Most of us would agree: we could be happy if it weren't for our problems! There's a huge "Amen!" rising up inside, isn't there? I feel it too. "Yes," I think, "If I didn't have to take care of Kylie's hedgehog and Jillian's dog, if I didn't have to go on yet another business trip, if I didn't have to..." Fill in the blank, it's all the same. We see the obstacles in our lives and assign them blame for…
I've already sensed the trend for 2011 in my life. I'm fighting it, but I know that I'll give in eventually. Here it is: Less is More Not a novel idea, and not my own idea. John Maxwell kicked off our year at Christ Fellowship (as he always does) with a series of messages on finding our fresh start for 2011. This one point, a sub point at that, leaped out and grabbed me by the throat. Less is more.…
[caption id="attachment_1357" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="You impact three people, who impact three people, who impact..."][/caption] Last night and today John Maxwell, who is a teaching pastor at my church, Christ Fellowship, spoke on the topic of generosity. But before you assume generosity means he's gunning for your wallet, you need to redefine your definition of the word. John's sermon dealt with living a generous life, and it was one of the best I have heard from him. Here are just a…
I am in a post-Maxwellian overload. If you've been to any major thought-provoking conference, you know what I mean. Ideas are pouring past my poor brain faster than I have time or energy to write them down. Now some of that may be due to caffeine overload (probably is!), but not all. This Maxwell conference has impacted me more than others I've been to, perhaps because the emphasis was less on leadership and more on personal goals and -- quite…
To continue where I left off... this is a picture of my pages of notes. Yes, that is the product of handwritten, furiously scribbled note taking. Does my dream compel me to follow? The Passion Test John told an interestng story. A young man comes up to him and tries to get John to invest in his idea, whatever it was. "How much have you invested?" John asked. When the answer was "nothing" John said, "Why should I invest in…
Have you ever been to a John Maxwell conference? Like other conferences I've been to, it feels a bit like sipping water from a fire hose. There is a lot to hear, a lot to process, and no time to slow down and do it! My first quote of the day came from my husband, groggily turning out of bed. "How can you follow your dream if you haven't had enough sleep?" Indeed. In the first thirty seconds of the…
Headed to North Florida, but wanted to give you a heads up on next week: John Maxwell will be doing a one day seminar at our church again this year. The conference is called "Build Your Dream Conference 2009" He will be focusing on his latest book, Put Your Dream to the Test. I'll be there all day blogging and twittering, but if anyone is in the area, come on down! This annual John Maxwell day is one of the…
There are certain situations that put me into a creative zone, ideas spinning and new connections made. As we all know, coffee shop are one of those places. The music, the scent of the coffee, the buzz of people, the buzz of caffeine! Oddly enough, working out on the elliptical is another creative spot for me. I guess it's the oxygen to the brain? In any case, my mind races with prayers and people, blog posts, party ideas, future plans.…
With my apologies to all of you who are struggling through arctic weather at the moment, this is one of those glorious Florida days that make you glad to be alive: 73 or so degrees, bright and sunny, gentle breeze. It's the kind of day that kicks my brain and my body into high gear. Music on high, doors and windows open, I've been decluttering and cleaning up the last flotsam and jetsam from Christmas and the busy past weeks.…
Thesis: The value that God has bestowed on people, is the standard by which we should value others. In other words, people matter to God. Three Reasons Why You Are Important to God: 1. Because of who you are. We are made in God's image, after his likeness. Meditation for 2009: "God loves me as I am, not as I would like to be, or as I appear to be, but just as I am." 2. Because of what you…
