Thank You – #19

Thank You No. 19

Today, I’m thankful for grace.

I mess up way more than I care to admit.  Without God’s grace, I would be lost.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9

Why are you thankful today?

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Book Review: Starting Small (@benreed)

What is a small group?

To those outside the church world, a small group might be defined as a tiny grouping of something – a small group of rocks, a small group of kids, or a small group of something else in common.

Inside the church world, a small group is kind of like a mini-church.  A small group is a way to make a church small and intimate.

I grew up surrounded by small groups.  My parents were part of small groups for as long as I can remember.  They hosted small group at our house sometimes, and I can remember sneaking out to the dining room to grab some of the delicious snacks set out for their friends.  As I grew older, I started to understand the importance of small groups in my own journey.  In college, I was part of a couple small groups that challenged my faith and pushed me to grow in different areas of my spiritual life.  Since getting married, my wife and I have led and participated in all kinds of small groups.  As a result of these groups, I have seen connection and life change.

This week, I’m excited to announce the launch of a new book by Ben Reed.  In Starting Small: The Ultimate Small Group Blueprint, Ben shares some practical advice for taking small group ministry at your church to the next level.  Whether you are just starting a small group ministry at your church or trying to figure out a way to get new people plugged into small groups at your church, Starting Small will give you some ideas for moving forward.

Having been part of small group leadership at my church, I can vouch for the content of this book.  It’s practical.  It’s inspiring.  And it’s helpful.  Starting Small will get you thinking about what you can do next to build your small group ministry.  It will refocus you on the purpose of small groups in your church.  And it will inspire you to do something new today with your small group ministry.

I’m a big believer in the power of small groups to connect people to each other and to God, and I believe Starting Small can help you towards this goal.  For this reason, I recommend Starting Small to small group champions, leaders, and pastors who are interested in taking their small group ministry to the next level.

Does your church have small groups?  Are you in a small group?  How have small groups impacted your life?

Please note: I received a copy of Starting Small for free in exchange for an honest review.  I was not required to like or recommend this book.  My recommendation is based on my belief in the power of small groups and in the ability of this book to help people find connection through small groups.  Ben Reed speaks from an experience I can relate, and I find his book helpful in your own small group discovery and journey.

Also note:  There are affiliate links in this post.  If you purchase a copy of Starting Small as a result of clicking on one of these links, I receive a small “commission”.  Any “commission” received will be used to support The Stretched Blog and to support continued ministry in Guatemala.  Thank you!

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Thank You – #18

Thank You No. 18

Today, I’m thankful for my parents.

They will be the first to admit they aren’t perfect.  But I owe so much of who I am today to my parents (both my biological parents and my in-laws).  First and foremost, they directed me to Jesus.  They’ve provided guidance and given me the encouragement to try new things.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” — which is the first commandment with a promise — “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”  Ephesians 6:1-3

Why are you thankful today?

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5 Reasons For Setting Employee Performance Targets

Each year around this time, I work with my employees to establish performance targets for the coming year.  It can be a little challenging to fit everything in before the end of the calendar year.  But target setting is vital to business success and individual performance.

Here are 5 reasons for setting employee performance targets:

1. Individual performance goals give employees a target.  An employee can go about every day business without written goals, but they shouldn’t expect growth without targets. If employees don’t have written targets, they will hit them every time.  Written targets help provide employees with a clear plan for how to succeed.  Targets work best when they are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time related).
2. Individual performance goals help employees contribute to overall business success.  Individual targets should be written in alignment with overall business objectives.  For example, if achieving a specific sales order intake is a business objective, individual sales people should have targets that contribute to the overall order intake goal.
3. Individual performance goals provide a fair method for comparing team member performance.  For example, I have 8 project managers working for me.  They have similar targets based on their responsibilities as project managers.  Because their targets are similar, I can evaluate their year-end performance more fairly.  Since their targets are SMART, they are measurable.  It becomes easier to measure one’s performance against another’s performance when performance targets have been developed at the beginning of the year.
4. Individual performance goals take the surprise out of end of year performance ratings.  I sit with my team members at least once a quarter to go over their performance on their individual targets.  By doing this regularly, they have opportunities throughout the year to address performance short falls.  By the end of the year, there is little surprise when the results are revealed for overall performance.
5. Individual performance goals provide an employee to communicate career aspirations to their manager.  As leaders, we should be asking our employees about their career objectives on a regular basis.  And we should work with our employees to craft unique goals which will help them prepare for meeting these objectives.  In some cases, this may mean some honest feedback – just because Jack wants to be president of the company someday does not mean he will meet this target.  Still, we can point our employees in the right direction.  We have a responsibility to help our team members succeed.

This should be a fun month as I work with each of my team members in setting their individual performance targets.

What other reasons can you provide for setting individual performance targets?  How have performance targets helped you as an employee or as a team leader?

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Thank You – #17

Thank You No. 17

Today, I’m thankful for friends.

Over the years, God has blessed us with friendships.  Friends pick you up when you are hurting.  Friends look out for you.  Friends listen.  They care.  And they stick with you.  We have some great friends!

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.  Proverbs 27:17

Why are you thankful today?

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Thank You – #16

Thank You No. 16

Today (Saturday), I’m thankful for the beach.

Leanne and I made a quick weekend trip to Ocean City, MD.  This is the perfect time to come and get away for a couple of nights.  This morning, we enjoyed a little geocaching.  And this afternoon, we walked around 5 miles on the beach.  What a blessing!

Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.  Song of Solomon 8:7

Why are you thankful today?

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Thank You – #15

Thank You No. 15

Today, I’m thankful for routine.

It’s no secret that I thrive on routine.  I like doing the same thing each week day.  I like eating the same thing for breakfast.  I appreciate consistency in my life.  (I realize this isn’t always possible, but it’s one of the things I’m thankful for when it does happen.)

The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.  Ecclesiastes 1:5

Why are you thankful today?

Ice Breaker – Museum

Yesterday, I took Leanne to the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, PA.  The Barnes is a museum full of Impressionist artwork.  It is made up of the personal art collection of Dr. Barnes who passed away in 1950s.  We had a fun day together in the city, and our visit to this museum is the inspiration for this week’s Stretched Ice Breaker.

Question:  What is your favorite museum?  What museum would you most like to visit?

My Answer:  My favorite museum is the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA.  The Franklin Institute is an interactive science museum.  I remember attending this museum as a little kid with my family, and I loved to play with all the “toys” that actually taught science principles.  I’ve been there several times over the past few years, and I still love playing with all the “toys”.

As for the second part of the question, I’ll answer it in two parts.  First, I’d love to visit the annex to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum (Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center).  I’ve been to the original museum a couple of times which was spectacular.  And I’d love to see the newer museum at some point.  I’d especially enjoy seeing the Space Shuttle Discovery.

Second, I would love to visit the “Stolpe” museum.  I know this doesn’t really exist, but I’d love to go to a museum that documents my family’s history.  I think it would be interesting to learn more about my family from the past.

Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment. I look forward to reading your response! (As always, feel free to share links.) And keep STRETCHING!

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Thank You – #14

Thank You No. 14

Today, I’m thankful for my wife.

Today is actually her birthday (a milestone birthday).  She is such an encourager.  She’s a great match for me.  And I’m blessed beyond words.

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.  Proverbs 18:22

Why are you thankful today? 

Pause

“I’d rather be busy than bored.”

This is a common phrase that I say – especially at work.

It’s great to have things to do.  It’s wonderful to have goals to pursue.  And it can be invigorating to know that the backlog is full with plenty of work for the foreseeable future.

However…

There can be a downside to this.

When we’re too busy, it can be challenging to focus on all the right things.  It can be difficult to prioritize effectively.  And it can be nearly impossible to catch our breath.

I’m in one of those phases right now.  Work is extremely busy.  Home life is pretty full.  And I’m trying to find time to live out some of my writing dreams.

The best thing we can do at times like this is to simply pause.

We all need a break from time to time.  A pause can give us time to catch our breath, to refocus on the things that matter, and to reflect on the next steps we need to take towards achieving our goals.  There’s something else that a pause provides.  A pause provides the opportunity to make the One thing the one thing.  Here’s what I mean.  When we get busy, we allow our schedules to become our god.  This isn’t good.  A intentional pause reminds us Who is on the throne.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”   Psalm 46:10

Today, I’m taking a pause.

When was the last time you paused?  What benefits have you found from a pause?