Last week I was in the early stages of a long bike ride when suddenly a cloud unloaded a massive downpour of rain.
Flashback
Some of you may recall that three years ago, due to dangerously wet and muddy conditions on my favorite bike trail, I crashed and broke a hip along with getting my bell rung to a point where my vision and cognition were gone for about ten minutes.
Luckily, I survived that crash and have kept my distance from riding in wet conditions…until the other day.
Let the old tapes roll.
Fortunately, when the “monsoon” hit, I was in a wooded area and could pull under a tree and get my bearings. I quickly checked my weather app on my phone and found the rain would last about fifteen minutes.
Then the devil pressed the “start” button on the rickety old eight-track player in my head. Thoughts like, “I can’t go on because I will crash,” began to roll through my head.
I quickly began to “think back” at these old thoughts as I recalled riding dozens of times on wet pavement without a problem.
My bicycle accident three years ago occurred because I was riding an unrideable section of the trail. It was covered with muddy silt from the river that had flooded a few days earlier. No one has ever accused me of being a genius. 🙂
I pivoted, slowed down, and kept on pedaling.
The rain eventually stopped, and I had a fantastic ride even though the pavement was a little moist.
OLD TAPES
I’ve observed a fair share of people whose 8-track recording of life gets stuck on one particular track, and they never progress, their thinking never changes, and around and around their life goes while never advancing beyond past experiences and beliefs.
Unless that tape were stuck on Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” it would drive me batty to have a track get stuck in my brain.
Replace the old with the new.
Jesus came so we can have new life every day.
He came so we could throw our old tapes in the trash.
He came so we could advance in Oneness with Him creating a new and improved track each and every day…even when it’s rainy.
2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Romans 6:4, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
Ephesians 4:22-24, “To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
AFFIRM YOUR P.E.A.C.E.
Purpose with a Plan – No matter how big or small, we all have a purpose. Your purpose lies at the intersection of your passions and your gifts. Find your PURPOSE and create a daily PLAN to help you fulfill it to the best of your ability.
Effort – Turning your dream/goal into reality requires a commitment to putting forth consistent and focused EFFORT toward executing your plan. Nothing great in life happens without working hard.
Attitude – The chances of achieving your dream increase exponentially if you believe you will achieve it. Remember that your ATTITUDE determines your altitude in all areas of your life.
Community – Nothing great in life happens by doing it alone. The chances of achieving your dream expand as your COMMUNITY of positive mentors and coaches expand. You become the average of the five people you spend the most time with–and yes, spending time with “people” through books and instructional videos factors into your “average.”
Energy – Living a purposeful life requires optimal mental, physical, and spiritual ENERGY. Commit daily to a routine of nurturing your mental, physical, and spiritual self to provide the energy needed to live your best life on purpose.
