[ Website Version  |  Read December 2003 Edition: http://www.cadreinternational.com/training/1203.php ]

A Prayer for January 2nd

For the overwhelming majority of you who will make yet one more New Year’s resolution on January 1st—we offer you the following prayer for January 2nd:

Dear God,
I want to thank you, Lord, for being close to me so far this year. With your help I haven’t been impatient, lost my temper, been grumpy, judgmental, or envious of anyone. But I will really need your help soon because… I’m about to get out of bed.
Amen

Resolutions Without Resolve

We make resolutions on New Year's Day to become better people. Yet, research indicates that 25 percent of us will break our promises within the first two months of the new year. By six months, nearly 40 percent will have failed. And by one year, approximately 82 percent will be unsuccessful.

Resolve Not to Make Any New Year’s Resolutions! (Get it?)

While there is something in the human psyche that gravitates to new beginnings, if you really want to start 2004 right, forget about making New Years resolutions. Don’t waste your breath huffing and puffing about how YOU are going to change yourself this year! Instead, do something absolutely life-changing…

Dare to write a personal growth plan for 2004!

New Year’s Resolutions and Personal Growth Plans Are NOT the Same Thing

A personal growth plan is not a New Year’s resolution in sheep’s clothing! They are dramatically different. Consider this contrast:

God Is the Source for Lasting Life Change…
and We Must Work With Him

Instead of New Year’s resolutions in 2004, I invite you to write a God-directed personal growth plan for your life. Writing a personal growth plan starts with the biblical premise that God is the one who causes authentic change and lasting personal growth in our lives. Yet, while our personal growth is at its core a God-thing, God still expects us to put forth effort in cooperation with his working in our lives! Paul accentuates this balance of the human cooperating with the Divine for the purpose of growth clearly in I Corinthians 3:6-9:

I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was making it grow and [He] gave the increase. So neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters, but [only] God who makes it grow and become greater. He who plants and he who waters are equal (one in aim, of the same importance and esteem), yet each shall receive his own reward (wages), according to his own labor. For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God's garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God's building. (AMP, bold mine)

At least three facts are clear about growth from this passage:

Personal Growth Plans: A Great Way to Cooperate with God’s Work in Us

It is true that growth is a God-thing—but that does not exclude God’s desire for our participation in the arduous process! God does it but we still have to plant, water, and work! Once I was speaking at a student conference where Joel Hanson, formerly of the great Christian music group PFR, was the worship leader. During a prayer time before our sessions, I was really blessed as Joel prayed, “God, we know you are going to do your life—changing work in this session, but help us to cooperate with you by pouring ourselves out for you and these students 100 percent.” I believe that is exactly the spirit of I Corinthians 3:6-9! And that is exactly how we need to approach our personal growth plans this year. God will faithfully facilitate growth in our lives, but we still have to make the effort to pick up our Bibles, read, and apply!

Keep an eye on your inbox for "No More New Year's Resolutions--Part 2" coming soon!

A Personal Challenge for YOU to Start 2004 Right!

If the idea of writing a personal growth plan for the year 2004 resonates with your spirit, I would like to propose that we take it to the next level. If you will send me a copy of your personal growth plan for this year, I will send you a copy of mine. (Send your personal growth plan to info@cadreministries.com) We can pray for each other. I would be more than willing to do this—especially if it would be an encouragement for you to put a personal growth plan on paper and into action. A year from now we can take some time to reflect, learn, and make a new personal growth plan for 2005—Lord willing.

If you would like to send the "No More New Year's Resolutions--Part 1" to a friend so you can take the challenge together, click below to send your friends this edition of Cadre Connection:

Send to a Friend >>
(The above link will pop up a window for you to fill out to send a link to your friend.)

Tools for Your Toolbox to Help You Start 2004 Right


If you need or would like more information about how to develop and follow through on a personal growth plan, you can find that in chapter one of:

Grow, Minister, and Lead! Ten Training Sessions to Help You Grow, Minister, and Lead
These ten training sessions come with Bible study questions that are ideal for self study or small group training sessions. Topics covered: how to develop a personal growth plan, Joseph's secret for sexual purity, how to find an accountability partner, time management for busy people, how to deal with difficult people, how to conduct a meeting so people actually show up, and much more!
For more info, click:
http://www.cadreministries.com/store/books.html#grow  |  Printable Mail Order Form


If you need or want more information about writing a personal growth plan that is SMART (specific, motivating, attainable, relevant, and trackable), then you need chapters one and two of:

Grow, Minister, and Lead #2--THE NEXT LEVEL! Ten MORE Training Sessions to Help You Grow, Minister, and Lead
These ten training sessions come with Bible study questions that are ideal for self study or small group training sessions. Topics covered: moving from ordinary to extraordinary, how to develop a SMART personal growth plan, time management, the importance of volunteer ministry, how to gain credibility, what does it mean to be successful in ministry, why non-Christians won't come to outreaches, self leadership, how to lead those who lead you, and motivating volunteers.
For more info, click:
http://www.cadreministries.com/store/books.html#next  |  Printable Mail Order Form


If you are too busy to read a book but you still want to find out how you can put a personal growth plan to work in your life, you need:

Grow, Minister, and Lead--AUDIO (tapes or CDs): The Best of GML 1 and GML 2 on Audio
These nine audio training sessions on six tapes or six CDs include: moving from ordinary to extraordinary, personal growth plans and how to create SMART goals, sexual purity, accountability, time management, becoming a credible communicator, self leadership, leading those who lead you, and becoming a high impact teacher.
For CDs, click: http://www.cadreministries.com/store/audio.html  |  Printable Mail Order Form
For tapes, click: http://www.cadreministries.com/store/tapes.html#pack

American’s Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Lose Weight
2. Get in Better Shape
3. Quit Smoking
4. Become More Financially Secure
5. Do Something To Improve Some Else’s Life
6. Simplify My Own Life
7. Do Something To Take Better Care of My Community, the Environment, and/or Human Rights Issues
8. Improve Intimate and/or Other Close Relationship(s)
9. Volunteer
10. Travel

( Source: 4therapy.com )




"Setting goals is a great thing, but New Year’s resolutions do more harm than good."
Alan Cohen, author of 16 self-help books including Why Your Life Sucks and What You Can Do About It

"People are always going to fail but failure shapes success."
Bruce Underwood

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.”
Abraham Lincoln

“If at first you don't succeed, you are running about average.”
M. H. Alderson

Charles Schwab, then president of Bethlehem Steel, brought in management consultant Ivy Lee for one primary need: to help him discover how to get more done in the same amount of time. Lee took a 3x5 card out of his pocket and gave it to Schwab.

"I want you to write down the things that need to be done tomorrow, in the order of their real importance," Lee instructed Schwab. "When you come to work tomorrow, I want you to work on number one until it is completed. At the end of the day, write a new list. Try this system as long as you like, and then have your staff try it. Evaluate this activity, and send me a check for what you think it’s worth."

In a few weeks Mr. Schwab sent Mr. Lee a check for $25,000! Such may be the value of establishing your priorities.

If you are interested in intentionally learning to live your priorities in 2004—without paying $25,000 for a consultant—check out Time Management for Painfully Pooped-Out People: Ten Biblical Principles for Taking Control of Your Life and Time. This Bible study workbook is ideal for self-study, small groups, and Sunday School!

January Special:
For every order of five—you will get a sixth free.

Order online: http://www.cadreministries.com/store/books.html#time

For orders via regular mail, check the price on the website at: http://www.cadreministries.com/store/books.html#time and then download the mail order form: http://www.cadreministries.com/store/mail.html

* Charles Schwab story source: ChurchCentral.com

Strange But True Cadre Family Stories
by Bill Allison

In 1999, our family and a few close friends stayed up to midnight to what the turn of a new year… and to see if the world would end (anyone remember Y2K? No—we did not have our generator warmed up!). It was Billy’s very first attempt at staying up until midnight. I don’t want to say that we live boring lives (we have six kids—we truly are living the wild life!), but we nixed the celebration in Times Square to watch the local news coverage of a ball dropping in Chillicothe, IL (I kid you not). As my then six-year- old son, Billy, with heavy eyes and great anticipation of the new year, watched the ball drop in Chillicothe, we all shouted, “HAPPY NEW YEAR!” We sat down and began to eat some more. Billy incredulously responded, “That’s it? That’s all there is to New Years? What a rip off! I’m going to bed! “ And he marched right up to his bedroom and went to sleep… and he has not stayed up for a New Year’s celebration since. I'm going to bed!