Age

“Dear younger me, you will get much better with age.” (www.snapdragononline.co.uk)

Robbie,

As I look at your third grade class picture at Etna Road Elementary, I see your bright smile and those innocent eyes, and wonder what I could tell you about your future that would make sense to you at this age.

I would want you to know that your life will be filled with both triumphs and challenges. People you love will leave you for Heaven. The older you get the more frequently this will happen. The emotional pain will hurt horribly, but your faith will see you safely though to the other side.

Your life experiences will turn you into a unique man that sees your world differently than many others will. You will grow up to have many different passions that will overfill your soul with joy. God will be with you along your journey to direct you in how He needs you to go. Listen to Him.

As for your immediate family, dogs will be a part of that. You will meet your wife through work. Treat her with love as she is the strong individual you will need. Your one child (a daughter) will be a lot like you in personality. The potential in her is amazing.

I hope none of what I’ve told you will cause you confusion or fear. You are loved so much by your heavenly Father. Your future is what the two of you make it out to be together. God be with you always.

Robert

 I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.  (Jeremiah 29:11, GNT)

“If i could tell my younger self anything, it would be to stop trying to please everyone.” (The Awesome Quotes)[i]

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[i] Now it’s your turn. Write a letter to your younger self with future life advice. E-mail it to robert3chis@gmail.com. Your letter could appear on ENCOURAGE ME.

Bigger

“Butts are getting bigger. Seats are getting smaller.” (Anonymous)

If you’re overweight, you’re not alone. The American Heart Association says that 1 in 6 adults are obese. Yet the travel industry has not kept pace with expanding waistlines. From airline policies designed for the comfort of thin travelers to narrow seats that leave the overweight person inconvenienced, travel is not always comfortable for those at the larger end of the spectrum. Advanced planning can go a long way toward ensuring a relaxed trip no matter what your size.

Traveling while overweight comes with its own set of challenges. No thin person has ever stopped before booking a flight off to some exotic destination to google “am I too fat to fly?” or “will I fit in an airplane seat?” And even if you’re not concerned about the unreasonable thinness of today’s airplane seats, being an overweight traveler is a unique experience.

Being overweight and poor health are not necessarily things that are synonymous. Being overweight is a neutral descriptor. It does impact my experiences when traveling. Flying while overweight can be truly traumatizing. It’s not something that many folks talk about because it is embarrassing and further isolates the overweight traveler. If you talk to a thin person, you typically only hear them gripe about leg room, being “too close” to strangers, or the insensitive complaint about being stuck next to an overweight person.

There are few things in the world that I dread more than seeing the look of discomfort on a stranger’s face as I approach the row to which I am assigned. Just the “threat” of a fat body near them sends a look of disgust across their faces. It may be a micro expression (a nearly imperceptible look that crosses their face) before they catch themselves and replace it with a polite smile. It sends self-worth plummeting. Overweight travelers can become a headache before a destination is even reached. Here are five tips for flying if overweight (per Laurel Rickman):

Be familiar with airlines’ “customer of size” policies-Southwest Airlines has especially accommodating customer of size (COS) policies because of what happen after they forced big-bodied people off of their planes for “encroaching” on the space of others. This does not extend to all airlines though. Southwest recommends buying multiple seats and then seeking a refund for the second seat if it is not necessary. But if you look at their website, it says that you can wait until you can discuss it with a person at the gate to have them offer another seat free of charge.

That’s right — you do not have to pay for that extra seat. I figured I would ask about using the COS policy on a recent flight. They were polite, unfazed, and t upbeat about helping me out. They shifted a few things and popped me into row 13, which gave me an entire row to myself on a midday Tuesday flight. Sometimes airlines will even provide you with a little sign that says, “Reserved.” You don’t need to explain it to anyone who may try to challenge you. Merely tell them that it is reserved.

Call the airline — as late as the night before — to tell them that you need priority boarding-An airline representative can mark you for priority seating, which allows you to be seated first along with those with disabilities. This is particularly effective when you are using the COS policy, as some folks will try to sit beside you in your empty spot, or some spaces may not be assigned together if it is a free-seating policy like Southwest. Better safe than sorry, especially since it allows you to advocate for your needs with fewer spectators.

Get there early-If you are asking for COS accommodations, you should get to the airport two hours before your boarding time. This gives you the maximum amount of time and room to negotiate your needs with the staff. If someone does not give you what you want, politely request it from someone higher up the management chain.

Know the seat sizes-Measure yourself to get an idea of how wide an economy-size seat needs to be to accommodate your rear end. You know first class is going to be the most comfortable, but if you are like the majority of us it’s not affordable for the majority of us.

The seat belt extender is your friend-Don’t fear people seeing you ask for a seat belt extender? You may have already endured the judgment of folks as you have approached their row. The last thing you should allow yourself to worry over is your actual safety. As soon as you walk onto the plane, turn to an attendant, smile and tell them that you need an extender and where you are seated. They will not bat an eyelash and they’ll discreetly bring one to you as soon as you get to your seat. Why risk discomfort and dysfunction of a safety device because you are too embarrassed to ask? This is the easy part. Give yourself some grace.

“The only reason I'm fat is because a tiny body couldn't store all this personality.” (SirNottaguy)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “23 things nobody tells you about traveling while fat” by Lia Garcia

·        “5 Tips to Make Plus-Size Travel Less Awful” by Laurel Dickman

·        “Tips for the Weight-Challenged Traveler” by travel channel

 

Thick

Be humble. Be gentle. Be patient. Tolerate one another in an atmosphere thick with love.  (Ephesians 4:2, VOICE)

In a world where we can access information, and order what we want within a few seconds, patience can be hard to come by. We want what we want, and we want patience now. The problem is that while some things have become quicker to acquire in life, there are still some great things that require time to come. In order to get those things, patience is required.

Life doesn’t run on a set schedule. Patience is a virtue that will benefit you in every area of your life. When things get uncomfortable, patience will help you deal correctly with patience. Patience shows you have the ability to look outside of yourself, and withstand judgment when you need to. Being impatient can do negative things in your life like: impatience can cause you to make poor decisions that affect your health and your happiness.

Impatience can waste your time. Impatience can put you under a lot of stress. Impatience can affect your relationships in a very negative way. Impatience can cause you to feel self-doubt and decrease your confidence level.  Impatience makes you feel downright horrible. It can put your life in danger. Here are four ways to be the patient person you never thought you could be.

Be Mindful of the Things Making You Impatient-Most people have several tasks in their head, and they jump from thought to thought without taking the time to finish one task first. We live interrupted lives as we try to multitask and it is frustrating when we feel we aren't making progress. It is better to be mindful of our thoughts and the best way to understand this is to write down what makes you impatient. This will help you slow down and focus on one task at a time and remove those things that stress you out.

Make Yourself Wait-The best way to practice patience is to make yourself wait. A study published in Psychological Science shows that waiting for things actually makes you happier in the long run. Start with something small like waiting a few extra minutes to drink that milkshake and then move on to something bigger. You will begin to gain more patience as you practice.

Relax and Take Deep Breaths-Most of all, just relax and take deep breaths. Taking slow deep breaths can help calm the mind and body. This is the easiest way to help ease any impatient feelings you are experiencing. If breathing doesn't help I find taking a walk to clear your head can be helpful in getting refocused on what’s important.  The point is to find some time for you each day to decompress. 

Stop Doing Things That Aren't Important-We all have things in our lives that take time away from what is important. One way of removing stress from our lives is to stop doing those things. Take a few minutes and evaluate your week. Look at your schedule from when you wake up to the time you go to sleep. Take out two or three things that you do that aren't important but take time. It's time to learn to say no to things that cause stress and make us impatient.  

“I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature.” (Paulo Coelho) [i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “4 Tips to Help You Be a More Patient Person, Science Says You Will be Happier” by Rhett Power

·        “Here Are 9 Reasons Why Patience Is a Virtue” by Mercury

 

End

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.” (Seneca)

There are many reasons you might want to make new choices in your life with a unique approach to this choice. Regardless of your reasons for transformation, it’s possible to start a new if you think carefully, plan thoroughly, and check in with yourself to make sure you’re doing satisfactory. Whether you’ve quit something of your own free will or started over, an act of faith is always required.

Though there’s the exhilaration of new possibilities ahead, there’s also that moment of fear that this situation won’t turn out like you need it to. Even if you can’t think of a reason to continue on, you must think of a motive to start over.  There’s a big difference between giving up and starting again in your chosen way.  There are three little words that can release you from your past regrets and guide you forward to a positive new beginning.  These words are: “From now on…”

Accept and embrace reality – Life is simple.  Everything happens for you not to you.  Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late.  For everything you lose, you gain something else; and for everything you gain, you lose something else.  You don’t have to like it, but it’s just easier if you do.  So pay attention to your outlook on life.  You can either regret or rejoice. It’s your choice.

Appreciate what you have learned – Nothing is more beautiful and powerful than a smile that has struggled through the tears.  Don’t regret your time even the moments that you’re filled with hurt.  Smile because you learned from it and gained the strength to rise above it.  In the end, it’s not what you have been through that defines who you are. Its how you got through it that has made you the person you are today, and the person you are capable of being tomorrow.

Change your mind – Change is like breath. It isn’t part of the process, but it is the process.  In reality the only thing you can count on is change.  And the first step toward positive change is to change your outlook.  Prepare for the positive.  Prepare for the new.  Allow the unknown to take you to fresh and unforeseen areas in yourself.  Growth is impossible without change.  If you cannot change your mind, you cannot change anything in your life.  Sometimes all you need to do is look at things from a different perspective.

Hold tight to the good things – When life’s struggles knock you into a pit so deep you can’t see anything but darkness, don’t waste valuable energy trying to dig your way out.  If you hastily dig in the dark, you’re likely to head in the wrong direction and only dig the pit deeper.  Instead, use what energy you have to reach out and pull something good in with you.  For goodness is bright; its radiance will show you which way is up, and illuminate the correct path that will take you there. 

Keep climbing – Every person who is at the top of the mountain did not fall there from the sky.  Good things come to those who work for them.  You gain confidence and grow stronger by every experience in which you truly push yourself to do something you didn’t think you could do.  If you are standing in that place of in-between, unable or unwilling to go backwards, but too afraid to move forward, remember that you can’t enjoy the view without being willing to climb.

Let the things you can’t control go – Most things are only a part of your life because you keep thinking about them.  Positive things happen in your life when you emotionally distance yourself from the negative things.  So stop holding on to what hurts, and make room for what is right.  Do not let what is out of your control keep you from controlling all those things that are within your control. 

Realize every step is necessary –You grow from every step you take.  Whatever you did today was a necessary step to get to tomorrow.  So be proud of yourself.  Maybe you are not as good as you want to be, or as great as you one day will be; but thanks to all the lessons you’ve learned along the way, you are so much better than you used to be.

Rest and regroup – Strength isn’t about bearing a cross of grief or shame.  Strength is about choosing your path, living with the consequences, and learning from them.  Sometimes you do your best and end up with a mess.  When this happens, don’t be discouraged.  You tried.  That’s really all you can ever do.  You have not failed. You just learned what not to do.  You need to rest, regroup, and begin again with what you now know.

Take chances – Making a big life change or trying something new can be scary.  But do you know what’s even scarier?  Regret.  So realize that most of your fears are much bigger in your mind than they are in reality. You’ll see this for yourself as soon as you face them.  Don’t let them stop you.  Live your life so that you never have to regret the chances you never took, the love you never let in, and the gifts you never gave out. 

“Let go of yesterday. Let today be a new beginning and be the best that you can, and you'll get to where God wants you to be.” (Joel Osteen)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “5 Steps to a Fresh Start” by Peg Streep

·        “9 Rules for Turning Endings into New Beginnings” by Marc Chernoff

·        “How to Start a New Life” by wikiHow

 

Deodorant

“We should have a nice way of telling people they have bad body odor without hurting their feelings like, ‘I’m bored. Let’s go buy you some deodorant.’” (Rotten eCards)

Body odor is the perceived unpleasant smell our bodies can give off when bacteria that live on the skin break down protein into certain acids. Body odor usually becomes evident if measures are not taken when a human reaches puberty. People who are obese, those who regularly eat spicy foods or individuals with certain medical conditions such as diabetes are more susceptible to having body odor.

People who sweat too much (such as those with hyperhidrosis) may be susceptible to body odor. Body odor is most likely to occur in the following places: feet, groin, armpits, genitals, belly button, behind the ears, or the rest of the skin, to a lesser extent. Body odor can have a pleasant and specific smell to the individual and can be used to identify people, especially by dogs and other animals. Each person's unique body odor can be influenced by diet, gender, health, and medication.

Scientists who study volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have long known that every person has a distinct odor, just like they have distinct fingerprints. Some scientists call it your "odor print." It's why dogs can track fugitives on the run and why perfume smells slightly different on you than it does on anyone else. Your odor print can also influence your health and relationships, even though our noses aren't sensitive enough to consciously pick out one person from another. Below are important facts you should know about body odor.

Antibacterial soap is your friend – Use an antibacterial soap to cleanse your body thoroughly which will decrease the bacterial count living on your skin. Washing thoroughly with an antibacterial soap will help get rid of some bacteria, which can help with the odor. Look for the word "antibacterial" on the soap's packaging.

Antiperspirant vs. Deodorant – Most deodorants have an antiperspirant and deodorant component. The antiperspirant component is of most importance as it prevents sweating and thereby body odor. Keep in mind antiperspirants work best on dry skin. You may even find additional benefits of your antiperspirant if applied at night. You can try rubbing lemons, limes, or apple cider at night to help as well. Once you’re clean and dry, use a strong antiperspirant on your underarms.

These have aluminum chloride, a chemical that helps keep sweat at bay, and they often also have a deodorant in them. Use it twice a day -- once in the morning and once in the evening. You don’t need a prescription to get a powerful antiperspirant. Look for ones that say they’re higher strength. If you think you need more help, ask your doctor about prescription antiperspirants.  

Keep Your Clothes Clean- Change clothes often when you're sweating heavily. Fresh clothes help keep body odor down. Be sure to change your socks as well, especially if you tend to have foot odor. Use deodorant powders in your shoes, replace insoles often, and go barefoot when possible.

Keep yourself clean, and towel off well- Shower at least once a day, and you'll wash away sweat and get rid of some of the bacteria on your skin. Sweat by itself is basically odorless. But when the bacteria that live on your skin mix with sweat, they multiply quickly and raise quite a stink. Washing thoroughly especially the areas where you tend to sweat can help with body odor. Once you've showered, dry yourself completely, paying close attention to any areas where you sweat a lot. If your skin is dry, it's harder for bacteria that cause body odor to breed on it.

Sweat is odorless – Sweat is released from your sweat glands and is odorless. The bacteria that live on your skin, specifically in your armpits and genitalia, break down your sweat and eat it. The resulting waste material causes the odor that we associate with body odor.

The sweat of stress has a stench – I know we all have wondered why stress sweat smells so bad. There are two main sweat glands. Eccrine glands, which are found on most parts of the body, are responsible for cooling the body when hot or exercising. Its secretions are made primarily of water. The apocrine glands are found under the armpits, groin, breasts, and eyelids and even in the ear. These glands respond to situations of stress. The sweat released from these glands is composed of 20% proteins and fat, all the good stuff that bacteria love.  You are a smelly stinky mess.

You are what you eat – It is well known that foods with strong odors escape though your skin pores and sweat. So watch your intake of garlic and curries. What you eat affects your body odor. Foods that tend to make you sweat more, such as hot peppers or other spicy foods, might also lead to body odor. And the aroma of foods like onions or garlic can be carried in your sweat. Drinks with caffeine or alcohol may also make you sweat more.

 “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing that's why we recommend it daily.” (Zig Ziglar)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “5 Things Your Body Odor Says About You” By Kasandra Brabaw

·        “6 Tips for Reducing Body Odor” Reviewed by Stephanie S. Gardner

·        “TMI: 5 Things You Need To Know About Body Odor” by Besties MD

·        “What's to know about body odor?” By Christian Nordqvist

 

Create

“The future is not something we enter. The future is something we create.” (Leonard Sweet)

When you hear the word futurist, what comes to mind? You might think about those fortune tellers to learn about your future. Where fortune tellers will root their predictions in mystical unexplained powers, futurists make their predictions based on facts. A futurist is a consultant who makes predictions based on future trends they identify. Their point of view can even impact how companies design products or how communities run their outreach.

The art of being a futurist is a necessary skill in today’s world. Thinking like a futurist shouldn’t be reserved for a select group of people. It is a basic skill set that anyone can learn. The ongoing problems the world is facing like poverty and climate change cannot be solved with short-term thinking. If we want to move forward and create the future we want, we must adopt long-term, futuristic thinking. Below are core principles for future thinking:

Create a Community-Being a futurist or thinking about the future is not a solitary affair. I have a lot of distrust for people who say: "I'm a futurist. I went to a mountaintop, and I saw this vision, and this is your future." That's not real futurism. Thinking about the future is a collaborative and highly communal affair. It requires a diversity of views. We need to involve experts from many different domains. When we think about anything, from higher education to work, we need to include people who bring different perspectives on the topic—demographics, economics, technology, artificial intelligence, organizations. We need young people in the room.

A robust forecast is a collective endeavor; it's very much a product of collective intelligence. So, if you're going to create a sensing and signaling mechanism in your organization, make sure you're not bringing in people who all think the same way. Be sure to create a diverse group of people who can contribute their varied experiences and their differing knowledge to give you much more robust views of the future.

Focus on Signals-What tools do we have to help us systematically think about the future and develop foresight? There is no data about the future. All the data we have is about the past. Historical data is useful when things continue as they are. You can just continue planning for the same trajectory. That's fairly easy. The situation is different when things are changing and there are inflection points. I think we are in this space right now: notions of what learning is, how and where people learn, and the value of degrees and who grants degrees are all changing. What tools do we have to help us think about the future in this landscape? A signal can be anything. It could be a technology, an application, a product/service/experience, an anecdote or personal observation, a research project or prototype, a news story, or even simply a piece of data that shows something different.

This idea could be carried into many different arenas, and it was. Today, all online transactions rely on some sort of a reputation system. We've talked about how the whole world can become infused with media, and that has happened. We can access content almost anywhere and interact with it. If you are a futurist, you will get into the practice of looking for signals all the time. When you wake up in the morning and read the news, you will look at everything through the lens of these signals. You will naturally ask about events: "Is this a signal of something? Why?" This kind of curiosity and the ability to continually sense while also sharing with others is very important.

Forget about Predictions-If somebody tells you they can predict the future, don't believe them. Nobody can predict large socio-technical transformations and what exactly these are going to look like. We are getting better at making point predictions. There are prediction markets and all kinds of data-rich tools with which we're trying to predict elections, market share prices, and the success of product introductions. One way to think about this is to look at the difference between waves and tides.

Waves are what we see on the surface. They are fleeting events. They come and go, appear and disappear. But there is something bigger underneath that is causing these waves. Underneath the waves is the tide, causing all kinds of disturbances of which waves are just one sign. Our work involves trying to understand those tides, the deeper forces underneath the waves.

Look Back to See Forward-I said earlier that there is no data about the future; the only data we have is about the past. While we cannot fully rely on past data to help us see the future, there are larger patterns in history that we tend to repeat over and over again. Thus, we need to look back to see forward. I've started to think of myself as a historian as much as a futurist. I'm trying to understand the larger story and to place what is happening today and what we see on the horizon into a larger context. We don't repeat our history completely, but we do repeat patterns.

If we look at the invention of the printing press and the debates and worries that people had at that time, we see that those concerns are very similar to our current debates and worries about fake news, computational propaganda and how they skew our public opinion. It's almost eerie. People were talking about fake information and propaganda and lies all those years ago. What is the larger pattern? Changing our fundamental information, communications, and infrastructure changes our society in very dramatic ways. New media tools alter who has the voice, who has the platform, and who has the ability to shape opinion.

Uncover Patterns-The goal of connecting signals to the larger historical context helps us understand patterns of change. It helps us understand how we got to key developments shaping our future. What is the larger story? What are the tides of change? I strongly believe that we are all immigrants to the future.

 We are all moving somewhere new, so it is good to have the mindset of an immigrant. When you're an immigrant, you must learn a new language, a new culture, a new way of doing things. These are exactly the attitudes and skills we need to bring to thinking about and shaping our future. We must be open to learning a new language, a new culture, and a new way of doing things.

“Much like the rhythm of a beating heart, the sounds of tomorrow creates a rhythm for our lives today. The future creates the present.” (Thomas Frey)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “5 tips to think like a futurist” by Andrew Bolwell

·        “Five Principles for Thinking like a Futurist” by Marina Gorbis

·        “What Is A Futurist? 12 Things to Know About the Coolest Job You Never Knew You Could Have” By Iman Hariri-Kia

 

Crumbled

Just as the walls of Jericho crumbled, so with all things built on human wisdom instead of God's truth.” (1-Minute Bible Love Notes) 

13 When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him. The man had a sword in his hand. Joshua went to the man and asked, “Are you a friend to our people or are you one of our enemies?”14 The man answered, “I am not an enemy. I am the commander of the Lord’s army. I have just now come to you. "Then Joshua bowed his face to the ground to show respect and said, “I am your servant. Does my master have a command for me?”15 The commander of the Lord’s army answered, “Take off your sandals. The place where you are standing is holy.” So Joshua obeyed him.6The gates of the city of Jericho were closed. The people in the city were afraid because the Israelites were near. No one went into the city, and no one came out.2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I will let you defeat the city of Jericho. You will defeat the king and all the fighting men in the city.  3 March around the city with your army once every day for six days. 4 Tell seven of the priests to carry trumpets made from the horns of male sheep and to march in front of the priests who are carrying the Holy Box. On the seventh day march around the city seven times and tell the priests to blow the trumpets while they march. 5 They will make one loud noise from the trumpets. When you hear that noise, tell all the people to begin shouting. When you do this, the walls of the city will fall down and your people will be able to go straight into the city.”6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests together and said to them, “Carry the Holy Box of the Lord. Tell seven priests to carry the trumpets and march in front of it.”7 Then Joshua ordered the people, “Now go! March around the city. The soldiers with weapons will march in front of the Holy Box of the Lord.” 8 After Joshua finished speaking to the people, the seven priests with the trumpets began marching before the Lord, blowing the trumpets as they marched. The priests carrying the Lord’s Holy Box followed them. 9 The soldiers with weapons marched in front of the priests who were blowing the horns. And the rest of the men walked behind the Holy Box, marching and blowing their trumpets. 10 Joshua had told the people not to give a war cry. He said, “Don’t shout. Don’t say a word until the day I tell you. Then you will shout.”11 So Joshua made the priests carry the Holy Box of the Lord around the city one time. Then they went back to the camp and spent the night there.12 Early the next morning Joshua got up, and the priests carried the Lord’s Holy Box again. 13 The seven priests with the trumpets marched in front of the Lord’s Holy Box, blowing their trumpets. The soldiers with weapons marched in front of them. The rest of the people marched behind the Lord’s Holy Box. During the whole time they marched, the priests were blowing the trumpets. 14 On the second day, they all marched around the city one time. And then they went back to the camp. They continued to do this every day for six days. 15 On the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched around the city seven times. They marched in the same way they had marched on the days before, but on that day they marched around the city seven times. 16 The seventh time they marched around the city, the priests blew their trumpets. Then Joshua gave the command: “Now, shout! The Lord is giving you this city!  17 The city and everything is to be destroyed as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone in her house will be left alive. These people must not be killed because she helped the two spies. 18 Remember, we must destroy everything else. Don’t take anything. If you take anything and bring it into our camp, you yourselves will be destroyed, and you will cause trouble for the rest of our people. 19 All the things made from silver, gold, bronze, and iron belong to the Lord. They must be put in the Lord’s treasury.” (Joshua 5:13-15, 6:1-19, ERV) When you know that what you are asking for is in line with God’s will, it gives you the right frame of mind to encircle that request in confidence and reverence. (See Joshua 5:13-15 above) ·        Start by praising God for what He’s already promised to do. Fall before Him (See Joshua 6:1-2 above) Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people. (Ephesians 6:18, ERV)

·        Keep encircling His promises until God delivers. Trust God’s timing (See Joshua 6:3-16 above)

God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change. If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise, then he will do what he promised. (Numbers 23:19 ERV)

·        When the answer finally comes (in His timing), give God the glory.  (See Joshua 6:18-19 above)

As you battle your Jericho’s, devote yourself to God. Invite others in because we cannot fight this battle of life alone.

²⁴ We should think about each other to see how we can encourage each other to show love and do good works. ²⁵ We must not quit meeting together, as some are doing. No, we need to keep on encouraging each other. This becomes more and more important as you see the Day getting closer. (Hebrews 10:24-25 ERV)

“You need to circle the goals God wants you to go after. The promises God wants you to claim, and the dreams God wants you to pursue. And once you spell Jericho, you need to circle it in prayer. Then you need to keep circling until the walls come tumbling down.” (Mark Batterson)[i]

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[i] Inspired by the sermon “Pray Around: ASK-Ask Seek Knock, “(installment one) Sunday August 18, 2019, Pastor Dave Jansen, CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH.

Also inspired by the sermon “Pray Around: ASK-Ask Seek Knock, “(installment one) Sunday August 18, 2019, Josh Boyer, CenterPoint Lewis Center Lewis Center, OH.