A New Creation in Christ

A New Creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 4:1-6:2)

This world that we live in definitely brings one test after another challenging us to become the amazing creation God had in mind when we were formed. However, it is completely up to us to make the decision to pursue it. Deep in my heart and soul, I feel that we have all been given everything we need to get where we were meant to be. We must listen and obey in order to accomplish our purpose and carry forward the message that lives in the death of Jesus.

Sit and think about the following for a moment:
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

When we feel like quitting... when we get frustrated... when we get angry... when we question going forward... we place our faith ahead of our flesh remembering that "our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." We are living a temporary assignment away from home and work to please God so that when it is our time to be with him we can confidently await the promise of heaven.

We must recognize that our sins will not be held against us. We become a new creation when we accept Christ as our Savior. We become reconciled to God. "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."

As I read these passages today, I could not help but to think about how God's mercy has allowed me to arrive exactly where I am. It became clear to me that I must take the light shining in my heart and help others find it too. I am fully able to "Let light shine out of darkness." I was helped to find the glory of God through the face of Christ and am determined to help others also find this saving grace.

When I think back over the past two years of my life, I see a transformation that has reformed who I am and what I stand for on a daily basis. It amazes me how a desperate honest conversation with God guided me to becoming a new creation in Christ forever changing the rest of my time spent in this world and therefore eternity.

The once dark, sick and isolated world of my life has become filled with hope relentlessly bright and shining with love from every angle. I trust obediently and through that trust I am provided with all that I need to experience the joy I was meant to receive to bring glory to God. I am so grateful and invite all of you to join me in pursuing God's will living with this dedication at the forefront of our actions.

The Best Decision

I have had a couple days now to sincerely take the time to think about the direction of my life. In this time of reflection, I have considered all the thoughts and actions over the past year that have literally defined who I truly am as a person. I attempted to find areas in my life that may need some improvement and looked for things to pursue by exploring what exists deep within my heart. It has been a worth while evaluation and believe that this type of honest reflection is exactly what will keep me from simply going through "The Motions".

Looking back at the past 5 months, I am filled with a feeling of joy knowing that through determination and dedication I have found the path to a better brighter future. Along the way, I have experienced feelings that were previously denied and learned to trust in a way that I didn't know was possible. I opened myself up to the impossible, expected blessing and turned to God to conquer any doubt that stood in the way. I am so grateful for all that I have and will continue to give my all to show my gratitude in everything I do.

This morning I looked into the mirror and saw a person staring back at me that I have not seen in a very long time. He had a sparkle in his eye and a glow that shined with a light that was as bright as the morning sun. I could not help but to think back to all the times I looked in the mirror only to be disgusted by wasted potential and blatant ignorance. There was no sparkle... no light... just an emptiness filling a void for what could be.

When I started on my journey of change, I had no idea what the future may hold. However, I did know that there was something more out there to find. I knew deep inside that something was missing... and I took that first step forward following that inspiration. I found hope and put all my faith into something so much greater than myself... and it was the best decision I ever made.

Beyond "The Motions"

It has been over a month since the last time I sat in this chair with the objective of giving my all to sharing about my dedicated journey toward change with this blog. I am pleased to write with a sincere smile that the month of May was absolutely amazing filled with more of the same type of unpredictable inspiration and generous blessing that I shared during the first 4 months of 2010. I feel guilty for not sacrificing the time and energy needed to share them, but also trust that God has been leading me in my decision to place more focus on some other areas in my life.

However, it feels wonderful to be here right now concentrating on the things happening in my life that are filling my heart with joy and look forward to once again writing about the incredible experiences that are helping to shape me into the person God wants me to be. I am committing to a minimum of ten posts per month for the rest of the year. I hope you are as excited as I am to embrace all that life has to bring in the upcoming months and trust that you will be expecting the same type of positive exciting events from your own journey. It is sure to to bring experiences to enjoy... challenges to conquer... emotions to feel... and ideas to explore... so together let's take it all in and flourish as we attempt to shine with every single thought and action.

Over the next twenty four hours, I will be reflecting on the changes in my life that have occurred over the course of the first half of 2010. I will be evaluating my progress toward my goals and develop a truthful assessment of my determination to accomplish the desires God has placed in my heart. I invite you to join me in this exercise. Give it your all. Don't hold back. I encourage you to listen to the following song and use the next few minutes to start an honest internal conversation asking yourself questions you normally wouldn't ask. I think it will help us prepare for what lies ahead and allow us to move beyond simply going through "The Motions".

--------------------------------------------
Matthew West "The Motions"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaHmiFaX_pk

This might hurt, It's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care, If I break
At least I'll be feeling something
Cause just OK, Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't want to go one more day
Without your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions

No regrets, Not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let your love, Make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something real
Just OK, Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life

Take me all the way

A Different Path

You may or may not have noticed, but this is the first post I have made for the month of May. I decided to take a break after four months of daily writing. I put forth a lot of effort into making these posts interesting and inspirational and started to feel overwhelmed by the urgency of self inflicted deadlines. After praying on this undesired sense of obligation, I felt that I needed to take some time to re-center myself around the real purpose of this blog.

Over the last week of my life, I continued experiencing all that it means to be alive. I worked through challenges... I enjoyed blessings... I looked for inspiration... I helped others... and I talked with God throughout it all. Even though I didn't write about it, time kept on moving forward and I moved right along with it. With this realization, I discovered exactly what I was looking for... an understanding of what matters most.

I will not elaborate on exactly what I found. However, I encourage you to go on a search of your own. I sincerely believe the answer to what matters most exists uniquely inside of each of us. We just need to take time and place effort into finding it. When we do, we can use it to not only keep up with time, but live at our best no matter how fast it seems to go.

Going forward with this blog, I will keep pouring my heart into sharing my amazing journey as well as discuss some other stories from my past that have formed me into the person I am today. With God on my side, I expect to keep it interesting and inspirational. I hope you find it to be just that... and wish you the same type of exciting, positive experiences in your own life.
--------------------------------------------------------

This morning I lifted my hands to the sky and took a few deep breaths. I stretched out my arms as if I could grab the clouds, looked up with praise in my heart, and asked for the positive change in my life to never end. I felt chills surround my body as I was filled with what I can only describe as the grace of God. Soon after this wonderful experience, I picked up my baseball bat and continued another blessed day with some welcomed exercise.

After hitting pretend home runs for about 15 minutes, I decided to take a different path for my run. I did not put much thought into it at the time, but it was so refreshing to break away from the usual route through my neighborhood. I enjoyed different scenery, waved/smiled at different neighbors, and conquered different terrain. I ended up running longer/harder than I have all year, and I honestly didn't think about it until I made it back to my house drenched in sweat.

After putting more thought into it, I started to relate how life can often fall victim to the same type of boring, uneventful routine that had taken over the path I have been choosing to run. I have been stuck running the same loop day after day without even knowing it. It wasn't until I decided to run outside of that loop that I noticed what I was missing... and became aware of all the other wonderful possibilities. A sense of familiarity was literally stealing from my ability to get the most out of my time running.

This makes me wonder about other things in my life that may be stuck in the "same loop". What else in my life could use a new and exciting path? Is there more joy and happiness out there just waiting to be discovered? If so, what is holding me back from receiving it?

My desire is to find this refreshing feeling of newness in everything I do. However, it is going to require me to move outside of my comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory. I will have to veer away from the normal routine and look for "new roads" for which "to run". It may be scary to take on the unknown, but I trust that taking a different path will more often than not lead to positive change. When combined with steady faith and unwavering obedience, this change can only move me in one direction - forward toward becoming the person I was meant to be.
_____________________
Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Greatest Commandment

It is so easy to get misdirected in this life. Our actions and decisions often influenced by internal desires resulting in behavior that reflects a selfish greed to seek only what seems to be best for us at the current moment. How can we live so that we can avoid falling victim to this wicked temptation?

I have found that the answer clearly resides in Mark 12:29-31 where Jesus provides his response to the following question - "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

The world around us brings one situation after another that requires more from our choices than this painful lust for self gratitude. We can choose to see that we have an ability to overcome this reckless urge, or we can remain lost in a life that offers nothing more than temporary satisfaction. The choice is ours...

I am often tempted, but when I begin to feel lost in my ways I turn to the words of Jesus. I center myself around his life and give all my love to God. I hold nothing back. I ask for help. I accept guidance. I act on his will. I open myself up to the possibility that I could do something more, and I often find that I have more love to give outside of my own desires.

With each circumstance and every interaction, there is a right way and a wrong way. We may not always find ourselves on the correct path, but we can rely on God to change our course by loving externally with everything we do. We can escape the downfall of acting in self interest and discover the reward behind the greatest commandment - indescribable joy.

Laws of Leadership V

This will be the fifth and final installment to a series of blog posts dedicated to "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. Reading, analyzing and applying the laws to my life has proven to be a rewarding exercise that will provide valuable direction in my journey toward striving to be a leader in everything I do. The truth behind each law will be used to identify opportunities and recognize areas for improvement as I make my way to achieving success in the omnipresent world of leadership.

The "Law of Priorities" gives an understanding that leadership will always require an ability to effectively prioritize regardless of how efficiently an organization is being run. Therefore, activity is not an indicator of forward progress unless it is critical to accomplishing future goals. The Pareto Principle states that a focus on the top 20 percent in terms of importance will produce an 80 percent return on effort. For example if your to-do list has ten items on it, the top two will give you 80 percent of the benefit for the entire list. In order to prioritize, we should use Maxwell's three R's: What is Required? What gives the greatest Return? What brings the greatest Reward?

The next law explains a harsh inescapable reality of leadership. Leaders must have an attitude of sacrifice and be willing to do whatever it takes to reach the next level. Maxwell uses Lee Iacocca and his dedication to saving Chrysler starting in the late 1970s as an example of the "Law of Sacrifice." In order to incorporate the changes that needed to take place, Iacocca gave all his time working around the clock neglecting his usual mandatory time with family. He also worked for a salary of one dollar. However, his sacrifices were seen by the entire company and created a culture that allowed Chrysler to work its way back to elite status. All leaders need to accept that the higher the level of leadership, the greater the sacrifices.

The most effective leaders recognize that when to lead is as important as what to do and where to go. Timing is everything and this concept leads into the "Law of Timing." With every single move made by a leader, the result will always fall into one of four categories outlined below.

• The Wrong Action at the Wrong Time Leads to Disaster
• The Right Action at the Wrong Time Brings Resistance
• The Wrong Action at the Right Time Is a Mistake
• The Right Action at the Right Time Results in Success

Simply stated, the right choice at the right time will lead to incredible results, but if either is wrong the result will always be negative.

Maxwell next goes into what he explains as leader's math. It simply means that although leading followers will bring growth, leading leaders will expand the boundaries of growth. The "Law of Explosive Growth" shows that leaders who develop other leaders multiply their growth since each acquired leader will also bring their followers. Basically, an organization will experience a multiplication effect that goes far beyond adding resources, reducing costs, increasing margins or anything else just by working to develop leaders.

The final law in this powerful book is the "Law of Legacy" which states a leader's lasting value is measured by succession. The best leaders have an ability to think ahead and value what is best for a company. Through creating a leadership culture, an organization is enabled to be successful regardless of his or her presence. Great leaders will have incorporated ideals and values that will carry on long after they are gone. A legacy will be created that puts the organization into the position to do great things in the future without them.
----------------------------------
"The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership"
Follow Them and People Will Follow You
By John C. Maxwell

"Everything rises and falls on leadership. Most people don't believe me when I say that, but it's true. The more you try to do in life, the more you will find that leadership makes the difference. Any endeavor you can undertake that involves other people will live or die depending on leadership. As you work to build your organization, remember this:

• Personnel determine the potential of the organization.
• Relationships determine the morale of the organization.
• Structure determines the size of the organization.
• Vision determines the direction of the organization.
• Leadership determines the success of the organization.

I wish you success. Pursue your dreams. Desire excellence. Become the person you were created to be. And accomplish all that you were put on earth to do. Leadership will help you to do that. Learn to lead - not just for yourself, but for the people who follow behind you. And as you reach the highest levels, don't forget to take others with you to be the leaders of tomorrow."

• Law of the Lid
• Law of Influence
• Law of Process
• Law of Navigation
• Law of E.F. Hutton
• Law of Solid Ground
• Law of Respect
• Law of Intuition
• Law of Magnetism
• Law of Connection
• Law of the Inner Circle
• Law of Empowerment
• Law of Reproduction
• Law of Buy-In
• Law of Victory
• Law of the Big Mo
• Law of Priorities
• Law of Sacrifice
• Law of Timing
• Law of Explosive Growth
• Law of Legacy

Rise Above

This week I have been challenged by stress. It feels like my trust in God is being tested by a variety of external forces waging war on my ability to live with the extreme joy I have been experiencing. However, I refuse to allow any of these factors to control my thoughts and will use my faith like a shield defending my peacefulness from the chaotic world around me.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

The above passage was sent to me by someone very special at exactly the time I needed to read it. It allowed me to change my focus from the overwhelming nature of the pace of life to God's all consuming love for me. Even though life continues its attack, I am able to reclaim now as the moment to praise God and restore my ability to live for his glory.

Work can seem to control our lives. Bills can steal happiness from our hearts. The world can trick us into the unthinkable. However, we must never surrender to these external forces. By refusing to relinquish our joy, we wear an armor so mighty and strong that we can overcome anything.

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

One week from today, I want to be able to look back on the stress in my life and laugh. I want to smile at its attempts to rob me of my joy. I want to be confident it did not hold me down. The only way I can guarantee these desires is to rely on complete trust in God. There is absolutely no room for doubt... no room for worry... no room for panic. I believe with all my heart that God works for the good of those who love him and will use this faith to rise above.

ACTIONS... words

There is an expression that is commonly used to emphasize that what we do is much more powerful the anything that we say. You may have heard it a few times in your life and filed it away just as I did into a category of memorable yet overlooked cliches. However, it may help to pull the phrase from storage and use it today to make an impact, because there is no doubt that "Actions Speak Louder than Words".

Even though I may not have always implemented them over the course of my life, I have been consistently blessed with quality ideas. Every once in a while, I would act on this God given inspiration which more often than not produced desirable results. However, it took solid effort to turn these sparkling rays of possibility into reality. There is no doubt that simply talking about it made no difference at all. It was my lack of consistency in following through on these ideas that kept me from accomplishing what I was truly meant to achieve.

The good news is that I have found that it is never too late to start dedicating time and energy toward fulfilling this unrealized potential. We can revive past reflections of ingenuity and transform them into actions. We can decide to stop talking about something and work to make it happen. We can make now the time we will make our words change into the difference we have always wanted to make.

We have the ability to do so much more than talk. Everything we need to turn our words into actions rests solely on our decision to make it happen. Simply by living the way God inspires us to live, we will influence others through the truth that lives in our actions. We cannot talk about helping others.... we cannot think about living a positive lifestyle... we cannot plan on making a difference... we need to just do it. We need to silently speak louder with every step we take.

Not So Silly Putty

Is there anything that you do alone by yourself everyday? What do you think about during these activities? Who do you think about? What more can be done to make these frequent actions more meaningful?

Everyday I spend approximately 2 hours sitting at my desk checking email, downloading music, catching up on facebook and writing these blog posts. Whenever I begin to feel stressed, I reach to a very peculiar source sitting on my desk for help to relax and focus my thoughts. You may laugh, but it is good old fashioned 'Silly Putty'.

I spend roughly 5 minutes squeezing the pink mystery substance between my fingers during one of my typical stress relieving sessions. It helps me forget about whatever may be bothering me and concentrate more on the 'silly' toy in my hand. This time has grown to be a daily fixture to my schedule. However, yesterday it seemed to have a much greater meaning.

As I picked up the red egg shaped case, I simultaneously began talking with God. Statements of gratitude and prayers filled my head throughout the entire time my hand shaped, molded and formed the putty. By simply inviting God to share that time with me, I was blessed with even more relief than the exercise normally produces on its own. It was at that moment of realization that I knew my time with Silly Putty would never again be spent alone.

I doubt that you play with Silly Putty on a daily basis, but I do bet that there are other routine actions you can think of that fill your schedule. I encourage you to identify these frequent tasks and invite God to spend that time with you. By turning your thoughts to him, he will restore energy and fill your being with everything you need to move forward more efficiently.

Seriously, take a few minutes during one of these common occurrences to thank God for the day's blessings, relieve the day's hurts and/or request strength to overcome the day's challenges. Use the time to grow your relationship with God... you may just discover that this previously overlooked time can be transformed into a more meaningful rejuvenating session of restoration.

More Than Words

I absolutely love the "txt: How to Read Your Bible" message series that the leadership at Suncrest is guiding the church through currently. Today was part 3 titled "The Model" covering Philippians 2:1-11. Andy Kaiser led the service breaking down Paul's letter to the Romans into actionable hope-filled words. I am continually amazed at how the Bible can come alive and mirror events in life inspiring actions that go far beyond our own ability.

In my ever evolving list of topics, I have been working on an idea that requires me to document specific instances that show others that they are more important than I. I have been searching for opportunities and will continue to do so over the next few weeks. I have found that this selfless behavior has actually given me more reward than the instant gratification that indulging in selfish desires could ever produce. It has also proven to provide a lasting joy that consistently lifts up my day and creates a renewed spirit ready to overcome any challenge that stands in the way of living at my best.

Philippians 2:3-4 reads, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Digesting this verse today, I felt the words become more than a passage from the Bible. It shouted truth into my life and solidified God's direction in my heart. I was able to relate directly to someone who felt the same generous outpouring of hope and love in his life over two thousand years ago that I have been blessed with in 2010. It was a very powerful experience.

Reading the Bible has become a valued part of my day and helped my relationship with God reach a much more intimate level. The more I look to him for strength and guidance, the more he delivers combining the spirit living inside me with the truth of his word. It is through this amazing transformation that the words come alive and take form as fuel for living in the will of God.

From Scared to Overjoyed

This morning I woke up and immediately glared at the clock. It said 7:20 and I felt very uneasy... to the point of freaking out. It only lasted a few seconds, but in those few seconds I went from scared to confused to doubtful to unbelievably overjoyed. As I sat up not quite sure of my surroundings, I suffered from a feeling that I was supposed to be somewhere else. Was I late for work? Am I back in time? Was the last two years of my life a dream?

It may seem ridiculous or even crazy, but this is not the first time this has happened. There have been several similar rude wake ups over the last month. Mostly they occur on the days that I do not have to set my alarm clock. I think that I am trying so hard to do well in life that I my mind is in overdrive. I really need to relax and concentrate on living one day at a time to the best of my ability. By following this mindset, I will be able to enjoy the peacefulness that accompanies always following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Getting back to the intense emotions of the moment, I woke up feeling scared. I was not scared due to direct danger. I was scared because I felt like all the hard work I have done to change my life might suddenly have been reversed. It reminded me of the horrible feelings I felt when I was trapped in the lifestyle of my past with no visible way out. I am so glad it was only a second or two before I moved on to confusion.

The confusion stage allowed me to look around my room and realize that I was in a safe place. I was not quite sure what exactly was going on since I was still waking up. After another couple seconds passed, I had recognized that everything was alright and it was simply another day. However, I needed to confirm in my head that I was not late for work or missing some sort of previous scheduled appointment. After this jam packed process, I took a deep breath, smiled and turned my thoughts to God as my head plopped back down into my pillow.

It was a wonderful feeling to escape from a short relapse of negative thinking only to quickly acknowledge that everything was absolutely terrific. In fact, I was filled with such a feeling of joy that I could not think of anything else to do except thank God for his work in my life.

I must admit that it was a relatively interesting start to my day, but in the end I was left reassured that today was going to be fantastic. I am free from my yesterdays and tomorrow is tomorrow. Today everything is wonderful, and I will carry this blessing into all I do.

The Me I Want to Be

I started to read "The Me I Want to Be" by John Ortberg this evening. My community group for church will be using it to guide us through the next several weeks of meetings. I am looking forward to the upcoming discussions and sharing them with others that sincerely care. Topics such as 'Finding My Identity', 'Renewing My Mind', 'Deepening My Relationships' and 'Transforming My Experience' will definitely serve as a catalyst to finding exactly what the title suggests - "The Me I Want to Be".

The first chapter of the book is titled "Learn Why God Made You." I believe that this is a perfect way to start out the study. It definitely centered my thoughts around what truly matters. Becoming "The Me I Want to Be" will not be a selfish endeavor, but a search for how I can accept God's wisdom and use it to bring him glory. My priorities need to be aligned so that my happiness will not depend on particular achievements or experiences, but a lasting joy provided from God as reward for bringing blessings to everyone and everything around me regardless of circumstance.

As the book shifted toward living a flourishing life, it made me think about how my life is different now from years past. I have found peace from the pressures of the world through complete trust in God's plan for me. I listen to his guidance through the Holy Spirit knowing that his understanding goes beyond my ability to ever comprehend. I put the needs of others before my own and judge the results by the joy shared in our hearts. My happiness absolutely has nothing to do with how much money I make or the possessions I obtain. Happiness is a result of the journey toward discovering the person that God wants me to be.

Ortberg writes, "God made you to flourish - to receive life from outside yourself, creating vitality within yourself and producing blessing beyond yourself." This quote summarizes the realization that helped me move from a sad selfish lifestyle and into a world of peacefulness and joy. By filling our hearts with love, we will begin to live a constant transformation that will take us to extraordinary places. We were created to be great using the unique gifts God provided, and the path we take to get there will determine the level of greatness.

Laws of Leadership IV

This will be the fourth installment to a series of blog posts dedicated to "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. As I go about each day, I have been keeping each law in mind in order to focus on becoming a stronger leader in every aspect of my life. I have discovered that I can depend on these laws to help me make more sound decisions on a daily basis. By living under the guidance of Maxwell's hard earned experience, I am working my way toward reaching my goal of someday becoming a successful, effective leader.

Over the course of the last 12 laws, we have seen that leaders need to possess the ability to gain the trust and respect of others in order to establish a connection that will encourage people to follow them toward a common purpose. Obviously great leaders have some level of natural ability, but how does a person develop all the other attributes that enables him/her to become exceptional?

The "Law of Reproduction" states that it takes a leader to raise up a leader. A majority of effective leaders have been formed under the direction of other established leaders who mentored them. By surrounding ourselves with talented individuals who care about our development, we will absorb the same characteristics over time. Therefore, we must avoid authority figures who do not recognize the tremendous value of developing our abilities or are not secure enough to help us become better. We must find people who can see the big picture and challenge us everyday, because it will be these lessons that truly form us into leaders.

Next, the book goes into a fundamental difference between leaders and followers. Maxwell states, "The leader finds the dream and then the people. The people find the leader and then the dream." This quote brings us to the "Law of Buy-In" which simply means that people buy into the leader before the actual vision.

Many people believe that people will follow any cause as long as there is a solid plan supporting something good. However, people do not at first follow worthy causes. They follow worthy leaders who promote worthwhile causes. This point is exactly why actors and athletes are used in advertising. People want to believe in things that are promoted by the people they respect. As leaders, we will never get any credit for having a good vision. It will be our ability to get people where they need to go that determines success which will always begin before the vision is even shared.

In Maxwell's next law called the "Law of Victory", a true leader always finds a way for the team to win. He states, "Victorious leaders feel the alternative to winning is totally unacceptable, so they figure out what must be done to achieve victory, and then they go after it with everything at their disposal."

Successful leaders are always pursuing victory independent of circumstance. They can envision a way to conquer any obstacle and use their leadership to make others see it too. They respond to pressure and show their best in times of adversity. They refuse to back down and are quick to identify alternate routes to accomplishing the desired result. When a leader combines these characteristics with a team that carries unity of vision and a diversity of skills, victory will be inevitable.

Leaders must also find a way to make things happen. The first step in the process must be to prepare and motivate everyone involved in order to create something called momentum. Momentum is often a leader's best friend and that is why the next law is called the "Law of the Big Mo".

A leader is expected to get things started. He or she is responsible for taking action. However, it is important to know that small victorious steps have the ability to make a large impact during the early stages of a project. These adolescent victories will allow the team to pick up momentum that will be required to take on whatever stands in the way. The greater the momentum, the easier it will be to overcome unavoidable challenges and obstacles.
----------------------------------------
The following is a recap of the first 12 laws. A more in-depth explanation of each can be found in the first three entries under the title "Laws of Leadership".

• Law of the Lid
• Law of Influence
• Law of Process
• Law of Navigation
• Law of E.F. Hutton
• Law of Solid Ground
• Law of Respect
• Law of Intuition
• Law of Magnetism
• Law of Connection
• Law of the Inner Circle
• Law of Empowerment

The Stage

After returning home from a blessed day at work, I was able to catch the last 30 minutes of American Idol. I have always been a big fan of the show and look forward to the performances each week. I could only imagine what it must feel like to be one of the contestants. After all, they are ordinary people just like you and I being instantly thrown onto television's greatest stage to show off their amazing musical talents. I give them a lot of credit for being able to do so well considering their lack of experience.

During the performance shows, I often find myself thinking about how great it must feel to walk out on the stage. The atmosphere must be electric filled with an incredible amount of energy. The fans... the judges... the lights... the cameras... it has to be so overwhelming. However, the contestants seem to take everything in stride and put forth their best efforts with hopes of becoming the next 'American Idol'.

After considering the power of such a situation, I was left thinking about the stage concept. These contestants get in front of millions of viewers week after week and sing with all their heart. Attempting to win votes, they do everything they can to put forth their absolute best performance. Sometimes they rock... sometimes not so much, but they try. How cool would it be to have a stage like that where we could lay it all on the line and put our best out there for everyone to enjoy?

The more I contemplated this interesting thought, the more I realized that this stage exists for all of us. Everyday, everywhere we are living on a stage that can give us the same amount of opportunity and satisfaction that Idol offers it's contestants. Through our actions in everything we do, we have a chance to perform influencing and inspiring those around us. We may not be in front of television cameras or spotlights, but we are living our own precious one of a kind life that is in itself amazing. We should definitely be using our time on stage wisely!

Looking at my journey over the past few months, I am so amazed by all the encouragement I am blessed with on a daily basis. I do not know how to explain it... except that God is definitely working in my life. As I keep focusing on trusting him with all my heart, I believe that he is using others to lift me up. Just as the American Idol contestants receive votes for performing well, I feel like I am rewarded with all the positive words from so many different people.

It just goes to show that life really is an enormous stage lit up by God's glory. However, it is up to us to shine under his spotlight. With every move we make, we can earn supporters and make a difference. We can use the gifts God gave us to really make the world a better place. By making the effort, we just might find that the excitement of television's biggest stage really isn't that far out of reach.
-----------------------------------------------
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. - 1 John 2:5

An Hour Adventure

This morning I had about an hour to spend before starting work after completing a prior obligation. I stopped at Taco Bell to grab a quick lunch and visited Best Buy to look for an mp3 auxiliary cable for my car. During this hour that started out as a way to kill some time, I had some very interesting experiences with some very positive side effects.

First of all, I want to confess that I am a fan of some good Taco Bell. However, I am very particular about my Taco Bell experience. I have learned through past experiences that the quality of food at Taco Bell varies greatly from location to location. In order to judge the quality, I always check the cleanliness of the bathroom before ordering from an unfamiliar restaurant. I have found this method to be an awesome indicator of the food quality and service.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a sparkling clean restroom upon walking into the facilities at this Taco Bell. After my quality inspection, I approached the counter only to be greeted with a smile and an emphatic greeting. I placed my order and within one minute I was handed my food by an energetic young woman who offered a sincere "Thanks for Choosing Taco Bell. Enjoy!"

I was so happy with my meal and overall Taco Bell experience. It tasted great... the service was excellent... the restaurant was clean. I literally thought to myself, "Wow these people are doing an absolutely wonderful job!" Upon leaving this blessed establishment, I walked to the front counter and asked to speak to the manager. As she reluctantly approached, I smiled at her and said, "I just wanted to thank you for lunch. You all are doing a wonderful job!"

When I walked up to the counter, I almost went to the left to continue right out the door. I am so glad that I stopped to take 15 seconds to extend my feelings of gratitude. I literally felt a rush of energy radiating from our short and to the point conversation. She was happy I was pleased... I was happy to tell her I was pleased... it was a win-win situation that we shared together.

After my amazing lunch, I headed over to Best Buy. This was my first trip into a similar work environment since starting my job in retail management. I was surprised by how I now viewed the entire shopping experience differently. I was comparing their store to mine... taking hints from the good and making mental notes of the bad. I appreciated the prompt and friendly customer service giving me a first hand account of what customers want from their shopping experience.

After finding the auxiliary cable and walking the store, I proceeded to check out. I found myself behind a couple who just bought a computer monitor. The clerk was explaining insurance options, and I could sense he was trying to hurry. As he gave me a glance, I could tell he was sorry for the extended wait and expected me to show frustration. However, I was contently patient and offered a few words encouraging him to take his time. After waiting about four minutes, he checked me out and thanked me for waiting. He then shocked me with the same salutation I like to use, "Have a blessed day!"

When I began to wait, I almost gave in to a go-go-go mentality. I felt the urge to give out a look of discontent, but I am so grateful that I recognized it as a chance to practice patience. In return, I was rewarded with a connection with the clerk. He didn't just give me an ordinary "Have a nice day!" He gave me a sincere "Have a blessed day!" and I did! Praise the Lord!!!

After my hour adventure, I had a wonderful day at work. I felt great all afternoon and believe it showed in everything I did. Even though I had a very long day that started early this morning, the joy in my heart made it a long day full of happiness. I attribute all this to God and thank him for the guidance he provided. Without the direction of the Holy Spirit, I might have let hard work go un-celebrated or even surrendered much needed happiness to impatient behavior. Both of which would have been a crime, stealing directly from the joy God had planned for my afternoon.

Really?

I am going to take a journey back just 12 months. It was a pivotal time in my life. I was in the midst of the beginning of a journey traveling away from the hurt of a past life. The future was unknown, and the only thing holding me together was the unconditional love of my family. I knew deep in my heart that there was something special waiting for me, but I had absolutely no idea how I was going to get there.

About the same time, I started discovering God's unconditional love. He provided guidance to continue taking steps in the right direction. He gave power to resist temptation. He handed over strength to conquer challenges. Most of all, he filled me with faith and through it my life has been restored. I no longer have to wonder about how I am going to get to where I am going... my faith leads me.

If someone would have told me a year ago that I would be where I am, feeling how I feel I would have called them crazy. I could only imagine the conversation... You will have a career... Really??? You will have car... Really??? Your family will be proud of you... Really??? You will be filled with joy... Really??? I would have said that all these blessings were merely a dream...

However, I would have been wrong. The last year of my life has shown me that God really can make the impossible possible. I made the choice to give my all to him and now I have more than I could have ever dreamed... and I trust that he has many more amazing blessings planned for me.

This morning I arrived at work and began working on a few tasks in between assisting customers. About an hour into my shift, I was called into the district manager's office. He asked me how things were going after my first four weeks. After giving him my reply, he handed me a paper with my name on it. It was a promotional offer for the Assistant Manager position.

If the smile on my face could talk, it would have screamed "Really???" Needless to say, I was ecstatic. I want to say that I can't believe it, but in my faith I definitely felt it was possible. I was aware of the open position. I thought I had the skills and ability to excel at the job. I knew that if I worked really hard I would be able to earn it. I just didn't think it would happen in four weeks!

I am very excited about the opportunity and am confident I will be successful in the position. I will be challenged, but I have God on my side. I trust that it will be another step in the journey to becoming the person I am meant to be... and that faith will lead me toward my destiny.

What's Important?

What is most important to you? What truly lives inside your heart? Do your actions and decisions reflect your dedication to these things in life? Is there anything you can physically do to better express these internal feelings? What is holding you back?

I must admit that this exercise takes more than a few minutes. In fact, I have been thinking about these questions since I left church, and I plan to contemplate them all week long. I want to reflect on each day to find out if I am honestly showing what lives in my heart. I want to make sure that I am not missing opportunities to promote the things that are most important in my life.

When I think about my past and things that were important to me, I am filled with feelings of regret. I can't help but to remember times I should have physically expressed myself differently. For some reason or another, I simply held back.

Why? What stopped me from taking a few moments to give a heart felt thank you? What kept me from making those things that were important to me know they were important to me? Also, what might have been different if I never held back?

This morning Pastor Greg Lee spoke of an event earlier in the week that provided one of those moments that absolutely put everything in perspective for him. He continued to share how it made him look at his life and really reach out to what was most important to him. He hugged his children a little tighter... held his wife a little closer... and praised God a little stronger. After everyone demanded to know what the incredible event was, he admitted that there was no specific occurrence... however he made a very good point.

As Greg shared his realization, every person in attendance was relating to the experience. We are often provided these wake up calls and have all at some point or another felt exactly how he said he was feeling. However, sometimes it can simply be too late to make the changes needed to reflect what lives in our hearts externally. The time needs to be now. Hug our children tighter today... Tell the special people in our lives just how special they are... Reach out and praise God right away... we simply cannot wait for adversity.

In the second message of the "txt: How to Read Your Bible" series, we discussed the amazing things that happened to Paul in Acts and Philippians. Even though what happened to him was unjust, what happened through him was incredible. Because he expressed what was in his heart in everything he did, he was able to make what was important to him flourish.

Paul advanced the Gospel through circumstances that otherwise would have been disastrous, and he was rewarded with true joy. I believe that we too can move past intermittent happiness and into a world of pure joy. However, we must live our lives just as Paul did making the most important things in our lives important in every action and decision we make.

The Difference

I had a wonderful eight hours at work today. I am feeling much more confident now that I have a better understanding of the products offered and their locations inside the store. The past four weeks have seemed to pass at the speed of lightning. In the course of a month, I have had one learning experience after another filled with valuable lessons that only hands-on training could have provided.

I sincerely enjoy interacting with customers throughout the day. I am constantly surprised by the diversity of people that I meet. Even though some are unreceptive, it is rewarding to be able to share a positive attitude with so many people and attempt to make a positive impact on their day. I am continually uplifted by these interactions and always look forward to connecting with each customer often simply through a heart felt smile.

When I am assisting customers, I am as genuine as I can possibly be. I have found that people respect the honest nature of a sincere connection. Even though conversations are rather short, I believe that there is a huge opportunity for making an impact. Whether it be to promote the company or pass on some positive energy, these first impressions have the ability to go a long way.

Looking back on my first four weeks, I have met a lot of wonderful people. However, I have also encountered a fair share of negative individuals. Over the past week, I noticed myself avoiding this type of customer as much as possible. After thinking more about these interactions, I must change this behavior.

I will be giving more attention to these seemingly unhappy people and give my all to sharing the joy God has provided me. Instead of avoiding these customers, I will put extra effort into extending my own peace and happiness. Even though it may be challenging, I know that these times will offer the greatest opportunity to make a difference... and that difference is what truly matters.

Raining Sunshine

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day. It made it very easy to move through the day full of joy. I also noticed a big difference in many other people's attitudes. I participated in several conversations at the Soup & Serenity program that were full of praise for the gorgeous weather. As I continued my day with a few errands, everyone seemed to be just plain happy. It was a perfect day to have off from work...

However, this morning was a different story. The weather was wet and dreary. There was not a single ray of sunshine in sight. It was difficult trying to wake up and start my day with the same energy as the previous day. From the minute I crawled out of bed, I was fighting the urge to let the rainy weather influence my mood.

After recognizing how much it was affecting me, I took some time to reflect on my attitude. I considered the thoughts I was having and the feelings I was experiencing. I identified that there was a challenge in front of me that definitely could help me grow stronger.

Before I left for work, I had decided that I would do everything I could to carry the same positive attitude I was blessed with yesterday. Even though it was dark and rainy, I wanted to live like it was raining sunshine. I put a smile on my face and thought about all the wonderful things in my life for which I am grateful.

Not only did it make me feel better, I think I was able to pass some of the energy on to those around me. As the morning progressed, I had forgotten that the day started with rain clouds. My heart was full of the same joy that the sunshine brought into my life 24 hours earlier. I had reset the tone of my day through my thoughts and actions.

I know that it can be tough to live with a steady stable attitude and a heart full of joy. There will be times in life when the sun simply isn't shining, and things are not quite working out how we expected. However, it is at those times that we should rise above and live like everything is absolutely beautiful. With complete trust in God, we can find sunshine in every situation.

Laws of Leadership III

This will be the third installment to a series of blog posts dedicated to "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. As I go about each day, I have been keeping each law in mind in order to focus on becoming a stronger leader in every aspect of my life. Obviously, I value giving my all in everything I do and believe that this very mind set will lead to leadership opportunities. With a solid understanding of what it means to be an effective leader, I will be better able to serve those around me as they are looking for someone to follow.

Every leader wants to have an effective, efficient team that works well together. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. People may have negative attitudes or live with values that continuously cause them to make poor decisions. Maxwell suggests that over time this will be naturally corrected depending on the quality of each individual leader's attitude and values.

The "Law of Magnetism" suggests that people are naturally attracted to leaders who are like themselves or reflect who they want to be. People want to follow leaders that share a common attitude, age, background, values and leadership ability. Therefore if it seems the people we are attracting could be better, then it is time to take a good look at ourselves and work to improve those very attributes in our own character. Who we are is who we will attract...

The next law states something that I think is very obvious, but often overlooked by many leaders in today's culture. Leaders who are able to establish a strong connection with others will be more successful at convincing them to follow their direction. However, the connection needs to be sincere and heart felt to achieve results. Using the "Law of Connection", effective leaders know that you have to first touch people's hearts before you can ask them for a hand. It will take time and effort, but people need to know their leader cares and genuinely wants to help them in all areas of life. By connecting with people on an individual level, leaders will gain trust and therefore followers.

Leaders are mistaken if they believe they can handle everything themselves. It will take a core of solid reliable people to drive results in any type of organization. In the "Law of the Inner Circle", a leader's potential is determined directly by those closest to him or her. Leadership expert Warren Bennis was quoted, "The leader finds greatness in the group, and he or she helps the members find it in themselves." Every leader needs to be focused on continually developing the 'Inner Circle' and hire the best people that can be found. It will ultimately be this group of people that allow an organization to reach it's full potential.

The next law is the "Law of Empowerment. Theodore Roosevelt once said, "The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it." Leaders must be secure enough to give power to others and let them use it to the best of their ability.

Discouraging and undermining the best people in an organization will lead to failure. This happens all the time due to resistance of change, lack of self-worth and fear of job security. Leaders simply do not want to risk helping subordinates because of their own insecurity. However, great leaders believe in their people and lift them up with every opportunity. In fact, the best leaders often give all the credit to their people... and know thats where it belongs.

------------------------------------------------

The following is a recap of the first eight laws. A more in-depth explanation of each can be found in the first two entries under the title "Laws of Leadership".

• Law of the Lid
• Law of Influence
• Law of Process
• Law of Navigation
• Law of E.F. Hutton
• Law of Solid Ground
• Law of Respect
• Law of Intuition

PTL

Praise the Lord!

It can often be too easy to dismiss the miraculous occurrences in life as simply coincidence or good luck. However, I know with all my heart that these explanations are so far from the truth. With every encounter... with every event... with every blessing, there was something so much more in-depth going on in our lives. The Lord was at work carrying out a plan that goes way beyond our own understanding.

God knows me better than I know myself. He feels what's in my heart and experiences every emotion that fills my very being. He has never had to guess when it comes to my life, and I trust that he never will. He gives me challenges to make me stronger and sends me strength in times of need. Sometimes I may not agree with his decisions, but I have learned through faith that he knows better than I.

There have been times in my life that I felt abandoned by God. Instead of turning to him, I allowed our relationship to drift further and further apart. Even though I was running from his embrace, he never let me go. While I was living a sinful lifestyle, he was finding a way to save me from my negligence. He sent me everything I needed and more to become the person he desires me to be... and I praise him for it.

It is comforting to know that no matter what is going in our lives, God is working in our favor. He is providing exactly the right people, places and things that we need to become better servants of his will. However, it is up to us to recognize the blessings and listen to his guidance in order to receive the rewards he has waiting for us. It will be our trust and faith that will allow his plan to succeed... and regardless of life's current status, we should always turn our hearts to the Lord and give him all our praise.
-----------------------------------------
Psalm 103 1-5,20-22
Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits -- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

//

Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.

Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Smile He Loves Us!

I was pleased to see the sun shining when I opened my eyes this morning. I sat in bed a few minutes before I actually decided to get up. During that time, I noticed that my mind was once again racing. I was thinking about work, bills and tasks that need to get done. After realizing that I was stressing out, I prayed for relief and stood up with an understanding that everything will work out. I walked out of my room with a grateful heart and a big smile on my face.

I decided I would spend my morning doing things that would take my mind off of everything. I completely let go of all thoughts that had to do with future events and committed myself to living directly in the moment. I began by washing the wheels on my car. One by one, I gently scrubbed the alloy with some soapy water and watched the grease and grime disappear. After completing the surprisingly relaxing task, it felt great to stand back and look at them sparkling in the sunshine.

Next, I grabbed my headphones, my running shoes and a baseball bat excited to get some exercise. I began a daily routine that I absolutely love to do. I stretch and warm up while holding the bat before starting a series of about 100 swings. During this exercise, I often envision myself facing a real pitcher and hitting home run after home run spread out all over the field. I even sometimes throw in some commentary... like I am in my own home run derby. I definitely have fun with it.

After completing my swings, I usually go for about a mile run. I do not look forward to this part of the routine, but I always feel wonderful after it is over. During the fast jog, I found myself looking up to the sky and praising God for everything he has blessed me with over the past few months. At about the halfway mark, I hit the point where my body tells me to stop running.

I often struggle to keep going, but I also know that it is at that point where I obtain the greatest benefit. As I contemplated walking for a minute, Train's "Calling All Angels" began to play on my headphones. The first line of the song is "I need a sign, To let me know your here". As I was searching for the strength to continue, the lyrics echoed in my head as I looked up for encouragement. Suddenly, I noticed something a few strides ahead and was amazed that it was a green and white frisbee with a giant smiley face on it reading "Smile God Loves You".

Needless to say, I completed the rest of the run at an amazing pace. In fact, I finished that mile feeling like I should run a few more. I was once again in awe of God's presence in my life. The stress and anxiety that I have been feeling suddenly seemed foolish. I almost feel embarrassed that I needed to nearly trip over a frisbee to remind me about God's love for me, but it is an image that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The next time I feel stressed or discouraged, I will definitely think back to the image of this green and white reminder and smile with reassurance that no matter the circumstance, God loves me.

I Dreamed a Dream

I had a dream last night that really influenced my overall mood. I immediately recognized the effect this morning as I was waking up and drinking my coffee. The imagery was playing over and over in my mind. There was nothing bad that happened in the dream, but it brought back some intense feelings from my past.

During my morning prayers, I expressed concern about the dream and asked for help to overcome the feelings that were clouding my mind. I was sincere in my request and was inspired to spend a few moments after my prayers to reflect on the dream. The reflection made me think about reasons why I might be experiencing these strange feelings. I took a deeper look into my life and reached a conclusion that allowed me to temporarily dismiss them.

I tried not to think about the dream after praying to God to help me move past it. However, I was having trouble going about my day without the reflections from my past flashing in and out of my thoughts. I was scheduled to work in the afternoon and knew I absolutely had to find a way to overcome the menacing nag. I decided to turn to God's Word to guide my thoughts past the dream.

After spending about 20 minutes searching for direction, I felt relieved from the stress that I was experiencing. I am grateful that I was able to identify and address the feelings that were holding me back from living at my best. The dream was an unexpected surprise that threatened my happiness and ability to go about my day joyfully. However, God once again intervened and helped me become victorious. I am so glad I turned to him!
----------------------------------------
Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The Bible

This morning Suncrest church kicked off an eight week message series called "txt: How to Read Your Bible". I am so glad that they are placing such a strong emphasis on this topic. I believe that it will help me learn how to develop a deeper relationship with God and show that God's
Word can provide guidance and direction for every situation in the journey through life.

The message started by pointing out that the Bible is an uncommon book meant to be read by the common man. It was intended for everyone and was originally written in a way that would make it readable for the normal everyday person. Today it exists as the most owned book in existence. However, it is also the least read. There may be something scary and intimidating about something that is so sacred and holy.

Before I turned my life over to God, I found myself filled with unmeasurable amounts of desperation and hopelessness. At that time in my life, I knew that I was wasting my life and wanted to find a way to overcome the strongholds in my life. However, I seemed to keep digging myself deeper and deeper into a dark unforgiving hole of despair. When I finally found myself surrounded by the absolute worst imaginable circumstances, I opened a small green pocket Bible labeled New Testament.

I had been introduced to God as a young child through the Catholic church. I memorized prayers and learned about Jesus. However, I had never opened a Bible to read what was inside. In my teenage years, I began to slowly drift away from God eventually giving up completely on pursuing a relationship with him. Before I could ever experience it's truth and power, I had decided that the Bible had no practical place in my life.

Upon opening this strange little green Bible that somehow found it's way into my hands, I started to read a section labeled Matthew. I found it very interesting and began to feel what I now know was the Holy Spirit fill my entire body. For the first time, I experienced the guidance and direction of the Bible. After finishing this section called Matthew, I started on another called Mark and then moved to Luke and then John. Over the course of eight days, I read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John three times and in it I found the strength to survive the worst time in my life.

I look back on that time in my life as a turning point. I am so grateful for that little green book that found a way into my life at a time of need. I am so glad I decided to open the book and begin reading the words that would literally change my life. It blows my mind to think that something so wonderful had escaped my attention for so many years.

Over the next eight weeks, I am looking forward to learning more about effectively reading my Bible. I have realized through experience that reading it with desire, patience and an open heart helps drive my relationship with God. It has grown to become an essential part of each day allowing me to center my thoughts and actions. With the direction of Suncrest, I trust that I will be able to take this daily time of blessing and learn how to maximize it's influence in my life. Their is a wealth of wisdom in God's Word, and I want to do everything I can possibly do to apply it to my life.

In God I Trust

This will be my last official week of training for my new job. I will begin my new position on Monday and look forward to giving my all to doing the best that I possibly can. Even though training is over, I know that I will be constantly learning over the course of my new career. I will be welcoming every new challenge and using each as an opportunity to become better. Overall, I am simply excited to see exactly how God will use me.

Ever since last weekend, I have felt a refreshing feeling of newness in my life. This past Easter celebration encouraged me to recognize God's presence all around me. Throughout the week, I have been rewarded with a deeper relationship with him. My prayers are full of praise, and my heart is full of love.

As I continue on my journey, I can only imagine how I will continue to change both spiritually and professionaly. I trust that each positive improvement will become another stepping stone forming a path that will take me to exactly where I am supposed to be. I realize that I will be confronted with hardships from time to time, but I am consoled by the understanding that God will never give me too much to handle. I have been blessed with a new direction and plan to use all the wonderful gifts I have to pursue my restored potential.

As I start this upcoming week, I will be using the freshness in my life as fuel for determination. I am determined to follow Jesus. I am determined to succeed at work. I have given my life over to God and trust him completely... and this will lead me to where I am supposed to be.

Avoiding Sticky Situations

I have a large candy jar sitting on my desk. I definitely have an intense sweet tooth and love making fun exciting mixes of my favorites. I recently decided to cut up a bag of sour filled twizzlers and add it to the medley of hard candy already occupying the jar. After about a day, the moisture of the twizzlers had spread throughout the container causing all the other candy to stick together. I was left with one large clump of colorful sticky candy...

As I was carefully picking at the clump piece by piece, I noticed myself reflecting on how the addition of the twizzlers affected the entire jar. Even though the amount of twizzlers was small compared to the candy, the moisture carried through to every single piece changing the contents forever. I also realized that there was nothing I could have done to prevent it except keep them separate. No matter how hard I tried, I could not keep the candy from taking on the moisture once both were in the same environment.

With this understanding, I began to relate my candy debacle to life. Over my journey of change, I have noticed that the type of people in my life has changed dramatically. I have been blessed with many new friends that bring a fresh welcomed feeling of happiness into every interaction. It is so wonderful to have people in my life that I can trust and turn to for solid advice and support. Their positive energy helps me stay focused on living at the best of my ability and encourages the joy filled life I was meant to live.

Just as the moisture of the twizzlers spread to all the other pieces of candy, the attitudes, values and beliefs of the people in our lives will influence our own thoughts, actions and experiences. In order to avoid becoming 'sticky', we must separate ourselves from the negative 'moisture' of certain people and environments. It is up to us to surround ourselves with friends, family and situations that are relentlessly positive to support a lifestyle full of love, hope and happiness.

Laws of Leadership II

This will be the second installment to a series of blog posts dedicated to "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. As I go about each day, I have been keeping each law in mind in order to focus on becoming a stronger leader in every aspect of my life. It is important to recognize that leadership ability is strengthened through time and experience, but it will help to have an understanding of what it means to be an effective leader. Simply follow these laws, and people will follow you.

The following is a recap of the first four laws. Upon reading each law, I encourage everyone to reflect on it for a few moments. If interested in a more in-depth explanation of each, the first blog entry can be found under the title "Laws of Leadership".

• Law of the Lid
• Law of Influence
• Law of Process
• Law of Navigation

The fifth law of leadership is "The Law of E.F. Hutton" due to the fact that people listen when the read leader speaks. Maxwell named it after the old E.F. Hutton Financial Services television commercials that would show two people talking in a noisy public place that would suddenly go quiet when they started talking about E.F. Hutton's financial recommendations. Regardless, it stresses a valuable point that exists in every team setting.

The real leader of a group can always be identified by simply observing a meeting. It will become obvious through the actions of everyone in the room. Who are people watching when somebody asks a question? Who do they wait to hear? The person they look to is the leader, and s/he will have influence over the group making him or her a potential asset toward getting objectives accomplished. We can also use this law to determine our own level of leadership simply by asking ourselves the question, "When we speak, are people listening?"

The next law is the "Law of Solid Ground" and emphasizes trust as the foundation of leadership. In order to be a successful leader, there is no room for taking shortcuts or falling short of expectations, especially early on in a new position. Trust is built through competence, connection and character over time. These three things are portrayed through consistency, achieving results, making sound decisions and admitting to mistakes. People will tolerate mistakes, but a direct violation of trust will destroy future relations. Therefore, it is very important to not break the confidence of others... ever.

"The Law of Respect" states that people naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves. Respect is gained through actions and past results. It can also be carried through reputation and influence. Once respect is earned by an individual, people will inherently look to him or her for direction. Maxwell's theory is that people naturally want to be more like people they respect. Therefore, people will follow them.

The next law is probably the most difficult to understand, because "The Law of Intuition" combines facts with other intangible factors such as instinct. Leadership intuition is what separates the great from the good. Leaders with exceptional intuition can see things other people can't, make changes and move forward before others even know what's happening. In other words, great leaders are able to think on their feet and adapt to provide an effective alternative to any situation that may arise.

Necessity of Change

Moving forward is a necessity of change. In order to continuously develop, we are required to accept new circumstances and adapt accordingly. If our focus is on becoming better, these new circumstances should challenge us to step beyond our comfort zone. We will need to rely on our past experiences to help us deal with each unique situation, but also understand that we will not always reach our expectations.

However, we can be sure to keep building on the foundation provided by yesterday's lessons by always giving our best. We need to reflect and learn from every experience to keep us moving forward toward our goals. We must believe that the outcome of each individual challenge will never be as important as our overall journey to victory. It will be incessant hard work and dedication over time that ultimately delivers success.

The first quarter of 2010 has been very rewarding. I feel that I have been able to grow as a person by viewing each challenge as an opportunity for improvement. Whether personal or professional, the activity at hand offers me the chance to become the person I want to be. However, it is up to me to take advantage of the opportunity and decide to make the most out of it. Even though I may be tempted to simply do what is expected, I know that I need to always push myself further.

I am very grateful for the blessings I have received and trust that there will be many more over the next nine months. As I make my way toward them, I realize that I need to continue seeking opportunities that demand all that I have to give. Tackling one challenge at a time, I am dedicated to living the rest of my life focused on change... and it all begins with moving forward.

Narrow Path, Small Gate

This morning I was reading through my daily devotional covering Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, Seek, Knock". The verse reads, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

I have found through my experience on this life changing journey that these magical words are completely true. If the heart honestly desires help from God, these words transform into promises that will become reality as rewards for carrying out God's will through our thoughts and actions. He will not let us down. In fact, he will often go above and beyond our loftiest expectations.

After finishing the day's suggested verse, I continued reading to only come across another verse that supplied exactly the inspiration that I needed to help take me beyond the mediocre effort to which I sometimes fall victim. Matthew 7:13-14 reads, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

It's interesting to reflect on my life and look at sources of motivation as I made my way to becoming a man. I remember early on in childhood I did everything I could to make my parents proud. Later in my teenage years, I remember trying to do things that would help gain popularity with my peers or impress girls. Even later during early adulthood, I was living and basing decisions on how much money it would produce later in life. I find it strange that I never considered those reasons to be absurd or silly. Even though I still want to make my parents proud... even though I still want my peers to respect me... and even though I still want money, I know that those things are relatively insignificant compared to earning eternal life.

Throughout this journey of change, I have shifted my priorities to reflect the will of God. I have also decided to follow the example put forth through the life and death of Jesus in everything I do. However, there are times when I find myself settling for less than my best. For example, I have not been successful at carrying out my desired exercise program and find myself giving in to the urge to eat unhealthy. I will also sometimes look back on a situation where I knew I could have done more, but I decided to hold back. I sincerely believe that this lackadaisical behavior could be keeping me from experiencing even more blessing in my life.

As I continue forward in this journey, I will use the imagery of a shining narrow road leading to the most beautiful exclusive gate imaginable in order to keep me on track. When I feel like I want to give in, I will envision myself entering the gate into everlasting life with others that have walked the same road. It will motivate me to go beyond good and reach great. It will move me past normal and become exceptional. It will lead me to finding the person God wants me to truly be.

As I walk along this narrow path, I invite everyone to join me. If there is a piece of garbage on the ground, give up a few moments to throw it away. If a person is in need, take the time to reach out with love. If the Holy Spirit is talking, listen to it with an open willing heart. Life on Earth is simply too short to be lazy. We need to stay on the narrow road and constantly search for the gate that promises us true life. By never letting this destination slip away, we will eventually arrive and look back on the world with a smile that will shine for eternity.

Feeling Lucky?

As I was completing a training activity at work, an advertisement came on over the radio that said, "Luck is what happens when hard work and opportunity meet." I stopped for a minute to reflect on the message of this unexpected interruption. I found that I completely agree with the statement and believe that it provides a definition of luck that more accurately captures what it means to be "Lucky".

The American Heritage Dictionary definition of the word lucky reads, "Occurring by chance". This meaning would definitely apply to winning the lottery or hitting a jackpot at the casino, but I do not think that it should be applied to the unbelievable events that occur everyday. People all too often rely on this term to provide an explanation for the otherwise inexplicable taking away from the real reason why things turned out the way they did.

I have been called lucky many times in my life. However, I am reluctant to admit that I am lucky. I refuse to accept that my life experiences have "occurred by chance" as the dictionary definition states. I believe that everything happens for a reason and put my trust in God who is always in control. I know that he is inspiring my hard work and providing the opportunities that lead to my good fortune. Therefore, I would rather refer to myself as blessed and give God the praise that he deserves.

I encourage everyone to think twice before attributing the next amazing situation/result to being lucky. It may help to step back and take a good look at everything that went into making it happen. I am confident that we will find that it really wasn't luck that put us in the right place at the right time... that produced an amazing series of events... that made us feel like something was meant to be... it was God working in our lives.

Shadow of Hope

What would your "perfect day" be like? Who and what would be included? How would it make you feel? What kind of impact would it have on your life?

These are all questions that I never actually thought about prior to today. However, I have now been blessed with answers to each after celebrating this glorious Easter Sunday. Throughout the entire day, I felt God's presence both in my heart and all around me. It was amazing... absolutely amazing!

Suncrest concluded the 3 part "In the Shadows" series with a wonderful message entitled, "Shadow of Hope." The entire service was filled with uplifting energy and discussed a topic that has the power to change lives. It made it clear that Jesus gave up his life so that in his resurrection he would provide boundless hope to those who seek it. Because of his abundant love and irresistible grace, everyone can find true joy regardless of circumstance simply by turning their hearts to him.

During all four Easter services, Pastor Greg Lee invited me on stage to discuss my journey of faith and how it conquered my battle with addiction. I have been praying for God to use me, and today he took control of my body to deliver a message that will inspire others to defeat similar strongholds that may be keeping them from experiencing God's best. I am so grateful to have had this life experience and hope that my story will help people see that with God the impossible becomes possible.

Even though it was an amazing experience, my participation in the service was not the most memorable part of my day. It was the encouragement and support that came before, during and after each service. I felt a love from family, friends and even people I previously had never spoken with the entire morning. I exchanged smiles that radiated with joy and connected on a deeper level with many individuals that went far beyond the ordinary "hello how are you doing's." I was also blessed with an uncountable number of hugs. I just can't describe how great it felt!

Throughout the rest of my day, God rewarded me with a heart of happiness. I was able to spend the afternoon with my family. We played... we ate... we played some more... we ate some more. We shared laughter... we shared concern... we shared life. What more could I ask for?

Yes... today was my definition of a perfect day. It was full of love amongst the people who are closest to me. I felt the presence of God at work all around me and my heart was filled with his grace. I will take the memories of this day with me for the rest of my life and move forward with a changed perspective... a perspective that will forever cherish the "Shadow of Hope" that Jesus made possible.
____________________________________
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In God's great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. - 1 Peter 1:3

Taking a Walk of Trust

I believe that God gives everyone challenges to overcome and life experiences to endure in order to build character and make us stronger people. He will never give us anything that we can't handle and will provide everything we need to live victorious. However, it is up to us to ask him for the strength and courage required to succeed. We must trust him with all of our heart and be open to his guidance through listening obediently to the Holy Spirit.

This morning I was compelled to visit the Shrine of Christ's Passion in Saint John, IN and take a walk of prayer to spend some time re-centering myself around Jesus. I almost didn't go on account of the rainy gloomy weather. After contemplating the visit for awhile, I ultimately decided that I would brave the rain and use the opportunity to connect with the sacrifices Jesus made toward the end of his life.

I am so glad that I made the decision to still go despite the wind and rain. It was a very rewarding experience that allowed me to reflect on the power of the story behind this weekend's Easter celebration. As I was gently soaked under the rainfall, I spent some time at each station talking honestly with God and praising Jesus for his sacrificial death on the cross. I was able to recognize how blessed I am to have the wonderful things in my life and realized that I owe it all to him.

In order to live under the direction of the Holy Spirit, I have found that I am often required to move out from my comfort zone. Some things may be as simple as stepping out in the rain while others can be much more complicated, but in the end we will be rewarded for carrying out the will of God. However, it is completely up to us to live with the required dedication and determination. Once we give our lives to God, we will see the world in a different light and experience what it truly means to be a child of the Almighty Father.

I have been asked to share my story at the Easter service tonight and tomorrow at church. Of course I jumped on the opportunity, but I know that it will require me to move beyond the shame that accompanies my past and my fear of speaking in front of people. However, I have complete trust in God and believe that he will speak through me to reach others that may be suffering from similar strongholds. I can't wait to see just how God will use me and look forward to taking advantage of the opportunity to move one step closer to becoming the person God wants me to be.

Shadow of the Cross

I am more excited about this Easter weekend than I have ever been in all of my life. I am filled with a fresh feeling in the core of my soul that radiates newness of life and boundless hope. I cannot fully explain just how powerful it is, but I can honestly say it is something that will stay with me forever. I am positive it is largely due to it being the first year I am celebrating the resurrection of Jesus with a complete dedication to following him and completely trusting God. Combined with the change in the weather, this is definitely my new favorite time of year.

I attended the Good Friday service tonight at Suncrest entitled "Shadow of the Cross". It was an amazing service that was filled with the strong emotional energy that resides in the contrasting nature of life, death and rise to eternal glory. With a candle lit stage decorated with mirrors, I felt connected to Jesus as I gave all of my heart to worship.

There was a life sized wooden cross hanging over the stage providing a clear visualization of the intensity of the situation. I found myself imaging the excruciating pain and the psychological torture of such a humiliating death. At that point, I was blessed with a changed outlook on what it means to truly suffer.

We were encouraged to look into the mirrors lining the stage and think about who we really are and who we want to be. In the past, I have often conducted a similar activity. I am reluctant to say that there were so many times in my life that I was sickened by what I saw looking back at me. However, tonight I saw myself in a new positive light. I have been restored to a person capable of serving God and living a truly meaningful life.

Jesus took the weight of the world on his shoulders so that we would have the opportunity to escape the chains of past sin and experience resurrection in our own lives. As this weekend continues, I will be celebrating what Jesus has done for us in everything I do. I pray that we all see the impact of the cross in our lives and embrace Jesus for truly being our Saviour.

Surviving the Flood

There was a man stuck on his roof in a raging flood calmly watching the water rise. Just as the water was streaming over his roof, a boat showed up and offered to rescue him. The man politely denied and said, "It's alright. God will save me."

Almost a half hour later, the water had reached his waist and another boat arrived asking him to jump aboard. He again put forth the response, "I'm ok. God will save me." Soon the water was up to his neck, but he still remained at peace with the situation. All of the sudden, a helicopter appeared and began demanding the man to come with them. However, he once again denied the help and said one last time, "I'm going to be fine. God will save me."

The flood soon claimed the man's life. Upon arriving in heaven, the man stood before God and asked, "Why didn't you save me?"

God replied, "I tried three times. Did you not see the two boats and the helicopter?"

A very close friend shared that with me last night. He went on to explain that the story does a wonderful job summarizing how God has always been at work in his life. He said he simply didn't recognize all the ways God was trying to save him from his past reckless lifestyle. He continued to tell me how grateful he was the he didn't drown and now keeps his heart open to all the different ways God reaches out to him.

After reflecting on that conversation, I was able to identify the same trend in my life. It is absolutely crazy to think about all the chances God gave me to escape the flood of my past. It is even more insane to think about how many times I denied his help. However, God never gave up on me, and I am so thankful that he kept my head above water.

I have learned that no matter how challenging something may be, God will always provide the strength to overcome. I have also learned that it is up to me to ask for and accept his help. He may not always send us blessing the way we expect it, but as long as we seek his love and compassion, I have faith we will find it in everything we do.

One Full Day

I had a very full schedule today requiring a constant on-the-go pace. The day went by so quickly, but it also presented me with a few surprises along the way. Even though everything was not exactly smooth, I was able to use my attitude of faith to keep going strong. In fact, I recognized each interruption in the day's journey as a chance for blessing. Looking back on the full day of events, I can now see that the surprises were actually what made the day special. I am grateful that I had the presence of mind to make the most out of each individual opportunity and feel blessed to have worked through such a chaotic day while sustaining an amazing feeling of peace.

My day started out at 5:15am after awakening to the not so pleasant beep, beep, beep of the alarm. I am not used to getting up early and am still adjusting to the new schedule. However, I was able to talk with my father before he left for work. Over the past year, it seems like I never get to talk with him until after he has already worked a long day. Even though it was tough to wake up, it was wonderful to get to spend some time with my Dad to begin my day.

I arrived to work at 7am. Even though the training manager had the day off, I was able to work closely with the assistant manager. Together we covered a lot of the same topics I covered on Monday, but I was able to learn it from his perspective. I believe it provided me with a more well rounded view of the required tasks. I was a little skeptical of how everything would go since I had no prior meeting with the assistant manager, but it turned out to be a very productive 8 hours.

Directly from work, I had to go to a dentist appointment. I do not enjoy having my teeth cleaned, and dread my six month check ups. I was surprised to see a new hygienist, but the process seemed to go smoother than normal. I was pleased she took the time to talk afterwards and offer suggestions on how to improve my oral hygiene. Also, it turns out that I will not need to get the costly x-rays and fillings I was expecting until July. I was very happy with that news, since I should have dental insurance at that time.

After leaving the dentist, I had an hour to make it to my Wednesday night meeting. Upon deciding that I was hungry, I thought I would try out a few of the new A1 sliders at White Castle. I was surprised to see a friend from my past working the register. He was someone that I have prayed for over the past year. Needless to say, it was wonderful to see him doing well.

After catching up with him, I got in my car so I could make it to my meeting in time. However, I was met with a lane closure on the main road that was backed up for miles. I tried to take alternate routes, but there was congestion everywhere I went. I eventually made it back to the main road and decided to simply wait in the traffic.

Even though I was going to be late, I decided to use the time waiting in my car to pray. As I was praying, I also spent some time reflecting on my life. I came to an understanding that the journey through life can sometimes be like my search for a way around the traffic. We might find that it is easier to accept the pace of life and wait patiently to get where we are going. Instead of hectically searching for shortcuts, we can make the most out of what is directly in front of us.

Despite the treacherous traffic, I arrived at my meeting only fifteen minutes late. The meeting went well with several positive conversations, but it was a meeting after the meeting that meant the most. I was able to have a heart to heart talk with a very close friend that I have known for 20 years who is conquering the same strongholds that I am in my life. We were able to share words of encouragement and ended the conversation with a big hug.

I was finally on my way home at about 8:30pm. When I walked in the door, my mom informed me that I needed to go to the dealership to finalize the purchase of my new car. After filling out all the paperwork, I was told that I could spin a wheel to attempt to win $500 dollars. With all the confidence in the world, I spun it never doubting that I would hit one of the three spots out of twenty marked winner. The wheel gently slowed and the rubber stopper pointed to the word winner! I know right.... a new car and $500 dollars!!!!

I thought today was going to be busy, but I had no idea how it would turn out. However, I began the day with faith that God would be with me through it all, and I definitely felt his presence during every single amazing event. Using extreme trust and a positive attitude, I have found stronger relationships, better health and blessed memories.