My Last Blog Post

Tonight I asked myself a simple question... 

"If this were the last post I ever made, what would I say?"

Here's the real answer..

Don't waste your life. 

1.) Spend every moment of it seeking to love people, especially those around you. You never ever know when they might not be there.

2.) Don't spend your life posting pictures to social media sites to show others how amazing your life is. Instead, let the most beautiful moments in your life happen without a camera. Just enjoy them, take them in, and remember them forever. 

3.) Avoid burning bridges at all costs. Spend time with people from all walks of life. People that are similar to you, smarter than you, prettier than you, scarier than you, and make totally random friends. Build bridges everywhere you go.

4.) Always look for a chance to help those around you, and total strangers. You have no idea how much joy this brings to the people you help, and to you :)

5.) Find joy in EVERYTHING. In the good and the bad. And focus on that joy. Hold tight to it! Let it fuel you forward.

6.) Money and Recognition are fun. But being care-free about both is even more enjoyable. Find you own ways to achieve this. Don't ever let these rule your life.

7.) Live every single day as one big adventure!! Go exploring, try new things, do good to those around you, make the world more epic!

8.) Always remember that IF YOU PUT GOD FIRST, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.

9.) Don't take yourself so seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself. There's so much happiness that can come from this.

10.) Treat yourself to things once in a while. Do things you enjoy, and find ways to utilize your passions and talents. 

11.) Stay humble. Consider others as more important than yourself.

12.) Focus on the present. Look forward to the future. Leave the past where it belongs. 

13.) The most important relationship you can ever have is with God. He loves you, created you and wants to know you. There is no mistake you can make in life that will cause His love for you to fade.

14.) Remember that you were made in God's image, for His glory. 

:)

Two Empty Boats

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” ¹¹ And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

- Luke 5:1-11 (NLT)

When I read this, I am reminded of the times in my life when I experience "Peter moments." Those moments when I realize who Jesus is, and how insignificant I am compared to Him. The part that really blows my mind is that even though I fail and mess up every day, He still loves me. And He wants me to leave everything behind and follow Him.

Tonight I want to remind you that He loves you too! Not because of who you are or what you have done. Thats just who He is. He created YOU specifically for a purpose and He wants to know you more and more. Nothing else is worth more in this world than to leave everything behind and follow Him.

Cloudy Vision

You can achieve MORE than you think you can achieve. 

You can become MORE than you think you can become. 

The secret involves your vision. 

Often times our vision is clouded by our sinful desires and the influence of this world, whether we realize it or not. So to achieve success and to carry out what God has planned for us, we have to get our vision right every day. 

We have to clean the windshield. 

We have to put the contacts in.

The BEST way to do this is by spending time alone with God every day. Getting in a quiet place, clearing your thoughts, praying to God, and filling your mind with the wisdom found in the Bible.

By doing this consistently EVERY DAY (even if its just for a few minutes) our vision is lifted. And instead of focusing on whats in front of us, our vision will be shifted up to God. 

THATS WHERE CLEAR VISION COMES FROM. 

You see, we are never going to be able to predict what will happen each day. We will never be able to see the whole picture from our little place on this earth. 

SO, STOP TRYING... and instead, leave whats in front of you, to God. Look up to Him instead. Let Him guide you. Let Him prepare you. Let Him lead you. And Trust Him. Because heres a secret... He can see the bigger picture.  

So get clear vision. 

Spend time alone with the God that is giving you the breathe you are breathing right now. 

Spend time alone with the God who gave you eyes to read these words.

Because He has so much planned for you to achieve

And He loves you more than you know. 

Look to Him.

:)

Walk Across The Room

Today as I was eating Easter lunch with family at a restaurant in Houston, I was reminded of something very important.

Halfway through the lunch, I had gotten up to go over near the salad bar, and as I did, I noticed that the music which I had been enjoying was actually being played by a man with a saxophone in the corner of the room.

As I walked closer to him, I noticed that he was playing his heart out, and yet no one else seemed to notice or pay him any attention.

I slowly approached him, and as he lowed his sax I smiled and told him how incredible he sounded. Thats it. A simple smile and a short sentence of encouragement. As I walked off, I didn't think anything else of it.

About 30 minutes later I was in the middle of telling a story to my family when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and to my surprise it was none other than the saxophone player. 

He looked at me with excitement and said, "I just wanted to thank you for your encouragement. It really meant a lot." He then handed me his card and he was gone.

That really made me stop and think about life.

There are so many people all around us who are playing their hearts everyday, and yet, many of us never even walk across the room and give them a compliment, a pat on the back, or even just a simple sentence of encouragement.

I'll tell you this, I will never forget how heartfelt and honest that man looked as he thanked me for a sentence that took me 3 seconds to say. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the only compliment he got all day.

Today reminded me that we should look for people to encourage every day. The truth is that we all need encouragement. Everyone does. It can change a whole attitude and brighten someones whole week.

Let's encourage more people this year.

Psalm 34

I will praise the Lord at all times.

    I will constantly speak his praises.

2 

I will boast only in the Lord;

    let all who are helpless take heart.

3 

Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;

    let us exalt his name together.

4 

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.

    He freed me from all my fears.

5 

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;

    no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

6 

In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;

    he saved me from all my troubles.

7 

For the angel of the Lord is a guard;

    he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

8 

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

    Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

9 

Fear the Lord, you his godly people,

    for those who fear him will have all they need.

10 

Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,

    but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

11 

Come, my children, and listen to me,

    and I will teach you to fear the Lord.

12 

Does anyone want to live a life

    that is long and prosperous?

13 

Then keep your tongue from speaking evil

    and your lips from telling lies!

14 

Turn away from evil and do good.

    Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

15 

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;

    his ears are open to their cries for help.

16 

But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil;

    he will erase their memory from the earth.

17 

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.

    He rescues them from all their troubles.

18 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;

    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

19 

The righteous person faces many troubles,

    but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

20 

For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous;

    not one of them is broken!

21 

Calamity will surely destroy the wicked,

    and those who hate the righteous will be punished.

22 

But the Lord will redeem those who serve him.

    No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Beautiful

Some of the most beautiful people that I have ever met have been the ones who might not have seemed beautiful to the world's eyes.

Friends, I beg you tonight to stop looking on the outside so much and start looking on the inside..

Look at the heart, not the body.

Look at the mind, not the face.

Look at the soul, not the race.

So many times we make decisions about people based on what they look like on the outside.

STOP looking just on the outside and START Looking at the inside.

Because that outer beauty eventually WILL FADE.. which is when the real love is revealed..

Don't let your future turn out disappointing because of how much you valued someones outer appearance..

LOOK PAST THAT. Stop treasuring their body & start treasuring the person for who they are!

Don't let a person's attractiveness determine their WORTH..

Think about this..

-Carter

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I COULD EVER SAY IS THIS

NOTHING in your life matters,

except what you do for God.

Never forget that.