Progress

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you having a great day as this beautiful Friday morning dawns! Here is a quick quote by Todd Stocker that I tweeted this morning to get your day started right: "A sunrise is God's way of stating, "Let's start again."

Progress. Dictionary.com defines progress as "a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage" and "the development of an individual or society in a direction considered more beneficial than and superior to the previous level." I was reading The Carpenter by Jon Gordon on Monday morning and the chapter was on progress. It has had me thinking about progress - what it means, what it looks like, how it happens, etc. - all week.

The first thing I want to tell you Friends is it is o.k. to make progress. I hope you feel the freedom in that statement. You don't have to be the finished product today. In fact, I truly hope and pray that you and I continue to progress each and every day of our lives until we breathe or final breath. While we understand that in "the big picture" do we truly understand, and more importantly, live it in the day to day lives we live? I know I struggle with it...a lot. I strive every day to be the man, husband, father, leader, friend that God has called me to become. I want to be everything to everybody and I want to do the "right" thing, to say the "right" thing all the time. I expect perfection from myself which is completely unrealistic. I can get so caught up in trying to be perfect that I don't give myself the grace of progress. Yes Friends, that is what it is...to give ourselves grace. To constantly strive to be better today than we were yesterday but not grade ourselves against what we will be when the Lord says our work on earth is finished and calls us home. You and I are human. We will make mistakes and fail. Progress is good, it is refining us into the men & women God has created us to become. Let us live in that freedom.

So what is your struggle, battle or challenge today? We all have one...at least one. We are all fighting something, wanting to improve something. It's just life. We don't like change however life is constantly changing. A coach once said (I Googled who said it and I got it attributed to like 20 different football coaches!) "Everyday you either get better or worse, you never stay the same." It is true in football and life. It is true in you and me.

Are we making progress? This is the question we really need to ask ourselves. It is not an excuse to not change, it is actually the motivation to do so. Have you ever beat yourself up because you made the same mistake, did the same thing, again? Have you ever not started because, well you won't be the finished product today? How about this one - are you worn out from fighting the fight? You have taken a step forward and then two back, step forward, two back. You have fought and tried and you keep sliding back? Hey, don't think you are all special Friend! :) We all experience these things.

Whoever you are, wherever you are and whatever your struggle, battle or challenge is today - start! Take one small step to face, fight and conquer whatever it is in your life. You don't need to win the war today, you just need to begin the fight. Determine who in your mind you will be. Determine in your mind that you will overcome whatever it is you are facing. Determine in your mind that you are going to be better today than you were yesterday. Determine in your mind that you are going to be kind to yourself, that you will not hold yourself to impossible standards. As with anything worth having it will take courage, sacrifice & hard work. Know this Friend, if you will intentionally choose to fight your fight daily, if you are determined to persevere, you will in fact win. Let progress be the goal, live fully in the moment and the Lord will lead you to your final destination.

I want to close by sharing a text exchange between Payton and I this week:

Payton - Hey Goodmorning dad! (It is 1:18 p.m...gotta love teenagers!) Landrys being ridiculous and throwing candy at my face and throwing clothes around cause he's trying to be funny and it's ridiculous

Me - Do me a favor; say to him "Dad wants to know if you are being a Tender Warrior right now." If it doesn't change instantly, call me...I am eating lunch right now and I have a meeting at 2

Payton - Okay sorry for bothering you! He just looked at me when you said that smiled and was about to say something but stopped :) have a good day

Me - Sweet! Just remind him...we all forget who we are sometimes. :)

Payton - Okay thanks :)

We all forget who we are sometimes...I just want to close by reminding you who you are. You were fearfully & wonderfully created for a purpose for which you are perfectly equipped. You lack absolutely nothing Friend. Your life has great value, meaning & purpose. This world is blessed by and because of you. Just in case you were wondering. :)

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you. I will always be willing to help you any way I can.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev