Author: Mark Farley

Emotional Flaws and Mental Hang ups

   January 21, 2023 0 Likes 214 Views
Those dang emotional flaws and mental hang ups… 


How are we supposed to know the difference between self-will and God’s will? 


 Experience and others have taught me that if I am giving my best effort without regard to fear, pride, envy, gluttony, greed, anger, or sloth then I am doing God’s will and not mine. 


IF I am focusing on my pride, anger, greed, lust, envy, greed, or sloth (PAGLEGS) then I am in self-will. 


AA’s Joe and Charlie said best with their explanation of Steps 6 and 7; “I don’t do what I want to do. (Self-will) I just do what I ought to do. (God’s will)” 


I find I can keep my self-will in check by checking my motives and efforts… 


Check your experience… 


“Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate.” Big Book pg. 62 


Lord help us to recognize our emotional flaws and park our mental hang-ups in those times when our self-will seeks to overturn Your will for us, AMEN. 


“The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other.” Galatians 5:17 


 Have a blessed day Y’all! 


What if you had a person who coached and mentored you in building a better life? 


 Inspired 365 Life Coaching with Mark Farley!! 


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If Nothing Changes…

   January 20, 2023 0 Likes 264 Views
If nothing changes then nothing changes…


None of us are perfect. We each have things that need our attention and cannot be fixed without our participation and ownership. 

We need to own our challenges, struggles, and shortcomings. 


The good news is that God can and will help us if we stay willing and provide the effort! 


When He can see our efforts fueled by our motivation to change, then He can heal us! 


Ask yourself if you are participating in your own improvement and as always… 


check your experience… 


“..we did because we honestly wanted to, and were willing to make the effort.” Big Book pg 22. 


Lord fill our hearts with the desire to change and the drive to provide the needed efforts, AMEN.


 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” Luke14:27 


Have a blessed day y’all! 


Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss 

Is There a Happiness Ap?

   January 19, 2023 0 Likes 299 Views
Happiness comes from…. 


Now I know this is not your experience, but my self-will is greedy for things that my delusional head likes for me to think that I need. 


For me, my self-will is greedy for attention and for worldly things. 


It likes me to think that in order to be happy I need a Harley, a Corvette, a bigger house, and on and on it goes. 


While these things are nice, my happiness does NOT depend on them. 


The minute it does, then I have a major problem. 

Luckily, I was blessed with the opportunity to find my life in AA through the Big Book and the 12 Steps, and they led me back to the Lord who has given me a life better than my wildest dreams filled with a marriage, a family, ministry, friends, and more blessings and happiness than I ever deserved. 


I find that I need to check my motives and efforts to measure my happiness. 


When I am able to do this I see that my happiness does not come from things, rather it comes from my relationship with God and those wonderful folks in my life. 


What do you measure your happiness with?.. 


Check your experience…


“Selfishness-self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity,…” Big Book pg 62. 


Lord, please remove the selfish thoughts driven by our self-centered fear, pride, and greed that block our hearts from Your will and Spirit, AMEN. 


“Then He said to them, Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” Luke 12:15 


Have a blessed day y’all! 


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Good Books

   January 18, 2023 0 Likes 277 Views
What book are you reading from?!?… 


In today’s world we can get books in many forms. 


From the standard printed book form to kindle, books are available to us in whatever media we choose.


On top of that, we have books available on every subject and just about every situation that will tell us many different ways to try to accomplish the thing we are working toward or trying to learn. 


Now maybe it’s different for you, but for me, my experience has taught me and continues to teach me that the Bible is the best source for learning how to live and handle the daily challenges we all face.


What book are you reading from?… 


Check your experience… 


“Well, that’s exactly what this book is about.” Big Book pg 45 


Lord, let us look to Your Word for guidance and when we need to learn how to handle people, places, and things, AMEN. 


“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace,..” 1 Corinthians 14:33 


Have a blessed day y’all! 


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If the Shoe Doesn’t Fit

   January 17, 2023 0 Likes 339 Views
If the shoe doesn’t fit… try another size and style!.. 


Have you ever found yourself feeling like the square peg trying to fit into the round hole? 


Perhaps it’s different for you, but there are times where I need to get along with a person, or fit into a particular place, situation, or thing and it is just not working out smoothly. 


I have learned that when I adjust my attitude, approach, outlook, expectation, or behavior, I can find the tools that work for me that allow me to fit in. 


Kind of like a different show size and style. 

We can have the same challenges internally with our spiritual life. 

Sometimes what looks good on the outside doesn’t quite fit with our feelings inside. 


When I experience this, I park my self-will and seek God’s will and I find that things just go better…


Check your experience… 


“Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us.” Big Book pg 77 


Lord, let us look to use the spiritual tools and gifts you have given us to handle our daily walk, AMEN.


 “Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.” 1 Samuel 17: 38-39 


 Have a blessed day Y’all! 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss 


 How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

That Treasure and Heart Thing

   January 16, 2023 0 Likes 222 Views
For where your treasure is… 


We are what we do, say, and show. 


It’s hard for us to see this in ourselves, but our actions, behaviors, habits, and thoughts define us. 


Think about our friends and loved ones and how we remember them. 


For most of us, the memories of our friends and loved ones come from our experiences with them. 


How are we seen? 

What is first and foremost on our hearts generally dictates our manners, actions, and habits… 


Check your experience… 


“His change of heart was dramatic, convincing, and moving.” Big Book pg 55 


Lord, please fill our hearts with the gifts You have given us so that we may reflect Your love and grace on others, AMEN. 


“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:34 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 


What if you had a person who coached and mentored you in building a better life? 


Inspired 365 Life Coaching with Mark Farley!! 


https://www.faiththroughworksfellowship.org/inspired-365-life-coaching 


Want in? 


[email protected]

Armchair Quarterback

   January 15, 2023 0 Likes 386 Views
Armchair quarterback… 


I am a fan of football and other sports. 


Just because I watch a lot of sports does not qualify me to be an expert or a paid professional. 


I am neither skilled nor talented because I do not practice daily, and I don’t work to improve my performance to the highest possible level. 


Because of this, I am not known as an athlete. 


If you think about it, there are some other things in our lives where we are armchair quarterbacks. 


For instance, I enjoy watching Miss Tami build her amazing creations, yet I have no clue as to what tool she is using to saw, hammer, weld, cut, or shape! 


It can be the same with our faith if we are not intentional about it. 


God asks us to participate daily and to practice faith in all our affairs. 

 Are you an armchair quarterback with your faith?.. 


Check your experience… 


“Faith without works is dead.” Big Book pg. 88 


 Lord let us bring majestic faith, actionable habits, and servant behavior in our daily walk, AMEN.


 “…faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” James 2:17 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 


Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss 


How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

I Can’t but HE Can

   January 14, 2023 0 Likes 345 Views
I can’t….HE CAN… I think I will let HIM. 


Over the years I have learned that alone, I am powerless over people, places, and things. 


It’s when I turn the situations involving people, places, things, and situations over to God and seek His will that it turns out better than I expected. 


This is why I rely on the first three STEPS daily… 


Check your experience… 


“When we saw others solve their problems by a simple reliance upon the Spirit of the Universe, we had to stop doubting the power of God. Our ideas did not work. But the God idea did.” Big Book pg. 52 


“Lord I am powerless and only through You is my life manageable, AMEN.” 


I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 


Have a blessed day y’all! 

What if you had a person who coached and mentored you in building a better life? 


Inspired 365 Life Coaching with Mark Farley!! 


https://www.faiththroughworksfellowship.org/inspired-365-life-coaching 


Want in?


[email protected]

Thoughts and Actions

   January 13, 2023 0 Likes 341 Views
Where are your thoughts coming from?.. 


Ever have those thoughts that just won’t go away? 


Some are good, some can be not so good, and then there are the pesky / funny thoughts like Peyton Manning humming the Nationwide jingle that is still floating around in my head! 


Luckily for me and those around me I have not allowed this thought, as well as a few others to control my actions and attitudes. 


We eventually become what we think. It’s part of our human condition as well as a spiritual principle. 


Constant thoughts create constant habits and behaviors. 


Constant habits and behaviors lead to constant actions. 


Therefore our actions are driven by our thoughts. 

 What thoughts are you allowing to drive your actions? 


Check your experience… 


“…praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.” Big Book pg. 59


 Lord, let us pray to want what we get instead of to get what we want, AMEN. 


 “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” Luke 11:10 


Have a blessed day y’all! 


Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss 


 How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 


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Drinking Good Water

   January 11, 2023 0 Likes 265 Views
Don’t drink the Kool-Aid, just drink water... 


When an unknown person, place, thing, or situation comes wrapped in a pretty package, it can be misleading. 


Perhaps it’s different for you, but I have learned this life lesson the hard way. 


It seems our accepted cultural norm these days is to look for the quick fix and instant gratification. However, do we get the desired long term and permanent results? 

It’s what’s inside that counts. In my walk, this only happens from first gaining experience from that person, place, thing, or situation. 


It’s the same with my spiritual growth. 


The more I take the time to learn the spiritual principles needed to keep me in God’s will, the less I find myself lost in my own selfish self-centered will. Instant gratification ain’t all that good for the long run!.. 


Check your experience…


“Our ideas did not work. But the God idea did.” Big Book pg. 52 

Lord thank you for quenching the thirst in our souls through Your Word and Spirit, AMEN. 

“Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst — not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.” John 4:14 


Have a blessed day y’all! 

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