Life Goes On

B & B Media Group, Inc. sent me this book to review.  I can honestly say this is the best time management tool I have ever encountered, and I've read and tried myriads. Perhaps it is because the author, Dr. Fred Ray Lybrand is a fellow Alabaman and speaks my language.  (As an Auburn fan I've forgiven his allegiance to U. of Alabama)  Reading this book was almost like sitting across the table at a coffee shop with Dr. Lybrand.  I felt that I was having a conversation with him.  He doesn't try to wow anyone with big words or complicated concepts.  From his definition of success; " Success is achieving what is meaningful to me through the use of my best talents; without violating the rights or freedoms of others and without offending God." to his application of the three essentials in planning; "I Will, I May, I Will Not" , the author leads us on a no-nonsense path to an uncomplicated life. I've already recommended this book to several colleagues ...

I told my congregation this past Sunday that I was going to blog on this subject, so...here goes!  After 50+ years in ministry, I have noticed that for many, if not most ardent church-goers there is a lot more input than out-flow.  The result?  Spiritual constipation.  People get so full of spiritual truth without allowing it to flow through them to others that they begin to lose their joy and actually be in spiritual pain.  For many years the annual revival served as a cathartic to cleanse their systems and get them back to a productive Christian life-style.  In recent years revivals have given way to conferences which only added to the problem...more input without outflow. Here is what I perceive to be the solution.  Become a note-taker.  Instead of writing down just the points of the message, write down what the Spirit of God says to you through the message.  It may be something totally different from the message itself.  Then prayerf...