God's Man

Welcome to Day 23 - God's Love Endures Forever Today at Living Hope Church we passed a significant milestone. Our UNITE campaign completed all of the tasks in the Red phase and now we are ready to move to our new location. My mini message today was taken from Psalm 136 which is a Psalm of Thanksgiving. It includes the familiar refrain of "His Love Endures Forever" 1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. 4 to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. 5 who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever. 6 who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever. 7 who made the great lights— His love endures forever. 8 the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever. 9 the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures fore...

Welcome to Day 23 - Have Fun Because I want to continue living today's topic this will be a short post. No Traveler's Gift quote or deep topics today. I want all of your Challengers to go out there and have fun. Whatever your goal is I want you to enjoy it today. I want you to laugh, play, smile. If it's not fun, you're not doing it right. Whatever you find your hand on today. Enjoy it. I know, depending on the situation this could be difficult but do it anyway. Find something that you can laugh about and laugh out loud. Don't hold it in. Find something that you can smile about and CHEESE! Find something to play and play hard! Thanks for walking this journey with me. "The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and play, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to deci...

Welcome To Day 22 - Who Surrounds You Today I want to talk about this quote, "I will seek wisdom. I will choose my friends with care. I am who my friends are. I speak their language, and I wear their clothes. I share their opinions and their habits." I would share this several different times a day. This is what I would share with my god-children when they would tell me about friends or significant others. You have to be very careful about who you surround yourself with. There is guilt and praise by association. Let me be clear, you should not keep people away from you. We are created to be relational beings. We thrive together, and need each other to operate at peak performance. With that being said you should be very careful about who you allow into your inner circle. Your inner circle really has a tremendous influence on who you are. Surround yourself with people that build you up, people who help you dream, people who inspire you to grow. The worst thing you coul...

Welcome to Day 21 - Having a Forgiving Spirit Today I want to talk to you about one of the most power development concepts out there. This one concept can increase your income, improve your health, and fix relationships with family and friends. It can even improve your career. What is this one thing that has the power to improve so much? It is the power of forgiveness. To illustrate how powerful forgiveness is I want you to visit The Forgiveness Project . While you are there check out the stories section. The mission of the project is "To open up a dialogue about forgiveness and promote understanding through awareness, education and inspiration." I was blown away as I read some of the stories. I hope to never be in some of the situations they describe. However I hope that I will have the power to forgive as they have. They truly walk in His Truth. Think about your life. I am sure that you can find places where you need to forgive. Whether you need to forgive a str...

Welcome to Day 20 - Pursue Your Dreams There comes a point where we have to decide if we are going to think about our dreams or pursue them. Have you decided that this is it for? Have you totally sold out to your goal for this 30 Day Trial? If you don't then this will be a very challenging 10 days. When we have committed to our dreams we make decisions that are consistent with them. If not than we will find excuses. I started this week with a Word to get your play and run with it. Now is the time. This is the place. Have you started to think about where you will be once this is over? Will you pick a new goal or keep your existing streak going. What have you learned? Did anyone notice what you were doing? Does it matter? Here is today's Quote Taken, again, from the Travelers Gift. It is about Having a Decided Heart . A wise man once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Knowing this to be true, I am taking my first step today. For too long ...

Welcome to Day 18 - Stay Hungry Stay Foolish One of the statements that I hated growing up was this, "You are too young. When you get older you will understand why what you are doing isn't possible." There are very few things that I hate but I HATE THAT! I spend most of my time trying to figure out how to do things people tell me are impossible. My parents tell me that I am asking for trouble because my response to my daughters to "I can't" is "There is nothing you can't do." Now they try everything. They jump, climb, push, pull and I just watch and laugh. I give warning where I should, stop them when there is danger, but I will never tolerate "I can't". Today I am sharing a video of Steve Jobs speaking at Stanford University in 2005. He gives one of the best, and shortest commencement address that I have ever been privileged to hear. He ends it by telling the students to "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish". This spee...

Welcome to Day 18 - Choose to be Happy Today I want to talk about being happy. Happiness is one of those desires that people have but it seems to elude a lot of them. One of the Seven Decisions in the Traveler's gift gives the key to really understanding happiness. If you embrace this one thing it will change the way you look at the circumstances and situations in your life. What is this key? The key to finding this hard to find happiness is the realization that you have the choice to be happy. Choice is such a simple thing. Note that I didn't say that it was easy. It is not. Your mood may not lead you to embrace happiness. Your situation may not "be" a happy one. However you have to power to decide how you will respond to it. You can choose to be happy. The opposite is also true. You can choose to be sad, frustrated, angry. Which one make the most sense to you. If you had the power to choose, which one do you want? So no matter what you spouse may say....

Welcome to Day 17 - What's Your Position Today I was privileged to speak at Living Hope Church on the idea of Church as a Team Sport. What an awesome team of people that I get to serve with. Even on an extremely random weekend like this we saw God move and were able to hear his voice. I shared the story from a speaker who would always relate things to his time as a football coach. He would tell his players, "Football is your LIFE. It is your LEGACY. It is what you STAND FOR." He would also tell them, "Years from now you when you are bouncing those grand babies on your knee you will tell what you did at ALABAMA!" I didn't get it at first, since my football career last for all of 2 hours, but now after working with and building teams I get it. Anyone that is a part of a team knows the sacrifice that is needed to meet the goal. You are giving up a part of your LIFE for the team. You hope the create a LEGACY by accomplishing the goal. Hopefully you STA...

Welcome to Day 16 - The Buck Stop Here I love the book The Traveler's Gift. If you haven't read I suggest that you do. It is an excellent read and has lots of good food for growth and development. It is the story of David Ponder who, while going through the darkest period in his life, takes a fantastic journey and meets some impressive people. Each on of his visits teaches him one, of what the author calls the 7 Decisions. Each Decision, once accepted begins to change his life for the better. The first time I read this book I could not put it down. I read it almost nonstop over the course of a week. Some of the decisions had more of an impact on me than others. Yesterday's discussion on being a person of action is the one that still means the most to me. Today's decision is the next. It is also the first one in the book. It is entitled, The Buck Stops Here. It is important to remember that we are responsible for what we do and what we feel. No one can make u...

Welcome to Day 15 - Do It Now! I want to applaud all of my 30 Day Trial Challengers. Those of you who update everyday and those of you who are silently running along. I appreciate that you are doing this with me and for yourselves. Today I want to talk with you about the second best time to start any endeavor... NOW . I'm sure all of you have heard this said by someone before, "If not YOU then WHO? If not NOW then WHEN?" I am glad that in one way or another, this challenge has made you say that It will be YOU and while you put it on the line 15 days ago you make it happen NOW ! I thrive in an environment where I there is action. Where decisions are made and things get done. I am so anti-meeting it is crazy. I was asked how do you survive in a company where meetings are a way of life. The way that you do it is by controlling the environment. If you must have a meeting than set an agenda, stick to it and stop anyone who attempts to derail it. So how do you l...

Welcome to Day 14 - Your Ideas Have Value... When I was teaching I spent a lot of times telling my students that this country is built on ideas. That ideas are everywhere. That their ideas had tremendous value. The problem is that we spend a lot of our time discounting our ideas. We tell ourselves that they will never come to pass. We'll remind ourselves that we don't have the money, talent, or other necessary resource. Here is a story that I used to tell my students. When I was a teenager I had an idea to create a restaurant/arcade business. I even went through the process of writing a business plan and even tried to figure out how much money I would need. It was a skeleton idea but it was based on two of my loves, Video Games and Food. After doing all this work I told myself that this there was no way for me to find the money required. I wouldn't even be able to get in the door. I shelved it, literally put it on a shelf in my bedroom. Years later when I was...

Go Go Go

Welcome to Day 13 - How Do You See Yourself At my church one of the classes that I facilitate is LHC 201 Discovering your Personality and Gifts. This class consists of two tests. One is the DISC personality survey and the other is a Spiritual gifts test. I love this class because of its effectiveness. It is a very accessible class and it is an open forum for discussion on how to get along with different people. It is one of my favorites. In the DISC test there are three different charts that illustrate how your personality is structured. The first is the public self chart. The public self chart is how you wish people to perceive you in public. This is the face that you put out there for others. This is the work face, the church face, the face you put on when you are uncomfortable. Some people spend so much time in this place that they begin to believe that this was their "normal". The second is the private self chart. The private self is what you do when you are ...

Welcome to Day 12 - Do You Need A Recharge So I was dying all day trying to write this post. I was struggling to figure out what to say. I felt like I wanted to quit. To let this thing go. So I hung out with my guys tonight and did some bowling. I know everyday that I talk about being focused. I mentioned being a laser a few days ago. I end each one of these by telling you to Go GO GO however there is something to be said for taking some time to relax and recharge. So here we are at the bowling alley and now I knew I could write this to all of you. Make sure that while you are doing this challenge that you take time out to recharge. No matter how much we want we can't run at 100% capacity all the time. It is not sustainable. With that being said make sure that you stay true to your commitment. I am not sure if this message is making any sense to any of you. In the course of meeting your goal some days will be better than others but make sure that you finish. Don't...

Welcome to Day 11 - Not Me Edition Well here we are Day 11 of the 30 Day Trial Challenge and also another Not Me Monday. I didn’t get a reprimand for mixing my meme’s by McMama . Over at her blog she started the Not Me Madness. I would never have learned about it if it wasn’t for fellow 30 Day Challenger Marlen . She and the hubby are fighting through our challenge. So without further ado here are some things that I didn’t do last week. I did not: get super frustrated with my oldest daughter last night because she was making up excuses not to go to bed. feel really bad that her issue was a giant bug walking around on her ceiling scaring her. try to leave work early/on time 4 times and get caught up in something that held me over. get frustrated at the number of times I reheated/repurposed the same food last week. I love eating leftovers. almost not post a 30 Day Trial Entry yesterday. I’ve got nothing this morning but I hope that you enjoyed this Not Me Entry. Here is a quote t...

Welcome to Day 10 - What Are You Waiting For God gave me this as I was preparing for my mini message on giving. Matthew 13:2-9 reads: "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for the perfect moment to get started? Are you waiting until the way is straight? When all obstacles are gone? Are you waiting for your children to be grow up? Are you waiting to until you have children? Let me share something with you. There are very few perfect moments and none that we can create. Sometimes we will be like that farmer and sow our ...

Welcome to Day 9 - First Things First Today's idea is taken from the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey . It is the idea of doing things in their proper order. In the diagram we see 4 quadrants Important and Urgent Not Important and Urgent Important and Not Urgent Not Important and Not Urgent Things that are both important and urgent will always be our #1. Who wouldn't need to attend to a crying baby or kitchen fire? Even some phone calls could be this way. What we have to watch out for are items from the next two quadrants (3 and 4). Things that spring up unexpectedly yet have no importance at all. Interruptions that are really distractions. Ask yourself is what I am about to attend to really important. If not find some way to delegate it or ignore it in the case of quadrant 4. The most important quadrant to focus in is quad 2. This is where all of our long term work takes place. It is not very urgent but it is extremely important to our long term ...

Welcome to Day 8 - Hedgehog or Fox Are you a hedgehog or a fox? I have been digging through my success library and found my copy of Good to Great by Jim Collins . At the beginning of Chapter 5 “The Hedgehog Concept there is this passage: The fox is a cunning creature, able to devise a myriad of complex strategies for sneak attacks upon the hedgehog. Day in and day out, the fox circles around the hedgehog’s den, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. Fast, sleek, beautiful, fleet of foot, and crafty – the fox looks like the sure winner. The hedgehog, on the other hand, is a dowdier creature, looking like a genetic mix-up between a porcupine and a small armadillo. He waddles along, going about his simple day, searching for lunch and taking care of his home. The fox waits in cunning silence at the juncture in the trail. The hedgehog, minding his own business, wanders right into the path of the fox. “Aha, I’ve got you now!” thinks the fox. He leaps out, bounding across ground, li...

Welcome to 30 Day Trial Challenge Day 7 : Quiet Reflection So we made it through the first week and now comes two very important parts to this challenge. Number One is take time out today for quiet reflection for what you have accomplished this week. You have made it through. How have things changed? How do you perceive your progress. Be honest and open with yourself. Now is the time to make adjustments to your daily actions if need be. What changes do you need to make to ensure that you make it all the way though. I am happy for everyone that is walking with me. Here are some interesting things that I have seen on this blog in relation to the 30 Day Trial Challenge. Traffic has increased over the last 30 day. +300% over April (167 vs 36) Comments have increased. (Part of the Challenge so it is to be expected) Revenues have increased as well. (Not that this blog is a money maker ;) ) The biggest thing I have learned is that it is possible for me to actually post here every d...

Welcome to Day 6: Flashlight or Laserbeam I know that I will get a bunch of email for using this picture. A picture is worth a thousand words and this one is no different. What is the difference between a flashlight and a laser? The difference is the key to finding success in your 30 Day Trial. This is one of the most important lessons to learn in the achievement of any great goal. The answer is FOCUS. We live in a high speed multitasking time. It is not unusual to be juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities. We change roles so often that we never have the time to master any of them. This keeps us watered down, diluted, so that our power is never really brought to bear. Just like that flashlight. A Flashlight is good for lighting up a darkened room but it will never be able to change the landscape like a laser. Conversely a laser cannot do what a flashlight can. Jesus was a laser beam. He was always about the His Father's business. One of my favorite stories is th...

Welcome to Day 5: Play More... "The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and play, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he's always doing both." - Rules of the Red Rubber Ball As you strive to complete your tasks today look for ways to make a game out of it. We love to play so make your work play. Go Go Go...

I was trying to figure out how to combine the 30 Day Trial Challenge with Not Me Monday's.  Hopefully I do not break McMama's rules by combining my posts today.  Momo's husband is participating in the challenge so check out her blog for her Not Me Entry today.  So here is what I haven't done. I did not get frustrated when only one person had been consistently updating with her progress.  Way to go Miki by the Way. I have not been struggling to get in my 250 words posts every day.  I have ample amounts of time to post entries, don't cha know. I did not feed my 5 year old a PB&J and goldfish in the middle of the night last night.  We would never feed our children so late at night.  Bedtime is important. I did not ignore writing this post last night because I was frustrated.  That never happens to me or you right? I did not let the above mentioned frustration pour over into my new day.  Ho...

Welcome to Day 3: The Attitude of Gratitude What better day than Mother's Day to talk about making a habit out of being grateful. This is a very important step in creating positive change. The realization that we have so much to be grateful for. In Proverbs 31:28 it reads, "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her" . There is something powerful about being grateful. Did you know it is impossible to be frustrated and grateful at the same time? How about Angry and Grateful? Can you feel intense hatred and gratitude towards someone? NO you cannot. So if you want to keep your focus going on your 30 Day Trial then spend time being grateful for what you have done and for the people in your life. I recommend starting a daily gratitude list. Write down 5 things that you are grateful for in the morning and 5 at night. Ease into this, just like everything else, set a goal and work at it. A Mother’s Prayer "I washed the dirt from l...

Welcome to Day 2, Where the Rubber Meets The Road... For those of you that came to the Maximum Impact Event at Living Hope Church yesterday the image above should be familiar. Kevin Carroll , the author of Rules of The Red Rubber Ball , spoke about Passion, Purpose, and Intention. Each of these things is important in order to be successful at the 30 Day Trial Challenge. Passion It is interesting that he mentions passion before purpose . You would think that you should have your purpose and intention first. If you think about it though without the passion to actually do something we will never even start. We need passion to drive us forward. Purpose Once we have a desire to change, then we can use a technique like the 5 whys to determine the purpose for our activity. This is a technique that we mastered as children but learned to discount as adults. When you are examining an action ask yourself why and then question each additional answer until you get the root reason or purpo...

Welcome to Day 1 of the 30 Day Trial Challenge "The Journey of a Thousand Miles (or 30 days) begins with a Single Step." - Lao-Tzu So here we are at Day 1. You should be armed with your specific and measurable goal statement. You should also have the yardstick that you will be measuring yourself against. Take it easy to and use that 1st Day excitement to get momentum going. There is something to creating a streak that is exciting. Today you are 100% engaged and focused. Below is a quote found on the wall of a Pastor's house in Zimbabwe. It speaks about the commitment. " I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless d...

Do you want to do something different in your life. Are you thinking about making a change? Maybe you want to try a new exercise program or just start exercising. Ever thought about being a vegetarian, or a vegan? How about spending more time in prayer? If you are standing at the edge and wondering if you should take the plunge than the 30 Day Trial Challenge is for you. Welcome to the 30 Day Trial Challenge Most people can do anything for 30 days. A challenge like this is built on the fact that we can handle short bursts. It is the long term plans where we get into trouble. Hopefully your goals will become a positive habit in your life. The beauty is if you find that this thing isn’t for you. After 30 days you can let it go with knowledge that you tried it and it didn’t fit. It is the “what if”s that drive us to rash decisions. To take part in the 30 Day Trial Challenge you need to do 2 things: Set a goal. Commit to it for 30 days. How Do I take Part? If you want to be a par...

I had taken a break from the Not Me Posts while MckMama 's son Stellan was in the hospital but since I saw that he was at home, or at least outside with his family here I am. Hat tip to my friend Momo for bring this back to my mind. So without further ado here is what I did not do since my last update. I Most Certainly did not: Blush when I learned that my love of Mangos was fully explained to my Big Brother's wife. Mangos are awesome though. Accidently write "Hos" in a facebook status update when I meant His. It was not made worse becuase I was referencing my beautiful wife in that update. Start changing from Mary to Martha. Read Luke 10:38-42 for context. Not that it happened but it is always good to read your Bible. Impressed that my wife finished a 5K. She is totally not out of my league. Play hookie with my wife and spend the day together down in DC. We definitely did not eat a snooty resturant while in DC. I mean everything is so down to earth there. ...