Helping your Personal Growth

None of us should ever stop learning.  My wonderful mother-in-law (which I never call her that) is over 80 years old and is tech savoy.   She continues to master computers, programs, stay busy on Skype and other IM programs.  In fact she just got her new laptop  and has the mobile freedom to stay in touch with the world.  When any of her younger  or older friends get a computer they call her to set it up and to show them how it works.

Too often we see people say the world is moving too fast and that they enjoyed the good ol' days when life was simple.  Well, get use to the idea that the good ol' days are in the past and we have to live in today and plan for tomorrow.

I am a terrible planner but will take an idea and run hard with it.  So in all my years I really never had a personal growth plan and believed your growth plan was the next job or action that needed to take place in order to get higher in business or influence others.  Then in a training seminar in early January with a men's group at church, I was challenged to put together a personal growth plan for 2011.  In fact this blog is the result of that training.

So I wanted to share the concept with you in which you can find the link in this post.  The biggest thing I am learning from this plan is to grow my faith and trust in what is happening around me and with my life.  When you see there are eleven categories of action, it can get depressing, but once you dive in and approach each one at a different time, it becomes a great habit.  Do I do all eleven each day.  NO. . .  and it is not expected.  Instead, I strive to cover the basics each day and then focus on the extras at least once a week. 

Personal Growth Plan - Faith Promise

My encouragement is to be like Mom and learn something new that you can use the rest of your life.  It may be technical or just taking the time to plan your growth for the next year.  Either way, just do it!

Thanks Mom for your example and I hope to be doing the same in a few years!

Getting Prepared for Obstacles

2 Chronicles 20:1-2 “After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea.”

Sometimes is it difficult to even pronounce the names of some of the Old Testament kings and prophets but a study of King Jehoshaphat (Ja-hose-a-fat) gives us insight for our lives today. A quick review of Chapter 19 of the book of Chronicles shows a king that had not followed the exact orders of God and was told about it by the prophet, Jehu. Jehoshaphat talked to the Lord and made changes. He established judges for the nation of Israel and when this was completed, the Lord then blessed the nation immensely.

In our lives we go through periods of time where everything falls right into place and the world seems in perfect harmony. Whenever that happens to us we usually look around and ask, “Life can’t always be this good, so when is it going to end?”   Then an event or situation  hits us like it did the Israel nation. Not just one nation declared war on them but three at the same time.

In studying history we find that this meant that they were outnumbered five to one on the battlefield. I’d say that was an obstacle bigger than we might encounter. So what did Jehoshaphat do? Let’s read on:   2 Chronicles 20:3 “Jehoshaphat was alarmed by this news and immediately sought the Lord for guidance.” What a concept! An obstacle is placed in front of him and what did he do? He asked the Lord for guidance!

That advice is a lot easier to read than to do. Often we think we can handle obstacles on our own. We don’t want to bother the Lord with our daily trivia because he has so much bigger things to do. In that thought process we do not truly understand God.

As His children, our daily lives and obstacles are as important as the world leaders and the obstacles they encounter in making decisions for their nations. God is here for everyone! Right now our lives may be going well and everything is great. Still, we need to thank the Lord daily for His blessings and realize that He never forsakes us even when obstacles arise.

Although Jehoshaphat was scared when he heard the bad news, we never have to give into our fears. Instead, let’s do what he did … look to the Lord for guidance. It’s the best relief medicine I know.

Let’s get prepared for any obstacle through that one on one relationship with the Lord.