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Archive for the ‘Faith’ Category

2012…Are You Looking Back?

Posted in Marriage, Faith and Work, Planning, Faith, Family, Goals, Parenting, Gratitude, Faith at work, tagged , , , , , , , on December 31, 2012 | 2 Comments »

Wherever you are around the world, today is a unique day. Every one of us are living the final day of 2012. Will you treat it like any other day?

I have always believed strongly in using the end of the calendar year as an opportunity to both reflect and project. The Bible tells us that “God will call the past to account“ (Ecclesiastes 3:15 NIV). Knowing that God will be “reflecting”, don’t you think  we should, as well?

2012 yearend blog post

Think about your faith, your family, yourself.

What were the highlights, the memories, the markers that altered your life? Did you check an item off of your bucket list?

What were the lowlights, the things you are still struggling with, the things that were so bad but you are now seeing some good?

How did you grow in your faith? What did you intentionally do to make that happen? Did you get more or less involved in a church? Did you read the Bible? Pray? Did you spend time with other men or women sitting in a circle growing?

How about your work? Did you catch a new vision for why your work matters? Did you begin to close the gap that exists between your faith and your work? Did you take a step towards God …attend an event, read a book or a blog, participate in a biblical leadership study?

Let’s stop right there. This is not a guilt trip session. This is a time for honest reflection on both the incredible blessings of 2012, as well as the struggles and missed opportunities of 2012. We can see our God in both of them as we learn from the past to prepare us for the future!

2013 can be a fresh start. It’s a new opportunity. We’ll talk more about that tomorrow. For today, make sure that you invest some time learning from 2012. It will bless you in ways you never imagined.

Closing the gap,

David

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Follow Through Changes the Game

Posted in Excellence, Faith, Faith and Work, Influence, Integrity, Relationships, Work, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 6, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

How often do you let emails or phone messages pile up before you communicate back? Have you ever had a business meeting with a customer, but never followed up with them? Or committed to do something but never followed through with it?

What if Tiger didn’t follow through with his shot? How about you at work?

These are issues we all face at one time or another.  So, what’s the big deal?  Read what our guest blogger, Michael Dodd, former University of Arkansas ASG president, WorkMatters Kairos alumni, and now a Walmart associate in the Merchandise Leadership Program, has to say on this subject…

The Sundown Rule was Sam Walton’s twist on that old adage “why put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” It is still an important part of the Walmart culture and is one reason Walmart is so well known for its customer service. The observation from the Sundown Rule means that Walmart strives to answer requests by sundown on the day they receive them, following through in a big way.

I have learned a few lessons in the workplace as a young associate, but none has stuck with me more so than the importance of following up and delivering what you say you’re going to do. Through many failures and successes, I’ve seen the power that following up has in defining my competence, trust, and in some cases, integrity. I’ve also seen how it can mean a lot to spiritual growth opportunities, as well.

But at what point do you put emails before quality time with others? At what point does it take too long to answer emails, and you just stop answering? Think about this…

  • While email communication is losing value, God desires us to be excellent in our work and in our communication and replying to requests or just shooting a quick “nice to meet you” is something that sets the tone for a relationship.
  • The ability to follow up can add more value to a career or relationship than nearly anything else, by simply being intentional to follow up and doing it in a timely manner.
  • Following up on prayer requests is something that God has been pointing me to do more and more – and revealing his ability to answer prayer can be a great testimony to his power!
  • Following up to set a relationship in motion that could be kingdom-oriented is exactly how you make work a calling.

“For he says, ‘in a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

The more we follow up, the more we are able to influence lives for the Lord. And when we’re too busy to follow up with everyone, we should seek the Lord’s counsel on how best to spend our time.

Mike Duke recently spoke to a UA class that I visited, and passed on this last piece of advice to those of us that were there: “Be trusted first; deliver what you say; when you make a promise, keep it.” As we look toward our Heavenly boss, let us strive to follow up: “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” John 17:4

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Are You Grinding or Grounded at Work?

Posted in Attitude, Faith, Faith and Work, Prayer, Stress, Work, Workplace Prayer, tagged , , , , , on September 27, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Do you feel like your life is so hectic? Overwhelmed at times by all the busyness?  Grinding through your day and feeling on edge about everything? You are not alone!

Are you grinding through your workday? Too busy and always feeling stressed?

Now that summer is a distant memory, life is crazy again. It’s early to rise and late to bed around our house and the pace is non-stop.  I’ve noticed that there are some days where my work seems harder, my attitude is less than stellar and my creativity has gone AWOL for the day.

Why is it that some days I feel like I’m grinding through the day and other days I feel grounded.  Is there anything in particular about my morning routine that explains the difference? Nothing obvious comes to mind. Then I thought about yesterday – it was a good day – yes, I was busy (i.e I’m writing this blog at midnight) but I felt at peace throughout the day. The possible answer? I had a morning conversation with God.

Yesterday I had a little extra time before getting ready for work, so I decided to take a quick morning walk.  While I walk, I have the best conversations with God.  I talk, but I also listen.  When I finish my walk, I have “a peace that transcends all understanding.” Phil 4:7.  And that peace keeps me feeling GROUNDED all day instead of feeling like I’m GRINDING all day.

If you can invest some time, here are a few ideas for your morning prayer time:

  1. Your prayers don’t have to be marathons.  If you don’t have a lot of time, give yourself 10 minutes. If that isn’t possible, then pray while you’re getting ready or driving to work. “Never stop praying” 1 Thes 5:17 (NLT)
  2. Listen to the bible.  I have the YouVersion Bible app on my phone. There is an option to listen to the scriptures being read. You can listen to it while getting ready, exercising or driving.
  3. Get grounded. Paul sums it up perfectly when he said “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation… present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7

Want more suggestions? Check out our website on Workplace Prayer.

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Changing Your Thoughts at Work

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Excellence, Faith, Faith and Work, Mind, Pride, Relationships, Thoughts, tagged , , , , , on September 19, 2012 | 3 Comments »

Have you ever had a misunderstanding with your boss, a co-worker, or a customer?  It could be a verbal exchange or something as simple as an email. You replay the scene in your head over and over getting more frustrated each time you think about it. Worse yet, as the day goes on you have a hard time focusing on the tasks at hand, your energy is zapped and you become less pleasant to be around.

Are you frustrated by an email you received?

I think many of us have experienced this from time to time.  We’re human, right? But when our thoughts are preoccupied and distracted over the course of the day, don’t we end up hurting ourselves even more?  So, how can you reign-in your out-of-control thoughts?

Strategies to control your thoughts:

  1. Don’t speculate. How many times do you make assumptions that you don’t even know are true? Paul says in Philippians 4:8  “…whatever is true…think about such things.”  Don’t read anything more in a situation then what you know is REAL. Don’t speculate, don’t assume, don’t read between the lines.
  2. Take control of your mind. Literally!  Is the situation stuck in your head, like a broken record?  Paul writes “Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.”  When you start thinking about the situation, say this scripture instead.  You’ll be amazed how powerful God’s Word can be to help you get your mind back on track.
  3. Do NOT get offended. People are imperfect and as long as we come in contact with other people, there will be misunderstandings. Our pride can rear its ugly head in many ways and getting easily offended is one example.  Be proactive.  Decide right now NOT to get offended when someone rubs you the wrong way.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true…think about such things. Phil 4:8

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Try Sitting in a Circle

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Faith, Faith and Work, Leadership, Relationships, Small Groups, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 13, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

There are so many things that you can do to grow as a leader. To grow in your faith. Most of them are good. But what are the things that will have the most impact? A real, lasting impact?

I was reminded of an answer to that question this week as 62 leaders committed 60 minutes to sit in a circle. Well, actually they were sitting in a rectangle around large conference room tables. 62 men and women, in five different marketplace groups, from companies across northwest Arkansas invested 60 minutes to begin a journey. For 13 weeks, they will learn biblical leadership lessons from one of the great leaders of the Bible…Nehemiah!

I received an email from one of our WorkMatters Group leaders that met at 6:00a.m. yesterday! The anticipation these women expressed was powerful.

How encouraging to see all ten chairs around the table in the Harvest board room filled with women yearning to:

  • plug into a Bible study for the first time since college
  • meet other women in business
  • learn practical ways to have my faith be part of my life at work and not be separated from the rest of my activities
  • put God first even though I’m not a morning person and it won’t be easy as a single mom

Have you considered sitting in a circle with a small group of leaders that can create a lasting impact in your life and you in theirs?

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.  1Thessalonians 5:11

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Have You Thought About Praying for Your Work?

Posted in Faith, Faith and Work, Prayer, Relationships, Work, Workplace Prayer on March 5, 2012 | 1 Comment »

Today our team started off the day/week doing something that I know most do not have the opportunity to do.  We begin each week with a staff meeting, but we kick off the staff meeting spending some time in prayer for our work.  It is a rich experience and one that we do not take for granted.  We should probably start more days off with prayer, but at least once a week we take the time to lift up our work in prayer.

When I was employed out in the marketplace more where most of you are, it certainly was not something that was routinely done.  I was fortunate enough however, to work with a couple of Christian bosses along the way that included me in some early morning, before work prayer times.   Every couple of weeks we would get to the office early, before most others arrived, we would close the door to his office or conference room and spend thirty minutes or so together praying for our work.  It was such a blessing and even though things did not always go our way, it just felt good to pray about them.  There is no doubt in my mind that God wired us in such a way that when pray, we are doing one of the things we were designed to do.  That is why it always feels like the right thing to do.

Maybe you could find a few like minded people at work and commit to starting the work week off in prayer.  If not, you can at least be more intentional about praying for your meetings, for the people God will allow to cross your path as well as other work matters.

Let me encourage those who are in positions of leadership to organize opportunities from time to time for your team to pray together.  It can be a tremendous opportunity for growth and blessings for all concerned.

Paul taught us in Ephesians 6:18 to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always praying.”

“All occasions” sounds to me like it could include those occasions when I am at work!

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Are You Courageous at Home and Work?

Posted in Culture, Faith, Family, Friendship, Influence, Integrity, Jesus, Job Search, Marriage, Money, Parenting, Prayer, Trust, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 6, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of one of the most important days of my life. On October 5, 1991, Theresa and I said “I do and I will”!

In honor of that day 20 years ago, we spent the entire day together just having fun. We reflected on the past 20 years. We looked at old pictures, we told stories, we laughed, we questioned why on a few things that have happened in our lives. We shared two fabulous meals. We visited the site of the soon to open world renowned Crystal Bridges Museum.

And then we went to the movies. But this was not just any movie. This was a movie about life. About the very fabric of why we are here. About our marriages, our children, our work, and our faith. About being COURAGEOUS in living with great purpose in each of those arenas of life.

You may be familiar with the organization that also brought us the movies Fireproof and Facing the Giants. These are powerful examples of using media to impact our culture in positive ways.

For men and women, but especially Dad’s, take the time this weekend to see this movie. I find it impossible to believe that your life at home and at work will not be profoundly impacted.

Proverbs 22:6

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Inspiration for Relationship with God at Work

Posted in Adversity, Faith, Faith and Work, Family, God, Influence, Jesus, Relationships, Seven Pillars of Faith and Work, tagged , , , , , , , on September 20, 2011 | 1 Comment »

We are blogging this month on the first of  Seven Pillars…Relationship. Specifically, how we can walk with God all day, every day, but especially in our work. But it’s hard, isn’t it? The menial tasks. The grind. Deadlines. Worry. Money…and the list goes on.

But God calls us to see it differently, doesn’t he?  He calls us to see our work as a blessing, not a curse. To understand that our work is a mission, or at least it can be if we let it. To treat our work as worship to Him.

Do you need some inspiration to see a higher purpose in walking with God at work? Watch this video. Watch it to the end because it’s the last five minutes that really matter.

Now…what do you do with what you just witnessed?

How can your life and your work have deeper meaning?

What does your relationship with God look like now?

It’s up to you…

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’  Matthew 25:23

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Watching the Game Film

Posted in Encouragement, Faith, God, Jesus, Marriage on August 31, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

What would happen if your work today was captured on video? I’m talking every minute…all day long. Every conversation. Every decision. Every action. Every reaction. Every thought (are you kidding me?)… all captured on video. Then tomorrow, we sit down together and watch the game film!

Monday night, I attended an incredible event…Raise the Bar Rally in northwest Arkansas. The organizing team, led by ESPN’s Jimmy Dykes, were praying for 700 men to come to a night of hope, challenge and change.

1,400 showed up! Four men shared personal real life stories that were as real and painful and direct as you can imagine. In addition, several current and former University of Arkansas coaches and athletes shared challenges via video.

Of all of the impactful words spoken, Jimmy Dykes shared one that really stuck with me. Watching the game film. He talked about how painful it is to see the mistakes you made and to see how you can get better. But that wasn’t the challenge. The challenge was “what are you going to do about it?” You have to act to get better!

Can you take some time this week to get quiet…and watch your game film? Where do you need to raise the bar? Write it down. Pray about it. Ask God for the wisdom to know what to do…and the courage to do it!

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”   James 1:22

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60 Days…Special Prayer

Posted in Faith, Prayer, Wisdom on December 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Sam Bates, our friend and coworker at WorkMatters, who has been faithfully writing to you during this 60 Days of Prayer, needs prayer! Without going into detail, Sam’s Father has had three separate significant health failings in the last three weeks, the latest of which is a major hip break two days ago. Sam is on site in Ohio. If you would like to send him an encouraging word, click here sbates@workmatters.org.

As we have all joined in prayer for bridging the gap between our faith and work the last few weeks, let’s take this day to lift up Sam and his Dad. Pray for healing, excellent doctors/nurses, wisdom, perseverance, and finally, to trust God.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

David

Thank you so much for your prayers. If you would like to support WorkMatters financially please click here.

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