Hope your sunrise is a fantastic one!

Good morning, America! Hope you have some fresh coffee brewing for the Monday mayhem! Before you sit down to start a new work week, how about some motivation to get you pumped? Let’s see what I can bring you today.

Belief creates the actual fact. 

-William James

This particular quote by psychologist William James offered me a smile today as I sat down to work on my next major post for Omni Labs concerning atheism and secular thought. I know we’ve seen a lot of hatred lately in the media about religious affairs and an ever-growing struggle between the atheist community and the Church. When I stumbled across William’s few but powerful words, I couldn’t help but feel reassured that what I know to be the truth is all I need.

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. 

-John F. Kennedy

If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor. 

-Albert Einstein

I know there’s a lot of controversy on Einstein’s personal beliefs in God, but I believe he had a good point here. A lot of us get so wrapped up in trying to water down Christ to make him “acceptable” or more “tolerable” to the outside world. But is this our job? No. You can’t change Jesus, only He can change You. So I agree with Albert here and will reiterate what my dad once told me: “You can only plant a seed. It’s up to God to do the rest.” It’s our job to share and forgive; but let God introduce Himself personally. It’s His house, after all.

Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto.

-Thomas Jefferson

I wonder if ol’ Tom saw China coming two hundred years ago…

And my last quote for the day…

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

-Winston Churchill

This particular picture has actually been rendered into a mural painting on one of the many concrete barriers at my current deployment station in honor of the Chaplain Corps. I'll post up a picture of it when I can; it's really cool!

Thought I would start up these inspirational posts in between my occasional longer posts to keep the activity up on the blog. I’ll try and post these in the mornings (morning for all you guys back in the States, that is) so you can wake up and maybe read the right quote or inspirational message to start your day off right. Enjoy!

I recently re-watched one of my all-time favorites with Steve Carell, Evan Almighty. I thought I would dedicate this post to some funny and inspiring quotes from the film.

God: Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?  Continue reading →