The other night our power went out for several hours. When I was a kid, this was always exciting. My dad worked for the power company and sometimes I would get to go out on a trouble call with him.

This most recent time was not so exciting. This has been one of the hottest summers in years, so the last thing I wanted was to have to go to sleep in a pool of sweat.

It’s funny how things change over the years. I realize more and more that what we find exciting now may not always hold that same place in our hearts.

People change.
Circumstances change.
Cultures change.

Everything changes, but in that change, we are granted this wonderful gift of appreciation for where we are and what we are doing at this very moment in our lives.

Do not take for granted where you are now. Whether the situations you face are good or bad, the one thing you can bet on is that they will change.

What has changed recently in your life?

I love words.

In school, math was never really my thing. I was more interested in books (or sleeping, but that is a different story). Words captivate us. They can lift the heaviest heart and heal the deepest wound. They can incite romance (like mine do with my wife) or charge an army. Words can be overwhelmingly powerful…

But they can also be indescribably destructive. Relationships can be ruined by a few sharp words. People can be broken quickly and hurt deeply in just a few sentences.

Isn’t is funny how it takes so many more words to build someone up than it takes to tear them down. I write this as a reminder to myself and hopefully to you. Remember we are all born with one of the greatest tools of construction, but when used poorly, it becomes one of the greatest tools of  destruction. This power is simply the power of words.

Who have you built up today?

I recently took my dog, Reese, to a pet store here in town. It was one of those stores where you could take your pet inside, so i swallowed hard, and grabbed Reese. You see, he is not an ordinary dog. Ordinary dogs are calm, collected, and bring unlimited joy to thier owner. My dog is a storm of energy, ready to be released onto the unsuspecting public.

The entire time in the store, Reese’s legs never stopped moving. Luckily, the floor was slick cement, which meant that he could not catch any traction. I held on to his leash for dear life (and for the life of others). I’m pretty sure that while we were in there he ran enough to constitute atleast three full walks. It was actually quite impressive.

Spiritually, I feel like Reese sometimes (no, not short and furry). I am so anxious to run after what God has for me, but I remained tied down to old habits and unconfessed sins. The sad thing is, much like my dog, we get so use to the “leashes” in our lives holding us back, we forget they are there and wonder why we can’t move forward. In Christian culture we ofter call this hitting the ceiling or a spritiual wall. God really wants more for us than that. Thats why he says in 2 Corinthians 3:17:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

So, what’s holding you back? What habits are you holding onto? Are you living on a leash?

Saw this video yesterday and it blew be away. Check it out!

G.O.S.P.E.L. from Humble Beast Records on Vimeo.

What are your thoughts? Sound off below..

I am currently reading the book “Enchantment” by Guy Kawasaki.

A section in the book that has stood out is “likability.” Ultimately, we all want to be liked, and while personality plays a huge role, there are certain things we can do to be enchanting.

Here are Guy’s four tips:

1. Make Crows Feet - Smiling is extremely important when it comes to likability. Someone who is compared to Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street is generally not an enchanting person. Smiling has to be authentic. People can instinctively pick up on a fake smile. A genuine smile no only engages the mouth, but also the eyes. Guy suggests thinking happy thoughts when you greet someone. This will cause your eyes to squint a little making “crows feet.”

2. Dress For A Tie – Personal appearance makes or breaks a first impression; but to be truly likable, Guy suggests dressing for a tie. Being underdressed give the sign that you don’t care much and/or that you are lazy, but overdressing can cause you to come off as rich and above others. Dressing for a tie levels the playing field and instinctively disarms those in your company.

3.  Perfect Your Handshake – Have you ever been handed the dead fish shake when you first met someone, or how about the cold clammy hand. These never leave a good impression. Here are Guy’s tips on a great handshake:

• Make eye contact throughout
• Utter an appropriate verbal greeting
• Make a “crows feet” smile
• Gripe the person’s hand and give it a firm squeeze
• Stand a moderate distance from the other person: not so close as to make him uncomfortable or so far away as to make him feel detached.
• Make sure you hand is cool, dry, and smooth
• Hold the handshake for no longer that two to three seconds

4. Use Right Words – Words are the vehicle in which we communicate. If you have a poor vehicle, you may not get to your destination. Guy lists four tips on using the right words:

• Use simple words – People do not want to carry a dictionary in order to have a conversation with you.
• Use active words – Passive voice indicates a passive person.
• Keep it short – Don’t force people to listen. If they are interested in what you have to say, they will ask for more.
• Use common, unambiguous analogies – Meet people on common ground. It is hard to stay interested in something you do not understand.

If you haven’t pick up this book yet, I highly recomment it. I’m about halfway in and I’m loving it!

What are your thoughts? Any more tips on being likable?