This month I’m pleased to share a guest post by Russell Verhey (http://www.newlifechurch.org/blogs/men/?p=195), of Colorado Springs . Russell went through YOD in 2010, has been a small business owner for 15 years and currently also serves as the men's ministry leader in his church. Enjoy! You can give your all and it still it’s not enough. We talk about giving 100%, excellence in our work, and we miss the mark. What is the cost of perfection? I found myself lit Read more »

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Nearly every day we hear about needs, often extreme needs, of people around the world, not just our community. Most of those needs are ones we can’t or won’t help meet. How do we decide whom to help? How do we avoid serving in a half-hearted way, over-committing ourselves, or just becoming numb to needs of others? There is a difference between an interest, a concern, a burden, and a passion. With an interest we may like to learn about a need. With a concern, we may se Read more »

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“Yeah, I know a lot about the cars, the industry, and the people who attend the events. I’ve always been interested in them!” This was the response from one man when I asked him what things he’d learned a lot about over the years. I then asked him, “How do you think the Lord could use your knowledge of muscle cars for His purposes?” He’d never thought about it. As we talked about using his life experiences, struggles and drivers in co Read more »

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Your life story matters! And, how you respond to your life story matters! One of the main things that help a person move toward their One Degree is understanding their story and coming to peace with it. Boldness, trusting God, taking risks are essential components to living a One Degree life. But everyone has had experiences, events, and people in our lives that have hurt or confused us. We wonder why God didn’t protect us or why He brought/allowed those thing Read more »

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First of all, He wants to work THROUGH you, not you working FOR Him. “He’s at work all around us, constantly,” as Henry Blackaby says. He invites you to join Him in what He’s doing. If you aren’t paying close attention you can miss the invite, or simply misinterpret it. Secondly, He will usually invite you to do things according to your DESIGN. When you’re serious about aligning with your DESIGN, He’ll show you how to steward it. You won&r Read more »

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Do you view your Drivers (abilities that energize you) as some of your best resources for touching people’s lives—for showing them Christ’s love? Often we don’t think of building, envisioning, designing, improving, facilitating, strategic thinking, etc., as important for God’s purposes. People who have done accounting, strategic thinking, and coordinating for me have been a huge blessing. I have felt profoundly loved by them as they’ve used the Read more »

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Many people I meet feel like they’re behind, that they’ve missed opportunities, or that they aren’t where they’re supposed to be by now. We’re right on schedule when we finally reach the point of only wanting to do what He wants, and in the way He wants to do it. Sounds too simple, right? But when you look back at your story, as you explore Your One Degree, you’ll see how He has been faithfully preparing you. People who have made mistakes, messe Read more »

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You can’t THINK your way to Your One Degree. You CAN think your way to discovering and clarifying your DESIGN elements and commit to use them as new decision criteria. God will disclose Your One Degree over time as you DECIDE and ACT on your DESIGN. God wants intimacy with you. He wants you to go on a journey with Him of abiding with Him and becoming an alert and master steward of Your DESIGN while you are growing in your obedience to His Word and sensitivity to His Spirit.  Read more »

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