Personal « LEARN/SERVE/LEAD

Strengths Exercise

February 22, 2009 Leave a comment

Burnout doesn’t happen when we do lots of things that invigorate us. Burnout happens when we do things that deplete us into boredom.

Here is a little exercise I learned from strengths expert Marcus Buckingham. Take your journal or any piece of paper and write 2 columns.

In column #1 write LOVED IT.

In column #2 write LOATHED IT.

For the next week anytime you so something that you love write it in the “LOVED IT” column. Anytime you do something that depleted, bored, or drained you write it in the “LOATHED IT” column.

Example:

LOVED IT: had a conversation with a friend about helping the poor, organized old files that were spread out everywhere, coached a 6th grade baseball team, spent time with one of my employees that was struggling and helped them see their potential.

LOATHED IT: Went to a work party with lots of people there, spent four straight hours sending emails, had to speak to 40 business people about management, went on a sales call.

This will help you determine your strengths. I did it once a year and a half ago and I’m doing it again. Let me know if it helps.

Filed under Leadership, Personal Tagged with loved it loathed it, Marcus Buckingham, Strengths, strengths finder, weaknesses

Learning My Strengths

February 20, 2009 Leave a comment

There is such a difference between spending energy in areas of my strength versus areas of my weakness.

I’m all about living simply. I want to focus my life on a few things that I do well and I want to dominate them. I want to be the best in my little area of responsibility. We are the most innovative, creative, and productive in our areas of strength and we build on those strengths by studying past victories.

I remember when my wife and I pioneered the college ministry at our church. And I was horrible at administration and organization. But I had to be good at it. Now I am actually pretty good at being organized and admin. But it drains me. Bad. I don’t like it. I’m strategizing how to get out of it.

Granted, there is no job that doesn’t require us to suck it up and do the things that need to be done. But the more we can play to where we are naturally great…the better. And I think sometimes we think it’s someone else’s job to figure us out when really it’s our own responsibility. We have to learn ourselves and where we are excellent.

I am on a mission to learn more about MY STRENGTHS. Come with me!

Filed under Leadership, Personal Tagged with Marcus Buckingham, Play to your strengths, Strengths, strengths finder

What the world needs

February 6, 2009 Leave a comment

What the world needs is more coaches. More mentors. More advisors.

Everyone needs a life coach.

Someone that:

Instills confidence in us.
Teaches us.
Challenges us.
Encourages us.
Pulls the potential out of us.
Trains us thoroughly.
Asks us good questions.
Lets us fail.
Explains things to us.
Believes in us.

A few years of talking to college students and I’ve noticed a trend. Students that had a great dad that was a mentor or coach to them are making great decisions in life. Most students aren’t which means most students didn’t have a great dad.

I’ve recently told my wife Ashley that maybe we should only have two kids. We’ve always wanted four but I just want to raise my kids right. She doesn’t like that ideas. But will I really have time to adequately train up four kids at once?

I want to raise kids that are leaders on this earth and that live with understanding and that are thoroughly briefed on life issues. I want to have lengthy Q & A sessions with my son on money and sex and go on frequent dates with my daughter and talk about whatever she wants to talk about. I want that so bad because I see so many fatherless 20 yr olds that are lost, confused, and floating around with no direction. No dad. No mentor. No life coach. No one to teach them how to change a tire or about the purpose of dating. No one to break things down and to speak to their potential.

I guess I’m in the right profession. I encourage you to find someone that is fatherless. Invest in them. Speak life into them. Challenge them. Make them think.

The world will be a better place if you do.

Filed under College ministry, Fatherhood, Parenting, Personal Tagged with Mentorship, Parenting

What Am I Doing This Week?

February 4, 2009 Leave a comment

Haircut
Working on a message about “Enjoying Singleness” for new dating series starting Sun. night
Video shoot for church
Getting mission trip to Kenya ready.
American Idol…Go Kris Allen
Going to watch my brother-in-law’s team play basketball. He coaches for Morriliton, AR.
Feeling the urge to go on vacation very soon.

Filed under Personal Tagged with This week

What Am I Doing This Week?

January 20, 2009 Leave a comment

Prayer meeting on Tuesday for our America and our new president and also for Jill Hamilton, and Darren DeLaune. Jill is married to Bobby Hamilton, who is the Executive Pastor at our Greater Little Rock campus. She was diagnosed with colon cancer but is expected to make full recovery. Darren is the Executive Pastor at our Conway Campus and has some bad back problems that has kept him bedridden at times. We came together as a church and prayed for these three major areas of need.
Discussing new emphasis of our guest services with the staff.
Thinking creatively about how make more money.
Making myself like tuna salad because it’s cheap. It’s called a budget people. And we are on one.
Working on a Elevation blog that will launch this Sunday night. Gonna be good.
Staff meeting. With red beans and rice. Yes, food makes everything better. Especially after a church wide fast.
I’ve been challenging the crap out of people lately. I’m not holding back. Seems like true Christ-followers like it…
Getting ready for small groups. We had 115 people sign up to be in one and 33 people sign up to start serving in the church this past Sunday night.
Prepping to speak Sunday night on all the baggage that we carry around with us.

Filed under Personal Tagged with My week, This week

Prayer and Fasting

January 14, 2009 1 Comment

Our church is participating in our annual prayer and fasting.

My confession: Fasting is hard. Prayer can be boring.

But every time I fast I become connected with God. Seriously I don’t fast that much but when I do, it is SO good for me and when I really settle down and pray I always enjoy it.

I love, crave, look forward to, and depend on food for my nourishment and enjoyment. When I replace time with food with time with God, my priorities line up, my attitude shifts, and my heart softens. I have been feeding myself spiritually.

As a Christ-follower, I need to fast. I really can’t live without it. I feel like a lot of what needs to happen in my life this year depends on this fast. It’s preparing me and sharpening me.

Some of you that go to church at NLC are fasting too.

I would love to know how it’s going and what you are learning.

Filed under Church, Personal Tagged with Fasting

What Am I Doing This Week?

January 8, 2009 Leave a comment

Writing small group curriculum.

Thinking through a vision talk for Jan. 18.

Preparing all sermon series for this semester. Conversations About Dating & Sayings of the Wise

Working through details of mission trip to Kenya in May.

Thinking about how our Christmas stuff is still up but not motivated to do anything about it.

Applying for a graduate program for my Masters in Christian Leadership.

Racking my brain on how to be break status quo in my leadership.

Trying to find the cheapest basketball shoes and spending hours looking for them online. Time is money Jason! I could have spent $20 more on the shoes and not wasted my time. I am so cheap!

What yall been doin?

Filed under Personal Tagged with My week

more thoughts, quotes, and questions that are messin with me!

December 29, 2008 1 Comment

Anyone can learn from anyone.

Are you really doing something that requires relentless faith in God?

“Hearers aren’t declared righteous. Obeyers are declared righteous.” The Apostle Paul to the church at Rome (Jason Kimbrow paraphrase Romans 2:13)

“Set up a life that you don’t need to escape from.” Seth Godin

Some people have a miserable life because you won’t talk to them.

Filed under Leadership, Personal, Quotes, Random Tagged with Faith in God, Obeyers, Seth Godin

A Few Thoughts, Quotes, and Questions That Are Messin With Me!

December 27, 2008 2 Comments

“Organizations that destroy status quo win.” Seth Godin

Leadership matters.

“The most dangerous question ever is, ‘God, what do you want me to do with my life?’ Not asking that question is even more dangerous.” Mark Batterson

Christians that don’t have great people skills end up not loving people. This is a tragedy.