Rushed…unprepared…disconnected… that’s how most people admit they feel every morning when they begin their day. You know the feeling too don’t you?
It’s feeling like you’re behind before you’ve even started your day because you snoozed three times this morning. It’s feeling like you’re lacking energy because you skipped your morning workout and grabbed a donut for breakfast at work. And worst of all, it’s feeling like you didn’t really connect with God today and you can’t remember the last time you actually did.
To me, there’s nothing worse than starting off my day in a frenzy…feeling rushed, unsettled and unprepared before the day has even begun. THAT IS THE WORST!
Read MoreThis week was a trip back in time for me. Since graduating college in 1998, it's been 17 years since I’ve lived as a student – going to classes, sleeping in a dorm, and best of all, eating cafeteria food for an entire week!
But that’s what this week was for me. I spent the week at the Antiochian Village in rural western Pennsylvania as part of a seminary program through the Antiochian House of Studies. The program is mainly a distance study, but does involve one week of residency every year.
So for the past five days, it was like 1998 once again.
Read MoreBelow is an excerpt from a speech by Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention in July 1797. After struggling for several weeks and making little progress on the writing of the Constitution, 81 year old Benjamin Franklin rose and addressed the President (referred to as Sir) and the rest of the troubled and confused convention.
This is what he said:
Read MoreTake it from me – a recovering workaholic – WORKING HARDER IS NOT THE ANSWER! We all have things in our life that we want to change – bad habits that we want to get rid of, or good habits that we want to incorporate into our lives. And most of us think about those changes in terms of effort – I need to work harder to accomplish _________.
Well, I know this might sound strange but believe it or not sometimes working harder is actually counter-productive and takes us further away from our goal, not closer to it.
Read MoreWHAT IS CHARACTER?
Will Rogers, the great comedian of the Great Depression, once commented on the definition of character. He told to people to "live in such a way that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip!"
Gordon H. Taggart struggled with the whole concept of character, wishing he had more of it. As he wrote about what he lacked in character, he did a fantastic job of describing what it meant to BE the right kind of person. He described 11 characteristics.
"I wish I were...
Read MoreMOMENTUM IS BACK! Woo hoo! Time to get excited! Why? Because this year’s conference promises to be “greater” than ever! That’s because the topic this year is STRIVE FOR GREATNESS. And believe me when I say that I have never been more excited for a conference than I am for this one.
You see, I have this fundamental belief inside my core that I just can’t shake. Whenever I read the Scriptures or look at the lives of those who have given themselves into the LORD’s hands, I just can’t help but coming to one conclusion: WE WERE MADE FOR GREATNESS.
Not greatness in the world’s eyes (riches, fame, etc.), but greatness in God’s eyes – the kind that comes from being “His workmanship” and from being “sons of the Most High.” God didn’t create us for “normal-ness” or “average-ness” or “barely-getting-by-ness.” He made us to be great!
Read MoreOne week into 2014 and by now, statistics say that 60% of New Year’s resolutions have already been abandoned. And by the end of January, that total will reach almost 90%! WOW!
But it doesn’t have to be that way – at least not for you. You don’t have to be part of the 90%. You can make 2014 different. Believe me, I struggle with New Year’s resolutions just as much as the next person and I don’t claim to have any secret tricks to make it any easier. But I have discovered some helpful hints throughout the years that have helped me stay on track.
The most important concept/idea to keep in mind is this (this is a good one to post above your desk or somewhere prominent):
We all end up somewhere, but few people end up somewhere on purpose.
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