May Blog
This month we will discuss:
• You Make a Difference (like it or not)
• Quotes
• Chesapeake News
You Make a Difference (like it or not).
Several years ago, Sara Jenkins (not her real name) was in a Birmingham McDonalds
drive-thru. She had just completed ordering for herself and her young son. Sara’s intent
was to share this last meal with her son; kill him and then kill herself. She had started her
action plan. Sara was a single mom who had lost hope. She could not cope any longer.
At the window the young lady with a beaming smile cheerfully said, “The car in front of
you paid your bill and said to hand you this card. The card read, “God loves you and so
do we—Church of the Highlands.”
“Perhaps there are some good people left in the world,” Sara thought. Maybe there is
some hope.
That Sunday she went to a Church of the Highlands campus, eventually giving her life to
God. She now has a job, is married and an active spiritual leader at Highlands.
The person driving the car in front of Sara does not have any inkling as to what
happened. When he meets Jesus upon his death, Jesus is going to say, “Come over here;
I want to show you something.” This person did what appeared to be a random act of
kindness. Look what happened.
Joshua Chamberlain, who on July 2, 1863, commanded what was then about 80 Union
Soldiers in a pivotal skirmish at the battle of Gettysburg. He was a former schoolteacher
from Maine. His unit was outmanned and in the process of being overrun by Confederate
soldiers from Alabama. Out of ammunition, Chamberlain’s ordered his men to fix
bayonets and to charge. The men from Alabama were so confused that he would do such
a thing, ran for their lives. It was a key element of winning the battle of Gettysburg
which likely won the war for the Union. Had he not done that, many historians feel the
Confederacy would have won the war and what is now the United States would resemble
more like Europe with as many as 10-13 separate nations. About 40 years or so after the
civil war a Hitler led Germany, Japan and Italy declared war. Without a unified United
States, would the allies have been able to prevail in WW ll? I don’t know. I think I like
the way it turned out and would not want to see the alternative.
The main point is – one person’s decision in one short moment in time altered the course
of history. I am sure Chamberlain never grasped the impact of his courageous moment.
When he meets Jesus he may hear, “Come on over here, I want to show you something.”
So, what have you done lately to alter the course of history? I bet you don’t know.
Hopefully when you die, Jesus is going to say, “Come on over here. I have something to
show you.”
Every moment counts – each email, phone call, discussion, meeting—they all are
important. How important? We will never know until we have that talk with Jesus after
we croak.
I believe it is John Maxwell that tries to add value to five people each day. Let’s be
proactive and deliberate in doing good for people. It is how we make a better place to
live for everyone and it will help counterbalance the large amount of acrimony we see
today.
I got the idea for this blog and the story about Chamberlain from Andy Andrews, who I
heard speak at the most recent West Alabama Prayer Breakfast. He is one of the best
public speakers I have heard. He is also a great author and I would recommend his
books.
Quotes:
1. The greatest ability in business is to get along with others and influence
their actions. John Hancock
2. The maxim, “Nothing prevails but perfection,” may be spelled
PARALYSIS. Winston Churchill
3. The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure.
These qualities are so much more important than the events that
occur. Vince Lombardi
4. If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write things
worth reading or do things worth writing. Benjamin Franklin
5. Happiness is a matter of one’s most ordinary everyday mode of
consciousness being busy and lively and unconcerned with self. Iris
Murdoch
6. When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you
have a lot of fun, you can do amazing things. Joe Namath
7. Presence is more than just being there. Malcolm Forbes
8. One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get
discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore
your faith in yourself. Lucille Ball
9. For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing
them. Aristotle
10. Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Persistence and
determination alone are omnipotent. Calvin Coolidge
11. We are born and we shall die. The person who is in communion with God
wears mortality comfortably. To be with God is to be at home in this world
and the next. Rueben Job
12. Routine and discipline are inevitable factors in any true
accomplishment. Elkworth Kalas w Wilson
Chesapeake News:
Each year we sponsor a table for ten at the West Alabama Prayer Breakfast. It is
quite an ordeal with the Bryant Conference Center filled to the brim with leaders
of our community praying for the different aspects of Tuscaloosa and central
Alabama. This year our keynote speaker was Andy Andrews. I had never heard
of the fellow before and he lives in Orange Beach, Alabama. He is one of the
best speakers I have ever heard. He is also a gifted writer. I recommend you
reading his books “The Traveler’s Gift” and “The Heart Mender.” You will thank
me.
If you are looking to add value to your leadership team please consider giving us
a call. We would love to work with you.
John Covington
www.cci.is