Tenacious Tuesday: Keeping the momentum

Welcome to the second day of my new season of launching out into the blogosphere.

Today is Tenacious Tuesday! It is apply named because to be tenacious is to be persistent and today is your day of persistance. You've conquered Monumental Monday, now it's important that you keep the momentum going!

In my line of business (outside of pastoring) my success is completely dependant upon what I believe to be divine encounters with potential clients. These encounters give me the opportunity for witty conversation and tactical negotiations. But without the encounter there is no client. Recently, I drove over to my usual place of engagement where I would meet unsuspecting clients, and waited. The hours seemed like days in the unfriendly January cold. Once fatigue began to set in I took one last look at my watch and decided it was time to go home.
Just then I began yet another debate with myself whether to leave or stay for another thirty minutes - but in that moment of indicission, I found myself fighting against all natural impulses to jump into my car and drive away. I began to delay getting into the car. Within a New York minute I noticed a car pulling in next to me. I will spear you the belaboring of this story by concluding - Had I left thirty seconds earlier, I would have missed what proved to be my most successful encounter in weeks!

You see where this is going. Persistence is the key to success!

In Luke 18, Jesus tells a story of a persistent woman who repeatedly petitioned before an unjust judge, seeking justice against her adversaries. He taught that because of her persistence she got what she was fighting for, even though the unrighteous judge had no intentions of granting her request!

How many great moments have you missed in your life simply because you gave up too soon? As you go through you day today, think about the way you started this week or this year. Your new initiatives... your new perspective... the changes you've already made so far. Now just as you began, continue! This is Tenacious Tuesday and today is the day you determine to keep the momentum so that you finish strong!

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Gal. 6:9

Stay strong my friend!

Monumental Monday: A Day Without an End

Today is what I like to call Monumental Monday. It is the dreaded first work day of the week for most people but I would like to change that! How about we see Monday as a day that we look forward to; a day to strategize so we can snatch the rest of the week by the nap of it's neck and make it surrender to us!

How exactly do we do that? Well I'll tell you in just a moment...

Let's backtrack for a moment. I chose today's title, 'A Day Without an End' becuase Mondays tend to feel like you've fallen into a deep dark hole without escape, kind of like when my wife drags me into Walmart... anyhew, we begin the day with a groggy endeavor to suffer through the physical and mental shock of leaving "weekend mode" and stepping into "work mode". As our workday quickly ensues, we garner a stealthy approach at pacing ourselves to actually make it through the day without requital, and eventually (yes finally), find ourselves deep within the the throws of our creature comforts at the end of the day grimacing but glad to have made it out alive! I'm talking about Mondays!

Now back to how we change that. How about we start with something that summons us in the morning. Something that we can actually look forward to each week. Something that would get us out of bed extra early, excited to give our Monday a surprise attack! An ambush if you will! All you need is a strategy...are you ready? Here it is...

~The Strategy~

1/ Pray about your day -
Get up early and thank God for a new day that will be filled with strength and accomplishment. Ask Him for safety and protection agaist incident or accident, for the ability to complete each task and to make your day go by quickly. An early prayer of guidance and covering is needed before you walk through the door!
 "O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water." - Ps. 63:1(NKJV)

2/ Get a word for the day -
Open your Bible and ask God for your specific word for the day. You don't have to read an entire chapter before you go to work, all you need is a word! Believe me, whatever He gives you will carry you through your day with great success!
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" - Ps. 119:105 (NIV)

3/ Eat a healthy breakfast -
I know, I sound just like your mama, right? the problem is we usually neglect the things that we know to do! Feed your body and your brain with food that will promote energy and clear thinking.
"...I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food" - Gen. 1:29 (NIV)

4/ Get in 15 minutes of excercise -
This is not the time to run a marathon. With just 15 minutes of excercise, you prepare you body for a day of activity. The thing is most people don't realize how much energy they exert (even at the office) each day.
"For physical training is of some value..." - 1 Tim. 4:8 (NIV)

5/ Expect a Monumental Monday!
You did what was necessary to ensure the most productive and successful day possible. Now you have to believe that God was out of bed before you and already did His part!
"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." - Ps. 118:24 (NIV)

Have a Monumental Monday!

Go forth and conquer!!