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5 Minute Friday – MOTIVATE (My title: Know Your WHY)

I am back in action with the Five Minute Friday Blog Link-Up.

Today’s word for five-minute-Friday is MOTIVATE.

Recently at school (I’m a teacher) we had a training that helped me unlock MOTIVATION on several levels.
            First, we were talking about motivating our students. 
            This also transferred to us as educators.  We need motivation.
The big idea was the importance of knowing your “WHY.”  
When you know WHY you are doing something, and you buy into that reason, you become very motivated to do it!
Students need to know WHY they are learning or studying certain topics.
Teachers need to define WHY they are in the classroom each day.
All of us, for whatever task we undertake, have a WHY, but maybe we have never taken the time to define for ourselves what it is.  
Knowing your WHY (or even reminding yourself of it) can make all the difference in the world.
Two quick examples:
            
My teaching:  Being a teacher requires a wide skill set.  Not everything I do is enjoyable. But here is my why—I’m there for the students. To help nurture them into becoming adults who will reach their potential.  Reminding myself of that flips a switch in my heart while I’m doing some of the “not so pleasant” stuff.
My writing:  My why is to PLANT SEEDS OF TRUTH in young hearts. That gives me focus, even as I’m selecting the topics I want to write about. Also, If I’m just out to make a name for myself, despair is going to set in quickly. But my WHY keeps me motivated to continue.   
In conclusion,
                       
Knowing your WHY…it’s a game changer!  It MOTIVATES!

What is your WHY for the task God has given you to do?
Author life

I’m a STORY STORM participant!

Each day of January I am pledging to brainstorm ideas for new stories.  All participants of STORY STORM are on the honor system (meaning we don’t actually share our ideas publically), but each day on Tara Lazar’s blog, she hosts an “expert” who gives exercises and techniques for authors to use.  The first few days of January were a little rough for me, but I have now officially started and am ready to CREATE!  Maybe one day I’ll be able to say…”that book you hold in your hand was an idea that came from STORY STORM 2018!”

Tara’s blog/website

Thanks, @Tara Lazar for this inspirational experience.
You can also follow the Twitter hashtag #STORYSTORM to see what we are up to.

My Faith

5 Minute Friday (or Saturday) — ONLY

If only…   two sneaky words that can rob each day of joy!!

Recently I read and studied author Shannon Popkin’s Bible Study Control Girl.  In it, she reminded me that “Transformation begins in our thought patterns.”

She continued, “When you reflect on truth, you wear new grooves in your mind.”

“Thoughts are powerful.  What we believe shapes the direction we take in life.  So to change direction, we must change our thought patterns.”

She tied it in with Romans 12:2 which says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

So how does that apply to the key word “ONLY” for 5 minute Friday?

Lately I have gotten into a bad habit of thinking “if only”

If only _______, then I could really have joy and/or be happy.

If only _______, then life would be fair and/or better.

If only _______, then I would really have it all together like “insert name of person I can’t quite be as perfect as.” 

You get the picture.  But the problem with “if only” is that I am wallowing around in the darkness and missing out on so many current experiences of JOY!  Time to stop that, and start being transformed by the renewing of my mind!

My “if onlys” may never happen.  (and probably won’t).  So what is it in my present situation that I can give thanks for?  Many, many things!  There’s the big stuff like…

  • my salvation
  • my husband
  • my kids
  • my job
  • my fantastic students
  • my friends
  • God’s provision for my needs

Then there is all the beautiful extra blessings that happen along each day…
Such as… (I love details, don’t you?)

  • Doug (my husband) putting up the Christmas light this year–they make me smile.

  • Going to the movie Coco with my daughter and loving all the great Día de los Muertos tie-ins for class.

  • Facetiming my daughter who is in college.

  • Getting to analyze an Agatha Christie novel with my son as an assignment for his class.

  • Coffee with a student from our former youth group where I had the privilege of hearing about her trip to Africa and all of her adventures.

  • A light sprinkling of snow this morning.

  • My students–I love our conversations in Spanish and English…they make my day brighter EVERY day!

  • God’s voice to me through his Word as in the Control Girl study.
In conclusion:

I need to spend time reflecting on truth.

I need to stop saying if only and start living in the joy-filled NOW.  What about you?