Wisdom-Trek ©

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 154 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Life is Like a Bank Account

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 154 of our Trek. Yesterday we hiked the 4 trails to destroy bad habits, and starting today and throughout this next week, we will be presenting a series of short wisdom stories. If you miss any days of our Wisdom-Trek, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This episode is being released on Sunday as Paula and I are boarding the ship for our 7 day podcasting cruise. This week while we are out at sea I will have a series of podcasts covering short stories about wisdom without a lot of additional commentary. Once we get back from the cruise, we will remain at camp for a few days as we dive back into the commentary on the book of Proverbs.

Today’s story is...

Life Is Like a Bank Account

Imagine you have a bank account, and the bank deposits your account each morning with $86,400. This account carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every dollar to spend or invest, of course!

Well, everyone has such a bank. Its name is Time. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off as lost whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the records of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.

There is no going back. There is no drawing against "tomorrow." Therefore, there is never not enough time or too much time. How we invest our time is decided by us alone and nobody else. It is always a choice that we make. It is never the case of us not having enough time to do things, but the case of whether we want to do it.

You are personally responsible for being wise with the resources given to you each day, and the most precious of these resources is time. As long as you are alive the full day, every person on earth has the same amount of time to invest each day.

You must live in the present on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success! The clock is running!! Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who just missed a train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask someone who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal at the Olympics. 

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with. And remember time waits for no one.

We would do well to also consult the Bible for investing the 86,400 seconds that we have each day.

Colossians 4:5-6, "Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone."

Psalms 90:12,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 153 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

4 D's That Will Destroy Bad Habits

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 153 of our Trek. Yesterday we explored the 9 principles for a lasting legacy and today we will hike the 4 trails to destroy bad habits. If you miss any days of our Wisdom-Trek, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This episode is releasing on Saturday as Paula and I are heading to Ft. Lauderdale in preparation for a 7 day podcasting cruise on Sunday. The week that we are out at sea I will have a series of podcasts covering short wisdom stories.

Since we have 4 short trails to trek today, let’s get started right away by breaking camp and heading onto the trail. The trails today are very difficult, just like breaking bad habits is very difficult in our lives. When we start habits that are not good for us, we do not realize at the time or understand the inherent difficulty in changing old and persistent habits. But that does not mean that it is impossible.

The only way that habits begin to change is when we begin to change our perceptions. Most people are not successful in changing bad habits or addictions quickly. For most of us change comes as an evolutionary process of almost imperceptible changes. We just keep nudging ourselves in the right direction by forming one or two better habits. Changing habits permanently requires 4 distinct but interlocking steps. It is like the interlocking Lego blocks that connect to each other to build the steps to success. You must connect them together and in the proper order.

The Four D’s to Break Bad Habits

Emotions are the most powerful forces inside us. Under the power of emotions, human beings can perform the most heroic (as well as barbaric) acts. To a great degree, civilization itself can be defined as the intelligent channeling of human emotion. Emotions are fuel and the mind is the pilot, which together propel the ship of civilized progress.

There are four basic emotions or building blocks that can trigger the most incredible activity. The day that you channel these emotions to fuel your desire is the day you’ll turn your life around and overcome bad habits that are destroying you.

1. Disgust with Yourself

One does not usually equate the word “disgust” with positive action. And yet, properly channeled, disgust can change a person’s life. The person who feels disgusted has reached a point of no return. He or she is ready to throw down the gauntlet at life and say, “I’ve had it!”

Yes, productive feelings of disgust come when you say, “Enough is enough.”

You have had it with mediocrity. You have had it with those awful sick feelings of fear, pain and humiliation. You decide you are not going to live like this anymore. Call it what you will. It may be the “I’ve had it” day, the “never again” day, the “enough is enough” day…Whatever you call it, it’s powerful! There is nothing so life-changing as gut-wrenching disgust!

2. Decision Time – You Must Choose

Most of us need to be pushed to the wall to make decisions. Once you reach this point, you have to deal with the conflicting emotions that come with making them. We have reached a fork in the trail. Now this fork can be a two-prong, three-prong or even a four-prong fork. No wonder that decision-making can create knots in stomachs, keep you awake in the middle of the night, or make you break out in a cold sweat.

Making life-changing decisions can be likened to internal civil war. Conflicting armies of emotions,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 152 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

9 Principles for Creating a Legacy

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 152 of our Trek, and yesterday we explored the 7 steps for a successful life. Today we will continue on the same trail and look at 9 related principles for a lasting legacy. If you miss any days of our Wisdom-Trek, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This episode is scheduled to air on Friday when Paula and I will be making last minute preparations for our podcasting cruise. On the day I am creating this journal and podcast, it is my Dad’s 85th birthday, which we will celebrate tomorrow.  Three of my siblings as well as our three oldest children were able to make it in for the celebration. We enjoyed the time with them and their families, but it was particularly special for the grandchildren as this is the first time that all six of them were together. It is a blessing for Granny and Gramps, and of course, pictures of Dad and our grandkids are in today’s journal posting.

 

As we get focused on our Trek today, we realize that each day on our trek of life can be challenging and full of unexpected detours and obstacles. While some days will be sunny and bright and give us the feeling that we can literally conquer mountains, there will be other days that are cloudy when the cold wind and rain blow against us to the point that it is difficult to move forward. If we anticipate and prepare for both the sunny and rainy days regardless of what we are facing on a particular day, we will keep in mind our ultimate destination and keep moving forward. Today’s trail is an extension of what we discovered on yesterday’s Trek but from a slightly different perspective. We will put our power of observation to the test once again and look for the 9 sign posts that will help us to be creating and living our legacy each day.

This Is How You Create and Live a Legacy Daily

As your guide and mentor on our daily wisdom-trek, I am a bit of a philosopher and also love principles. Yes, actions are great, and I talk about them regularly. But, the important stuff is what lies underneath are the principles or precepts – the very foundation from which our actions grow.

These are the principles we must commit to in order to create and live the legacy we desire.

Life is best lived in service to others.

This doesn’t mean that we do not strive for the best for ourselves. It does mean that in all things we serve other people, including our family, co-workers, and friends. We should practice what has been called "Servant-Leadership" as described in Matthew 20:25-28, "But Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.  But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.'” 

Consider others’ interests as important as your own.

Much of the world suffers simply because people consider only their own interests. People are looking out for number one, but the way to leave a legacy is to also look out for others.

Love your neighbor even if you don’t like him.

It is interesting that Jesus told us to love others. But he never tells us to like them.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 151 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

7 Steps to Become a Success

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 151 of our Trek, and yesterday we learned the 8 attributes of a healthy relationship. Today we will explore the 7 steps for a successful life. If you miss any days of our Wisdom-Trek, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This episode is scheduled to air on Thursday when we will be spending a day on site with a client before heading back to Charlotte in the evening. Since Paula and I are heading out for our Podcasters cruise on Sunday, we will be dropping Mom Jarvis off at Paula’s sister Lois’s on our way south. As I am writing this journal as we are still traveling to Marietta on Friday, it is a bit of a challenge to work in the dark while traveling. However, the bright screen and lighted keyboard allows me to function fairly well.

Our daily trek of life also has its challenges, but we should always give thanks for the good points of each day. We are shifting from a focus on relationships from yesterday’s hike and heading up the 7 steps that lead to success. If we navigate these steps properly, we will come closer to success in all areas of our lives.  This is crucial as we are daily creating our living legacy.

7 Steps To Become a Success

1. You attract success.

So few people realize this.  Success is not something that you chase. It’s something that you turn into.  Success comes from growth. It comes from growing bigger than the problems and obstacles that surround you. Don’t search for success. Commit to grow, commit to become, commit to do what you know to do, and you will attract success.  Proverbs 21:5 puts it this way, "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty."

2.   You must change.

If you want change, you must change!  You must work harder on yourself than you work on anything else. The greatest investment you will ever make is in yourself. Don’t invest in the stock market if you haven’t first invested in yourself. Labor to become a better person. Every day you want to be slightly better than you were the day before.

3. Never give up.

Never give up. If you just keep at it, eventually you will reach the top. It probably won’t happen in a year, but just imagine what could be achieved if you stayed focused for 20 or 30 years or longer.  When I say never give up, I don’t mean to imply that you should wait around for something to happen. What I’m saying is that you should make something happen.

Success is not that complicated. I like what Jim Rohn said about success, “Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.”

Paul taught in in Galatians 6:9, "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."

4. Environment is critical.

You must constantly ask yourself these questions:

Who do I spend time with?

How are they influencing me?

What do they have me reading?

What do they have me saying?

Where do they have me going?

What do they have me thinking?

And most important, what do they have me becoming?

Then ask yourself the big question, “Is that okay?” Your life does not get better by chance. It gets better by change. You may have to make some difficult choices on who you spend time with.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 150 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

8 Signs of Healthy Relationships 

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 150 of our Trek, and yesterday we discovered the 2 steps needed to overcome procrastination. Today we will learn the 8 attributes of a healthy relationship. If you miss any days of our Wisdom-Trek podcasts, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This episode is scheduled to air on Wednesday in the middle of a very busy week. As I am writing this journal, we are heading north to Marietta. I am so thankful that Paula is willing and able to drive on many of our trips so that I can maximize my time and continue to bring value to my fellow trekkers. The leaves on the trees are changing colors, and it is a beautiful evening drive. The majesty of God’s creation is a joy to observe.are changing colors and it is a beautiful evening drive.  The majesty of God’s creation is joy to observe.

We have a long trail ahead of us today, so strap on your hiking boots tight because we are going to have to move quickly to finish the trail on time as we learn from each other on our trail of relationships. As we hike on this trail, we need to keep alert and use our power of observation to locate the 8 signs that will teach us to create and maintain healthy relationships with everyone that we meet on this trek of life.

8 Signs of Healthy Relationships

Nothing can bring more joy to life than beautifully fulfilling relationships. The depth of meaning, understanding, and appreciation that these kinds of relationships bring is almost unfathomable. And, of course, as many people find out, nothing can bring so much pain as a broken relationship with someone dear to you.

Yes, relationships make the world go ’round for better or for worse. But the exciting thing is that we can do much to increase our chances of having terrific relationships — relationships that are fulfilling and exciting, rich with meaning, joy, and love. There are basics that govern most human relationships and are the very basics I want to cover. So, here is my list of the eight signs that I believe comprise the basics of healthy relationships.

1. Love

Now, this all depends on your definition of love. Most people think that love is a feeling, but I would strongly debate that point. Actually, the concept of “like” is really about feelings. When you say you like someone, you are talking about how you feel. But when you say that you love someone, you are not necessarily talking about how you feel about them. Love is much deeper than a feeling. Love is a commitment we make to people to always treat that person right and honorably. Yes, for those we become especially close to, we will have feelings of love, but I believe it is time for us to re-examine what we mean by love. We must expand our definition of what love means by including the commitment aspect of love. For healthy relationships, we must love everyone. We may not like them based on how we feel about them, but we should love them based on our definition of love above, which in turn determines how we should act toward them. That is, we should treat them right and honorably. This is the basis of all healthy relationships.

I believe the best description of what love really is can be found in the 1st letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth in Chapter 13 verse 4 through 7, "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 149 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

2 Steps to Overcome Procrastination 

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 149 of our Trek, and yesterday we explored the trail of how change begins with a choice and how making the proper choices in how we treat others will allow us to become a person of influence. Today we will explore that difficult trail of overcoming procrastination.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, although we will be at The Big House when this episode is released. It is really a blessing to be able to work remotely from any location as long as we have an internet connection. As technology continues to improve, it will become even easier in the future.

Today as we head out on our trail, we are having a discussion about how easy it is to put off our responsibilities and how we allow non-important interruptions to distract us from doing what is most important. This is an age old issue, but there are so many distractions both online and offline, it is very difficult not to procrastinate especially if you are not very disciplined in your focus. Perseverance is so important to make sure we continue on life’s trail towards the summit.

Perseverance is about as important to achievement as gasoline is to driving a car. Sure, there will be times when you feel like you're spinning your wheels, but you'll always get out of the rut with genuine perseverance. Without it, you won't even be able to start your engine.

Perseverance vs. Procrastination

The opposite of perseverance is procrastination. Perseverance means you never quit. Procrastination usually means you never get started although the inability to finish something is also a form of procrastination.

Ask people why they procrastinate and you'll often hear something like this, “I'm a perfectionist. Everything has to be just right before I can get down to work. No distractions, not too much noise, no telephone calls interrupting me, and of course I have to be feeling well physically, too. I can't work when I have a headache. ” The other end of procrastination – being unable to finish – also has a perfectionist explanation…"I'm just never satisfied. I'm my own harshest critic. Unless all the I's are dotted and all the Tt's are crossed, I just can't consider that I'm done. That's just the way I am, and I'll probably never change."

Do you see what's going on here? A fault is being turned into a virtue. The perfectionist is saying that their standards are just too high for this world. This fault-into-virtue syndrome is a common defense when people are called upon to discuss their weaknesses, but in the end it's just a very pious kind of excuse making. It certainly doesn't have anything to do with what's really behind procrastination.

The basis of procrastination could be fear of failure. That's what perfectionism really is once you take a hard look at it. What's the difference whether you're afraid of being less than perfect or afraid of anything else?  You're still paralyzed by fear. What's the difference whether you never start or never finish? You're still stuck. You're still going nowhere. You're still overwhelmed by whatever task is before you. You’re still allowing yourself to be dominated by a negative vision of the future. In your mind you see yourself being criticized, laughed at, punished, or ridden out of town on a rail. Of course, this negative vision of the future is really a mechanism that allows you to do nothing. It's a very convenient mental tool.

I'm going to tell you how to overcome procrastination. I'm going to show you how to turn procrastination into pe...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 148 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

7 Steps to Become a Person of Influence

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 148 of our Trek, and yesterday we learned how to face and then defeat the enemies that live within us and try to limit our potential. Today we will explore the trail of how change begins with a choice and how making the proper choices in how we treat others will allow us to become a person of influence. If you miss any days of our Wisdom-Trek, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com or subscribe at iTunes or Spreaker to get caught up. If you have any of your own observations, comments, or questions as we explore these nuggets of wisdom, please share them in the comment section of our daily journal pages.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, although we will be at The Big House when this episode is released. The week is full of many activities to complete prior to heading back to Charlotte on Thursday and then on to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday as the Podcast cruise starts on Sunday.

The many activities we are involved in and our client workload are a result of choices that we have made over the years. An important attribute that I desire for my life is to be a person of influence. I feel certain that almost everyone would like to have a positive influence on the lives of others. In order to do so, you may have to make some changes in your life. Changes require that we make difficult choices at times. The choices that we have made in our lives up to this point determine the situation that we find ourselves in. So, let me ask a couple of questions…Do you desire to become a person of influence?  What changes in your life will be required in order to reach that position? On our Trek today, we will hike the trails of choice and look for the seven sign posts that are crucial for becoming a person of influence.

Change Begins with Choice

Any day you wish, you can discipline yourself to change your life. Any day you wish, you can open a book that will open your mind to new knowledge. Any day you wish, you can start a new activity. Any day you wish, you can start the process of life change. You can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year. Zig Ziglar put it this way, 

You can also do nothing. You can pretend rather than perform. If the idea of having to change yourself makes you uncomfortable, you can remain as you are. You can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are yours to make. But while you may desire change, you must be willing to make the choice to change. As Ecclesiastes 10:2 says, "A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one."

The current situation of your life is largely based on past choices. You have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.

You cannot allow your errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead you down the wrong path. You must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how your life works out. And then you must make the very choices that will bring about a rich and satisfying life.

And, if I may be so bold to offer a piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in life…If you don't like how things are, change them! You're not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your li...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 147 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Conquer the Six Enemies Within  

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 147 of our Trek, and yesterday we learned the value of study and the high cost for ignorance. Today we want to prepare ourselves to face the enemies that live within us. If you miss any days of our Wisdom-Trek, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com or subscribe at iTunes or Spreaker to get caught up. If you have any of your own observations, comments, or questions as we explore these nuggets of wisdom, please share them on the comment section of our daily journal pages.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina although this episode will originally be released on Sunday. We are preparing our podcast episodes a few days ahead of time in preparation for the Podcasters’ Paradise Cruise the first week of November since I will not have the equipment on the cruise to record and post the daily podcast.

We are in the middle of a very busy week of work and activities.  It is a blessing that we are thankful for. We will be celebrating Dad’s 85th anniversary when this episode is released. One of the many blessings and lessons that I learned from my Dad is to take each day of life as it comes to you. There will be trails and difficulties but that should not stop us from continuing forward. He also taught us to enjoy each day and learn the lessons from that day.

It is another great day of life as we trek together. The lessons that we can learn together and the strength that we can gain from one another helps our trek of life to be more enjoyable. Our goal is to live a rich and satisfying life while making a positive impact on everyone that we meet. By doing so, we can create a living legacy each day. One observation that I have made in life is that many of our problems with others and with situations of life are actually struggles that we are facing internally. We also tend to judge others in the same manner that we are judging ourselves. As Shakespeare wrote in his play The Hamlet, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks," which suggests that those issues that we protest most strongly against are the very ones that we are struggling with. I have seen this play out in business, organizations, and even more so in churches. The Bible also refers to this in Matthew 7:1-3, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?"

So my exhortation on this is to be very careful when making a judgment against someone else because it may be the very demon that you struggle with internally.  This brings us to the trail that we want to hike today which is:

Conquer the Six Enemies Within

Let me tell you about six enemies we face from within.

1. Fear

The first enemy within is fear. We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Our fears are typically brought on by our own experiences, by what someone has told us, or by what we've read in the news. Some fears are valid, like walking alone in a bad part of town at two o'clock in the morning. But once we learn to avoid that situation, we don't need to live in fear of it.

Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally destroy our ambitions. Fear can destroy fortunes. Fear can destroy relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can destroy our lives. Fear is one of the many enemies lurking inside us.

If we are living a life of integrity and truth we have no legitimate reason to fear.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 146 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

The Benefits of Study 

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 146 of our Trek. Yesterday we learned how to become a miracle worker. Today we want to explore the value of study and the high cost for ignorance. If you miss any days of our Wisdom-Trek, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com or subscribe at iTunes or Spreaker to get caught up. If you have any of your own observations, comments, or questions as we explore these nuggets of wisdom, please share them on the comment section of our daily journal pages.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. But this episode will air on Saturday, and we will be back at The Big House by then, cleaning and getting ready for Dad’s birthday celebration on Sunday. One blessing that we experience driving between North Carolina and Ohio as much as we do is to see the mountains along our drive as the leaves in the fall are changing colors. It certainly makes the drive more enjoyable.

As we head out on our Trek today, it is important to understand and realize the importance of studying the trail guide and learning as much as possible before we begin our Trek each day. In the same way, we need to be continuously improving ourselves by reading books, listening to podcasts, and putting what we learn into practice. Regardless of your economic situation, if you have access to a library or the internet, there is no excuse to remain ignorant on any subject matter that may be important to you. Even if you do not have a particular interest in a subject, anything that you learn can bring value to your life. The more you learn the greater your net worth and self-worth will become. Knowledge does not equate directly to the wisdom that we pursue each day, but when kept in the proper perspective, the more knowledge that you gain should allow you to understand how valuable wisdom really is in your life.

Study To Show Yourself Approved

When I refer to books today, I am referring to physical or electronic books and any other types of online or offline articles and courses.

All of the books that you will ever need to make you as rich, as healthy, as happy, as powerful, as sophisticated, and as successful as you want to be have already been written. They will provide you with the rich and satisfying life that is written of in John 10:10. Always keep in mind that when Scripture refers to a rich and satisfying life, it has little to do with material wealth although that could be a facet of it if we keep it in proper perspective.

People from all walks of life, people with some of the most incredible life experiences, and people who have gone from pennies to fortune and from failure to success have taken the time to write down their experiences so that you might share in their wealth of knowledge. They have offered their wisdom and experience so that you can be inspired by it and instructed by it and so that you can amend your philosophy by it. Their contributions enable you to change the trails of life that you hike based upon their experiences. They have handed you the gift of their insights so that you can change your plans, if need be, in order to avoid their errors. You can rearrange your lives based on their wise advice.

All of the insights that you might ever need have already been captured by others in books. The important question is this: In the last ninety days, with this treasure of information that could change your lives, your fortunes, your relationships, your health, your children and your careers for the better, how many books have we read?

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 145 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Becoming a Miracle Worker

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 145 of our Trek. Yesterday we explored the nine nuggets that are more valuable than money. Today we will learn how to become a miracle worker. If you miss any days of our Wisdom-Trek, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com or subscribe at iTunes or Spreaker to get caught up. If you have any of your own observations, comments, or questions as we explore these nuggets of wisdom, please share them on the comment section of our daily journal pages.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. As we finish out a busy week of work, even with the many side trails that we inevitably end up taking on our daily treks, we are still heading in the right direction and making progress. We will be heading back up to The Big House today as we finish preparations for Dad’s 85th birthday celebration. We are blessed to spend this time together as a family honoring Dad and his powerful contribution to our lives.

On our Trek today, we are enjoying the changing seasons. The crisp air of fall, the beautiful leaves as they turn bright yellows and reds, and the ability to relish life in all of its grandeur. Life in itself is a miracle, and we need to make sure that we take time each day to be thankful for all of the miracles that we experience, both small and large. Regardless of our age or status in life, our ability to perform some sort of labor, whether little or much, has the capability to make an impact on our world and indeed the entire world to bring about miracles in the lives of others.

As we continue with the training that I have gained from one of my mentors Jim Rohn along with my own experiences, we will explore our role in the working of miracles.

Labor That Works Miracles

While I don’t think any of us really enjoy paying taxes, we certainly do like some of the benefits that we receive from the taxes we do pay. Most of us would like to experience a phenomenon at tax time and have our taxes paid miraculously, but that is not how it works. Another tax situation is recorded in the Good News according to Matthew, who himself was a former tax collector. The story is recorded in Matthew 17:24-27.  The tax collectors were out doing their work, and they accused Jesus of not paying his share of taxes although technically Jesus was required to pay it. In verse 27 Jesus said,  "However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”  

We read in the passage that Jesus' disciple Peter came to him and said it was time to pay taxes, but they had no money. In response to his disciple's statement Jesus said, "No problem." Now why could he say "no problem"? Well, word had it that Jesus was a miracle worker. If you hand a problem to a miracle worker they are inclined to say "no problem."  It is good when you are able to hang out with people like that.

I do not want to minimize the miracles of Jesus at all because they are truly miracles. When you really think about creation and so much that goes on around us, then we can see miracles every day. God works through faithful and gifted individuals to bring about what is considered miracles to others. The question is, “Are you allowing miracles to be worked through you?”

Since I have 36 years of experience in technology, some may look at what I am able to perform on computers as miracles, but, unlike Jesus, it has taken me many years to gain these miraculous abilities and skills...