Author: Mark Farley

Fear Source

   November 27, 2022 0 Likes 361 Views
So where does fear come from?.. 


Fear is one of those 4 letter words that cause discomfort and pain. 


It’s interesting to me to see the power this word has over our lives. 


Now perhaps it’s different for you, but my experience has shown me that when this 4 letter word enters into my thoughts, if left unchecked and unchallenged, it can cause all sorts of troubles for me and those around me. 


Over the years I have learned that the best way for me to deal with fear is to track it to its source. 


More often than not that source is me and my attitudes, perceptions, and insecurities. 


When I am able to see that the fear is not real but based on my own making, then I am able to give the fear to God in exchange for His grace, guidance, and love. 


How are you handling your fears?.. 


Check your experience… 


“We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be.” Big Book pg 68 


Lord, let us give you our fears in exchange for your guidance, grace, and love, AMEN. 


“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 


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]

Cant Keep It

   November 27, 2022 0 Likes 344 Views
 We can’t keep it unless we give it away…. 


 It is a wonderful feeling to be able to help another person with no expectation of a gain or a return.


 Perhaps you have experienced this spiritual principle enough to know the powerful blessing it brings to you and those you help. Just being able to help another is humbling for me, for there was a season for me over 30 years ago when I had nothing to give and not much hope. 


Thank goodness for the Salvation Army who loved me until I could learn to love myself again. 


 AA and walking with Jesus has blessed my life far better than I could have ever imagined with Miss Tami, Miss Kai, and all the gifts of friends, family, ministry, and service work I have in my life today. 

 I know from experience that we cannot keep it unless we give it away. 


 Please …check your experience… 


 “Helping others is the foundation stone” Big Book pg 97 


 Lord, thank you for the bounty of blessings and the ability to help others not as blessed as we are right now, AMEN.


 “Because you have these blessings, do your best to add these things to your lives: to your faith, add goodness; and to your goodness, add knowledge; and to your knowledge, add self-control; and to your self-control, add patience; and to your patience, add service for God; and to your service for God, add kindness for your brothers and sisters in Christ; and to this kindness, add love.” 2 Peter 1: 5-7 


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?

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

   November 26, 2022 0 Likes 359 Views
Don’t judge a book by its cover…


Looks can be deceiving, especially when we allow our judgment to be based solely on what we initially see. 


Perhaps it’s different for you, but I have shared before how my magic magnifying mind likes to trick me into trusting the ideas it generates on its own just for me. 


It pays to learn more of the story before we pass judgments. 


Years ago when I was living, recovering, and working at the Salvation Army in Sacramento, we had this very small man named Joe who also lived there. 


Because of a stroke he suffered, he walked funny and had a hard time speaking so it was easy to pass him by as another needy and hopeless cause. 


However, I got to know Joe. 


As our friendship grew, I learned that he was a powerlifter in the gym and before he had a stroke in his mid 20’s, he was a college graduate with a promising career in engineering. 


Different choices he made around drugs and alcohol led to difficult twists, and turns in his life, like many of us encountered before we wound up at the Salvation Army for help. 


Joe helped teach me and others to weight lift and use the gym safely. 


He was very encouraging to me to get my college education and pursue God’s calling on my life. 


I am glad I took the time to get to know Joe before he went home to the Lord. 


His encouragement and influence helped me a lot during that season of my life. 

 Are there any “Joe’s” in your life where you don’t know their story?..


Check your experience….


“We let God be the final judge.” Big Book pg. 70 


Lord open the eyes of our hearts so the we can see those You send to help us, AMEN. 


“Do not judge according to appearance” John 7:24 


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]

Greed Friday

   November 25, 2022 0 Likes 295 Views
GREED Friday?…..

Black Friday… 

COME EARLY and BUY THIS NOW, SAVE NOW, THE FIRST SHOPPERS GET THE DEAL!

I saw this a few years ago… A Car Dealer offering $2000 off to the first few customers that show up tomorrow! 

WOW! 

I know it’s great to save money and get deals but why are we allowing this need to override our time with family, friends and cloud the reason for the season?.. 

Check your experience… 

“Is it not evident to all the rest of the players that these are the things he wants?” Big Book pg. 61 

Lord, let us know in our hearts that stuff comes and goes, but our relationship with You lasts forever, AMEN. 


“Then he said to them, watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15 


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? 

We Only Keep What We Give

   November 24, 2022 0 Likes 376 Views
There are many things that I am grateful for. 


Too many to list here, but most of all I am grateful for my salvation, sobriety, and serenity. 


I am thankful for my family, friends, and ministry. 


It’s a spiritual principle that I try to live daily… 


We cannot keep it unless we give it away…. 


 “We thank God from the bottom of our heart” Big Book pg. 75 


Thank you Lord for my family, my friends, and the bounty of blessings You allow them to bring in my life AMEN. 


 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:11-12 


Happy Thanksgiving! 


Have a blessed day Y’all! 


 Looking to volunteer or plug into an existing helping opportunity in the Greater Phoenix AZ area? 


Visit Servants Hearts! 


It’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! 


http://aservantsheart.us 

Watch Your Tongue!

   November 23, 2022 0 Likes 317 Views
Watch your tongue… 

It’s that time of year when we gather together with family, friends, and others to fellowship, celebrate, and spend time with others that we may not see that often.  


Hopefully these times are full of fun, love, and create more warm memories. 


This can also be a time where our petty differences, resentments, and unchecked emotions can try to take the stage in front of the captive audience gathered. 


Please take this as a suggestion and guard your words!  

Our self-will can override our spiritual connection during times of stress and anxiety leading to all sorts of words and actions that we later regret. 


Hopefully you can direct those nasty words to stay inside your head and not come rolling off your tongue. 

Remember the Holy Spirit lives within you and can give you grace, peace, and comfort during these times IF you let Him…


Check your experience… 


“Patience, tolerance, understanding and love are the watchwords.” Big Book pg 118   


Lord, let our words be driven from love and kindness and not from motives of hurt and pain, AMEN.  


“So also the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is always ready to pour out its deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our heavenly Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against men…” James 3:5-9  


Have a blessed day y’all!  


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We Harvest What We Plant

   November 22, 2022 0 Likes 375 Views
Reaping and sowing…. 

It’s a fact of life, based on a solid spiritual principle that we GET what we GIVE. 


I was grateful to learn this fact in the rooms of AA listening to others share. 


I was also blessed to experience this as I walk with Jesus daily. 


Now perhaps it’s a bit different for you,..

but I have learned  from my own experiences, as well as from helping others in their walk that..


we only GET OUT of a person, place, things, or situation, what we are WILLING TO GIVE to it. 


Negativity breeds negativity, and misery does love company. 

However, supply some positive attitude, support, encouragement, and good effort and you will be amazed at what you get in return!.. 


Check your experience…


“Do not think of what you will get out of the occasion. Think of what you can bring to it.” Big Book pg 102 


Lord, let us give our best to others and be a source of hope, grace, and love, just like You are for us, AMEN.  


“Do not be deceived.  A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8   


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? 

Humility not Humiliation

   November 21, 2022 0 Likes 390 Views
Humility is way different than humiliation…. 


Humility is a good virtue that allows us to acknowledge others and respect their dignity, talents, and opinions. 


Humility is not weakness; it’s a spirit of self-examination that through seeking and doing God’s will prevents us from becoming selfish and arrogant. 


Humiliation is a painful emotion that we feel when we’ve been shamed. 


It’s a negative response that usually comes as a consequence of our own selfish actions. 


I used to confuse the 2 words, I think a lot of corporate America still does. 


I have learned that a humble person is a powerful person who has a firm relationship with God, self, and others. 


A humiliated person tends to be isolated and suffer from their own actions based on self-centered fears, greed, and pride.


How do you see yourself?..
.
Check your experience… 


“Belief in the power of God, plus enough willingness, honesty and humility to establish and maintain the new order of things, were the essential requirements.” Big Book pg 13 


Lord, let us humble ourselves to be strengthened and fortified by our Word, grace, and promises. AMEN. 


“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.” James 3: 13-16 


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]

Taking Time to Listen

   November 20, 2022 0 Likes 320 Views
Take time to listen before waiting to speak… 


Have you ever caught yourself on “auto-pilot” in a conversation? 


For me, it usually happens during a familiar conversation or recurring situation. 


My mind tells me the answer before the other person even asks or finishes! 


Now maybe it’s different for you, but I catch myself going into auto- pilot mode when I start deciding what must be done even before I have really listened and or HEARD what the other person is trying to say. 


OK, so this is part of standard fare for raising kids under 5 when it comes to junk food and unsafe toys, we DO know the answers before they form the question, 


but this type of listening hurts us in all other aspects of our lives. 


Think about it. 


We like to be listened to, heard, and feel that we have been understood. 


 It’s a spiritual principle that we need to treat others in the same way that we wish to be treated. 


So maybe this is the 3rd time Aunt Mabel has told you the story about her trip to the grocery with the wrong coupons. 


Perhaps by actively listening to her and building conversation around her story, she may finally feel heard and stop telling you the same story. 

 How do you listen? 


 Does the solution noise in your head drown out what the other person is trying to say? … 


Check your own experience and…


Take time to listen instead of waiting to speak. 


“We never gave the spiritual side of life a fair hearing.” Big Book pg 50 


Lord, let us listen with our hearts and hear with You Holy Spirit that resides in us all, AMEN. 


 “To answer before listening– that is folly and shame. Proverbs 18:13 


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? 

Looking to Help

   November 19, 2022 0 Likes 325 Views
Looking away or looking to help….. 


Sometimes when we see uncomfortable or unpleasant things, we divert our eyes away so our mind won’t focus and our hearts won’t feel the situation. 


I used to do this every time I walked by my teenager’s room. 


I am sure it’s a well-organized myriad of clothing, books, and life pertinent items to her, but it looked like remnants of a hurricane to her mother and me. 


It’s easier to just look away and move on. 


What about those times when we are at work or out and about with a group of friends and we see someone noticeably upset or hurting. 


Hopefully it’s our natural reaction to seek to learn the situation, offer comfort, and help if possible. 


Now what about when we see that out of place person trying to deal with something that is obviously unfamiliar for them? 


I know that it’s easier to look away and pretend we don’t see that older person in the store trying to figure out how to lift that case of water. 


Or it’s “better to ignore” the dirty looking person on the street with the shopping cart full of weird stuff. 


I am not suggesting we stop and try to change their whole life, but what about looking them in the eye and saying hello? 


What would Jesus do? 


 Check your experience…


“Helping others is the foundation stone of our recovery.” Big Book pg. 97


Lord, let us open the eyes of our heart to see where You would have us offer compassion and help, AMEN. 


“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Philippians 2:4


 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]