Faith

Mark can't help but write about his faith in God as he considers it the most important thing in his life. He reflects on biblical principles, spirituality, practices and attitudes, religious structures, a bit of theology, and more - to encourage people to reflect on and rekindle their own faith and grow closer to God.

Mark Gilroy June 20, 2014

What Makes a House a Home?

A home is a house with a heart inside.

Author Unknown

She was a single mother with a five-year-old son and a ton of bills. Just to stay afloat, she rented a musty, cramped camper at a local RV park. She was embarrassed and discouraged by her surroundings. She cringed one day as she overheard someone ask her little boy if he wished they had a real home.

But her grimace was replaced with a tear and a smile when she heard him give this reply: “We do have a real home; we just don’t have a house to put it in.”

Maybe you’re not happy where you are and want more. But no matter how bad things look or how long the journey to get where you want to be is, don’t get so focused on the future that you miss the good things you have right now.

God has a good plan for your future—but He has also sprinkled gifts and blessings in the life you have now. Make sure your eyes—and heart—are open to see them.

Even if his house was only a trailer, the little boy saw what was real and what mattered. His faith, love, and optimism created something that was real in the here and now.

God sets the lonely in families.

Psalm 68:6

Excerpted from A Daybook of Grace (published by Fall River Press, 2014). Created by Mark Gilroy. Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other fine booksellers.

Mark Gilroy June 4, 2014

Can You Transform Your Life From the Outside-In?

What happens when a homeless vet meets a hair stylist? And what does that have to do with personal transformation? Watch and you will be amazed.

Some would argue that true transformation only happens inside of us – it’s a matter of the heart. Others point to the outside and argue that if you change a person’s external circumstances that person has a much better opportunity to become a new person from the inside out.

I am a firm believer that there is a God who created the world and who is the giver of all gifts, including faith and the ability for us to make decisions that change us for the better or the worse. We are designed to be active participants in who we are and the person we are becoming.

For that reason, my answer on whether life is transformed from the inside or the outside is YES. [Read more…]

Mark Gilroy June 3, 2014

The Secret to Getting Rich Fast

If you want to get rich fast –

rework your budget and cut out some extras and immediately grow richer in your ability to save and invest.
invite new neighbors to your house for dinner and immediately grow richer in hospitality.
read a great book and immediately grow richer in knowledge.
introduce your child to a new hobby you can work on together and grow richer as a parent.
find a way each day this next week to practice a random act of kindness and grow richer in kindness.
write a check to a ministry or charity you believe in and grow richer in generosity.
think of a friend who is going through a tough time, write him or her a heartfelt note to say how much you believe in them, and grow richer in encouragement.
forgive someone who wronged you and immediately grow richer in grace.
volunteer to help at a homeless shelter and immediately grow richer in compassion.
make a list of as many of your blessings as you can think of and grow richer in gratitude.
spend time in prayer and immediately grow richer in your relationship with God.

We usually think of getting rich fast as getting more money. Cultivate the right habits and that just might happen. But the first step in growing rich is knowing what matters most to you. Then you can pursue dreams and riches that reflect your values.