The difference of a decision

Has a decision ever made such a big change in your life that it has changed you completely?

Before:

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あなたの決断の影響力 The impact of your decisions

A great post by a great woman! Check it out.

あなたの決断の影響力　The impact of your decisions.

Get on Board

It’s amazing how much we miss out on, just because we don’t turn up!

How often have you been invited out, and then just said “No” for no real good reason?

What happens when you say “Yes”?

Let’s figure this out:

To Friends who are Family

About three years ago, I broke my leg.

I was on a snowboarding holiday when it got broken.
That’s the cool version of the story.

The real version?
I was on a snowboarding holiday, but I slipped on the ice when getting off a ski-lift, and my legs went in 2 different directions. I ended up with a small fracture where the ligament joins the lower leg bone, as well as stretching a ligament.

I felt really bad. I couldn’t work, and the brace that I had to wear meant that I couldn’t even walk properly. Of course as you can imagine, I wasn’t thrilled with the prospect of three weeks alone at home.

And of course I’m not even living on the same continent as any of my family.

But my friends from both work and church were there to support me. And not even a single day went by that I didn’t have friends come round to cook, clean or take me to the hospital.

I found that friends can be your family too. And that you don’t have to be alone to be strong.
So this is a great big thank you, to my colleagues and Lifegroup, who helped me through what would have been the hardest trial of living in a foreign country.

Instead it is one of my favorite memories.
Thank you

Keep Going!

The other day I went jogging for the first time in a really long time.

I’m not a jogger. I can dance for hours and walk pretty far, but have always told myself that I can’t run for even 30 seconds.

but when I went jogging this time, a friend told me

“Keep on going, you can do it.”

I found that with help, encouragement and challenge, I could go harder and faster than I ever could by my own strength.

In life, we can only get so far by ourselves. With our own strength alone, we can only go as far as we think we can.

How far can you go in life under your own strength?
What do you have in your life that will take you further?

Just in time

I’m not exactly the best at getting things done in advance. Usually I get things done just in the nick of time.

It isn’t the best way to do things. It’s better to be prepared way in advance, and to know exactly what you’re going to do when an event comes up.

But even though that way is best, you shouldn’t give up if you haven’t prepared. Things can be done right up until the moment that something starts.

It’s the same with life.

It’s always best to live our lives the best way from the beginning. But even right up until the end, there is chance to change, and a hope for something better.

When are you going to make that choice?

I am who I am

What am I?

I am loved

I am blessed

I am beautifully and wonderfully made

I have a great life ahead of me

There is nothing in this world that I can’t cope with

I am free

So are you.

So you can be, too.

Do you know that you are loved unconditionally?

 

New Venue!

Jesus Lifehouse Sendai just started at a new venue!

We are now in Livehouse Enn Every Sunday from 12!!

It’s really exciting and already a great hit.

Being part of such a great team, and working towards the same goal is really fulfilling. I feel connected and driven.

Where do you go to feel that connection?

Fortune’s Favour.

I’ve found that I really have Fortune on my side.

I have a house, a job, great friends, and a wonderful church.

 

Why do I have so much? I think part of it is that I don’t see fortune as money I can get for myself. I see fortune as time, people and resources that I can use to help others.

I think that having savings is a good idea. but should it be at the expense of our beliefs?

If you have something you truly believe in, try giving to it.

Reasons I often hear and used to use myself…

I can’t spare the money (and by the way have you seen my new DVD?)

I haven’t got the time (oh yeah, did you see that tv show? I never miss it!)

I can’t find the right charity/church/organisation (but I’m not really looking anyway)

I found that once I dedicated my time, effort and yes, even my money into a cause, that I have been more fortunate than I could have imagined when I used those same reasons not to give.

I have a great spirit from doing what I know is right, I have more energy from using my time effectively, and I have more money left over than before.

I’ve found that in helping others to be more fortunate, I’ve been blessed with fortune myself.

What can you do to be more fortunate?

Even Greater Expectations

We all have great expectations of others, but what about us?

I always expect the best of myself, so that when I see the results of my work, I can judge myself not on how well I did, but how much I’d tried according to my self-expectations.

For example, I did very well in my teaching course. I studied hard, did all my coursework properly and stuck to the schedule I set myself. At the end it didn’t matter what kind of grades I received, because I knew that I’d done all I could to meet my own personal expectations of myself.

On the other hand, When I was at university, I slacked off in my final year, let myself get behind deadlines, and only put in half the effort. At the end of which, although I received my degree, I felt that I had failed myself.

I know enough not to beat myself up over that, but I have also learned enough from that experience to know that I don’t want to go through life like that. Just barely passing by doing the minimal effort.

Making an effort

What do you expect of yourself?

Are you trying to meet your own expectations?