"What are you afraid of?"

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One of the things I remember from trick-or-treating as a child at Halloween is that my younger brother was scared to death of ghosts. Or, actually other kids dressed as ghosts.

He and I would walk from one neighbor’s house to another and all of a sudden, he would scream and start crying. I would look around and there was a kid dressed as a ghost. I would hug him until “the ghost” walked on by.

He was afraid of ghosts not because they were ghosts but because they were dressed in all white. You see he had surgery a couple of times when he was a baby and later as a preschooler. All of the OR people wore white as did the other nurses and doctors. He associated their white dress and the white sheets of “the ghosts” with pain.

You know, there’s a lot of pain in the world right now—war, financial failures, and the list goes on. It’s easy for you to associate this pain with every dark shadow in life and be frightened of lots of things.

Ask God to hug you until your ghosts walk on by as you listen to life and make a life.

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"Are you resilient?"

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Do you remember from your childhood falling trying to ride your bike? What did you do? You got up and rode again, right?

What about playing Little League baseball and someone hit a fly ball to you and you dropped it? You played in the next game, right?

Do you remember hitting a golf shot into the lake? You played another round, right?

And how about having an accident while driving, or getting a speeding ticket? You have driven a lot since then, right?

When has someone told you, “You can’t do that?” and you actually did it, proving them wrong?

As you listen to life and make a life, not just a living, keep these memories plugged into the images flashing through your mind all the time. The time is coming, and very soon, when you will be tempted to feel like a failure just because something didn’t go exactly right. When it does, recall these memories of times when God was with you, helping you to be resilient. And get up and go after it one more time as you make a life, not just a living.

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"Where do you struggle?"

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I was working around our farm recently when I noticed something growing under a very large oak tree. I discovered a small maple tree struggling to live under that huge oak tree.

I say “struggling to live” because it was very tiny. Its leaves weren’t fully developed and they were kind of turned down, like they were barely making it.

It occurred to me looking at that stunted maple tree struggling for life under that big oak that as long as the maple tree remained there, it would struggle for life, and probably never grow to become a mature maple, much less reach its full potential. Transplant it out in the open where it can get sunlight and won’t compete with another tree for rainfall and it thrives.

You are like a tree. If you stay in someone else’s shadow too long, you never reach maturity or your full potential. Transplant you where you’re nourished and you thrive. So step out of the shadows today and get where you can grow with God’s help as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living.

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"Do you persevere?"

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Our family was camping in the Appalachian Mountains. We enjoyed cooking our evening meals over an open campfire so each night, I built a nice fire. Well, for two evenings in a row, a rainstorm blew up and drowned my beautiful campfire.

So the third evening rolls around and this time I’m prepared. “No rainstorm’s gonna drown my fire tonight,” I said, as I built not a campfire, but a bonfire. I mean, it was huge. I was determined my girls were going to eat a hot meal. So I’ve got this roaring blaze going and the rain starts. And it rains and rains and rains, but it doesn’t drown my fire. Between rain bursts, I jump out of the tent, hot dogs on skewers, and cook them.

Sometimes it seems like no matter what you do, something comes along to dowse it. Rain falls on your campfire, your parade, and everything else. Face such challenges with courage and insight.

Decide what you can do to guarantee success. Then pray and persevere even through the rain as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living.

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"How are you flying through life?"

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Ten years ago today, Listen to Life began as a radio show. How is it continuing today? The very first story I shared with you explains how:

Geese fly in a “V” formation because as each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following. This uplift adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew solo.

Geese also take turns flying on the point of the V since that’s the most exhausting position. As one goose weakens and slows down, another moves up to take its place.

Have you heard the geese honking to one another as they fly? They’re actually encouraging one another, strengthening the morale of the flock.

How are you flying through life? Listen to Life flies because I’m surrounded by a flock of people whom God sends to me. People just like you and including you who fly with me through my life as I share these stories. Thank you to all of them, and to you, for helping me coach people around the world to listen to life and make a life, and not just a living.

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