Kenneth Olson.org

Relevance Church Conference

I consider myself a fully committed life-time learner, so every opportunity I get to read, listen to CD's, podcasts and attend conferences, I do. I especially love to listen and learn from people who are veterans of their respective business field, ministry, leadership or life. 

So, I'm there whenever I get a chance to hear someone like Bill Hybels. He is no doubt one of the most influential leaders in the church today and leads one of the most influential churches in America. He is a compelling voice of wisdom, experience and balance to the generation that follows him.

Here are a few take home nuggets from his talk today at the Relevance Conference:

• Never get to the place where you are dangerously depleted spirit, soul and body. Do everything with your power to stay at a replenished level; it will cause you to make good decisions. Bad decisions are made in a depleted state.
• Take personal responsibility for your own replenishment levels.  
• Possess a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly strategy to replenish and re-charge yourself. John 15 - strive to live in the "abiding state"
• Know your own tell-tale signs that you are sinking into depletion (irritability, lack of laughter, see life as a grind, lack of creativity, tired....).
• Identify what inordinately depletes you. 
• Leaders clarify expectations
• The greatest leaders call something out of people, they inspire people to go beyond what they ordinarily would do without your leadership. 
• Leadership is getting the job done - moving people toward Christ-centered lives. 
• Questions a leader must ask him or herself often:  is my calling clear? is my passion hot? am I replenished? am I reading? am I meeting with the right people?am I hearing from God everyday? - that's leadership!

Random Thoughts on Being Focused

I'm convinced that everyday distractions are the greatest obstacles to fulfilling a dream, accomplishing a God-given mission or living a remarkable life. 

I've said before, we live in an age of distraction, a time when everyone including our kids suffer from the relentless barrage of information, activities, technology and culture. Much of it is good, yet it relentlessly competes for our time, energy and attention. 

It helps me to be reminded what I intentionally need to do to stay focused. Here are a few random thoughts/quotes on that issue. 

• Any person who has reach their potential in life and/or in God, has lived a focused life.  
• Don't mistake activity with productivity or accomplishment 
• It will take focus to become what God wants you to be.  
• You must become selective to be effective 
• Nothing is more potent than a focused life 
• Clear focus increases energy 
• Focused Christ-followers put God and His purposes first 
• Focused people make commitments, not excuses 
• Focused people don't meditate on difficulty, but the rewards 
• Focused people consider their strengths, not their weaknesses  

Mother's Day Reflection

This past Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day, yet I don't think a day or all the words in the world can adequately express the importance of a mom. If it wasn't for my mom's unconditional love, patience and example of faith, I honestly don't know where I would be today.

Thinking about the impact of her faith on my life stirs a holy determination in me. A determination to live my life for God in a way that inspires and challenges my children and sows a seed of faith in their lives that will propagate and grow long after I'm gone!

This reminds me of what's recorded in 2 Timothy, I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. - 2 Timothy 1:5

Here's a quick picture of the moms in my life.

 

Stricken Series

I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching on the subject of redemption over the past five weeks. It's amazing to me the scope of what was paid for and provided through the selfless offering of our Lord's life. Without much thought, redemption seems pretty black and white, yet every time I study it I'm awed by the unending dimensions of God's love for us.

I'm sure it's like astronomers peering into the cosmos, each time using more powerful and sophisticated telescopes permitting them to see new galaxies and nebula. Yet they never fully able to comprehend the true magnitude of God's creation. 

I suppose that's the reason for eternity? No amount of finite time or human effort will ever enable us to grasp the breadth, width and height of our creator. He just goes on and on and on and on. 

Although disconcerting to my mind because I can't understand it, it's comforting to my spirit to know God is, and always will be greater than anything I'll ever face.