Courageous Leaders and How They Live

Courageous leaders are worth reading about and studying, so that we may learn more about how to live a better life, don't you think? There are so many great leaders, but some are more well-known for their courage than others.

While we may learn how to be better citizens of our country and how to be better people. For example, how do you feel about apologizing to others when you have wronged them? Or, do you spend your time seething over something they did, so you just had to get them back?

The only way to live is to live a life of higher character and caliber. Living a life of excellence is better than living a life of selfishness. By the way, it's better to give than to receive, which means one thing; you may NEVER get an apology from someone that has wronged you, but you should give one liberally to them.

Do you disagree?

Courageous Leaders Apologize

It has been said that the power of an apology is freeing to the soul. Is that true? It's true that real leaders will always be quick to forgive and apologize. Leaders don't want others to feel as though they have ever been left behind or left in the cold, or wronged for that matter.

What is behind this is even deeper, meaning that the idea really represents the following:

1. You are capable of admitting you are/were wrong
2. You are willing to admit that yes, you do make mistakes 
3. You are willing to let something go because relationships mean more to you than anything else 

This is what makes courageous leaders, leaders! Believe me when I say that being able to apologize without wanting to take it back, or doing so freely requires courage!

Can you think back to a time when you did something and knew that you should apologize like yesterday?

We have all been there, and it's something that as humans we are sure to face again at some point in our lives. The idea is to never stop being courageous, and teaching our children, friends, and other family members how to do the same!

So, now that you know what courageous leaders do, will you make a change?

It's time to decide  how you will live your life, and if you haven't taken a stand for anything else, now is the  time to make a decision. What will you do?

It's time to live courageously!

Profiles in Courage Begins....

Profiles in Courage is something we are going to be talking about, but you should know it is in fact a book title. The book as you can see was written by Senator John F. Kennedy, and it was written to talk about Americans that had proven to be courageous, and set amazing examples for our country.

So, who is in this book, and why does it matter? The book talks about political courage, those that made a difference in our country, and why they did the things they did. The book was written in 1954, while he was recovering from back surgery, because he had time to reflect.

So, how can the book change your life, and is it worth reading?

The book discusses politicians doing what is right, and it almost these individuals doing what is right. A joke? No, at the time he was completely sincere as he was reflecting on this issue.

Hence, the book Profiles in Courage was born, and it was focused on discussing the courage of eight senators that Kennedy believed were a great example of courage in leadership.

The question we have for you today is this; Do you feel that our country's leaders should read this book? Our country is in complete disarray and we need leaders that have courage to do right, now more than we ever did before.

Should Our Country's Leaders Be Required to Read Profiles in Courage?

I always find it interesting that our youngsters are required to read certain things when in school, yet many of our leaders don't require staff to read certain books as a part of their position. 

There is never a time when we stop learning, and this Pulitzer Prize winning book is just what many of our leaders need to be reading. It wouldn't hurt us to read it as citizens that have no political standing, position, or even much of an opinion, as to be a leader requires change, and it's a bonus when people are teachable. 

Kennedy focuses on eight different Senators in this book, and he also shares his pain and struggle with his back surgery and his recovery period. Kennedy also focuses on his time in World War II while on a boat as a PT commander, and how it affected his life. 

Because Kennedy was so willing to share the three main struggles that senators face, there is no doubt a new found respect for these folks as we often criticize our leaders rather than pray for them. The leaders in our country need direction, and as we pray for them, they just might improve. 

Pray for our country's leaders, and if you can, pick up a copy of this book. I get nothing from it if you buy it, but my desire is that in writing these profiles, that you will know and understand that there are individuals that have been at the headship of our country that can teach us something, and teach you that having courage is all you really need. 

Will you choose to live courageously? Check back soon for more on the profiles in courage, and you can CLICK HERE to learn how you can share your courage with others! 

Courage Under Fire

Courage under fire?

Yep, you bet. When we think of courage, we always think of soldiers, right? The truth is, Independence Day is any day we choose, and just as it says, "Freedom is never given, it is won."

So, isn't this true of our lives? Better yet, could we actually free others by helping them understand this, and along with that understand what makes them free?

Yes, we certainly can, but each of makes our own choices. Remember, life is all about choices. It always is, so the question is, what are you going to do today to make a different tomorrow for yourself?

Are you living with courage under fire?

Courage for Every Day 

Courage is for many what faith is for the Christian. Do you agree or disagree? Is it just that courage is faith? When soldiers go into battle, they are taught to go out strong with everything in them, fighting regardless of what happens, believing that they are going to win in the end. 

When our courage under fire, we often stop and re-think what we believe. We start to hide, not share as much of ourselves because we are afraid that we will come under fire. If this is you, then you might want to pray for the courage to change. 

Simply put, we cannot do anything less than be the best, and that means being the best for God, for our family, for our church, and for our spouse and children. I guess you could say that a lot of what we support here at Courageous Life is supporting you living out full, each day as if it were your last. 

So, the question is, do you live this way now? If not, why not? What can you do to move forward in your life and make lasting change? 

Honor Courage Commitment 

If you want to live a courageous life, then you must honor courage commitment. Be true to yourself, but honor God with your life. Whether or not you find your courage under fire, it's up to you to decide whether or not you will stop living right, or you will continue on. 

Every day is new, and every day is another opportunity to live our best life. As I was growing up, I remember learning in school about the voices of courage throughout history, like: 

1. Martin Luther King Jr. 
2. Rosa Parks
3. Abraham Lincoln
4. Mother Theresa
5. Elizabeth Elliot and many more

People from all walks of life, people that were from all backgrounds, faiths, but yet they never compromised what they believed in to make someone else happy. 

So, will you let your light so shine before men? I hope you say yes. 

We will be focusing on some profiles in courage over the coming weeks ahead, to help you believe once again, that yes you can! There is no need to fear when with your courage under fire, as long as you have courage in your heart, you'll make it. 

Live for an Audience of One

Don't you love this photo? It's amazing, refreshing, and just peaceful to look at. I love to just sit and stare at it in the hustle and bustle of my day, and the cares just seem to melt away.

It's amazing what you can take in when you are alone, standing there in the moment, and just feeling all else drift away from you. De-stressing is what we call it here in America! When you are sitting here looking at this photo, are you wondering what others are thinking about you? No.

Is your mind filled with noise? No. Are you hurrying off to pick up the kids at school? No. Because if you were standing here you would be in the moment, by yourself, just living for an audience of one. The question is, would you stand and look at this photo every day? If you thought it would clear the mind and give you peace, I'm sure you would, right?

Live for an Audience of One Daily 

Okay, so I'm all about love, peace, and chicken grease, and if I knew I could get peace and respite daily, then I would do whatever it took to get that. So, if we can get this by talking with God on a regular basis, why don't we just do that? 

Why are we always looking to the outside fix? Even if others turn to alcohol, wouldn't be better not to? Wouldn't it just be better to turn to God, pray, and lay our cares upon Him? I love the sound of that, and I'm sure you do too. Are you afraid of what others think? 

God has called us to be bold and courageous, and oftentimes that is the last thing we think He has asked us to do. God has asked that of us for all the time, NOT just every now and then. This means that when others think you should turn to something a bit more esoteric if you will, or something that is mind altering to escape it all, WHY not just turn to Him? 

He is the only one that matters, right? 

I know it's not always easy, but living our life and serving God isn't always easy. God has called us to a life that is extraordinary, with HIS help, even though we are just ORDINARY beings. 

So, who will you live for? Yourself or for God? 

All that matters is that you live for an audience of one, and that means, it's time for you to live courageously. 

Character: Who You Are When No One is Looking

Have you ever taken something that didn't belong to you? What about when you were in the presence of someone and they weren't looking? Did you take something? Think back, I mean really think back. Even when you were a kid and you were "just a kid" did you take anything that you thought wasn't a big deal?

What about pens, note pads, and other things that your office supplied you with? Anytime you take anything that doesn't belong to you, you are stealing. It's something to think about right? What about clocking in early when you aren't working? Yep, that's stealing company time folks. It's just stealing.

Who is Watching You? 

The question isn't always about whether or not you do good things, but whether or not you are doing things you shouldn't be doing when no one is looking. You never know who is watching you at work, or at church, and the things you say, the way you act, are all going to give people insight into who you are and what you are about. 

You can still be a good person and be a thief. You may have been in a situation where you stole something but didn't realize it. Your awareness since reading this blog post is now a bit different, because now you have been told that it is wrong to take things that don't belong to you. 

You need to digest this, internalize it, and really make it part of your belief system. Think about it this way; isn't it more rewarding to work hard to earn something with your own two hands than to take it from someone else that did the work?

What a sense of accomplishment you would have, rather than a sense of guilt. It's imperative that you get this, understand it, eat, sleep, and breathe it, and then teach this to others. Remember, you may be the only positive person someone ever meets. 

You could be the only Bible that some folks will EVER read. 

So, what is character? It's who you are and what you do when no one is looking. I guarantee! 

Live courageously! 

Mr. President Speaks The Truth

This is AWESOME!!  Check out this little dude Mr. President...and share this video:




Let's do this!  Live an awsome and courageous life!

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is something I think about every day. How fortunate we are to be called a friend of God, and to be pardoned of all the sin we have committed in our lifetime.

The question is, are you passing it along to others? Or, do you choose to hold grudges on those that have hurt you? Will you forgive those that have wronged you? Will you step up and forgive others as Christ has forgiven you?

Let me share with you the story of ultimate forgiveness, one that I can't just get out of my mind.

The Ultimate Story of Forgiveness

Most of you reading this may know the full story of the crucifixion of Christ, am I right? That story is truly the ultimate in forgiveness in my book, but every now and then, I hear of some others that are truly amazing. 

If you have never read the book, Forgiving the Dead Man Walking by Debbie Morris, then you should. It will take you to a place where all of us should be at some point in our hearts. This is a place where we say, I can forgive because Christ forgave me. 

While we know that in our mind, do we know that and understand it experientially? Again, most of us don't, but we are called to live better than we are right now in this moment. We choose to only do enough to get by and that has to change. 

Debbie Morris was brutally raped, and chose to forgive the man that was her attacker. That is true grace by faith, and nothing that anyone did of their own accord. She extended forgiveness as Christ did, and showed love to an individual that in our minds didn't deserve it or have the right to it. 

If someone raped your child, would it be hard to forgive them? Of course it would be. There has been a saying floating around for many years that says, "forgive and forget", but no one will ever forget horrific acts like that right? 

As a parent you would be hard pressed, and the child will have that imprinted on their memory forever. However, God commands us to forgive and to love others as He has loved and forgiven us. What say you? 

This blog post may be hard to swallow, but we are in a time of crisis when we are called to hold fast, and be what and who God has called us to be. What will you choose to do? 

Will you say yes to God? Or, will you say, "Forget God!"? 

God has called us to live courageously, and nothing less. It's time folks as we move into 2013 for you to do more and be more. God has not called us to live a mediocre life, but one that is helping others, and one that brings others into their own greatness in time. 

Why not share your courage with others everywhere you are? To learn more about how you can wear and share your courage and faith, and be a walking inspiration to others, CLICK HERE now!