Novel Journey: It Takes Practice!: "
Proverbs 13:4 The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

Lord,
Please help me to be diligent to exercise this gift. Give me a vision of what I will be in the future if I work hard. Thank You for all You are teaching me on the way.
Amen"

Janet's prayer is the perfect addendum to our comparison between what NIV translates as Cravings VS. Desires.

Thanks for bringing it on home, Janet. The story here is wonderful!!!

Cravings Vs. Desire

Below is an excerpt from my article in The Dream Factory on Cravings or Desires.

Proverbs 13:4 - "The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied."

So what is the difference between the desire of a dilligent person and the craving of a lazy person?

From the start, we nod our heads knowingly, acknowledging that this proverb is true. A craving is a carnal drive that overwhelms our judgment and woos us into reckless thinking and action.

The key is to distinguish between the two and to dilligently pursue what is real and lasting.

Co-published in sister blog: Vast Possibilities .

The Road to Success

The = Definite article – Indicates something specific. We must be specific about:

T – Time – A goal is a dream with a date on it. It takes time to develop.

H – Hope - If there is no hope, there is no dream, no goal, no objectives, and no action.

E – Expenditure of Energy. Nothing will happen without work.

Road = Indicates process. We must fall in love with the process of moving toward success, not just the outcome.

R = Repentance. The word means change of mind, heart, and attitude. Change is necessary.

O -= Opportunity thinking (as opposed to obstacle thinking. Embrace obstacles as opportunities.

A = Attitude – The way we approach life (attitude) determines the heights we attain (altitude).

D = Destination – Roads go places. Always have the desired destination in mind.

To = A tiny preposition. It denotes direction. Success is gradually, purposefully, progressively, and with determination, moving toward our worthwhile ideals.

T = To as a focus. Focus on where you are going TO, not what you are going THROUGH.

O = Obligatory opposition. You must pass this way and there will be resistance to your success.

Success = “… the progressive realization of a worthwhile ideal” (Earl Nightingale).

S = Settle on your source. Know where your connectedness is.

U = Unleash your inner force. Call upon a strength lying dormant in you,

C = Chart your course. Know where you are going and your game plan for getting there.

C = Consider that the course is a concourse. You are not alone.

E = Enforce discipline upon yourself for your own success.

S = Stay the course. There will be many diversions and temptations along the way.

S = Stay the course (Saying it just once is not enough.).

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© Copyright, 2005, Thomas B. Sims, All Rights Reserved

A New Pattern

We have a pattern problem. We have developed behaviors that we practice consistently, habitually, and without much thought. We start practicing these behaviors before we crawl out of bed in the morning and condition ourselves to practice them before we lay our heads on our pillows at night. When we realize that some of these behaviors are negative or destructive, we have a battle on our hands removing them. When we determine to introduce positive practices to the mix, we find that there is no room for the old is crowding out the new. The first change is in our attitudes . Then we can address behaviors. We need new patterns. We need to replace old, worn-out,, useless and even harmful behaviors with newer, more nurturing and positive actions. What are the steps?

• First, we must make the determination that we are going to introduce change into our lives. This comes out of careful evaluation and resolve.
• We must pray for guidance and strength. Our creative God will work with our creative minds to create a new scenario and unveil options we have never considered.
• Then, we must do the hard work of being institutional and aware. We must accept that change is awkward and new behaviors may be “forced,” contrived, manipulative, or uncomfortable. We must practice them anyway.
• We must repeat the new behavior (which includes avoidance of the old) day after day, keeping some sort of record of our progress.
• We must allow grace for the failures and celebrate the victories and patterns begin to change in our lives.

Attend a VAST Possibilities workshop with Pastor Tom