The Monday Memo from John Stanko

603: The Power in Curiosities

This past week was a busy one for me, with two college classes that had their final exams, plus two other classes that I taught. For one of the classes, I wrote a devotional in response to another devotional we were reading as part of our class material, and when I read my response to the class, I thought, "I am going to share it with my Memo readers." So here it is for your reading enjoyment and edification.

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So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—
why the bush does not burn up.”When the Lord saw that he
had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush,
“Moses! Moses!" - Exodus 3:3-4.

The author of tonight's devotional takes us to study fear today based on the verses about the burning bush. With your permission, I want to go in a different direction. I use this passage all the time when I coach and teach about purpose. Using these verses, I encourage those with whom I work to follow their curiosities.  Let me explain what I mean.

I have been to the deserts in the Middle East and they are hot, very hot places. When I landed in Dubai a few years ago, it was 127 degrees.  Then the nights cooled down to about 109. These are the conditions under which Moses tended sheep. I would imagine he saw more than one burning bush, sparked into flames by the intense desert heat. There was one major difference with this particular bush, however, and that was it burned but was not consumed. The longer Moses looked, the more curious he became, so much so that he finally exerted some energy, which he was trained to conserve in the desert heat, to go over and take a look.  He was curious.

It was when he came face to face, so to speak, with the bush that the voice of the Lord came to him. When he followed his curiosity, Moses found the Lord!  The same is true for you.  Don't try to figure out what interests you; just follow your heart!  You don't know where it will lead you, so don't try so hard to figure it all out, where it will lead you and whether or not it is the Lord.  Just follow and trust, and see what happens.

One more thing:  The bush burned but was not consumed. The same is true for your purpose.  When you are doing God's will, you will burn with intensity. You may be tired, but you will never burn out!  Burn out is always an indicator that you are doing things you were not meant to do - things that take your life and energy and don't put them back. Purpose replenishes its own supply of energy and you never run out of creativity and enthusiasm for the purposeful work at hand.

So the next time you are faced with something that captures your attention and piques your curiosity, run to it.  When you get there, you may just hear the voice of God telling you that you are on holy ground.

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KENYA:  I have two updates on my blog site from Kenya, one including a video tour of our library project there. Please take time to read them both and then do what you can to help us continue the work there. Also, Mary is off to her second term at school.  I am so grateful for your help that is helping her. You can read in one of the updates what it means to orphaned Mary and her pastor. Then please give through my website or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you and God bless you.

594: 12 Years

Trumpets and drum roll, please!  This month the Monday Memo turns 12 years old! From humble beginnings in 2001, the Memo has gone on to impact thousands of lives and inspire many to purposeful living. On this special occasion, please allow me to muse and reflect on these last 12 years.

WHY?

I started the Monday Memo because I was launching a website and wanted something that would 'drive' people to the site, something that would cause people to remember that the site existed. I read the author Seth Godin, who still impacts my life and work, and he talked about permission marketing, through which you created something of value that people gave you permission to send. While speaking at a conference in Ohio, I asked how many would like to receive something like the Monday Memo and eight people signed up. The rest is history.  If anything, the Memo has become the main attraction and the website a sideshow, supporting the audience I reach through the Memo. Who would have thought?

When I first started, I didn't know what I would write or how people would respond.  I never thought that I would be writing 12 years later and it has been a faith step to sit down every Sunday night for 12 years, sometimes not knowing what I would write. Yet when I would start, something would always come and I am grateful to the Lord for His help in creating and maintaining this project.  In 12 years, I think I only missed writing the Memo about 25 times.

WHY NOT?

Every year at this time, I reflect on whether or not to continue the Memo. The readership is not as large as it once was, for when I started the Memo, there were very few other regular email offerings. Today there are a myriad and I would like to think I encouraged some of them to start. Yet 6,000 people still receive every week and I get feedback regularly that the Memo still inspires and mentors many people. Also, I have used the Memo to create awareness of my work in Kenya and many people have contributed to the needs there, which is a source of great joy for me and those we help.

So why not continue the Memo for another year?

In honor of this special event, I am attaching a gift - a document containing the 12 best Memos from the last 12 years. These Memos got the most feedback and actually a few of them appeared more than once as reprints. I hope you enjoy them again as much as I did writing and now compiling and editing them.

And of course, I want to challenge you to do what's in your heart to do. The Memo was in my heart, I wrote and God blessed.  If He did it for me, He can do it for you. But He can't work with what you don't produce. So go for it and, as you do, celebrate with me God's goodness in your life over the last 12 years. Have a great week and Happy Anniversary, Monday Memo!

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THE PACIFIC INSTITUTE:  I am going to host my annual seminar TPI here in PIttsburgh on March 14 and 15 and then again on April 25 and 26.  What is TPI? The training offered is the best I have ever encountered and has made me better and more effective at everything I do. The cost is $400, so it represents an investment in yourself, but it will pay dividends for the rest of your life!  If you are interested, write and I will send you more information.

KENYA: You can read my latest updates from Kenya that include a thank you from some widows (pictured right) and a list of needs from a children's' ministry. Please read and then give as the Lord leads, either through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you (and the children thank you, too).

Download Best 12 Memos

588: Look for It

I meet with people almost every week to talk about purpose and creativity. In most cases if not all, I find that fear is holding them back in some way. What's more, most don't recognize the fear because it disguises itself so well. I have found this true in my own life, so let's talk about fear and what it is costing you.

WHERE IS IT?

Any more, I don't need to see the affects of fear to go looking for it in my own life. I assume it's there, so I begin to turn over the rocks, so to speak, in my heart and mind looking for the scorpions of fear that live below. I am no longer in denial but living in reality that fear is my constant companion.  I must recognize it, bring it to the light of day, and confront it or else fear will continue to rob me of my opportunities.

So I go on a fear hunt, saying to myself, "Where is it?  I know it's here somewhere?  Aha there it is!"

What am I afraid of?  You name it.  I am afraid of what others think.  I am afraid that I don't have enough time to do something.  I am afraid I don't have time to do something well. I am afraid I may miss the Lord by doing something. I am afraid I will miss the Lord by not doing something. I am afraid I won't have the finances to do something before me to do.

You get the idea by now.  You may think I am weird or unusual, but don't you have the same struggle? 

WHERE DO WE GET IT?

We get our fears from our parents going all the way back to Adam and Eve. When Adam and Eve fell, what did they do?  They hid. And why did they hide?  They hid because they were afraid! 

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid" (Genesis 3:8-10).

WHAT TO DO?

I want you to do this week what I am doing.  I want you to assume that fear is present in your life and go looking for it.  Know that it is cleverly disguised as being rational or spiritual and it can and does make a convincing case that it really isn't fear.  Don't buy into it!  Confront it for what it is, for until you know and accept the truth, the truth cannot set you free. Knowing it's fear is the first step to courage.

Once you find the fear, consider what it has cost you and then take action to counteract the effects of the fear. If you are like me, you will like the results of that exercise so much that you will no longer wait for fear to knock you on the side of the head before you deal with it.  Instead you will go looking for it, knowing that is the great enemy of purpose and creativity that has cost you much in the way of productivity and joy.  Have a great week!

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KENYA: Every day that passes brings me closer to my departure on January 31 and I still need about $17,000 to reach my goal to be able to bless the children and widows in Kenya.  If you can help, please give through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you!

DAILY DEVOTIONAL:  My new daily devotional is getting a lot of attention. You can find it here and, once you check it out, you can subscribe to receive it there, too.

FACEBOOK: Please go to my PurposeQuest International ministry page on Facebook and give me a "Like." I will be transitioning a lot of my ministry stuff I currently place on my personal FB page to that ministry page soon.

ISRAEL: The time to register for my September pilgrimage is now! Attached is the brochure.  Let me know if you are going for space for the trip will disappear soon. The brochures is attached below.

PURPOSECOACH:  I have resurrected my PurposeCoach program, but this time put it all online to make it easier and more streamlined for you. And for the month of January only, I am offering a special price of $99 for the program, which includes some listening, some reading and some connecting time with me.  I am attaching a FAQ sheet concerning PurposeCoach, along with an enrollment application, below.

Download 1 PCoach FAQs

Download 1 Israel Brochure

569: More Media

Last year I wrote that I was starting an Internet radio show, and that has gone well. I have recorded about 70 shows and have also used four guest hosts to fill in for me while I am gone, thus mentoring others in the broadcast ministry.  Now it is time to take it to the next level.  Before I say what that level is, let me share some background.

For many years, I have felt that more media was in my future. When I put on the headphones, I sense God's presence and pleasure.  I would have great interviews, and hosts would say, "I am going to have you back." In most cases, they never did. It was always a mystery why that would happen.

In 2008, I had a windfall profit from a trip to England, and decided to invest it in Internet radio to both learn and reach more people with the purpose message.  It was a great experience. I did 13 shows, had 1,000 listeners a show and 30 people downloaded one of my shows to listen to every day.  But when I ran out of money, I stopped the show to wait for another time.  Last year was that time for the Internet, and the response has been good. I have had a blast.

Now on Saturday, September 15, I am going to host a weekly 8 AM Saturday morning show here in Pittsburgh on 73WPIT AM. The show will be called Wake Up to Purpose, and I will attempt to build a show with many different segments, but all contributing to the listeners finding purpose. Anyone can call in during the show at 1.412.333.9748, and it will be streamed live on the station's website. 

Furthermore, next year I am going to record 13 television segments of a show called Your PurposeQuest that will air on Cornerstone Television Network in the fall of 2013. I am so excited to be able to develop that show and the supportive material to go with it.  We have many exciting, creative ideas to incorporate into that endeavor.

All in all, it's an exciting time. Yet it's not about me, it's about the message God gave me, the message of purpose that continues to impact people all over the world. Don't ask me how, but I feel there is even more media in my future; I just can't see it all yet - but I can see me doing it.

So thank you for your encouragement over the years that has kept me writing and producing. If you would like to contribute to my media efforts, you can do so through my website or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. If you can, call into the show some Saturday, and please listen in by radio or Internet.  And then give me your honest feedback on how I am doing and any new ideas you may have for the show. 

Who knows, maybe one day the show will be live in your city via syndication!  Now that would be a grand thing, and I will work toward developing material and a show worthy of such exposure. How, what can you do this week that will bring you a step closer to a dream you have?  It doesn't have to media; it just has to be in your heart. Feel free to write and tell me what that is, and let me know if I can help. I pray you have a purposeful, happy week ahead of you.  I know I will. 

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KENYA UPDATE:  You can find my latest update from my trip to Kenya on my blog.  This includes updates from Alice and Pastor Peter. And then do what you can to help them and the others in Kenya by contributing through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882.  Thanks!

566: Steve Jobs

I leave today for Kenya, and I think I will take a week off from the Monday Memo next week. This week, however, I want to finish up our discussion of creativity.  I just finished Walter Isaacson's book, Steve Jobs, so I am a bit fired up this week about creativity. Let's see what I learned from Isaacson's authorized version of Jobs' life and work.

There was great debate after Jobs' passing as to whether or not the man knew the Lord.  From what I read, it doesn't seem like he did, but I will leave that in God's hands. Jobs was certainly impacted by Zen Buddhism and a host of other spiritual influences apart from Christianity, but no one can deny that he almost singlehandedly changed the world by expressing his creativity.  While not a technology man, Jobs was a design and systems guy who was nothing short of brilliant in what he did, whether fashioning an iPad or crafting Apple, his beloved company.

But Jobs by all accounts, including his own, was a difficult man, sometimes mean and demeaning. He had no tolerance for fools and, in his estimation, most people were fools.  What can we learn from this man while not emulating his style, but certainly emulating his passion?  Here are some things to think about:

1. You may be so afraid to offend or challenge others that you keep your ideas and thoughts carefully locked inside. The world then loses the best of what you have because you are afraid to speak and act.
2. Sometimes you are more afraid of success than failure.  You don't try to have your first success because you are not sure you can sustain it.
3. You can take for granted what you see and what you can do. You may think everyone sees what is so obvious to you, but often then don't.  When you think like that, you don't say or do much.  You don't make things happen, you watch things happen.
4. You may be afraid of mistakes and therefore you choose to do no thing rather then do the wrong thing.

Steve Jobs did not allow any of these things to hinder him and he changed the world.  I maintain that you and I, in partnership with God's Spirit, should be equally as creative as Jobs, while not necessarily playing to a world audience.

What is keeping you back from being creative and expressing your creativity?  I hope this series has helped you identify some of those things.  The objective, however, is not just that you know what it is but that you know so you can overcome your obstacles to run the creative race. I am personally challenged by Jobs' example, for if he did that for the glory of technology, what can or should I do for the glory of God?  I pray you will join me in asking and answering the same question, and that together we can impact our world with the greatness of the image of God that still resides in you and me.  Thanks for reading, and have a great week!

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KENYA TODAY!:  I am off to Kenya today. If you would like to schedule a one-on-one or attend a seminar, please write and let me know.

LIBRARY UPDATE: You can read the last library update here before I am over in Kenya and able to send you the updates myself. 

565: ABBA

I was in the UK a few years ago, packing late at night (or early in the morning) to head home.  I had the television on, and a documentary was showing about the music group ABBA. I was casually listening but it caught my attention when they talked about how hard they worked to create their music when they were at their peak. Since then, I have seen the musical Mama Mia, which incorporates ABBA's diverse music into a show about a confused young girl about to get married, and after that I became even more intrigued with ABBA's work.

The documentary is now on YouTube and it makes for interesting viewing, even if it is 89 minutes long!  If you can't watch it all, pick it up at about the nine minute mark through about minute twelve. This is not a post to promote ABBA's music, but I do want to commend their approach to creativity, for their approach was one of disciplined, hard work. In other words, their creative success was no fluke. They had the talent, but they worked their talent hard, taxing it to produce what it was intended to do.

I write every day.  Then I write the Monday Memo once a week.  I produce a new Bible study one every two weeks and I write one book every year.  Those projects happen because I sit down to do the work, but I am always preparing, taking notes and perfecting my craft.  I teach new classes regularly (I have three university classes to teach this fall that I have never taught before) and I read and listen to books every day.

If you want to write, paint, sculpt, teach, or start a business or ministry, then you will need to do what I do, what ABBA did.  You will ned to work and apply yourself.

Now you don't have to do this, for when you force yourself, you will find all kinds of reasons not to create.  You must want to do this, so you can face and conquer your fears. You will need to deal with the apathy or ambivalence of those around and even close to you. None of my books are considered "best sellers," but I will keep writing to perfect my skills.  Maybe one day, God will honor me with that kind of success.  If not, I will keep writing - maybe it will happen after I'm gone. Maybe it will never happen.

As we wrap up this series next week, I hope you are encouraged to embrace and express your creativity in new, fresh ways. This will not just happen without your concerted, focused effort.  If I can help you in any way, please let me know.  Now get busy about the work you were created to create. Have a great week!

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KENYA UPDATE:  You can read the latest update from Pastor Peter concerning the library project here, along with some new pictures.  Then please donate by the time I depart next Monday for Kenya either through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882.

KENYA TRAININGS:  I will be doing several special workshops while I am in Kenya, which include:

1. Training to become certified in the DISC profiling system.
2. A Purpose Profiling Seminar to help you understand your purpose, gifts and strengths.
3. A Turn Your Dream Into A Reality Seminar to help you take your creativity and make it a reality.
4. The Investment in Excellence seminar from The Pacific Institute.
5. The PX2 Youth Seminar from The Pacific Institute.

Please write for more information to learn how you can be a part of these exciting training opportunities.

NEW BOOK!:  My latest book, The Price of Leadership, arrived last Friday.  This is a rewrite and revision of my original leadership book entitled, So Many Leaders, So Little Leadership. You can order your copy here.

 

 

 

564: Timing and Seasons

I think we will spend two more weeks on creativity and then move on to something else.  Maybe it's time for a Celebrate a Failure week!  At any rate, I hear many people say they are concerned about timing or the right season to do this or that creative thing. They don't want to miss or get ahead of the Lord, so they watch and wait for God's timing. This is am important issue when it comes to acting on your creative ideas, so let's look at it more closely. When I am asked about timing, I usually give the same response; "Timing is pretty much irrelevant!"  You will have to read on to see in what context I make this comment.

TIMING IS IRRELEVANT.

Perhaps I should say that timing as a planning tool is overrated. I maintain it is impossible to know what time or season you are in until you are in it. So why waste any time by trying to discover the right time, thus slowing down what you are going to do? Let me explain it another way.

How do you know for sure that you have a good idea? Is it before or after you implement the idea? You may suspect it is a good idea before, but It is usually after you take steps to carry it out that you know for sure. So if you are waiting for the right time to apply any good idea, you may never take action. That is why I say timing is overrated as a consideration when you look to step out and do something.

Perhaps two passages will strengthen my case. The first is found in Ecclesiastes 11:4-5:

Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.

The second is from the story of the four lepers in 2 Kings 7:

Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, "Why do we sit here until we die? "If we say, 'We will enter the city,' then the famine is in the city and we will die there; and if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, we will but die" (2 Kings 7:3-4).

WHAT'S TIMING TO A LEPER?

The four lepers saw their condition as critical. They were less concerned about looking bad or "missing God" than survival! It is not faith to want to know the timing and steps you will need to take to succeed. It is presumptuous! God does not owe you a full explanation before you take the first steps in obedience. To think that He does is to expect more than God gave Abraham. God told Abraham to set out. When Abraham wanted to know where he was going, the Lord basically responded, "I'll tell you when you get there."

If you don't identify with the lepers, you will then think you can "wait on the Lord." If you identify with their situation and see yourself in need to act and have faith, then you will act today on your creativity, ideas, goals and dreams. Have you had enough of being where you are? Then step out and be less concerned about timing and more concerned about finding fulfillment and creative expression.

Let me close with one more thought. I hear people say, "I don't want to get ahead of the Lord." I say, go ahead and try! If Ephesians 3:20-21 is true (and it is), there is no way you can get ahead of Him:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

So dream big and then step out to see what happens. Be free to move out and about, knowing that you can't get ahead of God and you won't fully please Him until you act in faith, faith that the  time is now to do the will of God. Have a great week!

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NEWS FROM KENYA:  See the latest updates on our projects in Kenya along with some great pictures here. This picture is one example of the art that the people are producing now that they have a library with some supplies to express their creativity. Our next project is to set up a computer room in the library.  This will be a big deal for the community, believe me. I depart on August 13 and I need your generous support to help the widows and orphans there. Please give through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you in advance for your generous support.

PURPOSECOACH:  Years ago, I started a program called The Seven Steps of a PurposeQuest that I used to coach many people with great results. I mentioned last week that I feel impressed to resurrect that program.  There is a cost ($699) but I am personally involved to coach and walk you through each step.  If you are interested, drop me an email and let's get started.

563: Creative Energy

I returned this past week from the Christian Bookseller's Convention in Orlando where I premiered my latest book, The Price of Leadership. (You can order a copy here.)  Since I have returned, I have had many people ask me how I find the time to write. Maybe you were thinking the same thing. Well, even if you were not, that is what I am going to address this week, so read on and see what I have to say!

DIVINE ENERGY

I find the time to write because I have tapped into divine energy.  There is a formula but it's not a secret formula and you can access it just like I can.  The formula, if there is one, is found in Paul's letter to the Ephesians:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  . . . (3:20).

I have learned simply to rely on the power that is at work in me.  It's that simple. It's in work in me and in us and that means you.  But if it's available to all, why don't more people have it?  More importantly, why don't you have it?

DIVINE PURPOSE

You may not have this energy because you have not tapped into your divine purpose.  And when you do and that energy is activated, you then find energy for all kindso of creative expressions.  You use your time more effectively and you have the incentive to move past your fears to try new things and then keep on trying and improving.

There are a two other tips I can offer here, so let me do what and wrap up for this week:

1.  I ask for wisdom when I write and create. According to James,

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do" (1:5-8).

2.  I remember what Proverbs teaches and that is that wisdom is basically understanding of how to do new things in fresh ways (or old things in fresh ways):

"I [wisdom] was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind" (Proverbs 8:27-31).

I figure if wisdom could help shape the earth and all of creation, then it can help me write my books or daily devotionals. All I have to do is ask and believe, as long as I am connected to my purpose activities. This week why not ask for wisdom and believe that you have received it?  Stop fighting what you have been considering and take steps to do it.  While you do that, I will be writing every day, trusting that God is answering my prayer for wisdom to create, which releases my creative energy.  Have a great week!

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PURPOSECOACH:  Years ago, I had a program called The Seven Steps of a PurposeQuest that I used to coach many people with great results.  I feel impressed to resurrect that program.  There is a cost ($699) but I am personally involved to coach and walk you through each step.  If you are interested, drop me an email and let's get started.

LAST CALL FOR BASEBALL:  The Kenyan fundraiser is this coming Tuesday.  If you need a place to invest $1,000, you can come to the game, enjoy a fun night and know that you are supporting Kenyan widows and orphans in the process.  I need to hear from you today if you want to do. 

562: Succcccess Revisited

Last year I did a series on the 5 cs in succcccess and one of them is creativity!  Since we are in the midst of a series on creativity, I thought I would republish it this week for you to review and consider. I am off to Orlando for the Christian Booksellers Convention, so I will have an exciting week of book signings and networking.  I will be "back" next week with a fresh Memo as we continue our trek through the world of creativity.

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In case you are just tuning in this week to read the Monday Memo, we are in the midst of studying the five c's in succcccess. If you think succcccess isn't a consideration for you, read these words from Psalm 1:1-3 in the Good News Translation: 

"Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God. Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night.They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do" (emphasis added).

With that in mind, let's look at the second c in succcccess, that being creativity.

YOU ARE, TOO!

In 2006, I had a startling revelation and changed my purpose statement from "I bring order out of chaos" to "I create order out of chaos."  It was then that I accepted the fact that I am a creative person, something I had denied up to that point.  I began to write and teach about creativity after that, and I have many Monday Memos devoted to the subject of creativity.  You may want to take some time and review them here. 

Over the years, I have also collected creative life expressions from Monday Memo readers and posted that collection on my website. You can find that list here titled, "Samples of Creative Expressions."  Once you read that list and some of my past Memos, I hope you will come to the same realization that I did:  You are a creative person, too!

CREATIVITY FOLLOWS CURIOSITY

The first c in succcccess is curiosity (you can read about that here).  Once you are curious and decide to follow your heart and what interests you, it is time to express your creativity.  You can then begin to structure your world and invest your time in such a way that your creativity can take shape as a practical expression of who you are.  I am interested in writing, and have been since I was young. So in 1995 at the age of 45, I started to pursue my interest and today I write every day to an audience all over the world. 

I have written 13 books, 562 Monday Memos, finished a verse-by-verse devotional on the entire New Testament, and write a daily devotional online featuring q question from the Bible every day (I want to turn that into a desktop calendar at some point). This semester I am teaching two  classes and have no end of other creative projects and ideas in the works.

I love to do media but got tired of waiting for people to invite me to be part of their media world.  What did I do?  I started my own online broadcast, Your PurposeQuest, that is live via the Internet every Tuesday at 4 PM my time (you can access some of my shows on the site where they are stored here; feel free to download and listen). Later this year, I will launch a new AM radio show and there are plans in the works for a television show next year! 

You don't have to do any of those things that I am doing to be creative.  You just have to be yourself.  You cannot be fighting yourself, however, and be creative.  My experience is that most people (perhaps even you) are trying to talk themselves out of their creativity instead of into it.  With that in mind, I encourage you to read my past Memos, think about this in the coming days and embrace your creativity.  You cannot be succcccessful without employing it, but you cannot employ it if you deny that it even exists.  Have a great week!

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EIGHT DAYS: There are 8 days until the fundraiser at the Pirates baseball game for the Kenyan widows and orphans.  There are still at least 11 spots left, so read about it here and then come out to benefit the children and widows, and have a great time as well. 

561: Abraham Lincoln and Vampires

Let's continue this week with our discussion of creativity and focus on what I would call weird creativity. What is weird creativity? I'm glad you asked. Weird creativity is so far outside the realm of normal, pretty much as far away as Pluto is from Earth. Yet weird creativity can become normal creativity if you aren't afraid of it when it first shows up.  Let me explain.

WEIRD CREATIVITY

There is a movie out now called Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, based on a novel by a man named Seth Grahame-Smith. The film portrays Lincoln, the U.S. sixteenth president, as someone having a secret identity as a vampire hunter. The novel and film "rewrite" history to show that most of Lincoln's decisions as president were not based on politics but on his desire to destroy vampires.

That's weird creativity.

So what heppened to this weirdness? It is now a best-selling movie and book. Yes,it's up there in the weird hall of fame along with Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup can art, Edgar Allan Poe's morbid stories, the Hummer vehicle and Crocs shoes. Notice what each one of those things has in common:  Each one is a commercial, if not spiritual or aesthetic, masterpiece.

Now ask yourself: How often have you had an idea, but dismissed it as "weird"? How often has someone produced something, only to have you say, "I had that idea years ago!"  Why didn't you do anything about it?  You thought it was weird, you were weird, or you were afraid of the 'weirdness' you would have to go through to make it happen.

YOU LOSE

So you lost out on your creative expression because you set yourself up as judge and jury of what is weird and what isn't.  In the process, you keep getting lapped in the creativity race by those who aren't thinking and are just doing something with their weirdness. You think, they do, you lose.

When you stop to think of it, almost all creativity is weird at first thought.  How about bottled water, a phone you can carry with you anywhere, or a computer the size of a wrist watch (anyone remember the comic strip character Dick Tracy?).

So let's make a deal. Take some time this week and focus on an idea you have - the 'weirder' the better. Then spend two hours this week on making it happen, or at least taking a step toward making it happen. You can go to the library, research the Internet, write out a business plan, write the first chapter of the book or the first three poems of your anthology about growing up in Madagascar. Whatever your mind is telling you, "That's weird!" will be your focus for the week.  Don't listen to anyone else tell you it's weird, just invest the time into making it a reality.

If a man can 'rewrite' history to portray Abraham Lincoln as a vampire hunter, then what can you and I produce who are created in the image of God? Should we not be able to produce 'weird' but uplifting stuff?  I think we can, but first we have to surrender our desire to judge what's in our heart and take steps to make it happen.  Have a great, weirdly creative week!

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UPDATE ON BASEBALL FOR KENYA:  It looks like I have 6 of the 19 tickets sold for the July 24 baseball game to benefit Kenyan orphans and widows. You can read the latest update here!

NEW BOOK!:  My latest book, The Price of Leadership, arrived last Friday.  This is a rewrite and revision of my original leadership book entitled, So Many Leaders, So Little Leadership. You can order your copy here.