Your Design for Glorious Living

Posted on August 5, 2014 by pdncoach

We were made for “Glorious Living.”

It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ…he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
~ Ephesians 1:11 (MSG)

God has a plan for you and your ministry (Jeremiah 29:11) — a design for glorious living. Would you describe your situation as “glorious living”? If so, by what standard? If not, what is in your way? How could you raise your standard?

What is God’s design for your life? What is God’s design in the circumstances you now face? How does His design show up in your hopes, dreams and desires? How might you better reflect Christ in the way you are handling today’s challenges and opportunities? What is His design for your work and ministry? How do you know?

What do you want? What is your purpose, specifically? How might your life and work be “on earth as it is in heaven”? How might you more fully realize this “glorious living” described in scripture? What might glorious living look like for you? What should you do next?

We were made for glorious living — the first fruits of divine joy that will be perfected in eternity. Glorious living is by no means limited to fame or fortune, but no matter how humble it is remarkable. Borne through devotion and obedience, glorious living is about the revelation of scripture in your life and ministry, in your work and family, in your struggles and opportunities, cares and concerns. His story is our story, so we want to help you appreciate that story to the fullness of your potential.

“Join me in the search to be remarkable — that by grace you might have a valuable influence in the lives of others. Re-connect your thoughts and actions with your deepest values and purpose, and engender the same in others. Have the courage to take action now on the things most important to you. Achieve what may seem just beyond your reach. Join us at the Intersection of Purpose & Now.”
~ Lifting Arms coach Mark Sturgell

Personal, professional and spiritual revival

 You may have a different perspective on life mission, ethics, relationships, problem-solving, decision-making, goal achievement and your own development because you rely on prayer, you study scripture, you have the experience of faith, and you are encouraged in fellowship by the body of Christ.

As a ministry leader or pastor, however, you may feel a bit isolated at times; you may have challenges, opportunities, goals and dreams that, for whatever reason, are inappropriate to discuss with someone in your congregation or ministry, or with a colleague or spouse. In fact, those very same people may seem to be at the center of your challenges! The isolation of our role can be fatiguing at times.

You need someone who knows what it means to really listen, without judgement, yet ask tough open-ended questions to help you clarify your thinking, discern the right reasons and the right time to take the right action. You need complete confidentiality. You want someone who will come alongside you, is a believer of like mind, and shares an underlying depth of faith and Christ-centered world-view. You need a coach who will advocate for you with prayer and encouragement, one who will support you in a process of personal, professional and spiritual revival.

Contact Lon Alderman or Mark Sturgell at Lifting Arms Ministry for more information.

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Join me at the Intersection of Purpose & Now.
Posted in coaching, crisis leadership, Glorious living, God's design, leaders, Lifting Arms, ministry, pastors, Purpose, revival, values-based leadership | Leave a comment

Remember the Sabbath…or Go Nuts!

Posted on July 29, 2014 by pdncoach

One of my long-time coaching clients has a great habit (well, actually a lot of great habits) that I truly appreciate. Twice a month before our coaching calls, he sends me both his most recent pre-session review form and the one from our previous call, which now includes his notes from that session. He often quotes me in his notes.

I rather enjoy being quoted. It gives me a fleeting sense of immortality, I suppose. More importantly, I love to see his insights as he recorded them “live” during our coaching calls, including the questions and lessons I share with him, and the next steps he takes as we explore his creative tensions of work and life.

In one recent coaching session, we were talking about a habit he doesn’t do as well as he would like: his need for balance, including Sabbath in his daily/weekly life, and I said this:

“Don’t be so driven that you forget to live or so open that you forget to act.”

He soon quoted me in social media and later, before our next coaching call, he sent me his notes. Here are his annotated notes from that conversation.

“How do I work Sabbath into my regular life?

Typical theology is 1/10th of my money to God, 1/7th of my time to rest, so how can I intentionally include Sabbath in my week? I can go overboard; I tend to put so much pressure on finding time to rest.

Enjoy the moment! Appreciate the moment! Even as I move from one task to another. All kinds of things can reveal themselves. Be open for those revealing moments, be ready for them; that’s a form for Sabbath. Allow some time for purposeful meandering and be open to those spontaneous opportunities that God presents to enjoy just a moment of rest.

‘Don’t be so driven that you forget to live or so open that you forget to act.’

I need sleep. I need worship. I need devotion. These are not Sabbath/rest. I also need rest.

I must guard against (God, encourage me) to allow time in my scheduling for rest.  Just as important, I must allow myself to rest at times.”

Very likely, you need to be productive. You need to eat. You need to sleep. You need family time. You need time with friends. You need devotion, fellowship and worship. You need re-creation — You need rest. You may not always be able to balance these needs throughout your week, but you could be more intentional about shifting your focus to each one throughout your week.

What would it take to give one-seventh of your time to Sabbath-rest each week?

If you know your priorities and purpose, and have a vision for carrying out your purpose, it is much easier to focus and experience some balance on a regular basis. Let rest be part of your plan. It is at least part of God’s plan for you.

Join me at the Intersection of Purpose & Now.
Posted in balance, coaching, focus, rest, Sabbath, time management | 1 Comment

We are getting soft

Posted on June 19, 2014 by pdncoach

“Mothering” in our society has gotten out of hand. We are getting soft. For crying out loud, think about it.

  • Enough of the pre-school graduation ceremonies! 
  • Enough with the “everyone gets a trophy” approach to raising children (since when isn’t a hug and reassurance enough?). 
  • Enough with being surprised that young boys want to kill a lion, and young girls want to be beautiful; it’s time to start giving children the opportunity to hunt again, to be beautiful, and to recognize their true spirits again. 

(Note for the hyper-reactive, I am not promoting the literal slaughter of endangered species here. Think.)

  • And enough with our schools being more about compliance, reward, punishment and “tolerance”, than about learning, self-discipline and respect.

Nothing wrong with emphasizing one’s strengths, but you can’t know your strengths until they are tested. We don’t test strengths anymore (unless you count those clean little online surveys); we reward participation. As adults, we work out like hamsters in a cage and make daily visits to the coffee, froyo, and smoothie shops, and so-called “organic” groceries. (I can’t think of anything more plastic than an organic grocery.)

As adults, we work out like hamsters in a cage and make daily visits to the coffee, froyo, and smoothie shops, and so-called “organic” groceries. (I can’t think of anything more plastic than an organic grocery.)

You can’t know God’s spirit until you push yourself to the limits of your own spirit. That doesn’t happen by rewarding yourself with frozen yogurt after a really good workout on a stationary bike at the local spa.

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 I will never forget the trip we took to the Great Smoky Mountains when our boys were young. We stayed in a nice condo. (My wife is particularly soft and beautiful; but yes, she could kill a lion, too…with her eyes!)  A huge water park was next door. We couldn’t get the boys away from the water park all week. I begged them to go hiking: “We are in the Smokies, for goodness sake.” Finally, on our last day we tricked them and parked on the side of a mountain near a trail head and lured them in. They loved it. They wanted more! Their spirits were awakened. Unfortunately, we were starting home. They whined so much we stopped at a state park in Indiana and hiked the most rugged trail we could find. Something was finally born in my boys that day that had been dormant before, all because I made them get dirty and dangerous.

I will never forget that trip because it has been so difficult to forgive myself as a father. I was soft. Why didn’t I force the issue earlier? Why didn’t I just throw them into the dirt and rocks and trees of the Smokies to show them what a father’s love really is? I vowed to make it up, and hope I did in the years that have followed.  I’ve since encouraged my boys as they broke noses and arms, both theirs and others, playing hockey. I’ve consoled my wife when we found one of them laying in the dirt, discovering that ants don’t taste bad at all. My boys certainly have had ample opportunity to go wild caving with me. They know how much and how often I encourage them to “dive into the deep end.” I hope I’ve given them the opportunity to “kill a lion” and they have begun to recognize and respect the wonder and beauty in God’s kingdom while testing the limits of both their spirits and strengths.

Of course, I was the product of too much mothering and I passed that on. I don’t think my boys will pass it on. We will see. I look forward to grandsons and granddaughters who are beautiful and have the opportunity to kill lions in their own time.  But understand, if they have pre-school graduations, grandpa will come — then take them to a wild place to skip rocks and get dirty for the real celebration.

 Please take time to watch the new short film series from John Eldredge’s And Sons Magazine, “Killing Lions“.

Join me at the Intersection of Purpose & Now.
Posted in beauty, John Eldredge, killing lions, raising boys, raising children, strengths | Leave a comment