Just Breathe

I want to add a few more thoughts about our Christmas theme, Just Breathe.

If you’ve been at church for a Sunday service in December you know that we have been talking a lot about finding peace in the midst of chaos. Is there a better time of the year to be reminded about this possibility? The words Christmas and peace don’t seem to go together very well when you consider all of the extra activities and expectations added on to already maxed out schedules. By the time all of the festivities are over at the end of the month, exhaustion is the word that comes to mind, not peace.

That’s why we chose “Just Breathe” as our focus this year. We know that a lot of people are out of breath, and not just physically but spiritually and emotionally as well. You can tell if that’s your present condition if you feel like you’re running on a daily treadmill of responsibilities and routines and not only aren’t getting any further ahead but falling behind. On top of that you’d like to get out of the trap you’re in but you can’t see any way out. You are stressed out to the point of panic and you don’t know where to turn.

The Christmas message is for you, as strange as that may sound at this moment. I’m not referring to the festivities that we have grown accustomed to and feel obligated to participate in that often add to our predicament. I have in mind a simplified approach to this season that centres on the actual reason for all the fuss. Christmas is actually a good news story for you, your family and every person alive today. It is a message full of hope and joy and favour for all who will listen to it and accept it.

What is the message? A Saviour has been born for you, someone who is able to rescue you from your predicament and give you a completely new lease on life. That Saviour is Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to earth two thousand years ago for you and everyone else who would believe in him. If you put your faith in Jesus, you give yourself the opportunity to breathe again. You will undergo a transformation of renewal in your thinking and emotions. You will experience peace deep within regardless of the circumstances you find yourself going through.

I see Christmas as a regular reminder to keep things simple, to focus on what this annual celebration is supposed to be about. Jesus Christ came to earth to save people from the consequences of sin. He gave his life so that you could truly live. I hope that you believe that and have prayed and asked Jesus to be your Saviour. If you have, take a moment to thank him for rescuing you and giving you peace and hope. If you haven’t, take a deep breath and give it some serious thought. I hope that you like me will find the real joy of Christmas by putting your faith in Jesus.

Merry Christmas!

DW

Don't Waste Your Life - Some Further Thoughts...

This past Sunday I spoke a message about not wasting your life but making your life count instead. The inspiration for the sermon theme was the book of the same title written by John Piper several years ago. I recommend that you read the book if you really want to be further challenged about spending your life well while you still can.

(Click here to check it out on Amazon.)

I gave some pretty inspiring examples of people who are making a difference in our world with what they have. We spent time looking at the parable of the rich fool that God condemned for wasting his life by spending it on himself and losing all that he had accumulated overnight because he failed at the most important thing in life. His fatal flaw was not being rich towards God with his stuff. As a result he lost everything he had worked so hard to gain including any eternal reward from God as an inheritance.

The challenge is the same for every one of us. We have been given so much by God already and it’s up to us to use everything we have for the growing of God’s kingdom. In fact, one day each of us will stand before God and give an account of what we have done with all that we have been given. Whatever we’ve done for ourselves will be lost and whatever we’ve done for Christ will be acknowledged and rewarded. While material possessions are an obvious focus here, it is important to surrender everything to the Lord for his use including our time, talent and treasure. Giving quality time to God’s work, using our abilities to serve others for God and sowing our money into God’s mission are ways to spend our lives well and not waste it.

To me there is nothing sadder than seeing someone waste his or her life. It’s sad because they don’t have to. They have every opportunity to make their lives count by being generous to God with everything they have but this is usually easier said than done. It is so tempting to hold on to things instead of holding onto God, to think that possessions can satisfy your inner longings and to assume that you have lots of time left to get it right. Unfortunately acting on those beliefs will rob you of getting the most out of life for now and for eternity.

When you are wasting your life you usually don’t recognize it. You develop daily living patterns that are self-centred and self-serving and leave serving God and others out of the picture and you don’t give it a second thought. The result is that you develop deep spiritual and emotional longings that go unsatisfied and leave you vulnerable to wasting your time trying to create an environment for yourself that serves your wants and wishes. Living this way is never fulfilling because it sows seed into the wrong place. It is true that you reap what you sow. What you give to God and his purposes will last forever and grow into an eternal inheritance for you while what you keep for yourself will rust, wear out and disappear over time and not have any lasting impact for the kingdom of God or yourself.

So, are you spending your life wisely? Are you generous towards God with everything that you have? Will you commit your time, talent and treasure every day to God for him to use to build his kingdom here on earth? Will you make daily deposits in God’s work with everything you have and by so doing lay up treasure in heaven? There is no better way to make eternal investments.

It’s entirely up to you how you spend your life. Be sure to spend it well. Don’t waste it but make it count for Christ at every opportunity.

DW

Respect Yourself

Integrity is the foundation on which you can build respect for yourself. It is also the quality that you find in others that gives you increased confidence to trust them. When your word is your bond, you greatly influence others to believe in you and follow your example because your dealings with them will be predictably positive. As a bonus, you will experience personal satisfaction as you consistently show yourself to be honest and true.

The world is desperate for men and women of integrity, people with bottom-line values that can’t be bought - politicians to lead us, news people to inform us, bankers to advise us, justices to judge us, friends to sharpen us – all with uncompromising commitment to honesty and incorruptibility. But life isn’t always like that, is it? In their book, The Day America Told the Truth, authors Jim Patterson and Peter Kim uncovered survey results from interviews with ordinary people that underscore the integrity crisis. They found that 74% would steal from those who wouldn’t really miss it, 64% would lie when it suited them as long as it didn’t cause any real damage and 50% would do absolutely nothing about one full day in every five at work because it is accepted operating procedure. And then, if the price was right, integrity could be bought. For ten million dollars, 25% would abandon their entire family, 23% would become prostitutes, and 10% would withhold testimony and free a murderer. Not very encouraging.

A big reason for this unfortunate situation is the great number of worldviews that are not founded in absolute truth. Fewer people are basing their convictions on the truth of God’s Word and more are relying on the opinions of man to formulate what they believe. People in positions of influence and power are making their decisions based on opinion polls. Our world is floundering morally as it looks for leaders who say what they mean and mean what they say.

What an advantage it is for the follower of God to learn and live in truth as revealed in the Bible. The one who lives by God’s principles will be respected by others who may even disagree and express opposition. The upside of being a person of integrity is that over time you will be known as someone people can count on.

Committing yourself to being a person of integrity won’t be easy but it will build your self respect as you confidently engage the opportunities of your life. Over time, you will make a positive impression for truth wherever you go in a world that needs it.

DW

A few more words on redemption...

On Sunday, one of the "Top Ten Words That Change Your Life" I talked about was redemption. I described was redemption is and how it is powerful for us today. I didn't have time then but I wanted to show you an awesome parallel, a real-life picture that we're given in the Bible to even further illustrate redemption.

The book of Ruth tells the story of Boaz becoming the kinsmen-redeemer for Naomi and Ruth and rescuing them from a bleak future. The historical significance of Ruth & Boaz's marriage is obvious - they are part of the lineage of Jesus. But the story of redemption knitted into this historical tale, the story of provision and God's faithfulness to rescue is more than significant, it is powerful.

It would be definitely worthwhile to read through the short book of Ruth and compare it to what we know about redemption. God's story of grace and love is woven through every page of scripture, BC or AD!

I found a great explanation of this story on the web - use this for a launching point:

One of the most beautiful passages where the word Goel is found is in the life of Naomi in the book of Ruth. The book of Ruth is a story about Naomi's Goel. Naomi was the poorest person in Israel, but her kinsman was the richest man in Israel. Because of the death of her husband and two sons, she and her daughter-in-laws lost all income and their homestead. Naomi was living in a foreign land and sensed the loss of her homeland and relatives. She became bitter. The secret of all her daughter-in-law Ruth had was in union with Boaz. The nearer kinsman had the first right to the property and Boaz came next after him. If Ruth’s closer relative would not redeem or purchase it, Boaz was prepared to do so. The man who was nearest of kin agreed to redeem the piece of land until he found out there was a young widow involved. He graciously backed out! That left Boaz as the rightful nearest of kin who had the privilege of redeeming her land and her with it. The Moabitess and the Jew became one. Boaz was nearest of kin to her deceased husband (Ruth 2:1). He was able to redeem by paying the price of redemption (2:1), and he was willing to redeem the land (4:4). That is what makes this epic so beautiful.

Four things were required in order for a kinsman to redeem:

• He must be near of kin. (Leviticus 25:48; 25:25 Ruth 3:12–13)
• He must be able to redeem (Ruth 4:4–6). He must be free of any calamity or need of redemption himself.
• He must be willing to redeem (Ruth 4:6ff)
• Redemption was completed when the price was completely paid (Leviticus 25:27; Ruth 4:7-11).

(Source: http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/lev25v25.html)

TD

Distractions

Does this sound familiar? You have good intentions, a solid life or ministry plan; you’re off to a great start and experiencing some momentum. Then, before you know it, you’re off course. You are still technically in the game but you know that you are not performing at your best. You’re feeling frustrated with yourself because this isn’t the first time it’s gone like this. What happened? How is it that you can you go from making initial gains in your pursuit to losing ground in what seems like minutes? One word – distractions.

In the last Transformation Insight I challenged you to keep pace with Jesus in your life’s calling in order to finish strong. But if you have been around for a reasonable length of time you know that finishing what you start takes full-time effort. Athletes in a race know they have to train themselves to not get their eyes off of the main thing, which is crossing the finish line first. Looking around even slightly at other contestants or objects while competing has proven to be disastrous for more than one runner. You can quickly get thrown off of your race plan by losing focus. How the racer handles distractions can be the difference between winning and losing.

Your commitment to life and ministry will often be challenged by distractions, things that try to move your mind off of the main thing, your calling and purpose. There’s no question that life can be complicated at times, full of twists and turns that seem to appear out of nowhere. So the question is, are you preparing your mind to stay focused on your purpose when challenging days do arrive? What about when your business starts going through a downturn or your health is failing or your children are struggling or a friend lets you down? And then what about those things that you like to do that aren’t bad things but do keep you occupied and unable to be fully engaged in your commitment to your mission? Distractions can come on every side - are you prepared to keep your head in the game and pursue your goal when they do appear?

I remind you again that the key to sticking to your game plan is to keep the leader of your life in your sights at all times. Hebrews 12:2-3 says “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith….consider him…” To fix your eyes on Jesus means to give your undivided attention to him every step you take. To consider Jesus means to think about him constantly and visualize how he would handle your situation if he were in your place. This is good advice because Jesus has set you the perfect example of how to look ahead to the joy of completing the goal while enduring the overwhelming challenges of getting to the finish line. He knew how to stay single-minded in his pursuits in order to be totally successful. Jesus stayed committed to his eternal mission in spite of the numerous distractions he faced on a regular basis.

And here’s another suggestion. Keep in mind that you are not running the race by yourself. You have company. There are many others just like you that are heading in the same direction and some of them have got some solid experience at doing so. The apostle Paul was one in his day who was ready to help keep others on the right track. He says “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1. Why not find one or more veterans of the faith and learn from them how to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

So if you are being distracted today from pursing your life’s goal, start thinking about Jesus, the greatest leader of all times who fully finished what he started against incredible odds. Consider Jesus right now and get back on track which is the best way to keep distractions on the sidelines where they belong. And while you’re at it, get in the shadow of someone you know who has been running a strong spiritual race for some time and let them show you how to do what it takes to run and win.

DW

Keeping Pace

How do you know if you are making progress in your life’s pursuits or falling behind? Have you ever felt frustrated at not really knowing if have recently taken two steps forward or three steps back in accomplishing your goals? Do you ever get the urge to double your efforts to make the world a better place only to feel pangs of guilt that you should already be where you’re trying to get? Does your life consist of a lot of starts and stops? Do you wonder whether or not you have what it takes to follow through and finish what you say you want to do?

It’s important to think of your life in terms of a long-term process. You are where you are but not where you will be at future points in time. Running has taught me a lot of practical lessons about making overall progress in a plan. I am still a relative novice at the sport but I enjoy doing it and have every intention of getting better at it over time. I remember when I started a few years ago that my goal was to be able to run five kilometers a few times a week and improve my time gradually. You may not think that’s a big deal but it was for a guy who up to that point couldn’t run to the street corner and back without being totally spent. As I stuck with the program I noticed that there was an important element to my training that helped me to make steady gains as time went on. The key was to keep a constant pace that built up my endurance enabling me to finish strong.

I began running regularly with Arlene, my wife, who got me started in the sport. She set the pace for our runs and if I kept in step with her I knew that I would complete the course because she always did. She looked effortless in her stride to me although she tells me that looks can be deceiving as she exerts a lot of energy to stay with it. Most of the time I ran along beside her or just behind her because she set a comfortable pace for me to follow. And just like her, I usually had a little extra to give heading for the finish line which gave me a sense of accomplishment.

Now the problem came when I ended up at times running on my own. I learned that I have the tendency to get ahead of myself early on and wind up running out of fuel for the final stretch. Sure, it seemed like I was going to really improve on my time at the start because I was going faster but in the end I often finished slower because I was out of breath and in discomfort. So what did I do? I got back to having someone set the pace for me and kept it simple. The result was that after a while, I developed the ability to pace myself and eventually became a pace-setter for others. And now, regardless of my level of ability, I look for others to set the pace that I want to develop and at the same time let myself set the pace for others who want to follow me.

In your life’s pursuits, don’t go it alone. Someone has made himself available for you to follow, one who is setting the pace for you that will enable you to finish what you start and finish strong. Who is that pace-setter? It’s Jesus. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith....so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2,3) Stay focused on Jesus who never goes too quickly or too slowly. He will teach you how to run your race of life well and finish strong. And as you do that, you will discover that others are watching and following you and learning how to develop a good and healthy pace.

DW

Landmark: Reaching Across the World

Late in the spring, our youth group (Landmark) took on the challenge to bring in just a few dollars each so that they could sponsor a child through Child Care Plus. Not only did they do it, they did it twice over and are now the proud sponsors of of Samuel Sisay and Bethlehem Israel in Adama, Ethiopia.

I found this YouTube video that reminded me of the "everyday philanthropy" that our youth are involved in. Take a look, Landmark, and thanks for what you're doing!



TD

Cliff-Jumping

Perhaps you know people who are into extreme sports. They look for ways to get their adrenalin pumping by attempting physical feats that average people consider dangerous and risky. One such activity is strapping on parachutes and jumping off of very high cliffs to fall freely for as long as they dare before pulling the ripcords and landing safely on the ground below. Often the jumpers can’t see the bottom as they approach the edge of the escarpment, but they throw themselves into flight anyway because they are confident of success. They know that to experience the thrill of jumping off a cliff and being able to tell about it after, they actually have to take the plunge.

Life can sometimes challenge us to consider taking extreme measures in order to fix a problem. In his book Inside Out, Dr. Larry Crabb tells the true story of a woman who confronted the pain and dysfunction she experienced from being sexually and emotionally abused earlier in her life. Through godly counsel, Dr. Crabb helped her to take responsibility not for her abuser’s sins, but for her own need to move towards freedom and wholeness. This required her to confront the unforgiving attitudes in her own heart and trust God for the grace and strength she would need to learn to live in freedom with confidence and hope. Faced with the opportunity to break out of the darkness of her damaged life and step into the light of healing and renewal, she compared the steps that she needed to take to forgive and release the offenses against her to jumping over a cliff unable to see the bottom, hoping that God would be there to catch her. She chose to take the plunge and found that the parachute of God’s grace and strength provided to her was more than enough to land her firmly and safely in His freedom from fear and hopelessness.

Now that’s extreme! Experiencing God’s abundant provision like that is never possible by merely thinking about it. You have to trust that the Lord is going to be true to His word and take the plunge into what you believe God is asking you to do. It’s then that you get to tell about what He has done on your behalf. It has been that way in my life many times. I have had faith activated in me when I made a decision to trust God in an unusual way. Things would begin to fall into place and confirmations would unfold that never would have if I had not taken the initial step of faith.

You can be faced with opportunities to succeed in God’s best that look more like challenges without answers. Moving forward by faith will require a new way of thinking, based on putting your trust in God. At those strategic times it can feel a lot like you are standing on the edge of a cliff wondering if you will land safely below when you jump. However, it’s when you take the plunge that you experience God’s covering and provision in a deeper dimension than if you hadn’t. And then you get to tell others about how God really does deliver on his promises.

I want to leave a scripture with you that you can hold onto as your parachute when you are confronting a challenge that requires throwing yourself into territory that’s intimidating and new to you. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Aren’t you glad that God knows what He’s doing with you? Are you encouraged by the fact that he has everything you need ready to give you right when you need it? So don’t be timid or afraid to move ahead in God’s next step for your life as he directs you. He’s got some amazing things for you to yet experience as you put your trust in him. Cliff-jumping anyone?

DW

Building for Eternity

“But each one should be careful how he builds.” (1 Corinthians 3:10b)

Have you thought of yourself as a builder? By that I am not referring to a contractor who constructs houses or assembles machines but someone who builds the kingdom of God. Does your life mission look beyond your ongoing activities and plans to consider their potential impact for eternity? They can, as amazing as that sounds, but only if you build upon the right foundation.

My wife, Arlene, and I enjoyed a day cruise to the Bahamas one winter during a vacation in Florida. It turned out to be an ideal day to travel on the ocean in the sunshine and relatively calm waters. On my way I pictured an island full of busy resorts, packed beaches and overcrowded markets. What we saw instead when we arrived caught me off guard. The entire island had been devastated by one of the major hurricanes that hit the entire region just months earlier. As we drove to the business area with other passengers from the ship we saw building after building boarded up because of the storm damage to them. As a result, tourists were staying away from the island and the economy was in a major downturn. At the same time however, it was interesting to note that the large resorts were operating normally appearing to be untouched by the natural disaster. Business was booming. What was the difference? I believe that the way the different buildings had been constructed determined which ones stood secure during the storm. The solid foundation of the structure was the key to its stability and ability to endure.

That’s a good metaphor for building your life. What are you basing your dreams and plans on? Do you have the eternal goal in sight? For if you are not careful how you build you could wind up losing everything you’ve worked for when it is eventually evaluated by God on judgment day. You could wind up with nothing to show for your efforts if you do what you do for the wrong reasons which in essence, is building on a faulty foundation.

How can you keep your priorities straight? What will assure you that your foundation is the one that is eternally secure? The answer is found in a person. “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11) It is clear that everything you do must centre on Christ who is your solid foundation.

There are other foundations that you may be tempted to build on instead of Christ:

1. The foundation of the material - what you give for Christ

2. The foundation of the ministry – what you do for Christ

3. The foundation of the method – how you work for Christ

4. The foundation of the message – what you say for Christ

5. The foundation of the man – who you follow for Christ

It is obvious that these can be good things, but none of them are to be the thing that you build your life upon. If you do, you risk losing everything you thought would last. Jesus is the only foundation that is eternal and fully trustworthy. Whatever you do for his kingdom purposes will stand the test of time no matter what may happen to you. Always be sure that the mission of your life is about him and you will be going in the right direction.

I encourage you to check your foundation today. What are you building on? Is Jesus the focus and motivation for everything you do? Are there things that you have come to rely on more than Christ for your eternal security? If so, it’s time to replace them with trusting Jesus as your solid rock and firm foundation in all things. Be sure that Christ is the centre of every thought and decision. When you do, you can have confidence that what you do build with your life will last far beyond your days on earth.

Pray this with me to further clarify your life mission:

“Lord, it is tempting to build my life and ministry on things that are temporal. Help me to focus on those things that are eternal. My desire is to trust you with all that I am becoming and will be. I want to hear the words “Well done” from you on that final accounting day because I have built with eternity in mind and Christ at the centre. I acknowledge that this is only possible by your daily grace for which I thank you. Amen.”

DW

Seeing the big picture.

Recently I received advertising from the Daytimers company that showed an inscription on one of their products that said, "It's all about you, Del Wells!" It’s all about me? Is it really? What’s the implied message? It’s that I am so important that I have this company’s undivided attention and they will take great care of me. Yes, I do know that this marketing tool is very common in our consumer-first society, trying to make me respond positively to their sales pitch. But does this statement have any truth to it as it relates to the way I see the world around me? And if it does, is there anything wrong with thinking about myself first as I make my plans? What is the grid that I use to help me make choices? Do I have an overall goal for my life and who does it benefit? These are great questions.

My last LT insight encouraged you to create a personal mission statement to guide your life decisions with the overall goal of finishing strong at the end of your days. Let's look now at some of the benefits of having an overall purpose for your life and how to develop one.

A few years ago my wife Arlene and I went into a Sears store close to where we lived and she asked me if I had read the store's mission statement. Displayed prominently on the wall at eye level as we rode the escalator to the second floor, the sign stated, "Our mission is to be the centre of shopping for Lambton County". To the people and employees in that store, the company openly declared in writing why they existed. So whether or not Sears ever did become the county's main shopping centre, it did give every employee the measure the business was using to make decisions as they reached for their goals.

So what's the mission for your life? Overall, why do you think you are alive today? What is your long-term game plan? Is it all about you or are you giving yourself to a cause that is infinitely greater than that? Be honest. Do your personal ambitions drive your life purpose or does your mission shape your ambitions?

Often someone's life mission is unwritten but still obvious because it is the thing that influences every choice they make. Maybe it's to feel good about yourself or to be really well liked by others. Perhaps it's finding a fulfilling job or becoming independently wealthy or gaining the power to control any situation. These are fairly common pursuits but in the end are they worth giving your entire life to?

The Bible is helpful because it lets you to see the big picture for your life. You learn that meaning and purpose come through knowing why you do what you do. Your first priority is to turn from being inward-focused to becoming outward-focused. It is summed up in these words: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31)

Talk about an all-encompassing purpose! "Whatever you do" includes everything. Every single part of your life is to count for God above all else. That is the perspective you are to use as you decide how to live well at home, work, school and play. Ask God and he will show you how every aspect of your life can be arranged to fit into this overall purpose. Why not take the time to get clear direction so that you can truly make your life count?

Here’s something you can pray right now to better see the big picture for your life:

"Dear Lord,
I acknowledge that you are the Creator and Sustainer of my life. I am reminded today and do affirm that you have a significant purpose for me, and that is to bring you glory. I thank you that I know you personally through faith in Jesus Christ. I pledge myself to keep growing in my knowledge of you by studying your word and praying continually. I ask your Holy Spirit to reveal to me and remind me of the destiny that you have marked out for me when I need to know it. I thank you that you have already given me everything I need to fulfill the purpose for my life. I commit to keeping my eyes on the big picture of what you are doing and how I can be a part. In everything that I say and do, may you be glorified. Amen"

DW

Some more about "Shadow Mission"

No, we're really not here to sell anything, but as I was getting my message ready, I realized that it wasn't my intention to plagiarize all of John Ortberg's ideas, to spend my time with you recapping his book or to really talk all about shadow missions. What I wanted to do was use the idea to launch some devotional thoughts for mother's about their missions. But, the stuff in this book was too good to not share so here's more about "Overcoming Your Shadow Mission" by John Ortberg if you want to jump on that train and take a ride. It will be worth your time.

Here are some quotes I found helpful from the book...
"[The story of Esther] tells us that our shadow missions have enormous destructive potential. The mission we devote ourselves to will shape us. Our unplanned, involuntary thoughts and wishes will spring out of it. Noble missions will give rise to noble thoughts, but shadow missions will produce an inner life of hidden darkness and destructive discontent. Shadow missions always destroy at least one person - the one who lives for them." (p.35)

"Our shadow mission leads us just five or ten degrees of our true path in the direction of selfishness or comfort or arrogance. But those few degrees, over time, become the difference between light and shadow."(p. 36)

"In the absence of good character, the giftedness of people will not be used well. The more gifted we are, the more arrogant and destructive we are apt to be." (p.43)

"Character formation is absolutely fundamental to our well-being, but it's not glamorous. So often - in our work, in our lives, even in our churches - we think, "Man, there's so much going on, we can't take the time to work on 'character'." The question really is: Who do we want to be? We can do really impressive-looking things, but what we take into eternity is who we become." (p.52)

"Character comes as a by-product of the pursuit of God and the kingdom of God." (p.53)

"While it's important to build your character and identify your shadow mission, in truth you need only one thing. Without this one thing you can name your shadow mission and claim it and battle it - and still lose. That one essential thing is a vision of God and the reality of His kingdom." (p.91)

[Overcoming Your Shadow Mission, John Ortberg, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2008.]

Enjoy the next step in your journey,
TD


Want to buy this book? Check it out on Amazon.ca:
http://www.amazon.ca/Leadership-Library-Overcoming-Shadow-Mission/dp/031028760X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272901167&sr=8-1


John does a bit of Q & A after his session at the 2007 LEAD Summit about shadow missions.

What's the plan?

So, what are you planning to do with the rest of your life?

Good question. I had been asking that of myself over recent years and the fact is that I didn't have a real good answer. It wasn't that I didn't have anything to do or I wasn't taking on and finishing projects of various sizes - that seemed to be the norm. Lack of busyness was not the problem because it seemed there was never enough time to do all that could have been done. Passion to excel at something significant was never in short supply for me. Needs to be met were always evident and growing by the day. The desire to please God through knowing, loving and serving him faithfully was ever present in my life. Yet I kept getting the sense that there was something else that I had been created and prepared by God to do, something defining to spend the rest of my life doing.

Have you ever felt that way? You enjoy what you do but you are not convinced that you are yet in full stride as you pursue your life's purpose? Perhaps you’re going ahead, but you still a little unsure of the ultimate goal? Many men and women have talked with me over time about whether or not their lives have made any difference in this world. They wonder, ‘Have I accomplished anything of real significance that will outlast me?’ I can relate to what they are asking because I've asked the same thing.

Not so long ago it came to me to consider not so much what I've done to this point but about how I want to finish. In some ways I wish I had thought of this when I was much younger, when I had my whole life ahead of me. To those of you in your early years, realize that it's not too soon to think about this and learn from the experiences of people you know that are farther along life’s path. Whatever your stage in life, it is well worth your while to ask the hard questions about your ultimate purpose so that you can finish your life strong with few regrets about what might have been.

So, where do you start? Several years ago I developed a personal purpose statement that was to be the overall measure and guide for what I did. Recently I went back to that statement and looked at what I had originally set out to do and asked myself if I had been successful or not with its mandate. To be honest, I was amazed at how much my life was reflected in this simple statement. It was actually encouraging to revisit the mission for my life and see the results of leaving a mark where I had been on purpose. Rather than feeling unfulfilled by giving myself to aimless pursuits, I felt a deep satisfaction that comes from completing something worthwhile. Without that mission statement I would not have had a credible reference tool to evaluate my progress.

I have recently updated my life mission statement to reflect what I hope to accomplish in the big scheme of things. When I get to the end, how will I finish? The questions that I’m asking are life-defining. What things will I leave behind me when I'm gone that will make an eternal impression? What things am I willing to give my life to that will influence others to spend their lives wisely and productively for Christ? Answer those questions and you will have a good foundation to build your own mission statement.

I hope that this insight has inspired you to consider the potential of your life to make a difference in the real world in which you live. I trust that you will ask God the tough questions and listen to his answers. I encourage you to develop a personal life mission that sets its sights on making an eternal impression for Christ in your everyday world from now to the moment you finish the journey.

DW