When I started writing the final part of this series on the power to say no, I knew where to take it. While listening to a sermon last week, the pastor said something that immediately grabbed my attention. It was about being enslaved to your way out of something. It was such a powerful thought…
The Power of No, part 6
I’ve talked a lot lately about the power to say no. In some of the earlier parts, I’ve given some suggestions that have worked for me. In case this is your first time reading, here again are some of the things that have helped me to say no. – Exercise has made me think twice…
The Power of No, part 5
The power to say no isn’t just needed to overcome physical cravings or wrongful desires. It is also a powerful tool when dealing with people. Disclaimer: All that follows may seem harsh. It’s a sad part of life that these things even need to be said. I am in no way advocating leaving marriages, splitting…
The Power of No, part 4
Things seem innocent enough where we may not distinguish a difference. If we are not taught that something is wrong, we will likely try it. But even when we are taught something is wrong, there is a small part of us that wants to partake in it anyway. As in life, anything that is fed…
The Power of No, part 3
It’s easy to slip and fall. While thinking about the power of the sweets, I realized it had a great deal to do with a loss of self-control. I had gotten so accustomed to getting what I wanted, that I completely lost control of myself. My urges were driven by desires that I left go…
The Power of No, part 2
Photo by Maria Lindsey Multimedia Creator on Pexels.com Saying no to food was extremely difficult for me in the beginning. I was a guy that used to eat as many as three or four different kinds of chips and a solid row of cookies, all in one sitting after dinner. Everyone’s bodies are different but…
The Power of No, part 1
Given the photo above, if your thoughts are anywhere close to mine, you can already taste how delicious this treat is. The warm, oozing chocolate slowly dripping from one brownie down to the next. But why stop at two? Never do anything half-hearted they say. Let’s pile up three just for good measure. Yes, now…
Developed in the Struggle
Have you ever wanted a masterfully crafted body? The commercials make these physically fit people look incredible. Just look at them exercising; they look and feel great! Maybe you believed in it so much that you too joined a gym, literally thrilled with yourself about the results headed your way. Once I was. The local…
Behind these Walls
It’s so close I can almost touch it; freedom that is. It lies just beyond these walls. They started out for my protection, to keep danger from getting too close. On the other side of these walls, the scorching summer heat melts and the extreme cold of winter stings. Downpours of rain showers and drifts…
Doing it to Myself
There was once a time when I lived in a constant state of hate and anger. The only comfort known was that of an inescapable prison, which felt like my home. It was a false comfort because as familiar as it was, I knew there had to be something else beyond those walls. The sad…