tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1973988486257966912012-02-15T22:56:41.039-08:00The HoodAnd this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Phillipians 1:9-11Allyson Johnsonnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197398848625796691.post-17663313350884685522009-06-09T19:47:00.000-07:002009-06-10T12:03:19.842-07:00The Hood Is Good - Let's Be Great!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IiU_OuXbrrE/Si8fVezNjTI/AAAAAAAAAAU/jRPPCyVZT20/s1600-h/41YiLaif-fL._SL160_AA115_.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345525736617643314" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 115px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 115px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IiU_OuXbrrE/Si8fVezNjTI/AAAAAAAAAAU/jRPPCyVZT20/s320/41YiLaif-fL._SL160_AA115_.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The Hood is good! Dare we dream to be great?</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">This past Sunday we began Chip Ingram's book <em>Good to Great: Ten Practices Great Christians Have In Common</em>. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">As usual, I opened the doors to the Johnson home and allowed transparency to enter in and examine the subject of <em>baseball</em>. This vivid example from our lives began flowing Sunday morning...</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">We -- all of us, parents and child alike -- study it, discuss it, we pay for it (pitching lessons, hitting lessons). We never grow satisfied with our equipment but look for the latest and greatest bat available. We go to bed on time, or even a little early, WILLINGLY. All for the sake of waking rested. We pack our bat bag meticulously - stock it with all we need. Preparation is key. We rejoice in our wins, and reflect upon tougher times to learn from it. We move onto drills to make sure our arms, hands and feet obey the well-trained thoughts we have rehearsed again and again. Bottom line, we do not grow content with the level of our game. What can we do today to make us better tomorrow?</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">Familiar to anyone? Now, you may not apply such methods to baseball at your house. But, what <em>are</em> you methodical about? Golf, hunting, home organization, scheduling, your career, financial tracking, physical exercise... and the list goes on. We can all surely identify.</span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">Chip Ingram in <em>Good to Great</em> challenges all of us to act with intention to become great in God's eyes. He identifies 10 practices great Christians have in common. These have nothing to do with salvation nor earning brownie points -- just a way to methodically become a more mature, fruitful Christian.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">These ten practices common to great Christians include:</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">1. Think Great Thoughts</span> </span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">2. Read Great Books</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">3. Pursue Great People</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">4. Dream Great Dreams</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">5. Pray Great Prayers</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">6. Take Great Risks</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">7. Make Great Sacrifices</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">8. Enjoy Great Moments</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">9. Empower Great People</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">10. Develop Great Habits</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">We will try to cover two principles each week. Although, we only made it through Principle 1 on June 8. It was a doozie!</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Each week will stand on its own. Barnes & Noble and Lifeway has the book - would love for you all to read along! Regardless, we are sure to have great discussion and learn how to intentionally up our game!</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you...I'll put my Spirit in you and <strong>make it possible</strong> for you to do what I tell you...</em></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Ezekiel 36:26 </em></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/197398848625796691-1766331335088468552?l=fbcdothanhood.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Allyson Johnsonnoreply@blogger.com0