It's All About The Stories

Originally Featured in The Javien Chronicles #40

Of my many observations of my wife and other women there are two things I’ve learned. One women get frazzled easily and two they get way to many headaches. One main reason I find that they get jolted easily is that they forget to eat.

I’m a guy and in my many conversations with other men I don’t think I’ve ever heard a man say, “I forgot to eat.” Now guys aren’t perfect, we have our issues too, but if women would just learn from this they could function a lot better.

Much like women most Christians today neglect to eat (spending time in the God’s Word). You see trials and tribulations come to us all but it’s those who eat often that function at a higher level.

You see the Bible says in Matthew 6:33 to “Seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” The Bible also says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray continually…” The Bible says to eat early and eat often. One pastor was once asked, “How long should I pray?” He answered, “I only pray for 15 minutes, but I never go an hour without praying.”

Most health books recommend one should eat every 2-3 hours (5 to 6 small meals a day). Just like the Word says eat and eat often (small portions).

When one waits to eat they are easily irritated and can’t function properly. Once they can’t take it they reach for the nearest source of food and gorge out hoping the pain will go away. Many Christians too wait to eat. They usually wait until they can’t handle their situation before the call for help.

If only we would just discipline ourselves to eat and eat frequently we could handle the fussy kids, all the errands, and the trials and tribulations of life.

Food nourishes our body so that we could handle our daily tasks. The Word of God nourishes our spirit so that we could handle what the world throws at us.

You see food doesn’t take the daily tasks away it just makes it easier to deal with just like praying doesn’t take away the trials it just makes them easier to handle.

When you can handle things you rule in life. If you want to rule in life eat and eat often. Seek the kingdom of God and pray without ceasing.

God Bless,

Orlando Javien Jr., Author

“Remember knowledge is useless if not applied.”

“If you do nothing, you’ve gained nothing.”

“Change without change is not change.” – Creflo Dollar

Originally Featured in The Javien Chronicles #35

The other night as I was going up to bed I noticed that the ottoman was out of place. Instead of it being in the middle of the living room, it was right by the stairs. I could have easily taken 2 seconds to move it to the right place but instead I brushed the task of for tomorrow.

A few hours later in a hurry to get my day started I ran down the stairs and right into the ottoman. After grimacing in pain for a moment I started to laugh at myself. I was laughing because it was my fault. If I took the time to move the obstacle yesterday, I would have reached my destiny (the kitchen) more smoothly.

That humbling experience reminds me that I can reach my goals a lot more smoothly if I only remove the obvious obstacles today. The most obvious obstacles that hinder success are the television, the internet, addictions, poor time management, disorganization and the most deadly of all is fear.

If you want to reach your destiny smoothly I recommend you examine your life. Are any of the obvious obstacles hindering your success. If so then move them. Move them today that way you can arrive with less bruises.

Originally Featured in The Javien Chronicles #34

When I first lost my job earlier this year I counseled with my buddy Eric. Since he worked in the HR department I figured he could help me find a job.

I asked him how much I could make if I applied for a non-managerial job. A job that didn’t involve me supervising anybody. A job that I could just do and collect a paycheck.

He replied, “You could make $40,000 to $50,000 a year.” I was surprised with his answer so I asked, “What about closer to $100,000?” He replied, “Those positions are reserved for the leaders.”

Why did I inquire about a non-leadership role? It should be obvious that I didn’t want to manage anybody. I just wanted to do my job and be on my way.

All my life I’ve tried to avoid leadership roles but for some reason they keep knocking on my door. Fear has been my main roadblock to accepting the challenges put before me. Fear that I will look foolish, fear that no one will follow, fear that I would fail.

Now that I’ve learned how to get past my fears, I can now take on the challenges that lay before me.

One of the most important things I learned about leadership is the “Me First” attitude. Before I can ask anyone to do anything I must do it first. Before I ask my kids to eat their veges, I must eat mine first. Before I ask my wife to clean the house, I must do it first. Before I ask anyone to walk like Jesus walked, I must do it first.

The “Do as I say, not as I do” mentality is out the door once you decide to follow Christ. Once you grab hold of the “Me First” attitude your journey with Christ will be a lot easier to understand.

Originally Featured in The Javien Chronicles #30

Today I want to share with you a story about FEAR!

One night during a very deep sleep my wife abruptly woke me up. In a frantic voice she said, “I heard a noise downstairs. Check what it is!”

Instead of jumping out of bed and rushing downstairs, I lay there frozen. I couldn’t move. All I could do was think about what could happen. I was wondering if I had enough time to get a weapon. I was wondering if they had a weapon. I was wondering if they were going to hurt my wife and kids.

I was overcome with FEAR. False Expectations Appearing Real flooded my mind.

When I finally had the nerve to check it out, it was just the ice machine.

Fear is a major roadblock in many people’s lives.
Fear prevents one from starting a business or changing careers. Fear prevents one from asking a girl out or committing to marriage. Fear prevents one from realizing their true potential.

To overcome Fear you need to know where it comes from. Fear is of the devil. How do I know? The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” So if Fear didn’t come from God then it came from the evil one.

If you want to be free of fear then go to the Word. Seek out the answers to your troubles. You see when you allow fear to rule your mind then the devil is in control, but when you release faith that God will help you through your situation then you allow God to have control.

Listen to the audio below to help you overcome your fear of failure.

Audio: Overcoming the Fear of Failure -Jentezen Franklin, Free Chapel, Atlanta

God Bless,

Orlando Javien Jr.

This story was from my friend Kyle

Malachi 3:3 says: ‘He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.’ This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: ‘He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.’ She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, ‘How do you know when the silver is fully refined?’ He smiled at her and answered, Oh, that’s easy — when I see my image in it.’

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them. And, whatever they’re going through, they’ll be a better person in the end. ‘Life is a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once.’

Originally Featured in The Javien Chronicles #16

Oh how I enjoy writing to you all. Believe it or not after writing this article I will be sitting eagerly waiting to write to you again.

Today I want to share with you some business wisdom. As I’ve mentioned before I lost my job earlier this year. As a result of my displacement from the job market I decided to make use of all the books I’ve bought over the years. The books on how to start a business, how to be a trusted adviser, and how to get out of the rat race.

My journey has been far from perfect. There are moments when I feel like I’m doing the right thing. Then other times when I feel like quitting and going out to get a real job.

When I was an employee of a company I worked X amount of hours then made X amount of dollars. I worked my hours and got paid, guaranteed money.

Now as a business owner I have to find my own clients and work. Basically, I need to fish for my own food.

In my journey I’ve learned some great lessons. The lessons are great because they can be used if you own a business or not.

First of all you must DECIDE to change. I’ve had many conversations with people who disliked their lot in life. They are tired of the extra pounds and dissatisfied with their job.

When it comes down to it, you can think about it and you can talk about it. True change will be birthed when you stand up and say, “I’m sick and tired of my situation!” “I will no longer take it anymore!” Say it and say it with purpose.

The next step is to PLAN. You need a plan. Remember, “A man without a plan is like a ship without a sail.” or “If you fail to plan then you plan to fail.”

You need to first write down where your are in life. Next write down where you want to be. Then write out what it will take to get there. Without a clearly defined plan you will just be floating out in the middle of the ocean.

Finally you need to TAKE ACTION. You see you can decide to go to Hawaii. You can plan out your trip. But if you never buy your ticket and get on the boat, you’ll never get there. All you will have is a dream.

All of the above seems easy enough. Your probably thinking I can do all that. I leave you with one more piece of advice. Get a mentor or accountability partner. Share your journey with others and ask for their help. Not only is it more helpful to have a coach, it is also more enjoyable to share your successes with others.

Originally Featured in The Javien Chronicles #15

I recently had a conversation with a dear friend about the effectiveness of silent prayer. It seems like an insignificant issue on the surface but when you dig deep in God’s word you can see that it does matter.

You see God is the great creator of this earth. If God is all powerful then why did He have to say, “Let there be light?” (Genesis 1:3) Couldn’t God just think light or snap his finger? No, He said it to demonstrate to us that there is power in what we say. God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3) He didn’t think, ponder, or mumble it. He said it with purpose. He said it out loud.

Like I mentioned in a previous article, our words have power. In Proverbs 18:21 it says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…”

So in order to breathe life into our prayers we must say them out loud and with purpose. You see we are meant to have a relationship with God. A relationship requires a conversation between two people with an expectation that the other will respond.

Some might say that God doesn’t answer prayers. But indeed He does. Sometimes He says yes, sometimes no, and sometimes He says wait.

I look at it this way. I have a relationship with my wife. If I want to keep it growing I must converse with her daily (when I wake up, before meals, before I go to sleep, and any other time that we are together). Just thinking I love her isn’t going to cut it. I must say it and then prove it in my actions.

The same goes for my relationship with God. I must say I love Him and prove it daily activities.

Originally Featured in The Javien Chronicles #13

Last week my wife and I went on a double date with my little brother Joe and his wife Krystal. We were supposed to triple date but the other couple backed out because of a lack of funds.

We both thought that was very responsible on their part. The funny thing is both of us said finances were tight and we went anyways. Our perspective was that we were doing our part to stimulate the economy.

After dinner I watched a sermon from Matthew Hagee of Cornerstone Church, San Antonio, Texas. The message totally convicted me. His message was about the difference between increased seed and a harvest.

He referenced 2 Cor 9:10 “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”

In summary, If what I have doesn’t meet my need then I have seed. If it meets my need then it is a harvest. Lets say I have a need of $5,000 but only have $20. In that case my $20 is my seed. Now if God multiplies my $20 to $500 then he increased my seed 25 times. Lets say I take that $500 and take my beautiful wife to a fancy restaurant like Ruth’s Chris. We give thanks to God for the blessings and enjoy our dinner. A couple of days later as I am reviewing my finances I say to God, “Where is the $5,000 I’ve been asking for?” God will reply to me, “You ate your seed.”

Originally Featured in The Javien Chronicles #12

It’s funny how the Holy Spirit works. I already had my article written out but last night in a dark moment of despair an even better story was birthed.

A conversation with a dear friend helped to lift me out of the valley I was in. The words he expressed were very comforting. Friend if you are reading this, Thank You!

Our conversation later turned to religion. He expressed his tarnished views due to an offensive action of a so called Christian.

I have actually encountered many that have fallen away from church for that same reason. I am writing this only because I believe my Jesus was misrepresented.

You see when we profess ourselves as Christians we need to realize that we are representing Jesus Christ. When we receive salvation we are called to repent of our sins (ask for forgiveness of our sins and change our ways to not fall into sin again). We are then called to take up our cross (die to our worldly ways and allow Christ to live through us). Then we are called to be the light of the world (allow God’s light, His grace and mercy to reflect onto others from our being).

So to those who have been offended I hope to convey this message: You will be offended. Luke 17:1 says, “It is impossible that no offenses should come!”

Who more likely to offend you than those that are close to you (church leaders or members, family or friends). Realize this that they may be professing their Christianity but it’s their action that is offensive not the Christ they profess to know.

I pray this that all those offended will forgive their offenders. You see when we withhold forgiveness it is like drinking poison hoping the other person would die.

Remember forgiveness is not forgetting something happened. Forgiveness is saying, “God, I can’t endure this offense. Please take it from me so I can continue to walk in the way of the Lord.”

Originally Featured in The Javien Chronicles #10

I had an awesome weekend! On Sunday I had my preaching debut at Acts 2 Christian Fellowship in Poplar, California. I’d like to thank the church and Pastor Denis for allowing me to share my story.

For the most part I think a did pretty good. Especially for my first time. Was I perfect? Far from it. There are definitely places I need to work on. At least I now have a starting point to which to improve upon.

That brings me to my next issue, planning to succeed. I hear from many people that they want to lose weight or they want to start their own company. 9 times out of 10 those who I spoke to end up quitting before they even begin.

The main reason most people fail is because they didn’t plan to succeed. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” “A man without a plan is like a ship without a sail.” Seems easy enough but with time always slipping by we tend to just go for the shortcut like diet pills, liposuction, get rich quick schemes, or the lottery.

If we truly desire to lose weight or start a business we must put in the time to plan. 1st write down your desired result (i.e. reduce body fat by 5% or build a business that brings in $10,000 per month). If you don’t write it down how can you measure your progress.

2nd write down what it will take to attain your goal (i.e. exercise, eat well balanced meals, make 20 phone calls per  day, follow up with clients). It is necessary to write down the steps necessary to attain your goal. This is important so that when you fail, yes you will fail, you can determine why you failed, correct the issue and keep moving forward.

Finally create milestones and celebrate your victories. Write down that you will buy yourself a new shirt or an Ipod when you lose 1% of body fat or bring in $1,000/month in income for your business. Make attaining your goal fun. Remember, it’s all about the journey.