Good morning! I hope your week is off to an amazing start.
This past weekend, I lead a retreat with the deacons in my church. During our time together we reviewed the patterns of the past, the current landscape of our church culture and the opportunities for the future. The value of spending this type of time with these leaders is the counsel they are able to give. Their experience, insight and wisdom helps me to fine tune my plans and ideas.
Proverbs 20:18 (NLT)
Plans succeed through good counsel; don't go to war without the advice of others.
Almost anyone will give you advice if you ask for it. The key is to seek out “good counsel.” Often times we are tempted to seek out counsel from those who already agree with us. Good counsel, however, requires objectivity and honest opinions. I often phrase my request for counsel this way: “push back on that idea.”
Counsel that challenges your vision is wonderful, because it forces you to evaluate your own confidence in your plans. Additionally, it forces you to articulate your true convictions and goals. Many of us think we understand our intended course of action, but truthfully, we have trouble articulating the particulars of the plan.
Often I find during these times of open discussion that others see possible hazards that I had overlooked. Their unique perspective raises questions that, to this point, had been unasked.
In the end my plans are much more solid, because I have taken the time to seek out good counsel. The landmines that might have been missed have now been uncovered and effectively dealt with.
This week you may be working on a strategy of your own. This may include a career move, retirement plan or new business venture. Take the time to seek out those with wisdom and experience. They will save you from making unnecessary mistakes and in the end you will come away with a much better plan of action.
Until next week, may God’s richest blessings be yours.
Carl
Monday, September 24, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Cherished Friendships
Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend and that you find yourself rested and full of energy this morning!
This weekend I have had the privilege of traveling through
This morning I got to thinking about true friendships. David and Jonathan are one of the greatest examples in the Bible of what a true friendship looks like:
1 Samuel 18:3 (NLT)
And Jonathan made a special vow to be David's friend,
Jonathan and David’s friendship went beyond being mere acquaintances. They were truly brothers bound by the bonds of friendship. When Jonathan’s father, King Saul, was seeking to kill David, Jonathan looked out for his friend. Even after Jonathan had been killed in battle, David made it a point to honor his friend by caring for the lone survivor of his household. David and Jonathan were the picture of true friendship.
One of the things that I find fascinating about real friendships is the fact that they withstand the test of time. Last night my wife and I went to dinner with a group of friends that we had attended church with nearly a decade ago. Even though we have not seen many of them in years, the conversations picked up where they left off. The connection of the heart is timeless.
This week I want to encourage you to say a word of thanks unto the Lord for the true friends in your life. Pick up the phone this week and talk to someone you haven’t shared a laugh with for a while. Brag about your kids and grandkids, feel the bonds of friendship being pulled tighter.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Creating a Buzz
Good morning! I hope your week is off to a great start.
This morning I wanted to bring you a word of encouragement from the book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 27:2 (NLT)
Don't praise yourself; let others do it!
Several years ago my oldest son, Christopher, came home from elementary school boasting about his running abilities. The conversation went something like this: “I’m faster than Dylan and I beat so and so….blah, blah, blah, I’m faster than everyone in my class.”
After listening to a few minutes of this declaration of athletic supremacy, I assumed my fatherly role of teacher and discussed what real accomplishment and accolades would look like.
There is a saying in life that “talk is cheap.” On the athletic field, the rule of law is “put up or shut up.” The real evidence of a person’s abilities would not be in his bragging, but in his performance. I challenged Christopher to say less and run more, with the idea being that if he ran well others would acknowledge his abilities and would do the talking for him. The praise and accolades of others are much more valuable than your own personal boasting.
In life we are often much too eager to “toot” our own horn. We forget that greatness is not determined by our boasting, but by our actions. Legacies are built when others recognize our God given talents and abilities, not when we hype our own egos.
As you begin this new week, I encourage you to say less and do more. Let others see your work and your reputation will precede you.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
This morning I wanted to bring you a word of encouragement from the book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 27:2 (NLT)
Don't praise yourself; let others do it!
Several years ago my oldest son, Christopher, came home from elementary school boasting about his running abilities. The conversation went something like this: “I’m faster than Dylan and I beat so and so….blah, blah, blah, I’m faster than everyone in my class.”
After listening to a few minutes of this declaration of athletic supremacy, I assumed my fatherly role of teacher and discussed what real accomplishment and accolades would look like.
There is a saying in life that “talk is cheap.” On the athletic field, the rule of law is “put up or shut up.” The real evidence of a person’s abilities would not be in his bragging, but in his performance. I challenged Christopher to say less and run more, with the idea being that if he ran well others would acknowledge his abilities and would do the talking for him. The praise and accolades of others are much more valuable than your own personal boasting.
In life we are often much too eager to “toot” our own horn. We forget that greatness is not determined by our boasting, but by our actions. Legacies are built when others recognize our God given talents and abilities, not when we hype our own egos.
As you begin this new week, I encourage you to say less and do more. Let others see your work and your reputation will precede you.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
Monday, September 03, 2007
Learning to laugh at myself
Good morning! I hope you are enjoying this long Labor Day weekend.
Have you ever had one of those days were your mind just seemed to be absent from your body? Yesterday was one of those days for me. A question about a lunch appointment got me confused. While preaching I attributed the Biblical story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife to Daniel (the danger of public speaking is that a lot of people got to hear that one). I continued by referring to my brother-in-law, who was in town visiting, by my other brother-in-law’s name.
Days like yesterday leave us with a choice. Will we allow these “bloopers” to get us discouraged or can we learn to laugh at ourselves?
In the book of Job we read the dialogue between Job and his three friends during his time of suffering. Many of their words were accusatory in nature and not of much comfort; however, there are some nuggets of truth in their counsel. This is one such example:
Job 8:21 (NLT)
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
When we allow God to give us a proper perspective on life, He gives us a different view of our “blooper” reel as well.
For most of us, the hardest person to extend grace to is ourselves. We are our own worst critic, and if left unchecked we can develop a defeatist attitude. When we begin to look at our life through God’s eyes, we see through eyes of grace. Our mistakes become times to learn, evaluate and even laugh.
This week I want to challenge you to not take yourself so seriously. You are still a work in progress and you will more than likely have your fair share of missed lines, disconnected thoughts and other absent minded moments in the years to come. Don’t let these become issues of defeat, but instead let them be a chance to be thankful for God’s divine presence in your moments of frailty.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
Have you ever had one of those days were your mind just seemed to be absent from your body? Yesterday was one of those days for me. A question about a lunch appointment got me confused. While preaching I attributed the Biblical story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife to Daniel (the danger of public speaking is that a lot of people got to hear that one). I continued by referring to my brother-in-law, who was in town visiting, by my other brother-in-law’s name.
Days like yesterday leave us with a choice. Will we allow these “bloopers” to get us discouraged or can we learn to laugh at ourselves?
In the book of Job we read the dialogue between Job and his three friends during his time of suffering. Many of their words were accusatory in nature and not of much comfort; however, there are some nuggets of truth in their counsel. This is one such example:
Job 8:21 (NLT)
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
When we allow God to give us a proper perspective on life, He gives us a different view of our “blooper” reel as well.
For most of us, the hardest person to extend grace to is ourselves. We are our own worst critic, and if left unchecked we can develop a defeatist attitude. When we begin to look at our life through God’s eyes, we see through eyes of grace. Our mistakes become times to learn, evaluate and even laugh.
This week I want to challenge you to not take yourself so seriously. You are still a work in progress and you will more than likely have your fair share of missed lines, disconnected thoughts and other absent minded moments in the years to come. Don’t let these become issues of defeat, but instead let them be a chance to be thankful for God’s divine presence in your moments of frailty.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
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