Create a Better Life: Day 9: Never Stop Learning

Yesterday, there was an email in my inbox advertising a free webinar for people interested in speaking. I’d not heard of the speaker, but the content in the email looked interesting enough that I signed up. It was of great benefit and it showed me a couple of directional shifts I may want to make in this process going forward. I’ll tell more about this in a later post, but continuing to learn is crucial and the internet is full of opportunities to learn.

Why should you spend your time learning?
1. You only know what you know. You may well be the world’s foremost expert in your chosen field, but do you know how to find your audience and get your information to them? Do you know every aspect necessary to accomplish your mission? If you answered yes to that question, my guess is your scope is too small. There is always something to be gained by learning something new.
2. Seeking out learning helps you connect with other people interested in your field. These people could become colleagues, students or even mentors. You might even make a few friends this way.
3. Continued learning can also help you to become aware of new opportunities to help, learn, earn and grow, maybe even ways to create a better life.

The best part is there are a tremendous amount of learning opportunities on the web for free. The point is you never know what will come of learning, but it is always of benefit so never stop learning.

It will help you to create a better life.

Tim Tebow: The Real Story

Sunday night I got a real blessing. I started to see rumors on social media that Tim Tebow was going to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles. I was overjoyed. You see the Eagles fell out of favor with me years ago when they left Reggie White get away. I became a Packers fan at that point and remain one to this day. With the signing of Tebow, the Eagles are back on my good list. You might be wondering what any of this has to do with the topic of this blog, i.e. creative ministry… Only everything.

You see a friend of mine asked all his youth ministry and pastor followers if they would be using some sort of Tebow story as an illustration in their ministries. It is a great story, stand out college player goes pro, comes off the bench to lead his team to the playoffs, gets released in favor of one of the best of all time, gets bounced around, released, ends up becoming an analyst of the game but doesn’t give up on his dream and returns after two years to the pros. It’s a great story, a story of perseverance, but it’s not the real story.

If I were in the pulpit, I might share a Tim Tebow story but it would not be the NFL story. While I hope and pray God gives him favor and great victories in Philadelphia, that story has not yet been written (Though for his detractors I will point out, he led the Broncos just as far as an already Hall of Fame certified Peyton Manning did in his first year with the team). Here’s the real story. This is a young man, let’s not forget he’s only 27 years old. He’s been an outspoken representative of his faith from the time he hit the national spotlight in college. He’s take heat for that faith and never wavered. Lest we forget we start college as teenagers. But it gets better, through the ups and downs of his pro career, under a microscope, I might add, he stood firm. I mean come on, they call dropping to one knee in prayer “Tebowing.” How many prayer positions are named after you? Just sayin’.

Beyond that this young man has used his fame and notoriety to do some real good in this world. At 27 he has already built a hospital in the Phillipines through CURE International, for goodness sake, and everyone knows why, because this young man regularly gives glory to God. And that is what all of us can take away. That’s the real story.

Tim Tebow wanted to be an NFL quarterback and even when that dream didn’t seem to be working out, he used what he was given to the glory of God. That is something we can all do. We can all be faithful with we have been given, make the most of every opportunity, wherever we are at, and live to the glory of God.

So Mr. Tebow, welcome to Philadelphia. I hope you do amazing things here on and off the field. To the rest of us, pray for this young man. God has given him a big platform and that sometimes makes us big targets. I can’t wait to see what God will do.