I hope you like the new format of Words for the Day and that you will also visit the actual website, www.Wordsfortheday.org. I want to thank Al and George Cuneo www.Cuneocreative.com for working diligently on my site and for taking my fanatical, perfectionist-inspired insults and verbal abuse as they tried to program it to my liking.
I also want to thank Ken Ross of Horizon Software for programming the original WFTD website over 11 years ago; it has served me well. Whenever I pressed “SEND” using my old website, a message appeared stating: “The word has been sent”. And then a little angel figure appeared on her knees with folded hands as though saying a prayer and a message appeared beside her stating: “Let’s pray that they get it!” Ken’s programmer humor always brought a smile to my face when I pressed “SEND”, regardless of the mood I was in each day during those 11 years.
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THANK YOU for subscribing and I hope you enjoy my daily look at life as it unfolds around me and how I use God’s word to help navigate through all of life’s good times and challenges.
Okay here goes the first WFTD using the new site:
Saturday I delivered the commencement address to Thomas University. My address was aimed primarily towards giving the graduates some insight on, “How to succeed”. I asked the graduating seniors, “Now that you have graduated from college, what’s next?”
I told them that I imagined that most of them wanted to succeed. I then related that many refer to me as being successful, using the following as indicators of that success:
- Family man – happily married for forty years
- 3 college educated – highly successful – happily married sons
and beautiful daughters in law - 7 wonderful grandkids
- Entrepreneur who has founded 11 excellent companies
- Published author
- Multi-millionaire – Sold my last company for $75 million cash with no debt
- Somewhat famous – Received global accolades from over 650 media outlets including TV, radio, printed media, Internet
- Philanthropist
- Friends all over the world
- Numerous awards and recognition from my peers
I then told them that those same people would have referred to me as something altogether different when I was 22 years old; something to the order of:
- Hopeless Loser
- Homeless person
- Severe alcoholic
- Meth and heroin Addict
- Dangerous criminal
- Prison inmate
- Violent sociopath
- Penniless drifter
- Suicidal loner
All things said I have lived an incredible life. I have hitch hiked and hopped freights and slept on the side of the road and I’ve flown on private jets, ridden in limos and stayed in the finest hotels. I’ve tried most everything life has to offer in my search and now that I’m old and gray I feel that I’ve exhausted most every possibility known to mankind, but I finally found it. I told them I hoped to save them some valuable time, trouble, and even some anguish by sharing my findings.
Contrary to what many in the world might think, they won’t find what they desire:
- in a needle or by putting something up their noses.
- They can’t obtain it by smoking something.
- It’s not in a beer can, whiskey or wine bottle, or bar room.
- They won’t find it in a bedroom.
- It’s not in a bank account or a huge wad of cash.
- It’s not to be found in a private jet, boat, fancy car, diamond ring, or grand home.
- Family or friends can’t give it to them.
- They won’t find it in a great career or spectacular accomplishment, or being a powerful politician, or a renowned CEO.
It can only be found in God. And that comes only when we completely surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. The best definition of success that I have been able to formulate in my 64 years defines success as finding peace and joy in our lives. The Bible teaches that they can only come from having a close relationship with Jesus Christ. All of the money in the world cannot buy peace or joy, (or any of that stuff listed above), but God freely gives it to those who love Him.
I told them to remember Phil. 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! It doesn’t say that Christ will do all things for us, and it doesn’t say that brand new degree will either. It states that “I” can do all things. It will take effort. “All” refers to the things God wants us to do. He will not bless us if we try to establish a drug cartel or pornography empire; only the things that He created us to achieve on His behalf. Search diligently for your God-given purpose in life and then do your best to accomplish it. And then:
- Always put God first in your life
- Set goals and develop a plan of how to accomplish His purpose for you in writing
- Maintain a great attitude with Passion for whatever you do!
- Be happy and smile!
- Develop a strong work ethic (easy if you have passion for what you do!)
- Apply what you have learned and work smart to execute your plan and achieve your written goals
- Treat others the way you would like to be treated
- When the storms come (and they will come) – hunker down, rest if you must, but don’t you quit!
- Be tenacious and persevere
- When you make it –give something back
And for goodness sake when you claw your way to the top, thank almighty God and give HIM the glory… and stay humble…
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His loving kindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.