Motivation for Monday: {Carrie} Guest Blogger

Meet Carrie! She is the Children's Pastor at our church. She is such a sweet person. Carrie's love for children is so evident when you talk with her. She does an amazing job with the children's program at church. I have asked Carrie to be a guest blogger for Motivation for Monday. Scroll down to see what she has written...

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..." -Jeremiah 1:5a

We forget that we are important sometimes. We think how can God have time for me when there are so many other people in the world. Storms are hitting places, children are dying because they don't have food, women are even being sold, why would God have time for my problems? It is wonderful to know that before we were even born God not only knew us, but set us apart to live the life we have for him. He promises us he will never leave us. We will go through things in life we don't understand, but we must remember that we are His children and he loves us like not other!

Motivation for Monday: Meet My Beau

I am honored to be the first ever guest blogger for Karrie Drake Photography! I am extremely proud of my wife for successfully juggling 3 jobs all at once as a Wife, Mother, and a business owner!  She asked me to write the Motivation for Monday I assume because of my profession being that of a football coach, it should be a natural fit for me to say something inspiring right? Well one thing I have learned in life is that sometimes we who inspire, also need inspiring! Those who lift others up also need lifting up too!  Just yesterday I was feeling very drained and worried about various things in life.  However last night I learned something from watching the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.  (Yes for those of you who do not know me I am a football fanatic and can't get enough of it even though I do it for a living.  I mean how many Doctors watch Grey's Anatomy or I wonder if lawyers watch reruns of Law and Order?)  Anyway all the players being inducted had one thing in common throughout their speeches.  Each of them had at least one or several people in their lives who inspired them, who transformed their lives, gave them hope, or blessed them with encouragement.  It allowed me to realize that often our greatest work of inspiring others is during routine encounters, which we make a positive comment/compliment,  encourage someone who is down, or just give a smile or hug to someone needing it.  People remember those things and it takes such little effort to give those types of blessings to others who are hurting.  Watching this I realized that while I may never go into any Halls of Fame myself, and though I may never attain the dream of coaching my beloved Oakland Raiders to the Super Bowl, I do have the ability to impact lives everyday while I am on this earth.  And it would be a shame and a waste of talent to not live everyday trying to inspire, encourage, and bless others!   William Shakespear once said "the pen is mightier than the sword."  Well I would have to disagree a little, cause I believe the tongue is mightier than the pen or the sword, as spoken words can heal or cut leaving a lasting impression to all those who receive them! Therefore I challenge everyone this week to make an effort to bless, inspire, and encourage at least one other person. You never know what kind of greatness will sprout from it!