Category Archives for "Inspirational"

The path to fun and fulfillment

The world beats a path for all to follow the fun and fulfilled life!

However, there are a few issues people encounter along the way they neglected to tell you about! The composite picture I created to illustrate this fantasy world I titled, “Eat It All” has something of a double meaning.

What path are you following in life? How is it working? Is there be a better way?

Great questions! Do you really want answers, or are you comfortable enough where you are right now? There are some wild rides and tasty temptations out there, but there are more that seem to float away in the air than offer stability over the long term. What path do you choose or avoid? What rides do you take along the way? What is the price you will pay? I see a landscape of more dry bones than real success stories, so where do we turn for the real answers and victories we dream of seeing?

The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel saw a strange vision of Dry Bones coming to life! He was told to prophesy to those dry bones, or to speak life back into them.

Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. (27) “I will put My Spirit within you…

Many times God gives us visions, pictures, dreams or ideas that are not always clear at first. Daniel, Joseph, and Paul all had visions like Ezekiel’s “Dry Bones” (Ezekiel 37:1-14), but in time clarity came. Then these men knew what to do, and so will you. How will you know? The same Holy Spirit who led them will lead you! When you start to speak or prophesy what God gives you, those dry bones start coming together. Life starts returning to what you may have given up on as dead and gone. Suddenly, life comes back into some idea or business venture. Suddenly, you see what you have been looking at with a whole new heart! Suddenly, you see the traps in front of you, and the wisdom of how you really can get to “Eat it All!”

There is a path to fun and fulfillment as the world offers it! (Be sure to read the fine print! “Some restrictions apply.”)

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The true fun and fulfillment of life is to discover the path that God has for your life — to be reconciled to God and to be given a word of reconciliation and a ministry of reconciliation. Dry bones are out there waiting for you to show up and start speaking!

The Holy Spirit is in you waiting to show you how to speak life into people and bring a word of reconciliation. As you go and function in the ministry of reconciliation God has given you, the answers and direction you need will come. If God can get something through you, He can get something to you! Trust God!

Blessings!

Fred Hughes, M. Photog.

Relationship

Let’s talk about relationship!

There are many different kinds but three basic types that I want to point out. Choosing the type is critical in establishing a relationship that actually works out for both, or all parties. Before we start talking about the three types, allow me to make a brief statement about intent first. The intent is the foundational set of values that all parties must agree upon. The bedrock of this relationship is for the purpose of _________. Filling in that blank is massively important. Before you can build anything, you have to draw the plans, buy the lot, level the ground, and pour the foundation. Omitting the foundational development is deadly to the success of any relationship, especially long-term relationships.

1. Agreement – The basis of this type is to accomplish a task or an event. An agreement is personal and can be powerful, but usually it has a specific term, duration or goal. The agreement ends when accomplished, completed or there is a loss of agreement.
2. Contract – A contract is often legally binding and very specific rules and requirements are reached and held. A binding contract is signed and set into action. Termination is reached in the fulfillment of the contractual terms, or legal breach of the contract occurs. A contract is a deeper level of agreement and often has more resources involved, thus the legal aspect.
3. Covenant – Like the other two, it is an agreement. However, that is where the distinction takes a major turn. It is more than an agreement, more than a contract, it is a life commitment that involves vows that make all parties one new entity. The individual rights are dismissed, and those entering the covenant are made one. All parties are equal in rights and obligations. As an example: Covenant would be cut between two tribes of people. One tribe was agrarian and good food producers, but poor warriors. The other tribe were great warriors but were often hungry. Covenant was cut. This means an animal was cut into two halves, and the two tribes would assemble in the middle of the divided carcass. They would vow a union and exchange garments, weapons, and other identifying articles, so they were one people. The weaker would usually take on the name of the stronger, or they together establish a new name together. This practice is called a blood covenant and in most civilizations was common practice up until modern times. Needless to say, a covenant is the deepest, most intent relationship people enter.

I point out these relationship types in order to ask the question, “What foundation are you laying? What type of relationship are you building — a friendship, civic organization, company, marriage, church or family?” You may be building several at the same time!

Allow me one final thought. I recommend that you should set a priority on the most important relationships and that in turn will have a positive effect on the others.

Your relationship with God is the highest covenant level union you can build. and if you are Christian it is Jesus who shed His blood for a relationship with you. When your covenant with God through Christ is healthy, your relationship with your spouse is better, and your children benefit from your healthy marriage.

If you are building a marriage relationship, by its nature it must be a covenant. Contracts and agreements do not possess the strength to endure. The central differentiation is laying down self in order to form a new selfless “we.”

If you are building a business or organization, there are more levels than in marriage. The partnership or leadership may be able to function at a covenant level, while the workforce may operate at the contract level. The clients may be served at an agreement level. Each relationship type has a purpose and can be very effective. Choosing the wrong type may negate the relationship completely.

The value of building relationships the right way for the right reasons is worth the time and investment you put into them.

I sincerely believe that walking in love is the key to any relationship. When you operate in the kind of love described in the passage below, you can rest assured it will strengthen and affirm the relationship.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 (NIV)

4) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5) It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6) Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8) Love never fails.

Look also at verse 13: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

John 13:34 (NIV)

34) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Finally, one factor that destroys many relationships is fear, it comes in many forms, but it is a destructive force at work against most relationships.

1 John 4:18 (NIV)

18) There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Blessings, my friends! My hope and prayers are that you will be encouraged and empowered in your relationships by walking in love.

Fred Hughes, M. Photog.

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3 Basic Principals

Almost all business ventures have 3 basic components that cannot be ignored.

1. Identity

• Who are you? If you do not know, you will have a hard time convincing anyone else. Branding is part of it…. not all of it!
• What goods or services do you provide? Why are you providing them?
• What quality level can be expected at what investment level?
• What availability and timely deliverables or completion rates will be provided?
• What do you give back to the community? Are you an asset to the public or simply a partaker?
• Identity for your employees may be the single most important part of your success and future strength. Never under-estimate the power of unity with-in your company or organization.

2. People

• Who is your Avatar, Tribe, Target Group? Whom are you trying to reach and serve? Who exactly is your audience, you need to know more than simple demographics.
• Who are your team members, both in-house and resources?
• Who are your supply and support affiliations and who are your second choices?
• What are our people saying? (employee testimonials)
• How are you helping people discover the value you are offering?

3. Integrity

• How do you stand behind your products and services?
• What makes you trustworthy?
• Why should anyone do business with you more than once?
• Do you have current, customer/client testimonials, and industry testimonials/awards?
• How you honor people, community, and your industry reveals your intentionality and integrity.

If you regularly check on these three key elements, your business will have a much greater chance of succeeding. Success, especially in the world we live in today, is elusive, to say the least, but not impossible. These three business components are worthy of your attention and can be factors that affect your bottom line much more than branding, SEO, credit scores, marketing style, and funnel design. Sometimes you just have to get back to a little common sense, my friend!

Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding;

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom, and in all your getting, get understanding.

Fred Hughes, M. Photog.

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www.byfredhughes.com ~ www.decision1.org

God Loves You!

Rom 8:31-39 God’s Everlasting Love

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. NKJV

What a brilliant and powerful view these scriptures portray of God’s intentional love for us. If you are a believer, there are no more comforting words than these. Simply put, God loves you, and there is nothing you can do about it! God does not change, therefore, under no condition will these words not be true. Nothing, not even you, can change the way God loves you. He made you so that He could love you! He made you capable of loving Him back! But, He does not force you to do so.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. NKJV

What incredible Love! We cannot earn it, we do not deserve it. We can receive it, or reject it, but we can not be separated from it!

Psalms 139:14-16

 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. NKJV

It sounds a bit like God loves you and has a plan for your life! Oh, I think He said that!

Jeremiah 29:11-12

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. NKJV

Why does God love you so much? Well, for one thing, you were made in His image! When you are born again, you are born from above. In short, you are His kid! There is a family resemblance that He likes! The other reason and the most important one is that it is His nature; it is who He is! It is not dependent upon you at all.

1 John 4:8 God is Love.

Love is not what God does! Love is who He is! And nothing can separate His love from you. Fortunately, there is nothing you can do about it! God loves you.

Fred Hughes, M. Photog.

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www.byfredhughes.com ~ www.decision1.org

Your First Response

Most of the time your first response to a crisis will define the outcome! Your first reaction will move you toward victory or defeat, joy or depression, faith or doubt, expectancy or dread, success or failure. Tribulations, trials and troubles are going to show up in life. They are unavoidable, but what you do with them and how you react to them is your choice! Some people internalize. The pressure inside mounts and eventually explodes outwardly, or it eats away inwardly like cancer destroying your health and life. Others over-react in an emotional rage or lose all self-control. They wind up doing the most foolish and often harmful things making fools of themselves.

“

But, God can turn your troubles into triumphs!

The key is to not panic or allow fear to overcome your thoughts and emotions.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

God gives good gifts! Fear, terror, fretting or worrying are not good gifts from God! I think it is interesting that to do battle with fear we are given three gifts from God.

1. Power ~ Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you… Romans 8:11 The same power that raised Christ from the dead, dwells in you, by the Holy Spirit.
2. Love ~ 1 John 4:18 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
3. Sound Mind ~ 3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth. The soul is your mind, your will, and your emotions — what you think, what you do, and how you feel. Philippians 4:8 …Think on these things. “Think on” means: to meditate, think about, have soundness of mind, the ability to manage your thoughts, sound advice, or reason. Wisdom does not operate well in an environment of fear. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, … Verse 2, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. I have the Mind and Spirit of Christ. Nothing can separate me from His love. His Word renews my mind.

The Promise, not the problem, must be our focus. God always attaches the provision to the promise, not the problem. Exercise power, love, and a sound mind, and they will keep the solution within your grasp. You choose how you respond and react to trials and troubles when they come. Remember, all of God’s Promises are “yes and amen!”

When trials and troubles come, Christ is the Light that will guide the way. Do not be afraid! His Word and promises are true in every area of your life. Triumph in Christ! Build on the solid foundation, and the storms will not be able to prevail against you.

Fred Hughes, M. Photog.

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www.byfredhughes.com ~ www.decision1.org

photo-By William Bout

The Heart of a Father

by Fred Hughes

The heart of a true father comes from having a relationship with God the Father. We who are earthly fathers are important to our family because we exemplify Christ and his union with the Father.

When we take the hand of one of our children and lead them, we are developing that same union that we enjoy with Christ and that He enjoys with the Father. We become one in the Spirit. We experience the Father’s, heart.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.  Colossians 1:13 NIV

A father will rescue his family from the darkness and bring them to the kingdom of light. That is our first and most important assignment.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

Let us never forget that our old selves died with him on the cross that the tyranny of sin over us might be broken.  Romans 6: 6  Phillips

The heart of the father is that his children will grow and prosper in all areas of life. For that to become a reality, they must be born again and develop a relationship, a union with the person who overcame sin and death for them, Jesus, is their redeemer. They need to see, in their father on earth, what their father in heaven looks like. We must help them transfer their trust to a much greater one than us.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 KJV

I and my father are one. John 10:30  KJV

At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.  John 14:20  NKJV

 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17  KJV

Discovering the heart of the Father and introducing Him to your own child is perhaps the greatest accomplishment of fatherhood. Knowing He will never leave them or forsake them. Knowing that He loves them even more than you do. What peace and joy!

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians  1:27  KJV

Your heavenly Father Glories in you in the same way you glory in your children.

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27 KJV

While he who joins himself to the Lord is one with him in spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17  Moffatt

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  1 John 4:4  NKJV

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 4  NIV

There is, therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1  KJV

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray for true fathers to rise up and have a heart for the children, declaring, Isaiah 54:13  Our children will be taught of the Lord, and great shall be their peace. NIV

Fred Hughes, M. Photog.

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Get Wisdom!

by Fred Hughes

As an entrepreneur, it is my job to evaluate business practices and decide what and where to invest the companies resources. I was considering recently what value all of the self-help and business coaching materials I have acquired and studied, really are worth to me and my enterprise.

Quite honestly, I often consider much of what is out there a lot of hype and recopied clutter. (Anyone, understand what I’m saying?) There is a lot of noise but not much substance to much of the available training. So where do we search? What are the main things we actually need to do well? It turns out the same answers have been sought after for thousands of years. Moreover, the foundational principals and precepts we are looking for have not changed, they remain the same.

3 John 2-4 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

One of the basic understandings of how we prosper, and according to these verses, how we stay healthy is that we need a soul that prospers. Your soul that it is talking about is your mind, will, and emotions. The soul is what we think, how we react or respond, and what we determine to be the truth which we choose to follow. Finally, one of the greatest joys we can experience is to see our children or mentees actually walk in the truth we taught them as we pass to them the same prosperity we enjoy.

One of the true treasures of life is a prosperous soul!

The ability of the father or mentor to establish truth and wisdom into the next generation is called legacy — not only prospering yourself but passing it to generations to come. That will never happen unless it is based upon truth. Truth stands through time and validates the wisdom and understanding being passed!

Proverbs 4:5-13 Get Wisdom! Get Understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you. Hear oh my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.

Get Wisdom! Get Understanding! What great advice from a father to a son.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, without doubting…

Notice that we are talking about the wisdom and understanding that comes from God, not the world. There is a big difference!

1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God…

Please understand that the wisdom that comes from God is far better than the wisdom of men. So if you are a Christian (a believer, a son), you have access to the wisdom of God. That wisdom is the truth, and it is the truth that will set you free — free from making poor business decisions and free to build a legacy of truth that can be transferred to others.

The self-help stuff has some value, but if you want real wisdom and understanding, there is a better source, my friend.

GET WISDOM! MAY YOUR SOUL PROSPER!

Fred Hughes, M. Photog.

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Desert Experiences

When challenges loom larger than life.

Life has a way of bringing issues that are seemingly so vast and insurmountable that hopelessness arises quickly to steal vision. “Dream Dashers” or “Desert Experiences” I would title the books that could easily be written by almost any entrepreneur, writer, artist or ministry. All of us face this same formidable foe at one point or another, and it is no small task that must be overcome.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Whatever you do, do it as though you are employed by God. Knowing that He will give both strength and provision to accomplish what He has called you to do. Rest assured that what things stand in the way are big compared to you but small compared to God.

If there were nothing to overcome, how could you become an overcomer?

Consider this perspective: if an obstacle arises to block my progress, I can seek wisdom from either of two sources, God or the world. Both can provide a game plan for me to follow. Take note of this Bible verse with that in mind.

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.

Our faith! In other words which choice do I believe and act upon? Which choice will make me a victorious overcomer? I desire for my ideas, choices, and decisions to be born of God. God ideas, not just good ideas. Sometimes the world actually has good ideas, but God ideas are out-of-this-world better!

Rejections, disappointments, failures, lack, and the list goes on of “Desert Experiences” that we face and need to be able to overcome. The good news is that God never runs out of ideas. Our lack of faith to believe those God-ideas is the only real “Dream Killer” that will keep us from overcoming whatever the world throws at us.

3 Keys to Overcoming “Desert Experiences”

1.) Deserts are dry! So, you need the Water of the Word: Jesus is the living water.

2.) Deserts are a place of temptation! The enemy will come and test your commitment levels offering what looks like alternative good ideas. Testing of the original “Born of God” idea will reveal your faith.

3.) Deserts are a bad place to wander around for 40 years. Without water and without the God Idea, wandering in the desert is what happens. Some die out there, so avoid wandering and get started being an overcomer. All the God-ideas come with a good set of instructions.

Your challenges may seem bigger than life, but they are never bigger than God.

Fred Hughes, M. Photog.

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Sticky Notes In Your Head!

It seems to me that certain images or memories are like sticky notes in my head. Something like an old car or brand of chewing gum can trigger thoughts from years gone by. (Some remind us of events we experienced or relationships we enjoyed along life’s way.) What is important now, and what was important at that point in time can be vastly different. But, still there they are sticky notes in your head! Those little sticky notes are not always bad or good. They are just there, and they remind us of something we once experienced. Our memories are like a series of photos and sticky notes that have been animated into a collection of short films that we can access on demand.

Luke 2:51-52 (When Jesus was a young 12-year-old boy an incident happened that caused Mary his mother to create a sticky note of the moment.) … but his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

What mother does not hide multitudes of snapshots and sticky notes of their children from birth upward. As Jesus was on the cross looking down, he saw his mother, and she was still “keeping all these things in her heart.” John 19:25-27…”Woman behold your son”. Jesus assigned John to care for his mother. Sticky note moments are hidden in the head and heart. Mary later saw her Son after he had risen, and after that, she was present in the upper room when the Holy Spirit fell upon them. Lots of sticky notes!

For 30 plus years I have been a professional photographer. I have created many photos for clients that captured moments in their lives and preserved them for later reflection. I carefully crafted visual sticky notes for my clients designed to assist their heads and hearts remember more clearly those special moments in times and events that were meaningful.

What kind of sticky notes are in your head?

Will you still be able to access them with clarity 20 years from now? Mary’s story is recorded in the Bible; someone wrote it down! My clients have photographs; someone hired me! Sticky notes have only one really bad characteristic: they fall off! The sticky with age gives way, and the note is often lost. Make sure you do something to keep those sticky notes hanging around as long as you can!

Just an old school photographer’s opinion, but I still think prints and albums are much greater than a hard drive that will fail and must be accessed before the images can be seen.

Fred Hughes, M. Photog.

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www.byfredhughes.com ~ www.decision1.org