Living a meaning life

John Maxwell wrote - "To live a worthwhile, meaningful life, a person must be part of something greater than himself." 

Knowing a little about John Maxwell, I would guess that he is speaking about being part of a business that is making a difference in the world and which feeds into our desire to contribute towards something greater. 

However, he could also be referring to the Christian faith, as he is a former Pastor and Christian leader. John could be reminding us that living a meaningful life must include community. It is always tempting to 'go it alone', but this can leave us feeling empty and frustrated at time.

1 Thessalonians 2:12 - We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.

Living in Grace

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Do you care?

“If you have a heart to make a difference, there is always an answer.

But if you have a heart of indifference then there is never an answer.” – John Maxwell

Most of the time people just don't care. Perhaps I am just being a little harsh - I should rather say, "most people just feel like they don't have the time to care." Our lives are busy and we are rushing from one thing to the next. Sadly, this leads us to become blase and eventually indifferent to the needs around us. Thankfully Jesus always had the time to stop and care for the needs of his people. 

Luke 8:43-44 - As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. ⁴³ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. ⁴⁴ She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

SHOW SOMEONE TODAY THAT YOU CARE!

Living in Grace

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The Greatest Story ever told!

I really enjoy reading the thoughts of John Maxwell - he inspires me. Early on in his ministry (in 1976), he received a book as a gift. The title of the book was: The Greatest Story Ever Told. However, can you imagine his shock when he opened the book to discover that all the pages of the book were blank, except for the note from his friend, which read as follows,
"John, your life is before you. Fill these pages with kind acts, good thoughts, and matters of your heart. Write a great story with your life."

This 'book' motivated John to begin writing his own life story and it changed his life.

As we begin 2017, God has given us all the gift of a book with 365 blank pages. Through his Spirit God is urging us to write our story and to honour the life he has given us. So, the hard question is this: "What will we write on these blank pages?"

Of course, we get to write our story in the shadow of the GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD, which is the story of Jesus.

Living in Grace
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All good things come at a great cost

I have had the privilege of attending the Global Leadership Summit this weekend. I find that there is always some inspiration from the talks and they always challenge me to become a better leader, Christ-follower and Pastor. One of the many brilliant speakers this year was John Maxwell. I have read many of his books and so to see his talk was special. There was something in his talk that really struck a chord with me - it is simple, but a timely reminder to me. He said something along the lines of this:

"All good things come at a great cost." (Achieving your goals is like driving uphill - it is hard and can be tough going.)

Of course, he is right. Why would anything 'good' come at zero effort and cost? In a business sense this speaks about how achieving anything significant is going to mean blood, sweat and tears. In personal relationships, it will be the same. And the same applies for our Spiritual lives - having a great relationship with Jesus comes at a great cost - and this was all paid for by Christ himself.

So, before you give up on the 'uphill' challenges of your life, ask yourself if pushing through the tough times will not be worth it in the end.

Living in Grace
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Don't Quit

"Most people who quit don't give up at the bottom of the mountain; they stop halfway up it." - John Maxwell

Don't quit now! You are already halfway up the mountain - just think of the view you will have from the top. All the sweat, pain and sacrifice will be worth it.

So, if you are reading this post today, thinking about giving up, then I urge you to reconsider. If God has called you to this task (this mountain), then please keep climbing. Christ will be your guide.

1 Timothy 6:11 - But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

Living in Grace
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Qualities of a Leader

Proverbs 11:14 -  Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

I came across an article in the paper entitled "Seven qualities of a good leader." It made for interesting reading, and the author Barbara White, made some sound comments. As we were reflecting on these qualities, we realised that there are a few crucial qualities missing, especially if one reflects on Godly leadership. Although leadership in the Christian context needs all of these 7 qualities, we feel that there are a few extra qualities that we would love our Christian leaders to display. As you read through the list of Seven qualities, think about which characteristics are missing. Please take a minute to jot them down and email me back - thanks.

Here is a summary of Barbara White's 7 qualities of a good leader:
1. Exemplary character
2. Enthusiasm for the cause
3. Confidence in setting direction
4. Needs to be able to lead people through times of uncertainty
5. Tolerant of ambiguity and remains calm in storms of life - remains steadfast to the main purpose
6. Can think analytically
7. Committed to excellence

What would you add and why?

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. —John Maxwell

It is absurd that a man should rule others, who cannot rule himself. —Latin Proverb


Living in Grace
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Be inspired with courage

The word encouragement simply means, "to inspire with courage/hope." When we take the time to inspire others we give them courage and hope. I know from personal experience that words of encouragement can be life-changing. It is often such a simple thing to do, but we easily get side-tracked and forget to do this.

"When you encourage others, you in the process are encouraged because you're making a commitment and difference in that person's life. Encouragement really does make a difference." -

Zig Ziglar

"A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change a life. A word of encouragement from a spouse can save a marriage. A word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach her potential." - John C. Maxwell

If you have an opportunity to inspire hope & courage in another person today, please do it.

Philemon 1:7 - Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Living in Grace

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