our blog
Sep
The Long Road Ahead
The leaves are starting to change colors. The kids are back at school. Summer has come to an end. Football season has already kicked off. Before you know it, Christmas and New Years will be upon us. With this in mind, I think it’s time for a little straight talk. If you’ve been going through the last nine months looking for the light at the end of the tunnel then unfortunately you are in for a problem. Truth is: there’s no end in sight….the tunnel has no end. Yes, 2011 will soon be over but your word will have to live on long beyond that.
Otherwise this project would be totally pointless. What good would it do to promise to be “patient,” if in January you returned to your rude and impatient ways? If God spent an entire year trying to mold a more “gentle” being, how much progress has really been made, if moments after the clock passes midnight, you get into a fist fight at a New Year’s party? What’s the point of spending twelve months trying to become a “humble” person, if you only plan on bragging about how well you’ve done once the project is complete?
The goal cannot be a short term character fix. We are interested in long term and permanent change. For that to happen your word must change from being a deliberate act, to something that comes more naturally.
You’ve spent eight months thinking about your word, organizing your life to be successful, embracing the struggle, celebrating the victories, leaning on friends and hopefully noticing change. In September we want you to focus on making that change a real part of your character.
Walk into any bookstore and you’ll see dozens of titles that promise the quick fix. In just thirty days you can master a new language, lose a ton weight, get out debt and become a “better you.” The Bible though teaches us that character building takes time.
God wants to do permanent work inside of you. This month let’s come to terms with the fact that there’s a long road in front of us, but if we stay the path he will use our word to teach us things like humility, love, compassion and courage. Rather than a quick fix on outward appearance, He’ll transform our heart and motives for the inside.
- How have the thought patterns, actions and disciplines that were awkward and unnatural at the beginning on this process began to seep into your character?
- Read 2 Peter 1:3-10. The passage speaks of qualities that complement your faith (good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, generous love). Which character quality has been most developed in your pursuit of your One Word? How does focusing on one of these qualities help develop the others?
Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011. If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!
Aug
Back To School
Right now many parents are rejoicing over the fact summer has come to an end and their kids are heading back to school. Some might even do an Irish jig as they watch the school bus pulling away from their house. They are delighted while I’m a wreck. Now, don’t confuse my reaction for me being the ultra parent who loves to spend every waking moment with their children. I love my kids, but time apart can be a good thing for both parties.
The reason why I dread the upcoming school year can be summed up in three words: brand new wardrobes. Thinking of the hit on my wallet makes me cringe. This has nothing to do with being consumed with name brand labels or designer clothes. We are bargain shoppers who head straight to the sale rack. Sadly, thanks to a summer growth spurt, our oldest daughter, Madison, literally has no clothes that fit her. Jeans we used to roll up suddenly look like Capri pants or that an impending flood is coming. Baggy tops now show her mid-drift. The only bright side is her younger sister’s closet just exploded with possibilities.
My wife and I sat baffled as we helped Madison try on her old clothes. We both understood the basics of biology and realized eventually our children would mature. But, someone please tell me…when did our baby girl grow up? When did she sprout up like a tree? How did we not notice this?
The Psalmist says our life is but a breath (Psalm 39:5 and 144:4). Other parts of scripture compare the days we have on earth to a shadow (Psalm 102:11 and Job 8:9) or grass that is here one day and gone the next (1 Peter 1:24 and Psalm 37:2). Coming to grips with the brevity of life should cause two different reactions to erupt within us: reflection and action.
In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” We have been there every step of the way with Madison, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in the moment of the here and now and miss the growth that has taken place along the way. The same principle holds true with our spiritual transformation.
You might look at yourself right now and be confronted with struggles, frustrations and shortcomings. Letting this be your only perspective will inevitably lead to frustration. So, rewind the tape to a few months ago. Where were you back then? Chances are good you’ve grown, yet if you don’t stop and reflect, you’ll never have the opportunity to celebrate transformation and God’s faithfulness.
But, we can’t stop there. We can’t sit back and be satisfied reveling in the past. Life is short and we only possess a small window to leave an eternal mark. Without an understanding that our days are like a breath, it is easy to just sigh and put off sharing our faith, forgiving someone who hurt us or putting our One Word into action for another day. The reality is tomorrow has never been promised to us. Each day is a gift and the question we must ask ourselves is what are we doing with the moments we’ve been given?
- Coming to grips with the brevity of life should cause two different reactions to erupt within us: reflection and action. Reflect on the steps you’ve taken throughout the My One Word process. Which step toward growth reminds you that change is indeed possible?
- Without an understanding that our days are like a breath, it is easy to just sigh and put off things for another day. In terms of your walk with God and influencing others, what is one thing you have put off that you know you need to act upon? What is causing you to hesitate from putting your faith into action?
Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011. If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!
Aug
Procrastination
Procrastination pretty much summed up my work ethic during my college years. If I devoted as much time and energy to studying as I did to winning a Super Bowl ring on Madden, I would of graduated Magna Cum Laude instead of Praise The Lord-e. Chugging a combination of Mountain Dew and Red Bull in order to stay awake, I was the guy hunkered down in the computer lab at 4 in the morning just starting his introductory statement for the 12 page paper due for his 8 o’clock philosophy class.
I wish I could say I kicked this habit shortly after graduation. Sadly, this isn’t the case. My tendency to put things off till the last minute has followed me into adulthood. Whether it is starting home improvement projects, paying bills or mowing the grass, I tend to be a complete and utter slacker. In my former life as an administrative assistant, I created artificial deadlines. I purposely waited till I was up against the clock to finish the project all in hopes of creating some adventure in my mundane world of spreadsheets.
Procrastination has even begun to creep into my involvement with the My One Word project. For the past two years, I’ve been tasked with writing blog entries that encourage people to stay engaged with their One Word. This job is not new. It’s not like I don’t know this is my responsibility.
Yet, I’ve noticed recently I find myself wrestling with the blank screen of my laptop. Instead, I’ll work on other writing assignments, chat with co-workers, respond to emails or update my Facebook status. My avoidance has a lot to do with writer’s block, a lack of creativity and the feeling that I’ve hit a wall.
Instead of facing this difficult stretch head on, all I want to do is run from my responsibilities. Rather than endure, I try to avoid. I think this is where this month’s topic on ‘Gathering Stones’ comes into play. When doubt of growth, transformation or change takes root in your mind, a few stones reminding you of God’s faithfulness goes a long way.
Luckily today, I mistakenly came across a few stones while clearing out my inbox in one last failed attempt at procrastination. These stones came in the form of emails from My One Word subscribers who wrote about how God is using this project to move in their lives in incredible ways. Message after message spoke of how focusing on a single aspect of Christ’s heart had brought personal transformation and spiritual breakthrough.
These emails serve as my stones. They are stones not to reassure me of my ability, but rather remind me of how God serves as the true agent of change. These notes help me keep in mind how blessed I am to have any part in a project that God is using to bring people closer to His side. These stones cause me to fight, rather than avoid, when my creativity is zapped. So, I continue to write.
How about you? Have you hit a wall? Are you struggling to endure? What is fueling your procrastination? What ‘stones’ do you need to gather to remember that being transformed through the lens of your One Word has an impact on others? What will be the thing that sparks a memory of how God used your One Word to cultivate your heart and influence those around you? These little altars reminding you of God’s faithfulness are what keep you moving in the right direction and chasing after His heart.
- Where have you hit a wall when it comes to your pursuit of reflecting God’s character and heart through your One Word?
- What is causing you to procrastinate and not meet these challenges head on?
Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011. If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!