You Are Able

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as a beautiful new day begins to dawn on the Texas Gulf Coast!

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to introduce a truly remarkable woman prior to a speech she was giving at the launch of the Ability Resource Group. At 8 months old she got polio and this left her with partial paralysis on one side of her body and lack of strength on the other side. She had a dream of being a doctor. She grew up in a time before ADA laws and the protections they provide. She went to 4 different medical schools to meet with the Deans. She asked each one if she could become a doctor. Two of the Deans told her that she could not become a physician. Another gave some answer that was basically "no" however they appeared to be aware that there might be legal ramifications of saying such a thing. The last school said, "why couldn't you?" As she noted, "they looked at what I could do instead of what I couldn't do." This woman's life is a great great example of strength, perseverance & self-less service. This woman's life is a great inspiration and I am truly blessed to call her "friend." :)

I have shared this before and I feel compelled to share it again...it was transformational to me. Driving home listening to the radio several years ago, a lady called in for prayer for her young son. She explained that her son had disabilities. As soon as the sweet Mom got the word "disabilities" out of her mouth, the radio host interrupted her and said, "Please tell me about your sons abilities." I don't remember the things the Mom said specifically anymore. I do remember her voice changing as she told all the special things her precious little boy could do. It was a profound perspective shift for me.

That night when I got home, I gathered my greatest calling - my amazing family - around me and we talked about abilities & disabilities. We talked about the fact that ALL of us have abilities & disabilities. Some, like my friend, have physical disabilities that are readily apparent when you look at them. This however does not change the fact that they still have many amazing abilities. Some have disabilities that we would never know by looking at them. And this does not change the fact that they many amazing abilities. 

A couple of quick takeaways:
1. What are you looking for? You see, we find what we are looking for. If you are looking for what a person cannot do you will certainly be able to find it. Likewise, if you are looking for what a person can do you will find it as well. It all comes back to us and what we are looking for. While nobody can do everything, everybody can do many things and they can add great value to you, your work, your life. It is tragic that we would eliminate anyone simply because there are a couple of things they cannot do while there are countless things they can do.

2. I really like the folks who know who they really are, don't you? Have you ever noticed how much time people, including you & I, spend trying to hide their weaknesses, our disabilities. We cover them up any way we can - be it with clothing, an aggressive attitude or speech, by not even trying. These are all defense mechanisms to prevent others from seeing who we really are, to not let them know that we have some sort of disability. Those with physical disabilities don't always have that opportunity. There is no way to hide who they are and in this, many find great freedom...they are free to be themselves. There is great wisdom there Friends! We all have disabilities! To know who we are, to embrace our purpose and to walk boldly & confidently in that purpose is something that is available to all of us. Not to do so is perhaps the greatest disability.

Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time if there is ever anything I can do for you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

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

Kev

Potential

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day on this stormy Friday morning on the Texas Gulf Coast! The thing about having a 7 month old Chocolate Lab is that she thinks she can scare away lightening by barking at it...at 4:00 a.m....with the whole family sleeping! Not everyone is having as happy of a Friday as Kev! :)

Before diving into what I want to talk about briefly this morning I want share the link to a couple of videos with you. Please take some time to watch them over the next week.

The first one is Seattle Seahawk Quarterback Russell Wilson giving a commencement speech at the University of Wisconsin. In it he talks about potential - the inspiration for me for this Happy Friday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q9DXzYdubY

The second one is titled, "The wisest man I ever met was a 3rd grade dropout." Profound...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27DLe5Xhmec 

If you aren't able to copy and paste the links, I have given you enough information that you 
can do a Google Search and find both videos. I pray they will bless you & your family as much as
they have blessed my family & I! :)

Potential. Dictionary.com defines potential this way:
adjective 1. possible, as opposed to actual; 2. capable of being or becoming
noun 5. possibility; potentiality; 6. a latent excellence or ability that may or may not be developed

It's that last one, "a latent excellence or ability that may or may not be developed" is the part that
really gets me! You have perhaps heard the saying about how on your tombstone there will be 
your birthdate and the date on which you died...the dash in between is the life you lived. This is 
where your potential is found.

In case you are curious like me, latent is defined as "present and capable of emerging or 
developing but not now visible, obvious or active." So if we put all that together, there is within
you & I an excellence that is present and capable of coming to fruition that may or may not 
develop...it is our potential.

Within each one of us is great potential. How do I know? How can I state so authoritatively?
Because my Bible tells me this is true! Sadly, while every human being on the face of the earth
has great potential within them, far to few will relentlessly pursue it to the point of achieving
their personal excellence. That is their choice...and you & I have one too!

I don't know your strengths, gifts & passions...I just know they are there! I want to encourage 
you, beginning today, to stop competing with the world or striving to be someone or something
you were not created to become. Awaken the greatness that is within you and relentlessly pursue
the great potential that has intentionally been placed within you! It is in doing this that you will
find your excellence for which you are capable!

Well heck, I didn't think this Happy Friday would end this quick however I find myself looking 
at this going, "Wow God, that is pretty good!" :)

I want to share a couple of quotes with you to close:

"God's gift to us; potential. Our gift to God; developing it." - Unknown

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single

bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'" - Erma Bombeck

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I 
will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

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

Kev

What Will Your Influence Be...?

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn!

I want to pause for a moment and respectfully ask for your prayers for those being impacted by the fires in California as well as those who continue to recover from the Las Vegas shooting & Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria & Nate. Thank you. :)

What Will Your Influence Be...?

In Your Life

• What are the things you are feeding your heart, mind, soul & spirit every day? This day?!
• Who or what are you allowing to define you?
• Where, what or from whom do you renew your strength?
• What are you reading?
• What are you listening to?
• Who are the people you let speak into your life?

The first thing each one of us must decide every morning is what things we are going to allow to be poured into our hearts, minds & spirits...and in fact, we will decide. Whether intentionally or unintentionally we will let things be planted in the deepest recesses of who we are and they in turn will determine our thoughts, our words & our actions. We cannot give what we do not have or, to say it another way, we can only give what we have to give. You Friends are too valuable, your life matters way too much to not give this some serious thought & consideration. I can't tell you what to choose, this morning I just want to remind you, to remind me, that everything starts here...with what is poured into us.

In The Lives of Others

Whether we want it to be true or not, the things you & I say & do today will influence every life we interact with today. I am well aware of the small place you & I occupy in this world and perhaps we can't change the entire world however we can change our world. I am not talking rose-colored glasses here. I am talking about being an intentional, positive influence in our sphere's of influence. If only those who read this post do that we will be influencing thousands! And you & I never know where that influence will end...that is up to God to decide. It is He, not you & I, that changes hearts. Our calling is to love Him and others...the rest is up to Him. Let's own our part and then let's let God be God.

I have come across a few things this week that I want to share with you.

This was on the Proactive Coaching website:

INFLUENCING WITH HONOR:

1. Do you wield your leadership influence and/or position honorably and responsibly? Do 

    you treat people with the appropriate respect?

2. Do you listen carefully to people and value their opinions, input and feedback?

3. Do you believe that it is unrealistic to expect extraordinary effort and performance

    without creating an environment in which people feel extraordinarily valued? If so, have

    you created such an environment?

4. Do you make sure not to abuse your power or use your station to threaten, frighten,

    coerce, or manipulate people?

5. Are you purposeful about making yourself available to people? Do you honor them with

    your time and attention?

This is an excerpt from The Carpenter by Jon Gordon:

"Your greatness as a leader will not be determined by how much power you accumulate. It will be determined by how much you serve and sacrifice for others to help them become great. Great leaders don't succeed because they are great. They succeed because they bring out the greatness in others. I believe you have to have an ego to want to be great but ironically you must give up your ego and serve others in order to be great. To become a great leader, you must be a servant leader. Only through service and sacrifice do you become great. You must serve in order to lead."

And a few quotes for you:

"Leaders run dry when they pour out more than they pour in." - Dan Rockwell

"Love is a verb. Without action, it is merely a word." - Unknown

"By not stepping into your greatness, you are letting down everyone around you whom you can inspire, touch or influence." - Amber Hurdle

"To build great relationships, you need to want more FOR people, than you want FROM people..." - Unknown

"A life isn't significant except for its impact on other lives." - Jackie Robinson

"We never know which lives we influence, or when, or why." - Stephen King

Look Friends, this is your life! There are no "do overs!" The choices are eternal! Choose wisely! What Will Your Influence Be...?

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

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

Kev

What Do They Know About You?

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn! Love, mercy & grace are new each morning...hope, opportunity & promise abound...let's live fully in these truths TODAY!

Earlier this week as I was driving to work and listening to the radio, the hosts had a young man on as a guest who is a survivor from the shooting in Las Vegas. The man stated that before the shooting he was an agnostic. According to a quick Google Search, an agnostic is "a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith or disbelief in God." The young man, whose name is Taylor, then told the story of what happened when the shooting started. He said his sister threw him on the ground and then laid her body on top of his and started yelling, "I love you Taylor! I love you Taylor! I love you Taylor!" Over and over again, as bullets rained down all around them and chaos ensued his sister, protecting his body with hers, continued yelling "I love you Taylor!" Taylor got extremely emotional as he told this story and he said that in that moment he knew that there was something greater.

One of the radio hosts then noted that what we are all really called to do is to love one another. That perhaps the real answer to all the craziness, perhaps I should say hate, that is happening in this world is simply to love one another. It is actually Biblical you know...

Mark 12: 30 - 31 says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself' There is no commandment greater than these." And, John 13: 35 says, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." It brings to mind, as the radio host I was listening to noted, the song "They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love." There are a few lyrics I want to share with you quickly. It goes like this, "We will work with each other, we will work side by side/And we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride/And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love/Yeah, they'll know we are Christians by our love."

So my question for you, me and everyone else - what do they know about us? Please note, neither the scriptures nor the lyrics say they will know we are Christians because we are so smart, have all the answers, are perfect, etc. We are called to love and Jesus himself noted that people will know whose you & I are, who we serve, "if we love one another."

What does this look like? I found what I think is an excellent explanation of the love that we are called to at compellingtruth.org. It says:

"Agape, and its verb form agapao, is one of the several Greek words for love. The Bible also mentions phileo, or brotherly love, and refers to eros, erotic love. The Greeks also spoke of storge, which is a love between family members.

Agape love is a little different. It is not a feeling; it's a motivation for action that we are free to choose or reject. Agape is a sacrificial love that voluntarily suffers inconvenience, discomfort, and even death for the benefit of another without expecting anything in return. We are called to agape love through Christ's example: 'Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5: 1 - 2)

We are to agapao God (Matthew 22:37), our neighbor (Matthew 22:39), and even our enemies (Matthew 5:43-46). We are not to agapao money (Matthew 6:24), darkness (John 3:19), or men's approval (John 12:43)."

Anybody besides me a little uncomfortable right about now?! "Not a feeling","choose or reject", "sacrificial love", "voluntarily suffers inconvenience, discomfort, and even death"... We wanna change the world, make a difference, then we must love. Just as Jesus did for you & I. Just as Jesus called you & I to do. Giving us the opportunity to either choose to do or reject.

As I have thought a lot about this all week, I thought of all the things that we currently see play out amongst, well, most everyone. From politicians to athletes to "leaders" the same thing over and over again. Telling others what they should or should not be doing. Passing judgement, not only on the actions but also the hearts, of others. Not listening to anyone else's thoughts, feeling or concerns. Having all the answers. Blah! Blah! Blah! It! Is! Not! Working! Someone is gonna have to put on their Big Boy or Big Girl pants and start living the life we were all called & created to live. I don't have all the answers however I know the One who does. I am going to make a very concerted effort to do what He told me to do, every day.

If this has you shaking your head, let me try to give you a little help. I literally Googled "actions that show you love others." I found this at wikihow.com (I know, crazy right?!?! Not only that one might have to Google something like this but also that there is an answer!!!) :)

1. Spend time bonding. One of the most important ways to love people is to spend time with them. The time you spend together will help you understand each other more and be more comfortable around each other. This will create a trusting bond that reinforces your love.

2. Accept your people for who they are. The people in your life may have values and habits that are similar to your own. Whether this is the case or not, you have to accept them for who they really are. Avoid criticizing or trying to change them. Instead, agree to disagree on some things, but continue to love them.

3. Overlook minor offenses. The more time you spend with anyone, the more chances they have to upset you. If someone does something that bothers you, take some time to decide if it is worth a confrontation. If you decide that it's a minor blunder, just let it pass. If the incident really bothers you, you should talk it over with the other person.

4. Appreciate others for what they do. If you have people in your life who love you, help you, and support you, try to express to them how grateful you are for their presence in your life. By doing so, they may return the appreciation, building a mutually beneficial relationship of trust and respect.

Bottom line Friend; the lives you & I are living tells others a lot about us. The questions is, what do they know about you & I by the way we live?

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

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

Kev