Living a life of distinction

Jer. 1:4-5 ‘Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." (NASB)


Living a life of distinction is not a mere idea, or fleeting thought, or happenstance occurrence. It happens before we are born, but we must be willing to submit to the greatest in us and the Most High God above us. However, if we do not recognize it for what it is, others can see it and use it for their good, or evil. Yet, when we decide to answer the call within us, to live the authentic ‘you’, and know that you, the person matters, life changes for us. Even if it is not popular, know it is the well-crafted gift in explanation or description. And at the same time, it is not, because we are fashioned by the Father’s love in the womb, at conception, and the moment we own it, we become it. We become for that thing a beacon of light drawing others to you.

Living a life of distinction does not mean there shall be not frustrations, struggles, or pains in this life, only that you will know with a incredible certainty ‘this too shall pass’. Living your life is so much different because although you are nervous or wondering if you shall be well received, when you walk in the moment. In that moment, it can only be described as being in the zone. Your distinctiveness draws your enemies to give accolades for your actions, accomplishments, and achieves. Strangers are intrigued and those who know you are in awe. As they look back at what you use to be, the vapor of what was, and the wonder standing before them now, is the real mccoy. The only thing that can explain it is the God-factor. Living a life with distinction allows others to see manifest favor of God in HD.

The Poem - Dash

The following is a poem by Linda Ellis © 1998.


I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth and spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth...
And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own; the cars .... the house... the cash.
What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard ... are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left. (You could be at "dash mid-range")
If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real,
And always try to understand the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more,
And love the people in our lives like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile...
Remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy's being read with your life's actions to rehash...
Would you be proud of the things they say about how you spend your dash??

So, as you comtemplate this poem and the meaning it has ask yourself- How am I living my dash? Am I being the Christian I teach about, preach about, explain about? Or have I become so confident and comfort with the life that "I" built, I need no improvements or adjustments. Do the leadership I envision is the leadership, I model? The relational evangelism I seek, I am making the choices and the connections to make it happen, or are we just too afraid and insecure to reach to the lost because they do not fit? Living the dash is more than an idle endeavor. It is an intentional steps with grace filled moments with a forgiveness legacy but on an unconditional love proof.

Achieved and receiving

We all have to prepare for things in life, or we should do so. In the bible it talks about no one builds a house without counting the cost. Thus, preparing is part of counting the cost. It allows for you to sustain the place you move into, once you get there. Without preparation, nothing quite work well. Now of the preparation are done for us but see we all have our part to play – leaving our legacy. So, we cannot just enjoy the fruits of others labor without laboring for the next generation. See too many times in modern day, we do not want to work for what we will not reap from before we leave. However, we have no problems living the life of Riley because of someone else work…Someone else tears….Someone else doing without…Someone else mistreatment…See, we too, not just this generation of millennials, feel we are entitled to do so. We have not realize the desired outcome, we seek can only be realized, when we are ready to get out of the boat, and walk on the water. Yet, this cannot be done because we desire the easy route, the familiar ways, and the faith with proof. But you see, no one ever accomplishes, achieves anything staying within our comfort zone. Remaining in the traditional way, do not get me wrong traditions are not bad in and of themselves, but the failure to understand the meaning of them is the problem. We do because they said we should, If we learn the reasond for traditions we are doing, many would soon fade out of existence because the need they is no longer, and it our time to create new. We need to begin to seek the truth and the authentic, and then we can see prosperity in a new way. We must understand there is a process to achieving and receiving, which requires moving into the uncomfortable. Moving outside our comfort zone for many of us is painful, mentally, emotionally, and psychological…Isaiah 66:7-9 - "A woman does not give birth before she feels the pain; she does not give birth to a son before the pain starts. No one has ever heard of that happening; no one has ever seen that happen. In the same way no one ever saw a country begin in one day; no one has ever heard of a new nation beginning in one moment. But Jerusalem will give birth to her children just as soon as she feels the birth pains. In the same way I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born," says the LORD."If I cause you the pain, I will not stop you from giving birth to your new nation," says your God (NCV) Neither will God allow for us to go through without receiving a blessing, the bounty from our pain. Because God math is different than ours, He subtracts to add, and divides to multiply. If you ever have to give up to get something, then this resonates with a clarity that makes you know your life, and His way a little more clearly…Then process of achieving and receiving is no longer a mystery, but a heavenly revelations.

My Philosophical Bent

For the things which we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing: men become builders by building houses, and harpists by playing the harp. Similarly, we become just by the practice of just actions, self-controlled by exercising self-control, and courageous by performing acts of courage . . . [W]e must see to it that our activities are of a certain kind . . . Hence it is no small matter whether one habit or another is inculcated in us from early childhood; on the contrary, it makes a considerable difference, or rather, all the difference." From Aristotle's Ethics. The ironic thing is everyone knows this, maybe not in these words but in our own words. Yet, we continue to ignore this simple truth. Today, we no longer require of our children the respect, the set the high expectations, and we negotiate what should not be non-negotiables. All because we do not want to let them down, or hurt their feelings. We give stuff rather than teach ethical living, integrity and civility, and give our self. Why? Because it is easier, than doing the work it takes, and putting out effort to correct and educate intentionally. Now, we wonder why we, see so many people who feel entitled, and why they cannot cope. Well, we have not allowed our expectations to match our actions, therefore the goals and outcome are not what we want to achieve. But Shakespeare in"As You Like It": put it this way, and we would do well to pay attention to it …..All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts . . Until we understand when it is time for us to play that part, play it, and stay in our lane, we will always find ourselves wondering – how do I move from here and achieve my goal?...The answers lies in our choices…In our decisions…Our inability to control ‘do what you feel’ mentality…Man’s distinction is we are capable of reflecting on our past and the motives behind them, approving and disapproving what we are done. Usually this comes when we are facing death, or a brush with death, personally or loved one, all too late for most, and with far too many carcasses (mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually). We destroy others because we have not learned to put in practice the truths we know and to control the urges we carry as crutches – the selfish gene that dominates us. John 3:19-21 - This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through (NIV). We got to get this or the darkness shall consume us, and we shall have nothing but our own self to blame…

It is one of those days!

Okay, this post shall be a little different. I thought I put in something more personal stuff here. Yesterday, was horrible, I just felt like h-e-double hockey sticks. I was like what am I doing here in this town, doing this job, and where the heck is my life going. Why does God like to play games with me, or am I being so hard-headed that I am trying to do what I want, not what God said? You know the day where you feel you are between not here, and not there yet.You do not talk to anyone about it because heck, no one really gets it, and you get some lame response that result in you wanting to just go off. But instead you smile, and say something equally lame, shake your head and move the heck on…Yes, I was there yesterday. People say, I will be there but when you cannot articulate it where they understand, or they do not get it because it takes them beyond the peaceful shores of surfaced and light stuff; not so much of being there…So, after completing my professional obligations for the night around 9pm, and preparing for a bed, I was reminded by God in way it would only make sense to me (God knows how to talk to each of us, to get our attention)…How great is His mercy toward me…He is forever faithful toward me…Always he has provides for me, when I could not see him, feel him or recognize his hand, he is always there working things out for me. Loving me and preparing me for the next phase of my life, and this disorientation is just me getting use to this new place that I am currently sit in my Christian walk. I could no longer shake my tail feather, and get what needs to be done, done. ..See, I forgot how God just shows up out of the blue, and grants sparkle of grace in my life. Then I realize, Great is His Grace and Mercy toward me with such gravity, I find tears forming in my eyes, brimming, my face warms, my vision blurs, and the droplets roll down my cheek…And I begin to ask God what, whatever you are doing in this season, please do not do it without me because of my lack of knowledge or unbelief…I receive a calm over me, and see with my heart, peace, and know if nothing else is down for me, he has done enough… I see his manifold blessings come rushing toward me of my past, my present, and my future. See, his blessings manifest daily in my spirit, and His grace is sufficient for me; I just have to believe. ..Matthew 14:25-33 - During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." …Yeah, that was me too…but I am good now…I hope the next time you are where I was yesterday, you find encouragement to push through it, and not let it over take you….

Integrity of Christian

Integrity (the state of being sound or undamaged or unwavering...2 Timothy 1:7 - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind). of a Christian...The first question must be asked and answered is before we go on with our 'pious lives'- are we doing God's will?...If we are not, then we should just keep still because we are just spinning our wheels and creating a mess for others to clean up, and for us to finagle a way to get out of the responsibly...It is not enough to provide a beautiful descriptive outlook of God's glorious presence and love, but really, we need to be able to relate the information in a usable form to whomever we speak to, and demonstrate in how we live, our life daily...For example, the other day a woman muse over how we can be an examples, even when we do not think about; it is just who we are..she was in the a public restroom washing her hands, and as she left, another person in the restroom told her ' you did that right.' She was both surprised and awed that someone would be watching something so mundane, routine, and basic, but it was important to the stranger, and she complemented her on it... thus, we are always example to someone, even when do not intend to be, we are not trying to impress some - we are the only bible some people will ever see; scary, but true....


Living, Christian integrity, Socrates once said - 'What we we're enagaged in here isn't a chance conversation but a dialogue about the way we ought to live our lives'. He was talking about the exchange between teacher and students, but as Christian it is also applicable because as my pastor likes to say -' is not by accident, or coinciden that you are where you are, at the time you are there...' they are all opportunities to show the world we have a risen King, and He lives in me, and although I am not perfect, and I striving for excellence in His will. This means that we must be comfortable with our walk, and that cannot be done, without scholarship, implementation, application, so that you will learn what not to do, just you have learned what not to wear - 2 Tim 2:15-16 : Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness...This allows you to be comfortable, confident, and convincing because it is the true you, and not an attempt to impress - fidelity (conforming to the truth itself)...We are, who we love, and we love God...as we represent the diversity of his character, infinity of his love, and the largess of his forgiveness... and the mentors in our life participate in shaping our core principles and values,  then we should do the same should and be true Christian...as with everything there will be bumps, struggles, falls, but we get up and learn - what happen in life are 1 of 2 things: teaches a lesson we shall never repeat, or an experience we are destine to repeat until we learn the lesson...the only difference in getting it right is mercy, grace, based in love...God is love....good day my friends

The Right Conditions

Song of Songs 7:10-12 - I belong to my love, and his desire is for me. Come, my lover, let us go to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages. Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom— there I will give you my love (NIV).


The right conditions allows for the enjoyment that filled of contentment as it allows for cherished moments to be treasured forever; when the relationship is gone. See, enjoyment without contentment leaves you empty. Yet, we gain the prevalent, immediate gratification which comes from the physical intimacy but it, like most facades in life, leaves us wanting after it is over. All because we missed the cues, the nuances, and silent messages of the body language, in order to fulfilled our humanly need. Now, before we go on, I am not saying the physical intimacy is wrong, or inappropriate, I am concluding without the right conditions, it is empty and worthless. See our fleshly desires, and human logic keeps us from seeing, this truth - birds of a feather flock together, or should I say, what does godly have to do with ungodly? God has given us instructions in nature we, man, in our infinite ability to reason, and think, have gotten lost, in what we think is right, or perfect or best. While ignoring the fundamental truth, it is about timing, and timing lets each of us know the conditions are right.

In the verses, you see the there is a longing and desire to come together, but only if, the conditions are right. We longer wait for the right conditions; we do what makes us feel good, and is right to us. We consummate physical relationships, for the same reasons we give our seal of approval to business deals and new promotion – self and what man thinks is a good. Like with physical intimacy, we do not think about future implications of our present actions which have lasting and some times, detrimental consequences lingering long past the act. We are emotional people who find comfort in the twins - insecurity and man’s approval is vital to our standing. We forget and ignore the hallow truth that changes lives, instead our lens we see life through, and dictates our relational connections, for all aspect of our lives, and it is flawed. However, if we wait for the right conditions to consummate and validate, all relational connections, and then we would have less of rattled lives. We would have less unrest, a more forgiving heart; bitterness would be shunned, rather than embraced as a badge of honor, and confidence in who God is, would increase, dramatically. We no longer hear ourselves saying those old clichés that say more about the speaker, than it does about the issue spoke of – it does not matter, it is no big deal, and I did not think about it (consequence and implications). Therefore, we would reduce the number of times we ask God these questions – How did I get here? …Why is this happening to me?...What did I ever to do to desires this?...Why don’t the get?...When the truth lies in ‘self-focused’ mindset, and the refusal to do the unpopular and the difficult. Waiting for the right conditions before acting, according to God, demonstrate and illustrate our behavior, obedience, what words could never teach or explain. LORD is – the Priest (minister to the needs), the Prophet (forecaster for our future) and the King (sovereign ruler) of my life. This is what waiting on the right conditions does for us in love, and in living life.