book dedicated to just wisdom with 31 chapters. If it wasn’t important it wouldn’t be there. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Chess and Life.

At any rate for those of you who want to try the game of chess, it is a game played between two opponents on opposite sides of a board containing 64 squares of alternating colors. Each player has 16 pieces: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns. The primary objective in chess is to checkmate your opponent’s King. When a King cannot avoid capture then it is checkmated, and the game is immediately over. The game is drawn when the player to move has no legal move and his king is not in check. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Chess and Life.

So have fun, go for it and enjoy learning the game of chess and remember chess as in life are similar. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Chess and Life. Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Never Give Up

Stick-to-itiveness, Perseverance, Tenacity. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For the Modern Day – Never Give Up.

Jim Carrey – Oprah Winfrey – Henry Ford – Colonel Sanders – Thomas Edison – Walt Disney – Stephen King – J. K. Rowling – Steven Spielberg – Sir Isaac Newton – Vera Wang – Sidney Poitier – Albert Einstein – Fred Astaire – Theodor Seuss Geisel – Lucille Ball – Winston Churchill – Lady Gaga – Harrison Ford – Jay Z. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern day – Never Give Up. Check out my website

What do all these people have in common? They Never Gave Up! There are countless others who fall into this category, but I chose these to give a mixture of persons where anybody who reads this can relate. Whether you enjoy music, entrepreneurs, movies, books, food, automobiles, etc. You can be a person into music who relates to Lady Gaga or Jay Z or you can enjoy movies and relate to Sidney Poitier or Lucille Ball, Steven Spielberg, Jim Carrey, or Harrison Ford. You might be an avid book person who can relate to Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, Dr. Seuss. You could be in love with fashion and so you relate to Vera Wang. You may crave to be on TV and want to interview people and so then you relate to Oprah Winfrey even though her talents surpass that. You may have a creative inventive mind and with that in mind, you gravitate to people like Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein. You may aspire to be in politics and tell it like it is, so you would relate to Winston Churchill. Finally, you may just love to eat and so you relate to Colonel Sanders. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs for The Modern Day – Never Give Up

If God has not given up on us, you don’t have the right to give up on yourself. You must keep pressing forward because you never know how close you are to your breakthrough because miracles happen every day. You are closer to your victory when you face the greatest opposition. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Never Give Up. Check out my website

Jim Carrey = was raised in a low-income family. He dropped out of school at age 15 to get a job to help support the family. He auditioned for Saturday Night Live for the 1980-81 season, he failed to land the part. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Carrey talks about how he used the Law of Attraction by writing himself a check for $10,000,000 million dollars for “Acting Services Rendered,” later placing the check in his wallet for 7 years until he received a $10,000,000 million-dollar payment for his work in Dumb and Dumber.

Oprah Winfrey = As we have all heard Oprah say her living conditions were rough, and she was sexually abused starting at the age of 9 by family members and a family friend. She did intern work at a radio station while in college. She was fired by the producer from a local television station because she was deemed “unfit for television.” However, she persevered and ultimately received her own show The Oprah Winfrey Show, which was syndicated across the country. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Never Give Up.

Henry Ford = He had several failures, but he did not let them deter him. In 1899, at the age of 36 years old, Ford formed his first company, the Detroit Automobile Company, that company went bankrupt. His second attempt was in 1901 when he formed the Henry Ford Company, which he ended up leaving with the rights to his name. That company was later renamed to the Cadillac Automobile Company. However, it was Ford’s third try, with the Ford Motor Company, that success bloomed. Check out my website

Colonel Sanders = he worked many jobs including fireman, tire salesman, insurance salesman, and of course, a cook. In 1952 he hit the road and began trying to sell his franchise-model chicken restaurant. He traveled across the U.S. looking for someone to sell his fried chicken, and after finally getting a business deal in Utah, Kentucky Fried Chicken was born. KFC is now one of the most recognizable franchises in the world. The company grew and expanded faster than he could have ever imagined. In 1964, at the age of 74 years old, Sanders sold the company for $2 million dollars to a group of investors. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Never Give Up.

Thomas Edison = We’ve all heard the name before. This famous American is attributed to failing over 10,000 times to invent a commercially viable electric light bulb, but he didn’t give up. When asked by a newspaper reporter if he felt like a failure and if he should give up, after having gone through over 9,000 failed attempts, Edison simply stated “Why would I feel like a failure? And why would I ever give up? I now know over 9,000 ways an electric light bulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp.” Edison went on to hold more than 1,000 patents and invented some world-changing devices, like the phonograph, practical electrical lamp, and the movie camera.

Walt Disney = The man who has affected generations to come with his cartoon creations was once considered a failure. Disney was fired by the editor in 1919 from his job at the Kansas City Star paper because he “lacked imagination and had no clever ideas.” However, the man who brought us Mickey Mouse and a slew of other characters didn’t stop failing there. Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star because his editor felt he “lacked imagination and had no clever ideas.” Several more of his businesses failed before the premiere of his movie “Snow White.” He went onto become the guy who redefined American childhood. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs for The Modern Day – Never Give Up.

Stephen King = Stephen King grew so frustrated over his attempt to write the novel “Carrie” that he threw away the entire early draft. King’s wife Tabitha found the manuscript in the trash and took it out. “Carrie” became a hit and launched his career. Stephen King an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy has become a tremendous success. Check out my website

J.K. Rowling = Rowling is one of the most inspirational success stories of our time. Many people simply know her as the woman who created Harry Potter. But, what most people don’t know is what she went through prior to reaching stardom. Rowling saw herself as a failure at this time. She was jobless, divorced, penniless, and with a dependent child. She suffered through bouts of depression, eventually signing up for government-assisted welfare. J.K. Rowling was a single mom living off welfare when she began writing the first “Harry Potter” novel. Rowling is now internationally renowned for her Harry Potter series and, in US currency, became the first billionaire author.

Steven Spielberg = Steven Spielberg was rejected by the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts multiple times. He went on to create the first summer blockbuster with “Jaws” in 1975 and has garnered much success since then.

Sir Isaac Newton = Sir Isaac Newton left school to run the family farm and when it became evident he could not handle that Newton went back to school to finish his basic education and was eventually enrolled in Cambridge University. Newton went on to become one of the greatest scientists of all time, revolutionizing physics and mathematics.

Vera Wang = Vera Wang failed to make the 1968 US Olympic figure-skating team. Then she became an editor at Vogue but was passed over for the editor-in-chief position. She began designing wedding gowns at age 40 and today is one of the premier designers in the fashion industry, with a business worth over $ 630 million.

Sidney Poitier = When Sidney Poitier first auditioned for the American Negro Theatre, he flubbed his lines and spoke in a heavy Caribbean accent, which made the director angrily tell him to stop wasting his time and go get a job as a dishwasher. Poitier worked on his craft and eventually became a hugely successful Hollywood star. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor (“Lillies of the Field,” 1963) and helped break down the color barrier in the American film industry. Poitier was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974. From 1997 to 2007, he served as the Bahamian Ambassador to Japan. On August 12, 2009, Poitier was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States‘ highest civilian honor, by ex President Barack Obama. In 2016, he was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for outstanding lifetime achievement in film.

Albert Einstein = Even with Einstein’s communication and behavioral problems they were not indicative of a lack of intelligence. He went on to win the Nobel prize in physics for the discovery of the photoelectric effect, and his special theory of relativity theory corrected the deficiencies of Newtonian physics. He is known for who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics (alongside quantum mechanics). His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science.

Fred Astaire = In one of Fred Astaire’s first screen tests, an executive wrote: “Can’t sing. Can’t act. Slightly balding. Can dance a little.” He is widely regarded as one of the most influential dancers in the history of film and television musicals. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Never Give Up.

Theodor Seuss Geisel = Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, had his first book rejected by 27 different publishers. Dr. Seuss became a legendary children’s author known around the world for classics like “The Cat in the Hat” and “Green Eggs and Ham.” His books have sold over 600 million copies and have been translated into more than 20 languages by the time of his death.

Lucille Ball = Lucille Ball appeared in so many second-tier films at the start of her career that she became known as “The Queen of B Movies.” She finally achieved success with the show “I Love Lucy”. In 1962, Ball became the first woman to run a major television studio, Desilu Productions, which produced several popular television series, including Mission: Impossible and Star Trek.

Winston Churchill = Due to many disagreements with his political party between the years of 1929-1939 he was alienated. At the outbreak of World War II on Sep. 3, 1939, Churchill was appointed to the British Admiralty, thus ending his “exile.” The next year, he was elected prime minister at the age of 62. Churchill’s quote showed his perseverance. “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day- Never Give Up.

Lady Gaga = Lady Gaga got dropped by her record label, Island Def Jam, after 3 months. Lady Gaga, born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, is an American songwriter, singer, actress, philanthropist, dancer, and fashion designer. She now has a net worth of over $275 million dollars.

Harrison Ford = After Harrison Ford’s first small movie role, an executive took him into his office and told him he’d never succeed in the movie business. Ford’s career went on to span six decades and has included timeless starring roles in blockbuster films like the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” series. Ford’s worldwide box office grosses surpass $6 billion, making Ford the second highest-grossing U.S. domestic box-office star. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs for the Modern Day – Never Give Up.

Jay Z = In 1995 when Jay-Z tried tirelessly to strike a record deal, not a single label would sign him. It led him to establish his own record company called Roc-a-fella Records with partners Damon Dash and Kareem Biggs. Eventually, he successfully negotiated a contract with Priority, later releasing his debut album entitled, Reasonable Doubt, which would eventually go on to hit platinum. Now, the musician — who’s also an investor and entrepreneur — is worth $900 million.

As you can see with all of these people all of them believed in never giving up. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence and determination. If you want something bad enough nothing is ever out of reach. Live your life like failure is not an option and remember the longer your good is incoming the greater it will be when it comes. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day- Never Give Up. Check out my website

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Victim Mentality

Victim – one that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent; one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment.

Mentality – mode or way of thought; outlook

Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. – Mark Twain. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Victim Mentality. Check out my website

As I am writing this blog I am fighting thoughts of victim mentality myself.

Every great writer knows that personal stories are vital to them being successful. Don’t be afraid to be open and vulnerable! Write about your challenging times and how you overcame them or are overcoming them. This is a concept I am very familiar with as I have had to do this, and it has brought me remarkable success as I have been one of 50 finalists for the “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading” book for the past 3 years. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Victim Mentality. Check out my website

I have written a previous blog titled “Abase and Abounding” when we go through highs and lows in our lives. There are also times when we sometimes feel like victims and that is the thought process in our minds. Thoughts run through our minds like Life is not fair, I never get the good breaks, Why do I always end up with the short end of the stick, It’s just another day everything is still the same, Is God on vacation, did he forget about me? Christian Books – Donna Louis – Victim Mentality.

We are all guided by our minds. We become what we think about. When we feel like we have entered the stage of victim mentality we have to break that thought process immediately and the quickest way is to start a gratitude process. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Victim Mentality.

Every day we should make a list of at least 10 things we should be grateful for before we start our day. You can write it on an index card, do a word document, or use the memo pad on your phone and create the list. When we send positive grateful thoughts through our mind we don’t have time to have a negative thought process which would include having a victim mentality. The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking. – Albert Einstein.

We need to realize that we have to be grateful for the smaller things and when we do we are given bigger things. We need to be grateful for the food we eat, the water we drink, the choices we have for cellular services, cable services, supermarkets to shop at, etc., the things nature offers such as planet earth, air, and the sun. – “I started out giving thanks for small things, and the more thankful I became, the more my bounty increased. That’s because what you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it. Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful no matter what happened in my life.” – Oprah Winfrey. I am working on my gratitude list now as I’m writing this blog.

So, whenever you are having your ups and downs and highs and lows and feel like you are slipping into a victim mentality mode remember you have to allow a power greater than you to take care of the how. 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. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Victim Mentality. Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Feelings Vs Faith

Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Feelings Vs Faith.

Feelings – an emotional state or reaction.

Faith -something that is believed especially with strong conviction; belief and trust in and loyalty to God.

We are created as emotional beings. Feelings aren’t wrong, but a believer’s life is meant to be based on faith, not on feelings. Feelings have a prominent place in our lives, but we can’t use them to guide our lives. Feelings come and go and are unreliable guides to the truth and what is right. Whenever we walk by feelings rather than faith we fail. Many people just glide through life running on emotion. Christ had feelings and emotions and he didn’t hide them. Jesus wept when he came to the grave of Lazarus. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day- Feelings Vs Faith.

They say that anger weakens the liver, grief weakens the lungs, worry weakens the stomach, stress weakens the heart and brain, and fear fails the kidneys. So where do these things come from that weaken our systems? Disturbances from our spouse, family members, place of employment, the news media, etc. These are all examples of feelings. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Feelings Vs Faith. Check out my website

Knowing about God and his will and obediently following him are the basics of a believer’s discipleship. Faith has nothing to do with feelings. Faith rests on the absolute word of God.

There is a story in the bible regarding two men of faith Caleb and Joshua. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Feelings Vs Faith.

Before God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt, He promised to bring the Israelites back to the land He had given to Abraham so many years ago. (Ex. 3:8). God was leading the Israelites to the promised land. When they were close, God instructed Moses to send 12 spies into the land to scout it out. The spies traveled around the land for 40 days, and it was just as God had promised. There was one problem: the people in the land were big and strong. And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes. So, they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. And they ascended by the south and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) And they came unto the brook of Eshcol and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff, and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, we came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless, the people be strong that dwell in the land and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover, we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, we be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, the land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. – Numbers 13:17-33. And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, how long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, as truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me. Doubtless, ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. – Numbers 14:26-30. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Feelings Vs Faith.

As you can see God rewards those who live by faith. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day – Feelings Vs Faith.

So, then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. – Romans 10:17.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. – Hebrews 11:6.

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. – Mark 11:22-24.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. – 2 Corinthians 5:7.

Since we are made in the image of God we are to live our daily lives living in faith not relying on our feelings. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For the Modern Day – Feelings Vs Faith. Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – It’s Just A Test – Prayer Is The Answer

The word test seems to abound. There are several types of tests. You have an assessment test you take in school, driving test, health check test, eye examination test, dental exam tests. Etc. These are tests that we are all familiar with and must take at one time or another in our lives. – Book of Proverbs – It’s Just A Test – Prayer Is The Answer.

However, are you aware that God tests us as well? God tests us to prove our faith. God will allow a certain amount of trials and tribulations to come our way in this life, however, he will also use some of these trials as a way of testing all of us out from time to time to see if we have learned what He has been teaching us. He rarely, if ever, announces them ahead of time. They just come.

From time to time God will place us in uncomfortable situations that put us under pressure to show what our true character is. The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. – Psalm 11:5. – Book of Proverbs – It’s Just A Test – Prayer Is The Answer.

A while back I was introduced to the Book of James that has a very profound set of verses that tell us to expect tests and that we should delight in them. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diver’s temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. – James 1:2-4. Now for those of you that have a type-A personality like myself, this was not something I wanted to read or hear. I am sure no one wants to be joyful when things are not going their way. I am very sure patience is the last thing in anybody’s mind when things are not going smoothly. We want it fixed and done like yesterday! When we are in an uncomfortable situation and our flesh is not enjoying it, we want it fixed immediately. However, that is not the way God works. According to him, tests are beneficial. Tests are God’s way of moving us out of our comfort zones. “Comfort is the enemy of progress.” – The Greatest Showman quote. – Check out my website

There are several types of test but here are some of the top ones.

The People Test – Do you place your faith in people? People are human and frail just like yourself. They may be there for you for a season but eventually, God will remove them, so you can place your faith where it truly belongs which is in God. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 2:5. – Book of Proverbs – It’s Just a Test – Prayer Is The Answer.

The Pressure Test – When all hell is breaking loose and things are tumultuous will you depend on yourself or depend on God? And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. – Psalm 50:15. – Book of Proverbs – It’s Just A Test – Prayer Is The Answer.

The Faith Test – Do you have faith in God or do you operate from your feelings more? Noah operated in faith when God spoke to him and advised him to build an ark because the end of all flesh was coming because God was going to flood the earth and destroy all mankind and animals and beasts. Thus, did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. You can read the entire story in Genesis 6-8. – Book of Proverbs – It’s Just A Test – Prayer Is The Answer.

The Patience Test – This is one of the hardest tests of all especially if you are a type-A personality. This is where you have done everything you have been asked to do, but now God is going to ask you to just sit and wait for the big breakthrough to occur. This is the position Moses was in after Pharaoh finally released the people of Israel. They had traveled and walked so long, and the promise land was on the other side of the Red Sea. Once they reached the Red Sea God made Moses and the people of Israel wait before he parted it. The people started to complain to Moses why didn’t you just leave us in Egypt with Pharaoh instead of bringing us out here to die in the wilderness and in the sea. God did eventually part the Red Sea and the people crossed over to the other side and Pharaoh’s army was killed in the sea when God brought the waters back together. – Book of Proverbs – It’s Just A Test – Prayer Is The Answer.

The Obedience Test – There is one test in the Bible that brings tears to your eyes and fills you with joy at the same time. This is the story of Abraham and his son Isaac. God asked Abraham to put his son Isaac on an altar and then asked him to take a knife and kill his own son. As we all know, Abraham went as far as to tie his son down to the altar and had the knife in his hand ready to strike down on him to take his life, when suddenly God sends an angel down in the nick of time to stop him. Would you be obedient to God to this length? – Book of Proverbs – It’s Just A Test – Prayer Is The Answer.

Most tests that God puts you through are not this daunting. Tests are more in the realm of do you trust God, or do you worry? Do you have patience in a traffic jam or in line at the supermarket? Do you throw your hands in the air and give up as soon as you are disappointed? Where would we all be if Thomas Edison just gave up and didn’t pass the test?

Thomas Edison Quotes:

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

What we all need to do while we are waiting for our breakthrough is pray. However, the type of prayers you should be saying is to ask God to change you. God is interested in refining you and changing you and he does this through these tests. If your weakness is patience, then God will see to it that you are always in the wrong line in the supermarket. Or you always get caught up in traffic just to test your patience. The thing about tests is that God will allow you to take them repeatedly until you pass them. – Book of Proverbs – It’s Just A Test – Prayer Is The Answer.

Keep praying even though it seems like God went on vacation. God knows exactly where you are in life. Pay attention to the areas you are being tested in. It will make you more aware once God decides to test you. When you become familiar with the same patterns you will realize it is just a test. Pass it and move on. The faster you do the faster God will be able to open the skies and rain down exceeding and abundant blessing on your life and bring you into your divine destiny. Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – Proverbs- The Essence of Prayer

Book of Proverbs – Proverbs – The Essence of Prayer

Essence – the most significant element, quality, or aspect of a thing or person the essence of the issue.

Prayer – an address (such as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought; something prayed for.

Your prayer life needs to be simple. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye, therefore, like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him. After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. – Matthew 6:6-13. This is a very simple prayer that Jesus gave us to pray. Your prayer life should include the following:

Devotion – We need to let God know that we are dedicated and loyal to him.

He did that for us when he sent Jesus to the cross for all of us. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. – Colossians 3:17. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs- The Essence of Prayer. Check out my website

Confession – We need to confess our sins to God and ask for forgiveness. As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. – Romans 3:10-12. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs – The Essence of Prayer.

Gratitude – We all need to give thanks to God daily for every gift we receive. Water to drink, food to eat, use of our senses, sunshine, etc. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. – Psalms 136:1. Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. – Psalms 106:1. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:57. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs – The Essence of Prayer.

Praise – When we praise God the heavens rejoice. Praise is a vital part of a life surrendered to God, and it gives credit where credit is due. Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. – Psalm 150:1-6. By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. – Hebrews 13:15. Book of Proverbs – Proverbs – The Essence of Prayer.

Here is a sample prayer you can say daily:

Father God, I pledge my loyalty to you. I ask you to forgive me for my past sins. I am truly grateful for all the blessings and gifts you have bestowed upon me. I praise you for all the things you have done for me, as well as all the things I am currently praying for. I thank you for the things that you haven’t done because you knew with your infinite wisdom they were not right for me. Amen.

For those of you that are new to prayer, you may want to use the prayer I gave you but eventually, you may want to use your own words. Whichever route you take just remember to keep it simple and incorporate the true meaning of The Essence of Prayer. – Book of Proverbs – Proverbs – The Essence of Prayer. Check out my website

Book of Proverbs – Under The Big Top

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” – A portion of The Declaration of Independence April 1776. – Book of Proverbs – Under The Big Top. Check out my website

I say to you today, my friends, though, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” – A portion of Martin Luther King Jr’s – I Have A Dream Speech – August 1963. Book of Proverbs – Under The Big Top.

How is it that we have strayed so far away from the above proclamation and speech? How is it that great men and women like Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Nelson Mandel, Martin Luther King Jr, Mikhail Gorbachev, Rosa Parks, Jimmy Carter, and countless others have rallied to show that we are all one. So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. – Genesis 1:27. Book of Proverbs – Under The Big Top. Check out my website

One man had this same vision and stepped up to the plate. Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, politician, and businessman remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus (1871–2017). – http://www.wickipedia.com

PT Barnum was fully aware that all men were created equal and created in the image of God so that is why he employed oddities of all types. It didn’t matter to him that one person was taller than another, broader than another, hairier than another, he employed them all and brought smiles and laughter to people’s faces. I am sure you have heard the phrase “laughter is good for the soul.”

Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand. — Mark Twain.

Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine. — Lord Byron.

Humor is a prelude to faith and laughter is the beginning of prayer. — Reinhold Niebuhr.

If Laughter cannot solve your problems, it will definitely DISSOLVE your problems; so that you can think clearly what to do about them – Dr. Madan Kataria.

Laughter is a form of internal jogging. It moves your internal organs around. It enhances respiration. It is an igniter of great expectations.” — Norman Cousins.

When you laugh, aside from the endorphin rush, there’s also a spiritual opening. You’re not so tight inside yourself. That opening I’ve found to be a real gift, in people being able to absorb spirituality. —Rabbi Sydney Mintz.

He that is of a merry heart has a continual feast. — Proverbs 15:15.

The circus allows people of all types to come together as a family. God gifted us all with different talents and the circus is where you can witness that. There are so many different acts to bring you happiness. Aerial Hoop, Animal Training, Balancing, Clowns, Flying Trapeze, Juggling, Knife throwing, Stilt Walking, etc. etc. etc. Book of Proverbs – Under The Big Top

This is the way that God wants us to be. Working hand in hand with each other. Celebrating each other’s talent. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also, is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” – 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. – Book of Proverbs – Under The Big Top.

If you have not seen the movie “The Greatest Showman” please do. It is an awesome movie and a fantastic depiction of circus performers working together as a family appreciating each other’s talent. – Book of Proverbs – Under The Big Top.

So, let us all strive in our daily lives to be just like the circus performers Under The Big Top. – Book of Proverbs – Under The Big Top.