Book Review: "Beginner's Pluck"

Beginner's Pluck: Build Your Life of Purpose and Impact Now by Liz Forkin Bohannon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I got to see Liz Bohannon (via webcast) at the 2019 Global Leadership Summit where she endeared the whole audience and inspired everyone to not play small with this one big life we get AND where she literally flew over the audience. Anyway, her determination and yes, PLUCK, inspired me to buy her book; and I was not I disappointed.

Liz is so full of life and spirit and adventure and shows you just how fun life can be when you are following after God and trying to make a difference!

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Book Review: "The Divine Mentor"

 

The Divine Mentor: Growing Your Faith as You Sit at the Feet of the Savior by Wayne Cordeiro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Our church board read this book together. Pastor Wayne Cordeiro really demonstrates the importance of reading the Bible for a relationship and for wisdom. It's a good reminder that it's not something to just check off on a to-do list. One of the most practical takeaways for me was just in how to approach devotional time: with my Bible (obviously), a notebook, a pen, a Bible reading plan, AND my planner. The planner is for when my mind starts to wonder to my to-do list, write it down (brain dump) and the move on. This simple tip has so helped me to focus better!

Favorite Excerpts:

"Protecting and cultivating your spiritual root system is not a pill to swallow that automatically will bring you health, wealth, and a perfect family. But it will give you wide-open access to an all-wise, all-powerful God who will personally walk with you step by step. You’ll embark on an adventure that will introduce you to lifelong mentors who may save your health, your marriage, your ministry, and your future."

"I hate to break the bad news to you, but about 80 percent of all you do, anyone can do! For example, going to work, attending meetings, checking e-mail, answering phones, going to soccer games and lunches and dinners. Additionally, about 15 percent of all you do someone with some measure of training could do in your place. Whether it’s selling a product, running a program, teaching a class, or fixing a problem, there is education and training available for someone else to do what you do. But at least 5 percent of what you do, only you can do. No one else can do it for you.
The last 5 percent . . . it’s something we have to discover and then be responsible for. • • Only I can be a husband/wife to my spouse. • • Only I can be a father/mother to my children. • • Only I can grow myself spiritually. • • Only I can keep myself healthy. • • Only I can keep myself disciplined."

"Neglecting devotions will cause you more problems, more quickly, than just about anything you can name. Spending unrushed time alone with God in His Word releases a fountain of refreshment from the very core of your being."

"When you miss your devotions one day, you notice. When you miss them two days, your spouse and kids notice. And when you miss them three days, the world notices."





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Book Review: "Hope in the Dark"

Hope in the Dark: Believing God Is Good When Life Is Not by Craig Groeschel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Favorite Snippets:

"Honest questions, sincere doubts, and deep hurts can draw you closer to God than you’ve ever been before."

"To really know God, you have to wrestle through pain, struggle with honest doubts, and even live with unanswered questions. So while I won’t promise you that God is your copilot or that the Bible says it and that settles it, I will promise you this: if you wrestle with him, seek him, cling to him, God will meet you in your pain."

"WHEN YOU’RE GOING THROUGH A SEASON OF STRUGGLING WITH God, remember: Habakkuk’s name means both to wrestle and to embrace. You can wrestle with God about all that you don’t like, yet simultaneously embrace him because he is good and trustworthy."

"Over time, as you grow in the grace of God, what normally would have rocked your world becomes something you can take in stride, knowing God is with you and will carry you when you are weak. "

"Even though I don’t like it, even though I don’t understand it, even though I know he could and he should but he’s not, yet will I trust in the Lord my God.”

Pray: Even though … I will trust you. You are my God.

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Book Review: "The Power of Moments"

The Power of Moments: Why Certain Moments Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip Heath
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In my various leadership roles and even my job as a real estate agent, this book challenged me to do better at making the little moments special. The first day on the job, the first meeting, the first showing, the closing table, etc.  All of these moments have the power to make someone feel valued, appreciated, loved and should not be taken for granted. 

Here is a good checklist that we should make sure our team can answer:

"1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?
2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
3. Do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for good work? (Validation.)
5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person? (Caring.)
6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development? (Understanding. Caring.)" 

Addressing these 6 answers/needs helps foster a positive work environment.

All-in, lots of good takeaways for any one who wants to be a better leader/influencer!

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