Change

I think all of you can agree that we are living in different times. The same old way of doing things may not work anymore. As a result, changes will need to be made in some, if not many, areas of our lives.

The problem is...change is typically painful. Have you ever started lifting weights for the first time. How do you feel the next day? That's right, very painful. Yet, if you continue with the program, that pain will diminish and eventually go away altogether. That pain will also go away if you quit the program; however, you will not change and see any new results.

As a leader, helping other people to change can be very difficult. Change requires that people break out of their comfort zones...and we as humans, like to be comfortable so we resist. This short video (click on the purple box) gives some great pointers on helping others to change. I hope you enjoy!

Extreme Comfort Zones

Jackie, center, and Aaron Frisch, and family and friends watch

the building of their home on TV at Whitmer High School.

I am so proud of two people this morning.

First, my daughter Molly. For whatever reason, she has been apprehensive about getting a job. Yesterday, she had an interview which apparently went well. As she was walking to her car in the parking lot afterwards, she received a call saying that she was hired. Way to go Mol!

Also yesterday, my wife, Connie and I attended a party for the Extreme Home Makeover project which was done in Toledo in September and aired nationally on ABC last night. It was a very cool night.

As I sat there watching it, I reflected back to a lunch I had with Tim Schlachter, a good friend of mine and Truth At Work member. Tim is co-owner of Buckeye Real Estate Group. He was telling me about a phone call he received from ABC, I believe the day before our lunch, asking him if he would consider heading up the project. Without hesitating, Tim said yes which surprised ABC.

This wasn’t just some token position which would allow Tim to be on national TV, this required a monumental effort to pull this off. He had to raise all the funds for the building of this 5,000 square feet house, put a volunteer crew of 4,000 people in place, schedule that crew, level an old house and build a new one in less than seven days. I am sure this made Tim a little uncomfortable. But, they pulled it off…and they did it very well!

Because Molly broke through her comfort zone, she can now be used by God in her new workplace and I am convinced she will be blessed.

Because Tim chose to do the uncomfortable and risky thing, he was used by God in an amazing way and his leadership has helped to change our city.

That is why I am so proud of Molly and Tim. It takes courage to break out of your comfort zone, but they both chose to do that and that is when growth happens.

So the question is…what are you going to do this week to break out of your comfort zone?

Change

The US Treasury Department announced yesterday that for the first time in 50 years, the penny will be changed...actually four times. Starting on Lincoln's birthday, February 12, the first coin will be released with a change to the "tails" side (shown above). Then every three months after that a new one will be released. Lincoln's head will still adorn the front of the coin.

I remember when the state quarters came out and I thought that was a pretty neat change. I think this change to the penny is also. But why? Change is typically something I am not a fan of. But I suppose this change is OK because it doesn't really impact me. I am sure that is why I think this is a neat thing.

As soon as I need to change or something in my environment changes that impacts my comfort, you can be sure I won't be excited about that. However, as much as I would like to stay in my comfort zone, I also know that the only way I can grow and get better is to get outside of it.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2

Dream On

My 12 year-old son Robbie has a tendency to shy away from trying new things. This includes food and activities.

I would venture a guess that 95% of the time (and I'm being conservative) when he tries something new to eat, he likes it...a lot. This after telling us over and over, "Yuck, I hate that."

Getting him to try something to eat is much easier than getting him to try some activity for the first time. For years, the first basketball practice was a real challenge. I would literally have to take him kicking and screaming to practice...and I have always been his coach! Then once he got there, he had a blast.

This past year I have been talking with him a lot about the discovering the gifts God has given him. I have noticed that he has this ability to entertain others. When I have eaten lunch with him at school, I have noticed all his classmates tend to ask him questions so they can hear what he has to say. Then they will laugh most of the time.

He had an opportunity to be a part of a lip synch performance at his school. My wife and I encouraged him to enter. At first he said he didn't want to. Then, finally he did. He decided to do "Dream On" by Aerosmith (he has gotten into classic rock lately--which I'm loving!).

The performance was today. As Connie and I watched the performances leading up to his, I have to admit, I was wishing I didn't encourage him to do this. I thought it was going to be embarrassing. I was praying that God would use this to encourage him in his gifts, but I still lacked some faith.

When his turn came, he took the stage in his wig and toting his Guitar Hero guitar. I admit, I am a little biased, but he brought the house down. It was hysterical and he obviously had a lot of fun.

The video is posted above. Unfortunately, I was unable to get as close as I would like so you can't really see his face too well, but you can get a feel for how he did.

Robbie has agreed that he wants to find his gifts and use them for God's purposes. Yet, this was hard. But he did it. He tried something new, he did his best and he did it for God. I am very proud of him!

We can all learn from my son. What has God gifted you at? Are you using that to glorify Him?

We'll Miss Ya Dan

On August 17, Dan Patrick will broadcast for the last time on ESPN. This will be a sad day for many, me included as I love his subtle humor.

When asked in Sports Illustrated why he is leaving this is how he responded:

It's (ESPN) a protective cocoon I've been in for a long time. I had started to take it for granted. I don't think I challenged myself, and I don't think I was doing great work.

There is a lot we can pull from and learn from those few sentences but the primary thing that hits me is that he has realized that he has been in his comfort zone.

That is where we all naturally want to be - our comfort zones.

However, if we want to grow, the only way this will happen is if we get outside of our comfort zones. We must break through our fear.

So what are you putting off doing out fear?

New Surroundings

Four weeks ago I took KC, one of our two cats (yes, we have cats - I like dogs also, but for now we have cats) to be euthanized (he was 14 years old with failing health). A week later we decided to get another cat so we brought one home from the Humane Society in our community.

When we first stopped in at the Humane Society, they had probably 35 cats in cages there waiting for families to "adopt" them. Each cat was desperate for loving and attention.

When we finally brought our yet-to-be-named kitten home he was extremely skittish. He would jump at the slightest sound and anytime we would walk toward him he would run away as quickly as possible.

At first I thought this was very strange. Here is this cat, who hours earlier was in a cage and desperate for better living conditions. Now he has what he wanted but he is scared to death.

Then it hit me - he was outside of his comfort zone.

This is no different than each of us. Anytime we grow, anytime we want better circumstances we need to get outside of our comfort zone. We need to do the uncomfortable and we need to do it in spite of our fear.