Do Well

 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ - Luke 19:17 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke19:17&version=ESV

In our busy world it seems like we are in a never-ending quest to do more.  The verse above shows that our Lord is about excellence as he tells the servant "well done".  Please note he did not say all done, rather "well done".

As 2015 enters it's final month in just a couple of days it is important to look ahead to how we will live in 2016.  By starting now you can have your goals/plans in place and ready to begin on Day 1 of the new year.  Who couldn't use a head start?

First, we must do a self assessment.  This requires painful honesty and reflection.  This is typically the most painful part of the process since most of us struggle with self image in some way or another.

Once we have established where we are we need to determine where we want to go.  This is where we set those goals for next year.  I recommend breaking those into four sections: Faith, Family/Friends, Finance, and Fitness.  You may choose to add your work related goals as another option, but for me work is something that should not define me, but is inextricably linked to each of the others.  As you look at each of these areas do a little brainstorming and put down those things that come to mind.  Then look those things over and determine which items will have the greatest impact on your well-being.  My suggestion here is to limit yourself to about 3 goals in each area.

Now that you have begun the process we will look at next steps in next week's edition of "Workout Your Faith".  Keep I mind that "with God we will. . . Do Well!"

Thanksgiving

In the coming week our nation celebrates a day of Thanksgiving.  On this day we collectively show our gratitude to God for his blessings and mercy.

As Americans we have much to be thankful for, and as Christians oh so much more.  I pray that as we enjoy this day that we not forget those in some special positions that secure for us these freedoms, or who put themselves in dangerous positions on a daily basis to serve and protect.

These are our military, intelligence services, law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians.  Each of these hold fast to the idealism of the America our founding fathers envisioned, and protect the public interest not for glory, but with a  mission to serve.

We each have many things to be thankful for, but don't overlook these important members of our community and the families who share them with us each day.

Gratitude is good for the spirit and vital to our nation.  Please join me in saluting these folks for a job a well done, and asking God's continued blessing on them all.

With God we will. . . Be Grateful!

Dealing With Negativity in News

The world it seems is on fire.  Sin is running rampant and Satan has a stronghold over so much of what is happening.  It is disheartening to follow the news especially when we see events such as happened in Paris this week.

My suggestion is to first limit how much news you consume.  That is difficult medicine as a recovering news and weather junkie, but it will help.  The 24 hour access to news is a two edged sword bringing us much information while not truly allowing us to digest it all and seek understanding.

Next make sure you replace that news time with additional time in God's word and communicating with Him in prayer.  This will reduce our anxieties related to all that is happening around us.

Finally seek opportunities to serve.  When we take our an inward motivation and turn it into positive action we feel better about ourselves, and more importantly can have a positive impact on others.  It is through service that we touch the hearts of others, and if enough of us come together as servants we can make a difference.  With God we will. . . Overcome all the negative news.

Healthy Holidays

We are coming into a favorite time of year for many with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years all in the next 50 days or so.  At the heart of how we celebrate is often FOOD, and lots of it.  Many of our favorites are not favored by the healthy foods police, and for good reason.  All this food everywhere we turn is a temptation that is hard to resist.  Causing most people to pack on the pounds during this season, fueling everyone's favorite New Year's resolutuon, to lose weight.

Is there a strategy for minimizing our risk, without compromising our enjoyment?  Yes, and it is one we should be employing 24/7/365.  It goes something like this, we can't have it all, choose wisely and in smaller portions. 

Secondly drink more water, hydration is a wonderful thing for the body and a well timed glass of H2O, approximately 30 minutes before meal time can give us that fuller feeling quicker.   

Third, it's activity, we must be diligent to PLAN activity to coincide with our intake, burn those calories and promote better nutritional absorption by getting moving.

Finally incorporate a good sleep routine into your schedule.  When we fail to sleep adequately our body and mind becomes fatigued and those bodily functions don't fire off as they should making the burn come slower and the pounds stack up more quickly.

It is my sincere wish that each of you enjoys the happiest of holiday seasons.  With a little thought we can win these battles, and with God we can win the war.

Woodlawn

In an era where faith-based movies have come out of the shadows we have been blessed to have several high quality films over the past several years.  The most recent of these is "Woodlawn"' which takes us back to the early seventies and examines the power of God working through people to break down racial barriers that had separated, victimized, and discouraged people.

In this film first time actor Caleb Castille portrays former NFL player Tony Nathan as he makes his way through high school in racially divided Birmingham.  Nathan was a dynamic talent who may have gone unnoticed if not for the events depicted in this film.

We all need to be lifted up and yet recognize the inappropriate barriers that our attitudes create, and this film walks that difficult line.  In the end we know that in God is all power and all hope.  If we will seek after His teachings, then we can make a difference just as this group of high schoolers forever changed America's most racially divided city at the time.  I encourage you all to see this movie it is inspiring, insightful, and entertaining.

Remember that with God we will. . . make a difference.

Reflection

Time for reflection seems to get pushed aside in our busy lives.  Reflection however is a vital part of growth.  By looking back we can see the progress we have made or ground we have lost relative to our goals and dreams.

Reflection also gives us perspective, a word I have used a number of times in previous writings.  When we gain a different perspective on things all of a sudden the light bulb goes off in our mind and we often reach greater understanding.  For those of us who are Christians we can read a passage of Scripture many times over and then, out of nowhere, we read it and find more meaning.

I was fortunate to spend the early part of this past week in Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation.  Being in the room and on the grounds of what we call Independence Hall was incredible.  There is an energy there because we know what came from that meeting place.  Though those men held varying views on faith, often at bitter odds, they persisted and put the founding of this republic into God's hands as is evident in our founding documents.

Take a little time this week to reflect on you life, the scriptures, and the founding of our nation.  You will recognize that  God was, is, and will be present and available seeking to bless us.

Keep the faith, remember that with God we will. . .grow in understanding.

Persistence

Yesterday's college football slate included one of the best games we are likely to see this season between the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans.  Around 110,000 people were treated to a slugfest between two mighty behemoths of the college football landscape.  In the end there was a great lesson to be learned, even if you know nothing about football.

This heavyweight matchup was tight throughout with Michigan's Wolverines holding the advantage throughout the game.  With just under 2 minutes remaining the Spartans looked to be finished having given the ball back to the maize and blue and holding only one timeout to stop the clock.  As it happened they fought through to the final play which will go down in the annals of football history as one of the most unlikely endings of all time.  With 10 second left Michigan was set to punt the ball away which would have run out the clock.  Fate however stepped in as the Michigan punter muffed the snap fumbling into the hands of a Spartan defender who returned it for the game winning score as time expired.

The lesson here is persistence, seeing our efforts through to the end.  This is the way we should all work and live especially as Christians.  We will be engaged in many battles with a difficult enemy but if we will persist, in the end we can know victory.  With God we will. . . Persist.