Category Archives: Dreams

If I had a time machine

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One Sunday morning, I watched my daughter walk to the room at church where she serves small children that have her on her toes during the morning service. Back home an hour or so later, my son said something funny as he always does, and my wife and I couldn’t stop laughing. “This is good!” I thought to myself. And I also wondered.

So the dreamer in me took charge. What if I had a time machine? Where would I go? What would I do? Who would I meet? Maybe I could go back in time and place myself into history and help win battles, or I could witness the declaration of independence. Who knows, since I was dreaming I could go anywhere. What about the moon? I can sit down, history books on hand, and choose where to go or what to do. What would it be? What would make me feel whole and happy? Fulfilled? What would I do if I could go back on a time machine?

And I wondered again. And the idea came to me as I reflected. I knew exactly where to go and what to do. It had nothing to do with history but happiness. It had nothing to do with money but with relationships. I would go back in time to my own life to relive the most remarkable moments. I would be there again the day I first saw her. I would relive the moment I kissed my son the day he was born and the moment when my daughter’s face graced our lives for the first time. I would embrace every second of my smiling son and daughter. I would contemplate the refreshing laughter of my wife and listen to her beautiful voice intently as she sings. I would be more present, more alert. I’d make less money but live more life. The best moments in my life had nothing to do with earthly possessions or career achievements. But the most significant moments, the times in which time itself seemed timeless, were the moments in which joy and happiness where are their highest.

What about the times I remember with pain? What about those moments that I wish not to relive? And I stopped for a moment. Could I change them? I have a time machine here. Can I fix the past and create a new future? But then a sobering thought overcame me. Being immersed in the wonder of life and taking it in completely, being present and awake, would help me confront those difficult times. And I abandoned this idea of changing the past and embraced the one of changing the future. I cannot change the story of what has already happened. But I realize that I can still change how the story ends. So today, everything can be a new beginning. It doesn’t matter where it started, but how it ends. Pain is real, but grace and hope stand tall.

So the question remains, what would I do If I had a time machine? Simple, I’d do it all over again, happiness and yes, the pain, because it has been in the low moments that the Almighty has shown up and shown off! So as I snapped out of the dream mode I was in, I realized that the future is before me, and I walk with the Maker of the heavens and the earth, and He can change anything. I just a grateful heart and desire to live full and free.
I’d do it all over again; yes, the happiness and the pain, If I had a time machine.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2014

We are more





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It’s time to stop living a shallow life; this was never the intention for us, this was never the design for our existence. Remember the first time you went to the beach? You approached the shore and got your feet wet. It might have been cold and as you sat there for a while, a little scared of the immensity of what was in front of you, you started to walk in a little further. Your feet were feeling the water and the sand, and you took another step. And while the water was cold, your body started to assimilate the temperature, and it felt good. But it wasn’t until you threw yourself in completely, and the water embraced your entire body and covered your head, that the refreshing feeling overtook you and let you wanting more. The reason: shallow waters never give a refreshing experience. We are designed to submerge deep and be drenched, soaked and delighted.

But we have lowered the standard, we have conformed to the menial, and we have inclined our soul to the feet of mediocrity and reality. Surrendering to the least resistance pathway, has domineered our minds. Our eyes have been covered by cataracts, and we have become numb to the wonder before us. Our words utter the expressions that describe a soul who has given up. A soul that its only purpose is to “ride along,” to fill space, to create just the enough effort to “get-by” the day’s work or tasks.

Dreams have become fables in our minds. They are good for children that have not experienced life, good for entertainment, to have fun with and do what children do, but they are not good for us. We have killed them. We have become the passerby that sees abuse happening right before their eyes, and chooses to do nothing. Reality has made its throne in our soul, and it plans to stay there.

Jesus was amazed at his creation and reflected it back to us in Matthew 6:28-29 “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Wow! The most amazing life is unfolding in front of our eyes, and we don’t get it. I don’t get it. When did we drift? Why did we drift? What has happened? Is there a disconnect internally? Is there a core issue that just impedes us of reaching our potential? Is the love for what we see, blind us from the real, palpable things unseen? The staleness of life comes from the fight we constantly have with king reality. He is a dictator, a merciless ruler. But his reign is not meant to last. We have been tricked and lied to, that his rule over us is a dictatorship and that we can’t do anything about it. But it’s not. We are more; we are created for more.

We are created to experience the wonder of life and to show that wonder to others. It’s that amazing experience that rekindles in us the desire to live, create and dream. We are more. When that thought enters deep into our mind, heart, and soul, we understand that the Creator of the universe endowed us with greatness and purpose.

There is a coup planned on king reality. There is an uprising coming. Wonder, possibility, awe, hope and dreams, are the knights rushing in to dethrone him. To reshape the life we have conformed to, way too long. The coup will be public, the coup will be big, and things will never be the same. We will be drenched in the refreshing waters again. The dreams of a what can be will assault us in ways that we will not be able to contain. There will be no boundaries; king reality will become a peasant. We might check with him from time to time, but not to ask permission, just to check realism. He might have some “wins”, but we will do bigger and greater things in the name of possibility. Wonder will be unleashed upon us. We will become, “anything-is-possible” kind of people.

We are more.

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2015

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible: Today’s New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Don’t Quit!

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There’s a scene from the movie Facing the Giants, in which coach Grant Taylor tells Brock Kelley to do the death crawl with a teammate on his back. The kicker is that he had to do it blindfolded, and the only direction he would received was the voice of the coach, not the sight of his eyes. It is a very inspiring scene. It represents life in many ways, yours and mine. We go through life many times crawling, because that’s the only way we can advance. And we also we find ourselves crawling blindfolded with extra weight over us. A perfect combination for a quitter.

We have all had these seasons in our lives. Moments that make us question everything. Times when our sight is clouded, blindfolded, and we have no direction whatsoever. Times in which we have an extra weight on our backs that pushes us down, reviving the idea of quitting every second. It’s in moments like these that I appreciate the coach Taylor’s of the world. Those that push us harder and inspire us to continue to move forward, even when we can’t see where we are going. That voice that leads us to the end zone, and helps us realize that we can do more, be more, achieve more. That voice that will not accept a no for an answer, and will expect the best of us, no matter what.

We need those voices. We all need from time to time; a firm voice that will acknowledge the pain, the struggle, but in spite of that will inspire and push you to the end zone. Just when Brock says, “its hard”, coach Taylor responds, “I know its hard, but you can do it”. And louder and louder he shouted on, “Don’t quit, Don’t Quit, your very best!”.

The same I tell you today. Don’t Quit. I know its hard, I know you can’t see anything in the horizon, but trust the voice, even if it is your own, that tells you; Don’t quit! Don’t quit on your family, it might be hard, but you have to give your very best! Don’t quit on your passion, I know its frustrating some times, but you have to give your very best!, Don’t quit on your children; there are many disappointments, but they are full of potential and they deserve your very best. Don’t quit on your God, He is the ultimate voice that leads you to the end zone, that pushes you further, beyond your limits, because He knows you can do more.

You can be a coach Taylor to the Brock Kelley’s in your life. Or maybe you feel like Brock, and just want to give up. I know, I’ve been both. Just follow the voice, push hard. If you do I promise you one thing; You will get to the end zone and everyone, even yourself, will be amazed of what you will achieved.

So above all, DON’T QUIT!

Enjoy the clip!

“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, 2014
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible: Today’s New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Substance is what matters

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For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” This came as a surprise for me. Apparently the apostle Paul was not a very good speaker and he was regarded as unimpressive, yet he wrote more than half of the new testament. What he lacked in presenter skills, presence and verbal abilities, he had more than enough in actions and in his writing ability. He clearly knew what his limits were and even acknowledged it, but that did not deter him in his purpose of life. We should be inspired by this bit of information.

There is a constant comparison race all around us. We all judge and are judged by our outward appearances. A nagging reminder that we should live up to someone else’s expectation and that nothing can be left to chance or someone else will take the lead. The reality is that we all have different levels of abilities and skills, and there will always be someone with better, faster, smarter ones than ours. On the flip side, some will lack in the areas in which we excel. It is not our duty to impress others but to fulfill our purpose. Just as Paul was belittled by those around him, we should expect that in any given point in our lives it will happen to us as well, but that should not deter us from being the man or woman God created us to be. It doesn’t matter what others think of you if you are walking your walk. There will always be people that believe it is their purpose in life to run yours. Don’t let them.

I know many incredible individuals that might lack verbal abilities, but no one can even come close to their focus and purpose. They stumble in a platform but excel in the field, and I admire them. Just as Paul did, words are not necessary when actions are needed. Do your thing. If your gift is writing, write. If it is comforting, comfort, if inspiring, inspire. If you are gifted with public speaking, speak, if it is administration, administer. If instruction, teach, whatever it is your gifted with, don’t argue with those that want to steer you away from your destiny or even take as nothing of significance that which you are doing. But it is imperative that you do. Don’t stay in the sidelines meditating on it or even rationalizing it; you have to do, take action, walk towards your dream. Actions always speak louder.

Paul answered this way; “Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.” Words became substance, and substance is what matters.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2013
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible: Today’s New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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”

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.

Saying “No”, creates capacity

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How hard it is sometimes! Saying this dreaded word for the new writer, the starting preacher, the rising businessman or the aspiring entertainer is difficult. For the seasoned ones it’s also hard. The two letter word, NO. When we say to ourselves, “This will make all of the difference”, saying no in our minds, means to stop any progress or even kill our dreams. It is difficult to say no at times. not because we are afraid, but because we struggle with the idea that an opportunity can be slipping from our hands and we might not see it again.

In reality accepting everything that comes our way, is a reflection of how much we value ourselves to the eyes of the world. Learning to saying no might be just what you really need to be good at in order to become precisely what you have always dreamt of becoming. Let me be clear, I am not suggesting that you pose as a negative person. All the contrary, your personal skills are very important to develop. What i’m suggesting is that you become a more selective individual. Learning to say no to good opportunities opens your capacity to accept the better ones. Many times we struggle with this, I do too, but it is especially hard when you are starting out any new endeavor. There is always learning curve for every line of business, craft or calling, but if we step back and carefully study those that have excelled in the arena we pursue, you will find that there is a “selectiveness” (if that is even a word) to what they do. It creates the capacity for them to continue doing what they do best. This in turn actually makes them even more appealing to those around them and in there sphere of influence.

So how do we master to say no to good opportunities for the better ones? Every situation is different, but I have experienced that when I have a clear understanding of what is important for my family and me on the long run, it is much easier to say no. This leads me to where I suggest you should start: with the end in mind. I know it is difficult for many to look beyond today, but it is possible. Recently I had the opportunity to discuss further about the legacy we construct with our lives. Regardless if we admit it or not, we all are constructing something, but how we construct makes a big difference. I used an illustration to explain this: Picture a well organized garage with boxes clearly marked. Two adults suddenly approach you. They are well dressed and appear to be well groomed and educated. These are your children. On another scene the same garage but in complete disarray. Garbage is all over and the two adults that approach you are disheveled and clearly disoriented. The time is two weeks after you have died, and this is your legacy to the world. Which will you choose? This brings me this principle: What you choose today will directly reflect on how you will end tomorrow. Everything is connected.

Having a clear perspective, will help you say “NO” to those opportunities that might be good, but not great. It will help you discern what will impact your legacy. You might start by asking yourself a lot of questions like these.

  • What are my values? What is it that moves me?
  • Where is my family and I headed in life?
  • Saying yes to this opportunity, will it mean that my time and resources will be compromised beyond my capacity? Who will be robbed of my time?
  • Will my family be impacted by saying yes? Can this be done by someone else?
  • What are the options?

Another tool I use is a decision matrix. This is a process of assigning values to the factors more important to me for any set of options I might have. After adding them up, the greater the total, the most “logical” the answer. You can request a template here.

Learning to say “NO”, should be an action you want to master, because it will determine your success or failure. We all struggle with this, I still do, but Im getting better every day. And sometimes the most “logical” option might not be the one you end up pursuing, but it will be the one that brings you and those you love, the greatest peace. Saying no will lead you to greater capacity and greater purpose. You will be able to construct your life, immensely, beautifully and purposefully for the generations to come.

Learn to master that two letter word, because saying No, creates capacity.

“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

You got to play

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So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. – Galatians 6:9

In the movie “They call me Sirr” based on the true story of Sirr Parker, an underprivileged boy that rose to become an NFL Player, has a scene where his cousin Dante tells him that he needs to play: Sirr: “I don’t know, I don’t know if I can do this.” Dante: “You got to do this Sirr, you got to play. (Sirr looks unsure) A’ight, Don’t play, don’t make a difference. Just be another dumb brother with a dream. What, you think you’re gonna make it out in the hood? H— no! All you hear about growing up in this hood is that there are two kinds of dreams man. Broken ones and the ones that don’t come true. If you want to buy in all that, then fine, don’t play.” In this dialogue, a great truth is revealed. Many times our dreams don’t come true, not because they are impossible, but because we don’t pursue them. We have the idea but we don’t follow through, we just don’t play. And when we fail to take action, we live our life with broken dreams. We give up without even starting.

There is a lot of people that will try to put you down and belittle your dreams and aspirations, if you let them. And if they do, it means that you are walking and talking to the wrong crowd. These are the same ones that have not achieved their own dreams and have put a ceiling to what can and cannot be done for them and for others. These are people that are hurting and without realizing it, they are hurting others in the same way. But you are different, you were created for greatness, for a life full of blessings. This doesn’t mean that all will be easy. The writer of Galatians clearly stated and encouraged us not to get tired of doing what is good, because he knew the propensity of us giving up. He knew about the trials we confront every day that attempt to keep us from achieving our calling. He also addressed the fact that if we give in to that mindset, we will become bitter and stagnant, perpetuating the wrong cycle in our lives.

If we don’t give up, we will reap a harvest of blessing that God has prepared for us and the dreams and aspirations that have been deposited in our heart will come to pass, at the right time. God created us for greatness, and made us a little lower than Himself and put all things under our authority. So why would you settle for less? Why would you be afraid to walk into the great and awesome future God has for you? If you dream it, it can happen. But there is a condition: You got to play.

“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.

Beginnings

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The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. – Lamentations 3:22-23

Beginnings: It means different things to different people. For some, it is the reluctant reality that they need to accept after a failed event in their life. It is not necessarily embraced or welcomed. Not because what it represents, but by how it presents itself. Like the soul that is devastated by a divorce and needs to find strength to pick up the pieces of his or her life as it was known. Or the companion that has left this life on earth and has skipped into eternity leaving an empty space in the hearts of love ones; or the job or the business that is no more. All of these are endings and many of them very painful. So an ending is a beginning in disguise. Beginnings usually come after an ending.

For others, beginnings transpire as the emotion of hope, of the possibilities, of what could be. For these, endings are embraced, welcomed and expected, because a beginning is in sight. Two opposite points of view, but with the same ending; to begin.

It is a thought that can transform your life completely, if you choose. You might be at either side of the coin in your viewpoint, but the fact remains that something in your life has ceased to be, something has ended and something new must take its place and fill the void. These are the curves that life brings and we must know how to handle them in order to continue to thrive, to live and to begin again. And we are confronted with our human fragility and believe that the end is just that, the end. We think that there is no future, no hope no new things in our life will ever happen and that there is no point of knocking on the same door of unfulfilled dreams over and over again. But God who is rich in mercy knew and knows how we are prone to go astray of his ways and from our path. So He is constant. His love never ends, even when ours does. His mercy never ceases even when judgement is warranted. And then we read this refreshing truth that brings hope for the future in our lives, his mercies are fresh every morning. Every day a new beginning, no matter what has happened before, that in itself is a transformational thought. And who better to talk about beginnings, but God himself: He is the Beginning and the End. He started everything from nothing and he has created you and me in his likeness.

If something has ended in your life, a relationship, a job, a business, a loved one’s life or even the desire to continue to press on, remember that God is the God of beginnings and his plans and thoughts for you are plans for good. So no matter what is going on now in your life, this ending is a moment for a great start, for a great beginning. His mercies are new and fresh every day.

A new and blank page is waiting for you, so go ahead and write the new chapter of your life, starting today. You might want to call it: To begin.

“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, 2011
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.