Closing Thoughts

Following up on our ZOOM call today, many asked that I share the notes from my closing thoughts so here they are.

But before you read any further,

please take out a piece of paper

and at the top of it write I BELIEVE.

....we'll revisit that paper at the end.

Shari and I have been reading a book titled “The Last Arrow” by Erwin Raphael McManus. We met Erwin many years ago at a Couples Valentine Retreat in Black Mountain North Carolina. and enjoyed the story of his life's journey and the insights he’s learned along the way.

We were sitting out on the deck last weekend and Shari was finishing up a chapter of the book when she shared the following paragraph that really touched my heart and I've thought of every day since.

“What I learned from twenty years of indecisiveness is that you will either define yourself or be defined by others. You will either choose your life or live a life that was never meant to be yours. How you end is profoundly affected by how you begin. You never begin the journey of creating the life you want until you know what you want. It’s only when you know what you want that you can say no to everything that wants you.”

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So, here's what I've been thinking about...

Knowing what you want begins with what you believe.

This seems like a simple question, and we probably all have a simple answer if asked, but have you ever tried writing it down?

Could you tell others what you believe? Does your family know what you believe, do your friends know, do you really really know?

How much of you is "defined by yourself" and how much of you is "being defined by others?"

NEXT STEPS

1) I encourage you to finish the paper you started at the beginning of this post.

- maybe even sit around the table with your family and create a WE BELIEVE poster

2) Display it where you and others in your house can see it every day.

3) Use it as a foundation each day as an encouragement to stay aligned with your life.

Look for the blessings today!

- Tim