My 3 words for 2010 are Story, Others, and Positive. Each of these words came to me through 3 great books I read this past year or two.
StoryI’ve read every book that Donald Miller has written and I’ve had the privilege to see him speak twice in person at the Catalyst and Story conferences. I had hoped to meet Donald Miller while at Story but he had the flu and darted off shortly after speaking. His best book since Blue Like Jazz (a must read) is his most recent one, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. In the book he explains that many of us are not achieving what God has intended for us because we’re not living the story God has written for us. A story involves a person that wants something and is willing to overcome conflict to get it. It is my goal to write a new story for my life and family this year. To get a taste of this idea, read Donald Miller’s most recent post on goal setting, or better yet, get his book and see how it impacts you.
OthersAnother favorite book I read last year was The Hole in the Gospel by Richard Strearns, CEO of World Vision. Do not read this book unless you want to be seriously challenged in your faith and your actions. It was truly a wake-up call to what it really means to be a Christian, to share our faith, and to serve others. One of the verses he highlights that hit me hard was Ezekiel 16:49, “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.” My goal is to put others first at home, at work, at church, and in the world. I’m not sure how this will manifest itself yet, but whatever it is, I plan to do it in the context of a “story”.
PositiveOne of the best books I read in 2008 was The Art of Possibility by Benjamin Zander. He is a renowned orchestra conductor and current music director for the Boston Philharmonic. In his book, Zander recalls that he was in his mid forties until he realized that during a concert the conductor doesn’t make a sound. He realized that everything he did depended 100% upon the achievement of others. It was at that moment that he began to look at things differently and focus on teaching and inspiring others. He brings forth simple yet profound insights in his book, one of my favorites is Rule #6 which, simply stated, means, “Don’t take yourself so ____ seriously”. Much can be learned and taught with the right positive attitude regardless of whether life sends you roses or thorns. You can get a small taste of Zander's message by watching his 20 minuted presentation at the TED conference.
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