Category: Helpful Resources

Goodbye, Things

by Fumio Sasaki 

 

– Get rid of things you haven’t used for one year.

– Differentiate between the things that you want and the things that you need.

– Take pictures of things and then throw them away. It’s easier to look through things when they’re digital.  – Organizing is not minimizing.

– Leave unused space empty instead of putting other things in its place.

– Discard things you’ve already forgotten about.

– Let go of the idea that you need to get your money out of something… if you don’t use it, you don’t need it.

– No need to stock up.

– If you lost it, would you buy it again? If you wouldn’t buy it again at full price, you probably don’t need it.

– You do not need to hold on to the objects of a deceased loved one just because they gave it to you. Memories without the objects are the real memories.

– Our homes are not museums, we don’t need to collect a little of everything.

– Put things in a bag or box and put it up for a month… if you don’t notice it after a month then you really don’t need it.

– One in, one out — don’t buy something unless you are ready to get rid of something else.

– Think of buying as renting — use what you buy for a while and then sell it.

– Don’t buy because it’s cheap or take it because it’s free. Sometimes free and cheap just clutters and isn’t needed.

– Part with items that were gifts if you don’t really use them. Send a thank-you note and get rid of it. No need to feel guilty if it’s just taking up space.

– Throwing away things does not mean you’re throwing away memories.

– The number of things you have doesn’t equal the satisfaction you receive.

– You don’t have to have a lot of clothes, just find what works for you and keep it limited so you can focus on other things.

– A little inconvenience can make you happier.

– Minimalism is freedom, you don’t need all the things you think you need.

– Don’t think, just discard. The more you think about it, the more reasons your brain will give you for why you can’t get rid of it.

– Getting rid of things will help you focus on more important things.

 

– Perks of being a minimalist:

1. Fewer material possessions means we don’t need as much room.

2. More cautious of buying things, meaning we spend less on frivolous things.

3. Satisfied with what we have, which means we need less moving forward.

4. Reduces stress because we have less material things to worry about

5. We are more efficient with time and income

Building a Discipling Culture

by Mike Breen

 

– We were not told to build His church, we were told to make disciples. He builds His church.

– Disciple making starts first by information, then imitation and then innovation.

– We must model our lives after the Master. He lived His life in three relationships: Up with his Father, in with His chosen followers and out with the hurting world around Him.

– We were never made to be lone-rangers. Jesus showed us by His example the importance of close relationships.

– You cannot model to others what you are not currently living.

– We cannot let hurt be an excuse to disciple others.

– It may not come naturally to us to have close relationships with others, but it must become intentional.

– From the very beginning God commanded man to be fruitful and multiply. We were never intended to just exist, we are to bear fruit.

– Just as in nature, growth must happen first before fruit can be produced.

– Before Jesus chose His disciples and did ministry, He set aside time to be alone with His Father – and we need the same thing.

– Jesus did not ask His disciples where they should go or take a vote on things, He led them because He knew where He was going.

– The Lord delegated and gave them both competence and confidence.

– His leadership style adjusted accordingly. He started off with saying come follow me and ended ministry by saying go into all the world.

– We do not grow by staying in our comfort zone, we have to be moved away from our preferences.

– God takes what He is doing in our lives and multiplies it through others.

– When we stop growing, we die. We must grow in order to disciple others.

– We must pray, wait and watch for the disciples that God has for us.

– Jesus told His disciples that when they go in a city to look for a worthy man, and if not, shake the dust off their feet and go find someone else. We should be looking for a worthy man as well — a person we can pour into and disciple. If they don’t want to listen, they are not a worthy man, so move on.

Atomic Habits

by James Clear

– Form habits as a routine or behavior that is performed regularly.

– Small habits will help you reach your potential.

– Tiny changes make big differences.

– If you can become one percent better every day, you will become extremely better at the end of the year — little adjustments every day.

– Success is a change of daily habits.

– You get what you repeat.

– Anger and negative thoughts all compound, and so does small habits.

– Forget about goals and focus on systems instead.

– Winners and losers have the same goals, but the system is what will determine if you’ll get there or not.

– You do not rise to the goals you set, you fall to the systems you have.

– You have to know your identity, who you are, to start the right habits.

– You become your habits.

– A habit is a behavior that is repeated multiple times.

– Craving, response, and reward is the habit cycle. We do what creates the reward, and we can use these to change and create new habits.

– To change or create new habits we have to be aware of your current habits. You must be aware of your current habits before you can change them.

– People who put concrete plans to their actions will be more likely to do it.

– Stack your new habits to the habits you currently have. For example, if you already walk, decide to meditate for a few minutes before; since you already eat, decide to put vegetables on your plate first. General goals are not enough, be specific and stack them with something you’re already doing.

– Make a new habit to be attractive and make it very visible. You will not do it if you do not think about it or see it.

– Make guidelines for yourself such as, “I will do ten push-ups before I check email or Facebook,” or “I will eat a piece of fruit before I eat a donut at the office,” etc.

– We usually imitate what is around us, so join a culture that will make it easier to create and continue the new habits in your life.

– If you want to master a new habit, the key is repetition not perfection. It is more important to practice than it is to plan.

– What is your gateway habit? In other words, what are you going to do that will help you complete your new habit. For example putting on running shoes might be the gateway to make you go running whereas sitting on the couch might make you want to watch TV.

– It’s remarkable what you can do if you will form and keep a habit.

– The difference between an exceptional and normal athlete is that an exceptional athlete has learned to keep practicing even when he gets bored with the habits.

30 Days to Your Best Marriage

by Various Authors

 

– You are the best when you work at being an encourager to your spouse.

– Your vows weren’t necessarily for your wedding, they are more for after your wedding. When you got married it was all emotional, but later in your marriage is when you need to remember the vows you said to your spouse.

– Learn to forgive, even if it is difficult.

– Make time for your spouse. Your spouse needs to know they are important to you. If you constantly cancel on your spouse because something comes up, they will soon realize everything else is more important to you than they.

– Pray. Pray for each other and pray together. Make time to talk to God and ask to strengthen your marriage.

– Put your spouse before you. Whether it’s for filling her physical, emotional or sexual needs, put your spouse before you.

– Pursue peace — Romans 12:18. Find a way to agree and fix things.

– Affirm and appreciate your spouse. You take for granted so many things that your spouse does, but you should surprise your spouse by making it a habit to say thank you for specific things. It will change your marriage.

– Find an older mentor that can help you in marriage. No one is just going to tell you what you need to work on, but there are plenty of people who would help you if you would humble yourself and ask them.

– Marriage is a listening part. It takes time and attention to listen and understand how the other person feels and what they are saying. The thing that may seem sacrificial to you now (stopping to listen), might save you serious headaches down the road.

– Listening shows you care. By listening you know what is going on and what lies ahead.

– Enjoy being together; develop a friendship. Don’t just live together, eat or do activities because you are married, enjoy each other‘s company.

– Work on your own patience. The one person that you love more than any other, knows more about you and is closer to you than any other, also knows how to get under your skin.

– Complete honesty. Are you keeping anything from your spouse? Truth lies at the heart of restoration. You cannot have a good relationship by keeping secrets.

– Dare to not compare.

Why Revival Tarries

by Leonard Ravenhill

– We should be busy fishing for men, but too many times we are fishing compliments from them.

– The pastor who is praying is not playing.

– No ministry or minister is greater than his prayer life.

– If we fail in the area of prayer, we fail in every other area.

– We cannot be much for God unless we are much with God.

– The secret of praying is praying in secret.

– Prayer is profoundly simple yet simply profound.

– God does not want partnership with us, He wants ownership.

– Paul was not merely a city-wide preacher but a city-wide shaker.

– There is a vast difference between knowing the Word of God and knowing the God of the Word.

– The Bible is not a book to explain but a book to obey.

– God honors not wisdom or personality but faith.

– It is not what you know but Whom you know.

– If we please God, what does it matter who we displease; and if we displease God, what does it matter who we please.

– Prayer is the secret weapon but seems to be secret from many Christians.

– We never gossip about those we pray for and we never pray for those we gossip about.

– No man can monopolize the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit can monopolize a man.

– God can fill one in a moment, but it may take years to empty a man of himself.

– The primary need for a missionary is not a love for the people but a love for the Savior.

– If tears are lacking in your eyes and converts in your ministry, something is truly wrong.

– The enemy of multiplication is stagnation.

– We suffer from ministers who want their head filled with knowledge instead of their hearts a-fired.

– We say we must pray if we want to live a holy life, but we must live a holy life if we want to pray.

– Does prayer change things? Yes. But prayer changes those who pray.

– The preacher should devote one day a week to prepare his sermons, and another day to prepare the preacher that will preach the sermon.

– Some preachers master a subject and some subjects master a preacher

Teaching Your Children Values

by Linda and Richard Eyre

 

– Teach them to make decisions before they ever confront situations.

– Develop values yourself before you can expect your children to develop them.

– Give them ways to earn money and then give them responsibilities on what they have to buy.

– Too often discipline is more of a choice than a necessity, but it should not be that way.

– Have disciplines of being in certain places at certain times such as dinner together, work, bedtime, etc.

– Work before play — even small children can learn to clean up, push in their chair or other things before going to play.

– Teach your children how to make some goals, no matter how small they are.

– Children need limits, they will feel safer.

– Talk openly to your children about puberty.

– Delay dating until you’ve talked and there’s more maturity in the child’s life. Premature dating leads to bad decisions and hurt.

– When you need to discipline your child, let them know you still love them and are upset at the action, not at them as a person.

– Find time to listen to your children instead of just cutting them off and moving on to the next item or task.

– Learn to say you’re sorry as a parent. It’s hard to say sorry because parents feel they are right, they are the authority and are smarter than the kids, but it is important to learn to apologize when you’re wrong as a parent.

– Remind your children that they can learn something from everyone.

– Remind your children that in order to have friends, they have to be a friend.

– Teach your children that they have to take turns and learn to share

– Care, Fair and Share — teach your children the importance of these

– Teach your children to forgive others, show mercy and do not to be judgmental.

– Your child is not a lump of clay that you can form into whatever you want, they are their own person. But you can teach values that will help form them throughout their lives.

Sexual Detox

By Tim Challies

 

– When we indulge in sexual sins, our actions are saying that we believe the sins are better than our God, that the momentary pleasures are better than God’s blessings and rewards.

– You will never stop looking at porn until you realize that the consequence of the sins so much more horrible than the appeal of the sins.

– Pornography is about self-gratification.

– The external sin of looking at porn is nothing more than the internal sin of the heart.

– We must replace the god on the throne of our life, the unholy practice with a holy practice.

– Do not ignore sin or even fuel it, we must starve it and kill it.

– We must replace lies with truth.

Money Secrets of the Amish

by Lorilee Craker

 

– Motto for possessions: Use it up. Wear it out. Make do. Live without.

– Indulgence now is the sign of our society… it’s a sign of immaturity.

– Instead of buying what you want, save until you have money for better things in the future.

– Pay your debts before their due dates, never be late on a payment.

– Buy useful things for Christmas gifts or you’ll just make your children materialistic by giving so many gifts.

– Pay yourself by setting aside 10–20% monthly for future needs.

– It’s not what you look at that matters but what you see.

– No one has such a good memory as creditors. They go to bed and wake up in a happy mood knowing that you owe them money.

– The Amish believe that debt is a plague to be avoided at all cost.

– There is nothing like others getting rich off of your lack of self-control.

– Learn to shop second hand.

– Buy only what you need.

– You don’t have to buy something new to buy something good.

– Buy in bulk. Not everything in bulk will be the best value, but the majority of things in bulk are better value.

– Don’t forget to check out discount stores where things are recently or almost expired.

– Sell or trade things that you no longer are using or need.

– We are deceived when we believe that money can buy happiness or great memories. Those can be made from such simple ways as playing games and eating popcorn.

– Devoting family time is much greater than material possessions.