Jesus, as Paul said, our name will have weight not only before God and people, but also before the devil. Paul followed the example of his Master and devoted his life and time to serving God and people. Here's what he said about himself:
“But I do not regard my life for anything, nor do I value my life, so long as I finish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, preaching the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
Paul devoted his time, resources, and everything he had entirely to serving God and people by preaching the Gospel. Therefore, God gave him a name that had such significance that the demons also recognized it.
“God performed many miracles through the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs and aprons from his body were placed on the sick, and their illnesses ceased, and evil spirits came out of them. Even some of the wandering Jewish exorcists began to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying: We conjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches. This was done by some seven sons of the Jewish high priest Sceva. But the evil spirit answered: I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” (Acts 19:11-15).
What a panorama! “I know Jesus,” says the evil spirit (who does not know His name), “and Paul is known to me.” The name of Paul was known in the underworld, just like the name of Jesus, because the life of Jesus flowed through Paul. Paul, like Jesus, cared about the significance of his name. Your name is also important in spiritual world. Paul renounced his own life and allowed Jesus to live and express Himself through him. He sacrificed his feelings, will, desires to please Jesus.
“By the law I died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and 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” (Galatians 2:19,20).
Living for God and for people is the key and secret of how to achieve the success and good name that Ecclesiastes spoke about. Did you notice the sequence? For God and for people. If you break this sequence, nothing will come of it. People will not always speak well of you no matter how you live, so you will not be able to please all people, but if you put God's interests first, then you will act wisely and be fulfilled in life.
Even Jesus could not please all people, although he lived for people. Many people were unhappy when the name of Jesus was mentioned because Jesus did not live up to their standards or standards. kind person. But Jesus, while living for people, was still guided by the interests and purposes of God. The significance of His name did not come from the fact that He pleased all people. The significance of His name was primarily due to the fact that He pleased God. When a person's life pleases God, then God Himself rewards him with life and a good name.
We must understand that because God's thoughts and ways are different from man's, there will always be a conflict of interest. But, living for God, and then for people, you always
If you have already forgotten the last time you had a normal rest, your whole life is work and endless household chores, and the question is, what are you doing in free time seems like a mockery. So it's time to change your life and learn to manage time. Remember, time is the money in your life. Spend it wisely.
Here are some tips that will definitely help you tame your time.
1. Dismiss the “ideal employee” within you. Say goodbye to the time you spend in your chair doing “mandatory” hours at the office. Change the work culture, its standards and management methods.
2. Don't forget about the amazing restorative power of rest. Try to negotiate with management. Give yourself permission to rest, dream, or go for walks in search of the right idea during the working day.
3. Understand what “it’s not enough” means to you. Watch. Ask yourself what success means to you, what you want and what your time horizon is. Steve Jobs once said, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
4. Take time to think about what you really want. achieve in life and what is the most important thing you need to do. Schedule these key activities so they are at the top of your to-do list.
5. Plan, do, evaluate the results. Find a system for yourself that will allow you to get everything done on time and that you will be comfortable using. Make your actions become habitual for you. Bring them to automaticity. Reduce the number of microdecisions you make every day, freeing up your willpower to make important decisions, because they require your brain to work at full capacity.
6. Manage your time. Multitasking makes you stupid. Work focusedly for a specific amount of time with regular breaks. Remember that most small and unimportant tasks should be left in the 5% of all tasks that do not provide any value.
7. Disconnect from external stimuli. Set up electronic means communications in such a way that they do not distract you. Yes, sometimes an email at three in the morning can be important, but most of the time it isn't. Stop answering calls and emails on a twenty-four hour basis - this only increases your stress and creates a feeling of endless work.
8. Think about what you want. Before your vacation or when you are completely free, think about what you would like to do, how you want to feel, and write down your desires. Being aware of your own desires and scheduling them into your to-do list will make you more likely to achieve them.
9. Don't put off meeting friends, despite the unfinished cleaning and unfilled refrigerator. You will feel quite good in good company, even if there is spaghetti with ketchup on the table.
10. Stay calm every day, even if you have to take five inhalations and exhalations for this. Focusing on your own sensations for at least half an hour every day allows your brain to grow larger.
11. Zoom in on your time horizon. Imagine that every day is your last. How will this affect you? What will you do? How will you manage your time? Think about it.
Dan Miller, Jared Angaza
To our wives, Joanna and Ilea, who inspire us every day and embody the unity of intelligence and passion.
You create a safe, loving and supportive environment for us to dream, experiment, and open new doors to an extraordinary life. We became ourselves thanks to you. With love.
Preface
People born during baby booms always rely on common sense and use it to pave their way to success. In those days, it was believed that education, knowledge, investment strategies, a retirement package, real estate transactions and a carefully planned career path would definitely lead to success and allow you to lead the life you wanted in adulthood. Today, seeing the widespread collapse of such a formalistic approach to life, the younger generation relies only on passions and interests, making them the leading principle of their version of success. You just need to find something terribly interesting and do it; forget about the house on credit and the BMW in the garage.
However, both approaches are equally necessary. Regardless of age, those who rely only on reason and common sense to achieve their goals risk only disappointment and dissatisfaction; Often these people feel as if they have been chasing an ephemeral rainbow all their lives. Those who trust only passions risk losing their minds and stopping halfway, without achieving their goals, without realizing their potential and without solving any of the world's problems.
Reason without passion is like a BMW in a garage with an empty tank. And passion without common sense reminds me of a broken-down vintage car without a steering wheel. This book will show you how to combine both - how, no matter your age, to achieve your most ambitious financial goals, experience the joy of human relationships, find meaningful work and fulfill your purpose on earth.
Introduction
Here is a book about different generational approaches to work, money, education - and almost everything in life. I (Dan) was raised in a very traditional and strict rural community where hard work was paramount. My father was the pastor of a small Mennonite church, and we farmed the land to make ends meet. I had to behave responsibly, study well, and work on the farm with my father after school. There was and could not be any talk about a higher goal or about looking for an interesting job. We were all very responsible and did everything we needed to do.
Jared is my second child. It seems that he showed his unusualness from birth. When he was two years old, my mother and I tied him by the leg with a soft cloth to the crib - otherwise he could get up and wander around the house all night. At the age of five or six, he imitated the famous black actor Mr. T, dressed like him and enjoyed wearing bright scarves and chains. By sixth grade, my mother and I realized that we needed to find some other way of learning for Jared and some other environment instead of regular school, which was too predictable for him. We settled on homeschooling, which would still help us secure some semblance of a formal education and an official high school diploma. By observing how his brain works, we included art, practical mechanics, and audio courses in all subjects. During our breaks, we had him listen to motivational talks from people like Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, and Mark Victor Hansen, in an attempt to shape his thinking and bring out his unique qualities. Jared has always sought adventure and danger rather than stability and predictability. Instead of following my path and receiving a traditional education, he craved new experiences. By taking part in the religious services we attended, he questioned all accepted beliefs and deeply explored new possibilities.
Today Jared is thirty-three years old and lives in Mombasa, Kenya with his beautiful wife Ilea. They adopted a Rwandan boy named Francois, who had been living on the streets of Kigali before meeting them. Jared has an uncanny ability to look for money-making opportunities everywhere, as well as adventure, meaningful relationships, and great experiences for his growing family. Having fallen in love with Africa, they decided to change their last name to something that would better reflect the culture they call their own. That's why you see the names of father and son on the cover: Dan Miller and Jared Angaza. Jared and Ilea adopted the surname Angaza; in Swahili it means "to bring light". And yes, my mother and I supported this decision, just as we supported and support everything that allows Jared to live life to the fullest.
As a person of the sixties generation, I look at life as a long, sequential story. Members of Jared's generation see their lives as storybooks with sequels rather than one long novel. They often try one path, evaluate it as right or wrong - and start all over again.
For more than twenty years I have been counseling people experiencing their labor activity difficult period. The concepts and principles presented in the book were formed in the process of communication with real people in real difficult situations. Today, I continue to write, speak, and consult under the 48Days.com umbrella. (The number 48 was born out of a realistic assessment of the time it may take to make major life changes - to avoid procrastination and move quickly to positive action.)
The main content of the book was written by me, and all significant thoughts are expressed in one voice; in it we tried to combine the wisdom, passion and perspectives of two very different generations. Jared then added some of his own personal thoughts to the text to expand on some of its points. These thoughts are printed in a different font. The examples given in the book come from real life situations those people whom I had to deal with during speaking and consulting or with whom I simply met in life. Some of my sources wished to remain anonymous; in these cases I have replaced their names with fictitious ones.
It is believed that wisdom comes with age, and passion is a great trait of youth. However, reading this book, you will be convinced that sometimes wisdom is found in abundance in the youngest, and passion is found in those who are not young in years, but live an active and rich life. We hope that our book will help you increase the content of both in your life.
I just want to change the world
My first memories of a dream and the pursuit of it date back to when I was growing up in Ohio as an ordinary ten-year-old farm boy. That year, my mother prepared early—canned and frozen—enough sweet corn to last our family of seven all year. But I saw that there were still ripe ears of corn on the field, and new ones were still pouring in. With my father's permission, I got up early one day and began collecting large, juicy cobs. I filled the little red trailer with cobs, started the tractor and hit the road. The cobs lay in the trailer, sparkling with drops of morning dew. After two miles I left the dirt road on the highway leading into town. I parked the tractor in plain sight and set up a homemade sign: "Fresh Sweet Corn - 30 cents a dozen." This was my first introduction to a world where a person produces a product and expects fair payment for it.
I really enjoyed running my own business. People passing by were happy to buy corn from me, and I was happy to receive money. I must say that this pleasure from exchanging something valuable for money has remained with me throughout my life. But even then I understood that money in itself has no value - commerce only makes sense when the exchange continues continuously. And I realized very early on that I wanted to change the world.
Do you remember your childhood dreams? All ten-year-old children can dream, and you are probably familiar with typical childhood dreams. They dream of becoming firefighters, astronauts, ship captains, actors or rock stars. But then real life gets involved. Some of the children are told that their dreams are unrealistic. Maybe you are one of those children. Maybe at some point you were taught to be realistic and stick to the rules; you admitted that, as an adult, you will have to show up for work every day at eight o’clock, and return home to a boring life at five o’clock.
Have you really let the big wave called Life wash all your dreams off your deck? Is it really too late to make a new plan of action and put your dreams into practice? What can you do today to bring closer the realization of a dream that is still yearning in the deepest corners of your soul?
“There are two great days in every person’s life - the day you were born and the day you realized why you were born.”
WILLIAM BARCLAY...If you have already forgotten the last time you had a normal rest, your whole life is work and endless household chores, and the question of what you do in your free time seems like a mockery. So it's time to change your life and learn to manage time. Remember, time is the money in your life. Spend it wisely.
Here are some tips that will definitely help you tame your time.
- Dismiss the “ideal employee” within you. Say goodbye to the time you spend in your chair doing “mandatory” hours at the office. Change the work culture, its standards and management methods.
- Don't forget the amazing restorative power of rest. Try to negotiate with management. Give yourself permission to relax, daydream, or go for walks to find the right idea during your workday.
- Understand what the phrase “it’s not enough” means to you. Watch. Ask yourself what success means to you, what you want and what your time horizon is. Steve Jobs once said, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
- Take time to think about what you really want to achieve in life and what is the most important thing you need to do. Schedule these key activities so they are at the top of your to-do list.
- Plan, do, evaluate the results. Find a system for yourself that will allow you to get everything done on time and that you will be comfortable using. Make your actions become habitual for you. Bring them to automaticity. Reduce the number of microdecisions you make every day, freeing up your willpower to make important decisions, because they require your brain to work at full capacity.
- Manage your time. Multitasking makes you stupid. Work focusedly for a specific amount of time with regular breaks. Remember that most small and unimportant tasks should be left in the 5% of all tasks that do not provide any value.
- Disconnect from external stimuli. Set up electronic communications so that they do not distract you. Yes, sometimes an email at three in the morning can be important, but most of the time it isn't. Stop answering calls and emails on a twenty-four hour basis - this only increases your stress and creates a feeling of endless work.
- Think about what you want. Before your vacation or when you are completely free, think about what you would like to do, how you want to feel, and write down your desires. Being aware of your own desires and scheduling them into your to-do list will make you more likely to achieve them.
- Don't put off meeting friends, despite the unfinished cleaning and unfilled refrigerator. You will feel quite good in good company, even if there is spaghetti with ketchup on the table.
- Stay calm every day, even if it means taking five breaths. Focusing on your own sensations for at least half an hour every day allows your brain to grow larger.
- Zoom in on your time horizon. Imagine that every day is your last. How will this affect you? What will you do? How will you manage your time? Think about it.
© Based on materials from the book “
A few initial steps to how to find and make time for God, even when it seems to you that there is no time.
Busy. This is a word that many people often use - we are too busy, so busy, very busy or just busy. We have jobs to work at; children to raise; meetings to attend; meetings to attend; friends to keep in touch with; spouses to love.
So how can we stay connected to God even when our lives are moving at a fast pace around us? How can we continue to put God at the center of our hearts and thoughts while we live very busy lives?
Here are a couple of ideas for staying close to Jesus even when life gets crazy.
Start with Scripture
Your goal should be to read the Bible every day, early in the morning, so that everything else that happens to you is viewed through the Biblical lens of reality. Reading the Bible is something that will help you be rooted in the truth and stay connected to God.
When you start your day with the Bible, your heart and mind are better prepared to respond to God's presence throughout the day. Moreover, you will notice that you will be kinder to people and more forgiving to yourself.
You might be surprised that knowing the importance of reading and studying the Word in order to stay close to God can be so difficult to actually do, especially on an ongoing basis. So get creative with this if you have to. Do you commute to work? If you are driving, you can listen to the audio version of the Bible. If you ride the subway, read the Bible on your phone or take a pocket Bible with you.
Listen to the Truth
There are many voices swirling around us every day - voices that tell us that we are not good enough, that we need to start loving ourselves, that we need to become more attractive and make more money. If you listen to these voices for too long, you become consumed by these lies. It's better to fill your thoughts with music and words that will help you focus on God throughout the day.
If you're reading this article, chances are you have access to a wealth of Christian media.
Podcasts that point you to Jesus in the midst of a crazy world, music that focuses your attention on Him, and sermons that ground your thoughts in truth are what you can use to fill your free time. These resources will help you remember that you are loved in Christ and that you have everything you need - something you need to hear constantly.
Pray throughout the day
It is important to have regular time set aside for prayer, because, as in any relationship, constant communication is a very important component. You can pray briefly, but often, when you are driving in the car, when you are walking across the campus to the right office, or when you are putting away toys around the house.
There was a college professor who prayed for a certain person every time he turned on the light. This is a great demonstration of how to combine ordinary, everyday activities with intentional prayer. This keeps our hearts in communion with God and invites Him into our daily life- where He is already.
Stop when you're feeling down
In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. "(Philippians 4:6-7)
It is difficult for a person to accept the peace of God if he is so busy that he does not find time to stop and ask God for help. The idea of taking a break becomes very important in such a state. There are often several times during the day when you may feel overwhelmed, anxious or anxious - usually due to things outside of your control. At such moments, if you can really stop and turn to God, and do not allow fear or anxiety to take over you, you will see that He always offers you His peace, which is greater than any fear.
It's good if you have a few friends you can write to if you're feeling down - you could ask them to pray for you and sometimes ask for advice.
The time you spend stopping to pray and ask for help will take much less time than the time you spend worrying about something for the next five minutes or five days!
Invest in relationships that help you love Jesus.
In order to live a God-centered life, you will need loved ones to help you keep your eyes on Him. This does not mean that absolutely all of your friends must be Christians - far from it. However, it does mean that you should strive to have a couple of deep friendships that flow from a shared love for Christ.
“Rejoice in hope; be patient in times of trouble; pray constantly.” (Romans 12:12)
Source: relevantmagazine.com | Translated by: Masha Kholina
