Quotes by Shannon L. Alder

When words don’t add up in love, it is because of six possible reasons: 1. They are afraid to tell you the truth because you will leave them. 2. They enjoy being a liar or playing people because of ego reasons and/or control. 3. They don’t know the truth themselves. 4. They are undecided. 5. They refuse to let their guard down and be vulnerable because you or someone else have hurt them tremendously. 6. You are not being told all the information because of a break down in communication.

The source to low self-esteem is the lack of control you feel you have in your life. If you spend your life competing with others, trying to make right the wrongs done to you, or waste your time trying to look right, you will never achieve contentment and emotional balance. People you encounter in life can’t be controlled by you. You only have control of yourself. Build your life around a relationship with a higher power and achieving what you’re passionate about. When you let go of what you can’t control, true peace can then enter your life. This is the path to achieving emotional balance.

If you want to be an honorable man, then be what you pretend to be.

It wasn’t because you weren’t beautiful, talented, funny, creative or had everything in common. It was because some men prefer plain vanilla ice cream. It’s predictable and a safe choice. Confident and adventurous men prefer the complexity and layers of a sundae, even the ones sprinkled with a little bit of nuts on top.

Never mix business with religion, or you might end up losing your testimony when the business agreement is no longer something you or Christ would put up with.

The truth is this: People that give you focus, energy and anger do care. If you were nothing then you wouldnt be able to affect them. Behind every over reaction was first the thought that your opinion mattered and your respect was once of value or you wouldnt get the response you got.

Being different will always threaten the institution of understanding of a closed mind. However, evolution is built on difference, changing and the concept of thinking outside the box. Live to be your own unique brand, without apology.

gratitudenoun \ˈgra-tə-ˌtüd, -ˌtyüd\ 1. The word thrown in your face by people who covet what you want and believe that your lack of contentment is a sin. Often, these people believe success is what you have already and obtaining anything else is optional, but not required.

When your heart knows the truth, it never forgets.

Some people say, “Once you learn to be happy, you wont tolerate being around people who make you feel anything less.” My Christ says, “Your job is to get off your self righteous butt and start reaching out to the difficult people because my ministry wasn’t about a bunch of nice people getting together once a week to sing hymns and get a feel good message, that you may or may not apply, depending on the depth of your anger for someone. It is about caring for and helping the broken hearted, the difficult, the hurt, the misunderstood, the repulsive, the wicked and the liars. It is about turning the other cheek when someone hurts you. It is about loving one another and making amends. It is allowing people as many chances as they need because God gives them endless chances. When you do this then you will know me and you will know true happiness and peace. Until then, you will never know who I really am. You will always be just a fan or a Sunday only warrior. You will continue to represent who you are to the world, but not me. I am the God that rescues.

Cruel people offer pity when they no longer feel threatened. However, kind people offer compassion and understanding regardless.

Sometimes, you will go through awful trials in your life and then a miracle happens--God heals you. Don’t be disheartened when the people you love don’t see things like you do. There will be Pharisees in your life that will laugh it off, deny that it happened, or will mock your experience based on righteousness they think you dont possess. God wont deny you a spiritual experience because you are not a spiritual leader. He loves everyone equal. The only people that really matter in life are the people that can “see” your heart and rejoice with you.

Sensitive people care when the world doesnt because we understand waiting to be rescued and no one shows up. We have rescued ourselves, so many times that we have become self taught in the art of compassion for those forgotten.

One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone.

Being kind to someone, only to look kind to others, defeats the purpose of being kind.

The greatest lesson you might ever learn in this life is this: It is not about you.

When you can identify the insecurities inside the person that is hurting you then you can begin to heal. It isnt about you. It is about their past.

The day you find out who you are is when you look back and realize that it was never the words, rather your actions that defined you.

Have you ever stopped to think that maybe you were wrong? Maybe, you only saw your point of view and you never once put yourself in the other persons shoes. Maybe, walking away from the senseless drama and spiteful criticism isnt the best thing to do. Maybe, for just once in your life you could wear another persons confusion, pain or misunderstanding. Maybe, your future doesnt require explaining yourself or offering an explanation for your indifference, but your character and reputation does. What if one day you find out that you didnt have all the information you thought you did? What if you find out that your presence was needed for healing? What if you only knew half of it and the other half was just your fear and anger translating everything you experienced? What if you were wrong? What if the same thing happened to you?

God doesnt call us to mediocrity. He calls us to a greater standard that doesnt teach us to tear people down to reach him, but to lift others up. Be the type of person that when people walk away from you, they know who you represent!