Bring and share

So, without further ado, our first meeting for the year will be on Tuesday 30th January from 7 – 8.30 in the PDM office. As you saw from the subject heading, it is a bring and share BUT WAIT… it's not one of the typical ones, but a SPIRITUAL bring and share.



What on earth does this mean? Well, I'm glad you asked!



Each one must bring something (anything, according to your gifts or whatever you feel led to bring) to share with the group. For instance, it can be a scripture, a word of encouragement, some food, some revelation that the Lord has shared with you lately, a song, a bookmark or something you made, etc, etc. Have I given you enough good ideas????



One way or the other, we are all going to leave feeling very blessed because of each other's God-given gifts.



So to recap, bring something to share (enough for about 6 – 8 people), and your offering. Oh, and also any old forms and stuff from last year. We are going to check them all in and start the year on a clean slate with new ideas.



Lots of love

Ps Marcia

Mugg and Bean - part 1 Friday 24/11/06

The PDM consultants had their year-end social at the Mugg & Bean (Eastgate) on Friday night.

Etienne visited with Karen, Balazs and Ps Marcia before he left at 7:45. Unfortunately this was before the others arrived so he is not in the group picture.

Blurry group shot - don't you hate when this happens?!

Standing, from left - Teresa, Balazs, Anthony, Abel, Gary and Vanessa

Seated, from left - Priscilla, Dion, Marcia and Karen

Ps Marcia and Karen

Karen, Balazs and Anthony

Mugg and Bean - part 2

Teresa, Priscilla and Dion.

Priscilla seems to be enjoying her Chicken Pot Pie

Gary, Abel, Vanessa and Teresa.

Likewise, Abel and Gary with their steaks

Teresa's meal - delicious!

have you seen Faith like Potatoes?

Faith like Potatoes opened countrywide on the 27th of October 2006.

Nu Metro recently announced that the movie had the highest box office of any of their movies' for the first weekend of November 2006.

To date, over 100 000 people have already seen the movie in theatres and rural screenings in South Africa.

The movie has also made Official Selection at the Apollo Film Festival (South Africa), the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (USA), the Australian International Film Festival and the Sabaoth International Film Festival in Milan, Italy.

This past weekend, by unanimous decision and as voted by the public, Faith Like Potatoes won the 2006 People's Choice Award at the Sabaoth International Film Festival in Milan, Italy
(http://www.sabaothfestival.com/film.php?id=1&lingua=en ).

On the biggest, respected and most award-winning movie site on the web, Internet Movie Database (IMDB), the film has already received a rating of 7.5 out of 10 stars by world-wide viewers (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0850667/)The double-disc special features DVD releases 1 December 2006.

To find out more, visit: www.faithlikepotatoes.com
Source: http://www.faithlikepotatoes.com

Imagination is more important than knowledge!

A person who has imagination is actually able to see things that are invisible. I am not one hundred percent sure who first said that imagination is more important than knowledge but, I believe Albert Einstein is credited with the quote. I am confident, however, that many other people before him knew the value of having a dream, seeing the impossible and attempting things never before done!

God created us to be creators. When I was in seminary, I had a professor who told us that the first thing that we ever learn about God is found in the opening words of His book..“In the beginning, God created..” The professor said that when we are in a creative mode, trying to bring about things that have never been done before, we are in a mode that is perhaps more like God than at any other time. When you create things that are helpful to other people, you are imitating the very God of the universe who created everything that is visible around us.

To know that I have the ability to create something that will help people, encourage others, or be a blessing to someone’s life, is really a phenomenal concept. And just think..it all begins with my imagination.

One of my favorite things to do is to read stories about how things came into existence. I have a book entitled, “Mistakes That Worked.” The author’s incredible research points out how many things had their beginning in someone’s imagination. Even though the ideas did not seem to work at the time, they eventually were discovered to be wonderful inventions.

One of my favorite stories was about chocolate chip cookies. A woman who was baking cookies for a friend put chocolate morsels in the cookies thinking that they would melt and the cookies would be totally chocolate. When she removed them from the oven, she was surprised to find that the chocolate morsels had not melted at all! They had stayed intact and although soft, the cookies had not turned entirely dark or chocolate in color, and that the chocolate chips had remained in place.

The woman was ready to throw away the whole batch because she was certain the cookies were ruined. But, it was late and her friend was waiting for the cookies so they decided to try them anyway. The friend took one bite of the cookie said, “These are the best cookies that I have ever put in my mouth!”

Of course, we all know what a big hit that “mistake” was! How many of us can even live without chocolate chip cookies?!

I also love the imagination of the old English cook who enjoyed cooking potatoes. He had one particular patron who loved the fact that he cut the potatoes very thinly. One night the patron asked the cook if it were possible to cut them even thinner. The old cook decided that he would cut the potatoes so thin it would be hard to recognize that they were even potatoes! Then he fried them and called them “potato chips” and thus, imagination brought about another new creation.

Can you see why I like these stories? They illustrate how someone’s imagination created an invention that has been a help, a blessing or an addition to all of our lives.

New creations are constantly being invented. Most of our grandparents who are still living today have seen the world change more in the past 100 years than it has been changed in several thousand years! And all of this is as a direct result of someone’s imagination.

Let me encourage you this week to become more of a creator. Begin to imagine what CAN be done. Look at possibilities that have never been done before or tried before. Why not become the creator or inventor of one of these ideas yourself? All it takes is a little imagination and it may take you and, perhaps the whole world, to a brand new level.

Imagination is more important than knowledge!

By Robert Rohm Ph D. Personality Insights, Inc.
www.personalityinsights.com

Personality tests

If you take this one, let me know what you are. I'm a Guardian and an ESTJ

Guardians are the cornerstone of society, for they are the temperament given to serving and preserving our most important social institutions. Guardians have natural talent in managing goods and services--from supervision to maintenance and supply--and they use all their skills to keep things running smoothly in their families, communities, schools, churches, hospitals, and businesses.

Guardians can have a lot of fun with their friends, but they are quite serious about their duties and responsibilities. Guardians take pride in being dependable and trustworthy; if there's a job to be done, they can be counted on to put their shoulder to the wheel. Guardians also believe in law and order, and sometimes worry that respect for authority, even a fundamental sense of right and wrong, is being lost. Perhaps this is why Guardians honor customs and traditions so strongly--they are familiar patterns that help bring stability to our modern, fast-paced world.

Practical and down-to-earth, Guardians believe in following the rules and cooperating with others. They are not very comfortable winging it or blazing new trails; working steadily within the system is the Guardian way, for in the long run loyalty, discipline, and teamwork get the job done right. Guardians are meticulous about schedules and have a sharp eye for proper procedures. They are cautious about change, even though they know that change can be healthy for an institution. Better to go slowly, they say, and look before you leap.

Guardians make up as much as 40 to 45 percent of the population.

The Four types of Guardians are:
Supervisors (ESTJ) Protectors (ISFJ) Inspectors (ISTJ) Providers (ESFJ)

House of Coffees social

Hi all

On Friday 6 October, we had supper together at the House of Coffees, next to Mimmos in Kensington.

Here is the first picture that we took with our new camera (the pictures will improve as we get used to it, I'm sure).

From left to right - Karen, Etienne, Francky, Marcia, Anthony and Teresa


Later that evening, I received a call from Vanessa. Originally she told me that they going to join us because they were going to PUSH but they turned up after all. Yippee!

and here is the second picture...

From left to right - Karen, Gary, Dion, Anthony, Jared and Vanessa

Minutes of meeting - Tues, 26 Sept 2006

***Newsflash**** Don't forget our social this Friday 6th Oct at House of Coffees, Park Meadows (next to Mimmos).
PDM Consultants will pay R10 per consultant. Spouses must pay for themselves

Present
1. Marcia Francois
2. Anthony Olckers
3. Teresa Olckers
4. Karen de Beer

Apologies
1. Etienne Kalp


Open in prayer
Marcia


Business
Teresa
Outstanding RFA
Eagles have a few listed, but it could be part of the Group Assessments which were done. Consultants to check list and confirm. Teresa has checked the NTU’s and it does not include any of the RFA list.


What to do to get more assessments?
It was suggested that we try and get an announcement on the overhead before the services. We should work at getting interest increased.
Marcia will email Ps Jackie


Teambuilding :
Coffee at “House of Coffee” to be held on the 6 October 2006 from 18h30 - 20h30

Teamleaders to confirm with teams

Close in prayer
Anthony

Faith like Potatoes

Global Creative Studios' first feature film premieres to rave reviews
Global Creative Studios' first feature film, Faith like Potatoes, premiered to a star-studded line up at MonteCasino and has already been selected for two international film festivals. The MonteCasino premiere included the who's who of South African actors, moviemakers, entertainers, sports people, Christian leaders and musicians.

The movie Faith like Potatoes was inspired by the autobiography of Angus Buchan and adapted to the big screen by award-winning director and actor, Regardt van den Bergh. It tells the moving life story of a Zambian farmer of Scottish heritage, played by well-known South African actor, Frank Rautenbach, who leaves his farm in the midst of political unrest and travels south with his family to start a new life in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Faced with ever mounting challenges, hardships and personal turmoil, Angus quickly spirals down into a life consumed by anger, fear and destruction. The movie captures the life journey of a man who, like his potatoes, grows his faith, unseen until the harvest.

Central to the story are the relationships between Angus and his wife, Jill, played by talented newcomer, Jeanne Wilhelm and his Zulu foreman, Simeon Bhengu, played by veteran actor, director and writer Hamilton Dhlamini.

Produced by Global Creative Studios, this movie was a personal journey for all who worked on it. Motivated to tell stories that inspire and motivate people and to impact communities wherever they go, nowhere was this more evident than in the little town of Greytown, where the movie was shot, with over R3 million being injected into the area.

Global Creative Studios, a relative newcomer to the movie industry, is creating quite a stir in the film industry as far afield as Australia and America with Faith like Potatoes contending in two prestigious international film festivals, The Fort Lauderdale International Festival and the Australian International Film Festival. The studio is currently working on two other exciting projects, The Hansie Cronje Story and The Choice, the story of Gayton McKenzie, which will be released in the coming year.

Frans Cronje, producer and owner of Global Creative Studios and director, Regardt van den Bergh, opened the movie with a moving speech about the inspiration and motivation behind the movie and the belief that this movie will bring the message of hope into the world.

After the screening, guests were invited to a private function room where they could mingle and chat to the cast. South African actress Kim Engelbrecht described the film as "a soothing tale which made me question my faith", while Springbok rugby player Pierre Spies commented that "Faith moves the world and the world needs to be moved" adding laughingly, "God will use potatoes if He needs to."

Cricketers Justin Ontong and Garnett Kruger were also there as was Olympic champion Ryk Neethling who found the movie emotional and was deeply touched by it. Other guests included well-known South African singer, Sonja Herholdt and Flava-Xolani Alexander of clothing label `Flava'. Londi Sibisi from eTV's The ShowBiz Report was also there interviewing Frank Rautenbach and Jeanne Wilhelm on the red carpet before going in to view the film.

The movie opens at cinemas around South Africa on the 27th of October and will also be shown in town halls, churches and other venues in towns where cinema complexes are not available.

A significant share of the profits from the movie will go towards Angus Buchan's work, part of which is the Shalom Children's Home, a charity established by Angus and Jill Buchan.

For more information visit the website: www.faithlikepotatoes.com or contact Global Creative Studios on (021) 981 6927.

Minutes of meeting

Present
Ps Marcia Francois
Vanessa Yusuf
Karen de Beer
Madelaine de Beer
Etienne Kalp

Apologies
Anthony & Teresa Olckers
Barry de Beer


Open in prayer
Ps Marcia

Praise and Worship
Ps Marcia

Offering - Ps Marcia
What you are grateful for that God has done in your life. God’s grace.
Karen prayed over offering
R70 was received and R7 tithed

Business Ps Marcia
- Look at updated list – is it correct?
- Update on group assessments – feedback on success (Madelaine)
- Gauge where consultants are in terms of motivation levels

Updates
- Feedback on PDM course & impact on our ministry
- Feedback on Ministry Meeting – Ps Greg spoke about success, Ps Jackie showed Ministry Fair video and thanked the ministries who were involved

Food & fellowship Marcia
(tea/coffee, muffins and hot cross buns)

Tribute to Steve Irwin

I heard on the news yesterday that Steve Irwin died.

Steve was definitely someone who lived his passion. I don't even like crocodiles or any animals for that matter and this man had me so hooked that I sat through a show on crocodiles! His passion was so contagious and he inspired people.

I talk often on the Consultants Course about Steve, who was also known as the Crocodile Hunter. I'm sure you all saw him on Oprah and the Discovery Channel.

If you want to go read some more, visit his official website. At the moment there is nothing about his death on there.
http://www.crocodilehunter.com.au/

Stephen Robert Irwin was born to Lyn and Bob Irwin in Victoria in February 1962. Bob Irwin was a keen enthusiast of reptiles and moved his family to Queensland in 1970 to start a small reptile park at Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast. Australia Zoo became a true family business, flourishing until 1991 when Bob & Lyn retired, turning over management to their son, Steve.
Living in the Zoo, Steve grew up with animals of all kinds, taking part in the animals daily feeding, care and maintenance. His 6th birthday present was what he had always wanted – his very own scrub python! It was 3.6m (12ft) long and while most other children were opening cans of pet food for their cats or dogs, Steve was out catching fish and hunting rodents to feed to his crocodiles and snakes.

Bob taught the young Steve everything there was to know about reptiles – even teaching his nine-year-old how to jump in and catch crocodiles in the rivers of North Queensland at night. This father and son’s proud boast is that every crocodile in their Zoo (the numbering some 100 animals) was either caught by their bare hands or bred and raised in their Zoo.

As he grew older Steve followed in his father’s footsteps and volunteered his services to the Queensland Governments East Coast Crocodile Management program which saw him spend years living on his own in the mosquito infested creeks, rivers and mangroves of North Queensland catching huge crocodiles single-handed. His record of successful catches is still staggering to this day.

Since 1991, Australia Zoo has flourished and expanded under Steve’s guidance. In 1990 a chance reunion with his friend, television producer John Stainton, filming in the Zoo for a TV commercial, gave Steve the opportunity to show his diverse animal talents to the world when they both took a punt and make the first documentary, "The Crocodile Hunter" in 1992.
The tremendous success of this one program quickly encouraged the making of more and so over the next 3 years, 10 one hour episodes were made and on television screens all over the world. Steve has now filmed over 70 episodes of "The Crocodile Hunter", 53 episodes of "Croc Files", 43 episodes of “Croc Diaries” and his next television series is called “The New Breed Vets” for release in 2005.

Steve has the greatest respect and understanding for all animals – something that has been instilled into him by his family for all of his life – and he's proud to share his passion with everyone who visits his Zoo and with his five hundred million viewers world-wide. In June 1992, Steve married Terri Raines from Oregon USA. They had met a few months earlier when Terri visited the Zoo whilst on holidays in Australia. They now spend their lives together educating people everywhere to care for all of our world’s wildlife.

Have a passionate week!

Ps Marcia

Update
I was catching up on some blogs that I read and I found a link with some news
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060904/ap_on_en_tv/obit_irwin

Minutes of meeting - Saturday, 29 July 2006

Present
1. Marcia Francois
2. Anthony Olckers
3. Teresa Olckers
4. Madelaine de Beer
5. Barry de Beer
6. Karen de Beer

Apologies
1. Vanessa Gomes
2. Priscilla Makhiwane


Opening Prayer
Anthony

Future meeting times:
The meeting attendees decided after trying to have PDM Consultant meetings during weeknights and also on Saturdays, the best time to have future meetings are:
The last Tuesday night of each month from 7 – 9pm, effective from August onwards.
Consultants will be expected to attend the consultant meeting instead of doing PDM Assessments.
The next PDM Consultant’s meeting will be on the 29th August 2006 at 7pm.

Ideas to manage the Volume of outstanding PDM Assessments:


Idea #1: Mini mass assessment
A mini-mass assessment was arranged with between 2 – 5 people on one evening in the week
The entire PDM Assessment was done with the attendees and they also scored their forms
The consultant then gave 15-minute feedback to each attendee.
The process of assessment took 1-hour and the feedback took 15 – 20 minutes each.
Teresa


- Those who are interested in doing mini mass assessments should inform Ps Marcia the size groups they are prepared to take on so she can allocate attendees:
- Ps Marcia will give the consultant similar age and gender people for the consultant
- The consultant to check if the attendee is comfortable and willing to do their assessment with other people (some prefer private one-on-one assessments)
- Office booking will be essential – call at 828-0880 or email Ps Jackie at jackie@cfcsa.co.za and ensure she confirms your booking with an email reply
- Assess the attendees language level

Idea #2: PDM Course
- Occur one day/night of the week for six to eight weeks
- Details still to be confirmed and updated at next consultant meeting
PDM Committee on 12 August


List of PDM Assessments
- Attendees were to confirm the details were correct


Closing Prayer
Teresa

FOLLOW YOUR BLISS by Steve Goodier

Author Joseph Campbell often talked about “following your bliss.” I heard of a bus driver in Chicago who does just that. He sings while he drives. That’s right... sings! And I don’t mean he sings softly to himself, either. He sings so that the whole bus can hear! All day long he drives and sings.

He was once interviewed on Chicago television. He said that he is not actually a bus driver. “I’m a professional singer,” he asserted. “I only drive the bus to get a captive audience every single day.

His “bliss” is not driving a bus, though that may be a source of enjoyment for some people. His bliss is singing. And the supervisors at the Chicago Transit Authority are perfectly happy about the whole arrangement. You see, people line up to ride his bus. They even let other busses pass by so they can ride with the “singing bus driver.” They love it!

Here is a man who believes he knows why he was put here on earth. For him, it is to make people happy. And the more he sings, the more people he makes happy! He has found a way to align his purpose in living with his occupation. By following his bliss, he is actually living the kind of life he believes he was meant to live.

Not everybody can identify a purpose in life. But when you do, and when you pursue it, you will be living the kind of life you feel you were meant to live. And what’s more, you will be happy.

Know Your Innate, Natural Talents

You have all you need to make your life work. Look to your natural talents to guide you in life. You know, those things you do so well that you don’t even have to think about it. It is those abilities that come naturally to you that will help you build your confidence in other areas of your life.

Begin with your strengths! Too many times people focus on what they need to work on—their weaknesses. And get burned out. How much better it is to begin with your talent. Your God-given talents can give you the courage to bridge over to the areas you need work on.

Do you even know your innate talents? Can you name seven of them in less than a minute? Try it. Take a minute right now to list seven innate abilities you have.

I bet if I asked you to name seven things about you that you need to improve, you would come up with all seven in seconds! What’s wrong with this picture?

Rethink how you think! Okay. Now, write down seven one-word positives about you. What are you just naturally good at?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Are you using those talents every day—in work, at home, in your relationships? If not, why not? You are missing out on a powerful process of building courage, cultivating faith and conquering fear!

Know Your Innate, Natural Talents and Use Them Every Day!

Have a great day!
Lisa Jimenez
____________
Lisa Jimenez, M. Ed., has helped thousands of people shatter
their self-limiting beliefs and finally get the breakthrough
success they want. You can visit her website at
http://www.getmotivation.com/qk.cgi/lisa-jimenez

And another quick note about passion...

Who of you love reading insurance contracts, medical aid packs and legal contracts? I'm guessing no-one.

I've been checking some assessments and to be quite straightforward, even I don't know what you're trying to say (and I teach this stuff), so how will the pastors and ministry reps understand?

Please define the passion in plain English, not fancy, churchy language.

Dion Francois, the plain language expert at Discovery, defines plain English as:

1. not using big words
2. writing in a fairly informal tone, just like we speak
3. describing simply
4. not unnecessarily complicating things

Ask yourself if a 12 year-old child would understand.

If yes, then you've got it right!

A quick note about the personal style assessment

When you do a and the scores are 20, 21 (this is never allowed) or 22, let the person go through that section again to make sure that they chose their answers properly.

Nine times out of ten, the answers change and become more pronounced one way or the other. It takes literally 2 minutes but this is going the extra mile!

For me, an assessment with scores of 20 and 22 is indicative of someone trying to change their personality to fit in. They are probably so used to it that it almost feels normal but remember, it’s the natural tendencies we’re after.

Any questions? Please email me.

Thanks
Ps Marcia

Guest article - My “Top 10” List for Financial Success

My “Top 10” List for Financial Success by Michelle Jones

You don’t have to be wealthy to be successful in my book, in fact, many of my most favorite people in this world have very little money at all.

However, I also believe it is important that we manage our money and
resources well, so that we can provide for our families and have more to
share with others...

Read the rest of the article here

Top 7 Questions to Ask as You Start Each Day Purposefully

Living with purpose and passion is based upon decision. You may choose to live day after day, one after another, in a completely ordinary existence. OR you can choose to greet each day with a possibility mindset. A purposeful mindset. A Passionate mindset. Begin each day with these questions and be amazed.

1. Why is it important for me to engage myself in my work passionately and purposefully each day?
2. How will I choose to allow my attitude to affect how I address stressful situations at work today? How can I be more effective and proactive in regards to stress and attitude?
3. When am I most likely to react with the most passion and purpose today? Meeting with clients? Working on my computer? Following up on a lead? Take note of what makes your passion come alive, so you can use it to better your work performance.
4. Where within the organization am I best able to express my passion and purpose? Is it working with my peers? My supervisors? Clients? Interdepartmentally? Where physically do I perform the most purposefully?
5. With whom do I need to spend time in order to maintain balance as I pursue my passion and purpose? Within the organization, who best supports me?
6. What choices will I make today that align my purpose and passion with the tasks at hand at work?
7. Who am I called to be today as an expression of my passion for living?

Julie Jordan Scott is the Director of Live Passionately Today Coaching Services. She recently left her job with the County of Kern to follow her life purpose and passion, and is now working with clients from as far away as Norway and Ireland.
For more information about her free coaching offer,
send an email to freecoach@5passions.com

Minutes of meeting - Saturday, 24 June 2006

Absent/Apologies
Barry - away for weekend
Madelaine - away for weekend
Karen - Wedding
Ettienne - none
Francky -none
Dion - sick
Adefioye - Teresa could not get hold of to advise of the meeting

Present
Marcia
Vanessa
Teresa
Anthony
Abel
Patricia

Agenda
1. Anthony opened in prayer
2. Anthony prayed for consultants in general
3. Ps Marcia -Outstanding assessments - Consultants to check the list of allocated assessments and ensure that all allocated on the list are physically present with them. If not, speak to your respective team leader.
4. Ps Marcia - A blog has been created to assist with effective communication. However, consultants have not subscribed to receive automatic updates. As a result additional work has been created because extra e-mails/telephone calls have to be made to inform consultants of the new information. Consultants are to check e-mail addresses and and confirm receipt of e-mails when sent out. All present confirmed that e-mail is the preferred medium of communication.
5. Teresa will make little notes for meetings/important event and place in consultants' folders as reminders.
6. Ps Marcia/ Teresa - Ps Marcia informed that her job is quite demanding and she would not use her employer's resources to respond to "please call me" SMSs,etc. Consultants are to refrain from using please call me SMSs as they will not be responded to. However, normal SMS will be answered after 8:00 pm in the evening.
7. Vanessa - suggested that Consultants are paired and take responsibility for one another. This would be for praying, reminders, etc. making sure that each person is accountable to someone in the ministry. Teamleaders to appoint pairs. Marcia & Madelaine, Vanessa & Karen, Barry & Dion
8. Ps Marcia - Teambuilding : It was decided that we do the "Amazing Maze" during winter and for our next teambuilding. Previous event had to be cancelled because of rain. details have been posted on the BLOG. Concerns were raised about "Salsa Dancing" and Ps Marcia will get more details. [here is the link with all details: http://pdmconsultants.blogspot.com/2006/02/were-going-salsa-dancing.html ]
9. Teresa - Consultant of the month : Karen & Vanessa. Both were elected because of their commitment to the ministry. They have been a tremendous blessing during the PDM weekend. Karen, despite her ordeal, assisted cheerfully during all of the services, and was also prepared to come after work to come help set up. Vanessa also willingly assisted with our table and the refreshments stand, and was a great help with setting up the venue for the ministry fair on the Sat morning. Well done to both - you guys rock!!!!!!!!!!!
10. Ps Marcia - Currently there is a lot of administration which must be taken care of. The previous arrangement of a two weekly rotating system did not succeed. Anthony suggested that specific tasks are delegated to individuals, who must then feedback to Ps Marcia when done. Great idea - you will all be receiving your tasks so keep checking the folders.
11. Teresa :What personal challenges are they facing with assessments?
Vanessa -People who do not keep appointments (Vanessa's task will be to phone-screen requests received from CGS to ensure that requestors are indeed interested in being assessed). Thank you, Vanessa.
Priscilla - Time management (Recommendation : to seek professional assistance in this regard)
Abel - None
Anthony- None
Teresa - None
12. Teresa : Tithes & Offering - Luke 6v38. R70 was received and R7 tithe was paid.

Meeting closed in prayer by Teresa.

Passionate Lessons from Children

Conventional wisdom would tell us that, as children and young adults, we go through a period of education, maturation, and learning. We grow in wisdom and experience with each birthday.

Hopefully, the process of collecting knowledge and applying it in our lives becomes an ongoing lifelong pursuit. Contrary to this notion, however, is the fact that there are some things we mastered as small children that we somehow lost along the way.

I regularly speak before arenas, convention centers, and corporate meetings in front of thousands of people. These people are mostly upwardly mobile, intelligent business leaders. They have all been well educated and well trained.

Let’s say, during one such presentation in front of 10,000 people, I asked for volunteers from the audience to come up on stage and sing a song, do a dance, or draw a picture.

How many of these 10,000 well educated people would you think would rush up on stage to demonstrate their talents? I’m sure you can agree with me that it would be far less than one percent.

On the other hand, what if—instead of these mature business leaders—we had a group of five year olds? When we called for volunteers to sing, dance, or draw, how many of these kindergartners would volunteer? You and I both know it would be virtually all of them.

Most of the adults would give the excuse that they have no talent in any of these creative arts. On the other hand, the kids don’t know and furthermore don’t care. The children are willing to express themselves without fear of consequence.

This is an asset we all had that most of us have long since lost. Somewhere along the line we got the message that unless you can do something competently or professionally, you shouldn’t do it at all.

Intellectually we understand that in order to do anything competently and professionally, you must first be willing to do it poorly.

This lack of willingness to be vulnerable relegates most adults in our society to move farther and farther down an ever-narrowing road. They are not willing to try new things and experience that which is outside of their realm of comfort.

As you go through your day today, look for new things and experiences you would like to add to your life. Be willing to be vulnerable enough to be bad in the beginning so you can perform masterfully in the future.

Today’s the day!
__________
Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television
Network, as well as a published author of many books
including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and
motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South
Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082, or by
e-mail at JimStovall@aol.com