In God’s Waiting Room

 

Thank you Rachel Wojo for today’s message…

I have a confession to make. I’m terrible at waiting. Whether in a doctor’s office waiting room, parent pickup line, or restaurant waiting area, I strategize ways to wait the least amount of time.

If you can use an app and wait less time than standing in line? I use it. If you can order ahead and potentially wait less time? I do it. Now I realize that this is not all bad; I certainly don’t want everything in life to be a journey. But what if the desire for instant gratification is so strong that it makes me miss important parts of growth and relationship?

At some points in my life, I’ve felt like I was sitting in God’s waiting room. Oh, I know; there were no magazines and no chairs. But for reasons unknown to me, I was waiting on God. To send answers. To open an opportunity. To create a new situation.  Whatever the circumstance, it was outside my control and I felt tempted to stomp my foot like a toddler. I sometimes felt tempted to try to make a change without God’s help. Have you ever sat in God’s waiting room? I know you have.

Why does God place us there? While I’m still learning how to wait patiently on God, I’ve combed the Word for hints on embracing this concept. One of those hints is that God wants to prepare us for the answer.

If I gave my 13-year-old son a car for his birthday this year, what would happen? Most likely something horrible since he’s not qualified to drive a car. He hasn’t taken a single driving lesson. He doesn’t know how the equipment functions. He barely understands how to unlock and start the car. My son would have to wait to truly unwrap that gift because he’s just not ready for it.

God alone knows when we are ready for the answer for which we are waiting. He wants us to be equipped for the answer He is providing. He knows that catastrophe could lie ahead if we move on without preparation. He knows how hard it would be to sit and stare at the answer while we continue to work on our qualifications.

Today’s verse provides the encouragement we need to keep going through the waiting period. So often our focus is either on the wait or the result we desire. But while our focus is on the wait, God’s focus is on the work. Be strong and courageous, Friend. God will provide the answers in his perfect timing.

When we begin to view life from a faith-filled perspective, we can look back over the course of the journey and realize that God was there all along. We  weren’t waiting for no reason! Spiritual hindsight comes as we adjust our lenses to see as God sees. Although we can’t see things to come, we recognize that just as God had a purpose for the wait in the past, so can He be trusted with the future.

Perhaps today you are waiting on God to provide a new job, heal a sickness, or mend a broken relationship. The journey has been long, and you are flat-out tired of waiting. Take heart. The God who loves you beyond measure is right there with you in your wait. He longs to provide the strength you need to keep from barging ahead on your own. He has not left you alone in the wait.

What we perceive as waiting on God is actually his wooing. He longs to draw you close and equip you well.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

The Surrendered Giver

Thank you Mary Southerland for today’s message…..

And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us (2 Corinthians 8:1-5, NIV).

My husband is a surrendered giver. I struggle with giving. I tend to blame my reluctance to give on the fact that I grew up in a shack on the edge of town. My mother often worked two and three jobs a day just to put food on the table. My husband, on the other hand, grew up in a middle-class family, lived in a very nice house in a beautiful neighborhood, and never had to worry about having his needs met. You can see where my rationalizations took me. Yep – to a place of sin.

God wants us to surrender everything we have to Him because the reality is that giving is the antidote to selfishness. I can choose to be selfish or selfless. But I need to live in a way that searches for opportunities to be generous. Over the years, Dan has taught me so much about what it means to be a surrendered giver.

We are to give as much as we are able to give. Two years ago, we downsized so that we would have more money to give away. We both drive older used cars. There is nothing wrong with buying a new car or a bigger house – unless it affects our ability to give.

The church in Macedonia saw giving as a privilege. We need to do the same.

We need to look for opportunities to give. Love gives. For God so loved the church that He … gave! A surrendered giver gives out of gratitude for what God has done in his life and is willing to stretch and develop a generosity reflex when presented with a need.

Jesus measures what we give by what we have left. Do you tithe the ten percent we are challenged to give? How would you respond if Jesus asked you to double your tithe? Whoa! That is a lot to ask – right?

We have a friend who attended a conference where the speaker challenged each attendee to double their tithes and see what God would do in their lives. Our friend accepted the challenge and has seen his business mushroom into a huge success. Today, he not only gives a double tithe, but he also gives to meet the needs of many in our community. He is also one of the most humble and unassuming people I have ever met.

Another friend has a great way to look for opportunities to give. He has two accounts. One for his living expenses and then there is his God account. He is a Day Trader. Each morning he gets up and says, “Where are we going to give today, Lord?” I know this attitude absolutely delights the Father who is the ultimate surrendered giver.

The reality is that if my checkbook does not reflect my faith, I have an immature faith. God does not need my money. He wants me to give so He can bless me!

How about you? What kind of giver are you?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

How To Be a Remarkable Recruiter

For those in direct sales, we know the best way to build our income AND to make a difference in someone’s life is to share the opportunity.  We call those individuals new to our teams “recruits” so we are in essence “recruiters”.

A term I am not thrilled with.  Why?  The term recruiter by definition is “a person whose job is to enlist or enroll people as employees, in the armed forces, or as members of an organization.”

For years, I would say “I’m not good at recruiting”.  I would play the comparison game with those who grew their teams by leaps and bounds.  By no means would I call myself a remarkable recruiter, at best an average recruiter and most of the time not recruiting at all.  I tend to miss cues of those who may be interested, or not sharing with everyone while asking if they would be interested in the opportunity.  I could blame the MS but the truth is I worried about those I invited to be a part of this pink bubble.  I worried if they would be successful. I worried if they would think I mislead them.  

Then one day, I stopped worrying.  I just shared the difference Thirty One make in my life and things started to happen.  Did all of those who joined, stick and stay?  NO!  But the odds are getting better.  

Here are FIVE habits which make a REMARKABLE recruiter – rate yourself on  a score of 1 – 10 with 10 being ALWAYS to see how you do.  Don’t score yourself on where you WANT to be or be too hard on yourself.  Be honest, this will help you to achieve your business recruiting goals.

1. Remarkable recruiters work consistently smarter and not harder.  They consistently have parties booked on a monthly basis.  They are sharing their products with EVERYONE they run into whether they know they or not.  
2. Remarkable recruiters ALWAYS smile.  No matter how bad the party or the day, they always have a smile on their face and a positive thought to share.  Did you know smiling is a reflection of what’s inside of you?  Share the joy you feel about your business with everyone simply by smiling.  I remember a comment a friend made “your face lights up when you talk about Thirty One“.  I am learning to wear the joy all of the time so people are curious why and I can share the blessing given to me.
3. Remarkable recruiters are active not passive.  They take the lead when someone shows interest in the business.  They get on the PHONE (I know the dreaded 500-pound one) and don’t rely on flyers and emails to recruit new consultants.  
4. Remarkable recruiters think about what is in it for someone else!  Yes, more recruits mean more money for us.  The key is to focus on how your business will help someone else – make more money to reduce debt, have a vacation, pay for their kid’s activities  etc.  CONNECT with people.  Our business is all about relationship building – go out and BUILD one today.
5. Remarkable recruiters stay in control of the recruiting process. If a potential recruit says they want to think about it – do you wait for them to call you?  The fortune is in the follow-up.  How about asking them what the TWO things are that keep them from jumping in?  LISTEN to their answer and see if you can overcome those doubts.

Okay, so how did you do?  What were your weaknesses – where you scored yourself below a 5. Now focus on developing those skills.  Habits can be learned so if you are trying to GROW your business – find some training calls and then practice these habits.  Honestly, I have some weaknesses but I am working hard to overcome them by listening to training calls, talking with those who are successful in this area and seeking out ways to overcome my fears.  

 

Love to hear from REMARKABLE recruiters with their tips for success.  

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Are You Staring at A Closed Door

“When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, we do not see the ones which open for us.” Alexander Graham Bell

I remember being at National Conference and hearing Cindy Monroe, our CEO and founder, talk about running through the doors of opportunity.  I have to admit, it was a little scary for me (and sometimes still is).  For me, it meant stepping out of my comfort zone, having faith things would work out and most of all being willing to make a change.

Over the last few years, I have seen many doors in my life close.  They may have been open for a minute but I hesitated or FEAR stopped me.  Those doors have closed and despite my best efforts, nothing is going to open them again.  Yes, I have lingered way too long staring at the closed door, wishing for what could have been all the while missing new opportunities.  

Has a door recently closed in your life? Have you lost a job? Maybe a relationship or marriage ended?  Maybe you were hoping for a chance at a new opportunity and it fell through?  The door you wanted to remain open is now closed.  Are you still staring at the closed door?  Chances are, if are are, like me, you’re going to miss the new opportunities waiting for you.

I totally get those closed doors are sometimes are own fault – we let fear take over, we didn’t want to step out of our comfort zone, the list goes on right?  But there are those times when change is brought on by things beyond your control.  It is those times I find are the hardest to get back on track.

So, here are some tips I found which might help:

1. Mourn the loss.

Grief is part of the process when an unwelcome change intrudes on your life.  It can be devastating.  Give yourself permission to grieve the loss – whatever it is.  Then, acknowledge the lessons you’ve learned. Yes, there are always lessons to be learned.  Once you’re done, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move forward (start all over again).  Are you humming a Disney song?  Feeling sorry for yourself will do nothing but send you on a downward spiral to self-sabotage.

2. Make a decision to face forward.

Are you hoping the door will reopen if you hang around?  Guess what? At some point, you have to stop lingering at the closed door.  Chances are it is NOT going to re-open. So,  walk away and take steps on the path unfolding before you. Face forward rather than backwards. Would you drive your car backwards if you missed a turn? Believe it or not, change can offer new hope and opportunity.  A decision takes courage.  For many, it a step out of their comfort zone or having faith in things unseen.  Courage is a choice.  Will you make the choice?

3. Be open to change.

Be careful of the comparison game.  Don’t compare new opportunities to old opportunities. Recognize new opportunities sometimes have very different benefits from old ones. They sometimes address different needs and wants, bring you joy in ways you were missing before. Sometimes they stretch you in ways you haven’t been stretched. Embrace the challenge with gratitude and perseverance.

4. Walk through the open doors.

New life, new work, and new opportunities will open up on your path. Walk through them!  Know you are not alone when you walk through those open doors.  There are others on the same journey if you are willing to embrace the opportunity.

I know you have heard it before but it bears repeating….. Sometimes doors close because we are not supposed to walk through them.  Other times, they close because they were meant only for a season. Just like people enter our lives for a season.  We need to learn the lessons, live with courage, and enjoy our journey.  I know it isn’t always easy.

Face forward. Stop staring at the closed door and take a step towards the future that is waiting to unfold.

What is the “closed door” in your life? Are you ready to leave the closed door alone and trust a new and better one will open?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

Are You Undermining Your Goals?

It is the time of year when everyone starts setting New Year‘s Resolutions or goals for the upcoming year.  As you look back on the past year, does Doubtful Debbie stop by for a visit or maybe Negative Nellie?  Maybe you realized you did not meet your goals for the year or those New Year’s Resolutions got a little dusty after the first few months.

The truth is, you may have sabotaged your own goals.  Have you ever doubted your performance – in a job interview or on a project – only to have others perceive it as much better than you did?  I can relate to this all the time.

Have you ever talked yourself out of an opportunity? You wanted a job, but deep down you doubted whether you were ready for it. A little more experience. Some more education or training.  Maybe you want to start your own business?  You play the comparison game when you see what others are doing, so you put it on the back burner.

Now, I know you don’t do this on purpose.  I mean we really want to achieve those goals and BIG dreams.  The negative, or doubtful conversations are actually our way of underestimating ourselves and our deepest dreams. The universe grabs onto our doubts and fears, focusing on them and our opportunities go from abundant to limited.

On a scale of 1 to 10, where are you?  I am probably about a 4 most days. Research shows women are far more likely to underestimate themselves than men – rate themselves lower on tests, tasks and projects, even when objective results show we perform at the same level or even higher than our male counterparts.

Some may feel they are being humble while others feel they are being gracious.  We are actually ignoring the frustration of missed opportunities, lower pay, and less influence. When you don’t see yourself accurately, you don’t step up for the abundant life you are uniquely designed for.  

The Universe is listening and often shows up like this:

• You downsize your goals and aim lower than your potential.
• You accept less than you deserve – in relationships, income, and career possibilities.
• You let fear and perfectionism trick you into believing you’re “almost ready” when you are ready right now.
• You communicate a lack of confidence, influencing others’ perceptions of your abilities or causing them to manipulate your abilities for their gain

You are capable of far more than you know. Believe it. When you begin walking in belief, you begin showing up in ways you wouldn’t otherwise.

What would you do differently if you didn’t underestimate your ability to get exactly what you want? Would you step out of your comfort zone?  Would you #JUMP, take the risk and do what you have always wanted to do?

I challenge you this week to give yourself more credit than you usually do.  Stop underestimating yourself. When you hear those words of fear and doubt, SQUASH them knowing you are capable of far more than you know

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!