Outrageous Faith (part 5 of 5): Right In Front of Us

God's provision is often right there in front of us, but sometimes we can't see it because of opposition. Whenever you decide you are going to step out in faith and take action, there is going to be opposition. The opposition frequently comes from one or more of three sources: 1. It may be the opposition of other people. They will tell you every possible reason why it won't work, rather than encouraging you. There will always be people on the sidelines, even Christians, who will criticize. The enemy will use people, sometimes even those close to you, to keep you from moving forward. 2. Sometimes the opposition is circumstances - your job, your finances, the economy - to keep you from doing great things for God. You will see no EARTHLY way of moving forward. 3. Sometimes the opposition is in your head - negative voices, past failures, self-doubts, poor self-esteem - to keep you from doing great things for God. Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.” The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” (2 Kings 6:8-12 NIV) The king thought there was a traitorous spy in his midst. In reality, God revealed the most intimate thoughts of the king to the prophet. “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked. Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria. After they entered the city, Elisha said, “ Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria. When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory. (2 Kings 6:13-23 NIV) When you are faced with opposition do the following four things: 1. Don't be afraid. Scripture is consistent throughout on this: don't be afraid. Why? Because He who is with us is much greater than those who are against us! We are afraid because we don't see what is right in front of us - the power of God! We need to pray the prayer: God, please open our eyes so that we can see what you can see - your power and provision. All fear will disappear when God opens our eyes. God's provision is always much greater than our opposition! 2. We must recognize that we are not alone. Those who are with me are greater than those who are against me. Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world! Sometimes we have to close our physical eyes in order to open our spiritual eyes. The sad truth is that God has all the power in the universe, yet His children live in weakness. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:18-21 NIV) 3. Trust God to provide. God does not always provide the way we want Him to provide. He has a better way. We want revenge and justice. More often, God provides kindness, love, and grace. This is what changes lives - yours and your opposition's! 4. Take action. God cannot course correct an immovable object. If God has shown you His will, take action. Don’t wait forever for confirmation. Don’t fall into the mistake of analysis paralysis. This is just another form of lack of faith. And faith without works is dead. God may be testing your faith. And if you are really seeking to do His will, rather than you own, He will protect you if you start moving in the wrong direction by showing you another provision for your needs. But you have to move, you have to take action. And never mistake opposition for course correction. In fact, opposition is often confirmation that you are on track for doing great things for God. God’s provision for our needs is often right in front of us. Don't be afraid of His will - open your eyes to see the power of God - trust Him and His ways (not your ways) – take action and watch for God’s confirmation or course correction. This is the way to live a life of outrageous faith. Are you having difficulty discerning God's will? Or is the real issue having enough faith to act on what you believe He is telling to you do? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Outrageous Faith (part 4 of 5): Upon Further Review

Sometimes God uses suffering to strengthen our faith. In the game of life, we may doing our best, but the call on the field does not always go our way. One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’ ” She replied, “I have a home among my own people.” “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked. Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!” But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her. The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. He said to his father, “My head! My head!” His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. (2 Kings 4:8-20 NIV) The following are three great truths about faith: 1. We have to have the faith to trust God, even when the call on the field does not go our way - when life is totally and completely unfair. She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.” “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.” “That’s all right,” she said. She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite! Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’ ” “Everything is all right,” she said. When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.” “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?” (2 Kings 4:22-28 NIV) Sometimes God allows suffering in our lives to strengthen our faith. We are in BITTER DISTRESS. In these moments, we can turn toward God or away from him. This is faith. Will we surrender our will to God's will, no matter what that is? Will I allow (trust) Him to do WHATEVER He wants to do with my life - even if I don't like what is happening?! We must walk by faith and not by sight. We trust in HIS plans, not our plans. Sometimes it takes a long time for us to see how what we are going through is in our best interest – or in the best interest of others around us. We have to be patient and trust in Him. We must wait for "upon further review..." Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21 NIV) His plans for me are FAR superior to my plans. But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. (2 Kings 4:30 NIV) The Shulamite woman keeps trusting. 2. We have to have the faith to trust in God’s plans for us, sometimes even to believe in God for a miracle. Upon further review... When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.” She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out. (2 Kings 4:32-37 NIV) To GOD be the glory, great things HE has done. Faith (only the kind that surrenders my will to God to allow/trust Him to do anything He wants with my life) can move a mountain. No other type of "faith" moves mountains. 3. We have to have the faith to remember that no situation is "dead" as long as God is on the scene. "Upon further review" means being willing to wait on God without knowing why He allows to happen what is happening - maybe even until we are face-to-face with Him in heaven. This is true faith. Are you going through a particularly tough time in your life? One that is challenging your belief in God to have your best interests at heart? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Outrageous Faith (part 3 of 5): Collecting Jars

When you don't have what you really want, turn to a person who can help and you may discover that God has already given you all you really need. The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” (2 Kings 4:1, 2 NIV) 1. God works through people. When you have a REAL need, turn to a godly person for help. Do not be afraid to reach out to others and be vulnerable. You are not “bothering” them. In fact, when you meet someone who has a REAL problem, you must make yourself available to them. How can I help you? Remember, God performs miracles through His people. Parents: your greatest success in life will likely not be what you accomplished, but rather who you raised. God want to work through you. 2. When you don't have what you really want, you may discover that God has already given you all you really need. So stop waiting for what you want Him to give and start working with what you already have. We must focus on what we DO have, not what we DON'T have. What we DO have is more than enough for God to use to do a miraculous work. We have a God who specializes in doing great things with very little. When God is involved, He does GREAT things with VERY LITTLE things (Moses staff, the widow's jar of oil, 5 loaves & 2 fish). 3. Offer God what you have and trust him for what you need. Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. (2 Kings 4:3-6 NIV) The oil would likely have kept flowing if there had been more empty jars. If she had more faith and collected more jars, God's blessings would likely have been even greater. On the other hand, God gave her only what she needed (for the rest of her life). Faith is not "a force" like in Star Wars, rather it is a measure of how willing we are to totally surrender to God whatever he wants us to do – to offer him all that we have and to trust Him for all that we need. We come to God completely empty and He fills us with His presence. Oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit I'm the Bible. His presence in our life is ALL we need. He is everything. He is all we need. Offer God what you have, then trust Him for what you need. Why? Because when you don't have what you really want, you will discover that God is all you really need. Do you know what you really want versus what you really need? Do you offer to God all that you have and trust him for all you need? Are you willing to turn to others who can help in order to see God work His miracle in your life? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Worry about Worrying?

I used to worry. A lot. The more I fretted, the more proficient I became at it. Anxiety begets anxiety. I even worried that I worried too much! Ulcers might develop. My health could fail. My finances could deplete to pay the hospital bills. A comedian once said, "I tried to drown my worries with gin, but my worries are equipped with flotation devices." While not a drinker, I certainly could identify! My worries could swim, jump and pole vault! I asked a life coach who listened as I poured out my concerns and then said, "You need to learn to wait to worry." As the words sank in, I asked if he ever spent time fretting. I was quite certain he wouldn't admit it if he did. To my surprise, he confessed that in years gone by he had been a top-notch worrier! "I decided that I would wait to worry!" he explained. "I decided that I'd wait until I actually had a reason to worry - something that was happening, not just something that might happen - before I worried." "When I'm tempted to get alarmed," he confided, "I tell myself, 'You've got to wait to worry! Until you know differently, don't worry.' And I don't. Waiting to worry helps me develop the habit of not worrying and that helps me not be tempted to worry." I now frequently ask people what they were worried about this time last year. It's a great question because most people can't remember. Then I ask if they have a current worry - they always do. Then I remind them that the average worrier is 96% inefficient. Studies show that only 8% of what we worry about ever comes true. And about half of that we could not have avoided anyway. Charles Spurgeon said it best. "Anxiety cannot empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but it does empty today of its strength." Most of us want to be positive. It's advantageous to possess a sunny outlook. Doors open to optimists. They make friends, earn respect, close sales, produce loyal clients, and others enjoy and want to be like them - even to be around them. The question is how can we do that consistently? Do you struggle with anxiety? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Outrageous Faith (part 2 of 5): Digging Ditches

While walking on the water, Jesus said to Peter, “Come to me.” Peter got out of the boat - that took faith. But as soon as he felt the waves, the trials of life, his faith failed. He started to doubt, just like after taking a step of faith we often start to doubt. "So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them. “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the Lord called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?” But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah. ” Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” “No,” the king of Israel answered, “because it was the Lord who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.” Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you. But now bring me a harpist.” While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water." (2 Kings 3:9-16 NIV) That’s exactly what I do when I am stressed with making a decision, don’t you? Call for a harpist. NOT!!! But there is something about worship music that allows us to hear God speak. There is a direct correlation between worshipping God in song and hearing him speak! While the harpist was playing, the hand of God came upon him and Elisha heard from God. While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. (2 Kings 3:16-18 NIV) There was only one problem, there were no pools. They had to be dug. No sign of water anywhere, and a promise that it would not rain. Yet, God was telling them they had to dig ditches. What He was really saying, "are you still willing to obey Me?" There is no sign of provision for you in your time of difficulty, yet will you obey God and dig the ditches – take action. You see, faith is not a feeling, it is an action. Faith is not a statement – words falling from your mouth, it is an action. There are times when God wants us to participate in His miracle! God says, "Show Me your faith, and I will show you My faithfulness!" Get up, take action, do your part. When it comes to outrageous faith, only God can send the water, but sometimes He requires you to dig the ditches. What ditch is God asking you to dig so that He will send the blessings His blessings to you? When it comes to outrageous faith, stop focusing on your struggle and start focusing on the Savior! Stop focusing on your problem and start focusing on His provision! Walking by faith is first all about your perspective - having God's perspective on your life and this world. Second, once you have God’s perspective on your life, faith is about being willing to surrender to God no matter what He has planned for you. So I ask again, what ditch does God want you to start digging?! Are you having a difficult time taking action? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

It's Time to Plan

Followers need leaders to effectively plan for them. When facing life and death situations, the necessity is painfully obvious. But even when the consequences aren’t as serious, the need is just as great. Leaders who plan well do even more than control the direction in which their people travel. They see the whole trip in their minds before they leave. They have a vision for their destination, they understand what it will take to get there, they know who’ll they’ll need on their team to be successful, and they recognize the obstacles long before they appear on the horizon. A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others see. The larger the organization, the more clearly the leader has to see far ahead. That’s because sheer size makes midcourse corrections more difficult. And if there are errors, many more people are affected than when you are traveling alone or with only a few people. The Titanic is an excellent example. Before leaders take people on a journey, they must go through a process to give the trip the best chance of being a success: 1. They draw on past experience. 2. They listen to what others have to say (especially those who have traveled the journey before them). 3. They examine the conditions before making commitments. 4. They make sure their conclusions represent both faith and fact. They draw on past experience: Every past success and failure can be a source of information and wisdom – if you allow it to be. Successes teach you about yourself and what you’re capable of doing with your particular gifts and talents. Failures show what kinds of wrong assumptions you’ve made and where your methods are flawed. If you fail to learn from your mistakes, you’re going to fail again and again. That’s why effective leaders start with experience. They listen to what others have to say: No matter how much you learn from the past, it will never tell you all your need to know for the present and the future. That’s why the best leaders gather information from many sources. They get ideas from members of their leadership team. They talk to the people in their organization to find out what’s happening on the grass-roots level. And they spend time with leaders from outside the organization who can mentor and advise them. They examine the conditions before making commitments: Despite their often excellent intuition, before effective leaders make commitments that are going to impact their people, they take stock and thoroughly think things through. They count the cost before making commitments for themselves and others. They make sure their conclusions represent both faith and fact: An effective leader must possess a positive attitude. They’ve got to have faith that they can take their people all the way to the destination. If they can’t confidently make the trip in their own mind, they’re not going to make it in real life. On the other hand, they also have to be able to see the facts realistically. They can’t minimize obstacles or rationalize their challenges. If they don’t go in with eyes wide open, they’re going to get blind-sided. Realistic leaders are objective enough to minimize illusions. They understand that self-deception can cost them their vision. Sometimes it’s difficult balancing optimism and realism, intuition and planning, faith and fact. But that’s what it takes to be an effective leader. The secret to the Principle of Planning is preparation. Preparation conveys confidence and trust to people. The following acrostic may be helpful: PLAN AHEAD. P = Predetermine a course of action. L = Lay out your goals. A = Adjust your priorities. N = Notify (communicate with) key personnel. A = Allow time for acceptance. H = Head into action. E = Expect problems (and plan for contingencies). A = Always point to the future vision (and the successes along the way). D = Daily review your plan. The major barriers to successful planning are fear of change, ignorance, uncertainty about the future, and lack of imagination. The secret to overcoming these barriers is preparation. When leaders prepare well, they convey confidence and trust. Lack of preparation has the opposite effect. Leaders who are good navigators are capable of taking their people just about anywhere. It’s not the size of the project that determines its acceptance, support, and success. It’s the size of the leader. Do you struggle with proper planning? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Hot Coffee in the Crotch Anyone?

Have you ever noticed that two people can confront the same circumstances with very different reactions? This is a matter of attitude and nothing else. Freedom is being able to say, "Rich or poor, alone or with a mate, physically healthy or not, employed or laid off, I believe that peace of mind is possible." We have all experienced what it is like to be having a perfectly fine day and have a situation or crisis arise that sends us into a tailspin. It may be something small like a traffic jam making us late, or something more severe like the loss of a job. Our response can seem automatic. Though at first it may be difficult to accept, freedom depends on recognizing that you're not upset because of what occurred, you are upset because of how you perceive the situation. Key to a good attitude is recognizing that you are not a victim of the world. Another way of saying this is: There is nothing in this world that has the power to ruin your day. If you are upset, it is because you have directed your mind to be so. Initially these truths can be hard to accept because you have become so accustomed to giving your happiness away. Every time you blame another person for your unhappiness you are giving your it away. Stop blaming. How you perceive a situation will determine your experience and your reaction. Let's imagine that you have a favorite coffeehouse that you frequent. The staff knows your name and always has a warm and friendly greeting as you walk through the door. An extremely grumpy woman whom you have never seen before serves you this particular morning. She appears preoccupied rather than caring about you or what she is doing. As she pours your hot coffee a good portion spills in your lap. Despite your jumping in shock, no apology follows. Your experience is anger: both toward the waitress and the owner, Joe, for hiring such an incompetent person. Then, a friend of yours at the next booth says, "Isn't it great that Joe hired her!" "Great! Are you out of your mind? She just spilled hot coffee in my lap and walked away," you reply with your best indignant voice. "Oh, you didn't hear the story?" your friend whispers. "What story?" you angrily reply, still drying off your new slacks, wondering how you will go through the day looking as though you wet your pants. "Yeah, Joe didn't know her from Adam. He read in the paper that her husband had died last month in a car accident. Apparently her husband's health insurance stopped, and she was looking for another job in order to pay for her sixteen-year-old son's chemotherapy for leukemia," your friend responds. Now, you still have hot coffee in your crotch, but are you still angry? Unlikely. The only thing that shifted was your perception and attitude. Through discovering a reason to be compassionate, your entire experience changed - and there are always reasons to be compassionate. An important part of happiness and contentment is developing compassion. Instead of going out in the world and finding plenty of reasons to be upset, go out and discover reasons to extend love. There are thousands of reasons waiting for you right now. A helpful thought to remember is that a miracle is nothing more than allowing an old grievance to become a current compassion. If you ever run short on reasons to be compassionate, remember there is always one good reason: It makes you feel better than anything else you could do. Do you struggle with maintaining the proper perspective and attitude that fosters happiness? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

The End of the Year - A Time to Reflect on Priorities

Leaders never get to a point where they no longer need to prioritize. It’s something that good leaders keep doing whether they’re leading a project, pastoring a church, leading a small business, or heading up a multi-billion dollar corporation. A leader who suddenly realizes that he has been focused on the wrong set of priorities is like the native who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation, and yells, “Wrong jungle!” There are two principles that can help you measure your activity and determine your priorities. The first one is called the Pareto Principle and the second is the Three Rs. If you focus your attention on the activities that rank in the top 20% in terms of importance, you will likely get an 80% return on your investment. For example, if you have 100 customers, the top 20 will likely provide you with 80% of your business. If your to-do list has 10 items on it, the 2 most important ones will likely give you an 80% return on your time. And if you have 10 employees, you should give 80% of your time and attention to the 2 that have the greatest future potential. If you haven’t already observed this phenomenon, test it, and you’ll see that it really works out. The second principle is the Three Rs. The Three Rs are requirement, return, and reward. To be effective, leaders must order their lives according to three questions: 1. What is Required? We are all accountable to somebody – an employer, a board of directors, our stockholders, or someone else. For that reason, your list of priorities must always begin with what is required of you (your superior’s priorities that you must support). Anything that is not necessary for you to do personally should be delegated of eliminated. 2. What Gives the Greatest Return? As a leader, you should spend most of your time working in your areas of strength. If something can be done 80% as well by someone else in your organization, delegate it. If a responsibility could potentially meet that standard, then develop a person with the remaining 20% to handle it. 3. What Brings the Greatest Reward? It has been said, “There are many things that may catch the eye of a leader, but there should only be a few things that catch his heart.” The things that bring the greatest personal reward are the fire lighters in a leader’s life. Nothing energizes a person the ways passion does. Is it time for you to reflect on your priorities this past year? Is it time for a change of priorities as you begin to set your goals and make plans for the coming year? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Outrageous Faith (part 1 of 5): Kill the Cow & Burn the Plow

Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah's faith. The Bible records that Elisha performed more miracles in the Bible than any other person. Elisha demonstrated outrageous faith. Outrageous faith starts with outrageous commitment. So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant. (1 Kings 19:19-21 NIV) Elisha had a boring job. Everyday, all he smelled was oxen poop and all he saw was oxen butt - all day, everyday. In this environment it would be very easy to lose hope of ever having a life of significance. But Elisha was faithful. When you are faithful with the little things, God will trust you with a lot. Elijah went up and through his cloak around him. He was declaring that God wanted to use Elisha just as God had used Elijah. Two principles to outrageous commitment: 1. You don't have to understand fully, in order to obey immediately. We must have margin in our lives: a padding such that we can respond to opportunities that God puts in our path. We must be in a posture of spiritual readiness. But even when God asks you to move, He usually does not give you all the details. We can't handle all the details. When He wanted Peter to step out of the boat, all he said was "come." He did not tell him to step out carefully: "Be careful now, don't get your knees wet, keep your eyes focused on Me." No, all He said was "come." You don't have to understand fully, in order to obey immediately! You can't eat filet mignon, when your mouth is full of Ding Dongs! What is your one word? Is it "come", "stay", "go", "stop", "quit", break it off". You will never understand fully, so stop trying, and start obeying. 2. Those God uses the most are the ones who hold onto stuff the least! Let go and let God. Do what Elisha did, "kill the cow & burn the plow." Don't have a plan B. There can be no contingency plans, no way to turn back! Do what the disciples did when Jesus called them, "they left everything." As you look at your life, answer the following question: "What cow does He want you to kill? What plow does He want you to burn?" How long has it been since you have had to trust God and not your bank account? As humans, we love security. Babies love their blanky. If we are to grow as Christians, we have to let go of our security blankets. To step towards our God-ordained destiny, we have to step away from our earthly security. Kill the cow & burn the plow. Isn't it time to develop an outrageous faith - right now! Do you know what you are uniquely designed and called to do? Are you having trouble transitioning into that calling? Is there something in your life that you have been thinking of pursuing for several years, but never committed to? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

What’s the Secret to Success?

My path, like that of so many others, has been a winding one, filled with discovery and lessons at every turn. In my personal quest for a more joy-filled and creative life, I have reinvented myself numerous times. Increasingly, we must all learn to do this, whether we choose different careers or a new place to live. Reinvention is required because change is a part of our world. It is here to stay. You have to learn to adapt to it, to embrace it, to create a life you love. I'm a late bloomer. I started my business at the age of 49. I was at a crossroads, and I knew I needed to take a different direction, but I wasn't sure what that was. I think we all feel that uncertainty when facing new challenges. One thing I knew for sure was that I wanted a career that would give me joy. During an interview I was once asked, "What's the secret to success?" The answer I gave is that there really is no secret at all. But, as I reflect upon my life, I believe there is one principle which has helped guide my journey and those of many others. Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, a nuclear physicist, a corporate executive, or the pastor of a church – you must discover what you love to do. If you love it, you will work at it. If you work hard enough at it, you will become good at it. And if you are good at it, someone will pay you to do it. The secret to life is to pursue with passion what you believe you have been called to do. This will not only take care of your physical needs, but much more importantly will lead to a lifetime of fulfillment. Does change in your world require some reinvention right now? Do you know what you are uniquely designed to do? Are you having trouble transitioning into that calling? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Learn & Do Great Things

A leader is a lifelong learner. He/she is someone who never stops learning. A true leader makes the most of the hundred billion brain cells God has put on loan to him. A true leader is consumed with curiosity. The leader keeps asking and seeking and knocking. And the quest is never over because the questions never end. Leonardo da Vinci was determined to keep learning until the day he died. He once said, “I want to learn something new the day I die. Why? Because I can.” So go ahead and live as if you’ll die tomorrow. But keep learning as if you’ll live forever. If you learn despite the obstacles, and if you learn from your failures, you are destined to do great things. You were created for a purpose. There are opportunities to give you and assignments with which to entrust you. But I’m sure you have realized by this point in your life that you will face opposition along the way. People who are called to greatness face great challenges. No one ever promised you it would be easy. In fact, I can promise just the opposite - there will be great difficulties. But you can use each one to strengthen you to overcome the next obstacle. But this is only possible under these conditions - that you learn from the obstacles, that you learn from your failures, and that you never give up. No matter what comes your way, refuse to quit. Do you need help in overcoming obstacles and learning from your failures? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Decide to be Different

If you believe that time has passed you by, your best days are behind you, or that somehow you've failed too many times to have another chance, nothing could be further from the truth. Today is the best day to begin - the best opportunity for a new destiny. After his first audition, a casting director told actor Sidney Poitier, "Why don't you stop wasting people's time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?" It was at that moment, recalls Poitier, that he decided to devote his life to acting. He wasn't going to let someone else decide his life path. Stop sitting on the fence. Make a decision to be different. Stop straddling the middle of the road. There's nothing in the middle of the road, but yellow stripes and dead armadillo. Decide to do something now to make your life better. The choice is yours. "My decision is maybe - and that's final." Is this you? Being decisive is essential for a successful life. If you deny yourself commitment, what will you do with your life? Every accomplishment, great or small, starts with a decision. If you have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you don't, you have achieved half your failure. The moment you definitely commit yourself, change begins. All sorts of things happen to help you that never would have otherwise occurred. Kenneth Blanchard observed, "There is a difference between interests and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you only do it when it is convenient. When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results." Lack of decisiveness has caused more failures than lack of intelligence or ability. Indecision often gives an advantage to the other person because they did their thinking beforehand. Helen Keller said, "Science may have found a cure for most evil; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all-the apathy of human beings." Don't leave a decision for tomorrow that needs to be made today. Remember, don't be a "middle-of-the-roader" because the middle of the road is the worst place to try to go forward. You can do everything you ought to do once you make a decision. Today, decide on your dream. Do you need help in determining the best path forward? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Managing Your Time & Activities

One of the main causes of the pressure that invades our lives is our unwillingness to discard optional responsibilities - not because they're a waste of time, but simply because they distract us from the main goals of our lives. So how do you decide? How do you determine what to invest your time in and what not to? For many of us, we let the tyranny of the urgent dictate what we do next. The tyranny of the urgent occurs when we focus on what is due next, what has to be done before it is too late. For others, we get involved in a lot of really great things - some with a mission or purpose that we truly believe in. Examine any one of these activities and you would say they are very worthwhile. However, taken all together they are quite overwhelming and don't seem to progress us toward our main goals in life (if we even have goals that are well defined). So how do we decide what deserves out limited time - the only commodity in life that we cannot manufacture more of? The key lies in priorities that have been derived from specific goals in each of our five life dimensions: personal, family, faith, vocation, and community. These goals should have been developed from an assessment of where our lives are today versus a clear vision of where we are headed. And the vision should be one that is in complete alignment with a well defined life mission (our purpose for living). When these items exist, it becomes fairly easy to hold up any current activity against the mission, vision, goals, and priorities and say this supports my life's direction or not. In addition, new activities that would consume our time and efforts can also be held up against these and evaluated for whether we should be involved or not. When adhering to this process, "no" has can be one of the most liberating words you will ever use. Could you use some help in eliminating some of the activities in your life to achieve a more manageable and less stressful lifestyle? Have you developed a priority and time management system based on you life's mission, vision, and goals? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/