I Am Strong

37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one. 

-Matthew 5:37, NLT-

If there’s a certain ministry assignment you don’t really want to do, but agreed to do, 

bring your “A” game anyway.  

Often, along with the negative “I don’t want to do this” attitude comes a sour disposition, lack of enthusiasm, divisive thoughts and a lack luster delivery of ministry.  If that’s how we’re showing up, God won’t be honored and the people will be robbed.  

In these moments, we’re reminded of Matthew 5:37.  If we’ve agreed, we need to get aligned.  

If we didn’t have an option, 

we need to get our hearts right.  

Anything other than that, we open the door to the influence of the enemy who sits nearby, waiting for an opportunity to steal, kill and destroy every God-thing in our lives.  

The enemy would love to cause division between you and the ones who sent you to minister.  He would enjoy seeing you put on a mask to deliver ministry disconnected from the heart of God.  What better time to lead you to say or do something that will discredit you and dampen the effectiveness of the ministry God sent you to share?  

We don’t have to let the devil win.

If you won’t give the assignment all you’ve got, just say, “No” and don’t go.  But if you accept it, go like you “understand the assignment” and watch how God blesses your submission.

We’ve already heard that we can’t keep up with the pace of working non-stop, indefinitely.  But how can we establish one day off every week? 

Creating your day off starts with scheduling.  

If it’s not on the calendar, your employer doesn’t know about it or you haven’t rearranged anything to make your day off a doable, consistent reality for your life, it’s not real and it’s not going to come to pass.  

Your day off doesn’t just happen—

you have to make it happen.

Figuring out how to generate an effective flow when you’re not at work is a great time for collaboration.  Which day will cause the least disruption based on your role and flow of work?  Can your tasks be divided among others while you rest and rejuvenate?  How can you flex your schedule in a way that clears the path for you to have one personal day per week?

There are tons of creative solutions!  So, don’t rest until you come up with viable options.  Oh, and don’t worry—

if you search for them, answers will emerge.

You matter, regardless of how essential your work may be to your place of employment 

Remember: 

Everyone needs a break weekly and yours is in reach.  

Go for it! 

For the last two months, I've been listening to every Youtube clip I've come across of Fawn Weaver speaking about her journey as the co-founder of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and founder of the Nearest Green Foundation.

I'm what she calls "a teatotaler".  As a general rule, I choose not to drink alcohol.  

Even if I never try her whiskey, I'll continue consuming her interviews--not because I want to learn about premium whiskey, 

but because I want to grow.  

Listening to her speak, share her way of thinking, lessons she's learned and how she leads, is making me better and expanding my mind.

I heard myself the other day telling a business vendor I would not give them the sensitive documents they were requesting of my employer.   I would, instead, provide other documents that satisfied what they actually needed. 

I NEVER would have thought to push back or to demand another way, but I found the words rolling right off my tongue with no hesitation because 

I had learned.  

What are you learning?  

What person's life and words are 

challenging you to become better?  

Inspiration is accessible to us all.

The change we want to happen within us 

is right here for the taking.  

So, cheers to our transformation--

even one Youtube interview at a time!  

Be excellent on your level.

Wherever you are on your journey, whatever resources you currently have, 

exhibit the highest level of excellence 

you can bring to the table right now.

If you only have paper table cloths, accent them with the best center pieces you can 

put together today.

If your marketing budget is $1000 for the year, put out the highest quality of content you can create with what you have 

and stretch that budget the best you can.

Free yourself from the lie that if your level of excellence doesn't match someone else's, you might as well go sit down or change lanes.  

We all have to start somewhere, 

but we don't have to stay there. 

Show excellence on this level so you qualify to be considered for opportunities 

on the next.