Fruits of the Spirit

This morning in my quiet time I was reading Galations 5:22-23
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." NKJV


I was reading from John Maxwell's Leadership Bible (I love it) and he wrote the following:
"Probably the most memorable verses in this book[Galations] are those that list the "fruit of the spirit" ... Every leader should embrace this marvelous list of inward qualities.

1. Love:  Is my leadership motivated by love for people?
2. Joy:  Do I exhibit an unshakable joy, regardless of circumstances?
3. Peace:  Do people see my inward peace and take courage?
4. Longsuffering:  Do  I wait patiently for results as I develop people or goals?
5. Kindness:  Am I caring and understanding toward everyone I meet?
6. Goodness:  Do I want the best for others and for the organization?
7. Faithfulness:  Have I kept my commitments to the mission?
8. Gentleness:  Is my strength under control? Can I be both tough and tender?
9. Self-Control:  Am I disciplined to make progress toward my goals?

 ~John Maxwell : The Maxwell Leadership Bible

As a leader within any organization, church, or home, it is always good to do a checkup on the "fruits" that are evident in our lives.  Great thoughts to start my day, thought they might be good to share :)

Our Past doesn't determine our Future

Recently, I had the opportunity to play golf at Black Diamond Resort (Doug Egly, you are my hero) and was allowed to play "The Quarry".  These 18 holes of golf are amazing, but there are 5 in particular that just took my breath away.  Hole #15 was one of these such places.

Notice the sand trap on the right that is elevated?

Because of my superior golf skills, I was able to tee off, and land my shot on a very small patch of fairway that is elevated on the right -- just so I could capture a better photo ...

See how good I am?  What an amazing shot!

It was an amazing golf shot, and would have been really impressive if I had planned it :)  As I was playing, I had an overwhelming sense of God's presence.  I felt like He was painting a picture for me, of how He sees each and every one of us.  At some point, this piece of land was used and abused for its minerals and resources.  And if you have ever seen a quarry, it's typically a very barren place.  And I believe many of us have a past that we are not proud of ... we were used and abused, by our hands, or by the hands of someone else.  And we feel like we don't have anything to offer.  But God looks at us and sees a masterpiece.  He looks at you with the same creative eyes that He made you with ... and His purpose for you hasn't changed.  He has plans for a hope and future for you (Jer 29:11).

What if the designer of this golf course looked upon this land as a barren piece of dirt, used and abused, not having any worth?  I would have missed out on playing one of the most inspiring rounds of golf of my life.  Is there something in your past that you are ashamed of?  feelings of ... you don't have anything to offer?  It is time to let go of your past, and let God show us His masterpiece in you.