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There once were 2 car collectors who had been searching for the final addition to their collection. One collector was a Chevy collector who was looking for a 1967 Chevy Corvette L88 and the other was a Ford collector was looking for a 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf. Both had spent their whole lives locating and refurbishing classic cars into tip-top condition. They had searched high and low to find their two final vehicles, but none could be found. So both men put their requests to God:
The Chevy man said, “Lord, I have been faithful to you all these years, I have served you, and put you first. Can you help me find this last car?”
In that same token, the Ford man said, “Lord, all my life I’ve been committed to you, I have served you, and I too have put you first. Can you help me find this last car?”
The years would come and go, and neither man would find their last car. Soon, they would pass away and go to Heaven. As they entered the pearly gates, each saw a silhouette of 2 beautiful new cars with their name on it. Though they couldn’t make out what kind of car they were, both of the men ran to see what was in store. As they got closer, the cars got clearer and clearer, the Ford man began to jump for joy as a new 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf could be seen. He hopped in the car and drove all through glory land, excited for his collection was now complete. 
The Chevy man immediately got excited as he saw his new 1967 Chevy Corvette L88. He jumped in, put the keys in the car, but couldn’t go forward, in fact, his car fell sunk into the ground. The Chevy man said, “Lord, what happened to my car? 
The Lord said, “Son, I’d never want to give you less than whats best. Always desire what is good. Never settle for a Chevy when you could’ve had a Ford.” 

😊
Point of the Post: It doesn’t matter what kind of car you drive or want. God knows the desires of our hearts, our needs, and our wants. He will always care about your life and your interests. Be blessed and keep driving toward Him! #FordVersusChevy #TwoGuysAndTheirCars #TheLastCar

Merry Christmas to all! As Christmas is happening around the world, I have an interesting thought for you: Imagine your life did not exist. Imagine there is no record of your life nor does anyone know who you are. Would the world be different? Would your absence be vastly deafening? This grim hypothetical state I just described is one that is often referred to, but rarely grasped. This was recently brought to my attention as I watched the holiday classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the first time. (I’m a laggard for watching memorable movies.) 
In this movie, the character, George Bailey is going through a rough time wishing as if he never lived. He then sees the world without his presence as everything has drastically changed. The lives he once knew as happy and cheerful were sad and gloomy. Small details that he never even considered were different in a negative way, because he realized this world was never touched by his influence or his presence. 
They say, “Presence is the greatest gift.” At Christmas, we always wonder what we should get our loved ones and friends, but did you know we can give others a far more greater gift than Wal-Mart, Macy’s, and even Santa can give? This gift is called being Present. I’ve met lots of students who stood in need of a parent being present. I’ve met couples who long for their spouse to be present. I’ve seen friends who are desperately looking for someone to just be there for them and be present. George Bailey had to realize that his life really mattered and his absence revealed that His presence was too influential, too critical, and too important to waste. In that same token, your life is too influential, too critical, and too important to waste as well. 
This Christmas I challenge you to ask yourself, “What would the world be like without your influence or impact?” You will find that your life is more influential than you know. Imagine this Christmas if a loving God chose to be absent and not sent His son to be born. What a terrible state we’d be in had he not sent His Son. But thank goodness, He did. When we choose to be present, understanding the gravity of our impact, and living with intentional influence, you’ll see that we are truly living The Wonderful Life. Merry Christmas and Enjoy the season! 

#TheWonderfulLife

Cruising down an Oklahoma turnpike has never been an unfamiliar setting for me as most of my work consists of driving frequently. However, yesterday as I was driving in this very common setting back home, I found myself singing to country and southern gospel tracks, enjoying the beautiful Oklahoma sunset, and looking forward to wrapping a great day.
 All of sudden, out of nowhere, I heard a very loud sound as if a motorcycle was passing me with a heavy exhaust pipe, but looking out my car, not one single vehicle was around me. The sound gets louder, I turn my stereo off. The sound gets even louder. I look behind me, again no vehicle in sight. Suddenly, the sound hit its climax and into a scrapping tone as if someone was scrapping their nails on a chalkboard. My Lincoln town car then began to veer uncontrollably into both lanes back and forth as I saw white smoke come in the view of my mirror from behind me. Doing all I could to hold onto my steering wheel, I was able to slightly control the sputtering and pull over out of the way of traffic. So thankful no one was around me. 
I quickly got out of my car and validated what I had already gathered, the fact that one of my rear tires had a blowout. The tire had spun so hard that the rubber had been frayed into several directions. With the constant traffic coming and nightfall on its way, I knew being on the side of the road wouldn’t be the ideal place to be for a long period of time. I grabbed my car jack and donut tire and began to get to work. It seemed like an eternity as I was getting the jack to lift up my car. 

After 15 mins, I was covered in sweat, tire grease, and my white shirt wasn’t exactly white any more. Soon I noticed some flashing lights behind me as I was getting another part of my jack out of the trunk. It was a Highway Patrolman. He greeted me and complimented my car and asked if I needed any help. He proceeded to unscrew the bolts of the old tire as I was preparing the donut. We visited for awhile as we worked. He wondered what I did, I told him that I was an author and speaker. He seemed interested in my book, Caught Up & Called Out, as he was interested in leadership. We soon finished up the replacement tire and noticed that it was in need of some air. The officer told me there was a QuikTrip about 10 miles away from where we were at and that they had free air pumps there. I told him thank you for his help and offered to give him one of my books, but he said he wanted to download the book online instead. I gave him my card not expecting to see him again. 
To my surprise, the officer took the time to follow me in my lane so no other traffic could interfere as I could only do 40 mph in a 75 mph with my donut. When I arrived at the QuikTrip to air my replacement tire. He got out of the car and said, “Sir, I want to shake your hand?” Puzzled, I wondered why. He said, “While we were driving over here to QuikTrip, I did a quick search on you and I saw that you were a Christian. You see, I’m a Christian too and I want you to know that your work as a speaker and writer for people is appreciated in this state. We need more people like you.”
 I didn’t know what to say except “Thank you. And that God gets all the glory.” I told him that his job was so important and that as a patrolman I’m sure he deals with all kinds of people and situations. Truth be told, I told him that he was a difference maker and that we needed more leaders like him. As I thanked him for all he did for others and how much I valued his help, I felt the heart tug to pray for him right there at QuikTrip. I prayed that God would go before him, keep him safe, give him favor in every situation, and help him in every endeavor to know God’s peace and presence. We said amen and both went our separate ways encouraged. 

I recall the events that happened and I think of how much I appreciated the actions of a true servant leader and the protective hand of an Almighty God. To be honest, this month has been one of the hardest months spiritually I have ever been through, but God still has a plan regardless. 😃 We go through so many things in life wondering why we do so, but little do we know what God has in store. I went through a scary blowout on a turnpike, but in the end, it led to a person being prayed for and encouraged. No matter what your blowout is, an obstacle, a conflict, current events, an unmet need, etc., know that God always has a plan through it all and He will always be willing to give you a hand, just like the highway patrolman did for me. Never did I expect anything good to come out of this incident, but that’s what I get for thinking. After all, there truly was a blessing behind the blowout. #BehindTheBlowout #NewBlogPost #HelpingHand
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

 -Romans 8:28

You never fully understand how big of a role technology plays in your life until the day your phone goes down temporarily. If you know my life, you’ll know that my phone constantly rings with calls, emails, and texts. Today was a very uncharacteristic day as I noticed how dependent I had become on my phone, because of how big the absence of its source felt. I couldn’t call anyone or text anyone without wifi. Because I lacked the source, my phone had virtually no power, except with the use of Facebook and a few other apps. 
As frustrating and complicated as this might sound it reminded me of the truth that many of us are like my current cell phone situation. When we are absent of the Source, we too are powerless. What am I talking about? When Jesus, the true Source of life, is absent from our lives we can do nothing. The scripture that many folks have heard is Philippians 4:13 which says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Jesus is life. Jesus is our strength. Jesus is our joy. Jesus is our everything. Without Him, without the Source, we will never make it to where He has called us to be. We all need Him now more than ever.
The work is already underway to get my phone back on track as soon as possible and I’m looking forward to getting it back very soon. However, today I’ve thought about my relationship with Christ and how I need to be stronger. As much as I desire my phone to function for me, I desire my life to function for God so much more. So, if you are going through something tonight and feel lifeless, then talk to the Source of Life, feel free to give Him a call right where you’re at right now. No phone is needed. No data is needed. All you need is to call His name. And unlike my phone, you won’t even need wifi. Be blessed! 😀 #TalkToJesus #SharingFromTheHeart #SourceOfLife 

Yesterday, my girlfriend and I met up for dinner to catch up and visit about what was going on in both of our lives. We decided to go to Arby’s because we had a special coupon for a 2 for 1 Roast Beef Sandwich combo. Never to give up a bargain, we went and hopped in line. In front of us we couldn’t help but notice an older man with his granddaughter holding the same coupon we had. 
April took note of the similiarty and she said to the man, “Hey, we have the same coupon too!” The man laughed and started to visit with us. He asked us if we were college students here in town, we both said no, but I admitted that I had just graduated this past May. “Where from?” He replied. “Oklahoma State.” I exclaimed. “What was your major?”, He asked. I went on to say that my degree was in Agricultural Leadership and currently am a speaker who likes to write in addition to speak to audiences.
 He was interested in my writing and asked what I wrote on. I proceeded to tell him that I had just recently wrote a book on leadership. Immediately, he asked if I had a copy and wanted to buy one. Luckily, I had one in my car, I brought it to him and he insisted I sign it to him. In the book, I wrote to him, “Thank you for your kindness and the time you took to be interested in us two “college students.” He soon told us good bye and made us feel valued. My girlfriend and I were both touched by the fact that someone was willing to take the time to visit and show genuine concern for us and our futures.
We went to Arby’s for a bargain on a tasty meal, but we ended up leaving with so much more than meal deal, we left with a feeling of value, a feeling of respect, a feeling of worth. Some may not think this post means very much, but I have a “What If” scenario for you. Lately, many have debated how our nation could regain its greatness again. WHAT IF the secret to regaining our country’s greatness was in the hands of you and me? WHAT IF the secret simply hinged upon our behavior toward others? Could the rebirth of our greatness be possible as a result of individual authenticity, kindness, and sincerity? 
If we were all to take a microscope to the memories of our lives, we could see the positive effects a simple random act of kindness had on us. Look at the issues facing this country and generation, an argument could be made that they are all indirectly or directly a result of poor self-image, worth, and lack of kindness. If America is determined to regaining its greatness, perhaps the actions of a benevolent nation and an altruistic people will speak loud enough to restore it. 
Never did I think I would leave an Arby’s inspired, however, not only did I leave inspired, but valued, motivated, full of food, energy, and most of all, impacted by one man’s action to be kind. Hopefully, after reading this post you will be impacted by his actions too. 🙂

Have you ever had a Jalapeño?
They are one of my favorite kind of peppers to have. The other day my girlfriend and I were driving along a road and noticed a big field of crops. We had both passed by the field lots of times throughout the year and noticed that the farmer would change what was being grown on that patch of dirt from time to time. Now, being the agriculturally inclined person I am, I was more than curious to see what kind of crop they were. Normally, I can identify them lol. So we pulled the car over to the side of the road and I begin to look at the plants. I admit I’m not the greatest at crop identification, but looking at what I could see, it looked like a crop of Jalapeños were being grown. 
When you eat a jalapeño you are taken away by the heat that follows the bite. 

The heat that we feel stems from the seeds of the jalapeño. People who don’t like the heat will literally take the seeds out so that the heat will be taken out. You may find it crazy to think of, but without the seeds of the Jalapeño, there would be no effect, no spice, no heat. There are many people who walk around seedless. They choose to serve themselves rather than others. Instead of having a positive impact on others, they quench it by wrong choices, negative attitudes, poor self-worth, and more. They lose their heat, they lose their impact.
And then, there are others, whose lives are boiling HOT. Passion fuels them, impact spurs them, and purpose engages them to be their best. We so desperately need leaders who choose to turn up the heat and take a stand. We need Christians who bring the heat, their fire and faith to a very cold and desolate world. We need Faith that is Hotter Than a Jalapeño. It’s imperative to be people who sow seeds and take leads to help this world of need. Ask yourself, “Are you living a life that is Hot for what’s important or Cold to what could be?” 
After a great discussion with my girlfriend on what we can learn from the makeup of a Jalapeño, I was soon informed by a local friend that this crop of Jalapeños was actually a crop of Soybeans. 😳
#HotterThanaJalapeno #NewBlogPost 

A few weeks ago, myself along with many other Americans saw the highly anticipated sequel, “Finding Dory” at our local movie theater. The anticipation had been building for years as Disney Pixar had been promising a sequel to Finding Nemo for quite some time. In the first movie, Dory was a scatter brained fish who suffered from short term memory loss. However, her determination and perseverance will always be remembered by audiences as she coined the famous line, “Just Keep Swimming”. If you’ve seen Finding Nemo, we see a journey take place where a father is looking for his son and Dory enters the picture along the way to help. We never know much about Dory, except that she becomes a great friend and ally in the pursuit of finding Nemo. 
As seen in the previews of Finding Dory, Dory recalls her family and quickly finds herself trying to retrace her steps back to find them. She endures an adventure of obstacles, challenges, and meeting new people, all along the effort of remembering who she is and rediscovering where she comes from. Now, I won’t tell you how the movie goes as I don’t want to spoil it for you, but one thing I will tell you is that there are many of us in life who can relate to Dory. You might think, “Now Brandon, how can I relate to a silly fish like Dory?” 😉
Well, today if there are two common things that have become easily forgotten about in this world, it’s knowing who we are and knowing where we come from. As a youth speaker, I hear students tell me that they struggle with their identity, understanding their purpose, and figuring out where to go next in life. It’s an easy state of mind to be in and there is hope for those of us who have felt that way. When Dory had become clueless about her past, she wandered from place to place looking for a place to belong and lived a life that was purposeless. But when Dory began to have epiphanies about her family, she became ferocious and ardently passionate about finding them. 
You see, in this moment, Dory had a Purpose to go after- she realized that there was more to her life and that made her want to discover who she was and where she came from. Have you realized that there is more to your life that is waiting to be discovered? Just like Dory, you have an origin, a heritage, a beginning, and for many of us, we are needing to go back and find it. These beginnings are the starting points to our identity as an individual. None of us would be who we are if it weren’t for our origins. Our past shapes us, our present spurs us, our future inspires us, but our purpose fulfills us. When you are living your life with purpose, you truly discover who you are and the reason you are here. 
Dory had a beginning. Dory had a purpose. Dory had a destiny. And no matter what she went through in life, these factors would not change. Guess what? You too, have a beginning, a purpose, and a destiny. No matter what you’ve gone through or are going through, these things will not change. Knowing who you are and where you come from go hand in hand and are two very important things none can afford to forget. Maybe for some of us we need to go back and remember our origins, so we can remember our identity. Maybe for some of us we need to go back and remember where we came from so we can understand where we are going. The truth is, I needed to hear this, we need to hear this, our nation needs to hear this. Dory once found Nemo, and now, she is trying to find herself. In reality, we have found ourselves before, and we can only hope that we as leaders, we as a people, and we as a nation can find ourselves once again. I look forward to the day when we all do just that, but until then, Just Keep Swimming. 🙂 #FindingDory #FindingDestiny #NewBlogPost

 

Many people are aware of my collection of Old Navy Flag Tees. I’ve worn them ever since I was a boy and quite frankly I enjoy wearing them even today. I’ve worn them on many different occasions. “Why?” You may ask. Well, I’ve always grown up believing that any day is a great day to celebrate America and that the flag on the shirt represents and stands for far more than many realize. 

One year while I was in Washington D.C. I learned to appreciate the American flag even more. Flags were everywhere and rightly so, as you are in the nation’s Capitol. Just outside of D.C. is a town called Arlington, VA. A very historic and important location in American History. I remember seeing Arlington National Cemetery where countless of Americans are remembered for their dedication and courage to this country. I saw the changing of the guard and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I realized this was all part of the flag. The reason our nation can raise its flag is because of the people who sacrificed to make it happen. 
In addition to Arlington was one of my favorite monuments I have ever seen to date in my trips to the area. It is the Iwo Jima Memorial or also called the Marine Corps War Memorial. This memorial depicted the very popular image of our American soldiers together pushing the American flag into position at Iwo Jima. The men displayed courage, grit, and an unwavering belief in what the Flag and America stood for. This too was part of the Flag. 
You see, the flag isn’t just a flag, but a symbol of where America has been, the people who have served, and what we as a country stand for. More than ever, our country is tested by circumstances challenges, and conflicts, but we must not forget the identity of the flag or the identity of who we are as a nation. Just as the men at Iwo Jima pushed up the flag, so must we embrace courage, grit, and the unwavering belief that we are all Americans and that we are all part of one nation, one symbol, and one flag. 
Betsy Ross wove it. 

Francis Scott Key was inspired by it. 

Men and women have fought and died for it. 

And You and I have the honor of waving it! 
So, from an Old Navy Flag Tee wearing Proud American, here’s wishing you a Happy Flag Day and a THANK YOU to all who serve! We have much to be thankful for and a Great Flag to be Waving! #FlagDay2016 

If you’ve been following me on social media you’ve probably noticed a lot has been going on in life. From college finals, OSU graduation (still hasn’t hit me yet lol), book signings, speaking events, and trainings, it’s been a very busy May. Although time is limited, it doesn’t mean life is short of inspiring moments, such as the one I experienced a few weeks ago. 

It was around midnight as I was driving home from a speaking event. I stopped at a gas station/Subway realizing that both my car and my stomach were hungry. I had not had time to eat dinner yet. I looked in my wallet and saw I had $22.00. “Perfect!” I thought. “I’ll get a 6 inch sub, a cookie, and a coke. And put the rest in fuel.” As I stood in line at Subway, I noticed an old trucker ordering a sandwich behind me. He looked more than just exhausted. He looked spent. He asked him, “How are you doing sir?” He replied, “Seen better days. My truck has been giving me trouble here and there. Been driving this truck from South Dakota. I’ve been on the road forever.” When he said this, I could feel in my heart he was having a rough night. As he was still ordering his sandwich behind me, I looked in my wallet and thought, this guy could use some encouragement. As I paid for my sandwich, I told the cashier I would not be ordering a cookie or a coke, but instead buying the trucker’s 6-inch sandwich behind me. 
The moment I told her this, she smiled, lit up and said, “Well you don’t see this everyday. This is awesome!” After paying for the subs I realized I had just enough money for gas to get me home. I got in line to pay for my gas and suddenly the man who stood behind me, came by and said, “You have no idea, but this means more than you know. Thank you!” I told him to have a safe trip and to enjoy the sub. He walked out the door, and I paid for my gas. While walking out of the gas station, the Subway cashier approached me and said, “Sir, this is for you.” She then handed me a 32 oz Coke, and a Subway bag full of chocolate chip cookies. Written on the cookie bag said 3 little words: “ITS ON ME.” The cashier had blessed me with some treats for the road. 
It took me a few weeks to process everything that happened that night. But what stood out the most was the 3 words written on the bag. “It’s On Me.” 
This cashier had taken it upon herself to take action and pay it forward. In our nation, many have characterized this generation has being lazy, passive, and resistant to being responsible. I believe that perception can change. Those 3 words can do it. What if we lived with an “It’s On Me” mentality? Where we realized that we needed to take action more often. It’s on us to be better leaders. It’s on us to see the needs of others and strive to meet them. It’s on us to leave an impact on our world. I know it might sound silly, but a Coke & a Cookie were a response to an action. Imagine what the response would be, when we give more than just a few dollars, but reached the lives we were meant to reach, and gave from the heart we were meant to give. It’s on you. It’s on me. And just to think, this all started with only a Coke & a Cookie. #ItsOnMe #TheCoke&TheCookie

At Braums Ice Cream, I approached the ice cream bar and the Braum’s cashier asked me what I wanted, I told her, “I’d like a double-dip Vanilla Butterfinger cone please.” Yummy! As she prepares my order trying to conform the ice cream to the cone, she packs it into the crevices and finishing it off with one GIANT dip on top. I’m thinking, “This is going to be awesome, I can’t wait to eat that!” 
As I anticipate the tasty goodness that is about to come my way, the cashier reaches over and goes to hand me my cone. But just as she’s about to pass it off, “SPLAT” the giant double dip rolls off the cone and lands on the ice cream bar. All of a sudden I hear a big “Gasp” from the cashier and another “Gasp” from her manager who was right behind her. Seeing the noticeable frustration and embarrassment in her eyes, I said, “Well, I guess that’s just how it Rolls!” 😉 
She laughed and so did her manager, both being quick to reveal a smile. Although my Giant double dip was no longer edible, the cashier proceeded to fix me up with an even BIGGER scoop that was perfectly set on top of my cone and I enjoyed every bite of it. 🍦

  

In life, many of us have been anticipating something great. Maybe it’s a long sought after goal, dream, or item you’ve been just waiting to attain. When I saw that first ice cream, I was so looking forward to eating it, but little did I know that a bigger and better scoop was on its way. Your life may feel like it’s been a “splat”, you feel like you’ve went through stress, pressure, disappointment, frustration, and things just don’t seem to go your way. But don’t Settle for a Splat, when you’ve been called to enjoy a Bigger Dip. Meaning don’t allow the bad circumstances you are going through define the great destiny you were meant to pursue. Don’t let the turmoil of life come between you and the goal, the dream, the vision you intend to reach. 
Let me say it plainly, “Don’t Settle for a Splat. Don’t allow the discomforts of life define your outcome of life. Press Into Your Destiny. Anticipate Your Destiny. Finally, Step Into Your Destiny and Discover What that Double Dip of Life really means.” Now thats what I call an “Inside Scoop.” 😉 #TheInsideScoop