new hope for a new day...

do you ever get to the point where you give up! You have had enough and said "forget it I quit!!" Well I got to that point several times last year. If any of you have followed my blogs over the last 10 months you have journeyed a little with me and know that 2008 NEVER HAPPENED!!! (we didn't see anything...if you saw Madagascar, you got this!!)

There were many days when packin' it in seemed like the only solution. Becoming a garbage man (not that there's anything wrong with that) and moving into a 1 bedroom apartment and selling my home my car and van...and at least one of my kids!! (LOL) looked like a good option!! I felt as though HOPE had left the building. It is amazing that power of HOPE! It is equally as powerful positively as it is negatively...it can lift you up like nothing else, and the absence of hope can drag you into the pit of despair.

My wife told me of an interview that she saw with Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks is one of my favourite (Canadian spelling!!) actors! In this interview he was asked about his "secret of success" He stopped and paused...thought about it, and then very calmly stated this..."I'm still here!" He went on to explain...He felt that he was not the most talented or the most gifted actor. Others that he had worked with, in his opinion, were far better actors...BUT THEY ALL QUIT AND HE WAS STILL THERE!!!

It would appear that perseverance pays a great dividend. The rewards of looking back over a hellish year and realizing that you are still breathing, your family still lives with you, your wife still loves you, and you still have the ability to dream...is very gratifying!!

I know that we all go through stuff and that we all have our own mountains to climb. The most important thing that I learned this last year was that if you want something bad enough...if you dream hard enough, and are determined, and you don't listen to those who say you can't...YOU WILL FIND A WAY!!

So - I have hope for 2009. I have seen what hope does...how it lifts my spirit, how it re-focuses my activities and how just the faint bit of hope can change my entire day!!

So - feeling like you need some hope...need to find some inspiration to get through today!! check this out: www.lifewithoutlimbs.org

if you can watch any of his videos, see his circumstances, and listen to his story and not find hope in your own life...you are already dead!!

Have a wonderful day...find hope today...HOPE, true HOPE is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ...He is the very definition of HOPE!!

Kevin Pauls

i got soemthing to say...

today i want to say something...but what!??!?? I have so many things rattling around in my head today. Decisions and opportunities are coming at me at a good pace...this past 10 days have seen a lot of calls asking me to sing...Dallas, Atlantic City, Florida, Vancouver...Bands that want to work with me and have me put together their tour stage show...Churches that want me to come in and teach and work with their worship teams...

Now - I am not complaining at all...This is what I have worked for. This is the benefit of being around after 20 years. I am still doing what I love to do. I also don't share this to "brag". Anyone that is involved in any one industry or field of work for 20 years has the same number of opportunities. This is not about the phone ringing...it is about which ones to take!

How do you do it all? How do you fill your calendar with the "best" stuff and which opportunities do you say no to? These are hard questions. You say no to one, it doesn't pan out the way you thought and then you have an open slot on your calendar and all of a sudden the onslaught of "opportunities" is not there!

I have gone through this cycle...you get a plethora of calls and opportunities and you pick and choose and try to do as many as you can, and you think that it is finally working...than those chances come and go and you are left with an empty calendar and wondering how you fill the next month!!

This is the cycle and life of a musician. Most I know live like this and that is it! They just say, this is life and I have to learn to live with it...much like any of you would do in your profession. You find that groove, you see how your life unfolds and you fit in and roll with it!!!!

I have been trying to "buck" the system for the last number of years. Trying to be involved in more that just doing concerts...working as a performance coach (Live Music Producer), teaching and speaking at conferences, recording etc...

Being involved in many aspects of music has been great. It has forced me to become knowledgeable in many parts of the music business. Starting my own label, publishing company and production company has also been incredibly challenging...

I do not want to sit still...2009 is going to be an incredible year of opportunity...I am about to add to my list - author! 2008 as I have mentioned was horrible in many ways...but I really feel that it laid the groundwork for a positive 2009!!!

Thanks for letting me ramble...

Kevin

Resolutions - Good or Bad or Who Cares?

2009 has started on a positive note. I did not really write a list of resolutions that I will never complete or stick to, but I did have a few things I needed to change in my life!! (maybe I am the only one)

i thought this year I will keep them to myself and try to start to making slow and methodical changes and see if i can keep it up and actually make some positive changes in my life. I started by trying to take better care of my wife's car...look after it, maintain it, clean it and brush the snow off, start it for her in the mornings...stuff like that...things that will make her know how much I love her. SCORE - 7/10

I wanted to keep my voice down and remain in control when I speak to my kids...earn their respect and not just keep them in fear...speak softly, love on them more...encourage and build them up. SCORE 7/10

work out and eat better...this one I have actually written a goal down and even though the first 3 bootcamps have been horrible...i feel a little better and am determined to make it a life-style and not just a temporary fix!! SCORE 9/10

i could go on with self improvement ideas and things I need to change...but what I have noticed is that i did not start out of the gate like a crazed animal and fall away 3 days later...I am trying something new...caution...slow...smart mental goals...achievable goals...you know, things that trainers and life coaches tell us to do - that I never listen to...

I am really enjoying focusing on change. The more time I spend thinking and contemplating my life and where I am, and where I would like to be...the more focused energy I can have on those specific things (am i making any sense??)

I know where I am. I know what I think of me. I know how I feel. Am I allowing any of this information to lead my future...

Am I where I want to be?
Do others think the same things of me as I do..is my perspective flawed?
Do I have energy or drive to accomplish the things I need to accomplish to get the desired results?

I really love this time of year for this purpose...reflecting and moving forward!!

This year I will try to put less pressure on myself and look inwardly and respond correctly! I do not want another 2008...I am excited about the future...I want my 40's to be the best decade of my life!! (minus the first year of my 40's)

Have a great 2009...or at least a good January!!!!

kevin

NEW YEAR

Well - I would love to tell you that all is well and all is as it should be...but that would be a lie. I would love to tell you that there is no days of darkness but that would be a lie. I would love to tell you that God has performed miracles and all of my earthly problems are solved...BUT I can tell you this...MY GOD STILL REIGNS!!!

2008 is over and I say good riddance!! In many ways 2008 was the worst year of my life!! But i do not think 2009 could be the year i pray it will be without 2008!!

i have learned more this year than perhaps the last 10 put together!! I have grown in my faith and my sense of purpose. I have seen that in the midst of struggle CHRIST is there. I have also learned to live in the moment...HOPE DEFERRED really sucks!!

It all started in early March...a promise of "stuff"...that promise or the faith I put in that promise lead to a lot of heartache. I made poor decisions based on that promise...I found myself putting my faith in a "promise" rather than GOD!

I am prepared for a wonderful 2009...I do believe a lot of the dreams that God gave me will start to become reality...the journey will not be easy. I am excited to see what 2009 has in store for me and my family...


DREAMS
1. I pray that TRUE will finally be finished and released!
2. I plan on finishing 2 Christmas CD's
3. I want to finish my book
4. I want to finish my Canadian Tour of TRUE and take the tour into the USA

I put these dreams in writing because I want you to know where I am planning on going...I am not afraid to fail...but I am very afraid NOT TO DREAM!!!

I am looking forward to an incredibly DREAM filled 2009! No more HOPE DEFERRED...i will take a hold of every-day and make every-moment count!! We can never get it back...

I will talk soon...

kevin