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3 practical ways to fulfill your marriage and your family’s destiny - Phelps way Is your marriage in a slippery slope? Is your family getting anywhere? Are you winning in life? I want to share with you some amazing ways you can improve your marriage and your family’s future, that I learned from Michael Phelps as I got to know more about him during the 2016 Olympics. One of the best Olympian athletes of all times, Michael Phelps, has had his ups and downs – just like almost everyone else. Between winning Olympic golds, Phelps made headlines for very different reasons: repeated DUIs, parties and pot, weight gain and rehab. A couple of years ago, fellow athlete and friend Ray Lewis (aka “God’s linebacker”) gave the champion swimmer Rick Warren’s bestseller, The Purpose Driven Life. As he handed the book over to Michael, he began telling him: “Okay, everything has a purpose, and now, guess what? It’s time to wake up,” the former Baltimore Raven said in The Washington Post. ‘In an ESPN special, Phelps said that the book “turned me into believing that there is a power greater than myself and there is a purpose for me on this planet” and “helped me when I was in a place that I needed the most help.” This week, Phelps finished his last swimming Olympian competition as he has decided to retire with a whopping 28 medals in total – the most any other Olympian has ever won. To me, this is quite impressive to say the least. I used to be a swimmer. I learned how to swim in the beaches of Puerto Rico. I then spend endless hours at the town's huge swimming pool. I know what it takes to be a good swimmer - but I still don't know what all it takes to be a great swimmer - like Michael and other great swimmers. One thing I know for sure, practice, improvements, focus, diet, and much more is the agenda for a great Olympian. Not only did Phelps’ life changed around in a positive way by choosing to follow Christ, but also his swimming career was blessed. His entire life was definitely rebranded. I’m not going to give you a breakdown of Michael Phelps’s career, as much as I want to deal with something more close to home - you - your marriage, your family and your future. Just like Ray Lewis told Phelps: “Okay, everything has a purpose, and now, guess what? It’s time to wake up.” Ray was right – everything has a purpose. Your life, your marriage and your family has a God-given purpose to accomplish his plans through you. Think about that. Your life is not design just to work, get enough accolades (if you’re lucky) and eventually retire in the sunny State. That’s not all God wants for you or for your family. God wants you to thrive within his will for your life. Your life, your marriage and your family have a God-given purpose to not only rebrand your life but also help others become rebranded as well. In other words, the rat race, the accolades, and the long hours at a job may be necessary for a while or perhaps to establish a platform in your life, but at the end of the day, at the end of your last breath, at the end of your family being together before they leave home to form their own families–what’s left? What’s there to work with? Was character built? Was purpose found and executed? Was life lived? Would you have just made a living or would you have accomplished a life? Was destiny fulfilled? "Your life, your marriage and your family have a God-given purpose" Alex Colon Click to Tweet For Michael, his life was going down the tubes in the midst of several goal medals. In the midst of his success, both as a swimmer with impressive endorsements, he still lost his purpose. And what’s worse, he thought he’d let Americans down. Hmmmm. Many couples and families struggle just the same way. Nobody's perfect. No marriage and no family is perfect. I can start by showing you mine. Perfection is a crazy stress in the mind, often looking for unrealistic expectations. Addictions of all kinds seem to overtake the family, eventually losing their competition. Worse yet, losing their desire, ambition and desire to compete again. But much like Phelps, not only did he give his life to Christ, but also realized that God had a purpose for him. His life had meaning. And he had a greater mandate than swimming. Now, at the age of 31, and 28 medals with a net worth of $55 million dollars, Phelps, with purpose and meaning works hard in his foundation to provide purpose and meaning to others with his expertise as a swimmer. I want you to know that regardless of where you are in life, let me remind you that God brought you to this earth with a purpose – his purpose. His purpose for you I’m sure is different than mine, yet a very real purposeful destiny. So what does it take to discover this purpose? Michael’s story reminded me of how I’ve discovered mine and how many people still discover theirs. Let me share with you what drastically changed Michael Phelps [A key to your marriage and family success]
Here are 3 practical ways to fulfill your marriage and your family’s destiny - Phelps way First, Give Christ, not only your life, but also your marriage and your family. Let him work in and through your family. He knows best how to do that with purpose. Secondly, Correct again and again. Learn to receive correction and establish new disciplines in order to come out of your funk and become a winner - believing God for a better present and a much greater future. Thirdly, Focus. In other words, work hard even during the lonely times. Everyone experiences a little loneliness, and some difficult times that can aggravate your dreams. But don’t let them. Don’t let those voices and aggravation get into your head. Be ready to defeat them quickly. Be a winner and have a winner’s mentality. Focus on your goal. For Phelps, it was the same. As Chris Chase wrote: “You don't get inside Michael Phelps' head. He's a man who, after a brief mental detour in the lead-up and aftermath of the London Games, is singularly focused on one thing - touching the wall first and beating you. Swimmers spend hours a day in the pool, alone with their thoughts. There's no one to talk to, nothing to listen to, just you and the endless sound of your arms and legs splashing up water. It's like being in jail. The situation forces you to come up with thoughts to preserve your sanity.” In the process you will discover your strengths and your weaknesses (if you haven’t already). So enhance your strengths and break-through the weaknesses. Realistic, while you enhance your strengths, more often than not, your weaknesses to take care of themselves. Your life has meaning. Your marriage has meaning. Your family has meaning. Give your life completely to Christ, receive correction, establish discipline, and focus on your goal. When your goals are accomplished in Christ, you will eventually retire with your own set of medals and go out with a win and dignity - the Phelps way. Suggestion: Share with the rest of us ways to fulfill God’s purpose for your marriage. Share below.
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