Rick McDaniel

Have You Been Taken For Granted?

Life can be hard and unfair. Too many quit what they start too early and too often. There will always be obstacles in the way of a dream being realized. Read this week's devotion below and see what God can do if we will just persevere. Mr. Persistent “Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up” —2 Corinthians 4:8 Dr. Spencer Silver, a 3M scientist, was researching adhesives in his laboratory. He discovered something unusual, an adhesive that stuck lightly to surfaces but didn’t bond too tightly to them. But his job was to develop stronger, tougher, bigger adhesives and this was not one of them. What he discovered were microspheres. They retain their stickiness but with a removability characteristic, allowing attached surfaces to peel apart easily. For years Silver tried to find a use for his invention. He became known as “Mr. Persistent” because he wouldn’t give up on his idea. Another 3M scientist, Art Fry, was frustrated because every Wednesday night while at choir practice he would use little scraps of paper to mark the hymns they were going to sing on Sunday. But then when he got to the church for the service they had fallen out of the hymnal. One day he remembered a seminar he had attended on Silver’s microspheres. He had a eureka moment and an idea. Partnering with Silver they started to develop a product. They wrote messages on their new sticky notes and posted them around the office. Soon they had made the corporate headquarters their proving ground. Fry supplied the entire company with the sticky notes and employees loved them. They knew there was potential for a whole new way to communicate. 3M initially launched the product in four cities under the name Press n’ Peel but with mixed results. Then they decided to do a massive sampling effort. It was a runaway success. Ninety percent of those who tried the product said they would buy it. On April 6, 1980, 3M debuted in stores across America Post-it Notes. The iconic yellow color was initially chosen because the lab next door only had scrap yellow paper on hand. And now Post-it Notes are used in homes and offices everywhere. All because Spencer Silver would not give up on his invention. In 2 Corinthians 4:8 it says, "Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up." Life can be hard and unfair. But we need to push through the tough situations. To persist amidst the challenges of life. Too many quit what they start too early and too often. There will always be obstacles in the way of a dream being realized. But God is with us and he will always help us. Who knows what God can do if we will just persevere. Keep working on what you really care about. Stay committed to it. Refuse to quit. If you are persistent you will succeed.

An Oldie but a Goodie...

This week you will face obstacles, hardships and negativity. Things may get tough and the bills may be bigger than your bank balance. Your future seems uncertain and it feels hopeless. This is the time to remember there is greatness in you. God has a big plan for your life.

Sunday Scripture "Come near to God, and he will come near to you" - James 4:8

Sloth is more than just laziness; it means we don't care enough to do the work. In this new episode of the "Point of Impact" podcast I share specific areas where we need to stop being lazy and do what needs to be done. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

There Are Two Choices When You Have Problems & Troubles

If you quit when life gets tough, you will miss out on so many blessings. You can get stuck when you go through something hard. Read this week's devotion below, so when trials come you can be persistent and determined. Your reward will be blessings. Travel Rewards "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation” —James 1:12 A few years ago at the holidays we experienced obstacles I have rarely encountered in such a short period of time. It was truly a test of perseverance and endurance. The trip was demanding but we were rewarded. Our flight on Christmas Eve was cancelled. We would not spend Christmas morning with our grandkids. And we were told it would be three days before we could fly again. But on Christmas we learned we would get a flight the next morning. That flight was delayed and we ended up missing our connecting flight. But we got on another one and arrived later that day in California. Then we got news that our flight later in the week to New Mexico had been cancelled. But we were able to get a flight on an obscure airline to a different place in New Mexico. Unfortunately, by the time we got there the rental car office had closed. So, we got a hotel room and stayed overnight. In the morning we got a car and continued on our way. We had a great visit in Santa Fe and then made our way to Albuquerque. After our visit with his family in California our eldest son had flown to an Army base in Missouri to pick up his car and drive back to California. Then on New Year’s Eve he called to tell us his car was having mechanical problems. The only city for hundreds of miles was Albuquerque. He was able to make it there and take it to the car dealer for repairs. We picked him up and took him to the airport to fly back home since it would be several days before the car was fixed. When we were told our first flight was cancelled and it would be three days, we were tempted to quash the whole trip. Then when the second flight was cancelled, we were tempted to quit and just go back home. James 1:12 tells us, "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation." If we had quit on this trip, we would have missed out on so many blessings. We hadn’t seen our grandsons in a year, the time we spent with them was priceless. The beauty and weather of Southern California was a treat after the bitter cold of wintertime. Our time in New Mexico was magical. The experiences we had in the mountains were incredible. And being there for our son when he was traveling hundreds of miles and had car trouble was what any parent would want. When trials come, be persistent and determined. Your reward will be blessings.

Focus on what you already have— not what is missing. Focus on what you can control or influence today— not the whole situation. Focus on the moment and building your future— not on a past you cannot change.

"It's not too late to accomplish everything God has placed in my heart. I have not missed my window of opportunity. God has moments of favor in my future. He is releasing a special grace to help me accomplish that dream. This is my time. This is my moment. I receive it today!"

Sunday Scripture "The Lord is your protector and he won't go to sleep or let you stumble" - Psalm 121:3

In our social media saturated world, there may be no greater temptation than envy. In this new episode of the Point of Impact podcast I share how envy causes us unhappiness. And I provide specific ways to overcome it. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

The One Thing Even More Important Than A Great Start

When we hope for, pray for and work for a dream to become reality and it does not, it’s like a death. We are left with shock, pain and grief. All appears to be lost. It seems like our life has no purpose or meaning. Read this week's devotion below and see how God has a way of restoring what is lost and resurrecting what is dead. Death of a Dream “This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found. And they began to celebrate” —Luke 15:24 Melek Sert was five months pregnant when she went to the hospital with severe pain and bleeding. But then her bleeding stopped and she was discharged from the hospital and returned home. However, the next day she and her husband Hasan went back to the hospital with the same complaint. She was constantly monitored because of the risk of miscarriage. She ended up giving birth early but was told by the doctors her baby son was stillborn. She was given a death certificate and a small funeral bag by the Seyhan State Hospital in Turkey. Hasan took the baby to the Herekli Neighborhood Cemetery to bury him. As Hasan drove to the cemetery, he began to hear the baby cry. He stopped the car and unzipped the bag. He took off his jacket, wrapped it around the baby and turned the car heater all the way up. The ambulance came and the baby was taken to the Adana City Research Hospital and treated in intensive care. The baby was in critical condition with low blood pressure. But Melek saw that her baby was alive. His hands and feet were fidgeting, his heart was beating. The couple was in shock. Their infant son was born prematurely but alive not dead. They went from total despair to incredible joy. Their child is alive and now they pray he gets better. For his continued growth and complete health. Luke 15:24 says, "This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found. And they began to celebrate." In this story of the Prodigal Son, he was not actually dead, but it seemed like he was because he had left home. When he returned the father was overjoyed that his “dead” son had come back home. Hasan and Melek thought their infant son was dead, the father thought his prodigal son was dead and gone forever. We can experience the death of a dream and it can feel as real as any death. When we hope for, pray for and work for a dream to become reality and it does not, it’s like a death. We are left with shock, pain and grief. All appears to be lost. It seems like our life has no purpose or meaning. But God has a way of restoring what is lost, resurrecting what is dead. We may be ready to bury the dream when God moves in a way that is undeniable. Your dream is not dead—it’s very much alive.

Growth only comes from pushing past comfortable. Comfort is not safety. It is slow decline dressed as stability. Doing hard things causes your brain to register the demand and build capacity. What was hard becomes your base. You handle bigger pressure. You build a different life.

It's always better to fail doing something than excel at doing nothing. A flawed diamond is more valuable than a perfect brick. God never sees us as failures only learners. You can choose to turn your failure into a hitching post or a guidepost. The call is higher than the fall.

Sunday Scripture "Lord, you have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to. Jesus put his hand on him and said, 'I want to! Now you are well'" - Luke 5:12-13

The "Seven Deadly Sins" have been portrayed in books, songs and movies. In this new episode of the Point of Impact podcast I begin with gluttony— a sin that is more obvious than others. I share why it is so challenging and what you can do to overcome it. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

You Can Make $29,000 a Year More: Here's How