On Track – The Proof Copy Has Arrived!

I arrived home tonight to find the prof copy of my first book, On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field! Pretty exciting!

Many Hands Make Light Work

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.  Michael Jordan

Last night after dinner, I recruited my wife and my son to join me outside to cleanup one of our flower beds.  We gathered our tools from the shed – a wheelbarrow, a rake, a hedge trimmer, a straight-edged shovel, and three pairs of gloves.  Then we proceeded to the flower bed by our driveway.  We started by picking up the remains of last years flowers.  Then we raked up all the leaves that were left from the fall.  Finally, we cut a new straight edge between the flower bed and the grass in the front lawn.  It took a little time, but I was amazed at how quickly it went with three of us working on it together.

Have you heard the expression – many hands make light work?

This was obvious yesterday as we worked together and cleaned up the flower bed in about half an hour.

I confess that I am not always good at asking for help.  I go about tasks on my own.  The job goes much slower.  It doesn’t always get done as well.  And I miss out on the company of others.

We must learn to ask for others help.

We must learn to let others join us in our journey.

Last night, I was blessed with time with my family and a clean flower bed.  I’m glad I asked for help.

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.  Ecclesiastes 4:12

What are you trying to do these days?  What are you trying to accomplish all by yourself?

How might it help to ask for someone’s help?  Who do you need to ask for help?

No Regrets

“Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”  C.S. Lewis

What do you regret?

We’ve all done things we regret.

To get you thinking, here are four different kinds of regrets.

• Foot in the mouth regrets.  I can’t tell you how many things I’ve said something I regret.  It’s not that I like the taste of show leather.  It’s just that I don’t always think before I speak.
• Lack of words or action regrets.  How many times have I kept my mouth shut when I should have spoken up?  This happens when I don’t speak up or stand up for someone or something when I could have made a difference.
• Bearer of bad news regrets.  This is typically started with a phrase like, “I regret to inform you that….”  This is a regret that we are in a position of responsibility to share difficult news.
• Regrets from sinfulness or poor decisions.  We’ve all done something that’s wrong.  We’ve lied.  We’ve stolen something.  We’ve cut someone down physically or verbally.  When we come to the realization that we did something wrong, we are left with regret, embarrassment, and the consequences of our actions.

We’re all human.  We all deal with regret.

Dwelling on our regrets leaves us in a position of hopelessness.  When we stay in the land of regrets, we fail to grow, we get depressed, and we demonstrate a lack of faith in God.

I don’t know what you have in your past.  I don’t know what you’ve done (or not done) that leaves you with regret.

It’s time to move forward.  You need to know that God still loves you – even when you mess up.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39

How do you move forward after doing something you regret?

Get a Copy of the Introduction to On Track

The excitement is building.  In just over two weeks, my first book will be released.  It’s been an exciting journey so far.  The proof copies of the book are on the way to may house this week.  It hardly seems possible that the book will become a reality.

It has been exciting to answer people’s questions about the book.  I really appreciate the excitement that others have for this project.

On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field will get you thinking.  It will encourage you to get out of the rut you’re in, and it will help you get On Track!

I’d like to offer a special sneak peek at the introduction of the book.  If you’d like to get an early look, sign up for the Stretched newsletter today.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up. the Stretched Newsletter.  I will send out the On Track Introduction as part of the Newsletter this Wednesday to all subscribers.  I promise not to spam you or to send too many e-mails to you.  The Stretched Newsletter is simply a place to get a little extra STRETCHING content from time to time.  It’s also a place where you can occasionally get early word on new things coming to The Stretched Blog and The Stretched Community.  If you want to get a copy of the On Track Introduction, click here for more information on how to sign up.

The On Track Launch Team is growing.  It’s not too late to sign up for this.  Launch Team members get an early preview copy of the book in exchange for a review and help in promoting On Track.

How is your life on track?  Where do you need help getting on track with your life?

Ice Breaker – Your Book

Each week on The Stretched Blog, I ask an ice breaker question. The questions are designed to help us get to know each other here in The Stretched Community. I’ll provide my answer to the question here in the post, and then you can leave your response in the comments. While you’re in the comments section, see how others answered the ice breaker question.

(I’m always looking for Ice Breaker question ideas.  If you have an idea, send me an email at jon@jonstolpe.com.  If I use your question, I’ll give you credit and share your links.)

Question:  If you were to write a book, what would it be about?

My Answer:  Honestly, until a few years ago, I never imagined writing a book.  When I was in first grade, I wrote a book about the colors of the rainbow.  I think I still have it hiding in a storage bin in my basement.

I’m excited to be very close to releasing my first “official” book which is still on schedule to release on April 22, 2014.  The book is called On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field.  This book isn’t just for the runner or athlete.  I believe it provides practical life lessons we all can embrace.  If you’re stuck in a rut or need a little guidance in finding your way, I’m hoping this book will help you get On Track!

The reality is I have another book in the works.  I’m not sure of the title yet, but the book is about developing a mission mindset.  I’m excited to share my own story, to provide practical advice, and to encourage readers to become mission minded right where they are.  It will be exciting to see how this unfolds.

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!

Also don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up.  Subscribers will get a special deal on the upcoming release of On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field.

3 Essentials For Times When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

I’ve been staring at a blank page for a while.

I’m struggling to find the words for today’s post.

Do you ever struggle to find the right words?

Yesterday brought a reminder that life doesn’t always make sense.

Have you ever felt like life doesn’t make sense?

Here’s all I could come up with.

3 Essentials For Times When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

1. Trust God.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Lean not on your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him in all you do, and He will make you paths straight.”  I think this is a good reminder that our understanding isn’t the answer.  We need to trust God.  In God and His Word lies ultimate truth.
2. Pray.  I think we sometimes overlook the power of prayer.  Prayer may not bring all the answers, but it’s a great place to start.
3. Lean on friends.  When life gets crazy, it’s so important to lean on friends.  Friends will carry you when you can’t carry on.  Friends want what is best for you.  Friends may not always be able to provide clarity, but they are great for listening.

What do you do when life doesn’t make sense?

Don’t Stop Believing – Building Again in Guatemala

“I’m dreaming of making a big difference in a village in Guatemala. I dream of helping to build 100 homes for widows and orphans in this little village. So far, I’ve built one. 99 more to go!”

These were my words I shared in the comments in response to a recent blog post by Matt McWilliams.  In the post, titled How William McGirt Made $2.7 Million In 3 Years Doing What He Loves, Matt asked readers the following question:  What dream are you not willing to give up on? Whose dream can you support today?

Over the weekend, we were blessed with a visit from Dave Sgro, our missionary friend from Guatemala.  During his visit, we talked about our family’s plans for our return trip to Guatemala this summer.  We talked about helping with the feeding program for kids in and around Xenacoj.  And we talked about helping to start a jewelry project for the widows in Xenacoj.  Finally, we talked about building a house for a widow in the community.

Once we started talking about this, our daughter’s eyes lit up.  She was so excited about the prospect of building another house in Guatemala.  Apparently, she shares my dream.

The house we will be building costs $1,500.  It involves installing a concrete floor.  The walls start with 3 layers of concrete block on the base with wood on the upper parts of the walls.  The roof is made of corrugated metal.  This is a huge improvement over the dirt floors and cornstalk walls that make up many homes in Guatemala.

We hosted a fundraiser recital over the weekend.  The recital was a big success in helping us reach our goal of getting back to Guatemala and building a house.  We still have a little work to do to get back, but I’m confident we’ll get there.

Here’s the cool thing.

We are not going build a house in Guatemala this year.

It looks like we are going to build TWO houses in Guatemala this summer.

Yes, I said TWO houses.

Someone stepped up to donate funds to build a second house during our trip.

When I responded to Matt’s question in his post, I typed my answer of building 100 houses in Guatemala.  It’s a goal I’m not sure I completely grasp.  Honestly, I don’t know if it’s even possible.  But I know the goal can only happen by building one house at a time.  This summer we’ll have the chance to get two houses closer to the goal.  Don’t stop believing!

If you want to find out how you can help fund future homes or if you want to help us fund the rest of our trip (we need just $750 more), let me know.  Send me an email at jon@jonstolpe.com, and I’ll get back to you with details.

What dream are you not willing to give up on? Whose dream can you support today?

March 2014 – Top Posts and Commenters (Plus BOOK GIVEAWAY)

5 Things I Learned By Climbing 1,088 Steps

On Saturday morning, I tried something new – something crazy – something adventurous.  I participated in the Fight for Air Climb in Philadelphia, PA.  The Fight for Air Climb is a 50 floor (1,088 step) stair climb from the street level of Three Logan to the top.  The event raises money for the American Lung Association.  After climbing to the top, I felt like I might need a new lung.

Here’s what I learned during this crazy experience:

1. The climb is not completed all at once.  It’s not like taking the elevator to the top.  It took me just under ten minutes to complete the stair climb.  Ten minutes may seem like a short time, but it seemed like an eternity when my legs and lungs were burning twenty floors into the climb.  We live in a culture where we expect immediate gratification.  Life is hard work.  It takes effort and time.
2. The climb is completed one step at a time.  I’m nearly six feet six inches.  For a short period of time, I can skip three steps at a time.  This is not sustainable for most people.  The first several floors, I skipped every other step.  With a little more training, I may have been able to keep this up for most of the climb.  In reality, I had to go one step at a time.  If I missed too many steps, I would lose my balance and rhythm, and I would begin to slow down.  In life, it’s important to proceed one step at a time.  When we skip steps, we miss out on key details required to complete the overall journey.
3. The climb requires focus and determination.  While I was climbing up the stairwell, I had to keep remembering that the end would eventually arrive.  Without this focus, it would have been easy to give up.  I could have stopped on the tenth, twentieth, thirtieth, or fortieth floors where race volunteers were offering water to the climbers.  I knew it was important to keep moving.  I had to stay focused on the end at floor fifty.  Life can be pretty challenging.  In the middle of life’s ups and downs, we can lose heart and give up if we don’t keep our eyes on the prize.
4. The climb is better in community.  I was part of a team in the Fight for Air Climb.  We joined together to raise funds as a whole, and we started together at the bottom and finished together at the top.  Actually, we started in fifteen second intervals.  Two of my team members were in front of me, and two of my teammates were behind me.  As formal Climb participants, my teammates gave me valuable tips on how to go about my climb.  When I made it to the top, they cheered me on and supported me as my lungs and legs recovered.  We need people in our lives who will cheer us on and who will give us tips for how to handle life.  We might be able to go about things alone for a little while, but life is so much better in community.
5. The climb is temporary.  My legs felt like jello, and my lungs felt like fire while I was completing this “adventure.”  But it was only temporary.  After the climb was complete, I caught my breath.  I took the elevator back down to the street, and I headed over to the post climb party with my teammates.  Soon I was talking about doing it again next year.  We all go through challenges.  Some challenges last longer than others.  If we follow Christ, we have the promise of a future.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that things will be easy in this life, but things will get better.

This is an experience I won’t soon forget.  The climb left me with a new appreciation for people with lung problems.  It also gave me great respect for first responders who climb up skyscrapers with eighty pounds of gear to help rescue those in need.  I’m thankful for another stretching experience.

Have you ever climbed a lot of stairs?  How many steps have you climbed this week?  What did you learn along the way?

Don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up.  Subscribers will get a special deal on the upcoming release of On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field.

Ice Breaker – Qualified

Each week on The Stretched Blog, I ask an ice breaker question. The questions are designed to help us get to know each other here in The Stretched Community. I’ll provide my answer to the question here in the post, and then you can leave your response in the comments. While you’re in the comments section, see how others answered the ice breaker question.

(I’m always looking for Ice Breaker question ideas.  If you have an idea, send me an email at jon@jonstolpe.com.  If I use your question, I’ll give you credit and share your links.)

Yesterday was an exciting day for my daughter (and our family).  She had her first outdoor track meet of the season.  She ran the 3200 meters (or 2 mile).  Before the race, she talked about qualifying for the conference meet at the end of the season.  She thought she could run the qualifying time, but she wasn’t one hundred percent sure it would happen.  Yesterday, she blew away the qualifying time by over 30 seconds.  Next, she’ll work on qualifying for the 1600 meters (1 mile).

Question:  When did you qualify for something?  For what did you qualify?  What did you have to do to qualify?

My Answer:  I went to college for mechanical engineering.  I earned my degree at Grove City College an ABET accredited school.  This gave me the opportunity to take the Engineer In Training (E.I.T.) or Fundamentals in Engineering (F.E.) exam.  This is the initial step in qualifying for the Professional Engineering exam.  Before I could take the exam and receive my Professional Engineering license, I had to work as an engineer for at least four years under a Professional Engineer.  Once I did this, I had to fill out an application, and I had to sit for the exam.  Finally, I had to achieve a passing score on the exam in order to qualify to become a Professional Engineering.  Now, many years later, I have to take continuing education in order to maintain my license.

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!

Also don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up.  Subscribers will get a special deal on the upcoming release of On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field.