No Whining

Many of you may not know that I started working as an elementary PE teacher this school year in Parachute. I teach 2nd through 5th grade and have some very interesting conversations with kids. Some of those conversations get me thinking, like this one…

One of the students who is in 5th grade has cerebral palsy and doesn’t have full functionality of his left arm and leg. He still can move pretty well though and is actually in the top half of his class in sprinting speed. 

A couple weeks ago, he was struggling a bit during a team activity and started verbally beating himself up and saying that his classmates didn’t like him because he couldn’t perform very well. Interestingly, none of the students were coming down on him. They actually were quite encouraging. 

It was at this moment I had a quick talk with him and basically said to never make excuses or feel sorry for yourself. Do your best and never worry about what anyone else thinks, says, or does. You can only control what you do and your effort. 

As I pondered my own advice, I realized something. 

As far as I can remember, every champion in sports, successful businessman or woman, minister, parent, spouse, and human being that I know or have known has never been one to whine, complain, make excuses, or feel sorry for themselves. And it’s not like they’ve not had reason to do so. I’ve seen people overcome financial loss, broken relationships, and death of loved ones by getting up, cleaning themselves off, and simply moving forward toward their goal/prize. 

Often times I’ll ask people, “How are things?” And often times the response is, “I can’t complain.” Sometimes I respond with, “Well, you can, but it won’t help any.” 

Which is exactly true.

Whining, complaining, making excuses, feeling sorry for ourselves all have the same outcome…the exact opposite of what we say we want. 

So let’s get in the habit of being thankful, problem solving, positive minded, God focused, Jesus pleasing (without faith its impossible to please Him), “all things are possible” faith-filled women and men!

As top leadership guru Chris Brady says, “Leaders eat obstacles for breakfast.”

They don’t complain about them. They solve problems and overcome adversity and challenges.

So be that person; the one who eats obstacles for breakfast.

And if you are one who has been reconciled to God, then you and I are God’s sons and daughters. We are joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. We are more than conquerors, and the victory has been won in Christ Jesus. Everything we need in life to live like God has been granted to us through the knowledge of Him.

So truthfully, we have no excuse for whining, complaining, or feeling sorry for ourselves.

This world is starving for real, authentic, strong men and women who walk the talk. Be one of them, and watch what God does in our lives, our families, work situations, and beyond. 

Have a blessed week!

Graveyard or Greatness

I was recently reflecting on this quote by Les Brown:

Are you a leader? An employer? A teacher? A parent? Do you have contact with human beings?

Are you alive?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you and I have a massively important job.

Contained within each person, including ourselves, are seeds of greatness; seeds of these hopes, dreams, books, songs, inventions, and cures that can only germinate with the proper watering of encouragement, love, empowerment, patience, inspiration, knowledge, character, or any other adjective you may use to fill in the blank. 

In my interactions with people, sometimes I find myself too concerned with a person’s “behavior” than actually tapping into his or her greatness. I do this with myself at times too.

They all have it. We all have it.

But it must be drawn out.

Some require much more “work” than others.

And the sad reality is that you, and I, may be that person’s only hope for tapping into and drawing out that greatness. I hope and pray I don’t take for granted my position, or lightly esteem it, or flat out forget that I could be the difference between someone manifesting these hopes, dreams, books, songs, inventions, and cures or having them go to the grave with them still inside.

There is greatness in me. There is greatness in you. There is greatness in everyone!

Will you help water that greatness and bring it to fruit or allow it to fill yet another graveyard?

Dusted Off Series #5: Life Journey Summary

I’m not entirely sure what my purpose was in starting this blog a few years back, but I thought I’d finish it by being fairly open and personal about this crazy journey.

The Journey of a LIFEtime is the title of my blog. It started when I enrolled in the LIFE business. I was inspired to begin blogging as a result of being involved in a leadership development business. After all, I had never learned such amazing, and life-changing information prior to this organization.

Along with my new-found self-directed education, I was also a new business owner. Which was something I’d later discover is perhaps the greatest value of this new venture for it provided a vehicle to apply the principles of leadership, entrepreneurship, relationships, financial literacy, and beyond.

So I began to write about it.

But if you notice, I slowly wrote less and less about my Life business journey and more about life in general. And even that waned for a time.

So what exactly has been going on with this Life business journey? I’ll try to answer that question with the least amount of words possible. Otherwise, I may have to write a book on it.

1. Rough start. My start in the business was rough. I enrolled without speaking with me wife about it. Not a good idea. But after two years, she finally listened to some great audios about marriage that were produced by this company and she realized, “What’s the harm in being a company that teaches such great information?” That realization and her involvement over the next few years probably saved our marriage (another story for another time).
2. Runnin’ and gunnin’. For nearly 5 years we worked our business pretty hard and made some great strides. We were earning four figures a month, not getting rich by any means, but as my dad would say, “It’s better than a sharp stick in the eye.” We had the privilege of earning time with Inc. Magazine top leadership professional Orrin and Laurie Woodward and things were great.
3. Change. The Life business was founded November 1, 2011. And a painful lesson we learned in the world of entrepreneurship is that change is not only inevitable, it is a must if a business is going to survive and thrive. Some of those changes affected our business in what seemed at the time, a negative way. One thing I’ve learned looking back at this time was that I didn’t have the right long-term vision. I was too wrapped up in the “now.” The changes we experienced over probably a four year period, and my lack of vision and strength, brought me to a place of sheer discouragement and even depression. Sadly, it was no longer “our” business anymore.  And this perhaps was the toughest blow to my desire to fully pursue my dreams.
4. Coaching. I probably shouldn’t be amazed at how God works, after all He’s God, but through a series of tough events, including the passing of my mother, we ended up moving to Parachute, CO. The high school here was advertising that they needed a new head wrestling coach. When I learned about it, I knew that I knew that I knew the job was mine. I applied and eventually was offered the job. For four months I coached an amazing group of young men and had a wonderful, wonderful experience. But the whole time I was coaching them about mental toughness, working hard, overcoming obstacles, and pursuing their dreams, I could not forget all the lessons I learned from the incredible education the Life company offers and the vehicle it provides in helping anyone achieve their own dreams. I felt like such a hypocrite coaching them to pursue their goals and dreams when I had nearly given up on my own. And I hate being a hypocrite!
5. Vashus Rising. It was during my time coaching that the Life business launched the Life Super App; and holy cow, is it super! Once I started learning more about it I became increasingly more excited. For the first time in my entire time with this company, we had a product, a service, a PLATFORM that literally anyone could use and benefit from! The value is absolutely obvious to anyone who will take the 30 minutes to let me share it with them. And I am as excited as I’ve ever been to re-engage in chasing my ridiculously big goals and dreams and see them become a reality. In the words of my coach Tony Matteo, this is a time of “Vashus Rising.”

There are certainly a lot more details I could have added, but I don’t believe they are necessary at this point. What I can say now is that I’m very excited for my future. Things are going great in my home life, personal life, and what looks like a teaching career as well. God is faithful, and I look forward to sharing what is coming!

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Dusted Off Series #4: What if you’re wrong?

This is the fourth blog from the Dusted Off Series. This series of blogs are all blogs I never finished (for various reasons) that I thought I’d go back and clean up and finish. Once again, I hope you find value in this and all of these. 

I don’t even remember the context or content of the incident. I know I was in college and likely 18 or 19 years old when it hit me like a slap in the face.

My parents were right!

Again, I don’t know what specifically they were right about, I just remember the shock of the moment. And it wouldn’t be the first time I realized I was wrong about something.

Perhaps the event that has exposed more of my wrong thinking in my life is marriage. My wife sure has set me straight about a range of topics through the years. And being a dad to a teenager who is quick to set me straight about song lyrics, Disney characters, and clothing styles has certainly humbled me. Even my ten year old boy has opportunity to correct me.

There was a time I actually thought my finances would be just fine so long as I was a good guy, worked hard, tithed to my church, and gave money to worthy causes. Wow. What a shocker it was when I learned the hard truth that there was more, far more to finances than that.

The most life-changing truth I learned was that God is not in control of everything. Yes, He’s in control of Himself and His plan, but He certainly isn’t in control of what human beings do. If so, they’d all be worshiping, loving, and serving Him with all their heart, soul, and strength.

So what else might I be wrong about? How about you? What might you be wrong about?

What if you are wrong about politics? Or perhaps religion? What if you are wrong about marriage, money, your career, someone you trust or don’t trust? What if your world view is completely wrong? Are you even willing to consider it?

These questions and this line of thinking comes from another distinct event in my life from which I will never forget. I was in college and driving to my parents’ for the weekend. A friend of mine gave me some audios to listen to and the speaker was reading from Isaiah 44 about a man that plants a tree and grows it until he is able to cut it down and burn half of it in the fire for various natural uses, but the other half he molds into a graven image, an idol, that he worships as his god. Then the speaker read the following:

And no one considers in his heart,

Nor isthere knowledge nor understanding to say,

“I have burned half of it in the fire,

Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals;

I have roasted meat and eaten it;

And shall I make the rest of it an abomination?

Shall I fall down before a block of wood?”

He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside;

And he cannot deliver his soul,

Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

After reading those words, he then said, “A deceived man does not know he is deceived.”

It was in that moment it hit me. I could be deceived. And if I am, I don’t know it.

I felt like I had been exposed. My heart was open for all the world to see. It was as though I was naked for all to see. My heart sunk and my eyes were opened to the realization that was deceived…I just didn’t know how.

And that became my prayer; a desperate prayer.

“God reveal to me where and how I’m deceived.”

It’s been a rather long journey since that prayer. And it’s a prayer I still pray. And He has faithfully revealed many, many areas of deception in my life. Some started early in life. Some later in life. The sobering thing is, all of us are susceptible to being deceived if we aren’t being filled with the truth of God’s word.

So what about you? Are you willing to let God expose areas of your life where you may be wrong? Remember, the entrance of God’s word brings light. And the knowledge of the truth of God and His word will set us free!

 

Dusted Off Series #3: Regrets, Self-pity, Purpose, and People

*** As I awaken this topic for my Dusted Off Series, I realize that this current moment may be the best time to finish this blog, for I’m in a much more positive, hopeful, and forward-thinking frame of mind. When I started this, I was struggling. And honestly, I don’t know if anyone knew it; at least not to the extent that I was. That is probably why I couldn’t finish it. I needed hope. But I do believe it was the beginning of coming up and out of a dark place. ***

I don’t know exactly when it happened, but there was a point in my college years, or shortly afterward, that I felt God had great things destined for me. Then I had a major life-changing event happen in 1997 during a church service. To make a long story short, the magnitude of what God had in store for me was revealed and I was utterly blown away and overwhelmed. Yet it was that vision that I had that propelled me to go on mission trips, serve in my church, and consistently wake up at 4:30 am each morning to read and pray.

It’s been over twenty years since that experience, and I’ve not come even close to matching in my life what I experienced in that vision.

Regrets. I hate them.

My senior year of high school I had lofty ideas of a California state championship in wrestling. I didn’t even place. In college, I had lofty goals of being an All-American. I never actually wrestled in a national championship tournament. In business, I set a goal to be job optional and financially free in 2012. The list goes on. And I keep repeating all of these regrets over and over in my mind.

Am I having a mid-life crisis?

Whatever it is, all it seems to lead me to is self-pity. I can’t even believe I’m wallowing in it. I’ve never been able to relate to those who do; and in fact it flat out annoys me. Yet here I am, doing what has so often bothered me in others. I don’t like it. It’s wrong. And it certainly isn’t helping me. It is, in fact, destroying me. God help me. I need to get out of this dark place.

I’ve been dealing with these feelings for what seems like a few years now. I would share this with others, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Even this blog. I doubt I’ll actually publish it. Perhaps it’s simply a beginning to turning things around. Putting my thoughts to paper, or in this case, a computer screen.

God, you have a purpose for my life. And you have said that you are a redeemer of time. You promise that you will complete the good work you have begun in me and that you are ever at work in me to do and will of your good pleasure. I want to place my hope in those words. I have to. I am so lost without you. Yet even as I write those words, I can feel hope arising within me. It’s faint, but I can sense it.

And that’s just it. Stop focusing on yourself. Start focusing on your purpose. Regardless of your age, you still have a purpose. God can and still is working in your life. Allow him to. Trust him. And when I get right down to it, every God-given purpose is connected to reaching, serving, loving, and helping people.

Why did I forget this?

There was a time when God clearly reminded me of the scripture in James 1:2-4 to consider it all joy when you encounter trials and temptations knowing that the testing of your faith  will bring about endurance, steadfastness, and patience. And when I allow that to occur, I will become fully developed, mature, and lacking nothing.

So Father God, I didn’t realize this would turn into a prayer to you, but I ask that you help me understand and realize that the testing of my faith will produce wonderful, eternal fruit in my life. Give me revelation that I am not “washed up” and that I still have a life a purpose and fulfillment ahead of me.

You will never leave me or forsake me.

Help me to share that hope with others; to get the focus off of myself and stop wallowing in regrets and self-pity, and truly realize that as long as I’m seeking you, I will walk out the wonderful plan and purpose you have for my life, which always has been and always will be about reaching people.

Dusted off Series 2: Correction

This is the second of a series of blogs that are resurrected drafts that I either forgot to finish, lost inspiration for, or simply didn’t like. Since I have what seems all the time in the world, I thought this would be a great time to dust them off and bring them back to life. I started with the newest and am working my way to the oldest. I hope you enjoy.

For the person who desires to grow, develop, and become better in any area of life, they will need to be corrected. Errors must be revealed in order to be fixed. Whether it’s sports, relationships, areas of character, and beyond, to improve we need to know what needs to be improved.

But this isn’t a message for those being corrected but for those doing the correcting. In church this past Sunday, we had a guest speaker, Patsy Caminetti. And she told the story of Jesus and the woman at the well to whom He ultimately brought correction.

Agreeably, as Patsy pointed out, not too many people would like to have their past and/or current mistakes revealed. Yet, the woman’s were. Interestingly though, she was joyful about it. Why?

Because Jesus’ words brought illumination not condemnation. His words opened eyes to possibilities and potential rather than problems and pain. They revealed potential strength rather than current weakness.

And this is the question I ask myself. “Do my words of correction bring illumination or condemnation?” Certainly my intentions can affect that, but even more so, I believe my delivery has the greatest potential for harm or good. Am I being lead by the Spirit? Do I have genuine love in my heart? Am I endeavoring to bring freedom and revelation to someone that they may be lifted up (rather than me)?

As I dive deeper into the motives of my heart, I pray you do the same. Let’s be people who, when offering correction, bring light and revelation rather than shame and condemnation. Let’s have the courage to be corrected and changed in order to be better at helping others do the same.

Dusted Off Series: Results Will Come

This is the first of a series of blogs that are resurrected drafts that I either forgot to finish, lost inspiration for, or simply didn’t like. Since I have what seems all the time in the world, I thought this would be a great time to dust them off and bring them back to life. I started with the newest and am working my way to the oldest. I hope you enjoy.

“Now. Right now. Not later. No waiting. No hesitation. Push it and it should respond. Order it and it should be given. Ask and I should receive…immediately.”

We live in a world that expects faster and faster results. Whether it be the functionality of our mobile devices, fast food, texting someone, working out, investing money, building a business, and the list goes on. Immediate results are often expected. But it’s a lie. Or at least it’s a very rare occurrence. At least when it comes to things that truly matter.

Plant a seed and you don’t have results from that seed for many weeks, possibly months, or even years. Start working out and muscles don’t appear immediately. Even people don’t mature over night. It takes decades for a human being to mature physically; and for some it takes a lifetime to mature mentally and emotionally.

I get it. That’s why I fall prey to this line of thinking from time to time. I work with business owners who sometimes struggle with how long it can take to produce the results they want. I coach sports and deal with athletes who think they should be champions after a couple days, weeks, and months of practice. I know married people who think all should be bliss after the words “I do.”

It’s everywhere. But the truth is found between the words “reap” and “sow.” Those two words come from Galatians 6:7 that says we reap what we sow. Genesis 8:22 says,

“While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”

Pastor Tasha Bintliff said, “Starting is easy. It takes endurance to finish.” 

There’s so much to this simple sentence. It reminds me of a concept I learned years ago:

Dream. Struggle. Victory.

Dream.

Carl Sandburg said, “Nothing happens unless first we dream.” That is the beginning of all accomplishments. We have some dream, goal, idea we want to accomplish. It’s exciting and fun. It’s like when you first start dating. There’s a nervous anticipation of great potential with the concerns of “what if this doesn’t work out.”

But it’s easy to begin. I can’t even fathom how many projects, jobs, blogs, books, etc. I’ve started but did not finish. It’s sad really. But as Bintliff’s saying begins, starting is easy. 

Unfortunately we also fall into the trap of seeing other’s victories and either revel in them or revile them. Reality TV, sports, our own kids are all avenues we live vicariously in victories not our own. And of course we all have our villains (the Los Angeles, wait, Oakland, no, the Las Vegas Raiders…they need to make up their mind) who we love to see fall. But deep down we wish the victory was ours. I believe all human beings desire to be on top of the podium as the best in their field. 

Struggle.

That leads us to the middle part. The struggle. The endurance. The grind. The time. Again, Genesis 8:22 says, and I paraphrase…

Seed…TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEE…harvest!

It’s not, plant a seed and boom there’s a harvest. It’s, plant a seed, water it, tend it, pull the weeds around it, fight off the birds, rodents, and various creatures that would eat it, protect it from cold, protect it from heat, and do all you can to help it produce the desired outcome over possibly months and months before there is ever a harvest. 

I had this thought not too long ago that life is mostly struggle. Seldom are our lives are lived on top of the podium. The moment we have a victory, in any area, life goes on. There is always a next day. Champions are forgotten because life just keeps coming. Obstacles will always pop up. Even Jesus promised us trials, tribulations, and persecutions. 

Yes. The struggle is real.

Perhaps that is why so few people ever achieve anything great. It’s like the quote by Joshua Metcalf, 

Everyone wants to be great until it’s time to do what greatness requires.

Victory.

So what does greatness require? How do we get to the victory? Here’s the simple answer.

Get on the right course and stay the course.

The results will come. When you are putting in the right work with the right people for the right reasons using the right tools and making the right adjustments over time, the victory will come!

It’s a law! Seed. Time. Harvest! Dream. Struggle. Victory!

You will reap what you sow. If you are sowing the right things, you will reap the right things. So don’t stop sowing. God is not mocked. His word is true. What you put in you will get out. He is a rewarder (Hebrews 11:6). Matthew 24:13 (TPT) reads, “Keep your hope to the end and you will experience life and deliverance.” 

There is a victory awaiting you if you choose to persevere to that moment. Don’t quit. Get better. Get your victory. Results will come!

 

Remnants of the Past

As I have been on my morning walks the past week, I keep seeing old fences, fence posts, even what used to be an old home. Each time I’ve walked past these sites, the phrase, “Remnants of the past,” kept coming up in my mind.

It’s been a number of days that I’ve been thinking about this idea, but today it struck me.I have remnants of past mistakes, failures, and sins that I need to address. They hold me captive to wrong lines of thought about myself which affect my future. In order to change my future, I need to address strongholds that were created based on how I improperly dealt with the memory of past negative events.

I suppose subconsciously I think time will eventually break down and remove memories, failures, etc, but unfortunately that is not always the case. There are events I have relived over and over in my mind reinforcing them rather than irradiating them.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verses 3-6 teach us that we are to capture our thoughts and determine what manner of thought they are and whether or not they should be allowed entry into our minds. It’s a discipline that is seldom taught and/or practiced.

I’ve known of this Biblical wisdom for decades, but sadly I have not taken the time to develop this as a discipline in my life- not consistently anyway.

Ironically, during this “hunker down” time there have been many blessings that have come as a result of having time to fill. One of them is the ability to focus in on various disciplines (family time, health and wellness, personal and professional develop, leisure, etc). I encourage all of us to take advantage of this time.

At this time, we can either reinforce wrong lines of thought, especially of fear, anxiety, and doubt, or build new patterns of thought that create confidence, peace, and faith. Use this time to develop new and better habits, especially the discipline of taking every thought captive so we are not held captive anymore by remnants of the past.

Seasons

A Time for Everything

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 

On the morning of October 9, 2019 I was walking with my dog (as I often do), and took the picture below. It’s Fall and the much cooler temperatures speak of the inevitable; winter is coming. The image below seemed to tap me on the shoulder and remind me that seasons are a part of life. As written in Ecclesiastes above, there is a season, a time, for everything under the sun. My family has been through many seasons. Seasons of lack. Seasons of struggle. Seasons of joy, of victory, and of loss and sadness.

There are many types of seasons as well. Obviously we have Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. But how about Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior. Or sport seasons. There are seasons with no kids, with kids, being single, being married. How about those moments, times, and even seasons of stupidity (some last longer than others). A time with a certain job. Some may call them chapters in our lives. But as the saying goes, “It may be the end of a chapter, but the story is not over.”

What seemed to speak to me in this morning’s moment was that we always have a choice as to how we will respond to each season. We truly do have the opportunity to keep writing our story…for the better even. For regardless of what season it is, there is always opportunity for great gain or great loss. Even in the toughest, darkest times, do we become better or bitter? Do we learn from our mistakes? How do we respond to both adversity and victory? And truthfully, we can move further ahead in our lives in times of struggle than in times of plenty. Resistance is meant to make us stronger. We simply need to allow it to.

I suppose I’m rambling, but personally, I’m excited for the upcoming season in my life. I believe it will be one of the most challenging but also one of the most rewarding. And it will be important that I keep my mind focused on “things above” and be in constant communion with my Lord. Great gain awaits me as I maintain the proper attitude in every season, especially this new one.

Thankful?

I was out cold. Then a nudge on my nose. Charlie. Our year and a half old boxer apparently wanted to go outside. It was 6:25 am. Sunday morning. I had hoped I’d get to sleep in a bit this morning. A normal person would have started to get a clue about two months ago that if you are the one that walks the dog so that she can relieve herself, you won’t be sleeping in. Old habits are hard to break; even ones that have you thinking Sundays are for getting a little more sleep.

On the other hand, some of my friends and family know that since living in our new community where we don’t own our yard (covenant protected community where the yards are actually common areas) and have to walk our dogs on leashes and pick up after them has been a blessing and led to some great walks. In fact, these walks have become great times of prayer and reflection. I’ve posted many of them on Facebook and Instagram. Today I thought I’d write a blog about it (side note: I put Charlie on a leash for about 80 feet until I get to the county road and then walk her without one).

So as I am walking Charlie this morning I see this great scene. It’s classic in my mind. It depicts traditional American values and ideals. I think of hard work, responsibility, and self-discipline when I see this. Yet as I walked passed this scene I also was keenly aware of another one. And this next scene, or view, was simply one of amazement. I love the beauty that is offered to those with eyes, ears, and minds to discover it. It simply caused me to be thankful to live where I live. People are dying all over the world and right in our own communities. Tragedies occur all the time. Our political climate is a mess. Really, in many ways our nation and world is in a mess. Signs of the end of times are more prevalent than ever before, yet we still have so much to be thankful for (the end of this world is actually one of them).

We live in an extremely negative world. Perhaps it’s the same as it has always been, since it’s always been filled with people, but now that there are more of them than ever before with more ability to express their negative views than ever before and less Christian influence (at least here in the USA) than ever before, the negativity is epidemic. Yet I say again, we have so much to be thankful for. So let me encourage you, in the words of the Apostle Paul:

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9

 

 

My own declaration of thanksgiving:

“Thank you, Lord, for New Creation Church and Life Leadership. You have been using these wonderful communities to help me be better, rather than bitter, as the years pass. May I continue to operate according to Your grace, be transformed by Your Word, and be led by Your Spirit.”