Aug 30, 2011
Romans 12:8 (NIV) “if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. “
Over the past several weeks I have encountered a variety of circumstances where I have witnessed extreme cases of generosity. These were situations where someone deliberately went out of their way to help a random “somebody” Not a friend or a relative but someone they did not know at all. As Christian’s we are called to help each other, not just other Christians, for when we do so we shine the light of Christ though us. Several years ago we had a campaign regarding “Others” at my church home. I learned a lot through the sermon series but I also learned a lot from hearing from people who had been a recipient of someone who had acted on their impulse to help another in need. The impact that was made to the recipient was heart changing and ultimately affected the direction on that person’s life.
What impact have you made this week to another’s life? What impact to the lives of your co-workers will you make this week? If you commit to be an encouragement to your Team, if you make an impact to those you work with but not yet know you, you are helping to build a “Kingdom Minded” company.
Help our community of readers
What experiences have you had in the workplace that made it a better day for you and your coworkers? What have you done to be an encouragement at work?
Post your comments below.
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Inspiration
Aug 9, 2011
I was honored to be interviewed by Alan Collins who was VP– HR at PepsiCo who I worked with when I led HR for several different business units for the Quaker Oats Organization. Alan is now the Founder of Success in HR, Inc. and the author of the HR best seller, UNWRITTEN HR RULES. His new book, BEST KEPT HR SECRETS is now available on Amazon.
Alan and several of my closest contacts have been an absolute blessings and encouragement to my new venture- Thank You Alan and God Bless you and your work.
Here are my 7 tips- Read the article in it’s entirety here: 7 Tips For Leaving Your HR Job
1. “Be clear and specific on the HR value you provide to your clients…and stick with it.”
2. “Network with many – but take advice from a few.”
3. “Start planning and strategizing long before you get downsized or decide you want to move on.”
4. “Find your strength and build on it.”
5. “Balance your life.”
6. “Find a Church home if you don’t have one.”
7. “Find a hobby you enjoy and do it!”
What tips meant the most to you? We would love to hear from you. What tips have we missed? Let us know we will include them in future articles.
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Inspiration
Aug 3, 2011
In the past several years I have had the honor of meeting with Christian professionals across a variety of states. These professionals are potential clients, business partners, Christian professionals in the radio and television industry, Pastors of small congregations and Pastors of mega Churches as well. Although we are living in historical times in the areas of the housing crisis, stock market collapse, record deficit spending, global conflict, environmental disasters of record proportion and the moral decay of our society, (wow- I know a long list!) I feel a sense of calm from the Christian community.
What is really inspiring is when you take a step back from it, and really look at it with focus, the sense of calmness is causing non-Christians to take notice, because they are being attracted to what they see as the strengthening of our belief.
As I continue to meet with these optimistic business people, one trend tends to stick out. They all remain focused on remaining true to their faith but also feel a stronger obligation because of the current turmoil to express their appreciation of their relationship with God as their stronghold against earthly desires and struggles. We have had trials in our world before. We have experienced wars, the great depression, 9-11, etc. But we have never experienced the overwhelming amount of global change and conflict as we are today. It is so strong many have chosen to not watch the news any longer, many are just tuning out!
The most important thing I find Christian Business owners wanting to do is to be able to reach their people with the faith message without offending them.
I agree this is what many of us are called to do, we just don’t know how and are often scared and intimidated to do so. That is why I am here. I am here to help you through the process, to coach you to encourage you and to develop your Human Resource processes to help you be the company you want to be, not just for you but for God.
So yes dear readers, we are blessed to know the good news. We know God will protect us and carry us through anything that lies ahead. My challenge to you is to do so with encouragement to others around you. Too continue to shine the light for all to see, make people want to be like you for what you have in your heart. Bring more people to the party, many are looking for something because of these times, and you know what to give them.
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Inspiration
Apr 7, 2011
If you are not a Christ follower this may be the most important message you receive in your life. I don’t think anything happens by accident. If you happen to come across this website, and you have come to this page it is not just happenstance. I believe that you came here through God’s guidance.
Christians are not perfect people. Unfortunately in my experience I often meet many that turn off nonbelievers very quickly. I am sure that I may have slipped up and said the wrong things to people that I was trying to reach as well. But in reality all of that does not matter. What does matter is that Jesus is perfect and God, our Father, sent him to redeem us of our sins. Might sound complicated, and yes at one time it was to me as well.
The Bible has many passages that support accepting Christ as your only way to God and eternity in heaven. If you are not a Bible believer, I strongly suggest you do due diligence and discover its validity. Many non-bible believers when presented with the facts are flabbergasted as to the authenticity of the Bible. I have heard people say “Why did I not discover this 10 years ago!” It’s amazing that if you truly seek the truth, what you will discover. One book that helped me navigate the authenticity of the Bible is The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, and the best book that will inspire you with the truth of Christ is The Case for Christ.
A few passages that have always kept me grounded as a Christian are from the book of John:
John 3:16-18 NIV
16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Do you have an “Eternity Contract”?
The term “Eternity Contract” is used by some (like me!) Christ Followers that have accepted Christ as their savior. The contract is between the person and God. You accept Christ – and God will grant you eternity in heaven with him.
Receiving an Eternity Contract is not complicated. The problem is Religion has made it complicated through the intervention of man. Many religious denominations added to the Bible for their convenience. Receiving an Eternity Contract requires that you whole heartedly surrender your life to Christ, something you may have done already but did not do so outwardly through a prayer to God. A good example of surrendering yourself to God is using the Sinners Prayer, see below:
Sinner’s Prayer – Recognizing the Need
The “Sinner’s Prayer” is a term that describes the words spoken by a person when he or she has recognized their sin and their need for a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It goes something like this:
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
Life as a Christ Follower
If you decided to repent of your sins and receive Christ today, welcome to God’s family. Now, as a way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.
- Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ.
- Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of time. Just develop the daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word. Ask God to increase your faith and your understanding of the Bible.
- Seek fellowship with other followers of Jesus. Develop a group of believing friends to answer your questions and support you.
- Find a local Bible based church where you may worship and feel comfortable.
That’s it. That’s all that needs to be done. Once done, your good to go! Now the challenge is to continue to live a life that is honorable to God. But time and time again we will make mistakes, learn from those mistakes work to not repeat them and live a life reflective of Christ. As you grow in Christ you will develop stronger moral character and will make positive life choices.
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Inspiration