I was introduced to Pastor Tommy Barnett 9 years ago. The first time I walked onto the campus of Phoenix First and heard the preaching of Tommy Barnett I was blown away. I never realized that there was a church and a man like this anywhere in the world. As a college student I would make sure that…
An idea turns into a meeting and then it turns into a project. People get brought along, there’s free donuts, there’s a whiteboard and even a conference call.
It feels like you’re doing the work, but at some point, hopefully, someone asks, “what’s the point of this?”
Is it worth doing?
Compared to everything else we could be investing (don’t say ‘spending’) our time on, is this the scariest, most likely to pay off, most important or the best long-term endeavor?
Or are we just doing it because no one had the guts along the way to say STOP.
Are you doing work worth doing, or are you just doing your job?
- From Seth’s Blog
This world puts a lot of emphasis on how important it is to look out for number one. We seem to be born with a natural fear of not having enough—for ourselves. So we hoard whatever we can just in case our perceived disaster ever strikes. But this isn’t the kind of life God intends for those who are a part of His family.
God wants us to live a generous life, full of both receiving and giving. But if we don’t give freely and joyfully, we miss out on the supernatural blessings that come from a life of generosity.
To live with a giving heart requires trust and a big commitment. But we must trust and be committed to the right things, the things of God. And as we follow that trust with faith in God, He will always provide us with exactly what we need.
Don’t let the fear of doing without rob you of trusting in God’s provisions for what you need. Remember, God doesn’t need us to give to others. You and I are the ones who need to give so that we can experience the kind of generosity that will usher in a truly blessed and abundant life.
This devotional was inspired by Life’s Too Short, a 5-part series by Pastor Ed Young,
For 2009, the African Festival committee decided to try out a postcard to make it easy to be mailed out to all our vendors, artists, sponsors, and everyone interested in joining this African celebration event.
This one was the first poster created for the African Festival of Arizona since they invited me to became part of their planning committee in 2007.
Influence: Connecting with People
by Dr. John C. Maxwell
As a train’s source of energy and direction, the locomotive plays a vital role. However, unless a locomotive connects to other cars on the track, it is relatively useless. A train’s value comes from its ability to transport massive amounts of cargo, and doing so requires the locomotive to link up with dozens of freight cars. Traveling by itself, a locomotive would arrive at its destination empty-handed. In that case, its journey would be nothing more than a waste of fuel.
Leaders are like locomotives in that they’re blessed with drive, energy, and vision. However, until leaders learn the art of connection, their influence remains minimal. In isolation, their talents accomplish little, and their efforts are squandered.
Let’s look at 8 practical ways whereby leaders can make meaningful connections with others…
How do you see the world? Are you focused on opportunities or problems? Strengths or weaknesses? What can be done or what can’t? Kathryn Cramer (psychologist and founder of The Cramer Institute) and Hank Wasiak (marketing guru from The Concept Farm) present a simple idea that can make a huge difference—Asset-Based Thinking (ABT). In their books Change the Way You See Everything (2006) and Change the Way You See Yourself (2008), the authors share (in visually stunning, straightforward images and language) how to look at yourself and the world through the eyes of what’s working and your present strengths and potentials. It calls for small shifts in the way we absorb, perceive, filter, and interpret information about ourselves, others, and situations. When you decrease your focus on what is wrong (deficit-based thinking) and increase your focus on what is right (ABT), you build enthusiasm and energy, strengthen relationships, and move people and productivity to the next level.
The Asset-Based Thinking language is a treatise on living in possibility and a reminder we could all use. When is the last time you took a moment for yourself, sat down, and focused on what you want? What’s working? What is possible? Who is with you? When we’re centered on these things and thinking in terms of assets, we show up as authentic, energize ourselves and those around us, and shift ourselves and our work back into the world of possibility.
Photo taken by the Prayer Pavilion at Phoenix First Assembly of God located on 13613 N. Cave Creek Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85022 - If you have never visited this place before, this is a must. Especially at night when the building lights up and changes colors. Another cool reason to go there at night, is that you get to see a glance of the city, and the beautiful stars in the sky. On Tuesday nights, around 7pm, you can also see some miracles happening at their weekly Prayer meeting. Take a chance, and discover the beauties of Phoenix First!
This is a video that I created, with my sister as the main protagonist, for my final Public Allies presentation. The production of the video was fun and yet challenging. We headed out to Cave Creek, Arizona and as we were roaming around, we found the perfect road for my idea. However, the video didn’t get fully finalized because of the lack of time, and it was then when the use of the photos came in handy.
I am hoping to finish the full concept one day.
