Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Taking Your Game to the NEXT Level

Humans are creatures of habit.

It is natural for human beings to get to a certain point in their life and to become comfortable, complacent, and to coast. Consistency and predictability are high values for humans and rightfully so as it provides stability for people. Stability is needed and is good, except when we are settling for less than what God has created us to be. Here is my point: Most people settle for FAR LESS than what they could be in all phases of their lives!

When I was in college I started to lift weights seriously. I thought that I knew a lot about lifting, until I met a guy named David Burris. Dave and I quickly became friends and lifting partners and he had some experience in health and nutrition and in physical training. I soon realized that I did not know as much as I thought I knew and was soon asked to take my physical training to the NEXT level! I was asked to do difference exercises, work harder, work longer, and to be committed. My freshman year I grew physically and by the end I was able to bench 100 pounds more than my body weight. If it was not for Dave pushing me and encouraging me to take my physical training to the NEXT level I never would have done so!

I have been youth pastoring at Grace Community for the past month and have been challenged in different ways to take my game to the NEXT level. Here are some examples:
- Fight Club has pushed me in my physical regimen. I had become too complacent in this area of my life. (Kim will appreciate all the hard work when it is time for wedding pictures ;)
- To make sure that I am allowing space for the Holy Spirit to work in my programming and in church activities and to not be 'too ridged' in my planning.
- To understand the concept of team and to strive to live out the phrase: all for one and one for all!

This fall I picked a word in which I want to work on and be 'known' for: pacesetter. Just as my friend and the staff at Grace Community are helping me take my game to the NEXT level I want to be known as a person who expects and pushes the best out of those around me, especially the teenagers in my youth ministry.

I will always remember this analogy: life is like a roller coaster. Life has it's up's and down's, but when you are coasting, you are only preparing yourself for a free fall! May I never coast in this life!

The stakes are high, complacency kills. It's time to take your game to the NEXT level and to push on! It's hard, but worth it!