God wants to be our partner throughout life. Too often we are tempted to either carry the entire load ourselves or give everything to God and do nothing. God doesn't like either strategy. Sometimes He moves before us and sometimes after us - but He doesn't move without us. Without God... we cannot. Without us... God will not.

When I had something I thought God was talking to me about, the first thing I did, before I ever talked to the congregation, was to sit down with the major influencers of the church and share with them what I thought God was speaking to me. I gave them time for input or questions. Many times they would ask questions and I would reply, "I need to spend more time on this. I'm not sure I'm thinking clearly there." Other times they added value and helped make this vision better or more accessible to the people.

As a pastor I reinforced my vision over lunches.

Successful people do what is right no matter how they feel, and by doing right, they feel good.

You can't grow and learn if your focus is on finding someone else to blame instead of looking at your own shortcomings.

If you can raise up leaders, you will always have followers, but if you can't raise up leaders, you will only have followers.

Stay focus on what God has assigned me to do. Keep my mind on what I am doing/