Do you ever have a personal “to-do” list?  I do.  Every spring my wife and I sit down and write down our summer projects, which usually means work we hope to accomplish outside, like building a terrace, splitting next winter’s firewood, planting blackberries, etc.  Needless to say, our reach often exceeds our grasp, which means we dream up more things to do than we actually get done!  Sound familiar?

            I have another “to-do” list that is constantly rumbling around in my mind.  Those of you who are familiar with my work know that I have written a couple of books.  I have referenced them at the bottom of this blog for your perusal.  But the “to-do” list isn’t about the books that I have written.  It is about the multiple books that I want to write.  I get involved in the flow of writing and it seems that I come up with more and more ideas of another book that sounds good (hopefully!).  So, while I am writing one book I am planning another.

            For example, I wrote a book on marriage and relationships (Becoming An Inviting Target) and as soon as it was done and published, I was already planning a sequel because there is so much that I want to say that I missed in the first edition.  My second book (The Proverbial Man), based on the Book of Proverbs has led me to other applications of Solomon’s truths from that Bible book.  And my current work (What Fills Your Heart?) is spawning more themes from scripture about our heart and what the Bible says about it.

            OK, so enough with the promotions.  What I want to emphasize here is that I hope you have such a list rolling around in your mind.  I hope that you are never satisfied with what I will call “old news”.  In other words, don’t reach a certain level of accomplishment and quit.  There is always more!  When it comes to God’s Word, there is so much potential inspiration that I don’t think we could ever run out of ideas and applications.  But we have to be willing to dig and stretch ourselves. And, by the way, this is not age-limited! Are you in your 20’s or 30’s? Your mind is still soaking up information. Grab all you can and use it! Are you in you 60’s or 70″s (like me)? Don’t quit. Don’t give in to the lie that you are past your prime. You have experience and wisdom. Use that to keep pushing and growing mentally and spiritually. God’s truths are ageless and we should see ourselves in the same way!

            Let me say it another way: mental complacency is a dead end.  It is a killer of motivation and accomplishment.  Indifference to what the Spirit of God is willing to teach us leads us into a moribund (declining, dilapidated, dying) perspective that cheats us and others around us of some great truths to apply to our lives!

            So, I want to encourage you to get out there and get that list going!  Look beyond what you’ve already done and plan for more!  Have you read two books this year?  Great!  Read more.  Have you finished your formal education?  Good for you!  Now, plan to learn something that is new to you.  Are you writing a book?  Give it your all and keep making notes about the next one!

            As always, if you need a Life Coach to keep progress going, give me a call.  You can make things happen!

Chuck Phillips

Life Choices Christian Counseling,LLC

Licensed Christian Pastoral Counselor, N.C.C.A.

Board Certified Professional Life Coach, I.B.C.C.

LifeChoicesCLC.Com LifeChoicesCLC@gmail.com

573-280-5093

The following books are currently available on Amazon. I would love to see your review if you read them! Thanks!

Becoming An Inviting Target: Steps You Can Take to Make Yourself More Loveable

The Proverbial Man: A One-Year Devotional for Men From the Book of Proverbs