effort

Whether you’re in the forth quarter of a difficult ball game or facing difficult times in work or life there is a distinguishing element among the winners! This weekend I saw another example of digging deep! Tiger Woods fought from five stokes back and overcame poor shots, unfortunate lies and made it to the eighteenth green even with his competitor.

Tiger like many other times in his storied career needed to make a difficult putt to win the championship. He stared it down and stroked the putt and 15 feet later he proved again, to win through difficult times you got to look inside and separate yourself from the rest.

"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time."
Anna Freud

I like thousand of other golfers watch with amazement that golfing history is being made almost weekly by a man who has found the treasure of settling to the resources inside of him long before he counts on luck or chance.

Mental focus and toughness is the one thing preached by coaches and trainers in every arena of competition. At one level a lot of people have similar talent but the champion is the one who knows how to dig a little deeper and impose their will to win!

In this stage of church development I know why many new works fail. I know the labor and effort one needs to push beyond tiredness and fear to keep the focus and energy to succeed. I can’t putt like Tiger but I am digging deep to find the treasure to see this dream come true.

What ever we face, we have the goods to succeed, we must look within to gain the extra gas to reach our goal!

Ok, there is a kink in superman’s armor and Moses need a few arms lifted! It has been a push and man I am getting a bit weary.

You ever fight and dig and seemingly you hit walls then fear and doubt become present; I seem to be in that mode right now! I know “ it will be alright”, but let me commiserate a bit. Along with the weary mind and body I feel a bit vulnerable right now.

Most who know me has seen me operate at a high level of confidence and predictability……but right now I am being educated in navigation in the dark with a Bic lighter.

I am learning to find a place in me that is apart from anything except my core trust in Christ to hold me on task till I see a “next step”.

We all expect human relationships, or vocation, or self worth to stable us but when it comes down to it we don’t have many bargaining chips when the doctor wants a deeper look.

Here are some staples for me right now!

Galatians 6:9 (NLT)
So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.

Ephes. 3:20 (NLT)
Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.

You ever get weary? What do you find as an anchor?

No one read too much into my psyche by this blog! I will make it…might even be highly educated once I LARN a few things!

Just Do it? That would be a great slogan for a business …huh? OH!….It is already captured by some sport industry start up company! In fact it has permeated our society and has been used over and over by many leaders to push people onward and upward. But it is still a good borrow. I think the phrase so can capsulate our lives as it relates to complacency and fear!

Often, we allow the circumstances around the ultimate goal to choke out the desire to get to the next level in our life. Sometimes it is really just that simple. We tend to complicate our next step by considering all the external situations. We can clutter an already clear path by bringing some negativity right in our way!

Don’t join the club of underachievers find the next step of success for you and start climbing. The doers never listen to the naysayers; they will find a way to maximize their talent in the most difficult of times.

As most of you know I am in a secular world right now and I have been afforded two things that so exemplifies this “just do it” or “git-r-done” idea. One, I rub shoulders with a lot of co-workers who are non-churched and I am having fun sharing faith at this level …it is a challenge but a blast. I spent 27 years encouraging church members to do what I get to live out everyday. Secondly, to have success with the ultimate goal of my employer I have to speak with almost every person walking near the kiosk I maintain. Not just saying Hi!! I have to engage quickly and effectively. Even with my confidence as a public speaker for years I have to push it a bit to win at this job.

Whatever is before you today, what will allow you a sense of accomplishment is not so much your talent…..it’s your willingness to DO IT that sets you on a clear path. Whether it is giving a witness for your faith in Christ or making a difference in your work or passion it is hinged on one small dynamic-------JUST DO IT! Or, as an educated Larry would say GIT-R- ACCOMPLISHED.