Crossing the Finish Line with Purpose

On Sunday, July 5th, I will be sharing with you on one of my “Life Verses” and why I chose it. It is about finishing well.

For this week, I want to give you an excerpt from a book which is in the publishing process with Tyndale Publishing and Focus on the Family. I was thinking about this, as I was preparing for this upcoming Sunday.

As I write this chapter, I am sitting on an airplane, coming off 3 full days of facilitating a training for leadership.

Two people are sitting behind me, engaged in a rousing conversation ; kind of difficult, to not listen in. They obviously are meeting each other for the first time and in their mid 50’s.

The woman is saying to the man, “I will not retire”. To which he responds, and “What does finishing well mean to you”?

She says, “It is about dollars”! That discussion is still going on.

What does it mean to finish well? 

Much has been written and spoken on this and I am giving you 5 principles, gleaned from various authors and discussions, over long dinners.

•   We must never stop setting goals. What does your Life Mission Statement look like?

Three questions, I often ask myself are:

a) How is my capacity and sustainability changing?

b) What adjustments do I need to make?

c) What does success look like for me, 12 months from now?

• Who is investing in you?

Seek out a few people, who you will use as “confidants” and use them as sounding posts. Also, allow then to speak into your life. 

One of my key mentors, Dr. Roger Birkman always, carried a small note pad around and would write down thoughts from others, which he wanted to remember. He showed me a box, that was filled with them.

• Be thankful

My wife, keeps a “gratitude journal” and it is life blood to her. It reminds her of her dependency on a good God.

If you are married, stay with your wife or husband. More and more couples in the 55+ demographic are coming to a point, where they are “calling it quits”; what a tragedy and what will they do with all the memories?

• Live with Heaven in sight.

• Randy Alcorn  --

I use a quote from Soren Kierkegaard on my signature plate.

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
(Soren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher, 1813-1855)

May we focus together on crossing the finishing line, strong.