“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” – Martin Luther King Jr.

One of the persistent themes that flows throughout speeches and quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. was that of service.

He seemed to understand that service to others was part of the path to prosperity that he and the people he led were seeking.

Think about the situation though.

They were persecuted, belittled, beaten and mistreated in every way possible. It would have been difficult to live in that environment and have your thoughts be focused on serving others.

But he knew that love and service would win out. He knew that the only way to rise above it all was to be better than their oppressors.

As we think about Martin Luther King Jr. let’s remember to focus on service to others regardless of our current circumstances. It is the sure path to victory and happiness in the long run.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.

https://youtu.be/f2oxGYpuLkw?si=md6zG0dxiUOnJgMe

Another reminder on keeping the right perspective.

The song talks about praising in all different circumstances.

The Bible says to rejoice always, pray continuously and to give thanks in all circumstances.

I think one of the interesting things about verses like this is that it is for our benefit.

God isn’t waiting around for us to fill his cup with our praise and thanks.

He wants us to find joy by focusing on the good that can be found if we look for it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/866069642263744

Tony Robbins tries to give us a perspective change in this video.

Is there a lot to complain about? Yes.

Is there a lot to be thankful for? Yes.

Which one do you think will serve you better in the long run?

Make it a great day.

Jake

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.

You can’t expect to hit the jackpot if you don’t put a few nickels in the machine. – Flip Wilson

January is also a great time to think about where you might take on some more risk.

I personally wouldn’t suggest the slot machine, but there’s probably somewhere for you to take a chance.

Take the risk of stopping to do something.

Or the risk of starting something new.

Or the risk of saying that thing that has been on your mind.

Use wisdom. But take a chance.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.

Meaghan wrote this quote on the board at home so I went and found this daily attitude email from 2016 to send out again…

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is a great quote for the beginning of the year.

Each day can be the best day of the year.

If we can have that attitude 2016 will turn out to be quite a year.

So, let’s get started on the best day of the year.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.

“If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it.

A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”

― Roald Dahl, The Twits

New year – new you.

Maybe a good place to start is on our thoughts.

To crowd out all the ugly thoughts with good ones.

Thoughts of love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, self-control, faithfulness.

When you think about it – I’m guessing the people in your life that you have fond memories of and experiences with have those kinds of thoughts and it comes through. It was about how they made you feel – not about their looks, what they wore or how fit they were.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.

Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day. – Thornton Wilder

Maybe you already have all your New Years’ resolutions down and are working away.

If you don’t, I’d like to suggest one: read or listen to something positive every day.

Even if it’s just a couple of pages or a couple of minutes.

Put some good stuff in. Let it work in the background as you go about your day.

Let it build over the course of the year.

There’s plenty of negative out there – just focus on the positive a little at a time, every day.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – I’d love to hear any ideas you have for something positive like this to add to our daily routines. Send your ideas out to the group!

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.

There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself. – Louis XIV

So many of our goals are really about conquering ourselves.

To lay down our short term desires for long term goals.

To put aside selfishness for selflessness.

Jim Rohn calls discipline the magic key that unlocks so much in our lives.

Disciplining ourselves to conquer ourselves is a part of the process of moving away from our old selves and into our new selves.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.

Dear Lord, I’m so grateful I’m still loved. – Vivien Leigh

Monday morning reminder – you are loved.

Wholly and completely.

Just as you are.

Don’t ever forget it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.

https://youtu.be/af2GrJ7xfA0?si=3KYQcgtEGFs2ql01

Life’s a happy song!

Watched this last night with the kiddos and thought it would be a good toe tapper to start the year.

Let’s make 2025 a happy year!

Make it a great day.

Jake

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.