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Articles from Frances Lucas | Selfgrowth.com
- Be Careful of Detours - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2011 from Frances LucasThere are times in our lives we get tired of things. We get physically wore out or mentally drained. Sometimes we just get bored and want to move on to something else. It’s just natural for things to get boring or monotonous and we feel the need to do something different. We may want to take a ...
Views: 1365 - Be Slow To Anger - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2011 from Frances LucasThere are times when we have a disagreement with someone, we feel so strongly about being right and we are so sure we are not going to ever hang around with them again. We feel whatever the situation, we are done with them. We are going to disassociate ourselves from them and move on. However, ...
Views: 1136 - Be There - by Submitted on May 08, 2011 from Frances LucasThere are times when situations happen to others and we don’t really know what to say or do. We feel like we need to something to help them with the hurt they have but our words are just not enough. We want to do something, take some type of action, but nothing we do would really help them. ...
Views: 1215 - Be Willing - by Submitted on Apr 02, 2011 from Frances LucasWe all want things to be different in many areas of our lives. We may want others to have a different attitude when they are dealing with difficult situations. We may want to our children or other people to act differently and listen more. We may want our boss to recognize our hard work and give ...
Views: 1205 - Be Willing To Speak - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2011 from Frances LucasA gentleman who is a new neighbor came over yesterday and introduced himself to me. He saw me working out on the garage and wanted to let me know he and his wife would be moving next door soon. He told me a little about himself and his family. He told me he had some experience in home repair and ...
Views: 1296 - Become A Better Listener - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Frances LucasSo many times we find ourselves repeating what we have said to someone because they weren’t really listening. Perhaps their minds were wandering while we were talking. Maybe they had something troubling on their minds. It could be there were distractions which kept them from hearing. However, it ...
Views: 1197 - Breakthroughs and Setbacks - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2011 from Frances LucasWe have all wondered why we can’t just have a normal average life with no issues or concerns. We wonder why things have to happen to us and why we have to struggle so much. We sometimes wish we could have a normal life and not have problems in our relationships or with money or with our health. ...
Views: 1293 - Brief Encounters - by Submitted on May 07, 2011 from Frances LucasThere are many brief encounters in life with others who we may only see for a moment. We have time to talk with them only for a few minutes about whatever comes to our minds. There are other times when we have meetings or encounters where we spend a few hours, or even a day with someone we may ...
Views: 1086 - By No Other Means - by Submitted on Jun 22, 2011 from Frances LucasWhen we are facing situations we feel seem out of our control and we have tried and tried to figure out how to handle them, we tend to go to an alternative means to search for a solution. We may feel as if we have lost hope and there is nothing left but drastic measures. We may feel there is no ...
Views: 1210 - Can We Be Counted On? - by Submitted on Jun 09, 2011 from Frances LucasWe all have people who we can count on. Some we can count on for showing up late everywhere they go. Others can be counted on for making excuses or blaming others. Then there are those we can count on for being too loud and saying the wrong things. Although we tend to see the negative in some ...
Views: 1137 - Change Our Minds - by Submitted on Jul 22, 2011 from Frances LucasThere are times when we have our minds made up about something. We have decided we are going to do or not do something and we will not change our minds for anything. There are other times when our minds are filled with negativity and doubt. It seems as if we want to have a pity party and want to ...
Views: 1281 - Constantly Reminded - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Frances LucasIt is so easy to get distracted in our daily routines. Some distractions are from others but we also have distractions in our minds where we are reminded, for whatever reason, how we have failed someone in the past. We may get distracted by how we have failed ourselves or how we have failed God. ...
Views: 2176 - Done There, Been That - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2011 from Frances LucasWhy is it we keep going back to places and situations we know are wrong in God’s eyes? We have heard the saying “been there, done that” but sometimes we keep going back and repeating bad mistakes. These mistakes come from our own desire to do wrong. These desires come from our past of what we ...
Views: 1197 - Don’t Let Your Shoulders Hold You Back - by Submitted on Apr 06, 2011 from Frances LucasMany times, as we get older, we begin to feel our bones and muscles ache sometimes for no reason except for the fact that our body is getting older. Or it may not be that we are old at all, but we may have done something to strain our bodies and we are feeling that pain the next day. However, no ...
Views: 1180 - Don’t Listen To People - by Submitted on Jun 17, 2011 from Frances Lucas1 Samuel 14:22 “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” Saul wanted to do God's will and please the people. ...
Views: 1069 - Fixing Our Thoughts - by Submitted on May 17, 2011 from Frances LucasOur minds are always busy thinking about things. We sometimes think about what all we have to do. We may think about what someone else has done. We may form opinions about others in our heads or talk back to someone in our minds. We tend to think things we really wouldn’t say out loud. If we ...
Views: 1399 - Follow The Pattern - by Submitted on May 03, 2011 from Frances LucasThink about a time when there were clear directions on how to get to a certain place but we somehow turned down the wrong road. Think about a time when a specific recipe wasn’t followed and the taste was just not as good as our grandmothers. When seamstresses are making clothing, the pattern has ...
Views: 1056 - For The Right Reasons - by Submitted on Jul 04, 2011 from Frances LucasWe often times struggle with what we do. We wonder if we should do or say certain things in order to help others, or to better ourselves or to even get ahead in life. We need to know the difference between what we want to do, what we feel like doing and what we ought to do. We need to be sure we ...
Views: 1300 - From Bad to Worse - by Submitted on May 15, 2011 from Frances LucasWe all have problems. We can’t really get away from them. We have troubles at home, issues that come up at work, financial problems, etc. Once we get over one problem, another problem seems like it is just around the corner. We pay off one bill only to find we have another to pay. We get over ...
Views: 1099 - Get In Line - by Submitted on Jul 19, 2011 from Frances LucasWe have all waited in line for something. It is neither always easy nor fun to wait in line but, we believe, it is usually worth the wait. While we are in line waiting we probably grow weary. While we are in line waiting we possibly get bored. While we are in line waiting we may get anxious or ...
Views: 1384 - Give It Time - by Submitted on Mar 26, 2011 from Frances LucasAlthough we live in an instant world where information is available at our fingertips and we have the option to carry around devices that keep us in immediate contact with others, the real things, the really good things take time. The steps to get the good things in life haven’t really changed ...
Views: 1077 - God Slows Us Down - by Submitted on Mar 04, 2011 from Frances LucasSometimes God slows us down. He creates quiet time for us when we think we should be doing something else. Just as he stopped other people in the Bible in their daily lives, He stops us in the middle of our routines. When He does this, He is turning us away from worthless things in the world, ...
Views: 1561 - Good Enough - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2011 from Frances LucasExodus 3:11-12 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you.” How many times do we protest to God or ignore Him because we don’t believe we are good enough. We think we don’t have what it ...
Views: 1221 - He Keeps Reminding Us - by Submitted on May 26, 2011 from Frances LucasWe all have forgotten something at some point in our lives. Some of us need reminders about most everything. We get so caught up in life, we tend to forget what is important. We tend to forget the big picture. Yet God continues to remind us. He watches us as we listen to His word in church, as ...
Views: 1030 - Helping or Hurting - by Submitted on Mar 01, 2011 from Frances LucasWe have many areas of our lives where we can make a difference. Usually they fall into the categories of our relationship with God and with others, our finances, our health, our careers or school and how we help others. In each area of our lives we do have the opportunities to help others. ...
Views: 1043 - Hide and Seek - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Frances LucasProverbs 11:27 “If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!” We are all familiar with the game we played as children where we would hide somewhere while we waited and hoped we could escape to home base before the seeker found us. Some of us had ...
Views: 1072 - How We Say Things - by Submitted on May 07, 2011 from Frances LucasIt’s all about how we say things. Ever notice how two people can say the same thing but get different results? One person may say it in a kind and loving way. Another may say it in a loud demanding voice. When we want to make a difference in the lives of others, we need to be aware of how we say ...
Views: 2324 - In A Relationship - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2011 from Frances LucasMany of us have some type of social network we connect to online for various reasons. Some of us may be out there just to check on others we know and see what they are doing. Some of us may be out there to find that special someone in our lives we can spend some time with. Some of us may be out ...
Views: 979 - In All Things - by Submitted on May 20, 2011 from Frances LucasWe are all guilty of not doing the right thing at certain times in our lives. As children, we may cheat on a test at school, take a little money from our mom’s purse without asking or lie about where we were so we wouldn’t get in trouble. However, as we grow older we learn doing the right thing ...
Views: 973 - In The Hands Of God - by Submitted on Apr 15, 2011 from Frances Lucas1 Peter 2:21 “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” Everyone goes through troubling times where we are having issues with our health, relationships, money, or work. Many times, we wonder ...
Views: 910 - In Their Shoes - by Submitted on Jul 12, 2011 from Frances LucasIt is so easy to get aggravated with another person who does not do something the way we believe they should. It is so easy to get upset with what someone says or does and want to react in a hurtful way. It is so easy to get annoyed when something happens to us we feel is unfair. However, when ...
Views: 1189 - Inadequate and Worthless - by Submitted on May 22, 2011 from Frances LucasIf we were honest with ourselves, we could say there are times when we feel inadequate and worthless. There are times when we feel we aren’t good enough to do something or be who we feel we need to be. We feel worthless at times because we fail or have struggles and we think no one else has to ...
Views: 1500 - It Must Be For Someone Else - by Submitted on Jul 18, 2011 from Frances LucasMany times when we hear a message, read a book or see a movie that really makes us think about life, how short it is and what more we should do, we have a good feeling for a while and then we get back into our every day routine. Other times we hear something and we think it would be really good ...
Views: 966 - It Takes Time - by Submitted on Jul 04, 2011 from Frances LucasSometimes we have situations where things are not going our way. We may have someone who isn’t doing the thing they should do. We may have others who are having difficult times and are continuously complaining to us about it. We may have issues at work or things at home which seem like huge ...
Views: 1211 - Just a Part of Life - by Submitted on May 13, 2011 from Frances LucasThere are things we do out of habit and routine that if we didn’t do them we wouldn’t feel right all day. We brush our get out of bed, brush our teeth, eat about three meals a day, etc. and skipping any part of our routine would not seem natural. These habits are just a part of life which we ...
Views: 880 - Just Enough - by Submitted on May 25, 2011 from Frances LucasWe all know people who always want more. They wonder why they didn’t get the promotion. They wonder why they didn’t get special recognition. They wonder why they don’t have the bigger house, the better cars, and the best of everything. It is so easy to think of all the things we don’t have. ...
Views: 1028 - Just Trying To Help - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Frances LucasWe have all had people who have told us they were just trying to help. They may have had good intentions to help us out but it really didn’t work. Sometimes people want to help and don’t know what to do but they just try something in an attempt to show they care. We need to be mindful of those ...
Views: 1161 - Letting Go Of The Insignificant - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2011 from Frances LucasWe all have situations come up where one thing is more important to one person than it is to the other. There are times when there are misunderstandings and we don’t always know the whole story. Other times we make things that are somewhat unimportant blow up into something really big that ...
Views: 1169 - Let’s Give Them Something To Talk About - by Submitted on Jul 15, 2011 from Frances LucasThere are so many times in life where we disagree with what someone says or does. We believe they are doing things that will hurt themselves or hurt others. We believe they are making bad decisions and are going down the wrong direction in life. We believe they are taking wrong turns and heading ...
Views: 920 - Loosen Our Grip - by Submitted on Jun 09, 2011 from Frances LucasThere are things we hold on to too tightly sometimes without even realizing it. It is those things we hold on to with all our might that we tend to lose. It is not because we don’t deserve these things, but it possibly because are trying to keep them under our control or because we put them ...
Views: 1087 - Maintenance Required - by Submitted on Jun 03, 2011 from Frances LucasMost anything we have in life; we have to take care of. There are few maintenance free things in the world since everything eventually wears out and has to be replaced. That is why while we have these things, we are required to take care of them so they work to their full potential. Even as ...
Views: 1034 - Make Room - by Submitted on Jul 07, 2011 from Frances LucasMost of us go to the store on a regular basis to buy groceries, clothes and other items. We have to go back and replace what we own because they either wear out or we run out of them. When we arrive home we have to make room to put these new things. This may mean moving around some things. It ...
Views: 1057 - Make Things Easier - by Submitted on Jul 21, 2011 from Frances LucasWe all want our lives to be easy. We all want to go through life without any issues or worries so we can enjoy everything in our lives without having to struggle. We would like not to have to rely on other people but to be able to have the life we believe we want and we want it struggle ...
Views: 1110 - Mind Your Business - by Submitted on May 24, 2011 from Frances LucasHow often do we feel alone? How many times when there is no one around to talk to do we feel like no one cares? When we try to reach out to others whether we have good news to share or bad news to share and can’t find anyone who has time to listen, why is it we feel so down? God tells us to ...
Views: 909 - More Than We Know - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2011 from Frances LucasNews from all over the world is shown on television and the Internet all day long. We can’t possibly listen to it all. There are things going on all over the world we will never hear about. There are people who are making changes in the world, good and bad, and we may never hear about them. ...
Views: 969 - Morning, Noon and Night - by Submitted on Mar 30, 2011 from Frances LucasWe often see others who get so wrapped up in what they are doing they forget about everything else and everyone else around them. We can get wrapped up in our thoughts. We can get wrapped up in our work. We can get wrapped up in our health issues. We can get wrapped up in our money situation. ...
Views: 1308 - Never Be The Same - by Submitted on Jul 10, 2011 from Frances LucasWhen we go through the days in our lives we quickly learn things are never the same. We have changes in our jobs, our home life and our other regular routines. We may get up one morning expecting to do certain things but that doesn’t happen. We need to understand and be flexible in our daily ...
Views: 986 - No Matter What - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2011 from Frances LucasThere are many things in life we wish we could change. We may not like the job we have. We may be upset about a relationship that has gone bad. We may have health issues we would like to improve. We may be so far in debt, we don’t know how it happened and can’t seem to figure out how to get out ...
Views: 858 - No Need To Argue - by Submitted on Jul 16, 2011 from Frances LucasWhen others disagree with something we said or did, we usually begin a conversation with them about what we did and why. Most times, the conversation turns into an argument. Most times, we always want to win the argument. Most times, no one really wins in an argument because both parties want to ...
Views: 1760 - Obedience Never Stops - by Submitted on Apr 07, 2011 from Frances LucasWe can all say we have been obedient at some point in our lives to our parents, in our jobs, in certain situations or in our spiritual lives; however, obedience never stops. We don’t just obey once a day by reading God’s word and then go about doing whatever we please. We don’t just do one thing ...
Views: 962