Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2015-10-06) from his book, Intentional Living: Choosing a Life That Matters (p. 146). Center Street. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) You may not realize it but you have something that will add value to someone’s life.   You really do.   Do you see it? John says, “Looking outward with an eagerness to add value to others influences how you will see people. We usually see only what we are prepared to see in others and the world. That’s why two people can be in the same place, in the same circumstances, surrounded by the same people, and see the same thing completely differently.” John shares a process that he developed to add value into a person's life: “ Model— I do it. Before I try to teach someone else, I work to become good at it so that I know what I’m doing. Mentor— I do it and you watch. Learning begins when I show someone how to do what I do...  I always tried to take

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2015-10-06) from his book, Intentional Living: Choosing a Life That Matters (p. 139). Center Street. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I know, there’s that attitude thing again.   But your attitude is so very important. John says, “Gratitude is the motivation for doing good things for others, and a positive attitude is what drives that action. Gratitude fuels us to want to do good things for others.” He goes on, “Have you ever met people who think nothing good ever happens to them? It’s like they walk around with dark clouds over their heads, and they always say things like, ‘No one ever gives me a chance. I never get a break. Why doesn’t anyone ever pick me?’ Such people live very self-consuming, selfish lives. How can they experience significance at all?”   I hope you’re not that kind of person. He then says, “We’ve all heard the expression, ‘Count your blessings.’ But have you ever

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2015-10-06) from his book, Intentional Living: Choosing a Life That Matters (p. 123). Center Street. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That is so important to understand as a leader, as a parent and as a minister.   I am a retired minister so that was important for me to know. John says, “When I first started out in my career, I thought that helping people meant trying to change them. So I made that my goal. I wanted to teach messages that would take people to a higher place in their lives. I gave lots of advice. I was young and idealistic. I didn’t yet understand that people don’t change because you want them to. They change because they want to, and it happens only when they’re ready to.” Now of course as parents we strive to encourage through different means the when they are ready to.   And that is a challenge isn’t it? John goes on to say, “If we want to help others, then we must