PastorChrisJones.com

It comes this time each year.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:00:02 PST

It's that time of year again, the turn from old to new. We get excited as we get a perceived clean slate to work on. Bygones are bygones. So how did you do in 2011? Did you reach your goals or did you just coast on autopilot?

What goals do you have for 2012?

I like to think of my year in four spheres.
Physical
Spiritual
Relational
Mental

I set up goals for each of these spheres. These goals need to be specific and measurable. Once I have the goals, I decide what steps need to be taken to reach each goal. After that, I plan out my months for the year (I work out each month as I get to it depending on how well I was able to hold to the previous' month's plan).

This is my system, but I recognize there are other systems probably even better systems. The main take away is that you develop a system and stick with it. I'd love to hear what your system is and how effective you feel it is.

God with us and for us

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 09:41:22 PST

Sometimes when I talk to some Christians I get the impression that God is looking for reasons to destroy us. It's almost as if He is watching over us with a check list and if we mess up, we get put on the naughty list, that list that is set aside for destruction.

What a depressing, stressful, picture of God. Can any of us measure up? We can if it's based on our imaginary set of rules and standards.

God is not looking to destroy us. He is for us! Honestly if He is looking to destroy me, I have given Him enough reason. Looking over my life, I can see how far from God I have been at times.

But I know God is for us. Christmas is the most poignant demonstration that God is for us. Instead of seeking to destroy us, God is seeking to save us. He desires this so much that His Son, Jesus, would become one of us, so that we could be adopted back into His family. Jesus gave of ahemself for us.

I hope this Christmas you will see God as One who is seeking your good, your salvation. He loves you, not based on what you have done. It's not about your deeds but solely His goodness.

See the love of God this Christmas.

Enjoy Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 07:00:01 PST

Enjoy some Christmas humor

Agents of Redemption

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:00:06 PST

The desire of God is redemption, redemption of people and redemption of this world. His purpose in His dealings in this world reflect this desire. Everything He has done, is doing and will do reflects this desire.

Just as redemption isn't just something yet future for us, neither is it for our world. God is actively redeeming our world and our culture. One of the things Jesus did as He walked this earth was seeking to redeem the world around Him. He brought heaven into our world and gave us a taste of the kingdom.

When I become a follower of Christ, I become an agent of redemption as well. As a follower of Jesus, part of my mission is to seek ways to better the world around me. In a sense bring at least a portion of heaven to this earth.

Do you seek to brighten the corner you're in? What are ways we as followers of Christ can make a positive impact?

Being transformed

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:22:15 PST

Pete Wilson speaks on Consumerism and what it does to us in this blog post. It is worth the read.

I'm not sure that any other time of the year highlights this issue than Christmas. Our love for each other is measured in $$$$’s. We are exploited for the sake of our economy.

Unfortunately we see the residual affects the entire rest of the year. Not just in credit card bills, but in how we treat each other. It even affects the way we view church, which is supposed to be the opposite of consumerism.

Romans 12:2 says that we should not be conformed to the attitudes and thought processes of the society we live in, but we are to be transformed in our mind.

What would life be like, if i truly rejected consumerism?

The Biggest Lie

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:01:36 PST

I saw an interesting video this morning of a message by Francis Chan, “Whats the Biggest Lie in Your Life?” He challenged me on the supremacy of Jesus in my life. It’s good to think on this. Check it out, its about 38 minutes.

Neglect

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 07:00:02 PDT

It’s been a while since I have written on my blog. This summer has been crazy. I was gone from home it seemed 2 out of 3 months. And with the triathlon training I have been putting in, it has limited my time to get things done.

My blog wasn’t the only thing I neglected. My yard has suffered as well. I kept it mowed and trimmed but that is about it. As I am preparing to move, the other day I was out clearing a section on the back side of our property. It was a place where we used to have a nice size garden. This garden produced some great cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and many other delicious vegetables.

Unfortunately though, through my neglect this past spring and summer, it had become overgrown with briers. I mean briers had grown up and died and new briers were on top of those briers. It took me a while to clear it. In the end I was scratched up, I think I damaged my mower, I was dirty and sweaty and it still did not look as nice as it used to and it certainly was not producing the delicious vegetables it once produced.

My spiritual life is exactly the same as this land. At some point in the past it could have produced sweet fruit. I could have been walking close with my God, tasting His goodness, living in His grace and becoming a stream of living water to those around me.

But if I neglect this aspect of my life, if I don't tend it like I should, it will become overgrown with briers. When I try to get back into it, it will be hard. It will probably hurt. I will get beat up along the away and initially it will not look as good as it once did.

This is the point Paul makes in Hebrews 6:1-7. If we fail to progress but become indolent we will just bear thorns and briers.

Have you ever experienced something like this in your walk with Jesus? What did you find was the remedy for this happening? I’d love to hear what you have experienced in your life.

Yesterday I was mistaken for Charlie Sheen

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 10:05:00 PST

Wow how crazy is that? .... Well not really. But in a lot of ways I am identical Charlie. In fact in some ways we could be twins. It’s unfortunate in his current situation there are many people who just want to sit on the side and throw bombs at him and many others are just curious about the circus show. But my heart is moved with compassion because me and him are so similar.

Here is what I mean. As I watch Charlie’s interviews I see an inflated sense of self worth. He keeps using phrases like “my highly evolved brain” and “I’m a freakin rock star from Mars”. In his mind he is better than everyone else. He is the center of the universe. No one especially Chuck Lorre can tell him what to do.

It is this reason that allows him to get into all the things he is into. He thinks he has life under control. He thinks that he can handle crack cocaine and sex addictions. He thinks that the consequences that happen to other people won't happen to him because he is a “freakin rock star from Mars”. He thinks he is above everyone else. I’m just like that too. I just keep that part of me under a bit more cover than he does.

Since the fall when we separated ourselves from the ultimate reality which is God, we have had to decipher the universe around us based solely upon our knowledge and our genius. In essence fallen man becomes the center of his world. We tend to think of ourselves as better than other people, or smarter than other people, or better looking than other people. We think that we can dabble in sin because we can handle it unlike all the other people who have tried it before us. Facts to us don’t weigh in because we become our own god.

This is our problem, we trust ourselves more then anyone else. But Jesus has the solution. The surprising thing is that solution doesn't have anything to with my performance and this is a hard thing for me to grasp. After all I am the one that is in control. The solution to my problem is found in the blood of Jesus that He gave as an atoning sacrifice on my behalf not in anything I can do. This is why trusting in Jesus’ blood or having faith in Him is so difficult for humanity.

What is happening with Charlie Sheen right now, is what happens to all of us as we dive deeper and deeper into rebellion against how God has designed us to work. As we sink into the egocentric world we become broken people.

So in the end I’m just like Charlie Sheen, in my fallen nature thinking I’m the center of the world. Yet God in His grace gives me the ability to overcome this and live in Shalom. I am most happy when I am living according to the way God designed things instead of my trying to figure it out on my own. This is precisely why Jesus says if we love Him we will obey Him. There is really no other way, it is the absolute smartest thing I can do.

I hope I can remember each day it's not about me. It's about Him!

Liquid to Solid food

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 07:00:22 PST

Have you ever listened to the conversation of 10 year olds? I love it. They have some pretty serious conversations or at least it sounds like it by their tone. It also sounds like they are authorities on the world as well.

I remember some of the stuff I used to talk about when I was 10. I remember talking about Bruce Lee and the surgical instruments needed to cut open his abdomen during the autopsy. I just knew it took something like a concrete saw because his stomach was so tough from being punched all the time.

10 year old conversations are great when your 10, but if I tried to lead off a conversation now with the junk I talked about then, most people would walk away from me thinking I was a special needs person. We expect a different conversation from a grown up than we do from a 10 year old.

The same is true with our spiritual conversation. As we grow spiritually, we begin to gain perspective, perspective on the immenseness of God and the limit of our knowledge. When I was new in Christ, I felt assured that I knew and understood all that was needed yet now I realize more and more what I don't know.

As we grow spiritually, we leave some of the silliness of being an infant Christian behind and move deeper and deeper into the throne room of God, learning all along the way to stop trusting in ourselves and trust more and more in Him.

Off the beaten path

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 06:00:14 PST

Yesterday was a really nice day here in Jackson MS. It was about 70 degrees and sunny outside. You know one of those days where you just have to roll the window down and enjoy the weather. I decided to take a different way to my office so I hit the Natchez Trace and just enjoyed a nice slow drive on a beautiful day.

I thought I knew this area pretty well as I have lived here almost 5 years. As I was driving I began to notice things I had never seen before. I saw a large soccer complex I did not know existed. I saw several smaller parks and some really nice looking architecture.

Most of the time I am on autopilot during this drive. I have done it so many times before that there is nothing new. I just simple put the cruise control on and think. I would have never seen these things if I just traveled to same path I know by heart.

I think sometimes we do this with scripture as well. We go through the same well worn passage sticking to our understanding and sometimes we just switch on autopilot as we go through the text. We think we have already seen everything. We can think that we are ready know a passage or chapter or book of the Bible well because we have studied it so many times.

God can speak to us though when we roll the window down and just go slow enjoying the scripture. We can learn new things about God when we get off of autopilot. I think we can be amazed at the things we have never seen before. Even when we think we really understand things, there is still plenty of new things God can show us if we will just get off the autopilot.

Leader the follow.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:45:00 PST

I read a lot about leadership since I am a leader. I read the gurus and leadership experts often to glean some tidbit of info that will help me help people achieve their hearts desires in following God. In the midst of this though, I don't really see following experts. You know the gurus who give tidbits of info on how to follow. The weight is usually put on the leaders shoulders and it has been said everything rises and falls with the leader.

While this may be true sometimes, I have found it not always to be the truth. There is a converse relationship between leading and following. In order to lead you must have followers but in order to follow you must have a leader. They are dependent upon one another. It has been stated by leadership gurus that if you as a leader are complaining about your followers the issue might very well be with you.

But this is also true for followers. If you complain about your leader the issue could very well be with you. Followers who don't follow but try to lead the leader create issues and problems. When followers try to lead the follow it creates tension and struggle. It usually breaks the community as people struggle to see who they should follow. If you complain about your leader have you looked for ways to be a better follower?

Some funny metaphors for followers who refuse to follow are things like a herd of cats or some other animal that works independently most of the time. It's definitely not easy to try to herd cats, if you can imagine that.

In order for an organization to function it must have a quality leader but it must also have quality followers. Maybe you have heard the phrase to many Chiefs not enough Indians or to many Chefs in the Kitchen. We use those expressions about situations that get messed up because to many people are trying to assert their opinion and desires.

How are you following? Everyone is a follower to someone. We are all under the authority of someone else if nothing else we are under the authority of God and are supposed to be following Him. Do you struggle with trying to lead the follow? Let us all follow well in 2011.

What's your plan?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:37:17 PST

New Year may or may not bring new resolutions. If your like me more than once you have decided you wanted to improve your health, loose weight, exercise more and begin to enjoy life more. This wont happen based just on your desire, you need to have a plan in place and then follow through on the plan.

What is your plan to reach the goals you really desire. Do you need help developing a plan? Do you need encouragement to stick with the plan? I can help you.

My wife is a Beachbody coach and she features the full line of Beachbody products including P90X and Insanity workouts, which are the core of my fitness regime. You can contact me for a recommendation on which workout system will work best for you. I can also help encourage you in your journey to fitness.

The Candy Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:17:36 PST

Atlanta, GA is the number 1 city in America for child sex trafficking, 10th in the world. Check out this trailer for the film the Candy Shop from Whitestone films. It was produced to highlight the human trafficking problem in Atlanta. Among the beauty and heritage of Atlanta is a dirty little secret that has been allowed to go on for too long.

The Facts:

Up to 500 under aged girls a month are trafficked for sex in Atlanta.
150 girls are raped for profit on any given weekend in the ATL.
Each month 7200 men purchase sex from trafficked children in Atlanta.
The average age of these kids is 10-14.

Not sure if these statistics surprises you or but it does me. I am sad to say that even while we gathered signatures for the enditnow campaign to end violence against women and children this past summer in Centennial Park I was totally unaware of these facts.

A major city in America just 6 hours from me is in the top 10 cities in the world for child sex trafficking. It's easier to think of child sex traffickers as being on the other side of the world, not in one of the South's grandest cities. It's easier for me to just turn my head and pretend to not know that it goes on but my heart aches knowing these kids suffer at the hands of these evil people.

The following video puts a face on these terrible statistics. Watch this and listen to the statistics.

This is sad but the question is what am I doing about it? It's easy to talk about India because I am so far removed from India but Atlanta, that's much closer to me. As a follower of Jesus I am supposed to be a voice for those who have no voice.

What can you do?

1. Spread this to your friends - knowledge is power. The more people who know about this terrible secret the more will be done. As long as good people do nothing evil is allowed to continue. We can't assume people know, I had no idea.Tweet this post or share it on your facebook so others can see the hard numbers.

2. Contact the Atlanta Mayor's office - I know the Atlanta metro area is a conglomeration of cities and counties but the city of Atlanta needs to hear from people. It is a place millions visit each year on vacation and dollars are spent there. We have a voice in the city! Send an email to Mayor Kasim Reed here.

3. Contact the Georgia Governor 's office and ask for stricter laws and penalties for these people who perpetrate these things. Hold the GA state government accountable for the things that happen in their state.

4. Support organizations like Street GRACE - an alliance of churches, community partners, and volunteers dedicated to supporting, enlarging, and allying with those individuals and organizations working toward eliminating the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Street GRACE mobilizes the resources within the community — financial, human and material — toward those organizations and individuals who have demonstrated effectiveness in battling CSEC in the areas of advocacy, aftercare and mentoring.

Do we just turn our head and pretend this evil is not being perpetrated? Evil will prosper when good people do nothing. Do you want evil to prosper?

*Have you subscribed here yet? If not why not take a moment and subscribe? To make sure you don't miss out subscribe via email or RSS.

You're a mean one Mr. Grinch

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 07:03:02 PST

Talking about human trafficking during the Advent Season may seem to some as robbing Christmas of the warmth and joy we desire, after all talking about this brings to light the dirtiness and wickedness of humanity. Focusing on the nasty part of humanity instead of the nice times and memories is sort of like the Grinch who sneaks in and steals all the presents. But is Christmas simply about the warm fuzzies or is there something more to it?

What better time to illuminate this terrible injustice but during the Advent Season because the Advent Season is all about salvation and redemption. We were in bondage and slavery. Yet Jesus stepped down out of the safe and warm place of the Holy Mountain and stepped into this cold, messy, jacked up world. Jesus said He came to "set at liberty those who are oppressed(Luke 4:18)."

Setting the slaves free and seeking justice for the oppressed is at the heart of the true meaning of the Advent Season. That's the reason Jesus did what He did in becoming a man. The event we celebrate from 2000 years ago we can live in daily as we live out the incarnation. If you have been set free from bondage you have become an agent of redemption to seek to free others from bondage.

I am sure the 39 Filipinos who were set free in SE FL are happy. I'm sure these 2 girls from Mexico held as sexual slaves in Nashville TN are happy to be set free. This is the living breathing point of the incarnation of Jesus. Jesus didn't die on the cross so I could get another sweater I wouldn't wear.

This Advent Season as you spend time with your family and friends enjoying good food and great times, remember those who can't. Pray for the oppressed. Give some of the money you might spend on yourself to help these victims. Contact your representatives and let them know you will not stand for other people to being treated like this and more must be done to the perpetrators. Celebrate this season of freedom.

Tell me, do you think talking about human trafficking during the Christmas season is the right thing to do or is it drepressing?

P.S. The campaign to raise money to build Life Guard centers in India will remain active till the end of Dec, however the offer for a free copy of my book was just for yesterday. You can still donate here.

Thank you so much for those who have already given. Together we can make a difference in some girls lives forever.

Get a FREE copy of my book and save lives!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 22:43:38 PST

Here is a super cool offer; get a copy of my book The Lost Identity as my birthday gift to you and help women and children avoid being caught up in the human trafficking business at the same time. I mentioned this offer last Thursday in this post.

About 12,000 Nepali women and children are trafficked every year into sexual exploitation in Indian brothels. The average age of these girls is between 10 and 14. Help women and girls by establishing Life Guard Centers at several cross - border transit points. These centers rescue trafficked females and teach gatekeepers how to detect potentially trafficked women and girls. Rescuing victims at the point of entry, increases their chances of reintegration with their families and communities.

You can help by donating today to my campaign to build Life Guard Centers, I have a goal of $1000. When you donate to ADRA through this campaign you can rest knowing that 100% of your donations will go to this project.

Here is what I ask you to do.
1. Donate Here ($15 or more)
2. Share this post on your facebook page and/or Twitter account to get the word out
3. Leave a comment below with your name, your twitter user name and 1 thing you're most thankful this year.

I appreciate so much your donations to this project. It will only be successful because of you. I am excited to be able to help others this year.

The dark secret of up and coming India

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 17:49:33 PST

From all outward appearances India is an up and comer on the world stage. It's economy is booming, it has advanced in technology and many businesses are relocating there because of the hard working and large labor force.

In the midst of this prosperity and growth India has a dark secret, human slavery and forced child prostitution. Millions are forced into labor at sweat shops and brothels, most of these are women and children.

See what some of these girls says in their own words.

Meena who is a prostitution survivor whose 13-year-old daughter was trafficked into prostitution:

“Naina has been raped by an old man. The same thing happened to me when I was ten years old. I hate the people who bought me and pushed me into this as much as I hate the men who were my clients!”

Fatima who is a prostitution survivor

“No girl wants to join prostitution of her own will—none. I think all the people for whom the lives of young girls are sacrificed must be punished. If the police start arresting the clients, the others would stop coming. It will force the community to find alternative livelihood options.”

The repeated rape of a 10 year girl for money is wrong. Does that anger you and push you to action or do you see that and move on to the next piece of news? Today just as in years past, people turn their heads to the abuse of other people because of economics, and the cheap goods that result from the abuse and slavery.

The English hated slavery but the average Brit turn their heads to the slavery perpetrated by their nation because of the sugar they received from the west indies. They knew that the sugar would be to expensive if they paid a right wage for the workers.

It wasn't until people stood up, and cried out to demand that it stop that anything was done about it. John Wesley urged faithful Methodist to boycott sugar because of the cost to their fellow man. They became the voice for those who had no voice.

Today we can turn our head for the same reason or we can do something. Nothing will change unless we demand it change. One way you can help in this is to contribute to ADRA in my campaign to raise money to build Life Guard stations to help some of the 12,000 Nepali women and child brought in to Indian brothels. You can contribute here.

Think of these poor girls who suffer as you celebrate God's redemption of you this Christmas season. Consider the slaves as you sit around the tree up wrapping gifts and stuffing yourself with goodies.

It's my birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:03:06 PST

My birthday is coming up on Monday. Instead of me getting a lot junk I don't need or money (which I always manage to spend) I have decided to give up my birthday this year. Yes I know I will still be one year older, but hopefully my friends and family and anyone else who sees this as a worthy cause will donate to ADRA to help stop human trafficking in India.

On Monday instead of me getting gifts, I plan to give gifts away to anyone who donates to this campaign. I will give a copy of my book to anyone who donates $15 or more to ADRA for this campaign (It has to be in this campaign, not to ADRA in general). I really hope that this small thing I can do will go a long way to impact the lives of these girls. That would be an incredible gift for me to know they will have a chance to live and know Jesus. Let's band together to help protect innocence.

Would you mind taking a moment to share this with your friends? Just hit the twitter, facebook or email share button in the top left corner of this post. I would appreciate the help in getting this message out.

To get a copy of my book, donate to ADRA on Monday, post a reply on my blog stating you donated, and retweet or facebook share the message.

Skip 1

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:29:45 PST

I saw this video for Skip1 by Francis and Lisa Chan. I hope it will stop and make you think.

It seems this time of year we often complain that we eat to much. Can you skip one meal a week during the Advent Season and donate that money to someone who has no choice but to skip meals every week? I know my cup runs over, does yours? What a gift to share, the gift of food. Can you skip 1 meal?

Passion

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:03:39 PST

Have you ever considered what drives you? What gets you excited whenever you think about or participate in it? Those things are what you're passionate about. Passion is what drives us to excellence. It's easier for us to strive for excellence in those areas in which we are passionate about.

Have you noticed how good life is when you are working in your area of passion? For me, it is as if that is what I was created to do, what I was meant for. I feel like I make a difference when I work where I am passionate.

As I read scripture I can see the passion of God in this world is us. His purpose is redemption because He is passionate about us. He incorporates His purpose in everything He does in this world. The Advent season is a reminder of this passion for us. His Son Jesus left heaven, left glory, left being worshiped for eternity past to become a man, to become one of us, because He is passionate for us.

" Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." - English Standard Version. Php 2:5–8.

Now that's some passions. A willingness to give up everything to accomplish the thing you are most passionate about.

I have met some people though who don't seem to be passionate about anything. Not matter what is offered up, not matter what is tried, they don't seem to get excited about anything. How sad life must be when you are passionate about nothing.

What are you passionate about? Are you willing to give up everything to accomplish what you are passionate about? How do you seek to incorporate your passion into everything you do?

It's all a bit overboard!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:29:31 PST

When did it become the only socially acceptable way for us to show our love for each other is spending exorbitant amounts of money on presents that we don't need. I think a lot about Christmas has become a bit overboard.

I have been thinking about this lately. Gift cards have become the in-thing for gifts. It takes little to no effort or thought and it seems they are always liked. I know people will argue that its the thought that counts. Well if it's the thought why not a $4.00 Christmas card and not a $50 store card, after all both took about the same amount of effort, the only difference is value.

Christmas is about the gift that God gave us, but that gift was in the currency of relationship not material value. In fact what God gave us, we cannot but material value on. Might we need to focus more on the relational side of the Advent Season more than the material side?

A Special offer on my book

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 15:03:54 PST

Be looking for an offer on my book later this week. I'll have a special offer for you early next week so watch out for it this some time this coming up week.

When God says no

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:08:01 PST

I am coming to realize that when God says no to me, in essence He is really saying yes to something else. Often I will take my plans to God and ask Him if this is what He wants me to do or what I should be doing. I then get the big fat NO.

The temptation in this moment is to simply stop. My logic could be "Well God said no so I shouldn't do it". The whole reason God says no though is because He has something else in mind. He has a plan and my plan wasn't what He was wanting for me. So when He says no to my plan, He is really trying to drive me toward His plan for me.

So in those instances I get the big fat NO from God, instead of just stopping and trying to come up with something else. I need to begin to seek Him and find out what it is He is wanting me to do.

The Pursuit of Excellence

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:06:49 PST

Are you pursuing excellence or settling for mediocrity? To pursue excellence takes work. Just like turning dreams into goals, steps have to be put into place and then followed. Excellence can be elusive and at times seem unobtainable, yet those who pursue it know that it can be theirs if they are persistent.

Pursuing excellence can be hard, challenging and at times seem pointless. Pursing excellence involves taking risk. Sometimes we try hard and fail. This is the place where the excellent is separated from the mediocre. When we fail do we just stop or do we push through knowing that what we are pursuing is better than what we have currently?

Mediocrity is easy to maintain. It is simply allowing the current to remain. It is not doing the work to move forward. It takes little if any effort. Mediocrity takes no risk. It is in essence the slow process of death and decay.

Do you believe your situation can be better than it is right now? Why or why not?

Give the gift of Action

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:30:59 PST

I get nothing from this company, just looks like a neat product to help get some action into your life. What products do you use to list your action steps? I use Things for Mac, and action method.

Goals and Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Jones) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:07:08 PST

If you’re like me you have desires of what you want to see in the future. We have desires for our personal life, for our business life, for our social life, etc. We have a picture or an ideal.

What is your plan to get you to that ideal? Without a plan you only have a dream. When you put action steps in place to help you achieve what it is you desire then you now have a goal.

There is a big difference between a goal and a dream. Everyone can dream but it takes action to make it a goal.