Looking for Pockets and Creating Pockets

Jim Collins writes, "If we look hard enough we can find pockets of greatness in nearly every difficult environment. Every institution has its unique set of difficult constraints, yet some make the leap to greatness while others facing the same environmental challenges do not. This is perhaps the single most important point in all of Good to Great. Greatness is not a function of circumstances. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline."

I want to look for these pockets of greatness and I want to create these pockets of greatness.

I want everyone in our congregation to have a great relationship with our heavenly Father. That relationship really isn't a function of your circumstances. I want you to have that great relationship no matter what is going on in your life - good or bad. That's why we are taking most of the summer to talk about spiritual disciplines. It takes a conscious choice to practice these disciplines, but when you do, it leads to a great relationship with God.

One of the most important steps people need to make is moving from intentions to actions. I have never met a Christian who didn't intend to live out their faith, but because of circumstances of life - busyness, work, kids, life in general - it just didn't actually get lived out. The people I know who have a vibrant, spirit-filled relationship with God through Jesus make the conscious choice to live it out, not just have great intentions.

I have to ask myself everyday, what am I going to do TODAY to live out my faith? When I follow through, I create a pocket for a great relationship with my heavenly Father.