The CBA's of Success

Have you ever noticed that some people seem to succeed at everything they attempt while others muddle through life working hard, but never making much progress? You may have decided successful people are simply lucky and there's not much that can be done to improve your luck. If you ever take the time to study the lives of successful people you will quickly discover luck had nothing to do with it, but that they intentionally created the life they wanted. Would you like to know their secrets?

C - Clarity - If you are going to have a successful anything you have to get clear and concise on what you want. What does a good relationship look like for you? If you talk to different people, you'll hear different answers so it's important to define what that means for you. Think about it this way...if you and your spouse went to get your dream car, would it be the same car? It's highly likely that it's not. You want a BMW while he wants a Mercedes. In that case something as simple as a new car purchase is enough to bring major stress into the relationship because there was never clarity of vision. So get clear about what you want your spiritual walk to look like, your relationships, your profession, even your recreation. Without clarity, how will you know if you achieved the goal?

B - Believe - In order to create a different life, you must believe it's possible. All the best dreams in the world mean nothing, if you doubt it's possible. I can't tell you the number of times a couple asked Edwin and I to counsel them through marital challenges, and they started the session with "I don't think it can get better." Then what's the point in getting counseling, if you don't believe the relationship can change? If you think it can't, it won't because subconsciously you'll find a way to make what you believe be your reality. How many times have your shortchanged yourself by allowing your doubt to stop you before you start? Remember the words of Jesus - "All things are possible, if you can believe."

A - Action - Now that you're clear about what you what and you believe it's possible. You have to act. This seems to be the hardest step for most people, but faith without works is dead...meaning it produces nothing. So what can you do right now that will help you accomplish your dream? Start with writing it down, that will help you with clarity and even believing. Did you know that you improve your chances of accomplishing a dream by 50% when you write it down? What other action steps can you take? If it's going back to school, get online and see your program options, costs, length of time needed to complete...DO SOMETHING!

If you make it a point to get clear, believe it's possible and act in concert with your dreams, you'll soon discover for yourself that it's not luck that makes people successful, but intentional preparation!

PS....if you haven't purchased my new book "Our Amazing Marriage" check it out at http://www.ouramazingmarriage.com/. It's a great tool for anyone desiring to increase the quality of their marriage!

Shun Strickland Speaks: Let's start a revolution

Shun Strickland Speaks: Let's start a revolution: "Happy Monday! It is a happy Monday isn't it? I don't mean the kind of Monday where you hit the snooze button twice before you finally drug y..."

Let's start a revolution

Happy Monday! It is a happy Monday isn't it? I don't mean the kind of Monday where you hit the snooze button twice before you finally drug yourself out of bed. Or the kind where you only showed up at your place of employement because you need to get paid. If that's how your day started then it probably isn't a  happy Monday...maybe "Ok Monday" is a better description. If that's how you'd describe today then it's time for you to join the revolution!

After I got off the phone with the 3rd friend this morning who really wasn't happy with the direction her life had taken, I thought, "This isn't coincidence that I'm having this conversation again. What can I do about it?" So I went into a major brainstorming session and I emerged convinced that somebody somewhere needed to start a revolution and it might as well be me.

I'm revolting against this false concept of life that you can't get paid for your passion. I'm taking a stand against the mentality that dreams are for kids and adults should just trudge through life doing the right thing. You know what the right thing is? TO LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

I'm passionate abou people living their dreams because I believe that God created every person with unique giftings, talents and personalities to fulfill purpose in the earth and that when we act in concert with God we create an amazing life for us while adding value to others. That my friend, is the life that we are created to live. The problem is that far too many have sold their dream for a paycheck. Now I know you need money to live so I'm not suggesting that you quit your job. I'm challenging you to shift your mindset. To think about how you could create or find a company that would allow you to be fulfilled while you get paid. Seems like a simple shift, right? Right! So do it and you'll be a part of the revolution too!

Where should you start? Ask yourself these questions..

Who am I?

What am I passionate about?

What is the legacy I want to leave behind?

If you still aren't sure then go on a Passion Quest. Take the next 14 days to notice what brings you pleasure, what infuriates you (often our purpose can be identified by what angers us), what makes you feel alive and what makes you feel like you are contributing. Write it down and start building from there.

Often people wonder if they deserve their dreams. When I have a better question "Does what you doing now, deserve the investment of your life?" Because everyday you're spending a day of life that can never be recovered! When you think about this way, you can see, you need join this revolution!

Creating an Extraordinary Marriage Segment II

Creating an Extraordinary Marriage Segment 1.wmv

Will the BEST YOU stand up and stand out?

Placed inside of each of us is tremendous ability! Before the foundation of the earth, our loving Father, decided that we would be a part of His plans to do beautiful and amazing things in the earth. Your relationship with Jesus connects you directly to the heart of the Father so you can know His plans for you! Think about it…God could have chosen to do it all alone, but instead He decides to give all of His children a role to play! The enemy thought he could thwart God’s plans with the little stunt in the garden because he was too dumb (he is so dumb) to realize that God is not reactionary, but proactive. Before the foundation of the earth the Lamb was slain so that there would never be any separation between God and his children that couldn’t be restored!


Expand your vision of the blood! The finished work of Jesus does so much more than access into Heaven once we depart from this life. It gives us access to the very heart and plans of God so that we can create Heaven here in this life! You’re here because there is something for you to do. Not just something boring, but something amazing that reveals God’s love and creativity!

We see people do amazing things all the time, but how much more could any of us do, if we realized that God Himself desires us to maximize our creativity? What happens when we realize that there are still ideas, concepts and inventions in His Hearth that haven’t been revealed to us? What if we decide to seek Him for what He longs to do through us? We often talk about worshipping God, but limit it to singing, lifted hands and tear. However, if we follow the model of the trees…true worship occurs when we fulfill purpose. Trees do what they were created to do, how about you? How were you created to worship God? Maybe it’s through song. Maybe you are an artist or an architect or an accountant, fashionista (you don’t think God has great fashion sense?), scientist, playwright, world class athlete, pastor, motivational speaker or teacher. Whatever the gift or gifts, we all have the privilege to maximize them so that God is glorified.

The book of Romans tells us the earth is groaning, longing for the sons of God to manifest. That’s more than going to church…that’s about taking your place as a child of God for the purpose to allowing His plans for you to shine in the earth. I often tell my children, “It’s not pride to want to be great; its pride to want to be great without God.” No one can be created in the image and likeness of God and want average and mundane living! You were created for great exploits and adventures with God leading the path.

God is so diverse and longs to show the diversity we each have. Let’s put away imitation and embrace our individuality. Let’s also celebrate our unique makeup and the distinctiveness of others! Come out the box! The world needs your best!

I’ll close today’s blog with a poem my Miriam Williamson. I pray that you are challenged and respond to the challenge by taking massive action to discover and become who the Father created you to be! We’re waiting!



Our Greatest Fear —
it is our light not our darkness that most frightens us
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,Our presence automatically liberates others.
—Marianne Williamson

Let's Talk about Money! Are you ready to retire?

I’ve spent the past month aggressively working to become financially literate. When I say financially literate, I’m not talking about balancing my checkbook and knowing the difference between an asset and a liability. A balanced checkbook tells me what I’ve already done, not where I’m headed. I’m talking “how does money work and why?” From what I have gathered thus far, most experts tell us to work hard, cut back and save money which seems like good advice and would be great advice if this was 1971, but unfortunately it’s 2010 and that advice alone will not position people to be financially independent. There are new money rules, but most of us didn’t follow the old money rules. Maybe that’s good thing because we don’t have much to unlearn.


History Lesson:

In 1971 President Nixon stopped the dollar from being backed by gold which changed the dollar from money to currency. This decision led to the demise of the Bretton Woods system which demanded that every nation adopt a monetary policy that maintained the exchange rate of its currency within in a fixed value –plus or minus one percent –in term of gold. This kept currency from floating. Once gold no longer backed the dollar it began to lose value because the U.S. could print currency that had no value. When the dollar was backed by gold, it made sense to save it. Now saving money is not the way to become financially independent. (For more information check outhttp://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/nixon-shock.asp)

The dollar is constantly losing value. According to a recent Bloomberg report, the dollar has lost 13.2% of its value since George W. Bush took office in January 2001. That means the dollar is losing its purchasing power. This is why the same bag of chips that costs $.75 in 2001 cost $1.29 today…the dollar is losing value. So what should we do? The short answer is that we need to learn how to invest our money in assets that are less likely to lose value. We use to hear that a home was an asset…well the latest recession proves that is not true. All around the nation, people are living in homes that they can’t sell because those homes have lost their value. There are many investment vehicles, but you’ll have to find the right one for you.

Here are some things that must occur to be prepared for whatever direction the economy may take:

We must take responsibility for our financial knowledge and future – Too many people expect someone else to rescue them financially. We have a generation of people preparing to retire that expect the government to pay them social security. Social security is on a fast train to bankruptcy. If you put your trust in it, you will be disappointed. Others have put all of their trust in 401K. We’ve had many corporations show us that we can’t trust them to provide our financial security. Others trust so called financial experts who have no personal proof that their advice works. Finally most people just keep working, spending and pretending that things are getting worse. Take responsibility!

The Bible says people perish for lack of knowledge! Most people do not have enough financial literacy to make intelligent decision regarding money. Do you k

Open your bills! Face your creditors! Pull your credit report! Stop ignoring your debt and current financial situation. In order to create a roadmap anywhere, you must locate where you are.

We must educate our children – Most of what we know about money we learned from our parents. Being a good parent doesn’t mean that you handle your finances well. The Bible says a wise man leaves and inheritance to His children’s children. Did you receive an inheritance? Will you leave one? Nothing just happens. We can’t live our lives paycheck to paycheck and then expect an abundance to be left to our children. We must prepare! Even if we plan to have life insurance policies to leave our children, we must teach prepare them to handle large sums of cash. If we want our children to be prepared we must teach them that it’s better to own Nike stock than Nike shoes.

We must embrace the process – Anything worth having is worth working for including financial freedom. Acquiring wealth is process that begins with our thinking. We must bombard our thinking with information about money. We must decide what financial freedom means. One person may say it’s no debt. Another may say it’s the freedom to pursue a dream job without having to consider money. What do you say?

We must not expect a quick fix – People are constantly being taken advantage of because they look for a quick fix. You must learn about money, identify your spending habits and develop a plan that will produce solid results long term. People are living above their means and using credit cards to finance their lives. When the credit cards are maxed out, they refinances their homes to continue the façade until the entire thing collapses.

I don’t claim to know it all because I’m still learning every day! However, I always try to share what I have learned. I hope this helps those of you who haven’t taken responsibility for your financial future to face your fears, get educated and pursue freedom!