the Monday Morning Debrief: Getting to know who???

There are a lot of movies I want to see right now.  I want to see the new James Bond, Flight, Argo and Taken 2 (I know I’m late in the game on that one).  All of them have a  unique interest for me.  But one movie that I probably want to see above them all is Lincoln.  I can’t quite put a reason why I really want to see it other than it involves Daniel Day Lewis and Steven Spielberg (therefore it MUST be really good), but one thing that this movie has caused me to do is to be looking online at who Lincoln was.  What kind of person was he, what kind of leader was he and what DON’T I know about him.

So looking online, I found these interesting facts about him:

• Abraham Lincoln had no middle name.
• Lincoln only had 18 months of formal education. He loved reading and educated himself becoming first a lawyer and later president of the United States.
• Lincoln and his wife would have 4 sons only one of whom would survive past the age of 18.
• He carried important papers in his stovepipe hat so he wouldn’t misplace them.
• Lincoln dreamed of his own death at least twice in the weeks leading up to his assignation.

Interesting, eh?  Who knew?

Well how does this apply to ministry?

Here’s how…by taking care of yourself and remaining healthy personally, your ministry can thrive.  So the questions is, who is getting to know you?  You invest enough in others peoples lives.  How about having someone invest in you?  Who is investing in you so that there are people who actually knows you…the good and especially the bad…and won’t judge you for it but push you on to be a better person.

Please note, what I’m talking about is more than just being “accountability” partners with someone.  I’m talking about real friends who can be here for you as you vent and openly share about life.  These are people who can help you process and point you to Christ as you go through all of it.  For the past 3 years I have had 3 people let me share my life with them who were constantly there for me, no matter what time of day I called.  They were there for the good times, but more importantly the really hard times too.  Without God putting them in my life, I honestly don’t know how I would have gotten through some of those times.  And now God has blessed me with 3 more people who are getting to “know” me, not just know “about” what they think I am.

So, who is getting to know you?  TAKE A MINUTE right now and think through some people who could invest in you if you don’t have those people in your life already.  Again, think outside the “accountability” partner box.  Think of someone you trust and know who can walk through life with you.  It would really be ashamed if we look back at your life (as I just did with Lincoln) and think, “oh, who knew”.  Hopefully you have or will find some who did know and walked with you through all things, pointing you to Christ all the way.

Thoughts?  Comments?  Experiences?  Post them so that we can learn and benefit.

Source: Thanks to itthing.com for the facts about Lincoln