Stop Putting It Off

Submitted to the Hanford Sentinel

There are always things in our life that we do not want to do, so we put them off. We tell ourselves that we will do it tomorrow. We think about how the thing is going to take a long time or be painful to do. And in this way another day passes, another week, another month, another year. And still the thing is not done.

We all have things we put them off until a later date. Sometimes these things really are large tasks — getting back in school to finish a degree, painting the house, or tackling that big project at work. Other times, the tasks are actually small, but they feel large to us because they involve emotional investment or the potential for conflict — having that difficult conversation, visiting relatives, or balancing the checkbook.

Whether big or small, rational or irrational, we delay doing these things, and we usually do so to our own detriment. More often than not, the things that we put off are actually important. But instead of focusing on the value of getting these things done and on the (generally) wonderful results which would flow from doing them, we instead fill our time with doing other less important things.

We have all had the experience of finally doing the thing we were dreading for so long. When we do it, we generally discover it wasn’t as difficult as we had imagined. We also usually end up asking ourselves, “Why didn’t I just get this done sooner?” We wasted so much time worrying, delaying and talking ourselves out of it, when we could have just done it.

I remind my kids the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. We would all do well to remember that little adage. Start focusing on what needs to be done and do it. If the task is overwhelming, focus on the first piece. To finish your college degree, you must first sign up for one class. To fix your marriage, you must first write your spouse a note (or take them out on a date). To become the Karate Kid, you must first paint the fence.

We often miss the best things in life because we waste our time worrying about how difficult they are going to be. Instead, let’s focus on doing the things that are going to make a difference in our life.

So what are you putting off? Don’t delay any longer, get started today!

Isaiah 55:6 which says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near.” The pastors in Kings County would love to help you build the One relationship in all of our lives that we must NOT put off. Why don’t you stop putting off getting in church, it might not be quite as painful as you had imagined!

Passing the Baton

Just finished listening to the newest edition of Willow Creek's Defining Moments. This edition featured Wayne Cordeiro and Jim Mellado talking about developing cultures within the church where leaders are not only trained but released into ministry. The audio had some incredibly powerful concepts, one of which was Cordeiro's contention that most churches need to multiply the number of "platforms" they offer to developing leaders. He says that in most churches there is a Sunday platform, a children's ministry platform and maybe one or two others (perhaps Wednesday night), and what is needed is something along the lines of four times that number. Unless churches have places for their leaders in training to fly (and fail) then they will always under-develop their leaders and short change their own future.

Other topics included the importance of the 5-10 year strategy in passing the baton from senior leadership to the next generation, looking within the organization rather than without for leaders, the importance of mentoring and the essential of leaders having people that they are truly transparent with (Henry Cloud has great materials along these lines).

This is one audio I'm planning on going back to soon to digest some more and ask:

• How can we be more intentional about building a culture of leadership development here at our church?
  
• How can we multiply platforms? Coincidentally part of the answer is definitely small groups which we are going to be focusing on in a whole new way beginning in 2011.
  
• How can I be more intentional about raising the leadership quotient at KCF?
  

I also made a quick visit to Cordeiro's website and found an great article that captures some of his thinking about the importance of passing the baton to the next generation. This is something that the church at large must REALLY dig into over next 5-10 years as the baby boomer generation moves into retirement. We do this poorly far too often. Check the article out here.

Quality of Life

for The Hanford Sentinel

Quality of Life
by Andrew Cromwell

Have you noticed the simplest things in life often seem the most difficult? Just because something is simple, it doesn’t mean it is easy. We all know the mantras: keep it simple stupid, put first things first, measure twice and cut once — none of these things are rocket science, yet putting them into practice sometimes feels like it.

The other day I came across a Scripture verse in Ezekiel that says: “They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life.”

It stopped me in my tracks and made me think. The verse is written from Father God’s perspective and is directed to the Israelite people when they were on the brink of being destroyed as a nation. God is simply saying to them, “If you would have listened, then you wouldn’t be in the situation you are in right now!”

Boy, isn’t that often true for us? If only we would have listened — to our parents, to our spouse, to our children, to our boss — things might be different today. We might not have had to go through the pain that comes from bad choices and decisions. But the icing on the cake for many of us is that we failed to listen to Father God.

I think what is interesting about obeying God is that it doesn’t only keep you out of trouble, it also gives you life. In other words, something is actually added to your life when you choose to do things God’s way. Proverbs chapter three says, “Good friend, don't forget all I've taught you; take to heart my commands. They'll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well.”

When we obey God, His power flows into our life in ways that we cannot experience otherwise. The Bible calls this the blessing of God. Jesus said that those who follow His commandments will live a life that is a higher caliber and quality compared to those around them. He likened it to a river of living water that would flow from within those who walk in relationship with Him.

The funny thing is, following God’s commands is simple — it’s just not easy. The good news is, God is on your side and He helps those who truly want to follow Him. He makes the impossible, possible. If He can make a dead man alive again, then he can take someone like you and me who can’t seem to get it straight and He can turn our life around.

We can’t do it on our own, we have tried and we have failed time and again. But we can do it with His life flowing in and through us. And that is true quality of life.

So the next time you are at a crossroads and have to decide which way to go, choose the way that gives life!

The pastors in Kings County would love to help you tap into that river of life. Why don’t you get in church this weekend and discover the life that God promises?