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peace!!

I hope that I have inspired/motivated/encouraged you through my thoughts and writings.
I pray that God will allow me to do even more in His name.

Starting a church movement is just one of my callings in life.
Teaching, writing and taking a stand against racism, pornography and small-minded thinking are what keeps my mind occupied.

Check me out tomorrow.

1. Doors opening to connect people to Christ.
It’s already happening but a few more would be cool.

2. A sold-out crew ready to make Joliet a difficult place to go to hell from.
Looking for black, white, hispanic, asian, whatever.

3. Sponsoring some events that will bring the message of Christ to the culture.
Stay tuned for this. Will be looking for partners.

God has really been messing me up lately.

I have had lots of disappointing moments in the last month or so.
I have also been blessed!

Stay tuned as I transition this blog and take it to another level.

peace

Here is a write-up on a new book I am reading:

When did the Christian life become so complicated?
Your greatest desire is to please God, but with each passing week, your spiritual to-do list grows longer.
As you strive to fulfill a never-ending inventory of requirements for being a godly parent, spouse, voter, employee, and more, you feel increasingly disconnected from the God you’re trying to serve.
It’s time to cut through the clutter and get to the heart of what it means to please God.

In this liberating look at the core principles of faith, Dr. Robert Jeffress reveals the truth about what God really wants from you–and what He wants to do for you.
Through solid biblical teaching and practical insights, Dr. Jeffress points you toward a revitalized faith centered on becoming more like Jesus in action, attitude, and affection. You’ll learn how to partner with God in the process of spiritual transformation as you choose to follow Christ in forgiveness, obedience, trust, contentment, service, and prayer.
Through a renewed focus on experiencing the kingdom of God right now, you’ll find your to-do list shrinking and your spiritual life deepening. It all comes with embracing Clutter-Free Christianity.
Includes a Bible study guide for personal growth and group discussion.

This is a great book that I have just gotten into. I recommend it off of what I have read so far.

8. Stand Up!!

Leaders are responsible for the results of their organization, whether they are good or bad.

There is nothing worse than a leader who hides behind his crew when things get rough.

Don’t just accept the applause when things turn out right.
Your team will respect you and your position when you deal with the pressure of mistakes and failure.

You must exhibit the courage that it takes to stand out in front.

There are no excuses for being invisible.

As a leader, you should separate yourself from the “wannabe” leaders.
These are people that talk like a leader but never make a move to the front of the crowd.

Your team, company, or ministry, is looking for someone to guide them.
You are the ONE.

“Authority is 20% given and 80% taken”
Peter Ueberroth

You have an obligation to lead your people to the next level.

Step Up!

7. Do the Right Thing

“Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing nobody is going to know whether you did it or not”
Oprah Winfrey

Leaders should possess a high level of integrity.
They should do whatever it takes to keep their character in tact.

Just because no one is watching, it doesn’t mean you can slack off.

You have difficult choices to make.
People have put their trust in you to do the right thing, no matter what.

Your decisions have an enormous impact on your team, business, or church.
You need to be able to put your personal feelings and desires to the side and choose what is best for all involved.

You have to choose what is right over what is convenient.
You have to choose what is best over what is popular.
You have to choose what is correct over what is more profitable.

When you choose to put your duty over your ego, you pave the way for more unity and selflessness from your team.

Winston Churchill

To become a great leader you must expect things in your organization to turn out well.
You must be on a look-out for great results.

A baseball player doesn’t catch a flyball by having his glove in his back pocket.
Neither will you be able to “catch” greater sales or greater influence by not being in a continual state of expectation.

“If you commit to the Lord everything that you do, your plans will succeed”
Proverbs 16:3

You must make a commitment to look through the clutter of life and anticipate a victorious conclusion.

We need to anticipate positive results from the well-thought out decisions that we have made.

Results come from our expectations.

Don’t let challenges or controversy distract you and cloud your vision.

Expect big things and you’ll receive big things.

“Before you become a leader, success is all about growing yourself. After you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”
Jack Welch

Your team is the anchor to your success.
You were not made to do life by yourself.
You need their support to help carry out your assignment in life.

Jesus had a great team.
He had 12 men to help Him reach the world.

We should be able to recognize and appreciate each member of our team.
We have to take the time to be aware of the value that they each bring to the table.

The team is looking for a leader that they can trust.
They want to be celebrated when they do well.
They want to be encouraged when they mess up.

Reward them with kind words or small tokens of gratitude.

“None of us is as smart as all of us”
Ken Blanchard

Value your team and then you will reap the benefits.

Staying in line with your mission and purpose is critical.
Even being out-numbered, a leader must remain committed to what they believe is the best course of action.

Too often times we think that the “majority” rules, simply because of the numerical significance.
This may ring true on occasion but it is not always the case.

Large numbers have a way of being a distraction.

Sometimes the majority sides with the most popular choice, not necessarily the most advantageous selection for all parties involved.

You have to be willing to commit yourself and stand alone, if necessary.

“Commitment in the face of conflict produces character”

If you can stay committed, even in the most uncomfortable situations, you can make a great impact in your world.

As a leader you should know the purpose and meaning to why you do what you do.
You should feel confident in what your mission statement stands for.

There may be people or situations that come up that will try to shut you down.
They might speak of your shortcomings, your inexperience, and your mistakes.
Fear will try to creep in and wire your mouth shut.

You need to know who you are and what you are here to do.
You need to know what direction you are to lead your family, company or ministry.

When you are standing on a solid foundation, you can declare your vision for all to hear.

After you have sought God through prayer, wait for Him to show you His will. When He does, move forward.
Armed with faith in Him and confidence in His cause, you can make a bold declaration in His name.

Don’t be afraid to speak up.
He’s listening.

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles to it”
Margaret Fuller

To be a leader of influence, you must always be on top of your game.
People are listening to what you are saying, and then they watch to see if what you say is the truth.

Do you know what you’re talking about?

You must prepare yourself and equip yourself with the proper tools which are necessary for success.
You may not have the talent to do every task but you should have enough knowledge to understand what it all means and how it affects your organization.

Show an example of being up-to-date on current trends in your industry.
Read books, blogs, articles and papers. Anything you can get your hands on.

Go to seminars, conferences and conventions.
Get a coach, mentor or big brother.
Never stop learning.

Your team is depending on you.

1. Maintain integrity

“to be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful.”

Edward Murrow

Our character and reputation are on the line daily. We must do whatever it takes to not put ourselves in jeopardy.
Being a leader means that we must sacrifice ourselves for the good of our team.

Maintaining our integrity means that display it by our actions and choices, not just by merely saying a few words that sound good in the ears of our listeners.
We must maintain focus on the desired goal of our organization, despite the obstacles and temptations that come up.

There may be challenges concerning personnel or cashflow.
You may even be tempted to cut some corners.

You don’t have to lie. You don’t have to cheat.
You can do things the right way.

The people that you lead should be able to see a clear example of integrity in all situations.

Your example shines the light on the path to greatness.

James Allen

1. Favor – I am going to be ramping-up my efforts to write and submit more. Pray for open doors.

2. Opportunities – I would love to share what God has given me. If there is not a platform, I will build my own!

3. Next church info meeting is next Sunday, the 15th. Pray for people to be drawn.

Booker T. Washington

Galatians 5:1

Oxen never look real excited when they’re in a field pulling a plow.
I’m sure they rather do anything but be outside, under a hot sun, working.
Unfortunately, they don’t have much say in the matter.
When the farmer decides that it is time to work, its time to work.

Thank God that Christ decided to give up His life so we can enjoy ours.
His sacrifice gave us the ability to be with Him in eternity.
It also gave us the right to live here on earth, free from the chains of sin and death.
Once we have accepted this gift, we no longer have to be held back, held down, or reminded of our past.
Our freedom overtakes our past, our present issues and it protects us from future problems.

Whom the Son has set free is free indeed.

Father, thank You for freeing us. This is a deed that only Christ could do. There was no way that we could change the course that we were on. Sin bound us to eternal separation from You. Christ freed us and we are forever grateful. We are also thankful for knowing, if we are born again, we don’t have to be subject to the chains that the enemy uses to keep us from enjoying life here on earth and with You in eternity.
Amen.

1. People who are crazy enough to partner with me in launching a mulit-cultural church in Joliet, Ill.

2. A great location at a low price.

3. Opportunities to love Joliet with the love of Christ.

When you start a church, there is an endless stream of tasks to take care of.
It is a huge undertaking that requires patience, time, energy, and cash.
You find yourself spending every waking moment thinking about or doing something for the start of this new church.

Don’t get me wrong, I know it takes dedication and perseverance to start anything new.

But at what cost?

I have found myself chasing this calling to start a new church but I have been neglecting some of the things that God has already commanded me to do.
I have researched everything about starting a church but have gotten away from diving into God’s word to receive the things I need for my daily life.
I haven’t stopped praying, its just that my prayers were less about how much I loved God and more about how much I need him to be active in my ministry.
I was too consumed with numbers (people and money) than I was with knowing Him in a deeper way.

I haven’t “back-slided” and I am not forfeiting the call on my life.
Actually, what I am doing is realizing that what I do is not as important as who I am.
Better yet, what I do is only effective if it comes out of who I am.

What I need to keep in front of me at all times is what God has already commanded me to do:

Love God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Love my wife as Christ loved the church.
Love and protect my children.
Love my neighbors.
Love my enemies.

So this is my declaration:

Obedience to commands first, calling second.

God is showing me how to live.
I want to show others how to live for Him.