Excel Still More

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God's hand is mighty and amazing. He reaches farther than we can imagine, and can also handle the smallest, most intricate of problems. He is present always and always active. These are the kinds of things we believe by faith. We lean into these truths when life is hard. We understand there is no success in life without God's hand at work. 

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Well, here we are - 2022! Also, this starts seasons 4 of the ESM podcast! Thank you so much for your support. It has been fun. And I have high expectations for this year.  Do you? I pray you have goals, aspirations, direction, and optimism. Today we will talk about the power of New Year's Resolutions if they are set up well and pursued with perspective and endurance.

Let's talk about the valley of disappointment. Are you familiar with that? You are, I'm 100% sure of that. But have you identified it? Let's talk about what this point is, and why it causes so many people to quit. But what is really happening in those moments is actually quite amazing!

- What are your goals for this year?

- Do you have a plan? A trusted process for change?

- How do you handle the valley of disappointment?

- Why do so many miss what is really happening in that valley?

- Have you chosen things for this year that really matter? Do they match your value system?

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I need to appeal to your heart. Both your love for Christ and the nature of Christ's love within you. Jesus loves people so much. He loves those who are His and those who are not. Those who have left Him hurt Him and He wants nothing more than to find them and bring them home. But what does that have to do with you and me? 

We are His instruments of redemption. It is Christ's will that you go on Missions of Mercy to show kindness and Christ to people who are weak, people who have drifted, people Jesus yearns to have back. Do you have a heart for that? I pray you do.

- What does it mean to have a heart like Jesus?

- If Jesus is the Shepherd, and God is the Father, who is the Woman in Luke 15?

- Has anyone drifted from Christ through the pandemic time?

- What does Jesus need you to feel for them and do in His name?

- Will you go on a Mission of Mercy this week?

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Okay, how is that core value, that circle of importance, coming along? Have you identified and been vocal about who, or what, matters most in your life? Ranking your focus and values can give you clarity on what to do next and how. But... balance is tough! There are multiple things competing for your attention in any given week, day or even moment. 

This week we will look at Pat Gelsinger's book, "The Juggling Act." It is tremendous!  This is less of a review, and more of a synopsis, but I hope you find yourself reading this book. And I am thankful to the mentor in my life who recommended it. 

In lieu of questions in the show notes today, I'll list the 6 Steps to Balance from the episode:

1) Set a Course

2) Prioritize God

3) Prioritize Family

4) Work Hard

5) Find Mentors

6) Be a Witness

This episode will introduce these ideas. I pray your receive them with optimism and energy as we finish up another year strong, and prepare for an amazingly strong 2022.

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To me, there is nothing more important I could share with you right now than these circles of importance. 2021 is almost over, but it is not over yet. This is an amazing time to asses our priority and value system and then see how we've done this year with our words and actions. But we can also start making efforts, changes, today and start the New Year in stride!

If you were asked to write do the four most important things in the world to you, in order, what would that look like. I don't mean what people say you should write, but what you feel in your heart. Let's do that today. I'll show you mine first. But then we need to be ready to face God with that. And we need to build lives around those choices. And the things that didn't make the list... should be used to support the things that did! 

- What are your "circles of importance"?

- Why is it important to pray through these choices before acting on them?

- Has your year been used in a way consistent with those circles?

- What can be done next year to align your life with your values?

- Exactly how beneficial are healthy relationships in your life?

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Lanny Bassham was an olympic gold medalist in rifle shooting. He holds tons of records and is a National champion. Throughout his life, he has interviewed and studied winners. He sought to unlock the mentality within those who reached their goals. The results are a book called "With Winning In Mind." I highly recommend this book, especially for athletes.

As we explore it today, there is one idea that stands above the rest: process not outcome. We will dig in on that, and apply it to long term goals as well as game day performances. It turns out, winners don't always have winning on their minds... they have a mind that knows how to win. There is a huge difference, and that difference will bring your focus in to the daily steps and trusting the process.

- Why do 5% of people do 95% of the winning?

- Is talent the number one factor on winning?

- If all I can focus on is my goal and how it will feel to attain it, will I attain it?

- Why is process infinitely more important than the results?

- How can "execution not results" help me with big goals as well as game day performance?

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A friend of mine just learned that he has terminal cancer. He wrote a letter to his church friends and it was tremendous. He doesn't regret what he didn't do. He's only sad that he cannot continue doing what he has chosen for his life. That is powerful to me. Would it be that way for me? How about you?

If you knew this was your last weeks on this earth, what would you do? This episode explores that important territory:  how to live like you were dying. Maybe I would ride a bull named Fu Manchu... probably not. But I would certainly love deeper. Let's talk about that and get the main message: Do. Those. Things. Now. While you can.

- Where is the "bull named fumanchu" reference from?

- If you were told you had only weeks to live, what would you do immediately?

- Why do you think so few have the courage to follow their passions?

- Why do we leave love unfounded and words unsaid until it's usually too late?

- How can I live with urgency right now and make relationships richer while there is still time?

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If you are interested in watching Chuck Durham's lessons, or viewing his slides, please reach out to me: [email protected]. You can also find them at www.lindalechurchofchrist.com.

Also, I highly recommend Lakita Garth's book: "The Naked Truth about Sex, Love and Relationships". You can find it on Amazon. Her success story is a benefit to us all.

Few topics are more important to us than the wellbeing of our kids. You and I play an enormous role in shaping who they become. We have important work to do. It is not easy. But there is some great news: harder work now will lead to less work, and incredible results, later. 

- How important is discipline in your home?

- What happens to children who get what they want when they are little?

- How does infrequent discipline usually just make things worse?

- Why is immediate and repeated attention to a problem lead to long term solutions?

- What about you? Are you employing early + often = less in your own life?

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What's the deal with zebra stripes? They stand out in their environment. So why haven't the lions eaten them all. The answer is important for Christians. We too stand out in the world, at least we should. And the lion is seeking someone to devour - and that means you and me! So what is our best defense against him. 

Let's look back at the idea of "taking the stairs" and consider the influence of other is our walk, in the steps we take. Can you do it alone? Are you strong enough to fight the devil by your self? And will digital discipleship bridge the gap?

- Have you been taking the stairs this past week?

- What role do Christians play in your ability to do difficult things that you know are right?

- What is the risk of staying away from Christians and marching the stairs on your own?

- What if a zebra decided it didn't need other zebras?

- What if zebras had cell phones and didn't get together in person?

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Let's keep talking about those stairs! This week we dive back in on the concept of personal discipline. Did you pick a quality and apply it last week? If you did, maybe you noticed how hard it was, or how many staircases were around every corning. I want to share a conversation I had with a friend who tried this last week. He found it harder than he thought,  but almost immediately rewards. I saw God at work in his life. 

But look, you can't do this alone. You need help. Are you willing to acknowledge that? So let's look at two others who might tell you to "take the stairs": people in your life, and the God who loves you more than anyone. They want to see you succeed and you need them to do so.

- How did your growth go last week in the quality you chose?

- Were you mindful, intentional, and directional in your week?

- How important is it to have an inner circle of supporters who push you?

- In what ways does God sometimes eliminate the escalators in your life?

- Do you feel like you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you?