Limits

Hey Guys,

Well it feels like it has been a century since I last posted, but I think I needed to take a break. I am considering blogging on a continually basis again but there are a few things I have to work out first.

I think the biggest thing for me to work through is am I able to share my struggles publicly again? Am I actually able to admit I am not perfect. That I am nothing more than human. It is a weird reality we need to come to every once in a while that I am nothing more than human.


I cannot fix the world, I cannot do everything and I certainly cannot be everything. I need to learn to come to terms with the fact that I have my limitations. Now that last statement I wrote for most people is a 'Yeah, duh!' statement but for me that is a profound revelation going on there. For me to admit that I have limit has come through many humbling experiences.

It is a great thing to understand our limitations because we need to know what we can do. The older I become (and I am not that old) I realize there is a need to learn that I cannot do everything. I have spend my whole life trying to be everything and do everything. But sometimes you need to stop, wait around and smell the roses. Slow down and enjoy the road you are one.

Basically my points comes down to this, we are on a journey and if your goal is to constantly get ahead you will always try to get ahead, it will consume you. Take the time to rest like I have and hopefully it will have the same affect.

Christian

Criticism

To you, specifically you!

It will always amaze me how one word, one phrase or one talk can outweigh the value of a thousand others.  When we receive one word of negativity it can control and manipulate our entire view point of our day and in some cases life. For some people this is more ramped than others. For some this is something they will never deal with, they will be able to value encouragement and criticism on the same level. However, this is not me. I am not that man.

I wish I had the answer how to manage and value encouragement and criticism to have the happy medium. But I do not, I am a man that gets caught up in the negative and negates the positive. The effect this has had upon my character and my life is impactful. I can think of  any example in which thousands of encouraging words were negated by one person tell me that, I was not good enough, I am not qualified, I am not accepted, I am not ‘cool’ or a variety of other things. We always have to be careful that we do not let these comments scar our life.

What I mean by that is this, there are millions upon millions of statements that will be told to our lives but what ones are we going to let shape our life?

Affect our thoughts?

Effect the way in which we act?

I do not hold the golden answer; I can only pose questions and hopefully make you think. For me I need to remind myself the truth about my life, surround myself with people who will not only encourage but challengers. We do not need yes people but rather, supports and empowers. People who will help you work through the negative and remind you of the positive. Who will build you up when it ‘seems’ everyone around you in trying to tear you down. This is the only advice I have; I have not done this perfectly. But I am starting to learn this is one way to combat the irrational view of criticism we can sometimes have.

Much Love,

Christian Sawka

Prayer?

What does it mean to be a man (woman) of disciple? This is a term we use almost regularly to be disciplined. Currently I am doing an internship at my church and I am in charge of ‘prayer administration’ a big title it would so seem. I am a man of ambition and discipline sometimes gets lost. I will be a man of vision but the day to day work almost seems like impossibility.

As this is the most impactful thing to me right now what does it mean to have a disciplined and yep real prayer life? I am not all for spending the exact same moment every day in prayer, but nor am I fully on board for the pray whenever. Both have their negatives and positives.

 I am not going to try and tell you I know the answer, but somewhere along we lost both of these. I’ve lost both of these. I grew in a family where you would pray before every meal, before bed. Well as you grow older that is just no longer cool so I left out that and told myself well ill just pray to myself. Who am I lying my prayer life and my disciplined life is floundering at best.

I met with a great woman today who left me with some resources about prayer, disciplined life and how to develop that in people. After going through one resource I am left with this one impactful statement, “Prayer level will never raise higher than the leader”. I believe this quote can be used for so much not just prayer life but any form of leadership. People you are leading can only grow as much as the leader.

Therefore, if I want to lead this prayer ministry properly, if I want to see my ministry grow I must first disciple myself before God and grow my prayer life. How else can one do anything except through God?