Do You Deserve Grace or Mercy?

Grace and Mercy are related in the fact that we don't deserve or 

earn Grace or Mercy. Grace means to receive a blessing you 

DON'T deserve, and Mercy means avoiding a punishment you 

DO deserve. So they are actually on different sides of the same 

doctrinal coin.

People are only difficult to the extent that you and I have not...

There is no such thing as a difficult person. We are talking about behaviors, not the person. 


People are only difficult to the extent that you and I have not developed the skills needed to deal with behaviors they bring to the table. 


One of the skills in dealing with those we deem "difficult" is meeting people where they are, getting on the same level as the person. Attempting to understand where they are coming from can go a long way. 


Gather more information before you judge, perspective is everything. Learning the skill of validation is an important lesson to learn in dealing with difficult people. Validation is allowing the other person to have their opinion and their emotions about a situation. 


-from Steven Eastmond (therapist specializing in individual, couple and family counseling)

The greatest need of a human being.

This is one of the greatest insights in the field of human motivation - satisfied needs do not motivate. It's only the unsatisfied need that motivates. Next to physical survival, the greatest need of a human being is psychological survival--to be understood, to be affirmed, to be validated, to be appreciated.