Showing posts with label Congo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Congo. Show all posts
Monday, February 4, 2013
Faith in Action vs. Inaction
Do you receive hunches—intuitive suggestions—to encourage or compliment someone? Are you hesitant to act because of the risk of how they will receive the message, even though you intend for good?
Perhaps you receive hunches to pursue illogical dreams and goals. (This articles intent lacks demarcating dreams vs. goals) Does your Christian Spiritual mentor challenge you to act beyond your comfort zone? Yet you question obedience because of the necessity of leaving your comfort zone despite the action directly correlating with a portion of your God-given dream or vision (Habakkuk).
Hall of Fame Coach Bill Congleton use to frequently quip, "You don't find gold without digging." Digging for gold requires releasing both your right hand and left hand from that which is familiar and comfortable to grab your shovel and dig for the gold mines of greatness planted by God, found when acting on faith in and of God (Rick E. Meyer, 2003 District 24 Toastmasters International contest speech).
Ultimately, our hesitation arises from our concern of what others will think of us, along with whether we act in obedience to God. Knowing our full identity resides in our being created by God in His image and only His opinion of us that matters, we freely release the concerns of others. Consider that if we please God, all in communion with the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit will also view your action favorably to the extent of their concern and involvement of your activity on their life. If we please God, then those who oppose us in pleasing God resultantly oppose God—at least in this specific moment and action.
Frequently I have hunches—intuitive suggestions—to encourage or compliment someone: Listen and Respond to Christ's Voice.
Despite receiving hundreds, perhaps thousands, of positive feedback for past hunches / intuitive actions, I continue having moments of hesitating on future compliments, encouragements and pursuing dreams. Each time requires stepping out on Faith, faith in properly hearing and responding to God's voice. How about you, do you struggle with these same challenges?
Remember the spiritual warfare constantly surrounding those striving to serve Christ (Ephesians 6:10-18). Christ's enemies passionately, and fully seek to defeat all obedience to Christ. The methods abound including messages of doubt regarding self-worth, effectiveness, the "reality" of you God given dream. The enemy, sometimes demons, sometimes our own minds, attempts to convince you and I to give-up on our dreams, give-up on encouraging others, to give-up on acting in obedience to Christ's commands.
When you emotionally let go of that which is familiar and comfortable to you, grabbing the phone, keyboard or coffee to compliment, encourage someone or pursue your God inspired dreams, you are most likely serving Christ himself through others whom you impact (Matthew 25:31-46).
Succinctly summarized: In matters of compliments, encouragement and dreams, I prefer Faith in Action over Inaction!
See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ in Faith!
Rick E. Meyer
See, Believe, Achieve Inc.
www.rickEmeyer.com
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Possessions: Grain, Plant Material, or Chaff?
Do you find moving painful and exhausting? How does one choose what to keep versus dispose?
During Christmas break I return from Dallas where I am pursuing a Masters of Art in Truth Leadership, to meet my sister at Mom’s house in Nebraska. Our task involves removing the garages’ remaining possessions. My mother remarried December 3, 2011, five years after Dad’s passing; she sells her house while moving in with her husband—a good thing.
The process appears relatively simple; choosing to keep or dispose of items consumes energy if allowed. The physical items contain little value, rather the people and resulting relationships attached to something such as a book or a gift from a distant Christmas or birthday provide value. I picked-up childrens' Christmas books received from great-aunts and grandparents when I was a child. The books remind me of their love as they share their faith with my sister, cousins, and me.
Upon beginning to transfer these books into the save pile, a conscience, convicting bolt of intuition struck. My favorite book, the Bible, instructs us of the chaff burning while preserving the grain. These books, along with other possessions resemble chaff or straw.
Is chaff or straw worthless? No! Grain development and maturation depend upon healthy plant tissue. Grain production mandates healthy, vibrant plant stem, roots, leaves, tissue, chemistry, and cells. Disease, storms, and poor management hinder the plant’s resulting yield. From planting through harvest, the plant’s components serve determinate roles in grain production. Harvest separates the matured grain from plant tissue.
Mature grain possesses abundant nutrient value, used to feed and serve the world directly as food, by-products, or livestock feed. Mature plant tissue often possesses little nutrient value, transforming from plant to chaff, straw, or residue. Farmers manage the chaff by tilling, leaving to deteriorate, or burning this expired plant material. They do not transport expired plant material to the bin, elevator, or any storage (a few rare exceptions exist); it serves no purpose in the grains next stage of use. This practice allows the residue’s use for a new crop, and provides room for new growth.
These books, and many of my possessions, possess the same characteristics as plant material. Their presence enhanced my spiritual and emotional development. They provided valuable soul nutrients during my childhood development. New stages of development required separating from these “plant materials,” advancing to new stages of serving society.
Once separated, the old material became straw in my life; this plant material of books and other items were vital in the past, but not the present or future. Storing or moving these past possessions resembles keeping or storing chaff. The Bible suggests this lacks wisdom.
Either I incorporate my chaff into other lives—enhancing their yields, or dispose to provide room for new growth, new great yields. How do you manage your chaff?
Separate your possessions by grain, living plant material, and chaff.
“Don’t be afraid to be Great—as it all comes down to whom wants it the most.” Bill “Congo” Congleton
Rick E. Meyer
The Life and Soul Agronomist
See, Believe, Achieve Inc.
www.rickEmeyer.com
During Christmas break I return from Dallas where I am pursuing a Masters of Art in Truth Leadership, to meet my sister at Mom’s house in Nebraska. Our task involves removing the garages’ remaining possessions. My mother remarried December 3, 2011, five years after Dad’s passing; she sells her house while moving in with her husband—a good thing.
The process appears relatively simple; choosing to keep or dispose of items consumes energy if allowed. The physical items contain little value, rather the people and resulting relationships attached to something such as a book or a gift from a distant Christmas or birthday provide value. I picked-up childrens' Christmas books received from great-aunts and grandparents when I was a child. The books remind me of their love as they share their faith with my sister, cousins, and me.
Upon beginning to transfer these books into the save pile, a conscience, convicting bolt of intuition struck. My favorite book, the Bible, instructs us of the chaff burning while preserving the grain. These books, along with other possessions resemble chaff or straw.
Is chaff or straw worthless? No! Grain development and maturation depend upon healthy plant tissue. Grain production mandates healthy, vibrant plant stem, roots, leaves, tissue, chemistry, and cells. Disease, storms, and poor management hinder the plant’s resulting yield. From planting through harvest, the plant’s components serve determinate roles in grain production. Harvest separates the matured grain from plant tissue.
Mature grain possesses abundant nutrient value, used to feed and serve the world directly as food, by-products, or livestock feed. Mature plant tissue often possesses little nutrient value, transforming from plant to chaff, straw, or residue. Farmers manage the chaff by tilling, leaving to deteriorate, or burning this expired plant material. They do not transport expired plant material to the bin, elevator, or any storage (a few rare exceptions exist); it serves no purpose in the grains next stage of use. This practice allows the residue’s use for a new crop, and provides room for new growth.
These books, and many of my possessions, possess the same characteristics as plant material. Their presence enhanced my spiritual and emotional development. They provided valuable soul nutrients during my childhood development. New stages of development required separating from these “plant materials,” advancing to new stages of serving society.
Once separated, the old material became straw in my life; this plant material of books and other items were vital in the past, but not the present or future. Storing or moving these past possessions resembles keeping or storing chaff. The Bible suggests this lacks wisdom.
Either I incorporate my chaff into other lives—enhancing their yields, or dispose to provide room for new growth, new great yields. How do you manage your chaff?
Separate your possessions by grain, living plant material, and chaff.
“Don’t be afraid to be Great—as it all comes down to whom wants it the most.” Bill “Congo” Congleton
Rick E. Meyer
The Life and Soul Agronomist
See, Believe, Achieve Inc.
www.rickEmeyer.com
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Greatness
“Do not be afraid to be great.” Coach Bill “Congo” Congleton repeated this motivating statement continually during our two championship seasons of cross country. This, along with a plethora of his other patented phrases, are permanently branded on my cerebral mass—my brain. Imagine Greatness fills my website banner.
“Why is anyone afraid of being great?” As a teenager, I firmly believed everyone sought greatness. Greatness personifies America! Freedom and responsibility of pursuing one’s dream provides opportunities for greatness.
“What is greatness? You have it on your website, and you speak of being great. How do you define greatness?” Chuck presented an excellent question.
We speak of great teams, great performances, great achievements, etc. etc. In 1869, Francis Galton associated greatness with genius. Do you believe genius achieves greatness? Other define greatness as possessing great strength, intellect or power.
Would you agree defining great achievements hinges upon one’s values and effort? Greatness equals the value of the achievement multiplied by the percentage of our maximum effort.
Consider creating a list of your activities, assign a value of one to ten (highest) to their positive-permanent impact on you, your family, business, community, and anyone else you feel compelled to affect.
Next evaluate your percent of effort based on your ability in performing these tasks. Multiplying the value and the effort provides your greatness score.
However, our activities alone fail to define or qualify greatness! Rather, our heart, our motive, driving our activities define greatness (Mt. 7:21). Do we serve in response man or God? Does our service originate with love?
Greatness exists in serving others in response to our love of God and those whom we serve.
See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve and Serve with Christ!
Rick E. Meyer
See, Believe, Achieve Inc.
www.rickEmeyer.com
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