Reasons To Be Connected -- Reason 9

Pastor Ray McGinnis and his wife Marge, live in community at Heritage Village in Gerry, New York. It has been my great privilege to have grown up in the shadow of this preacher from West Virginia -- in my humble opinion he is a great man of faith. Being from West Virginia, Pastor Ray has numerous "home spun phrases" that clearly communicate wisdom. One phrase that is constantly popping up in my journey of faith is , "we can do together much more than we can do alone"

Today's reason -- reason number 9 -- why it is so important to be connected, connected to God and to others is connections make us more productive!

Each of us wants to make a difference in this world in which we live. Our life's impact will be largely determined by the quality of our personal connections -- our relationships. The better connected to God and to others, the greater the impact you will make.

Who is a part of your posse, your team? Who will you seek to make a team member? How will you connect with someone else today, so that together you have maximum impact?

Reasons To Be Connected - Reason 8

It was my first day at school, not elementary, but seminary. I had come to the gym at Asbury Theological Seminary to register for my first semester of classes. Enrolling for classes wasn't new to me, but I had never enrolled here. Fear of failure and what lied ahead chocked me. Standing there trying to decide what to do, like run and hide, I sensed others near me. One of the group came up to me and began a conversation and soon we were talking and walking ogether through the maze of confusion.

Today's reason - reason number 8 - why it is so important for us to be connected, connected to God and to others is connections increase our confidence.

Rick Warren constantly says: "We are better together." The more spiritually connected we are, the less likely we will struggle with fear and insecurity. We gain assurance in knowing that others have felt the way we do and have survived what we are currently facing.

Who are the "others" in your life -- no not the people on the island, but the people on your island? Who can you come alongside of today and encourage?

Reasons To Be Connected - Reason 7

She seemed to be suspended at this precarious angle for what seemed like an enormously long time, and then she found her balance and regained her stable footing. My daughter Cierra is a gymnast. Of all the events that she performs the most difficult for her is the balance beam - this 6 inch wide piece of wood suspended in the air. I have trouble just walking a straight line let alone trying to do flips and hand stands - the mental image you have at this moment is not a pretty one -- neither is the one I have.

Today's reason -- reason number 7 -- why it is important for us to be connected -- connected to God and to others, is that connections help us balance our lives.

In each of our lives we need to find balance. Memory is our connection to the past. Vision is our connection to the future. Awareness is our connection to today. Without a connection to the past we become rootless. Without a connection to the future we are hopeless. Without a connection to today we without passion. Without a connection to God we are powerless.

How are you doing? Are you staying on the beam? Are you struggling to stay on? What are you doing today that will help you maintain and grow your bablance?

Reasons To Be Connected - Reason 6

Almost 30 years ago, July 1979, I was ordained in the Free Methodist Church -- it hardly seems possible. As I have taken moments recently to reflect I have been gently reminded that I didn't come to that point or to this point in my life, without people who have significantly impacted me. People like Elmer C. Cook, Walter Janowski, Carson Reber, Richard Snyder, Dr. Stanger, Lyle Schaller, Jeff Patton and a host of others, none the least of which is my friend and spouse Linda.

Today's reason -- reason number 4 -- why it is important for us to be connected -- connected to God, and to others, is that connections keep us growing!

Knowing the right thing to do is rarely enough to keep us doing the right thing over the long haul. We need partners to do it with us and encourage us when we feel like giving up.What an incredible experience to be a part of a team!

Who are the people who are connected to you? Who encourage and motivate you? Who will you invest your life in?