The Monday Memo from John Stanko

739 - A Fast Start for the New Year

I was all ready to take something out of the archives and write about the Magi and their role in the Christmas story. I was going to start by making an appeal for a year-end gift to my ministry. I will make the appeal later, but the Magi will have to wait until next year. I cannot shake the sense that I am to write about preparing for 2016 through a time of prayer and fasting, which I know you probably already know and do. I must be obedient, however, so in the midst of your holiday feasting, allow me to remove one letter from FEASTING and talk to you about FASTING.

Quite simply, fasting is going without food for a period of time. People often talk about a television fast, a newspaper or news fast, or a fast from certain foods, like desserts or meat. Sometimes people reduce their food intake to one meal a day, or only drink juice. While all those are commendable, they are not technically a fast. You may be abstaining, but you are not fasting - although I know some will disagree with me on that issue. No big deal if you do.

Fasting gives you a headache as your body goes through withdrawal from the sugar, caffeine, medicines, and other toxins that you regularly ingest. Eventually your body adjusts to the famine, and you can actually have more energy for a while than when you are eating - since you body is not exerting so much energy with the digestion process. Of course, you will also feel hunger from time to time, and no one should fast without consulting a physician. Moses and Jesus both fasted for 40 days, so that remains the standard beyond which no one should venture. You should never, ever fast from water, but actually drink more of it while you are doing without food.

Why should you fast? Besides the health reasons, you fast to send a message to your body and to God. You are agreeing with what the it says in Deuteronomy, which Jesus quoted when tempted by the devil: "Jesus answered, 'It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4). You are indicating your need for God beyond all else when you stop eating. And you try to bring your fleshly cravings under control for a short period of time.

It is advisable to reduce your activity level when you fast, and to spend some of the time in prayer and Bible reading that you would otherwise spend shopping for food, cooking it, eating the food, and cleaning up after you eat the food. You are fasting to hear from the Lord, but often, you will not hear while you fast. The word or direction can come during the fast, but often comes after the fact. You do not need a reason to fast, but if you set some agenda before the Lord, He will usually help you see the issues on that agenda more clearly.

I will stop drinking coffee on January 2 and then start my fast on January 4, probably going for 14 days. I invite you to join me during that time, although certainly you should follow your church's schedule if it is their custom to fast. There is nothing special about fasting in January, and you can fast any time you feel so inclined. I think there are times when God calls you to fast, and other times you decide to fast. Either way, you should count on God's help when you do. If you have never fasted, then start out with a day or two with one meal a day, then try three days without food, but make sure you drink a lot of water - like eight to ten glasses a day.

There are some who do a Daniel fast - eating only vegetables - and others reduce their meals to one a day if they have jobs that require high levels of sugar to the brain - like operating heavy equipment or surgeons. Yet don't dismiss your ability or your need to fast too quickly as you enjoy your year-end celebrations. Happy New Year, and I pray that 2016 will be a prosperous and purposeful year as you start out by putting the Lord ahead of all else - including food.

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I NEED YOUR HELP: I have shared with you this past year of my need for your help as I write, coach, travel, help orphans and widows, publish and broadcast the world over. Much of what I do is by faith. Therefore, I am asking you to stand with me financially as the year ends and during 2015. You can give using PayPal or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you for helping me help so many.

THE ORPHANS RECEIVED YOUR HELP: You can read a touching testimony from Kenya in response to money I sent over last week in today's blog update. Once again, you can give online or by sending a check to the address mentioned above if you want to help the poor in that country as I prepare to visit in February.

THE NEW YEAR IS ALMOST HERE: My daily devotionals make excellent gifts that keep giving every day of the year. Check out these titles and then order yours today:

1.     What Would Jesus Ask You Today?
2.     A Daily Taste of Proverbs
3.     A Daily Dose of Proverbs
4.     String of Pearls
5.     The Leadership Walk

738 - Daylight on the Night Shift

I continue with holiday Memos from the archives this week. As we close 2015, I ask that you help me do what I do to promote the purpose message day-in and day-out. I will include a link at the bottom of this Memo where you can send a gift for my personal support, but before you get there, enjoy this classic Memo from the archives and apply the lessons to your life this holiday season. Thank you and Merry Christmas!

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I receive many requests every year asking how to find purpose. Many say they have "no idea" what their purpose is and ask me for help. While I respond as best I can, after all these years I know that I cannot help anyone see his or her purpose. I know the One who can, however, and how He does it is reminiscent of the story of the shepherds at Christmas, something I call daylight on the night shift. Read on to see what I mean.

THE NIGHT SHIFT

The shepherds in the Christmas story were working the night shift, doing what they and their ancestors had done for centuries. They went to work that night without any thought that anything extraordinary was about to happen. On the night Jesus was born, they were tending their flocks on the hillsides outside Bethlehem, minding their own business. Suddenly God sent them messengers, who brought great light to the night shift:

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (Luke 2:8-16).

These shepherds were doing what they knew to do at that time in their life and God interrupted them with a special news report. This both scared and thrilled them. That's how it is when you find your life purpose. Often you are doing what you know to do at the time, usually a job or role that is less than fulfilling. Suddenly God, the Great Communicator, breaks into your conscious being and brings a message of purpose, of what He has always wanted you to do. That not only terrifies you but also gives you a desire to clarify and fulfill it.

That night the shepherds went to work like any other day. God spoke to them, however, and they were never the same. They started by sitting on a hillside in cold weather; they ended by finding a great treasure in Bethlehem, a treasure that had not been revealed to anyone else but them.

YOUR PURPOSEQUEST

Maybe you have been in a desperate search for your purpose and its expression. As we end this year, I suggest that you be encouraged as you remember the shepherds. Finding your purpose doesn't depend on your diligence; it depends on God's grace. Yes, you must search for your purpose, but only God can reveal it to you. It may be one cold, dark night when you go about your business like countless other nights. At that point, God may send His messenger and change your life forever. I don't know when or how He will do it, I just know He will.

Therefore, have faith and relax this holiday season. Keep asking God to help you understand who you are and what you were born to do and, after that, trust Him. You may even want to thank Him for your purpose whether or not you understand what it is. He wants you to fulfill your purpose more than you do. He will show you in the fullness of time, bring you daylight even if you are working the night shift. When He does, you will join with the shepherds as laborers who found more than business as usual one night when they went to work. May the God of purpose speak to you soon and may you have the courage to believe what He says!  Here's wishing you and yours a happy holiday season! Merry Christmas!

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I NEED YOUR HELP: I have shared with you this past year of my need for your help as I write, coach, travel, help orphans and widows, publish and broadcast the world over. Much of what I do is by faith. Therefore, I am asking you to stand with me financially as the year ends and during 2015. You can give using PayPal or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you for helping me help so many.

THE ORPHANS NEED YOUR HELP: You know that I am committed to help the widows and orphans in Kenya as God allows. I posted an appeal for funds to fulfill what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-10. Take the time to read that update and then also help the orphans with a year-end gift. Once again, you can give online or by sending a check to the address mentioned above.

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE: My daily devotionals make excellent gifts that keep giving every day of the year. Check out these titles and then order yours today:

1.     What Would Jesus Ask You Today?
2.     A Daily Taste of Proverbs
3.     A Daily Dose of Proverbs
4.     String of Pearls
5.     The Leadership Walk

737 - Down but Not Out

In keeping with tradition, I am sending a Christmas Memo from the archives for the seventh consecutive year. As we close 2015, I ask that you help me do what I do to promote the purpose message day-in and day-out. I will include a link at the bottom of this Memo where you can send a gift for my personal support, but before you get there, enjoy this classic Memo from the archives and apply the lessons to your life this holiday season.

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I love London. One year while I was there, I went to see Handel’s Messiah at the Royal Albert Music Hall. What a wonderful way to enjoy a timeless masterpiece of music and Scripture in the city where it was composed. That visit sparked one of my Christmas favorites from the Monday Memo archives, which I present to you again this year.

MESSIAH

Messiah is considered by many to be the greatest musical feat in the history of mankind. Commissioned by a charity to produce a benefit concert, Handel wrote the Messiah in only 24 days. A musician once told me that someone trying to copy the Messiah could hardly do so in 24 days — that is the level of inspiration in which Handel operated when he wrote. Handel never left his house for those three weeks. His food trays remained untouched outside his office door. A friend who visited him as he composed found him sobbing with intense emotions. Later, as Handel groped for words to describe what he had experienced, he quoted St. Paul, saying “whether I was in the body or out of my body when I wrote it I know not.”

What’s even more impressive is that Handel wrote Messiah under extreme duress. The Church of England strongly criticized and opposed Handel and his previous Scriptural works put to music. At the age of 56, he had no money, often going out only at night so as to avoid his creditors. Handel performed what he considered his farewell concert and went home, fully expecting to end up in debtor’s prison. Yet the first performance of Messiah in Ireland in 1742 raised almost 400 British pounds for charity and freed 142 other men from debtor's prison. Of course, the rest is history as countless millions have enjoyed and marveled at this work for more than 250 years. Handel also went on from there to enjoy tremendous success and popularity in his latter years.

So what does this have to do with you? Perhaps you are a person of purpose but you feel frustrated, even defeated in your PurposeQuest. Maybe you find yourself down and out, discouraged and criticized, forgotten and a failure. Perhaps your finances are in poor shape. If any of those descriptions fit you, read on, for this Memo can restore your hope and faith. If that’s not you right now, read on anyway, for you will probably describe you one day as you pursue your purpose.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE DOWN AND OUT.

What should you do if you are in a season of “un-use,” disfavor or inaction? As we close out 2015, I urge you to do three things if you are discouraged, disillusioned or dismayed. And if you’re not, I urge you to find someone who is—you shouldn’t have to look too hard—and encourage them in their dark time.

1. Renew your faith in God. Your success and purpose expression doesn’t depend on your faithfulness; it depends on God’s. Remind yourself that God can do anything, and then rest in Him. Handel went home to retire and perhaps thought it was all over for him. Yet God helped him, a group found and commissioned him and God can and do the same for you.
2. Keep preparing for your day of success. I don’t think Handel went home to retire and abandoned music. Don't you abandon your love either. Keep writing, reading, learning and practicing. When the phone rings or the mail comes with your opportunity, you will be fresh and prepared, having worked in faith for the day of success.
3. Be generous. Handel wrote Messiah for charity, even though he was destitute. What can you do for someone else, even though you are down and out?  It is a good thing to do the unexpected in hard times, and giving something away definitely fits the bill when you are in need yourself. What better way to express your trust in God?

I’m grateful for God's help in 2015, and I hope you can find reasons to be as well. If not, then just thank God for His faithfulness. At least you’re still alive and purpose eligible! Then take this Memo to heart or share it with someone who needs it. I pray that as you do what I recommended above, you will see a purpose breakthrough in 2016. Thank you for allowing me to come into your life every week and thank you for being a fellow PurposeQuest-er. As I close this Memo, I wish you not only a great week, but a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season!

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I NEED YOUR HELP: I have shared with you this past year of my need for your help as I write, coach, travel, help orphans and widows, publish and broadcast the world over. Much of what I do is by faith. Therefore, I am asking you to stand with me financially as the year ends and during 2015. You can give using PayPal or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you for helping me help so many.

THE ORPHANS NEED YOUR HELP: You know that I am committed to help the widows and orphans in Kenya as God allows. I posted an appeal for funds to help our orphans go to school, explaining why this is not a luxury but rather a necessity (two of our young men we are sponsoring are pictured right - Jackson and Joseck). Take the time to read that update and then also help the orphans with a year end gift. Once again, you can give online or by sending a check to the address mentioned above.

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE: My daily devotionals make excellent gifts that keep giving every day of the year. Check out these titles and then order yours today:

1.     What Would Jesus Ask You Today?
2.     A Daily Taste of Proverbs
3.     A Daily Dose of Proverbs
4.     String of Pearls
5.     The Leadership Walk

736 - Stop-to-Do List

I have had a weekly one-hour radio show on a local AM Christian station called Wake Up to Purpose since September of 2012. It has been a joy to do, even though I had to get up at 5:30, get to the station and then drive cross town to teach a class. What's more, I paid for the show, had many wonderful guests on the show who told their purpose stories, and got great feedback from listeners. Last Saturday, I announced that I will do my last show, number 172, on Saturday, December 26.

By the way, I have also decided to stop writing a daily devotional in the New Year as well.

Why would I stop doing something I love that seemed to be helping others? The decision was not financial. I am doing so because it is important not only to have a to-do list, but also a stop-to-do list. As you approach the start of 2016, perhaps you need to pay more attention to what you what you should stop doing as well as what you should do.

THE STATUS QUO

You and I have all the time in the world - 24 hours every day we are alive. You cannot get any more time, so you have to make decisions, sometimes difficult decisions, to stop doing something to create space for something new. The challenge is that often we don't know what the new things will be, so we hold on to the old out of fear - fear that we won't find the new, that the new won't be as good as the old, or that the new will not work out. So we clutch and claw to hold on to the status quo, when truth be told the status quo has become stale and outdated.

Here are some thoughts about the status quo:

1. You may think maintaining your status quo is not a decision, but it is. When you are considering several change options and don't choose any of them, it seems like you have not made a decision. You have, however, decided not to change.
2. Choosing the status quo costs you something. You may have chosen the safety of what you know, but you lost all the possibilities of what the new can bring.
3. The status quo isn't all that good; it's just safe. Ask yourself this question about the status quo: If you didn't have this status quo, would you go out of your way again to create it? Would you apply again for your current job? Would you buy your current dwelling again? Would you have pursued this career if you had known back then what you know today?

CREATE SPACE

It's time for you to create some space for the new, even if you aren't sure what all that new is. It's time to make time to write because you want to write, but currently don't have the time - or won't allow yourself to find the time (because you are afraid). It's time to give yourself time to breathe and think, and that means stopping the old so you can discover the new - or so the new can discover you.

A New Year is upon you once again. Did you do what you said you were going to do one year ago? Has this been an exhilarating year of new tastes and smells, or has it seemed like you are eating stale bread? I invite you to join me in creating space for the new by jettisoning some of the old cargo to which you are clinging for dear life. I don't know what 2016 will bring, but I hope it's not what 2015 brought, if 2015 is just more of the same that made you unhappy or unfulfilled.

I am attaching an article below I wrote entitled Stop-to-Do List if you want to give some more thought to this concept. Don't be satisfied just to think about it, however, but be willing to create space for the new by letting for of the old. Thanks for reading, and have a great week making your stop-to-do list.

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KENYA UPDATE: I posted our latest update written by Mary, one of the orphans you help support. You can read it here and then please give a year-end gift to help Mary and others like her. You can give through my website using PayPal (just click on the donate button), or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING: My daily devotionals make excellent gifts that keep giving every day of the year. Check out these titles and then order yours today:

1.     What Would Jesus Ask You Today?
2.     A Daily Taste of Proverbs
3.     A Daily Dose of Proverbs
4.     String of Pearls
5.     The Leadership Walk

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