When I was a little girl, I thought of someone with great strength at the mention of the word “power”. My father had power to bring down an ax to chop wood and the power to throw me in the air and catch me. Then, in my early teens I thought of power as what it took to supply the electricity to operate my blow dryer.
As I entered the workforce in my 20’s, my idea of power drastically changed. I thought about the people who used their influence to rise to the top of the corporation. A person had power when they were able to influence and direct the people and activities of an organization. Some people even became power hungry making power seem less desirable to me.
Now in my 50's, I see power much differently. Power is an intrinsic driver of my health and well-being. I exercise power when I control my thoughts. Power can direct my attention to positive thinking. I have been researching and working on power thoughts for close to four years with the assistance of Joyce Meyer's, Power Thoughts. Power over thoughts has been one of the most difficult challenges.
Just today, I came across a person of influence at USI, and I walked away thinking about how they viewed me in my blue jeans and t-shirt as I raced off to class. I thought they were judging my attire when their eyes wondered down to my feet. Sometime later, I told myself it was all in my mind and moved on from that pattern of thinking. Much power is necessary to control one’s thoughts, but the reward is a healthier and happier life when we gain power over our thoughts.
Then, there is the power of love. Do you realize every day when you awake, you can exercise great power through your act of love. Others are far more responsive to your requests when you show them love. So much power can be unharnessed through loving others. We can love others through the sharing of a smile, a hug or random gift, or through service and acts of kindness.
Just think about the massive amount of energy that could be generated if everyone in the world would just chose love. In the words of Jimi Hendrix, "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace." Change the world...spread the power of love in the name of the one who gave us life through the power of His blood. Blood runs through our veins and permits the ultimate power of life over death. Without the power of the blood, there would be no human race. Power is a very powerful force.
Jeanette Lytle