Category: Quotes

Quotes

Enthusiasm and Perseverance

Post author By Kevin Spear
Post date June 4, 2020

One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days, but it is the man who has it for 30 years who makes a success of his life.
Edward B. Butler in Instant Inspiration

Did you think life was supposed to be easy? Who told you that? Surely you didn’t believe all those commercials over the years that promised the good, easy life if you just bought their product, did you?

Right now, it may be difficult to maintain enthusiasm. You’re not going to get much help from the news media or social media. You may find some gold if you filter out all the bad information. But you may have to dig through a lot of manure to get to the treasure.

Keep going, though. Keep going with the right mindset! Life is truly a long journey. It isn’t over until you breathe your last breath. And even then, I believe there is an eternal glory awaiting.

You may fault me for being a person of faith if you wish. But it takes faith to keep your enthusiasm for thirty or more years. There is something better. Keep striving for it. Don’t expect things to be easy now, but know better days are coming.

Tags enthusiasm, mindset, news, perseverance, quotes

books motivation Quotes

Why is isolation so dangerous?

Post author By Kevin Spear
Post date May 29, 2020

"When we isolate ourselves from others, we become islands unto ourselves. And like Tom Hanks in the movie 'Cast Away,' we eventually draw a face on a volleyball, name it Wilson, and start talking to it." Mark Batterson in "Whisper"

Has anyone felt isolated lately? Of course, we have! After all quarantine is a synonym for isolation. Hospitals have isolation wards that keep infected people from spreading illness. In some situations, like a pandemic, isolation is necessary.

Health professionals have told us isolation has been necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Yet, It isn’t easy for any of us. There has been several recent articles on how isolation is affecting us.

I liked today’s quote by Mark Batterson because of its humorous approach. It also reminds me isolation can become dangerous because it can cause us to do some crazy things.

We may start believing the negative self-talk that comes from our thoughts.
We may find unhealthy ways to numb the loneliness
When we finally get with people, we may come off as desperate, or a little neurotic (especially if you introduce you volleyball as your new friend)
It opens us up to scammers and others that take advantage of the lonely and isolated.

Batterson’s book is about how to listen to the voice of God. He reminded me that one way to hear His voice is to be in a community of believers. We all need friends and mentors to keep us from going off the rails. Isolation and a lack of humility can be a great disadvantage when you need someone to talk through an idea.

We are all social creatures. Even introverts need time with others. We may not be able to meet face-to-face. Technology may not be your strong suit. But I encourage you to find ways to reach out to friends even when it may take extra effort. We all need others to keep us from getting very lonely, and a little neurotic.