"Today’s Friday the 13th. So what?"

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Okay, so today’s Friday the 13th. If you are afraid, you may suffer from paraskavedekatriaphobia (http://www.didyouknow.org/phobias/phobias.htm.).

But let’s think about it for just a second: somewhere tonight on a football field in the U.S., a high school player scores his first touchdown. And his mother catches an early flight home from a business trip and arrives in town just in time for the start of the game. Earlier today, she landed a huge contract with a client she had negotiated with for three months. Today is a lucky day in their family, isn’t it?

And let’s think about it for another second: someone somewhere today will hit the lottery big time. Heart surgery will save someone’s life today. A publishing company will accept a proposal for a writer’s first book today. It’s a lucky day for these people.

Life goes on just as usual today. Separate the fact from fiction, the reality from the fantasy today as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living. And remember: God is with you even on Friday the 13th.

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"Who’s voice do you recognize that you trust to teach you how to make a life?"

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A friend shared a story recently through our website at www.listentolife.org. Lightning struck her apartment and took out her cable box. She got a new one and tried to hook it all up, but it didn’t work. She asked a friend who to call and he referred her to a company that she had never done business with before. Being a single woman, she wasn’t sure if she could trust this “new to her” company, but she called anyway.

The receptionist was very cordial and then put her on-hold until the person she needed to talk with was available. While on-hold, she listened to me telling Listen to Life stories through our on-hold phone messaging product. When she heard me, she knew that everything was going to be all right with this “new to her” company. And it was. They took care of all of her needs in a wonderful way.

Recognizing a voice you trust makes a lot of difference, doesn’t it? That’s why listening to life today for what God has to say is so important in your life. When you recognize God’s voice, you can trust how to make a life.

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"Is your TV hooked up?"

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A young woman in her mid-twenties emailed me through our website at www.listentolife.org about a year ago to say, “Married life is wonderful. We recently got rid of cable in order to dedicate more time to our marriage. With both of us having stressful work situations, we would come home and want alone time. We talked about it and realized that it wasn’t a good way to start things out so we decided to yank the cable. No more TV. It’s really been the best thing for us. We now have time to spend together and focus more on our relationship and our relationship with God.”

I received another email from her on their first anniversary, letting me know that even though they moved, they didn’t bring along a TV and there’s no cable hooked up in their new home.

Now if that’s too extreme for you—no more TV—I understand, but what if, to improve your marriage relationship and your relationship with God, you took the TV out of your bedroom, creating a quiet space. Try it, and then email me at DrJoey@listentolife.org as you listen to life!

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"Do you chase others away from your territory as if there’s not enough to go around?"

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Our family enjoyed an extended weekend at the beach, just to relax and be together uninterrupted with only the four of us.

One day as I sat with my wife and daughters, reading a book and relishing in the ocean, I noticed a sandpiper. He was by himself and soon I discovered why.

I watched him scurrying around the beach like most of his type looking for something to eat. At least that’s what I thought he was doing. But I soon discovered that’s not how he spent most of his time. That sandpiper used most of his time and energy to chase away other birds. If another sandpiper approached his territory, he ran quickly over to chase him off. Then another bird invaded the opposite end of his area and he was off to chase him away. Back and forth that little bird ran, spending virtually no time eating and all of his energy chasing away the competition.

Today, avoid chasing others away. God provides more than enough food on the beach of your life for everyone. So enjoy making a life today!

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"How do you see God?"

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What’s God look like to you? Maybe for you God looks like a piñata. You’re looking for just the right prayer stick—solid and the right length—to whack God hard enough to force the goodies you want to rain down from the heavens.

Or maybe for you, God is more like a prize machine, you know the kind where you drop your money down, grip the joystick, maneuver the claw over what you want from life, then drop and grab it, move carefully over to the chute and let it go.

Or, maybe for you, God looks more like a craps table. You try to be good enough to buy up enough chips to bet your life, pick up your dice, blow on them, breathe a prayer to God like “Come on now, the baby needs shoes!” and roll away.

Look, there are no magic words when it comes to praying to God. Sure, use words to pray, but prayer is more about a relationship with God than a piñata or claw or roll of the dice. Just talk to God about what’s on your mind and heart, about what’s in your spirit. Then listen to life and make a life, not just a living.

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