“He has given us promises. These promises are of great worth and no amount of money can buy them. Through these promises you can have God’s own life in you.”
2 Peter 1:4 NLV

The journey of a thousand miles does not only begin with the first step, it begins with the first step of faith.

Faith takes you into the unchartered terrain of greatness—and the road of every great life requires navigating this terrain.

If you think that greatness is not for you, think again.

You serve a great God who has great plans for your life.

Whatever you are currently thinking you are capable of, think bigger!

Never settle for a “this-is-good-enough” mentality…because once you do, you will live an average, mediocre life; a life that lacks luster.

Today I want to remind you that mediocrity is not in your genes—you have greatness seeded in your DNA.

You are wired for greatness!

You were knit together in your mother’s womb to accomplish great things!

You were born into the earth to have an impact on the world—to help shape events and the experiences of those around you.

 Register NOW for
Women Who Shape Our World
August 31-September 2nd
in Washington D.C.

How you see the future is contingent upon what you believe is possible for you.

What do you believe about your potential to live the life you’ve imagined?

Vision is simply a matter of how you see yourself in the future. Just like when you go to the movies, a vision is a divine announcement of “coming attractions.”

If you are able to imagine a potential outcome, that outcome is within the realm of possibility for you. If this were not so, you wouldn’t be able to imagine it.

God does not play games with your mind.

He will never give you a desire to do something and not empower you to do it; nor will He give you a vision and not provide the resources, ingenuity, determination, or insight necessary to make it a reality.

“The one who has faith can do all things.”
Mark 9:23 NLV

Whatever you focus on and truly desire, be it a vision, dream, or goal, with faith in God’s enabling power—“His power that is at work within [you]” (Eph, 3:20 NIV)—you will achieve it!

Get rid of your mediocre, go-with-the-flow mindset. Tap into the greatness residing within you!

It’s all a matter of what you choose to focus your thoughts on; things as they are, or as they could be..

Your focus is subject to your mindset and paradigm of success

A “good enough” mindset is the most destructive type of mentality because it will never challenge you to expand your horizon, think outside of the box, or break out of a don’t-rock-the-boat state of mind.

The status quo is popular because it requires no discipline—nor does it require you to grow spiritually as you progress and prosper.

Vision brings you into a higher spiritual plane of growth and development.

Your spiritual growth will lead you into realms above and beyond what your natural mind can imagine. Likewise, when you can imagine more, you know you’re growing spiritually.

A God-inspired vision always calls you higher.

Elevating your life to higher realms of power, influence, and affluence will require you to pull away from vision assassins who either don’t believe in your greatness or are intimidated by it.

Leveling up requires the courage to boldly embrace your own potential and all God wants you to be.

If life were a game, it would demand you to get off the sidelines and onto center court!

A life of greatness will require you to grab the ball and run with it!

Get rid of your wishful thinking. Get some skin in the game. Put feet to your dreams.

Your future is filled with unlimited opportunities so go for it! You are wired for greatness! You were born for this!

Pre-order your copy of Hello Tomorrow and get into the game!

Don’t wait to tap into your greatness!

As my friend and featured guest at Women Who Shape Our World, the accomplished Soledad O’Brien states,

“I’ve learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path.”

Learn more about what’s possible for you at Women Who Shape Our World August 31st-September 2nd in Washington DC.

Position yourself for greatness among the world’s most successful women—and secure your copy of Hello Tomorrow now to begin redefining your future.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6

Last week, we had an explosive time of teaching and ministry here in Atlanta as we immersed ourselves in the message of the Kingdom at the Trimm Institute for Global Leadership.

If you’ve ever joined me for one of these intensive weeks of training, you’ll know how transformational being in an anointed environment can be—drinking from the firehouses of heaven!

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT

I want to encourage you today to lean into the Spirit of God—to press upward toward that higher calling—and prayerfully seek Him for what more He has in store for your life, your family, your ministry, and your destiny.

Wherever you are today, you can receive a personal download from heaven that can change the trajectory of your life. But you must position and posture yourself to receive and appropriate it.

Register NOW for
Women Who Shape Our World
August 31-September 2nd
in Washington D.C.

I want to help you expand your capacity to hear from heaven and receive all God has for you in this season.

Our God is a God of increase; He wants to increase you spiritually, intellectually, influentially, financially, and in every way supernaturally as you increase in the knowledge of Him…

The apostle Peter opens his second letter with the proclamation:

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God.”
2 Peter 1:2

In other words, “as you grow in your knowledge of God” He will give you “more and more grace and peace” (NLT).

But it doesn’t stop there. It is through the knowledge of God that we are given all things—among them “exceedingly great and precious promises”…

“His divine power has given to us all things…through the knowledge of Him…by which we have been given…exceedingly great and precious promises.”
2 Peter 1:3-4

Peter, upon whom Jesus said He would build His Church, thought that growing in the knowledge of God was so important, he also concluded his letter with the directive to “grow [spiritually mature] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18 AMP).

The extent to which you are able to mature spiritually will determine the degree to which you are able to prosper in every area of your life.

The height of your success is only limited by the depth of your knowledge of God.

The more you know about the nature and character of God, the more you are able to comprehend what is possible…the bigger you are able to dream and the more you are able to ask God to help you achieve.

You are only limited by your own understanding of what God is willing to do on behalf of those who know and trust Him. 

“Do not be afraid…only believe and trust [in Me and have faith in My ability to do this].”
Luke 8:50 AMP

To what extent do you trust God with your life…with your dreams?

Today I want to challenge you to level up your trust! Press into His Word and stretch your faith by trusting God for more—more capacity, more influence, more ideas, more territory, more and greater achievements and victories.

“The people who know their God shall be strong and do great exploits.”
Daniel 11:32

What are the great exploits you are currently pursuing? What are you doing with the great strength, authority, and grace that knowing God has endowed you with?

If you feel you are lacking in any area, grow in the knowledge of God. If you’re not seeing the fruit of God’s promises maturing in your life, perhaps you are simply in need of maturing!

Let’s look at the Amplified translation of that same verse from the book of Daniel:

“The people who [are spiritually mature and] know their God will display strength and take action.”

If you are spiritually mature, you are displaying strength and taking action!

If you are growing in the knowledge of God, you are increasing—you are expanding your influence, your reputation, your brand, your expertise, your market share, your giving, your good works, and your ability to glorify God.

God wants you to increase more and more!

“We urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more.”
1 Thessalonians 4:10 

Pursue increase…don’t get complacent by compromising or holding back…boldly ask God to stretch you and expand your territory as Jabez did: 

And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep mefrom evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested” (1 Chronicles 4:10).

How big is your ask?

Whatever you can dream of, make the request of God! Level up your trust by asking for more.

Have you not heard it said, “You have not because you ask not”? 

Make the ask!

If you love the Lord your God, you know He has a great plan and a bright future prepared for you (see Jeremiah 29:11)—you can be assured your steps are ordered by Him (Psalm 37:23)—you can be confident that “no weapon turned against you will succeed” (Isaiah 54:17 NLT).

“Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9

Simply put, you walk in the realm of increase by faith.

What are you doing with your faith?

Register NOW for
Women Who Shape Our World
August 31-September 2nd
in Washington D.C.

“Today I ask heaven and earth to be witnesses. I am offering you life or death, blessings or curses. Now, choose life! Then you and your children may live.”
Deuteronomy 30:19

In our last 4 Points Broadcast, we talked about how to activate the blessings of God—and in the process, how to unlock your divinely-intended destiny.

This week, we will continue to explore the geography and terrain of your destiny. 

Don’t miss this week’s 4 Points Broadcast LIVE this Thursday at 7pm ET! 

We are in our new series, “The DNA of Destiny.”

For many people, the concept of destiny is an elusive mystery out of the scope their control or influence.  

“Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”
Willian Jennings Bryan

Simply put, your destiny is where you end up tomorrow.

Scripture demonstrates that destiny is not a matter of chance—it is a matter of obedience. 

“To choose life is to love the Lord your God, obey him, and stay close to him.” 
Deuteronomy 30:20

Where you end up tomorrow is a result of the decisions you make today—those decisions are the bridge that connect your present to your future.

Because your destiny is directly associated with the decisions you make, you must take one-hundred percent responsibility for your life. 

Wherever you end up tomorrow is on you.

The prosperous life begins with the revelation that whatever happens to you is no person’s—no employer, no parent, no government, church, or entity’s—absolutely nobody’s responsibility but your own.

Your destiny is built upon your choices: You must choose to obey God. You must choose to pray. You must choose to have faith. You must choose to hope and trust in God.

Whatever happens in your life is based on a series of decisions—therefore be careful to align your decisions with how God originally designed and purposed you to live.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10

God intends for you to live an abundant life; a life without lack:

“But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.”
Psalm 34:10

God has promised to supply all of your needs:

“God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory.”
Philippians 4:19

You must make a decision whether you will live a blessed life (I taught on living the blessed life in our previous 4 Points series), or whether your life will be cursed.

God said, “I want you to make a decision: You can choose life or you can choose death. What do you choose?” (See Deuteronomy 30:19-20.)

Blessing or cursing?

Which do you choose?

We are all required to make a decision.

If you want to live a blessed life, you need to make a decision to be blessed!

We must educate ourselves to the Truth in God’s Word so we are not so easily deterred from God’s best for our lives—or become so susceptible to giving away our personal power.

“…the curse causeless shall not come.”
Proverbs 26:2

Blessing is always the outcome of an act of obedience—while a curse is the natural outcome of an act of disobedience.

Every day you choose whether your life will be blessed or it will be cursed.

For there to be a choice, there must be options.

Therefore, God set options before you: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose” (Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV).

God gives you the power to decide. He provided you with two clear choices: to live blessed or cursed.

He said, “I call heaven and earth to record” so that when you make a certain decision, heaven conspires with earth to bring about the associated outcome.

There are always spiritual laws in operation! Listen to the replay for more on this…

For now, I want to make clear that your destiny is defined one decision at a time. Your destiny is being engineered on a moment by moment basis.

Therefore don’t go through life on neutral; live it deliberately and intentionally!

Because the very moment you make a decision, you alter your destiny.

Always remember your destiny is decision-bound.

The beautiful thing is that once you give your life to God, He gives you amazing decision-making ability. He enlightens your spirit to discern His will so you will know how to navigate the geography of your destiny.

You’re not a prisoner of war; you’re a prisoner of your mind. Once your thoughts change, your life changes accordingly!

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
Proverbs 23:7

If you don’t like where you are today, decide to be somewhere else in the future—because you’re only a series of decisions away from living the life of your dreams!

“Lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.”
Hebrews 6:19 NKJV

In the afterglow of Thanksgiving, and in anticipation of celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, the four weeks leading up to Christmas are a season of great hope and expectation.

It is only fitting that we launch into the Christmas season by commemorating our gratitude for God’s blessings and giving thanks as a nation.

To “lay hold of hope” we must first be grateful. 

This is a foundational principle that will help you tap into all God has for you and wants to do through you.

It is why the psalmist tells us the key to entering the gates of the Kingdom is thanksgiving—and the all-access pass into God’s presence is praise.

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” 
Psalm 100:4

Gratitude is a choice—and the fruit of it is hope.

Hope is a powerful force that changes the course of lives, communities, and nations. It calls us to action and propels us forward.

The power of hope gives rise to the shapers of history.

Hope is what fueled the dreams of history makers such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi.

Because of a powerful hope, they each dared to craft a new and brighter future for the nations in which they were seeded.

This is what my new book History Maker is all about. 

A wanted to provide a blueprint for how ordinary people arise out of obscurity to create extraordinary change in their generation.

What compels some people to tap into the kind of deeper purpose that enables them to maximize their potential to lead change?

Is it a matter of special circumstances surrounding a special kind of person? Or does it have more to do with a type of personality or certain character traits—or is it simply having the courage to act?

Are leaders born or made?

I believe every person is born and called to lead change.

I believe leadership is both a duty and a privilege.

I believe we are each called to exercise our authority to mobilize the resources necessary to translate intention into reality.

Leadership is the exercise of authority.

Authority is the power—or the ability—to marshal the resources needed to achieve a desired result.

Wherever you see a need, you not only have the ability but a mandate to exercise your divine authority to create positive change. This may look like prayer, or faith, or praise, or grace, or even simply hope.

Today, we need voices of hope to inspire, encourage, and call to action.

There is no force greater than hope to mobilize action.

And now more than ever, we need individuals who will carry that hope to those who have lost hope.

More importantly, we need to be willing to do the work within ourselves that will enable us to dream bigger, think more expansively, and conceive of new possibilities—to imagine what has not yet been but could be, and then doggedly believe that it can be.

It is time to start learning what we are truly capable of.

Who were you created and put into the universe to be at this time in history?

Could you be the answer someone is looking for? Are you in possession of a missing piece to a puzzling situation or problem? Could it be found hidden within your soul—that nugget of insight or wisdom or revelation the world so desperately needs?

This quote from a speech given on June 6, 1966 in South Africa at the University of Cape Town’s “Day of Reaffirmation of Academic and Human Freedom” was of great inspiration as I wrote History Maker:

“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
―Robert F. Kennedy

Each of us can be a unique center of energy and daring that creates a ripple of hope that turns the tide.

You and I are the carriers of hope that create the currents of change that shape history.

It is my prayer that as you read History Maker, you will stir the waters of your hidden potential until you are able to make those currents become waves.

“There are those who look at things the way they are and ask, “Why?”…I dream of things that never were and ask, “Why not?”
—Robert F. Kennedy

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”
Proverbs 4:18

These are tumultuous times. With every good report seems to come an exceedingly bad one.

I want to be an encouragement to you during what may seem like a very dark and confusing time.

Tune into the 4 Points Broadcast this Thursday at 7pm ET if you or someone you know is in need of hope and healing.

Our hearts and prayers go out to all of those suffering loss and trauma.

We are here to pray with you and stand with you in faith. I am committed to undergirding you with the Word of Truth that has the power to heal and restore.

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 NIV

God will strengthen and help you—but you must take responsibility for acknowledging Him in all your ways. (See Proverbs 3:6.)

It may seem counterintuitive not to lean on your own understanding during times like this, but the Word of God says that when you wholeheartedly place your trust in God, He will faithfully order your steps. (See Proverbs 3:5-6.)

Don’t be deterred from joining me November 10-12 if you want to end this year strong and begin 2018 even stronger!

If you’re in need of soul-nourishing, life-altering, destiny-defining times of refreshing and refueling, register now for the reboot event of the year.

Don’t allow the circumstances of today to sabotage the potential of your future.

Decide now to align your destiny with your purpose.

Don’t look without, look within.

The last and greatest frontier of human exploration is not outer space, but inner space. It’s what God wants you to explore about yourself.

You have a wealth of treasure hidden in an earthen vessel. There’s always dirt around every buried treasure, and sometimes you’ll have to get your hands dirty to find it.

It’s time for you to go treasure hunting.

In the process, don’t focus on the dirt; focus on the treasure!

When the Holy Spirit begins to talk to you about you, listen! This is the greatest conversation God will ever have with you—when God reveals to you who you really are.

Connect with your authentic self.

This is what happened to Jacob when he wrestled…his old self was wrestling with his new self.

Never allow who you are today to sabotage who you can be tomorrow. You’ve got to begin to wrestle with your greater potential…you have be tenacious!

Sometimes you have to wrestle.

Too often we ask ourselves, “Who am I to think that I can be better or brighter or so anointed or so gifted?”

Who are you not to be?

God is not playing games with you. You know you’re better, you know you’re brighter, you know you can do greater things.

But perhaps you’ve allowed yourself to second guess who you are; because this is what you’ve learned. People told you that you should be humble. People told you you’re being arrogant.

Just because you know who are you doesn’t make you arrogant.

It makes you confident.

When you wrestle with yourself, how about you wrestle with learning what’s right about you, how gifted you are, how beautiful you are.

When you know who you are in Christ, you don’t have to dumb down to blend in,

Stand out in the knowledge of who you are in Christ.

The world is going to be cheated unless you do.

When Jacob was wrestling with God, he was wrestling with who he was going to be—and when he emerged, he emerged as Israel: “the prince who has power and favor with God and man.”

You can trust this indirect, spiritual side of yourself…for therein lies the blueprint for constructing the life of your dreams.

“Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”
Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

Get in step with the rhythms of heaven.

Discover how heaven is directing your steps. Finding your rhythm is all about getting in step—getting syncopated—with God’s time signature.

Destiny comes to you like a rhythm…there’s an ebb and flow. Stick to your rhythm!

Find your place in God’s symphony of purpose.

The Church is a great symphonic movement. Don’t cause dissonance in the realm of the Spirit by not properly playing your part.

Remember, there is harmony in diversity. Every part is integral to the whole.

When it’s your turn to shine, shine bright!

As we talked about last week, destiny is the outcome of the decisions you make.

You want to make decisions based on the revealed purpose for your life, and based on the strategy and vision that grows out of that purpose.

Purpose dictates vision, and vision dictates strategy.

Destiny flows from a dimension of thought and manifests itself as a product of intention and action.

The two processes by which we make decisions—intention and action—maintain or alter the path we take in life.

Destiny flows from purpose. You determine your path, but through prayer, God orders your steps.

“The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord.” 
Psalms 37:23

Destiny is like a path. There are many paths you can choose to take. God leads us along “paths” plural. You decide on the path you’re going to take. That’s your decision. Once you determine the path, God will order your steps.

When your thoughts are synchronized with your potential and you allow God to order your steps—and when you act in accordance with your true passion—your destiny will be brought into full alignment with His purpose

…and His purpose is far greater than yours could ever be.

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 19:21 NIV

This formula is what makes great men and women of God great.

If you want to be great in your industry—and I’m praying you want to do something great for the Lord—that means your thoughts have to be synchronized with your potential.

Potential is unrealized power.

This is not your resume! Your thoughts should not be synchronized with your resume—things you’ve already done. Potential is what you have yet to do!

Synchronize your thoughts with the power latent in your potential and allow God to order your steps in accordance with your passion.

The proof of your purpose is passion. 

Act in accordance with your passion!

When your passion is united with your purpose—when every action is driven by divine passion—then your destiny will be brought into full alignment with your purpose.

Destiny is always the result of a decision.

The moment you make a decision, all alternative options collapse—and that decision will bring to you results in the form of experience, opportunity, or condition.

Where you are today—every experience, opportunity, condition—is the result of every decision you’ve made. 

Take ownership of what you think. Your decisions—your ultimate destiny—will follow your dominant thoughts. So think for a change.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
Proverbs 23:7 KJV