How did you do yesterday?  Did you make a decision to make your life better?  Did you make a decision about some things in your life that you want to change and did you figure out that there are some things that you are going to have to change?  If so, then you are on your way to experiencing some positive change and amazing miracles!  Today we will take a look at the second step!

Step Two:  Get Help!  You cannot do change and do it right by yourself!  Who do you have around you that really cares about you?  Who do you have around you that can help you in the positive ways that you need help?  Who do you have that can lift you to new levels and push you to greater heights?  If you can’t think of anyone, then you need to get busy searching!  You need to start to build a team of friends that you can help and that can help you!

Take some time right now to identify people around you that could help you become the better you!  Now make a plan to go and ask these people to help you in dealing with the things that you have decided must change in your life.  Let them know that you respect them and think that they will be an asset in helping you to go to a new place in your life!  Remember you invited them to help you, so don’t force your help upon them, but be willing to give it when they ask!

The Bible says that two are better than one, because they have greater return for their labor!  God plus you and your friends equal a majority! And it will be amazing what can be accomplished in and through your life with a majority team!  (Tomorrow we will talk about your plan for change!)

For the next several days – I want to take some time to talk about personal change!  When we take our eyes off of others and start to investigate our own lives, we will begin to identify some stuff that we need work on and through.  We all have stuff that if we would take the time to deal with it, life would be better and we would be more productive!  John Kotter, a professor at Harvard Business School in His 1995 book, “Leading Change” presented an eight step process for change.  I have personalized the process and want to share some insight into how you can use it to start bringing about positive change in your life!

Step One:  Make The Decision!  Decide that you want to change and decide that you have to change!  Decide that you want to change – Most all of us could identify some area of our life where we need to change.  The main reason that most of us don’t change is because, while we want to change, we don’t ever really take the time or make the commitment to change!  When we do make the decision then we begin the process, which is important because you cannot have an ending without a beginning!

If you are honest with yourself – there are some things in your life that you have to change or you are not going to have a very good life!  It may be taking on and getting rid of destructive behaviors.  It might be seeking forgiveness and strength to defeat some sin.  It might be spiritual, physical, financial, emotional, mental – you name it!  What is it in your life that you want to change and what is it in your life that you have to change or you are not going to have much of a life?  Identify the “it” and make the decision to deal with “it” and you will be on your way to victory!  A good question to ask yourself here is:  “What happens if  do nothing?”

Take this step today and we will take a second step tomorrow!

We spend so much of our time looking at others and judging what they do or do not do, that we neglect to take time to think about our own lives and what they need and are missing!  We are taught all through the Scriptures that we are not to JUDGE!  The Bible makes it pretty clear that JUDGING is God’s job!  But we live in a world that is constantly judging!  About the only time that we are not judging is when we are sleeping and some of us have even learned how to judge in our dreams!  The really big problem with all of our judging is that it gets in the way of our own personal growth and keeps us from becoming what God created us to become!

When we are expending our energy looking at and over-analyzing someone else’s life, we cannot truly be focused on ourselves and our life!  Sometimes it might seem a lot easier to get into someone else’s business, rather than deal with our own,  but the truth is that when we are in someone else’s business, we cannot help but to neglect our own and neglecting our own lives will not cause them to automatically get better.  The fact is:  Everyone of us have room for improvement and growth!  We need to take our eyes off of everybody else and what they are or are not doing and take a look in the mirror at ourselves!

Go and take a look in the mirror!  What do you really know about that person that is staring back at you?  What is that person’s strengths and how are they using them for good in this world?  What is that person’s weaknesses and how are they dealing with them so that ultimately their weaknesses make them stronger?

What does that person staring back at you need to do with their life?  What will really bring them happiness and fulfillment?  Has that person in the mirror settled for less than the very best that God desires for them?  What does that person need to do today to start making their life better?

Spend some time with that person in the mirror and you will discover that they really are special and that they have a life filled with promise!  Start dealing with your stuff and you will be amazed at how it not only will change your life, but make a difference in the lives of the people around you as well!