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“Work for a cause, not for applause. Live your life to express, not to impress, don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt.”

— Author Unknown

The second counter intuitive principle Jesus taught is, we rise by lowering.

Luke 14:11 “For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.”

All my life, I was taught and encouraged to be proud. After all, it is the American Way. I was taught I could be anything I wanted to be and do anything any man could do. My family were the proverbial “bootstrap” people, you know the ones who pull themselves up by their bootstraps. By the time I was introduced to Jesus, I was the queen of pride. I didn’t even know that I was a sinner and that Jesus had paid the price for all my sins until I was 22 years old. It was a very hard thing for me to wrap my head around coming from the world of the self-made man. Kip and I received Jesus at a little home Bible study over 50 miles from our house, and the people there advised us to find a church close to home.

I remember when I first walked the aisle at that little Baptist Church to make a public declaration of my commitment to Jesus, I sobbed and wept my way up the aisle. Others probably thought it was because I was so broken by the realization of all my sin, the actual truth was more like I was embarrassed that the people I was walking up the aisle in front of would know I was a sinner . . . I was proud. But God was merciful and saved me anyway.

Our whole system is we rise by rising – fight your way to the top.

This runs cross-grained to everything Jesus taught, once again we find Jesus at odds with our culture.

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be great will be the servant of all.”

So whose culture do we subscribe to?

Ephesians 2:6 says, we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies . . . we’ve got God’s perspective.

Take a seat and say God, how would you want me to be a servant?

“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.”

“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable and those that move.”
—Benjamin Franklin

An attitude of gratitude does not come naturally for most of us. It’s the same with our kids. Gratitude must be taught, but it also is something that is caught. This can be a real mirror moment for us as parents, especially if we tend to be the “glass is half empty types.” A grateful heart is so important to the life success of our kids, its imperative that we model this vital quality to them.
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “count your blessings” but how often do you really take the time to do it. Counting your blessings is one sure way to develop a constant mind-set of gratitude, which can turn a mundane life into a miraculous life. Here’s an easy way that you can “infect” your family with gratitude. Each night, when you sit down for dinner, or a time during the day when your family is together, have each family member, Mom and Dad included, share one thing they are grateful for from their day. Keep a journal of the responses. Each day, each person must share something different than what they’ve shared before. It can be things as simple as “Bobby shared his chocolate chip cookie with me.” At the end of the week, review all the items that have been shared with the family. You’ll be amazed at how many things you have to be grateful for. This process will begin to shift your family’s focus from what they do not have to a grateful attitude for the many blessings that were right under their nose all the time.

milestone |ˈmīlˌstōn|
noun
a stone set up beside a road to mark the distance in miles to a particular place.
• figurative an action or event marking a significant change or stage in development : the speech is being hailed as a milestone in race relations.

I just finished a project that I have been working on for over 40 years. It cost me many sleepless nights and countless sacrifices but it was worth every moment. I just finished my first book on parenting, Parenting Through the Mirror. It was birthed in the school of hard knocks and it is my sincere desire that God will use it to help many parents find their way through the mind field of life. By the grace of God I stand safely on the other side with my husband of 43 years, 3 wonderful kids who serve God along with their spouses, and 7 beautiful grandchildren with one on the way. I am a blessed woman!

I’m excited and honored to have been selected to be on Michael Hyatt’s launch team for his new book, Platform. For me, this book is an absolute answer to prayer. It’s an easy read that equips anyone desiring to promote a new product or creative work in a noisy world. It answered all the questions I was asking about how to get word out about my new parenting book. Plus, it answered critical questions that I didn’t even know to ask. This is an invaluable tool for anyone desiring to use social media to promote anything they are passionate about. A recommended must read for writers, speakers, and artists of all medium.