A Servant's Assignment

I have assigned my daughter a series of things to help her.  Her RG (Romans 12 gift) is Servant.  She has so much amazing strength to offer as she tends to serving others...it's such a blessing to our home and family and household.

HOWEVER, I am aware that people with the RG Exhorter can really brutalize RG Servants by taking advantage of them.  Having listened over and over to the Principle for the Exhorter (sowing and reaping) and feeling the massive road rash for a long time thereafter, I am committed to helping serve the Servants.  It's not completely altruistic...I know they have the highest ability of authority and in heaven when I have a crown with gems,  I want to be well treated by them!  

To be honest, the Servant's super powers amaze me and often leave me speechless.  When I'm around a Servant functioning in their gifts and flowing freely I feel like I am watching a super star!  Their gifts are stunning and so needed and wonderful when brought to community with a pure heart.  Their presence brings me such a sense of calm...I hardly have words for it.

I recognize there's a bit of friction happening for my soon-to-be 13 year old daughter Servant.  Becoming a young woman she is experiencing the transition from childhood to adulthood.  She desires all sorts of good things which she doesn't tell me about but which I can discern based on her negative reactions to people in our home (mainly her brothers!).  After seeking some counsel from my friend Mic who is RG Prophet as well as getting lots of requests from my RG Mercy husband, I am going to help her by insisting she HEAR a lot of info about herself and others and what she can do and not do as a Servant to bless herself and others.  I insist she take care of her first before she tends to anyone else. That's just a basic, good habit to learn now...especially for a Servant!

The first assignment I gave her in these areas was to listen to the RG album.  She did that years ago.  Now she's ready for these materials:

1) The Principles for the Servant.   (hint: Authority)  Wow, will this be a big help to her.   She is working on downloading it free from the SLG site today.  Please bless her iPod and laptop to work properly!  It works fine when she's downloading audio stories!!

2) The Joy Unstoppable album.  ALL OF IT.  She loaded it onto her laptop over the Thanksgiving weekend and has begun it.   I see her stepping over the line into other peoples' business and then lashing out when they react badly.  I did it for many years so I recognize the ugly routine.  There's generational junk going back decades so this one (I think it's the 5th one) will need some skill for her to tackle.  I tackled it and so know she can, too.  

3)  The maturity series from Dr Wilder.  What is maturity?  What are the five stages?  Where is she in her own maturity and how can she help others to mature?  These questions will be answered as she listens to this awesome series.  

What wonderful gifts she will get from these audios!

I hope to keep you posted as to the results.  So far after just two days listening to the Principles for his RG gift (which is Teacher), my eldest son is stopping himself from arguing so much with her.  Fast fruit is SO nice.  Now to keep working on honoring KINDNESS within our family...whew! What many fronts there are to wage battle for the generations!  

Luke's Comedy : "Pumpkin Pie" ~An Assignment

This video is the result of my hubby assigning the three older boys a video project to be completed over Thanksgiving Day weekend.  I think they did GREAT!  What do you think???

To Manage or To Lead? That's the Question!

I know a guy who is dealing with management as well as leadership.  What are the principles?  Are they the same?  How do they differ?

I asked a few people and got some helpful responses.

Here's one from an article called Leadership and Management by Steven R. Covey

You might also like this one Manager or Leader

And then there's this one Leadership of People

I'm adding these to my list of other resources to help me get a clue. 

Bubbles Abound

I've been thinking about what types of people there are in the world.  I enjoy learning about all sorts of variations and similarities.  In the process I am learning about myself as well.  

Patty sent me this video a while back.  

I LOVE bubbles....and the thing I LOVE about them isn't what you might think.  When bubbles are being blown I love watching them...I love the motion and the color and the light (which is why I love music, too...because when I hear music I can "see" those three qualities as well!).  

I am not all that fond of breaking them though.  I mean, popping them is super fun, but what I MOST like is BLOWING bubbles.  

Hi.  My name is Kate and I LOVE blowing bubbles.  For you, for anyone or for no one.  

Watching people (and creatures) enjoy play gives me a ridiculous amount of pleasure.  

There.  I said it.

Entrepreneurship...A Calling Emerges

Are you an entrepreneur?

Have you the heart to build God's kingdom in your lifetime?  Do you want the lines between business, church, family, God and yourself all fade away making everything you do BE Kingdom driven?  ME TOO!!!

I think the greatest challenge for entrepreneurs is focusing inwardly on what burns within each of us in order to express things which will build God's kingdom.  

Why is that hard?  Well it's not...but it's quite a process to get the thing from the realm within us to the world beyond our mind, will, emotions and body.  

Ideally, an entrepreneur is one who STARTS new things.  I remember Dr. Ben Carson mentioning that small business and entrepreneurs are the driving engine of our economic structure.  Imagine entrepreneurs free to release into our world the stunning, new, innovative things which will help God's Kingdom expand!  

I am working on a special segment of our site here in order to offer materials, resources, tips, encouragement, stories as well as hopefully a community where we can share ideas.  

In the mean time to help assuage my massive entrepreneurial energy I signed up for the free e-course over at Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur.  I'm on session three and so far it is AWESOME!!!  It's giving me language for what's already been happening in my world.  Check it out if you think it might be your thing too!!!  

Making Money Doing What You Love

Are you interested in doing what you love to do FOR others while getting something FOR yourself and your family?  Small business might be right for you.  

Of all I've read, researched, prayed and thought about, I think this video hosted by Dave Ramsey is super helpful.  Click below to watch the video now.

How To Grow Your Side Business

Dave mentions this book and it sounds great.  I'll be reading it next week.  

I'd love to hear your thoughts!  Please share by leaving a comment below!

A Gift for You!

Have you experienced The Passion Translation yet????



Thanks to John and Lisa Bevere and Dr Brian Simmons, you can enjoy a sneak peek of it here.

Fear = Control Is It Wise & Healthy???

Sometimes, when we're afraid we try to control stuff.  It's a very normal response.  

What can create trouble for us is when we have no one to attune to us to tell us frankly, "You're afraid."

Learning how to handle our six right brained emotions (that are God given and VITAL for our healthy existence) takes time, effort, energy and some skill.   If you're new to the idea, you might like the Disney Pixar animated movie Inside Out, which depicts well five of the six.

Often those who have the skill do not even know they have it.

It's not good to try and control our surroundings because of fear unless we're aware of what we're doing...unless we're mindful or "conscious" of what we're doing and why.

There are oodles of examples through history, fiction, etc where fear caused people to control.  We try to control ourselves and our surroundings.  Sometimes we even try to control others.

It's really helpful to learn, "I try to control ___________ because I am afraid."  That can be the beginning of a healthy process which can be learned in the first years of life if we're surrounded by someone with that skill.  If we're not...well...it can take a while.

I love to help people learn this by coaching them to learn how to feel their own feelings. Check out my Coaching page if you're interested in learning more.  

As a help, here is a video from a couple of guys who have seemed to learn the art of equipping and empowering people rather than trying to control them.  The video is free, lasts about 53 minutes and can be watched right away by clicking here.

For those of you who prefer written articles, here's a good one on fear.

To help maintain this blog, I sometimes include affiliate links.  To read my full affiliate disclosure, go here.

Pleasure Building Stories

When reared as a disciple of doing in order to please others, I am finding building my pleasure center to be QUITE fun and altogether enjoyable.  

In my free time when I'm not tending to my six children, their educational and character development, overseeing meals, housekeeping (which is mostly done by them) or tending to myself and my husband, I spend my free time obsessing about emotional maturity (or lack therefore) and helping people get things sorted out so they can prosper inwardly with the hopes that eventually they will have outward fruit for others to enjoy.  To me, that's what making disciples looks like.  

When I'm not doing that?

One of my favorite things is to be engrossed within the fiction of my current preference.  Not just any fiction mind you...but fiction which depicts the very best in character, story, plot and so on.

I happen to be an absolute fan of the Inklings as well as other writers from that land mass.  It seems somehow to nurture THE best story tellers ever known to mankind (in my opinion!).

Recently I revisited my obsession with the Hobbit story and spent a long while savoring videos created by one of directors I respect more than any other as he shares blogs from the filming which spanned over three years.

The Hobbit Production Diaries (1-10) Full 1080p

                  

As I try and figure out how to lead others (which is within my design yet has been sort of squashed out of me -for now) I LOVE watching as PJ describes the processes involved with the presentation of the films which are now already in the annals of film history.  Watching the creative people and ALL that these skilled artists DO for the sake of telling an amazing story is something which gets all of my inner juices flowing.

For what purpose?  PURE PLEASURE so far. And I think getting a feel for being able to bring people together for a course of action is part of what I'm here for.  Who are they?  I have a hunch.  Artists with the spirit of wisdom.  For what purpose??  The Training Center probably.  How?  NO idea....but sitting on my tail end while my body rests and my mind and heart wander throughout the universe for God's answers is part of MY process as I learn and grow and allow my innards to awaken to reality.

                       \\\\

                                                        The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey - ORCRIST Letter Opener

What do YOU like to do that has nothing to do with helping or building up anybody else???

Dr Wilder: The 5 Step Process of Growing Up + Webinar Links

In my journey to find truth about what it means to be a human being, I have gleaned SO much from this particular ministry!

I recently had the pleasure of attending a series of webinars which go into wonderful detail about what maturity is, how to assess our own levels and how to help someone else grow up.

In order for you to here them too, I spent some time creating this post just for you!   

Session 1  The Five Stages of Growing Up

Length: 1 hour 2 minutes

Click here to listen and gain an understanding of the five levels of maturity. Inso doing, you'll get equipped for the second webinar.

For a brief description of the maturity phases, click here to download the free pdf by Dr Wilder.  The material is taken from Dr Wilder's excellent book.

Living with Men combines both the latest science and the oldest wisdom for training the control center in a man's brain for relationships. Immature men create leadership, parenting and relational failures, leaving deep pain in children, couples, families, churches, communities and themselves.

Session 2  Assessing and Developing My Maturity

Length: 59 minutes

Click here to listen as Dr. Wilder helps us learn to assess and develop our maturity in this webinar.

Session 3   Helping Others Mature

Length: 1 hour 2 minutes

In this webinar, Dr. Jim Wilder gives a foundational understanding of what it means to help others mature. Use this link to access the recording if you'd like to watch/hear it. 

Want to know your JoyQ?  Take this free assessment to see!  Update it as your grow more joy strength!

As a bonus, here is a link to a free ebook explaining the 19 relational brain skills which can help us mature and thrive.  

Here are more materials you might like:

Joy is a banquet table to which we are all invited. The places are set, and the table is filled with the delightful aroma that satisfies our deepest longing for life-giving connections with God and with others. There is room at this table for everyone; young and old, weak or strong. So pull up a chair, we've been waiting for you! Jim Wilder, Ed Khouri, Chris Coursey, and Shelia Sutton guide us through the journey to joy. This is the real joy you've been seeking. The solutions and exercises in this book will teach you the essential skills needed to restore and grow joy with those around you. Join the beginning of a joyful revolution that can change your life, your community and the world. Get ready...Joy Starts Here.

Relational brain skills change our lives and transform our relationships. Learn the 19 critical relational skills needed for resilience, peace and joy in every family and community. The Bible and brain science combine to show us active solutions we ordinarily overlook for personal and corporate transformation. Transforming Fellowship tackles the central issue that is destroying the credibility of the Western Church. Our fellowship lacks the transforming power Jesus intended. Through Transforming Fellowship we each actively contribute part of Christ's character to one another. How we think, live and react changes at a basic brain level. Transforming Fellowship develops both deep love and relational skills. Transforming Fellowship is as deeply spiritual as it is practical.

The Life Model is a unifying approach to ministries of counseling, recovery, pastoral care, prayer ministry, deliverance, inner healing, child rearing, body life and health. Substance abuse recovery programs internationally are guided by the Life Model's five principles. Because the Life Model develops strong maturity, it is widely used as a church model, particularly where people must face suffering. Missions have adopted the Life Model for restoring hurt missionary children. Almost every major ministry dealing with trauma and abuse in the USA uses the Life Model as part of their teaching. This new version now includes study questions at the end of each chapter as well as many other bonuses. Written by James Friesen, E James Wilder, Anne Bierling, Rick Koepcke, and Maribeth Poole.

Biblical Marriage

As I study biblical marriage,  leaving and cleaving are a sequential necessity in order to walk properly in marriage.

What if a man has not left his parents emotionally, mentally, financially?

What if he is at infant level maturity yet had a wedding, got a marriage certificate and has a lady who has joined herself with him?

According to scripture the man is required to leave (emotionally, financially, mentally) HIS parents; the woman is not required to.   Pastor Mark Gungor does a great job explaining some truths about that.  You can find his stuff on YouTube.

What if the man hasn't left? 

Is he really then a husband?  Can he cleave?  Can they become one in the eyes of God?

The woman who thinks she is operating within the realm of a spiritual marriage (by spiritual I mean one that is in God's eyes an actually marriage) by making a vow doesn't necessarily mean she is in a marriage covenant with that man.  

If he never went through the processes of leaving his parents then it's likely they are not married in the spiritual legal sense.

Why does it matter?

I will go into that another time.  While you wait, check out this fantastic message from my old pastor Noel H.  

Counter Cultural Marriage
"Biblical marriage preaches the Gospel to our culture by modeling Jesus in a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, characterized by sexual-exclusivity, complimentary servant roles, and the ongoing sacrifice of self."  ~Noel H.  

Growing Business at Home

As we tend to loving God, ourselves and others in that order, more and more of us are looking for ways we can meet our families needs in more ways than material. What about the emotional capital they require and the presence of fathers in their midst?  

Some of us have taken the leap back into pioneering again by having the Mother stay home and tend to life with children's education, etc.

                        

Others are hoping to add to that by figuring out how to bring industry back into the family world.  My friend Mrs F says the Amish consider very carefully each new thing which makes life "easier" making sure it will not elevate the men of all their work and necessitate them leaving home for a paycheck.

Others wouldn't dream of being at home and are grateful for work which meets all their material needs.  Each of us must consider the calling on our lives and work to fulfill it as best we can.

Our family is in this process.  I'm not sure if we will make it in our generation but I mean to try.  Not all families and couples are created with the same gifts and desires.  What works for one to bring in income doesn't necessarily work for another.

Do you work along with your family in some capacity?  What has worked for you?

           

I've included some affiliate links in case you like the same things I do. 

Entrepreneurs & Small Business

Have you got something you long to share with the world but aren't sure how?

I KNOW THE FEELING!

With an enormous amount of entrepreneurial energy and not a whole lot of competitive spirit (unless I know for sure I can win), I have spent much of my life looking for ways to get out there and do something with all this locked-up passion which burns and wriggles within me.

Isn't it easy?

Well that depends.  For some, they seem to hit the ground running, get into the groove and keep going until they keel over.  Money, success and prosperity are always within their reach as they believe they will have it and work hard for it.

Then there are some of us...who grew up with an impoverished spirit in more ways than one.  Our wiring is still to do great things that will impact society for the future in really great ways, but we can't get off the couch, out of the ditch our get beyond our day job to get a feel for what it is like to actually BENEFIT others on a big scale.

For some reason, I hold myself back constantly, terrified I will over commit myself and then let people down.  To help combat this and learn a bit in the hopes of maturing, I decided to spend some time focusing on growing ME first...before I grow my company or set out to equip employees for their careers.  I love helping people reach their goals; I just needed to figure out what mine are first!

I know of a company motto that's to help people reach their goals.  I love it!  I can think of all sorts of goals I have- large and small- that I want to reach.  I can also think of others who have goals and I itch to see those become a reality, too.

I have this word picture of entrepreneurs being a bit like visionaries...who can see things which don't yet exist and then partner with their own inner strength, tap into the flow and then release it outwardly to a waiting world.

If you can relate to this idea, you might like this series as I explore ideas, share failure stories and resources which have helped others get a bit of a handle on their own inner flow.  Stay tuned!!!

                               

In the meantime, check out some affiliate links.