Adam Kirk Smith

- A. Smith Blog - Leadership in Life

giving

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Is Your Social Media Social? – Christina Faith

 

Recently, I have been challenged by social media. When I look at my timeline, it’s full of advertising. (Hence why I unfollow when needed). Now, I don’t mind advertisement, but there is very little actual social engagement going on in most cases. We have made social media a place to launch our ventures more than a place to connect with people for the people. We connect with people because we want something from them. We want their like, we want their retweet, and we want them to know our names and brands. I have never been that type of person. I have met many people throughout my life, but I never use those meeting times to present my product or personal brand, many times to a fault. I believe in organic relationships. If I tweet you and you follow back that is awesome in my eyes, but that’s never the sole goal of reaching out.

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The Most Important Relationship – Christina Faith

 

In this season, I am reminded of the most important relationship we all can have; our relationship with Jesus. I have been struggling with writing on relationships for this blog, my blog and book. I don’t want to write simply about relationships for shares, retweets and hits. I desire for myself and for others to be changed into the image of Jesus Christ. We have been given this amazing opportunity to influence others. I would imagine if you are on Adam’s blog that you are looking to better your life in some way.

It is Christmas time and we often forget about the Christ in Christmas. We have turned the celebration of Jesus’ birth into a time of profit with self-serving agendas. As we invite people over for Christmas dinner I am challenged regarding how to make sure that our dinner is full of worship and not just a social gathering in the name of Christmas. I don’t want those whom we invite or even my husband and I to forget Christ on Christmas.

If you are like myself, then the new year brings around a lot of reflections and desires for the next season of life. As the year turns, so do our hearts. We regret what we didn’t fulfill and we make goals of what we would like to fulfill. During service on Sunday my Pastor brought up a key to progress. He encouraged us not to wait until the new year to forge change in our lives, but to do it starting today.

Over the last two months, I have been intensely reordering my life. During this season I am continually reminded that the most important relationship is my daily relationship with God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I want to be successful in life, however my plans cannot compare to the plans that God has for me. Proverbs 19:21 states, “Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.”.

This Christmas don’t just give gifts, but thank the One who was and is the gift. Jesus Christ should be our focus. The closer we are to Him, the better all of our relationships will be. If you don’t know Jesus, there is no time like the present to ask Him to show you Himself. I am sure that this blog isn’t what you expected to hear concerning relationships, but He is the one who makes all of our other relationships worth having.

Relationships have their ups, downs, highs and lows, but our relationship with Christ will keep us anchored during it all.

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#024: Giving Is A Principle

 

 

This episode may not be what first comes to mind when thinking about the idea of giving. Maybe you thought that financial resources were all that you can give, but there is so much more to life than that. You have resources to give right now, no matter where you are at today:

1. Time
How can you give more time to others in your day? Time is just as important as money, if not more important. You have some time to give, so make it count. Who can you pour your time into this week to make a difference in? How can you use your time effectively this week to show love? Your time matters.

2. Emotionally
Who needs you this week emotionally besides your family? Who do you need to uplift this week who recently went through a tragedy? Who can you listen to this week who needs a friend? Give yourself emotionally to people this week and lift others up through their trials. Be a friend to someone.

3. Physically
When I am talking about physical resources, I am talking about work. How can you bless others through your work this week? How can you go above and beyond expectations at your place of work and give more this week?

4. Financial
This might be where your mind went first when you saw the title of this podcast. The thing is it doesn’t have to be huge. You can see a need and fill a need with $5 or less. I promise it’s the thought that counts.

Giving of your resources is a principle that works, because it is always given back to you, but that’s not why you do it. It works because it blesses other people. Giving changes things. It opens doors into the lives of others, takes the focus off of you, and puts the focus where it belongs; on others.
Use your time, emotional resources, physical resources and financial resources to bless others this week.