You Can't Do Everything

10 NCAA National Championships, winning 88 straight games, and 4 perfect seasons mark the legacy of one of our time's greatest leaders, Coach John Wooden. Coach Wooden describes "Competitive Greatness" as Being Your Best When Your Best Is Needed. What an amazing way to describe greatness! But the interesting thing about this is that Wooden didn't come to this definition easily. He had to make a choice very early on in his career that set him on this path. And what was that choice? Let's see...

Did you know that Wooden's first job was making $1,500 annually at Dayton High School teaching English? He was also the football and basketball coach. Wooden recounts the situation by saying that they gained a pretty good English teacher and a really bad coach. Interesting. But here is where the big decision came into play that set him on the path to greatness...Coach Wooden decided to quit coaching football after just two weeks of beginning his new job. HE QUIT COACHING FOOTBALL.

If you want to be the greatest at something YOU CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.

Andy Stanley reiterates this idea in his book The Next Generation Leader by saying, "Devoting a little of yourself to everything means committing a great deal of yourself to nothing." To Be The Best When Your Best Is Needed you must decide when to say NO to things that will divert your focus to the few things that God has called you to do. This means saying no to things that are "good" someimes. So remember...Don't attempt everything if you want to be the greatest at what you are called to do.

Reading...

I had an amazing revelation a few years ago when I graduated college. The moment when I realized that I could now read "for fun" and not "for finals" was one of the more liberating experiences of my life.

So I began to buy books that I wanted to read, however I began to get dozens of reads on leadership, organization, finance, entrepreneurship, and business. All of these topics are very interesting to read, but I wouldn't call it necessarily "fun reading".

A week ago I bought my first Novel. It is a book called The Justice Game by Randy Singer. I will be honest with you. It has been one of the most relaxing things in the world to escape into this thick book, and for a few brief moments forget about the "real world".

Here is my advice to all you leaders out there who only read for your self improvement...READ FOR FUN. You will be surprised at how much it refreshes your brain to consume something that isn't business related.

4 Parts of God's House

Recently in my personal time with God I have felt strongly impressed to read through the Minor Prophets. This type of thing doesn't happen every day, but when the Holy Spirit directs me to a particular portion of Scripture, I know it is for a reason. It is from that reading that I would like to share with you now.

Haggai 2:6-9 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty. 8 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty. 9 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty."

Many lessons can be extracted from this passage, and I wouldn't pretend to know them all. But I do know a few things that God has whispered to my spirit as I read these powerful words.

When God's house is functioning in a Biblical way these four things will always be present...

1) His People (v. 7)
2) His Power (v. 7)
3) His Provision (v. 8)
4) His Peace (v. 9)

Be encouraged! God knows how to fill his house with all four of these components. Lean on him, and he will direct you in all wisdom as to where you fit into His plan to see these things come to pass in your place of worship.

Diverting

My family and I recently returned from a wonderful vacation. We spent 5 nights in the small town of Timberon, NM. As we drove up the winding road high into the mountains it became immediately apparent that we were far from civilization. My idea of a perfect vacation isn't going to Disney Land or the beach, it is disappearing and diverting from everything. I would rather be in a cabin away from phones, computers, and news than in the middle of traffic, big crowds, and long lines.

One of the most important and effective ways to keep your fire going strong for God is diverting away from your hectic schedule. TAKE A BREAK. SLOW DOWN. And do something that you wouldn't normally do. Draw, read a good book, take a walk in the woods, connect with nature, or you could do something way out there and build a house of cards like I did.

Here is a picture.

I know it sounds silly, but if you do something that you don't normally do, if you divert from your normal routine, then you will be amazed at how you will stay refreshed.

I Must Decrease

The minister confessed something that no one in the crowd expected. It wasn't a confession of a scandalous nature, but his words still shocked everyone. 

He told us about how his weight was impacting his ability to properly minister to his people. If he ever gave an altar call, he would find himself completely out of energy after praying for only a few people. What was the problem? The problem was not his lack of desire, but his lack of good health. 

He desired to pray for more people, but his body would not allow him the strength that he needed to do the job. 

John 3:30 says that He must increase, and I must decrease. 

I just wonder if there might be a physical application to this verse? Could it be that if we allow the care of our bodies go by the wayside, that our ministries will be cut short? Could it be that if our weight decreases then His ability to work through us will increase?

If we were to sit down with the minister mentioned above, I know that he would tell you of his regret. He constantly wonders to himself what might have happened if he had simply had the energy to pray for people when they needed it. 

One of the greatest ways to stay energized for God is to stay energized physically. 

Just a thought. 

Intersecting

A friend of mine, Evangelist Marshall Windsor, put me on to this song. I heard it at the exact moment in my life when I needed to be encouraged. It is funny how we seem to intersect with the right form of encouragement right when we need it most.

I hope it is a blessing to you as well. Enjoy!

Click HERE to watch.

Friends=Fire

One of the quickest ways to be inspired and motivated is to surround yourself with friends who are doing what you want to do. If you have friends who are always climbing to higher heights and pushing the envelope, then you will be more likely to do the same.

* If you want to lose weight, then make friends who are healthy.
* If you want to plant a church, then make friends with church planters.
* If you want to run a marathon, then make friends with a runner.

You get the point. But what we may not always realize is that the friends we have today mark our future.

Friends=Fire