Following Your Passion

Finding Your Voice

by Andy Wood on October 30, 2009

in 100 Words, Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, LV Cycle, Pleasers, Principle of Freedom, Words

Laura Kate Wiley is finding her voice.

At 17 months, she’s off to a good start.

With safe surroundings and a fearless heart,

A free spirit and a supportive family,

She plays and rests and dreams and wants –

Sincerely believing that what she has to say actually matters.

She will need these things again and again,

As her world evolves and her voice is threatened.

Nobody can sing the songs meant for her alone.

Again and again, she will have to find her heart with clarity,

And express her mind with grace and courage.

So will you. 

Find your voice.

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How to Build Your Own Life Maximizer

by Andy Wood on August 21, 2009

in Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Principle of Increase, Time

PlannerIn a previous post I mentioned how I experienced a mini-revolution when somebody suggested that the simplest and most powerful form of goal-setting is simply making a list of things I want to BE, DO, and HAVE.  I went to town!  And wasn’t content just to itemize some things.  I wanted to learn from them.  I wanted to learn how to redesign my life before God so that when opportunities arose, like Joshua, I could take quick action.

For me, that meant creating a tool that would help channel my thinking and my actions in the right direction.  I began thinking of it as my own personalized planner.  I learned from Steven Covey about intentionally planning for the important, though not necessarily urgent, things.  I learned from Anthony Robbins about thinking about the states of mind/heart I wanted to experience each day.  I learned from the life of Joseph that if I cultivated faithfulness in the daily spaces and dark places, that one day the prison doors would open and Pharaoh would come calling.

So, beginning with the end of the day in mind, I asked myself,

“Self, at the end of the perfect day for me, what can I say that I have done”?

Here is what “God put in my heart to do” (Nehemiah 2:18).  Your answer to the question, of course, would be your own.  [click to continue…]

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When God Invades Your Passion

by Andy Wood on July 29, 2009

in Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, LV Cycle, Principle of Increase

CraftsmanshipHaving a son soon?  Still pondering the little guy’s name?  Here’s one for ya – name him after that famous guy in the Bible.  Call him Bezalel.

Here’s the press release from Moses:

See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship; to make designs for working in gold and in silver and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work. He also has put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs (Exodus 35:30-36).

Did you see that?  Here was a man who was anointed and pointed, fired and wired by the Holy Ghost!

For construction.  Did you know that God can supernaturally fill you with a love and passion for things that get your hands dirty? [click to continue…]

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The Day God Shocked Me When He Showed Me Where to Find His Will

by Andy Wood on July 27, 2009

in Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Insight, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Principle of Increase, Turning Points

dream“Then I told them about the desire God had put into my heart.”

-Nehemiah 2:18

Today it seems little.  Important, yes, but H-O scale.  But on that day, it was larger than life – even larger than health.  And a lesson awaited that was life-changing.

From the time I was 15 years old, I knew that God was leading me to be a pastor.  I also knew there would be a pathway to get there, and five years later, I was still on that pathway.  I was about the graduate from college.  For a year I’d had the privilege of serving at my very first church, full-time in the summer, and on the weekends during school.  The people there were gracious and really patient.  It had been a wonderful experience.  Now, as I was about to graduate from college, both the church and I were preparing to move on.

Because I was a July graduate, and had blown through college in three years, I decided to lay out a year before going to graduate school.  When the church caught wind of it, they were delighted to meet with me on a Sunday night and offer me a full-time position.  They offered me more than twice what I had ever made in a year (if I told you how much it was, you’d laugh).  I said it sounded good; just let me take the week and pray about it, and I’d let them know the next Sunday.  I left town that night assuming that the next year of my life was set.

Just one slight problem.  [click to continue…]

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Three Things (Always) Remain

by Andy Wood on April 20, 2009

in Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Life Currency, Love, LV Cycle, Principle of Legacy

my_tombstoneWrite your epitaph.  That was the assignment.

I was attending a nifty goal-setting seminar, sponsored by a local business.  The two presenters were carrying us through a series of exercises to help us clarify our highest priorities, so that we could prioritize our time consistently with our deepest passions.  Think of it as a LifeVesting seminar where Jesus was welcome, but not necessarily the host or guest of honor.

Anyway, the presenter asked us to reply to the following:

“(Your name) was known for…”

But this was no press release or publicity sheet.  I had to assume the ultimate. [click to continue…]

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The Grasshopper’s Dilemma

by Andy Wood on April 17, 2009

in Allocating Your Resources, Consumers, Enlarging Your Capacity, Executing Your Plan, Exploring the Possibilities, Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Gamblers, Hoarders, Life Currency, Love, LV Alter-egos, LV Cycle, Money, Pleasers, Principle of Abundance, Protecting Your Investment, Waiting

grasshopperThis week a friend sent me a poignant and compelling image that describes what it’s like to live in a climate or with a spirit of fear.  But the image is so strong, I think it describes anybody who feels as though they are in a no-win situation.

I feel like a grasshopper on the ocean hanging onto a leaf.  I cling to the leaf to keep from drowning.  If I eat the leaf to keep from starving, I lose my life preserver, and drown.

I’ll tell you later what he learned in the process.  But can you relate? [click to continue…]

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Who Keeps Score on Your Success?

by Andy Wood on April 8, 2009

in Esteem, Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Life Currency, LV Alter-egos, LV Cycle, LV Stories, Pleasers, Principle of Legacy

generations-3“Something’s wrong with your work.” The conversation eventually landed there.

A member of the denomination’s hierarchy delivered the critical review to a faithful old pastor during a prescribed periodic evaluation.

“Only one convert has been added to your church this year, and he is only a boy,” the boss said.

Later that same day, the pastor languished alone in his study, praying with a heavy heart, when someone walked up behind him. [click to continue…]

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My Favorite Personal Posts in 2008

by Andy Wood on January 1, 2009

in Following Your Passion, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Words

Okay, one last (I promise) favorites list – especially  for those of you who may be new to LifeVesting or haven’t discovered SynerJACK yet.

One of the things blogging has done for me has been to get me to write more often, and more content, than ever – something I’ve always wanted the discipline or inspiration to do.  Some of those pieces were duds.  Others were things I was really proud of, but didn’t seem to resonate with others.  And some, like this and this seemed to capture a lot of attention and imagination from others.

What follows are, in order, the ones that still resonate with me.  Taken collectively, they reflect my passion, values, relationships, and a couple of things I think are hilarious or supremely important.  I hope you like them, too.

1.  The Holy Spirit Salad
I still just laugh and laugh, and Robin still punches me when I do.  But I have to admit, God speaks to people today, and He does so in many different ways.  Still not sure about the Holy Spirit salad, though.

2.  He Had a Hammer
In response to a question about my childhood hero.

3.  Don’t Go Gently
Butch Lowery died more than 15 years ago, but his life still speaks to me today.

4.  Last House Standing
A picture-and-100-words piece about resilience, strength, and determination.

5.  The Language of Letting Go
In a year of transitions, we went from mere in-laws to empty-nester grandparents.  This came as no surprise, but it required a new level of communication and understanding – the language of letting go.

6.  Braves Lose!  Braves Lose!  Braves Lose!
A tribute to Skip Caray, one of the greatest broadcasters and cultural icons of my generation.

7.  To Prepare a Place
It had been a while – and I’d forgotten what groom-love looked like.  What I saw revealed far more than a man in love with his bride.  It was a reflection of Christ’s love for His.

8.  The Myth of the Early Christmas Shopper
Who says that just because you love somebody you have to get their Christmas gifts weeks in advance?  This is a fun look at the joys of shopping on Christmas Eve.

9.  Grace Works for Pastors, Too
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, scripture says.  This describes some of the most life-giving words I have ever heard.

10.  16001 Crosses.
This year I met one of the most remarkable men I’ve ever known.  Neville Davidson refused to accept complete blindness as the end of the story of his life.  He has found a way to give back, and in doing so, has touched countless lives.

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I Live for This?

by Andy Wood on November 12, 2008

in Ability, Following Your Passion, Life Currency, LV Cycle, LV Stories

Took a trip past Oprah a couple of years ago.  She was interviewing Russian figure skater Tatiana Totmianina and her partner, Maxim Marinin.  Oprah showed a tape of the world-renowned skating champions in which Maxim, as he lifted Tatiana into the air, lost his grip. Tatiana crashed face-first on the ice.  It was horrific – all three times I saw it.

In case you missed it, here’s a video montage of her career, including the face plant in Pittsburgh:

Tatiana suffered a concussion but amazingly was back on the ice 12 days later.

“How hard was it for you to get back on the ice just 12 days after that?” Oprah asked her.

“Well, it was very hard,” Tatiana replied. “In the hospital when I woke up, I just realized how serious it was because all my life and career could be over… I wanted to get back on the ice right away because I have been skating since 4 years old. It’s my life.”

Amazing story, but when I heard that last statement, I must confess, I kicked into “preacher mode.” [click to continue…]

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The Strange Case of Josh Poker-Stick

by Andy Wood on October 13, 2008

in Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Leadership, Life Currency, LV Cycle, LV Stories, Principle of Legacy, Words

(A spiritual leadership fable.)

Hi, I’m Josh.  Pleased to meet you.

Hi, Josh.  I’m Andy.  So tell me about yourself.

I’m a poker.

A what?

A poker.

You mean, like a poker player?

No.  I mean, like a poker in your fireplace.

You’re a poker?

Yep.  Poker.

Okay, I’m steppin’ out a little here, Josh.  What does a poker do?

Pokes.

(Should’ve seen that coming.)  Okaaay.  Pokes what?

I poke people.

Seriously?

Yep.

You just walk up to them and poke them with your finger?

Naw, not like that.  That’s creepy.

Ya think?

I do for people what a poker does for your fireplace. [click to continue…]

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