CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-18 22:20:08 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 9 +1s)

We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious.

2013-05-18 14:58:28 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Freedom

Freedom is the cornerstone of Christianity. -Brennan Manning

#heartstone   #quote  

2013-05-18 15:28:33 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 6 +1s)

Be a Warrior!

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith - 2 Timothy 4:7

(shared from 'ManUpGodsWay' via FB)

#heartstone   #scripture  

2013-05-18 13:19:53 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Our Limited View

I have been sharing some of my photos of when I went Skydiving to add some personal context to a recent blog post I've written called What I Learned From Jumping Out Of A Plane. It's one of those stories where I connected a real life event to a spiritual lesson.

Sure, jumping out of a plane take courage and guts, but I think it takes more courage and guts to trust in God - and to walk it out with Him!

Read the post: http://bit.ly/19thXZy

Because of our limited view, we focus on our circumstances while He focuses on using our circumstances to accomplish a deeper work in us. It’s a trust issue. Can I trust God to shield me from the full onslaught of the enemy? Can I trust God when He allows suffering in my life? Can I trust God when He takes things away from me? Can I trust God with my kids? Can I trust God if I loose my job? CanI tr... more »

2013-05-18 13:04:39 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Heartstone Update

Heartstone Journey has a new look! Wider format and an updated logo.

What do you think?

#heartstone  

2013-05-18 13:00:09 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Pride

As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on thing and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you. - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

#heartstone   #quote   #cslewis  

2013-05-18 12:58:12 (2 comments, 7 reshares, 11 +1s)

#lol  

2013-05-18 12:55:20 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Should Christians Play The Lottery?

Check out this video and share your thoughts?

2013-05-18 12:51:03 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

The Cure For Everything Starts With Men
By Patrick Morley

When my mother was diagnosed with advanced Stage 4 cancer, she decided to treat the pain but not the disease. In many ways, that's what we're doing with our mega-problems--like divorce, fatherlessness, domestic abuse, the explosion of pornography, metal detectors in schools, rampage shootings, Wall Street corruption, and the normalization of sin on TV, to name a few. However, behind virtually every sad story you will find the failure of a man--and he hates himself for it. By all means, let's continue helping single moms, pregnant teenagers, and fatherless boys--we need more of that, not less. But we'll never solve these "symptomatic" problems without treating underlying disease – the cause – that men don't understand biblical manhood. Can you think of anything that has more potential tosol... more »

2013-05-17 19:00:21 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

What Does 45 And Heartstone In Common?

So, I wrote a book called Heartstone: A Journey out of the midnight of my soul . Yeah, it's about my personal failure; defeat; lost expectations; and my final devastation,  but at the core, it's about a homecoming.

Let Heartstone be the beginning of your journey home. This time the happy ending will be your own and  God wants you to have a beautiful ending!

If you've been curious about what it is, but not quite sure you want to buy the book you can now preview 45% now from Smashwords.

Here is the link: http://bit.ly/10BlyDJ

#heartstone   #ebook   #awesomedeals   #TGIF  

2013-05-17 18:34:13 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

#lol

2013-05-17 18:15:56 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Nothing short of chronological snobbery would make us think that in contrast to God’s biblical followers we are better placed to judge the character of God. -J.M. Njoroge

#heartstone   #quote  

2013-05-17 18:15:26 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

2013-05-17 16:35:37 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

IN THE DARK
By Woodrow Kroll

Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. (Ruth 3:8) 

Most crimes take place in the dark. In the dark of the night a thief slips into a home to steal. In dimly lit parking garages assailants lurk about for their next victims. In the blackness of alleys gang members hatch their plans. 

Depraved men love the darkness because it hides their wicked deeds (John 3:19). And here was a perfect opportunity? A man alone with a woman in the dark. No one would have noticed; it was midnight and everyone was sound asleep. Nor probably would they have cared, had they taken note. Ruth was a foreigner and, worse yet, a Moabitess. Since the days of Moses when Moabites refused to allow passage through their land and even hired Balaam to curse the Israelites, no love existedb... more »

2013-05-17 16:18:01 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Spotify vs iTunes

When Apple came out the the iPod, it changed the music landscape forever. Of course, like millions of other, I opened up an iTunes account and bought my first iPod. I was a loyal fan for years, that is until Spotify showed up.

I was first introduced to Spotify visiting a friend of mine in the UK when Spotify was only available in Europe. I loved what I saw and when it hit the US, I jumped in and didn't look back.

The Business Insider article concludes that this battle really comes down to... if you actually want to own your music or if you are all right with simply streaming it and downloading it for offline listening.

I think its much more than that. Also, here is the real test...my kids and pretty much all their friends dumped iTunes for Spotify and that definitely tells you something ;)

Read more:htt... more »

2013-05-17 15:49:07 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

you were bought at a price...

2013-05-17 15:24:26 (4 comments, 3 reshares, 11 +1s)

1...2...3...JUMP!

The trip up to altitude was the loudest, longest twenty minutes of my life, and that the jump instructor and videographer found amusement in ribbing me the entire ride didn’t help.

The alarm sounds.

Altitude is 13,500 feet.

The door opens.

The wind comes roaring in.

Panic begins to overtake me.

Changed my underwear. (Just kidding.)

My test of courage had finally come as I began to inch my way toward the open door of my destiny moment. I stood at the threshold of all I knew to be safe, and without any rational thought, we leaped out of the plane, heading toward the ground at over 150 mph.

(Excerpt from Heartstone Copyright © 2009 by Tim Young. All rights reserved.)

Ok, so here is the rub. I placed my trust in a plane I’ve never been in, I placed my trust in anorga... more »

2013-05-17 13:14:26 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Which side of the ball do you prefer to play on – offense or defense?

Google and Apple are both highly esteemed brands. Both companies share many common traits which have contributed to their success, but there is one very big difference between the two  – Google plays offense while Apple has recently settled for playing defense. Apple is struggling to maintain its position in the market, while Google is expanding its position.

We are all aware of the classic Android and iOS debate, but this Forbes article pokes at the leadership difference between Google and Apple. This is clearly on the heels of CEO Larry Page making a surprise appearance at Google’s I/O conference.

Do you agree with the assertions made in the article?

Is there a fundamental difference in the core of these two companies  from a leadership perspective?

#google   #apple   #lar... more »

2013-05-17 13:14:49 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Heartstone Journey Daily

Spent some time earlier this week setting up an online newspaper called 'Heartstone Journey Daily' using paper.li, check it out. ;)

http://bit.ly/13xAgNA

#heartstone   #paperli   #TGIF

2013-05-17 13:15:19 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

I Am Grateful

"I am grateful Jesus didn't intimidate people with his righteousness. Jesus never controls anybody. He states truths, and is okay with the chaos it creates. Control is the enemy of relationship, and of love. The Gospel is about relationship and love, not force." -Don Miller

#heartstone   #quote  #HappyFriday

2013-05-16 20:27:34 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Welcome Traveler

What story is your life telling?

Is it a mess?

Is it lonely and difficult?

I don’t want to presume to know what your situation may or may not be, but I can tell you that there is a God who can and will restore the years life has stolen from you.

If Heartstone has any message that can resonate with you it is that “You are not alone!”

Come and take a journey with me through the pages of my personal failure, defeat, lost expectations, and my final devastation.

Heartstone is a story about a people who faced the giants that we all face, and the keys God gave them (and has given each of us) to deal with those giants and turn theirs and our broken solitude into a field of dreams.

The truth of God’s word is that He has already written the story of your life. It is time for you to read that storyand fin... more »

2013-05-16 20:12:59 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Life Lessons I’m Learning From The Rain

Check out these lyrics from the song ‘Jesus Bring The Rain’ by Mercy Me.

So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there’ll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that’s what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

That’s a tough perspective, isn't it?

#heartstone   #life   #rain  

2013-05-16 20:07:17 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Got Sport?

I played lacrosse for 3 of my high school years and I loved it.

What sport did you play in high school?

#sports   #lacrosse  

2013-05-16 19:49:39 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Where You Want To Be

What choices do you need to make in order to be where you want to be?

What actions do you need to take to get what you want out of life?

What things must you do now in order to live the life you want later?

#heartstone

2013-05-16 18:22:30 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 12 +1s)

#lol

2013-05-16 18:20:32 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Storms Of Life

Trials and tragedy will come our way. The question is: how do you respond to life's toughest challenges?

#heartstone  

2013-05-16 16:25:08 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Understanding Google's new design: It's all about cards.

From The New Yorker: "A card will be the atomic unit of information display across all of Google."

See what I did there? I put what we journalists call a "pull quote" as the top line. The reason is that I know in your stream you will see only my "headline" and my first line, and I wanted to make it compelling enough for you to click and read. 

Welcome to the new Google+. 

Some people are complaining about this, saying its anti-writer, anti-words, pro-photos or too much like Pinterest. 

In fact, Google+ always displayed only the first few lines of each post, but now they're displaying fewer. 

Let's be clear about why this is happening: Google is fully embracing the cards interface. A card is a unit of information that could containany... more »

2013-05-16 14:47:56 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

5 Ways to Bond with Your Blog’s Audience

It's hard to build a loyal blog audience. It takes time and a content marketing approach that treats your readers like humans ...

So hang in there. And follow these proven, audience-bonding methods shared by
+Henneke Duistermaat:

http://www.copyblogger.com/bond-with-your-audience/

If you are patient and follow her advice, you'll start to see more comments on your posts, visitors to your site, and subscribers on your email list. 

And while you're at it, check out Copyblogger's new redesign. We think you'll love it. ;)

#contentmarketing   #blogging   #audience  

+Demian Farnworth 

2013-05-16 14:08:54 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

The Tablet Wars

I was reading an article in Forbes (http://onforb.es/15PRpWj) earlier this week on 'Why Android Is Winning The Tablet Wars'

The writer shares that Android tablets took the lead from Apple tablets in Q1 of 2013 (http://bit.ly/106Ue0J). This is a huge change from three years ago, when Apple invented the modern tablet.

He goes onto suggest that there four driving forces:

● Tablets are more than a media consumption device now
● Android has matured
● The rise of Samsung
● Democratization of tablets

Thoughts? What's your tablet running, Android, iOS or Windows 8?

Personally,  went with an Asus Transformer and here is why...

#heartstone   #tablets   #android   #ipad   #windows8   #asus  

2013-05-16 13:19:32 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

#lol

2013-05-16 13:17:55 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

Are You a Know It All?

Wow, I spent most of life (especially teen years) fully convinced that I was a know it all. As I put more mileage on the road of life I am concluding that I really don't. Sure I know stuff, but not everything and I have found it so much easier in my older years to just simple say, "I don't know"

How about you, are you a know it all? or do you know one?

#heartstone   #knowledge   #humility  

2013-05-16 01:12:36 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

We all need feedback!

If I were to ask you to talk about feedback, what would would you share? Are you a person who likes to receive feedback or give feedback?

Here is a challenge. Simply ask someone who you would like feedback from to “fill in the blanks” about you. [Continue Reading]

#heartstone  #Feedback

2013-05-16 01:08:51 (2 comments, 4 reshares, 5 +1s)

The beginning of love...

Check out this quote from Thomas Merton...wow is right! We are all guilt of trying to change those close to us to fit our own image, aren't we?

#heartstone   #love   #quote  

2013-05-16 01:03:51 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 7 +1s)

YIKES!!!!

2013-05-16 01:03:30 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

Giant peg sculpture, Belgium

2013-05-15 23:51:57 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Could You Live A Year Without The Internet?

+John Saddington shared a post on WP Daily today about Paul Miller,   an employee paid by his employer, Verge, to go offline for an entire year.

I'm dating myself here, but growing up as a kid I did not have the internet, smartphones, tablets, etc. We actually went outside and played kick-ball, made tree forts and other stuff kids used to do that grew up unplugged.

I have to admit that today I spend a fair amount of time on the Internet both personally and professionally. This article did bring me back to when I lived in an unplugged world though.

What about you? How long could you unplug from the Internet?

#internet   #paulmiller   #unplugged   #offthegrid  

2013-05-15 19:33:46 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

So excited for this!

2013-05-15 19:24:53 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

Android User's Download NOW!!!

2013-05-16 01:14:52 (25 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

The New Google+

Woah!!! Google+ just radically changed with a completely new UI and layout.

Has this happened to your profile yet?

Here is more on the update: http://gizmodo.com/completely-redesigned-google-adds-41-new-features-506803700 (HT +Charise Strandberg)

#googleplusupdate     #feedback  

2013-05-15 19:04:07 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Could Mobile Responsive Website Design Hurt Your SEO?

Interesting article from Coppyblogger by +Jerod Morris where he asks the question Is mobile responsive web design good for SEO or not?

Love where he starts the conversation, What would Google do?

"Google recommends webmasters follow the industry best practice of using responsive web design, namely serving the same HTML for all devices and using only CSS media queries to decide the rendering on each device." -Google

He goes on to share when this might not be true.

Is your site using responsive design?

#seo   #mobility   #responsivedesign  

2013-05-15 18:33:10 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

#lol

2013-05-15 15:46:38 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Learning To Fly

My recent post on Heartstone Journey shares my adventures in skydiving and what I learned from jumping out of a plane. I have to tell you that it was one of the coolest things I've done and had an adrenaline rush for about three days. It's also a great way to overcome fear ;)

But it really got me thinking about trust and control. Some of the issues I wrestled with in life, which ironically are fronts for fear. Hmmm...

Read more: http://bit.ly/19thXZy

Do you have trust or control issues?

#heartstone   #trust   #control   #life   #skydiving  

2013-05-15 14:29:05 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

2013-05-15 14:22:27 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

Forgive us today, Lord, and heal this troubled land that we love so much!

Wanted to share the National Day of Prayer message by Pastor +Greg Laurie of Harvest Ministries. HT +Kurt von Schleicher for sharing the article!

Message: http://bit.ly/17uCtfY

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (NKJV).

Notice that God says if we want our land to be healed, it starts with His people. “If My people who are called by My name . . .”) God does not point His finger at the White House, but at His house. It is easy as Christians to put the blame on Hollywood or Washington. But God says that we need to be living as true followers of Jesus Christ.

Do you have hope for America? Pray!
#h... more »

2013-05-15 13:43:20 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Got Courage?

Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway. -John Wayne

I remember being asked to do something by one of my former employers that definitely crossed one of my ethical/integrity boundaries. It would have been so easy to just go along with the status quo, because, hey...everyone else was doing it, right?

At the risk of loosing my job, I stood my ground and explained why I did not feel comfortable with what was being asked of me. Good news...I did not loose my job. I did eventually move on because this was becoming a systemic pattern.

What moments of courage can you share?

#heartstone  

2013-05-14 19:37:13 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

Ever have one of these days? ... referring to the guy on the left ;)

2013-05-14 18:36:19 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Walking It Out

Circumstances may appear to wreck our lives and God’s plans, but God is not helpless among the ruins. Our broken lives are not lost or useless. God comes in and takes the calamity and uses it victoriously, working out His wonderful plan of love. -Eric Lidell

#heartstone   #quote  

2013-05-14 18:29:38 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Is College Worth It?

I have not read this book, but was intrigued by the review narrative.

The orthodox answer to the question, the authors write, is “Of course it is. Though the cost of attendance is ever increasing, those who go to college make more than those who don’t. And while the job market is bad, it is worse for those without a college degree.”

“Is College Worth It?” provides a thoroughgoing deconstruction of the “of course it is” delusion. It turns out that for too many, and maybe even most of our young people, the answer to this central question is, sadly, “no.” “Whether the standard of excellence for higher education is cultivating the mind and the soul or maximizing financial return on investment, most of higher education fails most students,” the authors write.

I have one in college and one on deck and it amazes me thedisconnect with the v... more »

2013-05-14 17:43:05 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Have You Cut Cable Television?

With all the alternative options available online for watching your favorite TV shows, more people than ever are letting go of their cable television subscriptions. Have you cut the cord?

Have you dropped cable? If so, what have you replaced it with?

#cable   #budget   #savingmoney  

2013-05-14 16:14:45 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

Redbull Gives You Wings

Not sure you've jumped out of a plane before, but it was one of the awesome-est (is that a word?) things I've done! I also learned a few things from it and here is one of those things...

#heartstone   #life   #skydiving  #TravelTuesday