Tag Archives: passion

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Work Week Devotion 10.30.2016

I Peter 4:10

I Peter 4:10 (NLT): God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

God has gifted and equipped you to serve an important purpose. There are others that need your brand of leadership, teaching, encouragement, hospitality, even humor. You are not in your workplace or neighborhood by accident. He wants to use you to serve your peers, those you answer to and those you lead.

Hopefully you are in a position to use your gifts on a regular basis. If not, why don’t you pray for God to open your eyes to new and creative ways to serve others? There could be opportunities right in front of you that you’re not even aware of. Our God loves creativity and ministry opportunities are virtually limitless if you’re looking for them!

Father, Thank you for the creativity seen in how you have gifted each of us. Forgive us when we use our gifts for selfish gain. Show us how to use our gifts for Your glory and to serve others. Amen.

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Work Week Devotion 09.25.2016

Proverbs 16:3

Proverbs 16:3 (NIV): Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.

Most of us like to have a plan. We have a goal and plan to get there. What do you do when life doesn’t go as planned? Do you throw up your hands in despair? Do you work harder to force your agenda even when it’s obvious that it’s not working? How many times have you had to look back, at best sheepishly, or at worst extremely thankful, that your plan was thwarted?

The key to God’s hand in your success is having His input from the beginning. Prayerfully set your goals. Commit your plans to the Lord. Work diligently, always seeking His leading. Be prepared to change the course even if it wasn’t in your original plan. Never forget that the One who establishes your plans has ways that are far better than ours.

All Knowing Lord, Thank you for having plans far better than we could ever imagine. Please send us reminders to seek Your will in our plans from the beginning and look for Your leading as we strive to achieve our goals. Please forgive us when we try to run ahead on our own. Amen.

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The Power of a Smile

I love to smile! I am a generally happy person and as Buddy says in the movie Elf  “I just like to smile! Smiling’s my favorite.” Although I smile a lot, I hate my smile in pictures about 90% of the time. When I scrutinize a photo of myself I see: the cleft in my chin, a narrow mouth (especially compared to my huge face,) lips that thin out when I smile and buck teeth with a chipmunk-esque overbite. I want my smile in pictures to portray how I feel when I smile but it seldom does and that’s frustrating.

Fortunately, my smile doesn’t have to look good in pictures to make a difference in someone’s life. A smile is the same in any language, country or culture. While on a mission trip in the Brazilian Amazon, a Brazilian pastor shared (through a translator) that he had been praying for me and God gave him a message for me. He said my smile had great healing powers. God was using it and wanted to encourage me to keep using it because it was “very, very powerful.” What an incredible and humbling experience! It’s not often one gets a message like that, yet I still sit here able to tell you exactly what I DON’T like about this smile that God gave me to use.

Your smile is your welcome to everyone you meet. It can put people at ease, make communication easier, break down emotional barriers and say things when words aren’t even possible. Your smile can also change how you feel. It’s hard to have a smile on your face and be grouchy. I am a big believer in “fake it ’til you make it” when it’s appropriate. Sometimes you have to smile first and feel smiley second. It might be a forced smile at first, it might not feel natural, you might even be grumbling under your breath, but I’d be willing to bet that the longer you keep that smile on your face the more relaxed and real it will become.

Mother Teresa said “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” Who can you heal with a smile this week? Maybe YOU are the one who will benefit most. I dare you to smile every single morning and every single afternoon. Smile when you talk on the phone. Smile at your kid or your spouse that you’re frustrated with. Smile at someone who obviously needs it. Smile at your boss. Smile at your server or the person behind you in the grocery store line. Make it a point to smile a little more and let me know how it impacts your week!

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Catfish to Corneas

It happened again today. Today, it was because I was having lunch with a friend in our old hometown at a restaurant where we used to work. My family was the original owners and I worked there for many years. It happens every few months at other places, though. Sometimes I am overcome by the overwhelming feeling that no matter how successful a doctor or business owner I am, a part of me will always, ALWAYS miss waitressing. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am thankful that I don’t have to depend on waiting tables to make a living, but I really did love it that much.

More than once, while interviewing a potential employee for my optometric practice, I’ve asked them about a restaurant job on their resume. More than once, the candidate has looked a little embarrassed and said something like “Oh. I was just a waitress.” and I will almost shout “No! Don’t EVER say you were just a waitress.” (unless, of course, you were just a really really bad one!)

I spent four years in optometry school learning to be a doctor, but what I learned as a teenager and young adult working in a busy, very casual, restaurant and a busy, slightly upscale, retail shop has helped me be successful in more ways than I could probably even list. I couldn’t have imagined at the time, but looking back I can see how my spiritual gift of hospitality and secondary love language “acts of service” were in play throughout my entire life.

Having a servant’s heart is a blessing and a benefit, but did you realize you can build your serving skill set? That’s what those of us with a history in the restaurant or retail industry were doing, even at a young age. It’s important to recognize and hone those serving skills. Don’t ever think anything is too insignificant.  If serving fried catfish to boaters straight off the river or motorcyclists fresh off the road can help me be a better doctor, your past service experiences can serve you, too.

To be competitive in any business today, service is the key. If you are looking to better your career situation, and you have experience in the service industry, perfect those skills and market them! If you are an employer interviewing job candidates don’t forget how seemingly unrelated jobs (waiting tables, retail, etc) can give great experience for other life-long careers in business. And always remember: that friendly server at your favorite restaurant? She could be your eye doctor one day!

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Night is Coming

I can’t believe we only have 2/3 of 2015 left! I’m still making plans of what I think I’ll do this year. I’m still in analysis paralysis mode. That happens to me a lot. I’m pretty good at making plans, but I’m not always good at executing them. “As soon as things slow down…” “later.” “When I have more time…” are things I tell myself when I have a good idea. I love the word “intentional” but I am not as intentional with my time as I should be. I tend to go through life subconsciously feeling like I have all the time in the world. Jesus warns us against that.

In John 9:14 (NIV) He says “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” Jesus is telling his followers that a time is coming when they won’t be able to work, so they must do all they can while they can.

It’s important to live with a sense of urgency. Not panic or sheer busyness but intentional urgency. We only have so much time to accomplish what God would have us do. Thinking we have all the time in the world to accomplish our purpose is the worst kind of procrastination. We have lives to enhance, people to serve and children to teach. We have prayers that need to be placed at the throne and praises that need to be lifted to heaven.

We all have goals and dreams that have been placed in our heart for a purpose. There are things on Earth that you were put here to accomplish and no one is exactly equipped like you. Night is coming. It always gets here quicker than you ever think it will. Search your heart. Make your plan. Most importantly, take action before it’s too late.

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Make Some Magic

“Walt’s life teaches us to do a good day’s work and try to make magic for everyone who crosses your path each day. Make their day happy and lighten their burden by taking notice of them.”  – Ron Stark, Disney historian in How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life by Pat Williams (HCI, 2014)

What simple advice to make a HUGE difference in our world! What if each of us as doctors, teachers, business owners, employees, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors and friends made a little effort each and every day to do just a few simple things

  • Do a good day’s work. Go to work. Do your job. Do it well. Do it with joy. Even if you don’t love what you are doing in your career right now, even if you don’t leave your home to do your day’s work, find the joy within you and put your all into your work. The more difficult your work or the less you enjoy it the more fulfilling it will be when you make it good. The day is going to go by anyway…make it a good day!
  • Take notice of people. It’s amazing how many people cross our path on a daily basis. Work, church, store, Facebook, school. How often do you take the time to notice those around you? They are experiencing joys, hurts, confusion, worry and excitement. Even if you don’t have time for a lengthy conversation, Care. Smile. Touch. You might be the only kindness in a difficult day.
  • Make magic and lighten their burden. How cool is that? Doesn’t it just make you smile when you think about making “magic” for someone? Bring someone a cup of coffee or hot chocolate (it’s 20 degrees as I write this)  Write a thank you note. Pass out stickers. YOU can lighten someone’s burden. That is POWERFUL my friends!

When at Walt Disney World a few years ago, my sister was waiting with her almost-two year old in the hot afternoon sun while the rest of the family did something else. A cast member (Disney speak for employee) came over and presented them with some ice cream stating that “Mrs. Potts” (you know, the teapot from Beauty and the Beast) had sent it out to them. Cast members at Disney are empowered to create magic for guests. YOU can do the exact same thing for those you come in contact with. It doesn’t have to take money. It often doesn’t take a lot of time. You just have to be a little intentional. Do a good day’s work. Take notice. Make some magic.

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Don’t Be Cool (Part II)

Several months ago I read a post by Bruce Van Horn that gave some incredible insight on the word enthusiasm. He said “The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek “en” meaning within and “theos” meaning God. It was used to describe people with God-like abilities or very strong God-inspired ideas and convictions.”

I wrote last time about being passionate and how I’ve felt the need at different times in my life to temper my passion and enthusiasm with being “cool” which (to me it seemed) was synonymous with popular, collegiate and professional. Stifle my excitement or risk not being taken seriously. When I read the above-referenced post it was very affirming. It’s ok, even admirable and desirable to be enthusiastic about important things. Enthusiastic means “God within.” How great is that?

The bible even warns against being cool. Revelation 3:16 says  “16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

Don’t be cool. Don’t be lukewarm. Be excited! Be enthusiastic! Discover what you’re passionate about and pursue it! If you’re feeling a little brave comment below and tell us what you’re passionate about and what you’re going to do about it.

(follow Bruce Van Horn on twitter @BruceVH or find him on facebook. He has some great positive posts)

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Don’t Be Cool (Part I)

“The worst possible condition to be in life is cool. Dead animals are cool! Show some emotion!”

I loved reading this at the end of Scott Alexander’s book Rhinoceros Success (Lampo Press 1980) I spent most of my life trying to be cool. I thought to be aloof and unimpressed was akin to being sophisticated. It was hard, because I’m naturally a bit goofy. I get excited and I don’t get tired of or bored with things easily. In high school, I loved band and scholar bowl and the softball team but it seemed like the “cool kids” thought everything was boring and lame. In undergrad, I loved the goofy friends on my honors floor and some of my professors but the “really intelligent” co-eds were always highly unimpressed by others. Now that I’m a doctor, I love my patients and marketing and decorating my office for holidays and teaching my team but the “more experienced” doctors who know how “the world really works” are always exasperated by their staff and patients. As a result, I feel like I’m being unprofessional, silly or naive if I’m too positive or excited about things.

I realize the easiest thing to say is “who cares!” Who cares what other people think? While I can certainly say that I care A LOT less now than I used to, as a human being on planet earth you can’t just not care what others think. You may say you don’t…but you do. We all do. Caring what others think is part of relationships and getting along in society. It’s OK (sometimes even important) to care about what others think of you. But…don’t let it stifle you. Don’t let them rain on your parade when you love to march in the band! If something excites you GET EXCITED! Don’t be a dead animal. Let your passion inspire others.

I’m looking forward to sharing something neat I learned about the origin of the word “enthusiasm.” Until next time tell me: What are YOU passionate about?

P.S. Scott Alexander’s book Rhinoceros Success is a quick read and really good. I would recommend it for anyone wanting to get the most out of their life. You can also check him out at http://scottrobertalexander.com/