Hopefully you all know what my P.E.A.C.E. acrostic stands for.  Many years ago I simplified (for myself) what I thought were the most important activities involved in leading a successful life.  The EagleLaunch definition of a successful life is; “a continuous journey of setting and attaining worthwhile goals that will positively impact your life as well as the world around you.”

I believe in having a Plan, putting forth productive Effort, with an effective Attitude, with a willingness to be helped and to be of help to the Community of people we surround ourselves with; all while taking care of our spiritual, emotional and physical aspects of our being in order to have the Energy required to effectively carry out our plans.

Since I started this blog four years ago, you may recall how I often refer to my morning devotion time.  My morning devotion time involves my quiet time with God where I talk to God (pray) and he talks to me (through his scripture) and then I reflect on my day ahead as well as my roles and responsibilities.  It is during my morning time where I take a look at my goals and reflect on how I am doing.  Then I place everything in God’s hands and go off and hopefully do his business through me.

It is during my morning devotion time where P.E.A.C.E. comes alive for me.  It is where I ask God to live in all aspects of my P.E.A.C.E. acrostic.

We are starting our fourth week of 2012.  Maybe you are losing your edge in staying on top of your goals you set for the new year.  Try gaining the edge back by taking time to talk with God about your goals (sounds corny but it works).

God wants us to seek his help, he wants us to gain an edge so we can share with others where we get our edge from.

Thus, one of the primary purposes of my blog.

P.E.A.C.E.

Jay@EagleLaunch

Psalms 121:2, “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.”

1 John 5:5:, “Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (NIV)

As most of you know over a 12-13 year period in my life I slowly turned to drugs and alcohol to deal with life.   Eventually I became addicted and in essence, in a nonathletic sense, I was using PED’S (Performance Enhancing Drugs) before the acronym existed.

PED is an acronym most of us became aware of when the steroid scandal broke out in major league baseball years ago.  But let’s face it many women and men (including myself) have been using PED’S for thousands of years in order to handle life on life’s terms.

Years ago after deciding to turn my will and my life over to the care of God on a daily basis I noticed a change in my disposition and focus and with that change I became better at keeping the main thing the main thing and in turn this new focus and disposition would allow me to do things I once thought unattainable.  I had slowly but surely given up my PED’S for a PEG (Performance Enhancing God).

With all of that being said, this Tim Tebow thing does not surprise me one bit.  (If you don’t know who Tim Tebow is do a Google search on him.)

I can tell you God could give a crap whether or not Denver wins or loses and whether or not Tim Tebow completes a pass or not.  But I will tell you after every game when Tim Tebow gives all the credit for his accomplishments to God, I for one, do not see it as corny, fake or stupid.  I see a man giving credit where credit is due.

All the “experts” said Tebow would never make it in the NFL.  I thought he would.  I watched with amazement during his college days as he simply…WON.  It may not have been pretty and he may not have won football games in a conventional way but he won.  Then I started hearing about his faith and his commitment to God.  Great athletes talking God are a dime a dozen.  Great athletes walking God are rare and Tebow is one of them.

I now take you back to the beginning of this blog and the change in disposition and focus my faith walk has given me.  In my opinion and you can take it for what it is worth, Tim Tebow is experiencing the benefits of using  a Performance Enhancing God (PEG).

Through his commitment to his God (Jesus) Tim Tebow has an unbelievable focus and disposition that helps him overcome his unconventional and unorthodox way of executing as a quarterback.  His commitment to his faith gives him a peace which surpasses all understanding and that turns into a sharper focus in all aspects of his life including his profession.

Hmmm when you read about the ultimate winner…Jesus…he was considered a “bit” unconventional by the “experts” also.  In order to allow His people to experience the benefits of PEG (Holy Spirit) he lost his life for our sins and requires us to lose our life to Him on a daily basis.

A bit unconventional but a true winning formula.

P.E.A.C.E.

jay@eaglelaunch.com

I facilitated a business course last week and what a blessing it is to be able to interact with people who are both creative and driven to success.  Whenever I teach this course at some point I always pose the question, “would there be a National Football League if a score was not kept?”  Seems like a pretty stupid question.  I mean of course there would be no league because if a score is not kept what would be the use?

And yes, I am one of those old geezers who thinks it’s ridiculous when I hear of sports leagues for our wee little ones that do not keep score and all participants get a trophy.

Makes me wonder how competitive America is going to be against the rest of the world when our generation Y’s are in control.  I know of at least two Y’s that were raised to be competitive just because of the environment they were raised in.  One of my strengths is “compete” and unless I am sick I compete all day long and most of the time it is against the clock.  How quick can I get a quality brush of my teeth done, how fast can I drive to work, how quickly can I understand a new concept?  I don’t know how many times my wife has reminded me that driving a car does not always entail needing to beat all of the other cars.

Yes our strength can become a weakness and I try my best to not let my compete strength drive me and others nuts.

Bottom line for business people and anyone trying to make effective change; what gets measured gets done.  If you want to win keep score.

A couple thousand years ago Paul gave us the scorecard to use as Christians when he shares the fruit of the spirit in the scripture verse from Galatians above.  If you profess to be a follower of Jesus and want to measure your success as a follower, take the nine traits from Galatians 5:22, place them in your journal where they are readily retrievable and every morning read them and study them and challenge yourself to live those nine traits throughout the day.  Then when your day is over, just before going to bed, pull out your journal and review the nine traits and ask yourself how well you’ve done.

This has become a safe competition for this competitive blogger as I try my best for His Spirit and the results of it to always exceed my spirit and its results.  Amazing how much calmer I am when I am trying to win at God’s race instead of mine.

…now this is one race where I would like to see everybody win…imagine how much peace there would be in the world???

P.E.A.C.E.

jay@eaglelaunch.com

I was sharing with a group last night about the transformation that took place in my life several years ago.  The transformation took place in a very subtle way and happened without me really knowing.  Evidence in the transformation taking place appeared in my thought processes and then in my actions.   I began to “intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle me,” (one of the promises from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous). 

In order to make a long story short; the reason for this transformation was/still is, because I try my best to have God at the center of everything I do.  Today I choose to rely on God as my power source.  And whether there is a God or not (for those of you still wondering and searching and maybe thinking I don’t know what I’m talking about in this blog forum) the simple act of me getting on my knees first thing in the morning, everyday, and in essence saying “I can’t, you can, I think I will let you,” places God at the center of my life instead of me and all my wants and desires.  This simple act gives me a peace nothing in the world (including lots of great drugs and alcohol) has ever given me. 

The verse above says it all.  We need to guard ourselves from idols and an idol is anything or anybody that takes the place of God as our power source.  Placing your source of power in other people, places and things is just down right stupid when you have access to the maker of all things (including you) 24/7.  ”My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2)

We get caught up in worshipping our possessions or other people and they will always let us down…eventually.  Remember, I write from experience.  As Americans it is like we are living in an “American Idol” state of mind.

Try replacing whatever has taken hold of your mind with God.  

If you worry alot, believe it or not whatever you are worrying about has become your idol.  If you covet what your neighbor has, believe it or not your neighbor’s possessions have become your idol.  Do you constantly need to buy or have things in order to make you feel good?  Then “things” have become your idol.  If you find yourself needing a certain person to pay special attention to you, then that person has become your idol.  If you find yourself spending an inordinate amount of time on the computer, then the computer has become your idol.  Do you drink too much, eat too much, spend too much, lust too much, drug too much…is there an addiction that has control of you?  Then it has become your idol.   Is the disease you or someone else is fighting at the center of your thoughts?  Then the disease has become your idol.  Is the death of a loved one at the center of your thoughts?  Then the death has become your idol.  Is your job at the center of your thoughts?  Then your job has become your idol.  Are you fixated on a resentment?  The resentment has become your idol.  Are you constantly comparing yourself to others?  Whatever you are comparing yourself to has become your idol.  Are you constantly beating yourself up for a past sin?  Then sin has become your idol.  Are you constantly “beating” someone else up…in your mind?  Then that someone else is your idol.  Oh, and I almost forgot, how many of us idolize our kids or our spouses or our boyfriends, girlfriends or friend-friends or a political party?  …not good as we are simply setting them up to fail us.

In essence, an idol is anything that separates you from the amazing transformational powers of God. 

Where are you getting your power from?  What is at your center?  Is God your idol or is your idol something that is certain to let you down?

Take some time to think about where your thoughts are today and those thoughts will lead you directly to your idol power.  Things of the world are simply “idle powers” seek the true Idol Power; seek God first in everything you do.

P.E.A.C.E.

jay@eaglelaunch.com

Read the above scripture a few times and reflect on what it means.  If you are like me the light bulb will go off in your head and pretty quickly you will figure out the key to having prayer answered.

Prayer and answer to prayer is pretty simple.  If we ask according to God’s will, he hears us and if he hears us we will get what we ask for which is an answer to our prayer via God’s will.  The key is to pray “Thy will” not “my will” be done and mean it.  And then once we pray it, we need to be ready to accept the answer which means we need to relinquish control which is not always easy.  The phrase “let go and let God” is a popular phrase around the recovery community because most of us are/were selfish, self-centered, control freaks.  Don’t think for a minute that only addicts and alcoholics suffer from control issues, us addicts simply know a life run on self will creates a “riot” in our life as well as the lives of the people surrounding us and this behavior will eventually lead us back to our drug of choice (please substitute drug with whatever your bad habit is).

As a person in recovery I understand my recovery is contingent upon my spiritual condition and my spiritual condition is contingent upon my willingness to let go and let God.

Many years ago  my AA sponsor taught me to always pray for the knowledge of God’s will for me and the power to carry it out.  In other words I ask God to help me know His will for me and then I ask him for the power to carry it out.  If you do this enough times eventually you begin doing the things you know you need to do, whether you want to do them or not.  

My favorite prayer which is the ultimate prayer for a desired life run by God’s will was written by Saint Francis Assisi:

“Lord, make me a channel of thy peace–that where there is hatred, I may bring love–that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness–that where there is discord, I may bring harmony–that where there is error, I may bring truth–that where there is doubt, I may bring faith–that where there is despair, I may bring hope–that where there are shadows, I may bring light–that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.  Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted–to understand, thatn to be understood–to love, than to be loved.  For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.  It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.  It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.  Amen.”

Or the abbreviated version of this prayer….“God give me the strength to do everything that my flesh doesn’t want to do.”

Try praying this prayer (long or short version) for 90 days and see if you don’t slowly begin relinquishing control and doing things the way God wants you to do them…it works if you work it.

P.E.A.C.E.

jay@eaglelaunch.com

I remember the first time I ever stayed at a Hampton Inn several years ago.  Back then I didn’t realize that all hotels were not the same.  Most of my previous experience with hotels took place during my college basketball days and those hotels were simply a place for us to get rest (and play cards) in preparation for the game the next day.  Anyway, when I checked in at that Hampton I was told by the desk clerk that they offered a free warm breakfast in the morning.  I’ve always been a breakfast eater and when given this news I felt like I was just given a dozen eggs and a pound of sausage for free…maybe that doesn’t appeal to you…but I love eggs and sausage.

A few weeks ago our teaching pastor taught on the verses above and pointed out that Jesus was with God from the beginning and if you believe in God you are automatically believing in Jesus whether you intend to believe in Jesus or not.  Sort of like getting a free breakfast at the Hampton Inn whether you intended to eat breakfast or not.  

Just something to think about.  God does not give us the ability to think on His level but how can you dispute His first three sentences in the book of John?  Am I saying everyone who believes in a God is therefore “saved”  because they are believing in Jesus?  One of the nicest human beings I’ve ever known in my life is a Morman and according to most “Christians” he and his family will be going to hell because of their differing beliefs about Jesus when compared to Christianity.

Here is the deal; nowhere in the Bible does it give me the right to judge and determine whether or not someone is going to hell but God/Jesus sure does challenge me to love and bring others to eternal life.   

I think I will let God be God and share with others the free “breakfast” they receive by believing in Him.

P.E.A.C.E

ja@eaglelaunch.com

…Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! (v.7)

…If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. (v.8)

…listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. (v.10)

…Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.  Guard them, for they are the key to life. (v.13)

…Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (v.23)

Like I said, the 4th Proverb of Solomon is my favorite as it hits hard on wisdom but it is also saying we can have all the knowledge (knowing what to do) in the world but have no wisdom (doing what we know we need to do) if we don’t take care of our hearts as noted in verse 23.  The heart determines the course of our life.  Our hearts are affected not only by how close our walk is to God, but by the sleep we get, the food we eat, friends we keep and the sources of the knowledge we seek (i.e. all heart-fuel).  Fuel your heart with good stuff and if you don’t know what “good” is, check with someone who is walking a walk you would like to walk…my guess is they have a heatlhy heart.

Change happens one step at a time.  Challenge yourself to grow wise by doing the next right thing one decision at a time.

P.E.A.C.E.

jay@eaglelaunch.com

(Several years ago I was encouraged by a friend to make the Proverb that corresponds with the day of the month, a part of my morning devotion.  There are 31 Proverbs and although I’ve been reading them consistently for a number of years, each time I read them I seem to draw another “life nugget” that helps me better deal with life and live the way God wants me to live.  My morning Proverb time is simply a part of my personal improvement plan.  I know I am less than 24 hours away from messing things up if I don’t ask God to be the director of my day, first thing, each and every day.)

The 26th Proverb is a great lesson about fools and the 11th verse is a translation of one of my favorite quotes, “the definition of insanity is doing things the same way and expecting different results.”

I don’t know about you, but foolishness and foolish behavior are but a day or two away from becoming a way of life for me.  I’ve been there, done it and have the chemical dependency center T-shirt to remind me of that fact. 

If I’m not doing what I need to do to make sure my thinking and subsequent actions are aligned with God then I become foolish pretty quickly.  For me it is important to avoid people, places and things that are foolish and draw close to people, places and things that are divine and right.

Who you hang with, who you follow, who you listen to and who you seek wisdom from will all play a part in whether or not you avoid foolishness or not.  Hanging with, following, listening to and seeking wisdom from God is the best way to avoid foolish behavior.

What you put in your mind (i.e. books, internet, TV) will have an impact on whether or not you become a fool.

Where you hang out will have an impact on whether or not you become a fool.

How you treat your body through nutrition, rest and exercise will have an impact on whether or not you become a fool.

But the real key is to define your “vomit” and know what is foolish and what is not, so you will be able to quit acting like a dog (which has no clue) and quit returning to your old foolish thoughts and actions (i.e. vomit).  The 12 Steps have helped many of us define our “vomit” over the years. 

P.E.A.C.E

jay@eaglelaunch.com

P.S.  For a great introduction to the 12 Steps purchase “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions” by Alcoholics Anonymous and focus on the Twelve Steps.  While reading about the 12 Steps, substitute the word alcohol with whatever area of brokenness you are dealing with.

Then He died and was resurrected with good news. 

All the horrible “crap” He endured led to a beautiful doorway he calls eternity…free for the taking for all of mankind. 

All we need to do is say YES to Jesus…He knows your heart…just say Yes.  And no matter the “crap” you’ve endured, the doorway to eternity will be yours and your new life will begin.  There is no guarantee things will change but there is a guarantee your heart will change and no matter how much pain you experience you will always have the comfort of knowing you have stepped through the doorway to a new way of living…eternally…this Jesus thing is an alright thing…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie9sY_zp9xg

P.E.A.C.E.

jay@eaglelaunch.com

P.S….I’m looking forward to seeing the Doobie Brothers perform this live at the Fraze Pavilion in August.

E  -Proverbs 13:4, “Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.”

A  -Proverbs 12:25,  ”Worry weighs a person down,; an encouraging word cheers a person up.” 

C  -Proverbs 12:15, “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.”

E  -Proverbs 13:9, “The life of the godly is full of light and joy, but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.”

As I read my daily Proverb I always look forward to chapters 12 and 13.  I consider them the “power Proverbs.”  These sayings from Solomon really cut to the core of what it takes to lead a successful, godly life.

I pulled out some of my favorites from my New Living Translation Bible (NLT) and matched them with my P.E.A.C.E. acrostic.  Throughout Proverbs Solomon writes about Planning, Effort, Attitude, Community and Energy but none so more than his writings in 12 and 13. 

P.E.A.C.E.

jay@eaglelaunch.com