Want to learn the "unforced rhythms of grace"?

I have been on a quest all my life.

When it comes to the content of my life, many things are compelling for me--many things captivate my heart and move me toward my vision. The hunger to know God. The yearning for close, meaningful relationships. The aspiration to great purpose. But those are the "what"...and perhaps even the "why". More elusive in my journey has been the "how".

How do I become the man I'm meant to be? How do I pursue the vision I have for my life? Maybe it's because of my calling or my temperament or some other force, but my own personal demons tend to be those of drivenness, dissatisfaction, and the fear of failure. As a result, I have been on about a 20-year quest for what Jesus calls the "unforced rhythms of grace" (Matt 11:28-30 MSG).

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me?watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.

Can you contemplate the vast potential of 2008 for your life? Does it thrill you? Does it intimidate you? A little of both, perhaps? For myself, I've never before been confronted with such delightful and inspiring opportunities--the chance to nudge people's lives toward purpose, to empower a local church, to support new life coaches, to influence an industry through a magazine, to shape the lives of my children, just to name a few. At the same time, I've never before been confronted so powerfully by my own capacity to be selfish, to ignore my soul and its Creator, to self-destruct and so lose these precious opportunities.

In the face of both, I cling to the promise Jesus extends me--to learn the unforced rhythms of grace. This has become my greatest prayer and expectation for the months and minutes that comprise 2008. This is my quest...and I invite you to share it with me, to walk with this "company" and live freely and lightly!

Purposefully,
Jerome

The Music of Your Life

As a musician, this concept of "rhythm" connects with me on a pretty deep level. When you're playing with a band, rhythm is what keeps you in sync with the other musicians and with the heart of the song. And whether it's a ballad or a rocker, the rhythm keeps you from either rushing forward or dragging behind; it's as soulful as breathing and as intuitive as your heartbeat. When you're in the groove, it's effortless.

And that's the way I want to live. How about you?

Since a coach never stops with theory, let's talk function. Prayerfully answer these questions...and use that as the basis for creating a year that is truly NEW. Unchained from the past. Rich with possibility.

1. Do you have any unfinished emotional business from 2007 that might be a hindrance going forward? If so, what are you going to do about it?

2. What was "heavy or ill-fitting" for you in 2007? Are you ready to toss that old system or habit aside and find something "free and light"?

3. How do you keep company with Jesus? How do want to incorporate that more intentionally into your year?

4. What people are meant to be in "your company" this year? What changes are necessary to maximize their role in your life?

5. What practice(s) do you believe might be part of your new unforced rhythm this year?

6. At the end of 2008, what do you want to look back upon and note as the substance of your year? How can you best position yourself now for that to become reality?

Are you "LinkedIN"?

I have been slow to participate in the many new business and social networking sites popping up...but I'm starting to, beginning with LinkedIn. If you're not familiar with it, this online network is geared toward businesspeople who want to help people they believe in get connected.

If you have a service or product you'd like to make more visible, I encourage you to check it out. You can review my site here (click the graphic), sign up for your own free service, and then connect our sites.

Drink coffee. Do good.

This fall I got introduced to a remarkable venture called Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee. A group of visionaries have put together a plan to help the ravaged country of Rwanda reclaim one of its prime resources--excellent coffee--and in so doing, help its people reclaim their self-respect and national unity.

In April 1994, Rwanda (a country half the size of the state of Maryland) experienced one of history's most atrocious genocides. In just 100 days, 1 million ethnic Tutsi and moderate Hutu sympathizers lost their lives to the hands of extremist Hutu militia. Now, you can play a simple part in their healing. By buying your coffee online here, you can help fuel powerful efforts to reconcile perpetrators and survivors, restore communities, and provide microfinance loans to industrious widows.

None of this works, of course, unless the coffee really is exquisite...and as a recovering coffee snob, I can attest that it is! But read their story below for yourself, and then place an order to try it out.