Tag Archive for: power

Running on Empty?

Our car doesn’t run at all when the fuel gauges show empty.
Yesterday, as I filled up the tank, I was reminded that it has two separate fuelling sources to power the engine and run more efficiently.
It’s a hybrid vehicle.
The engine combines unleaded fuel and electricity, to provide energy.

Soul Power

Similarly, we have two fuelling sources to power our souls.
Everything we do in life requires energy, and we too have a constant need for fuel.
Scriptures tell us that “The spirit and the body are the soul of man.” – Doctrine & Covenants 88:15
Your spirit and body don’t run at all well when their fuel gauges are on empty.
We fuel our physical body through the things we eat and drink.
Just as your body needs to be nourished with good food, your spirit needs fuel too.
Combing the two, you will run more efficiently.
The soul combines physical fuel and spiritual fuel, to provide energy.
We can fuel our spirits through prayer, studying the scriptures, partaking of the sacrament, making covenants at baptism and in the temple.
I’ve found that one of the best sources of refuelling our souls, is time alone with my Heavenly Father in quiet morning reflection, study, and meditation.

Examples

Whenever I’m in need of refuelling, instead of looking to the example of the world, I look to the example of Jesus Christ.
In John 6:35, we read that we must feed on Him; “…I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
C. S. Lewis expressed it this way: “God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other.”
Our faith in Jesus Christ is the fuel that feeds and sustains our spiritual needs.

Spiritual Fuel

“What is required to maintain a sufficient store of spiritual fuel? We must acquire knowledge of God’s eternal plan and our role in it, and then by living righteously, surrendering our will to the will of the Lord, we receive the promised blessings.” – L. Tom Perry.
My invitation today is to allow Jesus Christ to share your load and to fill up your spiritual fuel tank.
If you’re running on empty, speak with the missionaries, they can help refill your tank.

The Power of Purpose

“I’m exhausted!” – is a phrase I hear regularly.

Do you feel like you are sometimes swimming upstream?

At times, all of us can find ourselves physically and emotionally depleted as we resolutely seek to meet the demands of our daily routines.

Recently, I came across a quote from poet and philosopher David Whyte, which really made me stop and think.

David states that there is a potent remedy to exhaustion – and it isn’t taking a nap.

He stated… “The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness”.

Wholehearted…

  • completely and sincerely devoted, determined, or enthusiastic, marked by complete earnest commitment: free from all reserve or hesitation.

Years ago, I worked with a consultancy who focused a lot of their thinking on being a whole leader, using our head, our heart, and our gut. I learned that when they are all aligned in complete harmony, we feel more committed and invigorated to do our very best work.

What strikes me about being surrounded by 130 missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is that they really believe in what they do, they truly embody their purpose, “To invite others to come unto Christ”.  They are purpose led. It unifies them all.

Each of them knows their purpose, are aligned with it, and can articulate it clearly and simply.

The Bigger Picture

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy visited NASA for the first time. During his tour of the facility, he met a janitor who was carrying a broom down the corridor. The President then casually asked the janitor what he did for NASA, and the janitor replied, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.”

Think about that for a moment.

To many, the janitor was simply cleaning the building.

But, in the bigger picture, the janitor ensured that the building was clean, so that NASA engineers, scientists and astronauts could focus on their purpose and put a man on the moon.  He connected his purpose with theirs.

When we lack purpose, we become drained and disengaged.

Quite the opposite is true when we wholeheartedly engage with the power and sense of a greater purpose.

It stirs us into action to achieve a greater cause, experiencing a revived sense of energy and in turn we discover greater meaning.

By focussing wholeheartedly on their purpose, our missionaries have truly found themselves.

Are you lacking purpose?  Then missionaries can help!

Overloaded?

Last Sunday, we decided to gourmet with the missionaries for dinner.
Elder Austin had never had dinner in quite this way before, and as Kyle and Cristi were still here, we thought it was a good idea to set it all up. It was New Year after all.
We got everything organised, with two grills on the table, meat, sauces, breads, plates, cutlery, glasses, extension cables etc.
Then we plugged in the grills.
Suddenly, the house was in darkness.
We’d blown a fuse!
A trip to the fuse box, showed that the circuit was broken, and the switch had tripped.
I tried to reset it, but it wouldn’t reset.
The two grills were plugged into one socket. Hmm, “too overloaded” we thought.
We then put the grills into separate sockets and tried to reset the switch.
This time it worked, the lights came back on, and we had a lovely evening of gourmet together.
𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒅?
In a similar manner, sometimes, when circumstances in our life demand more of us than we feel we can give, we can feel overloaded.
Just like the fuse box in our homes however, we also have some built in safety factors in our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual state that help us to ensure that we don’t overload.
Each of us have more built-in strength than we suppose.
Frequently, we must slow down, reappraise, readjust, rewire and consider what really matters most.
In that regard, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, a person’s relationship with God is most sacred and vital. “As we seek Him, as we learn of His son Jesus Christ, as we open our hearts to the influence of the Holy Ghost, our lives become more stable and secure.”
I know that it is through coming unto Christ, that will bring you peace, stability, security and He will become the source of an uninterruptible source of constant power in your life.
What switch do you need to flick?

The difference between a good and a great leader.

Recently I was asked “what is the key to becoming a leader?”
In considering a helpful reply, several thoughts came to mind.
In my experience, the first principle of leadership is 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆.
Yes, it is that simple, lead with love.
Love makes the difference between a good and a great leader.
As you love those whom you lead, it somehow magnifies every other principle of leadership, as you show concern for others, including building trust, serving and teaching others, creating a vision, communication, building a team and dealing with change.
When others know you will put their interests ahead of your own, they won’t hesitate to trust you.
Showing interest in others, being sensitive to their problems, and conveying compassion increases peoples’ capacities to trust in you.
I have learned that great leaders don’t set out to be leaders, they simply set out to make a difference.
I have also found that the best leaders also tend to be the best learners.
The more you are committed to learning the more successful you are at leading—and in turn, just about anything else.
What can you do to increase your love for others?