It never fails. Every three or four months of the year, our televisions, magazines, and internet homepages are bombarded with information on how another one of our celebrity role models have been cast out to the depths of social and professional hell because of a revealing secret from their personal lives. Months ago, it was Chris Brown being cast down for his violent rant with R&B singer, Rihanna. Many months before that, we experienced Michael Vick being publically and legally scrutinized for his involvement in dog fighting. And now, we have Tiger Woods being put on exhibit for several extra-marital affairs.

Tiger Woods? Say it isn’t so. Not Tiger. Not the man that has single-handedly brought golf to the forefront of urban America. Not the lone athlete to ever reach billionaire status. Not the man that has brought a resurgence to a sport that has since been reserved for the likes of wealthy retirees. Not Tiger. Say it isn’t so. What are we to do? What is this world coming to? In the words of Chris Rock, in the movie Boomerang, “First the Fat Boys break up and now this…” And as I now check my cell phone, examining the sixth forwarded text message sent to me jokingly describing how Tiger should now change his name to ‘Cheet-ah’, I simply hang my head and ask, “Where’s the love? Where’s the compassion?”

For years, we have watched these individuals captivate audiences around the world as they demonstrate their superior athletic and/or entertainment prowess. We’ve celebrated their successes and mourned during their defeats. We’ve supported them publically while desiring to be like them privately. For whatever reason, over the years, many of us have latched onto these individuals and have glorified their triumphs as if they were our own–only to join in on the public castration when they seem to fall from our social graces. Where’s the love? Where’s the compassion?

Don’t get me wrong. I am not making excuses for any of the actions that some of these individuals have done. However, joining in on the public tirade all under the guise of ’showing compassion to those that deserve it’ or under the charade of our religious morals is just plain wrong. How can we show true love and compassion for one and not the other? And in Michael Vick’s case, the one that we decided to display our compassion toward were a group of dogs. Is this even compassion, or have we merely begun to display our propensities to act as the proverbial fan and root for the social underdog (no pun intended)? Isn’t it those same religious morals that teach us to pick a fellow person up when they have fallen? Have we, too, not fallen? Where’s the love? Where’s the compassion? As I come to a close and encourage you to lend your hearts to those in need, I leave you with the words of the famous proverb, “Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” Better yet, in support of our loudly touted religious morals, I leave you with the immortal words of Jesus, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone…” (John 8:7)

Therefore, whomever we may find in a fallen state, I encourage us all to pick them up. Refrain from basking in the enjoyment of their public humiliation because we never know when that person will soon be us.

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All I can say is, “Wow!” It has been almost 7 months since I have posted a blog entry. What was initially supposed to be a brief two week break from writing, turned into a near seven month hiatus. And what better time to resume my regular writing schedule days after a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Well, since it has been so long, I guess the proper thing to do would be to let you know what I have been up to. Over the past several months, I have been really focused on expanding the reach of the CLK Empowerment Institute. I have added a few new offerings to our services, changed the format of the radio show, launched a national tour, and now am preparing to go into TV. And in the spirit of the holiday season, I can truly say that I am both, blessed and thankful. As I continue to reflect upon the happenings of 2010, my excitement continues to grow because I know that what God did in 2009 is just the beginning. I know that my 2010 will not end like my 2009 and for that I am also thankful.

This past year was a great one for me and the CLK Empowerment Institute. Despite the economic conditions, the rising unemployment rates, and the many other obstacles that life threw at me this year, I can honestly recognize that the hand of God was on my life. His favor was definitely upon me. And as I continue with my end of year reflection, there’s one question that must be answered, “What did I do differently in 2009 that made it such a wonderful year?”

Much like any other year, I began 2009 the same way–set goals, write them down, and commit to achieving them. However, if I were to truly examine the changes that I made within my life this year, I would have to acknowledge one that, by far, made all the difference in the world. I simply moved out of my own way and began to let God use me the way that He saw fit. His will became my will and I just asked Him to use me to reach those that He would have me to reach. But most of all, I let Him and I plan to do the same thing in 2010.

Message: Many of us have been struggling to take our lives to that next level, only to be our own biggest obstacle. As we go into the next year, I challenge you to get out of your own way and begin to let God use you. I promise what He has for you is much greater than you can imagine or achieve on your own.

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Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday to me…For those of you that don’t know, last week, I celebrated my 7th anniversary of my 25th birthday. That means that I am 32. And like most 21 year olds, I still engage in the practice of celebrating my birthday for the rest of the month. That means that I am still accepting gifts (preferably cash and money orders). Just kidding. But seriously, as I celebrate another year of life, I am forced to, once again, examine the lessons that I have learned over the past 365 days. Therefore, I have listed The Top 10 Things That I Learned Over the Past Year. Enjoy.

10. Everyone wants to be associated with progress.
I have not met a person yet that does not desire progress. However progress is defined for you, I understand that many of us are in search of it. The struggle comes because many of us don’t know what we’re progressing towards and therefore, can’t measure or recognize it.

9. Oftentimes to move forward, we must first move away.
It’s now been a year since I moved from Houston to Dallas. Personally, it was probably one of the toughest things that I had to encounter last year. But spiritually, it was the best thing that happened to me because it removed me from the confines of my comfort zone.

8. Life begins with the acceptance and understanding of truth.

7. Many people operate under the belief of loving things and using people. But to truly achieve excellence, we must love people and use things.
By understanding this concept, my relationships took on new meaning.

6. Life is a series of relationships, all mirroring the model set by our vertical relationship with God.
Your natural relationships is often an illustration of your spiritual relationship. Stay tuned for more on this.

5. The pain of love lost is temporarily great, but the total absence of love initiates death.
I can’t imagine not knowing how to love or how to receive love. I can’t believe I didn’t learn this one earlier. But I am glad that I learned it.

4. Being called weird is a great compliment because it indicates that my actions and thoughts are not like everyone else’s, which is the beginning of achieving excellence, success, and happiness.
Thank you to those that thought I was weird.

3. Most of our issues simply begin with what we believe. Change your belief systems and you will change your life.
To learn more about belief systems, listen to my radio show episode, “Breaking Out of Your Box – Part 2”

2. When pursuing your purpose, the fear of inaction is greater than the fear of failure.
With purpose comes greater accountability. Now, I have no choice in the matter. But what’s great is that I enjoy doing the things that I was created for.

1. No matter what the sacrifice…the blessing is always greater!

Let me know what you think.

CLK

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Last year around this time, I found myself writing a heartfelt dedication to all of the mothers of the world. If you happened to miss last year’s Mother’s Day post, you may check it out here: www.christopherlking.com/blog/2008/05/10/dear-mama/
Now, exactly 12 months later, I find myself here again, excited to pay homage to those that have dedicated their lives to us all—our mothers. And while I no longer have my mother here to physically thank for all of her sacrifices, I still am thankful for the time that I was able to spend with her. As a matter of fact, I am even thankful for the times that she disciplined me and believe me there were several times that she found herself using the rod. So, to show my thanks for those special moments, I have decided to honor my mother by compiling a top 10 list of things that I remember about her discipline. So, without further ado, here is:

The Top 10 Statements of Discipline From Mrs. King

10. “I pay the cost to be the boss.” – Apparently, it was an expensive price to pay to be the boss and she never let me forget it. In my teenage years, I actually tried paying for some bills so I could say the same thing. But then she quickly went to #6.

9. “I brought you in this world and I can take you out.” – I think this is a classic. I am sure that I wasn’t the only one that heard this one.

8. “Chris, sit your narrow butt down!” – Hey, what can I say? I was a really skinny kid.

7. “ Only monkeys and babies are cute. Are you a monkey? Are you a baby?” – I still think this one is hilarious.

6. SMACK! – I know this isn’t a statement, but it was heard quite often in the King household. Just ask my older brother. LOL!

5. “As long as you live in my house, you will follow my rules.” – Another classic that I quickly tried to challenge when I went off to college.

4. “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” – I never knew why she told us this. Was she thinking about abandoning us? Who knows. All I know is that this one still cracks up my cousin Jeff.

3. “I’m gon’ beat you from amazing grace to floatin’ opportunity!” – Don’t ask. I still have not figured this one out. What in the H-LL does this mean? If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

2. “I’m gonna crucify you and hang you on the cross!” – This one literally scared me almost to death. This is a crazy statement. Who, in their right mind, says this?

1. “I only do this because I love you.” – I didn’t understand it at the time. But now, I truly appreciate everything she did. She was right. The sacrifices, the discipline, and the many lessons were all done because she loved us. Thank you, mom. I love you.

To all of the mothers out there…We truly thank you for the hard work that you put in. There is absolutely no way that we can discount what you do. For that, we truly love you.

Let me know your thoughts.

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CLK

You know, as I progress with my writings and my career, I begin to realize that the work of motivational speakers and some members of the clergy has seemed to lean more to the side of motivation and less on the end of empowerment. What’s the difference? Well, motivation seeks to entertain and make you temporarily feel good in your current state, while empowerment strives to provide you with the tools and resources to move you to a better state. With that thought in mind, it is with the intent of empowerment that I write this blog. I hope it empowers you as it has me. Enjoy.

As much as I attempt to refrain from sounding like a traditional motivational speaker, there is one popular principle that I do agree with. It is the thought that says that the level of your belief is reflected by your level of achievement. In other words, you can never achieve more than what you can believe. Better yet, let me put it like this, “If you can believe it, you can achieve it.” And while I may adhere to this school of thought, I also recognize that it’s limiting in the fact that it is not very empowering. Yes, this thought has, at times, gotten people energized and excited but has failed to empower nearly as many people as it has seemed to motivate, as many of us still seem to suffer from stagnant periods of depression and discontent. But while I may, somewhat, subscribe to the idea that you cannot achieve what you do not believe, I also understand that the power of this thought is not in what is said, but is in what is unsaid. Simply put, I understand that the success and level of your achievement does not reside in the belief of your ability, but instead is held in the belief of your identity. That’s right; your overall success is dependent upon your belief of who you are.

Over the years, I have unknowingly allowed society and various individuals define who I am. I am not good enough to do this. I am not smart enough to do that. Over the years, I have let the social norms and things spoken to me by others limit my opportunities, halt my progress, and worse, infect my mind with undesirable images of myself. The problem that this has created is that as I inadvertently accepted these thoughts as truth, my actions corresponded with the very thoughts that I had of myself, thereby limiting me to undesirable levels of achievement and discontent in my life. It is because of this that many of us are unable to have successful relationships, unable to trust, and are plagued by the fear of moving to the next levels of our lives. With that in mind, I would like to make a slight adjustment to the principle that so many others publicly recite: “The level of your achievement will never supersede the belief of your identity.” Therefore, I encourage us all to begin to develop a new understanding of who you are. For the next forty days, I challenge you to recite these few things about yourself at least three times per day:

1. I am accepted.
2. My past is my past. I have been redeemed.
3. I am loved.
4. I have been created with purpose.
5. I am secure.
6. I am free from condemnation.
7. I am significant.

Of course, there is more. Feel free to email me for a list of all of the statements and scriptures that will truly help you in creating a new understanding of your identity.

Let me know your thoughts.

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CLK

Seeing that I haven’t posted an entry in over a month, I guess I should extend my pleasantries to everyone by saying that I hope you all experienced a joyous and a happy Easter (Resurrection) weekend. I have always found the sites of America’s churches to be quite interesting on Easter Sunday. White dresses, decorative “church” hats, and kids tightly gripping their neon colored easter baskets seem to adorn the church walls like new decorative wallpaper. While, to some, this may be a pleasant site, the most interesting thing, to me, is the immediate surge of attendance that many churches experience on this day. In anticipation of the rise in attendance, some churches around the country have begun to hold their Easter services in professional sports arenas. And for the record, I am not one that looks down on this phenomenon, as I believe that it is a good thing that so many people choose to go to church, even if it is just for that day. Maybe they will hear something in that day that compels them to make more regular appearances. However, on this Easter Sunday, I was quickly reminded of my childhood and the similarities of my church-going experiences.

As a child, I grew up in the church. No, seriously. I really grew up in the church. On Monday, there was practice for the church drill (dance) team. Tuesday, we had a midweek church service. Thursday was choir rehearsal. Saturday, we often had other activities that may have involved the church. And finally on Sunday, there was Sunday School and regular church service. We then would eat dinner, many times at the church, only to return for an evening service. So, like I said…I grew up in the church. As a matter of fact, by the time I was in college, I thought that I was going to Heaven simply based on time served. Well with that background, you may be asking, “How is that similar to the sporadic attendance to those that seem to only attend on Easter Sunday?” Well, let me explain.

Although I spent the majority of my childhood living in the pews of St. Agnes Missionary Baptist Church, my reasons for doing so were similar to many others–obligation. In other words, I only attended church because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do. It sounded right. However, despite the amount of time that I spent in church, I still felt that my life was out of control. I still wondered why I failed to experience true happiness. I still struggled to overcome my internal battles and issues. But most of all, I continued to feel as if my life was undergoing an inexplicable and hopeless cycle. It was when I realized this that I made the decision that religion wasn’t doing it for me. Sure, I believed in God and that would continue. However, there had to be a way to experience the joy and happiness that I had heard so much about. Surely, there was an answer to all of the questions that haunted me on a daily basis. Well, there was…

In all of my questions, prayers, and conversations, I learned that there was a big difference between religion and relationship. Prior to that time, I had been attending church out of obligation, involving myself in the practices of the religion. However, the answers to all of my questions, the joy that I sought, and the break from that hopeless cycle was to be found in a solid relationship with God. So, here are the steps that I took to accomplish this:

1) Possess a desire to be in a relationship. The first step is to have a genuine desire to be in a relationship. If you are like me, the answers that I sought avoided me for so long that it began to make me miserable and lonely. This misery alone was enough for me to desire relationship.
2) You must have an experience. No relationship has ever existed without an experience. In this experience, you basically acknowledge the value that the relationship would have in your life and ASK for the relationship to be established. Yes, I said “Ask.” Let God know that you desire to be in relationship with Him.
3) Transparent communication. This occurs through prayer. However, when you pray, open your heart. You can’t hide from God, so stop trying.
4) Service. Every successful relationship involves service. In this, you develop the mind and heart to serve Him whom you are in relationship with. You understand what’s important to Him and begin to do those things because of the love that you now have.
5) Spend quality time. Continue to spend quality time through communication with Him.

These steps may sound a lot like many people’s list to obtain a successful physical relationship. That’s because it is. However, although we may know the steps to achieve successful physical relationships, we do not know how to implement them. An understanding on how to implement these steps come from establishing and understanding them through a spiritual relationship. So, for those of you that spent your Easter Sunday in church, that’s good. But I challenge you to move past the traditions of religion into a relationship. I promise, your life will begin to move to new levels.

Let me know your thoughts.

CLK

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During the entire month of February, I had the pleasure of broadcasting a lenghty and informative series on relationships on my internet talk show–The Real Talk Empowerment Commentaries. And while I am sure that some people had an expectation and even a slight desire for me to cover topics such as Who’s Your Daddy, or Why Do Men Cheat, and Dealing With Baby Mama Drama, out of the sanctity of true empowerment discussions, I am happy to report that I was able to omit such topics from the show’s lineup while still providing informative, exciting, and empowering discussions on the topics that matter to us most. Within the twelve part series, we were able to address topics such as The Truth About Love, The Stages of Relationships, Surviving Breakup & Divorce, and of course, Marriage. And although the response from our listening audience was overwhelmingly positive, at times, there seemed to be a level of disappointment that would overtake me.

During the month-long series, I was excited to receive many emails, phone calls, and messages referring to the broadcasts. However, in the midst of those messages, I noticed that a large percentage of them were from individuals hurting and confused about their personal relationships. But what disturbed me even more was how many of those messages expressed an underlying fear and in some cases, a disdain for the commitment of marriage. There were messages from individuals involved in current marriages expressing their unhappiness, messages from divorcees illustrating their fears of doing it again, and even worse, messages from singles questioning the purpose of marriage as they reflected on the unhappiness of their married counterparts. This disappointing experience quickly made me recall a recent incident that took place in my life.

While engaging in a brief discussion about the topic of marriage with one of my friends, I could easily recognize her desire and excitement to have that lifetime mate. Involved in a relationship at the time with someone that she truly cared about, I could detect that she had, at times, wondered how it would be to be married to her mate. And being the person that I am, I encouraged it. However, not more than 24 hours after our discussion, my friend calls me and begins to explain how in that short amount of time, she had been bombarded with stories of marital discontent by her friends. In the midst of her positive feelings on the thoughts of perhaps pursuing a marital relationship, she had been totally consumed with the negatives. Needless to say, those positive thoughts that she once had were overturned by thoughts of confusion as she then began to ask me, “What’s the point?” If all of these people are ending up divorced, if all of them are unhappy in marriage, what’s the point of marriage? Why would I go into something that I know that I am going to be unhappy in? And as much as I hate to say it, she was right. Based on what she had just experienced, her questions were justified. It was at that point that my disappointment had reached an all time high.

Not only are more marriages ending in divorce, but it seems that the same sentiments that my friend possessed are being experienced with individuals all across the nation, thereby causing the institute of marriage to undergo an obselescence that we can’t ignore. Over the years, marriage has gotten a bad reputation. And sadly enough, it has been created by–MARRIED FOLK. So many married individuals sit in barber shops, hair salons, on the telephones with friends promoting their unhappiness and encouraging others not to engage in such acts. And yes, I was one of them. But in the midst of our disdain for something that was intended to be so beautiful, we fail to inform our friends that what we are truly unhappy with is that we have come to the realization that we engaged in something that we did not quite understand. What I am saying is that most unhappy married couples are not unhappy with marriage, they are unhappy because they have now come face to face with the realization that they said “I do,” when they really meant “I don’t.” They are unhappy with the fact that they moved forward in something that they did not understand and had unrealistic expectations about and now those unrealistic expectations are not being met. They are unhappy with the fact that now they are forced to admit that they made a poor choice and that poor choice now is a reflection of their feelings and understanding of themselves. But even worse, they are too prideful to admit it and too afraid to correct it. So, yes, I am dissappointed in married folk. And yes, I include myself in that category because I, too, contributed to the negative reputation of marriage. So consider this a public service announcement. This is the beginning of the new marriage marketing campaign. Marriage is not bad. It’s great, especially when you have gained an understanding of who you are and what it was created to be.

Let me know your thoughts.

CLK

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Today, like millions of others around the world, I had the pleasure of watching Barack Obama officially become the 44th President of the United States. Although I privately watched this episode from the confines of my hotel room in Southern California, I must say that the electricity that I felt during his inaugural address was just as intense as if I was personally there by his side. But, the entire time that President Obama was speaking, I couldn’t help but imagine the many struggles that he had gone through to get to that point–the absence of his father, the death of his grandmother, being ostracized by others when he first emerged on the political scene, and not to mention the many death threats that he has received over the past two years of his campaign. Any of these, alone, would be enough to cause most of us to throw in our cards and say, “I quit.”

And while I quickly pondered over the potential sacrifices of Mr. Obama, I couldn’t help but wonder about the sacrifices of others that helped to propel our nation to this great period in history. Martin, Malcolm, Harriett, and Rosa, to name a few, all persevered during terrible times in which many of us would have thrown in the towel. And as I breifly pondered on the lives of these inspirational figures, I quickly wondered what were the details of their mental conversation during those times when they wanted to quit. How did they persevere when times were the toughest? Maybe if I could understand the message they received, or what helped them overcome those tough periods, I would be able to draw encouragement during my own periods of turmoil.

Over the course of my life, I have gone through many struggles. And while the old adage, “New levels, new devils,” remains to ring true in my life, I can’t help but cry out to God to carry me through what may currently be one of the most pivotal points in my life and in my spiritual walk. And while He has delivered me from many pits of turmoil before, now, I am in need of strength and encouragement to endure my most recent trials that truly make me want to quit. And just when I am almost convinced that I don’t have what it takes to endure my current struggles, I cry out, “God, I need you! Give me strength as this burden seems too great. I FEEL LIKE I AM ALL ALONE IN THIS! Lord, I need you! Help me, please.”

Assumingly like that of those that struggled before me, God answered my prayer with these words: “You have been called for a great purpose. Many are called, but few are chosen. You must know that I am with you always. And yes, I know it is not easy, BUT THE BLESSING IS GREAT!”

“…but the blessing is great.” Those words have been echoed in my mind for several hours. “…but the blessing is great!” While many people may think that the word blessing is only limited to financial well-being, I am encouraged in knowing that it also includes overwhelming peace and joy. I am strengthened by the realization that it also refers to the manifestation of the vision that God has given me. “The blessing is great.” These words shall encourage me through my current trials and into the next levels that God is preparing me for.

Like me, you may be experiencing a tough time, or new struggles, in your life. And while it may get tough, and you may want to quit, I encourage you by letting you know that just like those that persevered before us, we have been created with GREAT purpose. And though it may be hard at this time, the blessing is great.

For those of you that are going through a tough period, whether it be on your job, relationships, financial, or family, write me. Let me know what you are going through and let’s encourage each other and pray for one another.

Let me know your thoughts.

CLK

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HAPPY NEW YEAR, YA’LL! I am so excited. I honestly have never been this excited for a new year in my life. But as I write this posting, I am not sure whether my enthusiasm is caused by the exciting things that I expect to embark upon this year or if I am just thankful for the many things that God has done over the past year. Maybe it’s both. Besides, if in 2009 God does anything remotely close to what He did in 2008, it’s going to be a wonderful year indeed. Sure, 2008 was filled with economic crisis, political scandal, and natural disasters destroying cities around the globe. But despite those things, there were still some wonderful “miracles” experienced in 2008: 1) We participated in our nation regaining its voice as we elected the first African-American president of the United States. 2) We witnessed the NBA’s Eastern Conference regain its competitiveness with the rest of the league. For my basketball fans, that was a major achievement. 3) If that’s not enough to be excited about, how about Dick Clark? After a major stroke and being paralyzed on the right side of his body, he is still attempting to bring in the New Year in style with his annual New Year’s Eve celebration. Okay, yeah, I know those last two reasons were quite a stretch. But the fact that Dick Clark’s hair is still black is a miracle. That man is 4 years older than Santa Claus and he still has black hair. And yes, I am aware of hair dye. But by now, he should be beyond the age to even care. But seriously, while the rest of the world was riddled with havoc, terror, and disaster, God was busy giving us the strength to endure, as He brought us through it all. And as I take a closer look at the year’s events of my personal life, I am reminded more of how God has brought me through.

On December 31, 2007, I sat depressingly–in the church pews–going through what I thought was one of the toughest moments of my life. Saddened by the many trials of that year (2007), I listened intently to my pastor’s words as I sought encouragement for the upcoming year. Explaining that the biblical significance of the number 8 implied a new beginning, my pastor encouraged me by stating that the year 2008 would be a year of new beginnings for me, as God would restore me. And as I now sit, exactly one year later, I can truly say that he was right. Exactly 365 days later, God has truly done the miraculous in my life. He has taken me from what I thought was one of the most difficult points in my life to a point of true joy. Over this past year, I have gone from a point of depression to spiritual, emotional, and physical restoration. I have gone from a place of isolation to a place of joy and where I could use my previous pains to encourage and uplift others. And while the rest of the world may have been in the midst of great strife and turmoil, I can truly say that God protected me through it all. And for that I am thankful. And as I now come to understand that the biblical significance of the number 9 represents the fullness of God’s ordained plan, I am now overjoyed, as I prepare to walk into the physical manifestation of God’s plan for my life. More plainly put, this means that in 2009, I can truly expect to achieve all of the things that God has placed on my heart to achieve on His behalf. That means that I will release my second book and begin working on the third. This means that I will grow my radio show by countless numbers. It means that I will bless thousands of people across the country as I begin to tour and continue to present messages of empowerment, and who knows what else. So, now that you know what the new year means to me, you can understand my excitement. Let me ask you, “What are you excited for?”

Let me know your thoughts.

CLK

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Hola, Family. I know. I know. It has been a while since I have posted a new blog entry. But the months of November and December have been overwhelmingly busy for me. Within the last few weeks, I have managed to publish a book, start a radio show, start writing another book, relaunch the christopherlking.com website, and begin on the next phases of the vision, all while trying to maintain my sanity and personal responsibilities. And with all of that being said, I feel that I am at one of the most exciting periods of my life. So, is there any way that you can find it in your hearts to forgive me for taking such an extended break from the blog? Thank you. I knew you would. That’s why I have so much love for you.

Well, anyway; let’s get down to business. This past Thursday, December 11th to be exact, I had the pleasure of releasing my first book, The 3 V’s to Success, to the general public.
To say that it was my first book release and I was totally unaware of what to expect, I must say that I was extremely pleased with the turnout of the event. Seeing many of my family and friends there to support my endeavors was very inspiring. I was truly touched. And although I easily welcomed the many questions of my guests, there was one question that stood out from the rest–What’s next?

Yes, the fanfare is great; but after the initial excitement, after all of the pictures, the autographs, the hugs, and well wishes, what’s next? This is an excellent question as it can be asked in many aspects of our lives. After I have achieved that goal that I worked so hard to accomplish, or after all of the celebrations, or better yet, after the excitement of the wedding or the relationship has worn off, what do I do next? Wow, everytime I say it, this question packs so much power. So Chris, what was your answer? I am glad you asked.

After all of the crowds were gone and the last congratulatory hug was given and the last book was signed, I simply gave myself a mental pat on the back and said, “Good job Chris. Now let’s get back to work.” That’s right. After all of the love is gone, you simply keep going. You see, that night, I had merely announced to everyone the achievement of a goal. However, as you will read in the book, The 3 V’s to Success, goals do not equate to vision. Goals are merely measuring tools that we use to recognize the progress toward our vision. Therefore, while it was a great accomplishment, it merely was a small step toward the overall vision.

Now, in the spirit of transparency, let me let you in on a little secret. While, at times, I may make it look rather easy, it took a lot for me to write this last book. It took a great measure of faith, perseverance, and determination. During the process of writing my first book, there were actually times that I experienced fear and uncertainty. Could I really write a book? Would people actually be interested in what I had to say? Would people like it? And although these concerns somehow emerged into my mind, I continued on for the sake of purpose and vision. And now that I have completed that phase of the vision, I am totally confident that I can do it again. However, as I move to the next phases of the vision, I see that I will soon be drawing strength and encouragement from my previous achievements. But most importantly, I will need an extra measure of faith, as what God is calling me to do next will definitely supercede my past successes. And based on His track record, I absolutely know that I will achieve that goal as well.

So, if you hadn’t caught it by now, here are the hidden messages in this text:

1. Goals don’t equate to vision. Don’t get blinded by your goals, but see the vision. Celebrate your goals for a time and then proceed with the vision.
2. When you truly believe in your God-given vision, that faith helps propel you to the achievement of those milestones that we call goals. As you achieve each goal, your faith is increased. Keep your faith and keep pressing on, you will begin to see your faith increase exponentially.
3. Walk in it. Where there is fear, there is no faith. Many of you are preparing to walk into your next phase, however, you have been stagnated by fear. Just walk in it.

Again, those that were able to share in my special night, I thank you. And to those that weren’t able to make it physically, but were there in spirit, I thank you as well.

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