Skip to main content

“Everything significant starts with relationship.”

A thought by John Townsend from his book, People Fuel (p. 13). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Relationships are so very important, aren’t they?

John says, “At the end of the day, your faith, your family, your work, and your leadership are all based on who you relate to and how you relate. Your life is motivated by love for others, being part of a family, a desire for intimacy and vulnerability, choosing to work on a great team, and creating a product or service that helps others. We are happiest when we know our lives revolve around people. Conversely, we are not ourselves, not our best selves, when we are isolated and alone.

“Even more, think of how energized you are when you are around someone who gets you and encourages you. Your mind clears up, you are more positive, and you push through obstacles. It’s like guzzling an energy drink and rebooting yourself.”

He goes on, “Now think of the opposite experience: that person who drained you or, worse, was overly negative toward you. For me, the feeling after that encounter is that I’m walking through sludge, with very little mojo. So I have learned to embrace the first and, as much as possible, avoid the second.”

John later says,  “We need to need each other. People are the fuel for us to grow, be healthy, and prosper. God created a system in which we are to need not only him but also one another. That means we need to know what we need, recognize who can supply it, and have the skills to get it. And that will make a significant difference in life. More than significant—crucial. This is not an add-on or a luxury. The things we provide each other are a basic necessity. Let’s get out of the thinking that goes like this: Oh yes, asking others to support and help me. Great idea. I’ll pencil that in for next month. For this to work, it will need to be more frequent and more regular. You don’t put off meals for a month, nor should you put off God’s fuel.

“And not only that but to be the best person possible, you need the highest quality fuel possible. You want your car to have the highest-rated gasoline so it can perform at the highest level. You want to eat right and limit junk food. You want to experience inspiring books and videos and stay away from content that is a waste of time. So you also want to be around and learn from the best people available.”

And that is so much what we need and that is also what we want to be, isn’t it? 

Yes, yes?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

“There’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.”

A thought by Bob Goff from his book, Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People ( p. 41). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   Have you ever built a sand castle or maybe a Lego castle?   Have you? Bob says, “We actually build castles all the time, out of our jobs and our families and the things we’ve purchased. Sometimes we even make them out of each other. Some of these castles are impressive too. Lots of people come to admire what we’ve built over the course of our lives and tell us what great castles we have. But Jesus told His friends we weren’t supposed to spend our lives building castles. He said He wanted us to build a kingdom, and there’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.” Bob goes on, “You see, castles have moats to keep creepy people out, but kingdoms have bridges to let everyone in. Castles have dungeons for people who ha...

“When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life.”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. To realize that from God’s perspective life is a test goes a long way in determining how you handle your life.   It is important to see that in testing your character is both developed and revealed.   Rick goes on to say that “even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God.” So there is a God purpose behind each situation in your life.   Even the bad ones are there to strengthen you and develop you.   You see those bad situations are really good ones because they are there for your good. I start each day with a reminder that God is good.   Not every situation that is going to come in my day is good but because G...

“What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 35). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. Rick posed this question at the end of his chapter, You Are Not an Accident.   In this chapter he deals with the fact that God created you the way you are with a purpose.   In other words you are not an accident.   I am also reading the Apostle John’s view of Jesus and what He said and did while He was here on earth.   In the beginning of Chapter 9 there is a story about a blind man.   And the disciples who were with Him asked Him a good question, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind? ”   Have you ever asked the same thing about something in you that you don’t like?   Like that characteristic is a curse or something.   Society has set a standard that is not a standard of God.   Remember, He created you and you are not an accident. Je...