Drifting Along

     A fishing float bobs up and down with the ebb and flow of the water it sits waiting patiently for a fish to gulp down the bait forcing the little red and white floater underwater signaling a fish is on the line. If you sit long enough and watch careful enough that bobber doesn't just sit there it floats and drifts as the wind and waves carry it. A boat out on the ocean moves speedily along with the assistance of the motor propelling it in the direction of it's destination, yet in most bodies of water if the boat is just sitting idly in the water it will drift away slowly from it's current location. In the case of a river that change in location is obviously going to be downstream. Drifting along may appear to be a comfortable position, yet in today's FTM we'll see why drifting along isn't what we were designed to do in life.
     When I visualize a fish float sitting out on the lake I see it just bobbing up and down no sense of direction, no energy to go backward, forward, right or left, just sitting there bobbing. If we aren't careful in our own lives we may find ourselves bobbing along in life much like that little fish float does on the water. "But I'm comfortable where I am and I don't want to move out of that comfort zone in which I live" you might be saying, well bobbing in the water drifting along isn't what we were designed to do in life. We are more like the boat, we have a motor that can carry us where we need to go in life. We have the means to reach our destination instead of sitting idly around waiting on the tide or current to pull us in the direction we may or may not need to be going.
     We are all called to action in our own walk of life. We were not designed to sit around waiting on someone else to do what we should be doing and we definitely do not need to just be pushed around by the tide of popular thought at any given moment. We know right from wrong, we know what we should do, and we have a moral compass that will guide us in life if only we will listen and then put our motors in gear.
There are several warnings about drifting along in the Bible, James 1 5-8 says, If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. And Hebrews 2:1 warns that
"For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it." In each of these scriptures the warning is clear, do not just drift along. 
     Where are you in life? Are you comfortable where you are? Do you just drift along each day doing the same old thing the same old way you've been doing it for years? That may feel comfortable, but I would tell you that you are bobbing on downstream. You are floating and you were not designed to float. You were created with a purpose and you were given a motor to allow you to move along against the current, upstream, and to your destination in life. Whether it is in your family, your career, or in a place where you see the need, but haven't moved to make a difference today is the day to put your motor into gear and start moving. I don't want to be pulled along through my life by the elements that I live, I want to make a move, make a difference, and go where I am destined to go not end up where someone else tells me to be. 
      If you have lost your "motorvation" in life it's time to find it. You may be drifting, but I know where the fuel for my tank comes from and I know it is available to all that seek Him. Jeremiah 29:13 promises that, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." If you are uncertain then ask for guidance, focus, or direction it is available when we actively seek focus. You are not a floater, you were not made to sit around and wait for someone else to do what needs to be done, your life matters and you have a job to do each day that will require you to move forward and reach your life's purpose. 
     Be assured your life matters, you have a purpose each day to fulfill. You don't make a difference once upon a time and then you're off the hook, no when you fulfill one purpose God has more in store and he is waiting for you to put your boat in gear and to stop floating down the stream wherever the current pulls you along. 
Go out this week and throw it into high gear and watch what happens in the world you live!
Coach Carter

Cystal Ball

     One of the movies from my childhood that I distinctly remember is the "Wizard of Oz". It's no wonder I remember it so well it was one of the highlights of the Halloween season because before cable, satellite television, and the internet movies like the Wizard could only be seen at the mercy of the network channels. It is definitely a highlight in my memories of my childhood. One scene that resonates in my mind is the one where the wicked witch has captured Dorothy and is trying to pry away her ruby red slippers. In her evil efforts the witch draws Dorothy to her crystal ball and lets her take a glance of the worry and despair she has created with her disappearance from her family's Kansas farm. As Dorothy peers into the crystal ball she sees her aunt and uncle worrying and the farm hands all sitting around with heads hanging low. Obviously Dorothy is distraught from what she perceives as the harm she has caused with her running away from home and the whole "twisted"(pun intended) adventure.
     What would it be like if you had a crystal ball that would allow you to look forward to see what kind of impact you have made on those you come in contact with on a daily basis or possibly even just an one time encounter? You do understand that regardless of your intent you make an impact on the lives of a countless number of people and situations each and every day? Your words, your decisions, your attitude, your perspective on life has a direct impact on the lives of others that you may or may not ever meet. I don't know if many people grasp the longitude of what they do and how it impacts lives way on down the yellow brick road of life.
     That's important to understand, but couple that with the fact that your impact will occur regardless of whether it is a positive impact or unfortunately even a negative impact on someone you live with, work with, or spend any amount of time with today. I can sit and think of individuals that have had a direct impact on who I am and where I am today. Some made intentional efforts to influence me to be a better person and make a difference in the lives of others. In my educational career I always link three very special people to my life and why I became a teacher. Andy Taylor, Glen Kanipe, and Gail Rice each played a pivotal role in my opportunity to work as a volunteer wrestling coach and to the next step of going back to school and becoming what is right now a 25 year veteran educator still impacting the lives of those I have an opportunity to work with each day. Where would I be right now if not for the positive influence each of them made on my life? Not sure maybe in education maybe not??

     Well it doesn't stop there, I had a  high school wrestling coach that instilled a love of this sport and the discipline it taught me that has served me well over the course of my life. Coach Tony Rigdon taught me to never give up even when things looked too tough to face, Coach Rigdon instilled that mentality into my life through pushing me to what I thought was my limit and then encouraging me to give just a little bit more. Thank you Coach Rigdon, I haven’t gotten the opportunity to tell him in years, but I want to make sure he knows that his influence on my life changed my life!
     But what if it doesn’t even begin there? What if there was a friend of my older brother that I used to nag and tenaciously bother when I was about nine or ten years old? What if that older friend told this little, scrawny kid that really had little to no skills or stature that fit the football team or basketball team that he knew of a sport that would suit him just right. Reese Conway did just that for me. For the four or five years leading up to my high school career Reese told me that I would make a good wrestler and that size didn’t matter in wrestling. Reese taking the time to encourage me and share with me his love for a sport that I had not even seen before, other than Southeastern Championship Professional Wrestling on TV, led me to pursue wrestling when I got in high school. Thank you Reese Conway.
     You see all of those people made a difference in my life, but if Reese hadn’t planted that seed some forty plus years ago I might have never entered the field of education and I sure wouldn’t have ever coached the sport that I feel mirrors life’s struggles in so many ways for over thirty years instilling the message of never quit and never give up! What is important for you to understand as you read this blog today is this. You will make an impact on someone be it one person, ten people, or ten thousand people, you will make a difference in the world you live. The question you have got to ask yourself is “What kind of impact will I make?”
     If you could glare into that crystal ball what would you see up to this point in your life? Would your impact be one that has encouraged others, or maybe could it be because you looked for a “yes” answer when everyone else was saying “no”? Has your life provided an example of persistence and perseverance lined with grit and resiliency? Have you helped someone with no plans or desire of getting anything in return? Or is your life filled with self-satisfaction, negativity, and gloom for the future? Have you had opportunities to make a difference, but you were just too busy to sacrifice the time it would take to be that positive influence in someone else's life? You need to really stop here and reflect on what kind of investment you are making into the lives of others.
     Guess what? If you didn’t like the image you are seeing in that crystal ball it isn’t too late. You may have one life that you are supposed to impact and that opportunity may be getting ready to present itself to you as you are reading this page. You may think you aren’t skilled enough or that you have nothing to offer, but you do. It may be as simple as encouraging that skinny, aggravating kid that he can be something in life. It may be a colleague at work that needs your help or a word of encouragement, or it may be a life that you can save with your friendship or offer to help. The bottom line is that the future you will see in your crystal ball is created by you. Your words and actions will make an impact that you may never know took place, but always remember this, you will make an impact. Will it be a positive one?
If you have never heard of the Butterfly Effect I encourage you to either click on the link provided below or copy and paste it into your browser. What the heck if you have watched it and it has been awhile since you watched it I would encourage you to watch it again. The Butterfly Effect is a principle that expands on the thought behind today’s FTM. Check it out and have a great week!


https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-mozilla-001&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla&p=the+butterfly+effect+andy+andrews+video#id=1&vid=bfa0cc9e57f3b7ef283769e846f94d14&action=click

How Far Does Your Reach Extend?

     Recently I watched the movie "Lost City of Z", which by the way was a pretty good investment of a couple of hours of entertainment time, and during the movie I was brought to attention by a quote that was shared in the movie's content. The quote went something like this, "The reach of a man should exceed his grasp". The message behind the words of the late poet and English playwright, Robert Browning,  caused me to take note and store that message for a future Flat Tire Ministry Thought of the Week. Guess what? Here we go.
     As the new work / school week begins most of us will have an area that is designated as our "work space". Yours may be a desk, an office, a classroom, building, out door space or any other type of work assignment. Still others devote and invest time into volunteering in extracurricular efforts, coaching, training, or possibly even ministering. Whatever the case may be each of us has an extent to which we reach out to help others. The gist of the quote above is to ask yourself, "In my world how far is my reach? How much effort do I expend to help others and make my world a better place to live?" It's easy to pat ourselves on the back and feel like we do all we can do to help others, yet I believe we all need to "measure" the expanse of our reach and evaluate if we could possibly do a little more to reach out of our comfort zone and make a difference in our realm of influence.
     The mental picture in my mind created by the words "the reach of a man should exceed his grasp" is of a person sitting at their desk, in their cubicle, on the job site, or even in their classroom extending out a hand as far as the constraints of the site will allow, yet never getting up and moving away from the our mental prison that prevents us from reaching out. Creating a barrier to aiding our fellow man is exactly what we must assure does not happen. The fallacy of being restrained from reaching out beyond our grasp occurs when we create barriers to going out further than we can comfortably do from our primary station in life. Just as Jesus directed the disciples to "go out and make disciples of of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit", we are also challenged to do all we can to help our families, our students and all those that are need of help in life. 
     Are you reaching beyond your grasp? Or are you glued to the constraints you have created that are keeping you from reaching out? When you evaluate your life are you stretching your mind, thinking outside the box, seeking ways to benefit those you come in contact on a daily basis? Do you believe you can find a new answer or do you accept the accepted as the rule. When I allow myself to really visualize the idea behind reaching beyond my grasp, my core belief of never giving up and never quitting is fortified and nurtured! I can make a difference, you can make a difference, each of us can make a huge impact on our own world in which we live. 
     Do not ever oversimplify your realm of influence and the impact you will make on the lives of the individuals and groups you work with and live each day. When you think you have reached out as far as you can, stretch just a little bit more. When you think you have squeezed all the juice out of the lemon in your hand, squeeze just a little tighter, and when you think you can't make a difference in a life, hold on and reach out just a little bit further than where you thought your grasp extended! You will make a difference, you are the difference! I am inspired and motivated by the work I witness being done for our children by the professional educators I work alongside each day. In whatever field of influence you work and live, never underestimate the difference you can and do make each and every day and reach just a little further!
Coach Carter

The Fork in the Road

     Decisions, we are all faced with a multitude of decisions to make each and every day. Some are simple and carry no real implications such as will I wear the red or the blue tie today or do I want grape or strawberry jelly on my peanut butter sandwich. On the other hand we each have a set of decisions to make each day that will impact our course in life and more importantly the lives of those we lead as well. Some people would tell you that they are not a leader, but I would suggest to you that all of us are leaders in some capacity. You lead your business, your family, a team, a club, and you will always lead yourself through the decisions you make each day. Being a leader means you have to make the tough calls in life. Baseball legend Yogi Berra once quipped, "When you come to a fork in the road take it". That advice may seem a little short on guidance on first read, yet it carries a great deal of wisdom and a call to action that must be met by each of us throughout our lives.
     Understand that you have been placed in your position of leadership to make the tough calls, to not always be the popular one, and that your decisions will impact the lives of others. It may not be what you want to do and it may not be what others would hope you would decide, but when your mind is made up go for it! The outcome may not be what you hoped or planned for it to be, but none of us knows what tomorrow holds so we make our best decisions based on the knowledge we have and then we take action to put things in place. Inaction is not a choice, when we fail to make a decision guess what, you have just made one. Keep in mind, you have been placed in the position of authority for a reason, mothers and fathers lead their families and guide their children until they become adults. Coaches have to decide what will be the type of offense and defense their teams will apply, and business leaders are tasked with leading the people they work with in making their business a success. Sometimes our decisions lead to success, yet it is inevitable that sometimes our decisions will fall short of our envisioned outcomes.
     Decision making is tough. No question about that, yet someone has to make the call and in your life you are just that someone. Think about great men in history like Lincoln, Truman, Churchill, and FDR, each of these men had to make decisions that would cost hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children their lives, yet they also had to think about the cost of not making the decisions in front of them. Popular? Correct? History is the jury on those questions, but the important thing to grasp is that they made the call, they pulled the trigger, and they sealed the deal.
     Where is it in life that you are struggling with making the hard calls? Do you give in with your children when you don't want to be unpopular or "the bad guy"? In your professional life would you rather let someone else make "those" decisions? Or how about in your daily walk who or what influences your choices and decisions in all you do and say? Hopefully you will never have to make a decision with the gravity or magnitude that Harry Truman had to make in World War II, but the decisions you make have to be made by you. Remember, not making a decision is a decision. Flipping a coin isn't a sound method either so how do we grow in our confidence when we struggle to make the call?
     For me I have found that making the tough decisions in life is so much easier when I have sought out wisdom and guidance through principles that have been tried and tested throughout history. Prayer and meditation are sound tools for anyone faced with making a decision that will impact the lives of others, and all of our decisions impact others. Paul encouraged the church in Philippi with this call to prayer, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 
     If I read that correctly there wasn't an 100% guarantee that you will always make the "right" decision, but there is an assurance that you will be at peace with your decisions and that the outcome will be measured down the road for it's merit and durability. We are all going to be faced with a multitude of decisions this week, probably first thing Monday morning. Before you get to work, school, or wherever tomorrow finds you, take a few minutes and ask for wisdom and discernment to guide you as you take that fork in the road! 
GO, GO, GET'EM GO!! Have a fantastic week!
Coach Carter

 

Positive is as Positive Does

     Psalm 66:1 says it all, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord." I had a wonderful opportunity this past week to work with a tremendous cadre of educational leaders in our school district. A small part of the work they are undertaking is a challenge I presented to this group which was to take the visible, positive energy they exude and to instill it in and among their colleagues, students, and communities. Alongside standards alignment, testing data, creating effective Professional Learning Communities, and striving for excellence for every child every day, the initiative I invoked may have appeared to be of small coincidence to the matters at hand, yet in today's Flat Tire Ministries Thought I am suggesting that the mindset you bring to the table whether you are an educator, line worker, business manager, parent, friend, or whatever other role you might carry, will have a direct impact on your success or ultimate demise.
     I recently read an insightful book, "The Positive Dog", by Jon Gordon of which the premise is two dogs that land in the animal shelter and the lessons one dog teaches the other about the power of positive thinking. The story goes on to explain that each of us has a positive dog and a negative dog inside us. Which dog will grow and eventually dominate our life's perspective is the one we feed the most. Feed the negative dog a bad attitude, a poor, pitiful me perspective, and the negative dog will thrive in your life. On the other hand, promote a positive diet of good attitudes and positive habits in your daily routine and ultimately the positive dog will thrive and grow into a strong and faithful companion.
     "That's easy for you to say, you don't know my circumstances." That's right I don't, yet I do know and can almost guarantee you that if you look around where you live, you will be able to find someone or several someones that have a great deal more to deal with in life than you. I'd like to offer you just a couple of ways that you can begin to feed your positive perspective and begin to starve out the "Negative Ned" in your life and the lives of those you come in contact with each day.
     Perception is a sharp, two-edged sword. Each morning when you wake up you set the stage for your day. Around the world, if you could hear people as they wake, they are either saying, "Oh my gosh, really?? Is it already time to get up and go to work? I didn't sleep worth a dime last night, and my back and neck are killing me!" OR if you listen more intently you can hear others that are jumping out of bed, proclaiming how fortunate they are to be able to rise each morning. They realize there are men and women, boys and girls around the world that will not be able to get out of a bed today due to medical or health reasons. Then you'll hear them say, "You know what? In an hour or two I've got to be at work, but I am thankful that I have a job and I am healthy and capable of providing an income that provides me with the ability to pay for my home, buy the food we need to live, and my job also gives me a chance to to make my world a better place to live." If you listen closely, you'll hear them saying, "This is the day that you have given me Lord, let me rejoice and be glad in it." (See the June 25th post for more on that mindset)
     Another way to nurture your positive energy is to take a grateful walk each day. Think about three things you are thankful for be it people, possessions, health, quality of life, your faith, whatever it is you have to be grateful for in your life. Now take a break from what needed to be done thirty minutes ago and reflect on those three things. When I do this it works out like this. Let's say I start thinking about how thankful I am for my new position as the career and technical supervisor for our school district. Well that usually leads me to be thankful for the opportunities to impact students, educators, and our community through my efforts. Then I start thinking about the education I received that has ultimately put me in a position to be qualified for this job. That leads me to a place where I start thinking about how thankful I was to have a set of parents like Joe E. and Martha Carter that exemplified a hard work ethic and impeccable character traits that have molded my life forever. Well I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture, it's hard to be negative when you concentrate on all we have that money can't buy.
     The last suggestion is a simple one and it is one I shared with our Learning Leader cohort I mentioned at the beginning of today's blog. (Shout out to the Hamblen County Learning Leader Team, your positive energy filled the room and I can't wait to see what you will accomplish in your schools this year!) I made a request of our team that was not or should not be that much of a challenge, I asked them to SMILE! When you sincerely smile it causes positive energy to physically expand inside your brain and it impacts others in the same way. Once you start smiling you will change your day and most importantly you will change the day of the person on the receiving end of your smile. Let your positive energy energize those you live with, work with, and come in contact with each day. Make a joyful noise and let your positive energy flow!
Go out and do something amazing today! Live your life! Coach Carter

Yes You Can Do ALL Things!

     You may know Philippians 4:13 by the reference call of book, chapter and verse, but if not there is a very strong possibility that you have heard the verse, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me", used as a motivational cry for a multitude of athletic teams, individuals in dire straits, and even for those of us that see a challenge in life and want nothing more than to climb over the mountain in front of us regardless of how steep or rugged it might appear to be. For me, I have witnessed a wide variety of athletic venues and I seen this verse of scripture from the Bible posted on banners, T-shirts, and other accoutrements of each particular sport. It is almost like the scripture has become a vote of confidence that "If I have God on my side I am going to win." Although this scripture which proclaims "I can do ALL things through Christ which strengthens me", is meant to be an encouragement in the face of adversity, I'm not 100% sure Paul was saying we will win every game regardless of the the other team's superior skill set. Instead I believe Paul actually wanted to convey the message that regardless of our circumstances I will overcome and I will prevail. It comes down to perception and here is where it becomes more of a challenge to embrace the message that Paul conveys in Philippians.
     Victory is our goal in athletics as it is in life as well. We train our athletes to strive for excellence and we set the bar high so that they are always striving for the gold in their endeavors. As a coach I do exactly that. My goal is to prepare those I coach to where they have the best opportunity to be successful in the sporting event they are participating. I want them to believe that they can do all things through Christ which gives them the strength to do so. But what happens when athletes do all they can, they work so hard, and put everything they have into their efforts, but yet in the end they fall short on the scoreboard and the other team prevails? Does not the message of Philippians 4:13 lose it's clout? Did the message of "I can do all things" fall short in it's promise? How about in life outside of the arena of sports? What if life has thrown you a curve ball in an area of your life such as in health, relationships, finances, or family matters and things are in turmoil spiraling out of control, and we commit to the belief that you will overcome and defeat any of the aforementioned circumstances, yet in the end the outcome finds you on the opposite side of what you saw as the "winning" outcome? Did the mantra of Paul in his letter to the church of Philippi fall short for you?
      My answer to the questions above is an answer grounded in trust and faith. For some it is a challenge to believe that everything that happens in life happens for a reason. For some anything less than a win in a sporting event is considered a complete loss. Outside of the sports arena many people deem it a failure if we do not completely recovery in the way we envisioned the outcome happening. The whole concept of "I can do ALL things" falls short in their estimation, yet my faith tells me that the outcome I want is not always the outcome that I am supposed to experience. To truly embrace the intent of Paul's message to the us we must understand that by committing to a belief that you can do ALL things through Christ which strengthens me, you have to commit to an understanding that ALL things includes dealing with the adversity of loss or enduring a difficulty in life that we would much rather be worked out in a manner that we would deem a victory for us is necessary and all a part of the plan for our lives. 
     To thrive in the face of adversity, to be placed in an uncomfortable situation in life and still hold firm to the belief that whatever the outcome we are gaining strength, wisdom, and the fortitude to move forward is when we are benefiting from the motivation of Philippians 4:13. We can do ALL things through Christ which strengthens us does not mean we will gain the outcome we always want, but it does mean that regardless of what comes our way in life, we can overcome, we can proceed, and we will succeed. I believe Paul wanted us to come to a place where we understand that what we go through in life is not necessarily all about us. What we go through in life is about what we can take away from the situation that we can use to impact the lives of those we come in contact with along life's journey.
      Yes you can do ALL things through Christ which strengthens you! You must reach a place where you understand and believe that the plan for your life will include losses and tragic events that we might not want to experience. Those experiences teach us to hold firm to faith and trust that the plan for our life is so much bigger than what we can see. "I know the plans I have for you" says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11. I encourage you to develop an "I can do ALL things" mentality with the confidence that facing a loss, overcoming adversity in life, and confidently moving forward are all part of trusting and having the faith to use the same strength that Paul applied in this stance that he could do ALL things through Christ which gave him the strength to succeed and impact mankind with his display of courage and perseverance to overcome!
Have a great week and do something amazing for someone else!

     

If the Oars Aren't in the Water, the Boat's Not Moving

     Before the introduction of steam engines and eventually fuel powered motors one of the main sources of energy for sea travel was man power. When I recollect the old action movies which included battles at sea my memory pops up images of the dark belly of a ship and deep rows of men rowing in unison to the beat of a drum or to the calls of the coxswain as he encouraged and sometimes threatened the men with the oars in the water. That is where the action took place underneath the deck of the ship, yet the person that most people would associate with being in charge  was the captain of the boat who stood at the helm steering the ship with slight turns of the wheel to the right or left. The person at the helm is ultimately responsible for the ships destination although without the power of the men rowing the boat from underneath, the ship is captive to the waves and winds of nature for progress. The captain of the ship is in charge, but don't ever underestimate the contribution of those providing the impetus for movement. Today's Flat Tire Ministries Thought reminds us that "we" are the body and we should never forget the importance of our contribution to progress and completion of life's responsibilities and plans.
     Just as it takes a crew to move a ship it takes hands and feet to fulfill our purpose in life. At work the manager, supervisor, owner, or "boss" (I really hate that word) provides the direction in which the company or business is headed. The leader has a vision of where the business is headed, a plan on how to get there, and has strategically placed the oarsmen in the right seats so that the business will effectively and efficiently reach it's goal or destination. This is all critically important, but without the energy, enthusiasm, and hands on power of the crew, the business is stalled and the ship isn't moving. The captain may be in charge, but if the crew isn't in sync or they just aren't working for the same outcomes progress is limited and goals are never reached. The true power of a ship thus lies in the heart of the ship.
     In my walk of faith it is the same way. My Lord and Savior is in charge. He has mapped out a plan for my life and He has provided me with goals and destinations that He wants to see me achieve and reach, yet if I am unwilling or out of line with His plan for my life then my ship isn't moving. There is a song by Casting Crowns, "If We are the Body", that poses the following questions:
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way  
     My God has provided me with a guide book and an example by which to fulfill His plan for my life, but all of that is for naught if my oars are not in the water following the calls to move my life's ship in the direction He wants me to go. The important thing to remember here is your plan is probably not as much about you as it is about what you should be doing for others.
     If you are heeding the call to service in your life then you are listening and acting on what you have been called to do, but if you don't feel like your life is moving or moving in the right direction then you my friend may need to look at the only person that can make your ship move, YOU! The Captain of our life will provide the map and He will steer the wheel, yet YOU have to provide the strength and will power to move the ship in the direction it has to go!
Place your oars deep in the water and see where you can go! Have an outstanding week make a difference and watch your world change. Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father."
Coach Carter