Today is the 1st July and the first half of 2015 is history! Like a halftime at a sports game, mid year is a good time to stop ... or at least pause ... and reflect. Ask yourself some questions: What has gone well and needs affirming? What isn't going so well and needs adjusting? … Continue reading It’s Halftime!
Developing Confidence (Pt.5)
Here are my own favourite confidence builders, gleaned from years of life and ministry experience: Confidence Builders 1. SEE yourself as God sees you. Your words and actions are a reflection of how you see yourself. Therefore, you cannot constantly live and/or minister in a manner that is inconsistent with the way you see yourself. If … Continue reading Developing Confidence (Pt.5)
Developing Confidence (Pt.4)
Confidence Builders Your confidence can grow. What from? Here's a list that I collected from our recent staff meeting: Faith in God. Encouragement and affirmation from other people. Success. Good preparation. Self-belief. Someone believing in you. Forgiveness. The company we keep. Experience. Being empowered by others. Training. God's Word. An encounter with God. Using your … Continue reading Developing Confidence (Pt.4)
Developing Confidence (Pt.3)
Confidence Knockers Your confidence will come under attack. What from? Here's a list that I collected from a recent staff meeting as we all brain-stormed around our life and leadership experiences: Doubt. Mistakes or failure. Fear. Criticism or negative words from other people. Disappointment. Intimidation. Negative 'self-talk'. Unmet expectations. Lack of knowledge. Poor physical health. Tiredness. … Continue reading Developing Confidence (Pt.3)
Developing Confidence (Pt.2)
The quality of confidence can be defined as: faith, belief, trust, assurance, certitude, being sure, undisturbed calm. It is a spirit of faith that is certain of success, yet not afraid of failure. Every person used by God reaches their potential through confidence in God - despite difficulties, challenges and obstacles. Encounters with God Think of … Continue reading Developing Confidence (Pt.2)
Developing Confidence (Pt.1)
This week, we want to reflect on the area of confidence. Let's start by reading and meditating on these statements from the pages of Scripture. Ephesians 1:18. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called — his holy … Continue reading Developing Confidence (Pt.1)
Grief
Ten tips for supporting someone who is grieving: • Offer practical support such as meals, shopping, gardening, errands, lifts, etc. especially in the early days. • Accept that everyone grieves differently. Grief is a normal and natural response to loss but everyone grieves differently. • Don't judge. There is no right or wrong way to … Continue reading Grief
Minimalism – the Power of Simplicity
Life left to itself tends to become more and more complex and cluttered. It takes a concerted effort to reverse the trend - to simplify, to become a minimalist. Some thoughts worth reflecting on: Could the best way to organise your stuff be to get rid of the heap of it? How might your life … Continue reading Minimalism – the Power of Simplicity
You are God’s Masterpiece
I love these thoughts penned by the apostle Paul over 2,000 years ago: Ephesians 2:8-10. God saved you by his a grace when you b believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us … Continue reading You are God’s Masterpiece
No Worries!?
We have a saying here in Australia - "No worries!" Yet, many of us carry worries with us all the time. Do you ever worry? A better question is probably, “What do you worry about?” Worry can come from many sources - our health, finances, relationships, the future, etc. There are many things to worry … Continue reading No Worries!?
Decisions
As you think about your life right now, what do you really need? Is it more information? Probably not. If we are honest, most of us know that we are educated beyond the level of our obedience. For example, we know we should pray, forgive, exercise, serve, give, etc ... but it's in the application … Continue reading Decisions
Vision
Around 3,000 years ago, one of the wisest men to ever lived made this observation: Proverbs 29:18. Where there is no revelation (vision or insight), people cast off restraint (they perish, run wild or live carelessly); but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction. NIV A vision can be defined as "a picture of a preferred … Continue reading Vision
Never Too Old to Learn
In our series of BLOG posts on the wisdom we glean from the Book of Proverbs, we noted frequently how the person of wisdom is continually open to learn and grow. In contrast, the arrogant person believes that they already know it all and therefore aren't open to new things or to feedback from others … Continue reading Never Too Old to Learn
A Personal MBA
Jesus once said that the children of this world are sometimes wiser than the children of light. That wasn't a compliment! We can learn a lot from those who achieve and accomplish things in fields such as business, arts, sport or leadership. There is wisdom to be gained from the experience of others. In the … Continue reading A Personal MBA
New Year’s Resolutions?
One week of 2015 is already over. Did you make any New Year's Resolutions? Research tends to support the view that New Year's Resolutions don't work for most people. Consider the following statistics: 25% of people abandon their New Year's Resolutions after one week. 60% of people abandon them within six months. The average person … Continue reading New Year’s Resolutions?