Life lessons from a Westy

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

I’ve always felt that some of the most significant lessons to be learned in life often present themselves when you least expect it. Last week I decided to go on an early morning workout by powering through a 3.5 mile speed walk. As I gathered my water bottle in one hand and my iPod in the other, I noticed my furry little family West Highland White Terrier, otherwise known as Yoshi, looking at me as if I invited him to come along.

It wouldn’t take long before I also grabbed the leash and we set off to do business. As a new resident of the Dallas metropolitan area, I had to remind my nervous system that the humidity and heat at 7AM far exceeded temperatures from my former home in Southern California.

Roughly a mile into our speed walk, I noticed the grassy area where we were walking was filled with prickly thorny weeds and I wanted to protect Yoshi from walking on it because I knew he’d likely injury his paws with cuts and scrapes. Westy

I began to transition into the street and speed up the pace when I noticed Yoshi attempt to do the same right alongside me. At just that moment, Yoshi ran out of the street and back into the prickly thorny weeds to maintain pace, so I attempted to pull him back into the street with me, but he refused.

I began to realize that the pavement where we were speed walking was already blazing hot, and Yoshi decided quickly he’d had enough of that, but I didn’t immediately notice due to the comfort of wearing running shoes. At this point, I had an epiphany about life.

My dog enjoyed the experience and process of exercising with me, yet when faced with what I perceived as a painful surface from which to journey through prickly thorny weeds, I wanted to make his journey easier by placing him on the smooth paved street with me where everyone else was walking or running.

In what appeared to be the easier, less resistent, and a more comfortable route, Yoshi determined that the road which appeared most painful and dangerous was in fact a worthy road that he’d rather endure than being on the road where everyone else was running, smiling, moving along swiftly, yet unaware of the fact they were burning.

Listen, there are many ways that seem right, sound right, and feel right in life; but they simply aren’t right. Many of those decisions, relationships, and so-called friends end in the same  misery, disfunction, and pain. Everyone loves it when an ending concludes with “happily ever after”, yet the only true “happily ever after” is in knowing your purpose in life and the one who gave it to you.  Until next time, Be encouraged.


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me. In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


Egypt McKee

Speaker | Mentor | Podcaster | TV Host

©2014-2023 Copyright, Out of Egypt Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

freedumb.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

It is said that the rarer something is, its value exponentially increases in contrast. Yet everywhere we look, a new stock of freshly distilled delusions of grandeur is offered up as revisionist history and emotional grandstanding by the professionals and their faithful followers. 

The very thing that so many people scream by demonstrating their undying allegiance, inherently reveals the predictability of behavior lacking minimal understanding. That rare, elusive, and invaluable thing is all that matters until what matters is offered free of charge. 

Free. Is anything free? That which costs someone else is now made available at no cost to another—how is this so? The idea that a rare and invaluable thing can somehow be acquired for the exchange of nothing in return is in fact dumb. 

Something so rare and invaluable as freedom will always require a repeated valuation of its authenticity from time to time. To possess such a rare find will require an undeniable responsibility to experience the honor, teach others its benefits, and when required—sacrifice.

To know true freedom is to know Him who voluntarily surrendered His life so that you and I could have legitimate access to eternal life—Jesus Christ.

Salvation comes with a price tag labeled free because it is free to everyone who genuinely wants it. But make no mistake, it was made available at the highest possible price! 

Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” -John 14:7

And so it is, that invaluable thing which we seek is that of our own soul to be made whole with our Creator. To receive that is only a prayer away. 

Did you find any of this topic encouraging, interesting, or thought provoking? Leave me a Comment if you’d like to discuss more. Until next time, Be encouraged.

Egypt McKee

Encourager | Speaker | Podcaster

©2009-2023 Copyright, Out of Egypt Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Chivalry is Dead.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

I think we’ve all heard it said, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, yet that’s precisely what’s happening in many relationships.  As far back as many of us can remember, periods of time seem to be somewhat different, but the dynamics of life’s relationships have never really changed. Parental grandstanding, which often included exagerations of walking 10-miles to school uphill in the snow both ways, and the desire not to talk back to parents, has rarely generated the kind of character and integrity worth repeating. If the model for life were to seek perfection, then it would seem reasonable to study the mold from which our expectations are cast. It would become immediately evident that our understanding of perfection alone will never satisfy the soul, for it will always be relative to the one who seeks it.Egypt on Route 66 It’s in the mystery of holiness where every living soul finds their true identity, purpose, and character. There’s a thin line between love and hate, yet the width of that line is where we find ourselves seeking to recover the lost art of respect. I love the way Jesus Christ explains the anchor and position of our identity, when He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Don’t miss this …. hearing is not the same as listening. Far too often, we categorize and file into memory familiar truths, which we are convinced there is nothing more to learn. Saving the best for last has never meant more than it does now. Many have debated whether leaders are born or made? I’m convinced everyone is born and may choose to practice leadership regardless of their life’s experiences. At the end of the day, everything in life rises and falls on leadership. From the time of infancy, little boys and girls are nurtured and taught life’s lessons in a hurry. Attendance was always required; however practice over the years was optional. Chivalry is not a commonly used noun or expression today, particularly among our young adult generation between the ages 16-33, yet its absence is desperately needed in social order. Who, in their right mind, would ever disagree to someone smiling at them, opening a door, or saying “I’m sorry?”, yet an unhealthy desire for fame and acceptance has led many to adopt selfishness as a cheap substitute for morality. Is it possible to respect someone if you don’t really love yourself? The answer may surprise you in that the suggestion is merely one-half of the question. Random acts of kindness are at best, good behavior, but it is not the kind of love that comes from God. Genuine love for others and ourselves is demonstrated repeatedly as a default of our adandonment of self and deliberate surrender of our will to God. Be careful, for every original thing in life, there is an attractive and seductive counterfeit. It won’t matter how many doors you open, kind remarks you share, or donations to charity you’ve made; if you aren’t personally connected to the author of love; life itself will be a unimaginable existence lacking a point. Eventually, someone will shake his or her head in disagreement because I’ve suggested the art of respect is uniquely and directly connected to a relationship with God. Think about it …. if the basis of life is to bring glory to the one who created us, then at the basis of our existence, there really is nothing more important than for us to know Him and make Him known in the world. The same argument applies to the person who denies there is a God or that they are the product of chance, evolution, or randomness. A better question for you to think about today might be, “Are you building God’s Kingdom or your own?”  When I was a young boy, my uncle was a chess enthusiast. He took time to teach me the rules of the game, and also reinforced valuable life lessons while doing so. I remember being mesmerized by the unique shapes of the chess pieces. The game represented more than just a game to be mastered; it revealed life lessons of strategy and tactics. Take a moment to think about your own grand entrance and position on the stage of life. Everyone experiences a traumatic struggle upon entry into the world at birth. Our faces were bruised, bodies stressed, and we were forced to contend with an alien environment from which we would ultimately be vulnerable and defenseless. It was then that we crossed the line from the safety of our mother’s womb into the real world where we would learn life’s rules of engagement in a hurry. The comfort of darkness was replaced with the familiar sound of a mothers voice and warm embrace. The dividing line in life was easy to acknowledge from a distance, yet the simplicity of the game of chess was more representative of our lives than we were willing to admit. The king could always be seen standing tall as our most precious treasure, yet surrounded by every willing and able servant on the front lines of battle. Protecting the king of our hearts would prove itself worthy through years of practice, and chivalry would become the effect as a result of the cause. Common courtesies are no more lacking today than anytime in history. The ability to say “thank you”, “you’re welcome”, or “I’m sorry” isn’t a right of passage, rather a practiced skill of humility and character. The very thing we demand from others in being respected is often the thing we withhold from others through our prejudices, religion, or culture. Respect in life is not what other people are doing or not doing to be noticed, rather the kind of person you’ll choose to be in spite of your circumstances. Please take a moment and share your thoughts with me now by posting your comment below. Until next time, Be encouraged.
I speak to thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples every year on leadership, decision making, and healthy relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote of life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me as a speaker to your next event, please  contact me.  Excerpts published from the book, “Life. The Struggle Within, by Egypt McKee”
Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2010-2019 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

Short People

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

It doesn’t matter where your journey takes you life, there’s sure to be an endless supply of people waiting to greet or ignore your very existence. Somehow, it’s as if life has a crude way of repeating the same old melodramas with each of our experiences, which radically impacts our character. Have you ever considered the daily stresses associated with simply being yourself? There must be a predictable routine that you’ve come to enjoy by now? Questions which were once undetected, now rank with the highest priority.

The days of wondering what to wear, what to eat, and who to spend time with are merely pathetic ventures that cannot possibly compare with the latest threats to cross our paths. Everywhere we look, there are magazines that lead us to believe there is a reason to care about celebrities and their failed relationships, or the latest gossip on your favorite musician. Somehow, all these things are merely a vapor in the parlor room of fog-induced reality, and are quickly vanishing before our eyes.

Squinting to see more clearly, yet rubbing our heads in disbelief rests the staunch reality that we are surrounded by short people everywhere. Rhetorical questions fill the air, such as, “Where did they all come from?” which is pointless because they’ve always been here. Logic wrestles in vain with our self-esteem to count the number of our adversaries, while the most violent of offender’s stares us in the face. Our long and distinguished history of finger pointing, excuses and jokes with friends seem to haunt us at the most inopportune times. Family, friends, media and failed relationships are no longer funny, yet we often find ourselves cast in a starring role as the peacemaker or peace-taker.Angry Man

At this point, mastering the essence of short people will likely become a skill that will assist us far along on the road of life. If you listen closely, you might hear the distinct sound of an assembly line of workers struggling to maintain self-control in the hearts of short people, yet their legends far outweigh their perceived stature. The effects of bogus propaganda, arrogance and a self-inflated ego are especially valuable to short people who make a living erupting in anger and rage as if a mobilized volcano. The short fuse in their mind is highly sensitive at best, while its connection to their mouths resembles a single-track rail system that is long overdue for repairs.

How can that subtle, calm, gentle person transform from a demeanor of kindness to demon-spawn in the blink of any eye? Maybe you know short people like this—maybe you are a short person? There is nothing quite like the experience of being caught in the middle of repeated verbal assaults that generally lead to hurt feelings, resentment, and hatred toward others. The arrogance of one man is merely an opportunity for another to demonstrate wisdom and understanding.

Proverbs 15:18, “A hothead starts fights; a cool-tempered person tries to stop them.” (NLT)

There will always be an endless supply of big-talkers, braggers, and hotheads in the world. It’s tragic that most people are forced to react to the intimidation of one short person with a big ego. As a master manipulator, short people thrive on exploiting others through the unspoken rule, “He who yells the loudest, must be the Right!” Later in this book, you’ll find a chapter I wrote entitled, “Can’t we all just get along?” where I raised several issues regarding our struggle to overcome barriers in relation to our cultural and ethnic differences.

It’s interesting how easily we jump on the bandwagon of perceived racial or political supremacy, yet we tend to be the first in line to spit out a long list of stereotypes about other cultures and ethnicities without a genuine understanding about them—he who speaks the loudest is not always right! Following a fool, regardless of who they are, is no excuse to live your life as if your only purpose in life is to treat anyone in sight as if they are responsible for pain and suffering you refuse to admit is buried in your past.

Life is short, and that has very little to do with your vertical stature, yet everything to do with the integrity of your heart. The absence of genuine peace will easily disintegrate anyone’s hope. What would it take for you to stand in truth today even if it meant standing alone?

Until next time, Be encouraged.


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, integrity, and relationships. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me. In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


Egypt McKee

Speaker | Mentor | Podcaster | TV Host

©2014-2023 Copyright, Out of Egypt Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

Awkward.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

Life is short. I’ve heard this phrase repeated numerous times throughout my life by those who are often times several years my senior. More often than not, I find myself nodding with affirmation or defaulting to express an acceptable smile, yet sooner or later, I’d find myself in a position of teaching this short yet profound statement to someone else.

James 4:6, “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says, “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.” NIV

Listening doesn’t mean agreement, nor does it mean endorsement. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Sadly, there is a prevailing wisdom among many throughout the United States who believe that anything old is useless and therefore worthless. This idea is not only short sighted but rooted in selfishness, arrogance, and immaturity.

Until next time, Be encouraged.


I speak to thousands of men, women, and young adults annually on leadership, relationships, and integrity.  Far too often, we adopt the current slang for words, which actually carry significant opposite meaning. I wonder how different life would be if we chose to live humbly rather than prideful of things we have little or no control? If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration. Until next time, Be encouraged.


Egypt McKee

Speaker | Mentor | Podcaster | TV Host

©2015-2023 Copyright, Out of Egypt Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

www.EgyptSpeaks.com | www.Facebook.com/EgyptSpeaks

Life Book_READ IT

Don’t forget where you came from

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

Do you remember what it was like before you became all that and a bag of chips? I hope you’ll enjoy this short video and will go out of your way to share with your your family, friends, and colleagues.


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


Egypt McKee

Speaker | Mentor | Podcaster

©2014-2023 Copyright, Out of Egypt Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

Don’t Judge Me

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

The longer I reflect upon the damage created in the wake of countless mistakes, the more I’m convinced that in order to remain engaged in the good fight in life, I must lean upon an age old lesson in wise counsel–know which fight to engage. Please hear me out before jumping to any conclusions.

It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve practiced the art of biting my tongue on more than one occasion over the past few months, particularly as it relates to the opinions of others, social media, and personal responsibility. It wasn’t long ago in human history when getting from place to place meant walking, or returning home before the street lights came on.

These days, it appears the idea of brutal honesty has been traded in for brutal stupidity. The things people post publicly on their social media accounts would likely never be said in person, yet for whatever reason, it seems empowering to sit behind a computer screen and curse the very existence of anyone who disagrees with an unchallenged worldview.

Don't Judge Me.

Today, I ran into a young woman in her early 20’s that enjoys the “party” lifestyle more than life itself. Her perspective orbited around young men and their perceived affections for her. All hell broke loose when I asked a simple question, “Do your guy friends respect you?” …. I received her undeniable response loud and clear, “Don’t Judge Me!”

This trite response was merely code for, “Don’t influence me to acknowledge and own my stupid choices.” After calming her down and appealing to the core of her pain, it was evident to me that the pain of her absentee father had left a scar so deep that she was willing to sell her soul to be affirmed by a replacement “daddy” with washboard abdominals and a golden boy smile.

Listen, respect doesn’t begin AFTER your clothes come off. Far too often, we think our perspective is the only relevant and valid viewpoint, so we feel a sense of duty to judge others harshly. I wonder how effective we would be in life if we were slower to speak and quick to listen? Make no mistake, meek is not weak.

Until next time, Be encouraged.


I speak to thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration. Until next time, Be encouraged.


Egypt McKee

Speaker | Mentor | Podcaster | TV Host

©2014-2023 Copyright, Out of Egypt Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

www.EgyptSpeaks.com | www.Facebook.com/EgyptSpeaks

Life Book_READ IT

I Got This.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

Life is short. I’ve heard this phrase repeated numerous times throughout my life by those who are often times several years my senior. More often than not, I find myself nodding with affirmation or defaulting to express an acceptable smile, yet sooner or later, I’d find myself in a position of teaching this short yet profound statement to someone else.

Recently, I met a young man in his late 20’s, and we began to discuss a series of business principles, which would significantly impact his professional career. His perspective on life and problem solving was radically different than mine. The longer he spoke, the more I was convinced that he was situationally unaware of the basics of decision-making principles—cause and effect. Soon afterwards, I offered wise counsel in opposition to his actions. Nevertheless, his response was undeniably pompous as he exclaimed, “I got this.”

Defiant Young Man

By this point, I began to imagine where many disagreements go wrong. My mind began to explore all the unimaginable angles of communicating with others, particularly those in whom we simply do not agree. Perceptions become reality. Without question or reason, we subscribe to an untested  “perceived truth” that our age and/or talent gives us a unique qualification to untapped wisdom, influence, and insight—this is a lie.

Additionally, we fall into the trap that convincing others to think like us or be like us is the primary purpose of our existence, and we base this untested “perceived reality” on the age old idea that “he who yells the LOUDest, must be the RIGHTest.” This too is a lie.

Ultimately, we fail to effectively communicate with others because we want to be heard far more than we desire to listen. What then shall we say about the character and motives of our hearts? If we believe ourselves to be teachable, how then do we give instruction to others—Listen.

Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” NIV

Listening doesn’t mean agreement, nor does it mean endorsement. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Sadly, there is a prevailing wisdom among many throughout the United States who believe that anything old is useless and therefore worthless. This idea is not only short sighted but rooted in selfishness, arrogance, and immaturity.

Life truly is short. My grandfather modeled this life lesson to me many years ago, and instilled in me a desire to inspire this generation with truth. The right question is, “how far are you willing to go to know truth?”

Listen, leadership without humility is just plain arrogant and stupid. No one wants to follow someone who believes he or she is so intelligent that everyone else merely exists to agree with their ideas and concepts. The true measure of leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less.

Until next time, Be encouraged.


I speak to thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, relationships, and integrity.  Sometimes thinking “you’ve got this” is the very thing that’s gotten you into trouble in the first place, and you need help from someone honorable with a right perspective to help guide your steps. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration. Until next time, Be encouraged.


Egypt McKee

Speaker | Mentor | Podcaster

©2014-2023 Copyright, Out of Egypt Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

www.EgyptSpeaks.com | www.Facebook.com/EgyptSpeaks

Pants on the Ground

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

I encourage you to think about the influence of being just like everyone else. I hope you’ll enjoy this short video and will go out of your way to share with your your family, friends, and colleagues.


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2014-2019 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

It’s Complicated.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

Is life really all that complicated, or has our perception of life’s drama created new realities worth running from? I hope you’ll enjoy this short video and will go out of your way to share with your your family, friends, and colleagues.


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2014-2017 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

Love Handles.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

Don’t look down. You may realize there is either more or less of you to love than you last remember. When were the last time you walked through a shopping mall or department store? It’s interesting what happens when you find yourself in familiar territory, yet the sting of reality always finds a way to remind you of flaws you worked so hard to forget.

Life has an interesting way of treating everyone like a transactional shopping experience. If you’re anything like me, you’ll go into battle focused with a clear-cut exit strategy. On the other hand, many others experience ups and downs of relationships, broken promises, and false perceptions much like designer jeans, sale items and the lie that one size fits all.

By now, you might be wondering what this is all about, and it’s precisely that question that has awakened the restlessness of your soul. Just when you thought everything was getting better, and starting to look up—BAM, the Jaws of Life grip down on your personal space in unimaginable ways of discomfort.

What would it be like if you entrusted your secrets to someone, yet that person felt at liberty to share that information with anyone who would listen? Maybe you ran off and got married because you were convinced that would stop your manipulating partner from repeatedly disrespecting you in front of others, yet it didn’t. Maybe you’ve struggled in secret with your weight and there was nothing more important to you than to be accepted by others—literally anyone.Catch Me

The love you once remembered experiencing through frequent smiles has left your cheeks hurting from sheer joy, and has now vanished as quickly as vapor. Somewhere in the process of shopping for a replacement boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse, you began to stuff your pain deep within the floorboards of your heart. At this point, you swore allegiance to self, and that no one would ever discover your true pain. Having consulted with self, this strategy appeared flawless because your reputation was paramount, your popularity was vital (yet temporary at best), and your perceived appearance was as convincingly delusional as Miley Cyrus inability to accept wise counsel.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (NIV)

Now it’s time to ask the question you’ve been dying to know, and it’s not, “What is love?”, rather, “Who is love?” Truth is not relative, nor does it mask itself behind persuasive arguments or professionals with highly skilled vocabularies. Will the thing you’ve come to understand as love, ultimately stand up to the test of eternity? Have you ever taken time to think about the depth of your version of love? Is your love proud, arrogant, manipulative, self-seeking of attention, or rude in anyway? Does the person you’re in love with share a transparent commitment to genuine love as previously described, or are you both merely focused on satisfying your fantasies in bed, or even perhaps the idea of playing house as a pretend spouse?

Listen—life is short; there is neither discussion nor debating that fact. Everyone has a story, which is at best, unfinished. Let’s get the story straight once and for all: love is not merely a feeling. I’m just one man making a difference in the lives of those who will give me the time of day. I may not know your personal story, but I would like to. In all you do, please don’t miss my point—true love handles all your pain and struggles, and gives you something your best attempts never could—Peace.

Until next time, Be encouraged.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2009-2015 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

Chocolate.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

There simply aren’t many things in life that seem to carry the prestige of indulgence that is fantasized more frequently than Heaven itself. The power to motivate some through sensual appeal, yet condemn others through compulsive appetite is an incredible phenomena. The mere thought of it can buckle the knees of the strongest mind or cause the dedicated to abandon their purpose; yet stand as a succulent reward for those who dare reach out to grasp its fame.

Speaking of weaknesses, have you considered where your battle is fought? The heat of battle is often fought without understanding the objective, yet we march on to fight another day for a purpose we neither understand nor believe. In the midst of all the chaos, arguments and failures, lays a subtle reminder of our vulnerability wrapped in an attractive package containing the sweet temptation of the finest chocolate.

Long before you knew you were in battle, the scars of repeated failure reminded you of the intense warfare, yet an understanding of “why” would not be answered. Rhetorical questions swirled around in your mind and lay uneasy on your heart like a dormant land-mine awaiting discharge. One failed relationship after another led you to blame others, yourself and finally God, yet your chocolate was always there to sooth your pain through another mistake.IMG_3286

Targeted campaigns of sensuality, lust and sex have risen faster than the stock market in times of plenty! The two-sided coin features the women who starve for genuine affirmation & attention through men and others who attempt to meet those needs from character birthed in the tail end. Navigation never meant as much as it does now as you bend, tuck and roll to avoid the moving targets of life that reinforce social acceptance for acting out illicit fantasies and behaviors.

2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (NIV)

What do you see in yourself? How do others see you? Is there a difference? The rocky road you’ve traveled thus far is merely getting started. Do you remember the boy or girl you first dated? Emotions were difficult to gauge because everything was new, exciting yet somewhat uncomfortable. Small talk of anything quickly became the focus of life, yet your relationships today are dying for lack of oxygen.

What else is there to do when your alone again, or worse–married for a significant period of time and feeling alone. The person who once was your source of chocolate has now become a lemon. This tragic transformation didn’t happen over night, yet picking your fights has ultimately been rewarded with a cold relationship, a broken heart and a perceived unattainable chocolate: the joy of being happy again.

The delusion of proving your strength by returning to the scene of the crime is as pathetic as the alcoholic who thinks they are strong enough to hang around a bar or someone with a sexual addiction who spends hot summer afternoons at the beach studying the inhabitants of the land. Weaknesses are found in everyone, yet there is only one source for overcoming them and I am convinced that is through a deliberate relationship with Jesus Christ.

Many of you have heard that before and are sick of it, yet whatever it is that you’ve been trying so far isn’t working out; at least not as you’d hoped. Rest assured, life offers more varieties of chocolate than you will ever know. I know there is hope for you today, but the question is, Do you want it?

Until next time, Be encouraged.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration. Until next time, Be encouraged.


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2014-2015 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

It’s All Good.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

 

You don’t have to go very far to find words that express absolutely nothing. If there’s ever been a time in human history where words are joined together to cover up our unwillingness to appropriately face the truth of our choices, circumstances, and emotions: it’s now. In the end, it would be wise to consider that everything really isn’t all good.


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2014-2015 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

 

Fear.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

Do you remember that time when you were so scared—you swore you were going to die? Don’t even think about comparing the eternally significant things in life with one of your transition experiences such as wondering whether or not you passed your mid-terms, how you might sneak out of the store while wearing stolen goods, lying to a parent about your grades, breaking a neighbors window, or lying to your spouse.

Somehow, those situations pale in comparison to wondering whether or not you’re pregnant, whether or not you passed your HIV/AIDS test, or being forced to keep your mouth shut after having witnessed a heinous crime. After all is said and done, none of these comes close to experiencing life through the lens of true fear.

Everyone has an embedded sense of fear of something or someone. Maybe you’re that person who is fearful of death, marriage, church, God, drowning, aging, or worse? Hidden inside the inner workings of our mind rests an eternally inspired roadmap, which leads directly to the only solution for filling that Grand Canyon sized hole in our heart. Many hear this and say, “Not me!” while others know through first hand experience the staunch reality of this statement.

Remembering the early days of childhood brings wretched memories for some; days filled with loneliness, despair and screaming parents. There always seemed to be an endless supply of episodes filled with avoidance and submissive behavior tempered with fear. Just how many times did you find yourself standing in the line of fire of an alcoholic parent, spouse or dating relationship? Why stop there—maybe one of your relatives played an equally abusive role in casting the film called “Your life.” At this point, you were convinced denial was an option to be sold for a premium and abuses were recognized only in the bible.

Catapulting forward some ten, twenty, or thirty years later, and you’re still hauling around that fear, as if you were replaying traumatic scenes over and over as a crippling reminder of the thing you desire most to forget. Somewhere lodged in the madness of life, we are all guilty of having reinforced a blissful existence that was in opposition of our anxieties. Now that you’ve grown up, the only thing that is noticeably different is your external appearance, yet your heart struggles to maintain pace. In your loneliest moments, fear searches for you and sings a melody so sickening that you never forget its eerie tune. You’ve heard it so many times that you sabotage your future by speaking, thinking and enabling fear into existence without invitation.

Maybe your experience is that fear entered into your life undetected while becoming a regular on the scene, yet loneliness was eventually traded in for depression. One complaint after another, then bitterness set in, and life as you once knew it would never again be the same. Fear introduced itself as conscience, and it’s reasoning was always self-directed. The results were persuasive and convincing, and your former relationships were long and distinguished. Fear promoted one failed relationship after another, and your failure to hold true intimacy was always someone else’s fault. Somewhere in your ego, you’ve convinced yourself that you are happy with many partners, but your own soul fails to agree with that faulty logic.


Fear is a LIAR

Getting married sounded right at one time, yet your mate failed you time and time again. Maybe they promised to be there and love you through good and bad times, yet they found themselves in someone else’s arms—once again fear taunts you with anxieties that seem to always come true. If rain were to fall in one place, it was sure to fall on your head for a lifetime. It’s in that moment of despair and hopelessness that your perception of things is fear unto itself. The fog of delusion clouds your vision in a place so black and polluted from anxiety that every emotion imaginable is validated through your character. At no time in the history of life have you ever seen anything so convincing and wicked that demands your soul be bound in absolute captivity—Is there hope? Is there a way out?


2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (NKJV)

There’s nothing like experiencing something that is so traumatic that it causes you to look at everything in life through a completely different lens based upon absolute truth. It never ceases to amaze me of the incredible number of marriages where a husband, wife or both are struggling in every aspect of their relationship. Furthermore, there are many people similar to this who vehemently defends their misery by saying, “Life and marriage stinks, but I won’t bail out because I don’t believe in divorce.” Sadly, the opposite is also true as well—many people living in similar circumstances do not believe in marriage either! Fear is once again working behind the scenes of life to cripple and destroy the things that matter most in your life.

There was a time recently in my life whereby I experienced a medically unexplained and unsolicited trauma to my neck, which physically incapacitated me for an extended period of time. After having experienced multiple medical exams, tests and needles, I was worse off then when I first began. It wasn’t until I was laying flat on my back in a completely dark bedroom for three days, that I begged God to take my life because the excessive pain was beyond description.

It was in the chaos of this time that I realized there are millions of people who experience this kind of pain everyday, and that I would be given numerous opportunities to show genuine compassion to them whenever called upon. That single event, changed my life forever, and it was God that came down into my hole of despair and pain to be with me side by side during my suffering, rather than bail me out of my circumstance instantly.

Maybe, you’ve found yourself in a tragic situation today? Maybe you’ve been having an affair and you received news that your mistress is pregnant? Maybe, you’ve recently contracted a sexually transmitted disease and its very serious and you’re convinced your life is over? Maybe, you’ve said some damning things about someone you wish you could take back, but its too late and you’re about to face the issue directly. If there were ever a time when you needed peace, its now. Everyone needs a savior, and that includes you.

Until next time, Be encouraged.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2014-2015 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

Participation Awards.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

 

Since when did we make the great leap from personal responsibility to entitlement? I’d like to share a few words on this new phenomina sweeping our culture in an effort to marginalize and dillute personal responsibility, hard work, and sacrifice. Let’s go.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2014-2015 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

 

Painted on Jeans.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

It seems like yesterday that people everywhere said she was a cute bundle of joy. There just seems to be something special about baby girls that pull at the heartstrings of both a mother and father. Although bruised and exhausted after her stressful journey into this world, she is well known by her beautiful features which resemble heavenly serenity, yet her hidden joy is yet to be realized.

While young and inexperienced, she is a precious jewel with much to learn; yet life will prove to be the antidote to the thing that eludes her most. The early days of bumps and bruises appear to be insignificant, yet soon enough, they will prove to alter her decisions yet feel natural in the process. Fathers do well to protect their prized joy wrapped in pink while sporting barrettes and a tiny purse, whereas mothers claim host to having carried, birthed and nurtured this little girl—its daddy that really made the difference.

The day daddy left, was the same day the earth stopped rotating and all directions led into the ground. That girl is no longer a baby, and an absentee father has promoted the decisions she wrestles with in secret. Mommy did the best she could, and for whatever reason daddy left a hole larger than the Grand Canyon in her heart, family and future. Who needs a compass when you can look for treasure to replace the pain and suffering on your own?

Painted On JeansMany little girls today range in age from their teens to nineties, yet they are still looking for daddy to come home and put his arm around them, cry on their shoulder and say, “I’m sorry, love you and everything is going to be alright”, yet this reality will not be experienced by many.

Little girls are beautiful, simple yet extremely complex. The place where life begins is also the place where life extends. It’s never been enough to be a biological mother or father; little girls are highly impacted and shaped by their relationship and influence from their daddy.

The scales of life offer extreme alternatives to genuine love, purity and hope—while the love and affection of daddy offers encouragement, affirmation and stability; the absence of daddy offers rebellion, promiscuity and insanity. In a world that is obsessed with experiencing everything for the sake of selfish desires, young girls are easy prey to the assembly line of young men who are skilled at feeding their minds with words their hearts can barely comprehend. Respect never begins after your clothes come off.

Titus 2:4-5, “These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to take care of their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands.” (NLT)

So many women and young girls never had a daddy, and were left to navigate through life with a broken compass, often running from one broken relationship to another. Does painted-on jeans, blouses four sizes small and 3-inch heels make a woman? Can a woman without a relationship with her daddy honor others without desperate acts of affirmation?

Depending on your own abilities is exactly what got you into trouble in the first place. Right now all that really matters is a right perspective. Then and only then will you have the ability to make the appropriate choices that will lead you to respect yourself and others.

It doesn’t matter if you’re married, single, a student, or a widow; authentic hope will never be found in starving yourself behind closed doors, blaming men for your choices or giving away your body as sexual trade for the false hope of not being alone. It’s a new day, and new decisions need to be made. Let’s walk this mile together.

Until next time, Be encouraged.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2014-2015 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

Thank You for Your Patience.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

Have you ever noticed how every time you’re in a hurry, no one else is? Early this morning, I decided to run an errand to a well known retail-grocery chain. My primary intention was for an uneventful experience to quickly get in, purchase what I needed, and be on my way.

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of thinking my plan is coming together until I was faced with the option of how I was going to checkout and pay for my items: (1) Self checkout, or (2) Cashier checkout line? All I could think of was, “Which line is moving fastest?”

EgyptSPEAKS_Child Please copy

Egypt McKee

The self checkout was already occupied by customers who seemed to be having all kinds of trouble scanning their items, whereas the cashier check-out line only had one customer with a few items, but the cashier seemed to be setting a new world record for the slowest checkout procedure.

After having chosen to stand in the cashier checkout line and wait for the cashier to lethargically finish ringing up the customer ahead of me, I realized the impatience in my heart was absolutely unwarranted and self serving.

Rather than saying good morning, my checkout cashier greeted me by saying, “Thank you for your patience.” I was instantly overwhelmed with the conviction that the universe doesn’t revolve around my life, nor is my perceived plan to get in and get out a priority for others.

I wonder how many times a day we’re faced with real opportunities to observe the beauty of nature, the needs of mankind, or the simple joy of being alive, yet we bury our heads in our smartphones as we text away every waking moment or roam the internet seeking worthless “likes” on our statuses?

Patience by its very nature cannot be hurried in its virtue. Nevertheless, time isn’t the factor for which patience is learned, rather it is the condition of our heart. I encourage you to think about ways you can learn to be patient today with circumstances or others in whom you are most annoyed. Buckle up, this may take awhile.

Until next time, Be encouraged.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration. Until next time, Be encouraged.


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2014 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

Empty.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

Life is short, and there’s no debating this fact. Things come and go, perspectives come and go, and eventually people come and go faster than a blink in time. I’m convinced if it weren’t for difficult times, we might never pray. It’s been awhile since I last wrote, and as I reflect upon my life over the past several months, I’m hard pressed to respond to the simplicity of one of life’s most basic questions, “How are you?”

It’s in that moment where the trajectory of our maturity and character is once again tested on the stage of truth. The fact that multiple responses are considered before rendering a verdict is nothing short of a scandal in the making. Should I smile and say, “good?” Should I deploy reverse psychology and say, “great, how about you?” After all, it’s not about me even though it is about me because they asked. Transparency is easily masqueraded by good intentions, while the evidence of hopes and dreams lay just beyond arms reach.

I confess that over the past two decades, I’ve been honored to spend a great deal of time building and rebuilding the lives of others as a Christian Pastor, Counselor, and Life Coach. I’m blessed to have held a front row seat to miraculous turnarounds in many lives and marriages, and wouldn’t trade that for anything. Yet as we experience this holy weekend, I wonder if we share the proper perspective on what it truly means to be empty?

Many times, we master a skill that is counterproductive to our freedom and peace in life—our cover story. You know your cover story better than anyone, and sadly there are numerous versions of it. Sadly, the pain you’re experiencing today is real, valid, and will destroy you if you allow it. A predictable excuse might be to assign blame to someone other than yourself to distance yourself as the cause or contributor, or maybe pretending that you’ve got control over the issue is more convenient.Egypt on Route 66

The emptiness in your heart is not easily explained, and I won’t pretend to know exactly how you feel today carrying the burden of losing a loved one, not being able to naturally birth children, struggling with the news that you have cancer, or having your life turned inside-out because your spouse wants an unexpected divorce. Some of you might be thinking, “you haven’t walked in my shoes!” and this is true—my feet won’t fit in your shoes, nor do yours fit mine, but we can still walk in pursuit of truth on this journey of life.

Not many years ago, I suffered an unexplained medical trauma, which left my equilibrium in disarray and excessive dry heaving over a 3-day period. Ultimately, I was rushed to the hospital to undergo extensive tests; one of which was a myelogram. Unfortunately, I experienced major complications to this medical procedure, and felt as if I were going to die. I remember lying on my bed in a completely dark room because light and sound exacerbated my pain. There was nothing more important to me than to be free from my pain.

To make a long story short, I had a miraculous personal experience with Jesus Christ that has forever changed my life. I begged The Lord Jesus Christ to end my pain, which was code for “end my life!” yet I remember Him distinctly saying to me, “you forgot to ask me one thing”, I replied, “What?”, and He said, “You forgot to invite me into your pain.”

Instantaneously, my eyes were opened with the understanding that The Lord desired to free me from my pain—not of my pain. There was no immediate magical ending to my experience, yet I continued to endure indescribable pain for another few days, but at least the Lord was there in my pit of pain with me. As we celebrate this Easter season, let’s not be distracted with bunny rabbits, chocolates, or an attitude of apathy.

Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  NIV

There’d be nothing special about Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on Friday if it weren’t for Sunday morning. There is hope for you today no matter how empty you are, and there’s an empty tomb as proof. Happy Ressurection Day, He is risen!

Until next time, be encouraged.

 


I speak to thousands of men, women, and young adults annually on leadership, relationships, life’s purpose, and decision making. Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote of life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to invite me as a speaker for your next event, please contact me. Excerpts published from the book, “Life. The Struggle Within, by Egypt McKee”


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2010-2015 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

May I help you?

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

Have you ever had one of those days when everything you intended to do simply wasn’t accomplished? That’s how my day started recently, so I decided to journey out to my local area Organic Foods Grocery Store to pick up some of my favorite foods. I can’t explain why I decided to turn toward the vitamin isle, but I did, and I asked a woman who was stocking shelves for assistance—clearly, as a man, you can see the irony here.

After leading me to a different isle, she began to explain that the vitamins I wanted were recently discontinued, but that there were several other reputable brands available. She then went on to explain the differences in products with such knowledge and passion. I remember thinking to myself, “People typically point you in the direction you’ve asked for help, then bail out as quickly as possible.”

Shortly thereafter, she mentioned something about vitamins, life, and her bible study group with such fluidity that I almost didn’t recognize the phrase “bible study group” in a public place, and while at work no less. I couldn’t help but immediately interrupt by asking her to tell me more about her bible study group, and she did.

Interestingly, our conversation began in the midst of the vitamin isle, which caused us to step aside periodically so other customers could go around us with their shopping carts. The more she shared her lifes testimony, the more I began to wonder who was helping whom at this point? Instantaneously, the thought ran across my mind that I am the one who is generally helping others, yet I found myself in the presence of someone who inspired me with a testimony about the importance of “waiting.”

At this point, I had heard enough, and proceeded to ask if I could pray for her right then—right there? She responded, “yes”, so I held her hand in the middle of the grocery store isle and prayed for her. My experience leads me to wonder—are you interruptable? Please don’t miss the message for sake of your perspective of the messenger. Boom.

Until next time, Be encouraged.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me. Thank you Sara for inspiring my message today!

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration. Until next time, Be encouraged.


 

Egypt McKee

Evangelist | Speaker | Author | TV Host

©2014 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

New Season

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

One things for sure, if you breathe long enough, you’re going to experience change in life. Far too often, we fill the voids in our schedules with boredom and wasteful activities as we anticipate the perceived drudgery of the off season or future expectations.

For some students, Summer vacation just got started when they realized it’s now time to return for another year. For college graduates, the rigors of cramming for finals is traded in for the misery of seeking a job in a highly competitive marketplace. Yet for some parents, the seductive pressure to wonder what your preschooler will be like as a teen has caused many to miss the joy of parenting.

My family and I relocated to North Dallas, Texas just three days ago, and everything I once knew as routine, familiar, and comfortable seemed to be thrown right out the window. Emotionally, new things bring about a sense of excitement and anticipation for great possibilities, yet today I found myself mesmerized by a simple act.Change

While on my way to an early meeting, I noticed a woman dropping her child off to her babysitter, yet the child was calm up until the moment the mom handed her child to the babysitter. As I observed this transition, I noticed how the infant transitioned from calm and quiet into a a machine-like siren resembling a fire engine.

Instantaneously, I could see myself in a similar position whereby the comforts of what I’m most familiar and comfortable had to be vacated so that I could experience growth in a new territory. Nevertheless, my hope would be to do so without tears and crying.

In any case, a thought hit me, “Every season is the culmination of an off season of preparation.”  Maybe you’re feeling intimidated today because you are dealing with major life changes, or maybe you’re miserable because you were supposed to make a change in a toxic relationship that is destroying you, but refused to and are now suffering the consequences?

Whatever your situation, I trust you’ll make the right decision to prepare for what’s to come so that you may perform when it matters most in life.  Until next time, Be encouraged.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me. In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2014 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

Relationships in 142 Characters.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

When was the last time you held a meaningful conversation with someone in person? Your response might reveal more about the fragility of relationships than any other time in the history of the world.

Neil Armstrong, United States Astronaut, was well documented for being the first person to step onto the surface of the moon, as he triumphantly declared, “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”

Who could have imagined the irony of such a simple statement as it relates to the dynamics of relationships in every culture around the world?

Historically, technological advancements have often been well received, yet uncertainty by late adopters has served as a necessary balance in the halls of debate.

Somewhere lost in translation, resides the simple requirement to acknowledge the most basic of principles about mankind—specifically our purpose.texting

Many books have been written about mans purpose, and it is my unwavering conviction that God created man and gave him a purpose based upon a series of personal relationships.

God designed the first relationship in man to be based upon a life of worship. It’s in this place of worship that mankind acknowledges his creator and lives joyfully within the balance for which he was created.

Many people today argue against this simple understanding for sake of religion, tolerance, or popular opinion; yet every human being is uniquely created in their personality, fingerprints, DNA, talents, and gifts.

Psalms 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, and I know that full well.” (NIV)

It never ceases to amaze me of God’s divine order with his creation. Mankind was not expected to attend church every time the church doors were open, nor to sing praise and worship songs until the cows came home.

We were given a responsibility to establish and manage a series of personal relationships throughout life, which would enhance both our lives and the lives of those in our sphere of influence.

It’s in our personal sphere of influence, the Greek term oikos, where this story really begins.

Just 25 years ago, you would’ve been perceived as someone important if you had a pager, yet 20 years ago, you would’ve been even more important if you carried a large mobile telephone.

Since the introduction of the Internet, technologies have radically influenced the way people think, speak, and behave.

Decades ago, healthy relationships were measured by the model of a happily married father and mother in a household where families enjoyed regular meals together, respected their elders, and reserved the mystery of sexuality until marriage.

To say that times have changed would be an understatement in the history of understatements! The explosive combinations of peoples desire to become famous and social networks have created negative affects on relationships that are quickly becoming the norm.

Today, most people carry a cellular telephone, which many are equipped with access to the Internet and social network portals such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, or Twitter.

Initially, the allure of joining a social network portal was generally based upon finding friends, promoting a business, or identifying oneself with a global community of like-minded enthusiasts.

The level of effort required to setup oneself on a social network was often time consuming yet engaging, because after all, it is your life.

The more time and energy invested in getting your social network started meant the more often you’d find yourself logging on to see what other people were saying and doing.

Never before has anyone really cared if you were walking your dog, sitting on a lunch break, or watching the rain fall on the ground, yet all of a sudden it now seems to be relevant for whatever reason.

Social networks are now on the global scene to stay, and they have significantly influenced the way people communicate. Once passive personalities, are now boldly proclaiming statements they would never speak out loud to their own mothers.

The creative minds of young people have mastered new language barriers, which take advantage of limited broadcast space to declare their next global statement of legitimacy or ignorance.

There are literally billions of text messages, videos, and images that are broadcast daily around the world, yet fewer people than ever are actually spending time developing their core purpose—personal relationships.

If the truth be known, there are numerous parents everywhere sending text messages to their children instead of personally speaking with them—while they are merely a few steps away in another room; or the young man who breaks up with his girlfriend by updating the status of his social network account.

These examples of virtual relationships within close proximity are irresponsible at best, and pathetic excuses for not personally communicating with others who may or may not closely align with your personal views and convictions.

No technology will ever replace mans relationships, yet many people have been deceived that the reward is worth the risks.

No one gets to choose the people in their sphere of influence, we are literally born into it, whereas social networks allow you to setup controls over whom you allow into your sphere of influence.

I’m convinced every family has a “black sheep” relative that no one wants to talk about; they tend to visit during holidays or inopportune times, and always have something rude to say. If it weren’t for difficult people, we might never pray!

In an effort to streamline relationships through technology, we all bought into a better-broken version of ourselves through building kingdoms of friends in our social networks that we would never meet, lists of top friends—which exclude and annoy our lifelong family and friends, and impersonal updates about irrelevant information, which is at best uninteresting. Where will it all end?

The moral to this story might surprise you in that social networks are not the enemy, it’s problem rests in the choices we make as individuals.

I’ve always said, relationships are dirty business, and it requires us to roll up our sleeves and listen long before we start doing anything.

Could you refrain from checking your social-network status or email for 3-days? I’d like to challenge you today to write down all the names of people who are in your sphere of influence, then include a note on what you need to do this week to encourage them, preferably in person. Buckle up, this could get personal.

Until next time, Be encouraged.


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me. In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


Egypt McKee Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach ©2009-2014 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved. Life Book_READ IT

Condom Nation.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

If you close your eyes long enough and concentrate on your surroundings, you’ll faintly hear the murmurings of intimate chatter, ruffled papers, and emotional appeals. Warnings of sensory overload overwhelm your mind and the satisfaction of balance is no longer familiar. Profound questions pound against the wall of your character while simultaneous conflicts arise in your mind in secret chambers of privacy and discretion.

Do great gifts come in small packages? Can something so small carry such a burden to shield, protect, yet promise bliss? In an instant, everything around you has stopped long enough to recognize the state of being versus the state of doing. The facial expressions of your closest friends melt away in the face of truth, and the pain of loneliness, depression and insignificance is recognized from across the room.

The magnifying glass of life leaves no burden unaccounted, yet the strength to apply it to self is infinitely more difficult than analyzing other peoples indiscretions. Is it the clothes or lack thereof that is the problem? Never before have you experienced a desire to know the cause beyond the effects. Promotion of failed relationships, hook-ups, and fitting-in has left you scrambling around for cover, yet the promise of bliss is yet to be fulfilled.

The struggles of life have once again confronted you on the grand stage of character and integrity. Until now, neither mattered in a world where purity and hope were senseless commodities; severely lacking popular appeal. The promise to deliver protection and bliss is merely the question that demands a verdict, yet many will not consider the obvious.

Guarantees that “one size fits all” work overtime to ensure delusions of grandeur to be the greatest goal of life. The will to stand up for truth is quickly swallowed up in the first person to show you attention. A beautiful smile, curves that defy logic or muscles that need your attention are merely intoxicating eye-candy that leaves you dazed in emotional euphoria.

Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”  (NKJV)

The pressure to perform has skyrocketed to an all-time high and the opinions of others motivate your behavior to appease. Who’s appeasing whom at this point? Whispers from childhood memory, remind you that you reap what you sow, yet payment would eventually come due. What’s the big deal? Live a little is what you’ve always thought, or at least that’s what you heard others say. Unfortunately, the profound depth of “living a little” won’t be realized until its far too late.

Hopeless TeenEventually, an investment must be made, commitments must be given, and actions must be taken. The promise to protect is once again put to the test in the court of truth and popular opinion. Everyone faces the same judge and enters through the same doors of the court. The smell of fresh cut wood line the floors, walls and rafters, yet there is something distinct about the rough splinter-like appearance of this majestic hall. The courtroom is clearly marked and the contrasts of those who are seated in popular opinion far outnumber those sitting on the side of truth and integrity.

Another decision is brought out for all to see. To be or not to be might be “a question”, but rest assured it is not “the question.” The evidence has been presented and witnesses have testified, and there is one thing left before the judge renders a decision—your testimony. Instantaneously, you feel the adrenaline of fear and anxiety cripple your bones, yet giving your opinion will be required without the aid of your paparazzi.

At this point, it is obvious on the battlefield of truth, that your opinions, convictions, and character have been intertwined in the hands of those who know less about you than yourself. Decisions made repeatedly in the past, have now been challenged on the basis of authority and obedience? The desire to reach into your pocket and trust a small silicone package is now more pathetic than the embarrassment of having been called out to make your own decisions. Years of hiding behind the silhouette of false promises and expectations smeared in the lubricant of deception and delusion is no more fulfilling than ransoming your most prized possession—your virginity!

Until next time, Be encouraged.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2009-2014 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

Discretion.

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

I encourage you to remember the importance of Discretion today. I hope you’ll enjoy this short video and will go out of your way to share with your your family, friends, and colleagues.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2014-2018 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

What Were You Thinking?

Speaker. Mentor. Podcaster

Long before the question was asked, life seemed so predictable, peaceful, and even simple. The war that was about to ensue was neither wished for nor anticipated. The art of shock and awe has long thrived upon the mastery of surprise and diversion, yet your ability to comprehend will be far outweighed by emotions of betrayal, disgust and shame.

Up until now, the road of life has offered numerous curves, turns and twists, yet logic would never include an option for delusions of grandeur. Maybe, I could’ve done something different—you think to yourself; yet the burden you feel is vaguely reminiscent of a silhouette for logic and reason. Nevertheless, a Grand Canyon sized hole in your heart is all that remains visible in the pile of ash from deeds performed in secret.

A long list of questions can simply be consolidated into one—What were you thinking? The profound nature of the response is only surpassed by the actions themselves. Life in rewind reveals details once covered up in denial and enabled in bliss. Regardless of the circumstance, the pain of betrayal will not soon be forgotten.

What were you thinking

The long series of events can be found embedded in the character of its actors, yet the outcome will determine victory or failure. The shock and awe phase is merely the perverted reward for the performance of the participants. Are you kidding me? I didn’t ask for this and I don’t deserve this! That may very well be true, but please remember that resolve as you continue reading.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable.” (NIV)

Many people have asked me, “How can I ever recover from my boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse from having cheated on me?” I’ve long since come to understand this to be code language for, “Is there any hope for me and will I ever be ok again?” Regardless of how you ask the question, the answer is YES—there is genuine hope and recovery for you.

By the way, have you ever considered performing an in-depth inventory of all your relationships? Are you sure you haven’t turned a blind eye to a series of covert threats that have been marginalized as acceptable values over a period of time?

I’ve never heard a young woman say to me, “My dream is to someday be married to a man who belittles me all the time and makes me feel insignificant. I also want him to be committed only on his terms, because a man can’t love just one woman—and I don’t want to interrupt his time with his friends just so he can help me put our children to bed.” Yet the reality is widespread in that so many women have ransomed their virginity to move in with their boyfriends to “play house” as if to pretend that is an acceptable replacement for a genuine marriage commitment. Listen, relationships based upon real commitment have no “Get out free” clause.

On the other hand, the self inflicted wounds of the emotional disrespect of women and young women alike has left many opportunistic men convinced that a female’s name begins with “B” and ends with “itch.” Sadly, this tragic state of mind is responsible for endorsing countless catfights, backseat encounters and rumors of supremacy.

If truth really mattered, then the words, “I’m sorry” would take on a whole new meaning of relevancy in a court of law where the act was punished rather than the actor. Threats once marginalized as harmless and acceptable will no longer be tolerated when the pieces of your life are restored once again. The old signs bearing your name as naive, gullible, or blind will soon be replaced with warnings and a security perimeter of protection for the one thing you cannot afford to ever lose again—Peace.

Listen—sex addiction and sensual influences in life is a real threat to genuine relationships. You might be under attack right now in your mind and heart, and feel too ashamed to admit it or move forward? I want to give you an opportunity to take a first step toward a new life of freedom regardless of how much it hurts to recognize it.

No one is immune to the human condition, better known as life. I assure you this, you are not alone, and you certainly are not the only person skilled in misery, failure, or brokenness. Maybe it’s your turn to break the cycle today by sharing your story with someone who cares—Me.

Until next time, Be encouraged.

 


I speak to hundreds of thousands of young adults, men, women, and couples annually on leadership, decision making, and relationships.  Sometimes life has a way of being the antidote to life itself. If you’d like more information on this topic or how to bring me in as a speaker for your next event, please  contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to subscribe to my Tribe/Newsletter on my homepage. Post your comment below, Share my blogs with your friends on social media, and visit my website often for daily inspiration.


 

Egypt McKee

Speaker | Author | TV Host | Life Coach

©2009-2018 Copyright, Egypt McKee. All Rights Reserved.

Life Book_READ IT

 

Life. The Struggle Within (AuthorHouse, July 2007)

Has there ever been a time when you simply wanted to get off the high-speed train of life and take a much-needed break? Maybe you find yourself running on life’s performance treadmill more than you can possibly bear, yet relief always seems to be an arm’s length away from reality.

Everyone struggles with life, and no matter who you are or where you come from, this book is sure to reveal genuine hope to you regardless of your race, gender, culture, creed or religion. Are you willing to be honest with yourself, even if you can’t be honest with others?

Life often seems to be as much a struggle as it is a gift, while pressure to answer the one question every human soul desires to understand continues to hang over your head-what is the purpose of my life? Do opinions matter when it comes to climbing out of the lonely hole of despair? Are there lessons to be learned from generational mistakes, selfish choices, or a determined mind?

Many people have motivated us for a moment through big smiles and charisma, however genuine hope has not been found in them. Have you found yourself listening to yet another lullaby of pleasantries, good ideas or trendy rhetoric? Life. The Struggle Within chronicles the daily struggles of both men and women alike. Finally, someone said it out loud, and it’s no mistake that you are holding this book right now.

Be encouraged!

Life Book_READ IT