Monthly Archives: August 2012

The greatest task of all

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We always are looking to achieve that high calling, our own sweet spot. Our mind, soul and heart are captivated by that thought. For me the well spoken word is the greatest task of all. It has been, it is, and will be, the way the world is molded. Words will always stir emotions in the heart and soul of men. Ideas are conveyed and dreams are built and acted upon on the effective speech, whether good or evil. Communication is by far the most effective way of building, anything. It is the power of action behind the inspired souls. Be it acting after a simple “Hello” or a “Mom I’m hungry” or “Let’s be all that we can be” or “I have a dream”; perhaps great movements from all around the world have started after hearing a great speech or by the inspiration of written word.

The men and women we regard as great, are and where always, great communicators. Think about it. In spite of their personal lives, there are many examples where we still say, “What a great communicator!” These individuals talked as if they where talking to friends and spoke from the heart, they connected with their audience and they spoke at the times when it was most needed. These kind of speeches have built bridges between broken hearts, freed captive cities or stirred the hearts of men to start revolutions.

Jesus, spoke in word, and in flesh because he spoke the heart of God. And we still are amazed by what was written of all he did and still does in the lives of men. His words stirred the hearts of all that heard him, and that transformation continues to this day. He was the greatest communicator of all. He said it well “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”

Are your words building those around you? Are you transforming your environment in a positive way? There is much to say about the spoken word, but one thing remains as an undisputed truth; The tongue can bring death or life; We all have the power to transform everything around us, with our words. Proverbs also says, Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. And we could continue to mention example after example of the power of words. Books have been written on the subject, but more importantly lives have changed because of words spoken. What and how are you speaking? How are you conveying your message to those closest to you? Are your words a fountain of life? Are your words uplifting the spirit of those that hear them?

You can talk like the mainstream where all is doom and gloom or you can be the voice of change, the voice that soothes and the action that transforms. We all can be great, we all can be a catalyst; with our words. Be great in the greatest task of all.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2012
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Make the dream come true

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What does it take to make a dream come true? I actually googled it and got 152 million results back. By sheer numbers it appears there are a lot of dreamers out there, or at least some that are toying with an idea. You get a lot of different perspectives. Many in my opinion good, others I would say a little creative. But regardless of what point of view resonates with you, one thing is actually pretty much consistent among them: action.

Many of us are paralyzed in life because we are afraid of taking action. We are afraid of something that might not even be true. It could be fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of ridicule or even fear of fear. I know from personal experience how this feels. When the fear of the unknown outcome crawls inside of you, it takes complete control. And the dream agonizingly screams in us, desperately longing for a sliver of hope that could maintain it alive somehow. But fear has made residence in our hearts, and evicting it, is a hard task.

So how do we defeat fear? It is very interesting that when we read about three crucial moments in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the same word is used to describe the magnitude of the event preceding that victory. And each victory over the event required an important ingredient: action. The greek word is σεισμος or “seismos” which means earthquake. The impression was so big, that it could only be described with this word. This word is used when Jesus defeated sin, death and fear. It is through the strength we find in him that we are able to overcome fear, because he defeated it. The enemy of fear is action and action creates purpose and purpose creates passion, and passion knows no limits.

Many practical ideas can help you refine your dream or accelerate it. Writing it down, researching, asking a lot of questions, meditating on it or planning just to mention a few. All of them are good and you should do some or all of them. But it will be pointless without action. Action defeats fear.

You don’t need to have it all figured out, you don’t need to have all the answers to the questions. You just have do one simple thing: Take that first step. Will you fail? It is possible. Will you come out a victor? It could be. But you will never know if you don’t try. Why would you sit in the sidelines petrified when you can be in the middle having the time of your life? You don’t want to live a should’a, could’a, would’a life and die. It is better to try and fail, than not to try at all.

There are some times in life where each step you take is planned and calculated, and that is good and necessary. But there are other times in life where faith and courage are the lights that guide your way through the dark path before you. And that is all you need.

So, what does it take to make a dream come true? Which of the 152,000,000 answers is the correct one? I don’t know, but for me it’s one simple thing: That very first step. Take courage and brace yourself, the man that told the wind “cut the attitude,” is by your side. It will be the ride of your life.

Make the dream come true.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2012
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Saber lo que tienes

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“Es algo peligroso el preguntar por qué a otro le ha sido dado más. Es una lección de humildad e incluso saludable, el preguntar por qué se nos ha dado tanto.” – Condoleezza Rice

Manténganse libres del amor al dinero, y conténtense con lo que tienen, porque Dios ha dicho: “Nunca te dejaré; jamás te abandonaré.”

“RESPIRA con expectación, VIVE con confianza y MUÉVETE con valentía”

Know what you have

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“It is a dangerous thing to ask why someone else has been given more. It is humbling and indeed healthy to ask why you have been given so much.” – Condoleezza Rice

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

No substitutions

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While speaking with a friend the conversation rapidly veered to current events in his life. And a question came up. An honest question. “How do you manage yourself when what you see does not align with what you believe?” What he was really asking was along the lines of: Have you ever been in this situation? Is it even “christian like” to feel this way? Am I doing something wrong? Is this even real? Is it right for me to feel this way? I know you have made these questions many times.

This undoubtedly makes me think about two important concepts: character and conviction. For 30 years, I have tried to live a life that will reflect my convictions; my character has followed suit. And time after time, event after event, I have always been tested on my character and in my convictions. And just as my friend questioned his circumstances, so have I. It is an everyday theme. Sometimes it is very easy, but sometimes the picture is not all too clear. Sometimes I’ve conquered and sometimes I’ve been defeated.

We live in a world that is constantly pushing the limits and questioning everything that we stand for. It is simpler to live by emotions than to live by conviction. Living by emotions, and letting the environment and circumstances dictate our path is simpler, not easier. The emotion will always question your conviction, and assault your character, and it will do it almost every time, subtlely. You know in things like, a broken down car twice in a week. Or visit to the hospital for the third time in the month with your children, all the while when you have determined in your heart to believe the promises you have read. Or… you get the point, life.

Life happens and we need help. Emotions won’t do it, conviction and character will. The conviction that God’s word is true and the character to be obedient to what He says. So every time I’m confronted with my own humanity, I remember the words that Jesus said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” So I press on and believe that every thing around me will pass, will change and will end, but His Words will remain. And I find comfort that even when I might not understand all that is going on around me, His Word gives me guidance and hope, that no matter what my eyes might see, the promises and truths penned in the good book are more real than what I see. It’s a struggle for all of us, but it can be done. The one that gave us his word as an anchor, also said: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” And having this conviction that yes troubles are real, but final victory is inevitable is a conviction that I am willing to live for. And through this journey many things will happen, but the important one is that convictions are strengthen and our character is developed. In the end, emotions wither and die, convictions and character blossom and bring life.

The journey is all about the process. Embrace your convictions, develop your character and accept no substitutions.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this inspiration of coffee by email every morning? Enter your e-mail to subscribe at the top right of this page under the box for “Subscribe”. Like this writing and want share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”

© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2012
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

No sustituciones

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Mientras conversaba con un amigo, la conversación giró rápidamente a eventos corrientes en su vida. Y una pregunta surgió. Una pregunta honesta. “¿Cómo tu manejas cuando lo que ves no se alinea con lo que crees?” Lo que realmente él estaba preguntando era en la línea de: “¿Has estado alguna vez en esta situación? ¿Es incluso “cristiano” el sentirse de esta manera? ¿Estoy haciendo algo mal? ¿Es esto incluso real? ¿Está correcto el que me sienta de esa manera? Yo se que te has hecho estas preguntas muchas veces.

Esto indudablemente me hace pensar en dos conceptos importantes: carácter y convicción. Por 30 años, he tratado de vivir una vida que refleje mis convicciones; mi carácter ha seguido el curso. Y momento tras momento, evento tras evento, he sido siempre probado en mi carácter y en mis convicciones. Al igual como mi amigo cuestionó sus circunstancias, yo también lo he hecho. Es un tema de todos los días. En ocasiones es muy fácil, pero en otras, el panorama no está del todo claro. A veces he conquistado y a veces he sido derrotado.

Vivimos en un mundo que constantemente presiona los límites y cuestiona todo aquello que representamos. Es más sencillo vivir por las emociones que vivir por convicción. Vivir por emociones y dejando que el ambiente y las circunstancias dicten nuestro camino es más simple, no más fácil. La emoción siempre cuestionará nuestra convicción y asaltará nuestro carácter, y lo hará casi todo el tiempo de manera sutil. Ya sabes, cosas como cuando el vehículo se avería dos veces en la misma semana. O el llevar a tus hijos al hospital por tercera vez en el mes mientras has determinado en tu corazón el creer las promesas que has leído. O … ya entiendes el punto, la vida.

La vida sucede y necesitamos ayuda. Las emociones no lo harán, la convicción y el carácter si. La convicción de que la palabra de Dios es verdadera y el carácter de ser obediente a lo que Él dice. Así es que cada vez que me confronto con mi propia humanidad, recuerdo las palabras de Jesús que dijo: El cielo y la tierra pasarán, pero mis palabras jamás pasarán. Así que sigo adelante y creo que todo lo que me rodea pasará, cambiará y terminará, pero sus palabras permanecerán. Y encuentro sosiego en que aún cuando no entienda todo lo que esté pasando a mi alrededor, su Palabra me guía y me da esperanza, de que no importa lo que mis ojos vean, las promesas y verdades escritas en el Buen Libro son más reales de lo que veo. Es una lucha para todos nosotros, pero puede hacerse. El que nos ha dado su palabra como un ancla, también dijo: “Yo les he dicho estas cosas para que en mí hallen paz. En este mundo afrontarán aflicciones, pero ¡anímense! Yo he vencido al mundo”. Y tener esta convicción de que aún cuando los problemas sí son reales, la victoria final es inevitable, es una convicción por la que estoy dispuesto a vivir. Y a través de este recorrido muchas cosas van a suceder, pero la más importante es que las convicciones se fortalecen y nuestro carácter se desarrolla. Al final, las emociones se marchitan y mueren, las convicciones y el carácter florecen y traen vida.

El recorrido tiene que ver con el proceso. Abraza tus convicciones, desarrolla tu carácter y no aceptes sustituciones.

“RESPIRA con expectación, VIVE con confianza y MUÉVETE con valentía”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2012
Las citas bíblicas son tomadas de la Santa Biblia, Nueva Traducción Viviente, derechos de autor © 1996, 2004, 2007 por Tyndale House Foundation. Usado con permiso de Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. Todos los derechos reservados.

Chasing the wind and running out of breath

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We all get caught up with it at some point. For some it is the story of their lives. You know what I mean, the homes, the cars, the position, the influence, getting noticed, the exposure, the Klout number (that was a new one for me!), the name dropping, you get the point. It never ends doesn’t it? We are caught up with promoting ourselves because we have a “message” to give. Nowadays I find myself more often than not, questioning why I do things in my own life. I want to do everything with excellence, I want to be a role model to my family and those around me, but I am looking more intently into the why I do what I do. You might relate to this. When we want something, we can be very persuasive (even when talking to ourselves, I do it often!), and rationalize what we want. By the end of the conversation, we have everyone nodding in agreement with every point we make. Anything that will support our pursuit of “whatever”. But there is a fine line between doing things well and self promotion. And I struggle when I see it, even in my own life.

There is something bigger than things, positions or influence. We find ourselves chasing all sorts of new trends and ways of doing things more efficiently, and I agree that there is a place for that in our lives, but sometimes we get so busy that we miss the most important of them all, relationships. John C. Maxwell always says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership” and that’s a paramount truth, but I would also say, “Everything rises and falls on meaningful relationships”. Watch carefully that I said meaningful. In our culture we are so obsessed in raising our social/wealth/influence numbers, that we put little or no emphasis on the meaningfulness of the relationships we create. As a friend told me once, “We can create big momentum but we cannot follow through”. What he was referring to, was to the capacity to stir up something, and not being able to sustain it long term. We try to create a trend or align our lives to them, just to find out in the end that it was not sustainable of even worth it. Wind.

I look at my own life and ponder. I can be at times like the train in the movie “Unstoppable,” with no brakes, gaining more speed with every second that passes, and in the meantime our most significant relationships suffer. I would advice you to, slow down. Something amazing is happening right before your eyes and you are missing it. You are chasing the wind and at the end you will run out of breath. You might be in the early stages of a new endeavor. It could be family, church or a business. Whatever the place you might be now, slow down and enjoy the moment. You might realize that even in the situation you are right now, something significant is happening. Your son or your daughter needs a hug, your wife just wants you to hold her hand and reassure her that you are present. Yoyr husband needs your affirmation, your friends might just need a pat in the back. But you are running to fast and running out of breath.

Question yourself:

        •        When is it to much or when will it be enough?
        •        Am I caught up with the hustle of getting ahead?
        •        Does it concern me more what others think about me, than what you think about myself?
        •        Do I have a sense of restlessness in me? Do I secretly envy what someone else has?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be chasing the wind. You could say, “No you’re wrong, this is an opportunity of a lifetime, a great house, a fantastic car, a wonderful school, a great church, a no brainer deal.” Whatever you might call it, it’s just wind. If your relationships are not flourishing, you are chasing the wind and you’ll end up very lonely.

Slow down and invest in the most important aspect of your life, meaningful relationships. The greatest teacher of all also did this when he said …Consider the lilies of the field, showing us that even he had stopped to admire the most simple things of life. It might be time to take a walk with your son, to have a conversation with your daughter, to give a hand to your father, or sit down and lend your ears to your mother. It is time to forgive and forget. It is time to love and not reproach. I believe that when you do this, everything else will sprout out on itself and you will enjoy them more. The funny thing will happen, you’ll find out that what you chased, was not that important after all. What really mattered, and flourished where the relationships you nurtured and nurtured you back. Everything rises and falls on meaningful relationships.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this inspiration of coffee by email every morning? Enter your e-mail to subscribe at the top right of this page under the box for “Subscribe”. Like this writing and want share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”

© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2012

Persiguiendo al viento y quedándote sin aliento

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A todos nos ha sobrecogido en algún momento. Para algunos, es la historia de sus vidas. ¿Sabes a qué me refiero?, las casas, los vehículos, la posición, la influencia, el ser reconocido, la exposición, el número Klout (¡ese es uno nuevo para mí!), el impresionar mencionando a quién conoces, ya me entienden. Nunca termina ¿no? Estamos inmersos en promovernos a nosotros mismos porque tenemos un “mensaje” que dar. Hoy en día y con mayor frecuencia me encuentro cuestionando el por qué hago las cosas en mi propia vida. Quiero hacer todo con excelencia, quiero ser un modelo a seguir para mi familia y los que me rodean, pero estoy prestando más atención en el por qué hago lo que hago. Es posible que te puedas identificar. Cuando queremos algo podemos ser muy persuasivos (incluso cuando nos hablamos a nosotros mismos, ¡yo lo hago a menudo!), y racionalizamos lo que queremos. Al final de la conversación, tenemos a todos asintiendo con la cabeza en acuerdo con cada punto que hacemos. Cualquier cosa que apoye nuestra búsqueda de “lo que sea.” Hay una línea muy fina entre hacer las cosas bien y la autopromoción. Lo cuestiono cuando lo veo, incluso en mi propia vida.

Hay algo más grande que las cosas, las posiciones o la influencia. Nos encontramos persiguiendo toda clase de nuevas tendencias y maneras de hacer las cosas más eficientemente, y estoy de acuerdo que hay un lugar para eso en nuestras vidas. Pero en ocasiones, estamos tan ocupados que nos perdemos la más importante de todas, las relaciones. John C. Maxwell siempre dice: “Todo se eleva y se cae sobre el liderazgo” y eso es una verdad fundamental, pero yo diría: “Todo se eleva y se cae sobre relaciones significativas.” Observa cuidadosamente que dije, significativas. En nuestra cultura estamos tan obsesionados en el aumento de nuestros números de riqueza/influencia/en las redes sociales que ponemos poco o ningún énfasis en lo significativo de las las relaciones que creamos. Como un amigo me dijo una vez: “Tenemos la capacidad de generar un impulso grande, pero no podemos darle seguimiento.” A lo que él se refería, era a la capacidad de provocar algo, pero no ser capaz de sostenerlo a largo plazo. Tratamos de crear una tendencia o alinear nuestras vidas con las existentes, sólo para descubrir al final que no era sostenible, e incluso no valía la pena. Viento.

Miro mi propia vida y reflexiono. Puedo ser en ocasiones como el tren en la película “Unstoppable”, sin freno, ganando más velocidad con cada segundo que pasa y, entretanto, sufren las relaciones más importantes. Mi consejo es, baja la velocidad. Algo sorprendente está sucediendo delante de tus ojos y te lo estás perdiendo. Estás persiguiendo el viento y al final te quedarás sin aliento. Es posible que estés en las primeras etapas de una nueva empresa. Podría ser familia, la iglesia o un negocio. Sea cual sea el lugar en donde te encuentres en la vida ahora, disminuye la velocidad y disfruta el momento. Podrías darte cuenta incluso que en la situación en la que estás ahora mismo, está sucediendo algo significativo. Tu hijo o tu hija necesitan un abrazo, tu esposa quiere que sostengas su mano y le asegures que estás presente. Tu esposo quiere tu afirmación, tus amigos puede que necesiten una palmada en la espalda. Pero estás corriendo con rapidez y te estás quedando sin aliento.

Pregúntate a ti mismo:

  • ¿Cuándo es demasiado o cuánto va a ser suficiente?
  • ¿Estoy atrapado con el ajetreo de salir adelante?
  • ¿Me preocupo más por lo que los demás piensan de mí, que de lo que pienso de mi mismo?
  • ¿Tengo una sensación de desasosiego en mí? ¿Envidio en secreto lo que otros tienen?

Si tu respuesta es en la afirmativa a algunas de estas preguntas, puede que estés persiguiendo el viento. Podrías decir: “No, estás equivocado, esta es una oportunidad única en la vida, es una gran casa, o es un vehículo fantástico, o es una escuela maravillosa, o es una gran iglesia, esto ni siquiera hay que pensarlo.” No importa como lo llames, es sólo viento. Si tus relaciones no están floreciendo, estás persiguiendo el viento y acabarás muy solo.

Baja la velocidad e invierte en el aspecto más importante de tu vida, en relaciones significativas. El mejor maestro de todos también lo hizo cuando dijo … Considerad los lirios del campo…, nos muestra que incluso él se había detenido a contemplar las cosas más simples de la vida. Podría ser este el momento de dar un paseo con tu hijo, de tener esa conversación con tu hija, de darle una mano a tu padre, o sentarte y prestar oídos a tu madre. Es el momento de perdonar y olvidar. Es tiempo de amar y no reprochar. Creo que cuando lo hagas, todo lo demás brotará por sí mismo y lo disfrutarás más. Lo que será gracioso es que te darás cuenta de que lo que perseguías no era tan importante después de todo. Lo que realmente importaba y que floreció fueron las relaciones que nutriste y que te nutrieron. Todo se eleva y se cae sobre relaciones significativas.

“RESPIRA con expectación, VIVE con confianza y MUÉVETE con valentía”

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© Copyright DP, 2012