Recently, I’ve been encouraging my staff to seek out a mentor in their lives. Someone they can call, email, text or visit with during the month that can help them process thoughts, ideas and decisions.

This is a great idea for a young married couple as well. I think it would be great if each newlywed could have a seasoned couple in their lives to help them navigate this new adventure of marriage. How many couples could avoid collapse?

I know I have personally benefited from many different people in my life. One of those that has impacted me greatly, is my pastor, Tom Paino. I only had one pastor my whole life of growing up in the church! He dedicated me, baptized me, performed our wedding, ordained me, and dedicated our daughter. The most important thing he did was lead by example. His steady leadership taught me the value of perseverance, continuity, and strength. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked his opinion, sought his counsel and asked, “What would Pastor Tom do?”

Who do you have in your life that you can trust to have wise advice? What person can you reach out to that is further down the road and knows where the potholes are located? Let me encourage you to find that person. If you don’t have someone today, then get busy thinking through your contacts, acquaintances and friends. Get them in your life and you’ll be the better for it.

Today’s reading of the One Year Bible affirms this when it says, “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.” This principle is not only true for a nation; it’s true for you.

It’s such a juxtaposition to think that the way up is down. Most people would assume that the way up is up. But, Jesus clearly taught something different when it comes to greatness.

One day Jesus was asked if He could arrange who would sit next to Him in eternity. The question was asked by two disciples, and probably really ticked off the others. Jesus defused the situation by defining what it would take to be great. He said, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” (Mark 10:43b-44)

The desire to be on top will hinder, not help. Rather than seeking to have your needs met, look for ways that you can minister to the needs of others.

It seems backwards, but Jesus gave us an illustration of how it works with His own life. Here He is this eternal King, but comes as a poor child in a manger, lives a simple life as a carpenter, teacher, preacher, Rabbi. He then dies a death for a criminal, yet it was this act of humility that formed His rise in popularity. By the time He’s resurrected, the story of His life is the most popular topic in town. Now, over 2,000 years later, He’s considered the greatest person who ever lived by most.

The key to all that greatness was His willingness to humble Himself and serve us by giving His life. In a culture that thinks up is up, let’s choose to follow the true path that Jesus showed by example.

There are times I have to disappoint people, and I don’t like it.  I can’t be in two places at once, so I have to make a choice.  There is a call to answer and so you can’t answer everyone else’s.  Opportunities present themselves, but you can’t have it all or possibly do it all, so what do you do?

I’ve failed in this area so many times that it isn’t even funny, but over time I have learned some principles that serve as a guide and help me sleep at night.  One thing I would suggest is you must prioritize your life and do so with the idea of living your life on purpose.  What are your priorities?

Here are mine:

• What do I feel would please God most in this situation, choice or dilemma?
• What does my family need me to be right now?  Present? Listening? Engaged? What does that look like?
• What does my church family need right now? Is there an area I need to pay closer attention to at this season?

Now, this list is written in priority order for me.  God first, family second and occupation third.  I would like to tell you that this is the way it’s always been, but I’m afraid my wife might write a blog someday and embarrass me.  The truth is that it used to be church first, God second (because I thought He put me in charge of the church), then family a distant third (because God liked it when I let Him be in charge of my family.  The problem came when I saw in the Scriptures that He said HE was in charge of His church and I was in charge of my family.  That changed my life!

For many I’ve witnessed, the miss-alignment looks more like family first, career & personal ambitions second, then God (and things of God) a very distant third.

So, if you were to apply the priority list of God first, family second, and occupation/dreams/goals/job third, what does today look like for you?  How about this coming weekend?  How about the year so far?

We’re about halfway through this year, so the good news is you can still turn it around and finish strong.  Here’s what else I’ve found, when I put God first, not just in my words, but in my time, talent and treasure (the real measurements); then He has a way of blessing the other areas in ways only He can do — see Matthew 6:33.

I just heard someone the other day mention that “50% of time is wasted or spent on personal issues at work.”  I couldn’t believe it!  So, I had to do some research myself to see if they were correct.  Well, here’s what I discovered, the number of people who now admit to wasting time at work every day has reached a whopping 89%.  Seriously?  Employees are spending longer periods than ever before wasting time.

Here’s the problem with that, Scripture tells us of the value of time and not to waste it, but instead redeem the time (Eph. 5:16).  And, “whatever  you do” we are to “do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).  How is wasting time at work bringing glory to God?

Not only are we cheating our employer and getting paid for goofing off or doing personal stuff, but also we are cheating ourselves out of performing with excellence and giving a poor testimony of a believer.

So, quit reading my blog, and get back to work! 🙂

Like a billion, or whatever, other people, I watched the Super Bowl again this year.  This one had a little extra interest because of it possibly being Peyton Manning’s last game.  I just wish it had been with our Colts again.  In the after game interview, one of the things that struck me was the phrase “I’m grateful.”  Peyton mentioned that he was grateful for the opportunity, the team, and to in essence be in this position. It was a good example of a gratitude attitude.

Far too many people fail to recognize the power of gratitude.  Marriages, friendships, businesses, children, and parents suffer when ungratefulness exists.  Many don’t appreciate what they have until it is taken from them.

My grandma lived to be 93 years old and one of the consistent traits of her life was gratitude.  I would take her a simple card and gift, and she would say, “Oh, I thank ya, thank ya, thank ya” (she was from Kentucky).  This always made me feel special and that I had really blessed her.  But, it also allowed me to see the kind of attitude it takes to live that long with grace.  Thanks grandma for the example!

I heard about the owner of a large department store that offered a prize of $5,000 to the one giving the best answer to the question: “How can my business be most speedily and surely improved?”  Many students of economics submitted different lengthy answers.  A guy by the name of Roy McCardell received a check for $5,000 for simply writing on a postal card, “Tell your clerks to say ‘Thank you!’”

Many of us could greatly improve our marriages, homes, families, extended families, jobs, offices, schools by heading the same advice.

Wishing you and yours a most blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

I don’t know about you, but I just am not as good of a person when I’m tired.  Some people act like they need very little sleep and they can perform fantastic – I don’t like those people.  Then, I wonder, are they only fooling themselves and really don’t understand how much better they could be with more rest?

It’s interesting that the Bible has a lot to say about rest.  God even through in an extra day in every week for that very purpose.  Jesus, God in the flesh, intentionally pulled away from the crowds, went off on retreats (40 days in a desert), prayer times in a garden.  So, who am I to think I don’t need to do similar?

My problem is that a strength of mine (according to StrengthsFinder) is achiever.  Therefore, I want do it all.  I want to work really hard, see progress, exercise to be as healthy as possible and be a great husband and super dad.  Unfortunately, there isn’t always time to feel accomplished in all of those areas at the same time (and those aren’t all the areas).  Do you ever feel that way?  Strung out, pushed to the limit, going 100 miles an hour in many directions, everyone needing a piece of you.

Let this be a reminder to all the achievers and people who tend to push it as fast as possible that our Savior calls us to rest.  Take your foot off the accelerator, find a quiet place to meditate and pray, get to bed a little earlier tonight, leave work a little early and hug your kids, and enjoy the earth that God put you on.  I think we’ll find that He will honor our act of wisdom and bless our humility in acknowledging that He is God and we are not.  Plus, we’ll probably be more pleasant to be around, I know I am.

Motivational speakers are good at providing energy for doing things with excellence.  Sports teams will hire guests to come in and provide a pep talk to the squad about reaching a new dimension this season, achieving our potential and winning a championship.  Businesses pay big dollars to send employees to seminars that will inspire them to hit sales goals they’ve never reached before.

I applaud anything that inspires people to go further in their lives than they would on their own – bring it on!

A motivator for achieving personal excellence is the good that will come into your life and the lives of others as a result.  However, if you are a Christ follower, the Bible shares another reason to reach for your best effort:  God’s glory.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Therefore, in addition to all the great personal reasons to live life with excellence, keep in mind that we are giving an opportunity for glory to go to God.  And, it just doesn’t get any better than that.

Do you find it difficult to get upset with people who seem to only want to serve you?  Actually, don’t you find yourself being attracted to people who attend to you?  I think this is especially true in a culture neck deep in selfishness.

Jesus taught the concept and modeled it in lifestyle.  Seek to serve not be served, don’t lord over people, and sit and the tail end of the table.  What would happen if everyone did this where you work?  Live?  Go to school?

Here’s a final thought on this for married people: what would your marriage look like if all you cared about was serving your partner?  None of this, “what about me, them first, or that’s not fair.”  Instead, what if you just sought to act like Jesus and became a servant as unto the Lord?  Try it for 30 days and see if things improve.

(See 2 Cor. 5:14-15; Gal. 5:13)

Since my wife is a travel agent in her spare time (besides all the other things she does), we try to get away when we are able.  The strain of ministry can pull on you physically, mentally and spiritually.  Jesus Himself would get away from the crowds and encourage His disciples to do the same.

My problem is this: “I’m too busy to get away!” Ever find yourself saying this?  So, how can you make it happen?

I think you have to decide to make it happen first of all.  Nothing will change until you decide.

You have to plan ahead. If you intend to take time off at spring, then you better start working toward it now.  If I wait until close to the date I want to leave to work ahead, then it won’t happen.

Let everyone know that you will be gone and unreachable.  If you allow urgency to press in, then there will never be a “good time” to go. You have to make this the priority in your life.

Then, unplug, unwind, disengage and relax. Many people tell me that I am on fire when I come back from a break. I think you’ll be amazed at how much more you can get accomplished by taking off quality time to restore, refresh and recharge your internal batteries.