Essay Published in Anthology!

WOW! I am so excited and honored that my essay, Comfort Measures Only, was selected for the recently published book, A New Song: Glimpses of the Grace Journey, an anthology of essays, poems, stories and photos celebrating God's grace on life's journey (Edited by Diane Kulkarni).

Click here to order "A New Song: Glimpses of the Grace Journey"

As the year 2012 begins, may each of us look forward to what God will do this coming year as we seek His Face and experience His Grace…

Consider this quote and Scripture: “Joy: the unwavering trust that God knows what He’s doing and has blessed me with the opportunity to be a part of it. It’s not despite what’s happening in my life but because of it. When everything earthly feels heavy, He gives me an internal lightness that can’t be touched.” 

Habakkuk 2:3 The Living Bible--But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!

In what ways are you trusting God in 2012?

Apply Your Creative Problem-Solving Skills!

In a recent interview on Book TV Thomas Friedman, co-author of the new book, That Used to Be Us, stated, "Employers are looking for individuals who utilize creative problem-solving to invent, re-invent, and re-engineer their jobs."

Creative Problem-Solving

Many investigators of thinking processes contend that there is a strong connection between problem-solving and creative production. 

The Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem-Solving Model emphasizes both divergent and convergent thinking in each phase of the process. 

Consider the following elaboration of the elements in the process:

• Objective-Finding: Awareness and a "fuzzy" statement of the problem.

• Fact-Finding: Utilize fact-finding questions, and select and answer the most important ones.

• Problem-Finding: Problem is stated and restated "In what ways might I..." and the broadest statement of the problem is chosen.

• Idea-Finding: Generation of ideas through brainstorming and other ideational techniques emphasizing the principle of deferred judgment, and selection of ideas.

• Solution-Finding: List necessary and desirable criteria and evaluate ideas against selected criteria.

• Acceptance-Finding: List anticipated problems in implementing solution, and design strategies to overcome them to insure success.

In what ways might you apply this Creative Problem-Solving process to invent, re-invent or re-engineer your life?

In What Ways Do You Apply the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People?

Several years ago, I completed the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People course. Here is a brief summary of the seven habits...

1.    Be proactive--"Taking initiative does not mean being pushy, obnoxious, or aggressive. It does mean recognizing our responsibility to make things happen."

2.    Begin with the end in mind--"This habit is based on imagination--the ability to envision, to see the potential, to create with our minds what we cannot at present see with our eyes...”

3.    Put first things first--"Create a clear, mutual understanding of what needs to be accomplished, focusing on what, not how; results not methods. Spend time. Be patient. Visualize the desired result."

4.    Think win-win--"Win-Win is a frame of mind that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-Win means that agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying."

5.    Seek first to understand, then to be understood--"'Seek First to Understand' involves a very deep shift in paradigm. We typically seek first to be understood. Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. They're either speaking or preparing to speak. They're filtering everything through their own paradigms, reading their autobiography into other people's lives."

6.    Synergize--"Synergy works; it's a correct principle. It is the crowning achievement of all the previous habits. It is effectiveness in an interdependent reality--it is teamwork, team building, the development of unity and creativity with other human beings."

7.    Sharpening the saw--"This is the habit of renewal...It circles and embodies all the other habits. It is the habit of continuous improvement...that lifts you to new levels of understanding and living each of the habits."

In what ways do you apply the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People in your life?

Note: Quotes are from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.

Where Do You Come From?

After reading this wonderful blog, I was inspired to write my own. Once you start writing, anything that comes to your mind, the memories come flooding back and you are taken back. It’s such a great exercise in thankfulness...why not give it a try?

I come from Ellis Island where the ship, Princess Irene, brought my maternal birth grandparents from Scontrone, Italy, to Chicago in 1906.

I come from an illegal abortionist who refused to abort me at 4 months gestation in 1952.

I come from the Salvation Army hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, where my birthmother placed me for adoption on Friday the 13th of February in 1953.

I come from loving Christian parents who adopted me and took me to church and Sunday School.

I come from chocolate milk before bedtime made with love by my daddy.

I come from cookies and milk after school with my stay-at-home mom.

I come from chocolate milk shakes at the drug store during Sunday afternoon drives.

I come from moving to nine different houses in ten years between 1st grade and 10th grade.

I come from six years of home economics in junior high and high school.

I come from being elected president of the Future Homemakers of America in 9th grade.

I come from being chosen as editor-in-chief of my junior high newspaper.

I come from being honored as “Miss Responsibility” by my junior high principal.

I come from being elected as the first female president of my high school student body.

I come from summer vacations at Indian Shores Beach and Gatlinburg.

But more importantly…

I come from adoptive parents who loved me enough to introduce me to Jesus Christ.

I come from Sunday School and G.A.’s mission groups every week from the cradle roll.

I come from a mom and dad who made sure that we were in the pews every Sunday.

I come from youth pastors who gave all of their time to help me find my way.

I come from Young Life inner city retreats where I learned to see God in unlikely places.

I come from summer G.A. camps where I learned to make s’mores.

I come from singing His praise in the inspirational musical, “Tell It Like It Is.”

I come from His grace and mercies that are new every morning, praise Him.

I come from His Word, which is alive and active in me.

I come from a Heavenly Father who knows what my future holds.

I come from desiring to know Him better and to walk more closely.

This is where I come from. It made me who I am today. It is molding and shaping every choice that I make now, and in the days to come. Thank God He has been with me all along.

Where do you come from?

(c) 2011 beth willis miller

Back to the Future—Rowboats, Timelines, and Goal-Setting



Free Sample Microsoft Timeline Template

A component of the Beth Moore Bible Study, “Believing God,” was to complete a timeline of our life in 10 year segments, asking God to reveal to us all the spiritual mile markers in our lives…broken places, hurts, disappointments, accomplishments, and joyful times…to help us see that God had been there all along…His grace is sufficient. 

To accomplish this task, I discovered a very helpful tool for a “Timeline Template” through Microsoft. It’s free, and it’s very easy to use, the text boxes expand to whatever size you need, and the arrows on the boxes can be moved to any location on the timeline. 

I have copied the link for this “Timeline Template” ….it really helped me to get my thoughts on paper, and God has used it to heal me in so many ways...Here’s the link…

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/timeline-TC001016265.aspx

The Hebrew concept of time is like a person rowing a boat. We see where we have been, we back into the future. I can clearly see that God has been there with me all along. I am not stuck in the past, I am rowing into the future, moving forward, proactive, with my focus, my mindset, on God, who is sovereign. He sees the past, the present, and the future all-at-once. 

Morning after morning in my quiet time, I bring myself back to the Cross of Christ…as I bow before Him, I experience anew His forgiveness, redemption, mercy, and grace, as I sense His blood dripping over the Crown of Thorns pressed into His brow, onto my heart, covering my sin, and I get up from my knees wearing His Robe of righteousness as I face the day ahead…rowing into the future. 

What are your thoughts?                                                                                                                         

Consider asking yourself these creative thinking questions as you set goals for the future…

• In what ways might I use this timeline template for creative problem-solving and goal-setting?
• In what ways might I use this timeline template to project my hopes and dreams for the future?
• In what ways might I use this timeline template to visualize my spiritual mile markers for the future?

(c) 2011 beth willis miller