Bill Hybels on inspiration.  Here are some of his points from the Leadership Summit that will benefit every leader:

“I’m never going to blame anybody else fro my sagging motivation.” These are ways for a leader to stay motivated. 

1.   I need to stay crystal clear on my mission
2.   Leveraging my spiritual gifts the way God has given them to me.
3.   Get inspirational people around you
4.   Read inspirational books (Bill is passionate about this)
5.   Rub shoulders with exceptionally inspiring people
6.   Participate in events
7.   Pay attention to physical health
8.   Pay attention to work environment
9.   Have a recreational activity or hobby
10. Participate in daily spiritual disciplines. 

Best way to motivate the people around you 

1.  The leader needs to live a motivated life
2.  Connect everyone you lead to a compelling cause
3.  Learn the inspiration language of your followers. (Think 5 love languages)
4.  Identify and reduce demotivators
5.  Celebrate every sign of progress

01. One book that changed your life

  Amazing Grace by Charles Hodge

02. One book that you’ve read more than once

  Prayer, Finding The Hearts True Home by Richard Foster

03. One book you’d want on a desert island

  The Bible

04. One book that made you laugh

  All Things Bright & Beautiful by James Herriot (the whole series)

05. One book that made you cry

  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 

06. One book that you wish had been written

  Can’t think of one. 

07. One book that you wish had never been written

  Pretty much anything written by Dr. Spock

08. One book you’re currently reading

  Ordering Your Private World by Gordon McDonald

09. One book you’ve been meaning to read

  How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

10. Now tag five people:  Doug Mollette, Tommy Hawkins, Jay Mollette, Sam Walsh, Vera Hawkins

Even though I’ve been an outspoken critic of this movie, I found myself watching it again last night.  It’s amazing when you watch a movie the 2nd time you can pick up different meanings.  My first time watching I concluded this was worse than Escanaba in the Moonlight; which in my opinion is the worst movie ever!

Last night I followed Napoleon and his character more closely.  This guy had what was most important right.  In his simple, straight forward way, he had it right.  His loyalty to Pedro. My favorite part is when he dances for his friend Pedro at the end. 

What is the craziest, most humbling action that you have taken for a friend? 

peathce out …..

Mike Huckabee - Christmas

Alpha Dog: a title bestowed upon the most dominant dog in the pack. Certain privileges accompany this title, such as having first pick of food, female, and resting place.

Have you ever noticed how men can treat each other different depending on if they are one on one or in a pack?

I’ve noticed that men can have close friends that respect each other, when it’s just them, but throw them in a pack of men….and now they are nipping and biting to see who is the Alpha Dog!  They will actually treat that close friend differently…it’s now every dog for himself!  This is universal.  This is the flesh, as Paul the apostle would put it.  It is our sinful nature.  It is the way of the world. 

Man of God, you can rise above this animal pecking order.  The next time you find yourself in a pack of men….don’t get into the cut-downs and the one upsmanship and the other types of competition that seeks to put you above others.  Don’t get sucked into it.  There is no reward in it.

In God’s Kingdom, the last shall be first, the servant shall be the greatest.  In lifting up others, you will lift yourself.

All these years, when I was younger, I thought 50 was getting old.  Now that I’m here, I can’t believe how young it really is!

Some things I’m learning, as I get older, is how absolutely blessed I’ve been!  God has been so much more kind to me than I deserve.  In spite of all my failings, He has given me the best three children in the world.  He has given me the perfect wife.  He has given me some of the best friends a person could have.  He has blessed me with amazingly good health.  He put me into a dear loving family that would do anything for me.  He allowed me to be born into the best nation and best state in the world.  He is allowing me to minister to some of the most special people, in the most special community I’ve ever lived!  Thank you God!

My dear wife and precious children had a surprise birthday party for me on Sunday.  I don’t know how they did it….but they caught me completely off guard.  They even advertised in the local newspaper!  My wife concocted a story about my grandson tearing up the paper, that’s why the section with the advertisement was missing!  That was the first birthday party of my life.  It, too, was humbling.  My dear friends, Carl and Linda, drove over an hour, through an ice storm to be here.  My brother-in-law and his wife drove a long way through the same ice storm.

I love you Vera, Russ, Tommy and Amy with all of my heart!  I pray that God will bless you with the same love that you have shown to me and so many others!

Even though I’m sure it is nothing new, I’m amazed at those who offer bible opinions, comment on what Jesus would or would not do, make statements concerning theirs and others eternities, and yet are not very knowledgable of the bible or bible study methods.

It is always easier to simply say what you feel and make that a “Thus saith the Lord.”  You can be sincere about your feelings; but it can still be sincerely ….wrong.  The apostle Paul instructed the young evangelist, Timothy,  “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. “ 2 Ti. 2:15

One common error is that people take a position, their own position, on a given issue; and then try to bend the bible to support their pre-determined conclusion.  Honest, diligent, students of the bible will, instead, study the scriptures and bend their lives and opinions to the Word of God.  This practice will bring enormous blessing to your life.

Why this lack of depth among the people of God today?  Can we blame it on the mega churches?  Nope.  It’s always been this way.  The answer can be summed up in one word.  One word that is common to all people.  We all struggle with being ….. Lazy.   It’s much easier to sit in church and open our mouths like little baby birds and let whoever is preaching or teaching to just put the food in our mouths. 

It takes work, effort, time, and energy to practice all the spiritual disciplines.  And they are called disciplines for a reason.  Ask yourself, “how much time do I spend in real, personal, dilligent, bible study each week?”  Do you have a bible dictionary?  Encycopedia?  Concordance?  Do you have more than one bible translation?  When was the last time you studied a biblical topic throughout the scriptures?  What is your daily bible reading program?  When have you made a dedicated study of one particular book of the bible?  What is the last bible verse you have memorized?  Or do you formulate all your opinions and thoughts by those you listen to …. alone?

I challenge you to take your discipleship commitment up a notch and, ”Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”  Eph. 4:14