Well, I just celebrated another birthday!
I am absolutely grateful and excited about another opportunity to — LIVE!
Lots of people take life for granted, I absolutely do not. I’ve been around enough situations to know that life isn’t promised…so I don’t miss the opportunity to express my appreciation for it.
As I have done for the past 5 or 6 years, I pause to reflect on what I’ve learned over the previous year. I look at my own life, observe the lives of others, take note of what’s happening in the world and the spaces close to me. I compile this list and take some time to quietly reflect and grow from it. This list also serves as benchmarks for me for growing, learning, and developing. This past year, I had a list of over 800 things that I’ve observed (I’m getting more consistent in my journalling…)
With that said, I took that long list and reduced it down to about 75 things that I figured would be helpful for others and have shared it below. Again, this isn’t directed or connected to any one person, group, or idea…but a combination of observations. Some are from my own mistakes and others are just learning from living.
I’d love to hear back from you. What do you think about this list? What stands out in your mind the most?
Enjoy!
- My life is not as important as I personally could make it out to be, but only as important as others need it to be. (Always – get over yourself and never believe your own Press Release)
- You will only have something to offer the world and people if you really believe that you have something to offer them.
- Life is not meant to be lived alone.
- Everybody isn’t a hater…
- You feel better when you treat people right.
- Integrity is the strongest currency we have.
- A weakness that you ignore today, may trip you up tomorrow.
- Everything really does rise and fall on leadership.
- Everything that happens to you isn’t personal. (Sometimes, there’s another part of the story you may not know…)(Hard to accept…but truth…)
- The church is really called to make disciples. It can do a lot of other stuff, but at the end of the day, it must make disciples.
- I really love and enjoy my wife.
- I’m really blessed with the three kids that I have.
- Parents can REALLY learn alot from their kids if they pay attention.
- Some of the biggest challenges in life are determined by the systems that you put in place in your personal life.
- The Holy Spirit can be your best friend is you’re willing to listen to Him.
- There’s a serious lack of urgency for the right things today…
- When you neglect the things that you’re wired to do, you will be frustrated.
- Reading is fundamental and necessary to grow.
- Manners still matter! (Please, thank you…)
- God is in the business of preserving your life to get you to accomplish your life purpose.
- Laughing is soooo therapeutic!
- I’m more comfortable being both introverted and extroverted. (most people don’t know this about me…)
- The more demand on your public time, the more structured and less stressful your private life needs to be.
- Perfection is a good pursuit, but stressful. Excellence is better.
- Race is still an issue in our country and will be until people pay attention to the economics.
- Some people just won’t like you, no matter what you do and how you do it.
- Most people sadly and grossly underestimate the strain of leadership (and ministry). (And yes, while most leaders build the capacity to handle it, it should not go unnoticed…)
- God REALLY does take the darkest moments of your life and causes you to grow in ways you could have never imagined.
- Forgiveness of others is so freeing! I’ll say it this way, forgiveness is fundamental…
- Your physical health matters and nobody else will be as concerned about it as you will.
- Margin in life is not only needed, but necessary and mandatory for anyone who wants to do anything significant. (Margin = financially, emotionally, spiritually, day-to-day schedule, etc.)
- If you say that you’re a leader, everything you do is being watched and judged. This can be both good and costly.
- Trust your gut, intuition, unction…whatever you want to call it.
- Comfort zones are so…comfortable…
- It’s better to change when you want to than when you’re forced to.
- Lying will catch up with you.
- Learn to enjoy the city you live in.
- Your life, mind, heart, and spirit needs regular (read daily here…) maintenance.
- “No” or “I can’t” can be very healthy for you, others, and your work.
- Some people abuse God’s grace and some people haven’t figured it’s available for them.
- Breaking a routine can be so liberating… (Try a new food, take a different route, sleep in or get up earlier, meet someone new, talk to a stranger {safely}, reach out for an old friend, etc…)
- Do what you do every time, like it’s your last time!
- I like journalling…I’m working on doing it consistently…
- The church is not as bad as some people make it out to seem.
- The church has issues to work on…
- We can create strange thoughts in our minds about people. Some people I thought who thought less of me, regarded me highly.
- Today’s families need help.
- Some people are mean and don’t care…
- Some people are really going to regret some of the things that they post on social media…
- Bragging about being busy all of the time isn’t so cool.
- Kids don’t forget most things – good or bad. They may not always say what they saw – but always know they saw it.
- More and more wisdom from the grandfather and other seniors I gleaned from, makes more sense…
- Everybody needs some senior citizens that they’re connected to.
- Prior planning really is better than cramming.
- Everybody needs a Pastor – a spiritual leader who they are accountable to.
- There are some Pastor’s who aren’t great preachers and some preacher’s who aren’t great Pastors.
- There are ALOT of great Pastor’s out there!
- Some Pastor’s should resign…for their personal health, health of the church, and health of their families and kids.
- Some Pastor’s need to stick it out — and thrive under the pressure!
- The bigger the platform the more accountability needed.
- Poor Writing and speaking skills will close doors on you.
- The ability to make a decision / choice is a POWERFUL thing!
- It is not an oxymoron to have a quality of life AND a powerful ministry.
- Sometimes people will recognize things (good and bad) about you sooner than you will acknowledge.
- I really enjoyed the Seminole Football season.
- When it comes to our hearts, minds, and soul – we have more in common than we realize (regardless of race, color, or class…)
- Sometimes feeling helpless is a good thing.
- It’s better when God vindicates you than trying to always defend yourself.
- Social media has its limitations…
- I have more Timothy’s than I realized…and figuring that out…lit a fire under me.
- Some people are okay with being stuck where they are.
- There’s a daily attack to give up on your dream. It’s wisdom to know what to hold on to and what to let go of.
- You can learn a lot from your failures.
- There is a clear battle for the truth (God’s going to win…!)
- Every battle ain’t worth fighting…