Unlimited Power & Giants Within

Reposting and updating this blog entry from 2005...

Awaken the Giant Within
by Anthony Robbins

A giant best seller!

Almost everyone familiar with self-help is aware of Anthony Robbins and NLP (google it if you aren't). I was skeptical before reading both Unlimited Power (1986) and Awaken the Giant Within (1991) but was impressed with the practical, no nonsense principles that Robbins espouses.

Although sprinkled with Christian verbiage and a bit of God-talk, I didn't catch Tony syncretizing religious beliefs, at least not in these books. I have not kept up with his current work to determine if he's maintained a "Norman Vincent Peale" approach to faith and self-help or not.

The books are very practical, full of great exercises, and with too many ideas to summarize with one quote. But I did find his explanation of our Reticular Activating System (RAS) helpful in Awaken the Giant Within.

This shift in mental posture aligns you more precisely with your goals. Once you decide that something is a priority, you give it tremendous emotional intensity, and by continually focusing on it, any resource that supports its attainment will eventually become clear. (p. 288)

This makes more sense to me than magically "magnetizing" wealth into our lives (like The Secret advocates with the Law of Attraction). Simply put, the RAS works because when we focus on a question or problem our mind becomes engaged to find solutions. An example is when we car shop. We never noticed lime green VW Bugs before, but now that we're buying, everyone is driving one! That's your RAS at work.

So, if you're looking for an indepth analysis of the connection between our beliefs and our actions - along with practical steps to take for improving yourself - Robbins has a lot to offer in these thick books (both over 400 pages). Read with discernment, but go ahead and pick one up from a used book store.

Positive Affirmations

~ Part 6 ~
Some Daily Statements on Developing Persistence

Positive self talk is critical for personal development. This set of daily affirmations originally comes from Harold Sherman, author of How to Turn Failure into Success. This "code of persistence" was copied from another source, however, and I'm not sure where I found it. Great statements to memorize though!

1. I will never give up as long as I know I am right.
2. I will believe that all things will work out for me if I hang on to the end.
3. I will be courageous and undismayed in the face of poor odds.
4. I will not permit anyone to intimidate or deter me from my goals.
5. I will fight to overcome all physical handicaps and setbacks.
6. I will try again and again and yet again to accomplish what I desire.
7. I will take new faith and resolution from the knowledge that all successful men and women have had to fight defeat and adversity.
8. I will never surrender to discouragement or despair no matter what seeming obstacles may confront me.
   

For those who are interested, I have linked solid scriptural principles to each of these statements and turned them into biblical affirmations as well. Email me and I'll send the references to you.

The Magic of Thinking Big

How to set your goals high . . . and then exceed them!

So encourages the subtitle of The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz. This classic best seller...

"Presents a planned program for living on a big scale - in one's job, marriage and family life, and in social and cultural activities. [It] proves you need not have great intellect or great talent to be a giant among men. But you do need the habit of thinking and acting in the manner that brings success - and this book gives you the secret." (from the introduction)

Of course, "the secret" to accomplishing anything is believing you can and then backing up that belief with massive action. This book, originally published in 1959 and a bit dated in some of its examples and illustrations, nevertheless delivers a positive, powerful message for those who want to learn the habits of "living big." Topics include:

• Believe You Can Succeed and You Will
• Cure Yourself of Excusitis, the Failure Disease
• Build Confidence and Destroy Fear
• How to Think Big
• You Are What You Think You Are
• Manage Your Environment
• How to Turn Defeat Into Victory
• How to Think Like a Leader
  

These chapter titles will have a familiar ring to them because this book was at the vanguard of the self-help movement we know today. So much of what is written today is based on the principles espoused by personal development leaders like William James, Napoleon Hill, Russell Conwell, James Allen, Les Giblin, Maxwell Maltz, Norman Vincent Peale, and of course, David Schwartz.

Bottom line: Some solid principles taught in an enticing manner, encouraging the reader to go ahead and think big! (Hmm, wonder if Donald Trump read this book ;-)

Poverty vs Middle vs World Class Thinking

The two greatest influencing factors on how we think (and thus how we live) are:

1. The books we read, and ...
   
2. The people we associate with.

The types of books we read reflect how we think about ourselves. Are we constantly in "fantasy land" trying to escape reality by reading novels with little or no moral redeeming value? Or are we learning from history, engaging in personal development, and understanding how money and business works?

The types of people we associate with is also critical in how we think about ourselves and even where we end up in life. Take our income level, for example. Add up the annual salaries of your several closest friends and divide it by that number and you'll likely have your annual income. We are who we hang around.

What this means is that we generally gravitate toward five broad categories of thinking and living based on the books we read and the people we hang around. According to Steven Siebold (author of 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class), those categories are poverty, working, middle, upper, and world class thinking.

Those with a poverty or working class mentality talk about (and mostly grumble about) the past. They are constantly blaming others for their failures, for not getting ahead, for their bad breaks in life. Could be a boss, a parent, a teacher. They got screwed over by someone and that's why they are where they are at. It's a victim mindset.

Those with a middle class mentality talk about other people - comparing up or down and always trying to position themselves a little better than their peers. It's either keep up with the Joneses or it's bragging about their latest toy. The middle class have also deluded themselves into thinking that they are where they're at because of their hard work. Most middle class folks thought they hit a double when in fact they were born on second base.

Those with an upper, or better yet, world class mentality talk about ideas. They are always looking for ways to grow, increase, become better, build, influence more, impact more, do more, be more. And so they are reading books that help them think better. They associate with positive, excited people and avoid negative, limiting people.

Questions to Ponder:

• Are you focused on the past, other people, or big ideas?
  
• What books are you reading that support the direction you want to go?
  
• What people in your life do you need to limit your exposure to?
  
• When will you begin to implement the answers to these questions?
  

Thought Renewal Quotes

Summarizing some recent posts with a few key quotes on the various topics I've covered so far in Thought Renewal.

• Success has to do with living a life of abundance that comes from the hand of God.


• Communication requires distributing the right words to the right destination at the right time, which also requires receiving the right information from the other person.


• What excuses are we willing to eliminate from our lives right now so that we can live the life of abundance that God intends for us? Go to the ant for some life lessons.


• Your luck increases in direct proportion to the extent that you live your life on purpose in a cause that is bigger than yourself.


• Harnessing our mental faculties for creating positive environs for ourselves and other people is a laudable and attainable goal. In fact, it is a biblical mandate.


• We haven't been taught that it is a virtue to create wealth for the benefit of our family and others. So we have to teach ourselves the validity of this belief.


• We do not have the ability within ourselves to break free from our prison that separates us from our Creator. But wait, there is good news...


• The Law of Attraction seems to me to be a restating of the biblical principle, "You reap what you sow."


• Did you know that each one of our beliefs is a choice? Sadly, we've chosen to accept most of our beliefs "without argument."


• Jesus has a clear goal in mind for each of our lives and has a plan that, if followed, will take us to our destination with banners waving.


• While we shouldn't ignore our 5 natural senses, I believe there are supernatural senses which give us a heavenly perspective that our physical nature will miss.


• It is not our humanity that gets us into trouble. It is the inhuman sin nature that infests and corrupts God's good earth that is the problem.


• Are we going to persist in fear and give in to our anxieties or are we going to do everything we can to "flunk out of the school of worry" and live the life of abundance that God has in store for us?

Daily Affirmations, Part 5

Today's affirmations come once again from Think Like a Winner. It is a matter of teaching one's mind on a dialy basis that changes our thinking. That is why...

• Today, I have a positive mental attitude. I have eliminated criticism and impatience from my life, and replaced them with praise and tolerance.
• Today, I totally believe in myself. I believe I am capable and worthy of high achievement.
• Today, I have a big, challenging goal I am working toward. It is adding meaning and momentum to my life.
• Today, I accept full responsibility for all my actions. Whatever results I achieve, I know they are the result of the thinking I am engaged in.
• Today, I manage my time effectively. I know every minute is precious and irreplaceable, and must be used to the best advantage.
• Today, I am pursuing a personal development program. I dedicate at least one hour each day toward improving myself.
• Today, I value my health, physically, mentally, and spiritually. I am taking very good care of myself.
• Today, I am a creative person in setting and attaining my goals. Possibilities abound in all my thoughts and actions.
• Today, I have a service-minded approach toward my employment and fellow human beings. I always to more that what is expected of me, knowing I will receive more of what I want in return.
• Today, I am excellent at what I do. I believe it is through excellence that I will find my true self.
• Today, I am effective in all my interpersonal relationships. I believe people take priority over problems, and that they deserve my total respect and attention.
  
  Go here for more del.icio.us Affirmations!

Distributing Good Words

Did a word study awhile back on "communication."

Surprising definition, really. It means to have things in common. To communicate means to share or distribute items so that both parties may enjoy them.

What items are to be shared? Words. Good words.

Here's a principle to apply from the Apostle Paul: "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." I use this old fashioned translation of the bible (the King James Version of Galatians 6.6) to point out the word behind communicate. It's koinonia, the Greek word for fellowship or sharing.

A modern translation would use the word share: "Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the instructor." (same verse, New International Version)

This does not necessarily mean financial support. Yes, we should pay our teachers an adequate salary. But more than that, we can bestow upon those who instruct us - and upon anyone for that matter - a gift of words.

Some call this speaking a blessing. I think of it as distributing good words. Isn't this what communication should be about? Every day we have opportunities to give encouraging, nourishing words to others. Every day we have opportunities to practice our communication skills.

But distributing good words on a consistent basis is difficult. I've found that I need to monitor two areas of my speech if I'm going to become a better communicator.

First, I need to watch for the rise of hurtful words that tear people down. I need to stop the flow of negative words before they dribble out - or gush out as the case may be - and do damage to others.

Here's another great principle to apply. The Apostle Peter says that love "covers over" a multitude of sins (see 1 Peter 4.8). In other words, love "puts a lid on it" and doesn't broadcast a failing. When tempted to "share a concern" about another's faults, love zips the lip.

Second, I need to be sensitive to the situation of the person I want to communicate with. That is, I need to watch for the green light and say a good word at a good time. Understanding another's needs, pressures, and dreams helps us with what to say and when to say it.

Of course, this entails listening. To distribute good words to the right destination at the right time requires receiving the correct information and signals from the other person. So becoming a better communicator not only involves sharing good words, but listening so that those good words can be received at the best time.

Questions to Ponder

• Do you see your communication as the distribution of good words?
• What might be preventing you from communicating more effectively?
• Develop a list of people with whom you want to share good words.

Looking forward to sharing with you and receiving good words from you!

Creating Your Own Luck

It's your lucky day!

Why? Because today you have a choice. You can choose to live this day on purpose. And when you make that decision, you put yourself in a position to receive everything that today has to offer. You can make today your lucky day. And that's great news!

But how? What's the "first step" to becoming lucky?

To continually receive good things in life, you must surrender yourself daily to a worthy cause. I believe your luck increases in direct proportion to the extent that you live your life on purpose in a business or cause that is bigger than yourself.

Many people think success is just a matter of chance; that good things in life are flukes (this is not what I mean by luck). People say, "They were just in the right place at the right time." Now that part is true. But what most people don't realize is that we create our own luck by preparing ourselves to be in the right place at the right time. Like in the movie Facing the Giants we must not only pray but prepare for rain.

How to Create Your Own Luck

Let's Get L.U.C.K.Y. - A Five Point Strategy

1st Strategy: L – Look for people to serve. We must take the initiative. This is a mindset, an early life decision that has to be managed every day, as John Maxwell says. It's also a "heartset" - a decision to serve from love in everything we do.

The byproduct is that you benefit as well. Doesn't Zig Ziglar make sense? "You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

2nd Strategy: U - Understand, accept, and work the numbers. In any business or cause, some will, some won't, so what, someone's waiting. Truth is, you can't beat the numbers, but it's also true that the numbers can't beat you.

Don't treat people as numbers, but if you're going to get lucky you must play the game daily. A game you can win. This is not like the lottery. Winning in Las Vegas is a fluke. Winning in life is not. But it is about working the numbers.

3rd Strategy: C – Commit to consistent activity. John Maxwell, a leadership expert, states that he could spend a day with you and tell you with 95% certainty whether you will be successful. He said the secret to one's success (or failure) is discovered in one's daily agenda.

It's not the home run record that makes a person a success, it's the daily batting practice. Tornadoes and hurricanes make the news, but termites do more damage. (It's the little things that count!)

4th Strategy: K – Know your business well. You don't have to be the greatest at your business or service, just be good. And get better every day. Become excellent at your craft. Of course, it takes hard work. And time. But not as long as you think.

5th Strategy: Y – You decide how fast, how hard, how much. It's a choice. You determine how lucky you get! Work hard. Get lucky. Put yourself in the right position at the right time with the right people. You can have it all when you live your life on purpose.

It's Your Choice . . .
Look for People to Serve
Understand, Accept, & Work the Numbers
Commit to Consistent Activity
Know Your Business Well
You Decide How LUCKY You Get!

© 2007, Lyn Perry - Permission to reprint this article with acknowledgment.
Photo source: Henry Li at Kronka, utilizing the Creative Commons Deed.

Daily Affirmations, Part 4

Today's affirmations are from Tom Hopkins, a sales and leadership trainer, who has had a tremendous impact on my thinking about 'failure' and how to re-frame experiences I once thought were negative. Say this three times daily! :-)

I never see failure as failure,
but only as a learning experience.
I never see failure as failure,
but only as the negative feedback I need to change course in my direction.
I never see failure as failure,
but only as the opportunity to develop my sense of humor.
I never see failure as failure,
but only as an opportunity to practice my techniques and perfect my performance.
I never see failure as failure,
but only as the game I must play to win.

I am not judged by the number of times I fail, but by the number of times I succeed; and the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I can fail and keep trying!

More del.icio.us Affirmations!

Developing a Biblical PMA

Positive Mental Attitude

Don't discount the role of PMA in your life. Harnessing our mental faculties for creating positive environs for ourselves and other people is a laudable and attainable goal. In fact, it is a biblical mandate.

The Apostle Paul commends to us the pondering of those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Phil 4.8,9). If these aren't positive in nature then the adjective has no meaning. We are to think on, dwell upon these positive virtues.

Unfortunately, many of us have been taught that if a principle is popularized by the "self-help" movement or is taught by psychologists (gasp!) then it is automatically suspect. And, to be sure, we ought to use discernment when evaluating any teaching.

Especially now, relative to the current frenzy surrounding The Secret. It's easy to jump onto one of two bandwagons - either we buy into its teachings without question or reject everything to do with it without thinking. But if we're honest, we know the path is found somewhere between the two extremes.

Indeed, the Secret and the Bible have one thing in common at least. And that is the conviction that what we think about is undeniably important! So much so that the Apostle again writes to a local church, "Take captive every thought" (2 Cor 10.5). Both the Secret and the Bible teach us to control our thinking.

But here's the crucial difference. The Scripture teaches us to take every thought captive in order "to make it obedient to Christ." The media, our culture, other people, past experiences all shape how we think so it is incumbent upon us to monitor and control, as far as possible, these influencing factors. But the purpose, for the Christian, is to be conformed to the mind of Christ.

This speaks to our motivation. Why should we develop a positive mental attitude? Because the characteristics that describe such an attitude are the characteristics of Christ. And since Jesus is our model, teacher, and Lord, we will want to pattern our lives after him.

For further discussion (borrowed from my pastor, btw) here are some key differences between the world's take on PMA and developing a biblical PMA (feel free to comment below if you know of others):

• Motivation ~ Followers of Jesus want to become like him and give glory to God, not simply utilize positive principles for our own benefit or even for those around us.
• Goal ~ To serve others, witness to God's power, and build up the body of Christ, not simply accumulate money and become prosperous for our own benefit or even for those around us.
• Means ~ The resource we have that enables us to develop a positive mental attitude is Jesus Christ himself ("I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Phil 4.13) not some "higher self" or "infinite intelligence" or impersonal "universal energy."
• Outlook ~ We have an eternal relationship with our Creator to look forward to - and our PMA is a result of this truth, not a means toward it. The world teaches techniques of positive thinking in order to attain some final state of being known variously as heaven, nirvana, enlightenment, or oneness with the universe.

So yes, by all means, let's control our thinking. We can all agree on that. And one of the best ways to start is to think about what we think about. This will help us evaluate the motive, goal, means, and outlook behind our desire for developing our PMA.

But may I suggest one thing more? That we think about how we think about God? For this will determine whether we're developing a PMA based on his truth or whether we're trying to go it alone.

Daily Affirmations, Part 3

God has given us the ability to create wealth.

Trouble is, many of us grew up with - and still have - a "poverty" mindset. That is, we haven't been taught that it is a virtue to create wealth for the benefit of our family and others. So we have to teach ourselves the validity of this belief. Change our thinking, change our beliefs and ultimately change our lives.

One way to change our thinking is through daily affirmations. Repetition, we know from experience, is the mother of learning. We develop new thought-patterns when we repeatedly affirm something. (An extreme example is that of brainwashing.)

Now it's important to realize that that "something" could be a statement of truth or falsehood. Like gravity, the Principle of Affirmation doesn't care how you use it, it works regardless of our motives. That is why it is imperative to base our affirmations on the truth of scripture.

And a scriptural truth is that God has given us the ability to create wealth (Deuteronomy 8.18).

So one set of daily affirmations that I use to help transform my "poverty" thinking into "abundance" thinking - which thus changes my beliefs about earning money (among other things) - is as follows:

I have decided to use the talents God has given me and create wealth for my family and those around me.

• Think of my family and friends who will benefit.
• Think of the ministries we can fund and the saints we will serve.
• Think of our future friends we'll greet in the Kingdom.
• Think of the tens of thousands of lives we can touch.
• Think of the taxes we'll pay.
• Think of the business we'll generate and the people employed because of it.
• Think of my parents and the positive impact they've had as successful business owners.
• Think of the legacy we'll leave.

I also have a scriptural text for each of these bullet points, so if that's important to you, email me and I will send you the passages that are foundational to thinking biblically about wealth. Also, let me know what daily affirmations you are using to change your thinking and beliefs so that you can experience the life of abundance that God intends.

More del.icio.us Affirmations!

Daily Affirmations, Part 2

Today's Affirmation is based on Zig Ziglar's 30 Day Confidence Builder. First thing in the morning and last thing at night, by yourself, in front of a mirror, stand up straight, square your shoulders, look yourself in the eye and quietly, firmly say in the first-person, present-tense:

I, __________, am a person of integrity with a good attitude and specific goals. I have a high energy level, am enthusiastic, and take pride in my appearance and what I do. I have a sense of humor, lots of faith, wisdom, and the vision, empathy and courage to use my talents effectively. I have character and am knowledgeable. My convictions are strong and I have a healthy self-image, a passion for what is right, and a solid hope for the future.

I am an honest, sincere, hard-working person. I am tough but fair and sensitive. I'm disciplined, motivated, and focused. I am a good listener and patient, but take decisive action. I am bold, authoritative and confident, yet humble. I am an encourager, a good-finder, an excellent communicator and am developing winning habits.

I am a student, a teacher, and a self-starter. I am obedient, loyal, responsible, dependable and prompt. I have a servant's heart, am ambitious and a team-player. I am personable, optimistic and organized. I am consistent, considerate and resourceful. I am intelligent, competent, persistent and creative. I am health-conscious, balanced and sober. I am flexible, punctual and thrifty.

I am an honorable person who is truly grateful for the opportunity God has given me. These are the qualities of the winner I was born to be and I am fully committed to develop these marvelous qualities with which I have been entrusted. Today is the first day of my life, and it's wonderful!

Before bed, add: Tonight I'm going to sleep wonderfully well. I will dream powerful, positive dreams. I will awaken energized and refreshed, and tomorrow's going to be magnificent!

More del.icio.us Affirmations!

Change Your Thinking Change Your Life

Did you know that each one of our beliefs is a choice?

Even those we aren't consciously aware of. We still choose. We've chosen to accept most of our beliefs "without argument." That is, we unconsciously buy into what others have told us about ourselves and the world around us. Or we simply accept a certain interpretation of a past experience and assume that future events hold the same meaning.

For the most part, this allows us to function in a relatively healthy manner. Imagine trying to evaluate every detail of every decision we make every day to determine if we truly believe it so that we can act on it. We'd be paralyzed. We live life on faith for the most part, and this is good.

But in many cases our beliefs should be challenged.

Especially when we begin to realize that we're holding negative and self-limiting beliefs because "that's what I've always been told." Beliefs like: "I'm no good at math." ~ "I'm not a people person." ~ "I've never been good with directions." ~ "I'm a terrible cook."

Who says?! Who told you that? Probably a person, a cultural expectation, or past experience. But we can choose a different belief. Some people say that they aren't readers. Well, if you read a book guess what? You become a reader! It's a matter of choice. That's great news. It means we aren't victims to past influences or patterns of behavior.

So how do we change our beliefs? The answer is by thinking about our thoughts. Whenever we make a statement to ourselves or about ourselves, become aware of that self-talk. Bring it to light and then change your thinking about it. It's a choice.

And when we change our thinking, we change our lives. We'll explore this topic further, but for now look at the progression this sets in motion.

When you change your thinking, you change your beliefs;
When you change your beliefs, you change your expectations;
When you change your expectations, you change your attitude;
When you change your attitude, you change your behavior;
When you change your behavior, you change your performance;
When you change your performance, you change your life!

You already choose your beliefs. The question is, will you choose to evaluate them and change them if necessary? It's up to you.

Think Like A Winner!

[Note: This post is taken from the first page of Walter Doyle Staples' Think Like A Winner! I've added a couple of notes in brackets for clarification. lgp]

"If you want to get the results that winners get,
you must first think like a winner thinks!"

So how does a winner think? Here is a list of the ten core beliefs that are unique to all peak performing men and women. Consider each one carefully, and imagine what your world would begin to look like if you held the same beliefs and made them a part of your life today.

• One: Winners are not born, they are made.
• Two: The dominant force in your existence is the thinking you engage in.
• Three: You are empowered to create your own reality [aka environment].
• Four: There is some benefit to be had from every adversity.
• Five: Each one of your beliefs is a choice.
• Six: You are never defeated until you accept defeat as a reality, and decide to stop trying.
• Seven: You already possess the ability to excel in at least one key area of your life.
• Eight: The only real limitations on what you can accomplish in your life are those you impose on yourself [other than some genetic limitations, but even then, these are greatly overrated].
• Nine: There can be no great success without great commitment.
• Ten: You need the support and cooperation of other people to achieve any worthwhile goal.

Personal Development Carnival Roundup

Let's take a walk down the midway and enjoy this week's carnivals.

First, to the right, Andrea is hosting the premier Carnival of Christian Advice. Her blog, Ask Andrea, is a give and take, question and answer Christian advice blog. Drop in and ask her if I sent you. (I did, I reviewed Wild at Heart.)

UPDATE #1: Now straight ahead is the Christian Carnival CLXIV - hosted by Everyday Liturgy where, with the theme of liturgy as your guide, you'll find great posts in the Call to Worship, The Word of God, Eucharist, Prayers, and Benediction. (Mine is in Call to Worship :-)

To the left . . . oh wait, they're still setting up. Well, in a few days, be sure to look for some other carnivals on the Law of Attraction, Spiritual Growth, Christian Theology, and Positive Thinking.

In the mean time, here's what Anna at Widows Quest wrote about Renewal (not thinking about my blog I'm sure, but it fits well here).

R = Read more stories of success and hope.
E = Enjoy booking a holiday - I haven’t had one since my loss.
N = Never forget the pain but to read my affirmations each day to help my well being.
E = End my diet at my target weight.
W = Walk outside more in the fresh air.
A = Allow myself to smile and laugh without feeling guilty.
L = Learn one new skill.

Is Worry Wrong?

Fear. Anxiety. Worry.

Common enough topic for a "self-help" blog: How to overcome worry. But it is the assumption behind the issue that I want to address: "Is worry wrong?"

I think we can agree that worry isn't healthy for us. High and continuous levels of stress and anxiety can play a number on our immune system, cardiovascular system, and even change our brain chemistry. (And no, I don't have the studies cited but you can probably google them. Besides, I'm aware from personal experience that anxiety can't be good for me - too much worry makes my tummy upset!)

But is it sin?

The biblical answer is that a lack of faith or trust in God's goodness on the one hand or his ability to provide for our needs on the other is indeed sin. And since worry, or so it is often preached from the pulpit, means we are fretting over some issue we can not control, we are by definition not relying on God's grace and providence.

I do not necessarily disagree with this traditional explanation. However, here are some thoughts to chew on. Although a specific incidence of worry may indeed be a sin (and truly indicate a forsaking of trusting in God), I would state it the other way. It is the lack of belief and trust in God which is sin, and often that can express itself in worry and anxiety.

See the different starting point? While the "preacher from the pulpit" and I agree that not believing God's word to us about himself is missing the mark when it comes to Christian living, I am not so quick to condemn the expression of worry out of hand.

And not just because I'm trying to make excuses for myself. Here's why.

Worry should probably be likened to temptation - it is neither good nor bad, right nor wrong in and of itself. It just is. An anxious thought is an emotional signal that is giving us some information that needs to be brought into the light and looked at and decided upon.

Like anger. The Apostle Paul instructs us that in our anger we are not to sin (see Ephesians 4.26). He didn't say anger is sin. It could be. It could lead to sin. But the emotion itself is a signal that something is disturbing us. It's what we do with that emotion that makes the difference.

Back to worry. The question then is how we will respond to this signal. Will we turn to God in prayer (Paul's prescription in Philippians 4.6) or will we go it alone? You can probably guess which path God wants us to follow.

Now another issue is that, because of the change in our brain chemistry that extended anxiety can cause, a predisposition to worry may be more of a biological issue than we realize. This is not to make excuses. It is to put the solution in context. As with an alcoholic who might have a predisposition for drink, the consummate worrier must seek help from without (possibly medication, join a support group, and more) as well as from within (prayer, scripture memorization, and more).

This is not doubting that God can heal one's condition (whether it be drug dependence, fear, worry, et al). It is acting on the decision to place one's trust in God by seeking to grow into Christ's likeness. If we know we struggle with worry and that an expression of the fruit of the Spirit is peace, then we have a decision to make. Are we going to persist in fear and give in to our anxieties or are we going to do everything we can to "flunk out of the school of worry" and live the life of abundance that God has in store for us?

I want to choose the latter. That is an act of faith. And when we present our requests to God in such a manner, we have this promise that "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus." (See Phil 4.7)

The Theology of Self-Help

Don't laugh.

That's actually what I'm trying to do here at Thought Renewal - develop a theology of self improvement and personal development. Now hear me out before you report me to Lighthouse Trails. :-)

In this extended blog entry I'll summarize my belief that God is actually behind the "self-help" movement and is calling us to "help our selves" to all the riches of his mercy and grace. And like with everything, if he is acknowledged as Lord, then the principles of this movement can be used for our benefit and for his glory.

Please don't skim this article. If you don't have time to digest the full message and follow my line of reasoning to the end, don't read it. You'll see a link to the full post below. These first couple of paragraphs are here to serve as a teaser, if you will.

So enjoy. And help yourself to whatever else you find here.

Help Yourself! by Lyn Perry (c) 2007

Now these are words I like to hear, don’t you?

My wife and I went over to a friend's house recently. Before we even made it through the door our host invited us to make ourselves at home. Isn't this a great invitation? You’ve been greeted this way before I'm sure. Think back to the last time you went over to a friend's place. You probably weren't through knocking before you heard something like, "Come on in. Pour yourself a pop. Help yourself!" Pop, soda – depends on where you're from – either way, these are welcoming words, inviting you to kick off your shoes and make yourself comfortable.

So what do you do? What else can you do? You make yourself at home! It would be rude not to. By serving yourself you are accepting an invitation to join the family and relax in the company of friends. In fact, this kind of invite is primarily extended to those closest to us for it assumes a trust and fellowship that strangers, by definition, do not enjoy.

Let's take a closer look at this informal social contract: Help yourself.

Note two implications. Within the phrase help yourself is first an invitation. We typically do not barge into someone's home and immediately open the fridge. This behavior is reserved for college students (just kidding!). Even the most outgoing among us wait for some words of welcome. We may know for certain what the host will say, yet still we wait for the invitation.

Second, help yourself is an expression of familiarity, even intimacy. It isn't said to everyone. As we've noted, it's an offer typically reserved for family and friends.

This is an issue of trust. Both the host and the guest are confident that their relationship is genuine. For you see, not only does the host accept the guest into his or her home without reservation, but the guest accepts the host's invitation based upon the assumption that he or she is a trustworthy person. I'm trusting that my friend won't slip anything into my drink.

You might be thinking by now, "What does all this have to do with personal growth?" I think it will become clear in a moment because I believe the implications of this welcoming phrase, help yourself, puts our quest for personal development in perspective.

Go here to read the whole essay.

Self-Esteem Equation

You've heard of the formula E=MC2.

But have you heard of E=MC3 ~ the Self-Esteem Equation? If you have, it probably wasn't in science class. I explain it like this.

Of course, I didn't discover this truth, but I did assign different values to the famous formula in order to remind us of our true identity. Plus I added a C!

When we struggle with self-doubts, low self-worth, or negative self-image, remember the Self-Esteem Equation.

E=MC3

• E stands for ego, self-estimate, or self-esteem.
• M stands for the truth that you matter to God.
• C stands for the fact that you are created in God's image and that he is calling you into relationship with him and wants to adopt you as his child.

So the formula is stated like this:
"My self-estimate, my self-esteem is based on the fact that I matter to God because I am created in his image, he's called me, and wants to adopt me as his child."

Take this formula before breakfast and throughout the day as needed. And twice at bed time.

The Theology of Self-Help Continued

Continued from the post, The Theology of Self-Help:

Help Yourself! by Lyn Perry (c) 2007

Let's face it, we're a self help society. From fill-up to checkout more of us help ourselves than ever before. In fact, successful companies have long understood the labor saving and cost cutting advantages of this trend. But this 'do-it-yourself' mentality has moved way beyond gas, groceries, and home improvement.

Look at the explosion of success literature. From the classic best sellers by Dale Carnegie and Norman Vincent Peale to the surge in popularity of Oprah, Dr. Phil, and Chicken Soup for Every Imaginable Soul, positive thinking has become a multibillion dollar business. Amazing!

Why is that? Is it an indication that we live in a self-obsessed culture? Are all these publishing companies simply pandering to the Narcissus in each of us? That may well be the case. But in my opinion there is something behind this movement that is good and right and necessary. Our longstanding fascination with self help is not so much a navel gazing exercise of the me-generation (although it can be that). I believe it is a legitimate response to an invitation.

We've been invited to help ourselves.

Open Invitation

Here's what I mean.

Imagine standing outside in the weather, knocking at the door, looking forward to the warmth of fire and friendship. Suddenly, the door swings wide, you're greeted with kisses and hugs. Come on in. Make yourself at home. Open the fridge and help yourself.

Reading and digesting a book on personal growth or attending a seminar on positive thinking mirrors this picture. It is simply accepting an offer to help yourself grow and develop to your fullest potential. The truth is, we all long for relationship, joy and fulfillment; that is, to come in from the cold. And we're knocking about searching for those things the best we can.

The personal development movement, then, is about – or at least should be about – accepting the invitation to help one's self to a satisfying, enjoyable, and abundant life. We may not be doing a very good job at it, we may be looking in some (very) wrong places, we may even become obsessed with all that is set before us. Nevertheless, there's an offer on the table and we're taking the host up on the invitation. This is a good and necessary response.

Who's Hosting This Party?

But here's an interesting question. If we're responding to an invitation, who is doing the inviting? Who is our host? Recall that within the phrase help yourself are two implications: Invitation and familiarity. We don't party in a vacuum. Neither do we develop ourselves by ourselves.

If my perspective on this topic is correct (and of course that is what I'm advocating!) then pursuing a vibrant life is about responding to a gracious host who wants us to say yes to fellowship, yes to friendship, yes to fulfillment. What's more, we are responding to a person who has our best interests at heart.

Think about that. This is an astounding truth. When it comes to all that life has to offer, someone is doing the offering and wants only what is best for us. Self help is simply responding to someone's invitation. But who is this someone?

Motivational writers and speakers often refer to a power or energy or wisdom available to each of us – a universal life force that we can tap into; that we can help ourselves to. With the right techniques and proper awareness, we can access Infinite Intelligence (a phrase used by a well known success author ).

Despite the capitalization ('Infinite Intelligence'), this energy field is not a personal being and should not be confused with the biblical concept of God. No matter the moniker, what many self-help authors are referring to is simply a natural force, an energy that permeates, and is often identified with, the universe.

This is not what I'm talking about. For a number of reasons. First, a force is impersonal. Impersonal objects do not invite people to help themselves. Only in poetry will the wind call us to set sail and head for the open sea. (I didn't say it had to be good poetry, but you get the idea.)

Second, energy is not relational. I'm speculating now, but I assume you would not want to pursue an intimate friendship with an electrical outlet or lightening bolt. So you see, this personal development movement, properly understood, is not really about tapping into some power source that already exists. No. Self help is responding to the Source of this power. Capitalization intended.

Time For An Illustration

Say there's a vending machine at work. You put your quarters in and grab a snack. In other words, you pay the price and help yourself. Now who is actually providing us the opportunity – in a sense, inviting us – to partake of this tasty and nutritional (broadly speaking) product? It's not the vending machine. We would think it mighty strange if we overheard a colleague thank a distribution mechanism for releasing a bag of chips. We don't look to some contraption as the ultimate source of provision. That would be silly. Obviously, someone is stocking the machine.

Snacks don't offer themselves. The only reason we can choose from the variety of goodies set before us is because someone – not something – is inviting us to 'help ourselves.' (By the way, don’t blame the vending machine or the vendor for your increase in caloric intake! We’ll cover taking personal responsibility at a later time.)

All Good Things

Now fortunately, the Creator of the universe is not indifferent about the offerings available to us. The Source behind all matter and energy is a personal being who cares about how this matter and energy are utilized. In fact, that is one reason why God (for this is the Someone we've been alluding to) created human beings. After creating all things, God installed Man and Woman as stewards and recipients of all that has been created. We have a veritable feast set before us. And we not only have permission we have a mandate to take what we've been given and . . . enjoy it!

Come on in. Make yourself at home. Enjoy yourself.

Our Host is extending to us a personal invitation to join the family, find friendship, and experience a life of abundance. This is a genuine offer and it is extended to each of us. Help yourself!

How do we go about doing this?

That is what we'll explore in the ongoing blog entries of Thought Renewal. The purpose of this blog is to help us learn to help ourselves to all good things in life. In the following months we'll discuss, among other things, five fundamental strategies (see below) for crafting a life of fulfillment.

Picture yourself as a masterpiece in progress. Your commitment to personally develop is not selfish, it is responding to the Master Craftsman who designed you for greatness. We've been given the tools to unleash abundance; it would be selfish not to utilize them.

Thinking Right

The five strategies I want to unpack over time center on our thoughts – challenging, correcting, and controlling our thoughts. Our mind is a powerful tool. With it we interpret everything that happens to us and assign meaning to those various events.

It has been said that it is not so much what happens to us that matters as how we respond to what happens to us. At the risk of sounding cliché, this is exactly right. Our life often lacks abundance and meaning because we think in terms of lack and meaninglessness. Our environment is limited because our thinking is limited. Controlling our environment is largely dependent upon controlling our thinking.

This goes beyond merely being positive or optimistic. It means correcting our limiting beliefs by thinking correctly about who we are and our purpose in life. Thus if I were to write a book (wink wink) titled, Help Yourself! then the subtitle would be: How to Enjoy a Life of Abundance by Thinking Right and Overcome Limiting Beliefs. (Maybe that's a bit long, what do you think?)

Right thinking is essential if we are to unleash the abundance in life that is ours by right and mandate to enjoy. The five strategies that will help us accomplish this ongoing project (remember, we're unfinished masterpieces) are:

• Living on Purpose
• Taking Every Thought Captive
• Renewing Our Minds
• Properly Utilizing Faith
• Serving Others
  

Additional resources include the Power of Mentors and Thinking Right About Wealth.

We'll explore these themes and others throughout this blog and examine each of the strategies in light of appropriate God-given universal laws or principles. We'll unpack and apply those principles to various life situations and offer some mental exercises so that we can grow and develop.

Along the way we'll note some 'wrong thinking' (and even dangerous teaching) that is circulating out there as well as discover some surprising truths about life, the universe, and everything. My hope is that this work might serve as a guidebook for those interested in such matters. If you've made it this far I'm assuming you're one of the people I'm hoping to touch.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Life Strategies

Phillip C. McGraw, better known as Dr. Phil, actually has a lot of good things to say. Especially in his book, Life Strategies - Doing What Works, Doing What Matters. Dr. Phil's overall message is that we are all responsibile for our actions. In 10 Life Laws (not based on the 10 Commandments) he helps us discover and apply different aspects of that truth. I like his plain talk approach. Example,

Life Law #2: You Create Your Own Experience. Your Strategy: Acknowledge and accept accountability for your life. Understand your role in creating the results that are your life. Learn how to choose better so you have better. (p. 56)

No psychobabble here. Just solid truths, many of them biblically based. Ready to tackle areas of your life that are holding you back? This is a great resource. Read it with pen and marker in hand.