New life verse

            as you already know, life is tough. it can get the best of you. everyday, you have choices to make. some are miniscule like what color shirt to wear. then the tough ones like do i want to spend thousands of dollars on a new car. problems and struggles are in your future. how you deal with the obstacles you face shows your true colors. we are human. we wont always make the right choices. just realize that with Christ, these struggles you face are easier. WAY EASIER!! before making that big purchase, pray about it. get the ok from God before doing it. live out the saying, " tell our problems how big God is."

im not the best christian. my life isnt perfect. i dont always do the right thing. but i know this about myself. im always trying to take the next step in my faith to better myself and those around me. i have a shirt that fits my life perfectly, it says " im not the man i should be, but thank GOD im not the man i used to be." i was definitely a bad person before. i was a drunk. i was a druggie. i was one of the biggest cursers out there. cussed like a sailor. i was a manipulator. always trying to get everything my way. i was a bad husband. i was known for picking fights. i was always trying to start one. i should have been in anger management since i was a kid. i was never wrong in my eyes. i lost a lot of friends during these times in my life. and honestly, the friends i did have then, i really dont know why the stayed friends with me. i was rude, crude, and socially unacceptable. then, my life changed radically. the key word in this paragraph is "WAS." im not the man i once was. God rescued me from the life i was living. He took this misfit and washed my white as snow. do i regret the things i did? no! i wouldnt be man that i am now.
      at church a few months ago, pastor bobby asked the congregation who were the people who have the most influence in our lives. they came pretty quickly to my mind. first, my wife. she has such a strong walk with Christ. she never once wanted to give up on me. she prayed earnestly to get me to come to Christ. always asking me to come to church. i dont thank her enough for being such a perfect wife for me. she held me up everytime i was down. such a beautiful woman inside and out.                  
   secondly, my grandparents. they took me to church when i was younger to every service. they gave me money for tithing. they opened my eyes to what a christian should be. they had an awesome marriage. they lived out there faith completely.
then my parents influenced me. they showed me what hard work and determination would get me. they showed me the love a family should have. they worked hard to give their children what they needed. i look back and remember that i was fortunate to play all the sports i wanted. traveling every weekend playing soccer. man i was an expensive kid. they gave me the best gift as a kid, my first bible.
   then i met pastor bobby. i grew up in a traditional southern baptist church. so the first time i heard bobby, lets just say i didnt know how to react. the preaching style was so different. nothing i ever heard before. his emotional preaching style is amazing. it seemed like every sermon he spoke was just for me. everytime i hear him preach, i know its authentic. straight from the bible. its not water downed. he tells us like it is. God loves us and just as important, He like us too.
      after looking back at all the people that has impacted my life, i wonder if I have any influence in other peoples life. i dont know if i do or dont.
    then i read Colossians 4:5: Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. my new life verse. being courteous to people who are not like you is tough. they might not know Christ. they might not believe everything that you believe in. and they might not even like you. but like it says, make the most of every opportunity. take time to break down the barriers you have. stop being judgmental. give everyone a chance. if you talk the talk, in return you have to walk the walk. i know that i fall hard to this sometimes. after reading this one simple verse has opened my eyes to a different light. every person has a past. when you run into someone, you never know what they might have just have happened to them. your actions could be the only positive thing theyve seen all day. you could be their helping hand. walk your faith out all the time. show people that you are there to help not hurt. sometime just a smile speaks volumes to them. 
thanks for reading this. let me know your thoughts
GOD BLESS!!!