toni lagaras

motive matters

Several years ago, I made a decision to eat healthier and start to exercise. My hormones and blood sugar were WAY out of whack and I had packed on about 60 extra pounds. My motive at first was just to feel better and get healthier. The weight loss was just a bonus. As time went on, my motive started to change and it became all about the weight loss. I was driven. I noticed when it was just about how I looked, I lost my joy and focus and it was much harder. I kept having to get my focus back on track…back to my health. My motive affected everything…

Newlyweds vs. long-time love

Have you ever been around newlyweds or someone just engaged? It’s sweet, isn’t it? They are just all “ga-ga” over each other. They spend every waking moment thinking of each other and talking about each other. They are “in love” and they don’t even have to work at it. That feeling is so strong and all-consuming you can hardly imagine it dying, but anyone who has been married longer than a few years can tell you it can. And when I write advice in their little Advice Book at their shower, I tell them all – STAY CONNECTED! In essence, that is what Jude is warning the church to do here so that newlywed love can turn into long-time love….

The how-to guide to finishing strong

Some days, I feel like I’m living the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. I get up and start a project. Then I have to go downstairs to get something and see all the laundry, so I change loads of laundry. Then I walk through the kitchen and see all the dirty dishes, so I wash those. When I wipe off the table, I get crumbs on the floor and….what project was I working on today? I make a really good start, but finishing? Not so much! Ever been there? Jude gives us a glimpse on how we can finish strong….

Distract and redirect…

Anyone who has ever dealt with an exhausted toddler or a hormonal 5th grade girl knows there are several ways to handle it when their emotions get out of control. And boy howdy, hormones exaggerate everything! One of those is to distract and redirect. Get their attention away from the thing causing them distress, such as the little boy who just took their favorite toy or the girl at school that just rejected them, and redirect their attention to something completely different. God uses the old distract and redirect method on Elijah, and now Elijah has a choice…

#livinginahashtagworld

We had to read tons of books in high school, and there were some kids at school that would just read the cliff notes. Do they still sell those? It was a condensed form of the book. You could get the main theme of the chapters without having to read the whole thing. You missed out on some of the details. If you read the cliff notes, you might not get an A+, but you would pass the tests. We want short and concise because that is all we have time for. In fact, if you can say it in a few hashtags, you are golden. #shortandsweet #under500words #butGodwantstospeak

Month: December 2013

motive matters

Newlyweds vs. long-time love

The how-to guide to finishing strong

Distract and redirect…

#livinginahashtagworld

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