We are constantly on the search for inspiring messages to share on The Morning Thing. What can be more inspiring than watching an Olympic athlete overcome numerous obstacles to win a gold medal? The crowds cheer, their family celebrates and their country feels a sense of pride.
We found a very insightful blog from www.faithgateway.com about what Christians can learn from the Olympics. We hope it inspires you to lead a victorious Christian life.

They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. — 1 Corinthians 9:25

What Christians Can Learn from the Summer Olympics by Ramona Vincent This summer, our family – along with 76 percent of the world’s population – will be gathering in front of the television to watch elite athletes from around the world compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals in the sports that God has gifted them in. What is it that makes the Summer Olympics so compelling that even individuals who do not normally watch sports take the time out of their busy schedules to tune into their favorite events and cheer for athletes whom they don’t even know? Olympians inspire us to be our best – to strive for greatness – to believe that when we devote ourselves to pursuing our dreams, all things are possible. Some of these Olympians are so young! We often wonder how can 13, 14 and 15-year olds be so strong and talented! As each competition and human interest story unfolds, we can learn some valuable lessons from the Olympians about what it takes to lead a victorious Christian life. We Are Called To Persevere Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 Have you ever signed up to do something fun, only to throw in the towel the moment that things got tough? Olympian athletes remind us that in order to accomplish anything of worth in life, we must set a goal, keep our eye on the prize, and persevere. We need to live our Christian lives like this. As Hebrews 12:1-3 says: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Athletes focus on their diets, their physical training, and their interactions with their coach and their teammates to prepare them for competition. Christians focus on the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, worship and fellowship so that we are prepared for our daily encounters in life. We Are Called To Be Ambassadors For Christ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. – 2 Corinthians 5:20 Olympian athletes serve as ambassadors for their country. The eyes of the world are upon them at all times. They know that the things that they say or do bring glory or shame to their native lands. Likewise, Christians are ambassadors for Christ. We represent the Kingdom of God. Jesus calls us the light of the world. He tells us to let our light shine before men, so that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. (2 Corinthians 5:20, Matthew 5:14, Matthew 5:16) We Are Called To Glorify God And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. – Colossians 3:17 Everything that we do, each and every day of our lives, should be done for God’s glory and honor. This especially holds true when we are in the spotlight, because we are given a special opportunity to magnify and glorify God’s name for the entire world to see. Throughout the years, there have been many Olympian athletes who have used their time in the spotlight to share the love of Christ with others, including beloved gymnast Gabby Douglas, track and field sprinter Allyson Felix, and swimming gold medalist and world record holder Missy Franklin. We Are Called To Impact The World For God Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12 One of the most moving moments at any sporting event – particularly a world class event like the Summer Olympics – is when a Christian athlete wins a medal and uses his or her fame and glory to testify of the goodness of God. Young Christian athletes in the media serve as particularly powerful role models for children because they show them that they, too, can be a witness for God in their schools and communities, regardless of their age. Swimming With Faith by Natalie Davis Miller tells the inspiring story of 21-year old Missy Franklin – a four-time Olympic gold medalist who holds several world and American swimming records and has earned numerous awards, medals and titles in her sport. Despite her achievements, Missy does her best to live a normal life and to maintain a vibrant, vital relationship with God. Missy says: “God is always there for me. I talk with Him before, during and after practice and competitions. I pray to Him for guidance. I thank Him for this talent He has given me, and promise to be a positive role model for young athletes in all sports.” Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas, best known as the first African American to win the individual all-around event at the London 2012 Olympics, is currently setting her sights on a comeback to compete in the 2016 Olympics. Douglas is very outspoken about her love for Christ and wrote the books Raising the Bar (for ages 8 and up) and Grace, Gold & Glory (for grades 6-9) after winning her medals. “I love sharing my story and I love sharing about my faith,” she said. “God has given me this amazing God-given talent, so I’m going to go out and glorify His name.” Both Missy and Gabby embody determination, perseverance and faithfulness – the types of qualities that every parent wants to impart to their children. As your family counts down the days to the Summer Olympics, why not introduce your children to these star athletes by reading and discussing their faith stories with your family?

What is burnout?
Burnout is a state of chronic stress that leads to:
• physical and emotional exhaustion
• cynicism and detachment
• feelings of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment

When in the throes of full-fledged burnout, you are no longer able to function effectively on a personal or professional level. However, burnout doesn’t happen suddenly. You don’t wake up one morning and all of a sudden “have burnout.” Its nature is much more insidious, creeping up on us over time like a slow leak, which makes it much harder to recognize. Still, our bodies and minds do give us warnings, and if you know what to look for, you can recognize it before it’s too late.

What are the signs of burnout?
Each of the three areas described above is characterized by certain signs and symptoms (although there is overlap in some areas). These signs and symptoms exist along a continuum. In other words, the difference between stress and burnout is a matter of degree, which means that the earlier you recognize the signs, the better able you will be to avoid burnout (IF you do something to address the symptoms when you recognize them).
• Signs of physical and emotional exhaustion:
1. Chronic fatigue. In the early stages, you may feel a lack energy and feel tired most days. In the latter stages, you feel physically and emotionally exhausted, drained, and depleted, and you may feel a sense of dread for what lies ahead on any given day.
2. Insomnia. In the early stages, you may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep one or two nights a week. In the latter stages, insomnia may turn into a persistent, nightly ordeal; as exhausted as you are, you can’t sleep.
3. Forgetfulness/impaired concentration and attention. Lack of focus and mild forgetfulness are early signs. Later, the problems may get to the point where you can’t get your work done and everything begins to pile up.
4. Physical symptoms. Physical symptoms may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal pain, dizziness, fainting, and/or headaches (all of which should be medically assessed).
5. Increased illness. Because your body is depleted, your immune system becomes weakened, making you more vulnerable to infections, colds, flu, and other immune-related medical problems.
6. Loss of appetite. In the early stages, you may not feel hungry and may skip a few meals. In the latter stages, you may lose your appetite all together and begin to lose a significant amount of weight.
7. Anxiety. Early on, you may experience mild symptoms of tension, worry, and edginess. As you move closer to burnout, the anxiety may become so serious that it interferes in your ability to work productively and may cause problems in your personal life.
8. Depression. In the early stages, you may feel mildly sad, occasionally hopeless, and you may experience feelings of guilt and worthlessness as a result. At its worst, you may feel trapped, severely depressed, and think the world would be better off without you. (If your depression is to this point, you should seek professional help immediately.)
9. Anger. At first, this may present as interpersonal tension and irritability. In the latter stages, this may turn into angry outbursts and serious arguments at home and in the workplace. (If anger gets to the point where it turns to thoughts or acts of violence toward family or coworkers, seek immediate professional assistance.)

If you answer YES (that’s me) to several of the signs above. It is time to take action.
Click HERE to see some ways to handle burnout (from the Mayo Clinic).
We also encourage spending time with God. Bible study and prayer can help you find balance. Click HERE to find 5 helpful bible verses if you are feeling burned out at work.

(picture courtesy of www.psychologytoday.com)

To the class of 2016: Congratulations! You made it through high school! What an awesome moment for you. Think of it as a video game. You just finished the tutorial and now you get to start playing for real! Don’t worry, it’s not so bad. You’ve got an adventure ahead of you. Contrary to popular belief, high school is not the best years of your life. You have the potential to have an amazing college experience and then to make an amazing life for yourself.

Don’t be fooled though. It’s not going to be easy. You are going to face things that you can’t even imagine. Some of those things are good and some are very bad. And despite what you might think, you don’t know everything. You’re going to need help at some points. That’s why we want to offer you some advice as you wrap up this stage of the adventure. You can listen to it here.

Good luck to you! Now go out there and have an adventure!

We get it. Mornings are hard. Trust us, we know.We’re there. It’s hard to get by working at 6:00am if you struggle in the morning. So we find our ways. For some of us it’s coffee, for some of us it’s food, for some of us a hot shower, and for others it’s sleeping in as late as possible. We all have our little tricks, but we’re also constantly looking for new ways to get better because, as I mentioned, mornings are HARD. It would be nice to have a Disney-esque wake up complete with melodic birds and charming little number where you sing about having a whole day of adventure and life ahead… instead of the harsh tone of the alarm clock pulling you from the sweet grasp of sleep into another bleak morning.

But it doesn’t have to be like that! There are other ways, and we want to help you with some advice that we found. Granted, it won’t be easy or immediate. But it will help. Here is the breakdown:

1. Write down why you want to become a morning person.
2. Choose a morning routine.
3. Visualize your morning routine at night.
4. Practice mindfulness.

You can find the detailed descriptions and instructions here. Here’s to happy mornings for you!

It’s National Baking Day! What a holiday. Time to celebrate with some cakes, cookies, breads, brownies, and… wait, what? You can’t bake? Well that is a problem. How else will you celebrate today? More importantly, what will you whip together the next time you’re supposed to provide a dish at a party or get-together?

Never fear, we’ve got your back. Enter our topic of discussion on today’s show: Simple, 3-ingredient recipes. Each one is classy, delicious, and, best of all, easy.There’s a good mix of content too. So give them a try. Flip through the list and find what tickles your palette.

You can find the entire list here. Feel free to let us know your results!

We’ve been talking about prom on the Morning Thing, so we decided that for our Fave 5 we would share our favorite high school memory!

Click HERE to listen to the co-hosts share their favorite memory of high school: Aubrey Bailey, Dan Monnin, Jessica Wells, Marcy Rinehart, and Wesley Boston.

Can you believe that the average family spends $1,139 on prom?!
Prom has become the social highlight of the year for many Seniors.

Marcy and Aubrey shared a parent’s guide for high school prom. Moms and Dads – click HERE to find out how to survive this important event in your teen’s life. (We don’t support all material on this website. The tips for parents from Cheryl Butler, Mighty Mommy are good.)

We also shared some tips for Prom Safety. Click HERE and be ready to talk about staying safe on this important night.

To join in the celebration, Aubrey and Marcy wanted to share their Prom pictures. Aubrey went to Prom during her Senior Year (Class of 2013).
Marcy was lucky enough to attend Prom all four years of high school (1984 – 1987).
Enjoy this blast from the past!

Sure, it may be rainy and gray now. But that doesn’t matter because Summer is almost here! The sunny days, the heat, the free time… It will be upon us before we know it. That’s why we want you to be prepared with 50 Summer activities. Whether you have little kids, have teenagers, have no kids, are single, are married, whatever your situation is you can find several options to get the most out of your summer. Some of our favorites included:

1. Biking.
2. Camping.
3. Canoeing.
4. S’mores.
5. Going to the Zoo.
6. Playing in the sprinkler.
7. Having a concert in the backyard.
8. Fishing.
9. Trying out a new park.

But the list doesn’t stop there. We found 50 things to do and you can find them all right here. So check it out! You’ll be able to have some great fun but, more importantly, you’ll invest in your family. That is what will make the summer truly great.

For our Fave 5 this week, we are sharing what we LOVE about out Moms.

Click HERE to hear from our Morning Thing co-hosts: Marcy Rinehart, Wesley Boston, Jessica Wells, Dan Monnin and Eddie Dilts.

We wish a Happy Mother’s Day to ALL Moms this Sunday. It is our prayer that families will be able to spend some time together on Sunday. Mom really doesn’t care about gifts, she just wants to SEE and TALK to her kids. DO something special on Sunday. Take Mom out to dinner, share memories, laugh and just have fun being together. Life is too busy, so slow down this weekend and spend some time to honor the woman who has sacrificed so much for you!

(Image from www.happybirthdaycakeimages.com)