This session will hopefully be short and won't require much effort on your part. You can just skim it for now for what you know is applicable. I will tell you most of us need to get a "coach" and take a day or two to work on these issues. We should be doing it annually, just like a physical check up or car inspection.
If the issues are important to you, then by all means, go through some of the exercises. If these are not issues you think need to be addressed now, I just want you to be aware of what tools are out there, and let you know that at some point you will really benefit from using them or something similar.
Uh...don't just skim this paragraph. Way too many people go through life living on the edge with little or no margin. We are called to be stewards of our time, our commitments, and our finances. Guess what? Our culture is already pulling you in unhealthy and unsustainable directions. We strongly recommend that at some point, you find a mentor to unpack these things with you, and (for you students) later with your spouse. Otherwise, you'll be sacrificing yourselves and your kids on all kinds of idolatrous "altars."
Spoiler alert. There are two mini-sermons embedded in the text below. But don't panic. No offering will be collected.
Time management, addresses the fact that most of us need to free up more time in our overcrowded schedules . Ephesians 5:15-17 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Jesus explains the meaning of the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:22-23. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
Further, Jesus offers us a clear warning against taking these responsibilities for granted in Luke 12:28. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Okay, my first mini sermon is over).
1) TIME MANAGEMENT ARTICLES - misc. links. The only assignment for now is to skim these articles from the links below. As I stated, I just want you to be aware of these concepts as something you may choose to do later. I think you'll find each of the articles interesting.
I can tell you that everyone who worked on identifying their core values felt that it was time well-spent. For others, unless you feel that God is prompting you to address this now, it makes more sense to wait until you can se aside quality time to properly tackle these issues.
The first article below will help you get a better handle of THE CHALLENGE.
The rest will help you get a better handle on YOUR CHALLENGE.
THE FOUR QUADRANTS. If you haven't spent much time on this, you will definitely benefit from reading the article below on President Eisenhower. Apologies ladies for the name of the website. It's not about men. but is the best article I found that explains the four quadrants. http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/10/23/eisenhower-decision-matrix/
Here is a link to the author's Four Quadrant worksheet which he also links at the bottom of his article. You can easily create your own. He also recommends a phone app. I'm checking out a free one called Priority Matrix for myself. https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/The%20Eisenhower%20Decision%20Matrix.pdf
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THE FIVE BUCKETS, (From Nicolas Cole). Each of us has 5 "buckets" which we fill with our time.
It's worth taking time regularly to question how each of these five buckets is being filled. Sometimes, you'll find you are spending far too much time being social and too little time working toward a project or a goal. Or sometimes, you'll find you haven't spoken to your family in several weeks because you've been so busy. Audit how your time is being spent, so that you can keep those five buckets in line with your overall goals.
DETERMINING YOUR CORE VALUES. Before making any changes based on your time audit, you should first determine your cored values. I am confident that after reading the articles on this page, you will see how establishing core values is crucial.
LINK FOR SINGLES https://www.christiancoachinstitute.com/core-values-clear-core-values/
LINK FOR COUPLES/FAMILIES: http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/parenting/foundations/godly-legacy/determining-your-core-values
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DOING A TIME AUDIT (See link below, and this assignment is NOT an official part of the challenge). Have you ever done an actual audit of how you spend your time? If you do this diligently for a week, you'll probably experience the first line in the Dickens' novel, A Tale of Two Cities. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
You will certainly learn a lot, but it is painful to see so much wasted time we have in our schedules. The goal here is NOT to become neurotic about every wasted minute, but to know the truth about what is happening to the time God entrusts us with each week. Then we need to pray that God will guide us in any changes He wants us to make.
This theme of "time" is tied to our theology and worldview. It's been said, "Show me someone's daily planner and checkbook, and these will clearly reveal their real "god," real religion, and real values - their actual convictions."
These are important issues that I need to continually remind myself of. It is not my life, my time, my money, etc.. Instead, I am really just a steward of it all, and therefore responsible to God for how I manage it. For now, just read the article. It's short and similar to the Eisenhower article. http://www.productivity501.com/how-to-do-a-time-audit/7043/
We are all given different talents, personalities, and responsibilities, and we will be judged accordingly. However, we all have the same 24 hours a day, and 168 hours a week. So, these verses apply to each of us.
Matthew 6:33. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Luke 9:23, 24. And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Well, now you have endured my second sermonette.
REPORTING IN: Keep reading and fill out the section below to email Chuck.
If you did take the time to explore your core values, were you able to list your top five? As you just read: Clear values motivate us. Clear values help us make decisions. Clear values are the foundation for growth. Clear values bring greater inner peace. What are your top five values?
In regard to the time management portion, I am curious. Have you ever done a time audit?
This isn't part of the challenge, although you might want to plug your activities into those four quadrants.
I do recommend you schedule a time audit at some point.
We would be embarrassed to regularly squander money, right? Then why are we squandering so much time, and many of us don't seem to care? We are stewards of both and responsible for both. Let's reduce the amount of time we squander. (NOTE: I exempt all nursing majors from these comments. Lol. You don't have time to squander much of anything.)
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