To plan or not to plan, that is the question!
March 23, 2009
By Gwynne Johnson
Sometime ago a friend and I headed to a meeting and stepped into an elevator, still chatting. We stood there engrossed in conversation waiting to be delivered to our destination. Finally, when the elevator wasn’t moving, we glanced at one another thinking that perhaps it was malfunctioning. Sadly the malfunction rested with us. We burst out laughing as we realized that neither of us had pushed the requisite button. Talk about missing the obvious.
As you can discern I am basically a “now” person. There’s nothing more enjoyable than sitting or walking with a friend and catching up on life enjoying a stimulating conversation and mostly ignoring anything else going on. Yet, surprisingly, God sometimes calls people like me to lead in His kingdom work. That presents some unique challenges. While it can be difficult for thoughtful and forward thinking folks to imagine, thinking ahead just doesn’t come naturally to me. Yet it is needed in leadership to maintain clarity and focus. Remember how Nehemiah carefully considered the conditions in Jerusalem before stepping into the leadership role to which God was calling him …
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Frustrated goals? Here is one solution…
March 17, 2009
By Phil Monroe
Let’s admit to ourselves that we carry a large number of goals for other people. We wish and desire for them to change their ways. Life would be so much easier if my son…my wife…my boss…my pastor would only…
This is especially true in the counseling office. People come to counseling to find a way to fix a problem (person) in their life. They may well recognize their own need for change but commonly find their attention turning to the one person causing them great relational pain. Counselors are no less capable of being frustrated as well. We have goals for our clients–ways we want them to act. When they do not accept our goals or are not able to fulfill them to our egocentric demands, we too can be frustrated.
Here is one solution that may provide you with less frustration:
Make your goals things that you can meet on your own …
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