Tearing Down Walls...Sometimes You've Got To Be Careful

A few weeks ago I was approached and asked if I’d mind helping tear down a wall in one of the offices at church.  I was off the next day and didn’t have any plans,so I said I would help.

Now, I’ll be honest with you.  I thought we would go in, take off a few pieces of molding and “tear down” the wall.  But that’s not the way it happened.  It was a process and it took time, because we had to handle certain sections of the wall carefully due to certain piece being reused later.  Plus, had we gone in with a sledge hammer and demolished the wall we would've caused damage to other areas of the office.  So we took our time with the sections with pieces we were trying to save and those sections that we weren’t, we killed; so to speak.

Some of the pieces we took down that would be reused we put in a safe area separate from the “trash pile”.   Other pieces of the wall that weren’t going to be reused we had no mercy on.  We beat it with the hammer, ripped the panels from the nails and jerked the 2 x 4’s from their setting.  We didn’t care how it looked once removed, because it was trash and we knew it was never going to be used again.  However, we had to handle those pieces carefully and place them in an area that wasn’t a heavy traffic area because those pieces had nails and sharp edges that could be dangerous to someone if stepped on or rubbed against. 

During the process of the demolition our Pastor said those famous words spoken by President Ronald Reagan, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall”.  I told him after he said that that there was a sermon in this process.  I didn’t realize that tearing down a wall could contribute to a life lesson, but it did.

Both pieces we removed had potential; one the potential to bring beauty and delight and the other the potential to bring pain and torment. 

We build walls to provide us with protection, beauty, privacy, and most importantly, separation.  That last provision is the one we tend to use the most.  We want it to separate us from people, places and circumstances and we expect it to stand for a long time.  However, the reality is we’ve built the wall using material such as bitterness and resentment, which do nothing but cause the wall to become a hindrance in the future.   It’s that kind of material that causes the wall to become stronger and harder to remove later.   The wall will stand for a long time, but the separation and so called protection it brings isn’t what we set out to accomplish when we built it.  The separation it brings keeps us from associating with people and the false protection keeps us from accomplishing our dreams and goals and achieving our greatest potential. 

See the importance in tearing down that wall?  Again, there’s some material you’ll want to save when tearing down a wall.  The support boards of encouragement, the beautiful trim pieces of a positive attitude and a strong mind used as a frame to support the door of opportunity.   So, you ready?  If so, let’s begin the process of tearing down and remodeling.

Just my thoughts on a page…

That Ain't No Sheep!

Wow….It’s been too long since I’ve posted a new blog. With Facebook and Twitter getting all the attention, it’s hard to post something every week.  However, I’ll try to post something more frequently. 

 Typically I try to make my blogs inspiring, encouraging and uplifting; however, this one may be a little straight forward, but my hope is that those that read it become inspired to make a change, encouraged to leave a hurt or past behind and uplifted to see that Christ is for them not against them. 

I know a lot of people that have been hurt, pushed down, stepped on, ridiculed, looked down upon, cast aside, and heartbroken by so called “christian” people.  I deliberately left that word un-capitalized because those people aren’t Christians….there wolves dressed like sheep.  Matthew 7:15

Jesus told us in Matthew 10:16 that He was sending us out as sheep in the midst of wolves and to be wise and harmless.  Ezekiel 22:27 says, “Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. 

Most of those doing the hurting, shedding the blood and destroying souls are no longer apart or around.  People of that caliber usually don’t hang around long.  They’re literally like a wolf going from one herd to another, destroying whatever and whomever it can.  So my questions to those hurting are “where are you” and “why aren’t you around any longer”?  I think I may know the answer to those questions, so don’t answer them in the comment section of this blog…LOL. 

Just like some of you I’ve been let down, pushed down, ridiculed, talked about, laughed at, made fun of, told I’d never amount to anything, left out, lied on, made to feel as if I wasn’t important, taken advantage of, made to feel that my dreams were not important, and some of that by people who were supposed to be “christians”.  All of those actions were done to me by man, not by God.  I've come to realize that we've put too much hope, trust and faith in “man” thinking he had our answers and not enough hope, trust and faith in Christ who is our answer.  He told us in Matthew 7:15 to "beware" and that we'd know the wolves by the fruit they produce.  Our problem is we don't make ourselves aware of the fruit and when we get hurt we tend to walk away from God thinking that somehow its His fault.  He loves us to much for that.

We’ve all asked the questions, how can God allow a person to treat others in such a manner?  How can God allow us to go through that kind of torment and that kind of pain?  Why God must we face the fierce teeth of the wolves that devastate our soul, that drive us to a point of possible spiritual death?  I’m sure Joseph asked those same questions when his brothers threw him in a well and then sold him into slavery.  I’m sure he felt the bite of the wolf while sitting in a jail cell for something he didn’t do, I’m sure he felt betrayed and humiliated, but he never lost hope in God.  He never blamed God…..He just kept trusting….he endured till the end and look at all the ways in which God blessed him.

I said in a post on my Facebook page that I’m really bothered by the fact we have so many that are away from God because of a hurt.  My hope today is that you’ll come back.  Realize that it was a man/woman that hurt you, not God.  It was someone who didn’t care about your feelings, only their own self will.   It’s not too late to allow God to heal the bitterness and remove that brokenness you feel.  It’s not too late to allow God to bring peace back into your life.  It’s not too late to allow the Comforter to do exactly what He came to do in your life.  All you have to do is ask.  He’s ready to give that peace that passeth all understanding.

I wish we would all learn and do Colossians 1:8-9:  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Answer these questions for me.  How many chances has God given you?  Will you give Him one?

Just my thoughts on a page….

Come On...Walk It Out!

This week we had our monthly employee of the month meeting at work and our Sr. VP was discussing a new fund raiser for Alzheimer’s called Walk for A Cure.  After his presentation, our HR manager got up and said that she thinks if we meet our goal of raising ten thousand dollars, our two VP’s should do the “Walk it out” dance. 

Now most of you who read my stuff will be wondering what in the world is the “Walk it Out” dance.  Well, there’s a group of rappers called UNK that perform a rap called, Walk It Out.  Basically it’s a beat with the words “walk it out” thrown in and a bunch of folks “jiving” around.  It’s a funny video you can watch on YouTube. 

During the meeting I have a responsibility to talk about a things concerning safety.  As I was approaching the podium to give my presentation, someone said out loud, “Tim, you should do the walk it out dance too”.  Laughing I said sure, only if someone shows me how, because I’d never heard of this “walk it out” dance.  So, the two VP’s pulled up the video on YouTube and showed it to me. 

All during the day as I would pass different one’s they would say, “Walk it out, Tim” and I would just laugh and keep walking.  

That’s what we’re supposed to do anyway…walk it out!  Philippians 3:13-14 says, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” 

I’m not worried about what’s behind me, because it’s in my past and doesn’t affect me…I’ve walked it out.   I’m really not worried about what I have in front of me, because when I have troubles to deal with, I’m going to walk it out.  If I have difficult task that I’ll have to face, I’m going to walk it out.  Pressing toward the mark of the high calling of God….walking it out! 

Now, about 80% of you reading this will go to YouTube and pull up the video.  Once you see it you’ll realize how silly the people look “Walking it out”.  Don’t let that bother you.  Looking silly is the least of our worries when it comes to walking through our problems.  I could care less how I look as long as I can make it through to the other side.  I’m sure Peter looked ridiculous as he stepped over the side of the boat and “walked it out” on the water.  I’m sure Daniel looked crazy “walking it out” in a den of lions, but he came through.  I’m sure Jonah felt a little crazy as he “walked it out” in the belly of a big fish.  I’m sure none of these folks worried about how they looked while walking toward the mark, they just kept walking. 

So the next time you face discouraging news just remember it’s your time to shine…Walk it out!  The next time you experience a storm just look at it as a time to dance…Walk it Out!  The next time the enemy throws a problem at you and you don’t know how you’re going to handle it…Walk it out!

As the rap goes, “walk, walk, walk, walk it out”.  You have a prize at the end of the path.

Just my thoughts on a page…


If It Wasn't For The Lord...

There s a song we sing from time to time that asks a question, “If it wasn’t for the Lord, where would I be”.  Just in the last few days I’ve read and heard about people who are getting divorced, others having lost spouses due to sickness or have sick loved ones with disease and even some with financial troubles in their life.  As I think about all the issues people are having or have had, I stop and ask myself, what makes them any different from me?  The answer is…nothing.  However, if it wasn’t for the Lord.

As I think about the people who have gone through their problems and worries of life, again I stop and ask myself, how have they made it?  How did they make it through all the stress and issues that life sometimes brings?  Where did the strength come from?  What kept them going?  All of those questions can be answered with on little phrase…If it wasn’t for the Lord. 

I don’t know who’s going to read this, but to those that do I want you to know that God can.  God can do what, you ask?  It’s not an unfinished question or a cheesy statement.  It’s a definite proven fact…God can do anything.  You just have to put your trust in Him. 

God can…provide me with strength.  God can…help me financially.  God can…help my marriage.  God can…help me with my problems.  Whatever it is you're facing...God can.   If it wasn’t for His mercy, His forgiveness, His grace, His guidance, His strength, His direction, His still small voice whispering, “Keep going” there is no telling where we would be.  We’ve put our trust, our hope, our dreams and our lives into His hands and we know that whatever we have to face, He’ll see us through it. 

He may not have answered the first time we hollered out to Him in desperation, but somehow we knew He was there with us to help us face every storm we encountered.   God has never let us down, nor has he ever forsaken us.  If it wasn’t for the Lord, where would I be? 

Answer this question honestly.  If it wasn’t for the Lord….where would you be? 

Just my thoughts on a page…

Questions Anyone?

Out of all the definitions of the word “develop” I think I like this one the best. It’s from the Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary and it reads, “To move from the original position to one providing more opportunity for effective use”.

Over the last year I’ve looked at trying to become better at things so I could be of better use to others. I’ve read different studies and blogs by well known leaders and authors all in an attempt to become better. Why? First of all, I wanted to become better. I wanted to be a better teacher, a better leader and just an all around better person. Secondly, I wanted to help others in their endeavors to be better. I figured the only way to accomplish that was to better myself.

How do you become better? One way is to ask a lot of questions. Without questions you’ll never get answers. However, with answers come the potential for more questions. Dan Rockwell, Leadership Freak, says, “If you can’t ask questions your people development skills are weak”. That’s true. If you can’t ask questions you won’t have the skills to help others.

What questions do you need to ask? What questions do you want to ask? Ask them! Because the answer you get may be the same answer someone else needs to help solve a dilemma they’re in.

Just my thoughts on a page...

Sharing Grace....It's Our Obligation

For some reason “grace” has been on my mind heavily for the last few weeks.  It’s been mentioned and written about the last few days and the writings I’ve read and conversations I’ve heard have actually got me doing some deep thinking.  Thinking about myself and what I’m doing, or rather, not doing.

This morning I put on a CD by Jason Crabb and the first song on his self titled CD was Somebody Like Me.  The first verse is about a drunk who walked into a church and the congregation splits like the Red Sea.  The people just looked at him and judged.  No one helped him, no one spoke to him, and no one put their arm around him to offer a prayer or friendly smile.  The song goes on to say that the drunk wanted to be on the streets rather than in church.  My heart began to sink into my stomach as I mentally saw this drunk guy sitting on a pew, wanting to be anywhere else but in church.  Where was grace?

As I climbed into the truck to go to church this morning, I turned on the radio and a song by Casting Crowns Jesus, Friend of Sinners was playing.  I sat there and listened to the words”The world is on their way to You, but they're tripping over me” and again, my heart sank.  The chorus says, “Oh Jesus, friend of sinners.  Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers.  Let our hearts be led by mercy.  Help us reach with open hearts and open doors.  Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours”.  Again, where is grace? 

I get to church and Evangelist A.D. Spears tells us of a sermon he was going to preach.  The title was, The Sounds of Grace.  I thought to myself, that’s it.  I had to write about what I was feeling.  If I didn’t I’d blow up.   

Grace is defined by Webster as elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion or action. It’s pleasing or attractive quality or endowment. Grace is favor or goodwill, a manifestation of favor. In short, its mercy, clemency, a pardon but it’s an action that must be shown. 

When are we, as Christians, going to shut our mouths and start showing grace?  When are we going to start reaching out to those who are hurting, those who are lost, those who are confused and share what was shared with us….GRACE.

I must ask for forgiveness, because I haven’t shared the grace shared with me.  I haven’t shared my story of salvation in a while.  I haven’t shown favor or goodwill by giving my time accordingly.  I haven’t shown or shared forgiveness or mercy appropriately.  I haven’t shown or shared pleasing or attractive qualities to those around me that may be searching for something different, or rather, someone different. 

How can I expect God to share with me more of HIS grace, when I won’t share the grace already shown to me? 

As Christians, we have an obligation and it’s not to talk smack about someone that didn’t do “right”.  Remember the words to the song….”The world is on its way to You, but they’re tripping over me”.  Who are we going to help up?  Will we share the grace that God shared with us? 

In the song by Jason Crabb, Somebody Like Me, the chorus says, “You’d think somebody would put their arm around him.  You’d think somebody would hit a knee, pull him in, say a prayer, that’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout right there.  You’d think somebody would practice what they’re preaching.  Well I wonder who that somebody could be?  Probably somebody like me”.

Going forward that somebody will be me.  I want to make a difference in "somebodys” life.  I don’t want to be the one who thinks someone else will do it.  I don’t want anyone else to do it.  I want to be the “somebody” to that “someone” who needs grace shown.  Will you? 

How can we show grace?  Leave me your thoughts and suggestions.

Just my thoughts on a page….

Following the Leader, The Leader, The Leader

When you think of following someone a couple of things come to mind;   Twitter and Facebook.  

If you own a business you’re strongly encouraged to create a Twitter account so people can “follow” you.  You’re also encouraged to create a Facebook page so people can “like” you and see what’s going on within your business.

Naturally, both of those tools are great and if used properly can add money to your bottom line.  However, in today’s society we have the ability to follow and like, but we’re not required to do anything. 

We’ve all heard the song, “We’re following the leader, the leader, the leader.  We’re following the leader, where ever he may go”.  To properly follow a leader requires the following.

Number one is TRUST - if you can’t trust the person in the position of leadership, then you can’t properly follow.  You’ll constantly be questioning every move the leader makes and stressing out over whether or not he or she is moving in the right direction.  You’ve got to be willing to put yourself and your fate into the hands of the leader and TRUST that he’ll do the right thing, take you to the right places and introduce you to the right people that will eventually land you at your destination….success!

The second thing you’ve go to be willing to do is COMMIT.  There are places the leader will want to take you that may be un-nerving and unfamiliar.  You’ve got to be willing to commit to the journey.  There are tools and processes that the leader may be willing to use that you’re uncomfortable with.  Be committed to using those tools.  Remember, if you’re not willing to commit, you’re not properly following. 

There’s more to my thoughts on this subject, so stay tuned for more.  Remember the words of Jesus.  He said, “Follow me and I will make you fisher of men”.  I love the fact that he chose people to follow Him and then developed them to lead.  That’s our job as well.  We’ve got to be willing to choose those who are willing to follow and develop them to lead. 

Just my thoughts on a page…..

I QUIT!!

We have always been told to never give up, keep pushing towards your goal and never quit. Well today I’m encouraging you to do the opposite. Today, I’m saying it’s time to quit, it’s time to give up and it’s time to stop.

Quitting isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes quitting is the best thing for us and for those around us. However, quitting can be one of the most difficult tasks we can do. For example, if you’ve ever smoked and tried to quit you know how hard it can be. The pain you suffer from the withdrawal, the shakes and twitches and most importantly the desire for just one more drag from a cigarette. It’s a really hard task for some to do.

We know that quitting an addiction or an un-healthy habit is good for us. But what about the issues that negatively affect our mind and spirit, shouldn’t we quit those habits as well? The answer is yes, but it can be just as hard to let go of an attitude or release bitterness and anger as it is to quit smoking and drinking. Some of our attitudes and anger issues we’ve lived with for so long that living without them would feel abnormal.

Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary has two definitions for the word quit that I found very interesting. The first one lists the word as an adjective and defines it as, released from obligation, charge, or penalty; to set free. That sounds a lot like forgiveness to me. When we stop worrying about the past or failures we’ve made and we decide to accept the fact that our past no longer defines us and move forward, we’ve quit.

The second, quit is listed as a verb. It’s defined as, to set free, to depart from or out of, to leave the company of, to relinquish, abandon or give over. Again, that sounds a lot like forgiveness. When you set someone else free of an obligation or charge, you’ve quit them. When you realize that certain places and certain people are no longer where or who you want to be around, you’ve quit them. However, just like drinking and smoking, we know it’s bad for us, but to quit is so very hard to do. And like most cases, rather than quit we continue to indulge ourselves and eventually we end up hurting ourselves or hurting someone.

In order for us to accomplish the task of quitting, we must first learn to do three things.

1) We need to have a DESIRE FOR CHANGE. Understanding the need for change is vital to our success.

2) We must have COURAGE. The unknown can be scary and we’ll need the courage to continue. Ambrose Hollingworth Redmoon wrote, “Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” Our healthy peace of mind and stability is more important.

3) We must have a strong DETERMINATION to accomplish the task.  The goal is to over come….you can push through it and defeat whatever “it” is.  But you must be determined to do so.

Just my thought on a page….
Tim

I'm Dying...So I'm Going To Live!

This past Friday night, we had our annual Neiman Marcus year-beginning party.  As part of the evening entertainment, we were given a chance to take part in group karaoke.  Since there weren’t a lot of groups participating, I decided to add my name to the list of volunteer entertainers.

Now, I’m not a singer, but when it comes to being involved in entertaining, I like to do my best to make people laugh.  On this night, I thought I’d try my hand at Karaoke and not make an idiot of myself in front of all the people of Neiman’s…this included some of the VP’s and Directors.  I’m not sure if I succeeded in preventing becoming an idiot, but I sure had a good time.  It was fun to watch, but nerve wrenching to do.

The song I chose to sing was Tim McGraw’s, Live Like You Were Dying.  I’m not sure of the coincidence, but the other day I posted on Facebook, “Determine in your heart and mind that today you will LIVE!”  I’ve been thinking a lot about living lately and not letting anything keep you from doing what you feel to do.

Living is more than just getting up in the morning, going to work, coming home and sitting in front of a TV or computer monitor until time for bed.  Living is being involved with those that matter and doing the things that matter!

Living is getting up in the morning and kissing your spouse like you haven’t seen them in three weeks (after you’ve brushed your teeth, of course).  Living is going to work and putting everything you can into the job and leaving it there when it’s time to go home.  Living is coming home, hugging your kids, and going outside to spend as much quality time with them as possible.  Living is doing as much as you can with those that you love and care for the most.

How do you live when you’re on a fixed budget?  How do you live when you have too many irons in the fire?  How do you live when you’re so dead tired from giving everything you can to the job?

It’s important that we learn how to put people and things into perspective and prioritize.  Who and what matters most to me?  These are two questions we should ask ourselves, and then do what we can to ensure that the people and things that matter most are taken care of first.   Everyone and everything else will have to wait.

I realized something as I dwelt on the song and its meaning.  WE’RE ALL DYING!  Every day our bodies are deteriorating.  Our hearts, lungs, brain, kidneys and all other major organs get a little more worn and weary from the constant use.  You and I could drop dead in thirty seconds and we wouldn’t have another chance to do anything with the people that we love the most.

We’re not promised tomorrow.  So, if we’re not promised tomorrow, we need to live like tomorrow may not get here. 

I don’t want to go to the doctor’s office and look at x-rays’ before I decide to really live.  I’ve got a bucket list, but I don’t want to wait for bad news before I start checking things off.  I want to be the husband to my wife that she needs me to be.  I want to be the father, rather the dad, to my boys they need me to be.  I want to be a servant-leader to those I work with and to those for whom I work.  But most importantly, I want to be the best I can be for Christ.  After all, He’s the one who has given me the opportunity to live.  Not only to live, but to live life more abundantly.

What am I going to do, you ask?  Well, I’ve read the good book and I took a good, hard long look at what I’d do if I could do it all again.  And I’m going ski diving, Rocky Mountain climbing, going two point seven seconds on a bull named Fumanchu.  I’m going to love deeper, speak sweeter, and I’ll watch an eagle as it’s flying.  And I hope someday you get the chance to live, my friend, like you were dying.

Just my thoughts on a page…

It's a storm...Hold on!

The last few services we’ve been hearing about storms from our Pastor. Listening to those sermons, I’m beginning to understand a few things. There are times God ask us to “go to the other side” knowing that to get there will require us going through a storm. It may be a situation that you have never been through before or it could be a situation you’ve faced many times. What ever the case…He wants you to face it head on.

However, I’ve noticed something about Jesus that I think we as followers sometimes miss. The bible says that he spoke to his disciples in parables. Well if he spoke in parables, don’t you think in some of His actions could have been lessons? Watch this.

Let’s look at the first storm the disciples encountered. Jesus says in Mark 4:35, “Let us pass over unto the other side”, which in my opinion is a direct command to his fellow travelers. When the storm arose they didn’t take into consideration the words Jesus spoke. So when they woke Him up to inform Him of the conditions, He scolded them for not having faith. Then He spoke to the very thing causing, for lack of a better word, mayhem. He spoke to the wind. An element you can’t see or touch, but you can feel its effects. He spoke to the cause and then commanded the affected area be still.

The next storm we read about in Mark says Jesus had to constrain or force the disciples into a ship. Now, I’m not sure about you, but Jesus having to force those guys on a ship was probably necessary. How many of you would want to get on a ship just after experiencing what they went through? Not very many! It’s no wonder He had to “constrain” them. And it’s almost funny because they experience yet ANOTHER STORM. It’s almost like he was messing with them. But it’s this storm that I think He shows them just “who” He is and the power He possessed.  It’s this storm that He walks on the water, rather walks on the affected area of the storm....See where I'm going?

See, the first storm He spoke to the wind or the cause and spoke peace to the affected area. This time He walked on the affected area. You see He had the power to control either one, the cause and the affect of the storm. It was only Peter that actually caught on and asked, “If it’s you bid me come”. Jesus told him to come on.

It’s only through Jesus that we can truly make it through the issues we’re facing. Peter didn’t sink until he looked at the cause and affect of the storm. He himself wasn’t affected until he took his eyes off of the true controller of both. It was through Jesus that Peter was able to himself walk on the affected areas that the storm touched.

Where are you in your storm? Are you hiding in the deck below, are you struggling with the ores trying to get the ship to shore or are you trusting in the one who controls the cause and can calm the affected areas of your storm?

If not, don’t you think it’s time you let go and call on the one who can speak peace? Try it and see what happens. Then let me know how things turn out.

Just my thoughts on a page…

Climbing the Mountain of a New Year...You Ready?!

It’s a new year and everyone is making new goals and resolutions they want to achieve in the upcoming months. As I was reading this morning, I found myself wondering how I was going to complete everything I said I wanted to do this year.
Well, I’ve got the answer. I’m going mountain climbing.

Last year I sent Donna a picture of a mountain. The same picture I’ve posted with this blog. In the lower right hand corner you can see a small cart with a lot of supplies or cargo attached. I told her that the picture represented us. When we moved to Longview, Texas we thought we would be going in one direction, but wound up going in a complete opposite way. We thought we were reaching our mountain top, but it turned out to be a valley with a huge mountain in front of us. It was like God said; nope I have something else for you.

This year, we made up our minds that nothing or no one was going to prevent us from accomplishing what God has for us to do and like so many of you out there, we made goals and resolutions for 2012. The question is how are we going to accomplish them all?

Here are some tips I came up with on achieving or reaching your goal or “mountain top”.

1) You have to plan your trip.
In planning a climb you’ve got to ensure you have the trip mapped out. Where do you want to be day 1, day 2, day 3? What is your destination? How do you plan to get there? What tools will you need for the job? Do you have the right equipment? All of those questions will need to be asked. If you can answer them then move on. But you must have a plan. Once you’ve got your plan….work it!

2) Prepare the mind
When you start out with anything new, it can be stressful. You have no idea where you’re going and no idea what you may have to face, so you’ve got to be ready for anything. You’re taken out of your comfort zone and placed in a place where the decision you make could be life or death decisions. Can you make them and think through the decision in a timely manner? Are you a positive thinking person with an honest outlook or will you let the negative influence you to quite and lose your ground? Negative self talk is an area you’ve got to overcome. Honest thinking and a cool head is what most climber need.

3) Prepare the body
You don’t want to start out climbing a mountain and not be in shape to do so. Just like being prepared mentally, you’ve got to be physically ready. Start walking or jogging when you get home from work. Exercise with the kids or with your spouse. Get the body fit and in shape, because there are some climbs that can be physically demanding. Are you ready for it?

4) Pick a great partner
Any time you go climbing, hiking or cycling you want to have a partner with you. Many times people go into places and they aren’t familiar with the terrain. If something was to happen, you want to have someone with you who could help get you out of a rough situation or even go for help if it was serious enough.

The same applies to life. You’ve got to have a good partner who can give you motivation, inspiration and help you through a tough point. You want someone who can be upfront and brutally honest with you, but at the same time be kind. Having a mentor or coach is great and can be beneficial for the climb. Many times the coaches or mentors have been through some of the same situations you’ll face and can give you great advice.

5) Pray
This is usually one of the first things that should be done. And I should have made it first on the list. Prayer is one of the most important things you can do if you’re going to be successful in life. You can plan all you want and prepare your minds and body, but if your soul isn’t prepared you do yourself a great injustice. In everything you do you must keep God first and foremost in your life.

Just my thought on a page…