Be All That You Can Be

Whether you are in the Army or not, the old tag line is a great one. With all the uncertainty in the market and layoffs expanding into more industries, a lot of people are getting antsy wondering what the future holds.

• Be the best employee in your organization so that of all the people, they want to keep you.

I have been using a "Getting Things Done" workflow model by David Allen to vastly improve my efficiency and effectiveness at work. Anyone who has come into my office in the last couple of weeks has noticed the change. Make sure your work product and ethic reflect that you are doing your work as unto God and not unto men (Colossians 3:23).

David Allen's workflow model, along with Steven Covey's calendar management method have been very useful to me. But like my Pastor says about workout equipment, whether you have an eliptical machine, treadmill, weight bench, or the Total Gym, they all work and any one of them will help you IF you use it! As it relates to your work, find what helps you most and USE IT.

• Maximize your value by playing to your strengths.

Pastor Andy Stanley writes about this in his book. The Next Generation Leader. We have a tendency to spend a lot of time and energy building up and compensating for our weaknesses, while giving little time to improving our strengths. This leaves us mediocre in the weaker areas, and moderate in our strengths. Put it together and you get one work - OK. Okay employees are less valuable than strong employees. Where you add the most value in your organization is where you are the strongest.

Most people have certain responsibilities at work that they don't like as well or at which they are less proficient. Complete that work at your best but don't spend all your energy trying to grow an area with little potential. Again, the idea is to become so strong in your strengths that your employer frees you up from your weaknesses in order to maximize the value you produce. It may seem idealistic, but move this way. You may find yourself becoming more bold, more secure, and more valued.

• Don't retreat.

Sometimes you have done all you can do and bad things happen anyway. In Ephesians 6:13 (NIV) Paul said,

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.


There are times when you have done everything you can do, and all that is left is to stay standing. No ground may be gained today, but "stand your ground" and do all you can so that "after you have done everything," you may be able to stand.

Don't miss the way to do this - put on the whole armor of God, even before the day of evil comes. Be ready in advance.

• Trust in the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) says,

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding; In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

God is big enough to make a crooked path straight. Another translation says, "He will direct your paths." Spend more time putting your trust in the Lord than worrying about the path. This verse makes clear that He will take care of the path you take, IF you fulfill the first part of the verse.

Another verse to reference is Romans 12:2. It is my verse for 2009...I'll say more about this in #4 below.

• And as always, when uncertain times come, you can increase your peace and build a safety net by following some good financial advice:

1) Get out of debt


2) Build and/or maintain a solid 3-6 months savings fund


3) Diversify your investments, including some international funds


4) And this should really be #1 - Trust in the Lord.

Back to Romans 12:2 - while so many people are stressed about the future of their job or retirement plan, we who trust in the Lord live in a different Kingdom, and we need to remind ourselves of that.

In the Kingdom of God, His Name is "Provider." His Name is "Peace."...So don't let your thinking be "conformed to this world" but be "transformed by the renewing of your mind". There should be a dramatic difference in how we who trust in the Name of the Lord approach troubled times.

Be all that you can be. Carry the Kingdom of God inside of you. Bring it into your home, your church, your work, your social sphere... May "Your Kindgom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."

Wisdom and Discipline

Happy New Year!  Yes, I know it is the 6th of January, but it is a new year nonetheless and I always get excited for a new year.  It somehow signals a fresh start - a new beginning - a clean slate.  I always try to make the most of opportunities.

But this is not a New Year's post, exactly.  It actually comes from the 1st - chapter of Proverbs, that is.  Proverbs is one of the most read books in my Bible.  Since the chapters correspond with the days of the month, I think it is great to add a Proverb to your daily Bible reading.  Which brings me to this post.

I was reading the first chapter in Proverbs, which starts by laying out the purpose for the book:

 1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.

 2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
      to help them understand the insights of the wise.
 3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
      to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
 4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
      knowledge and discernment to the young.

 5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
      Let those with understanding receive guidance
 6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
      the words of the wise and their riddles.

 7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
      but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

These are exactly what we all need this year - wisdom and discipline - and you can learn these through study of the Proverbs.  Growing in wisdom and discipline will not only help your finances, but your relationship with God, your marriage, your relationship with your kids, your church life, and your work.  All of your life will be affected.

So let me encourage you in 2009 to make reading from Proverbs part of your daily life.  If this simple task is your only achievement for the year, it will be a fruitful year, because if this is your only achievement it will not be your only achievement! (You may have to read that sentence a couple of times)

And along with it, Psalm 119 (the longest in the Bible) examines the importance of wisdom.

Receive the instruction and apply it in your life.  And as a friend of mine says, "Make it a great year!"