Got cabin fever? We've got the cure...

Me and the Vin-man, determined to make good use of yet another snow day:)

I Will Carry On. I Will...

"Carry each other’s burdens; in doing so you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are important when they aren't, they are deceiving themselves. Let everyone be sure that he is doing his very best, for then he will have the personal satisfaction of work well done and won’t need to compare himself with someone else. Each of us must bear our own faults and burdens. For none of us is perfect!

Those who are taught the word should share all good things with their teacher. Make no mistake, God is not mocked. A person will harvest what they plant. Those who plant only for their own benefit will harvest devastation from their selfishness, but those who plant for the benefit of the Spirit will harvest eternal life from the Spirit. Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up. So then, let’s work for the good of all whenever we have an opportunity, and especially for those in the household of faith."

~ Galations 6:2-10

I love this passage of scripture. I think it sums up perfectly the daily mindset I strive to apply to all aspects of my life: As a husband, a father, a friend, in business, in my training, and in my spiritual walk with Christ.

It's an awesome framework for daily living if you take a step back and look at the big points:

*I need to seek out opportunities to SERVE others; in doing so I will please The Lord.

*I need to be HUMBLE because I'm not as cool as I think I am.

*Everyday I will give my VERY BEST so that - no matter the outcome - I will be happy with my EFFORT.

*When I SCREW UP, I will acknowledge it.

*Every ounce of blood, sweat, tears, energy, pain, and stress poured into each day is a deposit into what will someday be a handsome REWARD. I must carry on; I must Protect This House...

Love & Blessings! Have a happy Friday and an awesome weekend:)

~ Cochise

The Cry of My Heart

Father God,

Search my heart and illuminate my spirit,

Fill my soul with the warmth and breathe of Your everlasting love,

Give me the strength to seek You in all I do,

Grant me wisdom and clarity so I may discern and obey Your voice,

Forgive me for my many failures,

Lift me up and restore me when I am weak and broken,

Break me and humble me when I am victorious,

In all my ways, may I acknowledge and glorify You,

As You lead me, may I be a faithful leader to those whom you entrust to me,

Please protect me and my family from the enemy,

Guard us from those who would seek to do us any harm,

May I always strive to be quick to love, quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

Lord, You are the vine; I am a branch,

Help me to remain in You and You in me, so that my life might bear much fruit,

Apart from You, I can do nothing; With you, ALL things are possible,

Thank You for being so patient with me,

Thank You for extending grace and redemption to me through Your son, Jesus Christ

I remain eternally grateful for Your many blessings,

May my life be a worshipful reflection of my gratitude unto You,

It is with great praise and a joyful heart that I remain humbly Your servant,

Jeremy Mhire

COMMIT.

I scream this at my athletes daily. I speak this to myself before every lift. I pray every day for the strength and diligence to remain committed to all that God has called me to.

To commit means to put your trust entirely into a deed or an ideal. Too many people are wafflers these days. Hot one second and cold the next. All-in one second and no where to be found the next.

I am not a waffler. Quote me on that. Take it to the bank. I'd rather go with my gut making a decision and be dead wrong, learn from my mistake, and not repeat it than flounder in the breeze or sit idly in the ocean.

Young or old, your time is now. Take control. Take action.

COMMIT.

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” ~ James 1:4

Ultimate Bro-Out

Navy Chaplain Lt. Commander Tom Webber baptizes Corporal Albert Martinez in a sandbag lined pool during a ceremony at Camp Inchon, Kuwait, March 16, 2003. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV.

"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

~ Titus 3:4-7

All That Is Within YOU...

YOU.

YOU can breathe.

YOU have a great calling.

YOU are created for a divine purpose.

YOU are a leader with power to influence others.

YOU are a servant blessed with an abundance of good gifts worth sharing.

YOU are not driftwood, but rather a mighty ship with a beautiful final destination.

YOU were made to live with passion and vigor; to burn as a brilliant light.

YOU are hope in the face of adversity and chaos.

YOU have strength to fight every enemy.

YOU will be victorious.

YOU can smile.

YOU.

"The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in YOU. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within YOU." ~ Romans 8:11

Survive By Grace.

Mistakes. Failure. Missed opportunities. The pain of defeat. All life outcomes that SUCK. Well, guess what? Welcome to life. There WILL be pain. You WILL fail. You WILL fall. Guaranteed.

The real questions is: When you fall, how will you respond? Will you get back up? More importantly, will you get back up the 3rd time and 30th time and 300th time?

This is GRACE. This is how you survive.

Grace is the ability to get back up, dust yourself off, and to charge once again into the fray.

In order to appreciate grace, you must be willing to sacrifice your pride. You must be willing to commit yourself to action. You must be willing to take chances.

DO NOT FEAR FAILURE. FEAR THE INABILITY TO LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES.

Take this concept and apply it to your life. Teach it to your kids. Coach it to your athletes. Let it be an encouragement to a co-worker or a friend.

As I recently heard Pastor John Burns say at the 2013 Men's Conference at James River Assembly, "Teach your kids to never FALL and they'll find a way. Teach them to get back up and they'll always WIN."

Great victory almost always comes on the other side of great adversity. Now get back up, keep fighting, and go for the WIN.

TRANSFORMERS

So many of us live our lives day-in and day-out stuck within the boundaries of our own perceived limitations. Yet as children, we were once not so jaded. We were unafraid to dream big dreams. That's the beauty of childhood, right? Kids have clean slates, unwritten stories, and no overdeveloped patterns of negative thinking. Us grown-ups are cesspools of doubt and self-doubt. The ruts of life's trials, failures and losses leave scars on our psyche. Those scars always seem to consciously and subconsciously remind us of our defeats, which oftentimes leads to us just throwing in the towel and giving up. Giving up, I might add, is for turds. Don't be a turd; be a champion by recognizing this simple fact: Failure is the most important ingredient to success.

I have a saying that I throw at my athletes whenever they miss a lift or fall awkwardly during an attempt of a movement. I'll smile and tell them casually, "If you're not failing, you're not trying." It's a simple thought, really. But the reality of it is profound. When we truly try, when we give an honest effort to achieve ANYTHING great in life, we will be met at some point with "THE STRUGGLE". It doesn't matter what it is - be it relationships, careers, sports, etc., the struggle will be there. It's difficult to persevere through the "No's", to smile through the tough times, to apologize and acknowledge when we're in the wrong. Winners persevere. Winners keep smiling. Winners acknowledge and embrace their weaknesses, even rejoice in them, in an effort to beat them into submission.

  

Patterns of failure are hard to break. Kind of reminds me of a brilliant song by U2. Bono said it best...sometimes we get "Stuck In A Moment" that we can't seem to get out of. The best way to not get stuck is to KEEP MOVING. Each day brings you the opportunity to begin anew, to rewire your head and your heart so to speak. Make the most of that opportunity:)

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

~ Romans 12:2

~ Cochise