To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Faith

Better together

I often talk about community and the importance of us staying connected with people who accelerate the joy and growth in our lives. Joy can be found almost everywhere you can imagine, and perhaps almost always in the deep valleys of life – because God often sends just the right person or community to brighten our path and help us thru.

I was with a group of business women over the weekend and this message seems to be coming at me strongly. So many stories happening right now that could rock anyone’s world, but the power in how these ladies not only serve each other, but their families at work and at home, offers so much evidence for why cultivating relationships simply has to be a priority. We must do all we can to seek it out and be intentional. There is likely not a better return on an investment of time, energy or resources.

Along those lines, I was just in a one on one meeting with one of my amazing staff and she shared that one of her primary goals this year is finding happiness in the chaos. She wants to focus on the proactive versus reactive. We can talk about the latter in a post to come, because that certainly needs attention, but for now – joy! The joy found in community. I am certain she will find what she’s hoping for within the ranks of those who surround her if she places focus there.

I am always prayerful in these posts that at least one person needs the insight shared. Almost always it seems the “universe” conspires for the greater good by seeding the idea in my mind, ever hopeful that my words can bring out a few helpful thoughts.

Today, I hope you will know that we truly are better together. God designed us that way from the beginning. What a gift. Go hug your tribe today, make that call, send that message… it’s the best gift.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Staying in the spiritual gym

Just like our bodies need us to focus on building muscles, exercising our cardiovascular systems and eating healthy, our spiritual growth needs a game plan to ensure we are operating optimally. I loved this concept and thought it was worth sharing.

The three key ideas I captured were…

  1. Staying disciplined.
  2. Lifting up the word of God.
  3. Understanding that “resistance” is what makes us stronger (exercising faith).

A simple thought, but powerful nonetheless.

If we are able to stay disciplined in our spiritual life we will be stronger. We will be able to better handle what comes our way and perhaps be more grateful along the path.

If we focus on the truth we find in the word of God, we can be sure our minds don’t get off track and run down a rabbit hole that isn’t speaking life into us. If we can understand that challenges and resistance can help us stretch and grow we will be less frustrated and make meaningful strides. I believe that takes faith, and exercising this is a daily grind. It is a constant commitment to change our thoughts and recognize that God’s plan has us right where we are supposed to be… if we listen, we will know how that plan is supposed to unfold.

Cheering you on this week!

(This is a throwback post to an ever-relevant message. I hope it resonates with you like it does with me.)

Where will you put in a stake in the ground this year? This month? This moment?

A strong American idiom: “Put a stake in the ground.” As in, what is the first step you are going to make? What move are you going to make to get something started? How are you going to rally the troops? (adapted from American Idioms Daily)

As I said Sunday, I love the start of a fresh year. While one could argue that anytime is a good time to reevaluate, edit or even cast new visions, the start of a new year offers hope unlike other times to me. It’s as if we can leave what we don’t want to bring forward and somehow step out the front door freshly dressed and with the vigor needed to make great things happen for ourselves and others.

I love the visual above because it draws to mind us claiming our stake… our goal… our moment. So, what will it be?

  • You want to use your voice this year to make changes. Perhaps it’s writing, perhaps speaking… perhaps it’s in one-on-one conversations where the action is going to happen. Perhaps you want to be the one that makes sure where you live or work is full of extraordinary kindness every single day.
  • You want to finally walk or run that race? You have decided that the mental dialogue that stops you from “thinking you can do it” is not going to win this year and you are going to take a step forward toward that goal.
  • You desire to forgive that loved one that wronged you and you just haven’t been able to let it go.
  • Your hope for a FUN life, full of joy and depth (and less fear about health, money, or you name it) is going to be attacked once and for all and you are going to have more days that meet your expectations.
  • Your greatest dream would be world of true unity and that you are going to use your time, talent and gifts to help us move us all forward…

So many stakes to claim. So much that God wants for us in this life, no matter our situation. While we may walk out tomorrow morning with a cold, brisk wind confronting us, we have the ability to lay out the “must haves” for our lives. To both name them and to make them happen. I believe the world is conspiring for what is good, honorable and true. I believe that social justice is imperative and it is all of our responsibilities. I believe that we are called as humans to think bigger and to realize that we are more powerful than we could imagine if we will push ourselves a bit past the limits we have given ourselves.

Here’s to a year of putting our stake or stakes in the ground and developing action plans to make sure we make progress. Here’s to great health, wellness and more laughter than you’ve had for many years. Let’s make it count.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Welcome 2020

This idea of God establishing the work of our hands is just what I need and possibly you as well, as we launch into the first full week of the new year and the new decade. I don’t want anything or anyone else establishing the work that I do, and I also am keenly aware that I need God’s favor at every turn. No matter where life finds you right no – in school, in retirement, at the onset or at “prime time” in your career – this message should resonate.

The word of God has a lot to say about work. I fully believe that no matter our age or stage, that we are all to be working toward using our energy and minds to fulfill our purpose. One of my all time favorite verses:

“Whatever you do, work at it will all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-34)

God calls for us to be faithful with what He has given us to make the world, at this very time in our own generation, the best it can be. If we all do this, our work and service will elevate us all.

For many, the last several days have given us an opportunity to rest and otherwise be away from the normal daily grind. This time provides us an opportunity to prepare our hearts and minds for our work in the year ahead. Hopefully you have spent some time asking yourself some clarifying questions to get you focused on what you hope to bring into the year. I am a full-out nerd about this time of year … the thought of a blank canvas to dream and imagine … is incredibly energizing to me. The exercise of drawing a child-like diagram that features the key parts of my life – family, spiritual, career, health/wellness, financial, etc. – and then drilling into “must have” actions to ensure I achieve these goals has been a necessary step for me for many years.

So, what about you? It would be great to hear any ideas as it relates to good old fashioned life planning and goal setting. How do you approach this new chapter that brings you renewed energy and enthusiasm?

I’m so thankful the word of God has given us both examples and guidance on the topic if we will take time to read and apply. The very idea of this blog is that we are to serve well, and serving is the way we honor those around us and God. We do this best when we are actively working toward using our gifts, time, talents and resources.

Happy, happy new year! I’m so excited to start afresh and am ever grateful for your support and encouragement.

Top reads for 2019

This is such a tough post for me, because I truly love all books – and for totally different reasons. I think that’s likely true for all of us, that we gravitate toward what we individually need to hear at that particular time in this season of life.

All of that to say, I am going to attempt this anyway. After all, I hear from some of you that you’d love to see another post on top books – and I aim to serve! This one is long overdue, since my last book post was in… April. Oops! You can find other posts related to books I love in the archives under “book reviews.”

Here are my top 10 for the year, each with some excerpts that highlight why they made the list (The first three from my April post):

Notorious RBG, by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik – No matter your political interests, this is such a good read. This absolutely fun read about the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is terrific in 100 different ways. I love all of it, but this quote in the beginning in particular: While reading her dissent in a voting rights case, she quotes Martin Luther King directly, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” she said, but then she added her own words: “If there is a steadfast commitment to see the task through to completion.” Now that is true and powerful.

The Art of Gathering, by Priya Parker – So much amazing work in this book. I’d grab this one for sure if you like to read topics that appeal in multiple areas of your life. One simple idea here: “If you want a lively but inclusive conversation as a core part of your gathering, eight to twelve people is the number you should consider. Smaller than eight, the group can lack diversity in perspective; larger than twelve, it begins to be difficult to give everyone a chance to speak.”

Joyful, by Ingrid Fetell Lee – A really interesting and fun read that covers the full gamut of joy. One idea I appreciated: “I began to notice that while the topic of work-life balance comes up frequently in media, play is largely absent from the conversation… The most joyful people I know manage to hold space for play in their adult lives (think playing a sport, family game night, etc.).”

Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight – This was on everyone’s top list in 2016-17, but it took me a while to dive in. It did not disappoint, and could arguably be my number one book. It’s a classic tale of starting from the beginning, finding your path, and what is required (absolute commitment, focus and imagination) for top-level individuals and companies to achieve success. Phil is the founder of Nike and you can imagine the power of the story. The power of any great story is found when purpose is exposed. This line captures it well, “I walked out of the room, I thought of that phrase, ‘It’s just business,’, It’s never just business. It never will be. If it ever does become just business, that will mean that business is very bad.” Profound truth.

Women Rowing North, by Mary Pipher – The inside cover reads, “A guide to wisdom, authenticity, and bliss for women as they age…a timely examination of the cultural and developmental issues women face ...” There are so many valuable nuggets in here, but I highlighted this one: “One day I told her that I greatly admired how she handled her difficult situation with such good cheer. She looked at me and said, ‘Mary, I have no choice about the leukemia, but I can control how I deal with it. I might as well act right and have something to feel good about.'” That’s so true about almost everything in life. We get to decide. Another that spoke to me: “On further reflection, I realized that I often become my own worst enemy, constantly signing myself up for combat duty when I really want to stay home, pet my cat and read a book.” (Okay, not the cat part, but Jennie and Gretchen, that’s for you!)

Range, by David Epstein – This read takes on the idea of whether it is best to “specialize” in a field/hobby/etc., or if it’s better to have a “range” of interests/focuses/preparations. Notable authors such as Malcolm Gladwell and Daniel Pink praise Epstein’s work, and this is indeed a solid read on the topic our path to excellence in life. I loved this: “Instead, she told me, in a clever inversion of a hallowed axiom, ‘First act, then think,’ Ibarra marshaled social psychology to argue persuasively that we are each made up of numerous possibilities. As you put it, ‘We discover the possibilities by doing, by trying new activities, building new networks, finding new role models.’ We learn who we are in practice, not in theory.” So good. As we go into 2020 and a new decade, where do we need to develop new possibilities?

The Moment of Lift, by Melinda Gates – From the inside cover: “How can we summon a moment of lift for human beings?” And also: “I had to write this book- to share the stories of people who have given focus and urgency to my life.” Those “people,” those “stories,” are from countries and cultures across the world, whom we have the power to help “lift,” thereby using the gifts God has given us to help all of humanity. It is about helping others use their voice, and build lives and generations by challenging the status quo. Who is giving urgency to my/your life right now? Where and who do we need to pursue to ensure we use your gifts and achieve our purpose? Those questions are true for every single age. It’s a useful question for launching into the new decade.

The Innovator’s DNA, by Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen, and Clayton M. Christensen – This book hones in on 5 skills for innovators using stories from the great innovator’s of our time, Apple, Google, etc. It’s a true business read, chalked full of quality content, research and stories we can use. One such example, “Google holds an ‘Innovator’s Challenge’, four times each year. In this competition, employees submit ideas for management review. Winning ideas receive the resources necessary to maintain momentum. Innovation at Google is very democratic; it lets market forces determine which ideas move forward.” I am always challenged by these types of reads and look forward to any ideas I can grab and use. Perhaps you are as well.

Rhythms of Renewal, by Rebekah Lyons – One of my favorites, and the topic of a blog post from October. Why do I love it? I love the topic itself, I love the simplicity of every single chapter and I feel like this book alone makes me better. That is saying a lot. One thought that is powerful as you go into the new year: “When we rest long enough to take inventory, when we ask God to cultivate our hearts, talents and passions according to the purpose he planned before our days began, we’ll find new horizons opening up, horizons beyond all we could ask or imagine. It’s never too late to re-establish what you want your life to be about.” So good.

Stillness is the Key, by Ryan Holiday – This one ties with No. 9 above on the absolute best for me for 2019. I wrote about it twice this year (Oct. 22 & Oct. 28) and one thought I loved: “The answer is that while we may naturally possess stillness, accessing it is not easy. One must really listen to hear it speaking to us. And answering the call requires stamina and mastery.” To me, all of this is most worthy of my attention and incredibly critical at this point in our world. We need to be still and we need to think and listen well in order to serve well… be it at home, the workplace, the community, and yes, making key decisions in 2020 as it comes to new leadership for our country – and beyond. We need to urgently focus on removing distractions.

Praying for each of you to have an incredible finale to the decade and to have the focus to start strong on a new year this week ahead!

Love BIG this holiday season!

All of my boys would say Christmas is the best time of the year, but one of my sons in particular really loves Christmas. I bought him a sign with the message “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” a few years ago and he proudly hung it in his room everyday of the year until he went off to college.

I love that, and I love that he understands the message of Christmas and that it’s truly all about love. My mom-heart hopes that he holds on to this truth all through his life.

Loving well is central to our hearts as humans. We are meant to love and while often we get it right, sometimes we don’t love as well as we can or should. Regardless, we strive toward love and the world usually magically gives it back to us.

As we head into the final lap of the year and on this Christmas Day, my prayer is that we love well – the best we can! Even when the world sometimes doesn’t give it back, we press forward and continue to love. Thanks to the Christmas story, we know the truth is that God so loved the world, and He gave us His only son…

And our hope in this wacky wonderful world is real and beautiful. Enjoy every minute of these next few days… For many this is what most believe holds the most wonderful time of the year.

Merry Christmas my friends – and love well!

What one word sets your soul on fire for the best year ever?

I really love this topic. My mind runs amok with the possibilities. Where in the world does God want us to go in 2020? It’s a whole new decade… the possibilities are endless! How do we best achieve our personal goals and purpose? How can we show up with excellence at home, in our neighborhood, as a friend, for our community and in our careers?

Now, of course I know “one word” doesn’t capture it all, but what would one thought be that galvanizes and energizes? Is there a specific area in your life that needs a specific focus? Do you need to for example cultivate your relationships? Do you need to have more days of connection and joy? Are you being called to adventure, travel or exploration?

So many ideas. Here are a few…

Discipline – This was my first “one word” from back in 2012, and it was the year I started working out on a regular basis and focusing on personal health. Total game changer.

Also… Elevate, trust, joy, stretch, acceptance, happiness, freedom, momentum, growth, unstoppable, shine, minimize, rebuild, peace, silence, brave, curious, perspective, thrive, aware, fresh, quiet, travel, adventure, journey, accelerate, game-changer, win, search, commit, dedicate, meaning, true, love…

If you choose to jump on this train, I highly recommend that you share your word with a few members of your tribe, write it down and put it front and center somewhere you see often. There are also other resources, including a website, which lets you join others across the world in the process.

In closing, I will share that selecting a word could be a challenge. Since I’ve done this a few years, I always want to give it some real thought and try to hear from God on what would be the most powerful word to help direct me. That said, my word for 2018 was “revival,” and I didn’t really understand it fully at the time, but felt it was clearly supposed to be my word.

Here is what I wrote in 2018 on this blog topic (referencing a message I had just heard at that time about “revival” being a “season of reintroduction”): “Revival is a time where God reintroduces himself, exposes you more to your next assignment, and gives you insights to conquer that next level.” As it turns out, it actually was a year of reintroduction, but in many ways not at all how I would have even began to predict or understand January 1. I think that is a fun part of this journey… sometimes what you think at the onset is not how it ends up.  

What we can count on is that 2020 will be an adventure! Have a terrific wrap to your week everyone!  

*adapted post from prior years.

“Un-hurry” for the holidays: Don’t sabotage your intentions for this holiday season with hurry

“Don’t miss the joy.” It’s as if that’s a blinking billboard I drive by routinely. The world all around reminds us to make an all-out effort to really feel the joy… the fun… and to embrace the moments this month provides.

For many, this would look like 10 unexpected snow days… Giving the time to really immerse yourself in all things Christmas. My favorite: Reflecting on the year past, meditating, praying, dreaming of God’s plan and, of course, spending quiet time with those I love. Can you imagine what a 10-day runway would enable you to do? Time to actually bake and maybe even deliver treats to your neighbors?  (Okay for those that know me… probably no baking…haha)

Although I do take a few (scheduled) days to enjoy, I must be honest that sometimes that feels contrived and, ironically, hurried – offering just enough time to get caught up on life.

I was reminded in a message this week that we don’t have to “miss the joy.” The author, John Mark Comer, offered 7 ideas for getting there:

  1. Time off social media 
  2. Phone-free blocks
  3. Get your shopping done early
  4. Take a sabbath – truly 
  5. Embrace the use of an advent calendar in order to center our hearts around the message and meaning of Jesus in our lives 
  6. Embrace tradition, or create tradition 
  7. Spiritual celebration 

I would add a few more, like connecting with those that bring you energy and light! What would yours be?

Praying this morning that you find joy all around.

The magic of humanity

Hey you.

Yeah, you. 

This post is about you.

As a woman of faith, one thing I know to be true is that God created us all with absolute perfection. Everyone you meet – every last one of them – was designed for a purpose, for the generation they were born into. Every person – especially the most seemingly hard to love – were once a child ready to be poured into and ready to pour out to improve our world.

It’s useful to be reminded, especially during the holiday season, that there are a lot of people who really could use this message. Our communities are filled with stories of pain, heart ache, dreams shattered, illness and love lost. The innocence of that once-happy child is only a memory now. It is up to us to recognize this reality and provide a light of hope and joy to those in our presence.

If you are reading this, I’m certain that you, like me, truly want to “serve well.” Your heart is willing and able and that is exactly what we need more of. We need to stand with an internal motivation to be on watch for those that could use some extra encouragement… to be seen, to be heard, to be loved. I feel this ability we all have is the magic of humanity. We have this great power to hold and be a lights for others, and that is where our beauty really shines.

Praying that you and your loved ones cherish the moments this week and that you are able to bring your joy to those who may be counting on you.

Rewind! This post is a throwback, but the topic is ever relevant. I hope you agree!

Heading into the season with a spirit of prayer and expectation

The saying above is beyond powerful. Let it saturate your soul.

Prayer is a first response. Prayer is a gift that can help us open up so many gifts it’s truly incredible. Prayer offers us a companion to…

  • Show our adoration & gratitude 
  • Intercede for others
  • Seek guidance 
  • Deliver us from self focus
  • Confess our misgivings and concerns 
  • Simply share our heart … (and so much more)

I have unintentionally strayed from a rich prayer life. Upon reflection, it is simply due to allowing life’s everyday distractions to consume me, edging me off center. I found the book “ The Battle Plan for Prayer” in my bedside table last week. It’s been waiting there for me. The book is part of the War Room project, which included a fantastic movie reminding us of the power of prayer. When I was in Columbus for Thanksgiving, my son had a prayer board in his room with various prayers and scriptures pinned up that he wanted to lean into. This was the point of the movie. (The “war” room is essentially the prayer closet.)

I am always fascinated by the ways God speaks, but never surprised. Right in my direct path, two reminders to nudge me toward perhaps the most powerful tool I have ever found in order to center me and give me direction and hope: PRAYER–

As we launch into December, it is the ideal time to lock into what we know is absolutely true for us… Seeking the roots of our life and spending our physical and emotional energy to ensure we finish the year strong and move steadfastly into God’s plan for us in the new year. I want my prayer life to go deep again; to truly start each day with the power of that connection, and never to consider it an add on to my days if time allows. How about you?

On this CHIEFS Sunday, and the first day of December, my prayer is that you will have one of those holiday seasons that you find yourself taking in wonder at every turn. What a gift this season is!