Five Don’ts To Help You Succeed in Parenting, Marriage and Life

1. DON’T CREATE YOUR OWN WALLS

A wall is something that stops you. You want to get somewhere. You may feel called to pursue something. You create walls when you say, “I can’t do that because. . .” This doesn’t mean you should throw yourself into selfish pursuits, but God made each of us with vastly more ability than we’ve been taught to think. This is profoundly true when you’re pursuing something God has called you to do.

We can think, “I can’t do that,” failing to consider that what God calls us to do, He will provide the resources and the means to do. We can’t do it alone, but we are not alone. The more you trust God and see Him work in your life, the less you’ll be inclined to build walls that stop you from achieving all God plans for you.

There would be no Movieguide® Annual Faith &; Values Awards Gala & Report to the Entertainment Industry if God had not taken our humble abilities and multiplied them with help of thousands of people, many of whom have become dear friends.

2. DON’T WAIT

Don’t focus too much on what you hope to do someday. Focus on what God would have you do today.

The only way to get to what you hope for someday is to be taking constructive steps today. Movieguide® started in the basement of our home in Atlanta. It now has a beautiful office in Camarillo, CA and produces the premier event honoring entertainment with faith and values. The path between the two was paved with daily tasks completed.

It is so easy to make excuses why you’ll start something later.

Don’t make excuses, start.

3. DON’T COMPARTMENTALIZE

God has created you to experience more than just a job. Church, family and your neighbors are part of God’s plan for your life. They all fit together into God’s will for your life.

God doesn’t call people to some good work to destroy their family. If you trust God, you’ll be able to do His Will in all aspects of your life.

Paul, in his second letter to Timothy explains who makes a good deacon. It’s someone who is pursuing God’s Will in all areas of life. In Proverbs 30, the “good wife” is good at all sorts of things.

4. DON’T BE AFRAID

Fear paralyzes. In fact, fear often results in the thing you fear happening.

The phrase “like a deer in the headlights” speaks of a deer frozen by fear. Without fear the deer could easily escape a highway before a car arrives. A deer frozen by the headlights of an oncoming car could wind up being hit.

Fear slows progress. It can stop the daily pursuit of God’s will.

God has not given us the spirit of fear. Three hundred and sixty times the Bible says, “Don’t fear” or “don’t worry,” which is one time for almost each and every day of the year.

We have to learn to look to Him when circumstances frighten us.

5. DON’T QUIT

It’s very easy to list excuses to quit work on what God’s called you to do. God did not call David to give Goliath a pedicure. He was called to do something many stronger men were afraid to try. They were paralyzed looking at Goliath. David looked at God instead.

Don’t focus on excuses, no matter how good they sound. Instead, focus on the times in your past when you’ve seen God work in your life. It can be difficult, but that very difficulty is an opportunity to trust God more. Difficulty builds faith. If you never faced difficulty, would you even bother to pray? You’d think you don’t need God.

God doesn’t call people to do things FOR Him. He calls people to do things with Him. . . and with others, whom He has called to join in the task. A calling is an assignment to fill a specific part in a very big plan. Paul was called to be an apostle. He went through things that would have caused many men to quit, but he pressed on because his focus want not on what was happening to him, but on what he was called to do: Preaching the Gospel.

When things are the most difficult for you, you can grow in faith and God can receive the greatest glory. These are the times when only a miracle will keep you going. Start by thanking God for all He’s already done for you.

At Movieguide®, we’ve seen such miracles a number of times. We need another miracle right now if the Movieguide® Awards are to continue. We expect a miracle because we have absolutely no doubt about God’s calling to redeem the media. It’s not just a calling to Ted and Lili Baehr. It’s never been about Ted and Lili Baehr. It’s about God’s desire to redeem the media. He just called Ted and Lili Baehr to play their part in HIS plan that requires the involvement of many others.

You must not let discouragement stop you from doing a job God has called you to do. The greatest reward anyone can receive is to hear from God, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Our calling is to redeem the mass media of entertainment. It’s exciting to know God wants the media redeemed. It’s obvious to all that we can’t redeem the media. Only God can. We simply get to play the part God has called us to do. It’s not easy. It’s a lot of work. There are many opportunities to be discouraged, but the calling is sure and with each passing year the miracles pile up. Not only that, but we make many friends and converts that bring us great joy.

You cannot read Paul’s letters without seeing his frustrations and his joy. As difficult as his calling was he made many close friends along the way. We thank God that this has been the case at Movieguide®. One of our great joys every Gala season is, while ministering to the entertainment industry, we get to be joined by many wonderful friends God has called to share in his plan to redeem the mass media of entertainment.

Let me thank all of you who’ve stood with us through the many challenges. You are a blessing from God.

Editor’s Note: Lili Baehr is the wife of Publisher Dr. Ted Baehr and has been an integral part of the Movieguide® ministry from its inception.