Writing A Personal Life Plan

November 9, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede Coaching Corner , , , , 2 Comments

When I think about life and the many different directions we can all take in a lifetime, I wonder how people would answer this rhetorical question: “If you planned to sail across the Atlantic Ocean from America to Africa, how comfortable would you be boarding a ship without any rudder?” Unfortunately, I don’t think most people realize that they actually do this every day without any second thought by boarding the ship of their personal life without any plan. In fact, a Ford Foundation Research Study has found the following to be true about people and their life goals:

  • Only 10% of the population has specific well-defined goals
  • Only 3% of the population achieved their goals 89% of the time

With those statistics as a modern-day reality, we can easily find ourselves as one of the 90% of people sailing through life on a ship without a rudder; however, there is some great news for us! You and I can easily find our life rudder by writing a personal life plan to help us intentionally live life with passion and purpose.  I personally believe that living life on purpose is a choice and a privilege, so let me encourage you to make the simple choice today to begin the process of living life on purpose by writing a personal life plan.

Life On Purpose Means Living Forward!

To help you easily do this, Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy have written a tremendous life plan book titled, Living Forward, to be published in the Spring of 2016. To learn more about their book, please visit Michael Hyatt’s leadership blog at www.michaelhyatt.com/life-plan. In their life plan book, you will learn step-by-step how to write your own personal life plan and live life on purpose.

Life Is Short So Make It Count!

In Psalms 39:4-5, the psalmist writes, “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” For anyone who has any adult children, you can easily understand and appreciate the sentiments of the psalmist. It seems that it only takes the blink of an eye for children to grow into adults and the older you become, the quicker life seems to speed ahead to the finish line. Unfortunately, we are only given one opportunity to make our life count so why not start now and make a commitment to finish strong by intentionally living each day with passion and purpose.

A Good Life Plan Will Help Make Your Life Count!

In Psalms 90:12 the psalmist cries out to God, “So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” With that approach to life, I believe the best way you and I can make our lives count is to write a life plan that numbers our days with a heart of wisdom. So don’t waste another minute and get started today with these three easy steps!

Three Easy Steps To Get Started Writing Your Life Plan:

1)      Visit Michael Hyatt’s leadership blog and register to receive updates regarding his new life plan book titled, Living Forward.

2)      Send an e-mail to Gary Borgstede at gborgstede@makeithappenbooks.com and request FREE resources to help you start writing your personal Life Plan.

3)      Schedule personal time to start writing your personal Life Plan with the help of resources provided.

Have a blessed ”Make It Happen” day!

Writing A Personal Life Plan Copyright 2012, The Make It Happen Learning Institute.  You have permission to reprint Writing A Personal Life Plan, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

The Make It Happen Moment ® Mission Possible

November 2, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede The Make It Happen Moment ® , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

View From The Top

Quote:“I want to be the one who is willing to anticipate God’s possibility in my impossibility!” – Priscilla Schirer

Not long ago, I had the tremendous opportunity to attend a leadership forum at Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia with the Executive Pastor of my church.  However, before we left on our trip, Pastor Randy informed me that not only were we going to visit the awesome city of Sydney, but we were also going to possibly have the opportunity to climb the beautiful Sydney Harbor Bridge.  Well, I wasn’t too sure what he was really talking about until we arrived in Sydney and we were looking at the bridge from across the harbor as we ate our lunch on a bench.  Sitting there looking at the bridge, Pastor Randy pointed out groups of people walking on top of the bridge’s arches to the very crest of the bridge, and then I fully realized what he was talking about.  He wanted to do the same thing with me, which was awesome…except for one minor detail…the fear of heights…especially heights involving cat walks 440 ft in the air on top of a bridge.  So I had a choice to make. Was I going to let the fear of heights steal the potential experience of a lifetime or was I going to see such a seemingly impossible challenge for me made possible by facing the fear of heights?  I am glad to say that by the grace of God and the power of His Word in me, I chose to face the fear and overcome it as I took each step of faith on the steel arches of the bridge leading to its very top. And I can honestly say that the view from the top was everything it was promised to be!

Do you know that fear is the greatest weapon the devil will use on us to try and steal our hopes, dreams, and destinies in God?  In fact, when God has called us to do something big in Him and fear rises up to prevent us from taking steps of faith to do what He has asked us to do, we can be assured that such fear is not from God.  2 Timothy 1:7 states, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”  The devil knows that fear is the exact opposite of faith and he also knows that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6); therefore, he will do whatever it takes to scare us into a state of disbelief and mission paralysis through deceptive fear tactics.  However, when we understand that FEAR is nothing more than False Evidence Appearing Real, we can overcome the devil’s deception by learning how to effectively walk by faith and not by sight just like the apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5:7. 

Additionally, Paul states in Romans 10:17 that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”, therefore, our ability to walk by faith in the face of fear is contingent upon our hearing the word of God and believing it.  Simply put, we can trust that the still small voice of God’s truth spoken to us by His Holy Spirit through His Word will overcome fear every time because God’s Word is eternal truth and the devil’s word is nothing more than a deceptive lie.  With a spirit of faith and commitment, let us see God’s mission for our lives made possible by overcoming fear and embracing our destinies in God with an unshakeable faith in the Lord to make the impossible possible in and through us to His glory!

The Make It Happen Risk-Taking Value: “Make It Happen” People Take Risks In The Pursuit of Excellence!

Have a blessed “Make It Happen” day!

Edited by The Make It Happen Moment ® Editorial Team

The Make It Happen Moment ® Mission Possible Copyright 2010, The Make It Happen Learning Institute.  You have permission to reprint The Make It Happen Moment ® Mission Possible, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Related articles

Forever Fair

October 26, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Scripture

Ezekiel 18:25-26 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?”

Observation

In this passage of Scripture, the prophet Ezekiel is confirming by the Spirit of the Lord that His way is fair and our ways are not fair.  The people in Ezekiel’s day were thinking that their righteous deeds without repentance would somehow cover their inequity and they would live; however, the Lord says that they would surely die.  On the other hand, the Lord also says that if the wicked man turns and repents from his sin, he would surely live and not die. The people were having difficulty understanding that both the righteous and the wicked needed a Savior.

Application

Unfortunately, many people in our day can have the same difficulty understanding that both the righteous and the wicked need a Savior.  There is no amount of self-righteousness we can have that will replace our need for a Savior.  Plus, there is no amount of wickedness that we can do which our Savior cannot cover with His righteousness when we repent.  Romans 3:23 states that “We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and 2 Corinthians 5:21 states, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Through Jesus Christ, the Lord is forever fair to all who call upon His Name and repent.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness! Thank You Lord for shedding Your blood on the Cross to pay the debt for my sin and for giving me Your robe of righteousness that completely covers my sin in repentance. I am grateful Lord that Your ways are not my ways and Your way is forever fair! I love You Jesus! Amen!

Forever Fair Copyright 2011, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Forever Fair, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Open My Eyes To See

October 19, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede Leadership Insights , , , , , 2 Comments

In the Old Testament story recorded in 2 Kings 6:8-18, the prophet Elisha is able to see beyond the natural realm into the supernatural realm when he and his servant were faced with a seemingly overwhelming situation. The Syrian King sent his army to find Elisha and capture him because Elisha kept informing the King of Israel about his battle intentions against the nation of Israel. In fact the Bible says that Elisha would tell the king of Israel every word that the king of Syria would actually speak in the privacy of his own bedroom. As a result, the king of Syria went on a manhunt for Elisha and surrounded him and his servant on the hillside with his army, horses, and chariots. However, Elisha and his servant were not alone by any means. 2 Kings 6:16-17 records Elisha’s response. “’Don’t be afraid!’ Elisha told him.’For there are more on our side than on theirs!’ Then Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!’ The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.”

Ever feel like you are in an overwhelming situation where you are surrounded by what seems to be tremendous odds stacked against you and you don’t know how to respond?

I know I have. And when I am in that kind of situation, the circumstances in the natural realm can become so paramount that I can easily lose sight of the fact that God is actually on my side and He is there to fight my battle. It is in these moments – when all I can see (like the servant of Elisha) is the impending natural realm surrounding me, encroaching upon me, and threatening me – that I must intentionally settle my soul and ask the Lord to open my eyes to see the overshadowing supernatural realm that surrounds me, protects me, and fights for me as a son of the Most High, Almighty God. Because I know that this is not so easily done, I want to share 3 ways I have discovered to help me settle my soul in the midst of trial and see beyond the natural realm into the supernatural realm where my help comes from God.

The First Way I Have Found To Do This Is To Know The Word Of God And Speak It

With God and His Word, you and I have all we need to be able to look beyond the natural realm into the supernatural realm and walk by faith, not by our sight. To do this, however, we must know God’s Word so that when our natural circumstances do not line up with God’s Word and the enemy bombards us with lies, we can overcome the enemy by the blood of the lamb that covers us and the word of our testimony that we speak based on the truth of God’s Word (Revelation 12:11). For example, when you have an overwhelming financial situation and the devil tells you, “your finances are not enough and will never be enough.” You can tell him, “No devil, my God is El Shaddai, Jehovah Jirah, the Lord my Provider, who provides more than enough for me and He can do exceedingly abundantly above all I can ask or think in my finances.” Regardless of the overwhelming odds facing us in the natural realm, we must find God’s promises and speak those promises into the supernatural realm because God is good and His promises are true. 2 Samuel 22:31 states “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.”

Don’t ever believe that the words you speak are powerless in the supernatural. Isn’t it interesting that Elisha could tell the king of Israel every word that the king of Syria would speak in the privacy of his own bedroom? Proverbs 18:21 states, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Our words have tremendous power and so does the word of God! This is why I am very careful in choosing the words I speak when I am walking through a trial as well as the people I invite into my life to walk with me through a trial. The powerful truth is that the results of life or death in any trial we’re facing can often hang in the balance by the words we speak and others speak in faith about the situation OR the words we speak and others speak in fear, doubt, and ignorance about the situation. Therefore, I want to speak the word of God into my trials because the word of God is living, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. Furthermore, I want brothers and sisters in Christ who know the word of God to walk with me through my trials speaking words of faith, blessing, and life over my life until my temporary circumstances line up with the eternal truths of God’s word and His promises for my life. Because the simple truth is, regardless of how impossible a situation may look in our lives…God starts at impossible as Christine Caine so eloquently states. In fact, the word of God says that ALL things are possible with God, NOTHING is too difficult for Him, and He works ALL things together for our good. This is good news because these truths change EVERYTHING that you and I face in the natural realm of life when we believe God and remember His faithfulness.

The Second Way I have Found To Settle My Soul In The Midst Of A Trial And See Beyond The Natural Realm Into The Supernatural Realm Is To Face The Truthful State Of My Faith And Remember God’s Faithfulness

How true is it that we can so easily forget the Lord’s faithfulness when we are going through a serious trial in life. It was no different for the children of Israel. It’s recorded in the Bible that they had just seen the Lord deliver them from the hand of Pharaoh through the parting of the Red Sea and they soon forgot what He had done for them. Psalms 106:10-13 states, “He [the Lord] saved them from the hand of him [Pharaoh] who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. The waters covered their enemies; there was not one of them left. Then they believed His words; they sang His praise. They soon forgot His works.”

We read their story and think to ourselves, how could they not trust God when He had just demonstrated His awesome power in their lives? But let me ask this question…what about you and I? Don’t we do the very same thing? We see God’s faithfulness one day and praise Him. Then the next day we think He has taken a vacation and forgotten about us. The truth is that God does not take vacations and forget about us. The truth is that we are just simply faithless at times and our trials demand that we face this truth. But the good news is that the Bible states in 2 Timothy 2:13, “If we are faithless, He (Jesus) remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” As believers and followers of Jesus Christ, this is very good news because Jesus will remain faithful to us even in those trying times when we become momentarily faithless during a difficult trial. Since He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), He will be faithful to complete the good work He has begun in us (Philippians 1:6) as we wrestle with God from faith to faith through our trials. To me, this means that the trials I face in life are actually opportunities that the Lord uses to build my faith and finish my faith as I learn how to place my complete trust in Him and Him alone.

The Third Way I have Found To Settle My Soul In The Midst Of A Trial And See Beyond The Natural Realm Into The Supernatural Realm Is To Praise God In The Midst Of The Trial And Please Him With My Faith

Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith, it is impossible to please God.” Wow, think about it! Without faith, there is absolutely nothing you and I can do to please God. On the other hand, it blows my mind to think that when we do have faith in God and place our trust in Him, you and I can actually please our heavenly Father. This tells me that our faith or lack thereof is a pretty big deal to God. In fact, I believe that we are never more close to pleasing the heart of God than those times when we have nothing else to believe in other than the faithfulness of God to come through for us with His word and His promises.

Now don’t misunderstand the difference between the love of God toward us and the pleasure of God toward us because they are two entirely different matters in our relationship with God. As a child of God, there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus – it never changes; however, the Bible is clear that our faith does bring pleasure to the heart of God. With the measure of faith that God gives to everyone as stated in Romans 12:3, everyone has an opportunity to bring God pleasure in the midst of a trial by praising Him in the trial and believing Him to faithfully bring us through the trial. When we have a resting faith in God that trusts Him no matter what, God is pleased because our faith is in Him alone and nothing else.

For me, understanding that my faith actually brings God pleasure, opens my eyes to see that the real purpose of my trials is to provide me with the tremendous opportunity for my faith to be tested and my faith to grow deeper in Christ which ultimately brings God great pleasure in my relationship with Him. The apostle James states in his epistle, Chapter 1:2-4, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” With faith in Christ, we have everything we need in the kingdom of God. Furthermore, it is our Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom when we believe Him and His word. All glory, praise, and honor be to our heavenly Father, forever and ever. Amen!

Open My Eyes To See Copyright 2012, The Make It Happen Learning Institute.  You have permission to reprint the leadership article, Open My Eyes To See, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Tested

October 12, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Scripture

Psalms 105:19 “Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord tested him.”

Observation

In this passage of Scripture, the Bible reminds us of the faithfulness of God to fulfill the word spoken to Joseph about his purpose and destiny in Him. God gave Joseph a dream and until the dream was fulfilled in his life, the word of the Lord tested him in many ways. There were times in Joseph’s life when it appeared that the dream God gave him would never be fulfilled; however, Joseph allowed those times of testing to build his testimony and his character in preparation for the time when the Lord would bring it to pass in His perfect timing.

Application

By the example of Joseph’s life, I know that God cares more about my character than my comfort and will therefore use all situations and circumstances to prepare me for the destiny and purpose He has planned for me.  Romans 8:28 states, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Because the word of the Lord is true and He is faithful to perform it, I can rest assured that He will work all situations and circumstances in my life for good as I allow Him and His word to test me and prepare me for the good work He began in me and has planned for me.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are Jehovah Tsebaioth, the Lord of Hosts! Thank You Lord for working all things together for my good as I trust You to fulfill all of Your promises in my life. Because You are my victory in Christ, I am more than a conqueror in times of testing and trial on my personal journey of purpose and destiny in You. I love You Jesus! Amen!

Tested Copyright 2011, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Tested, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

The Make It Happen Moment ® Talent Plus

October 5, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede The Make It Happen Moment ® , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Quote: “At any given time, we must be willing to give up all we have in order to become all we can be!” – John C. Maxwell

One afternoon while my children and I were at a state park near our home celebrating with our church the sending of a missionary friend to India, we were told that there was an eagle’s nest in the park with little eaglets.  Intrigued by the possibility of seeing real eagles in their natural habitat, my children and I walked over to the identified lookout post and began to watch for them.  With the help of some binoculars provided by a professional bird watcher, we were able to spot the eagles and observe their elegant flight patterns in, out, and around their nestled home high up in one of the treetops.

One thing that I’ve recently learned about eagles is that when it becomes time for their eaglets to leave the safety of their nests and learn to fly, the momma eagle begins to pull out all of the cushioned particles of the nest to make it prickly and uncomfortable.  Additionally, she will take the eaglets in her grasp, fly high into the air, and then drop the eaglets toward the ground.  Then right before they hit the ground – if they aren’t flying yet – she will swiftly fly underneath and pick them up under her wings.  This routine will be repeated until each little eaglet learns how to safely fly on their own. Wow!

As a leader, have you ever felt like the safety zone of your comfortable nests with people, places, and positions were being made prickly and uncomfortable because it was time for you to take flight into new realms of faith, promise, and purpose in God?  If you have, then like a little eaglet, you know what it feels like when the Lord calls you to leave the safety of the nest and completely trust Him until you learn how to fly in the good future He has planned for you.  And unfortunately, it doesn’t matter how much gifting and talent that you and I may have been given at birth, if we don’t exercise those gifts and talents with faith in God, the Giver of those gifts, we will never learn how to properly fly into the great destiny that God has uniquely planned for each of us as leaders.

In fact, do you know that it is impossible to please God without faith? Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him [God], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  Furthermore, John 15:5 states, “I [Jesus] am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Therefore, regardless of our talent and gifts from God, it is clear from the Bible that we will never fully step into our true destiny unless we trust the Lord completely with our entire lives and abide in the shelter of His wings. Like eagles, leaders are created to fly; however, leaders of righteousness in God are created to fly in the abiding presence of the Lord as they put their total and complete trust in the shelter of His wings. With a spirit of faith and excellence, lead as an eagle of righteousness in God with a heart like King David expressed toward the Lord in Psalms 61:4 stating, “I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.”

The Make It Happen Risk-Taking Value: “Make It Happen” People Take Calculated Risks In The Pursuit Of Excellence!

Have a blessed “Make It Happen” day!

Edited by The Make It Happen Moment ® Editorial Team

The Make It Happen Moment ® Talent Plus Copyright 2010, The Make It Happen Learning Institute.  You have permission to reprint The Make It Happen Moment ® Talent Plus, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Take A Stand

September 29, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , 2 Comments

Scripture

2 Kings 23:3 “Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.”

Observation

In this passage of Scripture, the Bible records that Josiah, the king of Judah at that time, made a covenant before the Lord to follow Him with all of his heart and all of his soul in obedience to the commands of the Lord written in the word of God.  When King Josiah publicly made this heart and soul commitment to follow the Lord and obey the word of God, Jewish history records that all the people turned to the Lord and took a stand for their covenant relationship with Him.

Application

As leaders in our community, we have tremendous leadership influence to significantly impact our community and our nation much like King Josiah had tremendous leadership influence to significantly impact his community and nation. When we are willing to publicly come forth as leaders of righteousness in the kingdom of God and follow the Lord with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind, the Lord gives us great ability to make real positive lasting impacts in our community and nation.  Because people take notice when leaders lead with a genuine heart strong after God, the hearts of others are softened toward the Lord and their spines are strengthened to take a stand for their covenant relationship with Him.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness!  Thank You Lord for exchanging Your righteousness for my unrighteousness at the Cross so that I could become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! As I commit my heart, soul, strength, and mind to follow after You as a leader of righteousness in Your kingdom, give me the discipline to obey You and the spine to do what You ask me to do. I love You Jesus! Amen!

Take A Stand Copyright 2011, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Take A Stand, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

The Make It Happen Moment ® By The Book

September 21, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede The Make It Happen Moment ® , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Quote: “Life doesn’t reward what you know; it rewards what you do with what you know!” – Dave Anderson

In June 2010 I formed a cycling team to participate in Race Across America, the world’s toughest bicycle race – 3,005 miles from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland. Our team’s mission was to finish well and support the fight against childhood obesity through corporate sponsorships. As you might imagine, this extreme ultra-endurance cycling event was no easy challenge. With one rider on the road at all times, we rode non-stop day and night across 14 states, through the mountains of Colorado and West Virginia, the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico, the wheat and cornfields of Kansas and Missouri, and the large and small cities of America.

To successfully complete the journey, we were given an all-encompassing route book that charted our course to 54 officially designated time stations from start to finish. Included in the route book were maps with elevation profiles to each successive time station and directions noted at precisely accurate mileage markers on the odometer. It was remarkable how well the directions in the route book accurately directed us to turn left or right at just the precise odometer readings. Consequently, without the route book, our 8-person team and 6 crew members would have not known when and where to turn on the route nor would we have ever made it to the finish line in 6 days, 14 hours, and 55 minutes as the 5th place team in our division.

As a rookie team, one of our biggest concerns was how we were going to find our way and arrive at each time station without getting lost. With the race over and gaining the first-hand knowledge and experience of a RAAM team finisher, our team can attest to the supreme accuracy of the route book that we were given by race officials and would definitely assert that the path would be painstakingly difficult to follow at best without the help of the route book. 

Do you know that a business team needs a supremely accurate route book as well to help chart their course and successfully achieve their business mission in the marketplace? In the same way that I can attest first hand to the supreme accuracy of the Race Across America route book as a certified RAAM team finisher, I can also attest first hand to the Supreme accuracy of the Word of God in helping business leaders to successfully achieve their business missions as a business leader who loves the Lord and has personally built many teams on the “can do” principles of the Word of God.  Psalms 119:105 states, “Your word [the Bible] is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path”; therefore, we can trust that the Bible will provide supremely accurate directions for every aspect of our lives including our businesses.

On the other hand, a business team that tries to achieve its business mission without the precise and accurate directions found in the Word of God is like a RAAM team trying to complete the Race Across America without the precise and accurate directions found in the RAAM route book…painstakingly difficult indeed.  Proverbs 14:12 states, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” and Proverbs 16:9 states, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” As business leaders with a spirit of wisdom and excellence, let us diligently seek the way of the Lord found in His Word and follow His path as we trust Him to direct our steps in business and lead us on a tremendously rewarding faith journey in the marketplace!

The Make It Happen Professionalism Value: “Make It Happen” People Are Professionals!

Have a blessed “Make It Happen” day!

Edited by The Make It Happen Moment ® Editorial Team

The Make It Happen Moment ® By The Book Copyright 2010, The Make It Happen Learning Institute.  You have permission to reprint The Make It Happen Moment ® By The Book, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Perfect Love

September 14, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , , , 2 Comments

Staring into the pit, no end in sight,

Falling deeper into fear, no break of light.

Pressure rising and rising, no mind should ever know,

Darkness screaming and screaming, no safe place to go.

Wicked angels appearing like a plague of locusts,

Evil strongholds choking all peace and focus.

Unforgiveness stirring from yester years,

Bitter heart aching from painful tears.

“Look up! Look up!” the heavens cry out,

“No way out! No way out!” the demons shout.

Fear the truth or fear the lie,

The difference is to live or die.

The Lord rebuke you satan,

A child of God is never forsaken.

Forever written for His glory,

The truth of God completes the story.

The Lord is faithful, a mighty strong tower,

In His name, there is no greater power.

“Jesus! Jesus!” The darkness finally shatters,

“Truly! Truly!” His perfect love is all that really matters.

Perfect Love Copyright 2012, The Make It Happen Learning Institute.  You have permission to reprint the poem, Perfect Love, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Honi-Up And Pray In The Marketplace

July 21, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede See You At The Office , , , , 8 Comments

When I read and study the Bible, I find that it can be relatively easy to read the ancient stories of faith and think…of course, God showed up.  It’s easy…because the end of the story is already recorded.  But what would happen if you or I were in fact put in the position of one of the heroes of faith?  What would happen if God tapped you or me on the shoulder like he did with Noah, Abraham, Joshua…to do something big for Him?

It’s easy to look at the ancient heroes of faith when God has tapped them on the shoulder and believe that God would do a mighty miracle in, through, and for them…but when it’s you or me…well that can be a whole different story, right?

“You want me to do what, Lord?”

“Oh no…not me…you most definitely must have the wrong person.”

“Don’t You realize how foolish I might look if I step out in faith and do what You’ve asked me to do?”

“I know You showed up in the lives of the ancient heroes of faith…but they’re in the Bible…I’m not in the Bible! Are You really going to show up in my life in 2013?”

Well, let me tell you a true story about a man of faith who is not in the Bible and God powerfully showed up in his life. His name is Honi, the circle maker, and I believe that God is still looking for people like him today.

It was the first century BC, and a devastating drought threatened life. All of the prophets of God had died and no one had heard from God for a very long time.  But there was one man who believed that God could still hear the prayers of His people.  So one drought-stricken afternoon, Honi walked into a field, drew a 360 degree circle around himself with his staff, dropped to his knees, cried out to God with the authority of the prophet Elijah, and called down rain.

“Lord of the universe, I swear before Your great name that I will not move from this circle until You have shown mercy upon Your children.”

Described in even greater detail by Mark Batterson in his national best-selling book, The Circle Maker, Honi’s resolute yet humble, confident yet meek, expectant yet unassuming prayer sent shudders down the spines of those in earshot of his prayer. Then it happened. With everyone looking heavenward and Honi’s head still bowed, sprinkles of rain started falling. Nevertheless, over the sounds of the celebration, Honi cried out to God again.

“Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain that will fill cisterns, pits, and caverns.”

The sprinkling rain then turned into an overwhelming torrential rain, destroying brittle vegetation, and flooding everything in its path. Once more, Honi refined his prayer.

“Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain of Your favor, blessing, and graciousness.”

Then, the downpour turned into a steady, stream of tender soaking rain drops that soothed the drought thirsty ground and the spirit thirsty souls of God’s people. God showed up that day when Honi dared to step out in faith and believe God would hear his prayers.

Wow! This true story of Honi, the Circle Maker, personally inspires me because as a believer with a heart for building God’s kingdom in the marketplace, I believe the Lord has tapped me on the shoulder to initiate an annual marketplace prayer movement called See You At The Office during the week of July 14th each year.  And the reason I feel like Honi is because I am not an ancient hero of faith in the Bible, I don’t know the end of the story yet, and it’s a big step of faith for me to step out and initiate an annual prayer movement in the marketplace.

It was during the See You At The Pole student led prayer movement about four years ago when I heard the Lord whisper to me, “If students can pray at the pole, why can’t business leaders pray at the office?”  At that time, I pondered the question for a little while but then let it drop from my mind until the next year when See You At The Pole came back around and I heard the Lord whisper to me the same question, “If students can pray at the pole, why can’t business leaders pray at the office.”  At that time, I decided to answer the question in prayer. “Lord, I don’t see any reason why business leaders cannot pray at the office and if You want me to initiate a prayer movement in the marketplace, then You will need to give me the name of it and the date of it.” So as I began to pray about this, the Lord gave me the name, See You At The Office, and He gave me the dates of any 2 days during the week of July 14th on the basis of 2 Chronicles 7:14.

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.”

Think about it… Can the Lord really use somebody like me or somebody like you to do something big for Him? I guess I’m just crazy enough to believe that He can…so I have done the “crazy” thing by stepping out in faith and obedience to do what the Lord has asked me to do. And you know what, I have confidence NOT in me or my obedience, but rather I have confidence in the Lord’s obedience to be true to His Word which gives me supernatural courage to “Honi-up” and do what He has asked me to do.

2 Chronicles 16:9 states, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” The truth is that I don’t know the end of the story yet, but I am doing what He has asked me to do in faith and I am totally trusting Him with the end of the story. Despite what others might say about my boldness in the Lord, I know this, my responsibility is to simply listen and obey.

So then you might ask me why haven’t I scheduled any See You At The Office prayer meetings at the church. It’s not that I don’t want to pray with my colleagues at the church office…it’s simply because See You At The Office is a prayer movement in the marketplace and not in the four walls of the church. I personally believe that our nation is in desperate need of spiritual leaders in the marketplace who will glorify God – Monday through Friday – in the marketplace praying for our nation, praying for their companies, and praying for their team members which is why I’m praying with leaders in the marketplace during See You At The Office. However, I do invite all of my brothers and sisters in the Lord on church staffs to please pray with me for God to move powerfully in the marketplace during See You At The Office.

This week I read a tweet stating that Christianity is not about what you can do for God, but what God has done for you. Now I totally get that salvation is the free gift of God and not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9), but I also know that faith without works is dead (James 2:20). Therefore, once we as believers accept and receive the free gift of God for salvation in Christ, we all have a spiritual leadership responsibility to do something with our lives for Christ. If not, we can be very close to being like the nine of the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus, and only one came back to thank Him as recorded in Luke 17:11-19.

If we as believers, do not return to the Lord and give Him thanks for what He has done for us in Christ by honoring Him in the marketplace, I think we are in for a tough road in this nation. Let me read this startling true article from Fox News and Friends. The headlines read: Arizona Pastor Arrested, Jailed for Holding Bible Study in Home; His Wife Says It ‘Defies Logic’  Click Here to read the full article. It is unbelievable that this kind of story is actually true right here in America and not just some other country. It is unfortunate, but so terribly true, that our constitutional freedoms like the freedom of religion, the freedom of assembly, and the freedom of speech can be so easily stripped away from us, if we who believe in Christ do not stand up and impact our culture for Christ. This is one of the reasons why I believe the Lord has asked me to initiate See You At The Office. It is an opportunity for His people, called by His name, to draw a circle in the marketplace and pray for Him to move in a mighty powerful way on the behalf of His people.

In fact, in Matthew 18:18-20 Jesus tells us, “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.  Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Without any doubt, you and I, along with other Christ followers in the marketplace, have the awesome opportunity and tremendous spiritual leadership responsibility to pray in the marketplace for our nation, our companies, and our team members with the authority that Christ has given us. And the coolest thing about it, when we “Honi-up” together and pray through the challenges that face us, Jesus promises to answer our prayers and be right there with us. Therfeore, it is my sincere pleasure and honor to personally invite you and your colleagues to pray with me and many other Christ followers in the marketplace each year during See You At The Office!

To the glory of God, have a blessed “make it happen” day and I will See You At The Office!

Honi-Up And Pray In The Marketplace Copyright 2012, The Make It Happen Learning Institute.  You have permission to reprint the leadership article, Honi-Up And Pray In The Marketplace, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

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