Category: Personal Development

First of all, happy New Year! I hope it is a good one for you. Over the next ten days, I'd like to take you through a process of standing back, taking stock, and then planning the next year of your life. We'll be looking at ten questions aimed at helping you to clarify your … Continue reading A New Year – A Fresh Start (Pt.1)

7. Plan Your Holiday. Hopefully, you're planning on taking some time off around Christmas and the New Year. Do something different and make it your best holiday yet. Shut down, turn off, and enjoy your God, your friends, and your family. I'm sure you have lots to do before Christmas, but hopefully these seven suggestions … Continue reading 7 Things To Do Before Christmas (Pt.7)

6. Get Organised. Clean your office. Make an appointment with yourself. Block out plenty of time for this. Sort through any filing cabinets, shelves, or desk drawers. Clean out your email folders. Throw away as much as possible. Get your 2009 diary or calendar up to date. You'll feel much better for it!  

5. Do Some Pastoral Care. If you are a leader of other people, take a few moments to reflect on the 'people flow' in your area. Here are a few questions to ask: Who are the interested people who need hope and a vision? Who are the new people who need a welcome and some … Continue reading 7 Things To Do Before Christmas (Pt.5)

4. Do Some Planning for 2009. Think about some of your main events or activities for next year. What's happening with - your life, your family, your friends, your work, and your church?  Start doing some planning and organisation for the first quarter of the year. Create some personal life goals for 2009. What would you … Continue reading 7 Things to Do Before Christmas (Pt.4)

3. Strengthen Your Team. All of us do life, work, and ministry with other people. We are all part of some sort of team, maybe even as a leader of a team. Spend some extra time with these important people before Christmas. Encourage them and express appreciation to them for who they are and how … Continue reading 7 Things To Do Before Christmas (Pt.3)

2. Evaluate Your Own Personal Effectiveness. What are your priorities? Are you using your time to accomplish them? How is the balance of your life? Consider areas such as your spiritual life, your family and friendships, your energy level, as well as your social and recreation life. How is your joy? Your enthusiasm? Your love for … Continue reading 7 Things To Do Before Christmas (Pt.2)

We are into December now and it's only a few weeks before Christmas. I'm sure you've got a lot to do this month and the last thing you think you probably need is another list! But I thought I'd share with you seven things that would be good to do before Christmas comes - which … Continue reading 7 Things To Do Before Christmas (Pt.1)

God has a purpose and a plan for each one of our lives. He wants us to fully understand it then pursue it with great passion. He wants us to live life to the full – enthusiastically and joyfully. For that to happen, we need to engage in regular times of refuelling – activities designed … Continue reading Refuel (Pt.8)

Today, let's look at one more way to refuel ... 5. Invest Time in Reflection and Contemplation. The Sabbath was not only a time for rest and recreation. It was a time for stillness, reflection and contemplation about life, its meaning, its direction, and God’s activity within it. It was a time for spiritual renewal … Continue reading Refuel (Pt.7)

Let's look at another way to refuel ... 4. Plan Regular Time for Rest and Recreation. God didn’t design us to work constantly without rest. God worked for six days and then rested on the seventh. Not because he was tired or because he needed time off, but because rest (not working) is good. The … Continue reading Refuel (Pt.6)

Last week we looked at two practical things that help us to refuel, especially spiritually – (1) spending time alone with God every day and (2) participating in church gatherings every week. These practices are part of how God refuels us for our journey. God works through BOTH our personal relationship with him and our … Continue reading Refuel (P.5)

Before we move on, let's pause and reflect on what we've covered so far. Here are a few questions you might want to think about today: Do you think life is becoming more stressful? If so, what are some of the indicators? Describe a time when you felt like you were ‘running on empty’. What … Continue reading Refuel (Pt.4)

How else can we refuel? 2. Participate in Church Gatherings Every Week. In addition to spending time along with him, God also wants us as his people to gather together on a regular basis. He has designed these gatherings to be part of his process for refuelling us for our journey. We live in a … Continue reading Refuel (Pt.3)

Let’s look at a few practical things we can do to refuel. First we’ll focus on some activities for refuelling our spiritual life. Then next week we’ll look at things related more to our relational and emotional health. 1. Spend Time Alone with God Every Day. As followers of Christ, God is the source of our … Continue reading Refuel (Pt.2)