We GET What We GIVE

Mark Farley November 14, 2023 0 Likes 203 Views

We get what we give…

It seems to be a common line of thought and an acceptable practice these days to look for the bad and find fault in others as part of the attempt to build ourselves up.

Perhaps you have learned the hard way, like I have, that all this brings us misery, chaos, and trouble.

When I took an honest look at my part in these behaviors years ago, I knew I had to make a change.

Just like the spiritual principle says,

we GET what we GIVE.

I find that when I spend my time building others up and looking for the good in others, the same is returned to me, even more than I deserve!..

Check your experience…

“We cannot be helpful to all people, but at least God will show us how to take a kindly and tolerant view of each and every one.” Big Book pg. 67

Lord, let us look for the good in others and not give into fault finding, AMEN.

“Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:13

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!

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Spiritual Food

Mark Farley November 13, 2023 0 Likes 178 Views

Filling food…

Most folks I know are doing a better job these days of choosing better foods and meals.

Just like having the proper fuel for our cars, it’s important to have the proper fuel in the form of nutritious healthy food for our bodies.

Slowly the fast food chains are getting this message and it’s possible to get a sort of healthy meal from them if there are no other healthier options, but for the most part, fast food, like sugary snacks, are full of empty calories that fool our bodies and leave us more hungry as well as tired.

It’s the same in our spiritual nutrition as well.

We can fool ourselves and load up on man-made words and spiritual “junk food” that require no action on our part and make us feel momentarily good about ourselves.

Unfortunately, like fast food, this leaves us hungry and thirsty in our souls.

We can get true spiritual nutrition daily by turning our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him and feast on His Word daily…

Check your experience…

“A new life has been given us or, if you prefer, “a design for living” that really works.” Big Book pg 28

Lord, let us feed spiritually on Your Word and the Holy Spirit, AMEN.

“Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35

Have a blessed day Y’all!!

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Humble Humility

Mark Farley November 13, 2023 0 Likes 177 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!

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

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How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought?

Trading the Truth for a Lie

Mark Farley November 12, 2023 0 Likes 170 Views

Truth or consequences…

Perhaps you have a better handle on this, but it can get confusing for me at times to know when I am getting the truth or a lie with respect to information.

Looking at information for just about anything these days takes a measure or patience mixed with persistence to sort through the word vomit and visual imagery to learn the truth needed to make a decision.

Trying to help Miss Tami find sunscreen for her face became a hunting expedition as we read ingredients and learned about all kinds of scary stuff that is part of the ingredients in some brands.

I am neither a scientist nor an expert, but it seems to me that putting various concoctions and mixtures of alcohol and mineral oils on one one’s face cannot be good in the long run, let alone make a good sunscreen for sensitive skin!

Experience, trust, and faith are the anchors I depend on to get me through.

We found the brand she likes and lo and behold, no alcohol or mineral based petroleum products are used!

This experience leads me to my thought for today,..

How are we reading the ingredients that we are putting into our spiritual lives?

Are we getting the good soul food from God’s Word or….

Are we getting “junk food” and chemical substitutes that make us feel good for the moment but have no lasting spiritual nutritional value?…

Check your experience…

“We have seen the truth demonstrated again and again:” Big Book pg. 33

Lord, let us look for Your Truth in seeking Your will and learning from Your Word, AMEN.

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie,” Romans 1:25

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!

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How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought?

Thank You Veterans!

Mark Farley November 11, 2023 0 Likes 184 Views

Thank you for your Service and God Bless Chuck Jackson, Rick Jackson, Scott Jackson, Nick Farley, Charles King, Russell Priddy, Curtis Smith, Eric Fowlston, John R., Coop, Bill S., Roger, Tyler, Dan H., my Sponsor Jim R., Phil, Adam, Mel, KD, Dave C., Raenee, and all Veterans past, present, and future.

Your honor, duty, sacrifice, and service keep us safe, protected, and free!

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

Lord, we thank and honor those who protect our freedom by serving our country. May You constantly bless them and their families, AMEN.

“Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

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!!

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Want a one-on-one coach to get you out of where you are?

Email today and let’s chat to see if we can make up a plan for you to get you to where you want to be!

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It’s a Matter of the Heart

Mark Farley November 10, 2023 0 Likes 151 Views

It’s a matter of your heart…

Have you ever had a situation where even though you are there, your heart’s not in it?

Perhaps it’s out of your immediate control and for the greater good you need to be there, but given your preferences, you would choose to be elsewhere.

I am sure we all have these times, and we manage to get through them just fine.

What about your faith?

While it’s good to go to church and participate in worship,

it’s not so good if our hearts are not in it.

God doesn’t care where we are physically at,

but He does want our hearts to be open and full of faith.

Believing is a heart matter and our actions show our faith…

Check your experience…

“It was only a matter of being willing to believe in a Power greater than myself. Nothing more was required of me to make my beginning.” Big Book pg. 12

Lord, let us keep our hearts open and filled with our belief in You and Your promises, AMEN.

“For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Romans 10:10

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!

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The Power of Choice

Mark Farley November 8, 2023 0 Likes 193 Views

The power of choice…

We face many choices daily but for me, the most important and constant choice I face is to either seek God’s will or follow my own self-will.

Maybe some folks think like I used to think when I was first saved that I no longer had to battle with life’s twists, turns, trials, and temptations, because I had Jesus in my heart.

However, the fact is that God loves us so much that even though through Baptism He fills our heart with His Holy Spirit,

He loves us so much and so unconditionally that He allows us to keep our free will.

Now perhaps it’s different for you, but this is exactly why I must make the choice daily and even hourly at times to seek His will and not give into my selfish self-centered will.

How do you handle this choice?…

Check your experience…

“Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives.” Big Book pg 86

Lord, thank You for loving us so completely and unconditionally that you let us keep our free will. Let us exercise this power of choice and choose to seek Your will in all things, AMEN.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Have a blessed day Y’all!

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Count the Cost

Mark Farley November 6, 2023 0 Likes 216 Views

What is the total cost?..

Anyone who knows me understands my preference to avoid numbers in just about every situation that I can.

What I have learned in life and in school is that everything has a cost.

Not only a numerical valued cost, but also the cost of time, effort, relationships, and growth.

It’s pretty easy to count the numerical cost in most things.

My wallet and my bank account are a constant reminder that I am not made of money.

Now maybe it’s different for you, but it’s those other costs that are the most expensive to me.

I have learned to ask myself what is the cost; to the relationship, time, as well as what value is to be gained.

Needless to say, whenever Miss Tami or my daughter needs me, that automatically wins, …

but what about the time I spend on other matters that may or may not be healthy for me or my relationships with my family, friends, and Jesus?…

Check your experience…

“Simple, but not easy; a price had to be paid.” Big Book pg. 14

Lord, let us include our loves, our priorities, and our relationship with You when we count the cost of our efforts, AMEN.

“But don’t begin until you count the cost.” Luke 14:28

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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Want a one-on-one coach to get you out of where you are?

Email today and let’s chat to see if we can make up a plan for you to get you to where you want to be!

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Teachable

Mark Farley November 5, 2023 0 Likes 182 Views

Becoming teachable…

Remember the last time you were able to lay aside your preconceived notions, expectations, and self-made opinions in order to truly learn something new?

Yeah, it’s been a while for me too!

Part of having free will and becoming an adult is this magic magnifying mind that we have that likes to unconsciously grow and feed from our perceptions and experiences.

It tries to predict situations for us as well as attempts to harden our hearts through our own self-made assessments and judgements.

Until we stop this process and set aside the ability and power it has over us, we cease to truly grow spiritually.

Kids don’t have this.

They look to us with wide eyes and open minds thirsty to learn.

It’s only when we can open our minds willingly in this manner can God truly teach us and fill our hearts with His Spirit and wisdom.

Are you still willing and able to be teachable?..

Check your experience…

“But after a while we had to face the fact that we must find a spiritual basis of life-or else.” Big Book pg 44

Lord let us set aside our own thoughts and become teachable like a child for Your Word, AMEN.

“He said: I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

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!

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How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought?

Fixing Broken Connections

Mark Farley November 3, 2023 0 Likes 170 Views

Fixing those broken connections…

Have you ever noticed the amount of stuff available that helps us to fix things?

From the self-help meccas of Home Depot and Lowes to the auto parts stores, hardware stores, deep discount big box stores, and even grocery stores, there are kits, tools, parts, and supplies that allow us to fix just about everything.

There are even YouTube videos available for non-mechanical folks like me that will show us how it’s done!

What about the spiritual and relational connections in our lives that need repair?

Sure, there are self-help books, counseling, and therapists to help, but just like all the stuff in our homes we can fix, it requires willingness, effort, and honest hard work on our part.

The good news is that when Jesus sees our efforts and willingness, HE uses the Holy Spirit living within each of us to guide us on the repair of the relationship with Him as well as others in our lives…

Check your experience…

“The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous.” Big Book pg. 25

Lord let us open our hearts to let the Holy Spirit guide us in repairing and maintaining all of our relationships according to Your will and not ours, AMEN.

“Jesus replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22: 37-38

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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