Style Speaks

And our unpresentable parts have greater modesty.

2 Corinthians 12:23b

It's one of those things that women are supposed to look forward to. We make the plans, call up the girlfriends, and map the route with an engineer's level of precision. Shopping and the American woman are more than necessary acquaintances. It's the ultimate female bonding experience, right? But beyond the rush of the must-have mini and the oh-so-cute flip-flops, there's more going on. Not to rain on the shopping parade, but what we buy, how we select it, and how we wear it doesn't just reflect our style and how we use what's in our wallets. Our bodies, how we care for them, and the way in which we clothe them do more than make a fashion statement. They communicate what we really love and what we most desire.

Our appearance demonstrates what we worship. Anyone who has ever felt the tug of war between the perfect top that is a little too low-cut or tight and the voice of conscience telling us that we shouldn't buy it knows what I mean. The world says, "If you've got it, flaunt it." But God prizes discretion and modesty, and what we wear is a reflection on His reputation. Does our appearance proclaim to the world that God is holy, pure, and set apart from sin? Or does it defame His reputation, declare our independence from Him, and show that our decisions are controlled by the spirit of Victoria’s Secret rather than the Spirit of God?

Clothing communicates our desires like few other things. Rarely do we buy something too short, too tight, or just too... little by accident. In our sex-saturated society, skin sells. Flesh is power, and yes, exposed surface area attracts attention. Why wear something too tight, if not to draw attention to the shape of the body? Why expose cleavage if not to draw stares from the men around us, men who aren't our husband and whose attention is not ours to claim? There's no godly reason, and there's no middle ground. Do our clothes show the world that we crave this attention?

We are judged by our dress, for good or for bad. If our clothing communicates impurity, all of the purity pledges in the world won't make a difference. If our clothing defames God's reputation, our words to contrary are a hollow contradiction.

Corrupt Talk Leads To Irresponsible Hearing

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up,

as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 4:29

We live in a society inundated by talk. At their best, words express our worship of the One who gave us the ability to think, feel, and speak. At their worst, words spew out the abundance of sin in the heart to destroy. At every point in between, words matter.

Talking requires discernment; so does listening. And listening responsibly has become a challenge in a culture that values talk-for-talk's-sake as entertainment. How often this kind of talk pushes the boundaries of decency and restraint for the payoff of audience reaction!

How often we reward insensible talk with the approval of our time and attention. When we listen with irresponsible ears, we encourage the bar of civility to fall lower and lower. We also dull our own minds and hearts so that what used to shock us has no effect.

Let's face it—it's easy to listen a little too long, to laugh when we shouldn't, to push the boundaries ourselves in order to get a reaction. But what comes easily for the flesh isn't God's standard for our talk.

Whether we speak or listen, we are responsible before God for our words. His Son died to pay for our slander, gossip, lewd innuendos, and off-color jokes. By His grace, we speak—and listen—for his glory.

Meeting And Greeting

People notice your outward appearance first, but they also notice what you say and how you act when they meet you. You need to know how to introduce yourself and others, as well as how to make small talk and polite conversation with new acquaintances and peers. Greet everyone with a friendly smile. When it is appropriate, say, “Hello, how are you?”

Introduce yourself with the six S’s:

1. Stand
2. Smile
3. See their eyes
4. Shake hands
5. Speak your name
6. Say their name back to them

Most of us have trouble with introductions, whether introducing ourselves or someone else. We have trouble remembering names, and we can’t remember the rules. If you learn the six S’s and practice them often, you will always be comfortable when you meet people.

The first four S’s—stand, smile, see their eyes, and shake hands—are done almost simultaneously. The last two—speak your name and say the other person’s name back to them—follow.

Stand. It’s always polite to stand when you are meeting or greeting someone.

Smile. The smile is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see. It takes fourteen muscles to smile, but more than seventy to frown.

See their eyes. Making eye contact with people is important. If you have trouble looking people in the eye, practice introducing yourself in front of a mirror. You will soon become more comfortable.

Shake hands. A handshake should be firm, but neither crushing nor limp. The Protocol School in Washington teaches that the Web between your thumb and index finger should meet the web of the other person’s hand. To keep your hand dry, wipe your hand on your clothing before extending it, if necessary. Don’t pump someone’s hand up and down as though you were priming a pump.

Say the person’s name back to him or her. After you have introduced yourself to someone, and the person tells you his or her name, repeat the name, saying, it slowly and distinctly. Repeating a name helps you remember it and makes sure you understand it correctly. It also makes other people feel good when you say their name.

What Are Our Limitations?

Do we really live in a world of limitations? We see athletes break records we once thought impossible. We set goals to break our own record sales. We push ourselves until the brink of fatigue and exhaustion. Just how far can we go and still remain healthy?

Physical limitations are probably the ones we will first notice. As we live, we realize that aging is inevitable. We might ache more than you did last year. Our eyes might not focus as well as they did last year. We might not be able to eat the same way you did when you were a twenty-something and expect to maintain a healthy weight. Physical limitations are hard to accept, but truly a part of living and aging.

Our main limitations in life might be:

• Physical - we can’t function without the proper amounts of food, water, and sleep. When we fail to meet our physical needs, our bodies reach points of fatigue and exhaustion. People with occupations that require strenuous physical labor must pay close attention to their physical needs to compensate for the energy expended each day.

• Emotional - our emotional involvement with your family might be too intense in crisis situations for us to truly function at our best. People in caring professions often become too emotionally involved in too many people emotionally, ending up fatigued and exhausted.

• Mental - our mind is used to carrying out both simple and complex thoughts during the day. But we can experience too much information, coming at us too quickly, or information that is too complicated for us to process in a healthy and productive way.

When it comes to emotional and mental limitations, many people ignore their bodies’ calls for help. People have limits—on the number of people they can service; on the number of intelligent decisions they can expect to make; on the amount of time they can devote to a task; on how much new information they can absorb; on how many clients they can deal with. People have needs that must be met in order to remain functional.

Sometimes people look at their limitations in negative ways when viewed through the lens of employment. Some might fear that if they are limited in certain areas in the workplace, they might not excel, get a promotion, be respected, or have the security of employment.

From this standpoint, the issue of limitations becomes a spiritual one. We sometimes fear the future instead of looking to the future with faith. We sometimes fail to involve God in our work. We sometimes separate our lives into compartments—ones for faith, family, and work—and forget to involve God in all we do.

We must learn to rely on God instead of ourselves. He already knows what we are able do on our own. He also knows when to reach out to us with His limitless ability to give us what we need when we need it—as Christians it is already ours we just have to call on God and it will be given. What He will not do is assist us with something that is not His will. Some Christians have a real knack of “thinking up” something good to do for God. Some run ahead of Him in creating something of value to do for Him. Despite good intentions, we can sometimes wear ourselves out while God is waiting for us to do something supernatural with His power.

Is there a game plan for living a balanced life and dealing with our limitations? Yes.

• First, begin your day with Christ, and He will help you order your day with greater clarity than you can alone. Instead of moving quickly from one task to the next, consider how you can begin your day with a quiet time with the Lord. Ask Him to help you determine the priorities of your day. Ask Him for wisdom in dealing with your limitations.

• Second, learn to say no. Fatigued and exhausted set in when you think that something horrible will happen if you turn down an opportunity or say no to someone’s request. Sometimes the most intelligent and best thing you can do is to say no.

• Third, learn to ask for help if you find that you are continually emotionally and mentally drained. Ask others to help you carry the load. Find a mentor, pastor, or Christian friend to help you determine a plan for you to be free of your emotional and mental strain.

• Finally, learn to live in faith, realizing that it is the antidote to fear. We don’t have to fear what might happen if we reduce the load that we carry. God is a good and powerful God who provides for our needs. He cares for us deeply. He knows what we long for, and He knows what we need. We can trust Him to reveal to us what He would have us do and show us what we need to avoid.

So, do we live in a world of limitations? Yes, we do. We have limits, but our Father in heaven is limitless. We must live in faith that God has and will provide what we need when we need it, this is a way that we can live a life of greater abundance each day.

The Importance Of Training And Development

What would happen if the athletes who decide to run the Boston Marathon failed to train? Would they succeed? Would they feel a sense of accomplishment? Or would they experience humiliation in front of fellow athletes? Training leads to personal growth and success. If you have not already determined a plan for success, then begin drafting your training plan today.

Training Excuses

Training is one element many corporations consider when looking to advance people and offer promotions. Although many employees recognize the high value those in management place on training and development, some employees are still reluctant to be trained. It is not uncommon to hear excuses regarding why someone has not received training.

Some people are just comfortable in what they are doing. Some fail to see the value of training because they really believe that they already know it all. And while that might be true, the knowledge value of training and development is not the only perk. Training and development offers more than just increased knowledge. It offers the added advantage of networking and drawing from others’ experiences. When you attend a seminar or event with others who have jobs that are much like yours, you have the added benefit of sharing from life experience. The seminar notes or the conference leader might give you the key nugget you take back and implement. But then again, your best piece of advice for the day might come from the peer sitting across from you while having lunch.

Another common excuse is that there is not enough money budgeted to pay for training. Who said that training always carries a heavy enrollment fee? Training can be free. You can set up meetings with peers who are on a similar path as you. When you spend time with them you can ask various questions that will in fact be of benefit to you and the direction you are headed. Follow someone for a day to see how they organize or manage their time and resources. The cost to you is a day out of your normal routine. You usually don’t think twice about taking a day of vacation, so why should a day of training be any different?

Time is another often-heard excuse when training and development is mentioned. Have you considered that training and development might actually give you more time? Often the procedures, ideas, short cuts, and timesaving hints learned in training and development sessions equal more time in the long run. Have you heard the old saying that you have to spend money to make money? Well, in a sense, the same is true for training and development. You have to devote some time to training and development to make you more productive in the long run.

Reasons to Train

In order to convince you to ditch the excuses, perhaps we need to look at some reasons to train. Training is valuable to both you. Increased knowledge and skill makes you more productive in and thus more valuable. As you grow in knowledge or skill, you make yourself more marketable.

Another reason to train is because it helps keep you motivated and breaks up your normal routine. Training can help you get beyond the daily routine and perhaps energize you to do better work.

Part of the energizing process of training is found in the relationships formed during training sessions. Training offers you a time to network with and connect with other professionals. Always remember to exchange business cards or contact information. You never know when you might need to contact the person or vice versa.

Your Personal Training Plan

Once you have determined that you are in need of a training plan, consider which areas of weakness need to be targeted. Then consider which areas are strong, yet could be further strengthened. Make a list of several skills or knowledge that you believe would make you more valuable and marketable. Then begin to determine ways you could be trained to strengthen those areas.

In determining you personal training plan, don’t overlook areas in which you have an interest. If you are interested in learning more about computers or if you have an interest in public speaking, why not seek training in one of those areas? You may begin to see that God is leading you to an area of giftedness or interest that you have not yet tapped. Dream big and seek the training you think best fits both your needs and interests and then watch yourself grow in personal development.

Looking For A Mentor

Are you looking for a mentor? The following checklist is a rather detailed, point-by-point, academic exercise in trying to help you find the ideal mentor you for. What you’re really looking for is a person whom you know cares for you, believes in you, and naturally encourages you. A good mentor is a person who you enjoy being with, who has more experience than you have, and who would be happy to help you win in life. If you already have that person in your life, this checklist will only confirm your intuitive guess that this person would make a great mentor.

What to look for in a mentor:

1. Honest with You

Someone who will take you aside on occasion and tell you things you need to hear but frankly don’t necessarily want to hear.

2. A Model for You

Thomas Carlyle’s words are worth repeating: “Be what you would have your pupils to be.” What do you learn by watching them as well as by listening to them? Part of your mentor’s role is teaching you by letting you watch them in addition to telling you things.

3. Deeply Committed to You

It may be a little difficult to see a mentor or a protégé as family. But the Apostle Paul, when writing to his young protégé, Timothy, captured this thought when he said, “Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity” (1 Timothy 5:1). Even though they are probably not blood relatives, see both your mentor and your protégé with a family level of commitment.

4. Open and Transparent

Every mentor has struggles that the protégé never sees. The protégé might say with some hesitation, “My mentor can do this, but I don’t know if I’ll ever make it because I have problems with discipline (or doubt, or self-worth, or fatigue).” Ask your mentor to share their struggles, along with success stories.

5. A Teacher

Many people do things well, but don’t know how to explain to another person how they did it. At one time they learned how to do a given exercise (an accounting practice, a writing style, a trick of the trade) but have long since forgotten how they do it. Look for a mentor that can tell you how and why they did, or didn’t, do something.

6. One Who Believes in Your Potential

Your ideal mentor needs to be the kind of person who looks at you and says, “Yes, I think this person has tremendous potential. I think if I invest some of my life in this person, they have what it takes to make a real difference.”

7. One Who Can Help You Define Your Dream and a Plan to Turn Your Dream into Reality

Ideally, you are looking for a mentor who can help you clarify things which are in your head and in your heart. The mentor helps you answer the dream question. “How can I make the most significant difference for God in my lifetime?”

8. Successful in Your Eyes

You must feel that your mentor is the kind of person you would like to be like some day, in some ways.

9. Be Open to Learning from You, As Well As Teaching You

This might sound off as a prerequisite for being a good mentor because it seems like the mentor’s job to teach and the Protégé’s job to learn. But in fact it is always good to have a mentor that remains teachable, then they are modeling the teachability that they want you—their protégé to have. You can learn from everyone. What’s more, if a mentor pours their life into a person and gives and gives and gives, sooner or later that person in whom they have invested so much in will want to give something back.

10. Having A Flexible Agenda

A mentor is a person who has a flexible agenda, and teaches the importance of having a flexible agenda.

Finding The Wise People

I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion.

Proverbs 8:12

What do some of the wisest people you know have in common: they voraciously seek wisdom! It seems obvious, but it isn’t. It takes humility to seek out the advice and input of others, and it is a constant struggle to overcome pride and self-sufficiency in this matter.

Author and speaker Gregg Harris notes that when the Queen of Sheba found out that King Solomon was the wisest man who had ever lived, she responded by traveling to “test him with hard questions” (1 Kings 10:1).

You probably know several Solomons—wise people you could learn a lot from. Here are some questions to identify who they are:

• Who knows what you need to know?
• Who is doing what you would like to do?
• Who knows you better than you know yourself?
• Who will give you honest, constructive feedback?
• Who can encourage you and guide you?

Once you identify these folks, figure out how to learn from them. Read their books. Spend time observing them. E-mail or call them. Take them to lunch and ask questions.

Here are six categories of Solomons you need to start interacting with right away:

1. Trusted Friends and Relatives

Don’t neglect the obvious. Ask family members: “When you observe my life, what do you see as my strengths and weaknesses?” If you are a student, ask your teachers, “Based on what you know about me, what do you think I would be good at?” Ask coworkers or bosses: “I want to take my work to the next level. What are some areas of strength or weakness that you think I could work on?”

2. Spiritual Advisors

Ask your pastor: “What kind of character qualities do you see in my life? How can I be stronger at what really matters? How can I discover what is important to God in my life?”

3. Mentors

Think of the wisest people you know and arrange to spend time with them. Prepare well for it; write out questions you would like to have answered. Tell them that you admire them and want to learn from them, and ask if it is possible to take them to lunch or arrange to spend time together.

4. Coaches

If you want to know how to play a sport, you find a coach. If you want to explore an occupation or find out how to be wise and successful, you should do the same thing.

5. Authorities

Though you might not spend much time with them, you can learn by reading their books, browsing their web sites, and subscribing to their publications.

6. Heroes

Perhaps there are people from the past—or those still living—for whom you have great admiration. Inspire yourself by reading biographies and autobiographies to discover what made them tick.

Start seeking out the Solomons in your life today. Make it a priority. As you do, your inspirational gift will spark to life, and you will find a much greater sense of direction and purpose in life.

Change Is Part Of Life And Work

And He changes the times and the seasons;

He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.

Daniel 2:21

Professionals react differently to change in their workplace, depending upon their personalities. Some people thrive in the midst of change, anticipate it, and accept it as a path to personal growth and adventure. Others resist change, convincing themselves that it's unnecessary, and refuse to accept it. Still others reluctantly admit that change is needed, but pine for way things used to be.

Many of us have work patterns and habits that we prefer keep set in stone. Once we become used to doing something one way, we resist change. Becoming obstinate in our view of workplace change might impact our performance and job security. An obstinate spirit could indicate an underlying fear. Talking with others about your fear of change usually helps calm or alleviate your fears.

So, how can you prepare for change in the workplace? Consider these five directives, which can help you move toward change with great confidence.

1. Rely on the strength of your faith in God. Remember that God is the greatest agent of change in your life. You do nothing in and of yourself without God being involved. The things about you that have been changed from your former nature are much more significant than any change you might be required to make in the work place.

2. Expect change is a process. Most of us, when presented with another way of doing something, deny that there is a need for change. We then resist, begin to explore why the change might be needed, and, after we explore the options, finally commit to and accept the change.

3. Seek knowledge. Gather information, ask questions, and learn as much as you can about why those initiating the change have made the new proposals. As you begin to understand why, you will be better able to accept the change.

4. Prepare for disappointment. Just when you think things are going well in a change initiative, you can plan on experiencing disappointment. Some people experiencing change miss their old work patterns and must accept the new way as reality if they wish to continue in their current roles at work.

5. Be a change agent. God is about changing our lives as Christians. And change is evident in our work culture today. Technological advances alone keep us updating, moving to new systems, and learning new work methods just to keep up with our competitors. You can learn to embrace change as you work through the process and then help bring others onboard. You can’t serve as a change agent in your workplace without first embracing change yourself.

A Leadership Check-Up

A vital leader seldom waits for failure before appraising his leadership skills. These eight questions will help you evaluate your leadership strengths and weaknesses. You can then fine-tune your personal development program accordingly.

1. How and where do I have influence?

Influence—not position or power—makes a leader successful. What is my current level of influence at work? How often do others turn to me for direction or approval? Do I see evidence of my influence both above and below me on the organizational chart? Who influences me and how? Remember, we often adopt both the strengths and weaknesses of those around us, so make sure you are not being influenced in a way that leads you away from your goals. In what new arenas can I extend my influence? It may be a new department, a new market or venue, a new partnership or alliance, or a new vendor or supplier.

2. Where can I improve my people skills?

Someone can lead for a season based on position or problem-solving ability, but success in the long run depends on the ability to get along with and develop people. How can I improve my listening skills? How can I discover what motivates those whom I lead? Am I willing to ask more questions and get more input from others?

3. Do I have a positive outlook?

A positive attitude alone doesn’t identify a capacity for leadership, but a negative spirit will always diminish a person’s leadership potential. The ability to master my own emotions gives me a sizeable advantage during crisis situations. Never forget that a crisis situation is precisely when leadership is most noticed and valued.

4. Do I see evidence of growth in self-discipline?

Am I disciplined in my use of time? Do I willingly delay gratification in order to achieve worthwhile goals? Are there any evidences of lack of self-discipline in my appearance or work habits?

5. Do I have a proven track record of success in my field?

Busyness is not an accurate indicator of success. Some people work like crazy and never accomplish anything. Past success is a key predictor of future success. What have I accomplished that I am proud of? Did those accomplishments include others? How does my experience relate to what I need today? Am I willing to put forth the effort again?

6. How are my problem-solving skills?

Many people are impressed with their ability to spot a problem. Identifying a problem is easy; just about anyone can do it. Leaders must solve problems. In fact, where there are no problems, there is no need for leadership. Problem solvers don’t dwell on what went wrong or who was to blame. Instead, they spend their energies on finding a solution.

7. Do I refuse to accept the status quo?

Growing leaders value progress over security. Not only are they dissatisfied with what is; they have a vision for what can be. The person who resists the status quo is willing to take a risk, be different, and pay the price for victory.

8. Do I have a big-picture mindset?

How often do you step back to maintain perspective, especially in the face of distraction or pressure?

Keeping Up The Progress

What do elevators, leaf blowers, and car wash machines have in common? Advances in technology or modern inventions for an easier life? Maybe, but "advances" that make our lives "easier" can be thieves stealing our good health. According to recent studies, 60 percent of Americans are sedentary. Sedentary means they do little or no meaningful physical activity. Modern advances, it seems, have changed the stand-firm motto of "We shall not be moved" to "We will not move."

God created the human body with muscles, bones, and organs designed for strength, movement, and physical work. Yet technology enables us to do less physical work and rely on mechanical muscle. As we do, our health suffers with increased obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancers, brittle bones, and a host of other diseases.

In an effort to reverse the plunging health deficit that is costing millions of dollars, The National Academies' Institute of Medicine recently released new health recommendations including one hour of physical activity each day to improve health and maintain a normal body weight. This recommendation is twice as much as the previous recommendation in 1996 from the U.S. Surgeon General of at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week.

Before you toss in the towel saying you don't have time, think of the hour as an investment into your current and future health. Combine small increments of movement time throughout the day and reap big dividends. Use the following tips to increase your daily activity level:

• Look for ways to move instead of remaining still. Walk to lunch. Take the stairs. March in place while on the phone. Wash the car by hand. Rake the leaves. If you can do an activity using your body instead of machines, your body will benefit.

• Design your own fitness plan. Your fitness plan is as unique as you are. When developing your plan, consider the number of days a week and amount of time each day you will commit to exercising, how hard you will work based on your fitness level, and the type of activity you enjoy doing. Combining 30 minutes of exercise with smaller moments of movement throughout the day adds up to an hour of movement without compromising your health or your schedule.

• Track your progress with a fitness journal. A journal is a great motivator. You will see progress in your fitness level as you move faster, work for longer periods of time, and get stronger.

• Mix things up. To avoid boredom, periodically change your routine. Play a team sport. Change your walking path. Use different fitness equipment. When you mix up your routine, you challenge your body to continue to make progress.

• Team up with others. Exercising with another person offers accountability, motivation and encouragement for some. If you need to ask a friend or family member to join you for a walk. Join a local health club. Take a fitness class. Hire a personal trainer or wellness coach. The support and encouragement of others will help you stay on track.

• Reward yourself. Establish short-term, action-oriented goals and reward the accomplishment. Reward five consistent days of activity with a phone call to a friend. Reward a month of consistent exercise with a new book or CD. Meaningful rewards will keep you motivated to reach your goal.

Remember, no one is perfect, so strive for progress instead of perfection. Proverbs 10:4 says, "Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." When our hands, feet, and bodies are active, we can avoid the physical poor house. Invest in your life by choosing daily physical activity.

Think About It

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.

Philippians 4:8

“A mind is a terrible thing to waste” was an advertisement tagline in the 70’s that encouraged young people to go to college. But, even a college-educated mind can be wasted when negative thoughts play repeatedly in that mind. All too often, we waste mental energy thinking wrongly about ourselves and then acting or feeling based on these incorrect thoughts. To overcome this vicious cycle, Paul gave us a mental check list for evaluating our thoughts so they would be correct. When thoughts enter your mind, use the following questions as a filter for whether you need to let that thought play in your mind or if you need to discard it and replace it with positive, empowering thoughts. Intentionally think about each thought and ask:

True or False? When a thought enters your mind ask, “Is that true?” Honest evaluation will give credence to how you will act or respond to the information. If the thought is completely true and in line with what God’s Word says about you (See Psalms 139 for some details about what God thinks about you), then determine if you can make an improvement or change and act on it. If not, then accept reality and move forward without experiencing remorse, guilt or regret. If the thought is only partly true or untrue either way, it’s a lie. Replace the lying thought with a truthful thought.

Noble or Degrading? Ennoblement is the old word used to describe the act of treating someone as royalty. Our thoughts should elevate ourselves and others. The opposite of noble thinking is to debase, degrade or lower. This is not a prideful elevation of us or others but a realistic view that everyone is a valuable, wonderful creation of God and deserves to be treated and thought of that way. Thinking nobly will help us avoid thoughts of comparison or competition since we are thinking of everyone, including ourselves, with high regard.

Right or Wrong? Right living begins with right thinking. When you think thoughts that are right, they are in line with God’s Word. To think rightly we must know what God says and that requires time reading and studying the Bible. Thoughts that are wrong will be very evident to you when you have the measuring stick of God’s Word for comparison. Just as partial truth is a lie, almost right or mostly right is still wrong. When a thought is evaluated as wrong, replace it with what is right.

Pure or Tainted? Pure thoughts are clean, innocent, genuine, stainless and uncontaminated. Tainted or impure thoughts are stained by improper motives, greed, pride, selfishness, or lust. When you recognize impurity in your thoughts, capture (See 2 Corinthians 10:5) and quickly discard them so they will not influence your decisions or lead to wrong actions.

Lovely or Ugly? Beauty is evidence of a creative and awesome God. “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). When our thoughts reflect beauty they reflect God. Ugly and displeasing thoughts and topics do not bring glory to God.

Admirable or Critical? When someone gives a good report or review they are speaking admirably. Admirable thoughts are positive and uplifting. Critical thoughts are negative and tear down. Recognize and remove critical thoughts before they come out as destructive words or actions.

Excellent or Poor? To excel is to reach new heights or perform at a high level. Poor thoughts are below average, back-biting, gossipy, negative, and harmful. We need not be preoccupied with only the achievements of others but also the excellent or virtuous characteristics we personally possess. Change poor thoughts into high achieving excellent thoughts about yourself and others.

Praiseworthy or Blameworthy? Great job! Nice work! Well done! All these comments of praise are fitting for quality work. Use these thoughts about your accomplishments when you have done well. Blameworthy thoughts are ones that place the responsibility for your choices or actions on someone else. Change thoughts like, “He made me so mad,” or “I didn’t have a choice; she made me do it,” to thoughts that are praiseworthy. “Great job! I can control my anger,” and “I chose to act (react or respond) that way,” are more praiseworthy from yourself, God and others. Avoid playing the mental “blame game” by replacing those thoughts with praiseworthy thoughts.

Think about it. Wouldn’t your mind be better used thinking correctly? Memorize Paul’s check-list from Philippians 4:8 and carefully evaluate your thoughts for a mind that honors God.

Choices For Good Health

We are asked to make choices everyday. "What's for dinner?" "What should I wear?" What time do we leave?" "Where are we going?" There is a choice in every decision and every choice has a consequence; some good and some bad. Research on a wide range of health issues has proven that if we make good lifestyle choices, we have the ability to limit our risk for diseases including heart disease, many types of cancer, strokes, and diabetes. Yet, many choose to ignore these recommendations and pay the price with their health.

Given the option of living a fulfilling, healthy life or facing serious health problems and even death, here are some choices we have.

1. Choose to eat more fruits and vegetables. Five servings or more a day of a variety of fruits and vegetables are low in fat and calories and provide disease-fighting vitamins and minerals.

2. Choose to move. Exercise has many benefits: stress reduction, reducing blood pressure, weight control, and building strong muscles and bones, to name a few. Beginning an exercise program, four to five days a week for 30 to 45 minutes and maintaining an active lifestyle will greatly decrease your risk for disease.

3. Choose to eat less fat and more fiber. Fat and fiber in your diet both give you a full, satisfying feeling after eating. But fat has a lot of calories–9 calories per gram–and fiber has little to no calories. Excess fat clogs arteries. Fiber removes fat from the blood. Fat increases your risk of disease. Fiber reduces your risk of disease. Consider eating less of fat laden red meat and more high fiber pinto, kidney or black beans. However, keep in mind that healthy fats—olive oil, nuts, and avocados—do have a place in the diet.

4. Choose to be informed. Learn information about your health from your physician, nutrition consultant, or personal trainer. What is your cholesterol level, blood sugar level, and body composition percentage? Learn to develop an individualized wellness plan to accomplish your health goals.

Now you have a choice: stay where you are or feel better with wiser choices. Which will you choose? Your future health depends on your answer.

Is Fear of Change Keeping You From Your Ideal Job?

And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.

Exodus 16:3-4

Security can be imprisoning. The comfort of familiarity may be keeping you from new and brighter opportunities. Charles Dickens wrote about a man who had been in prison for many years. Obviously this man longed for freedom from his dungeon of despair and hopelessness. Finally, the day of his liberation arrived. He was led from his gloomy cell into the bright and beautiful and free world. He momentarily gazed into the sunlight, then turned and walked back to his cell. He had become so comfortable with confinement that the thought of freedom was overwhelming. For him, the chains and darkness were a predictable security.

For many people change is frightening. The sameness and predictability of what we have may be more comfortable than the uncertainty of change. Day after day people have feelings of being trapped in their jobs and lives. And yet, the comfort of at least knowing what is coming each day appears to be more attractive than the uncertainty of initiating change.

Many people have the "dream" of owning their own business. We hear stories about people who purchased a business opportunity, got into a Multi-Level Marketing program, or opened their own antique shop. Six months later they are begging to get their old job back. The challenges of being more independent, having to make decisions about inventory, managing employees, and dealing with new tax reporting forms have caused them to long for the old days—back in Egypt.

Remember those people? When the children of Israel left Egypt they were headed for the Promised Land. But a few days of passing through the desert (a necessary passage to the Promised Land) left them whining to go back to the familiar misery of slavery under the Pharaoh. Yet going through "the desert" is an integral part of getting to any Promised Land. Most businesspeople go through 3-4 ideas and "failures" before they reach extraordinary success.

The first step in creating positive change is to identify what you want. What would the ideal job be? What kind of people would you be working with? What skills would you be using? How would it make a difference in the world? Fortunately, you are not trapped in your job or life. You can choose to walk into new freedom—or you can choose to stay in your own private prison. Like the man in Dickens story, it's tempting to become "secure" even in negative situations. Yet freedom comes only to those who are willing to surrender the security of imprisonment.

You can't sail to new lands unless you're willing to lose sight of the shore. Do you have a secure prison that is protecting you, but perhaps keeping you from a new freedom?

Mind Over Matter

“Where did I put my keys?” “What was her name?” “When did you say we were leaving?” “I just can’t remember details anymore. It must be my age.”

Who hasn’t asked one of these questions or made that statement in a moment of forgetfulness or cloudy thinking? We all let our brains get a little foggy due to overload or mental laziness but, don’t ever blame age for your mental slump. According to studies from Duke University, slow brain function and loss of memory are caused from lack of mental fitness and not merely a function of getting older. Just as staying physically fit is the result of an intentionally healthy lifestyle, mental fitness and sharpness will result from the intentional use of the brain for reasoning, thinking, problem-solving and strategizing. It really is a “mind over matter” process.

The Christian Mind: How Should a Christian Think?

To help the brain stay fit, practice the following healthy choices in your daily life.

Exercise – Physical exercise has been proven to improve mental and emotional well-being and reduce symptoms leading to depression and anxiety. Investing 30 minutes a day in a consistent walking program will increase the oxygen to your brain and stimulate creativity, clear your mind and reduce stress.

Eat brain-building food – Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and salmon are a selection of foods that feed the brain. Eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day. Enjoy nuts and salmon (or other fish) at least 2 times a week.

Enjoy learning new things – If you take the “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” mentality, you will slowly let your brain deteriorate. Learn a new game, hobby, or subject. Read articles, novels, and the newspaper. Set a goal to learn one new thing every day and share it with someone else. When you really don’t know the answer to a question, find out. Discover the pleasure in continued learning. After all, no matter how old you are, you really don’t know everything.

Laugh a lot – The daily grind of life can get very serious and stressful. But, life can also be light and funny. When you see or hear something that makes you laugh or smile, enjoy the moment and share it with someone else. Humor goes a long way in keeping us mentally fit.

Take a mental “vacation” – Take mental breaks from regular daily life and go on a mental “vacation.” As you mentally travel to a familiar place or an exotic location found in travel posters or novels, allow yourself to slowly breathe with long inhales and exhales. Increasing the oxygen to your stimulated brain will ignite your imagination, stimulating problem-solving skills and reducing stress.

Live with awareness of the moment – As you go through the day, take in all the sounds, smells, and sights of the world around you. Awareness stimulates thinking, problem-solving and creativity.

Care for yourself – Prepare a favorite meal. Call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time. Take a relaxing bubble bath. Visit a museum. Get a massage. See an up-lifting movie. Walk in the park. Whatever you choose, do it just for you.

Intentionally choose to stay mentally fit with these and other mentally challenging activities that you discover on your own. You will ward off mental sluggishness, memory loss and dementia.

Divine Discontent

Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

And the man who gains understanding;
For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.

Proverbs 3:13-14

Ralph Waldo Emerson talked about this concept—the "divine discontent." Now I don't want this to be so "spiritual" that we can't find real application, but work has to provide more than just an income.

More and more people who are feeling misplaced, off-track, or just the angst of feeling like they are not making a difference. With the desire to do something "noble" or "significant" they are leaving lucrative positions in that search for more meaning and fulfillment. Often they are looking to discard a financially successful professional career path started on years ago. How does a person redirect from a position or profession seen as highly desirable by others?

Emerson said this: "I see young men, my townsmen, whose misfortune it is to have inherited farms, houses, barns, cattle, and farming tools; for these are more easily acquired than got rid of. Better if they had been born in the open pasture and suckled by a wolf, that they might have seen with clearer eyes what field they were called to labor in."

Frequently, "advantages" given early in life misdirect a person and leave him or her with a strong desire to change courses in their 30s or 50s. The best medical, dental, or law schools cannot provide enough benefit to provide a fulfilling career path if that path is not a match with the unique gifts of the person involved. The process of finding authenticity is a very individualized and internal one.

Expecting the government or corporations to provide fulfilling jobs is to reverse the process of finding one's "vocation." A true vocation helps us grow as persons while we meet our own needs and address the needs of those around us. Believe that you can structure your work around your goals, meaningful relationships, and your dreams and passions. Look inward to give shape to the work that is fitting for you and the application will appear.

Expect change and workplace volatility to enhance your chances of creating meaningful work. It is often in the midst of change that we find our true direction. Emerson adds: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesman and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do."

Can you identify an area of "divine discontent" that is prompting you to make some changes… what can you do to act on that today?