Guilty By Association

Have you ever heard the sayings, "birds of a feather flock together" or "you are the company you keep?" I'm certainly guilty of associating people with certain characteristics soley based on the people they hang around. I know you should never judge a book by its cover but, sometimes it's hard not to.
The type of people we choose to spend our time with says a lot about us. If we hang with people who are always into mischief and confrontations, sooner or later we will find ourselves entangled in their mess as well. Likewise, if we start associating ourselves with people who are positive thinkers, we will notice ourselves looking for the silver lining in situations. You just simply can't make it to California riding with people headed to New York. We should all strive to keep people in our lives that will help us grow in all aspects: spiritually, physically, mentally. Generally, one person probably won't fill all of these roles, but our inner circle should be made up of people who play a certain part. So, your workout partner may not be the person you go to church with, but he or she is still is a great accountability partner to have in the gym to help you reach your fitness goals. Whether we realize it or not, we can be blessed or cursed by our company. There have been many instances where people have gone to jail and even lost their lives because they were hanging with people who had committed crimes or been involved in conflict with someone else. On the other hand, people like Gayle King have benefited greatly from their association with influential friends such as Oprah Winfrey. In Luke chapter 5, Peter and four other fisherman come back to shore empty handed after fishing all night. Jesus tells Peter to cast his net again and Peter obeys. "Simon answered, Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets. When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink" (Luke 5:5-7 NIV). Notice how the fisherman in the other boat benefit from their association with Peter. Their relationship with him not only benefits them, it gives them an overflow! We also have to learn to align ourselves with people with strong faith, work ethic and positivity because iron sharpens iron. So, take the time to evaluate the relationships in your life and see what role each person plays in  enhancing your life. Remember, you're Guilty By Association.

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It's All In Your Mind

Sometimes in all my writing and encouraging others I forget to encourage myself. I focus on being of help to others while silently allowing doubt and fear to keep me from stretching out and reaching for those things that I aspire to. After reading the fourth chapter of Job I realized that in spite of how great a man he was revered as, he had the same issue. His friend Eliphaz had to remind him to, " Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands.Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are dismayed. Should not your piety be your confidence..." (Job 4:3-6 NIV). This passage helped me to remember that these feelings come about because I am human. It even happened to Job! But, staying in these feelings and allowing them to suppress my drive and ambition is unacceptable. I find myself at times thinking of every excuse for why something won't work, that I forget to focus on the benefits that will be gained when it does work, causing me to settle for less than the best. I began searching within myself to figure out when did I start placing limitations on my potential and abilities. This is not who I am. Apparently I'd let the adverse results of previous ventures deter me from embarking on new ones. I saw getting a result other than my desired one as bad, rather than different, causing me too look at less-than-perfect circumstances the same way. I began looking at things through the eyes of the 10 spies rather than living up to my to middle name, Joshua. While the spies saw the giants in the land of Canaan, Joshua and Caleb saw a land of milk and honey! "Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, 'We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it" (Numbers 13:30 NIV). Joshua and Caleb only focused on the reward and were eventually the only 2 of their generation to enter into the land. Only a few will have the vision to see greatness in the midst of adversity, and even fewer will have the courage to attain it. Don't let anyone or anything cause you to falter on your journey to success, not even your own mind.

Part 3 of 3: "Why Are You Still Crying?: It's All About The Timing"

Thinking back on the previous two parts of the series, we discussed the fact that we can not let our setbacks hinder us from completing the work that still lies ahead of us (Part 1: There's Work To Be Done). Then, we talked about recognizing when the situation isn't really about us, but rather something that has an effect on us because of our association (Part 2: It's Not Even About You). Now, what if it really is about you and you've made to decision to continue doing the work that is set before you but you are still not seeing the results you envisioned? We have to realize that It's All About The Timing. We can not speed up nor slow down the process, just be ready. The saying is true, "Opportunity only comes once in a lifetime." So we have to do our due diligence in preparing for that defining moment. Have you ever wanted something but didn't quite have enough to get it? So, you spend the money you have on something else and a couple days later it goes on sale! That happened to me recently and I was heartbroken. I realized that by being impatient, I missed out on my blessing. It wasn't meant for me to have the total amount for the item because when the time was right, I wouldn't need it. I think about David running out to fight Goliath after hearing him curse God. David's older brothers tried to hush him up and send him home because they were afraid that he would get himself killed, or even or worse, get them killed. But what no one else knew was that David had been preparing for his defining moment while tending to his father's sheep. "Saul replied, 'You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth'. But David said to Saul, 'Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them..." (1 Sam 17:33-36 NIV). Dealing with adversity while tending to his father's sheep built David's confidence for this very moment. Many times we allow obstacles to serve as stumbling blocks rather than stepping stones due to our outlook on them. Some of us seem to think that, "nothing good ever happens to us," but, in reality we are being trained for our defining moment! It took David having to fight LIONS and BEARS in order to not only possess the skill, but gain the confidence to defeat Goliath. And, it was his defeat of Goliath that propelled him to the kingdom of Israel and right hand man to the King, a position that he would eventually occupy (which we talked about in Part 1). So, when you start to think, "nothing good ever happens to you," remember that you are in preparation for that defining moment. It's All About The Timing.

Part 1 of 3 "Why Are You Still Crying?: There's Work To Be Done

If you're anything like me, it takes a lot to truly get you down. I've learned to take many things in stride by understanding that God knows all and, His will is more important than my own. That doesn't mean that I don't find myself disappointed when I make plans that do not fall into place. Sometimes I tend to forget that "Planning Life Without Considering Life's Plan For Me" typically leads to a dead end. I've always loved the Serenity Prayer,  especially the beginning, "God grant me the serenity to accept the the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference." We too often worry about things we have no control over and allow them to hinder us from moving on. We let the hurt caused by the actions of others to depress us, or allow the disappointment of not getting a promotion to discourage us from doing our best. We cannot be held hostage by our "feelings." After Saul was rejected as king of Israel, the Prophet Samuel mourned to the point God had to ask him, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king" (1 Samuel 16:1 NIV). Even Samuel had to be reminded that there was still work to be done! If you've ever experienced heartbreak, disappointment, discouragement, etc then you know that it can affect every aspect of your life if you let it. We can miss out on greater plans that God has for us if we can't relinquish past disappointments. God sent Samuel to annoint David as king to replace Saul. Yes, the same David that killed Goliath, was considered a man after God's own heart, and would produce the bloodline that Jesus would eventually be born of! What a consolation prize that ended up being! So, regardless of what situation you are recovering from, sit down and ask yourself: Why Are You Still Crying? There's Work To Be Done.

Part 2 of 3: "Why Are You Still Crying?: It's Not Even About You

After coming to the understanding that we can't allow disappointments to bring our journey to a halt in Part 1: There's Work To Be Done, I realized that gaining an understanding of why something happens is just as important. When children experience a divorce between their parents, they sometimes tend to blame themselves for the failure of the marriage. Or, when a self-inflicted tragedy strikes those closest to us, we seem to blame ourselves for not doing more to help. It's natural for these types of experiences to have an "effect" on us, but we can't choose to let it "affect" us. Simply put, we should be empathetic because we care, but we can't allow it hinder us as well. I've noticed that in the times we allow it to "affect" us, it's out of guilt. We carry the burden of our conscience deceiving us into thinking that it is our fault. Although I'm sure there were times that we may not have made the situation any easier, we were also not the cause. In 1 Samuel the Nation of Israel demanded to have a king appointed to them because of the wicked actions of Samuel's sons who were in line to take his place as Judge. Samuel was displeased and troubled over their request. In my opinion, Samuel probably reasoned with himself that it was his fault for not reprimanding his son's for their actions. But, if you were ever a kid then you know that sometimes we act against better judgement and instruction. The faith of the people only showed them the present rather than allowing them to trust in God's judgement in appointing righteous men to guide them. (God later displays his righteous judgement in David's appointment as king instead Jonathan, Saul's son, as a result of Saul's disobedience). Samuel later realizes that the people's request for a king was not his burden to bear because it was not him whom they were rejecting, but God, "And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king," (1 Samuel 8:7 NIV). We have to be able to understand that every situation that has an "effect" on us is not our own. Some are meant to "affect" others around us. Life has enough twists and turns for each of us to have our fair share without taking on those of others. So, take a good look at the situations in your past and you'll see that "It's Not Even About You."

Who Am I Really?

Who am I really? I often ask myself this question as I journey from one chapter to the next. I live my life from page to page writing new entries daily. Things that were intriguing during the preface seemed to lose their effect somewhere around the second chapter but failed to find replacements. With age and responsibility I have gained maturity as well, but who am I really? One of the biggest struggles I've faced in life is establishing my true identity. Too often I tended to let "what I did" define "who I was." I've even had nicknames that had personalities of their own during different stages of my life. After my collegiate football career ended it was difficult for me to find satisfaction and contentment with where I was career-wise. My entire life to that point had been shaped and molded by my involvement with football. I had opportunities to travel across the country for camps and games, met many famous and influential figures, played in front of thousands of fans weekly and even millions during nationally televised games, and gained enormous support for my music by composing game-day anthems for The University of Southern Miss. But, after it was all said and done I was still left with the question, who am I really? It's taken time for me to understand that just like people come into your life for a reason, season, or a lifetime, so does an experience. My self-satisfaction was tied understanding the purpose for each one of life's turns, and the wisdom to know how to apply the lessons learned. Proverbs 4:7 tells us that "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." I finally realized that I was taking things that were only meant to serve a particular purpose and trying to make them a permanent fixture in who I am. I had to tell myself, "Jonathan, Don't Lose Yourself Trying To Find Yourself." From a young age I saw the importance of taking the time to "Dress For Success." I figured out what principles I would base every decision on regardless of circumstance: Intergrity, Commitment, Obedience and Nobility. I made the conscious decision to be an ICON. Does this mean that I have my life figured out? No. In all honesty, I still hadn't figured out if I'm even on the right path, but, I do know the answer to the question, "who am I really?"

I'm Jonathan.

Don't Lose Yourself Trying To Find Yourself

If the most successful people in the world would be completely open about their lives, I'm sure they'd tell you of a time when they felt lost and confused. I can imagine them talking about waking up one day and realizing that they did not recognize anyone around them. They would probably say that they were so busy focusing on the goal until they forgot to enjoy the process. Well, in that case, they are no different than you and me. I've also realized that I get so busy preparing for tomorrow until I forget to enjoy today. There have been plenty of missed opportunities that I could have spent with family and friends. Even chances to enjoy the fruits of my labor have been sacrificed because I was too busy focusing on the next thing. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 2:24, "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God." As I matured, "... I put away childish things" (1 Corinthians 13:11), but I never intended to lose touch with my inner-child along the way. That's what makes me....ME. I am spontaneous and fun-loving; not this super serious person I've become. Who wants to spend each day thinking about bills and doctor's appointments? Life is too short to not enjoy every moment of it. Carpe Diem! Seize the day! I will not let life pass me by while I prepare for old age. I will learn to enjoy each and every day. I will no longer let my goals and ambitions take SOLE possession of my thoughts. I will "live a little." Don't Lose Yourself Trying To Find Yourself.

Show Me Who I Am Before I Mess Up Who I Can Be

If only you could see what I can see in you." Have you ever heard or said these words? It's hard to watch someone with so much potential throw their life away simply because they can not see who they were predestined to be. Often times even those around us have no idea of all the great things we have the potential accomplishing. My parents stayed on my case as a child about hanging with the wrong crowd and doing things that would only lead to destruction. I can still hear my mother saying "If you stay on this course you'll only end up in jail or in the grave." Apparently she'd lived long enough to know a little something about life because the majority of those same friends are or have been to jail, are addicted to drugs and alcohol, and a couple have even passed away. Honestly, I always knew God had bigger plans for me. It was just a matter of me accepting and embracing it. As a kid, I dreamt of being an astronaut that would explore the heavens above, but my actions kept my feet nailed to the floor. Just like Jacob wrestling with the angel in an attempt to discover his true identity, I wrestled with my desire to be "cool" by doing things that were not so positive. I consistently ignored my parents' warnings about the company I was keeping until one day I saw the police outside of the house we would typically hang out at with my friends handcuffed. I realized then that the path I was traveling was indeed headed for destruction. School and sports eventually started to occupy the majority of my attention and I began to excel at both. I was selected by Duke University to take the ACT in 7th grade and scored a 17. In 8th grade I played my first varsity football game and was a full timer starter by the 9th. I eventually graduated high school with honors and earned numerous scholarships in football. I'm thankful that along the way I had teachers, counselors, principals, coaches, friends, and family that saw the potential I possessed and challenged me to fulfill it. I have kept my eyes focused on my goals and have accomplished many things along the way. I own my business, as well as hold a corporate position at a well-known company in the food industry at the age of 24. God has truly blessed me with a vision to strive for, all the skills and tools necessary, and a humble spirit that trusts in Him to lead my path. But first, He took the time to SHOW ME WHO I AM BEFORE I MESSED UP WHO I CAN BE.