by | Life Application
What is my purpose in my life? I’ve asked myself that question a million times throughout my 29 years.
Will I ever be somebody? Will I do what I’m supposed to do? Why am I even here? I used to ask myself those questions consistently and I’m assuming I’m not alone.
The definition of purpose according to my friends Merriam and Webster defines it as something set up as an object or end to be attained :intention.
As I read that, this question comes to mind:
Why is there an end to be attained in life?
Yes, we should live a life planning for our future, but what about living in the present, too?
Why does purpose have to be a final destination?
Jon Acuff writes in Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work That Matters,
One of the worst things you can do is trying to find your purpose in life. Nothing cripples you like trying to “find your purpose,” or “figure out your dream,” or “name your passion.”
That makes a lot of sense. Speaking for myself, I can get so consumed in naming my passion, that I miss out on the very things in front of me. I put too much pressure on myself, thus setting myself up for failure.
I’m realizing I can have more than one passion and honestly, that feels relieving.
I have more than one purpose in my life. So do you. (Tweet that)
We still need to live with purpose. We need to enjoy all the passions we have, and in the words of Acuff, we need to
Continually walk the road to awesome.
What are a few of your passions? Share them with me in the comments below…
![Six Lessons Restaurant Impossible Can Teach Us About Leadership]()
by | Life Application
photo credit: foodnetwork.com
Depending on who you ask, Robert Irvine is either a good guy or a bad guy. He’s been described as harsh, cold, overbearing, and rude. Those are the nice descriptions.
However, there is more to the man behind “Restaurant Impossible” than you may think.
I’m a big fan of the show. Recently a friend asked me why I liked it so much. Besides the fact that I have an entrepreneurial spirit and love to see businesses saved, Robert teaches me about leadership. I don’t know whether or not he is a Christian. I hope so. Whether or not he is or isn’t, there is a lot to learn from the man behind one of the Food Network’s top rated shows.
The truth is hard.
After evaluating the staff, the food, the customer service, etc., Robert stands in front of the owners and firmly speaks his mind. He tells them why they’re failing, how they can fix it, and he doesn’t make his words sound pretty.
Leaders need to speak the truth, even when it hurts. Perhaps he could wind himself down a little bit, but Irvine gets the point across. He doesn’t allow excuses, and he expects everyone to take responsibility.
If you let people stay where they are, you’re hurting them, not helping them.
Be willing to get dirty.
Leaders don’t stand on the sidelines and simply give orders. They have to be willing to do the hard things.
Robert has cleaned the grime off dirty ovens that aren’t in his kitchen. He’s prepped food to serve to customers that aren’t his. He’s painted, torn down walls, swept floors, and stacked dishes.
He works. He sweats. He bosses. He leads. When the job needs done, he’s not afraid to get on his hands and knees and make it happen.
Leading others isn’t about sitting behind a desk and giving orders. It’s about being on the frontlines with those you are leading. It involves making sacrifices, walking in humility, and getting down and dirty when it’s necessary.
Passion is necessary.
Robert Irvine doesn’t travel across the country saving failing restaurants simply because he gets paid a nice chunk of change from The Food Network, though that’s certainly a plus. He does it because he cares. He’s passionate about helping others rebuild their businesses, as well as their relationships.
If you haven’t watched an episode yet, give it a shot. Many partners are failing simply because they don’t communicate. He doesn’t just talk about the business issues, he gets to the root of why the business if failing, and that usually has something to do with personal issues.
If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, it will eventually catch up with you. What passions should you be pursuing right now?
There is no room for fear.
He walks into a restaurant with broken people, broken floors, outdated wallpaper, and rotten food hidden behind grills that haven’t been cleaned. He’s given two days and $10,000 to make it successful. Oh, and he has to do that while the world watches it on television.
There’s something scary about that, isn’t there? People are watching. Failure lurks around every corner. Time decides whether failure happens or not. But he does it afraid.
When in doubt, do it afraid. Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from following something you’re passionate about.
Confidence is key.
While you’re doing it afraid, do it confidently. Believe in your ability to do something and do it with all you’ve got.
Robert doesn’t walk into a restaurant and say, “I think I can make this happen in two days.” Instead, he lets them know he came to help that he isn’t there to fail and if they follow his direction and guidance, their business will be successful.
He doesn’t do this in a conceited way. He’s confident because he’s worked hard, learned from his failures, continues to grow, and strives to do what he says he will do. He’s confident because he knows he can do it.
Are you confident? Confident that you can tackle that new, scary career change? Convinced that you can write that new book? Secure in the fact that you can lose those 50 lbs. you need to lose?
Don’t be afraid to hear the truth, or give it to others. Find your passion and chase it. Do it afraid. Believe you have the ability to do it.
This is it – your one chance at life to make things happen.
What step can you take today to make things happen? Leave a comment below…
by | Life Application
The other night I was on my way home from a 6th grade band concert. It was much improved since the last time I was there last Fall. Honestly, I was dreading the sound of the clarinet, but to my surprise, there wasn’t a single moment I wanted to plug my ears.
Anyway… I like to listen to podcasts while I’m driving so I can feel smarter after the trip. Something about having headphones in my ears listening to Dave Ramsey or Michael Hyatt makes me look and feel smarter.
Ramsey was interviewing Jon Acuff about his new book Start. I was strolling right along the highway when I heard the words that caused me to back track and listen again:
Sometimes you have to introduce rock bottom to someone as a gift.
You can read it again a few more times. It took me a minute to soak it up, too.
Many times we look at rock bottom as a tragedy. Your addicted husband has lost his job, friends, and dignity because of pornography. Your sister is living in a weekly motel room while you raise your nephew because of heroin. Your marriage is crumbling as your wife packs her bags and takes the kids because you’re married to your job.
What if we looked at rock bottom as a blessing?
In 2009, I was at rock bottom. I sat across from a friend and said the words, “I’m tired. I just wanna die.” She didn’t try to rescue me by feeding my struggles, hiding the fact that I was at the bottom, or patting me on the back and telling me things would be okay.
No, she let me hit rock bottom. Then she picked me up and carried me to a place of refuge. I wouldn’t have sought true freedom that day if I hadn’t hit the bottom. Others had to let me hit the complete bottom before they could help me climb back up.
I needed to be offered the gift of rock bottom first.
That day was one of the worst and best of my life. It was the end of something horrible that led to the beginning of something amazing.
Your beginning is here, too. Today. Right Now. This moment. (Tweet that)
It’s a gift that your husband is losing his job and dignity. He’s at the bottom and it’s time to look up. That dirty motel room is a gift to your sister, because she’s at the bottom and tomorrow could be the new beginning. That suitcase setting next to the door your wife has packed is a gift to you. It’s a call that the bottom has arrive and it’s time to climb back up.
Rock bottom was a gift to me. Let it be a gift to you.
by | Life Application
I can’t remember a job I had prior to 2009 where I didn’t take something from my employer, whether it was a piece of paper, a stapler, money, or something as simple as a paper clip.
I deserve to take things from work. I put in my 8+ hours everyday. What’s the big deal? The boss can handle me using things for personal use here and there.
Entitlement used to be my middle name.
One night in Winter 2008, all that changed for me. I was sitting in a financial bible study with my mentor, Sandy Steward. He was the type of man who made you want to be more like Jesus when he smiled.
I’ll never forget the words he said to me, as we were studying integrity in the workplace.
If you put a paperclip on a personal document that you printed, using the ink of the printer at work, then take it home, you’re a thief.
Um… Wow! I cleared my throat as the conviction punched me in the stomach.
I honestly had no idea. My conscious hadn’t told me any different. I thought it was something everyone else did, so that meant it was okay. I was wrong. I was well aware I was previously a thief when it came to the big things, but a paperclip? A tiny, metal piece that keeps me more organized? Yes, indeed.
Then Sandy told me this story of the day he asked his boss if he could print a personal document and how much he would charge. His boss looked at him like he was crazy. Who asks that question? Even the boss helped himself to such things. That day Sandy showed the light of Jesus to others in the workplace, because of a simple request to print a few papers.
If we can make that big of an impact over something so small, think of what we could do for The Kingdom with the bigger things? Something to think about, eh?
That evening changed me. His words are still embedded on my heart this very day.
Now as a business owner who budgets paperclips and post-it-notes into life, I have an even bigger glimpse. These things add up over time, and as all the bills depend on me, not my boss, it matters.
Next time you glance at a paperclip, think about this post. Ask God to show you where in your life you need a lesson on integrity. Lord knows, I’m still learning.
P.S. – Use the metal paperclips – the plastic ones suck. (Your tip of the week)
Can you remember a time when God convicted you of something that seemed so small? Leave a comment below…
by | Life Application
She stepped through the church doors this morning for the first time in a long time. I was on my way out and saw her pass by.
She smiled and gave me a big hug. She seemed to hold on a little tighter than usual. Perhaps it was because it had been a while since we’d seen each other.
Her hair was fixed beautifully, and her smile seemed to be glowing.
“How are you?” I asked.
“Good,” she said with a smile. “How are you?”
“I’m great! It’s good to see you.”
Off to church she went and off to my car I went.
Six hours later I got the call. She ended her life, just like that.
Suicide. A word that keeps ringing in my ears.
Just like that life changed. Just like that another addiction battle lost. Just like that, I found 10,000 things to be grateful for.
Today I cry out, “Thank You, Jesus!” That could’ve been me.
I stood on the tipping point once, right where my friend was. I wanted to die. Freedom was too hard to find and I couldn’t fight the battle anymore.
That could’ve been me.
Those words play over and over in my head. That could’ve been me.
Hold your family tighter today. Don’t look at someone’s smile and just assume everything is ok. Hug strangers. Smile at the clerk behind the checkout counter. Thank God that where you are today is not where you used to be.
Cling to Jesus and never let go.
by | Life Application
I grew up poor but I never knew it. My mom told me a story once about writing a bad check just so she could get us home to our family for Christmas. We were below the ramen noodle budget.
She worked a lot and barely made ends meet, but I never went without. Well, perhaps I did go without a lot of things, but I didn’t realize that.
It wasn’t until I became a teenager that I realized how different our lives were when I was younger. It wasn’t until I was introduced to Nike and other name brand items that I became aware of worlds beyond Dollar General and Walmart.
What does that have to do with crying in Target?
My parents just bought a house. It’s the second home for each of them, but the first together. (Tom is actually my step-dad.) Mom and I went shopping on Saturday for items for their new home.
To the ordinary onlooker, buying a set of dishes shouldn’t be an emotional moment. Ah.. but this wasn’t ordinary. I’m 29 years old and my mom has never owned a matching set of dishes.
Throughout my life our house was filled with mismatched items. She did the best she could and I never knew the difference, until I got older anyway. Some people may say their ashamed of that. Me? It’s made me part of who I am today.
Being poor were some of the richest days of my life.
Why? Because iPhones didn’t get in the way. Email didn’t distract me from pursuing relationships. We had to get off the couch to actually turn the three available channels on the television. When I had the opportunity to get a moment alone with my mom, which didn’t happen often because she was trying to provide, distractions weren’t allowed.
What others thought of me didn’t get in the way, because I didn’t know any different. Garage sale clothes were a part of my life and I was completely okay with that. Still am.
I tried to hold back the tears in Target because I was so proud. Proud of how far my mom has come today. Proud of what God has done in her life. Proud that she finally believed she deserved a matching set of dishes. Proud that they are something neither of us will take for granted.
I love you, Mom. I’m proud of you. Thanks for letting me be a part of such a big opportunity that seemed so small to the world. I can’t wait to sit around the table, eat dinner on your new dishes, and celebrate a life we’re so blessed to live.
