Adventure In Life

"Every man can transform the world from one of monotony and drabness to one of excitement and adventure." -Irving Wallace

What are these folks getting themselves into?

I happen to be talking about friends Dave and Annie Spell. These are the folks moving to Brazil that I have been talking about this week. It is a week talking about them as they embark on a new adventure in Brazil; Curitiba, Brazil to be exact. Yes, they've sold everything, prepared as much as they can and the Visa paperwork is all in order. A plane will carry them south of the equator to a country that is large, vibrant and waiting for them.

To acquaint you with Brazil, here are some facts found laying about on the internet;

- Brazil is the largest country in South America and the world’s fifth largest.

- Brazil is formed by 26 states and a Federal District; the capital being Brasilia.

- The official language is Portuguese.

- There are 6 climatic regions in Brazil: equatorial, tropical, semi-arid, highland tropical, atlantic tropical and subtropical

- The population of Brazil is 201,009,622 with a couple of large cities; Sao Paulo 19.96 million and Rio de Janeiro 11.836 million

I look forward to visiting the Spells in Brazil and many of the friends I have made previously on visits to Brazil. You may even consider visiting Brazil during the upcoming 2014 World Cup or the 2016 Olympics. I encourage you to expand your horizon and visit some far off destination in your life time.

And while you are thinking about your next great adventure, consider supporting Annie and Dave Spell in their mission to help the people of Brazil. Use your tax deductible donation and click on the following link; Annie & Dave Spell - Brazil Missions. Consider a few dollars a month or one larger donation. The welcome mat is ready and all you have to do is ring the door bell.

For more information about what Annie and Dave are doing, check out DavidSpell.com, follow their progress, follow their adventure. It just might inspire you to do something that others may ask, "what are you getting yourself into?"

Stay inspired my friends.

Something Unexpected

"We are never prepared for what we expect." -James A. Michener

Today, Ps Ronald Berg arrives in Atlanta from Curitiba, Brazil. He will be speaking at our local C3 Atlanta Church this coming Sunday and I know it will be a great one to listen to. But somehow it feels like he is coming to take away friends of ours, Dave and Annie Spell. I know in fact this is not the case, but the human part of me hates to see them go.

You see, Dave and Annie are moving to Brazil in order to help build the C3 Church not only in Curitiba but also throughout Brazil and South America. Ps Ronald Berg has a great vision to help other people live a great life; to give them new hope and opportunity. As I have said before, this isn't about religion, it is about connecting with other people and lifting them up.

I have visited Curitiba, seen the church, spent time with Ronald and others in the community. My impressions are the same as anywhere I have been. It is a great city, great people, but the same issues exist for them as do for you and me. All are working to have the best life possible, raising families, and dealing with all of the mess that goes on in a normal, everyday life.

There are also people struggling to survive. There are addictions, poverty, abuse, and social strain just like those that exist in your own hometown. The same things we want to lift people out of are the same things they face in Curitiba and every other part of the world. So it really is not strange that two people from Georgia should go to Brazil to do the same thing.

If you would like to hear more and you are in the Atlanta area this Sunday, May 19th, come on over to the C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA. Dave and Annie will be sharing their vision and Pastor Ronald Berg, of C3 Curitiba, will be speaking. It will be your last chance to see them as the Spells fly to Curitiba that same night.

We are never fully prepared for what we expect and you might be surprised by your own expectations in life as well. If you would like to help out the Spells with your tax deductible donation, click on the following link; Annie & Dave Spell - Brazil Missions.

Step out of the ordinary in your life and find something new.

And for those that know the Spells, they are fitness fanatics and here is a short video of the place I'm sure they will be working out at while in Curitiba. Stay inspired my friends.

Change of Latitude

“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of person-kind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.”
-Leo Buscaglia

From 34.1169° N, 83.9986° W to 25.4687° S, 49.2535° W, the coordinates of where and to our friends the Spells will be moving. They are moving from Buford, GA (in the United States) to Curitiba, Brazil. This is a straight line distance of roughly 4708 miles.

This move was not a whim but driven by a vision they have to help with a church and the people of Brazil. The church is C3 Curitiba and they will be working with Pastor Ronald Berg and his team in Brazil. You could almost call them "southern" missionaries going "south" on a mission.

But this is not strictly about church or even religion. This is about connecting with people and helping them raise up their lives. It is about sharing lives together and helping other people live their best life. And that is something all of us could use, whether it be in Curitiba, Brazil or Buford, Georgia or any place you want to name. All of us are trying to live the best life we can.

You can be a part of their adventure as well, at least in part by helping support them. Annie and Dave could still use a few more monthly partners. If you could make a commitment of $20, $30, or more (or less) a month, it would go a long way. Or you could make a one time donation of $250, $500 or $1000 towards connection and helping others achieve something more in life.

Step out of the ordinary in your life and click on the link below; it is tax deductible.

Annie & Dave Spell - Brazil Missions

Muito Obrigado for your donation. And to our good friends Annie and Dave Spell, happy trails to you!

Stay inspired my friends.

Something of Value for Free

"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." -Peter Drucker

How many times do you get for free, something that can improve your daily work life? Something free that many would pay lots of money for, can be yours for free with the click of a button. A friend of mine has done just that.

David Spell is a retired police officer from just outside metro-Atlanta. After nearly thirty years, he left the police business as a Lieutenant. He had a great career and some incredible adventures. If you like exciting police stories, he wrote two books, "Street Cop" and "Street Cop II: Reloaded" about that career, you won't be disappointed.

While still working for the police department, he went back to school, earning both a masters degree in Management and a Ph.D in Theology. So David knows what he is talking about and in his blog, he imparts a lot of that wisdom on a daily basis.

Just recently, he announced the release of a new e-book on leadership called "Leading into the 21st Century…and Beyond." It is a collection of his most popular posts on leadership, management, supervision, and personal development.

And it is free.

David will be releasing the book through Amazon soon but he is giving it to you free simply by subscribing to his blog. All you have to do is go to DavidSpell.Com and fill out the SUBSCRIBE box on the right-hand side of the screen. It is free and David doesn't spam you with emails and does not give away email addresses to other people.

I have known David for a number of years and his knowledge and guidance has helped me in my own career. It can make a difference in your career as well. One such bit of knwledge that changed my way of thinking involves a glass of water.

In his e-Book, David writes;

The optimists see the glass and say, "It is half full."
The pessimists see the glass and say, "It is half empty."
The faith person sees the glass and says, "It is completely full."

David goes on to describe how the glass is actually full and it will change the way you look at things. It changed how I approached many of the daily circumstances that arise in our lives. So for me, I highly recommend you sign up today and then;

- Read it daily.
- Employ the ideas.
- Impart the knowledge to others.

Stay inspired my friends.