Alright guys and gals! Dave and I have this idea that we hope you’ll help us out with for an upcoming episode of HopeNet Radio. It’s called the Dear Me letter project. Simply, write a letter to yourself (or your BFF) from the heart. It could be made up of funny memories, best pieces of advice people have told you or just stuff you wish people said more often to you. The letter can be as long or as short as you want it to be.
This is more than a show. I believe words are powerful and can be the different between life and death. Your letters are more than words on paper. They bring life and encouragement.
Want to submit a letter? Your letter can be anonymous if you put anonymous in the subject line. If we read your letter on air, we’ll enter you into a drawing from the Q90 FM Prize Bin! Please share this article with your friends and have them send a letter as well.
Please submit letters by October 2nd!
To submit your Dear Me letter, email it to us!(Preferably MS Word or PDF)
It’s been said that you can never change your past, but you can always change the future. Choices have consequences and the only way we can receive forgiveness is by taking responsibility for our actions. This is a sobering message from Matthew Cordle about some choices he made that changed his life and how you can learn from them.
In a video recorded […] at his Northwest Side home, Cordle promises to tell the truth about the “blackout” drinking that led him to drive the wrong way on I-670 and crash head-on into Canzani’s vehicle near 3rd Street.
The 22-year-old man, his arm streaked with scars inflicted in the crash, also asks viewers of the video to make a promise — to not drink and drive.
Cordle has not been charged in the early-morning crash that killed Canzani. “When I get charged, I will plead guilty and take full responsibility for everything I’ve done to Vincent and his family,” he says in the video.
Reputation (n.) – the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something. A widespread belief that someone or something has a particular habit or characteristic. Synonyms: name, good name, character, repute, standing, stature, status, position, renown, esteem, prestige.
It may be the most important thing you have. Your reputation. What do people know you for? What qualities define you or your personality? I’m not saying you need to be overly concerned about what others think of you. People’s opinions of you change daily. What’s more important is how pleased God is with your character. Are you living like you say you are? Are you concerned about the things that matter to God? If so, great! If not, ask yourself why.
Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.
Here are five ways you can build and keep a good name for yourself
1. Respect yourself and others.
Treat others with the same respect and dignity the way you want to be treated. Even if they don’t return the respect, you can always take the high road. Choosing to respect someone who you feel doesn’t deserve your respect will speak volumes about your character to your peers and those around you. It’s also really important that you respect yourself. Take responsibility for your body, mind and soul. Don’t allow someone or something to rule any one of those areas other than God. You are precious to God.
2. Think of yourself less than you think of others.
This isn’t the same as thinking that you’re less than someone else. What this means is to take your eyes off of you once in a while to notice someone’s needs and dreams. This is true humility. Any person who can help someone else find their God-given purpose and value is a person to be treasured.
3. Watch your tongue.
This seems rather obvious, but more often than not, we find ourselves in discord with friends over something we said to them or about them. The Bible speaks extensively on this topic.
4. Don’t trust your feelings
I need to repeat that. Don’t trust your feelings. Our feelings are a good barometer that we’re alive, but they’re not trustworthy. Why? I’m glad you asked. Have you ever gone grocery shopping on an empty stomach? Or perhaps you’ve had a bad day at school and you took out your discontent on your brother or sister, or worse yet, your dog? Yeah? Feelings or emotions are often self-serving because people are ultimately selfish. Here’s how we can live for God, not our feelings.
5. Get a mentor.
The value of an outside perspective who can lend experience and true wisdom is priceless. This is why I believe students need to be involved in a youth group. Finding a mentor can be hard. Finding a mentor who knows what the Bible says can be even tougher. Not every person should seek to be a mentor, but every person should have a mentor. This is yet another reason we believe in the Online Crisis Chatline partnership with Groundwire. In fact, if you are over 18 and are interested in mentoring, consider becoming an Online Spiritual Coach. You can find information here.
BONUS: Honesty.
As Ben Franklin once said, “Honesty is the best policy.” Be honest and truthful, even when it may hurt your reputation. Your honesty will mean more than any number of lies you could amount to cover a wrong. Think about it.
This video of WKBT anchor Jennifer Livingston is a brilliant reminder to us all that the outside isn’t a real clear picture who we are. You are defined by your character.
Have you ever met someone who has an excuse for every situation, letdown, decision – everything? All the time. They’re always right in their mind. And if you call them out, they get defensive and there’s a good chance you lose a friend.
I’ve been there. I had excuses.
It’s a sign of a deeper distress. As good as I could make excuses sound, they were what they were – excuses. The more I used them, the more I believed them. And before too long, I’d made excuses left and right. I didn’t realize it, but my excuses were causing people hurt. What I was communicating was “I’m right. You’re wrong. Get over it.” Harsh. Thankfully, that’s not me anymore.
I was done hurting others. I was done hurting myself. I gave over my need for control and the need to be right.
The reality is that people see through excuses. Not always right away, but they will. Excuses aren’t always lies… but they’re not always the whole truth.
In fact, the writer of Romans says that one day each of us will give an account of ourselves to God himself. No excuses. Come on, would you really try to lie to the Judge?
What excuses do you have? True freedom comes when you start letting go of the excuses and the need for control. God wants to set you free from whatever it is that keeps you from being free. All you need to do is be willing to change.
If you’re a cutter, you know what it’s like to feel the pain welling up inside you. It feels like any second you’re going to explode. In the past you may have cried, gotten angry, accused, complied, or blamed yourself, but now you cut. You’ve prayed, asking God to change things, to make you want to stop cutting, but you feel as if your prayers stopped at the ceiling. You don’t pray anymore.
Unlike the emotional pain, you control the physical pain created by cutting. You know it’s not normal to get relief by cutting, but it does bring release and nothing else seems to work. You reason, “Why would I give it up when nothing else works?” In your heart however, you know that this doesn’t work either. You are having to cut deeper and deeper, more and more frequently.
![[Video] Because I Said I Would: I Killed A Man](https://www.hopenet360.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/matthewcordle.jpg)
Have you ever met someone who has an excuse for every situation, letdown, decision – everything? All the time. They’re always right in their mind. And if you call them out, they get defensive and there’s a good chance you lose a friend.
