From the General Presbyter

“Because in life, the question is not if you will have problems, but how you are going to deal with them. Stop failing backward and start failing forward!” 

John C. Maxwell Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes Into Stepping Stones for Success  – April 1, 2007

I love this term – failing forward.  Simply put, it is using failure as a launch for improvement.  But the concept is not so simple when we/you feel you have tried “everything” and still not seeing success.  Most of us know the feeling.  As followers of Christ, we can get lured into the sentiment of “well, maybe God doesn’t want this for us/me anyway.”  Maybe, maybe not.

Lent is a good time to test this theory and do a deeper dive. First, is what we/you are striving for possible for our/your finances, demographic, energy level, level of commitment, time, change aversion and sacrifice? This applies to diets and church growth alike. Second, if it is possible, then what needs to happen to meet some of the above criteria? Third, if it is not possible or feasible, what is plan B? 

A deep dive is just that – deep! Prayer, gratitude, journaling, processing, study and faith go a long way in assisting us/you!  Talk to God about getting started.

Blessings,

– Jackie