Living a GREAT life!

What does living a GREAT life mean to you?

You do know a GREAT life doesn’t just happen, don’t you?

It seems to me that a GREAT life has at least 3 components:

One, a GREAT life is one that is chosen and is lived in the service of something greater than self. What greater purpose is there than the Kingdom of God and sharing the Good News?

Second, a GREAT life makes a contribution to something larger than self. A GREAT life stands up, speaks out, and gets things done. A GREAT life makes a difference and leaves this world better than we found it.

Third, a GREAT life leaves a path for others to follow. A GREAT life leaves a legacy and inspires the next generation to go further and achieve more than we did. This is the crux of discipleship.

I love the story of the "star thrower," about a man walking on the beach after a storm, throwing starfish back into the ocean so they won't die on the shore. Someone criticizes him for wasting his time, noting that there are millions of starfish, and the few he saves won't make much difference. The man silently bends over, throws a starfish into the surf and replies, "It made a difference for that one."

Set your minimum standard to live a GREAT life: to know your purpose, make a contribution and leave a legacy. Make a difference for “that one” already in your life.

Some day each one of us must look back and assess our life, and when that time comes we want to know it was a GREAT life, with a certain purpose, contributions, and those who can carry the message on.

Here's Your Recipe for a Happy Year

Click here --> http://axshun.com/Recipe.pdf
(or copy and paste into your browser)

Happy New Year,

Barak Strickland

Self-Assessment

by Steve Pavlina

One of the best ways to bring more truth into your life is to conduct a quick self-assessment. Assign a numerical rating to each area of your life using a simple 1–10 scale. A 1 means this part of your life is terrible and could hardly get worse; a 10 means this area is absolutely perfect and you can scarcely imagine it getting better. Please take a minute to do this now. Here are the areas to rate:

Area of Your Life and Your Rating (1–10)
Habits & daily routine ___________
Career & work ___________
Money & finances ___________
Health & fitness ___________
Mental development & education ___________
Social life & relationships ___________
Home & family ___________
Emotions ___________
Character & integrity ___________
Life purpose & contribution ___________
Spiritual development ___________

Your answers should provide a nice snapshot of how you’re doing. Usually you’ll find that some areas lag behind the others, sometimes far behind. Interestingly, it’s in our weakest spots that we most often succumb to falsehood and denial, since those are the most difficult areas to face. But those areas can’t improve until you face and accept the truth.

Holiday Letter

Our family holiday letter has just been posted for your reading enjoyment.

Young Chuck

Young Chuck in Montana bought a horse from a farmer for $100. The farmer
agreed to deliver the horse the next day. The next day he drove up and
said, 'Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the horse died.'

Chuck replied, 'Well, then just give me my money back.'

The farmer said, 'Can't do that. I went and spent it already'

Chuck said, 'Ok, then, just bring me the dead horse.'

The farmer asked, 'What ya gonna do with him?

Chuck said, 'I'm going to raffle him off.'

The farmer said, 'You can't raffle off a dead horse!'

Chuck said, 'Sure I can, Watch me. I just won't tell any body he's dead.'

A month later, the farmer met up with Chuck and asked, 'What happened
with that dead horse?'

Chuck said, 'I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at two dollars a
piece and made a profit of $998..'

The farmer said, 'Didn't anyone complain?'

Chuck said, 'Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two dollars back.'

Chuck grew up and now works for the government. He was the one who
figured out how to "bail us out".

Veterans Day

Here in the United States we're celebrating Veterans Day - a day to honor all of the men and women who are serving or who have ever served our nation as members of the military.

My own 4 years in the United States Air Force are what really makes me sensitive to this day, not to mention having the day off as a federal holiday :-)

Many lives have been lost in past or current wars. Many have suffered because of their injuries - both physical and mental. Yet young men and women continue to volunteer to serve.

I hope you'll give a special thought today to the men and women who make it safe for you and me to live our lives.

If you are one of the millions who serve - THANK YOU!

Colossians 1:5-6

5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;

(is the gospel bearing fruit and increasing in my life?)