Claysmile, LLC

Quote of the Week: Week of September 6, 2010

clay — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 23:09:44 +0000

“A relationship built on lust is like a mansion built on sand.” — Tony Gaskins
Personal Note from Lance:
There should be a mandatory high school class on relationships because so many problems in our society can be traced back to bad decisions regarding relationships. Don’t follow your heart. Instead, lead your heart. Real love is not a feeling! Real love is an action that is based on a sincere decision to make a commitment. — Lance

Quote of the Week: Week of August 9, 2010

clay — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 21:52:04 +0000

“Your eyes see your faults. Your faith sees your Savior.” — Max Lucado
Personal Note from Lance:
I attend a weekly Bible study group that consists of a small group of young adults who are around my same age. Last week, I volunteered to read certain Bible verses out loud and I felt embarrassed when I stumbled over many of the words. I’m still in the process of overcoming reading challenges. As I later reflected upon that incident, I started to clearly see God’s amazing grace in my life. I’m a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). I have a professional career as an auditor and also, I do motivational presentations at various organizations. But yet, I’m still in the process of overcoming reading problems as well as insecurities. How in the world did I make it this far? Clearly, it was not by my intelligence or skill but rather it was and continues to be by God’s spirit. I think about the story in John chapter 6 (verses 1-13) where Jesus performed a miracle of feeding a huge crowd of people by multiplying the lunch of a little boy. The little boy had very limited resources (only five barley loaves and two fish) but Jesus multiplied it in order to feed others. That is exactly what I see happening in my life. I’m just a little boy with limited resources, but God is multiplying what I have in order to achieve HIS purpose. I’m not the star of this movie. God is the star. I’m just a little child with limited resources. And you are too! We are here for a God-given purpose and when our purpose is complete, we will be carried back home. So, don’t worry about anything. Continue to trust in God and keep in mind that all things are working together for our good. So, rejoice and be joyful. We don’t have to wait until the battle is over, we can celebrate now because we know that the victory has already been won and we’re just walking out the process. As I look back over my teenage years, I see how many of my “problems” were actually protecting me from danger. For example, when I was a teenager, I had a huge crush on this girl and at that time, my only dream in life was to have a relationship with her. I did not care about school or anything else, I just wanted to be with her and I was willing to change myself into becoming whatever type of guy that she would like. She was so very physically attractive. I was so infatuated with her beautiful physical appearance that I overlooked the fact that she was into drugs, alcohol, and the party lifestyle. I was so captivated by her outward appearance, that I did not realize that she did not have good moral values. And I was willing to forsake my moral values in order to have a relationship with her. But, she rejected me. She did not give me an opportunity to develop a relationship with her. Back then, I was very disappointed about her rejection and I became very depressed. My heart was broken. But now, almost 15 years have gone by and as I look back, I clearly see how her rejection of me was a huge blessing! If she had accepted me, I would have forsaken my moral values and given into the temptations to make unhealthy decisions. A few months ago, she “friend-ed” me on Facebook and I learned that she has been going through all types of problems which were caused by the unhealthy decisions she made when she was a teenager. It was a good thing that my attempts to have a relationship with her were unsuccessful because if I would have had a relationship with her, I would be tangled up in all types of problems right now. Be careful what you wish for! Fortunately, she has started to change her unhealthy behavior and is really focusing on God now and God is really working things out in her life. At first, it was hard for me to imagine her in church because she has lived such a sinful life. But then, I was reminded of the fact that I have been just as sinful (probably even more sinful than her!!!). All of this reminds me of the story in Luke Chapter 7 verses 36-50 in which a young lady who had a very sinful life came to Jesus and knelt at his feet and cried. Some of the other people in the house despised her because of her sinful history but Jesus accepted her and forgave her because HE knew that she was sincerely repentant regarding her sins and grateful for the forgiveness she had received. So, I know that there is hope and grace for me and this girl and everyone else who sincerely calls out to the Lord for forgiveness and guidance. God’s grace is amazing and one of the things that I am the most passionate about in life is sharing with others testimonies of God’s amazing grace. I thoroughly enjoy the motivational presentations that I deliver. Interestingly, those presentations are having an interesting impact on my life. I consistently get approached by people who have seen me on TV (I have a show series called “The Claysmile Show” on cable channel 19) or by students who have seen a live presentation at their school. I’ve even been contacted by young ladies who have been very impressed with those shows. I remember one young lady was a law student from Texas who was interning here in the DC area. She had seen one of my shows on TV and she e-mailed me and we started corresponding. She really admired me and that really boosted my confidence because people had always been looking down on me because of my learning challenges and social awkwardness. I was shocked that this highly intelligent young lady actually respected me! We became good friends. There really is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. As God’s grace continues to transform our lives, let’s always be confident (but never arrogant) as we continue to keep in mind that we are just little children with limited resources and God is the one who gives us the strength to do all things.
—Lance

Quote of the Week: Week of August 2, 2010

clay — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 20:58:59 +0000

“You can’t direct the wind, but you can adjust your sails.” — Author Unknown
Personal Note:
Keep rolling with the punches. As Napoleon Hill once said, “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” Regarding those “problems” that are weighing on your mind, take another look at them and ask yourself, “What potential seeds of benefit are in these situations?” —- Lance

Quote of the Week: Week of July 19, 2010

clay — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:01:30 +0000

“Evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”
— D. T. Niles
Personal Note:
I have a friend who married into a very wealthy family. I was talking to her the other day and at one point during our conversation, I asked her, “Do you and your husband belong to a church?” She then explained that they are not spiritual people and suggested that the reason was that her husband did not grow up in a religious family. I then moved on to another topic. Later, as I reflected on that conversation, I realized the irony of that whole situation. That family she married into is very FINANCIALLY wealthy but SPIRITUALLY poor. Of course, money is an important resource of life. However, a connection to GOD is far more valuable. Connection to God brings true peace; a peace that no amount of money can buy. A peace that so many people are searching for but never find because they search for it in the wrong places (i.e. money, relationships, career, etc.). The most valuable things that we can do for people are pray for them and encourage them to connect to God (more specifically, the Lord and Savior – Jesus Christ).
—-Lance

Quote of the Week: Week of July 5, 2010

clay — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:23:44 +0000

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” — Author Unknown
Personal Note:
There is a purpose for your life and your enthusiasm about that purpose is going to help you to jump over all of the hurdles that stand in the way of your accomplishment of your purpose.
—Lance

Quote of the Week: Week of June 28, 2010

clay — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:52:41 +0000

“It is not the critic who counts… the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena…” — Theodore Roosevelt
Personal Note:
The moment that you decide to do your best is the moment that you win the game. Don’t worry about the critics that are continuing to try to get you to focus on your past mistakes. Just stay connected to God, focus on the lessons that you have learned from your mistakes, and let go of all of the garbage. Take out the trash and don’t bring it back into your heart. Always remember Proverbs 4:23 – “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
—Lance

Quote of the Week: Week of June 21, 2010

clay — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 17:37:49 +0000

“There is no education like adversity.” — Author Unknown
Personal Note:
As I think back over my childhood, I’m grateful for my bullies because my bullies strengthened me and prepared me to achieve my purpose and destiny. The emotional abuse they put me through was really a gift. It tore me down for a moment, but over time, it built me up, like gold purified through fire.
—Lance

Quote of the Week: Week of June 14, 2010

clay — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 17:31:00 +0000

“Where focus goes, energy flows.” — Tony Robbins
Personal Note:
There is a story about a man who was given two boxes – a green box and a blue box. He was told to put all of his happiness, joy, enthusiasm and positive perspectives into the green box and all of his depression, fear, worry, and negative perspectives into the blue box. He did so and over time, he realized that the blue box always felt very light. So, he looked into the blue box and he saw that there was a big hole at the bottom of the blue box. Then, he asked, “Why was I given these two boxes – the green box and the blue box with the big hole at the bottom?” and he was informed that the green box is for things for him to hold and the blue box is for things for him to let go. This illustration is very symbolic of our lives. As issues come up in our lives, we must make sure that we put the issues in the appropriate boxes. Hold onto the positive, healthy perspectives. Let go of the negative, unhealthy perspectives.
—Lance

Quote of the Week: Week of June 7, 2010

clay — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 16:11:41 +0000

“The walls of your comfort zone protect you from disappointment but also separate you from your dream.” — Tony Robbins
Growing up, I tried to play various sports (basketball, football, track, etc.) I was terrible at all of them. Although many of the spectators felt sorry for me and/or looked down on me, I never felt embarrassed or ashamed because there was one spectator (my dad) who was always in the stands, watching and sincerely happy to see that I had the courage to try. Dad would always tell me the concept that “as long as you did your best, then you have won.” And so, despite the lack of sincere encouragement from team members and other spectators, I became empowered to continue to get on the “playing field” because I knew that Dad was somewhere in the stands, watching and sincerely happy to see that I was putting forth my best efforts. Many other people saw me as a failure, but Dad saw me as a champion. Dad’s love for me instilled within me an unshakeable courage to try. And that courage to try has been a huge blessing in my life because it has helped me to go much further than I thought I could go. Of course, just like all other human beings, Dad is not a perfect person but even in his flaws, he shines because he is humble enough to admit his mistakes, confess his sins, and receive forgiveness, redemption and salvation through the Lord and Savior (Jesus Christ). I’ve been very blessed! God gave me a dad who, although not a perfect person, is passing onto me a perfect legacy of courage, love, redemption, and faith. Dad’s legacy will always be in my heart, and thereby, wherever I am, wherever I go, and whatever I am doing, I know that Dad is always “in the stands” sincerely cheering for me.
Peace and Love,
Lance
P.S. Dad, I’ve won… To God be the glory.

Quote of the Week: Week of May 31, 2010

clay — Mon, 31 May 2010 18:32:15 +0000

“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.” — Robert Schuller
Personal Note from Lance:
Last weekend, my family and I celebrated my niece’s 12th birthday. It is amazing how fast time flies. I clearly remember when she was born as if it was yesterday. And now 12 years have flown by since that time. She is almost a teenager. I’m grateful that I can watch her grow but also I’m concerned about the world in which she is growing. As you know, in the world, there are so many distractions and temptations that consistently try to deceive and entangle. I prevent my concern from turning into fear by turning it into motivation instead. Motivation to have consistent conversations with all of my nieces and nephews regarding life and values and God’s principles communicated to us through HIS word (the Bible). In addition to the heart-to-heart conversations, I’m also motivated to truly live out those principles in my daily life. In fact, really, more is caught than taught. Meaning, how I live my life has more of an impact than how I talk about it. Nevertheless, both of those aspects are important. I’m motivated to be a good influence in my niece’s life. I know that I am not the only influence. There are many influences (the pop culture, the media, the peer pressure, etc.) but I strive to be the best influence I can be. I pray and trust that she will fulfill the dream and purpose that God has placed in her heart. Due to the unpredictable and fragile nature of life, there is no guarantee that I will live long enough to see the victories she will achieve in her life. Tomorrow is never promised! I might not be here tomorrow to see her victory but today, I can help pave the way for her victory. I hope I can be as good as an influence in her life as her father (my brother) was in my life. My brother helped to pave the way for the victorious life that I am living now. Through his words and behavior, my brother taught me that if you live in the past, you die in the present. He taught me that the past does not equal the future and that I must consistently refocus my mind from regrets to “learning experiences”, from problems to solutions, from fear to faith, from hatred to love, from failure to “personal development exercises”, from negative to positive. Holler if you hear me!… He also taught me to always be compassionate and giving. He was always very sensitive and empathetic to other people’s pain. He was always very concerned about other people’s well-being and he would go out of his way to help people. Watching that inspired me and gave me a role model to follow. Most importantly, my brother’s faith and devotion to God encouraged me to humbly pray to God for faith, guidance, direction, strength, and protection. And God answers that prayer every day. And now, by God’s grace, I live a victorious life. I used to dream about the life that I’m living now. I used to dream about being emotionally free from the baggage of fear, frustration, guilt, and worry that used to weigh me down and keep me locked up in a state of depression. Now, I’ve made it out and I’m living my dream life. Nevertheless, I still get shaken daily by negativity (i.e. unhealthy thoughts, words, and circumstances). However, I consistently refocus my mind onto God and HE keeps me in perfect peace, turning all of that fearful shaking into beautiful dancing. The saying is true: “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” Although my brother did not live long enough to see my victory, he helped to pave the way for my victory and, thereby, the victories of all those whom I have the privilege to reach.
Peace and Love,
Lance
P.S. Mom, I’ve done good… To God be the glory.