I have often thought that being persistent to achieve goals, even after failure, could be wrong. I have heard that doing so is to go against God and His will. I am now realizing that this is silly. God teaches us through our failures. And it is common sense that failure is part of success. Only Jesus is perfect. That does not mean that there are not times where it is wrong to pursue something. Such a time could be if something is not righteous or if God has called you to give up a pursuit. We also need to ensure that pursuits do not become idols. After all, we need to keep Proverbs 3:5,6 in mind in all things - seeking God and allowing Him to direct our paths. But in general, working hard to achieve a goal, keeping God the centre, striving to do it for HIS glory and striving to worship Him through it, that is a good thing. That does not mean that you will always be successful, but such pursuits, even if they are failed pursuits will be used by God. And if you don't try, you never know how God could have used it. Again, unless God says don't pursue, why wouldn't tou pursue as worship to God and see how He chooses to bless your efforts? I could have not pursued golf because so many people were better than me, and if I had gone that route, I would not have my family. You never know how God will use your efforts :). Praise Him!!
Another thing to remember is that if you have a goal you are passionate about, as long as it is God-honouring, there is a very high likelihood that God instilled in you a live for that topic of pursuit. It could mean that the pursuit is pleasing to Him for that reason... This is not always the case if course.
Wednesday, 31 August 2016
Saturday, 6 August 2016
Play with "focused indifference"
It was either Sam Snead, or Byron Nelson, or Gene Sarazen who said that successful golfers play with a "focused indifference". I played with this attitude in the club championships recently, and won for the first time. I loved this way of thinking. It allowed me to be confident and play for God and His glory without being scared or worrying. I was focused on doing my best with each shot, but I didn't worry or fear results. I was focused like I needed to be to be successful, but I was indifferent about the results, which allowed me to relax and allow my talent and preparation to come through. It allowed me to do better than I would if I was focused, but caring too much.
Confidence in a Christ-like manner
-Don't disrespect opponent
-If you don't believe you are the best, you won't be. Part of doing your best is preparing your mind to be the best.
-Play your hardest doing your part, expect to bring about the desired results, but submit to whatever happens, allowing God to take care of the results. You can do this when you are confident and do absolutely everything in your power to be successful. What you don't want is to step away knowing that you made mistakes that cost you. I don't believe God will necessarily make you make mistakes. I have never felt that in my life, and I don't believe it is the nature of God. I do believe that he has blessed my efforts despite my fear, and despite my mistakes as part of His grace, but I don't believe he causes us to make mistakes. Therefore, go out and confidently go out and do your best for the Lord. Be confident and play to succeed. The goal is to worship the Lord by playing in a way that honours Him. You never want to walk away having lost feeling like your mistakes and lack of preparation and fear cost you the desired results. As long as you do everything in your power to win, if you don't, you can know that God took care of the results as He saw fit, and that it wasn't His will for you to win, and that despite the fact that you didn't win, you worshiped Him well in the process, because you gave your best for His glory.
-If you don't believe you are the best, you won't be. Part of doing your best is preparing your mind to be the best.
-Play your hardest doing your part, expect to bring about the desired results, but submit to whatever happens, allowing God to take care of the results. You can do this when you are confident and do absolutely everything in your power to be successful. What you don't want is to step away knowing that you made mistakes that cost you. I don't believe God will necessarily make you make mistakes. I have never felt that in my life, and I don't believe it is the nature of God. I do believe that he has blessed my efforts despite my fear, and despite my mistakes as part of His grace, but I don't believe he causes us to make mistakes. Therefore, go out and confidently go out and do your best for the Lord. Be confident and play to succeed. The goal is to worship the Lord by playing in a way that honours Him. You never want to walk away having lost feeling like your mistakes and lack of preparation and fear cost you the desired results. As long as you do everything in your power to win, if you don't, you can know that God took care of the results as He saw fit, and that it wasn't His will for you to win, and that despite the fact that you didn't win, you worshiped Him well in the process, because you gave your best for His glory.
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
Playing Golf as a Father
I am now blessed with three incredible children. As a result, I will not be playing as much golf, but I wouldn't want to. I am so incredibly thankful for the children God has blessed me with, and I want my passion for golf to be replaced for my passion for them to live for Him, and grow in Him.
I feel it is still okay to be competitive. I want to continue to get better, but I know that this will look a lot different now, and that it won't take up as much of my time as it has in the past. I have a tournament this weekend - the Club Championships. By all accounts I feel like I should win it. I feel like I should have won it the last four years, but I haven't. I have not played my best golf. And that's okay. I've learned from my mistakes, and they make me stronger.
The issue I am having is that I am not wanting to lose again. I realize that it is pride and that I must get rid of it for the following reasons....
1. When I care about winning and losing too much, I am making the tournament about my glory rather than God's glory.
2. I shoot myself in the foot because I care too much.
3. I am causing myself stress that is sinful. There are people in the world who are starving. They don't know where their next meal is coming from. That is real stress, and it is disrespectful for me to allow myself to be stressed over a mere golf tournament.
4. The only goal I need to have this week is to glorify God. I can glorify Him win or lose. As long as I glorify Him I win...therefore, I can expect to win in this way, relax, and go out and accept whatever happens in terms of tournament results.
5. Be willing to lose. Not only is this good because it frees you up to play the way you are capable (be willing to run across the green naked), but it is also possible that I can best glorify God through losing, and so if God ordains that, I want to be ready to celebrate that fact, and accomplish His will and purposes well. Seeking to stay in God's will and glorify Him win or lose is very freeing. Being willing to lose is incredibly freeing.
6. Be realistic about my game. It doesn't mean my game can't be better. Right now my game is close. I believe very strongly that I have the potential to get very good. However, I am not yet where I want to be. I have some inconsistencies in my game. Over time I can work them out and get better, but right now my game is what it is. Therefore, I can go out and accept whatever results occur because of the fact that I know I have the potential to do really well, but I also know that I need to be realistic about my physical game at the moment, and it needs some work. And it is okay that it needs some work. If it didn't, that could possibly be a bad thing because it would mean that I have been playing too much when I should be at home with my family.
***Therefore go out this weekend and do my best for the glory of God. Enjoy worshiping Him with my effort, and representing Him well. Be willing to lose, and prepared to glorify Him no matter what the results.
**Expect to win, be willing to lose, glorify God in all of it.
In order to do my best for God's glory, I want to do the following...
1. Expect good things to happen.
2. Be confident, no fear. See what you want to happen, and expect it to happen. Be the player you want to be, and expect your game to follow.
3. Be joyful in your effort, but be joyful as you focus on being determined to achieve your goals.
4. See yourself as the golfer you are capable of being, go out and be that golfer. You have to believe you are better than anyone you ever face, otherwise you shouldn't be competing. If they win, no worries, it doesn't mean they are better than you, it just means they won this time. All of this is fun!
I feel it is still okay to be competitive. I want to continue to get better, but I know that this will look a lot different now, and that it won't take up as much of my time as it has in the past. I have a tournament this weekend - the Club Championships. By all accounts I feel like I should win it. I feel like I should have won it the last four years, but I haven't. I have not played my best golf. And that's okay. I've learned from my mistakes, and they make me stronger.
The issue I am having is that I am not wanting to lose again. I realize that it is pride and that I must get rid of it for the following reasons....
1. When I care about winning and losing too much, I am making the tournament about my glory rather than God's glory.
2. I shoot myself in the foot because I care too much.
3. I am causing myself stress that is sinful. There are people in the world who are starving. They don't know where their next meal is coming from. That is real stress, and it is disrespectful for me to allow myself to be stressed over a mere golf tournament.
4. The only goal I need to have this week is to glorify God. I can glorify Him win or lose. As long as I glorify Him I win...therefore, I can expect to win in this way, relax, and go out and accept whatever happens in terms of tournament results.
5. Be willing to lose. Not only is this good because it frees you up to play the way you are capable (be willing to run across the green naked), but it is also possible that I can best glorify God through losing, and so if God ordains that, I want to be ready to celebrate that fact, and accomplish His will and purposes well. Seeking to stay in God's will and glorify Him win or lose is very freeing. Being willing to lose is incredibly freeing.
6. Be realistic about my game. It doesn't mean my game can't be better. Right now my game is close. I believe very strongly that I have the potential to get very good. However, I am not yet where I want to be. I have some inconsistencies in my game. Over time I can work them out and get better, but right now my game is what it is. Therefore, I can go out and accept whatever results occur because of the fact that I know I have the potential to do really well, but I also know that I need to be realistic about my physical game at the moment, and it needs some work. And it is okay that it needs some work. If it didn't, that could possibly be a bad thing because it would mean that I have been playing too much when I should be at home with my family.
***Therefore go out this weekend and do my best for the glory of God. Enjoy worshiping Him with my effort, and representing Him well. Be willing to lose, and prepared to glorify Him no matter what the results.
**Expect to win, be willing to lose, glorify God in all of it.
In order to do my best for God's glory, I want to do the following...
1. Expect good things to happen.
2. Be confident, no fear. See what you want to happen, and expect it to happen. Be the player you want to be, and expect your game to follow.
3. Be joyful in your effort, but be joyful as you focus on being determined to achieve your goals.
4. See yourself as the golfer you are capable of being, go out and be that golfer. You have to believe you are better than anyone you ever face, otherwise you shouldn't be competing. If they win, no worries, it doesn't mean they are better than you, it just means they won this time. All of this is fun!
Monday, 23 May 2016
Fear gets in way of God's plans
-see 2 Timothy 1:7-9
-when I fear and doubt that I can accomplish things that God has so clearly led me to, I get in the way of Him accomplishing His purposes in my life. He wants to use me, but He is not limited by me, and He won't force me. BE CONFIDENT AND ALLOW GOD TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT HE WANTS.TO THROUGH MY EFFORTS. Do all of this as worship unto HIM!
-when I fear and doubt that I can accomplish things that God has so clearly led me to, I get in the way of Him accomplishing His purposes in my life. He wants to use me, but He is not limited by me, and He won't force me. BE CONFIDENT AND ALLOW GOD TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT HE WANTS.TO THROUGH MY EFFORTS. Do all of this as worship unto HIM!
Tuesday, 17 May 2016
Wise confidence
God wants us to be confident, for we have Him living inside of us. What more donwe need to be confident? However, this confidence is not arrogance. We still recognize that mistakes happen, learn from them, and seek counsel from others in order to learn and develop even greater confidence.
Wednesday, 9 March 2016
Don't get tied up in results
You handcuff yourself when you get too focused on results. Focus on the process of worshipping the LORD by doing your best and allow Him to determine what will come from the effort. Allow Him to make it what she wants it to be.
When you get focused on results, it can cause you to define yourself by what you accomplish. This does not put you in a proper state if mind to perform. For instance, an area whereninhave messed up is the fact that I often reflect on the fact that I was able to win the conference championship. While it is okay that I reflect on this as a means of recognizing God's blessings on me, when I self-identify with accomplishments and define myself by them, it prevents me from getting in the proper state of mind to perform in the future. It tells my subconscious mind that I need to perform in a certain way, or else I am a failure. I must focus on the process, not the results, which will in turn allow me to better worship the Lord (which is the ultimate goal), but it will also allow me to be in a better state of mind to perform at a high level.
When you get focused on results, it can cause you to define yourself by what you accomplish. This does not put you in a proper state if mind to perform. For instance, an area whereninhave messed up is the fact that I often reflect on the fact that I was able to win the conference championship. While it is okay that I reflect on this as a means of recognizing God's blessings on me, when I self-identify with accomplishments and define myself by them, it prevents me from getting in the proper state of mind to perform in the future. It tells my subconscious mind that I need to perform in a certain way, or else I am a failure. I must focus on the process, not the results, which will in turn allow me to better worship the Lord (which is the ultimate goal), but it will also allow me to be in a better state of mind to perform at a high level.
Keep it simple...and I gotta make the changes if I want to improve
Whenever you are nervous or not performing your best it is probably because you are thinking about too much. You need to get out if the way, simplify things, and get back to performing. Anytime you play well it is because you are keeping things simple and have a clear mind.
When struggling, it is important ro self-assess, be self-aware and mindful. Identify what is wrong, and change the though processes, or simplify the thought processes to allow yourself to get into a groove and start performing.
I need to start practicing doing these things. I have to step up and start making these changes. My mind must become mg greatest asset. I have the physical tools, and now I need to get the most out of my talent by becoming a smart player, and a player wbonuses his mind, along with his body, to achieve the best possible results - all as an act of worship to the Lord. After all, He wants me to make the most of the talents He has blessed me with.
If Peyton Manning, whonwas not the most talented athlete, could use his brain go become the greatest QB of all time, then I can become a much, much more successful golfer by changing my thought processes. And then good news is that I have seen myself do it. When I shot my course record tying 65 at Lake Kezar, I was at the point where inwas using my mind to make sure that I was performing the shots that I needed to.
When struggling, it is important ro self-assess, be self-aware and mindful. Identify what is wrong, and change the though processes, or simplify the thought processes to allow yourself to get into a groove and start performing.
I need to start practicing doing these things. I have to step up and start making these changes. My mind must become mg greatest asset. I have the physical tools, and now I need to get the most out of my talent by becoming a smart player, and a player wbonuses his mind, along with his body, to achieve the best possible results - all as an act of worship to the Lord. After all, He wants me to make the most of the talents He has blessed me with.
If Peyton Manning, whonwas not the most talented athlete, could use his brain go become the greatest QB of all time, then I can become a much, much more successful golfer by changing my thought processes. And then good news is that I have seen myself do it. When I shot my course record tying 65 at Lake Kezar, I was at the point where inwas using my mind to make sure that I was performing the shots that I needed to.
Sunday, 31 January 2016
Make it clear that your accomplishments are a result of God, not you
I need to make sure that I perform in such a way that itnis clear that anything good I accomplish comes from the Lord, not myself. This happens by making it clear that while I put forth the effort, I recognize the fact that success only comes by God's grace. The degree of success experience is directly related tonthendegrre that God chooses to bless my efforts. I make sure God gets the glory by my words and my actions.
Now this is not to say that I can't sabotage performance. I have done this before. God may want to bless my efforts, but if I make silly mistakes, am not confident in a humble way, or fail to adequately prepare, then I will not have done my part to perform.
Now this is not to say that I can't sabotage performance. I have done this before. God may want to bless my efforts, but if I make silly mistakes, am not confident in a humble way, or fail to adequately prepare, then I will not have done my part to perform.
Tuesday, 5 January 2016
Dear dissipates when you put things in the proper perspective
I am reading a book for school about young boys in Africa whonare abducted and forced ronfigjt in rebel armies. They are just bous,but they have tondeal with horrific realities and war. It has reminded me if Tim Tebow and how he has said that he deals with nerves before games bybrealizing that true pressure is when you don't know where your next meal is coming from.
I mention these things because they make me realize how foolish it is to worry about my "first world problems". Whether it be about a job interview, job evaluation, a big game, of anything else like it...it is foolish tonworry, be scared or anxious. I need to think about people who are enslaved, who are being martyred, who are in fear of their lives or the lives of their families. The issues that I get nervous or scared about aren't even issues at all! When I realize this and put things in the proper perspective it gives me a healthier mindset, and frees me up to do my best in those situations without fear.
With this said, I don't want it to seem like I am using the terrible situations others are in for my own personal gain. What I am saying is that when I realize the terrible situations others are in around the world, it should prevent me from being foolish and getting scared of anxious about things I have no business being scared or anxious about. When inam tempted to be worried about one if these issues, I should ask myself, " How would a person in fear of their life right now feel about me being scared over this situation. Once I have that proper perspective, I should then also being going out, praying for them, and seeking ways to serve and help in any way I can.
I mention these things because they make me realize how foolish it is to worry about my "first world problems". Whether it be about a job interview, job evaluation, a big game, of anything else like it...it is foolish tonworry, be scared or anxious. I need to think about people who are enslaved, who are being martyred, who are in fear of their lives or the lives of their families. The issues that I get nervous or scared about aren't even issues at all! When I realize this and put things in the proper perspective it gives me a healthier mindset, and frees me up to do my best in those situations without fear.
With this said, I don't want it to seem like I am using the terrible situations others are in for my own personal gain. What I am saying is that when I realize the terrible situations others are in around the world, it should prevent me from being foolish and getting scared of anxious about things I have no business being scared or anxious about. When inam tempted to be worried about one if these issues, I should ask myself, " How would a person in fear of their life right now feel about me being scared over this situation. Once I have that proper perspective, I should then also being going out, praying for them, and seeking ways to serve and help in any way I can.
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