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Make Your Bed. A Book Review.

Make Your Bed book cover

Make Your Bed.
by Admiral William H. McRaven
A Book Review.

This book will make you rethink your life.

Your values. Your dreams. Your possibilities. How many times do we blame someone else or circumstances, whine that life is not fair, or play the victim card? How many times do we believe we can’t do something because it is too hard? How many times do we make excuses, rather than take the bull by the horns and look to God to help us. To follow the dreams that He has given us. To believe He is our strength. To remember that with Him, all things are possible. Here, in this book, are lessons learned in his Navy SEAL training, and taught to us in story form. Like Jesus taught in story form. Lessons taught that way seem to remain with us and inspire us toward action.

Admiral McRaven says change can begin with one simple daily task. Making your bed. If this sounds silly to you, then you most definitely NEED to read this book as soon as possible. Because you are in for a delightful experience of re-thinking…

Big things come in small packages.

Little tasks completed can change your life. They can bring a sense of order and a feeling of accomplishment, which can move you forward and onward with a more positive outlook on your life. These are most certainly tough times. We can feel like the whole world is a mess and yet by implementing these 10 lessons, we can change our lives and maybe our little pieces of the world as well.

Book subtitle: “Little Things That Change Your Life. And Maybe The World”

This is without a doubt, one of the most unique and inspiring books I have ever read. It’s written by Admiral William H. McRaven, (U.S. Navy Retired). The title is: Make Your Bed. The book is small in size (5×7). 130 pages of timeless wisdom. Practical advice. Based on his Navy Seal training. It offers encouragement even in the darkest moments. Admiral McRaven’s bio says he: “served with great distinction in the Navy. In his thirty-seven years as a Navy SEAL, he commanded at every level. As a Four-Star Admiral, his final assignment was a Commander of all U. S. Special Forces. He is now Chancellor of the University of Texas System.” He has something to say that we would be wise to listen to and put into practice.

Here’s a short summary of the treasure you will discover in this powerful book.

Ten Lessons (Chapter titles)

  1. Start Your Day With A Task Completed
  2. You Can’t Go It Alone
  3. Only the Size of Your Heart Matters
  4. Life’s Not Fair—Drive On!
  5. Failure Can Make You Stronger
  6. You Must Dare Greatly
  7. Stand Up to the Bullies
  8. Rise to the Occasion
  9. Give People Hope
  10. Never Ever Quit!

Each chapter tells a story to illustrate the lesson in that chapter.

So…If you want to change the world…

  • Start off by making your bed
  • Find someone to help you paddle
  • Measure a person by the size of their heart
  • Get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward
  • Don’t be afraid of the circus
  • Slide down the obstacle head first
  • Don’t back down from sharks
  • Be your very best in the darkest moments
  • Start singing when you are up to your neck in mud
  • Don’t ever ring the bell

Page 103

”Life is full of difficult times. But someone out there always has it worse than you do. If you fill your days with pity, sorrowful for the way you have been treated, bemoaning your lot in life, blaming your circumstances on someone or something else, then life will be long and hard. If, on the other hand, you refuse to give up on your dreams, stand tall and strong against the odds—then life will be what you make of it—and you can make it great. Never, ever, ring the bell!

“Remember…start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give up—if you do these things then you can change your life for the better…and maybe the world!”

Commencement Speech

The book ends with the May 17, 2014 University of Texas Commencement Speech. The University slogan is “What starts here changes the world.” The speech is super inspiring. And down-to-earth … exactly where we all live. The book is based on that speech.

He said that on that night 8,000 students were graduating from that University. And if every one changed the lives of 10 people, in five generations (125 years), 800 million lives would be changed! It’s the little things that build up and make a difference. And, if you are a Christ follower, you also have the power of the Holy Spirit to guide you. So, what are we waiting for?

Final thoughts

First of all, I recommend you purchase the book. And read it more than once. And gift it to many! What a great graduation gift it would make.

All my life I have made my bed every morning. It really, really is a powerful way to begin the day. I never knew WHY until reading this book. It makes sense that it is a perfect way to give yourself an immediate sense of order and accomplishment. Our God is a God of order. This is a way to reflect Him from the very start of your day.

When all strung together, it is the multitude of small things accomplished throughout the day, every day,”that can change your life and maybe the world.”

This is an amazing little (but POWERFUL) book with lessons taught through STORY. Enjoy! And pass it on…

Personality and Jesus

Do you know who God created you to be? Have you ever stopped to think about how your personality affects the way you interact with others? Find out more in this new book by Pamela A. Taylor.

Personality and Jesus

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Strengths Mentor Coach — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Stunning Realization. Easter.

Path to Bridge

For many years I searched for whatever my mother had that gave her the strength to endure her years of cancer with such grace and peace. People didn’t talk much about their faith in those days. They considered it a private thing between them and God. So, I flailed around for years trying to figure it all out. I had no idea who would even know the answer to the longings in my heart.

Stunning Realization

About a year or so after my mother died, I was in bed “saying” the prayer I had been taught. You know the one: “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep…” Then, according to my routine, I would end with “God bless “Mommy, Daddy, Davey, Gail and Bill.” And I stopped. I suddenly HEARD what I had been saying. I had continued to pray for my mother for a year after she had died. It was a rote memory prayer. With no “heart” to it. No real thought to it. Just a routine I did each night. Like brushing my teeth before bed. That realization was MY FIRST STEP TOWARD GOD. But it was only the beginning for my long search for the Living God.

For Years I Kept Searching

I can now gladly tell you that I found Him for whom my heart longed. Jesus. He was there all along. Waiting with out stretched arms. Waiting for me to fall into His arms in surrender.

Crushed…For Me…For You!

What does that mean? It is Amazing Grace. A gift that we can receive or reject. I have found what my mother had. And it wasn’t a what. It was a who. It was Jesus. I learned that Jesus died for me. For my sins. He rose again and is coming back for me. I KNOW THAT so well now. This is real and my prayers are not just a routine anymore. My prayers are conversations with a cherished Friend who is also my LORD!

And, now…thinking of the Easter season and all the remembering we do during that time, I know that: It was our sins that did that to Him. The betrayal. The whippings. The cross. It was our sin that ripped and tore and crushed Him. Our sins! My sins! (Past, Present, AND future sins. He took them all. We still have to face the consequences, but He paid the PENALTY with His life.) He took the punishment. So we won’t have to. And through His bruises we are healed.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'”John 11:25-26

Ponderings

This would be a great time to just stop and sit quietly and ponder what you just read. What if you sat quietly each day and mediated on the depth of love from this Jesus the Christ, who would suffer so much so we don’t have to?

Human Love vs. God’s Love

No human love can ever match the depth of God’s love. We don’t have to do anything at all to earn it. It is freely given. BUT we DO have to RECEIVE it. A gift needs to be received before it can bless. Let it sink in. Deep into Your soul. What would that do to your daily life? To your relationships? To your attitude day-to-day?

What if we really believe this? We can only BEGIN to imagine what God has in store for a life fully surrendered to Him…

I Would Love to Hear From You

Is this already a reality for you? If not…Are you willing? I would love to hear your story.

Until next time…

Personality and Jesus

Do you know who God created you to be? Have you ever stopped to think about how your personality affects the way you interact with others? Find out more in this new book by Pamela A. Taylor.

Personality and Jesus

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Holidays,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Let Me Introduce You to My Best Friend

The Upper Room

The upper room was the last time before His death, that Jesus and his best friends—the disciples—would be together eating a meal and enjoying each other’s company. He showed them TRUE love. He talked frankly with them. They had shared so many wonderful experiences those three years of traveling together. Now, this was their last evening together—celebrating the Passover Feast. HE knew that, but they were just living for the day. With no thought for tomorrow.They were all together in one place. It was glorious. He loved them so much! He wanted them to KNOW that! He served them. He SHOWED them over and over again, HOW to love one another. And now—He was washing their feet. Imagine that! Peter, of course, protests. What would you do? Jesus kept trying to prepare them for what was ahead, but they simply did not or would not understand. I know often in my own life, I simply don’t understand what Jesus is doing in my life until AFTER the fact. I guess I am as dense as the disciples were! What about you?

The Garden of Gethsemane

Think of that first battle between good and evil (think Adam and Eve). And now Jesus has the ultimate good verses evil battle looming in front of Him. Yet, this is exactly WHY He came. He didn’t come to be born. He came to die. Without Easter, Christmas doesn’t make any sense. Sadly it doesn’t make sense to the RATIONAL EARTHBOUND MIND. But it is true! He came to DIE! For you. For me.

In the Garden, Jesus cried out to His Father God, “not my will but Yours be done”. In this Garden, Jesus wins the battle by choosing to totally and absolutely surrender HIS will to the will of His FATHER. ABBA. He chose to SHOW us ultimate unselfish love! Love that SAVES! The horror of what was ahead for Him, was to begin very soon. He knew what He had to do, but that didn’t make it easy. He struggled in the Garden. But, He prevailed in prayer. He won the battle in His mind, will, and emotions before He actually experienced the suffering and humiliation. He did that for you, For me. Stunning!

Alone with His Father

Jesus was often alone with His Father, but this time is different. Sadly, His friends, the disciples that He had taken with Him to share the sorrow and pain of His burden in the Garden, had fallen asleep, while Jesus did Spiritual Warfare! They slept. He fought in prayer. They gave in to their humanness. Their weariness. Have you ever gone through a tough spiritual battle ALONE? Friends deserting. Too busy. Too weary. Clueless what you are experiencing? I have. And I’m pretty sure you have, too. The good thing is that we—like Jesus—are not really alone. God the Father was with Him and He will be with us in all things. Through all things, ALL THE TIME! We are NEVER really alone. Believe that with your whole being.

They took Him away

Then, in the Garden, the solders took Him away. He did not resist. Any resisting He had previously felt, had already been dealt with in the Garden, wrestling with His feelings before God. While His friends—the disciples—slept. So, the soldiers brought Him before the High Priest. His friends had all run away. Peter followed at a distance. He tries to blend in with the crowd—to be UNnoticed, he hopes, Yet, he is recognized and in fear, he denies even knowing who Jesus is! THREE times he does that! Do YOU ever do that? Can you imagine the sadness Jesus feels when He is denied?

In your/my garden

In my mind, I picture this scene in my “gardens” of testing and trial. I imagine maybe saying things like, “I’m in a tough place. I don’t want to go through this alone.” And I look and there is NO ONE there with me. I am alone. Like Jesus was. That’s what life truly is.People can only go so far with us. Most of the journey must be “fleshed out” individually alone in our “closet” (garden) before our Father. And He will make us aware of His presence with us. We are never truly alone, no matter how it may feel sometimes.

They slept

His friends slept while Jesus went through His spiritual battle alone. Just as our friends “sleep” while we go through our battles. They are going to blow it. And, sadly, we are going to blow it, too, when they go through trials and testings. We are just like the disciples. But, when we return, like Peter came humbly, repenting, in sorrow, we, too, will be welcomed back into fellowship with Jesus. And He will show us what to do. And when to do it. And how to do it.

Faith and Trust

Next to Jesus, there were two thieves hanging on crosses, tortured and in horrendous pain. Like Jesus was. One of them was arrogant and spewing out angry words. But the other one realized he deserved his punishment and he also realized that Jesus did NOT deserve what HE was experiencing. That second thief was saved because he put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ, not in any works. Just simple faith and trust. Not in church attendance or ministry. Not in teaching a Bible study or hosting a small group in your home. Not in water baptism. But He believed Jesus was the Son of God—come to save him for an eternity together with Him. When He spoke those words, Jesus promised him they would be together for eternity very soon. And the suffering would be behind them.

John 5:24 (NASB) “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

How about you?

Have you taken that step of faith—into the arms of the risen Savior? If not, this Easter would be a great time to take that step. Jesus is my Friend. I’d like to officially introduce you to each other!

We are living in perilous times.

I’d be grateful if you would pass this on to as many people as possible. It’s Easter time. Like Christmas time, many thoughts are pondering Jesus. Springtime is a time of new beginnings. My passion is to get the word out that Jesus Saves while we still have opportunity.

Personality and Jesus

Do you know who God created you to be? Have you ever stopped to think about how your personality affects the way you interact with others? Find out more in this new book by Pamela A. Taylor.

Personality and Jesus

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Holidays,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am