30 million Americans have passed through the early voting gate so far with perhaps another 100 million expected to pass through the gate tomorrow. When the day is done and assuming we don’t have a constitutional crisis due to voter fraud or nagging unanswered questions about citizenship, we will have entered a new field.
It feels like we the American people are in the process of being herded from the field of one owner to a field of a new owner. As sheep, we don’t know what this means for us, nor do we understand the back room deals that facilitated the transaction. Regardless of our party affiliation, we are all hoping for greener grass. We have no idea if the new owner we voted for will feed us, sheer us or butcher us.
Regardless of our next leader, we are heading into very rough waters in the next four years. The mindset that got us into this mess cannot possibly lead us out of it. We need a new way of thinking. A new way of acting. A new way of surviving and thriving in the new economy we are facing. It is not debt based, mammon centered, self reliant or wrapped in gifted rhetoric. It requires vision but is laden with opportunity. It requires sacrifice but promises great reward. It succeeds regardless of political corruption or ineptness. I have seen it operating first hand in Eastern Europe where corruption is rampant. This is not a pipe dream.
So while about half of us may not like the new owners of the field we find ourselves in on Wednesday when the counting is (hopefully) done, it doesn’t mean we are doomed. If we do find ourselves in a dark period with much foreboding, that only creates more demand for light. So fill up your lampstand with oil and be prepared to be the light of the world as we have always been called to be. It’s never been more important!
I have asked Rich Marshall to host a couple of blogs. He is an internationally recognized speaker, trainer and author with over 40 years experience in bringing out peak performance in others. His clients are a virtual who’s who of corporate America. He has developed a new breed of corporate leadership training you will want to know more about. It’s called the E.P.I.C. Training System, a classic leadership development program and a remarkable proprietary system built on 7 foundational areas of human performance improvement. Now, here’s Rich…
Strategic Planning with the Holy Ghost - Part 2
Over the last several years I have had the privilege of working with dozens of enterprises in the planning process. Coming from a background of pastoring (I did this for 35 years) I was very accustomed to seeking help from the Lord, especially in asking the indwelling Holy Spirit to help. However I found that most executives, even Christian executives, do not take advantage of this competitive edge. For some reason, when it comes to planning most of it falls into one of two categories:
1. A full reliance on the Holy Spirit; with lots of faith and prayer and trust involved. In most of these cases; there is little practical, commonsense and time tested and proven strategic planning ingenuity used. It is as if it would not be full of faith if good planning methods were employed.
2. A full reliance on proven strategic planning methods; with much attention given to the planning process, using all of the most up-to-date methods available. In most of these cases; there is little or no input from the Holy Spirit. It is as if it would be “poor business” to include Him here.
Therefore I am encouraging Christian business leaders to integrate all of their business life under the heading: My business is my ministry. When we do that, we will be much more likely to include the Lord in all that we do; especially the planning process.
Here are some thought provoking ideas to assist you in the integration process.
All that you do is a spiritual activity. Both business and church are ministry and both should be treated as a way of fulfilling your God given purpose in life.
It is so easy to fall into presumption and call it walking by the spirit. In other words, we assume that since we are Christian and prayed in the morning, that everything that happens during the day has been orchestrated by God. I have found that Charismatics are probably most guilty. By the way: leaders are not exempt.
Prov. 16:3 “Commit your work to the LORD, and then your plans will succeed.”
Did this plan or strategy arise out of dependence on and hearing the voice of God during the process?
Marketplace ministers need to watch out here. We are sometimes so intent on losing Christian-ese that we forget to use planning opportunities to engage the Holy Spirit.
Consciously, from a place of dependence, invite God into your planning process. Don’t leave Him out.
NOTE: Join Rich and me Tuesday at 1:00 for an in depth discussion on how to integrate your leadership style with your core values, vision, mission and life purpose. Click here to register for the free call!
Yesterday I caught Joel Osteen on television telling a story about Patrick Henry Hughes. He was born with crippled limbs and without eyes. Naturally his parents were devastated and wondered what they had done to deserve that. When Patrick was old enough to sit up, they put him on a piano stool and he began to learn the notes. At age two, he was taking requests. By grade school he was playing old standards and by high school he was playing the blues. When he got to college he was an accomplished pianist and trumpet player.
Recognizing his tremendous gift, the college band director asked Patrick to play in the marching band which entertained thousands at the University of Louisville football games, etc. In order for this happen, his father gave up his day job and worked the graveyard shift at UPS so he could be at every practice and wheel his son in formation, spinning and turning with the rest of the band while his son blew the trumpet with gusto.
What happened with Patrick is truly amazing, how he developed a gift God gave him that could easily have been missed. What also happened, was that a blind boy inspired vision in his parents. His mother “saw” the potential in him as she taught him piano. His father, instead of mourning the fact they could never play ball together, got a vision to play music together. The band director received vision when he “saw” the gift inside this young man. The gift by the way, was far more than a music ability. As much as anything, it was how Patrick interpreted life. When asked to describe his disabilities, he said, “Not disabilities at all, more abilities.” I believe we tend not to see things the way they are but rather we see things the way we are. That should tell you a lot about Patrick and about yourself.
Patrick’s example is removing the scales of self-imposed limitations that are blinding countless sighted people from “seeing” and fulfilling their vision. What’s inside you? What’s holding you back? What’s your excuse? Gain some vision from this courageous young man, Patrick Henry, and from his family and begin stepping into the vision God has equipped you best to fulfill. As Helen Keller once said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” By the way, now when his parents ask God what they did to deserve Patrick Henry, they say it with tears of joy!
If this story and video helped you at all today, please share it with your friends, family and business associates. Who knows who you might help in the process?
