Rodney A. Winters

It Gets Better From Here

Rodney Winters — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:11:19 +0000

Although my last name is Winters, summer is my favorite season of the year. Living my whole life in northern Ohio, I have become acclimated to the sub-zero temperatures that are common in January and February, and the multiple inches of snow. However, I prefer the warm weather and long summer days of July and August. Today is the Winter Solstice – the day in the northern hemisphere with the least hours of sunlight. When I think about December 21, I am encouraged as I think about the fact that from this day until late June, the days are getting longer.

You may be like many people, and are going through one of the darkest times in your life. Today is your winter solstice. Be encouraged. It gets better from here!

Choice Day

Rodney Winters — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:53:57 +0000

Today is Election Day in the U.S. People all across America are voting on local school levies, referenda, amendments, judges, governors, etc. Voters will be making many important choices; some of which will have long-lasting impact. In actuality, every day is “election day”. Every day we make choices that affect our futures. Many of us are dealing with the consequences of choices and decisions made some time ago. Where we are today has much to do with choices we have made in the past. Some decisions are easy, while others require much thought, consideration and prayer.

Even after facing a major disappointment such as a divorce, job loss or family crisis, we still have a choice as to how we deal with the negative situation. Will it be happiness or self-pity? Forgiveness or bitterness? As I state in Go Into The House, “we can choose to ‘join the festivities’ or remain isolated.” Let’s make positive choices so that we can do everything in our power to position ourselves for a better tomorrow. Happy Choice Day!

Halftime

Rodney Winters — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:00:41 +0000

At July 1, we are halfway through 2011 (actually day 183). It seems as if time has flown by. It feels like we just celebrated the new year. Before we know it, Christmas will be here and we’ll be welcoming 2012. Have you accomplished your goals for the year? Are you making progress? The midpoint is a good place to access where we are and determine how well we’ve done at achieving our goals. It is much like halftime at a basketball game. What has gone well? What needs to be improved? The first half may have been tough, but we still have another half to go. Take a few moments to rest and gather your thoughts. Don’t give up! It’s not too late to reach the goal. Success may require making some adjustments or changing the strategy.

There’s the buzzer. It’s time for the second half to begin. Let’s go team!

Right Expectations

Rodney Winters — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 04:52:46 +0000

We often enter into situations—particularly relationships—with the wrong expectations. We can be surprised by an outcome when our expectations have been too low, or disappointed when expectations were too high. We can hope things will be a certain way, but they don’t always work out as we imagine they will. It could be that we fail to communicate our expectations to the other party. We can’t assume that other people know what our needs and desires are. Some people intentionally set their expectations low in an effort to avoid disappointment, but this still leads to unfulfillment and dissatisfaction.

Whether our expectations are high or low, if we’re honest, we must admit that we have them. Setting high goals is important, but we must also be realistic. Having the right expectation often involves doing the research necessary to obtain all the facts. The more you know about a particular situation, the more realistic your expectation will be.

What goal do you have? Gather all the information you can. Be honest about your expectation. Share it with those affected. This will help you achieve your objective. I’d like to hear what you think. Please take the monthly poll and feel free to post a comment.

More Featured Authors

Rodney Winters — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:46:05 +0000

I continue to meet many inspiring Christian authors. Here are four more authors and their books:

Amanda Stephan – The Price of Trust

Carly Richards is on the run. For the last two years, she’s skipped from town to town, ducking her dangerous and well-informed ex-fiance every few weeks, never settling anywhere for long. With the death of her parents, Carly’s vulnerability made her trust a man with an attractive facade. Now that same man has tracked her across the country, always nipping at her heels, preventing her from reaching out to anyone other than her God. Now she’s in Montana, and surely that is far enough away from Texas and her abusive past that she can rest. But her emotional scars are reluctant to heal, and Carly resists the friendliness of those in the small town she lights upon, especially handsome farmer Joe Baird. Without a car and money though, she has little choice but to dig in and begin building back up her savings so she can run once more.

Caught in the circumstances, the kind people around her begin to creep into her softening heart. God is at work, and she has to trust him to not only take care of her, but care for the the people she is learning to love. Carly must learn the Price of Trust.
www.thepriceoftrust.com

Gail Dudley – Ready To Pray

In her latest book, Ready To Pray, Gail Dudley shares the life lessons that the Lord has poured into her life through her spiritual journey with Him. Whether these were seasons of joy, seasons of sorrow, seasons of want or seasons of plenty, the Lord has been working in Gail’s life for many years, teaching her the disciplines of prayer and the power that comes through the life of someone who is obedient to calling on Him during all of life’s challenges.
http://www.mimtoday.com

Maurice Huff – The Choice That Haunts Forever

The Choice That Haunts Forever is about a young boy who is given permission by the Creator to come to Earth and confront the father who made the CHOICE to have an abortion. This narrative captures the imagination of the reader and culminates in the reality of God’s grace, and loving forgiveness. As a bonus, the story is told from a male’s perspective.
http://thechoicethathauntsforever.com

Teresa Ann Winton – Pieces of the Pearl: Memoirs of a Foster Child’s Triumphant Transformation

This book tells the true-life story of Teresa Ann Winton, who invites you to journey into the depths of her soul where a vulnerable and profoundly sad little girl once lived. Teresa’s unstable home left her exposed to abuse, poverty, and neglect. Foster care, a system meant to help the helpless, brought even more trauma and loss. But in spite of it all, Teresa forged ahead, refusing to succumb to despair.

In this poignant story, the author interlaces poetry and narrative, sharing her joys and sorrows, her triumphs and tears.

A second book, Tears in the Lilies, is due to release in spring 2011.
http://www.tatepublishing.com

Crop Failure: A Good Thing?

Rodney Winters — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 08:15:50 +0000

I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase, “you reap what you sow.” This is based on the biblical principle found in Galatians 6:7-9. This expression is often associated with negative situations, but it also applies positively. Yes, we reap consequences for sin, but we also reap blessings for doing the right things. If we plant seeds of kindness and love, we should expect to receive the same in return. Therefore, we do have an important part to play in our harvest, although God ultimately controls the outcome. A farmer who plants corn expects to reap corn at harvest time.

However, one of the truths about harvesting is that there is sometimes crop failure. While crop failure is usually unwelcome, it is not always a bad thing. In Jeremiah 12:13, God’s people sowed wheat and reaped thorns due to their sin. But crop failure can be a good thing when we have sown evil seeds. Because of God’s mercy, He does not always give us what we deserve. Even though we’re guilty, He may choose to lighten our consequences. There have been times when I have been in the wrong, but God has shown mercy on me. Thank God that sometimes the bad seeds we plant get choked out by weeds. I’m grateful that sometimes the sun scorches our bad seedlings or frost destroys the harmful plants that have spouted.

Take a moment today to thank God for His mercy.

Happy Thanksgiving

Rodney Winters — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 06:22:31 +0000

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 107:1 (NIV)

Divorce Recovery Workshop

Rodney Winters — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 02:23:28 +0000

Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. This time of year is particularly difficult for people dealing with the pain of a divorce. Emotions tend to be heightened during this period, making people more aware of their feelings. Beginning in January 2011, I will be conducting Divorce Recovery Workshops to help individuals work through the healing process. I bring the perspective of a man who has gone through the experience with compassion for those who are still hurting.

Topics include: Disappointment, Forgiveness, and Moving On.

The first workshop will be in my home area – Cleveland/Akron, OH. If you are interested in hosting a workshop in your area, please contact me.

The Word

Rodney Winters — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 04:25:22 +0000

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.Proverbs 3:5,6 (NASB)

Forgiveness: A Key to Recovery

Rodney Winters — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:04:58 +0000

I believe one of the keys to recovering from failure is experiencing forgiveness from those we have hurt. Unfortunately this is not always possible. Those individuals we have offended may be unwilling to forgive. They may no longer be alive. One can still, however, experience God’s forgiveness. It only requires repentance and confession on our part.

One must also be willing to be on the giving end of forgiveness. We should forgive others just as we have been forgiven by God. We cannot afford to fall into the trap of bitterness. Extending forgiveness is not so much for the person who has wronged us, as it is for ourselves. Many times the person that we are holding hostage with our unforgiveness is not even aware or affected by it. We are the ones who are being eaten up on the inside by our resentment. We lose sleep, experience health issues, or become agitated when we think about what that person has done to us. We need to release that person and trust God to make things right.