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Reflections and Resources for Lifelong Learning for Missionaries

Category: Growth Plans Page 2 of 3

Crucibles Develop Our Capacity

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On July 9, 2015

In Training, Growth Plans

These days, I am following a training plan to prepare for a half marathon that I would like to run in September.  The training plan is progressive.  You start with running 4.8 km, then after a few weeks, you move up to 6.4 km.  When running 6.4 km is no longer a big challenge, then the training plan asks you to run 8 km.   A few weeks later, when 8 km becomes relatively easy, then you are asked to run 10 km, and so on.

There are no shortcuts. This is a 20-week plan and slowly builds capacity up to 21.1 km as you faithfully follow the plan.   Other training plans for half marathons may be shorter, but they all follow the same principle. You run longer and longer distances as your capacity increases over time.

I have also been reading the book of James these days and reflecting on the relationship between crucible experiences (trials) and our personal growth. James 1:3-4 reminds us that “the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James clearly says testing produces perseverance. But then just a few verses later, he seems to contradict himself by saying that perseverance is required to stand firm in a time of testing.

 

 

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)

So, which comes first – the perseverance or the trials?    Do we need trials to develop perseverance, or do we need perseverance to withstand trials?

The answer is “yes!”. I believe that the biblical pattern is that trials develop our capacity to withstand harder trials in the future.  What was overwhelming for me as a young man (preparing a message, leading a ministry) is no longer as intimidating. But God has other challenges before me, stretching me and building my capacity.   Just as in physical training, we experience the training effect in our spiritual lives as we follow God and his personal training program of problems, challenges, opportunities and suffering, carefully and uniquely designed for us. The program, if we follow it, will bring us to an ever-higher level of maturity and fruitfulness.

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What’s Best Next

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On December 15, 2014

In Book Reviews, Growth Plans

As we think about goals and priorities for the new year, we are frequently reminded of how often we have failed to reach our goals of previous years. Apparently only 8% of people who make New Year’s resolutions successfully accomplish their resolutions.

In our mission organization, we are asking all of our members to put together an Individual Growth Plan for 2015.  Being intentional about and planning our learning is important.  People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions.   But planning is only the first step.   Unless we carry out the plan, we are no further ahead at the end of next year.

How do we make sure that we get the most important things done?  How do we prevent our lives being crowded out by the tyranny of the urgent, leaving our good intentions and learning plans just gathering dust in our file cabinets?

To deal with this very real problem, I recommend a relatively new book (published March 2014) by Matt Perman on personal productivity – What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done. In contrast to many other books that seek to help you organize your life, Perman recognizes that God must determine our priorities and the purpose of our lives is not to make our lives comfortable and wealthy, but rather to bring glory to God and serve others in love.  As Matt’s blog says,

 

 

“Unique to any other book about maximizing personal productivity, What’s Best Next is a God-centered, gospel-oriented perspective that addresses the proper motivation to drive your productivity — serving others, to the glory of God.”

In the book itself, Matt says, “This is a book about getting things done and making ideas happen, with less friction and frustration, from a biblical perspective.”

But I think John Piper says it even better:

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Would the Apostle Paul Fill Out an IGP?

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On December 1, 2014

In Lifelong Learning, Growth Plans

Would the Apostle Paul fill out an Individual Growth Plan (IGP)?

YES!

The Apostle Paul was committed to life-long learning. We see this very clearly in Philippians 3:12-16. I will start quoting from verse 7 to pick up the context:

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that comes from faith – that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection of the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. (ESV)

Paul’s example of lifelong learning in Philippians 3:12-16 spells out the reality: we have not arrived. Twice Paul states that he has not arrived: in verse 12, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect” and in verse 13, “I do not consider that I have made it my own.” He recognizes that he has room to grow. Going through the IGP process begins with this recognition that we have room to grow. In verse 17, Paul urges us to “join in imitating me.” Imitation must start at this foundational level that we all can grow, we are not already perfect.

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Do-It-Yourself Retreats

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On March 3, 2014

In Growth Plans

I was recently browsing through articles on the SEND U Wiki and came across one I had not previously noticed entitled “A Do-It-Yourself Marriage Retreat.”

What a novel idea!! Maybe some missionaries are in the habit of doing something like this, but it had never even entered my mind before (and I have been bemoaning the fact that my husband and I haven’t been able to attend a marriage retreat for several years).

Many of you live in parts of the world where opportunities to attend marriage retreats are scarce, maybe even completely absent. Or it could be there isn’t enough free time in your schedule when a retreat finally IS offered (or maybe the problem is not enough money in your pocketbook). Yet it seems to me that the key emphasis of many marriage retreats is improving communication between husband and wife. The methods and questions posed in this article provide a fantastic starting point! I’m excited to try this in my own marriage, hopefully sometime soon, and encourage you to glance at this guide yourself and glean a few ideas.

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How do I Choose Which Books to Read?

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On August 17, 2013

In Books, Growth Plans, Learning Attitude

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” Harry S. Truman.

Reading has always been a hobby of mine.   One of my most memorable Christmases as a child was the one where my brother and I each were given 12 books by our parents.   I believe all of them were used books, but that made no difference at all to me.  The anticipation of being able to read as much as I wanted to read throughout the Christmas holidays overshadowed any other gifts that year.   For not only did I have 12 books to read; I had 24 for my brother’s books were fair game as well, once he had read them.

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