Author Archives: Dr. Mike Courtney

11/25/24  MondayMatters: Inertia

11/25/24 MondayMatters: Inertia

Momentum is a magnificent word. I believe more things are accomplished because of momentum or not accomplished because of a lack of momentum than anything else. If you desire to have a fantastic 2025 then creating momentum now is crucial. Here is a much too long description of, and invitation to, starting a great 2025 right now. 4 steps to finishing this year well and getting ready, already, for next year.

Here’s the video: https://youtu.be/LPjRLjIZpkw

And here’s the text.

Inertia: It is easier to direct an object in motion than an object at rest. Newton’s First Law of Motion
So what can we do NOW to make 2025 better?
  1. Make a rigorous ASSESSMENT.
                      What have I done well?
                        Where can I grow?
Seven Areas of Opportunity
  1. Spiritually
  2. Physically
  3. Financially
  4. Productively
  5. Relationally
  6. Intellectually
  7. Ministerially

 

2. Do an honest EVALUATION.
            What have I accomplished this year?
            What have I left undone?
            What can I still finish?
Finishing Well
  1. Keep on pushing.
  2. Stay focused.
  3. Create a plan.
  4. Use a check-list.
  5. Give yourself GRACE.
3. Write a current INVENTORY.
What circumstances have changed?
What relationships are different?
What resources have I added?
What vision has refocused?
What direction has God given me?
  1. Establish some year-end MOMENTUM.
          Start something new.
          End something not productive.
          Prepare your information.
          Postpone one big stumbling block.
          Just do it. Get going.
And here’s an INVITATION.
December 1 to January 19
50 Day, Momentum-Building, Spiritual Adventure
Join me for 50 days of being intentional about our walk with Christ. I will post something on this blog site each day for us to think about together. We will also commit to these things:
1. We will begin reading the Bible together each day. We will jump in on December 1st with Brian on the Daily Audio Bible. Go download that app now.
2. We will pray together at the Prayer Wall. Each week we will add a brick, until there are 7 bricks to our daily prayer wall.
3. We will learn to journal. Each day we will write a VERY brief thought about what God is saying to us. Get a little notebook now.
4. We will fast for 21 days during the middle of our 50 Day Adventure. Not a full fast but we will learn about it. Plan for it. And benefit from it.
5. We will read one book during this 50 days. I’ll recommend a couple or feel free to choose one yourself and tell us about it.
6. We will begin a simple exercise program, maybe walking 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week. (or more.) And tell is about it.
7. Finally, I invite you to 2 spiritual retreats in 50 days, one the last week of December and one in January. About  3-4 hours of online spiritual meditation, prayer, scripture reading, and growing.
If your interested, respond here, or on somewhere 🙂  and we will start building momentum.

To see more of this discussion in print I urge you to go to  Facebook  @cmichaelcourtney 

11/18/24 MondayMatters: When Helping Hurts

11/18/24 MondayMatters: When Helping Hurts

Have you ever been caught in one of those situations where your efforts to help were turned against you and everything was worse instead of better? What do you do when your best efforts are misunderstood, rejected, and used as a club to batter you with? It happens to the best of us. Here are… Continue Reading

11/11/24  MondayMatters: Dealing With Other People’s Depression

11/11/24 MondayMatters: Dealing With Other People’s Depression

https://youtu.be/WexRk5cRNbw What do you do? What do you say when someone comes to you in the middle of their depression. Statistically, nearly 1 in 10 people will go through some depressive episode this year, so there is a very good chance that a friend or even family meme we will reach out to you. Here… Continue Reading

The Importance of Being Tribal

The Importance of Being Tribal

A friend of mine passed away this week. I don’t know if friend is the right word. He was a few years older. We had not seen or even spoken to one another in at least ten years. We were not in the same circles at all, but he was a member of one of… Continue Reading

10/7/24 MondayMatters: Living Above Reproach

10/7/24 MondayMatters: Living Above Reproach

I Timothy 3:2   “An overseer must be above reproach.” My contention is that is true for all of us. “Live in such a way that if someone spoke badly of you no one would believe it.”  Unknown Some thoughts about living above reproach: Your actions outweigh your words. Your walk talks and your talk talks… Continue Reading

8/19/24 MondayMatters: On Being Blessed

8/19/24 MondayMatters: On Being Blessed

https://youtu.be/YKlh_2VMkuE?si=YQVgOqIdcrJkV0PX “I am blessed and highly favored.” “Well, bless your heart.” “God bless you.” We use those phrases all of the time but what do we mean by them? We see being blessed as being lucky, having good stuff, not having any problems. In the Beatitudes (blessings) Jesus talks to people in the worst of… Continue Reading