"This above all, to thine own self be true"

- William Shakespeare

As many of you know, I worked 20 years in a jail.  Often times I would see inmates who could not tell the truth, or would not tell the truth, if their life depended on it.  That was always disturbing.  But what was even more disturbing was the victims.

Often times, we would get a male inmate in for domestic violence, the female being the victim.  Before we could even get the inmate booked in, the female victim was their wanting to get him out of jail.  They would say things like "He didn't mean it", "I love him", or even "I deserved it".  Thankfully, most of the time, the domestic violence charge meant they were unable to bond out of jail until seen by the judge.

This saying says to be true to yourself.  Don't mislead yourself.  In the cases I described above, those victims were operating on pure emotion and often times were telling themselves a story that was not true; they were misleading themselves.

"A Journey of a Thousand Miles Must Begin With a Single Step"

- Lao Tzu

There is an old saying that says the first step is the hardest; how true that is.  Let me give you a biblical reference.

I have never taken a thousand mile journey, I don't even believe I have personally taken a thousand one mile journeys.  But I have taken journeys.  On our honeymoon, my wife and I climbed a mountain just outside of Gatlinburg Tennessee... that was a difficult journey but we did it and we were proud when we reached the top that we had completed that journey; and boy the view by the way.  But way back down that mountain, in that parking lot at the base, where we pulled that little Pontiac T1000 (glorified Chevrolet Chevette for those who don't remember this late 1980's car), we had to take a step and get out of the car - that first step.  It all hinged on us taking that first step.

I have been to many mountains in my life.  I have been to the Smoky Mountains, the Rocky Mountains, as well as mountains in Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and the Philippines.  But the only mountain I can honestly say I climbed was that mountain on August 23, 1990 outside of Gatlinburg Tennessee with my new bride.  What is the difference between all those mountain trips?  Simple, on August 23, 1990, I got out of the car and took a step, then another, then another, and then a whole bunch more - I took that first step.  All those other mountains, I didn't take that first step.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

  “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

- President Theodore Roosevelt

26th President of the United States of America
Governor of the State of New York
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Rough Rider - San Juan Hill
City of New York Police Commissioner
Assistant United States Navy Secretary


This quote from Theodore Roosevelt is quite amazing when you look at what he accomplished during his life.  I listed several things he is known for; I did not list that he lost both his mother and wife on the same day (February 14, 1884), nor that he lost a son in Germany during World War I, nor that during his second bid for Presidency (which he lost to Woodrow Wilson) there was an assassination attempt on his life in which he was shot in the chest.  Even through all of these horrible life events, he achieved the goals I listed above, as well as many other achievements.

Now that you know a little more about the man who said, "do what you can, with what you have, where you are", I hope it resonates in you that your life does not need to be perfect, or even good, to be successful! 

The first part of this quote says "Do what you can".  That is not hard - don't do any more than you can, but don't do any less either.  Simply do what you can do!

"With what you have"; don't worry about not having abilities others have.  Don't worry about not being born with a "silver spoon in your mouth".  Just simply use what you have.  Every one of us are unique, God gave each and every one of us individual abilities, talents, and skills.  Use what you have!

"Where you are"; every one of us is in a different place (physically, mentally, emotionally, financially).  Bloom where you are!  Even if the grass looks greener in someone else's circumstances and you wish you were in their situation, remember Erma Bombeck wrote a book several years ago titled "The Grass is Always Greener over the Septic Tank".  That other person's life may look better than yours, their situation may appear more desirable, they may even be more successful than you and making far more money than you do; but it may all be (you know what) just under the surface.

Today's spiritual application is to look at some of the men and women of the Bible who accomplished great things doing what they can (with God's help - who, by the way, says that you can do "ALL THINGS" through Christ), with what they had, where they were.

Moses - born into slavery, raised by royalty, fled for his life after murdering a man, lives on the backside of the desert for 40 years, who at the age of 80 confronted the most powerful man on the planet of their time and lead out an entire nation from slavery.

David - a runty shepherd boy who, in the presence of the warriors of his country who were quivering in their boots, took on a giant of a man and slew him with a child's toy and a smooth stone.

How about the Apostles - 11 men who watched as their leader was crucified, hidden away in a room because they knew they would be next, who litterally turned the world upside down before they died.

"Man Cannot Discover New Oceans Unless He Has the Courage to Lose Sight of the Shore."

"Man Cannot Discover New Oceans Unless He Has the Courage to Lose Sight of the Shore."
-Andre Gide

By staying close to the shore, the safety area per se, you will never attain a lofty goal.  Set a goal, a high goal, and go after it!  Don't stay in the "safe area", get out of your "comfort zone" and strive for something worth attaining!  Go discover that "new ocean".

Spiritually speaking, the Word of God tells us in Hebrews 10 that we are to "live by faith".  Most of us live by sight instead.  I am a tithing individual; I give at least 10% of our gross income to my church and missions projects throughout the United States and the world.  Traditionally, I would look at what I made in any given week, figure 10%, round up, and tithe.  On the outside there is nothing wrong with that.  In fact, if you tithe like that, GOOD JOB!  However, recently I was convicted about living by faith and not by sight.  You see, when I tithe on what I made, that is sight - I can see what I made and am tithing on that sight.  Recently I started tithing by faith.  I have an annual income I want to make this year.  I tithe on that number; strictly by faith that God will open doors for me to achieve that number.  That is loosing sight of the shore and discovering new oceans!