Stan Toler - Minute Motivators for Women

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

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Cover by Harvest House Publishers Inc.

MINUTE MOTIVATORS FOR WOMEN

Copyright 2010, 2014 by Stan Toler

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-6831-7 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-6832-4 (eBook)

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Contents

I f its true that behind every good man is a great woman, then youve got an important job! Women are influencers. You influence your husband, your children, your church community, your coworkers, your neighbors. That means you have a big responsibility. Scripture says, From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked (Luke 12:48).

Understanding how important you are will hopefully inspire you to constantly improve yourself. As flight attendants say on every trip, In an emergency, put your own mask on before assisting others. In other words, take care of yourself so you wont be a burden to others; once youre squared away, youll be a great help to everyone around you!

Take some time right now to put that mask on. One minute could make all the difference for you and for those around you.

Stan & Linda Toler

Be yourself.

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

E veryone knows that faking righteousness doesnt work. Even Jesus accepted sinners while condemning hypocrites. But dont confuse authenticity with laziness. Be yourselfdont be one person at church and an entirely different person at work or homebut be careful to recognize that what feels easiest isnt always the most authentic.

Being real doesnt give you the freedom to express all the negative thoughts in your head (Im just saying it like it is); being real doesnt mean you ought to give in to destructive personality traits (Thats just who I am). Thats not who you are! The real you is fighting against your inner self, and by resisting the urge to speak unkindly or to be manipulative or to feed an addiction or to lose your temper, the real you becomes stronger.

To be who you really are, you have to know yourself. You are a child of God, made in His image, the crown of His creation. You are beautiful, strong, creative, intelligent, kind, and precious. Be that person. Be who you really are. Even when its tough!

God designed you to be a woman of character. Fight hard against every internal and external force that tempts you to forget who you really are. Confess your sins and shortcomings, and embrace your God-given personality and skills. Then you will truly be authentic.

Capitalize on your strengths.

A woman of mystique is fully aware of her flaws and weaknesses, yet she is strong enough to admit them and not be embarrassed by them.

Jean Lush

T hey say most people need ten compliments for every one criticism. Usually this is an admonition to encourage each other, which we should do. But doesnt such a fact beg the question? Why do people need so much praise? Why are we letting our mistakes matter to us more than our accomplishments?

It seems counterintuitive to say that focusing on our strengths is more humble than focusing on our weaknesses, but perhaps pride is exactly what keeps us chewing on criticisms. A humble person is comfortable with not being highly esteemed and so is not distracted by her weaknesses. On the other hand, a person desperate to make others believe she can handle any situation that comes her way with skill and finessewho attempts to defy the statement that nobody is perfecthas an ego problem.

Its certainly okay to try to improve ourselves. The problem comes when we spend all our energy correcting our weaknesses rather than utilizing our strengths. We would be much more effective in every endeavor, including our work for the Lord, if we compensated for our weaknesses through teamworkusing our God-given talents to bless others and letting them use theirs to bless us.

Ask for advice.

Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

Proverbs 12:15 NLT

S eeking out advice is unpopular; asking what others think is perceived as a lack of self-confidence or even personal weakness. Youve got to do what works for you, is a likely answer youll receive if you ask for input about a personal decision. Ask for help in a business situation, and people may question if you know how to do your job.

In a culture where truth is perceived as relative and morality silly, we convince ourselves that we know bestand we surround ourselves with people who will support our decisions rather than make us think them through.

Wisdom, however, is cultivated through thoughtful, prayerful contemplation in the context of community. Experience really does provide insight, so respecting our elders makes sense. People removed from the situation really might be able to see more clearly, so listening to them works. Good decisions really do matter, so seeking wisdom is worth the effort.

Enjoy waiting.

Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slowthat is patience.

Source Unknown

I f youve ever had to wait for something importantlike test results from a doctors office, or a baby to be born or adopted, or a job offer, or a marriage proposalyou understand what it means to be out of control. Youve done everything you can, and there is nothing more you can do. You cannot control what happens next; you cant even control how long you have to wait for your answer.

Living with the unknown understandably evokes anxiety in people. The good news is that it doesnt have to. It is possible to experience this time of waiting with great peacethe kind of peace that passes understanding. By knowing Gods character and experiencing His love, you learn to trust Him. He knows better than you do what is best for youand He has the power to make it happen. His plans and His timing are flawless.