Step 1: Beating Perfectionsim: Strive for Excellence, Not Perfection

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters," Col. 3:23.

By: Carol McClain @carol_mcclain

For many years, a man I'll call Quinten attended our church. Life damaged him. Not only cognitively impaired, Q suffered many emotional abuses. Drugs compounded the issues, and then he gave his life to Christ.

To the judgmental, Quinten had little to offer. In reality, not a person who knew him didn't love him. When he moved to live with family a distance too far from church, as a whole, the body of Christ cried.

Back in town one night, Q attended a CR meeting (Celebrate Recovery, a Christian variation on AA). The man who was supposed to give his testimony didn't show up. Our director, dismayed over the situation, asked for volunteers from those who attended.

As you can guess, Quinten was our only volunteer.

His testimony, which should have lasted about thirty minutes, went something like this:

"I'm Quinten and I had a problem with drugs. But I found Jesus Christ. Now I'm loved. That's all." He headed toward his seat.

Obviously, this didn't give us much information to work with when we'd break down into small groups. To the audience, Quinten's ability to testify didn't matter--only his success did. The group determined to give him a victory for volunteering to talk when no one else would.

A woman raised her hand, "How did you find the Lord?"

Quentin answered.

A man asked him a question, and Q answered. Then another person asked, and another, and another.

Fifteen minutes later, Quentin sat after receiving a standing ovation.

Not a perfect testimony or presentation, but he gave sacrificially all he had to help others. His humble pursuit in obedience to Christ's calling ministered as much as any polished preacher's sermon.

To beat perfectionism, strive for excellence not perfectness. (Click to tweet).
Be perfect. Be you. (click to tweet).

Sacred Pathways: How to Observe Your Quiet Times

"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" Matt. 6:6

By: Carol McClain @carol_mcclain

In my early faith and my idealistic church, emphasis was placed on prayer and worship. However, because the leadership prayed one way, we were encouraged to find God in the same manner.

Regular readers of this blog understand my reaction to this: 

Thumbs down icon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Just as God has given us different personalities, there are different ways we, "go into (our) room to pray."

In his book Sacred Pathways, Author Gary Thomas contends we each find God best according to the unique personality God gave us.

Fritillary Butterfly

For me, God manifests Himself while I'm walking, I'll note a goldfinch or the light hitting a cumulus cloud or a fritillary butterfly--found only in a few states around Tennessee. Upon seeing this, my soul soars, and I know God has shined His love on me.

How do you find God?

Here are the nine common pathways Thomas points out:

1.  Naturalists: We find God best while interacting with His creation.
2. Sensates: We need to use all our senses--sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing
3. Traditionalist: (Here my idealistic church would groan) We find God in liturgy and tradition.
4. Ascetics: Solitude and a simple life makes God's touch palpable. Think of John Michael Talbot  who became a Catholic monk and recorded beautiful music in the 80s.
5. Activists: God is found in fighting for justice--just as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had.
6. Caregivers: Like Mother Teresa, we find God in meeting other's needs.
7. Enthusiasts: My idealistic church loved this. God had  to be celebrated in dance and shouts of victory or abundant weeping at the altar.
8. Contemplatives: These are those who go into their closet and pray. It's that quiet, silent, traditional prayer.
9. Intellectuals: These people find God in the sermons and Bible studies and actively pursuing him rationally. I see C.S. Lewis in this category

What Is Your Sacred Pathway?

Don't let anyone cow you into one mold. Each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made. Being unique, we each display a facet of God others cannot see.

Quick Tweets

Being unique, we each display a facet of God others cannot see. (click to tweet)

What is your sacred pathway? (click to tweet)

Celebrate Your Strengths: Skip the Drudgery

My yoke is easy and my burden light Mt. 11:30

By: Carol McClain @carol_mcclain

Don't Do What You Hate

Good deeds are good: but they don't mean you have to do them.
Work your area of strength.

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt compelled (read condemned) into doing good works you just don't like doing?

The Scripture from Matthew 11:30 always showed me how unsaved I was. Until recently, never was my yoke easy or my burden light.

A church I once belonged to would have a work day. Everyone was expected to show up. We'd rake lawns or spring clean or paint. All worthy activities, but things I hated--especially painting.

Then a need for evangelism would be emphasized. We'd go to a new program and then like good little robots, go door to door. Not a bad activity, but it gave me ulcers. Small groups would mean I would have to get a baby-sitter I couldn't afford and show up.

In my current church, we had a missions' conference. About fourteen women attended and virtually all of them loved every minute. I, once again, stood outside the circle of the "good people" and didn't like it. Condemnation overwhelmed me because missions are good.

The feeling of not doing something that is good and worthy, makes me feel inadequate. I see the joy others have in evangelism or cooking for the church or visiting shut-ins, and know I'm letting God down.

I'm not. 

And neither are you.

Do What You Love

Do you love children like I do? Time in nursery or youth events can fly by.

Do you sew or knit? Creating blankets for the Linus Project is no problem at all.

How are you with social media? Can you write a blog, retweet uplifting resources?

Do you love people one on one? (my favorite) Then mentor, take a friend to lunch.

Gardening? Do it and share it.

Max Lucado says in Cure for the Common Life, "The devil is determined to bump you out of your strengths."

The devil certainly bumped me out of strengths and had me riding the Merry-Go-Round of Misery.

Sometimes we get so busy doing good, we forget we're allowed to enjoy it.

Scroll down to last week's blog and see some resources that can help you determine your gifts.

Quick Tweets

Get off the Merry-Go-Round of Misery. Be free to do what you love. (click to tweet)

There is no condemnation working in our area of gifts. (click to tweet)

What are your strengths? Three free tests to find out

ž"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work” 1 Cor. 12: 4-6.

By: Carol McClain @carol_mcclain

My Family

My Mother, Marianne and Janine
Ottawa, Canada during one
Sisters' Week

Every year, my sisters and mother come to my house and we celebrate "Sisters' Week." It's seven days of the four of us celebrating the relationship we have with each other.

Every year, I learn what I'm not and get to celebrate the strengths of the three women I admire most in the world.

First, Mom:
She's supportive, generous and has never been one to show favoritism. She celebrates each of our strengths. Whenever I'm faced with a decision, I ask, "What would my mother do."
For those of you who know Vera, you understand she is an empathetic rock.

Second, Marianne:
There is nothing artistic this woman cannot do. Ukrainian Easter eggs? Exquisite doesn't come close to definining them. Photography? I told her she should sell them. They rival Nat Geo. Painting and card making? No one equals her.
I have to watch that jealousy doesn't consume me everytime she posts something on facebook.

Third, Janine:
There is no great or more tender mother in the world. Six kids call her Mom. Each of them is nurtured. Each loved for who they are--and she'd be the first to say, they are unique and sometimes difficult because of their individuality. She works long hours to provide for them. At home, she makes sure they have what they need. She's my baby sister--and sometimes I wish I had the privilege of being her mother.

Your world

You, too, have family and friends like these. People who sometimes make you envy. Remember, though, God has made you with special gifts and callings. Just as I cannot be like my sisters, you're not supposed to be like others. They can spur you on to improve your life--but don't envy them.

Comparison is the thief of joy. Theodore Roosevelt (click to tweet)

Discover your strengths

Here are three personality tests that can help you discover your uniqueness. Have fun and discover yourself.

www.5lovelanguages.com
Briggs-Meyers
Four Temperments

Quick Tweets

Links to three free tests to discover your strengths. (click to tweet)