I find that I am, unknowing, handicapped by my lack choice. Indecision is really just fear isn’t it? Getting stuck on what to choose for fear of making the wrong choice. You really choose nothing. Building no momentum. Learning no lessons. Making the wrong choice isn’t a bad thing and the most successful lives are littered with utter failures. Even with this knowledge I find that I still defer many of my choices. Not the large ones, but the small ones. The ones that seem insignificant.

I’ll just make a decision later. Can you see how the lack of urgency creates idleness?

WholeHealthy.me is the new blog on the market for Christians who want to use nutrition and wise habits to live the optimal life. Check it out for yourself. Amy and I have been working on this the last couple of weeks and hope it grows to become a helpful resource in the future for you.

Today, put your pen to the paper and just starting writing the first things that come into your mind. You will get over the initial hump of writers block. It’s a great way to approach anything creative really. Start painting. Start recording your songs. Start smiling at strangers. Who cares if it doesn’t turn out perfect. It never will if you don’t start right? Commit it to paper, recording, canvas, whatever.

Most don’t. Because…

they are afraid of failure and so are you! We all are to some degree. It creeps from the shadows of our heart as petty excuses.

“I’m not the creative type”
“I can’t even draw stick figures”
“I can never make anything good”

Why not? Have you ever tried? Try again. The best way to get ahead, get a job, a raise, a friend, is to add value. Value is made by creating something genuine. From an original painting to a new business process or a warm greeting.

Get in the habit of creating value:

• Hand your next note instead of typing out an email (bonus points if you write it in an unconventional way).
• Sit down with a cup of coffee early Saturday morning and write a story. Get start with the first two sentences of somebody else’s story and take it from there.
• Draw that stick figure! During your next meeting, class, sermon, whatever. Draw pictures of some of your notes.
• Next time you meet somebody new act interested in them, smile, and get them to talk about what they are interested in. Make a friend!

Just start.
Keep starting.
Never stop.

Whether you own a small business, freelance, are looking for a new job, or think you might want to make an impact in the world; you should start a blog. Here is what a blog can do for you:

Read more on provokethirst.com

Dreams. What are yours?

You have had them before I bet. Maybe you have never entertained the possibility of making them a reality, but you have had them.

Have you ever walked out of a movie inspired? Perhaps the hero was a greater fighter, speaker, dancer, or was just generally awesome at something you’re not. You know that feeling when you day dream that you were in their shoes. It is a fantasy, but aren’t all dreams at first?

Have you found your dream yet?

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and it is the glory of kings to seek them out” -Proverbs 25:2

Yes, you have to look for it.

When I was an intern at Teen Mania’s Honor Academy I spent hours pouring over something they called the Holy Ghost Brain Storm. Answering a series of questions about my preferences, skills, talents, past, dreams, desires, spiritual gifts, etc. All while we were fasting and praying for vision. Based on the brain storm I had before me the fine arts seemed to be calling my name. It had been the only thing I had been successful in to that point. Why not?

God took it.

I painted, read magazines about painting, and hung out with other artists on campus. I dreamed and prayed about what it would look like to be Gods artist. Later that year an opportunity came around for a position as a graphic designer in the marketing department. It was the closest thing to art, so I took a in that direction. Little did I know, God was setting me up.

Being a designer forced me to shift my thinking as an artist. My art had to make sense. It had to communicate. I struggled that first year and Teen Mania didn’t print much of my work, but it didn’t slow me down from learning more. After a few years of design God brought me through web design and social media.

It led me back to Teen Mania as a project/e-strategy manager. I learned everything I could. I had to. God was starting to open my eyes to something bigger than design and something bigger than creating art that moved people. Marketing. All the time I spent as a designer I started to learn principles about marketing and after a year of learning every technical aspect I could get my hand on I have the ability to see deeper into the strategies. Marketing strategy is becoming my new art.

God had taken my dream as an artist to get me moving in the right direction. He left a breadcrumb for me to seek out. It led to another breadcrumb. And another. And another…

It is the Glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings to search them out.
-Proverbs 25:2

Ironically I have a friend who sculpts parables in wood. These pieces of art have been known to send chills down peoples spines leading them to ask about the piece. John casually points them to the poem he wrote for the piece to lead them closer to Jesus. He is christian making an impact with his art. He just so happens to need a new website and online marketing strategy to help his art spread.

Dreams. What are yours?