It is amazing to me how many people don’t have an
educational goal or the desire to achieve beyond where they are currently in
their life. Now understand I’m not talking about necessarily going back and
doing another degree. However, I’m talking about learning something new that is
going to move you forward in your career or within the church structure, or in
your personal Christian walk.
Most people know that I have multiplied doctorates (yes,
I know all that and $5.00 will get me a cup of coffee at Starbuck, maybe).
However, what most folks don’t realize how disorganize my thinking is when I’m
attempting to study on my own. So, I have used my college education, as well as
the studying for Certificates, and my Licensures to help me focus on learning
things that will benefit my career which for me happens to be
Preaching/Teaching about Christ and being a Christian Counselor, and Chaplain.
Over the past 40 years of ministry and within my professional work as a
Counselor I have learned three essential of learning.
1)
Focus on your passion, and then move from there!
a.
What is it your
passion about and want to relate to others, then begun to study the topic and
consume everything you can on that topic. When I became Director of a Drug
Treatment program, I went back to school to complete my Bachelors, and changed
my major from Pastoral Ministries to Christian Counseling and would go to
consume everything I could read on the topic to the conclusion of receiving a
PhD in Psychology and Christian Counseling.
2)
Find people of like to passion to challenge you to
learn!
a.
I will never be
able to thank men like Dr. Jeff Baker, Brack Strong, and Gary Sweeten that
challenged me to learn about Christian Counseling and helped me become the
counselor I am today, as well as the presenter that I am within the
professional community. What ever you desire to be, surround yourself with
people that are doing it right, asked them to direct you in your learning
process.
3)
Finish what you start!
a.
Like many of you I
have a real struggle finishing what I start, I get sidetracked easily with
family, friends, and ministry opportunities. It takes people such as my
wonderful wife of 33 years to keep me on task and moving forward. I didn’t
quite even through there was times it seemed impossible to complete the degrees
or achieve the licensure for various programs. As a result, we have seen
wonderful opportunity for ministry and professional achievements.
If
you can do these three things you will be able impact your world around, you. The
foundation to learning is simple “Get Started, Keeping Going until finished,
and then find a New Challenge, and do it again” As I sit here and write
this blog post I’m contemplating what the next learning challenge is in my own
personal life, and honestly the future looks bright.
