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How to Thrive in Your Wilderness Experience-7 steps

If you live long enough, you will for certain experience the pain of a curve ball in life. Perhaps its the loss of a dream job, divorce of a spouse, betrayal of a business partner, death of a loved one, or some kind of sickness of a family member or friend. Here are 7 steps to make it through with peace.

  1. When the curve ball hits home, instead of asking: “Why Me?”, ask yourself what is God trying to teach me?
  2. Check your foundation? If your house is built on sand, chances are you won’t have the stamina to whether the storm. Make sure you build your house on a rock foundation.
  3. Change your perspective! You have to start to think from the eternal and not just what you see here on earth. If you begin to look at all that is happening to you, God will work together for your good, things start to look differently to you. But remember, you need to be one of his family members.
  4. Run your race! Things happen because either God allowed it to happen or he caused it to happen. Of course we have our free will but God is sovereign over all and it is a mystery. Look to your life and don’t be jealous or looking at someone else’s life and wish you had it.
  5. Seek and search for peace. Everyone will experience some sort of wilderness experience, but if you are at peace with yourself and with God, you can walk through the wilderness knowing that God is using this time to speak to you.
  6. Listen and watch for guide posts. While you navigate through your wilderness in peace, God will show you mile markers and guide posts. He will guide your footsteps like a GPS.
  7. Hold onto God’s promises. When your going through the wilderness, hold onto God’s promises that you will get to the other side. You will make it through if you get on your knee’s each morning a pray. God uses this time to speak to you and tell you what steps to take next on your journey.
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How Can We Trust God In Times Of Trouble and Doubt?

One of the things we can count on in life is that we will have troubles! We live in a broken world where bad things can happen to good people! And we ask why God? Why did this happen to me? How could let this happen to my family? Why do some people seem to fly through life, while others struggle? It can be difficult to trust God and his word in times of difficulty and strife. It can be difficult to trust God when this world seems to be falling apart. It can be difficult to trust God when the politicians are doing crazy things. But that is precisely the time to draw nearer to God. Because we can TRUST God 100 percent to be there with us through it all if we are one of his children. Here are six reason why you can trust God if you are one of his children and not everyone is his child.. Everyone is his creation, but not necessarily his child.

  1. God Never Changes…He is the same yesterday, today and forever!
  2. God is trustworthy not because of our circumstances, but because of who He is!
  3. God is sovereign- He either causes things to happen or allows things to happen and if you are one of his children her promises to use all of these trials and troubles for his glory
  4. God has a purpose and a plan for each one of us. He knows us before we are born and knows exactly what He wants us to accomplish for his Kingdom.
  5. God has made promises to us…In fact more than 3000 promises and he has an inheritance for us! Its our job to walk into it
  6. When we can’t understand the “why” of God, we can trust his heart! There are many mysteries that we just don’t know, but we can trust God’s heart because his heart is Love. God is Love!

This is a summary from Friday’s with Fred! More on my podcast!

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The Leader’s role in Leading Change

A key result of effective leadership is change and transformation. Every leader is faced with a changing environment, but not every leader is equipped to lead change. Lets look at the stages to leading a successful transformation:
1. Intention and urgency- Successful transformation occurs when the leader has set the intention and created a sense of urgency in the organization.

2. Formulate a team- forming a cross functional team that are associated with the process improvement needed. Then empower the team to come up with a plan to transform the problem.

3. Paint the Vision on the canvas- It is often said that the vision represents the invisible connections that aren’t seen. The leaders job is to paint the vision so others can see it.

4. Communicate the vision- first create the vision and then communicate the vision so that others are inspired to own the vision as their own.

5. Deliver the empowerment- The leader must give life to the vision and then empower the team to execute the vision and create the transformation.

6. Alignment is key-The leader must align the vision and strategy/goals/actions plans and plan for short term “wins”. Celebrate the wins. The team needs the encouragement that they are achieving the process goals and that gives them energy to complete the tasks.

7. Rise to the top- Watch key employees rise to the top. Hire, promote and develop employees who can implement the vision and mission.

8. Changed behaviors lead to success- high light the behaviors, habits, processes and procedures that have lead to the transformation and create new leadership development approaches that insure consistent transformation.

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How to Determine your WHY in Life…..

In my last post, I talked a little bit about how important it is to find your “WHY” in life. It is important because without knowing your “WHY”, you will drift through life and wonder why you wasted so much time. Your “WHY” is important both spiritually and physically. It is equally important in your business life. Your “WHY” is the reason you get up each day and do what must be done. Your “WHY” is what gives your life purpose and passion. And it’s your “WHY” that impacts others and makes the world a better place. If you are wondering how to determine your “WHY”, then here are a few tips:

  1. Your “WHY” is a culmination of your experiences both good and bad, bitter and sweet, happy and sad.
  2. Your “WHY” is the burden God places on your heart each and everyday. Its that thought or idea that you have on how you want to live the rest of your life.
  3. Your “WHY” is how you are “Gifted”.
  4. Your “WHY” is what others come to you for repeatedly.
  5. Your “WHY” is your message to the world.
  6. Your “Why” is the Purpose God has designed you to solve.
  7. Your “why” is to Glorify God in all you do.

From a business perspective, it is your “WHY” that makes others want to do business with you. Its your “WHY” that separates you from the competition.
So, with the new year beginning, RE-CONNECT with your “WHY”! And remember, if you lose your “WHY”, you will lose your way in life!

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When You Lose Your Why…You Lose Your……

WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR WHY, YOU LOSE YOUR WAY! HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS! As we begin 2019 I plan to be much more intentional with regard to helping you succeed in life and work! 2018 taught me a good bit of what I need to change in both my habits and my productivity. Let me share with you what I feel is the greatest issue in front of your success! ITS DISTRACTIONS! It became very clear to me that I must be very intentional about my life. With each day passing, time is running quickly and I need to focus on what will take my life and my business to the next level. I have spent the last years working on building an infrastructure that allows me to design a lifestyle business. I will be sharing with you in my blog posts, Podcast and Events what it takes to lead a John:10:10 life. Thanks so much to all who have supported me on this journey and I hope to help you Succeed at both Life and Work with Purpose and Intention in 2019! Remember, it is absolutely CRITICAL to find your WHY in life. That is what you will learn along the way this year with me!

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”  Helen Keller

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How to Have A FANTASTIC THANKSGIVING DAY!

As Thanksgiving is fast approaching, lets look on ways to improve the outcome of your Thanksgiving Day!   Remember, this can be a very stressful day if you are not aware of the curve balls that might be coming at you during the diner!   Here are a few steps to take:

  1.  Think about how thankful you are to be invited anywhere!   You could be sitting at home alone!
  2.  Remember, that not everyone is interested in your opinions and attitudes.  Sometimes just listening to other person is best!
  3.  Think about your words before you speak.  Will your words build people up or tear them down?  Use building words ALWAYS.
  4.  Compliment the host and thank them for their hard work and preparation!  Throwing a diner is expensive and time consuming.
  5. Arrive on time!  Nothing is worse than waiting for family members to arrive late. Normally, the same family members always arrive late, so tell them an earlier time before the others. This way, the bad habit of arriving late will not cause stress!
  6. IF you are the host, get your diner organized and set a time to serve.  Nothing is worse than still cutting the turkey when guests arrive.  Be organized and be ready.
  7. IF you are the host, make sure your diner table looks the best!  Put out your finest. It will give your diner guests a real treat and it always makes the food taste better!
  8. IF you are the guest, know that your host has done an amazing job and thank them for the details!
  9. Dress in your best!  Remember, you honor the host when you look and feel good!  Don’t show up in sloppy clothes!
  10. Help out whenever you can!  Just the slightest bit of help is a BIG HELP for the host!
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Life Is Full Of Decisions

The ability to make good decisions in life is called wisdom! When we raise our kids, we are always trying to impart wisdom so that they can avoid some of the mistakes that we, as adults and parents, have made.  If you want the rest of  your life to better then the first part of your life, then you need to start.  The Bible tells us the “Fear of the Lord” is the beginning of wisdom.  The foundation of wisdom is fearing the Lord!  It unlocks the door to this special treasure called wisdom.  How do you know you are fearing the Lord?  You know you are fearing God when you treat God like who he is.  You fear God when you obey Him even when its not what you prefer to do or feel like doing!