My first mobile post

Proverbs 28:18: Walk straight, and live well. a devious life is doomed..." I hope you are enjoying the holiday!
~ Coach
(This is the beautiful view from our window)

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Hello "Gamers"!
I trust you read Proverbs 26 today and are applying your own "bold print" in your lives today!!

So, from my family to yours: I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Enjoy your time with your families & friends! I will return on Monday, December 1. (Who knows...I may stop in while we are traveling -- I love mobile technology!)

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

~Coach O

November 24- “Bend But Do Not BREAK”

Hello Everyone!
I trust you had a relaxing weekend that was productive as well!

Well, its November 24, so we are reading Proverbs 24 today. I am reading in the New Living Translation, 2nd edition primarily, but I also tapped into the New International versions (NIV) and the The Message (MSG) versions.

My "bold print" for today are verses 5 and 16:

5: The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger (NLT)

16: The godly may trip seven times and will get up again. But one disaster is enough to over throw the wicked.

But, I really love how The Message version translates verse 16:

"No matter how many times they trip, God-loyal people don't stay down long; soon they get up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces."

I am linking these verses together today to touch on dealing with adversity and tough times. In my last post, I told you I am recovering from some recent tough times in my life and I said that the Word of God has been a great source of strength and comfort. These verses have been key for me in learning to deal with adversity.

I played college football, back in the day, and I played on defense. Our defensive coach always, always, I mean always told us that “we bend but do NOT break”! (I can actually hear him in my head as I type this…LOL) This meant that there would be times that opposing offenses would gain yards and score points on us, but when the time came; we would not stay down…we would dig in and find a way to win.

We did not find the way to win by “magic” however; the coaches were on the sidelines and high up in the coaching box, watching the ebbs and flows of the game and designing plays and schemes to stop where the offense was succeeding against us. Then when we came to the sidelines, after "bending a little", they pointed out our mistakes and showed us how to correct them. It was then up to us to back go out on the field with new energy and awareness and use that information to our advantage.

This is where I would like to direct your thinking as we look at these two verses…

Verse 16 said that we will "trip and fall but not stay down for long" . (I like that The Message version said "no matter how many times they fall....") I I have tripped a few more than seven, how about you?

But look at verse 5 again…the wise are mightier than the strong, and a man of knowledge grows stronger and stronger. We have been taught that knowledge is the taking in of information, and wisdom is the ability to know how that knowledge relates to our lives and how to "apply" it.

So, what’s next……..? As we read Proverbs and learn from its wise instruction...we apply our heart to learning and have it “always ready at our lips” (see previous post for suggestions on how to do that). Then, like in my football old games, we use that information to help us overcome those things that trip us -- growing stronger and stronger with each “trip”!! “We Bend – But Do Not BREAK!!” Amen?

Well, have a great day today…a productive day. I hope you read something to today that you will add to your Smart Game Plan for Life!!!

~ Coach O

Saturday, November 22

So, today is November 22, so we are reading Proverbs 22 (A "Proverbs-day", as taught by our Pastor, Dr. AR Bernard). I read this in the New Living Translation (2nd edition)

There are so many great verses in this chapter, but since this is the first post of my blog, these verses are great to start with:

Proverbs 22:17-19

17 Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.
18 For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart
and always ready on your lips.
19 I am teaching you today-yes, you- so you will trust in the Lord.

If we want to be "good to great" at something -- ANYTHING -- what do we do? Well, what I do is:

1. Study how to do that thing. (I have been known to sleep with instruction manuals for a new smartphone, computer program, look at YouTube videos on the subject, etc.)
   
2. Research and study people that are successful at what I want to be good-to-great at. They actually become what I call "distance mentors", or people I may never meet; but I am learning from them and their experiences. Some of those people are: John C. Maxwell, Jack Welch, Ken Blanchard, and AR Bernard, to name a few. I have even created a file on my computer to keep their "advise & counsel" nearby.
   
3. Then based on what i have learned I try to emulate and apply their principles and experiences into my own journey.
   

When you watch a football game, pay close attention to the leader of the offense, the quarterback. He probably knows the playbook better than anyone of the other players; yet, he still has key plays on his wrist, on what is called a, "quarterback's wrist coach". It is right there, ready and waiting when he needs it to call the right play!

What about us as Christians? We want to be good at the Christian life, don't we? We want to impact the lives of others and be a leader? But, are we, HAVE we -- prepared for the game of life like that quarterback that studies the team's playbook and has the plays ready on his wrist?

Verses 17-18 of our passage tells us to. "apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips". The word apply means to: "devote oneself or one's efforts to something." So.............what's next?

We apply ourselves to instruction by:

• Being disciplined (devoted to) the reading the Word of God everyday, and that isn't easy, is it? Distractions always try to keep us from the Word. Just like the quarterback that studies his team's playbook.
  

We keep it in our hearts and always ready on our lips by:

• Creating a way to keep the "bold print" of what we read each day handy and readily available so we can consult it like the "wrist coach"

Here is what I did today and I hope it helps you:

1. In my personal quiet time I read the chapter, prayed, and asked the Holy Spirit to remind me to apply what I read my to heart and life. That is the Holy Spirit's job, by the way -- read John 16 -- we will talk more about that later...
   
2. I chose the verses that stood out to me and emailed them to myself.
3. Then I set up "Proverb alerts" (in the tasks application) in Outlook with reminder alarms for several times throughout the day. When the alarm rings, I stop and take a few minutes to read that email and meditate on the verses. ("Always ready on my lips...")
   
4. If I am away from my desk, my smartphone is synced with my Outlook, so I get an alert wherever I am. (Interestingly enough, in the past, the alarms have come at pivotal times and has stopped me from making a mistake!!)

Finally, to quote the author of Proverbs 22:19. "I am teaching you today-yes, you (that "you" got me right between the eyes today) - so you will trust in the Lord." We trust someone the more we get to know that person and their character. We get to know God's character by reading his Word. The more we read, the less we should worry -- the more we trust!!

I am recovering from some tough times spiritually and emotionally. As I am re-applying God's word in my life, it is a great source of strength and inspiration. Wherever you are in your life right now....remember that!

Well, this is my first post! This is exciting!! I hope you got something out of it! Post a comment and let's share together!!

~ Coach
The Smart Game Plan