Curtis Songer

Real Leaders Earn Their Authority

2012-02-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”Exodus 17:4God’s people received and important lesson on authority when the learned to trust God for provision. Time and again the Lord provided what they needed, thus demonstrating His right to lead them. Moses learned to depend on God as his ultimate authority. One of the keys to Moses’ greatness is this statement: Moses cried out to the Lord (whenever he needed wisdom, guidance, help). Leaders may be given authority by higher powers, but in the eyes of those they would lead, they must earn their true leadership-based authority. Few individuals will just give it to someone. This is the difference between positional authority (assigned to an individual based on their position) vs. relational authority (earned by an individual in the eyes of those he leads). Even God earned the trust of His people and “earned” His authority through several means: 1. Vision – He showed the way for His people to cross the Red Sea safely. 2. Protection – He eliminated the Egyptian army in the Red Sea. 3. Provision – He provided manna and quail (the daily food supply) for the people to eat. 4. Problem solving – He produced water from a rock. Similarly, we - as leaders in our homes and workplaces - must demonstrate vision, protection, provision, and problem solving to those we desire to influence. Are one of these missing in your personal leadership style?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

When Our Disappointments are God’s Appointments

2012-02-03T11:28:00.000-08:00

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes. Psalm 119:71The vast majority of us avoid suffering at all costs. We spend lots of money on electronics, entertainment, and events that make us feel comfortable. We’ve developed the expectation that life should be fun, easy, and pleasant. We now have more conveniences than any other people who lived before us.From time to time, the God of love and truth steps into our misplaced expectations and shakes us up. He doesn’t do this to be mean – just the opposite. He knows the best way for us to learn life’s most important lessons is through suffering. Sometimes God wants to get our attention to redirect us. Sometimes, He needs to discipline us so that we stop a self-destructive behavior. Sometimes, He wants to display our courageous faith to others around us, and suffering allows them to see into our hearts. No matter what the cause, God always wants to teach us to depend on Him and difficulties have a marvelous way of directing the eyes of our hearts to God’s love, truth, wisdom, and power. If we develop spiritual eyes to see that God is doing something rich and wonderful in the midst of our suffering, we won’t avoid it.What are some disappointments you’ve experienced lately? Might God be using these difficulties to redirect you, discipline you, display your courage to others, or teach you to depend more on Him.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Parents: Lessons You Must Teach Your Children – Part 6

2012-02-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.Proverbs 22:6Raising children requires huge chunks of time, prayer, discipline, involvement, and relationship-building. This list of values and traits has helped us focus on biblical priorities in raising children to become mature adults of faith and godly character. Here’s the next few lessons in the list of forty:21. By faith, trust Christ as your Savior and Lord, and share with others how to become a Christian.22. Seek wisdom - skill in everyday living. Know how to make good decisions.23. Gain a sense of God’s direction and destiny for your life.24. Stay teachable and don't become cynical.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

In Troubled Times

2012-02-03T10:08:00.000-08:00

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.Jeremiah 17:7We can all remember where we were and what we were doing when we first heard about the 9/11 attacks. It was a time of great fear and uncertainty.Many of the thoughts from that day are just as appropriate in these days of insecurity:1. Trust in God, not men (see Jeremiah 17:5-8). God and His plans are not upset by the actions of men. He is the anchor in a storm.2. Live for eternity and God’s kingdom (see Matthew 25:14-30). The things of the world seem trivial in a time of crisis. Determine God’s purpose for you. How does He want to use you to reach, influence and serve others in the cause of Christ? 3. Share the gospel boldly (see 2 Corinthians 5:20-21). People could be one breath away from meeting God face to face. 4. Embrace biblical family values now, not just when there’s a crisis (see 2 Peter 3:10-13). 5. Give others courage to live for Christ today and not wait for tomorrow (see Hebrews 3:13).One of my favorite hymns is Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Perhaps you sing it in your church:A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing: For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.Those are words to remember whenever we need courage to live in these troubled times.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Movie Credits or the Plot of Your Life

2012-02-02T05:56:00.001-08:00

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.Proverbs 3:5-6While reading through the book of Proverbs I looked at the passage that appears at the top of this page. During times of severe trial, these verses can take on extra meaning. What does it mean to trust in God with “all” our heart, to acknowledge Him in “all” our ways. Related to this is the following question from a Bible commentary: “Is Jesus Christ the One who gets the credits in the movie of your life, or is He the plot?”Times of tragedy and loss have a way of answering this question for us. If you have been basically doing things on your own while occasionally expressing a semi-sense of dependence on Him for your life and work and family, then you may not be prepared for suffering. But if you build a habit of daily acknowledging Him as your source and sustainer, you will feel welcome rushing to His side in an emergency.“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,” Jesus told His followers, “and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33) - peace in the midst of anxious moments, courage in the midst of fear, and contentment and joy in the midst of lack. These are the sweet rewards for those who have made Jesus Christ the plot of their lives.Is Jesus just part of the movie credits in your life or is He the plot? What would have to change in your life to make Him the plot?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Parents: Lessons You Must Teach Your Children – Part 5

2012-02-02T05:54:00.000-08:00

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.Proverbs 22:6Here’s the next few lessons in the list of forty:17. The importance of prayer.18. The art of asking good questions, carrying on good conversation.19. How to grow as a Christian.20. How to handle temptation.Parenting is a long and challenging task. Fortunately, we have a God who gives us the strength to accomplish the tasks He lays before us (Philippians 4:13). We encourage you to lean on Him. No, we didn’t perfectly teach each and every one of these 40 things, but it was a guide to remind us of what was important. Never stop training, teaching, and cheering them on. As Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Leadership Principle of Victory and the Celebration

2012-01-31T12:39:00.001-08:00

Then Moses and the children of Israel sang a song unto the Lord…Exodus 15:1Winston Churchill once said, “What is our aim? I answer in one word: Victory – victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.” The three components of victory are: unity of vision, diversity of skills, and a leader dedicated to raising the next generation of leaders to their potential. Winston Churchill was such a man.But leaders also know the importance of celebrating and remembering their past victories. After escaping Egypt, Moses led the people of Israel in a song of celebration. The Lord had drowned the Egyptian army in the Red Sea, ensuring that Israel would never again have to run from Pharaoh. Beyond basic survival, celebration should be the reward for victory.Is it time for the “team” you lead to have a celebration?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Goodness and Mercy

2012-01-31T12:37:00.001-08:00

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.Psalms 23:6God’s goodness is His predisposition to show favor and His energy to bring about blessing. It’s not just a static characteristic. God’s goodness actively flows from Him to us. But God’s mercy has a different tone. His standard is perfection and we fall short every day. Although we deserve punishment, God’s mercy means that we don’t get what we deserve. What a relief!Like David in the Psalms, we must pray for God’s goodness and mercy every day, counting on His goodness all day every day, even when we blow it and desperately need to experience God’s mercy again.God’s Spirit actually lives in each believer, so we are never alone. We have a Shepherd who guides us, protects us, and forgives us every day – that’s part of His daily goodness and mercy. If our spiritual eyes are open, we’ll notice God’s goodness and mercy all around us, and we’ll grasp his blessings with both hands. They’re there; we just need to see them.What are some evidences of God’s goodness and mercy in your life today? What are some things you should do to be more aware of God’s presence?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Parents: Lessons You Must Teach Your Children – Part 4

2012-01-31T11:37:00.000-08:00

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.Proverbs 22:6The following is the next part in a series of forty great lessons you must teach your children. Some of these lessons are appropriate to start during the first year of a child’s life, while others are more appropriate later during childhood or adolescence. As your children grows, your main goal is to unplug them from total dependency upon you and to plug them into a total dependency upon God. The older they get, the more you move from being teachers to being cheerleaders and advisors. Raising children requires huge chunks of time, prayer, discipline, involvement, and relationship-building. This list of values and traits has helped us focus on biblical priorities in raising children to become mature adults of faith and godly character. Here’s the next few lessons in the list of forty:13. Give too much rather than too little.14. The importance of manners and common courtesies.15. View life through God’s agenda - the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.16. Give thanks to God in all things.Parenting is a long and challenging task. Fortunately, we have a God who gives us the strength to accomplish the tasks He lays before us (Philippians 4:13). We encourage you to lean on Him. No, we didn’t perfectly teach each and every one of these 40 things, but it was a guide to remind us of what was important. Never stop training, teaching, and cheering them on. As Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Leadership Principle of Buy-In: Moses Gains Credibility

2012-01-31T06:12:00.000-08:00

Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.Exodus 14:13The approach of the Egyptian army terrified the Israelites, and they placed heavy pressure on Moses to handle the crisis. Moses didn’t panic, since He had seen the power of God’s handiwork. Instead, He exuded both poise and peace, winning for himself great credibility as a leader. Through one incident he became the nation’s “go to” leader.Note the following characteristics (from Exodus 14:13-22) that gained him this credibility: 1. He projected calm instead of craziness. 2. He projected confidence instead of cowardice. 3. He projected clarity instead of confusion. 4. He projected competence instead of clumsiness.You cannot lead if you do not have credibility. Do you have the credibility necessary in the eyes of the people you are called to lead? If not, which of these character qualities do you need to work on in your life to begin to have more credibility?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Managing Sibling Rivalry

2012-01-31T06:07:00.000-08:00

I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.Colossians 2:4Every family with more than one child at home faces sibling rivalry. Even when it’s not showing itself in fights and raised voices and loud cries of “Mom!” you can be sure it’s going on. They’re jockeying for position. They’re watching to see who’s getting more and who’s getting away with less.I remember coming home frequently to a spat or dispute between sons and daughters. Somebody had taken something without asking . . . somebody had left something out with the cap off and ruined it . . . somebody had been goofing off when they were supposed to be helping out. Sibling rivalry was the never-ending story.There were times when Martha and I wondered if these kids of ours would ever be able to get along. Would they grow up to hate each other the way they so often seemed to at home?But I want to encourage you today: Even when you’re bone tired and worn down and feel particularly ill-equipped to handle these relational “muggers,” jump in the middle and work to get these warring factions back together.I’m convinced that one of the reasons sibling rivalry exists is to give you the opportunity to prepare and train your children for lifelong relationships in their marriage and families. When your children learn to settle their differences with each other, admit their own faults and ask for forgiveness, they are learning methods of conflict management that will serve them throughout their lives.One of our most endearing joys today is to watch our older children rally around a brother or sister in moments of crisis or need. I assure you, the time you spend training them is well worth the effort, even when you’re not sure it’s getting results. Trust me: They are getting it - even if they are acting like they aren’t!I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Put First Things First

2012-01-31T06:02:00.000-08:00

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.Matthew 6:33Don’t misunderstand Jesus message in this verse. He’s not telling you to focus exclusively on Him and not be concerned about anything else in your life. While that interpretation may be close to the truth – it’s off the mark – and those are the most dangerous kinds of interpretations. Jesus is telling us to pursue Him primarily. We still have to eat, sleep, raise our kids, pay our mortgages, and keep our cars running, but these things will flow far more easily if we make our relationship with Christ our first priority.Many of us try to manage our lives as if we’re trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together. All the pieces are there, but we are bewildered about where they go. We make attempt after attempt to make things work, but no matter how hard we try, all the pieces just don’t fit together. We’re frustrated and exhausted.There’s a better way. Jesus is saying, “Put Me in the center of your life, and then you’ll see how the pieces fit together.” We may think, “How can I add one more thing to my schedule. Seek Christ first – no way I have the time.” But if we take His advice, He promises to lead us, bless us, and give us more meaning than ever before. What does it mean to put Jesus first in your life? Will you take the risk? I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Did I Marry the Wrong Person?

2012-01-31T05:59:00.000-08:00

He has made everything beautiful in its time.Ecclesiastes 3:11When you made a covenant to your spouse, it wasn’t just a promise to stay married. It wasn’t a pass/fail exam. It was a sacred pledge to care for and nourish each other - to meet the other’s needs and receive the other - to accept and embrace each other as God’s personal provision for your needs.But obviously, your wedding vows are made long before you really know the person you are marrying - before years of sharing the same house, the same bathroom, the same dishwasher, the same everything. By then you are aware of the maddening little things that just get under your skin.It’s at points like these when some husbands and wives conclude, “I think I married the wrong person.” That thought is not abnormal, but it is dangerous.If that thought has ever crossed your mind, I ask you to think carefully about this timeless advice from author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar: “I have no way of knowing whether or not you married the wrong person. But I do know that if you treat the wrong person like the right person, you could well end up having married the right person after all. It is far more important to be the right kind of person than it is to marry the right person.”All of us inevitably come to places in marriage where our objectives and attitudes clash with each other, sometimes pretty strongly. We don’t make it all the way through without encountering stretches of road that are filled with potholes, bridges out and some steep grades. But what would happen if we chose to accept rather than reject, to be thankful rather than spiteful, to give encouragement rather than disapproval?I guarantee you, Mr. and Mrs. Right are the people in your wedding pictures, even if it hasn’t been looking like it recently.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Leading in the Wilderness & The Principle of Tangible Leadership

2012-01-30T08:30:00.000-08:00

The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light…Exodus 13:21God’s use of cloud and fire taught Israel to expect dynamic divine leadership. He provided more than just a set of rules (the 10 Commandments). When the pillar of cloud/fire halted, they were to stop. When it moved, they were to follow. God was using the principle of tangible leadership by providing leadership that could be seen. In a similar way, leadership today must be both definitive and dynamic. Whether you are a CEO or a stay-at-home parent, the people you lead need models and patterns they can observe and follow. They need an example. Do you provide a model, an example, that people can follow – or just a set of rules that people are expected to obey? Are you seen by the people you lead? Are you “out in front” leading them in a real and tangible way? I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Parents: Lessons You Must Teach Your Children – Part 3

2012-01-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.Proverbs 22:6Here’s the next few lessons in the list of forty:9. How to motivate people without manipulating them.10. How to handle failure.11. Keep your promises.12. The power of the tongue for good or evil.Stay tuned for more great lessons! I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

What do You Trust In?

2012-01-30T08:23:00.001-08:00

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.Psalm 20:7In the Bible there are many names for God. These different names teach us that He is the Creator, that He sees everything all the time, that He promises He will provide, and that He is the sovereign Lord who rules over all. All these names reinforce our awe of God and reenergize our faith in Him through the good times and bad.We tend to trust in tangible things that are inherently strong, such as chariots and horses – or possessions and bank accounts. In fact, we often trust in our own abilities, our status, our parents’ money, our spouse’s reputation, or a hundred other things before we trust in God. It’s as if we try everything else and then realize, “Oh, I should have trusted God!”We have a tendency to trust in powerful things we can see instead of the God we cannot see. Those things have value, but they also have limitations. And they can vanish overnight. On the other hand, God’s infinite love and awesome power – represented and described by His names in Scripture – should make Him our first resort, not our last. What are some visible things in your life that are easy for you to trust in? What would it mean for God to become your first resort instead of your last resort for trust?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Equipping: God Used Aaron to Equip the Leader

2012-01-29T04:41:00.000-08:00

Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go…Exodus 5:1By sending ten plagues on the people of Egypt, God accomplished many objectives at once. Not only did He secure the release of the Hebrews, He also taught the Egyptians lessons about Him. Each plague spoke symbolically to the Egyptian people, establishing beyond a doubt that the God of Israel was THE God. And through the plagues God also taught Moses lessons on leadership. Because Moses resisted a return to Egypt when God called him at the burning bush, God allowed his brother, Aaron, to accompany him. God used Aaron to equip Moses during the plagues. During the first five plagues, Aaron used God’s staff while Moses watched. During the sixth plague, Aaron and Moses worked together to summon the plague of boils. During the last four plagues, Moses worked alone as Aaron watched. From then on, Moses took the lead in everything. How often does God use willing associates to prepare His chosen leaders for success? Is God similarly equipping you through the assistance of another? I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Parents: Lessons You Must Teach Your Children – Part 2

2012-01-29T04:37:00.000-08:00

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.Proverbs 22:6Here are more great lessons you must teach your children from the list of forty:5. Have compassion for the poor and orphans.6. Believe God for too much rather than too little.7. Real strength is found in serving, not in being served.8. The power of moral purity and a clean conscience.Remember - never stop training, teaching, and cheering them on. As Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Mental and Verbal Alignment

2012-01-29T04:29:00.000-08:00

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight…Psalm 19:14We may try to hide what we really think of a person or a situation, but sooner or later, our words will reflect our beliefs. For most of us, aligning our hearts and our words is difficult, and sometimes (maybe often), we dance around what we really believe and say things we really don’t mean. But for those who are serious about following Christ, alignment doesn’t stop with our hearts and our mouths. We need to align both with the character and purposes of God so that what we say and what we believe reflect His heart and His direction for our lives.What, then, is “acceptable” in God’s sight? God delights in our acts of kindness to those in need, our forgiveness to those who hurt us, and our refraining from blurting out venomous words. God loves it when we are brutally honest with Him about our faults and broken hearts.Our words serve as a thermometer, reflecting the content of our hearts and indicating the desire for change. The more we value God’s grace, His wisdom, and His strength, the more we’ll long for every part of us – especially our words and our hearts – to be in alignment with Him.What did your words reflect about your heart in the past 24 hours? What are some things you can do to align your words and your heart with God’s character and purposes?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Moses was a 360 Degree Leader

2012-01-28T05:23:00.001-08:00

The Israelites then went and did what God had commanded Moses and Aaron. They did it all.Exodus 12:28The story of Moses leading the people of Israel out of Egypt is a vivid illustration of a 360 degree leader. He had a position, growing up in Pharaoh’s palace, yet he gave it up to become a shepherd in the wilderness for forty years. He returned with no title or position, and had to convince Pharaoh to free his entire slave population. And he had to convince the Jews he was worth following. Moses had no experience or credibility with them. He had to depend on influencing through things other than position.Moses leaned on the following virtues: 1. His connection with God – His personal meeting with God at Mount Horeb. 2. His abilities and anointing – God confirmed his words with plagues and miracles. 3. His sacrifice – He left his earlier position in order to fulfill a difficult calling. 4. His wisdom – He knew what to do and where to go as he gave instructions. 5. His confidence – He had convictions about his task. 6. His humility – He was considered the most humble leader of his time.Do you rely more on your position or your virtues when leading (influencing) other?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

God’s Will and Self-Doubt

2012-01-28T05:21:00.000-08:00

To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?2 Corinthians 2:16Within all of us, I believe, is a lingering self-doubt – I know this is true in my own life. We may look like we’ve got life totally wired, but we know we don’t. So it hurts when our own insecurities are thrown back in our face - especially when they involve our desire to follow Christ wholly and fully.That’s exactly what happened to a man who sensed God’s calling on his life to enter Christian ministry as a vocation. When he informed his mom of his decision, she said, “There was a time when I was extremely proud of you. It’s a shame that you’re throwing six years of education and two degrees down the drain.”His aunt was no kinder in her assessment. She wrote him to say, “You may think you’re about to do a noble thing. However, my dear nephew, that is not the case at all. What you’re about to become is another blood-sucking leech on the neck of society, draining the hard-earned resources of the people of this land. If you were my son, I would have you see a psychiatrist, for only a sick person would be sold a bill of goods as you have been.”How does a person respond to words like these? Even devoted followers of Christ know how hard it can be to discern the inaudible voice of an invisible God. So when others belittle a choice you’ve made because of your relationship with Him, whom do you believe?It’s natural to feel unsure sometimes about the specifics of His will. And you do need people in your life who will provide balance and hold you accountable. Ultimately, you must develop a confidence in God that sustains you when others doubt you. Let His pleasure with you be your source of confidence.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Pure and Powerful

2012-01-28T05:18:00.000-08:00

The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.Psalm 12:6With all the technology surrounding us, we hear thousands of messages every day. Linda Stone, formerly of Apple and Microsoft, coined the term “continuous partial attention” to describe the constant distractions of email, instant messaging, cell phones, and other devices. She states, “To pay continuous partial attention is to pay partial attention, continuously. We want to connect and be connected. We want to effectively scan for opportunity and optimize for the best opportunities, activities, and contacts, in any environment.”Too often, we value all received messages equally. We can be having an important conversation with our spouse and let a phone call or text message interrupt us. In most cases, the relationship with the person in front of us is much more important than the incoming message – it can wait. In all cases, it is rude to interrupt. Yet we still do it. God’s Word is more precious than any other message sent to us. The psalmist describes God’s message as “pure words” that are like silver processed seven times in the furnace – indicating the purity and value of the message. The number seven signifies completion and perfection throughout the Scriptures. God’s Word is absolutely perfect and in alignment with the character of God. It is the supreme measure of truth, and it imparts light and life to those who treasure it. When we read and hear God’s Word, we need to sit up and take notice. If we don’t understand it, we need to dig deeper until we find out what it means. And when God uses it to redirect our steps, we are wise to say, “Yes, Lord. I’m listening.” God’s Word directs us along God’s path, and that way is perfect for us each day.Are you in the habit of paying continuous partial attention, scanning continuously for opportunities - business, personal, or whatever? In addition, what would it mean for you to truly treasure connection – to God? To others close to you?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Parents: Lessons You Must Teach Your Children

2012-01-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.Proverbs 22:6Do you remember that incredible moment when your first child was born. As the doctor cleaned him/her up and handed him/her to you, did you think, “Thanks for the gift, but where are the instructions?” When we started out, we had a few ideas of what it meant to be a parent and raise children. Two years later we added twins and we realized that we had better become intentional about what we wanted to do as parents and teach our children.The following is the first part in a series of forty great lessons you must teach your children. Some of these lessons are appropriate to start during the first year of a child’s life, while others are more appropriate later during childhood or adolescence. As your children grows, your main goal is to unplug them from total dependency upon you and to plug them into a total dependency upon God. The older they get, the more you move from being teachers to being cheerleaders and advisors. Raising children requires huge chunks of time, prayer, discipline, involvement, and relationship-building. This list of values and traits has helped us focus on biblical priorities in raising children to become mature adults of faith and godly character. We should mention that, after number one, the items on this list are not presented in any order or priority: 1. Above all, fear God.2. Respect authority - trust and obey your parents.3. The importance of friendships.4. Be in love with Christ and focus on your relationship with Him, not just on doctrine or on biblical principles.Parenting is a long and challenging task. Fortunately, we have a God who gives us the strength to accomplish the tasks He lays before us (Philippians 4:13). We encourage you to lean on Him. No, we didn’t perfectly teach each and every one of these 40 things, but it was a guide to remind us of what was important. Never stop training, teaching, and cheering them on. As Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Profiles in Leadership: Moses – The Unexpected Leader

2012-01-27T06:50:00.000-08:00

Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.Numbers 12:3What words come to mind when you think of great leaders? It is doubtful that “meek” appears at the top of your list. Yet that is the precise word that God chose to describe Moses. In Scripture He declares that, “the man Moses was very humble”. Moses had reasons to be humble. He certainly wasn’t a natural leader. Nothing in Scripture indicates that he attracted or led anyone in the first 80 years of his life. Although he was “learned in the ways of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds”, we have no record of any significant accomplishment during his first 40 years. So far as we know, his first attempt at exerting his influence to help the people resulted in the murder of an Egyptian and his flight from Egypt as a wanted criminal. The next 40 years Moses spent in exile in the desert of Midian, a time so uneventful that Scripture sums it up in three verses. You don’t have to be a natural to become a great leader; you simply need a heart for God and a teachable spirit. Most of the great leaders in Scripture were made, not born. Happily for us, God is still making them today. Could you be one of them? I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Set the Standards High

2012-01-27T06:46:00.000-08:00

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.Colossians 3:17John Flanagan, Jr., was flying a routine Air Force mission during the Vietnam War, seeking to confirm a radio report of 300 enemy Vietcong troops spotted in a nearby area. Flying low above the coordinates of the site zone, he could see nothing that aroused his suspicions or indicated the presence of enemy forces.But just before he pulled up and headed back for base, the memory of his high-school English teacher flashed through his mind. Father John Mulroy was one of those instructors who never allowed halfhearted work to be passed off as acceptable. His students - like John Flanagan - either gave it their very best or got the consequences for just getting by.So with a new resolve to swing around and look more closely this time, he spotted a gathering of Vietcong. Not only that, he noticed a squad of American gunships zooming into position to blow them away.But something didn’t look right. Sinking lower, skimming just above the treetops, Flanagan buzzed his plane right into harm’s way and recognized that the troops on the ground were not Vietcong but South Vietnamese forces - friendlies! By blocking the ensuing battle at the risk of his own life, he stopped a dose of bad reconnaissance from leading to regrettable bloodshed.The disaster John Flanagan courageously helped avoid by going the extra mile that day earned him a Distinguished Flying Cross and the admiration of his fellow airmen. But many of the accolades could have legitimately gone to a tough-minded teacher who wouldn’t let his students settle for second best.Are you challenging one another and your children to be the very best you can be? Set the standards high, especially for teens. Tell them what you expect, then inspect what you expect.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Secret of Contentment

2012-01-27T06:39:00.000-08:00

Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty.Philippians 4:11-12Many of us have some mixed up ideas about contentment. We think that if we can ever have this certain thing, our life will be better. Or if we can avoid that bad thing, then we’ll be really happy. And there may be nothing wrong with hoping to avoid a really bad tragedy – but that does not lead to true contentment. If we really thought about it, we’d realize that we know plenty of people that have this, or have successfully avoided that, but still aren’t any happier than we are. There must be a secret we haven’t discovered.There is – and Paul tells us about it in the Scripture above. Paul had learned the secret of contentment. He realized that possessions, fame, beauty, and other earthly things can be pleasant for a while, but they can never produce genuine contentment. That comes from the inside. We experience true contentment when external things lose their grip on our hearts and don’t matter much anymore. Happiness isn’t having what you want, it’s wanting what you have. Jealousy, envy, and greed suck the life – and sense of contentment – out of us. Replace those joy killers with gratitude for what you have, and watch your “joy factor” soar! What are some steps you need to take to learn the secret of true contentment?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

A Leader’s Clear Communication

2012-01-26T06:50:00.001-08:00

Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.Exodus 12:13Without the ability to communicate, a leader travels alone. No one will follow you without a clear understanding of your vision. And no one will catch your vision unless you first transfer a picture of it into his or her heart. A vision should paint a vivid picture of your goal or objective. It should give the hearer the feeling that they are there with you in the future. That’s what God did when he clearly explained to the Hebrew families how they could spare the lives of their firstborn sons. Are you painting a clear picture of your goals and objectives for those that you expect to follow? Has it captured their imagination and been firmly imprinted on their hearts?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

You Are What You Wear

2012-01-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.1 John 3:3A friend of mine tells the following true story of a date he was having with his wife… My wife and I were eating in a fast-food restaurant when we noticed a couple of college kids wearing T-shirts with gross, sexual vulgarities on them. Something made me want to appeal to these two young men, man to man. So my wife and I talked it over, and I said to her, “Go unlock the car and have the motor running, just in case I need to make a quick getaway.”I walked over and smiled as I introduced myself. “Young men,” I said, “I don’t know how you’d feel if your mom walked in right now, but I want you to know that my wife was sitting over there and saw what was written on your T-shirts, and she found it deeply offensive.”As they began to back away from their burgers, I continued to smile but said firmly, “One day when you’re a dad like me, and your boys want to wear shirts like these, I hope you’ll teach them what it means to be a man and to have respect for the opposite sex.”Now, I’m not suggesting that this approach is always a good idea. But be sure to tell your children, “Never forget that the way you dress is a reflection of who you are. You are a member of this family, and you are a child of God.”It has been said that all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. I don’t take on every issue, but I am determined to take on those that God clearly sets before me. What about you?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Modeling the Right Stuff

2012-01-26T06:44:00.000-08:00

Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.1 Timothy 4:15When people follow us, what are they looking for? The answer to that question may be as varied as the individuals themselves. Some want a parent figure, some want a big brother or sister, some want to learn a few specific skills, and some may want help in their business venture. Most followers though, want to follow leaders who know where they are going and have some passion for getting there. Those two traits aren’t that complicated, but the combination is surprisingly rare. In the Scripture above, Paul is recommending we think long and hard about all that he has written so that it will sink deep below the surface and become an integral part of our life. But that’s not all. He also wants us to pour our life into the principles he has been teaching about in the earlier passages, everything we’ve got – mind, body, and soul. When people see that, they will sit up and take notice, and then they will follow.Leadership doesn’t come from a manual. It comes from the heart. We may move our bodies by our directions in staff meetings, but we move hearts only when they are convinced that we really understand the ins and outs of what we’re talking about and when we show them we’re devoted to the mission. Insight and passion – that’s modeling the right stuff.Think about your level of understanding of your role/mission and your passion to accomplish this purpose. What might “modeling the right stuff” look like in your life?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Profiles in Leadership: Pharaoh – Attitude: My Way or the Highway

2012-01-25T05:38:00.000-08:00

The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!”Exodus 10:27-28The greatness of a nation does not automatically make its leader great. But in the Bible we see that Pharaoh seemed to think so. Not only did Pharaoh rule with absolute power, he also displayed absolute arrogance. He thought of himself as a god and demanded that others see him in the same way.How ironic that the wealth of that great nation, along with its power, came into Pharaoh’s possession through the hand of the Lord’s servant, Joseph. But as the years passed, when another servant of God (Moses) approached another man sitting on the throne of Egypt, an ugly confrontation erupted. Pharaoh revealed his arrogant character through his defiant response to Moses’ request that he let the people go into the wilderness to worship their God: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go?”Pharaoh’s pride led to arrogance, and his arrogance to rigidity. In time, his heart became stone-cold and hard. It was “My way or the highway” in his mind. Of course, in the end the Israelites chose the highway and headed for the Promised Land, leaving Egypt with their pockets stuffed with Egyptian gold. And Pharaoh’s way led his army straight to the bottom of the sea.Does your leadership style ever reflect an attitude of arrogance? If so, what is your plan to change?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Remove the Plank from Your Own Eye

2012-01-25T05:36:00.000-08:00

You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?Romans 2:21I’ll never forget the story I heard about a husband who described in point-by-point detail what he hoped to get from taking his wife to a marriage conference. Here were some of his objectives:I need you to talk to my wife about…1. Getting her to stop watching bad TV shows2. Getting her to read the Bible3. Getting her to listen to Christian music4. Getting her to support the charity work I do5. Getting her to realize that she’s a sinner6. Getting her to stop drinking beer7. Getting her to stop wasting our family’s money8. Getting her to stop worrying about fixing up our home9. Getting her to realize she’s setting a bad example.Perhaps there is a better approach. What if instead of making lists of things you’d like to see changed about your wife, you made a list of what you needed to change? What if you made a list of what you most appreciate about her? What if you made a list of her top-three needs from you, along with a deadline for you meet them?”Ask yourself, “Am I too quick to think that fixing my mate is the solution to our marriage problems?”I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

One Nation Under God

2012-01-25T05:32:00.000-08:00

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.Psalm 33:12Has there ever been a nation as blessed by God as the United States? Historians and pastors may argue about the intentions and beliefs of our founding fathers, but one thing is certain: God has blessed us with incredible wealth, freedom, and protection throughout our history.The question we must consider (if we want to continue to receive God’s blessing) is, what are we doing with it? Far too often, we enjoy the benefits of God’s blessings by spending them on today instead of investing them in the future. In biblical history, God blessed Israel so that they would be a blessing to the nations of the world. When Israel welcomed foreigners and supported the widows and orphans, God continued to shower them with riches and freedom.We can be sure of this: God always leads the rich to help the poor, directs the free to reach out to the oppressed, and empowers the wise to give hope to those who are confused. We have phenomenal riches in the country, riches that come from the hand of God. We need to recognize the source of all our blessings and commit ourselves to use every resource to make a difference for Christ’s sake. What are some blessings that we enjoy that other nations don’t? What are some specific ways you can invest your resources and freedoms to make a difference in others’ lives?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Moses: The Plagues & the Leadership Principle of Victory

2012-01-24T13:35:00.000-08:00

You shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness”; but indeed, until now you would not hear!Exodus 7:16Do you think that Moses enjoyed confronting Pharaoh with the plagues? While he obeyed God and warned Pharaoh of each coming judgment, he asked God to send them only to accomplish his goal. In the Bible passage we see no pride of arrogance in him. He certainly did not summon the plagues to draw attention to himself. Moses simply called down God’s judgment until Pharaoh broke and released the Hebrews. The Leadership Principle of Victory states that “leaders find a way for the team to win.” In this case, several plagues were required to convince Pharaoh to let God’s people go. And how can Moses’ attitude be described during those plagues? what enabled him to win the victory he sought? The passage reveals that, in this particular case, the following attributes were required for victory: Moses was patient, consistent, discerning, prayerful, tenacious, and credible.What challenge are you facing that requires your leadership to determine a way to win? What leadership characteristics will you need to demonstrate to be victorious? Does Moses’ example help point you in the right direction?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Spitting in the Soup

2012-01-24T13:31:00.000-08:00

Not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.1 Peter 3:9Some couples just don’t seem to know any other way to relate to one another than with digs, comebacks and put-downs. But sometimes, that same bitterness of spirit can show itself in less vocal ways, when one or the other spouse stews underneath and passively retaliates. There’s more than one way to get back at your spouse.This reminds me of the old story - supposedly true - about some soldiers who were living off base during the Korean War. They hired a local houseboy to do cooking and cleaning and other odd jobs for them, but they also took delight in playing tricks on him - just for meanness.One morning when the boy got up and put on his slippers, he awkwardly fell forward to the ground - his shoes had been nailed to the floor. One night when he crawled into bed, he found shaving cream under his pillow. But no matter what pranks the soldiers pulled - whether short-sheeting his bed or setting buckets of water over his door - he always appeared to respond without much visible anger. “That’s okay,” he would say.Finally, the young men realized they’d been inhumane in their treatment of the boy. They went to him and apologized. “We’re sorry for what we’ve been doing to you. It won’t happen again.”“You no more nail shoes to the floor?” No.“You no more short-sheet bed? No more shave cream under pillow?” That’s right.A little smile crept across the boy’s lips. Then he said, “Okay. Then me no more spit in soup.”There are many, many ways to spit in each other’s soup in marriage. I am amazed at how quickly my mind can creatively come up with ways to retaliate. The Scriptures tell us that it isn’t wrong to be tempted. But it is wrong to “spit in your spouse’s soup!” In the spirit of 1 Peter 3:9, find a way to give a blessing instead of an insult.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Are You a Worry Wart?

2012-01-24T12:29:00.000-08:00

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:6-7Worry can eat our lunch. During the day we worry we cannot do enough, and at night, we worry that everything we have worked on will fall apart. We replay conversations to see if something we said could be misunderstood, and then we beat ourselves up for being so stupid. We worry about our marriage, or if we aren’t married, about never finding a spouse. We worry about money, sex, in-laws, and our kids. When we’re at work, we’re haunted about things at home, and when we’re at home, we can’t stop thinking about all the things that could go wrong at work.Into this cesspool of destructive thinking Paul says, “Be anxious for nothing.” Yeah, right – we think - he doesn’t understand what I’m going through. Well, actually he does. Paul had plenty to worry about, but he learned to focus his thinking on the greatness and goodness of God. And he practiced the habit of prayer. Prayer can’t coexist for long in the same mental space with worry; one will crowd the other out. Many times we forget to pray, but when we fail to pray, we miss out on the source of peace, hope, and joy. When we pray about everything, thank God for His wisdom, and trust Him for His will to be done in His timing, we can experience God’s amazing peace even in the most difficult circumstances. God will listen to every request.And once we place our problems in God’s hands and experience His peace, our difficulties can become classrooms for learning, instead of dungeons enslaving our most negative thoughts. We can learn life’s greatest lessons – regardless of whether our problems have been caused by our own dumb mistakes, the sins of others, natural disasters, or anything else.What are some things you tend to worry about? What are some difficulties you are going through? How would it change your response to them if you could see them as God’s classroom? Take some time right now to pray about them, thank God for His wisdom and strength, and trust Him for His timing.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Leaders Make Sacrifices – Part 2 of 2

2012-01-23T08:39:00.000-08:00

Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them … Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.Exodus 7:6-7Leadership demands constant sacrifice. We now continue our quick look at Moses' life showing how God molded him into an effective leader, willing to make the necessary sacrifice: 3. Moses was hungry for God. What does it take to make someone really hungry for God? It’s different for each of us. Some desire to know God from childhood. A personal tragedy may realign the priorities for others. And some may never turn to God. For Moses, it took four decades in the wilderness. A person can’t be staunchly self-reliant and hungry for God at the same time. 4. Moses was broken by God. God did not force Himself or His will on Moses. God waited for Moses to willingly come to Him. Once Moses turned to God, he could be broken. Brokenness involves two things: removing inappropriate pride and self-reliance and building healthy God reliance. God tamed Moses’ self-reliance and pride in the desert, but to create trust, He had to break the man’s fears. Moses dealt with three different kinds of fear in his encounter with God. First, were fears concerning himself – God responded by assuring Moses of his (Moses’) purpose. Second, he had fears concerning God – God responded by overwhelming Moses with His presence. Third, he had fears concerning others – God responded by demonstrating His power and commitment. Lastly, he had fears concerning his ability – God responded by providing him with an inner circle of supporters (see the previous blog: “Every Leader Needs an Inner Circle”). With his willfulness broken, his fears overcome, and his purpose reaffirmed, Moses finally placed himself in the capable hands of God.Life is filled with trade-offs – but you can trade up only if you have something to sacrifice. Moses had to sacrifice his status and his material possessions to get prepared for his life purpose. And then to fulfill it, again he had to sacrifice. The second time he relinquished the security and safety of obscurity in the desert to return to his boyhood home of Egypt (which he had fled as a wanted criminal – a murderer).If you desire to lead – if you hope to find and fulfill the purpose for which God created you – then you must have something to give. Keep growing and building your personal assets and hold lightly the things God gives you. And remember: you may need to sacrifice them at any time to answer His call on your life.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Husbands: How to Enthuse Your Wife – Part 10

2012-01-23T08:35:00.000-08:00

A married man is concerned about the affairs of this world and how he can please his wife.1 Corinthians 7:33More great ideas on how to please your wife:46. Be an advocate for her rest. Gently help her to evaluate and set limits on her to-do list, reminding her that she loves others best when she takes time to replenish.47. Let her overhear you speaking well of her on the phone - among friends, to your kids, in public places, and to your mother. Tenderly but firmly keep family members from speaking disrespectfully to her or about her.48. In her area of weakness, pray about how to subtly, gently step in and help her.49. Request, “I’d like you to think about something for me. I’d like you to tell me one area in which you want to challenge me, but you wonder if I will listen and if I’ll receive it well. If you’ll do that, I commit to listen to you without getting defensive or somehow punishing you for telling me.”50. If and when she messes up, respond with the kind of grace, compassion, and mercy that God gives us. Respond in a way that communicates, You’re safe with me - and I’m not going to rehash your failures. This is a secure place for you to grow … and I love the journey with you.One final note: Maybe you are a man who initiates many kindnesses to your wife and you don't receive much respect or kindness in return. Or perhaps you’re a woman reading this under the burden of a husband who doesn’t serve you or protect you or cherish you. May you be gently, compassionately encouraged: Giving without mutual gain puts you in good company - the company of Jesus. May God give you significant grace as you pray for your husband and encounter the nitty-gritty, everyday battles against resentment and, in many cases, injustice. Our God sees all and blesses all - you are not forgotten.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Overwhelmed with a Sense of Wonder

2012-01-23T08:29:00.000-08:00

Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.Job 37:14Job had every reason, humanly speaking, to doubt God’s goodness and power. His life had been turned upside down. He lost his children, his riches, and eventually his health. His friends blamed him for his problems. To quote and old adage, “with friends like that, who needs enemies?” His wife told him to “curse God and die”. Nice encouragement – big help there!But into his pain God spoke. God said in effect, “Hey Job, pay attention. I know you’re hurting, but your faith can be refreshed by looking at all the wonders I have made.” When our faith is shaken, we too, can look at the awesome creation God has made, and our faith can be rekindled.To notice God’s power, and delicate hand in creation, we have to “stand still” and look. If we’re rushing around in a panic, trying to fix everything, we’ll be focused only on our problems. Even in the most difficult times in our lives, faith is built by stopping and looking at the wonder of God’s power and grace in the expanse and intricacies of nature.When was the last time you were overwhelmed with a sense of wonder? Do you understand the connection between wonder and faith?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Leaders Make Sacrifices – Part 1 of 2

2012-01-22T03:56:00.000-08:00

Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them … Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.Exodus 7:6-7Many leaders want to climb the corporate ladder, hoping that freedom and power wait at the top. They don’t realize that leadership really requires sacrifice. Leaders who want to rise must do more than make an occasional extraordinary effort. They have to give up their rights. That’s true of every leader, regardless of professional vocation or the personal arena (i.e., family life). Talk to any leader and you will find he has made repeated sacrifices. The higher that leader has climbed, the greater the sacrifices he usually has made. Effective leaders must sacrifice much that is good in order to dedicate themselves to what is best. Leadership demands constant sacrifice. It is an ongoing process, not a one-time payment. The circumstances may change from person to person, but the principle doesn’t: Leaders make sacrifices. What price are you willing to pay to become a more effective leader? Many leaders keep so busy pursuing their vision and rallying their people that they give it little thought. But leadership always requires sacrifice; no one achieves success without it. How was Moses able to give up so much and make such great sacrifices without growing bitter or resentful toward God? And what made him willing to return to Egypt as God’s servant after he had enjoyed the best that country had to offer? A quick look at Moses life shows how God molded him into an effective leader, willing to make the necessary sacrifice: 1. Moses was alone with God – for 40 years! Leaders in our day spend far too little time alone with God. Most seem continually on the go and rarely quiet themselves. If that description fits you, change your habits immediately. Set aside some time to be alone with God every day. Don’t force God to send you into the desert (for 40 years) to get your attention. 2. Moses was honest with God. By the time Moses met God at the burning bush, no trace remained of the cockiness that was prevalent in his previous life in Egypt. He knew his weakness. When God told Moses that he would bring the people out of Egypt, the humbled man replied, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Only as an older man, humble before God, could Moses be of great use to God.To be continued in tomorrow’s blogs… I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Don’t Make It Any Worse

2012-01-22T03:52:00.000-08:00

Do not let the sun go down on your anger.Ephesians 4:26A friend of mine tells the following story that is a great lesson for us husbands… I had spent a busy day wrapping up last-minute details, preparing to leave for a conference the next morning. I came home that evening, however, to a wife who had experienced a hard day herself - a very hard day with the kids. She needed to talk. But I was still busy. I remember picking up the phone to make one last important call, when my wife said, “Please don’t get on the phone right now. If you do, I’m going upstairs.”I couldn’t help it. I really needed to make that call. So I did. And that was the first of my mistakes. The moment I hung up, my mom called. We chatted for about 20 minutes. Then, feeling a little guilty, I began cleaning the kitchen, snapping on the television to keep me company. But by the time I finished, I was halfway interested in a show. When my wife finally came down to demand I make some time for her, there I was - sitting in front of the TV. Busted.I’m sure it would come as no surprise to tell you that the temperature dropped to about 40 below zero in our home that night. My wife got so mad that when our disagreement headed to the bedroom, she whacked me hard on the head with a pillow. I remember turning my face to the wall as I tried to go to sleep, consumed with anger and how to get even. (Don’t tell me you’ve never done that.) It was bad.Every so often - through an aspect of His grace that feels much more like a punch in the stomach - God will crash His way into a pity party and spoil all the fun we get from sulking. That’s exactly what happened on that night.As I lay in bed feeling sorry for myself and angry at my wife, God began the process of convicting me of my selfishness. I didn’t turn over to face my wife right away, but I did promise myself I was going to be the first to set things straight in the morning. I was going to apologize. She was right. It was my fault. All my fault.Things were still a little tense when we sat down together at breakfast the next morning, but I looked my wife in the eye and admitted how selfish and preoccupied I had been, how I should have responded to her first distress signal. “It was very insensitive of me. I blew it. I’m sorry.”“Well,” she said, “I’m sorry, too. It was pretty childish of me to hit you with that pillow. But finding you sitting there watching TV when I needed you, it just . . . that was the last straw.” We talked a while longer. Then I headed out to catch my plane. But by the time I left, we were both feeling a lot better. Even though we didn’t feel like it, we forgave each other anyway - by an act of the will. Reconciliation. It’s better than American Express - don’t leave home without it.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Blessed to Bless

2012-01-22T03:43:00.000-08:00

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.”Numbers 6:24-26Everybody loves to feel blessed. We need the blessing of God’s protection, patience, and kindness. To bless is to grant favor, and we trust God to give us His favor. We don’t just roll through our lives with no thought of God. Instead, we look to Him to give us wisdom in all we do, to guide us, and to give us success in our relationships and our work. This prayer for blessing, though, doesn’t guarantee a worry-free life. God’s hand of protection keeps out countless calamities, but he allows us enough difficulties to remind us that we need to trust Him. Problems show us again and again that God is faithful to provide for us. He is present with us every second of every day, and we can experience His peace because He understands our situation - even when we don’t. When we trust God this way, we shine light on everyone around us. As we experience God’s blessing, we bless others – as long as we are willing to give Him the credit.What would it mean for you to be blessed and become a blessing for others today? Are you giving God the credit for His blessings to you so that this can become a reality?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Every Leader Needs an “Inner Circle”

2012-01-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

The Lord said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land.Exodus 7:1-2Who wouldn’t tremble at receiving a mission like the one given Moses? He quaked at the daunting task before him, and so would we. Such a challenge would require every ounce of courage we could possibly muster.From the very beginning, Moses’ feeling of inadequacy prompted him to build an “inner circle” of close supporters. People he could trust and who had skills complimentary to his own. His brother Aaron quickly became a critical member of his team, and over time Moses assembled a unit that both shared his vision and complimented his weaknesses. Through the years Moses added to this inner circle, each time including individuals who possessed different gifts but the same vision as he.How about you? Who sits in your inner circle? Do they share your vision? Do they have complimentary gifts, useful where you need them most – or does that idea threaten you? Find yourself some Aarons, Jethros, and Joshuas, or you won’t be able to accomplish all that God has for you to accomplish.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Putting Out Old Fires

2012-01-21T10:27:00.000-08:00

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.1 John 4:18Before you were married, was there someone else?If so, you need to realize it’s normal for your spouse to feel insecure about an old flame. Even one that went out years ago.If you ever come across old pictures of you and a prior boyfriend/girlfriend, I recommend you say, “Let’s pitch it.” You don’t really want those snapshots handed down for your children to sort through. Even if there is nothing inappropriate in the pictures; you want your spouse and your children to know that you are a fully faithful. Your spouse should be all that matters to you. And you don’t want any temptation around that could entice you to look back and linger and wonder.The best thing to do with an old flame that suddenly reappears is to put it out. And if your spouse struggles with jealousy, the best way to cast out fear in the spirit of the biblical command at the top of this page is to eliminate every opportunity from your mate’s insecurities, until he or she feels totally safe in your love. Leave nothing behind to feed the fears or fan the flames of an extramarital affair.Have you seen or heard from an old flame recently? Been tempted to search the Internet for an old flicker? Do you still have a box of letters or memorabilia from relationships of long ago? There’s only enough room in marriage for two.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

You Are Not Alone

2012-01-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

Do you not know your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.1 Corinthians 6:19-20One of the most amazing truths of the Christian life is that when we trust in Christ as our Savior, His Spirit takes up residence in us. In the same why that Christ stepped out of heaven and came to earth to communicate His love, forgiveness, and power to us, His spirit steps into the life of every believer to impart wisdom, encouragement, and strength to us – every day. He is literally as near as our breath all the time.The implications of this truth are stunning. We are never alone. In our times of celebration, we must remember that He is the One who gave us success. In times of suffering, He is the One who can comfort our soul. When we are confused, we can trust Him for direction. And when He seems slow to answer, we can wait patiently because He has proven that we can trust His timing. But housing the Holy Spirit also brings responsibility. When we are alone, and we know that no one will find out whether we live a pure life or not, He is there, watching – looking over our shoulder and through our eyes. Whether in public or in private, we force Him to participate in every sin we commit! In addition, we represent the King of kings to every person we meet; we are His ambassadors to all those around us. Realizing that we are God’s temples should cause us to stop and think about what we say, and what we do, and what we value.Does your temple need a major over-hauling? Perhaps a little spring cleaning? How does this truth convict you to change your behavior and/or attitude?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Choosing Careers, Colleges, & Majors

2012-01-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

Eighty percent of high-school and college-bound freshman have yet to choose a major. But they are still expected to pick schools, apply to and start degree programs without knowing where they want to end up. It is little wonder 50 percent of those who do declare a major, change majors - with many doing so two and three times during their college years.While it is difficult enough watching children struggle to find their life’s path, it can also be costly. With tuition averaging $13,833 a year at public universities (you can easily double that figure for private colleges and universities), indecisiveness can drain college savings accounts as students restart course sequences or transfer schools - losing credits in the process. Ultimately they risk extending their college days beyond the four years parents planned to finance. According to the College Board, five- and six-year students are not uncommon. Roughly 40 percent of those who start a four-year degree program still have not earned one after year six. With the trends getting worse, even universities are growing concerned. The longer students take to graduate, the fewer the slots there are for new students coming in. Some universities, like the University of Wisconsin, have instituted an ‘excess credit’ surcharge to encourage students to move on with their lives. The surcharge, which kicks in at 30 credits above the 135 normally needed to graduate, doubles a student’s tuition. And other schools are taking note.Most students tend to listen to other people's opinions of what they should do with their lives, rather than our own. They go to college with the intention of getting a job in the end that they can make a lot of money at, and hopefully having some fun in the process. They’re not thinking about the importance of being fulfilled in an occupation where they will spend the majority of their time for the next 45 years. Instead, people encourage them to be successful, to go for money, the status, the big car, the title. But when they get all that, we often find we’re not happy. Little do they realize that if they are fulfilled with their career, they will be passionate about their profession. If they are passionate about their profession, they will generally be good at what they do. And if they are good at what they do, they will be paid well and have job security.Changing majors not only drives up an education’s cost, it also drives down a student’s self-esteem. Encouraging children to think things through before choosing a school or program can help them avoid future frustration, academic let-down or feelings of failure. It is also key to helping them graduate in four years and move into their ‘real’ lives before they out-spend their college savings accounts. Ideally, you should pick a major before you pick a college and then select your college on the basis of those that have a strong program for your chosen major (among other factors). And to get into the best colleges you have to start courting them during your child’s junior (or even sophomore) year! Helping students identify those areas of study best suited for them in terms of their academic capabilities - but even more importantly - their interests, aptitude, and personality is critical. At Truth@Life, I have developed a series of assessments utilizing a student’s responses to questions regarding personal interests, temperaments, value systems, and academic history. These are matched to those majors where they are most likely to find success and satisfaction. Potential majors are linked to a broad range of associated career choices for further investigation. And the choices are much broader than most high school counselors would consider.So if your student needs some guidance before they pick a college, declare a major, switch majors, drive up their educational costs, or even worse – end up in a frustrating or unfulfilling career, I’d love to talk to you personally.Please check out http://truthatlife.com/ for more information or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Designed By God

2012-01-20T09:45:00.000-08:00

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”Genesis 1:26When we were growing up, we got our sense of identity by receiving messages from our parents and later from our friends, teachers, and employers. But the most powerful message about who we are comes from God, our Heavenly Father, who crafted us with skill and love. No matter what anyone else says about us, we aren't accidents of nature, and we aren't mistakes. Almighty God has made us, and He has imprinted His image on us. To be sure, sin has tarnished that image, but we still possess a portion of the dignity God originally imparted to Adam and Eve in the garden.When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you see someone who was created by God, who is a descendant of royalty and a person of infinite worth? If we see ourselves that way, we instantly realize two things: We desperately need the grace of God to forgive us when we fail to live up to our identity, and we need to conform our lives to fit our status as the King’s children. We should stop fooling around and begin to act like the children of the King so we will be a reflection of all He desires us to be!When you look in the mirror, what do you see? How would it affect your attitude and choices today if you saw yourself as someone who has been skillfully crafted by the Almighty God? I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

What am I Forgetting?

2012-01-20T09:41:00.000-08:00

But we also exult in our tribulations.Romans 5:3Gary Smalley tells a story about being in a Kansas City church where he had been leading a weekend conference. When the final session was over and he went to retrieve his bag to leave, but it was gone.You know how it feels when something like this happens? After the mad scramble to search and check and double-check to see if you might have laid it down somewhere, you feel that sharp, gnawing regret and anger. Why didn't I…? What was I thinking? Who wouldn't have known to…?On-site surveillance cameras recorded video of a tall kid in a striped shirt walking out the door with Gary's bag, but nobody knew who he was. There was no chance of finding it.Gone were Gary's laptop with all his lecture notes, as well as hard copies he had printed out to read on the plane to Chicago for his next seminar. Add to that the loss of a ruby ring and necklace he had bought for his wife to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. Gary was nauseated.But then, the Holy Spirit convicted him. And Gary started thinking, Wait a minute, the Scriptures are clear: We're supposed to rejoice in our tribulations, "knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance" (Romans 5:3). The Lord tells me to "boast about my weaknesses” - even the weakness of being a little absent-minded, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).Not immediately, but before the day was out, Gary had found his peace again . . . in the replenishing power of God's truth.Truly, the Scriptures have the power to realign our thinking with the heart of God, showing us how to act, respond and live - even in the pressure-packed, disappointing moments of life.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Leader’s Motivation: A Personal Vision

2012-01-19T13:27:00.000-08:00

And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord, I was not known to them.”Exodus 6:2-3God knew that Moses needed to be motivated if he were to pull off the task given to him. God rekindled his vision of freeing the people from slavery. God revealed Himself in a new way, giving Moses His personal name, Yahweh (v.2-3). He never did this with Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. God motivated Moses through a very personal vision. Leaders can indeed learn from each other, but when it comes to fulfilling a vision, we all need a personal encounter with God and a personal vision that matches who we are. Leaders need a vision that is: 1. Personal to who they are – it is owned by the leader. 2. Practical for when they live – it meets a relevant need. 3. Possible for what they have – it matches their gifts. 4. Parallel to who they are – it compliments their passion and personality. 5. Portable for where they go – it can move with them. 6. Powerful for how they live – it stretches them to accomplish more than they could on their own. 7. Profitable for what they do – it gets results. 8. Pleasurable for who they are – it brings fulfillment and satisfaction. 9. Purposeful for why they live – it fulfills their God-given mission. 10. Providential for where they are heading – it provides a God-sized destiny. How about you? Are you motivated by a personal vision that matches who you are?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Love in an Understanding Way

2012-01-19T13:20:00.000-08:00

Love one another, even as I have loved you.John 13:34Danny Akin, a seminary president with the bold audacity to write a book on sexual intimacy, shares this true, touching story:A woman had been diagnosed with breast cancer so severe that the doctors had no choice but to do a radical mastectomy. And like most any woman who awakes from this unsettling surgery, the blow to her self-esteem was deep and profound. Not only was she dealing with the loss of her breast, but she could see in the mirror how her hair was matted and her face swollen from reaction to the antibiotics. One day during her hospital stay, when her husband entered the room, she burst into tears. “Look at what I look like!” she moaned through her sobs.Immediately, he left the room and returned soon thereafter with a cart of shampoo, creams, and lotions. He picked her up in his arms, carried her to the sink, and set her down on his lap. Then leaning her head back over the basin, he washed her hair. He combed it out. He blew it dry. Then with unsteady hand, he applied her makeup the best he could—blush, lipstick, mascara.She looked at herself in the same mirror that had earlier sent her into convulsions of vanity, and saw someone she recognized: herself. She was back again. All because her man had loved her well through those crucial moments when her world had been crumbling around her.Today, even though this woman’s experience with breast cancer qualifies as perhaps the lowest point in her life, one of her favorite moments from all of her marriage has become those few precious moments in her hospital room - when her husband loved her in a way any woman would have understood.“Husbands . . . , live with your wives in an understanding way” (1 Peter 3:7).I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Performance Review Time

2012-01-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.2 Corinthians 5:10-11When you know you are going to meet with your boss in a couple weeks for a performance review, how do you act? Most of us look at our list of responsibilities to be certain we get all our tasks accomplished, and we make sure we are pleasant to the people around us. The stakes can be pretty high. We may want a promotion or raise, or we may simply want to hear that we are doing a good job so that we can stay employed. We do whatever it takes so that the review is as positive as possible. In other words, the reality of the review makes a difference in our choices and behavior.The Bible tells us that we’ll be called into the Boss’ office one day for the ultimate performance review. We’ll stand before Jesus Christ to give an account of our choices as Christians. This is the only performance review by Christ we’ll ever experience. For that reason, we need to get ready now by aligning our lives with God’s purposes and his ways. I want that review to be a good experience for me. How about you? If Jesus’ review of your life happened today, what would He be pleased with, and what would He be unhappy about? How does the future reality of this review change how you will act today? I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Husbands: How to Enthuse Your Wife – Part 9

2012-01-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

A married man is concerned about the affairs of this world and how he can please his wife.1 Corinthians 7:33More great ideas on how to please your wife:41. Organize or clean something of yours that you know she finds messy.42. Talk with her about her fears - both deep and insignificant. Over time, lead her as you work together to replace those fears with faith in God as expressed in His Word.43. Send a snail-mail love note to her at home, affirming all she does for your family.44. Think of something on her to-do list that she finds overwhelming or for which she doesn’t have much time. Talk with her (respectfully and gently) about the possibility of having it hired out (maybe you could pay a responsible high school student to log a few hours on housework). Communicate clearly that it’s not because you find her incompetent, but that you want to free her up from a burden.45. If your wife likes to dress nicely, go with her to shop for clothes in which she feels confident and looks fantastic.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

What are You Doing?

2012-01-19T09:37:00.000-08:00

My soul is greatly dismayed; but You, O Lord - how long?Psalm 6:3Have you ever been going through such a tough time that you looked heavenward and cried out loud to God, “What in the world are You doing?”That’s a fair question sometimes, isn’t it? Are you in a situation right now where the only thing you know to say or think is, “What in the world are You doing, God?”These are never times for pat answers or spiritual clichés. But every now and then, it is good to be in a situation where you are forced to throw your full weight of dependence back onto the only shoulders strong enough to carry you - God's. In crying out to God, you find out in time how good, how redemptive He really is.He is there and He cares.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Career & Job Transitions

2012-01-17T07:07:00.000-08:00

The average person will change careers 5 times in their life. It usually hits people for the first time around the age of 33. The feeling they have achieved most of what they wanted to in their career, and yet they feel depressed at the prospect of another 30 years doing the same job. So what should you do if you have decided it is time for a career change? It's very simple when you know what you want to do next, but for a lot of people it's not that clear. People know they are in the wrong job, but they don't know what they really want to do.An astonishing 80% of us end up in the wrong job. We finish school, and go through our twenties conforming to what other people want us to do. That's often a solid career with a professional qualification. But most people aren't maturing until their early twenties, and before that we tend to listen to other people's opinions of what we should do with our lives, rather than our own. Our idea is to go to college with the intention of getting a job in the end that we can make a lot of money at, and hopefully having some fun in the process. We’re not thinking about the importance of being fulfilled in an occupation where we will spend the majority of our time for the next 45 years. Instead people encourage us to be successful, to go for money, the status, the big car, the title, but when we get all that, we often find we’re not happy.At any point in our career we may decide that we want to find fulfillment instead. Sound like you? Then changing your career could be the best decision you ever make. For most people, a major career change is a very positive experience and nearly always a success story. If you can find a role that you love, the change will be totally invigorating. However, most people are scared to make the move because they are frightened of failure. People feel that they are 'giving everything up' if they leave a job they have worked at for years. On the contrary, those that make the change are astonished that the skills they have acquired move with them from job to job.But the unfortunate truth is that the current unemployment rate is 8.6%. The average time a person holds a job now is only 4.1 years. Consequently, The average person will change job 10 times in their lifetime. In fact, 25% of all employed people will change their jobs this year. Of the ones that don’t change this year, change is likely on the horizon, due to the turnover mentioned earlier and because 25% of all employed people are significantly dissatisfied with their job – the leading cause of poor performance and ultimate job loss. So the bottom line is that if you are not transitioning now, you likely will be soon – whether you plan to or not.What's important for you beforehand is to spend some time thinking about what you require from a job/career - in other words getting to know yourself better. Ask yourself questions like “if you were to be run over by a bus, what would you like to have done and to have left behind.” Talk to someone you trust about your plans and ask their advice. If possible, choose someone who has made a major career change – like myself. The typical life coach won't tell you what job you should be in or give you any answers. Instead, he will ask tough questions and challenge you about what you want out of life. At Truth@Life, I approach this a little differently. I’ll ask you the tough questions and challenge you about what you want out of life, but then use a proven process to guide you to specific answers. The process involves the use of 7 different assessment tools. I’ve used this process on myself, my own children, and dozens of other professionals. It works whether you are considering a possible transition, actively planning a transition, or currently in the middle of a transition (unemployed). Your satisfaction is guaranteed.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Husbands: How to Enthuse Your Wife – Part 8

2012-01-17T05:27:00.000-08:00

A married man is concerned about the affairs of this world and how he can please his wife.1 Corinthians 7:33More great ideas on how to please your wife:36. Think about a way you’ve been hurting her or annoying her. Maybe there are ways you’re not “seeing” her - not stepping into her world to understand what it’s like to be her, with all of the things she cares about (see 1 Peter 3:7). Apologize, and work hard at showing true change.37. Find a mutually enjoyable activity you like doing together on a regular basis, even if it’s working outside together or playing the Wii together after the kids are in bed.38. Create a fun, life-giving atmosphere when you come home.39. Design a date night that will help her to de-stress and have fun. (Dare I suggest ballroom dancing lessons?)40. What’s difficult about her life right now? Pray for her endurance, and encourage her specifically. Galatians 6:9 is a great start for both. Think, What can I do to ease the load she’s carrying today?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Husbands: How to Enthuse Your Wife – Part 7

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

A married man is concerned about the affairs of this world and how he can please his wife.1 Corinthians 7:33More great ideas on how to please your wife:31. Post on her Facebook wall: “I love being your husband. You still take my breath away.”32. Have your children write her notes or letters about what they love about her as a mom.33. Ask, “If I could do one thing that would really empower you and inspire you, what would it be?” Listen and follow through.34. As you think of them, remind her of specific times when she has made an impact in the lives of others. “Hey, I was thinking the other day about all the times you’ve invested in all those kids who come over here. You do such a good job making people feel welcomed and loved on.” “I don’t think I could count all the meals you’ve brought to people who are sick. You are wonderful at seeing people’s needs and giving of yourself to them.”35. Do something fun and unexpected together. Here are a few ideas: play paintball, laser tag, or sand volleyball; organize a picnic and bring the books you’re reading; take photos of each other; play a pickup game of a sport together; go to a drive-in movie, bringing popcorn and her favorite candy (let her initiate any physical advances for this one).I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Preparing for Spiritual Warfare

2012-01-16T07:55:00.000-08:00

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers . . . the powers . . . the world forces of this darkness.Ephesians 6:12Whether you realize it or not, you are engaged in a spiritual battle every day. You live in a culture that is increasingly hostile to your faith. The devil and those who promote his self-indulgent agenda are relentless in their assault on your mind and affections. You can’t afford to drop your guard for a minute.Here are four suggestions for surviving and thriving in the battle:1. Don’t engage the enemy alone. Ephesians 6:10 says, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” Whatever temptations you’re facing right now, it is His strength alone - not yours - that can see you through. Keep on surrendering daily to the Master. 2. Employ every piece of your spiritual armor. As Ephesians 6:13 says, to resist the schemes of the devil, you must “take up the full armor of God.” Not just the belt of truth, but also the shoes of His gospel, the breastplate of His righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of His salvation and the sword of His Spirit - the Word of God (see verses 14-17). Don’t head off into battle without them. 3. Go on the offensive. It’s not enough just to play defense. Though people without Christ may seem fulfilled and self-satisfied, the truth is that they need to know God’s forgiveness. 4. Quit wasting time. You and I are fighting for the soul of future generations. So turn off the television. Put down the sports page. Unplug from the Internet. The consequences of your life are too eternal to waste on forgettable moments.Never forget that your family is involved in a spiritual battle. Help one another maintain your preparation for warfare. If you do, you won’t be a casualty.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Husbands: How to Enthuse Your Wife – Part 6

2012-01-13T10:23:00.000-08:00

A married man is concerned about the affairs of this world and how he can please his wife.1 Corinthians 7:33More great ideas on how to please your wife:26. Leave a message on her voicemail: “Thanks for serving our family every day. You are so good at ___.”27. Be proactive about doing something together that she really enjoys. Make a date, get her excited, and share her enthusiasm!28. Ask her, “If there were one thing I could do to love you better, to really cherish you - and you knew I would listen - what would it be?” Be prepared to follow through.29. Tell her areas she’s gifted in. Don’t stretch the truth: Be honest so she can trust you.30. Talk with her about setting aside a small part of the budget to pursue the unique ways God has designed her (including her gifts, abilities, and passions) - through education or through sheer enjoyment.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Inpact of Adoption

2012-01-13T10:16:00.000-08:00

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.Psalm 27:10The following story touched my heart because I, too, was adopted and thank God for it…Many of us have read the old P. D. Eastman book Are You My Mother? to our children. But not many of us have had to grow up asking that question over and over again, to one person after another, growing increasingly convinced that no one was . . . or at least no one wanted to be. Yet that was life for Mattie.Born to a substance-abusing, unmarried teenager, she fell out of the nest at an early age after police stopped her mom’s car and found drugs inside. Both Mattie and her sister were placed into state custody and deposited in foster care. When the last family decided they didn’t want Mattie and her sister anymore, she finally decided—somewhere between eight and nine years old—that the mother she longed for was nowhere to be found.That was before Jenifer came into her life. With a family already bustling with two sons and a daughter, it would have been easy to ignore the nudge she and her husband were feeling from the Lord to adopt. Life was complicated enough without adding a new dynamic and personality type to the fold, with all the potential baggage the child would likely be bringing with her.But somewhere a little girl was toughening her heart against a question she had grown tired of asking - ”Are you my mother?” - only to be told no every time.Mattie’s life is now filled with safety and stability and camping in the summer, with an extended family gathered around to give love and support to a young girl and her sister who once had neither. “I thank God every day that I was adopted,” she says, “because now I know who my mother is.”I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Keys to Successful Planning

2012-01-12T06:47:00.000-08:00

The Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.Exodus 4:21When Moses finally agreed to fulfill His divine assignment, he heard some unsettling news: God would harden Pharaoh’s heart. Moses had another major challenge on his hands. Not only did he have to convince everyone – including Pharaoh – to let him lead the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt, but he had to plan the whole process. To mobilize his countrymen, he first had to organize them. That required shrewd planning. The plan would work, but not right away. Good leaders develop plans, but they also expect to make adjustments along the way. Rarely does any plan succeed without a bump or a glitch. The following “plan ahead” acronym has helped many leaders to think through their plans whenever a major challenge or opportunity approaches: P = Predetermine your course of action. L = Lay out your goals. A = Adjust your priorities. N = Notify key personnel. A = Allow time for acceptance. H = Head into action. E = Expect problems. A = Always point to your successes. D = Daily review your progress.Are you prepared to face the inevitable barriers to progress? Is there a major challenge or opportunity that requires you to “plan ahead” right now?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Making Your Faith Become Their Faith

2012-01-12T06:42:00.000-08:00

We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord.Psalm 78:4Five grown siblings came together at the event of their parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary. When the time came to express their thanks to each parent for the one thing that stood out above all in their memories, each of them - without consulting the others - thanked their father for his leadership in family worship.One of the brothers said, “The oldest memory I have, Dad, is of tears streaming down your face as you taught us from Pilgrim’s Progress on Sunday evenings. No matter how far I went astray in later years, I could never seriously questioned the reality of Christianity. I had seen it in you.”Whenever the subject of family worship comes up, you may feel guilt at your failure in this area. I understand that. Few things seem harder to pull off or easier to be put off. But when you consider the impact this one commitment could make on your own children for a lifetime, what could be more important?It doesn’t have to be tightly preplanned. Take five or ten minutes before school to read a devotional with your children. Schedule one night a week (or even one night a month!) when you’ll all be home to read a story and Scripture, sing and have some outrageous fun. Watch for those opportunities to turn your children’s everyday events into spiritual training moments.Don’t miss this: Dad and Mom, your ultimate assignment as parents is to introduce your children to God and to daily unplug them from their reliance on you and to plug them into a steadfast reliance on God - His Son, Jesus Christ and His Word. It may be hard to start and a challenge to continue, but it will make a huge difference in how they finish.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Designed by God, Not by You

2012-01-12T06:36:00.000-08:00

We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.Ephesians 2:10Our abilities, personalities, and physical features are no accident. God has crafted each of us just the way he wanted to. Paul wrote that we are God’s “workmanship”. God crafts each of us by using His skill to shape our personalities and give us the abilities and appearances He has chosen for us. No one is created just like another because no one has the same purpose God has given each of us. Paul also tells his readers that God’s purpose isn’t something he dreams up along the way. God prepared His purpose for us long ago, before the foundation of the world. When we feel prideful because we’ve accomplished a lot, we need to realize where our abilities came from. On the other hand, if we’re confused or discouraged because we can’t seem to discover the meaning for our lives, we can rest assured that God has a divine purpose for us. We personally, as well as the life plan for our lives, has been designed by God – not by ourselves. That should give us a sense of humility, confidence in the meaning for our lives, as well as great peace. If not, you should ask yourself why. What are some ways that God has used, or is using, you to accomplish “good works”.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Leaders Who Make Excuses

2012-01-11T06:05:00.000-08:00

Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”Exodus 3:11Most of us can list excuses as to why we don’t lead effectively, just as Moses did. When God called him, he instantly thought of five reasons why he couldn’t lead. Do these same five reasons impact your leadership: 1. Who am I? Moses struggled with his identity. He didn’t feel qualified. He thought God had picked the wrong leader. God’s response: It doesn’t matter who you are, I am with you. 2. Who are you? Moses felt a lack of intimacy. He didn’t know God well enough to describe Him to the people and lacked convictions concerning his relationship with God. God’s response: I am ever powerful, ever present, and everything that you need. 3. What if they don’t listen? Moses felt intimidated. He worried about the people’s reaction to him. God’s response: When I am finished, they will listen. 4. I’ve never been a good speaker. Moses was concerned about his own inadequacies. Who would listen to him if he couldn’t even speak well? God’s response: I made you, including your mouth. 5. I know you can find someone else. Moses felt inferior. He compared himself to others – even his own brother – and decided that he (himself) came up short. God’s response: OK, I will surround you with people who will support you…but I am still calling you. If you think about it, many of these excuses (and God’s responses) may resonate in your own life or in the lives of other leaders you have known: You may feel inferior, you may lack faith in the relationships of authorities around you, you may worry about the response of those you are called to lead, you may fret about your own inadequacies, and/or you may compare yourself to others. But God’s responses remain the same. What’s your excuse for not appropriately leading? I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Pray for Them Continually

2012-01-11T06:02:00.000-08:00

Let them pray for him continually; let them bless him all day long.Psalm 72:15If there’s one thing Martha and I have learned during our years of raising children, it’s that prayer is indispensable. Irreplaceable. Life giving. That’s why we went before God often with our children’s personal matters in mind. We urge you to do the same, being careful to do the following: 1. Pray offensively. Pray for your children’s peer groups - that they will each have at least one strong Christian friend they can count on through the years. This is REALLY important. It helps them with accountability in a way that you cannot. Ask God to protect your children daily from those who would be an evil influence. Also consider asking God to help you catch your children doing things right so that you can encourage them in making good choices. Almost undoubtedly, you point out plenty of things they are doing wrong, they need your encouragement in the things they are doing right we well. 2. Pray defensively. From time to time we felt that a child might be deceiving us, but we could never be absolutely certain. In those situations, we asked God to help us catch the child if he or she was doing something wrong. God honors parents who pray this prayer – so much so it will make your children think you are psychic! 3. Pray intensely. One of the most misunderstood spiritual disciplines of the Christian life is prayer accompanied by fasting (the giving up of food or something that you love for a prescribed period of time). According to the Scriptures, God assumes that we will fast and pray (see Matthew 6:16-18), and He promises to reward us if we do it with a pure heart and motive. Some parents even set aside one day each week or one day each month to fast, from sunrise to sundown, praying for their struggling child.Any time God brings your children to mind is the perfect moment to bring their names and needs back before Him. As James 5:16 tells us, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”God delights in hearing the prayers of the “helpless parent.” So get on your knees today, declare your helplessness before Him, and plead with Him for wisdom, protection, and strength – yours and theirs.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Courage to be Honest

2012-01-11T05:56:00.000-08:00

They said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.Nehemiah 1:3-4Most of us spend our lives trying to project an image of beauty and competence. Certainly, we want others to think highly of us, but one of the things I respect most about people is their ruthless honesty – about themselves and their situations. Nehemiah was living the good life. He had a great job, working closely with the king, and living the life of luxury. However, his heart beat in unison with God’s heart. He cared about the things that God cares about. So when he heard the people in Jerusalem were suffering, his heart broke. He didn’t minimize the problem or fly into a panic of mindless activity. Instead, he let the brutal truth sink in and he responded appropriately: he sat down and wept.Nehemiah had a courageous conversation with the messenger and then he had a courageous conversation with God. Only courageous people are known for their honesty. It’s a lot easier to look the other way when we see needs in our lives or in the lives of people around us. We can give the excuse that we’ve tried as hard as we can or that we don’t have the time to help a person in need. But excuses don’t cut it. Like Nehemiah, we need to let the truth sink into our hearts so we can respond with genuine compassion. What are some needs in your own life or in the lives of those around you? How would being honest about those needs become a springboard for change?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

What God does When God Chooses a Leader

2012-01-10T05:43:00.000-08:00

And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens.Exodus 2:11Moses provides a wonderful case study on how God calls a leader out of a crowd to perform an assignment. Consider the following eight points: 1. God gives the leader an emotional investment in the work. Moses bought into the idea of freeing the Hebrews from bondage even before God called him to the task. 2. God affirms the leader through others. When Moses told Jethro about his encounter at the burning bush, his father-in-law affirmed him. 3. God gives the leader mentors. Moses asked for, and received help from Jethro, Aaron, and others. 4. God builds on the leader’s strengths, experiences, and background. God used everything in Moses’ background to help him fulfill his calling: the fine education he received in Egypt, his knowledge of Pharaoh, his understanding of Egypt, and his time in the wilderness. 5. God often refines the leader’s character in obscurity. Moses received a 40-year seminary education in the desert. 6. God instills in the leader the value of hard work. Moses may not have worked much in the Egyptian palace, but he learned its worth in the desert! 7. God sustains a leader with a powerful vision. Moses caught the vision of the Promised Land long before the Hebrew slaves did. 8. God brings others alongside the leader to compensate for their weaknesses. Moses enjoyed the help of Aaron as a spokesperson, Joshua as a general, and Hur as a battle supporter. Has God chosen you are a leader? If so, has He sustained you with a clear vision and a team of supporters and mentors?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Be Patient When People Disappoint You, You Don’t Live their Life

2012-01-10T05:36:00.000-08:00

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.Ephesians 4:32When Tara Barthel and Judy Dabler set out to write their book “Peacemaking Women”, no sooner had they started than they weren’t speaking to each other.Judy had been Tara’s first choice as co-author for a book about resolving conflicts. Everything from her conciliation expertise to her Christian experience made her the ideal partner.Tara was pregnant with her first child when the writing process began, and in her task-oriented mind, it was imperative that the manuscript be completed before the baby came. Judy, however, was blindsided by a series of major setbacks, including personal health issues, her husband’s hospitalization after a lawn-mowing accident, her mother’s hip replacement, her father-in-law’s bout with lung cancer, the loss of two employees in her counseling ministry and an unusually taxing caseload.But Judy isn’t one to make excuses. And though Tara would have probably understood why Judy’s work wasn’t coming in on time if she had known what her friend was up against, all she could see was a colleague who wasn’t making good on a promise.Everything at this point became email driven - the kind of communication that strips itself of personality and voice inflection, leaving the real meanings obscured by cold keyboard strokes. And every time the other’s name would appear in the in-box, stomachs would churn.This wasn’t going well. Not at all. Two peacemaking professionals in a stand-off. In need of peace.You’ll be glad to know that both of them finally applied the truth of their book. The hurt came out, understanding occurred, and forgiveness was expressed and granted. And their book had an extra chapter about very up-close-and-personal conflict.Their story teaches a lesson. When people disappoint you, be patient. There may be more going on underneath the surface than you realize.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Excellence in All You Do

2012-01-10T05:33:00.001-08:00

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do. Ephesians 6:7-8When you do more than you’re paid to do, you’ll soon be paid more for what you do. Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Few have excellence thrust upon them – they achieve it. They do not achieve it unwittingly by doing what comes naturally and they don’t stumble into it in the course of amusing themselves. All excellence involves discipline and tenacity of purpose.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Moses Leadership Evolved Over Time

2012-01-09T06:13:00.000-08:00

Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.Exodus 3:10God prepared Moses to be His man to lead the Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage not in a day, but over a long period of time; not through an event, but with a process. Of course, others before Moses waited for years as well for God to fulfill His leadership development process. Consider the following examples: Noah waited 20 years before the predicted rains arrived. Abraham waited 25 years for the promised son. Joseph waited 14 years in prison, for a crime he did not commit, before he was released. Job waited an estimated 70 years for God’s justice.God prepares leaders in a crockpot, not a microwave. More important than the awaited goal is the work God does in us while we wait. Waiting deepens and matures us, levels our perspective, and broadens our understanding. Tests of time determine whether we can endure seasons of seemingly unfruitful preparation, and indicate whether we can recognize and seize opportunities that come our way.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Dads: Things Fathers do to Make their Children Angry

2012-01-09T06:06:00.000-08:00

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.Ephesians 6:4Look at the verse above again - it contains one negative command and two positive ones. From my experience, the three commands work together; if you obey the negative command, you are able to fulfill the others as well.The following are a list of common things a dad does to provoke anger in his children. Many more could be listed, but here are the top five:• Shows a dictatorial style of relating to his children, over-emphasizing authority without an underlying relationship of love, affection and fun times together• Exhibits a critical spirit, consistently tearing down his children with the tone of his voice and the words of his mouth• Is passive and neglects his children outright• Fails to provide clear expectations about boundaries, limits and rules• Fails to develop a relationship with each of his children, either rejecting or withdrawing from the relationship. Fathers need to realize that they can provoke their children to anger or guide them to greatness. It’s interesting that the same Scripture gives fathers two practical ways of developing children into the men and women God designed them to be: discipline and instruction.When a father cares enough about his children to enter their world and develop a relationship with them and, when needed, discipline them, he expresses love to his children. Currently, four of our six children are teenagers. At this time in our family lifecycle, Martha has to lean on me a lot when it comes to discipline. Being a confrontation avoidance person, I can tell you that the easiest thing for me to do is nothing.The same is true for instruction. Dads, you need to turn off the television or the computer and crawl out of your easy chair to formally engage your children’s moral and spiritual education.Step up and be a man!I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Discover Your Strengths

2012-01-09T06:01:00.000-08:00

And all the wise-hearted men among them that wrought the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, the work of the skillful workman.Exodus 36:8God has given each of us abilities that we can use to fulfill our God-given dreams. Certainly training is important, but we won’t get too far if we rely only on training. All of us know people who received lots of training, but they don’t have much competence for their jobs. They grind out work day-after-day, gritting their teeth until Friday afternoon and dread Monday mornings. Don’t focus on your weaknesses, focus on your strengths. When your work responsibilities fit your God-given abilities, you’re in the jet stream of accomplishment. You’re far more creative, more energetic, more relaxed, and more willing to help others who need a hand. Some of us have been caught in dead-end jobs for years, and we’ve lost hope of ever finding something that fulfills us. Certainly God can take us through valleys from time-to-time to teach us important lessons, but life need not be a perpetual valley. We cannot be passive. We need to take initiative to uncover out latent talents and use them all our hearts. It’s not optional. Someday we will stand before God to give an account of our time here on earth. On that day, He will ask us how we used the talents that he gave us. I want to hear Him say, “Well done – good and faithful servant.”What are the activities and responsibilities that rev your engine? What do you need to do to refine your career so that your job fits your God-given talents?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Help for When There’s Not Enough Time to Change a Light Bulb

2012-01-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.Romans 15:2Do you ever feel like your schedule has gotten so busy that you don’t have time to even change a light bulb? Is the stress of keeping it all going occupying just about every waking moment of your life? If you’re like me, when this happens the first thing to suffer is your house.A friend of mine tells the story of how his garage was bearing heavily on his mind during one of these times...I don’t how many times I’d go in the garage, wishing for just one good Saturday with half my brain cells functioning to do nothing but straighten up and thin down. The entire family used it like a toxic dumping ground. The kids had been hauling stuff in there left and right - even trash that the neighbors were throwing away! But one day during this stretch of time, I came home late in the afternoon and as I pulled up to the garage, the door was standing wide open, and everything inside was clean and organized!I did a quick double-check on the house number to be sure I hadn’t turned up the wrong driveway by mistake. But sure enough: It was our house and our stuff. My wife had known how heavily this undone task had been weighing on my shoulders, and she had marshaled the troops to get out there and “Do the deed for Dad.”Wow, it felt good. But not just to have a garage I could squeeze the car into again. Not just because I finally knew where some of my long-lost tools were. It felt good because I had a wife who knew what was bothering me and took it upon herself to take that load off my mind.Marriage is about having someone to please and having someone to please you. It’s knowing that when you’ve had a bad day, someone’s there who really cares.Does your mate have a “garage” that needs your help?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Profile in Leadership: Hebrew Midwives?

2012-01-08T05:41:00.001-08:00

Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives… and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. Exodus 1:15-17Who changes the course of history? Kings? Generals? The wealthy? Sure – but more often than not, it’s men and women with no power and little social standing who most significantly reshape the world. When the king of Egypt grew worried about the exploding number of Hebrew slaves, he instructed the Hebrew midwives to murder all Hebrew male newborns. But these midwives feared God and refused to obey such a wicked command. Despite the king’s threats, they would not submit to his authority and continued to deliver healthy male children. Although they had no way of knowing it, their risky decision helped to spare the life of Moses, Israel’s future God-ordained deliverer.In civil disobedience, the midwives risked their lives to protect the children God had placed in their care. Their bravery prompted God to show them kindness by blessing the midwives with families of their own. No doubt their children and grandchildren took part in the great exodus from Egypt that they had enabled. At a strange juncture in history, these Hebrew midwives – politically powerless, socially despised, and economically disadvantaged – defied the ruler of Egypt to obey the God they feared. Their perilous choice to do the right thing protected the line of Abraham through which the Messiah would eventually come, thus fulfilling God’s plan not only for the Hebrews, but for all mankind. If you lead people, you can enable them to have real power to make a real difference – it’s your choice. I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Resolve to be Clean

2012-01-08T05:39:00.000-08:00

You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.John 15:3As the New Year has begun, make a resolution to take on a higher level of personal holiness - to stand before others with a newly purified heart. Find an accountability partner and ask him/her to ask you on a regular basis “Are you clean?” Clean from impure thoughts, pornography, immorality, etc. It’s a good question to ask, don’t you think? Few of us like being presented with something that pries this hard - something so personal, something we might not be able to answer yes to.And be prepared, you may not get the answer you’re hoping for. Your partner, if they are truly being transparent, may tell you they are not “clean”. Or they may tell you they are and then circle back with you later to tell you that they lied. For most men, and for an increasing number of women, this is the reality of the world we live in today.Don’t judge these people, give them the grace to allow the Holy Spirit work in their lives and help them any way you can. Forgive them if they respond to the Holy Spirit with honesty and remorse. Talk with them, pray together, and lay out some accountability steps. It can change a life – theirs and yours. And it can free them from the whole demoralizing trap of phony sexual fulfillment.How about you? Are you clean?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

God’s Dream for our Lives

2012-01-08T05:36:00.001-08:00

I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.Acts 26:19Many people have visions of wealth, popularity, power, and ease. But there is another kind of dream that is even more powerful and far more fulfilling – finding and following God’s dream for our lives. When the apostle Paul stood before King Agrippa to explain why he had followed his path, he could have described the pros and cons of each decision along the way. But pros and cons did not determine Paul’s direction. Paul had a God-given vision, and he aligned his life to fulfill it. Every single one of us has a God-given life vision – whether we have discovered it yet or not.All pursuits promise to fulfill our lives with meaning, but only God can transform us, fill us, challenge us, and give our lives ultimate purpose. God gave us His all, and He demands our all. In perhaps the most well-loved devotional book in the English language, Oswald Chambers wrote, “The only way to be obedient to the heavenly vision is to give our utmost for His highest – our best for His glory. This can be accomplished only when we make a determination to continually remember God’s vision.” The paradox of the Christian life is that when we live unreservedly for God, we find true fulfillment for ourselves. Don’t be disobedient to the dream God has given you.How clear is God’s dream for your life right now? Have you discovered your God-given life vision? If so, is fear holding you back from accomplishing this dream? How will you overcome that fear?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Oppressive Leadership

2012-01-07T08:13:00.000-08:00

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.”Exodus 1:8-10A new ruler came to power in Egypt who was not the great leader that the prior Pharaoh was. He had little in common with the confident ruler who led Egypt during Joseph’s day. While he was a man with great power, he had little character or wisdom. He was constantly worrying that others might usurp his power. He felt his security threatened and consequently sabotaged his own leadership. Many of us have seen this kind of leader in our own lives. Notice how he responded to the challenges he faced… When the Jewish population grew, he oppressed them instead of caring for them. When the Jewish babies were being born at a high rate, he commanded all the male babies to be killed instead of planning to equip them to be future leaders. When the Jews complained about their hard labor, he enslaved them and increased their work load instead of lightening their loads. And when racial conflict arose, he ruthlessly dominated them instead of building relationships with them. This “leader” was setting himself up for certain failure. Are you an insecure leader that oppresses and controls your people or are you confident enough to enable and develop them into future leaders as well?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Television Fasting

2012-01-07T08:09:00.000-08:00

I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes.Psalm 101:2–3We Americans recently passed one of those cultural milestones we’ve been creeping toward for years - we now have more television sets in our homes than people. Nielsen Media Research found that about half of us now have three or more TVs, with a sizable number boasting as many as seven or eight. And, believe it or not, 25 percent of two-year-olds have a TV in their room.In Bob DeMoss’s book TV: The Great Escape, a wild thought is suggested: What if we took a whole month off from television every year? Are you and your family game for a TV fast? This means you can’t even watch nature shows or war documentaries.Imagine the calories you could burn or the neighbors you could meet by taking walks together in the evening. Imagine the conversations you could have in the quietness of your own home. Imagine the yard work and other household jobs you could accomplish - the ones you keep complaining about not having time to do. I’m giving that time back to you right now, every evening, for 31 days straight.Several of my friends (and my own family) have tried this and say what a gift it’s been to their families. What better time to try this than at the start of the New Year. Make it a resolution. Begin it as the kids begin going back to school. Try it - you might like it!I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Purpose of a Life Vision

2012-01-07T08:06:00.000-08:00

Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.Habakkuk 2:2-3Some of us wander from one thing to another our whole lives. We’re capable of so much more, but we have never clarified our purpose in life. An out-of-focus purpose cannot inspire us, but a crystal-clear lens on God’s purpose for us rivets our attention and gives us energy to keep going until we reach our goals.We need to write our life vision down in clear, compelling language so that it grips our hearts. A clearly written vision statement frees us from confusion so that we can “run” instead of wander, stumble, or go backward. A clear vision overcomes inertia and produces the inspiration to run toward our goals.But the fulfillment of the vision is in His timing, not ours. Seldom does anyone move in a straight line from the conception of a dream to its fulfillment. Far more often, we experience ups and downs, delays and disappointments. These, though, won’t stop us if we keep our eyes on our purpose and on the One who has given it to us.Do you have a clear, compelling personal life vision statement?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Prayerful Thought for the Day

2012-01-06T05:12:00.000-08:00

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessolonians 5:16-18Prayer is the highest intelligence, the profoundest wisdom, & most powerful of all vocations. Nothing is too big to ask of Him. But it is God's business to decide if it is good for us. It is our business to obey Him. I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

2012-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Husbands: How to Enthuse Your Wife – Part 5A married man is concerned about the affairs of this world and how he can please his wife.1 Corinthians 7:33More great ideas on how to please your wife:21. Give her one night on a regular basis to do something she loves. Occasionally surprise her with an afternoon “off” so she can do something fun or just be alone.22. Consistently mention ways you see her growing to be more like Christ.23. Ask her about her “bucket list” - the top things she’d like to do in her lifetime.24. Give her a book or audio CD to learn about something she loves doing.25. Text her on a stressful day. Example: “REMINDER: I BELIEVE IN U.”I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Dream Big

2012-01-05T07:52:00.000-08:00

We grow by dreams. All big men are big dreamers. Some of us let dreams die, but others nourish and protect them, nurse them through bad days, to the sunshine and light which always comes. I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Husbands: How to Enthuse Your Wife – Part 4

2012-01-04T06:11:00.000-08:00

A married man is concerned about the affairs of this world and how he can please his wife.1 Corinthians 7:33More great ideas on how to please your wife:16. Talk through your budget together with her. Make sure you both have the resources you need to care for your family well. If you primarily manage the budget, ask her to make at least one change before finalizing it. Esteem wise financial decisions she’s made.17. Be a student of her body. Ask her, both while you’re in bed and at a completely separate private time, how you can please her sexually and make her feel secure and beautiful. Seek tenderly to understand her past and how it affects her in the bedroom. Be prepared to humbly accept what she says, embracing her without defensiveness.18. Gently protect her. Lovingly help her set boundaries with her time, energy, resources, and relationships (kids and mothers-in-law included).19. Give her a massage - one that doesn’t lead to sex, unless she’s clear that making love is what she would enjoy most.20. Send her an e-mail. Example: “Praying for you today. Thanks for being so courageous in ___.”I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Joseph and The Law of Empowerment

2012-01-03T07:14:00.000-08:00

Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.Genesis 45:9When Joseph’s brothers realized that the one they had betrayed could now do with them whatever he pleased, they feared that payback time had arrived. Instead of retaliating, however, Joseph blessed them and empowered them to complete the task that had brought them to Egypt in the first place: to secure food for their families. Genesis 45 reveals the qualities that made Joseph such an empowering leader – a strong sense of Security, Identity, Empathy, Purpose, and Perspective: “There are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve posterity for you on the earth.” As a leader, do you empower others or command & control them?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Pure as Gold

2012-01-03T06:44:00.000-08:00

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.Job 23:10Some of the difficulties we experience are a natural consequence of our sins and/or bad choices. Others, though, come from a completely different source. God tests us, not to make us fail, but to strengthen our faith as we trust Him through difficult times. Jesus called this process “pruning” to that we will bear more fruit. Job compared it to purifying precious metals in intense fire to burn away the impurities and leave only pure silver or gold.When we experience hard times, we need to look for the source. If we can trace our problem back to a selfish or foolish decision, we can make appropriate changes. But if we can’t connect those dots, we need to accept the problems from the hand of God as a test, pruning shears - or the refiner’s fire. These trials aren’t meant to harm us but to make us stronger. Recognizing the source shapes our response. Are you facing a trial or difficulty right now? What is the source? Is it God working in your life? If so, how should you respond?I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Heaven Looks Better Every Day

2012-01-03T06:40:00.000-08:00

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.Matthew 5:8When I was a boy, the thought of going to heaven sounded boring. As a young lad, I thought that there is so much more here that I wanted to experience. Places to go. Thrills to embrace. The thought of sitting around for all eternity strumming a harp didn’t appeal to me. I had a very immature perspective of heaven back then. As I’ve read the Scriptures, I’ve realized that heaven looks much better than anything the world offers. I think life is one long process of God weaning us from this world and its pleasures and showing us that what we yearn for isn’t here.Do you long for heaven? On those days when you desire heaven the most, is it because you’re exhausted, so you long for heaven’s rest? Is it because you’re drained by the burden of carrying life’s troubles and you long to be free? Is it because you’ve lost your sense of happiness and you long for a place of lasting peace and joy?I don’t think it’s wrong to ache for a place of real sanctuary, a home in heaven where every tear will be wiped away, where “there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain” (Revelation 21:4). But the true joy of heaven is not just pain relief. The true joy will be found in seeing our living Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, face to face. As Martin Lloyd-Jones asked, “To stand in the very presence of God, to gaze and gaze on Thee . . . Is that heaven to us? Is that the thing we want above everything else?”When you long for heaven, long for Him. And when you long for Him, long to do His will.I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Adversity Leads to Either Character or Compromise

2012-01-02T15:55:00.000-08:00

Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.Genesis 50:19-20Joseph put his entire life in perspective in the final chapter of Genesis. During the height of a terrible famine, his brothers humbly come before him and bow down, just as he had predicted decades earlier. But instead of using his enormous power to punish them, he said, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”How does one develop such a godly and rare perspective? What enabled Joseph to refrain from exacting the kind of vengeance most of us would be tempted to dish out in similar circumstances? One word: character. Because Joseph had spent years in God’s character building course, he could maintain a proper perspective and use his power to bless his brothers rather than curse them. How a leader deals with the circumstances of life tells you many things about his character. Crisis doesn’t necessarily make character, but it certainly does reveal it. Adversity is a crossroads that makes a person choose one of two paths: character or compromise. Every time he chooses character, he becomes stronger, even if that choice brings with it negative consequences. The development of character is at the heart of our development as leaders. If you want God’s blessings and perspective on life, then be sure to consistently choose character over compromise in times of adversity. I’d love to talk to you. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Watch Your Speed on the Road of Life

2012-01-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

There is a proper time and procedure for every delight.Ecclesiastes 8:6If you were to point your car southwest of Cortez, Colorado, drive exactly 38 miles along Highway 160 and then hang a right on Four Corners Monument Road, in about a half mile you’d run into the only spot in America where you can be in four states at the same time: the intersection of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. It’s out in the middle of an empty desert, surrounded by dust, rocks and boulders.But that doesn’t stop upwards of 2,000 people a day from visiting Four Corners and waiting in line just for the thrill of having their picture taken standing in four states at once. Truly the American way, huh - trying to be four places at one time!It’s a picture of the way many of us elect to live our lives. We are constantly pulled in several different directions. Our pressure-filled, rush-rush, hurried lifestyle has a way of leaving us winded, dazed and addicted to the next item on our activity list.It leaves us little time for serious spiritual reflection. Little time for anything more than snap judgments. Little time to share our dreams with each other as a couple. Little sense of where we’ve been and where we’re going.What’s more, by crowding out any room for meaningful communication, original thought or spiritual insight in our family schedules, we’re fueling in our children a raw addiction to activity, constant motion, continuous noise and endless sensory stimulation.Stop and check the speed limit on the road of life you’re on. Maybe it’s time you slow down and focus more on the one place where you are right now – and the people (not the activities) right in front of you.I’d love to talk to you. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

It's a New Year - Forget the Past, Reach Ahead to the Future!

2012-01-02T14:59:00.000-08:00

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.Philippians 3:13-14In this verse Paul is instructing us to stop dwelling in the past and reach ahead to achieve the vision of the future. The past can bog us down in two distinctly different ways: Some of us feel ashamed by failures in our personal lives or in business, and our minds are haunted by those memories. Every decision we make is colored by our grief and fear that we’ll make the same mistake again. Others of us, though, live in past glories. We’ve enjoyed stunning success, but instead of using our gains as a foundation for future growth, we keep reliving those memories. Living in the past, whether failed or successful, takes our lives out of focus. Paul says, “Forget the past and move on.”In which direction should we move? We should reach forward to fulfill the vision God has for us, and to uncover and embrace a God-sized cause – one that has a positive impact on people and expands His kingdom. We can have causes like that at work, in our neighborhoods, at home, and at church. As you begin this New Year, do you know what the vision is that God has for you? Is there a God-sized cause that has gripped your heart? I’d love to talk to you live. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Couples Need Couples…to Mentor Them

2012-01-01T21:55:00.000-08:00

The things which you have heard from me, . . . entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.2 Timothy 2:2Christianity has become too much of a spectator sport. Like football, it’s 22 players on the field desperately in need of rest, being watched by thousands who are in need of exercise.Over the years, Martha and I have enjoyed the spiritual exercise of mentoring a small number of younger individuals and couples. We’ve enjoyed coaching and passing on to the next generation lessons we’ve learned.If you’re a seasoned, experienced couple that is relatively happy - not perfect, not infallible, but relatively happy and satisfied with your relationship - you have all the qualifications you need to become a marriage mentor. You don’t have to be certified or board trained. You just need to have lived. Experienced a few failures. Learned a few lessons.It’s as simple as praying and asking God to lead you to a particular couple who are starting their journey together. Invite them over for dinner and say you’d like to get to know them. Then let God take it from there. Get together once a month for a couple of hours and tell them about the most important spiritual lessons you’ve learned.There is a generation of young couples who are hungry for this kind of mentoring. We live in a high-tech, low-touch society that doesn’t know how to do relationships very well. What better place for this to happen than in a very informal, very supportive, very personal, couple-to-couple relationship where people are intentionally building into each other’s lives?I believe this is one of the greatest opportunities before us today - to reach down to a younger generation and give them the coaching they need to step up.I’d love to talk to you live. For more on help I can provide check out at… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Husbands: How to Enthuse Your Wife - Part 3

2012-01-01T15:25:00.000-08:00

A married man is concerned about the affairs of this world and how he can please his wife.1 Corinthians 7:33Here are some more ideas:11. Identify the “life-suckers” in her life. What saps her energy? Consider the points of friction that she often faces in her daily routines. Prayerfully ask God to help you see not only what weighs on her, but also how you could help her. Initiate conversation to compassionately find solutions with her. Ask, “What could be done to make that less painful (or less difficult)?”12. Gently encourage your children to thank her for different ways she serves them: When they have clean laundry, when she serves dinner, when she drops them off at school. (Make sure you’re modeling consistent gratitude for little things, too.)13. Identify your wife’s “love language”—what makes her feel loved and valued. Is it words of affirmation, gifts, physical touch, quality time, or acts of service? She may have more than one. Become fluent in each of her "languages."14. What pleasures in your life do you enjoy that your wife isn’t able to enjoy? She might not be into fishing like you are, for example, but maybe she’d like her own version of alone time. Like you, she might be honored by accolades for her projects well-done, a chance to finish a conversation, or sleeping in on a Saturday.15. Allow your wife to set your standard of beauty, and make it clear to her that she is secure: Your eyes are only for her. Please comment below or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

True Peace, Joy, Contentment, and Meaning in the New Year

2012-01-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.3 John 1:3 My personal mission and calling in life is to bring greater peace, joy, contentment, and meaning to people such as yourself by helping to transform lives to become more as God intended them to be. As stated in my blog introduction, this site is dedicated to sharing the lessons God has taught me from 30 years’ experience in the business world of management consulting, as a husband, a father of 6, and in fulltime vocational ministry as an Executive Pastor, & Life Coach. For true peace, joy, contentment, and meaning a person must be willing to evaluate their life from an internal, external, and eternal perspective.Internally, you need to better understand yourself and how you are a unique blend of your natural personality, spiritual gifts, innate talents, specialized skills and knowledge, personal interests and passions, life experiences, and driving motivations. You have to be able to answer the following questions: Who am I really? How well do I know my strengths and weaknesses? Am I satisfied with my personal development or is there something I want to change? Is my desire to change a reasonable expectation – based on my unique design – is this change even possible for me to achieve?Externally, you need to better understand your world around you and the relationships that make it up. Relationships at home and at work define much of your external world. Are these relationships everything you want them to be or is there something you would like to see changed? If there is an opportunity to improve, you define and implement the changes you desire in your personal and professional relationships whether they be husband-wife, parent-child, manager-subordinate, or horizontally with co-workers.Eternally, everyone wants to believe they are here for a reason and that their life is making a difference, that they are leaving a legacy and making a lasting impact. Do you know what yours is? What is your unique God-given calling or purpose? Are you satisfied that when you’re gone, your life will have mattered and that the lives of those around you will have been eternally impacted? Are you satisfied with the progress you have made thus far in your life? For true fulfillment, you need to be able to identify your calling, assess the impact you are making, and develop a life mission and life plan for maximizing the impact you can have with the time remaining that God has allotted for you. I have helped people evaluate these perspectives of their life for over 20 years, but this is what I do now fulltime – it’s my calling and my passion. If I can assist you in any way, contact me at the email address below. Remember, your greater life fulfillment through personal, godly transformation is my personal life mission and singular desire. It doesn’t matter where you are located, I can work with you by email and phone or in person. So if you have an area of your life where you feel frustrated or are in need of making a change, contact me – I can and want to help. For more info check me out at... http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Taste Your Words Before You Serve Them

2011-12-31T15:24:00.000-08:00

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.Proverbs 10:11I only remember hearing my father let loose with a foul word a few times in my life, it made a deep impression on me. It shocked and surprised me. He was a man of few words. And even fewer foul words or disrespectful words. I guarantee you, your children are watching. And listening.If you hope to control the loose tongues in your family, you must first clean up the words that flow from your own. The way you speak to each other, and to your children, must set the course. If you speak respectfully to one another, you can reasonably expect your children to do the same – and the opposite is true as well.What kind of boundaries have you chosen to set on your speech? Cursing is clearly wrong, of course, but what about slang words that are right on the edge of foul language? What about other bad verbal habits like sarcasm, disrespect, mocking, gossiping and criticizing people behind their backs?Do your children hear you using unwholesome speech to describe your neighbors or coworkers? What comments do they hear you making about your boss, your pastor or your political leaders? What do you say when somebody cuts you off in traffic or lets their dog poop in your yard? Do you obey God’s commandment to honor your parents, or do you grumble about the burden they’ve become?Never forget that mutual respect is the foundation of all healthy relationships. The way we relate to each other as a couple is the best model for helping children learn the pleasing and appropriate use of their tongue.Please comment below or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Profile in Leadership: Pharaoh – A Leader with Humility

2011-12-31T04:46:00.000-08:00

“…there is no one as discerning and wise as you (Joseph). You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you”Genesis 41:39-40The Pharaohs of ancient Egypt were not generally known for their humility. But one was – the Pharaoh who reigned during the time of Joseph. The Pharaoh who ruled Egypt at the time of Joseph showed remarkable wisdom and insight, as well as a heart receptive to truth. God strategically positioned this humble man as king over Egypt at a crucial time in world history.One night when nightmares awakened Pharaoh, he recognized something out of the ordinary was happening. As a strong leader, he acknowledged his sense of unease, but as a humble leader he enlisted the advice of others. He summoned Joseph who successfully interpreted his dreams.It took great wisdom and humility to designate Joseph as the point person and to give him the authority and resources necessary to survive the coming calamity. But he did it and the people followed his leadership, carefully storing grain during seven prophesied years of plenty. When the predicted hard times arrived, Pharaoh once more deferred to Joseph. The king of Egypt put himself and his people into the capable hands of this foreigner.If Pharaoh had been arrogant or intimidated by Joseph, millions would have starved. Instead Pharaoh listened carefully, empowered Joseph to act – and in so doing, insured his own legacy as an effective leader.Please comment below or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Husbands: How to Enthuse Your Wife - Part 2

2011-12-31T04:44:00.000-08:00

A married man is concerned about the affairs of this world and how he can please his wife.1 Corinthians 7:33More ideas:6. Listen to her sincerely: Observe her words, body language, and circumstances in order to compassionately understand her. Make eye contact with her, and ask thoughtful questions, like “How did that affect you?” or basic who/what/where/when/why/how questions.7. If she’s got a budding hobby or one that’s been neglected, purchase something small but high-quality that she would enjoy: quality paintbrushes, a beautiful journal, photo software, a top-notch cooking knife, new gloves, athletic equipment (ahem … only if she loves athletics), a well-recommended book on her hobby. Include a note: Just because I love the way you’re made.8. Pray with her, and for her, on a regular basis. Consider making it a regular item in your schedule, such as before you leave for work or go to bed.9. Compile a CD with songs that specifically encourage things you love about her. Let her know that you intentionally chose these for her and about her.10. When circumstances, conversation, or even movies or songs bring up an area in which she excels, lean over and whisper, “You know, you do that so well. I love how you use ___ to bless the people around you.”

Your Body – an Instrument of Honor or Not

2011-12-31T04:42:00.000-08:00

The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.1 Corinthians 15:42-44Spiritual growth sometimes has to pass though physical territory. The physical body is so important that Christ’s body was raised from the dead, and one day our bodies will be resurrected too. The power of God works in and through our bodies today to enable us to accomplish His purposes. Yes, we have natural urges, and yes, our bodies aren’t perfect in this life, but they are vital instruments we can use to honor God and help others. Bodies that will one day be resurrected and glorified should be considered sacred, not used for immoral behavior. They’re too valuable for that. Our bodies are to be dedicated to God, to be used to honor Him in everything we do.In what ways are you using your body to honor God? In what ways are you failing to use it for that purpose? What are some choices you can make today to use your body more effectively for Christ?Please comment below or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

She’s About to Blow!

2011-12-30T22:42:00.000-08:00

By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household.Hebrews 11:7Harry Truman (not the former President) lived in a rustic log cabin near pristine Spirit Lake in the crisp, cool timberland of Washington. But at some point in the early part of 1980, geologists and government officials came to his home and said he needed to leave. Pressure was brewing in a nearby volcano, Mount St. Helens, and Harry’s life was in danger.I recall watching him one night on television as he told the news media how all the learned authorities didn’t know what they were talking about. I also recall a photographs shown a year later over the gray-streaked remains of Mount St. Helens. Somewhere down below, under hundreds of feet of molten ash, lay the bones of Harry Truman - and the dusty, empty hole that used to be Spirit Lake.Many marriages are like that - teetering on the brink of destruction, while the husband or wife - or both - are ignoring all the warning signs. Meanwhile, the pressure keeps mounting. The alarmed spouse is trying to get the other’s attention. People who care about them are doing everything they can to advise and intervene. The volcano is set to blow, yet they foolishly want to wait it out, doing nothing.If that’s where you find yourself right now, I urge you to realize that looming destruction can’t be avoided by wishing it away. It requires prayer, counsel, adjustments and repentance. Don’t just sit there. Get some help.Please comment below or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Leaders Earn Trust

2011-12-30T07:43:00.000-08:00

Joseph found favor in his sight and served him. He made Joseph overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under Joseph’s authority.Genesis 39:4The Bible describes some dark and difficult times in Joseph’s life. But it also reveals that every time he faced adversity, he used it to develop himself personally and to build trust with others. As a result, Joseph made one comeback after another and proved himself trustworthy as a leader. Here are a few examples of Joseph’s diligence:When he was sold into slavery, he developed competence and organization in the palace where he served. When he was framed as an adulterer and thrown into prison, he used his ability to discern dreams and solve problems. When he was forgotten in prison, he displayed the wisdom to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. When he saw seven years of famine coming, he prepared in advance to save the country and bring Pharaoh great wealth. When he faced the return of his treacherous brothers, he showed patience and integrity in dealing with others.Leadership operates on the basis of trust. Joseph built trust in times of adversity by regularly displaying his competence and character in his connections with others. Consequently, he was able to follow each setback in his life with a comeback. Please comment below or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Reach Them At an Early Age

2011-12-30T07:38:00.000-08:00

How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.Psalm 119:9For many years George Barna has been a leading researcher on Church and cultural trends in America. He was once asked: “What was the most stunning set of data you ever received?"His response: He took a national sample of 13-year-olds and compared them with a sampling of adults comprising every age segment. On 12 core spiritual perspectives, he discovered no difference between any of the groups. In other words, the things a person believes by age 13 are pretty much what he or she will die believing.This tells me something: We don’t need to wait until our children are teenagers before we expect them to be able to understand major biblical truths. Things like being saved by grace through faith, not by good deeds. Things like how our hearts are naturally inclined to sin and that as a result, they need forgiveness. As Charles Spurgeon said, “A child who knowingly sins can savingly believe.”Dwight Moody was speaking to a group of children in Scotland when he rhetorically asked them, “What is sin?” One of the children replied, “Sin is transgression of the law of God” - straight out of the catechism. Amazed, Moody responded, “Children, you must thank God that you have grown up in Scotland” - where they were systematically taught the Bible from an early age.I pray that our children will thank God they have grown up in our homes, where they are learning the Scriptures and learning how to live.Please comment below or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

True Friendship

2011-12-30T07:26:00.000-08:00

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.Proverbs 17:17Has it ever seemed as though the world was crashing down around you? And as a result, have you ever gotten frustrated, cranky, and a little difficult for others to be around you? During times like these, we often find out who are true friends are – those who stick by us during times of adversity, even though we might not be the most pleasant person to hang with.All significant relationships are tested by disputes and difficulties. It’s easy to walk away when friends no longer give as much as they take. But a true friend moves toward someone who is hurting. He or she provides stability when life is out of control and a listening ear when no one else wants to understand. This may surprise you, but a true does NOT jump in to fix problems. He or she offers advice sparingly, unless the assistance is asked for. We all want friends like this. To have a friend who cares about us during difficult times, we need to be this kind of friend. Who needs you to be this kind of friend today? What will you do to show support?Please comment below or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Husbands – How to Enthuse Your Wife

2011-12-30T06:30:00.000-08:00

A married man is concerned about the affairs of this world and how he can please his wife.1 Coritnthians 7:33If you’re like me, you may be a bit clueless when it comes to finding new ways to please your wife. I came across a lengthy list recently of great ways to truly thrill, enthuse, and motivate your wife. From time to time I will share some of these ways. Here’s a start:1. Be a student of her. Where do her passions, gifting, and abilities lie? What energizes her? When does she lose track of time because she’s enjoying herself so much? What burdens do she bear? 2. Ask God for special wisdom in understanding your wife and in loving her well (James 1:5-6).3. Make a list of 30 things that you love and/or appreciate about her. Write them on separate sticky notes, and leave one somewhere in the house every day for an entire month.4. For what ministry has God created your wife in order to build up His people? Give her time and energy to pursue it.5. Take care of the kids for a day so that she can have a personal spiritual retreat to recharge.Please comment below or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Dealing with Deceit & Lying

2011-12-30T05:23:00.000-08:00

Who may walk on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity . . . and speaks truth in his heart.Psalm 15:1-2When dealing with our young children, we sometimes forget what we’re up against: the deceit that is a natural part of a child’s heart.It’s intriguing that when God identifies seven things He really hates (see Proverbs 6:16-19), two of the seven concern deceit: “a lying tongue” (verse 17) and “a false witness who utters lies” (verse 19). Deceit seems to fall into two major types:1. Lying. Every one of our children lied to us. Multiple times. Some of them even lied about lying. When children are tempted to misrepresent the truth and are caught, they must be disciplined. Whatever amount of protesting and defending they choose to make, they must ultimately admit wrong and receive the penalty for their deceit. It was an automatic spanking for our children under the age of fourteen. The older children were grounded and/or lost additional privileges.2. Habitual craftiness. This murky, constant shading of the truth can create exhaustion and a sense of hopelessness in a parent. You may look into the sweet eyes of your little one and see the makings of a liar and a cheater. One way to get through to this child is to share situations from your life where you stepped into a deceitful snare. Talk about the consequences that resulted. Help your child see that everyone is capable of this sin - even you - but no one escapes the damage it causes. You will need to help this child experience the full pain of his or her lies. Do not shield your child from the consequences.Deceit is a natural reaction that starts early in life. Be ready for it in your children. Train them with ample doses of Scripture and remind them who they are ultimately dealing with - God.Please comment below or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com