Ray Sanders

Lunch time rap

2012-02-14T10:58:00.001-08:00

Money is tight.
Values are loose.

People are dying but
nobody is crying.

We're moving ahead but nobody knows where.

Leaders are leading but in circles at best.

So we look to the stars as modern day idols, while the answers we need are found in our Bibles.

Bending our knees will turn us around. God help us all if we just stare at the ground.

So lets look to the heavens. We can regain hope, if we quit popping pills and smoking the dope!

Thomas Edison on America

2012-02-12T20:28:00.001-08:00

Be courageous! Whatever setbacks America has encountered, it has always emerged as a stronger and more prosperous nation. Be brave as your fathers before you. Have faith and go forward! -- Thomas Edison. Somebody needs to do a movie on his life!

Disappearing Act

2012-02-12T07:33:00.001-08:00

Enoch lived in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared because God took him. It is clear Enoch was truly taken by God in more ways than one. No doubt God was taken with Enoch as well, so much so that he took him from our very presence. Oh to be so taken with God that God himself is so taken with us that we disappear from the present only to appear in His! Genesis 5:22

Pray for People

2012-02-10T19:33:00.001-08:00

Pray for people because you love them. Pray for people because you don't. Pray for people because they're people. Pray for people when others won't. Pray for people who pray for people because the people they pray for might include you!

Until forever becomes a reality

2012-02-06T17:42:00.000-08:00

Blessed to see all my kids under one roof for a little while tonight. Don't think I don't realize how special this is. As James Taylor sang, "Shower the people you love with love. Tell them the way you feel." Every minute counts when every minute matters. Some how a wish I could capture time in bottle, hold each and everyone of them close until forever becomes a reality. I'm blessed to love and be loved. The open road calls in the morning and the memory of their faces, laughter, tender touches, soft hair and sweet voices will linger in my mind until the business of life distracts me for yet a while and the stillness of the night brings me back to the place in my mind where we were together enjoying nothing more than the company of the other's presence. Oh the joy of meeting and being together. Until then I count the miles and make the most of everyday as the clock ticks and the time between our visits shrinks. Though never guaranteed, I hope for many more days like today. Bitter sweet days that I wish would never end.

Who do you say he is?

2012-02-05T10:00:00.001-08:00

We do realize Jesus was not a Christian right? Are we surprised that religion divides? Jesus was a Jew from the line of King David. Who do you say He is? Prophet? Rabbi? Messiah? YES! He is all three to me.

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

Matthew 16:15-19 (NLT)

Giant Experiences

2012-02-04T11:52:00.001-08:00

I heard and I forgot.
I saw and I remembered.
I did and I understood.

Finished?

2012-02-04T11:32:00.001-08:00

Grab it and go!

2012-02-04T08:56:00.001-08:00

Live one day at a time, to the fullest, without regret, to the best of your ability and with the Lord's leading moment by moment. Tomorrow will come soon enough. Experience the miracle of today without borrowing on tomorrow or paying to much homage to the past. There is plenty of life to take in and experience in the present. Grab it and go!

Vroooom!

2012-01-29T10:12:00.001-08:00

Vroooom!

Life is a lot like a 5-speed stick shift. Sometimes you hit reverse. Other times you shift into low. Then even still there are times when you are flying down the highway in overdrive. Wherever you are in life you will have to pass through neutral at some point. While you can't stay there, sometimes you just need to coast and take it easy. One thing is for sure, you can't stay there. But sometimes getting where you are going requires an occasional shift into neutral. You have to rest to be your best. Hit the brakes now and again. Take a break, shift into neutral or you might just have a breakdown. Vroooom!

A Rainbow in the Dark

2012-01-29T08:39:00.001-08:00

My friends Wade McCoy and Henry Kirkland are featured in an article in today's Oklahoman. I have told this story around the world in my speech on the Power of Personal Influence. Read the article, buy the book and be inspired to change the world!

A Rainbow in the Dark featured in The Daily Oklahoman 1-29-12

Article by Carla Hinton

Friendship between students and professor results in compelling book

— The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

A black teenager left to fend for himself in a small rural Oklahoma town in the 1940s.

A white drugstore owner whose belief in the young boy transcends race and the rigid social mores of the day.

This scenario inspired the fictionalized version in the novel “A Rainbow in the Dark,” written by two Oklahoma men, Dr. Wade McCoy and Patrick Chalfant.

The novel is based on the real-life story of the authors’ former college professor, Henry “Kirk” Kirkland, Ph.D.

McCoy, who practices family medicine in Bethany, said Kirkland taught him and Chalfant when they were students at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Both authors, who are white, said Kirkland, who is black, inspired each of them during their time at Southwestern, along with thousands of other students at the Weatherford university.

McCoy, 46, said he found out about Kirkland’s inspiring life story during their many conversations throughout the years.

And, in an unexpected twist, McCoy discovered through genealogy research that one of his ancestors, a slave owner at one time, and one of Kirkland’s relatives, a former slave, lived in the same Alabama county during the same time period.

McCoy said this discovery, his enduring friendship with Kirkland, and Kirkland’s friendship with a white drugstore owner, reminded him of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s hope that people, regardless of their race and background, could connect through bonds of friendship and love. King made the statement in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

“It’s such a legacy to Dr. King. It really is about content of character,” McCoy said.

Chalfant agreed.

“The things that I’ve learned from him (Kirkland) are very essential to Dr. King’s message.”

Kirkland said the genealogy discovery made by his former student convinced him that divine intervention was at play.

“That’s why I think there’s a higher power that is handling all of this,” he said, smiling.

McCoy smiled, too.

“So we stumbled upon each other in Weatherford more than 100 years later. The story is bigger than us. It’s about love and grace.”

“Many of us owe our success to Kirk. We are grateful he got up every morning and ran those rail tracks in the cold, rain or the snow.” — Afterword by Dr. Wade McCoy, “A Rainbow in the Dark.”

McCoy said he was fascinated with Kirkland’s childhood history and he knew that it would make it good book.

He said Chalfant, a Tulsa author who had graduated from Southwestern after he had and asked Chalfant if he wanted to help write the story.

Chalfant, 41, said he also was intrigued by Kirkland’s story so they all met together to talk one day.

By their next meeting, the three were ready to take a trip to Atoka, where Kirkland pointed out things and places that were central to his years growing up in the rural town.

“That day, the book just really unfolded,” McCoy said.

Kirkland, 77, said he grew up in Atoka but parted ways with his family when his father and mother moved to Langston, where his father had obtained a job teaching masonry skills. Kirkland said he begged his mother to let him stay behind at the family’s tiny home. He said he argued that the school he attended, Dunbar High, was across the street and he had a job delivering newspapers.

Kirkland said his mother relented, and he began living on his own at age 13.

He said he was offered a job at the local drugstore owned by a man named F.K. “Skeet” Carney, and he continued to deliver newspapers. Kirkland said though it was hard work — he had to run along the railroad tracks several miles to work — he never missed a day of school, was class valedictorian and also had a successful basketball career in high school.

McCoy and Chalfant said they listened as Kirkland told them about growing up as a young black teen at a time when segregation was the norm. How Skeet Carney raised the ire of some white townspeople who thought he should have given the drugstore job to a white teen instead of Kirkland. How Kirkland would pick up his dinner of chili and crackers by walking through a back alley to the back of a local diner because he wasn’t allowed in the front dining area and how he often purchased treats at a local ice cream parlor, but he couldn’t eat them inside the establishment.

Chalfant said Kirkland recounted a part of history that he had heard about, but never from someone that he knew personally.

“It certainly opened my eyes going back in time with Dr. Kirkland,” he said. “What was it like as a black man to work at that time? It was like being in a time machine.”

McCoy said throughout Kirkland’s story, he heard over and over again the phrase “That’s just the way things were,” and he was disappointed to hear about the different aspects of society that were unfair to blacks at that time.

“Unless you were black and had to feel it, you didn’t get how it really was,” he said. “It’s a blot on our history.”

Yet, despite those glimpses into a time when much of America was racially divided, many times literally by railroad tracks, McCoy and Chalfant found that Kirkland’s story was full of hope.

McCoy said Kirkland’s perseverance was key. So was his friendship with drugstore owner Carney who eventually became his mentor and a benefactor. It was Carney, who often attended Kirkland’s high school basketball games, who urged Kirkland to head to Langston after high school graduation.

“He told me ‘You need to get out of here and get an education,’” Kirkland said.

Kirkland said he earned scholarships and joined the Army Reserve to make some money, but Carney helped pay for some of his schooling and it was Carney who urged him to get his master’s degree and then his doctorate.

Kirkland went on to become the first black teacher at El Reno High School and the first black professor at Southwestern and McCoy said he and countless other students are glad of it.

And Carney’s mentorship rubbed off on Kirkland.

McCoy said Kirkland became his mentor and helped steer him into his career as a medical doctor.

“I really had a strong feeling of indebtedness to Dr. Kirkland. I felt like I wouldn’t be where I was without him,” McCoy said.

Kirkland said he was delighted when McCoy took such an interest in his story and he is excited about the book based on his life.

“I just think it’s great,” he said.

LEARN MORE AT: www.arainbowinthedark.com

ORIGINAL PUBLISHED ARTICLE: http://newsok.com/article/3644414

Make it last

2012-01-29T06:44:00.001-08:00

In life it's not what you give or take, it is what you make of it. Make it beautiful, love it and share it with as many as you can and as long as it last! - - Sanders

Fame and Family

2012-01-28T21:47:00.001-08:00

The man I want to be most like is the man who desires to be more popular at home than he will ever be in public. - Sanders

Hope in the fog

2012-01-27T05:24:00.001-08:00

There are times when life is nothing but a fog, until on the horizon a tree of hope appears and whispers, "Continue on. There is more revelation just ahead."

At risk

2012-01-23T07:44:00.001-08:00

NEWSBREAK: Everything is at risk.

REALITY CHECK: It always has been.

The faith full life

2012-01-22T08:25:00.001-08:00

Thoughts on Hebrews 11 this morning with the boys on the road over breakfast.

Faith is confidence in something you hope for but cannot yet see.

Without faith its impossible to please God.

So what are you hoping for and confident will come to pass?

Without faith you will never experience the supernatural at the level God desires.

What do you have faith in? Self or Him? Your ability to do the impossible lies in where you place our faith.

What are you trusting God for today? What does how you answer say about how pleasing your life might be to Him?

How much more of an adventure might your life be if faith became more of who you are?

No wonder He desires for us to have more faith.

A life full of faith is a life lived in full.

Overtime

2012-01-19T05:47:00.001-08:00

I've never met a man who on his death bed said, "I wish I could have had more overtime at the office."

Appearances

2012-01-18T06:59:00.001-08:00

I have yet to discover a good or bad man who is all he appears to be. Neither is all good or all bad. Yet on principle, I elect to look for the best in both in hopes they too will see the same in me. - Sanders

Waiting to die

2012-01-14T06:45:00.001-08:00

Waiting to die. In essence aren't we all? We may as well live in the meantime. Nothing is worse than dying prematurely.

Here and now

2012-01-11T21:17:00.001-08:00

Sometimes back is better until now is too.

The Man Challenge

2012-01-11T21:01:00.001-08:00

I hope this post finds you committed to your faith and walking in the light of God's word. A part from Him you will never be your best. Abiding in Him is the key. A shallow spiritual walk leads to a shallow life. A deep relationship with God leads to great adventure. The choice is yours to make. It is your life. No one but you can live it. Today, which direction will you choose? Where is your life heading? When will you own it and make it yours? I pray you choose wisely. I pray you take action. Satan will lull you into thinking someday you will be the man you want to be or you can spit in his face and step onto the battlefield as a warrior of the faith. There is no higher or more noble calling. God be with you less you otherwise find yourself alone to contend with the challenges this life brings and of which no man can solely conquer.

Hold on lucky ones!

2012-01-08T11:01:00.001-08:00

Hold On
by Michael Buble

Didn't they always say we were the lucky ones?

I guess that we were once Babe, we were once.

But luck will leave you cause it is a faithless friend and in the end when life has got you down you've got someone here that you can wrap your arms around.

So hold on to me tight.

Hold on to me tonight.

We are stronger here together than we could ever be alone.

So hold on to me don't you ever let me go.

There's a thousand ways for things to fall apart but it's no one's fault. No it's not our fault.

Maybe all the plans we made would not work out but I have no doubt even though it's hard to see.

I've got faith in us and I believe in you and me.

So hold on to me tight.

Hold on, I promise it'll be alright cause it's you and me together and baby all we've got is time.

So hold on to me, hold on to me tonight.

There's so many dreams that we have given up.

Take a look at all we've got and with this kind of love what we've got here is enough.

So hold on to me tight. Hold on, I promise it'll be alright cause we are stronger here together then we could ever be alone.

So hold on to me. Don't you ever let me go.

Hold on to me, it's gonna be alright. Hold on to me tonight.

Didn't they always say we were the lucky ones.

VIEW MICHAEL BUBLE'S VIDEO HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1upG3AS4e4k

Know worries

2012-01-08T07:41:00.001-08:00

What made being a kid so great was that we didn't know worries. It's not that there were no worries. They were there all along. The difference now is that we know worries not that we know no worries. I know better now that knowing isn't always better and that worrying doesn't make it any better!

Oddly enough

2011-12-31T06:27:00.001-08:00

Oddly enough, where there is love you will find pain yet without one the other will be found. Where there is one, you will find the other.

Breathe

2011-12-30T20:25:00.001-08:00

For as long as I have breath I will take it. Until otherwise, I will sigh. Such are the requirements of life

FIX-n my thoughts

2011-12-27T08:27:00.001-08:00

Focusing my thoughts and/or correcting my thoughts. Either way I'm FIX'n my thoughts. How about you?

"Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8

The dawn will come even in our darkest hour

2011-12-24T08:11:00.001-08:00

The word happiness evokes visions of unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning, strolling hand in hand with one you love, being surprised on your birthday, responding with unbridled laughter to a comedian, or vacationing in an exotic locale.

Everyone wants to be happy; we make chasing this elusive ideal a life long pursuit: spending money, collecting things and searching for new experiences.

But if happiness depends on our circumstances, what happens when toys rust, loved one die, friends disappoint, health deteriorates, money is stolen and the party is over? Often happiness flees and despair sets in.

In contrast to happiness stands joy. Running deeper and stronger, joy is the quiet, confident assurance of God's love and work in our lives – knowing He will be there no matter what!

Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on relying on Him.

We can have profound contentment, serenity and peace no matter what happens. This joy comes from depending on His strength rather than our own. We can have joy even in hardship.

Joy comes from inward strength not outward circumstances. We must not rely on what we have or what we experience but on He who gives us strength.

"I can do all things through He who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

In the midst of hardship, it's easy to turn on one another. But we should rather unite against our mutual enemy.

We must remember:

"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies (each other), but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

Paul had faced excruciating poverty, abundant wealth and everything in between. He even wrote about joy while unjustly imprisoned.

Whatever the circumstances, Paul learned to be content finding real joy as he focused all of his attention and energy on knowing God through Jesus.

Yes, we should enjoy the happiness while it lasts but embrace joy all the while for it alone is all that will endure.

Joy is no conciliation prize it is the key to contentment and abundant life.

Storms are temporary but joy reigns forever!

The dawn will come even in our darkest hour.

"Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. For you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." Psalm 23:4

(Some original thoughts on and excerpts from the Life Application)

Home to roost

2011-12-23T15:14:00.000-08:00

Should you ever find the occasion to talk about me as I am away, please do so as if I were in the room, unless of course you mean me harm or surprise, then you must do it well for either way your whispers have wings and your thoughts will eventually come home to roost.

Follow?

2011-12-22T11:48:00.001-08:00

Know secrets or no secrets

2011-12-18T22:08:00.001-08:00

Knowing and knowing not

There are things we know and things we we think we know but actually know not.

There are things we wish we didn't know.

There are things we are better off not knowing.

Sometimes what we don't know won't hurt us.

Other times what we don't know will hurt us.

Then there are times people don't want us to know but we do.

And at times people wish we knew but we don't.

But this we do know. God knows everything.

Now know this. What is done in the dark will eventually be exposed by the light.

"The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!" Luke 12:2-3

"For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all." Luke 8:17

UFO?

2011-12-18T21:57:00.001-08:00

UFO invasion? No, just another great looking building in Shanghai!

Live spelled backwards is evil.

2011-12-18T07:44:00.001-08:00

Have you ever noticed that evil is live spelled backwards?

Evil messes up our lives. When our lives head in the wrong direction the life we live becomes evil, opposite of the life we want to live.

When making bad choices, to live becomes evil.

We can turn back evil by choosing to live apart from evil.

Repentance turns evil into the life we want to live.

We can choose to live well or we can choose evil. We spell out our lives through the choices we make.

When we turn our backs to evil we only then begin to truly live!

Evil is backward of the life we were meant to live.

For as long as God grants you breath

2011-12-16T22:31:00.001-08:00

One minute everything in the world is in perfect peace. Then in less than a second everything changes. What once was is no more. Like a rug pulled from beneath your feet, it was there one instance and gone the next. Laughter turns to tears, joy to pain, intrigue to utter shock. Blindsided. Out of no where. One word, one second, one action turns the world on end. Who you were is no longer who you are. Innocence is exchanged for insanity. There was no choice in the matter. Victimized you stand paralyzed in disbelief. What you once held dear is ripped from your grip. The line you held no longer holds and the enemy cackles an evil laugh as he steals precious memories and trades them for utter evil and dismay. He positions for the ultimate kill in pursuit of complete destruction. But deep within side you courage begins to swell. The human spirit fights to survive. Not today will the opponent's victory be won for today the sun has not yet set. It has not been totally darkened by the gray sheets of gloom and disparity. A second wind begins to bring much needed relief. Beacons of hope break through the muck as your head rises yet again above the frey. You are alive! You may have been knocked down but through true grit, determination and the will to prevail, endurance brings you to a new day where once again you will embrace the happiness that once was yours. Even still you turn to face the challenges of a new storm brewing on the horizon. Nonetheless you chose life and to live it to the fullest so long as God grants you breath. You rise, hold your head high and walk bravely toward the adventure that lies ahead. This is life as you have come to expect it. A life imperfect and full of unwelcomed surprises but life it is and the life you must live come what may.

A true friend

2011-12-16T04:13:00.001-08:00

A true friend hides no sin or sorrow, bares his soul and shares the load. True love has no fear, is full of mercy, grace and forgiveness. There is freedom when honesty and acceptance are a given. Obedience is its own reward. Trust is earned when integrity and candor are consistent. Pain imprisons a heart full of secrets and deceit. Honor is given, rarely earned and necessary for respect to grow. Regrets are few when good choices are the norm. No one succeeds alone nor truly prospers without caring for others . Life is short but way to long if not shared with friends, we must be one to have many.

HOW TO CONFRONT A CRISIS By Rick Warren

2011-12-15T10:27:00.000-08:00

Recently, a woman inFlorida won $17,000,000 in a lottery. She called home to her live-in boyfriend and said, "I've just won the lottery! Start packing!" Her boyfriend replied, "That's fantastic! Should I pack for warm or cold weather?" She said without emotion, "I don't care - just as long as you are out of the house by the time I get home!" That man had a crisis!

Unexpected crises are a part of life. At this moment you are in one of three phases: Either you just got out of a crisis... or you're in a crisis right now, or you're headed into a crisis.

There is a fascinating story of a shipwreck in the Bible (Acts 27). From that story we can glean three timeless insights for crisis management that you can use in your business:

FIRST, DETERMINE THE REASON. Ask yourself:"What is really the reason behind this crisis?" The reason is often deeper than what appears on the surface. In the case of Paul's shipwreck, there were 3 reasons: (1) They listened to bad advice, (2) They followed popular opinion, and (3) They relied on circumstances rather than what they knew was the right thing to do. If you're having difficulty sorting out the reason for a crisis - try praying about it. David said, "I tried to think this problem through but it was too difficult for me until I went into your Temple." (Ps. 76:16)

SECOND, DETERMINE THE RESULT. Ask: "What can I learn from this?" Every crisis is an opportunity to enlarge my perspective, sharpen my skills, and develop my character.

THIRD, DETERMINE MY RESPONSE. Ask: "What is the best way to respond to this?" Regardless of what else you do, your response should include 3 elements:

Confront the problem. You rarely solve a problem by ignoring it. It probably won't be easy, but God will be with you if you ask him for strength.

Confess my part. (if any) If you brought this crisis on yourself, admit it and ask forgiveness. Don't make excuses and don't blame others. Accepting responsibility is a mark of genuine leadership and emotional maturity.

Claim a promise. Did you know there are over 7,000 promises of God to help you in the Bible? They are like blank checks waiting to be filled in. What are you waiting on? If you don't know the Bible very well, ask a friend who does to find a promise for you.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7

God is the answer so rest in Him!

Christmas in China?

2011-12-12T12:21:00.001-08:00

Christmas in China? Yes, Christmas is huge in China, including music. No protests here. Hmmm. Take a closer look. Do you see the tree hugger?

Finding Calcutta

2011-12-01T21:31:00.001-08:00

"God does not create poverty; it is created by you and I because we don't share." -- Mother Teresa

Fame or Friends?

2011-11-27T06:49:00.001-08:00

Social Networking or Self Promoting?

The following is the British English definition of self-promotion.

SELF-PROMOTION: Things that you do or say in order to make people notice you and think you are important.

This is what the Bibles says about self-promotion:

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit." Philippians 2:3

Seems there might be a reason Facebook calls it a "status" update.

One seeks fame, the other friends.

Something to think about the next time you reach for your smart phone.

What man could ask for more?

2011-11-26T17:55:00.001-08:00

She cooks, she bakes, she sings, she makes pretty babies and she loves OU football even in the freezing rain. What man could ask for more?

One of the richest men in the world

2011-11-24T08:06:00.001-08:00

A good friend took me to lunch a while back and told me I was one of the richest men he knew. I told him he must have mistaken me for another Ray Sanders. He proceeded to tell me he was certain he had the right man. He indicated I had a job I loved, an amazing family, many close and devoted friends and a woman who loved me dearly and the one I simply could not live without. This photo is one of my favorites of Stephanie and I and a constant reminder that yes, I am one of the richest men in the world!

Get away

2011-11-23T06:47:00.000-08:00

Find a way to get away and do nothing. Sleep in, snuggle, beach walk and watch a movie. No agenda. No schedule. No people. Just you and your love. Stephanie and I had the opportunity to catch this sunset together recently. Memories are made in the moment and rarely on the move! Slow down and practice being a human being not a human doing.

David's Key to Success

2011-06-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

Within 2 Samuel 5:17-25 we find the key to David's success. David never lost a military battle. Why? He asked.

In this passage he could have relied on past experience having faced the same scenario and issues with the same enemy. Rather than repeat a strategy David calls on the Lord again. He could have considered it a no brainer but he learned to invite God into his work and as a result God blessed him and empowered him.

When we value what God values and we invite Him into our decision making our entire life becomes worship. God joins us in the battle. Not a bad partner, a Giant Parner indeed!!!!

This is wrong, right?

2010-10-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip from Kampala, Uganda to Brussels, Belgium I encountered a dilemma of sorts. Like a lot of travelers finding the nearest restroom after a long flight is often a major priority.

On this particular occasion the men had the definite advantage. In fact, the ladies restroom was blocked off for cleaning.

As the men moved ahead at lightening speed, the women were in pain. What happened next brought smiles and concern to the men's room. Before we knew it, the ladies were joining us in our comfort break!

Relieved, most of the men were washing their hands and questioning whether we were in fact in the correct restroom. The urinals were assurance we were in the correct cue.

Smiling and rolling our eyes, an Asian man looked to me and a new German friend and inquired, this is wrong, right? The restroom burst into laughter!

I was reminded of the old saying that there isn't a right way to do a wrong thing. I pity the fool who would have tried and convince these desperate ladies that they were in the wrong. In fact, thinking about it from their perspective brought to mind an additional quote when experiencing a new culture: "It is important to remain fluid and flexible and to remember it isn't necessarily wrong but simply different."

This recent cooperation among total strangers brought many smiles and reminded me that meeting even the most basic of human needs can be greatly appreciated.

I think I will look for opportunities to do the same the rest of the day. How about you?

2010-10-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

What are the odds that I would speak in a church in Uganda where Alex would be in the audience? Alex spoke at Giant's worldwide Leadercast last year. We took this photo after the service.

Uganda here we come!

2010-03-15T10:58:00.001-07:00

GiANT Experiences heading to Uganda to bring hope and healing
to children who are victims of this war torn region of Africa.

We will be joined by business leaders, medical professionals and NFL
players. We will provide medical assistance, drill water wells and assist
with building of facilities for the children.

We will also be working with local government, business and church leaders
to establish long term sustainable community development projects that help
Ugandans be self sufficient, support the work of the local church and see
eternal impact.

While in Uganda, the US Consulate has asked me to make a presentation at the
Restore International Academy on leadership. They have 19 teachers and about
200 students.

The backgrounds of the students vary, but generally almost all of them grew
up in northern Uganda during the war. So an overwhelming percentage have
had one or both of their parents die due to the war or disease. And all of
them have seen the horrors of the war. A few of the boys were formerly
abducted and forced to fight with the rebels, and several of the girls
already have children. But some of the students come from well to do
families as well.

Not to long ago Brandon Heath visited the Restore Academy in northern
Uganda. The students helped him with his remix of "Give Me Your Eyes" by
singing along in the chorus. These are the very kids I hope to inspire.
Please pray that I succeed.

PLEASE take a minute to watch these videos. This is what GiANT Experiences
is all about! LIFE CHANGE!

See the music video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPOexioUpbQ&feature=related

Here is a link to a video about the school where I will be speaking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3PrkjMttSY

They tell me CH 9 and CH 6 will be covering the story all week and that a
blog will be up soon with daily updates at http://www.news9.com\uganda

I will do my best to keep things fresh at www.giantexperiences.org

CH 4 is suppose to do a story on GiANT sometime Tuesday. Stay tuned!

Join us in UGANDA March 15

2010-01-30T09:49:00.000-08:00

Join us in UGANDA March 15

View an amazing highlight reel here http://vimeo.com/9080440

Horrifically, innocent Ugandan children have become the victims and weapons at the center of one of Africa’s longest running wars. These children have been raped, tortured, mutilated, drugged and enslaved in service to the guerilla militia known as Lord’s Resistant Army (LRA).

NFL players Mark Clayton, Tommie Harris, Adrian Peterson and Roy Williams, along with a team of Oklahoma City medical professionals and business leaders will journey to Uganda, Africa in the March 2010 to bring hope and healing to former child soldiers who have been displaced by the war and are being cared for by Sister Rosemary and the St. Monica’s Tailoring School.

Sister Rosemary has witnessed the massive Uganda crisis firsthand. In response to the need, the school she leads, St. Monica’s Tailoring School, now seeks to restore the lives of these innocent children, orphans and AIDS victims. The school also offers “child mothers” a safe haven where practical life skills are taught allowing students to feed their children, gain jobs and rebuild their lives.

Pros for Africa is a cooperative effort through the Whitten-Newman Foundation, GiANT Experiences, Feed the Children, Water4Foundation and professional athletes to join Sister Rosemary and the St. Monica’s Tailoring School in support of a truly revolutionary initiative to revive Uganda, Africa by bringing hope to the hopeless and healing to the wounded children of war.

Come and join us on the journey! Call Ray Sanders at 405-640-3235 for more information on how to go or give to the cause!

DON'T MISS THE FUNDRAISING DINNER FEBRUARY 26 AT THE OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR'S MANSION. RESERVE A TABLE TODAY AND ENJOY AN EVENING WITH FRIENDS AND NFL PLAYERS ADRIAN PETTERSON, TOMMIE HARRIS, MARK CLAYTON AND ROY WILLIAMS!

The Power of Personal Influence

2009-07-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

Ask nearly any successful person the key to their success and they will most assuredly mention a person who has had an incredible influence on their life. Behind every success story is a person of powerful influence.

Take a moment to reflect on your life. Who has helped make you who you are today? These are people who, either by word or deed, made a difference in your life. Without their influence you would be a different person on a different track in a different time and place in life. These are people that for whatever reason decided to invest a part of who they are in you. They used the power of personal influence to impact your life.

I think back to my 6th grade math teacher who pulled my mom aside one day and said, “Your son will be a leader someday.” I was never prouder than the day my mom shared the news.

I remember my 9th grade basketball coach who saw in me something no one else had ever discovered. As we left the gym together one night he said, “Sanders, you keep your work ethic and you are going to do great things.” He saw past a boy with average athletic skills from a single-parent home where the boys worked to help mom out. Rather, he saw the potential of a person to grow beyond their circumstances and make a difference in the world.

I think about the influence of a youth minister who was willing to take time to invest in a young man whose family was known for alcohol abuse and violence. This was a man who taught him about peace, unconditional love and the keys to a fulfilling life.

I think all the way back to a pregnant 15 year old girl who despite the shame of being kicked out of high school her freshman year, because she was with child, made the brave decision to deliver her baby and give him the opportunity of life, a wonderful wife and a family with six fantastic kids.

The same boy now asks, “What kind of difference are you making in the lives of those you meet? No doubt there are those who have influenced you, but how are you influencing others? Have you been awakened to the power of personal influence, the power each of us has to make a difference in the lives of others?

Sometimes it is something small. Sometimes it is something big. Sometimes it means noticing someone without a smile and giving him or her one of your own. Sometimes it means simply listening. At other times it means having the courage to speak the truth in love. Sometimes it means giving of ourselves or giving of our resources. Whatever the case, something happens when we give our lives for others. We tend to gain much more than we give.

Each of us is given a sphere of influence. There are different groups of people in our lives that we touch in many different ways. Our sphere of influence begins with family and friends but goes far beyond those closest to us. It includes our neighbors, co-workers, customers, culture and nation. It may not seem possible but each of us in one way or another is making a difference in the world either by doing nothing or doing something of significance.

Many are getting to the point in their life where they are asking, “Is this all there is? I have earned the degree, I drive the car, I live in the house and make the six-figure income but there has to be more to this life than personal success.” I propose to you today that the inquirers are correct. There is more to life than this. We can have success and significance in life but not until we discover the power of personal influence, the power to make a difference in the lives of others.

True happiness comes when we give our lives away. When we hold what we've been given with a loose hand and invest back into the lives of others just as others invested in us.

It has been said, “Anyone can count the number of seeds in an apple but no one can count the number of apples in a seed.” How many lives will your life impact? No one may ever know but what a tragedy to never discover the power of personal influence.

You were created for a purpose. To use the time, talent and treasure you have been given to go, give and grow the seeds of influence in the lives of others. You can make a difference. Oh the joys of being awakened to the power of personal influence. Your life matters. You can have success and significance when you give what you’ve got to others who don't have a lot, the power of personal influence.

Life on the Curve

2009-06-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

Do you remember that feeling you had as a little kid when your dad would drive fast over a big hump in the road? Your tummy would flutter and for a brief movement you felt as if you were air borne. It was a little scary at first but before you had time to look over your shoulder you were asking him to turn around a do it again! Rides with dad were more than a road trip they were an adventure!

I’m not a kid anymore but the older I get the more I am learning that God loves to take His kids on exciting rides. However, it is not so much about arriving as it is getting there. Please allow me to explain.

It comes down to this -- Life is about intimacy with Him. It is as if God is saying, “It is not about what you do, it is about me and you.” It's about the time we spend together out on the open road.

I know it sounds so simple but I have discovered an intimacy with God that I had previously tried to obtain only through systems and processes. I use to make appointments with God, now I am truly learning to walk with Him. In essence, I have had a spiritual awakening rooted in learning to pray.

I have learned that prayer is much more of a dialogue. I don’t have to carry the conversation with God. Prayer is as much about listening as it is talking. He reveals things to me as I listen. I heard that a reporter once asked Mother Teresa what she said to God when she prayed.

“I listen,” she said.

“What does He say,” the reporter probed.

“He listens,” Mother Teresa replied.

Isn’t that beautiful!

It was if the Lord said, “Ray, when you sit down with your wife do you pull out the A.C.T.S. guide for discussion?”

“No, Lord. I think that might insult her. We have a free-flowing conversion.”

“Then why do you come before Me with your predetermined processes, lists and systems?” God revealed.

Trust me. I am not knocking a good prayer plan. But my prayer plans put God in a box. I have discovered He can keep up with my A.D.D. wandering brain. In fact, when I am still long enough, I am discovering that He tends to take a few tangents Himself! It’s all good!

As of late I have been asking God to give me specific direction for my life. I was doing a considerable amount of talking but it was as if He had gone deaf. God saw through my motivation. I wanted the assignment more than I wanted Him.

Once I realized God was more interested in my relationship and time with Him than Him telling me what I needed to do, funny thing is, He began revealing His plans.

Like the disciples on the road after the resurrection, Jesus was with them but they failed to recognize His presence. I have been walking with Jesus for years, only now, as I bask in His presence, am I seeing Him at work in my life like never before. “It’s not what you do, it’s you that I want,” the Father keeps reminding me. “You will discover your marching orders in time alone with me in prayer,” He says.

Our job is to act in the same way as Abraham. When God prompted Abraham, He simply said go. That was it, one step of faith at a time. No map, no destination, no schedule, just him and God on a journey. One day at a time on the road with God. Nothing less. Nothing more. Little-by-little.

So many times we beg God to reveal his plan so we can get on the road to doing His will. We forget that He is so much more interested in the journey than the destination.

We want clarity on a plan from point “A” to point “B”. Once we think we have our marching orders we tend to thank God and tell Him we will take it from here. We like the straight line. Sure it takes faith to step out in the direction of point “B” but I am convinced that God desires for us to live a little more on the wild side. I think He likes us to live life on the curve. He is the “river of life” after all. Have you every followed a straight river? No! Rivers wind! They are full of curves … and surprises!

Curves require faith. Just because we are heading in the right direction doesn’t mean there won’t be curves. I believe the curves are there by God’s design. Why? Because they keep us close to the one who has been down this road before. Sure there are straight-aways between the curves but the real excitement is found living on the curve. Not knowing what is right around the bend or just over the hill brings the thrills. God likes surprises. He is never caught of guard but He loves giving His kids surprises. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Life without curves requires little faith! No curves. No surprises!

When life throws you a curve, left your hands in the air and hang on for the ride. As the burdens pile on your shoulders allow them to bend your knees before your Father. He knew this curve was coming and He knows what is coming down the road. Hang on; He is more likely to press on the accelerator than to pound on the brakes! Why? Because He loves it when He get’s to take His kids for a ride on the wild side!

Bad to Good

2009-05-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

Things happen for at least 2 reasons. His glory and my good. He turns bad into good and good into even better. It is never easy to see the good in the middle of bad and some of the bad that I have experienced I still trust will be used for my good and His glory. He loves me more than I love myself. I trust rejection is protection. There is no guarantee of comfort in a calling. But knowing you are called sure is comforting!

The Corporate Cockpit

2009-05-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

Inside the Corporate Cockpit

When US Air Ways flight number 1549 took off from New York’s LaGuardia airport on January 15, 2009 everything appeared to be business as usual.

Shortly after take off the plane’s leader, Captain Sully, recognized something was gravely wrong. Unfortunately, his jet had struck a flock of geese and the plane was going down. In an instant he was forced to make a life or death decision that would determine the fate of his 155 passengers and crew.

Seconds mattered. Ignoring textbook suggestions from the control tower to attempt an emergency airport landing, the former US Air Force fighter pilot relied instinctively on his perspective from the cockpit.

Double checking critical gauges, he and his co-pilot determined to intentionally steer the jet away from the densely populated city and bring the plane down, in of all places, the Hudson River.

One of his last commands was to passengers warning them to "brace for impact." In the end it was his intentional leadership and perspective from the cockpit that saved the day, not doing business as usual.

While nearly every news headline carried the name of Captain Sully, there was hardly a mention of his co-pilot Jeffery Sikes. That made him no less important. Sikes was no stranger to the cockpit. He had sat in the captain’s seat many times himself. Fortunately for Captain Sully and his passengers, Sikes was the perfect co-pilot for flight 1549 that day. Together they had more than 70 years of flying experience.

In his briefing to Congress, co-pilot Sikes commented, "We must work tirelessly to maintain an unrivaled commitment to safety and professionalism. However, another component of the positive result was the vast experience of the cockpit and cabin crew. It is certainly in the interest of the traveling public to have experienced crews in the cockpit.”

Conditions rapidly changed for flight 1549 on that cold winter afternoon. Thankfully, the leader in charge relied on his instincts, his critical gauges and the valuable insight of his trusted co-pilot. Together they made the necessary adjustments to safely land the plane! Because they were intentional with their leadership the passengers and crew are alive today.

CEO’s can relate to Captain Sully, his co-pilot, passengers and crew. They understand that decisions from the corporate cockpit are often a matter of life or death for the company. Intentional leadership is the key to survival.

CEO’s recognize that business conditions can rapidly change

• The Rules for Business Have Changed.

• The global economic down turn will not be ignored. The economy has gained the attention of every CEO.

• Business as usual isn’t usual.

• Like Captain Sully, the economic engines that have sustained us have clogged. There has been a dramatic loss in thrust and altitude.

• Many CEO’s are bracing passengers and crew for impact.

The CEO’s Perspective from the Cockpit is Critical

• The views and decisions made from the cockpit are mission critical.

• The front seat is the hot seat.

• How cockpit gauges are interpreted determines if the plane soars, nosedives or glides.

• The leader holds the company’s future is in his hands.

• Many CEO’s feel like they are looking for an emergency landing

Flying Solo Spells Mayday

• Unsure who they can trust, many CEO’s quickly learn to operate solo.

• For them, it is truly lonely at the top

• Engaging stakeholders, directors and executive teams often presents more problems than solutions.

• Pressures from life at work soon spills over into personal life only making matters worse.

An Experienced Co-Pilot is Essential

• An experienced co-pilot, not autopilot, helps bring valuable perspective, confidence and clarity to the critical gauges in the cockpit.

She's My Girl Friend

2009-04-30T12:56:00.000-07:00

I've been dating the same woman for 22 years. Not only is she my girlfriend, but she is the mother of my six children and my first and only wife! I have to admit, I'm smitten by her. I'm not really sure how I gained her attention. It is a classic case of beauty and the beast.

I will never forget the day I met her. A friend and I were pretending we lost a contact lens at Falls Creek in hopes that a few pretty girls might feel sympathetic and help us regain our sight. Our strategy worked, and in the end I got the girl!

Our first date was at church. Being with her made me nervous and nearly made me sick. When I wasn't with her, I felt worse. We were in luuuuv! I'm often asked by young people if it is possible to know you have found the one. For me that was easy. I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life without her.

To this day, there is no one I would rather spend time with than Stephanie. She is my best friend. Besides, what guy wouldn't want to be with a woman who loves to fish? My only problem is that she tends to catch more than I do. I finally figured out why. She loves to fish, but she hates to handle bait. If we were golfing, I would be her caddy! When fishing, I bait and she casts. We make a great team.

I'm convinced God brought us together because He knew we would accomplish more together for Him than we ever would on our own. We are perfect complements. She's patient, and I am hurry up, let's go. She listens, while I talk. I'm out front, and she's behind the scenes. She's a gourmet cook, and I'm great at cleaning dishes.

She loves me despite all my weaknesses. She knows me better than anyone, and is still seen with me in public. When I fall short, she's honest about her disappointment, but remains faithful because she knows my heart.

No, we aren't the perfect couple. We're just in love. We discovered that while we are different in many ways, God uses our differences to make us more like Him.

In Ephesians, a man is encouraged to cherish his wife and to go all out in his love for his lady. A love marked by giving, not getting. As a servant leader, a man is to love his wife as Christ loves the church.

If I have learned anything in 22 years of dating, it is that a healthy marriage must be cherished. Taking it for granted is foolish. Marriage takes care, commitment and communication. Most of all, it must be centered on Christ. With the Lord in the heart of marriage, love is sure to grow and your girlfriend will always be your wife.

Mayflower

2009-04-30T12:11:00.001-07:00

Imagine the year is 1620 and you are standing with your family on a pier in Southampton, England observing Pilgrims boarding the Mayflower. There is an excitement in the air as word has spread about the journey the vessel will take to a new land-a place of adventure and fresh beginnings.

Some consider passengers of the Mayflower to be crazy, foolish and even insane। But as you watch you can't help but wonder if you and your family should be joining this clan of pioneers.

So much is unknown. What if the ship encounters pirates? What if the captain steers off course into a violent storm? Will there be enough supplies to make the journey to dry land? What if a disease breaks out among the crew? Taking such an adventure would be risky. Stepping on board would require a clear calling and tremendous faith.

Deep inside, you feel God is prompting you to go. Life for you in the old country has become comfortable. Things are going well, but despite success, a still small voice whispers, calling you to place your foot on the plank that leads to the unknown.

You have lived with few regrets. The thought of the Mayflower leaving without you causes you to wonder about what might have been. You never wanted to be one of those pitiful souls who wished they could've, should've or would've done something. If not now, when?

You have made it to the dock. You were confident God led you to make the journey. But now, doubt dances in your mind as you watch friends and neighbors prepare to push out to sea.
Unexpectedly, your spouse reaches for your hand, looks in your eyes and with a gentle but confident voice says, "I know you are scared, I know you love things the way they are, but I believe, as you, that we are meant to be at sea."

The affirmation from the love of your life and your strong desire to be in the center of God's will compels you to step forward and lead the way to a life you have never known before, but a life most certainly committed to serving the Lord.

There are times in life when each of us is faced with a Mayflower-size decision. Should we stay or should we go? Is there more work to be done, or have we completed the task? Should we dig in, or fly away? Such are the thoughts of those who abhor complacency and seek to walk in step with the will of the Lord.

Making the wise and best choice doesn't always come easy, but the Lord does promise to give wisdom to those who seek Him. James 1:5 informs us that all we need to do is ask God, and He will give us wisdom. Luke 7:35 says, "Wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it." Where is the Lord leading you? The boat is pushing back. The captain's whistle is blowing. A new beginning awaits you on a not-so-distant shore. May we welcome you on board?