In order to become who God wants us to be, who we want to be, we need to first overcome the things that are holding us back(Romans 12:21). I have found the best way to determine the things that hold me back is to ask those people that know me best. In order to do that you will need to give them unbridled permission to tell you things that they see in your life that needs improving without making excuses or striking back. Take those things, pray about them, set things in place that will help you overcome them, while you are focusing on what you want to become.

This week I asked Jeane what are some things I need to overcome, she said, “When you are with me, be with me.” In other words don’t be texting, emailing or talking on the phone. What are some things I can do to make that happen? When we go to lunch I’m now going to turn off my phone. When we are together, driving or walking, I am going to ask her questions about her day, her feelings, and her challenges.

This is one of those things I need to overcome to become one of those things I want to be…a good husband!

1. ENJOY LIFE: If we are going to win people to Christ, we must be people who other people like to be around. Nobody wants to be around sad, depressed, or angry people. One sign of being a mature Christian is doing things when we don’t feel like…act like you love life even at the times you don’t feel like it!
2. PUT A ROCK STAR STATUS ON EVERYONE’S HEAD (Make them feel like a 10): One of the best things you can do for people is help them to think more of themselves and more of you; which will permit you to be more of an influenced in their relationship with Jesus.
3. GIVE PEOPLE HOPE: The fact is Christians are dealers in hope. If you give hope people will forever be attracted to you and influence by you for Christ
4. SHARE YOUR LIFE: People love people who share themselves and their life journeys. Start today, call or email someone invite them to lunch, coffee, over to the house for dinner, or just a walk. Share wisdom, share resources, share special occasions, but most importantly share Christ!
I read this in John Maxwell’s book “21 Qualities of a Leader” several years ago, it has never failed me.

I have found this last day of 2011 to be a good time to reflect on major life experiences from the past year. I start with writing down all the good things, then move to all the bad things (Scripture actually tells us we grow more from our difficulties than from our pleasures…James 1:2).
Then I ask myself these 4 questions about each experience…
What was God TEACHING me? What was God teaching me about Himself and about people?
What was God REBUKING in my life: What are some things in my life that I need to stop doing in 2012?
What was God telling me that need CORRECTING in my life: What should I start doing in 2012?
What TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS do I need to start: What do I need to do get past having a break even relationship with God and have an overabundance of Christ like characteristics in 2012?
2012; the year of change, the year we become more, more in Christ than ever before!

The fact is, so goes these tools, so goes our church. I found out that all three are so closely related that when one gets dull the others will soon follow. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:19, “Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. “

Final thoughts…”As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”(Proverbs 27:17). We need to be on the lookout for both those that will sharpen and those that will make you dull. Get close to those who do the former and put some distance between those who do the latter.

I still catch myself letting my work become drudgery. When I do that it’s usually because I have become more focused on the work at hand, and less focused on the vision God has given me. There must be an equal balance.The fact is vision transforms the drudgery of a task into a non stoppable journey that always leads to great things.

I am the first to admit getting the right people on the bus and then getting them is the right seat is the greatest challenge and the greatest reward that leader’s have.
Here are 4 things we will not base a promotion to leadership on…
• Power: Being bullied and pressured is never be the reason for putting people into leadership positions
• Politics: The only person they must know is Jesus! Up close and personal
• Credentials: I have found that the only letters a leader must have after their name are P.A.S.S.I.O.N
• Convenience: More times than not, at least in the church leadership, we put people in positions because it is easy. It takes lots of effort and time to search out and train up the right people…but so much less pain and frustration later on!

Really if you don’t have time to get it all done, someone else besides God is controlling your calendar! In his book Weird, Craig Groecshel says “Most of us are living at a pace that is not only unsustainable, it is unbiblical.”
This year let’s not give our spouses or our kids the gift of “In a minute honey…I’ve got to get this done”. Remember, you will never get those special moments back again.