Every opportunity people give you—even ministry opportunities in the church—should not automatically be understood as an obligation from God. There are so many good things people want you to do with your short life, you will never be able to do them all. And if you try to do them all, you will miss God’s best for you. If you miss God’s best, you will not finish this life well. Hence, the ability to determine the difference between what is good and what is God’s best for you is a powerful advantage in life.
The question is: How can YOU figure out what's merely a good opportunity and what's a God opportunity?
To answer that question, I encourage you to observe the decision-making genius of Jesus.
For a FREE PDF download on how Jesus determined the difference between a mere good opportunity and a God opportunity, GO HERE.
You have my enthusiastic permission to share this FREE PDF download with as many people as you wish.
Thanks for reading Amazing Time Management Secrets.
Brain research shows that when you complete a task on your to do list AND take a second to actually cross it off... your brain releases endorphins into your blood stream... thus you experience a physical and psychological high or lift.
So why not ride the endorphin rush right now? Here's how:
1. Create a list of all that you need/want to do today. 2. Prioritize the list by asking yourself, "If I could only do one of these items today, which one would it be?" 3. Place the number 1 next to that item... and then re-ask the question about the remaining items on your list. 4. Once you have everything on your list prioritized... start at #1 and work at it until you complete it. 5. Once you complete #1, take a second to cross it off your list... sit back... and ride the endorphin rush.
Or—If the above doesn't work—you can go to Starbucks and drink a 16 shot Americano... that ought to do it.
But whatever you do, don't cross anything off your to do list AND drink a 16 shot Americano... I just can't be held responsible for what that might do to you!
I mean, a real relationship with a real man can interrupt your schedule and take up so much of your personal time and energy.
What a pain!
So how can you, as a woman, get the emotional comfort of a relationship with a man without the emotional drain and time hassles of actually having a relationship with a real man?
To all women everywhere, I say look no further!
You don't need a real man. You only need 25% of a man (and not the 25% most men think). And think of all the time, money, and energy you'll save with 25% man. He doesn't make any messes, talk back, or leave the toilet seat up—and he's always ready to cuddle.
Get your 25% man now... all you have to do is decipher the language of the country where they sell these.
* Note to women who are already in a relationship with a real man: No trade-ins allowed.
"We can be quite sure that whatever God wishes us to devote ourselves to He will grant us time enough in which to do it. Our responsibility is to find out exactly what He wants and hold resolutely to that. One of our greatest problems is that we misunderstand what God asks of us, either by adding all kinds of extra responsibilities or by possessing only a hazy idea of what He wishes. We will gain more time by properly understanding His will for us than by all time-saving suggestions put together."
— Robert Banks, The Tyranny of Time: When 24 Hours Is Not Enough
1. There's a connection between the smile on your face and the number of hoops you choose to hula.
2. Make sure the few hoops you choose to hula are the most important ones.
3. In order to hula a number of hoops at one time, you'll need to get into a sustainable rhythm.
4. The more hoops you hula, the more important that you establish a center and then let everything move around that.
5. While everyone has a differnt number of hoops they can hula, you can't hula every hoop.
6. If you have more hoops than you can hula, you'd better figure out fast which ones you can drop... and which ones you can't.
7. It's a beautiful day in your life when you can hula less hoops without frustration or guilt.
8. Say these words out loud: "God doesn't expect me to hula every hoop offered to me."
9. Other people will try to make you hula their hoops.
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Go ahead... click on the comment link below and fill in your own lessons about life from hula hoops. I'd love to share your thoughts with over 1,000 people who read this blog every month! And I will actually add the best ones to our list... so please share your insights with us...
You may have heard of the first spiritual law: God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.
I would like to introduce you to the first spiritual FLAW: God loves you… and PEOPLE have a wonderful plan for your life!
If you are going to intentionally and proactively take charge of your life and time, not only must you learn to say no to obvious time stealers in your life, but you must also learn to say no to people who will try to get you involved in many different GOOD activities. To develop the inner fortitude to say no to people, you must:
1. Clearly identify what God’s priorities are for your time at this season of your life.
2. Figure out the difference between a good opportunity and a God opportunity.
3. Say no to doing mere good things.
4. Say yes to doing God things.
Why do you have to learn to say no to good things? Good is the worst enemy of God’s best! If you refuse to learn to say no to good activities, you will never be able to strategically invest your life in what God’s best is for you. It is possible to be so involved in good activities—even church activities—and miss God’s best for your life!
If you need permission from someone to say no—listen up: I HEREBY GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO SAY NO! Dr. Richard Swenson says, “Saying no is not just a good idea—it is an absolute necessity. If there are one hundred good things to do and you can only do ten of them, you will have to say no ninety times.”
Make no mistake about it: We must get used to saying no if we are going to take control of our time—and use it to honor God.
* In what ways are YOU suffering from the disease to please? * With whom? * What do you think God wants you to do about it?
Tired of letting life live you while your priorities sit quietly neglected in the back seat of your life? Well, if you're REALLY ready to do something about it... this blog's for you!
To make sure your life's priorities end up in your daily, weekly, and monthly routine, you will need to start by investing time in planning. Why is planning so critically important? When you take time to proactively plan your priorities into your schedules you are engaging in one of the highest returns you can get from time. As corporate consultant Brian Tracy puts it,
“You save ten minutes in execution for every minute you invest in planning. This means that the very act of planning—thinking on paper before you begin—gives you a 1000 percent return on energy. This is one of the highest returns you can get from anything you do in life.”
If you are serious about getting your priorities out of the back seat of your life, then you must proactively plan your priorities into your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly schedule. Planning takes time... but the return on your investment in planning is worth the time spent planning.
If you don't take time to plan, you will more than likely arrive at the end of life wondering why life lived you. Is that what you really want?
In workshop settings I ask people to list their most important priorities. I often get something like this: 1. God 2. Family 3. Work
As sincere and thoughtful as this list is, it violates the Ooo-La-La Principle: Besides God, there is nothing more important than your spouse.
So what's wrong with the above list? It puts your kids on an even level of importance with your spouse. Don't get me wrong... I'm reallly found of my kids... all six of them. However, if you list family as second priority, your spouse will lose out nearly everytime--because when it comes to giving time and energy--the kids win. But it's a mistake to have a kid-centric marriage. Why?
1. Because they're gonna be leaving... and that's NORMAL... but you will still want a marriage after the kids are gone. (You'd better not wait until after the kids are gone to invest time and energy in the marriage.)
2. In this age of high divorce rates, kids draw much of their personal security--not from how much you love them--but from how much you love your spouse... no joke! (Assignment for tonight: Make out with your spouse on the couch until the kids yell "GROSS!" Sure they'll act like you've damaged them for life, but they will KNOW that you love each other... and that's good for the kids.)
3. Kids should learn early that they are precious and important to you, but that the world does NOT revolve around them! (We're dealing with way too many adults right now who have never gotten the message that life is not about them. Let's not make any more.)
Therefore, I say, long live the Ooo-La-La Principle! Long live the spouse-centric marriage! Long live the Song of Solomon!
Or, if you have iTunes and would rather download these as a podcast, type the words "Denton Bible Church" and click "Love Song" to get the entire Song of Solomon sermon series for FREE.
This blog is about the adventure of figuring out what is most important in life--then focusing our energies on living for that which is TRULY most important. I encourage you to smile and wave in defiance at all the lesser things screaming for your attention (even it if makes people unhappy--including church people and relatives)--and do that which is most important. (It feels good too.)
That brings me to the Ooo-La-La Principle. This principle begins with understanding that besides God, there is nothing more important than your spouse. We know this. We say this. But we obviously aren't living it. Christian marriages are falling apart at about the same pathetic rate as non-Christian marriages. Many of us who remain married aren't exactly good advertisement for the God-ordained institution of marriage (I'm speaking directly to myself here too).
But the Ooo-La-La Principle doesn't stop at acknowledging the importance of prioritizing our spouse. (Anyone can give lip service.) Instead, the Ooo-La-La Principle proactively plans for time and connection together as a couple. Yep, make no mistake about it. The Ooo-La-La Principle is all about stoking the fires of romance in your relationship--you know what I'm talking about--that whole lovey dovey thing that leaves most marriages about the time of the wedding.
And make no mistake about it--this is a time management issue! (Gasps of shock!)
Contrary to intiution, the Ooo-La-La Principle will REQUIRE two very important proactive action steps on your part: 1) time, and 2) work. Yep--it takes time and work to be a Lance Romance. (Not what you thought... is it?)
For those who dare to proactively prioritize their spouse--and give the time and work necessary, the Ooo-La-La Principle promises great benefits. And to help you step into those benefits, I want to pass along a FREE resource to help you get started on the Ooo-La-La journey with your spouse.
It's Free! I first heard about Tommy Nelson's excellent sermon series on The Song of Solomon by listening to Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family radio program a few years ago. I was immediately intrigued and loved the message I heard. We'll I recently searched for the complete series of six messages--and discovered they ALL can be downloaded for FREE! (Thank you God and Tommy Nelson.) So I invite you to use the links below to download the six messages and listen to them yourself. Then listen to them with your spouse--and TALK about how they might apply to your marriage (such a radical idea). Yes--it's a virtual marriage retreat... only better... because the topic is The Song of Solomon... and it's only you and your spouse! {Note to any single folks: I think a listen to these messages would be VERY helpful to you as well--as the the first two messages are "The Art of Attraction" and the "Art of Dating."}
Or, if you have iTunes and would rather download these as a podcast, type the words "Denton Bible Church" and click "Love Song" to get the entire Song of Solomon sermon series for FREE.
Under an old brass paper weight, is my list of things to do today go to the bank and the hardware store, put a new lock on the cellar door I cross em off as I get em done, but when the sun is set there's still more than a few things left I haven't got to yet.
Go for a walk, say a little prayer, take a deep breath of mountain air, put on my glove,and play some catch, it's time that I make time for that. Wade the shore, cast a line, look up an old lost friend of mine sit on the porch, and give my girl a kiss, Start living, that's the next thing on my list.
Wouldn't change the course of fate, but cutting the grass just had to wait, cause I got more important things, like pushing my kid on a backyard swing I won't break my back for a million bucks I can't take to my grave, so why put off for tomorrow what I could get done today.
Like go for a walk, say a little prayer, take a deep breath of mountain air, put on my glove, and play some catch, it's time that I make time for that wade the shore, cast a line, look up an old lost friend of mine sit on the porch, and give my girl a kiss, Start living, that's the next thing on my list.
Raise a little H***, laugh till it hurts, put an extra five in the plate at church, Call up my folks just to chat, it's time that I make time for that. Stay up late and oversleep, show her what she means to me, catch up on all the things I've always missed, Start living, that's the next thing on my list.
Under an old brass paper weight is my list of things to do today.
The question is NOT: How can you spin all the plates that are screaming for your attention?
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