November 19, 2019 Issue #164

Are you a slave to what others think?

To a degree, there's nothing wrong with hanging out with people like yourself, but when you start seeking their approval on everything you do, you're headed for trouble. What if their values are wrong? What if they give you bad advice?

It's doubly hard to be single and Christian today. With social media and shaming so prevalent, powerful influences try to turn us into their puppets. The truth, however, is you can never go wrong following the values taught by Jesus Christ. Pastor and author Charles Stanley expressed it well when he said, "Obey God and leave all the consequences to him."

November's feature article looks at the dangers of basing your life on what others think.

Just like them

Once an original
But not any more.
She seemed to forget
What her thinker was for.

She became a slave
To the latest trend.
She followed the crowd
So she wouldn't offend.

"Should I do this?
"Should I do that?"
Her world was a maze
And she was the rat.

As her backbone became
Increasingly weak,
She fretted that someday
She might be unique.

She tried to be happy
Being just like them.
Instead she was miserable
just like them.

~ Jack Zavada, www.inspiration-for-singles.com, 2019 ~

Wait. $3.99 for Hope?

Hope for Hurting Singles won't show you how to get married. Shucks, if I knew that, I'd be married. No, it shows you how to deal with the common emotional and spiritual problems you'll encounter in the single life.

It's based on over 40 years' experience, much of it trial-and-error, but why should you repeat my mistakes when you can learn what to avoid?

You will not find another book for singles with the kind of practical, effective information you'll get in this one. If you find these newsletters helpful, you'll love this book.

Here are some of the areas it covers:

• Loneliness
  
• Shyness
  
• Depression
  
• Fear
  
• Bitterness
  
• Self-esteem
  
• Peace of Mind
  

Hope for Hurting Singles shows you how to fix your faulty thinking and replace it with clear-eyed truth that will move your life forward.

Hope for Hurting Singles is only $10.99 in paperback and $3.99 for Kindle at amazon.com.

November's QOTM guy: Dr. Seuss

When you look in the mirror, do you see someone who looks like someone else? No! You see you. If God created you to be unique, why would you want to look like someone else? And why would you want to dress like someone else and pursue the goals someone else sets for you?

Single friend, never in history have we been so besieged by propaganda urging us to think a certain way, act a certain way, vote a certain way, buy a certain way. It comes at us from every direction, nonstop.

Don't fall for it. Dr. Seuss — and more importantly God — say you were born to stand out. Don't be afraid to be different from the crowd. Honor God with your life, and you will stand out from the crowd!

David Zavada (1948-2019): Independent thinker

One of the many things I loved about him was that he was unaffected by fads, trends, or the constant firehose of advertising that's blasted at us. Dave was a voracious reader. He gathered the facts, studied the important issues, and made up his own mind. He drove modest vehicles and dressed the way he wanted. He chose his friends wisely.

And, Dave was a discriminating follower of Jesus Christ. He could see through a phony preacher like a plate glass window. Dave knew what was real and lived his life by it. At his visitation service people filed through for two solid hours to express their appreciation for him.

His philosophy fits well with the theme of this issue: Concern yourself with what God says, not what other people say.

Dave is survived by his wife Linda, their son Ryan and his wife Andrea, his mother Shirley, and me. Dave was a veteran of the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He worked in the printing trade most of his career and was a talented maker of heirloom oak furniture.

Social media is no substitute for real life

We've seen the danger of social media when people are criticized to the point that they commit suicide. It's frighteningly similar to a pack of wolves cutting a weak animal out of a herd then biting at it until they kill and eat it.

Many years ago, a reporter described Facebook to actress and comedian Betty White and asked what she thought of it. She replied, "It sounds like a colossal waste of time!"

The real problem is when you spend more hours riveted to your phone than you do experiencing real life. Don't look for constant approval! Don't base your self-esteem on how many 'Likes' you accumulate. Put your phone away and talk to people face-to-face. Get a hobby and do things with your hands where you'll learn a skill or have something to show for your time. Limit your use of social media and live your life in the real world.

End of lecture.

I didn't forget Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for you, the subscribers to Inspire-O-Gram, as well as my family, including my brother. I'm thankful my Savior did everything necessary for me to get to heaven.

Unlike big shot blogger types, I personally reply to all emails. If you want to avoid the spammers, scammers, hackers and trackers, use our secure contact form.

Hug your family and friends a little longer this Thanksgiving. Think of where you'd be without Jesus. That, single friend, is sure to raise your spirits.

Until December,

Jack Zavada