A few days ago I posted about the problem some people have with depression around the holidays. This can also be a problem for church leaders. As pastors and other church leaders there are always additional pressures around the holiday season. Often, there are additional church dinners which makes healthy eating a challenge. There may be special programs that require additional rehearsals and more time from the leaders. Trying to meet the special needs of the people I mentioned in the earlier post can present challenges. Added to all the extra demands on the leaders around the holidays, there are also the extra family needs. Christmas presents need to be purchased and family times planned. The holidays are stressful enough on a family without seeing the pastor parent have to leave a holiday dinner or family gathering early because of a church emergency.
I want to encourage you to build some margin in your life this holiday season. Not all emergencies are truly emergencies. You may need to say no to some request during the holidays in order to have more time to spend with your family. Eliminate unnecessary committee meetings during the month of December. (Your committee members will appreciate this as well.) Spend less time in the church office and be harder to reach on your cell phone. After all, there are a lot of dead zones out there! Your church continues to need your leadership, but your family needs you for the holidays as well, so find a good balance. If I was going to err, I would want to err on the side of spending extra time with family. After all, twenty years from now the church will probably refer to you as "Pastor What-was-his-name?" Twenty years from now you will want your family to still have wonderful memories of those special Christmas moments you created over the years. To me, that is still the truest ministry of all.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Favorite books for 2010 (part 2)
Today we will complete the list I began yesterday of my top 10 favorite reads for 2010.
5. Nelson Searcy, Ignite: How to Spark Immediate Growth in Your Church
(Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009). This was another book I used as a textbook in the course I taught this fall. I have become a big fan of Searcy and have read most of his books. In this book he promotes the idea of having several Big Days in the life of your church to which your members can invite their friends. One of his ideas that I really like is that God will not send new people to a church that is not prepared to receive them. It is important that a church not only expects to see new people each Sunday, but that they are ready for them when they do come. This is a great book for anyone serious about wanting to see their church reach new people for the Kingdom of God.
4. Ed Stetzer, Richie Stanley, and Jason Hayes, Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches that Reach Them
(Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2009). This is another book on reaching people, especially the twenty and thirty year olds that many churches are not reaching. Based upon solid research the authors provide some of the reasons why this age group is absent from so many of our churches and what they are seeking from churches. They identified four markers that must exist in a church that is serious about reaching this younger generation: community, depth and content, responsibility, and cross-generational connection. The good news is that this generation is spiritually hungry and is open to the gospel. The better news is that this book provides some solid help in reaching them.
3. Tim Irwin, Derailed: Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009). This is not a book about ministry. It was written for business leaders, but the message found in this book certainly applies to anyone in a ministry role as well. Irwin looks at six high profile business leaders who experienced major failures in their leadership. After describing those failures and the results of those failures, he identifies five important lessons leaders should learn from reading this book. #1 - Character trumps competence. #2 - Arrogance is the mother of all derailers. #3 - Lack of self-/other awareness is a common denominator of all derailments. #4 - We are always who we are...especially under stress. #5 - Derailment is not inevitable, but without attention to development it is probable. I found this book to be a very interesting and troubling read. What made it troubling is that I have known ministry leaders who failed as a result of all five of these factors. Many of them are no longer in ministry today. This book could have a profound impact on your own success as a leader, and I certainly recommend it.
2. Tim Clinton and Joshua Straub, God Attachment: Why You Believe, Act, and Feel the Way You Do About God
(New York: Howard Books, 2010). Everyone believes something about God. Some are willing to give their lives for God while others find the concept of God offensive. One reaches out to God from his hospital bed while in the next bed another person curses God. Why such contrasts? The authors, both Christian counselors and professors, believe the answer is found in the relationship styles we developed as we were growing up. They identify four styles: secure attachment, anxious, avoidant, and fearful. Not only to these styles impact the way we relate to other people, they impact the way we relate to God. Fortunately, they do more than diagnose; they also offer healing and the means for us to become securely attached to God in a healthy, meaningful way that can have positive effects on our lives. Reading this book gave me some insights into my own relationship style and helped me identify some ways I could improve it. I found it to be an extremely helpful book, and I believe it would benefit anyone to read it.
1. Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher, Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy
(San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2007). We have now come to my favorite book for 2010! We all remember the tragic news of a shooting in 2006 inside an Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. Five Amish girls were killed and five others wounded. We were shocked at the news, but perhaps many of us were even more shocked a few days later when we began hearing of how the Amish community were offering forgiveness and grace to the family of the shooter. Many wondered how they could do that, especially so quickly. The authors have studied the Amish for years and present us with a look at the simple faith of the Amish that makes such forgiveness possible. Throughout the book I was reminded of my own struggles with offering forgiveness to persons who had wronged me. Simple biblical truths about forgiveness and grace came alive to me through the examples of the people discussed in the book. This was a book that deeply moved me, challenged me, and at times convicted me of how far short I often fall in my Christian walk. I believe this is a must read for anyone struggling to forgive someone or for the person who is wanting to grow deeper in his or her walk with God.
Well, this is my list. There are books here that will help you grow spiritually, develop your leadership skills, and help your church have a greater impact on your community. If you are looking for something to read and not sure what you're looking for, you can use these as a starting point. Check them out in your library or the next time you're in your favorite bookstore. You can order any of them from amazon.com by clicking on the title in this post. If you do decide to read any of them, please let me know what you thought of them.
5. Nelson Searcy, Ignite: How to Spark Immediate Growth in Your Church
(Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009). This was another book I used as a textbook in the course I taught this fall. I have become a big fan of Searcy and have read most of his books. In this book he promotes the idea of having several Big Days in the life of your church to which your members can invite their friends. One of his ideas that I really like is that God will not send new people to a church that is not prepared to receive them. It is important that a church not only expects to see new people each Sunday, but that they are ready for them when they do come. This is a great book for anyone serious about wanting to see their church reach new people for the Kingdom of God.4. Ed Stetzer, Richie Stanley, and Jason Hayes, Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches that Reach Them
(Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2009). This is another book on reaching people, especially the twenty and thirty year olds that many churches are not reaching. Based upon solid research the authors provide some of the reasons why this age group is absent from so many of our churches and what they are seeking from churches. They identified four markers that must exist in a church that is serious about reaching this younger generation: community, depth and content, responsibility, and cross-generational connection. The good news is that this generation is spiritually hungry and is open to the gospel. The better news is that this book provides some solid help in reaching them.3. Tim Irwin, Derailed: Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009). This is not a book about ministry. It was written for business leaders, but the message found in this book certainly applies to anyone in a ministry role as well. Irwin looks at six high profile business leaders who experienced major failures in their leadership. After describing those failures and the results of those failures, he identifies five important lessons leaders should learn from reading this book. #1 - Character trumps competence. #2 - Arrogance is the mother of all derailers. #3 - Lack of self-/other awareness is a common denominator of all derailments. #4 - We are always who we are...especially under stress. #5 - Derailment is not inevitable, but without attention to development it is probable. I found this book to be a very interesting and troubling read. What made it troubling is that I have known ministry leaders who failed as a result of all five of these factors. Many of them are no longer in ministry today. This book could have a profound impact on your own success as a leader, and I certainly recommend it.
2. Tim Clinton and Joshua Straub, God Attachment: Why You Believe, Act, and Feel the Way You Do About God
(New York: Howard Books, 2010). Everyone believes something about God. Some are willing to give their lives for God while others find the concept of God offensive. One reaches out to God from his hospital bed while in the next bed another person curses God. Why such contrasts? The authors, both Christian counselors and professors, believe the answer is found in the relationship styles we developed as we were growing up. They identify four styles: secure attachment, anxious, avoidant, and fearful. Not only to these styles impact the way we relate to other people, they impact the way we relate to God. Fortunately, they do more than diagnose; they also offer healing and the means for us to become securely attached to God in a healthy, meaningful way that can have positive effects on our lives. Reading this book gave me some insights into my own relationship style and helped me identify some ways I could improve it. I found it to be an extremely helpful book, and I believe it would benefit anyone to read it.1. Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher, Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy
(San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2007). We have now come to my favorite book for 2010! We all remember the tragic news of a shooting in 2006 inside an Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. Five Amish girls were killed and five others wounded. We were shocked at the news, but perhaps many of us were even more shocked a few days later when we began hearing of how the Amish community were offering forgiveness and grace to the family of the shooter. Many wondered how they could do that, especially so quickly. The authors have studied the Amish for years and present us with a look at the simple faith of the Amish that makes such forgiveness possible. Throughout the book I was reminded of my own struggles with offering forgiveness to persons who had wronged me. Simple biblical truths about forgiveness and grace came alive to me through the examples of the people discussed in the book. This was a book that deeply moved me, challenged me, and at times convicted me of how far short I often fall in my Christian walk. I believe this is a must read for anyone struggling to forgive someone or for the person who is wanting to grow deeper in his or her walk with God.Well, this is my list. There are books here that will help you grow spiritually, develop your leadership skills, and help your church have a greater impact on your community. If you are looking for something to read and not sure what you're looking for, you can use these as a starting point. Check them out in your library or the next time you're in your favorite bookstore. You can order any of them from amazon.com by clicking on the title in this post. If you do decide to read any of them, please let me know what you thought of them.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Favorite books for 2010
Last year I posted my favorite ten book reads for 2009. Several commented positively on the list so I decided I would do it again this year. I am slightly over my average of reading one book a week this year, and it wasn't easy to narrow the list down to a top 10, but for one reason or another these are the books that made it to the top. I will list 6-10 today and give my five top favorites tomorrow.
10. Elmer L. Towns, Praying the Lord's Prayer For Spiritual Breakthrough
(Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1997). This is actually a re-read of a book that has helped my prayer life and my spiritual life. Since reading this book the first time I have followed Towns' example of praying the Lord's Prayer when I lay down at night and when I first wake up in the morning. Praying it slowly and thinking about what I'm really saying has become a very meaningful part of my spiritual disciplines. I recommend reading this book as part of your daily devotional time.
9. David Berlinski, The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and it's Scientific Pretensions
(New York: Basic Books, 2009). Berlinski is a secular Jew who holds a PhD from Princeton University. This book provides a wonderful defense of religious thought and it challenges the thinking of today's well-known atheists. It can get a little heavy at times and is not a quick read, but it is an enjoyable one. I love the humor Berlinski brings as he asks the questions that the atheists cannot answer. One of my favorites in the book is "The thesis that there are no absolute truths - is it an absolute truth? If it is, then some truths are absolute after all, and if some are, why not others? If it is not, just why should we pay it any mind, since its claims on our attention will vary according to circumstance?" (129-130)
8. John C. Maxwell, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010). One cannot be successful in ministry, in family life, in business, or in any other endeavor without the ability to communicate well and connect with others. Leaders of smaller churches especially need to remember that one of the most important characteristics needed for an effective ministry is the ability to relate well with others. In my opinion, this is one of Maxwell's best books in recent years as he addresses this important skill. Everyone can learn to better connect with people, and this book can help you learn those skills.
7. Bill Hybels, Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs
(Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2008). This little book contains 76 leadership proverbs that Hybels has learned as the pastor at Willow Creek Community Church. He breaks these principals down into four categories - vision and strategy, teamwork and communication, activity and assessment, and personal integrity. I found it to be full of excellent advice for anyone in a position of leadership.
6. Kevin G. Ford, Transforming Church: Bringing Out the Good to Get to Great
(Carol Stream, IL: SaltRiver, 2007). Church transformation seems to be a key word today. Most church leaders know the church must transform itself if it hopes to effectively minister in the 21st century, but many confess they don't know how to bring about such transformation. This book can help with that. Based upon solid studies of the American church, Ford gives the reader five indicators that can be used to evaluate his or her church and the steps that can lead to transformation. I used this book as a textbook for a college class I taught this year on "Growing a Healthy Church."
Tomorrow I will share my top five reads for 2010. Before closing this post, let me share one book that made honorable mention. I didn't feel it was appropriate to include it in the top 10 since it was one of my books, so I decided to give it honorable mention. The Healthy Pastor
is being very well-received by pastors of all size churches and across denominational lines. The subtitle explains the book well: Easing the Stresses of Ministry. We will never eliminate ministry stress, but I tried in this book to demonstrate some ways that those stresses can be significantly reduced. As the stress levels becomes less, our effectiveness increases. I certainly recommend you add this to your 2011 reading list.
10. Elmer L. Towns, Praying the Lord's Prayer For Spiritual Breakthrough
(Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1997). This is actually a re-read of a book that has helped my prayer life and my spiritual life. Since reading this book the first time I have followed Towns' example of praying the Lord's Prayer when I lay down at night and when I first wake up in the morning. Praying it slowly and thinking about what I'm really saying has become a very meaningful part of my spiritual disciplines. I recommend reading this book as part of your daily devotional time.9. David Berlinski, The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and it's Scientific Pretensions
(New York: Basic Books, 2009). Berlinski is a secular Jew who holds a PhD from Princeton University. This book provides a wonderful defense of religious thought and it challenges the thinking of today's well-known atheists. It can get a little heavy at times and is not a quick read, but it is an enjoyable one. I love the humor Berlinski brings as he asks the questions that the atheists cannot answer. One of my favorites in the book is "The thesis that there are no absolute truths - is it an absolute truth? If it is, then some truths are absolute after all, and if some are, why not others? If it is not, just why should we pay it any mind, since its claims on our attention will vary according to circumstance?" (129-130)8. John C. Maxwell, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010). One cannot be successful in ministry, in family life, in business, or in any other endeavor without the ability to communicate well and connect with others. Leaders of smaller churches especially need to remember that one of the most important characteristics needed for an effective ministry is the ability to relate well with others. In my opinion, this is one of Maxwell's best books in recent years as he addresses this important skill. Everyone can learn to better connect with people, and this book can help you learn those skills.7. Bill Hybels, Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs
(Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2008). This little book contains 76 leadership proverbs that Hybels has learned as the pastor at Willow Creek Community Church. He breaks these principals down into four categories - vision and strategy, teamwork and communication, activity and assessment, and personal integrity. I found it to be full of excellent advice for anyone in a position of leadership.6. Kevin G. Ford, Transforming Church: Bringing Out the Good to Get to Great
(Carol Stream, IL: SaltRiver, 2007). Church transformation seems to be a key word today. Most church leaders know the church must transform itself if it hopes to effectively minister in the 21st century, but many confess they don't know how to bring about such transformation. This book can help with that. Based upon solid studies of the American church, Ford gives the reader five indicators that can be used to evaluate his or her church and the steps that can lead to transformation. I used this book as a textbook for a college class I taught this year on "Growing a Healthy Church."Tomorrow I will share my top five reads for 2010. Before closing this post, let me share one book that made honorable mention. I didn't feel it was appropriate to include it in the top 10 since it was one of my books, so I decided to give it honorable mention. The Healthy Pastor
is being very well-received by pastors of all size churches and across denominational lines. The subtitle explains the book well: Easing the Stresses of Ministry. We will never eliminate ministry stress, but I tried in this book to demonstrate some ways that those stresses can be significantly reduced. As the stress levels becomes less, our effectiveness increases. I certainly recommend you add this to your 2011 reading list.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Holiday depression
One of the ironic things about holidays is that in the midst of all the joy and excitement some people struggle with depression and other feelings of sadness. It may be due to the loss of a loved one who will not be part of the holiday celebration. It could be the result of finances that do not allow for gift giving. We could probably make a long list of possible causes and still not include everything, but the end result is that the holidays can be a time of tremendous sadness for a lot of people.
This is a time to bring messages of hope and comfort to the people in your churches. This can be done through the messages that are preached, the decorations that fill the church buildings, and the special personal things that are done. The Christmas season is a wonderful time to make sure the widowed, the ill, those in assisted living homes, and others in your church are touched by as many people from your church as possible. Perhaps a family with small children can "adopt" a senior citizen who is alone for the holidays. A family that is struggling financially will greatly appreciate some assistance from their church family during the holiday season. I can remember a couple of Christmases when our church provided all the Christmas dinners and gifts for some families in our congregation that were struggling financially. Please don't forget the families of your service men and women either during the holiday season. This can be an especially tough time for them.
The Christmas story is one of hope and joy, and your messages should reflect that. Lead your congregation in the celebration of the birth of the Savior of the world, and do so in both word and deed. It will make Christmas brighter for you as well as for those you touch.
This is a time to bring messages of hope and comfort to the people in your churches. This can be done through the messages that are preached, the decorations that fill the church buildings, and the special personal things that are done. The Christmas season is a wonderful time to make sure the widowed, the ill, those in assisted living homes, and others in your church are touched by as many people from your church as possible. Perhaps a family with small children can "adopt" a senior citizen who is alone for the holidays. A family that is struggling financially will greatly appreciate some assistance from their church family during the holiday season. I can remember a couple of Christmases when our church provided all the Christmas dinners and gifts for some families in our congregation that were struggling financially. Please don't forget the families of your service men and women either during the holiday season. This can be an especially tough time for them.
The Christmas story is one of hope and joy, and your messages should reflect that. Lead your congregation in the celebration of the birth of the Savior of the world, and do so in both word and deed. It will make Christmas brighter for you as well as for those you touch.
Monday, November 29, 2010
What are you reading?
I recently read about a 2007 survey that found that the average American read four books in 2006. The article went on to talk about similar findings in other surveys taken since 2000. As someone who reads approximately a book a week I find this troubling. What makes this even more troubling to me is that I am finding that this same trend is true for people serving in ministry positions and other leadership roles.
Leaders are readers. There is simply too much information out there for anyone in a leadership position not to be reading. New information is being discovered daily that can make you more effective in whatever it is you are doing. Some of the old information that you might be relying on may at the least not be very effective today and at the worst might be harmful to your ministry. Just yesterday I was looking at some old ministry books in my library that I bought when I first began my ministry in 1981. I would hate to think I had not grown since then but was still relying on the information those books contained. (I actually used four of those books to prop up a display I was making which seems to be the way they are now most valuable.)
In December I will report on the top 10 books I read in 2010. I did that last year for my 2009 reading and received several comments from my blog readers about how much they appreciated that, so I'll do it again this year.
On my "to read" stack I now have eleven books that are waiting for me to tackle. Tomorrow my wife and I will do some Christmas shopping and on our way back home I'll stop in a book store to look for a book I'm wanting to read. I am about to finish reading two books and will be able to replace them immediately with others, and that is what I recommend for you.
What are some things you want to learn more about in 2011? What are some areas in which you would like to grow? Find some good books on those subjects and dive right in. Make yourself a list of books you want to read in the coming year and begin buying them. If you aren't sure where to begin reading, I sometimes recommend books in the postings on this blog. Just click on the highlighted words to see some of the books I have found helpful to my own life and ministry. Just be sure to invest in yourself in 2011 by reading some good books that will help you be more effective in all the things you do.
Leaders are readers. There is simply too much information out there for anyone in a leadership position not to be reading. New information is being discovered daily that can make you more effective in whatever it is you are doing. Some of the old information that you might be relying on may at the least not be very effective today and at the worst might be harmful to your ministry. Just yesterday I was looking at some old ministry books in my library that I bought when I first began my ministry in 1981. I would hate to think I had not grown since then but was still relying on the information those books contained. (I actually used four of those books to prop up a display I was making which seems to be the way they are now most valuable.)
In December I will report on the top 10 books I read in 2010. I did that last year for my 2009 reading and received several comments from my blog readers about how much they appreciated that, so I'll do it again this year.
On my "to read" stack I now have eleven books that are waiting for me to tackle. Tomorrow my wife and I will do some Christmas shopping and on our way back home I'll stop in a book store to look for a book I'm wanting to read. I am about to finish reading two books and will be able to replace them immediately with others, and that is what I recommend for you.
What are some things you want to learn more about in 2011? What are some areas in which you would like to grow? Find some good books on those subjects and dive right in. Make yourself a list of books you want to read in the coming year and begin buying them. If you aren't sure where to begin reading, I sometimes recommend books in the postings on this blog. Just click on the highlighted words to see some of the books I have found helpful to my own life and ministry. Just be sure to invest in yourself in 2011 by reading some good books that will help you be more effective in all the things you do.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
2011 Challenges
What do you believe will be the biggest challenges you will face in 2011? None of us have a crystal ball nor can we predict the future with much accuracy, but if there are things brewing in your life, your workplace, your family, or your church you may have a good idea of what challenges the new year will hold. If you are able to identify some potential challenges, what are you doing now to prepare for them? Are you reading current material that addresses these challenges and the best ways to respond to them? Have you looked for a coach to help you through these challenges? Are you talking to people who may have successfully addressed these challenges before you to learn what they did right and perhaps some of the traps you can avoid? There are a number of things you can do to prepare yourself for those anticipated challenges. The worst thing you can do is to pretend those challenges aren't real and do nothing to be prepared for them.
A pastor friend of mine began a new ministry at a church and almost immediately began to hear the name of an individual who had been a thorn in the side of the previous pastor. This person opposed almost everything the previous pastor tried to do. The new pastor was wise enough to realize that he should not expect to escape the same problems from this individual, so he invited the individual out to lunch for an honest discussion. Because this pastor was willing to honestly confront
the individual and offer to work together with this individual, I believe he earned that person's respect. They found they could work together and agree on many issues, and the church benefitted from their relationship. This pastor knew that it was only a matter of time before this person would probably represent a challenge to his ministry, and rather than waiting for that to happen he decided to be proactive in trying to establish a relationship with this individual based upon mutual respect and a common desire for the success of the church.
Your anticipated challenge may not be church related. Perhaps your oldest child will be leaving in 2011 for college. Although it has been several years since my children went off to school I still remember how painful that was. Maybe it will be your youngest child who is leaving home making you an empty-nester. I also remember the pain that caused my wife and me. The house was so silent when we returned from taking our youngest to college. Planning ahead can help ease that pain.
Maybe your challenge will be retirement
. You will be free to do whatever you want if you only knew what you wanted to do! I have known people who did not prepare well for retirement and did not know what to do with themselves. One person I knew took early retirement from his job and hated it almost from day one. Every time I saw him he complained that it was the worst mistake he ever made. A few months later he passed away. I don't think he had a reason to live and just gave up.
Take the month of December and survey the things going on in your life and the things you anticipate will happen in 2011. If you can identify and prepare yourself for even one or two of the challenges you'll face this coming year you'll be much better prepared to address them when they do happen. And if they don't happen, you'll still be better off having prepared yourself for them.
A pastor friend of mine began a new ministry at a church and almost immediately began to hear the name of an individual who had been a thorn in the side of the previous pastor. This person opposed almost everything the previous pastor tried to do. The new pastor was wise enough to realize that he should not expect to escape the same problems from this individual, so he invited the individual out to lunch for an honest discussion. Because this pastor was willing to honestly confront
the individual and offer to work together with this individual, I believe he earned that person's respect. They found they could work together and agree on many issues, and the church benefitted from their relationship. This pastor knew that it was only a matter of time before this person would probably represent a challenge to his ministry, and rather than waiting for that to happen he decided to be proactive in trying to establish a relationship with this individual based upon mutual respect and a common desire for the success of the church.Your anticipated challenge may not be church related. Perhaps your oldest child will be leaving in 2011 for college. Although it has been several years since my children went off to school I still remember how painful that was. Maybe it will be your youngest child who is leaving home making you an empty-nester. I also remember the pain that caused my wife and me. The house was so silent when we returned from taking our youngest to college. Planning ahead can help ease that pain.
Maybe your challenge will be retirement
. You will be free to do whatever you want if you only knew what you wanted to do! I have known people who did not prepare well for retirement and did not know what to do with themselves. One person I knew took early retirement from his job and hated it almost from day one. Every time I saw him he complained that it was the worst mistake he ever made. A few months later he passed away. I don't think he had a reason to live and just gave up.Take the month of December and survey the things going on in your life and the things you anticipate will happen in 2011. If you can identify and prepare yourself for even one or two of the challenges you'll face this coming year you'll be much better prepared to address them when they do happen. And if they don't happen, you'll still be better off having prepared yourself for them.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving
I wanted to take a moment to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving. This seems to be the forgotten holiday in America these days. As stores are putting their Halloween candy on mark-down they are also putting up their Christmas trees. There just doesn't seem to be much room for Thanksgiving. I hope that isn't a reflection on the fact that we are not a very thankful people because we have much to give thanks for this year.
Thanksgiving Day is a great time to stop for a moment to reflect on all the reasons you have to give thanks. I know that many people are struggling financially right now. People are out of work or working at lesser jobs than they previously had. Many have lost their homes and so much more. We've had some challenges this year ourselves. But, when I look at the suffering that exists in so much of the world I realize how blessed my family and I am. Our two children and their families will come in this evening and spend the next few days at our house. We'll get to spend time with them, enjoy the grandkids, and eat too much wonderful food my wife will prepare. I'm thankful that we can do that.
If Thanksgiving Day is too hectic for you to take a few moments for reflection, then please do so sometime during this weekend. I'm sure it won't take long for you to realize how blessed you are. We serve a great God who is continually watching over us. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, and that one promise alone is enough to make me thankful.
Enjoy the holiday and be blessed!
Thanksgiving Day is a great time to stop for a moment to reflect on all the reasons you have to give thanks. I know that many people are struggling financially right now. People are out of work or working at lesser jobs than they previously had. Many have lost their homes and so much more. We've had some challenges this year ourselves. But, when I look at the suffering that exists in so much of the world I realize how blessed my family and I am. Our two children and their families will come in this evening and spend the next few days at our house. We'll get to spend time with them, enjoy the grandkids, and eat too much wonderful food my wife will prepare. I'm thankful that we can do that.
If Thanksgiving Day is too hectic for you to take a few moments for reflection, then please do so sometime during this weekend. I'm sure it won't take long for you to realize how blessed you are. We serve a great God who is continually watching over us. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, and that one promise alone is enough to make me thankful.
Enjoy the holiday and be blessed!
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