Before Trying to Change Anyone, Try This
One Day Wiser
Wouldn't it be great if that person in your life would just do things a little differently, is that too much to ask? Well, maybe you've tried that, and it didn't go well. So, now what? Change isn't easy, and that's what this episode is about. We usually don't get to choose how we want circumstances to go, nor do we have much to say about how another human being says or does things, or how they treat us. But not all is lost, when we discover we can drop the struggle. The key is not to change others, but to be transformed within ourselves. This is the best option available to us, but we actually...
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Why You Need Trials, and How to Grow From Them
One Day Wiser
"Trials by fire" is a good description of the pain we feel from what living in this harsh world can dish out. It can burn so hard, maybe we wonder if we can survive. Circumstances can feel unfair, unnecessary, and can make us feel like God doesn't love us, or just as bad, that he doesn't care or notice us and our pain. But he not only sees it all, he understands. He understands you. It takes wisdom to learn from trials, and it often takes trials to gain wisdom. James reminds us we can always ask God for wisdom, and he freely gives it, but we must not doubt. In the long run, we receive wisdom,...
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Martyrs for Christ: Episode 2 - John the Baptist
One Day Wiser
At what point does a person decide to stand on something they believe in, even if it costs them everything? That is not an easy question to answer. Most of us, if not all of us, have stood up for something we believe in, but we have also chosen not to stand up for other convictions. Some issues are just more important than others, and it will always be that way. Let's look at a very special person, John the Baptist. John was Jesus' cousin, and served Jesus faithfully. He stood steadfast for the truth, even when his life depended on it. He didn't have to choose between following Jesus or...
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Martyrs for Christ: Episode 1 - Stephen
One Day Wiser
The Bible has thousands of prophecies, and we often think of those as having been made in the past, and only some of them being fulfilled so far. But some were fulfilled very soon, and also written about. Some actually took very little time to come to fruition, such as one made by Jesus himself. Not only did he predict his own death and resurrection, he made statements about what it would be like to follow him, and it took very little time at all for this to reveal just how true his words actually were. No prediction of Jesus was more “strikingly fulfilled” than that of persecution and...
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Bread and Circuses... and Idols
One Day Wiser
As amazing as this world is, filled with God’s magnificent creation and splendor, it can still feel empty. One moment, we might be captivated with a sunset, a mountainscape, or the sound of a sea shore. Another moment we might feel unloved, lonely, or afraid. It takes more than whatever we find here to fulfill us, so we continue to find ourselves experiencing discontentment, longingness, and strife. Yes, there are many distractions and diversions, so maybe we don’t always feel these things. There is much to enjoy here, but we might also discover that between the moments of happiness or...
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What Do You Expect? And Why It Matters
One Day Wiser
Do you ever just want today to go well, but having that happen feels like a distant dream? It might not be as far off as you think. You can improve the quality of this day, and you don’t have to change everything and everyone around you to do it. It really comes down to three things you can probably improve right now, even as you read this: your intention, your attention and your attitude. It’s essential that we learn to have hope, and not be too discouraged by what life brings into our path. We endure hardship, adversity and trauma. But not only can we endure them, we can progress forward...
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Why Boundaries Fail, and How to Fix Them
One Day Wiser
More and more people are learning about the value of setting limits around what they tolerate from the people in their lives, and what kinds of things they are willing to commit to, and when to say no. These are called boundaries. This can be very healthy, but for many of us, setting boundaries is not nearly as easy as it sounds. Other people often don’t like our boundaries much, and they don’t honor them. Sometimes, we don’t even like our own boundaries, or don’t feel strong enough to enforce them, so we let them go. Still at other times, we might follow through, and they don’t...
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The Lost Art of Negative Thinking
One Day Wiser
Believe it or not, there are times and places where negativity is actually essential. In this episode, we explore some meanings of the word negative, and how it can actually help us survive. Maybe you find yourself being negative. If so, this episode may help. But also, packed into this episode is an often overlooked and forgotten power contained in what is called via negativa. This foundational approach to living a life of faith is built on negation, which is learning who we are, and who God is, by observing what is NOT us or God. This will make more sense in the episode. Stay...
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The Importance of Failure
One Day Wiser
We have many emotions we love, and many we hate. One that we hate is feeling like a failure. Why do we hate failing so much? But like other emotions, it is great information for us. In fact, failure is required for us to live well. Children don't learn to walk without falling - how do we treat them when they do fall? So maybe it's time to give yourself the same compassion you would a child! Here are some ways you can embrace failure, and use it to your advantage: - Remind yourself "I'm learning to walk" - Think upon what you will be capable of AFTER you learn to walk - The righteous person...
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The Power of the Word
One Day Wiser
Words can build, and they can destroy. If there is one thing we can do today that holds the power to change our lives forever, it is to harness the power of our words. God used them to speak the world into existence, with all its majesty and wonder. And he made us in his image, so a good question to ask is, What are my words creating? The books Genesis and John mention the beginning of time. Each reminds us of the power of the Word - in Genesis, it is the spoken word. In John, we see the Word of God, which is Jesus. He is the Word, or Logos. Your words have creative power, and...
info_outlineBelieve it or not, there are times and places where negativity is actually essential. In this episode, we explore some meanings of the word negative, and how it can actually help us survive. Maybe you find yourself being negative. If so, this episode may help. But also, packed into this episode is an often overlooked and forgotten power contained in what is called via negativa. This foundational approach to living a life of faith is built on negation, which is learning who we are, and who God is, by observing what is NOT us or God. This will make more sense in the episode. Stay encouraged, and stay challenged.