Quotes and Notes

Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better by Brant Hansen

2023-08-01T13:17:00.003-04:00

Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better by Brant Hansen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my first Brant Hansen book, but I'm sure is will not be my last. He makes an argument that Christians should never be offended because of what Christ has done for us. I recommend this book for all believers in Christ. It will challenge you to live a life that honors our Lord. Even though I share many quotes from the book, you really need to read it for yourself. Enjoy the quotes below and allow the Holy Spirit to use them to help you be unoffendable.

To all those who want grace for themselves but struggle to extend it to others. Wait: that’s everybody. ~Brant Hansen

Anger is the most fundamental problem in human life. ~Dallas Willard

The thing that you think makes your anger “righteous” is the very thing you are called to forgive. Grace isn’t for the deserving. Forgiving means surrendering your claim to resentment and letting go of anger. ~Brant Hansen

In the Bible’s “wisdom literature,” angers always - not sometimes, always - associated with foolishness, not wisdom. The writer recognized that, yes, anger may visit us, but when it finds a residence, it's “in the lap of fools” (Eccl. 7:9). ~Brant Hansen

Thinking we're entitled to keep anger in our laps - whether toward the sin of a political figure, a news network, your dumb neighbor, you're lying spouse, you deceased father, whomever - is perfectly natural, and perfectly foolish. Make no mistake. Foolishness destroys. ~Brant Hansen

I can let stuff go, because it's not all about me. Simply reminding myself to refuse to take offense is a big part of the battle. ~Brant Hansen

Dan Kahan, a Yale law professor, led a study that found that our passions and biases undermine even basic reasoning. The study show that people who are normally very adept at math are suddenly unable to solve a problem when the obvious answer conflicts with their political beliefs. And it's not as if the “smartest” people were able to do better at solving the problems. In fact, the researchers felt that the better the people were at math, the more apt they were to try to avoid the actual answer. (This applied to both liberals and conservatives, by the way.) Instead of changing our beliefs to match reality, we often just rearrange reality, in our heads, to match what we want. ~Brant Hansen

We simply can't trust ourselves in our judgments of others. We don't know what they're really thinking, or their background, or what really motivated whatever they did. And since we don't know, let's choose ahead of time: we're just not going to get offended by people. ~Brant Hansen

One man may be so placed that his anger sheds the blood of thousands, and another so placed that however angry he gets he will only be laughed at. But the little mark on the soul may be much the same in both. Each has done something to himself which, unless he repents, will make it harder for him to keep out of the rage next time he's tempted, and will make the rage worse when he does fall into it. Each of them, if he seriously returns to God, can have that twist in the central man straightened out again: each is, in the long run, doomed if you will not. The bigness or smallness of the thing, seen from the outside, is not what really matters. ~C.S. Lewis

So, what if - just dreaming out loud here - Christians were known as the people you couldn't offend? ~Brant Hansen

Yes, the world is broken. But don't be offended by it. Instead, thank God that He's intervened in it, and He's going to restore it to everything it was meant to be. His Kingdom is breaking through, bit by bit. Recognize it and wonder at it. ~Brant Hansen

But grace has no borders. Love breaks through, and - just as Jesus said of the church - the gates of hell will not prevail against it. ~Brant Hansen

We're told, in Psalm 46:10, to “be still,” or to stop “stop striving” and know that He is God. Some people are familiar with this verse but not the larger context, which is that of someone looking over the remains of a battlefield. The original Hebrew is suggestive of stopping the fight, letting go, and relaxing. God wants us to drop our arms. No more defensiveness. No more taking things personally. He'll handle it. Really. Trust Him. Rest. Quit thinking it's up to you to police people and that God needs you to “take a stand.” God “needs” nothing. Quit trying to parent the whole world. Quit offering advice when exactly zero people asked for it. Quit being shocked when people don't share your morality. Quit serving as judge and jury, in your own mind, of that person who just cut you off in traffic. Quit thinking you need to “discern” what others’ motives are. And quit rehearsing in your mind what that other person did to you. It's all so exhausting. ~Brant Hansen

We have nothing to prove, and when we really believe that, will hardly be quick to anger. ~Brant Hansen

Perhaps I'm wrong on this, but I doubt people will love God more because of my list of moral accomplishments. They're more likely to be annoyed. ~Brant Hansen

Refusing to be offended by others is a powerful door - opener to actual relationships. ~Brant Hansen

I used to think that to be Christ like meant to be alienated and put off by the sin off others. But it's quite the opposite. Refusing to be alienated and put off by the sin of others is what allows me to be Christlike. ~Brant Hansen

I used to read, and Matthew 16, where Jesus was talking about the “gates of hell” coming against the church and how they would not prevail against it, and I’d think, that's great! We can stand up to the worst attacks. But that doesn't make any sense. Gates don't attack. I'm kind of a military history nerd, and I still missed this. The reference isn't defensive at all. It's about being on offense. What it actually sounds like is this: Jesus is sending His followers out to love others, and they can go anywhere, even through the gates of hell, to do it. ~Brant Hansen

Christians do not condone unbiblical living; we redeem it. ~ Mike Yaconelli

Love people where they are, and love them boldly. And if you really want to go crazy, them too. ~Brant Hansen

In the book “Messy Spirituality,” Yaconelli told a story about a small group of American soldiers during World War 2 who sought out a burial site for one of their fallen friends. They were pulling out the next day and were hoping to bury him in a fenced churchyard cemetery nearby. As the sun was setting, they approached the house next to the church and knocked on the door. The priest answered. They asked him if they could bury their friend in the cemetery. “I'm sorry,” he replied, “but that's only for members of our church.” The priest went on to tell the soldiers they could, if they chose, bury their comrade near the cemetery but on the other side of the fence. They were saddened but had few options, so that's what they did. The next day, they wanted to visit their fellow soldier’s grave site one last time before moving on. When they came to the churchyard, they were shocked: they couldn't find his grave. It simply wasn't there. One of them went to the Parsonage door and knocked. “What happened to the grave we dug?” one soldier asked when the priest answered. “It's not there. We did it last night, and it's not there.” “It's still there.” The soldier was baffled. “You see, last night, I couldn't sleep,” the priest confessed “all I could think about was that I’d told you, that you couldn't bury your friend inside our fence. I regretted that. So, last night, I got up - and I moved the fence.”

My goal with relationships is no longer to try to change people. Is to introduce people to a God who is already reaching toward them, right where they are. This changes everything. It means everyone is welcome, and not just theoretically, but really: everyone - no matter what their political or religious beliefs - is welcome in my home, at my table. I happen to be a pro- life, limited- government Jesus-follower. So, you're an atheist and a socialist who's pro-choice and thinks Jesus is for losers? Fascinating! Say, how would you like your toast? Tell me more about your thoughts about Jesus and losers . . . Welcoming people into our lives isn't “glossing over important issues.” Refusing to be angry about others’ views isn't conflict avoidance or happy-talk. It's the very nature of serving people. I don't pretend the differences aren't there; I just appreciate that God has a different timetable with everyone. ~Brant Hansen

Don't condemn the culture; redeem it. ~Brant Hansen

Wait: We're supposed to surrender the idea that we know others motivations. ~Brant Hansen

So how do I access the relative spiritual temperature of these people? How do I determine where they stand with God? Answer: I don't. ~Brant Hansen

Let’s dispense with one idea at the very start of this chapter: that anger and action are synonymous. Often, we confuse the two, thinking that if we're not angry about an unjust situation, we're simply accepting it. That's completely false. ~Brant Hansen

Anger and action are two very different things, confusing the two actually hurts our efforts to set things right. ~Brant Hansen

Indeed, we are to be motivated by something very different: love, in obedience born of love. ~Brant Hansen

The Bible gives us ample commands to act, and never, ever, says to do it out of anger. ~Brant Hansen

You can recognize injustice, stand up to it, even sacrifice your life fighting. And you can do it without anger. In fact, you'll do it better. You won't be remembered as angry, but as convicted of what's right, and loving to the very end. This kind of love leaves an impression on one's enemies that anger simply never will. ~Brant Hansen

That Monday I went home with a heavy heart. I was weighed down by a terrible sense of guilt, remembering that on two of the three occasions I had allowed myself to become angry and indigent. I had spoken hastily and resentfully. Yet I knew that this was no way to solve a problem. “You must not harbor anger,” I admonish myself. “You must be willing to suffer the anger of the opponent, and yet not return anger.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

For those who ask, “but how can we fight injustice without anger?” King's response is simple: Be motivated by love. Love for victims, love for bystanders, even love for our enemies themselves.

We are not advocating violence. We want to love our enemies I want you to love our enemies. Be good to them. Love them and let them know that you love them. ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jesus will not accept the common distinction between righteous indignation and unjustifiable anger. The disciple must be entirely innocent of anger, because anger is an offence against both God and his neighbor. ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and theologian

Naturally, if you love people, you're going to worry about them. But do you know where constant worry comes from? It's rooted in an arrogance that assumes, I know the way my life has to go, and God's not getting it right. Real humility means to relax. Real humility means to laugh at yourself. Real humility means to be self-critical. ~Timothy Keller

When you start practicing it, you realize: choosing to be unoffendable means actually, for real, trusting God. ~Brant Hansen

Hell . . . begins with a grumbling mood, and yourself still distinct from it. . . . Ye can repent, and come out of it again. But there may come a day when you can do that no longer. Then there will be no you left to criticize the mood, nor even to enjoy it, but just the grumble itself going on forever, like a machine. ~C.S. Lewis

There's only one way to not be threatened by anything, and that’s if you have nothing to lose. And this is where the choosing- to-be-unoffendable business really becomes not only possible but also completely cnsonant with the teachings and life of Jesus. Just making the choice, and being mindful each day that “I'm not going to let people offend me,” is very helpful, and it will make life better. ~Brant Hansen

We say “I trust Jesus,” or “Trust in the Lord, and all that stuff.” But here's where the words actually mean something: What if . . . the worst happens? Do you still trust Him? ~Brant Hansen

Whether or not you currently feel that God is around doesn't alter reality. ~Brant Hansen

Because salvation is by grace through faith, I believe that among the countless number of people standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands (see Revelation 7:9 ), I shall see the prostitute from the Kit-Kat Ranch in Carson City, Nevada, who tearfully told me that she could find no other employment to support her two-year-old son. I shall see the woman who had an abortion that is haunted by guilt and remorse but did the best she could faced with grueling alternatives; the businessman besieged with debt who sold his integrity in a series of desperate transactions; the insecure clergyman addicted to being like, who never challenged his people from the pulpit and longed for unconditional love; the sexually abused teen molested by his father and now selling his body on the street, who, as he falls asleep each night after his last “trick,” whispers the name of the unknown God he learned about in Sunday school. “But how?” we ask. Then the voice says, “they have washed their robes and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” There they are. There we are - the multitude who so wanted to be faithful, who at times got defeated, soiled by life, and bested by trials, wearing the bloodied garments of life’s tribulations, but through it all clung to faith. My friends, if this is not good news to you, you have never understood the gospel of grace. ~Brennan Manning

God still loves us. He has not abandoned us. Every hope we've ever had - that someone would find value in us, would think we were worthy of love, would find us enjoyable and attractive and pleasing and worthwhile - is met in Him. God Himself loves us! His love trump's everything. And nothing, Paul wrote in Romans, can separate us from that love. Nothing. ~Brant Hansen

What we believe isn't what we say we believe; it's what we do. ~Brant Hansen

But the King of kings wants you so badly that He'd give up his only Son to be with you. He not only allows it, but desires that you and I - lowly us! - talk to Him often, whenever we want. He's not asking us to try harder, but to trust that the work is already done to bring us into His family. He wants us to spend eternity - His eternity - with us. ~Brant Hansen

Jesus, the one who made breakfast for His betrayers, wants us to love as He loves. ~Brant Hansen

Without love, I'm just a bunch of noise. And even when well - intentioned, my arguments are abstractions. People have heard so many words. They want to see the love of God. We quote Scripture, saying, “God is love,” and “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 John 4:8; 1 Peter 4:8 ), but if we don't demonstrate this, our words are just more useless racket. ~Brant Hansen

Ideally, however, the church itself is not made up of natural “friends.” It is made up of natural enemies. What binds us together is not common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, common jobs, or anything of the sort. Christians come together, not because they form a natural collection, but because they have been saved by Jesus Christ and owe Him a common allegiance. In the light of this common allegiance, in light of the fact that they have all been loved by Jesus Himself, they commit themselves to doing what He says - and He commands them to love one another. In this light, they are a band of natural enemies who love one another for Jesus sake. ~D.A, Carson

Since anger has value, giving it up requires a sacrifice. And, as we've explored, it's one that's simply not optional for the follower of Jesus. The cross simultaneously stands as a constant reminder of His willingness to “pay the bill” and as an indictment on us when we are unwilling to do the same for others. ~Brant Hansen

It doesn't matter if I feel stupid. I just want to love people for once. ~Brant Hansen

It makes sense that people who follow the Man of Sorrows, a man who was “acquainted with grief,” are also acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3 ). We don't run away from it. We run toward it. And we run toward it knowing full well that people might thrash about, scream, punch, kick, curse, cry, and yell at God and us . . . and then, when they look up, wondering, are you still there? . . . We're still there. ~Brant Hansen

Choosing to be unoffendable out of love for others is ministry. And real ministry forces us to abandon our relentless search for approval from others. That frees us to love . . . beautifully and recklessly. ~Brant Hansen

And that's just it: it's always grace that changes hearts. Rules are wonderful. I'm a rules guy. Rules bring wisdom into our lives. They help us live better. They spare us from pain. But rules don't change anyone's heart, ever. Grace does. ~Brant Hansen

We can play pretend and try to sit up an aquarium - type existence, devoid of interaction with anything or anyone who might challenge or upset us, but that's not the world Jesus came to save. ~Brant Hansen

Henry Nouwen was a priest. He also had plenty of what the culture considers “significant”: he was a brilliant writer and a professor at both Yale and Harvard. As he lived his life, he saw the struggle between operating by the values of the world and the values of the kingdom of God. He says, “More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire is to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn't be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.”

It takes a childlike humility to embrace the love of God, to realize how “unfair” it is, and then add, quickly, “but I'll take it!” ~Brant Hansen

If you're constantly being hurt, offended, or angered, you should honestly evaluate your inflated ego. ~Brant Hansen

The Bibe karma on the other hand, it's shockingly devoid of Awesome, Big Planner People. Instead, God continually chooses the least likely to be chosen, the broken and the humble. It’s clearly His modus operandi. ~Brant Hansen

I also can't help but think that if we just responded to things God places in front of us in our lives, and entrusted the visionary role to the Lord Himself, beautiful things could happen. It doesn't mean we don't need leaders; of course we do. But we need humble ones, leaders who don't need a spotlight, don't need approval, don't need attention. “Ant” leaders who prod us own and serve us in order to help free us to do what God puts in front of us . ~Brant Hansen

To even get near [humility], even for a moment, is like a drink of cold water to a man in a desert. Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call “humble” nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all. ~C.S. Lewis

When we choose, ahead of time - before conversations, before meetings, before our day begins - to be unoffendable, we’re simply choosing humility. ~Brant Hansen

You needn't be insecure in who you are - not because you're great, but because your security isn't found in who you are. ~Brant Hansen

But you know what's harder than living a life of forgiveness? Living a life of unforgiveness. ~Brant Hansen

We don't forgive people because they deserve it. We forgive because we didn't deserve it. We forgive because we've been forgiven. We forgive as an act of worship. God deserves it. ~Brant Hansen

There's nothing that can be done with anger that cannot be done better without it. ~Dallas Willard

We have to constantly be grateful for our own forgiveness. We start the day with it. We live the day with it. We end the day with it. It defines us. ~Brant Hansen

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Abraham: One Nomad's Amazing Journey of Faith by Charles R. Swindoll

2023-06-27T16:15:00.001-04:00

Abraham: One Nomad's Amazing Journey of Faith by Charles R. Swindoll
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of my favorite authors and Bible Teachers is Chuck Swindoll. I am currently teaching the life of Abraham to my Sunday School class. The book is an excellent resource. Some many lessons to be learned from Abraham's life. I highly recommend this book. I hope the quotes below will help you in your walk with our Savior.

Scripture doesn't presume to tell fairy tales. It's a book about real life. ~Charles R. Swindoll

While each person's faith journey is unique, Abraham blazed the trail for the rest of us; his faith journey tells us about our own. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Truly enlightened thinking builds upon the truth that God, as described in the Bible, not only exist but also actively governs his creation (see Psalms 111:10 and Proverbs 1:7 ). When life is viewed through this lens, scientific discoveries become clearer, and the world - with all of its chaos and danger - becomes a less frightening place. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The God of the Bible loves you and has been actively involved in your life from the day you were born - and even before. This is true whether or not you recognize His activity or choose to acknowledge Him. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God has a plan for you, and this plan includes blessings greater than your ability to imagine. Many centuries ago, He established a plan to redeem the world from evil, and He has made a place for you in His grand design. This redemption plan began with His choice of one man, Abraham. Because his story is the archtype for my story, and your story, let's walk in his sandals as we learn about this God who loves us so much. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The Lord chose Abram for reasons known only in heaven. Abram did nothing to earn or deserve God's favor. ~Charles R. Swindoll

We don't like waiting, but that's when God does some of his best work on our souls. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The Lord doesn't expect anyone to exercise perfect faith. Instead, He meets us where we are and then helps us cultivate increasingly more mature trust in Him. So, I don't mind telling you that God isn't finished with me yet. He continues to stretch my faith muscle so that it will become even stronger with use. And He's doing the same for you. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Trusting in God rarely involves easy choices. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Every choice to follow God's leading involves sacrifice - at least the sacrifice of our own desires. Do you trust the Lord's character enough to obey Him without having all the details worked out? Are you willing to accept a short-term loss in order to receive divine blessings you cannot yet see? ~Charles R. Swindoll

If you know what God wants you to do, obedience isn't complicated. It may be difficult, but it's not complicated. Stop hoping it will be easy, and give up the search for alternatives. Don't wait any longer for all the details to be worked out. The Lord has given you an opportunity to grow in faith. He wants you to trust in his faithful care and rest in his unfaltering power. The time to obey has come. Now . . . Go! ~Charles R. Swindoll

God doesn't use difficult circumstances to find out what we'll do. He already knows what the future holds. He uses tests to reveal us to ourselves! ~Charles R. Swindoll

How many people have yet to embrace the God of the Bible because they continue to live in the shadows created by our moral failures? ~Charles R. Swindoll

The Lord's favor on Abraham didn't depend upon the man's good behavior. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Most of us rise to meet adversity with our best character. However, our true character comes out when things go really well. It's easy to become arrogant, self-sustaining, conceited, greedy, and condescending at such times. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The best remedy for the disease of greed is generosity. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Our biggest problem is it that we don't see and hear God; is that we struggle with doing what He has commanded! ~Charles R. Swindoll

Even great men and women struggle with temptation. Even wealthy people can be lured by the prospect of more riches. ~Charles R. Swindoll

If I were to boil down all the characteristics of greatness to a single word, it would be humility. ~Charles R. Swindoll

No one can argue with the One who made the stars. God’s omnipotence makes anything possible. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Don't consider a delay a cancellation. ~Charles R. Swindoll

When the consequences of sin begin to fall, relationships always suffer. ~Charles R. Swindoll

When we're forced away, the Lord helps us acquire an appetite for the blessing to come. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Holiness cannot be acquired at once; holiness takes time. Time to be still, and patience to accept the silence of God. ~Charles R. Swindoll

People of depth are rare. Not many people have the foresight or the patience to cultivate spiritually deep roots. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Slowing down will help you avoid a lifetime strewn with the litter of regrets. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Slow down. Learn to wait on God. Deliberately devote yourself to walking with Him instead of making decisions and then expecting Him to ratify your choices. Let Him be your advocate. Let Him remove your anxiety as you lean on Him for everything. Surrender to Him control over every matter; you have little control over them anyway. Slow down. Grow deep. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God doesn't need to go anywhere together information. Yet He chose to come down to earth from heaven, and He elected to wear the skin of humanity. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Be aware that some people you encounter may be angels (Hebrews 13:1-2). Here's the point: treat everyone like he or she is a representative of heaven. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Be confident that nothing is too difficult for the Lord. Nothing is too difficult for Him! ~Charles R. Swindoll

Remain sensitive to the Lord. Remaining sensitive to His leading will allow you to trust Him when He does things you don't understand. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Be passionate in prayer. There's something about praying that softens the soil of our souls, keeping us in tune with God's perspective, which is always compassionate, realistic, hopeful, wise, and full of grace. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The One who did wondrous things for Abraham and Sarah is the One who loves you as His own child. ~Charles R. Swindoll

At times, God honors the motives of our prayer but did not the specific petition in order to give us something better. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God can't shower you with blessing or grant your request while you're in rebellion; it’s not good for you. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God's “no” can become our opportunity to grow deeper in our relationship with Him. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Immorality is poisonous. You could never become immune to its deadly potency. ~Charles R. Swindoll

We need beliefs. Beliefs fuel our doctrinal knowledge and help establish us in faith. Beliefs form a major part of the Christian conscience and provide direction for our faith journeys. Our beliefs sharpen the edge of discernment. But convictions. . . . What you know is one thing, but what you do with your knowledge defines your character and establishes your reputation. It takes guts to develop deep, firmly rooted inner principles regarding integrity, morality, ethics, and faith. That is what we need in government and so rarely fine. That is what we need in churches and schools. But even those institutions may lack such convictions. You can make a major difference in your part of the world by determining and then holding a set of convictions derived from God's Word. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Convictions must be clearly established before God, or they will be twisted and weakened before others. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Convictions must be affirmed and modeled in the home, are there will be compromised on the street. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Convictions must mean everything to us personally, or they'll mean nothing when we're under pressure. ~Charles R. Swindoll

What comes into our minds when we think about God it's the most important thing about us. ~A. W. Tozer

The world is temporary; God's Kingdom is forever. ~Charles R. Swindoll

If it's wrong, it's a big deal. If it's a habitual wrong, it's a bigger deal. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God is still a God of holiness; take Him seriously . ~Charles R. Swindoll

We are still creatures of immortality; take Him seriously. ~Charles R. Swindoll

We are still at the mercy of God's grace; take Him seriously. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Our culture has a dangerous moral undertow current. If we're unaware of that and fail to respond effectively, immorality will drag us under. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Recognize that no one is immune to the dangers. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The deadly downward drag of immorality can overcome anyone, just as a strong riptide can overwhelm an excellent swimmer. Repeat to yourself, I am vulnerable. This could happen to me and to my family. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Pay attention to subtle hints. Stay alert. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Get into the habit of asking yourself, will I be a better person because of this? Is this the kind of thing that will make me healthier? Are my children going to benefit from this? Is this spiritually wholesome and healthy? ~Charles R. Swindoll

Declare and model your standard repeatedly . ~Charles R. Swindoll

Discuss your values, model your values, and encourage your children to do the same. Being proactive is essential in today's world! ~Charles R. Swindoll

Guard against passivity. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Be alert! Pay attention! Step up! Parent up! The next generation needs you! ~Charles R. Swindoll

The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime. ~Alan Redpath

Abraham is a forerunner of faith for the rest of us. His journey of faith blazed the trail we all follow, and Genesis tells his story for our benefit. Each of our journeys is unique, but we will find in Abraham’s story episodes that resonate with their own. And that includes the continual struggle to rise above old temptations and conquer repeat sins. In Abraham's case, this means fighting the compulsion to lie when the truth might jeopardize his life. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Never think that a person who doesn't worship God can't have integrity or behave morally. Candidly, some nonbelievers have more integrity than Christians do. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Abraham fell back on his old nature. Yet his failure didn't make him any less God's man or any less a prophet. ~Charles R. Swindoll

When we as God's people fail to trust him and then sin to protect ourselves or to provide for our own needs, we look exactly like unbelievers. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Never presume on your own weaknesses. Accept your vulnerabilities and plan ahead. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Never rely on your own crutches. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Get rid of any well-worn crutch. Toss it aside and stop relying on phony excuses to get around admitting your weaknesses. Call it what it is, repent of your sin, claim God's forgiveness, ask for strength to get beyond it, and seek help from others. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Never lean on your own understanding. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The chronic dependence upon self as opposed to living by faith is referred to as carnality by many theologians. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God is not in a hurry. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God isn't constrained by time or human perspective. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The people who have grown deep in their relationship with God have learned to wait with anticipation instead of worry. They know that God keeps his promises, so they don't fret over whether the fulfillment will come but only when it will take place. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God never forgets his promises. God is always trustworthy. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God's promises are linked to their context. All the Lord's promises are not universal. Not every promise is for everyone. When reading a promise, we have to ask a few questions: To whom is He speaking? In what circumstance did He make the promise? Who will be affected by the promise? Is the promise universal, affecting everyone who ever lived? Or did God direct the promise to a specific person or group? ~Charles R. Swindoll

When we finally receive what we desire most, we will see that no time earlier and no time later would have been right. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Remember that God is never accidentally late. His plan unfolds right on time, even though on our timetable, the next step has been delayed for a long time. From our perspective, God's actions come later than what we want or expect. But His timing is perfect - He's never too late. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Forget about your own schedule and plans. Your agenda cannot take into account all the details that affect other people, and you cannot see how future events will unfold. Fortunately, God has the perspective we lack, and He loves us more than we love ourselves. So, His plan will give us greater joy than anything we could devise for ourselves. It could be said, then, that God answers the prayers we would pray if we could see what He sees. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Ask Lord for sustaining strength and divine wisdom. I know that sounds elementary, but we often forget that we can't do life on our own. We need divine help from one day to the next. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Forgive yourself for being short sighted and and for missing the big picture. Forgive yourself for clinging when you should have released. Forgive yourself for failing to be excited about what's ahead when God's plan doesn't include your plans. Repent of your failings, receive God's forgiveness, and then forgive yourself. ~Charles R. Swindoll

While God forgives our sins and wipes the slate clean in terms of our relationship with Him, our wrongdoing may have lingering consequences with others. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Though every act of sin is forgivable, the effects of some sins are not erasable. ~Charles R. Swindoll

While you may feel all alone, you are not alone. God sees you. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Lessons that we need to learn often come through the person we're married to, if we're not too stupid to hear what he or she is saying. ~Charles R. Swindoll

He didn't understand the situation, but he knew the righteous character of his God, and he believed the promise He had made. ~Charles R. Swindoll

When you release your treasures to the Lord, He will honor your risk by giving you something or someone far more valuable than what you release. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Because of our fallen nature, we tend to rely upon God's gifts for happiness and forget to trust the Giver. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God established marriage as a sheer journey of faith. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The bond of marriage creates opportunities for mutual spiritual growth unlike any other relationship. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God established marriage to make new generations of faithful men and women ~Charles R. Swindoll

Five guidelines for people seeking a mate today:
1. Hear and heed the counsel of godly parents.
2. Saturate the entire process in prayer.
3. Look for qualities that reveal true character.
4. Proceed cautiously; Think deeply. First impressions can be deceiving.
5. Determine if there is a mutual interest in spiritual things. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Rebekah committed herself to a life of faith, not knowing where it might lead or what she might find along the way. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Many die long before they draw their last breath. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Do your given while you're living, then you're knowing where it's going! ~Charles R. Swindoll

Each morning you wake up with a fresh opportunity to live that day well, to see your next 24 hours as a series of choices. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Faithfully remember that each day offers opportunities for staying young at heart. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Diligently refused to give up. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Abraham’s many imperfections reveal that he was a man with a nature like ours, yet more than half the world has judged him great. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Great rewards await if you obey without knowing all the details. It's a principle God wants each of His followers to experience. Learning to trust Him is like making a journey step after step. Faith builds upon faith. When we trust, we receive unexpected blessings. This strengthens our confidence and inspires us to trust God again as we take another step. It isn't complicated, but it goes against our nature. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Trusting God never fails to satisfy. The rewards along the way are exhilarating. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The only valid reason for anyone to make more than they need is to give away the surplus. God graciously provides an overabundance for one purpose: so that we might share it. So . . . share it! ~Charles R. Swindoll

Take care to hear the people who love you, and give consideration to their opinions, but always examine the counsel you receive under the white-hot lightning of scripture. Make your decision a matter of prayer, and resist the urge to believe what you're told and rush ahead. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Wherever God leads, follow. Be sure your decision is based on God's leading. Our journey of faith requires us to go where we should be and do what we should be doing. If we don't - if we reject God's leading - we forfeit his best and accept mediocrity. That's never a good trade. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Whatever God promises, believe. Never doubt in the dark what God gave you in the light. God's promises are given for you to believe, not merely to quote. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Whenever God test, trust. A test usually makes us feel vulnerable. We get weak. We begin to panic. We try to find safety in the familiar. We avoid taking risks. But tests of faith call for boldness. You may have heard it said that, “God never gives us more than we can handle.” That's absolutely wrong! He frequently challenges us to trust Him more by giving us far more than we can handle on our own. He wants us to turn to Him in desperation and ask for His assistance. He's always willing to help, but He wants us to recognize our need and to want Him. ~Charles R. Swindoll

However God blesses, share. How easy it is for us to receive God's blessings yet fail to balance receiving would giving. Resolve to become a generous person. I will warn you, however, that giving generously requires faith - trust that the Almighty will look after your needs. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Wherever God leads, follow.
Whatever God promises, believe.
Whenever God test, trust.
However God blesses, share. ~Charles R. Swindoll

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The Character Edge: Leading and Winning with Integrity by Robert L. Caslen Jr.

2023-06-26T14:41:00.002-04:00

The Character Edge: Leading and Winning with Integrity by Robert L. Caslen Jr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If this is not the best leadership book I have ever read than it is very near the top. Both authors are from West Point and apply many principles from that school. Lt. General Robert L. Caslen, Jr. (Ret) was the 59th Superintendent of West Point and Dr. Michael D. Matthews the professor of Psychology at West Point. It was very hard to get quotes from the book, because the authors explained things in detail and even suggested ways to make improvement in one's company and in one's on life. I HIGHLY recommend this book for everyone. I hope the quotes below will strengthen your leadership. The very last "quote" which is an example of a creed somewhat sums up the book.

I am aware that a man of real merit is never seen in so favorable a light as seen through the medium of adversity. The clouds that surround him are shades that set off his good qualities. ~Alexander Hamilton

A study of more than 12,000 adults in the United States and Germany revealed that the character strengths of love, hope, curiosity, zest, and (particularly) gratitude were linked to high life satisfaction. ~Caslen, Matthews

Seligman and Peterson classify 24 character strengths into six overarching categories called moral virtues. These six moral virtues, with their associated character strengths, are:

• wisdom and knowledge (creativity, curiosity, open mindedness, love of learning, perspective)

• courage (bravery, persistence, integrity, zest)

• justice (teamwork, fairness, leadership)

• humanity (capacity to the love, kindness, social intelligence)

• temperance (forgiveness, humility, prudence, self- regulation)

• transcendence (appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope/optimism, humor, spirituality).

We each have a unique profile of character strengths. This helps define who we are as individuals.

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, that he who conquers that fear. ~Nelson Mandela

Authority without wisdom is like a heavy axe without an edge, fitter to bruise than polish. ~Anne Bradstreet

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking promotes profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. ~Lao-Tzu

One of the most powerful strengths of the heart is the capacity to give and receive thanks in life. The greatest thing about gratitude is that practicing it may bring greater positive benefits for you than it does for the recipient of thanks. ~Caslen, Matthews

I came to believe that a leader isn't good because they are right; they're good because they're willing to learn and to trust. ~ Stanley McChrystal

Culture does not change because we desire to change it. Culture changes when the organization is transformed; the culture reflects the realities of people working together every day. ~ Francis Hesselbein, former CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA

Patrick Sweeney, retired from the army and now the director of Wake Forest universities allegiances Center for leadership and character, created a conceptual model that captures how high- performing organizations maintain excellence in the face of purple personal turbulence and curator failures. The individual- relationship- organization- contacts (I Roc) model describes the complex relationships are nine organizations, individuals, and the context in which they operate, and how these relationships influence trust and sustain high performance. The following chart summarizes the IR OC model.

INDIVIDUAL CREDIBILITY

• Competence

• Character

• Caring

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER

• Respect and concern

• Open communications

• Cooperative interdependence

• Trust and empower others

ORGANIZATION SETS THE CLIMATE

• Shared values, beliefs, norms, and goals (culture)

• Structure, practices, policies, and procedures

CONTACTS INFLUENCES ALL

• Dependencies and needs

• Organizational systems

In determining “the right people,” the good-to-great companies place greater weight on character attributes then on specific educational background, practical skills, specialized knowledge, or work experience. ~ Jim Collins

Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character. ~Heracleitus

That which does not kill us only makes us stronger. ~ Frederick Nitschke

Outcomes of adversity:

• Resilience-this occurs when, following a period of adversity, a person's adjustment returns to baseline.

• Disorder-this occurs when adversity results in a negative change in adjustment, and the individual does not recover over time.

• Invulnerability-this occurs when the person endures the adverse event with no apparent change.

• Growth-this occurs when a person becomes stronger emotionally, builds better social relationships, or develops stronger character strengths as a result of a challenging experience. ~Caslen, Matthews

And ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. ~ Benjamin Franklin

Organizational hazards to character:

1. Consumer need and suitability are not guiding product lifestyle practices. In simple terms this means that organizations that place sales over actual customer needs are prone to misconduct. The university that is more concerned with new buildings or winning sports championships than with the education of the students is an example.

2. Failing to have a balanced scorecard for your human resource decisions. This means that important personnel decisions that are driven by short-term or narrow performance indicators result in misconduct.

3. Individuals and leadership are not responsible or held to account for misconduct.

4. Failing to identify and manage conflicts of interest. There must be outside checks and balances to guard against misconduct.

5. Complex, disconnected, or growth-at-all-cost business models. Complexity breeds confusion, which can be followed by a focus on the wrong goals and objectives. A bigger is better philosophy enables focusing on short term gains, achieved at any cost including compromise of character, over long term success.

6. Manual and complicated processes and procedures. Making the job too hard leads to shortcuts. Excessive bureaucracy causes people to take shortcuts that may compromise their ethics.

7. Weak systems for monitoring and surveillance. Leaders must ensure that fair and objective systems are in place to track adherence to ethical guidelines. Failure to do so allows the perception that unethical actions will go undetected and unpunished.

8. Disparate subcultures or a problematic prevailing culture. Organizations may foster positive character, such as Johnson and Johnson, or allow unprincipled behavior to be the norm, such as the Army rugby team. Leaders must take positive and constant action to establish and maintain a positive organizational climate. This may be the most important thing a leader does. Such a strong and positive culture may migrate against other risk factors in the Character Risk Model. ~ An article by the Deloitte Center for Regulatory Strategy

Competing at the highest level is not about winning. It's about preparation, courage, understanding and nurturing people, and heart. Winning is the result. ~Joe Torre

An example of a personal creed taken from Johnson and Johnson's credo and the creed of the West Point Corps of Cadets:

As a leader of our organization, I am first committed to our clients and customers, to provide them with a high- quality, reasonably priced product that is safe and secure, and that is the best in the market.

My next responsibility is to our employees, who work with us throughout our entire organization. All are valued members, who will work in a safe and secure environment and will find fulfillment in their jobs. I will ensure their work environment is supportive to their imagination, creativity, innovation, and growth. I will empower and develop them to the limits of their potential, ensure that they have great opportunities for advancement and satisfaction, and ensure their compensation is competitive with the best in the nation. I'm committed to their development as lifelong employees and future leaders of our organization.

My organization is emboldened by the values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal moral courage. These are the values that are embraced and that drive everything I do, both with my organization and in my life. I am a man or woman of great integrity, who will live a private life with the same values I will live in my public life. I will live these values not only at work, but also at home and in everything I do.

I am responsible to be a strong partner with my community, supporting my local government and my local organizations, and ensuring that I am a good citizen who supports good works, and charities, and my fair share of taxes. I will be a good steward of the environment I am privileged to use.

I will serve our clients and our customers, maintaining the honor of our organization, living above the common level of life, having the courage to choose the harder right over the easier wrong. I will live both my public life and my private life with honor and integrity.

I am a member of an organization of excellence and will pursue excellence in our product, and our customers, and our employees, and in all we do.

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The Leader’s Greatest Return by John C. Maxwell

2023-06-23T11:37:00.003-04:00

The Leader's Greatest Return: Attracting, Developing, and Multiplying Leaders by John C. Maxwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love being inspired by John C. Maxwell. You will love the quotes below. Let them challenge you to not only be a great leader but to build other leaders through you. Enjoy:

I don’t promise you it will be easy. I do promise you it will be worthwhile. ~Art Williams

If you desire to fulfill a bold vision or do something great, you have to let go of a microwave mindset for leadership. ~John C. Maxwell

People too often overvalue their dream and undervalue their team. . . . A big dream with a bad team is a nightmare. ~John C. Maxwell

For a leader who develops leaders, there's something scarier and much more important than ability. It is the ability to recognize ability. ~John C. Maxwell

I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn't have the heart to let him down. ~Abraham Lincoln

Great leaders help people have a larger vision of themselves. ~ Mark Sanborn

We will do everything in our power to measure up to the spoken belief we have received. ~John C. Maxwell

Encouragement is oxygen to the soul for the leader, and if you're a leader who wants to develop other leaders, you need to encourage them and help them breathe. ~John C. Maxwell

Attitude is a choice, and at the heart of a good attitude is willing willingness -willingness to learn, to improve, to serve, to think of others, to add value, to do the right thing, to make sacrifices for the team. Leadership skill may come from the head, but leadership attitude comes from the heart. ~John C. Maxwell

Good leaders want more for the people they lead then they won't from them. ~John C. Maxwell

At Delta, we hire for attitude but train for aptitude. Always start with attitude. Bring people on the team that the other members will enjoy working with. ~Ed Bastian

The formation of our character creates predictability to our leadership. Predictability, dependability, and consistency: these three qualities ensure that our leadership is reliable and motivates people to place their confidence in us. Our effectiveness as leaders is built on trust. ~Gayle Beebe

Character is about managing your life well, so you can lead others well. ~John C. Maxwell

Talent is always conscious of its own abundance and does not object to sharing. ~Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

The vision gap is the space between what we are doing and what we could do period builders are impatient to close that gap. ~John C. Maxwell

People often say, “I'll know it when I see it.” That's not a good strategy. I say, “know it and you'll see it!” ~John C. Maxwell

A company’s culture is the expression of the values of the people within the organization. It is the sum of the behavior of the people, not a reflection of what you wanted to be. People do what people see - and they keep doing it. What people do on an ongoing, habitual basis creates culture. ~John C. Maxwell

Knowledge isn't the key to success. Applying knowledge is. ~John C. Maxwell

Leadership is more caught than taught. ~John C. Maxwell

If someone is always at the head of the class, he or she is in the wrong class. ~John C. Maxwell

The only way for any person to learn leadership is to lead. Leading isn't a theoretical exercise. ~John C. Maxwell

Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand. ~John C. Maxwell

Good leadership requires a perspective shift from it's all about me to it's all about others. ~John C. Maxwell

If you will sweat with your people, they can handle the heat. ~John C. Maxwell

Ten ways to make connections with people:
• Most people are insecure. Give them confidence.
• Most people want to feel special. Compliment them.
• Most people want a bright future. Give them hope.
• Most people need to be understood. Listen to them.
• Most people want direction. Walk with them.
• Most people are selfish. Speak to their needs first.
• Most people get emotionally low. Encourage them.
• Most people want to be included. Ask their opinion.
• Most people want success. Help them win.
• Most people want to be appreciated. Give them credit. ~John C. Maxwell

Always ask questions. Here's what questions do:
• Create a space for open conversation
• Place value on others and their opinions
• Help people know one another better
• Invite everyone to participate
• Clear up assumptions
• Causes people to think
• Gather conversation ~John C. Maxwell

Leadership isn't controlled - it's influence . ~John C. Maxwell

You do not want to control people's responses. You want to influence their thinking and actions. ~John C. Maxwell

Front-end questions set the agenda, while back-end questions maximize the agenda. Front-end questions encourage preparation, while back-end questions encourage reflection. ~John C. Maxwell

What others have to say to you really must remain more important than what you have to say to them. Why? Because the higher leaders rise, the farther they get from the front lines, and the more they have to depend on what others tell them to know what's really going on. Listening is still the best way to gather information, to learn, to understand people, and to connect with them. ~John C. Maxwell

A suffering person does not need a lecture; he needs a listener. ~Billy Graham

Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable. ~David Augsburger

Listening draws people to you, which works much better than trying to push your leadership on them. Empathy builds trust. ~John C. Maxwell

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing-that's why we recommend it daily. ~Zig Ziglar

Good leaders inspire others only to the extent that they inspire themselves. ~John C. Maxwell

THE SEVEN MOTIVATIONS OF LEADERS:
1. Purpose - Leaders Want To Do What They Were Created To Do.
2. Autonomy - Leaders Want The Freedom To Control Their Lives.
3. Relationships - Leaders Want To Do Things With Other People.
4. Progress - Leaders Want To Experience Personal And Professional Growth.
5. Mastery - Leaders Want To Excel At Their Work.
6. Recognition - Leaders Want Others To Appreciate Their Accomplishments.
7. Money - Leaders Want To Be Financially Secure. ~John C. Maxwell

The partnership principal: working together increases the odds of winning together. ~John C. Maxwell

Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. ~Pat Riley

People don't determine their future. They determined their habits, which determined their future. ~John C. Maxwell

The best way to set your people up for success is:
Believe in them.
Encourage them.
Show them.
Train them. ~John C. Maxwell

Survival of the fittest is not the same as survival of the best. Leaving leadership development up to chance is foolish. ~ Morgan McCall

The function of leadership isn't together more followers. It’s to produce more leaders. ~John C. Maxwell

Five-step plan for equipping:
• I model.
• I mentor.
• I monitor.
• I motivate.
• I multiply. ~John C. Maxwell

Next level equipping:
• I'll do it.
• I do it and you are with me.
• You do it and I am with you.
• You do it.
• You do it and someone else is with you. ~John C. Maxwell

Being An Example Others Want To Follow. Here's what you need to be asking yourself:
Learning:“What am I learning?”
Experiencing: “What am I experiencing?”
Applying: “What am I applying?”
Developing: “Who am I developing?” ~John C. Maxwell

Telling others to do what you haven't done yourself isn't equipping. It's bossing. ~John C. Maxwell

The position doesn't make the leader; the leader makes the position. ~John C. Maxwell

It's very difficult for people to rise up if their leader refuses to put the wind of empowerment under their wings. ~John C. Maxwell

Only secure leaders get power to others. ~John C. Maxwell

The greatest leaders aren't necessarily the ones who do the greatest things. They are the ones who empower others to do great things. ~John C. Maxwell

If we start with the attitude that different viewpoints are additive rather than competitive, we become more effective because our ideas or decisions or honed and tempered by that discourse . ~ Ed Catmull

Leadership is like swimming. It can't be learned by reading about it. Leaders become leaders by practicing. ~John C. Maxwell

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. ~George S Patton

The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated. ~William James

Advice from John Wooden's father:
1. Be true to yourself.
2. Help others.
3. Make every day your masterpiece.
4. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
5. Make friendship a fine art.
6. Build a shelter against a rainy day.
7. Pray for guidance and count and give thanks for your blessings every day.

In talking to the top executive coaches who worked for the John Maxwell company, they've told me that poor self-awareness is the number one problem they see in leaders. ~John C. Maxwell

A dream is a compelling vision you see in your heart that is too big to accomplish without the help of others. ~Chris Hodges

Area	“We” Needs	“Me” Needs
Purpose	I am really enthusiastic about the mission of my company.	At work, I clearly understand what is expected of me.
Excellence	In my team, I am surrounded by people who share my values.	I have a chance to use my strengths every day at work.
Support	My teammates have my back.	I know I will be recognized for excellent work.
Future	I have great confidence in my company's future.	in my work, I'm always challenged to grow.

If you have a dream and no team - the dream is impossible.
If you have a dream and a bad team - the dream is a nightmare.
If you have a dream and are building a team - the dream is possible.
If you have a dream and a good leadership team- the dream is inevitable. ~John C. Maxwell

Members of trusting teams:
• Admit weaknesses and mistakes
• Ask for help
• Accept questions and input about their areas of responsibility
• Give one another the benefit of the doubt before arriving at a negative conclusion
• Take risk and offering feedback and assistance
• Appreciate and tap into one another’s skills and experiences
• Focus time and energy on important issues, not politics
• Offer and accept apologies without hesitation
• Look forward to meetings and other opportunities to work as a group ~ Pat Lencioni

Growth plans for members of my leadership team:
Give them a growth environment.
Recognize each person's growth needs.
Open up opportunities for them to grow.
Walk with them in challenging times.
Teach them to learn from every experience.
Help them add value to their teammates. ~John C. Maxwell

In teamwork, silence isn't golden, it's deadly. ~Mark Sanborn

When people get to weigh in on their development, they more readily buy into owning their personal growth progress. ~John C. Maxwell

I think if you truly understand the meaning of mentoring, you understand it as important as parenting; in fact, it is just like parenting. As my father often said, “there is nothing you know that you haven't learned from someone else.” Everything in the world has been passed down. Every piece of knowledge is something that has already been shared by someone else. If you understand it as I do, mentoring becomes your true legacy. It is the greatest inheritance you can give to others. It is why you get up every day- to teach and be taught. ~John Wooden

Quotes and what John Maxwell learned from people throughout his life:
Having a great attitude is a choice. He taught me that attitude is the difference maker. ~Melvin Maxwell (John Maxwell’s father – Consistency)

There's power in proximity. He taught me to get close to the people who can make you better. ~Elmer Towns (Faithfulness)

Go to places that inspire you. He gave me the idea of visiting presidential libraries, and I've been to all of them. ~Lon Woodrum (Reflectiveness)

Be the first to see potential in others. He saw the potential in me when I was 25, and I've never looked back. ~Bob Kline (Duty)

Expand your influence beyond your personal touch. He encouraged me to start writing books. ~Les Parrott (Creativity)

Be a rancher, not just a shepherd. He challenged me to not just feed the sheep I had, but to build and make room to reach other sheep. ~Jerry Falwell (Faith)

Become your mentee’s champion. He was more than a mentor; he was a sponsor who put his reputation on the line for me so I could take risks and live outside the box. ~ Tom Phillippe (Humility)

Carry the baton with excellence. He asked me to be a successor and handed the leadership baton to me for the organization he founded and led for 31 years. I worked to carry it out with excellence for 14 years and then handed it off to the next leader. ~Orval Butcher (Joy)

“Who luck” is the best luck a person can have. Chuck introduced me to the leaders much bigger and better than me, and they accepted and helped me. ~Chuck Swindoll (Possibilities)

Everything rises and falls on leadership. He mentored me from a distance through his book, Spiritual Leadership, which lit my fire to lead; I was able to meet him 20 years later to express my gratitude. ~J. Oswald Sanders (Fulfillment)

The gift is greater than the person. He taught me that I should be grateful for the amazing gifts God gave me, but to remember that I'm flawed, not amazing; that awareness grounded me. ~Fred Smith (Perspective)

Develop different streams of income. A talented businessman, he instructed me to create passive income that would work for me when I wasn't working. ~Larry Maxwell (John Maxwell’s brother – Focus)

Have a vision for the world. He wanted to change the world, and every time I was with him, he expanded my vision and purpose. ~ Bill Bright (Vision)

Help others get what they want, and they will help you get what you want. His statement prompted me to change the way I saw and practiced leadership, and I loved him for it. ~ Zig Ziglar (Reciprocity)

Take your message to the business world. He encouraged me to include the business market when I wrote my books, at 31 million books later, we're still helping people. ~Sealy Yates (Opportunity)

Will the reader turn the page? Les coached me in how to write and make my written message more compelling. ~ Les Stobbe (Servanthood)

Make every day your masterpiece. He modeled his philosophy last Friday and was my greatest mentor; my book Today Matters was inspired by him. ~John Wooden (Intentionality)

Mentorship is both caught and talk. The catching part of mentorship is totally dependent upon the credibility of the person mentoring you. ~John C. Maxwell

The underlying purpose of mentoring is not for people to act differently but rather to become different. ~ Dale Bronner

The difference between coaching and mentoring: ~John C. Maxwell

Coaching	Mentoring
Skill centered	Life Centered
Formal setting	Informal setting
More structured	Less structured
Directive	Advisory
Short- term	Long- term
narrow in scope	broader in scope
Drives the agenda	Receive the agenda
Positional	Relational
Skill awareness	Self- awareness
Trains	Develops
Do something	Be something
Transactional	Transformational

Mentors do not seek to create a new person; they simply seek to help a person become a better version of himself. ~John Wooden

Mentoring is discipling another person. It involves discerning where they are, knowing where they are supposed to go, and giving them what they need to get there. ~John C. Maxwell

Good mentors don't hesitate to have difficult conversations with the people they mentor. They deal with the “elephants” in the room even when others won't. ~John C. Maxwell

The greater an individual’s leadership ability, the greater the success or impact he or she can make ~John C. Maxwell

The only thing limiting the future of any organization is the number of good leaders with the develops. ~John C. Maxwell

I strive to model the six C's of of reproducing a culture. You should too.
• CHARACTER - BE IT. Everything starts with strong character. That's not something you can just talk about; it's something that has to be at the core of who you are. You have to live it every day. You must maintain integrity, treat others with respect, desire the best for people, and go out of your way to help them.
• CLARITY - SHOW IT. You have to spend time developing leaders yourself. You need to be personally involved, and your team needs to see you doing it so that you understand how it's done and how important it is.
• COMMUNICATION - SAY IT. You have to constantly talk about leadership development, so it becomes part of the common language in everyday conversation.
• CONTRIBUTION - OWN IT. If you're the leader the buck stops with you. You need to own your responsibility for developing leaders, and others will too. And when others step up and say, “I'll own this,” the entire team gets stronger.
• CONSISTENTLY - DO IT. The development of leaders is never once and done. Is something that needs cultivating every day. Why? Because the need for more and better leaders never ends.
• CELEBRATION - EMBRACE IT. When the development of leaders is recognized, rewarded, and celebrated continually, it becomes elevated in the organization and woven into the culture. Every leader aspires to become part of it and join in. ~John C. Maxwell

Nothing is easier than saying words. Nothing is harder than living them, day after day. What you promised today must be renewed and re-decided tomorrow and each day that stretches out before you. ~Arthur Gordon

David Ogilvy, founder of the giant advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather, used to give each new manager in his organization a Russian doll. The doll contained five progressively smaller dolls. A message inside the smallest one read: “If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, Ogilvy and Mather will become a company of giants.” Commit to finding, hiring, and developing giants. ~Dennis Waitley

Winning companies when because they have good leaders who nurture the development of other leaders at all levels of the organization. ~Noel Tichy

Every day every leader you work with should ask, “Am I using my gifts for myself or others?” ~John C. Maxwell

When you begin developing leaders, the most important thing you can do is let them know what you're thinking and why. ~John C. Maxwell

The 80/ 20 rule:
• 20% of the workers produce 80% of the product
• 20% of the Salesforce close 80% of the sales
• 20% of the products return 80% of the revenue
• 20% of the population possesses 80% of the wealth
• 20% of the teams in the league win 80% of the championships

Accumulative advantage: what begins as a small advantage gets bigger over time. ~James Clear

Intentional living turns good intentions into good actions. ~John C. Maxwell

If the vision is right, the right leaders will show up. ~John C. Maxwell

A good leader will always have those around him who are better at particular task than he is. This is the hallmark of leadership. Never be afraid to hire or manage people who are better at certain jobs than you are. They can only make your organization stronger. ~John C. Maxwell

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Intentional Living: Choosing a Life That Matters by John C. Maxwell

2023-06-22T15:12:00.004-04:00

Intentional Living: Choosing a Life That Matters by John C. Maxwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

John Maxwell always writes so wonderful, thought provoking books. This one on Intentional Living is excellent. I hope you will be challenged by the quotes below.

To be significant, all you have to do is make a difference with others wherever you are, with whatever you have, day by day. ~ John C Maxwell

When you intentionally use your everyday life to bring about positive change in the lives of others, you begin to live a life that matters. ~ John C Maxwell

If your story isn't as meaningful or significant or compelling as you want it to be, you can change it. ~ John C Maxwell

To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself. ~Soren Kierkegaard

Be the change you want to see in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi

Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. . . . Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do. ~ Steve Jobs

If you want to live a life that matters, don't strike when you get good; start now so you can become good. ~ John C Maxwell

What is the number one catalyst for change? It's action. ~ John C Maxwell

In life, it is not what we get that makes us valuable. Is what we become in the process that brings value to our lives. Action is what converts human dreams into significance. It brings personal value that we can gain from no other source. ~ John C Maxwell

A butterfly cannot go back to being a caterpillar. When you start living the significant story, you get a taste for making a difference and you won't go back. ~ John C Maxwell

When I die, I cannot take with me what I have, but I can live in others by what I gave. ~ John C Maxwell

Having a heart to help people and add value to them make sure a better person. But if you don't act on it in an intentional way it won't make a difference. ~ John C Maxwell

If you're going to grow, you have to be intentional. ~ Curt Kampmeier

You need to put details to your dreams and attach deadlines to them. You need to examine yourself and where you are. You need to look at your strengths and weaknesses. You need to identify your goals every week. ~ John C Maxwell

An unintentional life accepts everything and does nothing. An intentional life embraces only the things that will add to the mission of significance. ~ John C Maxwell

Intentional leaving always has an idea.
Unintentional living always has an excuse. ~ John C Maxwell

Intentionally living fixes the situation.
Unintentionally living fixes the blame. ~ John C Maxwell

Intentional living makes it happen.
Unintentional living wonders what happened. ~ John C Maxwell

Intentional living says, “Here's something I can do.”
Unintentional living says, “Why doesn't someone else do something?” ~ John C Maxwell

Intentional living turns the doubt-filled question “Can I?” Into the invigorating, possibility-inducing “How can I?” ~ John C Maxwell

When you know what you want and can't find what you need, you must create what you need, so you can get what you want! ~ John C Maxwell

Most people don't aim too high and miss. They aim too low in hit. ~Bob Moawad

If you will first help others get what they want, they will help you get what you want. ~ Zig Ziglar

Make every day your masterpiece. ~ John Wooden

Nobody finishes well by accident. ~ John C Maxwell

Once you find your why, will be able to find your way. Why is your purpose. Way is your path. ~ John C Maxwell

If the why comes before the way, your ability to make a difference will come more quickly and immediately be more effective. ~ John C Maxwell

Humans were made to have a meaning. Without purpose, life is meaningless. A meaningless life is a life without hope or significance. ~ Rick Warren

The sooner you know your why, the sooner you can shift your focus from yourself to others. ~ John C Maxwell

Purpose is the rudder of your boat. It gives you direction and keeps you going in the right direction when the wind is blowing and the waves are crashing against you. It provides calm and confidence in the midst of the storm. ~ John C Maxwell

Purpose is like a snowball rolling downhill-it builds over time. ~ John C Maxwell

Having a life that matters comes from the ability to add value to others. ~ John C Maxwell

The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth, power. These rewards create almost as many problems as they solve. Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so our lives matter, so that the world will be at least a little different for our having passed through it. ~ Rabbi Harold Kushner

People who matter most are aware that everyone else does, too. ~ Malcolm Forbes

Self-centeredness is the root of virtually every problem-both personally and globally. And whether we want to admit it or not, it's a problem all of us have. ~ John C Maxwell

Self-centeredness and fulfillment cannot peacefully coexist. They're incompatible. ~ John C Maxwell

People need to have found themselves, achieve something, and made themselves valuable before they have something to give to others. ~ John C Maxwell

Significance is always about others, serving them intentionally. ~ John C Maxwell

When you change your thinking from “What am I going to receive?” to “What am I going to give?” your entire life begins to turn around. ~ John C Maxwell

There isn't anyone you couldn't learn to love once you've heard their story. ~ Fred Rogers

As you start your day, are you wondering what you will reap, or are you wondering what you will sow? ~ John C Maxwell

John Wooden described an unselfish player as one who “showed an eagerness to lose himself to the group for the goal of the team.”

If you want to be significant and live a life that matters, you must add value to others. ~ John C Maxwell

You know you truly value yourself when each day you silently affirm that you are the type of person with whom you would like to spend the rest of your life. ~ John C Maxwell

If you want to connect with people you must make the conscious decision to embrace the following seven qualities and practices:
Availability-I will choose to spend time with others.
Listening-I will listen my way to common ground.
Questions-I will be interested enough in others to ask questions.
Thoughtfulness-I will think of others and how to connect with them.
Openness-I will let people into my life.
Likability-I will care about people.
Humility-I will think of myself less so I can think of others more. ~ John C Maxwell

If you have the heart to make a difference, there is always an answer, but if you have a heart of indifference, there is never an answer. ~ John C Maxwell

Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step in your life. ~ John C Maxwell

Fear is the most prevalent reason why people stop. Faith is what makes people start. ~ John C Maxwell

Faith does not make things easy, but it makes things possible because it puts everything, including fear, into the right perspective. ~ John C Maxwell

My dream allows me to continue and discourage, for where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present. ~ John C Maxwell

Dreams often come one size too big so that we can grow into them. ~ John C Maxwell

Life isn't made by what you can accomplish. It's made by what you can accomplish with others. ~ John C Maxwell

Most people miss opportunities in life, not because the opportunity wasn't there, but because they didn't have a clue what it looked like when it arrived. ~ John C Maxwell

I cannot do what you can do. You cannot do what I can do. Together we can do great things. ~ Mother Teresa

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. ~African Proverb

A strong partnership divides the effort and multiplies the effect. ~ John C Maxwell

You can't take action if you're spending too much of your time trying to get on the front lines. You need to be on the front lines. ~ John C Maxwell

Anticipation is a wonderful proactive and intentional word for seeking out significance. ~ John C Maxwell

When you live with intentionality, you know and understand that every day is your time to make a difference . ~ John C Maxwell
You don't really know if you're going to be afraid of death until you've been close enough to touch it, taste it, and smell it. ~ John C Maxwell

The difference between the assuming and numbering your days is huge. ~ John C Maxwell

Most hockey players follow the puck on the ice. I never skate to where the puck is. I skate to where it's going. ~ Wayne Gretzky

You anticipate that you can and will make a difference, you prepared differently. ~ John C Maxwell

There is not one door of opportunity. There's not one door to significance. There is a series of doors. ~ John C Maxwell

The compounding potential and return of working with others makes my sense of anticipation soar. ~ John C Maxwell

A transformational leader intentionally engages people to think and act in such a way that it makes a positive difference in their lives and in the lives of others. ~ John C Maxwell

Where you are in the process doesn't matter. As long as you're engaged in it and anticipate positive results, you're on your way. ~ John C Maxwell

There are those that look at things as they are and asked, “Why?” I dream of things that never were and asked, “Why not?” ~John F Kennedy

Every generation gets an opportunity to make a difference, but the people of that generation have to seize that opportunity. ~ John C Maxwell

Opportunities do not multiply because they are seen. . . . They multiply because they are seized. ~ John C Maxwell

The people who most often make the biggest difference are the people who are first to step up and help at a time when it makes a difference. ~ John C Maxwell

People most often regret the chances they failed to take, not the chances they took that failed. ~ John C Maxwell

The classroom is the molder of the opinion of the lives of people. I came back because if I can change a 19 year old's life, that is much more significant than what I was doing because I get them on the front end. ~ Condoleezza Rice

Unless Someone Like You cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better period it's not. ~Doctor Seuss
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. ~Doctor Seuss

You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting! So get on your way! ~Doctor Seuss

What we teach our children to love and appreciate is far more important than what we teach them to know. ~ John C Maxwell

Maddie, John Maxwell’s granddaughter, list the following ideas she has learned from her dad or granddad:
Attitude is a choice.
Maturity is seeing things from another person's point of view and being flexible.
Always plan ahead. You're either prepared or repaired.
You are what you do every day.
Failure is inevitable, but learning is optional.

Once you taste significance, success will never satisfy you again. ~ John C Maxwell

Significance is not a destination thing-it's a daily thing. ~ John C Maxwell

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Highly recommend this book.

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Legacy: What The All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business Of Life by James Kerr

2023-06-22T11:15:00.002-04:00

Legacy by James Kerr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

James Kerr's book, Legacy: What The All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business Of Life is the book the 2023 UGA Bulldogs are reading. The book is about the greatest team of all time. It is a rugby team, The All Blacks" who have the greatest winning percentage in their history. Kerr takes the "keys of this team's success" and applies them to life, business, other sports teams, etc. It is a fascinating book. It you enjoy reading about success, leadership, how to win, how to live a good life, how to train a team, then I highly recommend this book. I hope the quotes below will challenge and encourage you.

James Kerr, “Legacy: What The All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business Of Life” Quotes from the book:

Successful leaders balance pride with humility: your absolute pride in performance; total humility before the magnitude of the task. ~James Kerr

The challenge is to always improve, to always get better, even when you're the best. Especially when you're the best. ~James Kerr

A collection of talented individuals without personal discipline will ultimately and inevitably fail. Character triumphs over talent. ~James Kerr

Only by knowing yourself can you become an effective leader. ~Vince Lombardi

From self-knowledge, Lombardi believed, we develop character and integrity. And from character and integrity comes leadership.

What is my job on the planet? What is it that needs doing, that I know something about, that probably won't happen unless I take responsibility for it? ~Jon Kabat-Zinn

Winning takes talent, John Wooden would say. To repeat it takes character.

You get nowhere without character. Character is essential to individuals, and their cumulative character is the backbone of your winning team. ~Bill Walsh

The challenge of every team is to build a feeling of oneness, of dependence on one another. ~Vince Lombardi

Because the question is usually not how well each person performs, but how well they work together. ~Vince Lombardi

collective character is vital to success. Focus on getting the culture right; The results will follow. ~ James Kerr

Performance = capability + behavior. ~ James Kerr

Vision without action is a dream. ~James Kerr

Our values decide our character. Our character decides our value. ~James Kerr

A culture of asking and re- asking fundamental questions cuts away unhelpful beliefs in order to achieve clarity of execution. Humility allows us to ask a simple question: how can we do this better? ~James Kerr

Humility does not mean weakness, but its opposite. Leaders would mana understand the strength of humility. It allows them to connect with their deepest values and the wider world. ~James Kerr

Sweep the sheds. Never be too big to do the small things that need to be done. ~James Kerr

A winning organization is an environment of personal and professional development, in which each individual takes responsibility shares ownership. ~James Kerr

Leaders create leaders. ~James Kerr

Organizational decline is inevitable unless leaders prepare for change - even when standing at the pinnacle of success. ~James Kerr

It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change. ~Charles Darwin

Go for the Gap. When you're on top of your game, change your game. ~James Kerr
Play with purpose. Ask why? ~James Kerr

The person with a narrow vision sees a narrow horizon, the person with a wide vision sees a wide horizon. ~James Kerr

Leaders connect personal meaning to a higher purpose to create belief in a sense of direction. ~James Kerr

Humans, by their nature, seek purpose- a cause greater and more enduring than themselves. The most convincing arguments for his theories are the simplest to understand: we leave well paying jobs for purpose driven ones, we volunteer, We have children. ~Daniel Pink

The idea that emotional reward is more important than material compensation. That intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivation rules the world. ~Hawthorne Effect

Victor Frankel, who, in his book, Man's Search for Meaning, cites research from John Hopkins University: Asked what they considered very important to them now, 16% checked making a lot of money; 78% said their first goal was finding a meaning and purpose to my life.
“What man actually needs”, argues Frankel, “is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task.”

People don't buy what you do they buy why you do it. ~Simon Sinek

Inspired leaders, organizations and teams find their deepest purpose- their why? -and attract followers through shared values, vision, and beliefs. ~James Kerr

Leaders create leaders by passing on responsibility, creating ownership, accountability and trust. ~James Kerr

Shared responsibility means shared ownership. A sense of inclusion means individuals are more willing to give themselves to a common cause. ~James Kerr

Leaders don't create followers they create more leaders. ~Tom Peters

Instill in your team members a sense of great self-worth - that each, at any given time, can be the most important on the battlefield. ~General David Petraeus

The mission command model requires the leader to provide 1.) A clear defined goal, 2.) the resources 3.) the time-frame. ~James Kerr

By arming staff with intention, leaders can enable their people to respond appropriately to changing context, without losing sight of the tactical imperative. ~James Kerr
Leaders create leaders. They armed their subordinates with intent. And then step out of the way. ~James Kerr

Look for a leader who can bring people together. ~James Kerr

Leaders or teachers. ~James Kerr

In Drive, Daniel Pink lists the three factors that he believes creates motivation in a human being: mastery, autonomy, and purpose. ~James Kerr

“The best sports people in the world practice more than they play,” Sean Fitzpatrick, states in, New Zealand Management Magazine. “Businesspeople should practice too. They should go home at night and analyze their day's performance. They don't and they need to. To be good at something takes practice, and lots of it.”

“Excellent firms don't believe in excellence,” wrote Tom Peters in Thriving on Chaos, only in constant improvement and constant change. He argues that success is result of a long-term commitment to improving excellence - the small steps leading to a mighty leap.

Excellence is a process of evolution, of cumulative learning, of incremental improvement. ~James Kerr

Enlightened leadership promotes a structured system for the development of the team, combined with a tailored map for the development of the individual. ~James Kerr

A map of daily self-improvement acts as a powerful tool to develop teams and organizations; this living document provides fresh goals and develops new skills so people push themselves harder, become more capable and achieve more for the team. ~James Kerr

Leaders or learners. ~James Kerr

You find out that life is just a game of inches. So is football. Because in either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small . . . On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us to pieces for that inch . . . Cause we know when we add all those inches that's going to make the difference between winning and losing. ~Al Pacino character in Any Given Sunday

Marginal gains: 100 things done 1% better to deliver cumulative competitive advantage. ~James Kerr

Computer programmers have a phrase: garbage in/ garbage out. If we apply the analogy, this means:
• the verbal, visual, and gestural language that will allow to take up residence in our heads;
• the toxins like alcohol, drugs, or sugar that will allow to take up residence in our bodies parentheses and mines);
• the people will allow to take up space in our lives. ~James Kerr

Sometimes it only takes one encounter - one teacher - to change their life, and many lives after that. ~James Kerr

Successful leaders look beyond their own field to discover new approaches, learned best practices, and push the margins. Then they pass on what they have learned. ~James Kerr

The first stage of learning is silence, the second stage is listening. ~James Kerr

Fly information. Follow the spearhead. This is the being of team and the essence of successful organization. ~James Kerr

For the Strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack. ~Rudyard Kipling

The being of team begins from inside. High standards must come from within. Leadership works best when your team takes the lead. ~James Kerr

No one is bigger than the team and individual brilliance does not automatically lead to outstanding results. One selfish mindset will affect a collective culture. ~James Kerr

It's better to have 1000 enemies outside the tent than one inside the tent. ~An old Arab Proverb

A little water seeping through a small hole may swamp a canoe. ~Maori saying

Success can be traced back to the connections between members of the team and their collective character, something true of all winning organizations. Great leaders ruthlessly protect their people, encouraging connection, collaboration, and collective ownership, nurturing a safe environment of trust, respect, and family ~James Kerr

Let us be united, not pulling against one another. ~James Kerr

EMBRACE EXPECTATIONS: Aim for the highest cloud. ~James Kerr

Successful leaders have high internal benchmarks. They set their expectations high and try to exceed them. ~James Kerr

We learned best - and change - from hearing stories that strike a chord with us . . . those in leadership positions who fail to grasp or use the power of stories risk failure for their companies or for themselves. ~John Kotter

Aim for the highest cloud, so that if you miss it, you will hit a lofty mountain. ~James Kerr

The way the sapling is shaped determines how the tree grows. ~James Kerr

TRAIN TO WIN: Practice under pressure. ~James Kerr

Intensity of preparation Who- training to win - conditions the brain and body to perform under pressure. It lets peak performance become automatic. It develops the mindset to win. ~James Kerr

In business, training is often seen as a soft option and is limited to the occasional away-day. However, effective training is intense, regular, and repetitious. For world-class results, it should be central to the culture. ~James Kerr People

Training with intensity accelerates personal growth. ~James Kerr

“Most people have the will to win,” says basketball coach Bobby Knight, “few have the will to prepare to win.”

A Person who is taught at home will stand with confidence in the community. ~James Kerr

KEEP A BLUE HEAD: Control your attention.
(RED HEAD means tight, inhibited, results-oriented, anxious, aggressive, over- compensating, desperate.) (BLUE HEAD means loose, expressive, in the moment, calm, clear, accurate, on task.) ~James Kerr

Bad decisions are not made through a lack of skill or innate judgment: they are made because of an inability to handle pressure at the pivotal moment. ~James Kerr

Mantras are the way in which we can tell our story to ourselves; they are tools for effective thinking, a mental road map in times of pressure. ~James Kerr

From listening comes knowledge; from knowledge comes understanding; from understanding comes wisdom; from wisdom comes well-being. ~James Kerr

The best leaders remain true to their deepest values. They lead their own life and others follow. ~James Kerr

The key to strong peer-to-peer interaction is a high level of trust. This is trust in the sense of safe vulnerability. The leaders need to create an environment where individuals get to know each other as people and gather insight into their personal story and working style. This needs to be supported by the leader’s role-modelling behavior around admission of mistakes and weaknesses and fears . . . this is essential by safe conflict and safe confrontation, where the most important interactions often occur. ~Owen Eastwood

High-performing teams promote a culture of honesty, authenticity, and safe conflict. ~James Kerr

Integrity means that our thoughts and words and deeds are as one, a chiropractic alignment in which our core values, purposes, beliefs, and behaviors all flow in the same direction. It's useful to think of integrity not as morality, as many people do, but workability. It's not about being pure or noble - it's about getting stuff done. Though the end result is trust, belief, and respect, these are merely the by-products of the fact that when we say something will happen it actually does happen. This means that others can count on us to deliver. And, most importantly, that we can count on ourselves. ~James Kerr

Integrity in our model is honoring your word. As such, integrity is a purely positive phenomenon. It has nothing to do with good versus bad, right versus wrong behavior. Like the law of gravity, the law of integrity just is, and if you violate the law of integrity . . . you get hurt just as if you try to violate the law of gravity with no safety device. The personal and organizational benefits of honoring one's word are huge - both for individuals and for organizations - and generally unappreciated. ~“Integrity: Where Leadership Begins”

To the degree that integrity is diminished, the opportunity for is diminished. ~Jansen

If integrity is a central leadership tool and everyone in a team does exactly what they say they will do, clarity, certainty, productivity, and momentum are the results. ~James Kerr

Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet - thinking, saying, and doing the same thing consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust. ~ Lance Secretan

Honesty = integrity = authenticity = resilience = performance. ~James Kerr

CHAMPIONS DO EXTRA: find something you would die for and give your life to it. ~James Kerr

Companies that maintain their core values are those that stand alone, stand apart, and stand for something. ~James Kerr

First we shape our values; Then our values shape us. ~James Kerr

Based on strong resonant values, using a common language that employs mantras, mottos, and metaphors, storytelling helps leaders connect their people’s personal meaning to their vision of the future. ~James Kerr

What is the food of a leader? It is knowledge. It is communication. ~James Kerr

RITUALIZE TO ACTUALIZE: Create a culture. ~James Kerr

Inspiring leaders establish rituals to connect their team to its core narrative, using them to reflect, remind, reinforce, and reignite their collective identity and purpose. ~James Kerr

Rituals tell your story, involve your people, create a legacy. Rituals make the intangible real. ~James Kerr

You are but a speck in the moment of time situated between two eternities, the past and the future. ~James Kerr

BE A GOOD ANCESTOR; plant trees you'll never see. ~James Kerr

True leaders are stewards of the future. They take responsibility for adding to the legacy. ~James Kerr

Asus society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they will never see. ~ An old Greek Proverb

What is my job on the planet? What is this that needs doing, that I know something about, that probably won't happen unless I take responsibility for it? ~Albert Schweitzer

The word "character" comes from the ancient Greek, kharakter, meaning the mark that is left on a coin during its manufacture. Character is also the mark left on you by life, and the mark we leave on life. It's the impact you make when you're here, the trace you leave once you're gone. Character rises out of our values, our purpose, the standards we set for ourselves, our sacrifice, and commitment, and to the decisions we make under pressure, but is primarily defined by the contribution we make, the responsibility we take, the leadership we show. ~James Kerr

They're more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. ~John Wooden

Character is forged by the way we respond to the challenges of life and business, by the way we lead our life in teams. If we value life, life values us. If we devalue it, we dishonor ourselves and our one chance at living. ~James Kerr

This is our time. Leadership is surely the example we said the way we lead our own life is what makes us a leader. It is what gives us mana. ~James Kerr

Our time is limited. Understanding the fragility of life is the first step in understanding our role and responsibility as a leader. Our greatest responsibility is to honor those who came before us and those who will come after, to leave the jersey in a better place. We are the stewards of our organizations, the caretakers of our own lineage. Our action today will echo beyond our time. They are our legacy. Care for the land, Care for the people, Go forward. ~James Kerr

Grow and branch forth for the days of your world. ~James Kerr

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2023-06-12T07:58:00.000-04:00

Camino Winds by John Grisham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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One Season of Hope

2023-06-10T11:42:00.004-04:00

One Season of Hope by Jim Stovall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A wonderful book by Jim Stovall. This is suppose to be a series on Historical fiction. It combines elements of an inspirational novel with a historical retrospective. This one is about a high school football coach who has a player with a terminal disease. The coach gets his inspiration from Harry S. Truman. Other books that hopefully will be in the series are:

The Will to Win - A Tale of Humor and Perspective from Will Rogers High School

Making Your Mark - A Story of Wit and Wisdom from Mark Twain High School

Top of the Hill - A saga of Wealth and Success from Napoleon Hill High School

The Making of a King > - An Adventure in Tolerance and Forgiveness from martin Luther King, Jr. High School

The Building of a Dynasty - A Novel of Champions and Victory from John Wooden High School

This book, One Season of Hope, is full of Harry S. Truman's quotes. I very much enjoyed reading it. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys, football, inspiration, or history. I trust the following quotes will inspire you the way they inspired me.

There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know. ~Harry S. Truman
The buck stops here. ~Harry S. Truman

I never played high school football, but if it were me, I would get there early, keep my mouth shut, and do what I was told. ~Jim Stovall

It is understanding that gives us an ability to have peace. When we understand the other fellow’s viewpoint, and he understands ours, then we can sit down and work out our differences. ~Harry S. Truman

In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves . . . self-discipline with all of them came first. ~Harry S. Truman

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. ~Harry S. Truman

If you can read this, thank a teacher. ~Harry S. Truman

I come to the office each morning and stay for long hours doing what has to be done to the best of my ability. When you’ve done the best you can, you can’t do any better. ~Harry S. Truman

I shall continue to do what I think is right, whether anybody likes it or not. ~Harry S. Truman

A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities, and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties. ~Harry S. Truman

There are a lot of things we cannot control, but two things we can always control are our effort and our attitude. ~Jim Stovall

If you do anything less than your best, you not only let the guy next to you down, but you make it easier to be mediocre again next time. ~Jim Stovall

Different people are put on this earth for different reasons. For some individuals, there is no higher calling than being a parent, a carpenter, a banker, a pilot, or an accountant. Each of those professions require dedication and devotion. There are certain poignant moments in every human endeavor that epitomize who we are and why we’re on this earth. ~Jim Stovall

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. ~Harry S. Truman

Tact is the ability to step on a man’s toes without messing up the shine on his shoes. ~Harry S. Truman

I hope you can understand that there are times, if you’re going to be who you need to be, you have to learn what you don’t know. ~Jim Stovall

I hate times in life when lying seems more comfortable and convenient than telling the truth. It’s like my grandfather used to tell me about fishing lures. The brightest, shiniest ones have the sharpest hooks. ~Jim Stovall

Sometimes, if you’ll give away what you lack, you’ll get what you need. ~Jim Stovall
It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job. It’s a depression when you lose yours. ~Harry S. Truman

When even one American who has done nothing wrong is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth, then all Americans are in peril. ~Harry S. Truman

Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. ~Harry S. Truman

America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. ~Harry S. Truman

Actions are the seeds of fate. Deeds grow into destiny. ~Harry S. Truman

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. ~Harry S. Truman

We must have strong minds, ready to accept facts as they are. ~Harry S. Truman

Human life is something that comes to us from beyond this world. The purpose of our society is to cherish it and to enable the individual to attain the highest achievement of which he is capable. ~Harry S. Truman

In a free society, the rules are the servants, and the people are their superiors and their sovereigns; and, therefore, for the former to return to the latter was not to degrade them, but was to promote them. ~Benjamin Franklin

Fame is a vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer you today may curse you tomorrow, and only one thing endures – character. ~Harry S. Truman

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Finding God When the World's on Fire: Strength & Faith for Dangerous Times

2023-06-10T10:32:00.005-04:00

Finding God When the World's on Fire: Strength & Faith for Dangerous Times by Charles R. Swindoll
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Charles Swindoll does it again. A most encouraging book. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Swindoll helps explain why we as Christians do not need to worry or to be anxious when everything around us seems to be falling apart. I hope you will find the following quotes encouraging, challenging, and calming:

And you must show mercy to those who faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames. ~Jude 1:22-23 NLT

There’s something about the human heart, that when the heat is on, it softens toward things of the Lord. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining on us. ~Ecclesiastes 7:3 NLT

Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in life. ~ Ecclesiastes 7:14

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine. ~How Firm A Fountain

If our foundations are in place, then nothing else really matters. ~ Charles R. Swindoll

The righteous – people whose lives are rightly related to God by faith in Jesus Christ – stand on a firm foundation. ~ Charles R. Swindoll

Now, should the foundation of a life be destroyed, that life crumbles. But if the foundation remains secure, no amount of stress, no brutal attack, or painful backstabbing – would cause life to fracture or ultimately crumble. ~ Charles R. Swindoll

A refuge is a place of hiding – a place of secure protection. The term is chasah in the ancient Hebrew. A chasah is a protective enclosure that provides safety from that which would otherwise consume everything in its past. It’s an impenetrable firewall of protection from danger and distress – from anxiety and fear. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The old country preacher was right when he said, “I may tremble on the rock, but the rock don’t tremble under me.” ~Charles R. Swindoll

Faith is our solid foundation too. A foundation of faith, not fear, is our refuge; it enables us to stand firm against the advancing threats of terror. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ~ Psalm 46:1 NIV

He is a very present help in those tight places of fear and uncertainty. ~Charles R. Swindoll

He is fully in control, absolutely sovereign, not almost sovereign. ~Charles R. Swindoll

In biblical days, the word selah probably indicated a pause. A breather, a moment to reflect. “Pause and let that sink in.” ~Charles R. Swindoll

In place of worry and anxiety, pause . . . The Lord is our refuge. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Don’t run ahead; pause.
Don’t panic; pause.
Don’t fret and fear; pause. ~Charles R. Swindoll

In place of worry and anxiety, pause. The foundation stands firm. The Lord is our refuge. He is our very present help in tight places. Even when the flames seem more like a blast furnace. ~Charles R. Swindoll

We will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea. ~Psalm 46:2

Our God is in sovereign control of all the events of this earth. ~Charles R. Swindoll

We do not fear because the Lord our God is our chasah – our refuge, our hiding place He is our strength. He Himself is the rock. All such catastrophes surprise and shock us, but nothing surprises or shocks Him. Our God is in sovereign control of all the events of this earth. They occur exactly as He has planned or permitted them. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Nothing surprises God. However, He does permit events that often puzzle us, and His reasons are too profound for us to grasp. They are put together in the counsel of His own will, and they fit perfectly into His plan for His glory and for His purposes. As His servant, I say in response, “I will not fear. Though I don’t understand it, I will not fear. Though You, Lord, take something that’s deeply significant to me, though You allow catastrophe to strike, I will not fear. I will not blame you, I will not doubt Your goodness, and I will not question Your intentions. ~Charles R. Swindoll

And though this world with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us! ~Martin Luther
When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your consolations delight my soul. ~Psalm 94:19
Cease striving and know that I am God. ~Psalm 46:10

God’s Word became the ammunition to weaken the enemy’s position and strengthen the Christians’. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Verse 10 of Psalm 46 announces: We will not worry. The psalmist writes, “Cease striving.” The Hebrew uses a single term in that command that means, literally, “stop!” What a great directive. Stop! ~Charles R. Swindoll

You can almost imagine the Lord of heaven thundering this command to His people as they shrink in fear: “Stop. Stop it. Stop worrying about the future! Have you forgotten that I am your very present help in tight places? Your worry and fear imply that I am no longer here or that I have become impotent and out of touch. But I am not indifferent. Nothing has escaped My panoramic gaze and powerful control. I’m not like the swallows that flutter away in the winter, to return only when the weather clears.” ~Charles R. Swindoll

Because God is our refuge, we will not fear. ~Charles R. Swindoll

If the foundations are in place, if the Lord our God is your refuge and strength, then you can cease striving and know that He is God. He is not moved. He is not distant or disinterested. Those who trust in Him stop worrying, as fear is sent packing. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ~1 Peter 5:8 NIV

We can resist the enemy even battle him and be victorious. ~Charles R. Swindoll

We are facing hardships, conflicts, terror, and worldwide disruptions like none of us would have ever imagined, because we are encountering our adversary on his turf. Everything God’s people love, he hates. For instance, he hates your lifelong commitment to your marriage. Chances are good that more marriages are in conflict in these fearful days than in times past. Chances are you’ve got more troubles than usual in your family, troubles rooted in anxiety and its kissing cousin, fear. ~Charles R. Swindoll

We should expect enemy attacks in any number of areas. While we ought not to live in fear of them, we’re not to be ignorant of them either. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Ready for some good news? It’s found in Scripture. We can resist the enemy – even battle him – and be victorious! ~Charles R. Swindoll

Look closely and read carefully the opening line of 1 Peter 5:9: “But resist him, firm in your faith.”
The enemy’s attacks may be directed toward the vulnerable part of your life, but the shield of faith will protect you from them like a firewall. Trust the scriptural promise. You can resist him. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The shield of faith will protect you . . . like a firewall. ~Charles R. Swindoll
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time ~1 Peter 5:6 NIV

The Lord’s direction for us in these perilous times is “humble yourselves.” ~Charles R. Swindoll
We need to understand – this isn’t human strategy based on human strength that requires human giftedness to lead to human accomplishments. This is altogether contrary to what any of us would imagine. The Lord’s direction for us in these perilous times is “Humble yourselves.” Peter paints a picture of falling on your face before God in submission and trust. Trace “humble yourself” back as far as possible, and you will find people literally on their faces before God. ~Charles R. Swindoll

God commands us to humble ourselves under His hand. This means you and I don’t get our own way. It isn’t about getting what we want. When you humble yourself under the Master’s hand, you humble yourself to the Master. It’s about doing what He wishes. It’s what He plans that matters. You hardly need to be told that everything in our culture works against that simple, clear direction. No matter. The command stands: “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Peter 5:6). ~Charles R. Swindoll

Keep in mind that God has shaped a plan that will lead to victory, hope, peace, and joy. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. ~1 Corinthians 16:13
Be alert! Stand alone! Grow up! Get tough! ~Charles R. Swindoll

In the end, God wins. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Allow the Lord to transform those long-held negative attitudes that do nothing to advance His cause. ~Charles R. Swindoll

If you’re a preacher or otherwise engaged in communicating biblical truth, you proclaim what needs to be proclaimed, not what others want you to proclaim. You stand tough even if you don’t want to hear it and even if they run you off. Being tough, you stand like a steer in a blizzard. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The times in which we live are tough, so they require tough-minded maturity. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Now is the time for a courage transfusion. We must remain alert against the enemy. We must stand alone against the evil, even if others choose not to do so. We must grow up as people with convictions – stand tall, act like mature men and women. And we must be strong – not mean, not paying bank evil for evil – but strong in character and stout in convictions. Meet the challenge. Face the flames with faith, not fear. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Let all that you do be done in love. ~1 Corinthians 16:14

It is love that compels us into the flame. ~Charles R. Swindoll

There’s a final command in 1 Corinthians 16:14: “Let all that you do be done in love.”

We are compelled to love everyone – even our enemies. Yes, our enemies. ~Charles R. Swindoll
Love is the ultimate offense. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Let me tell you who needs your love the most – those who are out of touch with God. ~Charles R. Swindoll

The lost need the Savior’s redeeming love to touch them deeply and to hold them close and to draw them to Himself, to change them from within. ~Charles R. Swindoll

“Do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? ~Romans 2:4 NIV

If it was God’s wonderful kindness that brought us to repentance, then that same kindness ought to be our ultimate strategy. ~Charles R. Swindoll

It is remarkable how potent a weapon love is against the enemy’s fierce and relentless tactics. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Lost people are not the enemy. They are victims of the enemy. ~Howard G. Hendricks

Remember the wholesome fruit that comes from Him? Love (there’s our word), joy, peace, patience, kindness (there it is again), goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). And here is the kicker: against such things there is no defense! We render the enemy virtually powerless when we move toward lost people with these qualities – which, by the way, cannot be mustered from the flesh. ~Charles R. Swindoll

One person, one family at a time, as they encounter in us and in our families the irresistible kindness of Christ. His love initially shocks them, then ultimately, it transforms them. ~Charles R. Swindoll

It’s Christ’s all-conquering love that wins the ultimate battle – not anger or hate or retaliation. ~Charles R. Swindoll

Let us pause in the calm for prayer. ~Charles R. Swindoll

I hope you will read this great book. It may be short, but it is packed with great truths!

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The Mister Rogers Effect: 7 Secrets to Bringing Out the Best in Yourself and Others from America's Beloved Neighbor by Anita Knight Kuhnley

2023-01-21T10:16:00.000-05:00

The Mister Rogers Effect: 7 Secrets to Bringing Out the Best in Yourself and Others from America's Beloved Neighbor by Anita Knight Kuhnley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Mister Rogers Effect is one of the best books I have read in several months. I highly recommend it. Dr. Anita Knight Kuhnley is an excellent author. The book covers the following seven Secrets that Mister rogers taught throughout his life.

7 Secrets to bring out the best in yourself and others from America’s Beloved Neighbor (Mr. Rogers)
Secret 1: Listen First – Listen with more than your ears!
Secret 2: Validate Feelings – Feelings are mentionable and manageable!
Secret 3: Pause and Think – Take time to discover what is inside!
Secret 4: Show Gratitude – Be kind and be thankful!
Secret 5: Develop Empathy – Be with people where they are!
Secret 6: Practice Acceptance – Who you are right now is acceptable!
Secret 7: Establish Security – People need to know they are cared for!

I hope you will find the quotes below helpful, encouraging, and challenging.

Shared joy is doubled, and sorrow shared is halved. Sharing has a healing impact. ~An old proverb
Here is my secret. It’s quite simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery, “The Little Prince”

The words “thank you” are probably the greatest words in any language. ~ Fred Rogers

There isn’t anyone you couldn’t love once you’ve heard their story. ~Sister Mary Lou Kownacki, director, Monasteries of the Heart

Demonstrating and communicating with empathy is the healthy relational glue that helps us stick together and cooperative relationships. ~Dr. Anita Knight Kuhnley

When we love a person, we accept him or her exactly as is: the lovely with the unlovely, the strong with the fearful, the true mixed in with the façade, and of course, the only way we can do it is by accepting ourselves that way. ~Fred Rogers

It’s not the honors and the prizes and the fancy outsides of life which ultimately nourish our souls; it is the knowing that we can be trusted, that we never have to fear the truth, that the bedrock of our lives, from which we make our choices, is very good stuff. There is a neighborhood song that is meant for the in each of us. “It’s You I Like.” ~Fred Rogers

It's you I like,
It's not the things you wear,
It's not the way you do your hair
But it's you I like
The way you are right now,
The way down deep inside you
Not the things that hide you,
Not your toys
They're just beside you.

But it's you I like
Every part of you.
Your skin, your eyes, your feelings
Whether old or new.
I hope that you'll remember
Even when you're feeling blue
That it's you I like,
It's you yourself
It's you.
It's you I like. ~Fred Rogers

It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?

It's a neighborly day in this beauty wood,
A neighborly day for a beauty,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?

I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you!
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.
So let's make the most of this beautiful day,
Since we're together we might as well say,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?
Won't you please,
Won't you please?
Please won't you be my neighbor? ~Fred Rogers

People are just as wonderful as sunsets if I can let them be. . . . When I look at a sunset, as I did the other evening, I don’t find myself saying, “Soften the orange a bit on the right-hand corner. . . .” I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds. ~Carl Rogers

We typically don’t accept influence from people who don’t accept us. ~Dr. Anita Knight Kuhnley

Love is at the root of everything. All learning. All parenting. All relationships. Love or the lack of it. ~Fred Rogers

Self-acceptance is a prerequisite for other-acceptance. We must start there. ~Dr. Anita Knight Kuhnley

Gratitude is incredibly good for our health and relationships. ~Dr. Anita Knight Kuhnley

As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has – or ever will have – something inside that is unique to all time. It’s our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression. ~Fred Rogers

Like bodies of water change the lands they run through over time, we are shaped and impacted by those who love us. ~Dr. Anita Knight Kuhnley

What is most significant in your interpersonal history is not the events but how you talk about them. ~Dr. Anita Knight Kuhnley

Many have said, “We need a Mr. Rogers in our world today.” I believe that if you can’t find a Mr. Rogers, you can certainly be one. Internalize his message and be a healing, calming presence. I fail miserably, but
I’m trying. ~comment on YouTube video “Remembering Mr. Rogers,” a video with Charlie Rose, televised in 1994

It helps to be loved in order to work in this life. ~Fred Rogers

We speak with more than our mouths. We listen with more than our ears. ~Fred Rogers

Being heard feels so similar to being loved that for many people the distinction goes unnoticed. ~ Dr. Anita Knight Kuhnley

People have said, “Don’t cry” to other people for years and years, and all it has ever meant is “I’m too uncomfortable when you show your feelings: Don’t cry.” I’d rather have them say, “Go ahead and cry. I’m here to be with you.” ~Fred Rogers

If we make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable, we will have done a great service for mental health. ~Dr. Anita Knight Kuhnley

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A Generous Life: 10 Steps to Living a Life Money Can't Buy

2022-06-08T11:36:00.003-04:00

A Generous Life: 10 Steps to Living a Life Money Can't Buy by David Green Sr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Quotes from A Generous Life: 10 Steps to Living a Life Money Can’t Buy by David Green
David Green has written a wonderful, encouraging, practical, and challenging book. There are some great personal stories about Green and his company, Hobby Lobby. There is several quotes from each chapter that I have shared below:
• A true legacy . . . is conceived in wisdom, nurtured by principle, and sustained by character.
• The questions we ask at the end of life are the ones we should begin with.
• Generosity and legacy happen only when we return everything to the rightful owner [God].
• Wealth can be a hindrance if it’s seen as something you own rather than steward.
• I sensed God saying to me, “This company [Hobby Lobby] beongs to me. Don’t you touch it. It’s mine.”
• I knew who controlled my fate no matter what those justices decided. And peace reigned. (This was when his company was being judge by The Supreme Court over the health issue).
• Choose the eternal in the everyday mundane.
• Honoring the people in your life, respecting them, doing what’s right, acting with integrity. This is true virtue, and it begins with people.
• Valuing the eternal means putting people first.
• The first thing that will help your children is to show them a marriage they want to emulate.
• Whether it is in your marriage, your parenting, or your work ethic, integrity always wins.
• The greatest blessings are the ones that can never be lost.
• Having money does not equal being blessed. Money can actually be a curse if it is not handled the right way.
• Blessing carries a purpose that goes beyond ourselves, and even beyond this lifetime.
• Beyond Christ, everything else is just frosting.
• Every journey requires a destination.
• Generosity can start ever so small, but eventually have massive impact for God’s kingdom.
• To invest in eternal things is the most important thing we can do with our lives, our energies, and our resources.
• If we don’t use Hobby Lobby’s earnings to touch people for the Lord, I really don’t see the reason for me to be in business at all.
• Through giving, we join God in His divine work.
• Those who plan to give, do.
• Let your mind play a bit, and see whether God ignites your heart with the fire of generosity.
• Ask, “Is this going to matter a thousand years from now?” If not, it might be a good thing, but it’s not a great thing.
• Don’t underestimate the power of making a plan and writing it down.
• What you know, you can change. What you don’t know controls you.
• One of the great needs in families is to talk with one another about money and the responsibility it brings.
• You can spend your life either on the eternal or on things that aren’t going to matter.
• Work is not a curse. It is our calling.
• We simply must raise kids and grandkids to be independent. Otherwise we make cripples out of them.
• No family member, of whatever generation, must ever view Hobby Lobby as his or her source of well-being for all of life. God is our source!
• Give even when it seems impossible.
• You won’t know whether you can out-give God until you try.
• It settled permanently inside of me that God had a purpose for a businessman. He had called me.
• The more this business gives, the more God blesses us to keep giving.
• When to give? I humbly suggest always.
• Passing on wealth means passing on all forms of wealth.
• It doesn’t matter if you’re a wealthy business owner, a rookie entrepreneur, or a couple planning their family and the next five years – breaking up your family’s vision is never a good thing.
• We want [Hobby Lobby] to continue for decades, perhaps even centuries, as an ongoing source of financial fuel for God’s work around the world.
• Stockpile treasure in Heaven!
• Legacy is not just what we leave behind, but what we send ahead.
• Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or – worse! – stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being” (Matthew 6:19-21).
• I want to be remembered more for the size of my soul than for the size of my bank account.

As you can see from the quotes above, this is an excellent book. If you are a believer than I highly recommend this book. It is an easy read, but has eternal principles

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Joy That Renews: A devotional from Psalms to refresh your life every day

2022-06-08T09:41:00.003-04:00

Joy That Renews: A devotional from Psalms to refresh your life every day by Steve Akerson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a great devotional covering the book of Psalms. The author, Steve Akerson, takes one verse from each chapter of Psalms and writes a short (one page) devotional about that verse. It is a refreshing and encouraging book. If you enjoy Scripture, you will enjoy this book. If you have daily devotions, you can easily add this book to your daily Scriptural diet and if you have thought about having a dialy time with the Lord this book will help you get into the habit. The author also introduced me to a version of the Bible I had not read before. He uses The Passion Translation.
After each devotion he gives a two to three sentence summary. Here is one example from Psalm 9:10, "For everyone who knows your wonderful name keeps putting their trust in you. They can count on you for help no matter what. O Lord, you will never, no never, neglect those who come to you." Akerson's summary, "God's mercy and his grace are full of his authority. When I need it most, I turn to him and seek them. I trust that he is eager to hear me. He considers me fully worthy of his love."
I hope you will give Joy That Renews: A devotional from Psalms to refresh your life every day a try!

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Revolution in World Missions

2021-07-13T11:31:00.001-04:00

Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an interesting book. The author, KP Yohannan, makes a case that missions should be done by people from that country, especially in Asia. He states often, when Westerners go to Asia that they have to try to make Asia like America with customs and traditions instead of teaching all Biblical concepts.

I have added quotes that made me stop and think. I may not agree with all of them however I (we) should consider his thoughts.

For some reason, Americans seemed to have a need to surround themselves with noise all the time. [Isn’t this true? Even during prayer time in our churches often we have background music playing.]

They [western churches] usually took an offering and presented me with a check for what seemed like a great amount of money. Then with their usual hospitality, they invited me to eat with the leaders following the meeting. To my horror, the food and “fellowship” frequently cost more money than the money they had just given to missions. And I was amazed to find that American families routinely eat enough meat at one meal to feed an Asian family for a week. No one ever seemed to notice this but me, and slowly I realized they just had not heard the meaning of my message. They were simply incapable of understanding the enormous needs overseas.

The $74 million spent on one new building in the United States could build nearly 7,000 average-sized churches in India. The same $74 million would be enough to guarantee that the Good News of Jesus Christ could be proclaimed to a whole Indian state – or even some of the smaller countries of Asia.

There is such an emphasis on church buildings in the United States that we sometimes forget that the Church is the people – not the place where people meet.

Religion, I discovered, is a multi-billion dollar business in the United States. Entering churches, I was astonished at the carpeting, furnishings, air-conditioning and ornamentation. Many churches have gymnasiums and fellowships that cater to a busy schedule of activities having little or nothing to do with Christ. The orchestras, choirs, “special” music – and sometimes even the preaching – seemed to me more like entertainment than worship.

Social concern is a natural fruit of the Gospel. But to put it first is to put the cart before the horse; and from experience, we have seen it fail in India for more than 200 years. It was an attempt to exclusively concentrate on people’s obvious needs.

God changes the heart and spirit, the physical changes also. If you want to meet the needs of the poor in this world, there is no better place to start than by preaching the Gospel. If has done more to lift up the downtrodden, the hungry and the needy than all the social programs ever imagined by secular humanists.

However, this does not mean that we must not be involved in compassion-type ministries that reach out to the poor, needy and hurting people all around us.

In Matthew 22:38-40, Jesus clearly marked the Christian’s social responsibility when He said that loving God is the first and greatest commandment and “the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” All the Law and Prophets are summed up in both – loving God and loving others. It was not one or the other – but again both, for the glory of God.

C.S. Lewis, that great British defender of the faith, wrote, “There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this [hell]. I would pay any price to be able to say truthfully, ‘All will be saved.’” But Lewis, like us, realized that was neither truthful nor within his power to change.

KP Yohannan is the founder of Gospel for Asia. It would be worth checking out their website . Also, there was a lawsuit against the organization that might be worth checking out. Here is the response about the lawsuit from Yohannan. And here is a wikipedia article about the lawsuit. I will continue to pray that a nation-wide revival will break out in India.

If you like missions then you will enjoy this book!

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Tramp for the Lord

2021-07-12T14:35:00.002-04:00

Tramp for the Lord by Corrie ten Boom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Corrie Ten Boom and her family were an amazing people. The hide Jews in their home until the were caught and were send to a concentration camp, Ravensbruck. This is where her sister dies. Corrie was eventually released from this prison and spent the rest of her life preaching the gospel.

Please find below several quotes from the book.

My life is but a weaving, between my God and me,
I do not choose the colors, He worketh steadily,
Oftimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.
Not till the loom is silent, and shuttles cease to fly,
Will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.
Will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful in the skillful Weaver’s hand,
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned. ~Anonymous

Although the threads of my life have often seemed knotted, I know, by faith, that on the other side of the embroidery there is a crown. ~Corrie Ten Boom

What I spent, I had; what I saved, I lost; what I gave, I have. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

. . . the deepest darkness is outshone by the light of Jesus. ~Corrie Ten Boom

God does not fill with His Holy Spirit those who believe in the fullness of the Spirit, or those who desire Him, but those who obey Him. ~Corrie Ten Boom

Down in the human heart, crush’d by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more. ~Franny J. Crosby

Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. ~Corrie Ten Boom

Someone once asked my opinion of the missionaries in a certain country. My answer was, “They have given all, but they have not taken all. They have given homeland, time, money, luxury, and more; but they have not taken all of the boundless resources of God’s promises. ~Corrie Ten Boom

Our fight is not against a physical army, a political party, an atheistic organization – or anything like that. Our fight is against organizations and powers that are spiritual. ~Corrie Ten Boom

You see, you never touch so much the ocean of God’s love as when you love your enemies. ~Corrie Ten Boom

O love of God, how deep and great,
Far deeper than man’s deepest hate. ~Corrie Ten Boom

I would much rather be the trusting child of a rich Father, than a beggar at the door of worldly men. ~Corrie Ten Boom

The valley of the shadow of death holds no darkness for the child of God. There must be light, else there could be no shadow. Jesus is the Light. He has overcome death. ~Dwight Moody

To travel through the desert with others, to suffer thirst, to find a spring, to drink of it, and not tell the others that they may be spared is exactly the same as enjoying Christ and not telling others about Him. ~Corrie Ten Boom

Then I picked up my Bible and said, “It is the same with this Book. If you try to analyze it as a book of science or even a book of theology, you cannot be nourished by it. Like chocolate, it is to be eaten and enjoyed, not picked apart bit by bit.” ~Corrie Ten Boom

“When I was a little girl,” I said, “I want to my father and said, “Daddy, I am afraid that I will never be strong enough to be a martyr for Jesus Christ.” “Tell me,” Father said, “when you take a train trip from Haarlem to Amsterdam, when do I give you the money for the ticket? “That is right,” my father said, “and so it is with God’s strength. Our wise Father in heaven knows when you are going to need things too. Today you do not need the strength to be a martyr; but as soon as you are called upon for the honor of facing death for Jesus, He will supply the strength you need – just in time.” ~Corrie Ten Boom

There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar.
For the Father waits over the way,
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore,
In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore. ~Sanford Fillmore Bennett

“You are not called to convince anyone,” he said. “You are simply called to be an open channel for the Spirit of God to flow through. You can never be anything else, even though you may think so at times. Follow the pathway of obedience, let the Word of God do its own work, and you will be used by God far beyond your own powers.” ~Corrie Ten Boom

Happiness is not dependent on happenings, but on relationship in the happenings. ~Corrie Ten Boom

God does not take away from us. He might ask us to turn our backs on something, or someone, we should not have. God never takes away, however; God gives. If I reach out and take someone for myself and the Lord steps in between, that does not mean God takes. Rather it means He is protecting us from someone we should not have because He has a far greater purpose for our lives. ~Corrie Ten Boom

When she enters the beautiful city
And the saved all around her appear,
Many people around will tell her:
It was you that invited me here. ~Author Unknown

All believers will enjoy and be challenged by this book!

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Charter Schools and Their Enemies

2021-07-07T16:40:00.001-04:00

Charter Schools and Their Enemies by Thomas Sowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I so much enjoy reading Thomas Sowell. In this book he explains the success of the charter schools in America and why a lot of traditional public schools dislike them. Below are quotes from this outstanding book. The first section explains what a charter is and the second section explains why some public educators of traditional schools are against charter schools. As always he includes many facts and stats to back up his words.

Public charter schools are public schools not created by the existing government education authorities, but by some private groups who gain government approval by meeting various preconditions set by authorizing agencies. These agencies issue charters enabling these schools to operate as public schools eligible for taxpayer money and to enroll public school students who apply. By allowing more autonomy and flexibility in public charter schools than the more tightly controlled traditional public schools, it was hoped that new educational policies and practices that emerge from this experiment might produce some better educational results. In that case, traditional public schools would have these new policies and practices available to use if they chose to, thereby benefitting the much larger number of students in the traditional public school sector. If, however, a charter school has educational outcomes that fail to satisfy the authorities, those authorities can revoke its charter and end its access to taxpayer money and public school students.
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What reason can there be to be hostile to successful charter schools? Actually, there are millions of reasons - namely, millions of dollars. The 50,000-plus students on waiting lists for admission to charter schools in New York City, where per-pupil expenditures average more than $20,000 a year, represent more than a billion dollars a year that could be lost by the traditional public school system in New York City alone, if all the students on those waiting lists were able to get into charter schools. And that is just the initial financial loss in one city during one year.

Substantial declines in the number of students remaining in traditional public schools would also mean fewer teachers employed there, and correspondingly declining union dues, since most charter school teachers do not belong to a teachers union. The sums of money involved in union dues nationwide are billions of dollars.

Schools of education would likewise be affected negatively, if many more students were able to transfer out of traditional public schools, where degrees in education are important for advancement in a teaching career, and go into charter schools, where those degrees mean far less than a teacher's actual performance in educating students.

Although charter schools are a small part of the education sector-educating less than 10 percent of the students in kindergarten through high school nationwide-the threat that they represent to a whole way of life in the much larger traditional public school system is out of proportion to their current size.

Charter schools' rate of growth, over their relatively brief existence since the 1990s, has been much higher than that in the traditional public school sector. Over the period from 2001 to 2016, enrollment in traditional public schools rose 1 percent, while enrollment in public charter schools rose 571 percent. Moreover, the concentration of charter schools in low-income minority neighborhoods across the country has made them a far larger presence in those communities, with the net result that most charter school students nationwide are either black or Hispanic. Most important of all, the abysmal educational outcomes that have long been the norm in such communities have now been highlighted in the glare of disproportionately better outcomes in many charter schools in those same communities.

I hope that gives you a taste for this excellent book. If you enjoy reading truths about education then you will enjoy this book.

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The Letter Keeper

2021-06-24T11:18:00.006-04:00

The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Charles Martin is one of my favorite authors. This book, The Letter Keeper is the second in the series "A Murphy Shepherd Novel." The first book is titled The Water Keeper. Both books involved the sex-slave trade. Martin does a fantastic job revealing the horrific details but showing how the victims can be redeemed and live a life that is precious to the world. Below are just a few quotes from this awesome book:

Because the needs of the one outweigh those of the many. ~Bones (The Letter Keeper)

When light walks into a room, the darkness rolls back like a scroll. It has to. Darkness can’t stand light. And it has no counter for it. ~Bones (The Letter Keeper)

9-1 . . . 1-1 ~Bones (The Letter Keeper) (code for Ps. 91:11 “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”)

Years ago, I was working in Italy. I’d heard of Michelangelo’s David but never seen him. So I bought a ticket and walked down a long hallway lined with what look like half-finished sculptures. Huge square chunks of veined marble with forms of people being released. Works he never finished. I thought, What a shame. A waste. Then I turned a corner, and there he was. Towering. Perfection. It’s the first and only time I’ve ever looked at a piece of stone that took my breath away. The shards and slivers. No matter how long I sat and stared, I could not understand how human hands did that. How did Michelangelo know David was in there? Hidden in the rock. Spotless. No blemish. Just waiting for the sculptor’s hands to fling wide the prison doors.

Only one other time in my life have I felt this way. And the source of that awe you now hold in your hands.

From the moment we’re born, life chips away at us. With every hammer stroke, we watch in horror as the pieces that once made us fall to the ground. Soon we stand amid the rubble. The fragments. And we think to ourselves, I need that. I can’t leave that here. It was once a part of me. I’m no longer whole. I’ll never make it without it. So we spend much of our time chasing or collecting the pieces that break off, those that are stolen, or the ones we leave behind. Pretty soon, the pieces we carry are more than our hands can hold, so we throw a bag over our shoulder and stuff it full. Eventually a backpack. Before long, we’re reduced to vagabonds scouring the earth. Tormented by the fear that we’re incomplete, never whole until we find every single piece. Soon our pack is bigger than us and we’re bent over, inching along. A beast of burden walking under the crushing. Focused on what’s missing rather than what’s revealed.

But every now and then, one brave soul comes along and risks what the fearful won’t and never will. Despite the possibility of open rejection, abandonment, criticism, mockery, laughter, and shame, she lifts her pack off her shoulder, empties it before the world, and lets strangers sift through the pieces. Holding each by hand. Gemologists studying her imperfections under a magnifier. Every piece a word spoken.

When Michelangelo freed David from the cold marble cell that held him, the ground below the scaffolding was littered with pieces. Pieces that once made up the rock but not David. We know this because when finished, Michelangelo didn’t sweep all those discards into a pile only to hang them in a pack on David’s back. Why would he free him only to curse him through all eternity with carrying the marble walls of his own prison?

For reasons none of us understand, Casey has suffered the pain of the hammer and chisel, which makes her uniquely and singularly qualified to show the rest of us that we’re better off without all that deadweight. That despite the scars on the surface, there’s something beautiful, perfect, and without blemish just inches below.

Her majestic, powerful, soul-cleansing, pain-riddled, and triumphant words woven through a tapestry of sweet-soaked and tearstained pages are a masterful mosaic made up of all the broken pieces that mirror the whole. Stand too close and see only jagged rocks. But back up . . . and a giant killer emerges.

Casey Girl.

Writers are not like other people. We are the piece-keepers. We gather and guard. Holding fast throughout all eternity the discarded pieces that whisper the majesty and wonder of what is. What was. And the ever-elusive and exceedingly dangerous truth: what could be. We alone carry and share them. Carving pieces into letters that make up the words that heal us. And once they are carved, whether by hammer, chisel, or damp velvet cloth, we spill them selflessly across the earth’s table, where they walk the hurting from broken to not. From unable to breathe to laughing. From sickness of the soul to tears dripping off the corners of a smile. From lost to known and accepted in the knowing. This is the matchless and immeasurable power of our words. That’s what we do. We wander the earth. We unearth David. We slay giants. For we alone are the keepers of the letters that set us free. ~David Bishop (The Letter Keeper, this is the Forward to Casey’s book, The Resurrection of Casey Girl). Casey was rescued from sex salve trade.

1-1-8 . . . 1-7 ~Murph (The Letter Keeper) code for Ps. 119:17, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”

And while evil can inflict wounds and lay claim to the territory of the human soul, it is a squatter. A trespasser. It has no legal deed. And it has no defense against love. It can’t touch it. Not now. Not ever. No weapon ever fashioned by man can defeat it, but what we pour from our hearts shatters it on the rocks of its own making. ~Murph (The Letter Keeper)

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The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers

2021-06-08T15:04:00.001-04:00

The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a wonderful book! I have lots of great quotes from this book That I am sharing below:

There are three ways to ultimate success:
The first way is to be king.
The second way is to be kind.
The third way is to be kind. ~Fred Rogers

It’s You I Like: It’s not the things you wear or the way you do your hair/But it’s you I like/The way you are right now, the way down deep inside you/Not the things that hide you. ~Fred Rogers

You don’t set out to be rich and famous; you set out to be helpful. ~Fred Rogers

Human kindness will always make life better. ~Maxwell King

It always helps to have people we love beside us when we have to do difficult things in life. ~Fred Rogers
Nothing can replace the influence of unconditional love in the life of a child . . . Children love to belong, they long to belong. ~Fred Rogers

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what essential is invisible to the eye. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The real issue in life is not how many blessings we have, but what we do with our blessings. Some people have many blessings and hoard them. Some have few and give everything away. ~Fred Rogers

Attitudes aren’t taught, they’re caught. If the teacher has an attitude of enthusiasm for the subject, the student catches that whether the student is in second grade or is in graduate school. If you show them what you love, they’ll get it and they’ll want to get it. ~Margaret McFarland

All our lives, we rework the things from our childhood, lik feeling good about ourselves, managing our angry feelings, being able to say good-bye to people we love. ~Fred Rogers

You’ve made this day a special day, by just your being you. There’s no person in the whole world like you, and I like you, just the way you are. ~Fred Rogers

What do you do with the mad that you feel/When you feel so mad you could bite/When the whole wide world seems of so wrong, and nothing you do seems very right/What do you do/Do you punch a bag/Do you pound some clay or some dough/Do you round up friends for a game of tag or see how fast you can go/It’s great to be able to stop when you’ve planned the thing that’s wrong/And be able to do something else instead – and think this song/ I can stop, when I want to/Can stop when I wish/ Can stop, stop, stop anytime/And what a good feeling to feel like this/And know that the feeling is really mine/Know that there’s something deep inside that helps us become what we can/For a girl can be someday a lady, and a boy can be someday a man. ~Fred Rogers

There is a poem he [Fred Rogers] liked called “B e the Best of What You Are.” If you’re a janitor, be the best janitor – or whoever you are. Whatever you do, do it the best way you know how. ~Maxwell King

Hedda Sharapan recalls the seminal program in the week about Mistakes: “Daniel sings to Betty (Lady Aberlin), ‘Sometimes I wonder if I’m a mistake. I’m not supposed to be scared, am I. Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I shake, wondering, isn’t it true that the strong never break? I’m not like anyone else I know.’ We wept in the studio and the whole place broke out into applause.” ~Maxwell King

You rarely have time for everything you want in this life, so you need to make choices. And hopefully your choices can come from a deep sense of who you are. ~Fred Rogers

Our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is – that each of us has something that no one else has – or ever will have – something inside which is unique to all time. It’s our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness, and to provide ways of developing its expression. ~Fred Rogers

People long to be in touch with honesty. ~Fred Rogers

I think of discipline as the continual everyday process of helping a child learn self-discipline. ~Fred Rogers

Arsenio Hall ask Fred Rogers how to cope with the violence some kids experience in LA neighborhoods. Fred Rogers quoted his mother, Nancy McFeely Rogers, with advice he would repeat on several occasions on national trauma: “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” ~Maxwell King

Fred Rogers weight and part of his email address was 143 and it was a reference to the . . . letters it took to say I love you. One, I. Four, love. Three, you. ~Maxwell King

Fred saw the basic human values: integrity, respect, responsibility, fairness, and compassion, and of course his signature value, kindness. ~Maxwell King

When I was a boy, I used to think that strong meant having big muscles, great physical power; but the longer I live the more I realize that real strength has much more to do with what is not seen. Real strength has to do with helping others. ~Fred Rogers

The white spaces between words are more important than the text, because they give you time to think about what you’ve read. ~Fred Rogers

All his [Fred Rogers] career, he emphasized the importance of listening; he felt that silence is a gift, as is what he called “graceful receiving.” ~Maxwell King

One of the major goals of education must be to help students discover a greater awareness of their own unique selves, in order to increase their feeling of personal worth, responsibility, and freedom. ~Fred Rogers

You know, it may be that our planet, Earth, is the only spot in the entire Universe which can sustain human life. Of all the worlds, we may be the only one where there has ever been – or ever will be – people! That’s sort of like someone saying to you that there is only one square inch of soil on this Earth that can grow anything – and that square inch happens to be in your own back yard. You look at that soil of yours with infinitely greater appreciation when you become aware how rare and valuable it is. ~Fred Roger

He [Fred Rogers] pointed to a photo on the wall, showing Roger’s favorite sign at Rollins College, “Life is for Service” . . . . ~Maxwell King

If you are a fan of Fred Rogers than you really enjoy this book! Even though I do not agree with everything that Mr. Rogers believed I think he had a positive influence not only on children but on our world.

Here is a link to an episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood from August 27, 1997.

Here is another link from May 1, 1969: Fred Rogers testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications.

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Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American IconJohnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon

2021-06-01T13:38:00.000-04:00

Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon by Greg Laurie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book about Johnny Cash. His life was a mess. He had a great opportunity to have a bigger Kingdom impact but allowed the world (flesh) to control his life too many times.

Here are a few quotes from the book:

There is more power in a mother’s hand than in a king’s scepter. ~Billy Graham

If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. ~C.S. Lewis

All the things that ever deeply possessed your soul have been but hints of Heaven. Tantalizing glimpses, promises never quite fulfilled, echoes that died away just as they caught your ear . . . If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world . . . Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. ~C.S. Lewis

Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and then waiting on the rat to die. ~Anne Lamott

When you forgive someone, you set a prisoner free . . . yourself! ~ Greg Laurie

I would recommend this book to anyone who would like insight to Johnny Cash’s life.

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Mayberry Humor Across the U. S. A.

2021-05-23T15:06:00.002-04:00

Mayberry Humor Across the U. S. A. by Jeanne Robertson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! Jeanne Robertson is a former Miss North Carolina and Miss Congeniality in the Miss America Pageant. She is also 6 feet 2 inches and a huge TAGS" (The Andy Griffith Show) fan. If you enjoy humor and/or TAGS, then you will love this book!

I bought this book at a used book store and had never seen it even though I love TAGS. Here is a link for one her YouTube videos.

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2020 Easter Newsletter for Friendship Bible Class

2020-04-17T09:06:00.002-04:00

The following is an Easter Newsletter sent to my Sunday School class in 2020.

The Weight of a Moment

2020-03-02T20:19:00.001-05:00

The Weight of a Moment by Michael Bowe

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent read!!! The author sent me the book to read and review. It was such a good read I finished it just a few days even though I teach full time. The story involves two men who are sidetracked by mistakes they made in their lives. The men end up in a small town running from their mistakes. This story is about redemption. I would have enjoyed it more without the foul language. Also, one of the man's mistake isn't revealed until well into the story. I kept thinking I must have read over what made him run, but finally it was revealed.

I recommend this book to all who like a good read.

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The Andy Griffith Show

2020-02-21T11:52:00.000-05:00

I found this excellent YouTube of the commercials from The Andy Griffith Show. Enjoy!

2019-12-23T19:34:00.000-05:00

Semper Fidelis: Always Faithful by George M. Wilson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The book contains all the books of Psalms and the book of Proverbs. In 31 days you can read all the Psalms and all of Proverbs. I read through this book each month. It is a blessing to me!

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The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For by David McCullough

2019-07-23T16:59:00.003-04:00

The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For by David McCullough
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book, “The American Spirit: Who We are and What We Stand For” by David McCullough contains fifteen speeches that David McCullough has given through the years. The speeches explain a lot of history and are very inspiring. I’ve listed from the book just a few quotes below:

Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages. ~George Washington

Speaking to the students at Union College in Schenectady, NY in 1994, McCullough says, “You have good minds, now go out and use them. Make a difference. There’s more opportunity than ever, more than you’ve any notion. I am of a generation raised on the idea that we as a people can do just about anything, we set our minds to. I still believe that. Let’s stop the mindless destruction of historic America. Let’s clean up our rivers and skies, and while we’re at it, let’s clean up our language – private and public and on the airwaves. Let’s stop the dumbing and degrading and cheap commercial exploitation of American life. Be generous - with your money, of course. But more important, give of yourself. Take an interest in people. Get to know people. Get to know what they’ve been through before you pass judgment. That’s essential. Read history. By all means read history. We are all where we are, each of us, because others helped.”

Speaking to the students at the University of Massachusetts in Boston in 1998, he says, “Nothing happens in isolation. Everything that happens has consequences.”

Speaking at Dartmouth College (Hanover, New Hampshire, 1999) he quotes Ronald Reagan who says, “How can we love our country and not love our countrymen? And loving them, reach out a hand when they fall, heal them when they’re sick, and provide opportunities to make them self-sufficient so they will be equal in fact and not just in theory.”

A speech at Hillsdale College (Hillsdale, Michigan, 2005) McCullough says, “Nor was there ever a self-made man or woman as much as we Americans love that expression. Everyone who’s ever lived has been affected, changed, shaped, helped, or hindered by others. We all know, in our own lives, who those people are who’ve opened a window, given us an idea, given us encouragement, given us a sense of direction, self-approval, self-worth, or who have straightened us out when we were on the wrong path. Most often they have been parents. Almost as often they have been teachers.”
At the same speech he quotes Margaret McFarland as saying, “attitudes aren’t taught, they’re caught. If the teacher has enthusiasm for the subject at hand, the student catches that, be it in second grade or graduate school.” She said, “Show them what you love.”
Still at Hillsdale he quotes John Adams letter to his wife Abigail when Adams wrote, “We can’t guarantee success [in this war] but we can do something better. We can deserve it.” McCullough research shows this quote was actually something Adams had read the play Cato by Joseph Addison.

A couple of more quotes from the Hillsdale speech. First, John Quincy Adams had to travel to France when he was 11 years old. Quincy was sacred and did not want to go. His Mom wrote him the following: “These are the times which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life or the repose of a pacific station that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. Great necessities call out great virtues. When a mind is raised and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities which would otherwise lay dormant wake into life and form the character of the hero and the statesman.” McCullough says “in other words, the mind itself isn’t enough. You have to have the heart.”
In this next quote it was reported the Quincy seemed overly enamored with himself and with his own opinions. So his Mom writes to him and says, “If you are conscious to yourself that you possess more knowledge upon some subjects than others of your standing, reflect that you have had greater opportunities of seeing the world and obtaining knowledge of mankind than any of your contemporaries. Thank you have never wanted a book, but it has been supplied to you. That your whole time has been spent in the company of men of literature and science. How unpardonable would it have been in you to have turned out a blockhead.” McCullough goes to say, “How unpardonable it would be for us – with so much that we have been given, the advantages we have, all the continuing opportunities we have to enhance and increase our love of learning – to turn out blockheads.

In McCullough speech in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 2013, he quotes JFK (the 50th Anniversary of honoring JFK) at length. This first quote is appropriate since this is the 50th anniversary of the Apollo project.

"We choose to go to the Moon in this decade, and to do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills; because that challenge is one we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win." ~JFK

“The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics, whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” ~JFK

“Those things we talk about today, which seem unreal, where so many people doubt that they can be done – the fact of the matter is, it has been true ll through our history – they will be done.” ~JFK

The very last speech in the book is to the U.S. Capitol Historical Society in Washington, DC, 2016. One last quote by McCullough. “little of consequence is ever accomplished alone. High achievement is nearly always a joint effort, as has been shown again and again in these halls when the leaders of different parties, representatives from differing constituencies and differing points of view, have been able, for the good of the country, to put those differences aside and work together.”

This is a great book I would recommend everyone to read.

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The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessons from Ronald's Final Years

2019-04-22T09:00:00.005-04:00

The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessons from Ronald Reagan's Final Years by Peggy Grande
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great read. The author, Peggy Grande, started working for President Ronald Reagan after his presidency. She shares many facts about the President I have not read in other books. She talks about the both the President and his wife. The books concludes at the President's funeral. A must read for those who admired and loved President Reagan. You will not be disappointed.

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