,

5 Elements Every Family Needs To Be Successful + 34 Page Book

,

Pick up any book on how to build a successful business and you will find a common thread running through all of them. That thread is made up of a vision for the future, a strategic mission statement to help you reach the vision, a set of guiding core values and a few attainable goals. Each of these things are needed if you want to start, grow and flourish as a company.

Now, if you were to walk into a bank tomorrow and apply for a small business loan to get your company going, you would be asked to present your business plan. The bank would want to know what you plan to do with the loan, how you will be profitable, should they give you the loan, and how you plan to repay the loan once you have been approved for it. A successful business is built on some very basic fundamentals. The same is true for our families.

I am convinced that if I had always approached my family with the same principles I approached work, I would have been more successful from the beginning. I don’t know why I never applied the principles

, ,

Every Leader & Parent Needs This Tool In Their Belt

, ,

I’m sure you have heard it said, “If the only tool you have in your belt is a hammer then everything you see is a nail.” I’m sure as leaders and as parents we have swung the hammer a few times.

Hypothetically speaking, if we could choose one tool to use most frequently when dealing with co-workers, bosses, team members and yes, even our children, what would it be?

Before you run a list or head over to the Home Depot let me offer a suggestion and a few reason why the Crescent Wrench is the best choice.


7 Reminders From The Crescent Wrench


1. It Tightens

“Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you've got, be resolute.” 1 Corinthians 16:13 MSG

The Nuts And Bolts
The Crescent Wrench reminds us

, ,

Parents, Are We Full of It? I Hope So!

, ,

I was in Starbucks the other day and when they called out my grade non-fat one pump vanilla latte I went a runnin' to get my beverage. However, in my "hurry" I not only knocked over my drink but another one as well.

I looked at the person with the saddest/maddest look on their face and asked, "What was it?" "It was a venti chai tea latte!" Now, here is the question. 

When I bumped my drink and knocked it over, what came out?
The answer, of course, is what it was full of at the time.

When I bumped and knocked the other drink over, What came out?
The answer, again, is what it
The answer, of course, is what each of us

, , ,

The One City Where Leaders Must Live: Authenti-City

, , ,

Our goal was to move to Autheni-City with the whole family. We had seen pictures of it and heard it was a great place to not only visit but to live. In fact, Mary and I had some friends move there a few years ago, and they say it’s the best!

We were living in Toxi-City at the time. We had lived there for a few years, but it was enough time to embrace our surroundings yet not too much for it to really feel like home. It felt like there was another place for us somewhere.

There was a lot of noise where we used to live—very industrial, very loud and very dirty. Mary was sick a few times with an upper respiratory infection and our kids were frequently sick. later we discovered I was the carrier! I wasn’t really watching

,

Parents: Teach These Three Things To Your Children + 4 Free Books

,

1. The Influence of Good Friends

When I was a kid and would have friends from the neighborhood over to my house, my mom would always ask me questions about the friends when they left.

I never knew why she did it until I was a teen. She was screening my friends! She would talk to my friends and talk to their parents, not in an interrogative manner, but a friendly way. She would reach out and connect with them. She knew something very important about the power of friends and the power of influence. “Don’t fool yourselves. Bad friends will destroy you” (1 Corinthians 15:33, CEV. Choosing the right friends

, , ,

When Leadership Ruins Your Family: How to Live and Lead Differently

, , ,

Today’s post is actually a podcast!

I sat down with one of today’s most influential church leaders, Carey Nieuwhof, to talk about our story, our leadership story. The link will take you directly to Carey’s site where you can download the podcast.

I hope our story is an encouragement to anyone who feels the effect of burnout, overwork, and life spin.

Get The Podcast Here

In the podcast I give 3 things you can do right now to help you current situation. They are talked about more in depth on the podcast but I have listed them here for you.

3 Things You Can Do Right Now
1. Start writing regularly in a journal.
2. Find a counselor.
3. Read a book with tips and tools for your situation.

, ,

The Biggest Risk A Leader Can Take And Why It’s Worth It

, ,

The biggest risk a leader can take is telling the story of who they are with their whole heart. Also known as vulnerability. When you reveal the junk in your life to others, there is a substantial risk involved.

  • Others may disconnect from you. That’s rejection.
  • Others may tell others about your situation. That’s painful.
  • Others may lecture you. That’s humiliating.

So why take the risk? Answer, So you can experience freedom!

I used several strategies when I didn’t want to open up and talk about the hidden hurts or hang-ups in my life and I got pretty good at it. The most basic and most used tactic was