Cory Demmel is in the House!!

Tonight at Remnant, we are going to get to have one of the nations best leaders in the house. Cory Demmel and his Masters Commission from Bellevue, Nebraska is going to be with us. They have such an amazing team and I can't wait for them to model what it means to really go after people and just own the room.

I've asked him to share his heart on the difference between 'appreciating' or 'enjoying' the spiritual environment in the room vs. being the one that steps out and 'creates' the environment. Its easy to enjoy the fruits of someone else's labor. Its hard to be the one that creates it. When everyone jumps in though, something electric happens in the room.

I can't wait for what God uses Cory to pour into Remnant!! Get ready!!

Refueled!!

I am learning more and more about myself everyday. I have always had a high amount of daily energy. There is just an inner passion to do something great that lives inside of me. God made us all that way...I've just found out how to discover what mine was and now dedicate my life to doing it. Recently though, I have realized that there is a secret to keeping that passion going...it needs FUEL!

Here are a few ways I am learning to FUEL myself for Gods passions inside of me:

#1 I have to fuel my passion with some Jesus time. It doesn't get any simpler or harder than that. The End.

#2 I am the ONLY person responsible for developing myself as a person. ITS NO ONE ELSE'S job but mine. I have to put myself around like-minded leaders, books, podcasts, friends, and other people much smarter & passionate than me who can pour into me. If I keep expecting someone else to do it for me, I'll be a bitter & undeveloped leader who always makes excuses.

#3 I can't expect myself to be able to ALWAYS give to ANYONE who asks of me. The reality is, sometimes, I'm running on empty, Just because someone has our cell phone number, FB, Twitter or email address or knows where we sleep...doesn't mean they get to have access to us. I am learning I don't have to respond to every email, text, FB, etc to be a good person...in fact, many times, quite the opposite is true.

#4 I have to have some "me" time. There is something about just doing something alone that brings me great perspective on all God has given me. The last thing I should do is FORCE myself into an obligation that I have a choice over. I need to make sure I'm not lazy with this idea, and take advantage of it. But when I'm allowed some time to think, gain perspective, and relax, I'm much better to everyone I need to be around, meet with, plan for, give to, & pour into.

This isn't an exhaustive list. Only what I'm learning now. I hope you all learn to develop yourself...because no one else is going to do it for you. Lets Go!!

Communication 101

The goal of any communications is to get a point across. If you have enough humility, then you can get your point across everytime. If you just want to win points, then you’ll lose the goal of communicating EVERY TIME. Take for instance this scenario: if a Pit Bull was trained to attack every time it hears certain words, you’d probably be certain to avoid those words.

But when it comes to communicating, it seems we forget this rule of thumb. It’s like we want to see the dog go crazy, so we taunt it. We are shocked when it turns on us, & it hurts us.  It also hurts the dog & trains them not to trust dealing with you. Then every time the dog sees you, it starts barking & getting internly agitated. Many people understand this about dogs, but forget it when it comes to their family members, co-workers, bosses, teachers, and anyone else you have to communicate with in life.

Now, are you going to go in the backyard & start using the words that causes the dog to go crazy, or are you going to learn a better way to communicate your point until they can understand what you're saying. Humility will lead you to this, but many of us have the habit of getting ourselves BIT. Try some humility, and change the words, tone, and facial responses that you use and see how calm the people in your life remain.

Unavailable Focus

The moments where are minds are not cluttered with todo items, deadlines, reminders, emotional issues, & other stressful thoughts are the times where we can really become effective. The challenge of living a spirutally balanced life often is found in our inability to be focused. When your mind isn't unavailable to all of the seemingly 'urgent' components of daily life, your spirit & heart can't be available to hear the voice of wisdom, calm, serenity, direction, peace, or comfort.
The focus that comes when there isn't a thousand things trying to get your attention is essential to having a healthy & balanced life. Setting aside time to write, think, pray, listen & just 'be' will make refresh so much more than you can imagine. Our values get mixed up when we keep going from here to there, checking this box, making this deadline, finishing that project, making that call, and doing it all over again tomorrow & calling it: living.
Humans weren't created to be machines of productivity. We were created to reflect a glorious & amazingly in depth Creator & to live a life that honors him. Thats hard to do when the most important thing in life isn't being, but doing. It bares repeating: we were created as human beings, not human doings.