“The only constant in life is change” unknown

How do you respond to change?

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  (James 1:17; NIV)

A little over a year ago, I published a DG titled “Did You Know” that was written around a YouTube link of the same name.  A couple days ago, I received a tweet about another “Did You Know” YouTube video which I’m providing as today’s link.  I compared the two and this one seems to have some new and different information.  I still find myself amazed by the statistics offered by these videos.  Even if you remember my old post, I believe you will find this one a fascinating refresher of what’s happening around us.

“Did You Know” is all about change.  For some, change is exciting — while for others change is terribly stressful.  Part of the reason that change can be so stressful is because it reminds us that we are not in control.  But if truth be known…we never were in control.  So does that mean we’re reduced to victims?  Well, that seems to be a very popular viewpoint these days, but here again, truth be known, we’re only the victim if we choose to be.

You see, we do have control — indeed total control — over how we handle change.  If we choose to get all concerned about how bad things are going to be, we are choosing to experience stress and most likely will be rewarded with some of those bad outcomes that we are so anxious about.  If, on the other hand, we choose to look for the good that can come from the change, we can relax and look forward to the positive outcomes.

One result that comes from almost any change is growth.  Growth because we’re “pushed” from our comfort zone and forced to learn to adapt to new circumstances.    Approached with the right attitude, we almost always will look back on the way things were and be grateful for the change that forced us to improve.  Let’s face it — we live in exciting times.  Change is occurring at ever increasing speed.  We have the blessing of being able to experience more of life in a decade than our ancestors did in a lifetime.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Deut. 30:19 wherein God challenges us by saying, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.”  Notice however, that He doesn’t just end it there.  He coaches us to His preferred response as He continues with,  “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”  Am I being too presumptuous when I label that as excellent advice?  Which will you choose?

Prayer Power
Father, we thank You for the gift of living in amazing times such as these.  We also thank You for providing us with the anchor of a never-changing God.

Link of the Day
Did You Know?

Blessings on you as you expectantly adapt to the exciting new changes that are happening to you this very week.

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“He who rejects change is the architect of decay.  The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.”  Harold Wilson

What are some of the more significant changes you’ve seen take place in your lifetime?

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.  (Heb 6:17; NLT)

Before you ignore this post because you think that marketing is not something you’re interested in, I encourage you to just scan this and take note of how rapidly the world around us is changing right before our eyes.  It reminds me of the story of the frogs in the kettle who boiled to death as the water in the kettle was gradually heated to the boiling point.  Had the change not been so gradual and subtle, the frogs would have jumped to safety long before it was too late.

I’m not suggesting that it’s too late or that anyone is going to be boiled to death, but I am suggesting that some people are going to be left far, far behind if they don’t recognize the incredible changes taking place in our society and take steps to accommodate the new, emerging reality.  I would like to call your attention to just two of those changes in this post.

The first change is in the general field of advertising and marketing.  Now, if you’re not a marketer, why would you care?  Well, please see that these changes will affect just about every segment of society that derives their existence by telling others about the services they provide.  That includes people with home businesses, pastors and their churches, any organization, ministry, or agency that serves the public in any fashion whatsoever.  I’m referring to the veritable explosion of social media.  Some call it new media, or social networking, or any of a number of names, many of which probably haven’t even been invented yet.  The growth and impact of social media is covered in a fascinating report which is the first link of the day.

The second link is to a blog post by an amazing chronicler of the changes taking place around us, Seth Godin.  I’ve mentioned him before in my posts, and I believe that the article I’m passing along to you today will really help you see just how fast things are changing.  Bottom line, Godin predicts that there won’t be any newspapers by 2012.  Now, I’m not a newspaper reader (anymore), but I find that to be an absolutely amazing prediction.  Don’t you?  (Wonder what will people put in the bottom of their bird cages when newspapers are gone?)

Let me know what you think.  What are some of the changes that you see or have heard are coming that are “blowing your mind?”

Prayer Power:
Father, we rejoice that you have assured us in your Word that you will never change.  As we find ourselves in a world where change is coming at us at an accelerating pace, we take great comfort that the most important relationship in our life will never change.  Hallelujah!!!

Links of the Day
Social Media Marketing Industry Report
Sixty-to-Zero

Blessings on you as you awaken to a new world every morning.