Poem: The Unravelling of a Christian Marriage

Marry the wrong person, everyday is Martyrs Day.
Marry a lazy person, everyday is Labour Day.
Marry a rich person everyday is New Year’s Day.
Marry an immature person, everyday would seem like Children’s Day.
Marry a cheater or liar, everyday will become April Fool’s Day.
And if you don’t get married, everyday is Independence Day!

Marriage is the only school where you get a certificate before you start.
It’s also a school where you will never graduate.
It’s a school without a break or a free period.
It’s a school where no one is allowed to drop out.
It’s a school you will have to attend everyday of your life.
It’s a school where there is no sick leave or holidays.
It’s a school founded by God on the foundation of love.
The walls are made out of trust.
The door made out of acceptance.
The windows made out of understanding
The furniture made out of blessings
The roof made out of faith.

Be reminded that God is the only Principal and you are a student,
Even in times of storms, don’t be unwise and run outside.
Keep in mind that, this school is the safest place to be.
Never go to sleep before completing your assignments for the day.
Never forget to communicate with your classmate and with the Principal.
If you find out something about your classmate (spouse) that you do not appreciate.
Remember your classmate is also just a student, not a graduate.
God is not finished with him/her yet.
So take it as a challenge and work on it together.
Do not forget to study the Holy Book (the main textbook of this school).
Start each day with a sacred assembly and end it the same way.

Sometimes you will feel like not attending classes, yet you have to.
When tempted to quit find courage and continue.
Some tests and exams may be tough but remember,
the Principal knows how much you can bear and yet it’s a school better than any other.

It’s one of the best schools on earth;
joy, peace and happiness accompany each lesson of the day.

Different subjects are offered in this school, yet love is the major subject.
After all the years of theorising about it, now you have a chance to practice it.

To be loved is a good thing, but to love is the greatest privilege of them all.
Marriage is a place of love, so love your spouse.

Whether you’re married, engaged, or still single, we hope that you have found wisdom and encouragement in this poem about marriage.

July 28, 2017January 15, 2024

5 Books that Radically Influenced My Life

Guest Post by Brian Ahearn

I’m a reader. I love to read. Funny thing is, when I was young I hated reading. That was probably a function of having to read certain books versus getting to read what I wanted to. Once my love of reading took over it was pretty much the case that I’d read a book a week. That pace has slowed down in recent years with the explosion of Ted Talks, podcasts and other media for getting good messages out, but I still read several books a month.

Because I read so much people often ask me about my favorite books. What I’ll share with you are the five books that have radically influenced my life.

The Bible When I really began to take my Christian faith seriously I read through the entire Bible many times. In fact, I ended up writing my own commentary, a thousand-page Word document, where I put down thoughts about what I was reading and learning. My inspiration was to give the document to my daughter Abigail so she would know what dad thought about God.

I equate all the years of reading to eating and living healthy. What I learned day-to-day became the foundation of my thinking, actions, and shaped my worldview. I believe any good thing within me is a result of my relationship with God.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People I read Steven Covey’s best selling book in the early 1990s. The habit that struck me most was his admonition to “Begin with the End in Mind.” I took Covey’s advice and wrote a personal mission statement. In that document, I put down thoughts about how I wanted to be remembered when it came to my faith, family, personal well-being, and career.

The reason The Seven Habits was so influential was because I posted my mission statement and have read it, or parts of it, for more than 25 years. It’s been a guiding force in who I’ve become and who I’m still striving to become.

Influence Science and Practice I was introduced to Robert Cialdini’s work in 2002. His emphasis on how to ethically persuade people appealed to my moral side. The research based approach appealed to my analytical side. It was a match made in heaven!

It’s not uncommon for many people to spend nearly half of their waking hours trying to persuade others. My goal with Influence PEOPLE is to help them enjoy more professional success and personal happiness. If you read Influence Science and Practice and apply what you learn you’re guaranteed to have more success and happiness. I confidently write that because the science proves you’ll be able to move more people (your boss, coworkers, direct reports, loved ones) to action.

Man’s Search for Meaning I’ve written about Viktor Frankl’s book on a number of occasions. The following quote stands out above all else in this great work,

“everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms— to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

It sounds trite to say,

“It’s not about what happens to us, it’s about how we respond.”

However, when you read about Frankl’s account of the horrors he and others experienced, but how so many found meaning in their suffering – some in death – you begin to realise life is about how we choose to respond.

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs was written by Carmine Gallo. I took seven typed pages of notes on this book! As I read I would flip over to YouTube to watch Jobs present to solidify my learning.

The reason I added this book to my top five is because it had a tremendous impact on how I present. Presentation, be it in a workshop, keynote or when consulting, is primarily what I do with influence. Arguably, nobody did better than Steve Jobs so why not learn from the best?

To Do This Week: I highly encourage you to look into one of these five books. It’s my sincere hope that they have as much positive impact on your life as they’ve had on mine. If you can’t do that, how about sharing some of your book recommendations in the comments section. Thanks!

Brian Ahearn, CMCT ®, is the Chief Influence Officer at InfluencePEOPLE. His Lynda.com course, Persuasive Selling, will teach you how to ethically engage the psychology of persuasion throughout the sales process.

Originally Published on July 24, 2017

Featured in: Best Advice, Careers: The Next Level, What Inspires Me, Writing and Editing, Your Career

July 25, 2017January 15, 2024

What Would Jesus Do? Do You Really Want to Know?

Once upon a time, a mother made her son a wristband. On it was written: WWJD? The phrase “What would Jesus do?” (often abbreviated to WWJD) became popular in the United States in the 1990s and as a personal motto for adherents of Evangelical Christianity who used the phrase as a reminder of their belief in a moral imperative to act in a manner that would demonstrate the love of Jesus through the actions of the adherents.

The WWJD movement started in 1989 when the youth group at Calvary Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan, studied Charles Sheldon’s 1896 novel, In His Steps.

But the message of WWJD should not be taken for granted due to overexposure. As simple as it seems, sometimes the question—What would Jesus do?—still leaves people wondering. However, its not hard when ones considers that Jesus said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. #Love

…Little Girl Lost | Our Souls Purpose. There once was a little girl, she was sweet and loving, the way a child is. She had blonde hair and was ever so tiny. She loved everyone she knew, she looked at the world through eyes that had not been wounded by this world. Now the teenager turns into a young woman, wife, and mother. She feels the light but she doesn’t live in the light… What would Jesus do?

Heart Touching Examples of Documentary Photography on Godinterest. What would Jesus do?

What Would Jesus Do? Do You Really Want to Know?

Mandatory Prayer to promote wellness. The United States Marine Corps recruits take a moment for mandatory prayer before lights out at 9:00 P.M. in Parris Island, South Carolina, January 6, 2005. Recruits go through a twelve-week training program where the objective is to instill self-discipline and confidence, high moral standards, warrior spirit, basic military knowledge and individual skills, physical fitness and wellness as a way of life, respect and love of Country and Corps. Now one might be arrested for leading soldiers into prayer, however, What would Jesus do?

#love letters

True love never grows old. We love seeing old couples. It gives us hope that love can still stand the test of time.

How God’s Broken Through My Walls This year has been all about learning about the character of God, and also about the character of me. Everyone has thinking patterns and world views that need adjusting; the biggest one for me this…What would Jesus do?

What Would Jesus Do? Do You Really Want to Know?

…..What would Jesus do? Remember the less fortunate this Christmas, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger…

What Would Jesus Do? Do You Really Want to Know?

Beyond the fad

“What would Jesus do?” is an irrelevant question for many people because they don’t know who Jesus is. Before we can ask the question “What would Jesus do?” we must ask ourselves whether we know Jesus. Knowing Jesus begins with reading about His life, teachings, and claims in the Bible.

So what would Jesus do? He would seek the Father for the strength and wisdom to embrace, restore, confront, teach, serve, and equip the people around him.

This phrase should drive us back to the gospels to take a fresh look at how Jesus lived. The fad phase of WWJD may be over, but we need to hold on to the phrase even whiles posting images on Godinterest and keep asking ourselves—What would Jesus do? It’s a great question. But remember: If you’re not sure what Jesus actually did in his life, then you’re just guessing at what he might do in yours.

July 25, 2017January 15, 2024

The Creationist Group Are Building a Life-size Noah’s Ark

In the rolling hills of rural Kentucky, a ship the length of nearly two football fields and the height of a five-story building is rising from the ground.

Young Earth’ Creationists Making $90m Full-scale Ark to ‘bring the Bible to Life’

This isn’t just any ship, but Noah’s Ark, as described in the book of Genesis in the Bible.

The modern-day ark designed by Indiana firm Troyer Group will open in July 2016. Ken Ham, president and founder of Answers in Genesis, the group behind the plan said that “this Ark will be one of the ‘wonders of the modern world’.

The $90 million boat, dubbed the Ark Encounter, will be the eventual centerpiece of a religious theme park aiming to illustrate the story of the legendary great flood, in which God instructs Noah to build an ark to save his family and a pair of each of the animals in the world. The first phase is expected to cost $73 million.

Ark Encounter Will Be the Largest Timber-frame Structure in the Usa When It Completes in July 2016

LeRoy Troyer, the project’s lead architect stated that, “the vessel, like an Amish barn, is being built with a technique called timber framing, which uses wooden pegs and joints in lieu of nails”.

According to LeRoy Troyer, “the sea-faring craft is being built in accordance with sound, established engineering practices of the biblical era and will be 510ft long, built using solid wood, pinned together and covered with pine tar”.

The wood being used in the construction has come from areas damaged by plagues of beetles or from sustainable forests, according to the organisation.

“We believe the construction of the Ark took about 100 years,” added Troyer. “So Noah had to have a lot of faith.”

Ark Encounter will be located near sister attraction the Creation Museum in the city of Williamstown and will feature a curved bow, stern and sides and contain three floors of exhibits.

Ken Ham, president and founder of Answers in Genesis said “the ark would open for “40 days and 40 nights” from 7 July 2016, a reference to the number of days rain is said to have fallen during the biblical flood.” Ark Encounter is expected to receive one to two million visitors in its first year.

There is also the chance to learn about how the earth was created in six days by God around 6,000 years ago. Scientists estimate the earth is actually around 4.5bn years old, but Dr Nathaniel Jeanson, a research biologist at Answers in Genesis, said some of the data leading to that conclusion could be skewed.

“A global flood would have dramatically affected geological processes worldwide,” he said. Young earth creationists believe the flood that caused Noah to set sail was around 4,000 to 5,000 years ago.

Unlike Noah’s handcrafted boat, Ark Encounter will not hold livestock. Regarding the question of how Noah would have managed to fit two of all the world’s animals into his ark, Jeanson said it was a misconception that all the animals of today were stuffed into the ship’s hull.

Instead, according to young earth creationists, it was the ancestors of modern-day species that were taken by Noah, and the animals we know today descended from these Animals. Although, scientific consensus is that animal life originated from tiny organisms billions of years ago.

The Ark Encounter’s website has a useful FAQ section for those wanting to know more about this undertaking.

Ham says “the Ark Encounter will present America and other nations with a reminder about the bible’s account of the ark as reminders in the world which helped ensure that people would not forget the truths of God’s Word are increasingly being removed from western culture, including the US”.

“Nativity scenes, Crosses, and Ten Commandments displays have been banned from many public places,” he writes. “The words ‘Merry Christmas’ are being replaced with ‘Happy Holidays’. Creation, the Bible, and prayer have been eliminated from the public education system.”

Rebuilding the Ark would provide “a sign (or a reminder) to this world that God’s Word is true”, Jeanson said.

Up to 900 staff are expected to be employed in the vast 324-hectare-park, which will also eventually feature themed restaurants, the Tower of Babel, the parting of the Red Sea and an expanded large petting zoo in later phases of the park’s development.

July 1, 2017January 1, 2018

Isolation

So, I started going to a new gym recently. It has locks on the lockers already, pretty cool huh, one less thing you have to remember to bring. The only thing is, the other day, I locked myself out. I didn’t lock myself out when I was in my workout clothes, no, that would be too easy. I locked myself out after that after I came back from the showers in nothing but a towel.

Yeah. So, I was pretty embarrassed I’m standing there in a towel that barely covers all of my important parts, trying to see if I could jimmy my way into the locker. I mean in the movies you can break into anything with only a towel on so why couldn’t I?

Yeah, so after my towel nearly fell off I walked around the locker room looking for someone who worked there. I went to the bathroom. I tried to look like I knew what I was doing because I was so embarrassed to be stuck in a towel in this stupid locker room! Finally, I decided to try to call the front desk because no way in heck was I leaving this locker room in a towel.

The phone didn’t connect. I could feel my face getting red. I was alone. I was in the midst of perfectly fit women, and my hot mess self couldn’t figure out how to even work the flippin locker. I was calling myself all sorts of names in my head. Finally, I broke down; I asked another woman if she could get someone to let me into my locker.

She did, she didn’t even laugh at me. Instead, she told me she did the same thing earlier. Then another woman around the corner said that she had just done the same thing the day before.

I still felt embarrassed, but ya know what, it helped to know that I wasn’t alone.

See, that’s where the devil wants us, especially us Mama’s who are raising the next generation. He wants us thinking that we are alone, that we are isolated, and that we carry shame all on our own.

That’s not what God wants from us though. God calls us for fellowship, hospitality, and to love one another. We need people around us to not only keep us on the path of righteousness but to keep us from thinking that we are alone on this journey.

Isolation is one of the best tools the devil uses to try to devour his prey.

Let’s be really real here; this Motherhood stuff can be hard. We love with all our hearts these little humans that also drive us so crazy we are ready to pull our hair out. I’ve heard it said that “Motherhood isn’t for the faint of heart.” I feel like that statement is the understatement of the year.

Every kid, typical or special needs have their own challenges. Every mother no matter what her circumstances have her own set of challenges. I feel like some of us get lost there though. We realize that we have it hard, we realize that our life is difficult, and we think no one else can understand. We don’t want anyone else to think that we don’t love our kids as much as we do. Maybe we don’t want people to know that our children aren’t perfect.

So we don’t share our struggle. So we keep it all inside. So we put on a front for the whole world and let no one in. I’ve got news for you, no one’s kid is perfect. Even the family that seems so put together, even that family has struggled. One of their struggles may be is that no one takes them seriously when they are trying to share their struggle.

Isolation is so easy to fall into when you enter Motherhood.

You can be a mother who thinks she has it all together or at least one who wants everyone else to think she has it all together, so you get your info from the internet instead of asking a friend that has maybe already walked down a similar path. You may be the mother who feels like she’s never good enough and is just ashamed of how much she feels she’s messing up, so you won’t dare ask anyone for help, for fear of judgment. You could be a mother anywhere in between those two, just afraid of someone thinking less, so you isolate yourself.

I wrote about my struggle for asking for help in my book “They Call Me Mom” in a chapter about never asking for help.It’s important that every single one of you reading this know that you are not meant to do this alone. No matter how much you think your life is hard or that no one will understand, God meant us for fellowship. We all must find someone who we can trust.

Don’t fall into the lie that you are the only one in this circumstance.

Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

www.MotheringWithaSideofWhine.com

March 17, 2017July 1, 2020

Sin – Exceedingly Sinful

In great mercy, according to His divine character, God bore long with Lucifer. The spirit of discontent and disaffection had never before been known in heaven. It was a new element, strange, mysterious, unaccountable.

The Infinite Value of the Sacrifice Required for Our Redemption Reveals the Fact That Sin Is a Tremendous Evil

Lucifer himself had not at first been acquainted with the real nature of his feelings; for a time he had feared to express the workings and imaginings of his mind; yet he did not dismiss them. He did not see whither he was drifting. But such efforts as infinite love and wisdom only could devise, were made to convince him of his error. His disaffection was proved to be without cause, and he was made to see what would be the result of persisting in revolt. Lucifer was convinced that he was in the wrong. He saw that “the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works” (Psalm 145:17); that the divine statutes are just, and that he ought to acknowledge them as such before all heaven. He nearly reached the decision to return; but pride forbade him. He persistently defended his own course, and fully committed himself to the great controversy against God.

Satan’s rebellion was to be a lesson to the universe through all coming ages—a perpetual testimony to the nature of sin and its terrible results. The working out of Satan’s rule, its effects upon both men and angels, would show what must be the fruit of setting aside the divine authority. It would testify that with the existence of God’s government is bound up the well-being of all the creatures He has made. Thus the history of this terrible experiment of rebellion was to be a perpetual safeguard to all holy beings, to prevent them from being deceived as to the nature of transgression, to save them from committing sin, and suffering its penalty.

March 11, 2017October 4, 2017

Jonah

Jonah is a prophet – and a man on the run. From who? From God! After a series of wild adventures involving a seaport called Joppa, a huge boat and a terrible storm, Jonah finds himself in the belly of a giant fish! But this isn’t the end. It’s here that God teaches Jonah how to receive grace and extend mercy, even to his archenemy: Nineveh. Take your family deep into this Bible story as it springs to life on stage in jaw-dropping scale by an exceptional cast, spectacular special effects and live animals – on stage and in the aisles.

You Can Run, but You Can’t Hide

Jonah is revered as a prophet in his hometown. But it’s been years since God last spoke to him, and everyone’s getting restless for another message. When he finally hears God speak again, it’s not at all what Jonah wants to hear. How could God ask him to do such a thing? His friends and family will think he’s foolish – maybe even a traitor. His plan? Run in the opposite direction. But there’s no easy way to escape your destiny.

Inside the Belly of the Tale

With enormous sets, elaborate costumes, immersive lighting and sound design, Jonah’s adventure comes to life in vivid color. Climb aboard his ship as it sets sail straight into a perilous storm. And be transported into the heart of Nineveh—one of the most sprawling, powerful cities of its time.

PREMIERE DATE

March 11, 2017

SEASON

March 11-Oct. 14, 2017, 11 shows weekly

LOCATION

300 Hartman Bridge Road

Ronks PA 17572

FUN FACTS

Jonah’s cast features more than 50 actors—after auditioning hundreds of actors from across the U.S.
Jonah’s nearly three dozen live animals include sheep, Highland cattle, alpacas, camels, llamas, a sheep dog, miniature donkeys, birds, horses (of course) and . . . a skunk.
Jonah’s all-original music is the collaboration of multiple artists, recorded in Prague, The Czech Republic, by the Prague Symphony Orchestra. Actors on stage sing live.
Among the 70-plus set pieces is 30,000-pound ship, one of the largest set pieces in Sight & Sound’s history.
Production teams worked two years to perfect Jonah’s underwater and storm scenes.
The more than 1,500 conventional lights in each performance include 102 automated and 36 LEDs with 100 color changes, requiring five miles of cable; 1,200 dimmers respond to more than 400 light cues.
Sight & Sounds’ staff designers and seamstresses created the show’s 408 costume designs for 830 costumes. Jonah’s costumes amount to 8,860 yards of fabric (enough to wrap the theatre 33 times), 7,360 snaps, 530 wigs, and 217 beards and mustaches.

https://godinterest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/sight-sound-jonah-media-tip-sheet.docx

February 23, 2017January 15, 2024

Facebook Apologises for Censoring Christian Mom

Facebook apologised for suspending a Christian blogger for saying the Bible condemns homosexuality.

Elizabeth Johnston, also known as “Activist Mommy” by her fans, was shocked when Facebook shut down her account for expressing biblical views on homosexuality.

She argued that the Bible does not condone homosexuality and quoted scriptures from the Old and New Testament to support her. Facebook quickly removed the post and suspended Johnston’s account on three separate occasions. Facebook told Johnston her post did not “follow the Facebook Community Standards.”

“They are muzzling me and my biblical message while Mark Zuckerberg claims that FB is unbiased,” she said in a statement. “The post Facebook deleted included no name-calling, no threats, and no harassment. It was intellectual discussion and commentary on the Bible.”

Facebook finally apologised and reinstated Johnston’s account after coming under heavy fire from the media.

A Facebook spokesperson said the site suspended Johnston’s account on accident.

“The post was removed in error and we restored it as soon as we were able to investigate,” the Facebook spokesperson wrote in an email. “Our team processes millions of reports each week and we sometimes get things wrong.”

“We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused,” the spokesperson added.

Johnston accepted Facebook’s apology but said the suspension was no accident.

“Saying this was an accident is a joke! They sent me the post and said it specifically violated their community guidelines. Now they are saying they accidentally stated that and banned me for 10 days accidentally? No! It took a national news story to get my content returned to my page. What about the average Facebook user who doesn’t have that luxury?” she asked.

Now, Johnston is on a mission to expose other examples of Facebook censorship.

“I am on a mission now to speak for them. I am receiving messages, screenshots, and evidence from all over the world which proves that Facebook’s system for filtering and banning is punitive against conservatives and Christians.”

Johnston says social media has become a political and ideological weapon.

“Zuckerberg is saying Facebook is unbiased. But in reality, it appears he is using the platform to further his personal political, religious and globalist agenda,” Johnston argued. “He is using Facebook as an ideological weapon and punishing those of us who don’t submit to the agenda with suspensions and deletions of our pages.”

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4253660/Christian-mom-BANNED-Facebook-quoting-Bible.html#ixzz4sA4N1xPo

February 13, 2017October 5, 2017

The Case for Christ

SCOTTSDALE’”¹—Feb. 13, 2017— Lee Strobel’s worldwide best-selling book, The Case for Christ, details his real-life journey from Atheism to Christianity. Now, on April 6, for one extraordinary night, the backstory of the skeptic and the facts fills movie theaters as THE CASE FOR CHRIST becomes an exclusive cinema ’”¹event, featuring author Lee Strobel live on big screens nationwide one night before the film’s wide release. The Case for Christ Live Event, premiering the theatrical release of Strobel’s story, will showcase a Q&A after the film with Strobel and his wife, Leslie, as well as other special guests on Thursday, April 6, live at 8p.m. ET, 7p.m. CT, 6 p.m. MT and tape-delayed to 8 p.m. PT, from Fathom Events and Pure Flix. Tickets for this one-night event are available online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change). In addition to seeing the film and participating in the live Q&A, ticket purchasers will also receive a free download of the first two chapters of The Case for Christ book.

“The Case for Christ has impacted the lives of numerous people around the world,” Fathom Events CEO

John Rubey said. “This re-telling of Strobel’s journey of faith brings to life a story that has become hugely influential in the world of Christian apologetics today, and we are thrilled to be a part of its cinematic debut.”

“We believe Lee and Leslie Strobel’s real-life story that led him to write The Case for Christ makes for acompelling movie,” said Michael Scott, CEO and Co-Founder of Pure Flix and a producer of the film. “What a privilege it will be to see them live on movie screens talking about their experiences to a nationwide audience.”

Following the Fathom event, THE CASE FOR CHRIST will release ’”¹ nationwide on April 7. The film stars Mike Vogel (THE HELP), Erika Christensen (Parenthood), Academy Award ® winner Faye Dunaway (BONNIE AND CLYDE, CHINATOWN), Academy Award ® nominee Robert Forster (JACKIE BROWN), L. Scott Caldwell (Lost) and Frankie Faison (The Wire).

Jonathan M. Gunn (DO YOU BELIEVE?) directs THE CASE FOR CHRIST’”¹, written by Brian Bird, (When Calls the Heart, Touched by An Angel) and based on Strobel’s book.

A hard-driving journalist, Lee Strobel was exactly where he expected to be at work: on top. His award-winning investigative reporting recently earned him a promotion to legal editor at the Chicago Tribune. But things weren’t going nearly as well at home where his wife Leslie’s newfound faith in Christ went against everything Lee believed—or didn’t believe—as an avowed atheist.

Utilizing his journalistic and legal training, Lee begins a quest to debunk the claims of Christianity in order to save his crumbling marriage. Chasing down the biggest story of his career, Lee comes face-to-face with unexpected results that could change everything he knows to be true.

Based on Lee Strobel’s award-winning best-selling book and starring Mike Vogel, Erika Christensen, Faye Dunaway and Robert Forster, THE CASE FOR CHRIST opens in theaters ’”¹ April 7. It’s an ideal ’”¹Easter-season movie for anyone who has ever pondered the existence of God … and what role He could play in their lives.

To see the all-new THE CASE FOR CHRIST trailer go to www.thecaseforchristmovie.com ’”¹For press materials, visit: Lovell-Fairchild.com

February 7, 2017December 8, 2017

Top 11 Qualities That Make A Great Leader

There are different styles of leadership and they can (nearly) all be good.

1. Be Authentic

The important thing is to be yourself: know your own personality so that you can be authentic in the way you engage with other people and the way you use your authority. Understand how you as an individual can best have positive impact and influence with others and try to understand how they perceive you. Always be clear in communicating your values, what you care about and what you stand for – through your behaviour as well as your words.

2. Boost Your Confidence

If you want to be a leader you have to be prepared to lead. It does require self-confidence. You have to be able to judge when to listen, when to think and when to decide. When you make decisions you need to stick with them through adversity if you are sure they are right, and to see them through. People like continuity. If at some point you conclude that you were wrong, you need to be big enough to change and to explain why. The best solution is to make the right decisions! It is more important to make good decisions than fast decisions.

3. Display Emotional Intelligence

But you can only lead if other people are prepared to follow. That means you have to win and retain their respect, not just for your position but for you as a person, for your experience, skills, and competence. A leader has to have a strong rapport with, and understanding of, the organization and the people he or she is leading: what they want, and what they will accept if they can’t have what they want. Emotional intelligence and intuition are important in forming these links.

4. Motivate and Inspire

In leadership, people and relationships are more important than tasks. Tasks do matter, but the main role of a good leader is to motivate and inspire other people to do the tasks well. You need to know how to delegate and be the leader of other leaders. The leader is the conductor of the orchestra, not the first violin. But you also need to know when to step in and take responsibility. Don’t be afraid to say ‘stop’ or ‘no’ if you think things are going wrong. And don’t let other people push you into a decision which you are not comfortable with.

5. Set the Vision

You have to set a vision. That requires a clear sense of purpose, a clear sense of direction and a clear picture of the destination. You need to be able to explain in terms that people understand and support what you want to achieve, why you want to achieve it, how you will go about it and how everyone will know when you get there. That is what I have been trying to do with Diplomatic Excellence.

6. Be a Good Communicator

Good leaders are good communicators. You have to do it all the time. It means thinking about what other people know and how they are experiencing what you are doing, especially change. It’s important to communicate in a way other people can relate to and engage with. And you have to make it easy for people to remember what you are saying: make it simple, clear and coherent.

7. Lead the Delivery

Once you’ve set the vision and engaged other people through communication, you need to lead the delivery. That’s where a clear understanding of the end goal, and metrics and evaluation to demonstrate outcomes, are important. It’s a good idea to stay ahead of the delivery curve, setting interim goals along the way which are stretching but attainable. Much of what I’ve just described in the last three points is encapsulated by Steve Radcliffe in the model he discussed at the Leadership Conference last year: future, engage, deliver.

8. Manage Your Energy

It’s important to manage your energy. Leaders are constantly on display and under scrutiny. You need to have energy in reserve so that you can manage your mood and the image you project, and have something in the tank when crises happen (as they inevitably will). Learn to recognise when you are tired or stressed, and how that makes you behave. Watch out for the signs. Learn also to recognise where your positive energy comes from and what takes it away.

9. Build the Right Team

A good leader will put a lot of effort into building the right team around him or her. You need people you trust, who are on your side, who challenge and are honest with you and whose judgement you respect. You need to be able to depend on their support when the going gets tough. Being a leader can feel lonely and exposed: so you need to have your support systems in place to help you through the harder times.

10. Trust Your Instinct

If it doesn’t feel right, the chances are it isn’t right. I’m a great believer in the power of the subconscious, given time, to steer us to the right answers. That’s why I often prefer to have a couple of discussions before taking a difficult decision, even if that slows down the process. It helps give me certainty about what I think, and it helps the wider leadership group understand each other’s point of view and build consensus. The end result is a better decision with better buy-in.

11. Make Mistakes

Finally, accept that we all make mistakes. Nobody is perfect. When you do, try to learn the lessons, but don’t be destabilized. Someone told me once: “don’t chew the cud”. Keep moving forward, be resilient, remember that things will get better. And smile.

Author

Lee Glynn is a dedicated individual with over 18 years experience & knowledge within the wonderful world of recruitment. Having held roles as a Managing Director, Non Executive Director, Director, Leader, Business Adviser, Mentor, Strategist and Trainer to the Recruitment, Staffing, Professional Industry. Lee has extensive knowledge and experience for all frameworks and business models inc (Crown Commercial Services, London Procurement Partnership, NHS Collaborative Procurement Partnership, HealthTrust Europe & NHS Shared Business Service that are used by the NHS & Private sectors. Lee Glynn is currently helping the NHS & Private hospitals reduce their Agency and permanent spend. This article has been published on Linkedin.

February 7, 2017July 1, 2022

Is Project “Management”’”¹ the Problem?

January 31, 2017July 1, 2022

Which of These 5 Types of Project Managers Are You?

The outcome of a project largely depends on the behaviour of the manager as their actions will directly influence the behaviour of the team. Even with all the efforts, employees may put forth to salvage a once positive work environment, at the core of every toxic working environment is the bad manager. There are different types of managers, and each one has their own characteristics that determine how employees will react, the working environment and overall production. Five common types include:

1. Laissez-Faire

‘Laissez-Faire’, is French for leaving things to take their own course without interference. These types of managers tend to leave subordinates to get on with the work on their own and have little to no communication with them. They fail to provide regular feedback when supervising. Though this form of management may seem irresponsible, it requires a lot of trust. Highly experienced and capable employees need very little interference, as they are trusted to do the task to the best of their abilities. However, when it comes to employees with limited experience, this form of management means there will be low production value as these employees feel they do not have to do any work due to the lack of authority they have over them. It can also make these employees a lot harder to control and since work is not being done, resources, money and time are wasted, which in turn increases the costs of the project.

2. Autocratic

This form of management is most suitable for places such as the Army as it gives the manager complete power. These types of managers make all the decisions with very little or no input from the subordinates, and since they have total authority over them, employees find it hard to challenge the manager. This can create an atmosphere of fear and because of this quality of work and production may increase, however, retention rates might increase along with it, as employees may feel threatened and begin to resent their job. Nonetheless, this form of management might be suitable for employees who need close supervision as they need to be told what to do and when, but creative employees will find it hard to work in an autocratic environment.

3. Participative

This type of manager values every member of the team and listens to whatever input employees may have. However, the manager ultimately makes the final decision. This form of management will increase morale as employees make contributions towards the decision-making process and they feel that their opinions matter. With this management style, the employees easily accept changes in the company as they played a role in the process. As morale increases, production will increase along with it, making this a very effective management style.

4. Transactional

This management style is used to give out either rewards or punishments to employees depending on their performance. The manager along with the employees set goals together and agree on rewards or punishments depending on whether or not they reach their goal. The employees then follow direction and instructions set by the managers in order to achieve the goal. The manager has the power to analyze the results of the project and either give out rewards and praise the employees or train the employees depending on the outcome.

5. Transformational

This type of management is used to increase the morale of the employees and is normally used in situations where employees feel discouraged. There are high levels of communication between the manager and the subordinates to reach their goals. These leaders motivate the employees and enhance efficiency and production using communication. These types of managers delegate smaller tasks to smaller teams and focus on the big picture to achieve their overall goals.

Conclusion

There are many different types of managers, and some are used specifically to adapt to certain situations. Some management styles are more effective than others however it depends on the type of employees they are supervising, the task at hand, and the goals that are set.

January 27, 2017April 5, 2024

Tomorrow’s Homes: Modern Methods of Construction

January 21, 2017January 15, 2024

New in Faith & Family from Sony Pictures Animation: THE STAR

Culver City, Cal., January 18, 2017 – Making good on its commitment to increase output while continuing to offer its distinctive mix of family and faith films, Sony Pictures Animation announces the upcoming release of THE STAR.

THE STAR’s executive producer, DeVon Franklin, is well known for now-classic faith films such as HEAVEN IS FOR REAL and MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN.

Kristine Belson, President of Sony Pictures Animation, says, “We are proud of the artist-driven titles we have coming to the marketplace. The abundance, variety and quality of the features are a testament to the wealth of creative talents who call Sony Pictures Animation their home.”

THE STAR (November 10, 2017 release)

The voice cast will be led by Steven Yeun (Bo the donkey), Kelly Clarkson (Leah the horse), Aidy Bryant (Ruth the sheep), Keegan-Michael Key (Dave the dove), Kristin Chenoweth (Mouse), Anthony Anderson (Zach the goat), Gabriel Iglesias (Rufus the dog), Ving Rhames (Thaddeus the dog), national radio personality Delilah Rene (Elizabeth), Kris Kristofferson (Old Donkey), Gina Rodriguez (Mary), Zachary Levi (Joseph), with Oprah Winfrey (Deborah), Tyler Perry (Cyrus) and Tracy Morgan (Felix) as the three camels, and Christopher Plummer (King Herod).

THE STAR is directed by Academy Award ® nominated writer/director Timothy Reckart (HEAD OVER HEELS); executive-produced by DeVon Franklin (MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN), Lisa Henson and Brian Henson (The Jim Henson Company); produced by Jenni Magee Cook; with a story by Carlos Kotkin and Simon Moore; and screenplay by Carlos Kotkin. Digital animation by Cinesite Studios. AFFIRM Films also joins in the film’s production and marketing.

In Sony Pictures Animation’s THE STAR, a small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day he finds the courage to break free, and finally goes on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a loveable sheep who has lost her flock, and Dave, a dove with lofty aspirations. Along with three wisecracking camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become unlikely heroes in the greatest story ever told – the first Christmas.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ANIMATION

Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated and family entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits—the record-breaking monster comedies Hotel Transylvania and Hotel Transylvania 2, the hybrid live action/animated blockbusters The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2, and the mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies—with the fully animated reboot Smurfs: The Lost Village in April 2017; a surprising and comic take at the secret world inside our phones with The Emoji Movie in August 2017; the inspirational The Star in November 2017; Hotel Transylvania 3 in September 2018; and an animated Spider-Man feature from the minds of directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord in December 2018. The studio, in conjunction with Aardman Animations, has produced two critically acclaimed feature films: the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas; and the Academy Award ® nominated stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. In 2007, Surf’s Up also received an Academy Award ® nomination for Best Animated Feature Film; a sequel entitled Surf’s Up 2: WaveMania will be available on home entertainment in January 2017. The division, whose first feature film Open Season led to a very successful movie franchise including the brand new Open Season: Scared Silly now available on digital, DVD and Blu-ray, was founded in 2002. Sony Pictures Animation is a division of the Sony Pictures Motion Pictures Group.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

ABOUT AFFIRM FILMS

AFFIRM Films is a division of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA), a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company, dedicated to producing, acquiring and marketing films that inspire, uplift and entertain audiences. For more information go to www.AFFIRMFilms.com

January 14, 2017July 1, 2022

Does ‘The Image of God’ Extend to Robots, Too?

Inside a railway arch in Brixton, a piece of history was brought back to life. First built in 1928 by Captain Richards & A.H. Reffell, Eric is one of the UK’s first robots. Eric’s design was relatively simple. He was automated, but the interesting thing about Eric is how much extra stuff people read into him. Ingenious electrical instruments enabled Eric to hear questions and answer in a human voice.

On September 28 1928 Eric stood up at the Royal Horticultural Hall, bowed, looked right and left and moved his hands as he proceeded to give an opening address as sparks flashed from his teeth.

The New York Press described Eric as the “perfect man,“ built less than a decade after the word robot was used for the first time, Eric toured the world with his makers but then vanished, seemingly forever.

Nobody knows if the robot was thrown out, or lost, but it’s apparent that Eric once lauded for his technical prowess became an early victim of technological obsolescence. He may have no longer been needed or wanted even though he may have still been in working order.

In May 2016, over 800 Kickstarters investors campaigned to bring Eric back to life. Roboticist and artist Giles Walker created a replica of Eric using just a handful of archived news cuttings, pictures, and video. The robot is built with the same finesse as modern robots but purposefully lacks their capabilities. Eric is controlled by a pre-programmed sequence, using software similar to that used for controlling lights in theatres.

By resurrecting Eric, Russell and Walker want to make people reevaluate the place of robots within our history and society at large.

Commissioned by the Science Museum and funded through a successful £51,000 Kickstarter campaign, Eric is on display at the South Kensington museum ahead of a Robots exhibition in 2017 and will thereafter tour the world just like he did more than 90 years ago.

The new exhibition will feature more than 100 robots, from a 16th-century mechanical monk to robots from science fiction and modern-day research labs.

In whose image are robots made?

According to Russell, Curator, London Science Museum the answer seems to be “ourselves.”

Robots are almost like mirrors, they reflect back on ourselves, tell us who we are Ben Russell, Curator, London Science Museum

As research into artificial intelligence continues, we will continue on the path of making artificial intelligence (AI) in our image. But can Christian thought provide an alternative approach to how robots are made?

The original Eric is a product of a time when an intelligent robot was still a far-off possibility. At the time, filmmakers and audiences treated these robots instrumentally; there was little sympathy for the robot dead.

Times, however, have changed. Christopher Orr, writing in The Atlantic, notes that there is a major philosophical shift in the newest version of Westworld: A shift from concern for the creators, made of flesh and blood, to concern for the created, made of steel and silicon.

January 12, 2017July 1, 2022

BPS World Research Highlights Challenges Facing Employers in 2017 Following Brexit

Global resourcing specialist BPS World has warned that one of the main challenges facing employers in the UK in 2017 will be the impact of Brexit on the ability to attract talent, particularly in the high-value digital, technical and engineering industries where recruiters are already struggling with severe skills shortages. This follows the publication by BPS World, of: “Brexit: What the World is Saying” which, for the first time, researched the global impact of Brexit and how other countries believe it will impact on skills.

Simon Conington, Founder of BPS World, has urged the government to ensure that the UK continues to have access to skilled professional from Europe, particularly in the sectors where there are already skills shortages, or face a sharp decline in the UK’s ability to compete.

Although the UK will not be leaving the EU until 2019 we can expect an announcement this year on the shape of Brexit and what it will mean in practice. Under so-called ‘hard-Brexit’ freedom of movement would be restricted and it would be as difficult for talent to be recruited from France as from the US. It is this that alarms those at the sharp end of skills shortages, such as BPS World. Recruits themselves are already showing signs of being aware of these new competitive forces: research revealed that almost half (48 per cent) of UK jobseekers were more concerned about finding a job than before the referendum.

Last year BPS World spoke to business leaders, representative bodies and professionals in the recruitment and retention sectors in Europe, India, Australia and the USA. The research focussed on the sectors most affected by skills shortages in the UK and overseas. It is in these sectors that the impact of Brexit and any restrictions or changes to work permits, is likely to be most keenly felt.

One of those they spoke to was Marco Dadomo, from the Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI, Association of German Engineers) in DÃƒ¼sseldorf: “As we know, Britain has already problems finding enough specialists in this sector. Brexit will make it less attractive for international experts to work in Britain for a British company. We have also heard that quite a lot of UK experts of different sectors plan to leave Britain when Brexit will be implemented.”

Simon Conington, Founder of BPS World argued;

“2017 is going to be a pivotal year for the UK economy. The decisions the government makes now on the implementation of Brexit will affect our ability to attract the talent we need to grow. The impact will be felt immediately as talent will not come to the UK if they know they will have to leave within two years. We urge the government to continue to ensure we have access to skilled people, particularly in sectors where we’re already struggling to find the talent we need.”

Kevin Green, Chief Executive of the REC welcomed the report:

“This review of the international community’s fears and needs following the EU referendum contains warnings about the challenges employers could face in the future. The prospect of skill and talent shortages intensifying in higher-end sectors is a huge concern. The government must ensure that any changes to immigration policy as a result of the EU negotiations reflect immediate labour market needs so that businesses can continue to grow.”

Brexit: What the World is Saying is available free to download from www.bps-world.com

Notes to Editors

BPS World are global resourcing experts who work across a number of sectors, specialising in technology, marketing and engineering.

For further information:

Julia Barton
Onyx
E: julia@onyxcomms.com
T: + 44 20 7048 2700