This Little Light Of Mine…

I’m gonna let it shine!!!

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Something for us to ponder. It’s been running through my mind lately, and I thought I’d share it.

If we dare not put God in a box, why do we put ourselves one?

When we put God in a box, we run the risk of limiting who is he is and what He is capable of based upon our own limited minds and understanding. And when we put ourselves into a box so we don’t seem weird, abnormal, or different, we run the risk of doing the same thing by limiting how God can work through us for His glory.

If we walk in the Light, and the Glory of God is lived in our lives, then why do we box ourselves into a conformity that

limits the very essence of who He is? Why do we box in the essence of the uniqueness of who we are in His image?

We walk this earth and carry the light of our Lord inside us. And it cannot be easily seen from the interior or conformity of a box. You are the light of the world, so get out of the box and live as He calls you. Live a life out of the box doing what He tells you to do, reaching out to those He places around you. Use the gifts, talents, and resources he’s given you. And let your light shine!

GET OUT OF THE BOX and do not conform to the patterns of this world.

Live your life. Be weird. And crush the cardboard that binds you!

 

 

Everything But A Piece of Peace

As I listened to Mozart in my office this morning, I became acutely aware of a thought process taking place in my head:

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If we spend our entire lives in search of a “piece” of what it really means to live “the good life”, we lose the “peace” of simply living in a content state of gratefulness while acknowledging the very blessings found in what we already possess.

I think classical music makes us smarter. Or it simply gave me a changed state of perspective. In the world of life management, it is essential to stop trying to keep up with  the demands constantly placed upon us to have, do, be, absorb, and carry, and instead demand that we give ourselves time to gain a sense of peace. And to find it, all it requires is the ability to stop trying to get a piece and simply receive peace. So often, I see and coach people (including myself!) that are living life at the speed of technology. And our minds and bodies just aren’t cut out to do this. And when our systems start to get overloaded, we wonder what’s wrong with us. We are all seeking a piece of peace, yet we’re so busy trying to get a piece of everything available, we lose the peace of the puzzle we need to most.

It’s time to stop living for a piece of it all, and reclaim some real peace which is found is trying to obtain so much less. This is how we will have a piece of peace and truly have what we’ve been missing.

What Would You Say To A Young You?

Believe it or not the following was my Facebook status. I am never short on words as most of you know. And I

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decided it probably should have been a blog post. So here it is, now on my blog. It’s still on Facebook. I just wanted to share it here, too:

After my first day being a Youthmentor, I want to say this to every adult out there. Think about what it was that you wished people would’ve said to you when you were young. And think about why. What difference would it have made if someone told you that you were pretty, too? Or that you had what it took to achieve what you thought you couldn’t? Or to encourage you?

What would you have wanted people to say to you? Do you know? Now, say it to your kids. Say it to your neighborhood kids. Say it to the kids you see in church. Say it to your grandchildren and nieces and nephews. It’s so simple. And they need to hear it as much as you did. As much as you still do. You matter. And I know that because God has given you life. Let’s make life count and use it to inspire and encourage those right around us. It’s an easy mission field, and you’re already on it.

To Do: Laundry, Meeting, Work, Dance With God

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I started to update my Facebook status with a few thoughts as I studied various passages in my Bible, and I guess I got

a little carried away! I think it’s more or less turned into a blog post, so here it is. As I thought about getting in the word, carving out time for God, and wrestling with all of life’s constant demands and necessities, I had two thoughts as I read scripture:

Include God in all we do by focusing our heart and minds on Him, and instead of merely waiting to have a clear calendar to do it now!

If you’re like me, a clear calendar is not in your future. And to be honest, I really don’t want a clear calendar! I love what I have been given to do, and I want to do it well and faithfully. Yet, I wrestle sometimes with the thought of having the TIME available with all the multi-tasking that sometimes takes place in my life.

Regardless of whether I am running errands or taking my kiddo to the doctor, I can be embraced in worship internally, doing those tasks as if for the Lord, and be locked intimately in His arms, cherishing the time I am lost in Him, dancing as I carry on. Sounds so intimate, doesn’t it? It is! It is a very intimate relationship to know and let my soul dance with the Lord! I don’t want my life any other way! Exist so I can simply accomplish tasks on my to do list? No, thanks. I’ll dance through this life embraced in intimate worship of the Lord, my God.

On those days when things just don’t stop, and I wrestle with the demands placed upon me, I find rest knowing that I can still focus on God and spend time with Him despite it all.

Two verses that inspired these thoughts:

Ephesians 6:7-8
7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

Colossians 3:1-2
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Next time you’re so focused on the “things you have to run around and do or get done today” and you don’t know when you’ll have time to be alone with God, try giving thanks to Him for having those things to tend to and experience the joy of Him in them. Praise Him in all you do right then and there, and do it as if you’re doing it or the Lord! As you go about accomplishing all those things, you’ll find your heart and mind centered on Him.Suddenly in the midst of all the chaos and madness of the moment, you’ll find yourself getting lost in the midst of the daily tasks.

We don’t have to let the demands of life steal our time to be in spirit with God. Don’t wrestle with it and end up frustrated over it. Prioritize and focus to make Him the center of our lives regardless of the circumstances we are dealing with or despite the tasks that have lined up for the day. On the days you can get away and be still with Him, DO IT. And on the days that despite your best efforts, you find yourself with not a moment to spare, turn your mind to Him and be with Him right where you are.

Focus on Him, carry on, and let your spirit meet His as you go…

to that meeting.

to that appointment.

to that task.

Let go of the demands. Seek Him. And dance…

Where Would God Leave A Sticky Note?

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My daughter was walking around the house looking for the remote control this morning, because it’s nowhere to be found. Apparently, we have a remote monster that picks it up when no one is looking, and deposits it in a place that would make it difficult for us to find it. All it really means is that someone walked to the kitchen with it and set it down, took it into their room and left it, or walked outside to check the mail leaving it on top of the mail box as if to let our mail person know that we are really that absent-minded. The remote-monsters are not real, nor do any exist in this household. But the forgetful people who don’t like accepting the responsibility of moving them are real and do exist. So, we have a search party organized from time to time to locate the lost item.

So………this made me think for a minute. If we were looking for the answers to prayers, direction, life challenges, and various situations, where would we look? And to take the question further, how HARD would we look? Would we run to God first? Or would we find that we’d be looking at another resource if we thought it would be easier? After all, if we want an answer right now, we should just search for the remote control. In fact, how long should a person look for a remote? But, if all it took was prayer, why wouldn’t we pray right then and there? Would we spend all day looking for a remote, or a book, or a person whom we felt qualified to answer our questions, sort our issues, or tell us what to do? How long would we look? How hard would we look? And if we ran to another resource such as television, a book, or other item, would we forget to run to God or His word first? If we always ran to something other than God and spent our time looking for answers in other things, what would we find we would run to?

The truth is, in coaching I see people run to all sorts of things in a frantic state of “fix it now, and get me out of this mess”. People search longer and harder for remote controls or devices created to entertain themselves harder than they search for the truth. And yet the truth is not hard to find. It’s readily available through prayer and The Bible.

But, we’d rather find the remote and turn on the TV. Why? Because it’s painless and it probably involves less change. Instead of making changes, we can just stare and watch, and find entertainment in the idea of change, without actually having the discomforts of making change. Sometimes the remote feels safer. The book is less invasive. A stranger is easier to agree with my rationale. But does it really help when things get sticky?

And then I imagined of all things a sticky note. Would God leave a sticky note on our remote control that says, “I’m here!”? Would He leave a note on our laptop or Ipad that says, “I have what you need!”? Would he leave a note on our cell phone that says, “Please consult me first!”? Where would God leave a sticky note reminding us to seek Him first? What item or person or thing do we usually run to first if there is something we run to before God? Oooooooooh, that’s a sticky question!

Next time we do this, or think about consulting something before God, it would be a good reminder to think of a brightly colored sticky note from God stuck to it with a simply worded and “to the point” reminder from Him, reminding us to seek Him first.

What do we run to when we need answers or solutions? What do we run to when we have free time? Are we missing the notes that God has left for us in the midst of our daily lives? We don’t have to look hard. We just need to open our eyes to Him and pay attention, and then MAKE THE TIME and prioritize Him. We tithe money. But do we tithe our time? Do we ever see the sticky notes? Do we stop and take it to Him? What notes is He leaving us these days? And in what locations?

What if God left us a sticky note that simply said, “See me.” How long would it take for us to seek Him? Would we go right away? Would we take it to him in a day? Would we notice it in a week? A year? What if we never saw it? That made me stop and think about all the things I might search for in my lifetime. And I want Him to be such a priority that I seek Him first on my own, and especially if He should leave me a “See me” note, that I would be aware of His tug and take it to Him immediately. There are so many things that can take our time, energy, and focus.

The sticky note is a good way to think about where and how we spend our time, and what WE stick to in our lives. Would we find a sticky note on a remote? At the office? On our mp3 player? On our sports jerseys?

And I pray God stick his notes to us with a God strength glue to remind us to focus on Him and not just when life gets sticky. But that we would stick to God, because He is the glue that holds us together, bonds what is broken, and speaks truth into our lives that we need not just when life gets complicated, but rather every single day.

 

The Promises of Our Creator

I decided to post these thoughts this morning, and it has been one blog issue after another. Don’t know why, but it will not post correctly despite my attempts to correct it! Please disregard the spacing. I believe it’s a WordPress issue, since I’ve reformatted, reblogged, and started from scratch. But, here’s the message anyway.

Here’s my Facebook status from this morning:

Christine Pechstein

2 seconds ago

Reading Romans 4, drinking coffee, and eating home cooked cinnamon apple oatmeal. They ALL contain a powerful punch to help get my day started! (BTW, if it’s been awhile since you’ve read Romans 4…take five minutes. Romans 4:20-21. Wow. BELIEVE he is capable and live like you believe it! WOW! Preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ!!!!! It’s ALMOST here!

I got up and fixed my family my “famous” oatmeal for breakfast, made a pot of Hazelnut coffee, and grabbed my Bible to satisfy my hunger for time with Him and to absorb the nutrients for my soul from His word. My oatmeal is famous, because it’s the one item I can fix and not burn. Or at least I haven’t ever burnt it. Yet! J

When I awoke I wasn’t as hungry for my oatmeal or craving my freshly brewed cup of coffee as much as I was craving God. But the three of them together packed such a powerful punch to jump start my day. Amazing and beautiful in such a simple Friday morning.

I opened my Bible to Romans 4 and was reminded of Christmas being not just about the baby Jesus being born, but WHY God sent His son to us. I was reminded of the promise, and what it means in my life today. God is with us. And Jesus justified me to be counted as righteous not by my actions or abilities, but through my faith in his son, Jesus.

Yes, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. But when I focus on what that birth means to me even now, today, and for all my days ahead-It sends shivers down my spine to remember that that is my family heritage! Holy cow. I am a descendent of Abraham! And these are MY promises, too! I have been justified not by works (thank goodness, because I could never uphold the law and be without sin!) but because I am a descendent who follows Abraham’s faith. I read many of these passages over and over again and just pondered them in my heart.

 

Romans 4:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[a] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

 

I am living this promise. Today! And every day! And I truly do believe that God sent His son as justification for my sins, because I am so incapable of ever living it all right. So what does His gift and the promise mean to me through my faith?

Romans 4:13-17

New International Version (NIV)

13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

 

Wow. Merry Christmas!

How powerful is our faith! How powerful is our family history! How powerful are God’s promises and gifts to our future! The birth of Jesus was the only gift I’ll ever need in this lifetime, and I received it, because of God’s grace. Not only that, but Abraham is our father in God’s sight as it also says, “God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not”. God calls things to exist that were not beforehand. We may know that on the surface, but do we ever ponder it deep down?

Think about ALL of creation. Before God called it to be it didn’t exist. This is the Creator of EVERYTHING, the One who called it into existence! What can he not deliver if He himself has promised it?! Do I believe this when I think about receiving his promises?! Sometimes I think we think we believe things on the surface, but we forget to believe down deep in our souls what it means to REALLY believe what God is absolutely CAPABLE of because of WHO he is.

Stand back…stand in awe…yes, that is some powerful revelation taking place in the deep spot and God is that MAGNIFICENT! God. IS. Capable… of delivering HIS promises!

Do we forget this sometimes? Do we forget we are descendents and heirs?! Wake up! Stop fretting! God delivers His promises! See our heritage and what He’s promised in the Bible! It blows my mind. It’s a “wow” moment!

Romans 4:20-21

New International Version (NIV)

20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Abraham didn’t waver in his belief that God had made the promise, but that God had the power to deliver his promise! I thought about my life today. Do I truly believe what God has promised? Or, if I believe in God’s promises, do I TRULY believe that God has the power to deliver His Promise? I know that sometimes we get SO worn down that we start to doubt. Yes, God made promises, and we believe He did. But we may get so discouraged that we start to doubt that He will deliver his promises. Yet Scripture reminds me of what God promises through His son. And he delivered it.

We can live all the rest of our days in expectation of the promises fulfilled! I can be fearless-because God is capable of delivering His promise. I can go boldly-because God is capable of delivering His promise.I can believe Him-because God is capable of delivering His promise.

Romans 4:18-20

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[a] 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

 

As I think about my faith, my heritage in the story of God, and all the promises that God made and delivered (the promise to Abraham and Sarah of a son despite their old age and Abraham’s faith despite this!), none is as amazing to me as the promise and birth of Christ, The Messiah. I imagine the virgin Mary sitting in the stable holding the newly delivered infant, Jesus in her inexperienced arms being a mother for the first time, witnessing a miracle and holding the God’s promise. It’s just another reminder to me that shows how capable God is of delivering His promises than the delivery of our newborn King through the virgin Mary.

God delivers. Even if the only available place is in a stable. There IS no place on this earth He cannot deliver His promises. And we can believe this. Because it’s written and promised to us in the family heritage in our Bibles, and is the direct word of Our Father. Romans Chapter 4 is just packed with the promise of Abraham’s descendents. And it reminds me to be strong and unwavering in my faith and belief in what God is absolutely capable of.

Merry Christmas.

Thank you , God, for this precious, precious gift. May you continue to prepare our hearts for this celebration! May you remind us of just how capable you are, and how you bring your promises to pass. May you help restore faith to those who have lost sight of their hope by reminding them of their heritage and the promises that are found in it. And may you bring peace and restoration to those who have placed their faith in you and belief in your Son. Amen.

When Your Kids Grow Up: Transitions From Your Care Unto His…

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As a mother, it is not only my responsibility to be a good parent, but it’s a joy to do a job well done. And I take so much pride in that. It’s not selfish or unhealthy pride. But it’s knowing I’ve done my absolute best and given nothing short of excellence  in the work I do, doing it well until it’s completed properly, and yes, this even relates to parenting my kiddos.

I want to give them the best:

• advice
• teachable moments
• life lessons
• view of living and walking with Jesus daily
• taking care of things
• leaving the world in better shape than when you arrived
• being grateful
• courteous
• respectful
• honest
• loved……

This list could go on and on. And something else it includes is street smarts. I want my kids to know how to look out for scandals. The dishonest. The schmoozers. The slackers. The cheaters. The liars. The thiefs that they could somehow trust and wind up having to learn the hard way.

And guess what I learned: I can’t protect them from all of this. All I can do is raise them smartly. Ground them in God’s word and purposes. And leave the rest to God. One I’ve done all that, I have to trust God as they become grown ups.

Everyone who follows my posts and blog knows that I am taking another big step by readying myself for my oldest daughter’s departure for college in 2012 after her high school graduation. It’s a process. It’s a transition for my mind. And an even greater one for my heart. She will be attending school out of state. And honestly, I could not be more proud of her. This girl has busted her rear, worked hard, studied hard, and I’m delighted to see her rewards and blessings.

As we visted the University of Missouri-Columbia last weekend, I began to ready myself for her big step. And every single fear I had about her going to school out of state was eliminated. Every question I had, concern, and how is this going to work out for her became one solution and answer after another while we were there. It all fell so seemlessly in to place that I couldn’t deny that God was orchestrating her future and very involved in it whether or not she knows it.

When we returned home, I still had one question: What about her international studies when she goes to study abroad and participate in archaeology digs? The university has a GREAT international studies department to help the students set everything up. But how will she transition when she gets there? What if? How? Hmmmm…my mind was still pondering and questioning.

So…………..today I go to get an identification badge made so I can volunteer and be a mentor in our schools, and I meet a woman whom I’ve never met before. And we begin chatting about the students. We talk about our ages. Our kids. And she mentions her daughter who is living overseas in London and how it was a difficult yet incredible transition for her when her daughter went.

I mentioned my daughter wanting to study abroad at the London Archaeology school which is one of the absolute best institutions. And she said that her daughter is an international student recruiter at a university and can help my daughter. She can answer any questions. She can even take her “under her wing” and show her the city, get acquainted, learn how to use the buses-everything!

Seriously? Wow. Thanks God!

This has become a HUGE lesson in raising my kids and preparing for this transition of being under my care to suddenly being out on their own as they move into their adulthood. When I become limited in what I can do for them, protect them or show them to teach them the ropes, when I’ve taken it as far as I can, He has others lined up and ready to help them navigate on their own to propel them into their futures and according to His purposes.

I have never seen this more clearly than ever. And not a moment too soon.

This mamma has had more peace. I’m ready to watch her transition. It’s my time to let go and let God position her. It’s been a learning experience for her. And for me. I feel so blessed. Thank you, Lord for watching over ALL of your children.

Romans 8:28

New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.

I Can’t See The Path When It’s Designed By Faith

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I’ve learned something new the past few weeks. It’s about the only thing I can see clearly as I learn about choosing a path. During certain times in life, we are faced with several paths and not just one. It’s not a clear cut one way is the right way type of thing that has to be decided. There will be paths and discoveries that we have to make. And sometimes we can’t see everything.  Sometimes there are paths that remain fairly hidden.

At a time that there are different paths available and different options that we could cling to, despite there being multiple options, only one will be completely visible to our eyes. It’s the only one we can see clearly. It’s the one called the path of least resistance. And you’ll have to compare it to it’s competitor: the path of, “I can’t see much of it…at all!”

Experiencing a season in life where multiple paths are presenting themselves, I know several options exist. One of those options is a path of a much easier way that exists clearly. I can see the path of least resistance so clearly, easily, and it’s right there for the taking. It’s the one that shows immediate promise of comfort, security, and the end of all the unknowns. Just choose it and all the unknowns will just disappear. Immediately.

But it also shows the least promise, little passion, and the terrain just feels so…..flat. It shows the least amount of passion allowed on this particular path itself. The path is laid out and the only thing it would require is for me to simply stay on it yet never create, never innovate, never stray from the assigned expectation, and never challenge the comfort it offers. It in essence is the beginning of a path that leads nowhere, because there is nowhere else to go once on it. I don’t know if I’d even call it a path, but more or less a track that will allow the spinning of circles, because that’s all that will be allowed until a different track becomes available. And when on THAT track, it also is shaped in a perfect circle. More spinning.  Aaaack. All that secure spinning, makes me feel like I’m hacking a hairball lodged in my throat much like my big cat does. But, at least I won’t hack it in your shoe.

I’m not seeking comfort, yet it feels like the track that non-believers and those of weak faith encourage people to follow is the path of comfort, least resistance, and is the “perfect safety” of the circle. And that my friends is deceiving. That safety of the circle is just a disguise for a dead end that repeats itself over and over and over again in mere busyness. The circle of doom for the trade-off of the security of the known path-perfectly visible, unchallenged, and all laid out ahead of you. Can you see it?  I have a hard time getting excited over that!

On the other hand there is another path, but I can’t even begin to describe to others where it goes. And that’s because I don’t even know. I can’t see it in great detail, because it’s revealed through faith…little by little. It’s foreign to me and the only visible part to me is the piece my feet rest upon right at this very moment. That’s all I can see. Nothing further is visible to my eyes. I know it leads somewhere, and it calls me. It calls me so deeply that I can’t turn away from it.

Despite all the uncertainty, it’s a path of faith that I know will only unfold if I just continue to step onto the barely visible piece of it that lies right before my feet. At times I see myself having to cling to the side of a cliff with barely enough room for my feet to rest upon a solid piece of rock. However, there is rock there, and if I can overcome the voices that want me to choose the safety of the other route, I can cling to this and hope to land upon a piece of larger stone to catch my breath and gear up for the next piece of the path. Yet it lies in another area I have yet to see the path to.

And sometimes I wonder if a path even exists. Maybe the path of faith doesn’t exist until I exhibit the faith by actually taking another step toward it. Maybe there isn’t anything in front of me, yet it suddenly appears when I take the leap of faith to stick my foot and believe that something will be there. Maybe our faith is what designs the path that we are upon as we move along it and choose to take the risk of making that next step. There is no safety, yet it feels right. There is danger, yet it is where we should be. There is no promise of prosperity, but we wouldn’t trade the nothingness that this world would see it holds. The promise of the path is not in what we collect along the way, but in what we gain within ourselves as we place our feet upon the invisible path. With each step we take we find our faith grows, but we have no clue as to where the path is taking us.

Sometimes I wonder if the purpose of the path is not to get us to a specific destination, but to teach us how to climb, persevere, keep going, pull ourselves out of whatever unexpected piece of path that we land upon, as God teaches us about our faith while positioning us for His purposes even if he is positioning us one foot and one step at a time through our faith in simply being brave and bold enough to take that next step. Could it be?

I wonder if the path is invisible to develop our faith and train us for the plans He has in store. Where we find the path of least resistance is a choice we find much like at the fork in the road. Will we choose to give up, give in, or cling to security in only what can be seen? Or will we cling to who God is and walk into the complete uncertainty of finding out who we are when we place our complete trust, hope, and provision in Him.

I’m running. And I can’t see a thing. But, I know the path I travel upon has him holding my foot and placing it on whatever lies right in front of me. I see nothing. But I have learned to rely on Him for everything with every single step I take.

He places my right foot…

He places my left foot…

He places my right foot…

and each movement creates the path I am called to even though the only thing that sees it is a thing called Faith.

This is not just something I have read in the Bible. But rather something I rest my foot upon daily…one step at a time.

Proverbs 3:5-6

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

Outdated Dependence Costs How Much?

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I was having a conversation about outdated services which I had hoped would spark ideas about innovation and the near future. And by near future, I was referring to today. Things change so rapidly in this era, that was works for today is already on it’s way out, and our focus today should be innovating for tomorrow. The future that is here now. And if we wait, we’ll likely miss it. Once that happens our recovery could cost us. In fact, waiting to innovate until a recovery is necessary is deadly. Just look at things like book stores, the music industry, the post office, and yes, even video rental stores.

The conversation was specifically geared toward thinking about services that were once a necessity or simply feasible and smart for our businesses to offer customers. Some of the discussions were based upon the once popular milk delivery. Couriers and mail delivery services. (Some of these still exist today although are struggling.) We pondered and reflected upon many things of the past that were good in their time, but they really only made sense in that time, because they fit the direct needs OF that time. It was interesting to say the least! (We didn’t have right or wrong answers-just a discussion to spark innovate ideas! Criticism and judgements stop creativity, so please avoid it! Create and innovate…and just discuss!)

It’s the electronic era that we live in today. And innovation is no longer a choice, but a necessity based on lifestyle and available technology for delivery. What used to work sometimes no longer will. And if it does work, it is increasingly difficult to sustain it using old outdated methods to support it. In fact, trying to sustain the outdated is too expensive and costs more than using the electronic methods of today. Yet if as businesses we try to hold on to the old and sustain the outdated methods such as paper, print, etc., we’re likely not able to charge as much for the newer versions of obtaining the information, because the technology of today allows the same thing for almost no or much lower costs. And our consumers know this. So if old methods require more money to operate and keep us in business, we need to switch to the new and realize that we have to adjust our costs to the consumer in order to conduct not only good business but sustainable business.

In order to stay in business, we have to adjust not only the way we do business and how we provide our services, but how we charge for them as well. Innovation doesn’t just mean we constantly focus on what else can we create for the customer by way of new products and services. Sometimes innovation simply means thinking of ways to innovate the delivery to match the needs of consumers today with the products we already offer today. And tomorrow. It means discovering ways to innovate and reduce our overhead to reflect the cost of less to delivery the same information, products, or tools. Yes, profits may be less, but we’re now able to offer more and for less, so this shouldn’t affect the ability to stay in business if BOTH are met and done so wisely.

If the cost of creating and delivering a product drops or becomes free due to innovation and technology, then the cost charged to the consumer can be dropped as well. If we hold on to the old, because it’s how it’s always been done, or how we want to keep it, because it means we can charge the same for it, it likely means that we’re going to run into problems with people who simply won’t pay for what is not necessary to support what businesses think is.

What were the discussions that came up? Here are just a few of many:

• Big printing facilities…online is free or almost free to produce. Technology has streamlined the printing process.
• Large office buildings…people can telecommute, collaborate and meet online, and save organizations big money.
• Delivery…electronic paperless documents, mail, and magazines saves trees, the environment, and cuts fuel costs drastically.
• Postage…mail largely relies on the junk mail and advertising industry currently since most communication is sent electronically, yet the post office is still delivering door to door when fuel prices are at their highest. Even some pizza companies add a delivery fee even though they’ve kept up with online ordering and the available technology. Is free delivery really feasible or necessary today with all the other options and innovation available?
• Check writing. Insert sighs and laughter. We discussed and joked about our experiences of being in a long line and finding ourselves behind one customer who still writes a check. Better yet was our discussion of being that customer who writes a check and has to deal with those behind us! (We’ve all been there!) With credit/debit technology, are checks still necessary for most purchases? Some good discussions came out of this.

The group discussed MANY topics and these are just the tip of the iceberg. What we did reflect upon was the fact that innovation is not about putting people out of work by eliminating jobs. It’s about putting them to work in ways that make sense using today’s technology to maximize our efficiency while meeting the demands and needs of consumers and passing that savings on to them. It’s the new customer loyalty we are innovating. And this takes a lot of brain power. More importantly, during the discussions, we went back to this fact: It takes the ability to let go of what worked in the past, much of what many of our now aging leaders helped to create and start, in order to continue to move forward into the future. How hard IS it to let go? Very. The consensus was pretty clear on that.

This post is not about solving the issues of one industry or another just as our discussion was not meant to, but rather something to make you think about creating, spark thoughts about innovating, cutting costs, maintaining revenues (or lowering revenues if expenses are ALSO lowered equally) WHILE staying relevant with the available technology of today and preparing for what it will bring tomorrow. It’s when we become dependent on the outdated that we start losing customers and can’t support what is no longer needed to get the job done. And when that happens, consumers will find an alternative and our greatest risk then is not just being outdated, but our business becoming extinct and something that only existed in the past.

I have to say. After challenging individuals to think about innovation and creativity to stay relevant, I believe more than ever that being dependent upon the outdated can cost more than what innovative change can. It can cost us the future. And that is quite literally everything.

My question to you is: How are you innovating your products and services? Are you innovating the prices to reflect the new costs of doing business and being fair to your customers? Are you asking your customers to continue paying “normal” rates even though your costs can drop if you innovate properly and tap into today’s technology to make things more affordable for everyone including yourself? What changes are you seeing and how quickly are you having to act now to keep up with what changes this afternoon? Tomorrow?

Gotcha thinking…

You’re NOT a Turkey. So Stop Living Like One.

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I was just sitting here wrestling with a thought about potential. Specifically, I began to ponder wasted potential and life in general. And so I considered the poor turkeys we eat each year. How many of us live like turkeys? I mean, a turkey is born with the doom of being consumed by people on Thanksgiving. It was born into this life of doom so to speak. And sometimes as humans, we live like we’re turkeys…born into doom.

There’s a problem with this though. Humans have potential to change their lives and their life circumstances, where turkeys don’t. Yet, many times humans don’t utilize the potential they carry to do anything to change their circumstances. They choose to live as the turkey does…resigned to the fact that they are headed to slaughter eventually.

If we look at life from a Biblical perspective, humans were born into sin. Yet, since God sent His son, Jesus, to take our place, and sacrificed His life FOR us, we were not doomed to face what we were born into. And we know that the wages of sin is death. Yet, we were not doomed to perish if we accepted Jesus as our Savior.

Romans 5:12-19 (NIV)

¹²Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— ¹³for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. ¹⁴Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

 ¹⁵But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. ¹⁶And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. ¹⁷For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

 ¹⁸Therefore, as one trespass^[e] led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness^[f] leads to justification and life for all men. ¹⁹For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

So, I wonder even with our wages paid by Jesus, a free life from those wages of death, potential, gifts, and the possibilities of so many things right in front of us, why we live as turkeys when we are born into less than ideal circumstances, don’t have it easy, get hit with constant obstacles, simply give up, and live like it’s Thanksgiving because we’re on the menu. WHY do we live this way? Are we really only living like we’re headed to slaughter or doom? Why, when we don’t have to!

Do we really have the power to change our lives? To change our circumstances? To live our visions and dreams? To live with a sense of purpose? To hope for the eternal even while we’re here on earth? I believe so. But I think we have to get our heads off the chopping block and into the positive and encouraging things such as people, church, the Bible, and spend time with God on a regular and daily basis.

We’ve got to be fed. But it’s not to fatten us up for slaughter with all the heavily things the earth and stress tries to feed us. We need to feed on good, pure, and holy things to nourish us, help encourage us, and propel us forward. And that forward movement is not the dinner table. But maybe the Communion Table. We are packed with potential. And I think when we stop living like turkeys in fear of the slaughter, we’ll find it. We’ll live. it. We’ll dream it. We’ll do it. And we’ll become it. Because we are not doomed.

That kind of thinking is seriously for the birds, and we’ve got to get beyond it.

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you gobble up this encouragement;)