“And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." - Isaiah 6:3

We get so caught up in the day to day, we get so weighed down by our cares and concerns, our duties and obligations that we often fail to appreciate the beauty and majesty of the world around us.

All around the world humans have built temples and cathedrals, churches and other places of worship that are massive, beautiful, and awe inspiring. I don’t believe we build those for God. The universe is God’s temple. We build them for ourselves to help us heighten our awareness of the presence of God.

The key to the prophet’s transformation in Isaiah was his appreciation of the beauty and splendor of God in the world around him. Then he contrasted that to himself first and then the society around him.

He was inspired to be a better person and to work for a better world. Our transformation begins with appreciation.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

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Want to love your work? Love your why.

“Not everyone has the job of their dreams. But everyone can have their dream job.” - Horace McMillon

One of my extended family uncles worked two 40 hour a week jobs. At the time I visited him he had been working one job for 35 years and the other for 25 years. If a recall correctly he was planning to retire from one of those in the near future.

I looked at him in amazement. What he had done, what he was doing was astonishing to me. He then looked at me and explained that he couldn’t provide for his family the way he wanted to with one job. So he worked two.

This is when I first began to understand the power of why. When a person’s why is big enough and important enough to them, the how becomes possible.

His jobs were dream jobs because he loved his family. Therefore, he loved the work that allowed him to provide the life he dreamed of for them.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

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“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” -2 Corinthians 4:18

The Gospel of Matthew tells one of my favorite miracle stories (14th chapter). Jesus sent the disciples ahead of him in a boat while he took some time to pray. The waves got strong and the disciples got really alarmed when they saw someone walking towards them.

Jesus told them not to worry, it’s me. Peter said if it’s really you tell me to come and meet you. Jesus did. Peter gets out of the boat and initially walks on the water. “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

There will always be wind. There will always be waves. There will always be something to distract us from our mission and goals. The key for us to always keep our eyes on our goals not the waves.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

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“And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” - Romans 5:5

Other faith traditions describe this same experience with different words. When we allow the presence of what we Christians describe as the Holy Spirit to flow in and through us we are sustained and enlivened with a hope that defies our external circumstances.

Even if we have been beaten down and crushed by external circumstances, even if we find ourselves in hell, hell doesn’t have the final word. Not even the grave can stop the force of our hope.

The writer of these words had been beaten, arrested, jailed and imprisoned. He would go on to be executed. The fact that he did not write these words from a place of comfort or ease gives testimony to their power.

The power of the Holy Spirit is the power of love itself and that power flows in and through us. It gives us hope from the inside out.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

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“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations”. - Steve Jobs

When it comes to growing and developing ourselves, there are two significant pitfalls we need to avoid. First we can’t be afraid to make mistakes. The only folks who have never failed at something, probably haven’t done very much.

The second pitfall for us to avoid is just as critical. We can’t get so invested in our thoughts, and ideas, and beliefs, and plans that we refuse to admit when we are wrong. Don’t double down on a mistake.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9

The Biblical writer in this case was referring to issues of ethics and morality. However, the principle applies to every area of our lives. We can’t begin to get it right until we admit we are getting it wrong.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

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“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” - Proverbs 17:22

We deal with many serious and weighty things. Nevertheless, we must never allow those things to rob us of our joy. We can and should take satisfaction in and from our work and the fruits of our labor.

As the writer of Ecclesiastes says, “I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life that God has given them, for this is their reward. (5:18)

Let us be intentional in being grateful for everything we have: our friends, family, our food, clothing, and shelter, our health and strength, the opportunity to live and breathe and see and do. Be grateful for our work be that work be done at home or in the marketplace.

Yes, there will be hard days and even hard seasons. But we can’t allow those to crush our spirits. We must actively look for ways to embrace life particularly when things are hard.

Let us be determined to go through life with cheerful hearts.

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Our best days are yet to be written.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” - 1 Peter 5:10

True optimism is not delusional. True optimism does not live in denial. True optimism is fully cognizant of the difficulties and challenges of the moment. The author of First Peter certainly was.

Nevertheless, true optimism realizes that we are participating in something far bigger than ourselves. The sense of eternal that the NewTestament writers had was fully grounded in the here and now but extended outwards beyond themselves and beyond their lives.

They knew that whatever troubles they faced were a comma and not a period. The end of a particular chapter does necessarily not mean the end of the book. And they knew that the best days were yet to be written.

Just as every night is followed by a dawn. They knew suffering was only for a while. They knew and believed that they would be restored and made strong… And so shall we.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

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