Posts Tagged ‘Janice Roberson’

Soar don’t settle

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

I hope you got a chance to enjoy some BBQ, baked beans, just plain, good ole fashion grillin’  as my uncle would say.  Memorial Day, traditionally, marks the beginning of a season of family fun in the sun: beaches, vacations, time with family and friends.

While for many this time of year commences an influx of road trips, summer camps, and much needed family get-a-ways, for most churches it often represents a season of stark decline. Decreased attendance, sporadic giving and lack of participation in church activities are on an all-time rise now that summer is almost here.

It doesn’t have to be this way! Your ministry CAN have different results. How? It’s simple. Change the game! Here are 5 game changing ways to soar into this summer season:

  1. Take stock – Evaluate what’s going on in your church or ministry today. What is the current participation level? What’s the mood of your current parishioners? Are you seeing consistent number of visitors? Before you look to “change the game” you need to assess what you are already doing.
  2. Include everyone – Ask, seek, knock. You can find out a lot about people if you take time to talk to them. What exactly are the summer plans of your current members?   What does your ministry offer during the summer months that are of interest and relevance to your current audience?
  3. Be proactive – You know summer is quickly approaching; actually it comes every year around this same time. Why sit back and wait for things to decrease and decline? Launch out! Begin seeking ways NOW to engage your current audience and attract new people BEFORE you get deep into the summer months.
  4. Take Action – Once you have heard back from your loyal, local church members, – take action. If necessary, change things, do something different, use what you learn from your members to make your church the place to be this summer.
  5. Have FUN! – Did you know that “summer” is defined as a period of greatest happiness, success, or fulfillment?  Does what you offer in the form of activities, programs, and ministry contribute to one’s happiness? Do your ministry’s programs or activities include a strong “fun-factor”? If, not do something different! If happiness is the order of the day, be sure to include it in your ministry efforts.

Summer is swiftly approaching, what will you do differently? Will your ministry soar or will it settle?

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“Um…WAIT, let me check just one more thing.”

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

You have been selected to run in the most important race of your entire athletic career. Your country is calling you to represent it in the 2010 Summer Olympics. What a tremendous opportunity that now awaits you. You have been preparing for such a task your entire life. You ran in many marathons, trained with the best athletes, as a matter of fact you were selected by your peers as the most likely to win All- American track and field. Though, you would never admit it publicly, even with all that training and practice you never really expected to run in a race THIS big. But why not? Why didn’t you expect it?

I’ll tell you why. You have to tweak just one more thing. You have one more stride you need to perfect. One more set of lunges to prepare your quads. One more run around the track to make sure your breathing is paced. I mean, let’s face it, if you are going to do it, you better do it right! Right? It’s precisely this sort of thinking that keeps many of us stifled in our progress, hindered in our pursuits, stuck in our tracks. Stagnation is the lifestyle a serial perfectionist. Don’t allow your quest for perfection to cause you to miss the most important moment of your life…NOW. Live, pursue, embrace your now. Tell me, what is your NOW? How are living it?

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I do it because it’s FUN, that’s why!

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

I woke up this morning on a mission. At 7:00AM, I had my weekly “power call” with my MasterMind group, 8:45AM my weekly “marriage moment” with my hubby and a series of other “to-dos” crowded my calendar. For some reason, though, I AM so excited! Don’t get me wrong, my day is jammed packed. One glance at my Blackberry and I wonder “did I schedule time to eat today?” Amidst all the appointments and plans there lies within me an overriding sense of joy.

I absolutely love what I do. I LOVE who I am! Though my list is encompassing it     is not overwhelming because, to me, it’s fun!

I am reminded of a night my daughter and I shared last week. She came up to my  office to ask me some ridiculous question, it was bedtime. All sorts of random     questions are asked when it’s bedtime. While this night her motives were no different, my response was. I turned in my chair, looked her dead in her eyes and with a stern face said “do you wanna see something?” Intrigued and confused and more than likely thinking “is this a TRICK? Am I about to learn another lesson?” She hesitantly said, “Yes”. I whipped my chair back around, typed in my web brower’s search bar the letters Y-O-U-T-U-B-E. Jasmine started smiling.

“I found this cool song that I really like, do you wanna hear it?”

“Mom, really? cool? please, don’t use those types of words.” Jasmine has a way of reminding me that I am not hip. Lol! As I typed “the climb” in the search field, I could feel my heart pounding through my chest. I really like this song and I knew Jasmine did as well. I picked up a highlighter and a pen from my desk, swiveled my chair around and said to my dear Jasmine “you wanna join me in concert?” She was thrilled. With the lyrics on one monitor and the video on the other we grasp tightly to our makeshift mics and bellowed the song from some place deep within our non-singing souls. I know we screamed that song at least 7 times consecutively. OMG! We sounded AWFUL! (sorry Miley) Our voices cracked, we over sang the music, at one point I got so excited that I decided to jump out of my chair and act out the guitar solo. It was AMAZING! We laughed so hard that night. I am sure it is one we will never forget. As we both recollect the moment our joint description of the evening was: F-U-N!

When was the last time you had fun? Genuine, gut-busting, tear streaming, fun? Are you living out your dreams? Is fun apart of your daily routine? If not, what are you going to do to increase your “fun-factor”? I want to hear from you, please share.

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Posted in Lifestyle | 10 Comments »

You are who you SAY you are!

Saturday, February 20th, 2010

It snowed last week here in Georgia. For many, this was exciting. For us it was…bittersweet. My daughter was scheduled to play her first basketball playoff game. Due to the weather, their game was cancelled. Not only was her first playoff game canceled, but so was her season. The league decided to only allow the top two teams to play for the championship.

Jasmine had just written and recorded her I AM statements a couple of nights before we received this disheartening news. As a mom, it was especially hard to share with her this news. We were studying faith and I was teaching her about the power of her words. After sharing with her what her coach shared with me, I told her to pray. “God can change everything!” She prayed and we made a snow baby (never in my life had I made a snowman so…a “baby” is what became of our efforts! LOL!). Feeling a little better, she went on her merry way. This was Saturday.

On Monday, her coach called. “Great news! The league reversed their decision. We play Saturday at 9:00AM. See ya at 8:30.” Thank you Lord! I was excited to share this news with Jasmine. Elated by the news, she pranced around all week confidently with her head held high. As a matter of fact, she said, “Mom, when we win the championship can I get a new iPod?”

“Well, baby, let’s just play our best in the semi-finals first.” To my surprise, she said with such certainty in her voice “ok, but you know we are going to win the championship. Remember, my I AM statements?”

A week later, without having met with her team, Jasmine was facing game day. She woke up at 4:00AM. She was ready! “Have a great game baby! Be aggressive. Think like a champion. Play hard!”

“Ok, mom!”

“Remember your I AM statements.”

As my husband and I entered the gym, I thought to myself, “Lord, please let her have a good game.” The team they were playing had beat them twice. The whistle blew. The game had begun.

Four quarters later, Jasmine and her team advanced to the finals. But, there was one catch. The championship game was at 12 Noon TODAY. It was now 10:15AM.

Well folks, all I can say is this. There is power in what you say. If God can speak the world into existence, why can’t we who are made in His image, speak to our own situations? We CAN!

My 10-year old daughter brought home today the Henry County Recreational Division 10 and Under Girls Championship trophy! Yes, they won! And you know what she said to me?

“Mom, I TOLD you… I AM a champion!”

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