January 8, 2019

New Year’s Resolution Revolt and Revelation

Happy New Year, friend!

As I take down my Christmas decorations and cozy up to the fire on this brisk January day, I admit to you I don’t have my list down of New Year’s resolutions.

Each year I feel the pressure of forming New Year’s Resolutions. Why are resolutions so hard to keep?

According to research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, 36 percent of resolution-makers give up by the end of January. Ouch. Let’s revolt. How can this year be different?

Instead of forming resolutions, I want to form life revelations. What’s the difference?

A revelation comes from God. A resolution comes straight from us. No wonder my resolutions often fail because they come from my flesh, not necessarily from listening to God.

Webster’s defines revelation as “a :  an act of revealing or communicating divine truth b :  something that is revealed by God to humans.”

Let’s start a revolution for the new year.

The minor prophet Habakkuk was in tuned to listening to God. How can we relate Habakkuk with our New Year’s revelations today.   Our resolutions turn to revelations.

In Habakkuk 1 he cried out to God. I love his authenticity, his raw emotion with the Lord.

“’How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?…Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?’”

The Lord listens and answers Habakkuk with a wonderful response.

“Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”

Habakkuk continues to complain and ends it with a declaration:

“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. “ Habakkuk 2:1

‘Then the Lord replied: ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. Habakkuk 2:2

 That’s one of my favorite leadership verses in the Bible.

The main revelation revolution lessons we can learn from Habakkuk are to:

1)Humble ourselves, pray and cry out to God. Even it seemed like complaining, Habakkuk was totally real when he told God exactly how he felt and asked God questions. God has big shoulders and can handle our big problems, our dreams, our desires. God listens and answers in His way, in His timing.

2) Strategize and write your revelation and plans on paper. Make them succinct enough that you (or anyone else) can understand them. I would encourage you to post them in your home so that you can refer to them often.

3) Be patient, work, and wait as God continues to work in your life on you and making your revelations come to fruition. God’s timing is perfect. He is never too early and never too late.

May Habakkuk’s story inspire us to start a revolution of New Year’s Revelations.

Happy, Shiny New 2019, friend. The best is yet to come.

Reflect:

What revelation is God revealing to you?

December 30, 2014

Making New Year’s Resolutions Less Intimidating

The end of another year–it can be intimidating or easily rushed through to get to midnight.  Why is it so intimidating?

Three words. New Year’s Resolutions. Or maybe we should call them New Year’s “Solutions.” Isn’t it funny that the word “resolution” is “re-solution,” as if our solutions need doing again? No wonder they intimidate me.

I encourage you to reflect these next few days, to look back and pat yourself on the back for all that was accomplished through you this year. Sure, you didn’t get done all that you wanted to get done. Who does?  Before you tell yourself all the things you want to improve and change in 2015, please ponder on the many good, no, GREAT things about yourself. Can you remember all the great things that wouldn’t have gotten done if not for you?

Remember that you influence the world around you.

Enter Eddie.

Eddie is the parking lot attendant at a local medical office building. His “office” is a tiny booth, perhaps five feet long by three feet wide. Eddie is one of the most positive, enthusiastic  servant leaders I have ever met.

Eddie loves his job. How could a parking lot attendant love his job? I intentionally observed him in action. He waves at everyone. He smiles. He calmly answers questions asked by nervous patients and eases their spirits. He ensures parking spaces are available to accommodate those who need them.

Whenever Eddie spots my car, he comes out of his little booth, waves frantically and blows kisses. He makes my day.

Guess what Eddie had one day? Bird feeders in the little tree across from Eddie’s booth. Eddie purchased hanging bird feeders and bird food to make the birds happy AND improve his environment even more!

Eddie is happily married and brags on his wife and marriage every chance he gets, so his gestures and affection are totally innocent. He exudes the love of Christ.

Eddie inspires my heart and challenges me to be better. Instead of just making resolutions and thinking about changing yourself, your work, your home–change your attitude about your work, your home, your environment. Add “bird feeders” near your booth.  Make the walls of your work inspire you; make them “talk.”

Smile. Wave. Blow kisses. Be the calming force to people around you. Make someone’s day. Be like Eddie.

As you reflect on this year and prepare to write your New Year’s Solutions and Re-Solutions, think of Eddie. Now our New Year’s Resolutions won’t intimidate us anymore.

PS. Today is also a great day create your own mission statement. Simply print out my “Creating Your Personal Mission Statement Template,” which is free, by just adding your email address and subscribing to my weekly blog.

Reflect:

–As we excitedly and expectantly welcome the blank pages of a new year, what are three highlights of yours this past year? Please comment.

–How will you be more like Eddie ?

Renew:

-“I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw.” –Proverbs 24: 32

-“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” –Proverbs 27:17

-“As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.” –Proverbs 27:19

-“Then the Lord replied: ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.’” –Habakkuk 2:2,3

Recharge:

–What is your personal mission statement? Please let me know.

–What are three ways you can improve your work, your home, your “booth?” Please comment below.