I’m sitting in Atlanta Bread having my monthly “Life Management” meeting.
In this meeting, I review my life priorities and the action steps I’ve outlined to live out those priorities; then I compare these ideals and action steps to reality. In other words I ask, “Am I living out my priorities?”
I sit down with my journal and calendar, prayerfully reflect over the past month and look forward to the coming months and years.
Over the last several months I’ve noticed a trend; I am an encourager. I encourage others well, but when it comes to myself I am always mentioning how I need to do more, or better, or with more intensity…. In
other words, I don’t encourage myself too well.
I’m guessing I’m not the only one like this. I’d bet that you are quicker to celebrate others than you are to celebrate the wins in your own life.
Let’s change that!
Rather than dogging ourselves for not being able to swim as good as someday we will, how about if we celebrate the fact that we’ve jumped into the water!
How about if we stop for a few minutes and celebrate what we are doing right in our lives! Let’s celebrate and then we’ll get back to correcting!
paulpetersonlive.com 
isn’t that the truth… its so hard to celebrate when you notice the things that can be done better.
I worry too much about what others think if I celebrate myself. I know there are some things that I’m pretty good at but feel I have to downplay it so people will not misunderstand my enthusiasm. Weird.
This is a tough one. Especially for church planters! Thanks for the great post.
You have an uncanny way or reading my mind. Or at the very least, we’re experiencing the same issues at the same time.
I was just telling my wife that I feel lame, like a loser. I haven’t been feeling well so I have not been blogging on my daddy site. Overall, I haven’t felt very productive all week. I’m having trouble accepting that it’s OK to recover and then get back to it.
Acceptance is so important, but I can’t seem to muster it up for myself. There’s just so much to do!
Peace,
Joey
http://www.daddybrain.wordpress.com
Paul,
This is so a Monday morning post-ministry post. In my opinion, no one should evaluate any ministry efforts within 12 or so hours of the event.
My rule would state that the only thing that you are allowed to say in that 12 hr window is “That was awesome! Let’s do it again!” If it really bombed, you must wait 12 hours and get some sleep before you abuse yourself!
Of course if I write this rule, I will be able to avoid its application to myself, right?? š
On another note, how does God’s grace figure into the equation? Grace has brought us further than we could have come on our own. Grace salves our skinned knees knees where we fell down (b/c we took our eyes off of our Master). Grace gives us a boost of encouragement to get back on the ministry horse (or cart — see my blogsite post) and ride.
Acceptance must be in the list of good gifts of God given to us b/c of His great love (Eph. 1:3, Jas. 1:17).
Keep going,
Mike