GN 1175 FD/MM/FM

By Maria 3596 12/05

Dear Family,

1. In the last "Training Winning Teams" GN, we focused on having a balanced Home life, as well as the importance of having fun. So in this GN‚ to present the other side of the coin, so to speak‚ I'm going to share messages with you that are along the lines of being professional in your work, and abiding in the calling the Lord has given you. We talked about the balance and the fun, and now we're going to talk about the work aspect of things. Working hard when it's time to work is an important part of having a good balance.

2. As you read these messages, please consider the counsel the Lord has already given about the balance you need in your lives and Homes. Don't let your Home's pendulum now swing to the side of being so gung ho about the work that you wear yourselves out and forget about all of the other important things in your lives. Remember the time that you need to take with our Husband every day in spiritual communion and strengthening, and with your children and loved ones and Home members, as well as having regular relaxation and fun, and all of the other things that make up a balanced life, so that you don't burn out!

3. On the first topic of this GN: A winner is a hard worker. You won't find anyone who has ever accomplished anything great or important in the world who was a lazy loafer. You never hear about the people who just lie back and wait for success to find them, or those who sit on the sidelines waiting for a winning trophy to be handed to them on a silver platter. You don't hear about those kinds of people because they never did much or won anything. The people you hear about are those who took initiative, who worked hard‚ who overcame the obstacles, who didn't give up‚ who put in the hours necessary to achieve their goals, to become winners.

4. It's the same with our Homes. Our Family Homes need to be made up of hard workers, because those who are willing to work get the results. Of course, to get the best results we know we need to work in the spirit, with the power of our Husband, with the assistance of the new weapons and our spirit helpers and the guidance of the Word, and not in our own strength. But it's not like working in the spirit is effortless. It still requires a lot of physical work, concentration, focus, wise decisions‚ and so on, to be an effective warrior in the spirit and do your part. We have to work hard to do the things the Lord has asked of us. We can't just be lazy and do the bare minimum, and then expect that we'll get the kind of results we and the Lord are after.

5. I believe that you, dear Family, are doing your part. Over the last two years you have especially proven your ability to work hard, to put in the hours, to go the distance. Most of you don't need to be encouraged to work harder, but you will probably benefit from the following tips on work ethic and how to work smarter. I believe that there are also some of you who could pull a heavier load in your Home, who could take more initiative, who could volunteer for more responsibility, who could make an effort to be more professional in your work, who could make better use of your time, and who could contribute more to the overall success and productivity of your Home by being more faithful, more conscientious, and having more motivation. You know who you are, and if the shoe fits‚ please wear it. If it doesn't, I'm sure these messages will spur you on as you continue to give your all.

6. The second topic in this GN—abiding in your calling—is something that I believe all of you, dear Family, will benefit from. We all need encouragement to stick to the calling the Lord has given us, and to be content in the place of service He's blessed us with, rather than comparing or thinking about what we don't have or what we wish we had. Our loving Husband gives a lot of commendation in this section, too, reminding us of how important our jobs for Him are. So if you've been having battles about your place of service, or feeling like you're missing out on something, or getting "itchy feet," or wondering whether or not you're needed, or even if you just feel like you could use the encouragement‚ these messages are for you.

7. Don't we have a wonderful life for Jesus? I'm so thankful that we're serving Him, that we have a purpose and reason for existence‚ that we're employed in the best "company" ever, and are engaged in the most worthwhile profession in the world! It's hard work serving the Lord, but the "pay" is excellent, the "raises" are phenomenal, the "bonuses" are awesome, the "company atmosphere" is loving and supportive, the "employees" are great, and our "boss"—Jesus—makes every sacrifice worth it all. I wouldn't want any other career in the world—and I'm sure you, my fellow co-workers, feel the same!

8. Thank You, Jesus, for the good treatment You provide for us, Your employees. The benefits of serving You are better than a raise, a promotion‚ or a lucky day on the stock market. The love and the happiness You give us, money could never buy.

Work Ethic

The Brief

9. Winning Homes are filled with team members who contribute professionally, who have a good work ethic, and who give their all to the success of the Home they reside in. They feel responsible to shoulder their share of the load, the responsibilities, the jobs‚ and the ministries‚ in order to make the Home run smoothly and bear fruit. Winning team members take initiative, they do things without being told to do them, and don't only do the things they're scheduled to do. They go over and above the call of duty when necessary.

10. Winning team members work hard when it's time to work. They put in the hours cheerfully, knowing that their Home is what they make it. They feel responsible for their Home, knowing that its success will be determined, in part, by how faithful they are, how conscientious they are, how prudent they are with their time, and how much attention and energy they devote to their work for Jesus. And their Homes have the fruit to show for their faithfulness, strong work ethic‚ elbow grease, and dedication.

Pointers for Winning Teams

Contributing professionally to the Home

11. Every business wants professionals, those who are good at what they do and "produce." The reason businesses and companies want workers who are not only qualified for the job, but also work hard at it, is so that they can be a success—so that they can not just maintain, but move ahead in their field. Businesses want those who work for them to earn what they're being paid by their excellent output. And if employees aren't producing enough to make their presence in the company worthwhile, then they run the danger of losing their job.

12. We in the Family are a business too, with each of our Homes being like a branch of the Family business. And although we don't work like worldly businesses in most ways, we do have something in common, and that's the need for every employee to work hard for the success of the business. Of course, there's more to it than working hard. If all we did was work hard, we wouldn't be successful for the Lord, because we'd be doing it in our own strength. Our work for Him is both physical and spiritual. We need to work hard and have healthy work habits, but at the same time practice the art of dependence and use all of the new weapons and spiritual gifts to do what we can't do in the flesh.

13. The goal is not that everyone in the Home works themselves to death. You should still have a balanced amount of work time in the day‚ and ample time for the Lord, for your children and family, and to rest and relax and enjoy others. But the point is that you should be making the most of the time you do work. Those hours should be used professionally. Don't goof off when you're out witnessing. Don't just bide your time when you're with the children. Make the most of these hours; make them count. Work hard and put in the effort necessary during your times of work‚ and then relax when it's time to relax. A good work ethic is about working smarter and more efficiently, not necessarily about working longer.

14. (Dad:) I founded the Family as a place for those who wanted to give their all for Jesus and go all the way for Him, loving Him and serving Him with all their heart, all their soul, and all their might. Thank God for the Family, where you can do that, in contrast to the churches or other groups, and thank God for you Family members who give your all to the Lord each day.

15. Thank God for you dear Family members who really want to live for Jesus and others, who aren't minimizers of His Word and His commandments, who don't want to do the least you can but the most! You're not satisfied with 50 percent Christianity, or 60, 70, 80, or even 90 percent Christianity! You want to give 100 percent in every way, every day. That's what makes the Family wonderful, powerful, unique—God's Endtime army! God bless you!

16. Do you know why I'm saying all this? Well, besides the fact that it's true and that you deserve this commendation and praise and much, much more, it's also helpful to be reminded sometimes of why you joined the Family—or decided to remain in it, if you were born into it—and what the Family's all about. Otherwise you can start to take it for granted after a while, especially if you've been in the Family for many years or were born into it. You start to lose the fire and fervor, the enthusiasm and initiative you had when you first joined or when you first fell in love with Jesus, and you start becoming a little complacent and lethargic, slowing down and slacking off. Don't let it happen to you!

17. Don't be one who joined the Family years ago—join today! Join every morning as you wake up. Commit your life and heart and mind and soul to Him anew each day, just as if it was the first day all over again. It is, really—it's the first day of the rest of your life, and a day that you'll never have again after it's past. So do your best for Him that day and every day!

18. This, dear Family, is a talk on wholeheartedness‚ initiative, enthusiasm, and giving your all for Jesus each and every day, in case you hadn't guessed! I want to remind you of these things and discuss them with you, because they're all very necessary ingredients of a winning Home, and if you Home members don't have them, then your Home won't be a true winning Home. If you're not each giving your best for the Lord‚ whatever that might be—lifting up others and the Home, sharing and bearing each other's burdens—then you may end up pulling others down, and pulling down the Home as a whole. And that's not a winning Home, a rising Home, but a sinking Home, maybe even on its way to becoming a defeated Home or a losing Home.

19. To make your Home the best it can be, you personally need to do the best you can and give it your best. Work hard, work professionally‚ take initiative, be enthusiastic‚ share the load, and even do more than your share! Go beyond what's merely expected of you—do more, and do it better! That's what makes a Home a real winning Home‚ a place where people don't just do what they have to, but they do all they can—a joint effort where everyone doesn't just do their share, bearing their portion of the load or doing the minimum, but does more than their share!

20. Your Homes are bigger now on the whole, with the new Home size rules‚ but you still won't make it as a winning Home unless everyone is willing to do their part and give their all, and then some. Otherwise some Home members will be overloaded and overworked‚ while others will be underworked and underperforming. And those who are overloaded will eventually overload and burn out from the stress and the burden, which will certainly affect your Home. I know you don't want that.

21. Remember, you're your brother's keeper‚ and if one member suffers, you all suffer. If one member can't bear up under the load because others aren't bearing their share and doing their part, then you all suffer because of it. Your Home is accountable, and you rise and fall together. As a team you either help each other and strengthen each other, or you'll end up failing and losing, to put it bluntly.

22. So go the extra mile in your Home to be a blessing and a help, both physically and spiritually. Even little things make a big difference. If you're coming home and you notice trash on your lawn, why not take a minute and pick it up rather than thinking it's someone else's job? If you're walking through the kitchen and you see the garbage overflowing‚ why not take it out? If the bathroom or living room is a mess and you have a moment, why don't you tidy things up or clean something? If you're driving a vehicle‚ why not take a minute to leave it neat and clean and with plenty of gas when you return home?

23. Spiritually you can make a big difference as well. If one person prays all the time because no one else speaks up, why don't you step out and pray more? You may think you don't pray well or you fumble your words, but you won't get better unless you practice. If the person doing devotions or leading a class or taking care of kids needs help, why not volunteer a little of your time? If someone is going out to follow up on a friend or contact, why not volunteer to go with them, or at least remember to pray for them and their meeting while they're out?

24. Do you understand the point I'm trying to make here? To make it and to win, you each need to be giving as close to 100 percent as you can, not just doing whatever's expected of you and stopping there. Don't just think, "Well, I've done what I have to and I can relax now‚" when maybe there are others who are doing a lot more and never get to relax, and are on the verge of overloading and burning out.

25. If you've gotten in the habit of only doing what's expected of you‚ remember what the Lord expects of you: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." "I would thou wert cold or hot, not lukewarm." "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." "Bear ye one another's burdens‚ and so fulfill the law of Christ." "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!" (Ecc.9:10; Rev.3:15-16; Rom.12:11; Gal.6:2; Phil.3:14). That's what the Lord expects of you as His disciple, a follower of His teachings, and those are just a few of the many verses along those lines, not to mention some of the Letters I've written on the subject!

26. Be a pusher, not a slacker or a problem! Be an uplift, not a drag. Take initiative.

27. Now I hope you understand that in saying this‚ it doesn't mean I expect the same things physically from each Home member. Some are younger than others and healthier than others and capable of more physically. But you're all capable of giving your all spiritually, and that's what we're talking about here. Give it your all in the spirit, and the body will follow. And if you battle with the tendency to be a little laid back spiritually, well, often if you set the physical in motion and get moving that way, the spiritual will follow.

28. Give the Lord and the Lord's army your all. That's why you joined, isn't it? And that's why you stick around, isn't it? Don't settle for a halfway service, or even an "I've done all that's required of me" service. Go above and beyond, stretch yourself, and shoot for the stars! If you feel unfulfilled or like something is lacking in your life, or as if circumstances and conditions are holding you back, the problem may well be you. Most people are about as fulfilled as they make up their minds to be. And if you think something is lacking‚ why aren't you trying with all your might to seek it and find it? And if you think circumstances and conditions are holding you back, why aren't you exercising your power to rise above, claiming the keys and pressing toward the mark anyway? Where there's a will, there's a way. It's not usually the way that's missing or limited, but the will, the willpower!

29. Remember‚ we don't just need laborers in the Family; we need labor leaders! We need people who can take initiative, go the extra mile‚ do the extra job, and work better and harder and sometimes longer than they're expected to. If you do what the Lord expects you to, there are no limits! If you exercise the spiritual weapons He's given you, there are no impossibilities. If you give your all for Jesus, He'll give His all for you, both now and a hundredfold hereafter, for eternity.

30. So bear each other's burdens, share each other's loads, and give your all for Jesus and others, and you'll be a winner, a winning Home, and you'll shine as the stars forever and ever! God bless you—and He will! I love you!

Importance of Initiative

31. (Mama:) One thing we need to see more of in our Homes is initiative—not just doing things that you are scheduled to do, but going over and above the call of duty, as Dad mentioned in the preceding message. We need more people who do things without being asked or told, who have a vision and motivation to change things, to fill in for someone else when necessary, to be a pioneer.

32. Initiative is one of the things Dad instructed us that we need in one of the oldie-goldie Letters, "Mountain Men," and we need it just as much today in our Homes. It's a drag when people in the Home have to be pulled along or prodded. It makes a huge difference when everyone in the Home is aiming to be a pusher, a contributor, and actually helping to move the Home forward with their supportive spirits and the actions that follow.

33. (Jesus:) There are three types of people in the world. I'll call the first group of people minimizers, the second group of people maintainers, and the third group of people maximizers.

34. Minimizers are those who do as little as possible. They go through life dragging their feet. They do what they absolutely have to do, but nothing more, and many times even that "must do" work is sloppily and shoddily done. They are the kind of people who are always looking for ways to sneak under the radar‚ to get out of work and responsibility, to avoid having to exert too much energy to help themselves or anyone else—although they are generally a little happier doing things for themselves than for others. Minimizers do just that: the minimum.

35. Maintainers are those who do what they need to maintain. They aren't lazy, but neither do they take much initiative. They do what they need to do‚ they carry their share of the load, and they do their part well, but they're not movers and shakers. They are conscientious; they don't want to leave all of the work to others. But neither do they want to do more, to go further‚ to bear heavier loads. They're content to do what they can, what is expected of them, and to do it well, but nothing more. They don't look to the future or think about ways things could be better. They don't notice when there are extra things that need to be done. Maintainers do just that: They maintain.

36. Maximizers are those who go for the burn. Maximizers are those who take initiative, who do what they're scheduled to do and are asked to do, but then keep their eyes open for anything else that might need to be done. They're concerned about others and help them out when they need it. They see the needs in their Home and they respond, without anyone having to prod them‚ and without it being a part of their portfolio or ministry or scheduled duties. They want to see their Home happy, productive, and on track, and they're willing to do whatever is in their power to help their Home move forward. Maximizers do just that: They go all the way.

37. What I want to see in My Family Homes are more maximizers. I want to see those who want to make a difference—not just in word but in deed. I want to see those who take initiative, who contribute to the Home in a positive way, who want to make the Home more than it is. I want to see those who are willing to think more of others than themselves. I want to see those who are committed to excellence in every area of their life. I want to see those who are humble servants of all, willing to do whatever needs to be done in order to make a difference. I want maximizers! Will you be one?

We've got to do our part

38. (Mama: ) You might wonder why, with all of the spiritual weapons and gifts that we have at our disposal—the keys, the weapon of praise‚ our spirit helpers, etc.—we still have to work hard for Jesus. You may think, "Shouldn't things be a lot easier now? Maybe we don't have to exert ourselves so much or work so hard. Maybe things can just happen supernaturally. Or maybe there will be more miracles with less work."

39. Well, sometimes things can happen supernaturally, but more often the Lord asks us to do our part—and then He does what we can't. There are numerous examples of this, such as the story of Lazarus, which we all know so well. The Lord had the power to raise him from the dead, but He expected the people to do something, to do what they could do, to "roll away the stone" (John 11:38-44).

40. It's the same with us in our Homes. We can't sit around doing nothing‚ being loafers, and just hope that the Lord will raise all of the funds we need‚ do our provisioning and shopping and witnessing for us, teach the children for us, cook our meals for us, and all of the rest. Yes, He is a miracle worker, and He does have all of the power in the universe‚ but He has certain ways that He works. He works through us and with us. He doesn't usually do the things that we can do for ourselves. But He does do what we can't do.

41. He works together with us. When He sees that we're doing our part, that we're being faithful in the jobs He's called us to do, and we're not being "slothful in business, but fervent in spirit serving the Lord" (Rom.12:11), then He blesses us. But if He sees that we're not willing to put in the hours and work hard to serve Him and witness to the world, then He's not going to feel much like blessing us. If you don't make much use of your talents, or bury them rather than investing them, you may get a reproof rather than a reward (Mat.25:14-27).

42. (Jesus:) My brides, when you are faithful and hard–working, I bless you more. When I see that you are being diligent in the business that I have given you to do for Me, it moves Me to want to bless you more, to answer more of your prayers, to let you see more clearly the fruits of your labors. Of course, I'm not talking about working in the arm of the flesh. You must still be anointed by the power of My Spirit. But I am talking about you doing your part, what you can do in the flesh, what I have shown you to do in the physical, and not being slothful in business. Then when you do what you can, I always do what you can't. I always bless you.

43. When you work hard for Me‚ when you're committed to excellence in your work, it shows Me that you treasure your service to Me. It shows Me that you desire the souls, or you're desperate for the finances, or you're determined to educate your children well—or whatever the work is that you're focusing on—and then it makes Me that much happier to meet you halfway, to do the miracles and things in the spirit that you can't do, to bless you in ways both seen and unseen. When you work hard for Me and aren't slothful, it shows Me that you mean business, that you are a wise investment, and then I pour on the rewards.

44. So it pays to not just work hard in the spirit, but to also be a professional in your work—by putting in the hours and by making the most of those hours. When you go out witnessing, it pays to pack as much as you can into the time you have‚ so that I can bless you to the maximum. When you're with the children, it pays to give them your all, to teach them professionally and with excellence, so that I can bless both you and them as a result. When you're cooking a meal for the Home, have a glory in it and make something delicious and healthy that everyone will enjoy and be nourished by.

45. It always pays to give Me your all, My loves. No matter what you're doing, shoot for the stars, be a professional, and let your work shine with the excellence of faithfulness and diligence.

Pull your weight

46. (Mama:) If you've been a minimizer lately, or have fallen into being a bit more lazy and lethargic in your work rather than pressing in and making a difference, then you'll want to pray and ask the Lord to help you to change. You'll need to make a break with your past and ask the Lord to change your nature, your personality, or your bad habits—whatever it is that's causing you to give less than 100 percent to your Home. Then if you put your will on the Lord's side and begin to take steps to change, I guarantee that you will be on the pathway to becoming a maximizer.

47. (Jesus: ) When you look at a winning team engaging in a sport, do you see the players carrying an uneven share of the load? Do you see one person in a relay race running as fast as he can while the others lope along? Or does one team player slack off and then expect that the other team members will make up the time he has lost through a less-than-best performance? No. As team members, they all do their best—to the best of their ability.

48. In a relay race, each person runs as fast as possible to get the baton to the next member of the relay. They don't take it easy‚ thinking the other runners can make up for them. They give everything they've got when it's their turn. They stay in shape, they work out hard, and they practice, so that they're able to pull their full weight on their team and be an asset and not a liability. Likewise, every winning team Home has to be made up of individuals who are each pulling their share of the load, spiritually and physically.

49. If your job is the dishes, then you've got to do that job to the best of your ability, giving it everything you've got, and bearing all your responsibilities in full so that someone else doesn't have to pick up the slack for you. There will be times when you or another member of the Home are unable to fulfill some duty or responsibility and someone will have to stretch themselves to fill the gap, but this should be occasional rather than the norm.

50. Everyone needs to be willing to fill in and do their part to cover any holes. But if you're often a "hole" in your Home‚ or at times you can't be depended on to do as much as you can to the best of your ability, then you're not helping. You're more of a drag that is pulling the team down and holding them back, and you need to pray about your level of commitment.

51. A winning team cannot be built on loafers or freeloaders. Loafers are people who laze around and don't give as much as they should. Freeloaders are those who are content to reap the benefits while they watch others doing most of the work. If you find yourself falling into one of these categories‚ ask yourself some deep and searching questions about your dedication.

52. Are you really in the Family to do your best, or would some other level of service be better for you? Are you here to do your part to help the team to move forward, to make progress?—Or are you a first- or second-class passenger who is either slowing down the team or doing the bare minimum?

53. Everyone should be working at 100%—not some people at 50%, and others at 150% to make up for those giving only 50%. If everyone is pushing, pulling, supporting, and doing their part 100%, then doing that extra 10% when you need to fill in for someone isn't so hard because you're not over-stretched and at your limit continually.

54. So what I'm saying is that everyone should be doing their part if you want your Home to be a winning team. Whatever that part is, no matter how great or how seemingly small, if you're giving it your all, and if you're willing to do what you need to do in order to make the team strong, then you will make it.

55. There's a slogan used by the armies of the world: "It's not about making the team; it's about making the team stronger." (In other words, it's not about being chosen to be a part of a team, but investing in the team.) That pretty much sums it up. It's not about simply getting to the Home; it's about making your Home stronger by your presence. Are you making your Home stronger? You should be in some way!

Encouragement for when things are extra busy

56. (Mama: ) Dear Family, remember that when we're talking about working harder or putting in more hours or carrying more of the load in your Home, I'm not talking to you who are already carrying a heavier load than you can bear. The Lord is not asking you who are already working as hard as physically possible to work harder still. You are the ones who need the counsel in "Training Winning Teams, Part 6," and probably need more time to rest and relax. This counsel is for you who can take on more, who can shoulder more of the load and who can put in more hours—and you know who you are. I'm sure the Lord will speak to your heart if you're one of the ones He's asking more of.

57. In fact, for all of you who have been working extremely hard, which I know is most of you‚ I want to share a message of encouragement that the Lord gave to one of the women in my Home. This was received during an exceptionally busy time, when this person was filling in for others who were involved with other projects and couldn't keep up with their normal work—on top of her personal work. Although this was given for an individual, you can apply it to your life too, because the Lord loves you just as much. And men‚ even though the style of this message may not appeal to you as much, because it was originally given for a woman‚ the principles hold just as true for you. You can appropriate these same promises and know that the Lord is caring just as tenderly for you when there's so much to do.

58. (Jesus:) You're My heart and soul, My thoughts and dreams. I love you beyond sanity. I'm insanely in love with you! I see you working so hard and I think, "That's My wife! Isn't she great?" But then I think, "Don't overdo, honey. You need time in My arms most of all so that you don't get too tired." Then later I look, and there you are working hard again, and I can't help but be so proud of you.

59. I don't want you to burn out‚ and I promise that I will not let that happen as long as you're faithful to come to our bed of love. I know it's difficult to slow down when there is so much to do, and I understand. I don't condemn you for working hard; in fact, I'm mega proud of you. Go for it! But I want you to know that I'm working extra hard, too, in order to help you to not get too tired or worn out in the process.

60. You're a delicate machine. Even though you can take a lot and put out a lot, I have to take extra good care of you so that you won't get overburdened. I want you to know‚ Honey Bear, that I'm doing just that. Because you're carrying such a big load right now and taking care of so many things‚ I'm doing the behind-the-scenes protecting and supporting and pampering that is keeping you going. You didn't realize that, did you? But it's happening all the time, whether you feel it or not.

61. I'm protecting you with a special force field—which, by the way, is called "the arms of your big strong Husband"—and I won't let any of these stressful circumstances get to you. When the Enemy tries to tempt you to feel discouraged with the workload, which is really big, I will block his attacks and send him flying. If he tries to get you to feel unsettled and emotional, I will smack him across the mouth! Oh, yes, I'm a big, strong Husband and I get angry when the Enemy takes jabs at My wife.

62. So, My love, please know that no matter how full each day is and no matter what attacks the Enemy tries to throw at you, I am here to protect you. I will use My big strong feet, if I have to, to stamp him out. And while I'm busy fighting for you and keeping the Enemy at bay‚ you will be free to do your work in peace. Everything is under My full control, every detail. All of it is My work, and I am masterminding it all. Your part is to just do what you can, and whatever doesn't get done can wait until another day.

63. You're giving your all, My love, and that is all that you can give. That's all that I expect. I'm so proud of you for pouring out in so many areas. I will continue to anoint you with all the strength and wisdom and vision and patience and physical, emotional, and spiritual energy that you need. You won't run dry, for I will fill you up with My juicy seeds of love to keep you going.

64. I love you, My darling, My baby bunny. I need you so much. Please take good care of yourself and rest when you need to. Even if it means leaving the work in order to rest your body and spirit, that is what you should do. You are more important to Me than the work. So please take time to decompress‚ to get away from the stress, to come into My arms and let Me hold you close and renew your strength.

65. Thousands of kisses to you‚ My darling. Millions of kisses. Giga-millions of kisses. Each time you feel that so-tired feeling, think of Me kissing you from head to toe—and I mean literally kissing you all over, for minutes and minutes, until you can hardly stand it any longer. Each kiss is a spiritually charged kiss that will give you new strength. I'm here to kiss it all away and replace any stress and pressure or attacks of the Enemy with good things—all the things that you need.

When things don't look fair

66. (Mama:) It's important to keep in mind that even when everyone is pulling their share of the load in a Home, it's not always going to look exactly equal. For example, when you look at the schedule, you might be tempted to wonder why you have more dish slots than so-and-so does. If you wonder, you can either ask the Lord or your Home managers. But whatever you do‚ don't compare or complain, because there are probably circumstances you are unaware of that the Home managers took into consideration when planning your Home's schedule.

67. (Jesus: ) Everything is not always going to look equal on the work front, and you are just going to have to trust Me and your Home managers—or whoever is juggling the work and organizing the schedules. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances that make things on the schedule seem unfair, so beware of jumping to conclusions.

68. For example‚ a pregnant mom might have fewer schedule slots than a single young person, just because she won't have as much energy or time as he does. Or a father who takes care of a number of children in his off hours might have fewer dish slots than another person in the Home who doesn't have children. So things do need to be fair, but they won't necessarily be equal, as in everyone having the exact same slots on the schedule. So if it seems that you have more to do than others in the Home, ask about it if you need to, but don't compare. Realize that there is probably a good reason for it.

69. And if you are someone who is not able to do as much in the Home as others are, it's very important to appreciate and thank those who are carrying the lion's share of the load. Whatever the reasons you're not on the schedule as much—either because you're pregnant or you're a parent of many children, or you're battling with a number of afflictions, or your ministry requires you to travel a lot or be out a lot‚ or whatever the case may be—it's important to show your thankfulness to those who are filling in the extra schedule slots, or bearing the brunt of the work at home.

70. Don't just take for granted that others are helping you. It's a benefit of communal living, a real blessing of being in the Family‚ and something that you should be very thankful for—and vocalize often.

Be willing to do the little things

71. (Mama:) Everyone in the Home should commit to sharing the load as much as possible‚ especially when it comes to having to do the "dirty" or difficult work. There shouldn't be those in the Home who are too important to help out with the "little people" jobs, or the "tough work." Everyone should be willing to chip in and lend a hand when there are tough projects to work on, or unpleasant jobs that need to be done. Everyone should be willing to do them, to "get their hands dirty."

72. (Dad:) As I've always said, if you're too big to do the little jobs, the little things, then you're too big for me. You're too big for God's Kingdom! If you outgrow your ability to do the little things, then chances are you're probably too big for your boots, and you're probably not even doing the big things well anymore. If you think you're too big or too important to do the little things—no matter how busy you are, no matter how many responsibilities you have, no matter how unimportant you think the little things are—then watch out!

73. And it's not necessarily about how much time you spend taking care of little things or doing the little jobs. Some of you have big loads, and maybe you don't have as much time to do those things as others do. But what is your attitude like? What is your spirit like? It's all in your spirit and attitude. If your attitude is, "I'm too busy now to do the dishes, or to clean the toilet, or to mop the floor, because I have bigger and more important things to do. I'll just leave those jobs to someone else"—then that's not the Lord's Spirit at all. If you can do those jobs from time to time, you should, because it's good for your humility. And if you can't, or can only do so rarely, you'd better be thanking the ones who do.

74. Once anyone in this Family gets too big to do the little things, then they're too big. Everyone should be willing to pitch in when they can with the ministries and jobs that are tedious and less glamorous. Maybe some people will have to do those kinds of jobs more than others, because of their ministry, but everyone should be willing to help out when they can. Remember, you're all one Family, and doing the sometimes unpleasant or tedious jobs that make your house a Home is important and can't be neglected.

Finding the balance in your work life

75. (Mama:) We've focused on how difficult it can be in a Home when individuals don't pull their share of the load and are content to leave the lion's share to others. This is unhealthy in a Home‚ and something you'll want to try and avoid at all costs. But there's also another problem, and that is when individuals become workaholics‚ taking on more work than they should and more than is physically possible, and then burn out because they neglect the Lord and the other things that they should be taking time for to ensure that they have a balanced life. This is also extremely detrimental.

76. Everyone in the Home needs to be pulling their share of the load, but without the pendulum swinging too far to the side of laziness and lethargy, or to the side of workaholism. Both work ethic extremes are unhealthy. You, as individuals, need to be aware of this. And you Home managers need to keep an eye out that those in your Home aren't swinging too far to one side or the other, and you might need to get involved if there is an imbalance.

77. This next message from the Lord goes along very well with the counsel on balance He gave in "Training Winning Teams‚ Part 6." Some of it might even seem a bit repetitious to you.—But repetition is the law of memory, and if nothing else it's a good review of what the Lord has already given in this series! This is important counsel, so please take it to heart.

78. (Jesus: ) Everyone wants their Home to be a winning team. You all want to be successful and avoid spinning your wheels or seeing your entire Home collapse due to physical or financial problems. You want to see your children happy, your young people fulfilled, and your Home doing the job I have commissioned you to do.

79. The only way to accomplish this is to have the right balance between your work and time spent engaging in all of the other things that create a healthy balance. I know you've heard this sort of thing before, specifically very recently via this series, and you may even be saying "amen" in your heart or out loud. But do you really, truly understand and believe what I'm saying? I want you to stop and really think about this. Pause for a couple of minutes and think of how the last couple of weeks have gone for you. Ask yourself these questions:

80. And on the other side of the spectrum:

* Do I truly consider this Home to be my Home‚ or do I mainly rely on the Steering Council‚ or others, to make things work?

* Do I regularly go out of my way and sacrifice some of my personal fun, pleasures, and personal time to enhance the happiness of the Home in general?

* Do I find myself regularly trying to avoid extra work, or complaining or murmuring about it—especially if it's the more mundane and less glorious type of work?

* Do I just do what I'm scheduled to do, and rarely take initiative to do over and above that?

81. I want you to think about the preceding questions, and take some time later to ask Me about them as well. It's very important that you get the point, because without the right balance you'll simply fail.

82. Sure, if you work furiously without pause, you'll get things done. You may even notice some of the good fruit of your labors and feel it's worth the sacrifice. But if you're not getting enough Word and time with Me, and you're rarely taking time to love others and spend time in their fellowship, then I'm sorry to say that you're failing. I know that can be difficult to see, because the results of your labors don't look like failure. But you have to stop looking at the short-term results and realize that it's the long-term results that really matter. If you keep running on empty‚ you're eventually going to stop altogether by either getting sick or having a nervous breakdown.

83. Also, what you might not realize is that a workaholic attitude can be a horrible example to others in the Home and your sheep as well. Workaholics tend to be curt and unfriendly, self-righteous and lacking in understanding, unprayerful and unpraiseful. So no matter how much work you've accomplished, you're failing miserably, because love is far more important than works.

84. Look at Cain of old: He was the epitome of a workaholic‚ but his great works came to nothing. He may have made great strides in agriculture, but he was curt, unfriendly, self-righteous‚ lacking in understanding, unprayerful, unpraiseful, and a murderer in the end.

85. So if you're the workaholic type and you truly love Me and love your brethren, you'll make some serious progress in this area. If that means having to drop certain projects completely or pass them on to others‚ then so be it. There's simply no reason for anyone in the Family to be too busy for the things of the spirit and too busy to enjoy life.

86. Look at your king and queen: I can safely say they have far more to do than even the busiest of you, and the responsibility of the entire Family on their shoulders. However, while they spend long, long hours at their job, they still find the time for Me, My Word, others, and enjoyment of life.

87. I did not give you this life to work‚ work, work. That's only part of it. You were created to both serve Me and also love Me and enjoy what I have given you. I love you and want you to be happy, and that's the reason I'm pointing this out with such fervency.

88. Now, on the other side of the coin, don't think that just because you're not a workaholic you can automatically be compared to Abel of old. Abel may not have been a self-righteous workaholic, but he still diligently did his work for Me and obeyed My voice.

89. Let Me make something very clear: The only way your team is going to be as successful as I want it to be is if every single adult member pulls his or her weight with excellence. Again, I'm not saying you should be workaholics. I'm just emphasizing the fact that you should each look at the Home in which you reside as your own Home and consider it your personal responsibility to do your very best to help make things work. You're not merely the witnesser, or the childcare worker or teacher, or the handyman, or the dishwasher, or whatever—you're first and foremost a member of your Home.

90. It doesn't matter where your talents or burdens lie; your foremost responsibility is making your Home a winning team. Even if that means you'll have to get your hands dirty and do something you don't particularly enjoy. Even if you feel you're too "important" to do certain jobs. Even if you feel it's your "right" to have free time and personal time every single day. Your responsibility is to your Home—no matter how old you feel, or how young you feel, or whether or not you feel you're going through too many trials.

91. Of course, not everyone has the same amount of strength and energy to work identical hours. Some people need to go to bed a bit earlier. Some don't have strong enough backs for lifting heavy objects. Some have health problems that keep them from pounding the streets all day every day. Some have children to attend to, etc. So it's not a matter of matching exact days, hours, and minutes of work. It's not a competition to see who can do the most. But it is a matter of doing the very best you can and being willing to push yourself just a bit so that you're making progress in your work life.

92. You don't want to push yourself to the point that you're missing your Word time and never have time to relax—I've already been over that topic. But every single Home member should be striving for excellence. If you're a witnesser, it's not enough to just drag yourself out of bed in the morning and go through the motions, doing exactly the same thing with no hope of progress. You must consider yourself a professional missionary and constantly be keeping your eye out for new and ingenious methods of witnessing‚ follow-up, and raising funds.

93. If you work with children‚ it's not enough to scrape by in providing minimal care and teaching, just waiting until you can finally send the kids back to their parents so you can go to your room and do what you want. You must be a cutting-edge childcare professional who feels personally responsible for the education of the children and is looking for new and better ways to teach them. Every one of you, without exception‚ has to be pulling as much weight in the Home as you can—regularly making personal sacrifices for the sake of creating a winning team.

94. It requires a very delicate balance, but is something that must be mastered by you, My professional missionaries. "Professional missionaries" is the title I give to each and every one of you, and I trust that you'll respect that title both by working hard every day and by having the faith to enjoy the life I've given you. If you personally learn to strike that balance, everything you touch will turn to gold.

Talk About It

Optional discussion questions

* If you were offered $100,000 if you could improve your performance as an individual, what things would change in your work ethic and life to obtain that money? Then think about, and possibly discuss, how you could apply one of your ideas to your life.

* If you could get one more person to come to your Home and they could/would do anything you needed them to, what qualities would you want in them and what would you have them do? Then see if any of what was discussed can be voluntarily absorbed by your current Home members, by someone doing a little more than they presently do.

* Discuss some of the things that hinder those in your Home from each pulling their share of the workload. (Ideally, this would best be done if those sharing the hindrances would do so from a personal perspective—what hinders them personally.) Then brainstorm ways to overcome those hindrances.

Praise Ideas

Optional praise ideas

* Work spirit helper praise: Praise the Lord for a personal spirit helper that you have who helps you in your work. (Or if you don't know the names of those who help you in your work, praise the Lord for another spirit helper or departed saint that you often call on to aid you.)

* The good and the bad praise: Praise the Lord for something in your work life that you dislike—finding the good in it. And then praise the Lord for something in your work life that you particularly like—one of the perks of your "profession."

* Movers and shakers praise: Praise the Lord for anyone in the Bible or in history who was an example of a good work ethic—someone who worked hard, made a difference, changed things for the better, and is an inspiration to you.

"Do" the Word

Optional practical ways to be "doers of the Word"

* As a Home, memorize a quote or a key promise on unity and pulling the load together as a team.

* Pray personally about whether the Lord is expecting you to do more or less in the Home. Do you fall into the "workaholic" category? And if so, do you need to slow down a bit? Or do you fall into the category of someone who needs to take a bit more initiative, be more responsible, or stretch a bit more as far as your contributions to the Home? Don't just assume you're one or the other. Ask the Lord to speak to you about what He is expecting of you. Are you a minimizer, a maintainer, or a maximizer?

* Ask the Lord about your job, how He sees what you do, and some practical ways that you personally can make your job easier on yourself and be more efficient.

* Do a Word study as a Home on the topic of faithfulness and diligence in business. Some basic Letters you may find helpful are:
"Shtick," ML #703, DB 1

* Take some time this week‚ after reading this GN, to do something on your own initiative. Do at least one thing that's over and above what you have been scheduled to do—something in the Home that you see needs to be done, and that you respond to.

Annihilate

Lethargy: Demon that lulls to sleep and brings complacency.

Apotheon: Archdemon of apathy, laziness, and hopelessness.

Activate

Styrian: She is filled with the all-consuming power of the Spirit of God, and is a whirlwind of destruction to the demon Lethargy and his ilk.

Arcothon: Warrior angel who defeats Apotheon and teaches us how to fight.

Hot Key: Excellence

95. (Jesus:) Like a vitamin, the key of excellence goes to work in your life to strengthen your weaker areas and to enhance your stronger areas. With the key of excellence in hand, you have the power and the ability to fulfill your responsibilities proficiently, to shoulder your load efficiently, to contribute to your Home professionally‚ and to do so in love, with all your heart. This key only knows excellence in serving Me, and when you bring this key into your life, every area of your service for Me is improved many times over.

Prayer Boost

96. Hail to our hardy and handsome Head Foreman from all those who work for You. We pledge to give You our best. We're not going to settle for anything less than the very best when it comes to pulling our share of the load in our Home. We pledge to uphold each other by taking the initiative‚ having a good work ethic, and contributing to our Home on a professional level.

97. Let it be known that from this day forward, we are going to be Your GITA disciples—"Giving It Their All" disciples. "Gita" disciples, who don't stop till we "gita" done! We take a stand against the demon Lethargy, the Selvegion, and the Deactivation Demons who would try to stop us from working in unity, tempt us to be lazy loafers and to not do our share of the jobs, and to minimize the importance of being a successful Home for You.

98. We ask Styrian, the Fairy Angel Fighters, Illuminus, and the Activation Angels to keep us stirred up and on the move for You. We embrace Change and welcome him. We commit to be triple-A Christians: Alert‚ Aware, and on the Attack!

99. We're not looking for an easy ride. That's for those who have a noodle for a backbone; pusillanimous puny weaklings who don't have any guts to fight the Devil. We are fighters for You, Your prophets that You've called to damn the fiendish System, and that's what we want to do. We don't want to be imitators. We're the real thing, and we ask You to help stir up everything within us that will motivate us to be a sample of a revolutionary, on-fire Home for You.

100. We are alive for You, Jesus! We don't want to be known as dead ducks that the Devil doesn't bother with. No matter what the opposition‚ we won't stop advancing. We will attack, attack, and keep on attacking until our Home is not only up to snuff, but has the Devil on the run because we are taking over his territory. We're going forth to conquer, not to be conquered!

101. Being on the defensive in our personal lives or as a Home is no longer an option to us. We ask that You melt us together as an offensive‚ fighting Home of harmony that shares the responsibilities and jobs that need to be done cheerfully, lovingly, and in humility. We claim the keys of excellence, humility, love, harmony, dedication and attacking initiative.

102. You said, "Happy is that people that is in such a case, happy is that people whose God is the Lord" (Psa.144:15). This is our desire—that we may be known for our love and happiness, workers for You, who are giving You our all. We love You!

Merry Medicine

Working hard‚ or hardly working?

By Kevin, WS

The other day my wife and I instigated a program to help Kevin Junior develop a better work ethic. He might be highly energetic when it comes to running around the yard with sticks, and downright meticulous with his nose-picking ministry, but at the age of 4, hard work is toward the bottom of a long list of activities numbered in order of preference. It's probably somewhere in between eating leafy vegetables and shopping with Mommy at a clothing store. The horror.

So as his parents, we feel it's imperative to instill in our children a sense of work ethic. Otherwise, by the time he's in his mid-30's we might still be nagging him. I might say, "Kevin‚ would you please stop sitting around the heavenly mansion watching 3-D TV! Two of your millennial towns are without a water supply and one has managed to beat their plowshares into a thermonuclear warhead."

(Then again‚ I'm such a woeful handyman I'll probably spend the first 300 years of the Millennium trying to assemble a windmill. May God have mercy on the towns I'll be overseeing. Or maybe the Lord will just send me a bunch of corrupt former politicians who need to be punished.)

Anyway, we want Kevin to learn to excel, so we posted a nice list of simple chores for him to complete, all of which are accompanied by a small reward. I'm happy to report that so far Kevin has responded well to our new program. I was surprised to see how skillfully and thoroughly he could put away dishes, clean the bathroom, polish the mirrors, and more. I was also surprised to find the toilet sponge on my desk and disinfectant squirted all over my computer monitor. But still, I had to be impressed.

I guess that's what we all need in order to make our Home a winning team: a toilet sponge and disinfectant. But those would be useless without a good work ethic and the ability to take the initiative. By "initiative" I mean the "seeing the need and standing in the gap" kind, not the "using your Home's rent money to buy an enormous survival stock of caramel syrup" variety.

"But wait!" you might say. "Let's not all be Marthas! We should be sitting at Jesus' feet and learning of Him!!!!" Well‚ first of all, let's go easy on the exclamation marks. Second of all, you're right: We definitely shouldn't allow work to crowd out our time with the Lord, or we'll burn out and end up being about as useful to the Family as several truckloads of the book The Origin of Species.

According to the Word, the goal the Lord wants us to attain is to be a "winning team," where it's the team that does the winning. You'll notice that He never referred to this concept as a "winning coach," where the players sit on the sidelines cheering on the coach (i.e., the Home Steering Council) as he runs up and down the field like an automatic lawn mower.

You'll also notice that to the best of my knowledge the Lord never encouraged us to create a "whining team." Okay, so maybe I don't particularly care for the morning oatmeal when it's been stretched with leftover meatloaf, but I don't think whining about it is going to help. What might help, however, is if I were to realize that this Home is my Home, and I actually get my (possibly skinny and malnourished) behind out there to help raise funds and build a proper, lasting, self–sufficient work‚ fueled by the Word and high quality oats.

Sure, we may be very busy with lots of stuff to look at in our room, and we may be burdened by the need for several more personal grooming sessions in the next week. Hey, we may have even only seen the extended version of The Lord of the Rings movies once. But the only way to get the meatloaf out of the oats is to get my meatloaf out there and sow some oats!

Okay, maybe that didn't come out right.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that in order to make a "winning team," it's just as much my responsibility as it is everyone else's to do all we can to push the envelope and create a winning, progressive, fruitful team. For example:

Which reminds me: I tend to think all this "winning team" training we're receiving right now is part of our training for the Millennium and beyond. Once we've mastered the skills of initiative, work ethic, and professionalism in our service, we're going to be in a position to serve the Lord in amazing, millennial ways. I just hope windmills aren't in any way linked to the town water supply, or the Lord may kindly request that I go ahead and discover a world in a galaxy far, far away.

Pithy Proverbs:

The Home that works most effectively thinks "team." They accept responsibility together and don't sidestep it. This creates trust and enables them to get the task done.

Never doubt that a thoughtful, committed team can change the world. Indeed, they are the only ones that ever have.

Tempted to be a weight? Try being a wing and see how much higher you can go.

There is never so great a failure in life as he who is destined to succeed but never lifts a hand to reach for his good fortune.

Barely surviving, barely keeping up? Try bearing another's burden. It might lighten yours, so that it's not such a "bear" to bear.

If you think it's tough being a winner, it's twice as painful being a loser‚ and unfulfilling too.

You could be the greatest worker and put in the maximum number of hours possible‚ but if you don't have love for others, then it's all in vain.

Hard work, combined with the power of the spirit, results in an explosion of success.

Professionals do even the smallest things with excellence.

The hours you work are not as important as what you put into those hours.

Think about how you are going to do your part every day to contribute to your Home's success, and do it with all of your heart.

Abide in Your Calling

The Brief

103. (Mama:) Winning teams are made up of individuals who are abiding in their calling—doing the job the Lord has given them to do. Winning Home members realize that every job and ministry is important, that they all complement one another and contribute to a well-rounded, happy, functioning, successful Home. Winning teams do not look at certain jobs as being better or more important than other jobs; they realize that every job is equal, every job is essential, and thus every person who fills each role is vital to the smooth running of the Home.

104. Winning team members aim to do their job well‚ no matter what it is, with gusto‚ inspiration, and without comparing—either thinking they are better than others, or thinking that others are better than they are. They do not judge by ministries or titles. They do the job the Lord has given them to do, and they do it well.

Pointers for Winning Teams

Abide in your calling

105. In our Homes today we have more positions to fill than we had before. We now have Home shepherds and Home managers who make up the Steering Council. Then we have criteria monitors and board members. These positions have "titles," so it might be easy for you to think that if you don't have a title, you're not as important, or maybe not as vital to your Home. But it's very important that you don't succumb to this lie of the Enemy, because nothing is further from the truth.

106. The most important thing for each of us is being in the Lord's will and abiding in the calling that He has given us; it has nothing to do with titles. If everyone in your Home is abiding in their calling, then your Home will be a success. But if everyone in your Home is trying to work their way into certain positions to the neglect of their calling, then your Home will not be what it needs to be. Nor will you be personally happy if you're not filling the role that you are best suited for.

107. The success of your Home is like the success of a theater play. It's only successful if everyone is playing their role. Yes, there might be some people who play more dominant roles, but the show would never be possible without all of the actors and actresses, not to mention the stagehands, the sound and lighting technicians, the musicians, the coordinators, the props managers, and all the rest.

108. (Dad:) Abiding in your calling is a topic that I talked about quite a bit when I was with you, and even some since I've come to this side of the veil. But now that many of you are in the process of building your winning teams, the Lord put it on my heart to touch on this topic again, since it really is an important one in order for you to become the united, strongly knit, winning Homes that the Lord wants and needs you to be.

109. Most of you have heard this verse quoted to you since you were very young. "Let every man abide in the calling wherein he was called" (1Cor.7:20). You memorized it and quoted it time and again, so you would think that you've got the general concept of this down somewhat. And many of you have; you have abided in your calling, some of you for years and years, and that is very commendable.

110. However, there are some of you who have a hard time abiding in the calling the Lord has given you, either because you feel it's not all that important or you feel that there's another calling that you'd rather have. Others of you don't yet know what your calling is‚ and you feel that you're just floundering from here to there without much direction or guidance.

111. Well, let me make it clear exactly what "abiding in your calling" is. It means putting your whole heart into whatever you're asked to do, no matter what it is. That simple truth takes care of those of you who don't feel that you have a specific calling, because you're always asked to help in some way, aren't you? Whether it be to help teach and care for the kids, or to cook a meal, or to go out witnessing, etc.‚ that is your calling for that day, that time. And in order to "abide" in it, you've got to "be there" 100%, with all your heart, mind, and soul. You can't just have your body there but have your mind and heart elsewhere. That's not truly abiding in your calling; that's more like going through the motions without the power thereof.

112. In order to have a winning team‚ you need everyone to be doing their part, each fulfilling their role, whatever that role may be. And each role is important. How many times have I told you how important the seeming little people who do the seeming little jobs are? I say "seeming" because in reality these aren't little people or little jobs at all; they're tremendously important jobs, and if no one was there to do them, the whole structure would collapse!

113. Those who take care of the kids, those who do the dishes and JJTs, those who help with the mail ministry and follow-up, those who go out witnessing, and those who cook the meals day in and day out and are faithful and cheerful in their calling, are saints in the Lord's book!—And in mine too, for that matter, and they should be in yours as well.

114. How many times do those of you who have the seeming "bigger" responsibilities think that you're somehow more important, more needed, or more indispensable than those who do these lowly jobs? Well, just remember that if they weren't there, you would need to do all the dishes, cook all the meals, take care of each of the kids, do all the follow–up, and on and on the list goes. It would be humanly impossible! You wouldn't be able to abide in your calling unless you had those precious mates and co-workers in your Home who were willing to abide in theirs.

115. And for those of you who look at your ministry or the calling the Lord has given you as insignificant, let me tell you that nothing is further from the truth. That is exactly what the Enemy would have you believe. He wants you to belittle and bemoan your place. He wants you to wish that you had a bigger, more important job‚ one with a title and more authority.

116. Well, let me tell you, I had what most of you would consider a huge job and lots of responsibility with my calling of leading the Family, but believe me when I say that it wasn't all that glamorous or glorious. To be honest, it was a lot of hard work. I did it because it was the calling that the Lord gave me, and I didn't want to fail the Lord or any of you. But sometimes I longed for the days when I was a little nobody and could do the little jobs. That's why I enjoyed getting so involved in the little things around the Home, fixing things up, getting involved in handyman projects and the like. Those things were fun for me, a bit of a break, and I had fun doing them.

117. Folks‚ there will come a time when each of you will take on more responsibility. With the End approaching, the Lord has said time and again that you're each going to be shepherds of the flock that will come to you for His words of truth. I know there are some of you who are looking forward to that day, thinking that then it'll be easy to abide in your calling, because it will be so exciting. Some of you even imagine it being quite glamorous to have so many looking to you. Well‚ you'll find out pretty quickly that it's not all that glamorous, and when you're put in that position and feel the weight of responsibility, it'll sober you up and get you desperate real quick.

118. But the point I want to make is that unless you learn to abide in your calling here and now with the jobs that the Lord has asked you to do, you won't be very prepared to abide in the future callings He wants to give you. Chances are you'll feel that the burden is too great and the responsibility is too heavy and it doesn't look so fun anymore, and you'll want to hightail it out of there! You've got to "stick to your knitting," as the old saying goes. The Lord has given each of you talents and gifts that are unique to you personally.

119. I want you to take some time to look around at each of the talents and gifts that those in your Home have and see how they complement your team overall. In fact, it might even be good to do this one night during a united activity. Tell the brothers and sisters you live with what special spark they bring to your Home and how you couldn't imagine being without them. Tell them what your Home would lose if they were to leave and you wouldn't have the blessing of their companionship and support anymore. That will really help each one to want to live up to the appreciation and reach the potential that they have.

120. Just as the Lord made the human body with many different parts and functions, this is how you must build a winning team. Look at yourself and how intricately you're made and how wonderfully your body works. Your body wouldn't work very well if you had three heads, one leg, and no arms, would it? If every part of the body wanted to be the head, or every part of the body wanted to be the legs‚ how on earth would the body function? Aren't you thankful that you have each body part in the proper place, and that they're happy to abide in their calling? Doesn't that make for a well-working and fully functional body?

121. Don't you want your Homes to be that way?—Working well, functioning smoothly, making progress and becoming the winning teams the Lord has destined you to be? Well, one of the keys to achieving this is each member having a willingness to abide in the calling wherein they are called, not one coveting the job of another, or wishing that they were the leg instead of the foot. Think about it. The legs couldn't stand very well without the important member of the foot helping to balance them out, could they?

122. So even if you feel like you're a lowly foot, or just a toe, you can be thankful that your job is important because you're helping to uphold the whole body, the whole Home, and without you doing your job‚ the structure could very well come crumbling down.

123. And those of you who think you're the "heads," you'd be wise to realize that you're nothing without the rest of the body. Appreciate those with you and remember how important each person is to the success of your Home.

124. As each one does their part and fulfills their role by truly abiding in their calling and putting their whole heart into the different responsibilities and jobs the Lord has given them to do, then you will see a wonderful and well-functioning body come together. Your Home will be the winning team that you want it to be because each one will be pulling their weight, and then some. All will be doing all that they can to make sure that their responsibility and part they play in the Home is working well and that things are flowing smoothly.

125. Strive to make this a reality in your Home, and as you do, you'll be on the path to victory. You'll see the Lord use your Home in great and mighty ways, for you will be a fit and well-rounded, strongly bonded team in His love.

Beware of comparing

126. (Mama:) You've got to raise a standard against the Enemy's temptations to compare. Comparing is one thing that will steal away your joy and happiness and contentment quicker than almost anything else. And it can be a real temptation if you feel like you're not being "used" as much as someone else is, or that your job is not as important as someone else's job. It's also easy to compare your ministry with others when you see that their ministry comes with a title, or when it seems they're steadily getting more and more responsibility or new jobs, while nothing changes for you.

127. And it can work the other way around as well, with those of you who have gotten new ministries or jobs comparing and thinking you're better than your fellow Home members, because you have a title and they don't. But that's not the way the Lord looks at things at all. He doesn't judge us by our title, rank, or status. The only thing that matters to Him is our love and faithfulness. The highest compliment goes to the man who fills his place of service with joy and faithfulness, and is content to do the job the Lord has called him to.

128. Comparing is a dangerous trap that only leads to dissatisfaction, discontentment, unhappiness, unyieldedness, and bitterness. Raise a standard against it in your lives and Homes, dear Family.

129. (Jesus:) I have said it before‚ and I'll say it again: There is no unimportant job in the Family. Whether your job has a title or not; whether your job comes with recognition or not; whether your job comes with praise and acclaim or not, it is an important job because I have called you to it. I do not judge a man by his title‚ but by his love and faithfulness to Me in service, whether lowly or great.

130. I call people to a great variety of jobs and service for Me in the scope of their life on Earth, and each time that I call them to something, that is My highest will for each of them. Yes, some will be called to be coaches, some will be called to be Home shepherds or managers‚ others will be criteria monitors or board members, but these new titles do not place them in a position of greater worth or usefulness than the other ministries and titles already in place. The Home shepherd is no more important than the mommy who faithfully teaches her children and cooks for the Home. The criteria monitors are no more useful than the outreacher who hits the streets every day spreading My words near and far. Your title does not rank you or others in order of importance or worth.

131. No matter who you are, the job I have given you to do right now is My highest calling for your life, and anything other than that place of service would actually put you in a place of lesser usefulness to Me. If I've called you to be a teacher and have asked you to fill this very honorable role‚ then that is the highest title you could possibly be given at this point in your life. And if I call your mate or one of your friends or peers in your Home to be given the title of Home manager, then that too is the highest title he could be given at that point in his life. The two of you, regardless of your ministry, are both in the highest possible position of usefulness and service because you've accepted the role I've given you. One is not ranked higher than the other.

132. I know it's difficult to see things this way with your own carnal viewpoint and reasoning. In your eyes, the ones with the titles are higher up on the scale of usefulness, and the ones with the "homey" or "samey" ministries are the "lesser of these." You almost feel like the leftovers—that all the "good ones" got chosen and picked for these new positions, and you who didn't are the leftovers of the crop. Well, I'm sorry, but that is a very negative, ugly way of looking at things.

133. Since when have I ever placed greater importance or worth on those with a title? Since when have I ever had favorites, or loved with partiality? When I called you to your place of service, I was looking at you and you alone. I looked at your life and all your needs and the desires of your heart. I looked at your spirit, your dedication, your usefulness‚ your love and faithfulness to Me. I looked at your potential and abilities and your desperation for My Spirit, and then I chose My place for you.

134. I didn't measure you against another. I didn't say, "Oh, look, this one is more spiritual than her, so he'll be given this role, while she'll be placed there." I'm sorry, but I don't work that way. I look at your life and measure you according to My plan for you alone. And then I give you the places of service, the ministries‚ the titles and callings that I designed specifically for you. And then I look at another and work in their life in the same personalized, intimate way.

135. Your ministry, the calling I've given you right now, is equal to a very valuable treasure that I've entrusted into your care. Not one treasure is less valuable than another, or worth more than another‚ but each treasure is equally as valuable in My sight. You shortchange yourself by comparing your treasure with another and concluding in your mind that theirs must be better than yours since it has a different shape or color or size. But that's not so! A small diamond next to a large ruby may seem of lesser value, yet in reality‚ their worth at that weight is similar.

136. You're really going to have to ask for My perspective on this issue. You personally need to ask Me to do away with your carnal reasoning and method of measuring, and ask for My clear perspective instead. I can reiterate this point again and again to you, but if you don't make the personal decision to accept My point of view and to see things the way I see them, then you won't really get the victory over this area. If you don't apply My perspective to your life, then what I say is not truly changing you or helping you. You have to realize that you need to see things My way in order to be happy, content, and productive in your Home. You have to realize the importance of contentment no matter what state or rank you're in.

137. In order for your Homes to function not just efficiently, but superbly, and as effectively as I designed, then you each need to accept your place of service as the highly privileged calling it is. I've likened this before to the workings of a great machine, to the running of a car, to the functioning of a clock‚ to the design of the human body. In order for it to function properly, each piece‚ each part‚ each member must play its part to the best of its ability in contentment and unity. Otherwise, the whole thing will fall apart. If one member refuses to turn on his axle because he'd instead prefer to be the axle, pretty soon the axle and wheel will fall apart, along with the rest of the machine.

138. You know this principle so well, yet it's still been difficult to apply it to your life. You see someone move into a position of leadership, and immediately you're hit with discouraging thoughts that perhaps this means that you're not as good as that person, or that you're not as spiritual or useful as they are. Or perhaps you're the one placed in a position of leadership and suddenly your viewpoint on others changes and you begin to feel you're somehow more important and needed than they are.

139. Both attitudes are as wrong and ugly as the other. Just because I move someone to a new place of service does not in any way imply that I am placing you or anyone else on a lower level. If you're filling the job I've called you to—be it witnesser, teacher, handyman, shepherd, provisioner, coach‚ cook, or whatever—then each of you‚ no matter what your title is, are on the same level of usefulness, value, and greatness in My sight.

140. Remember that My highest compliment goes to the man who is faithful where I place him, filling his spot with honor. If you're doing that, then you're being everything I want you to be! When you come to Heaven to receive your great reward, do you remember what I'm going to tell you? "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!" Think about this for a moment. What did I just call you? Did I call you good and faithful shepherd? Or good and faithful person with a title? Good and faithful criteria monitor? Good and faithful Home manager? No. So what's the one title you will carry with you from Earth into Heaven?—Servant!

141. When you come to Heaven, you're all very clearly on the same level playing field—you're all servants! You're all My good and faithful and useful servants. I need each one of you to be the best servant you can be, no matter what part of My House you're tending to. Without any one of you, there would be a loss and a lack in My work getting done.

142. Your ministry is important, because it's important to Me. Whatever I place in your hands or in your life means a lot to Me. It's something I've prepared and created just for you. It's a gift from My heart to yours. And it will really touch My heart and bring Me great joy if you'll just accept each ministry, each calling, as the priceless gift from Me that it really is.

143. It hurts Me when you criticize the gifts I give you. It hurts Me when you tear down My creation by comparing it with what I've given to others. Here I am trying to make you the happiest wife in the world‚ trying to give you more and more of My love and My heart, and yet some of you take it in your hands and make faces at My handiwork, and sometimes even act like you despise the pearl of great price I've given you. Your calling, your job‚ is this pearl, this beautiful gift from My heart to yours. Even if you can't see its true beauty, do you think you could accept it and cherish it and love it just because it came from Me? That would really make My day and touch My heart in such a special way! That would make Me so proud of you, and eager to give you more and more.

144. Once you choose to accept your place of service as from Me, you then open yourself up to receive the blessings of contentment, happiness, fulfillment, answered prayers and fulfilled desires that I have to give. I promise that if you will just accept your calling and say, "I love this gift because it came from my Husband's hands and He always gives wonderful things to me," you will see your life begin to change for the better, as I change your perspective and feelings and give you Mine instead.

Find your calling

145. (Mama: ) You might be wondering what to do if you don't really know what your calling is. How can you "keep your hands to the plow" if you don't know what the plow is that you're supposed to be manning? Here's a message from our Answer Man on the topic.

146. (Jesus:) It's a little hard to "abide in your calling" if you don't yet know what it is. It's okay if you don't know what it is right away, but you should seek Me about it and begin the search to find out what My perfect will is. Or you might want to discuss it with your shepherds to see if they have any input, or try some different ministries to see what seems to "fit" you. But whatever you do, don't just flounder without a vision‚ without knowing what I have ordained for you to do, or you'll be very unhappy and unfulfilled. You'll always be happiest if you know you're in the place that I have called you‚ doing the job that I have destined you for.

147. Remember, however, that most people have many different callings in the course of their life. Often My calling for a person changes over time. You might be called to be a witnesser for a certain period of time. Then you might be called to be a provisioner, and then a teacher, and then maybe something else. And sometimes all three at once. It's not like you're locked into one calling forever. My will does change, and your calling will also change according to My will. So be open.

148. Many times it's a process, or there are various factors that determine what My calling is for you. Sometimes it's based largely around the most desperate need. Sometimes it's based around what you need in your life. Sometimes it's based around what you would like to do. Sometimes it's based around your gifts and talents. Sometimes it's based around the gifts and talents and needs of others, which makes other holes for you. Sometimes it's temporary. Usually it's a combination of all of these factors. But the bottom line is that that doing what you are asked to do each day with your whole heart is fulfilling your calling. That's abiding in your calling.

What if you don't like your calling?

149. (Mama: ) Sometimes the Lord works things out so that you actually get to do the ministry or job that you have the burden and personal desire for. But sometimes it doesn't work out that way, and He calls you to something that's more of a personal sacrifice. Maybe you wanted to be an office worker, for example, but He called you to be a witnesser—at least for the time being. Sometimes the calling He has given you is not your first preference, or even your second or third or fourth preference.

150. So when you're called to a job or ministry that is not your personal favorite, it helps to remember what's really important. Being in the Lord's will is what's most important; that's the secret to happiness. Contrary to the way we look at things sometimes, we are never happiest when we're doing what we want to do when that calling is not the Lord's highest will for us. We're happiest and most blessed when we're doing what He wants us to do‚ even if it's a sacrifice of our own dreams and ambitions.

151. I'm reminded of a good quote someone recently sent me: "A professional is a person who can do his best at a time when he doesn't particularly feel like it."—But the wonderful thing about our "profession" is that usually when you make the choice to yield to what the Lord is asking of you, and praise Him as you serve Him, He helps you to begin to enjoy it and really like it. You find satisfaction in it. And most of all‚ you gain that unshakable peace in your heart that you're doing what He wants you to do, that you're in His will—the most safe and secure place there is.

152. (Jesus:) I will help you to fill your place with joy and spirit! I will help you to find a glory in the thing you do. Even if you don't feel very positive or inspired about your job, try acting like it anyway! Like that quote, if you're feeling negative, act positive. Try it! Put that into action when it comes to your ministry. If you're feeling a little uninspired about your place of service, try to act as if it's the very thing you'd love to be doing. Put a big smile on your face and find the reasons why you do like your job. Magnify those reasons in your mind by praising Me for them.

153. Find the glory in what you do. Ask Me to help you to regain your joy of service, whether lowly or great. I can help you to do things that are difficult with a renewed strength. Claim the keys of joy and they will be your strength, and will make your work lighter, easier‚ and even more enjoyable.

The calling of a childcare professional

154. (Mama: ) As I was working on this GN, the Lord reminded me of one of the most important ministries in the Family, which doesn't get nearly enough credit on a regular basis: Teaching and caring for our wonderful children! He said that He wanted to highlight this ministry, even though He's not drawing attention to any other specific ministry in this GN, to remind you of how highly He regards this ministry and how thankful He is for those of you who have made this your calling and are "abiding" in it. You dear childcare professionals are heroes in my book—and also in the Lord's book, as you'll see from this message. I'm proud of you!

155. And to all of you would–be childcare professionals, thank you for being willing to take on this high calling. If it's His calling for you, then you won't be happier doing anything else. Teaching and training our children in the Family is one of the most important ministries we have, and those of you who make it your profession will be monumentally blessed and rewarded. Take up the challenge today if the Lord is calling you!—Or if that need is already well filled in your Home, please support and honor those who He has called to this wonderful ministry!

156. (Jesus:) I know that there are various fears when it comes to devoting your time to caring for children, especially for you of the second generation. Some of you feel it's boring, unchallenging‚ a "thing of the past," a ministry you did when you were young and in training. But now you are an adult, able to pick and choose your calling, and you think you can do better things than taking up childcare as a profession.

157. You have also had thoughts and feelings hanging over you that are unfounded and untrue, such as it being a binding ministry, a suffocating career, a job for those who don't have strong desires in life. Childcare‚ which was once a sought-after career and an important ministry, is now at the bottom of the list of professions for many people.

158. Why is this? Why haven't there been more of you who are looking at this profession as a high calling in life? When, in fact, that is what it has been and will continue to be even when you return home to My Kingdom. You have heard it said that children are My gift of love, My promise, My future, My specialty, and My prized possessions. This is the complete truth. To have a child enter your life is to receive a priceless treasure. If I had My way, there would be more of them, and I would be giving them to you as fast as you could take them! That they are perceived as burdens, or as a group to be given to those who have no life or "real ministry," are sad attitudes that have crept into My Family.

159. You have to remember that first and foremost you are a Family. What does a family have? What does it take to make a man and a woman a family? Children! That's the simple truth. You are not a family until you have children. These children that I have given to you and blessed in your care are what make you a Family. You would be an odd-looking Family if it were only full of older people and not many children, don't you think?

160. Before I go on with some of the wrong attitudes that many of you have opened your mind and hearts to in regards to children, I do want to commend and put the names in lights of those who have gone against or paid no attention to this attitude and have held true to the calling that they know I have put in their hearts. I want to especially commend those of you of the second generation who have given your lives to caring for and teaching children. It hasn't been an easy ministry to favor or stick with, and sometimes you've been tempted to think that you could be doing something better with your life, or have a ministry of greater importance or that is looked at more favorably. But please don't fall for these deceptions. It's only the Enemy's attempt to try to pull away your devotion and desire to care for the young ones, in order to take away the care, shepherding, and attention that your children need.

161. First of all, I want you to look at your children. They are your future. In a short time they will be teens, and soon after that they will become adults. They need you. They need your guidance, shepherding, and training. They need for you to be there for them. They need teachers—not only babysitters and temps‚ but those who will really pour into them and become professional teachers and caretakers. They need those who will even go to the extent of giving up a dream or desire in order to put their little lives first and help them to grow into the men and women I need them to become.

162. Next, I ask that you, the second generation, look at yourselves. Who do you think you owe your development to? Who are you thankful to for giving you your excellent upbringing, for cultivating your talents, and sharpening your intelligence? Do you think you managed to do it on your own while there were adults and mentors around who paid little attention or felt little concern for your training and upbringing? No. If it hadn't been for your parents, teachers, and caretakers who put their all into your training and gave all of their time, effort and life to give you the input, education, and practical-life preparation that you needed, you wouldn't be where you are today.

163. You owe a lot to this devotion‚ this sacrifice, and the time that was given by those who, like yourselves, had at times what they considered to be "great" visions, goals, and ideals. However, they saw the true future, and they saw that future in you, when they took on the "greater" role of raising you. It was a good investment of time, because I brought fulfillment and happiness to their lives as a result, and now you are the ones who are taking up the torch in many areas in the Family.

164. Lastly, take a look at the first generation of this Family. Are they completely useless now? Have they lost all their energy? Have they become old fogies not able to carry their load? Is there no hope that they can now reach those dreams that they once dreamt of? No. They are still a huge part of this Family. They are leaders‚ shepherds, pioneers, professionals in all walks of Family life, experts in all areas of your Family. They're still going strong! Though many of them, and you, joke that their time is nearly finished, it couldn't be further from the truth! These first-generation folks will continue to go strong for Me, and their life of service and vision will certainly never end. Each of you have all of this, and Heaven too, to look forward to.

165. In speaking directly to you of the second generation‚ I am not indicating that this message is only for you. Some of the first-generation members also have negative attitudes about children, childcare, and making children your profession. Many of you call it "burnout." You've been burnt out in caring for children or teaching them. But this is no excuse, nor can I let you continue to cling to those attitudes and let them be your excuse.

166. From this moment on, there is no such excuse! I want to remove all your excuses and make it very clear that in this new day and in this new focus of the Family, I want to bring back that zest and love for children. I want to give back to you the desire to become teachers‚ childcare workers, and caretakers. I want you to do away with any and all of the negative attitudes that you've allowed to settle in your hearts and minds.

167. In order to help you see this ministry with new eyes, we will give it a new name. We will call it a profession and a career. Well, these aren't new names, but they are names that many of you haven't used when thinking of childcare. It is and will continue to be a high calling in this Family.

168. Now I will move this profession from the bottom of your lists to the top of your lists! There will be more help toward this, because you have your boards, your FED and CP criteria monitors, and you will see that there will be a greater focus on the care and upbringing of your children in the days to come. Not that there wasn't before, but now you will be accountable for it with the criteria and the Home reviews.

169. I have called and chosen a good number of you in My Family to give your time, attention‚ devotion, and expertise to your children, and in the future I will call more of you. I have even chosen and called those who are not yet of age to become professional teachers and childcare workers. If these negative attitudes toward childcare persist, then it will be due to these attitudes that many of those I have called will not answer the call. It's sad but true.

170. Of course, you can say, "Well, they should have more conviction," or "They should stick to the calling that the Lord puts in their heart." However, you know how difficult it is to jump into a ministry or career with all your heart if it is put down by others‚ or you see that there are not many people who want to take it on. You know this‚ because some of you who were called didn't answer the call for this very reason. You gave in to the peer pressure and were badly influenced by the stigma. The profession of teaching and childcare brings with it some of the most challenging work in life, and those who take it up are courageous, brave‚ and heroes in My book. They certainly don't need their job made any harder by negative attitudes being floated around by those of you who don't know what you're talking about or aren't willing to get in there and do it yourselves.

171. Now I plead with you to get rid of these negative feelings and attitudes for the sake of your children—for all the Family's children—if you can't think of any other reason. Those of you who now have children and are responsible for their care have seen this need. Many of you have had a change of heart and perspective, but for most of you, only toward your own children.

172. It's now time that you strive toward bringing all the Family's children into the future together, giving them the best care, the best training, the best education, and the best preparation. They are your national treasure. They are your fighters of tomorrow. They are your leaders of the future. They are your witnessers of the End. How will they become all this if they don't have those who can pour into them, spend time with them, and be interested in meeting their spiritual, physical, mental, educational, and emotional needs in the best way possible?

173. I want each one of you, young and old, to examine your perspectives and attitudes when it comes to children. I want each of you to come before Me and ask that I change any negative attitudes‚ and vanquish the deceptions of the Enemy with the help of the keys. I ask that you call on the spirit helpers* that have been given to parents and teachers to help to open your eyes to see the Family's children in a new light, to inspire faith, and create the desire within you to give your time, energy, and care to the children. *(Spirit helpers that you can call on: Elysian‚ the Ilantri, Espitia, and Billy Bojangles. See ML #3478.)

174. What this will take is your using the keys to remove any fear that you might be called to be a teacher or shepherd if you yield completely to Me and ask Me to help you see the children in a new light. Yes, this will take a lot of yieldedness to say, but if you truly believe that I can give you a change of heart, desire, and perspective‚ you will step out and say "yes" to Me. In return, you will receive the vision, love‚ faith, initiative, and desire you've been waiting for, or even looking for, in your life of service to Me.

175. I will also ask that all of you remove any negativity about childcare or a teacher's profession from your conversations. I need for you to do this in order to remove the stigma about caring for children or being with them. It will also do your own spirits a whole lot of good, because you will find yourself taking on a more positive outlook on children in all aspects—being with them, watching them, caring for them, teaching them, and even bearing them.

176. So who will be My teachers of these little ones? Who will take on this profession? Who will give their lives to help build the future? Yes, caring for your children is helping to build the future. If you neglect this part of your lives, part of your house will be on a weak foundation. I promise you that if you take this on as a career, you will not regret it. You will not lose any or all fun you may have in you. You have it in yourself to make teaching and shepherding children fun, exciting, hip, enticing, modern, and the in thing.

177. Not only will you learn to love it‚ but the kids will love you in return. They will think highly of you, and this love and admiration will last forever. They will be indebted to you. You will establish a link that will last for eternity. Think of it! Think also of the rewards you will receive. Here in Heaven, those who work with children, who are teachers, trainers, and coaches, are held in high esteem. They are immediately recognized because they bear a special symbol. It is the symbol of sacrifice, love, and humility. And that, My friends, is a respected rank. (See ML #3478:172,173.)

178. How about it? Will you join in? Will you do your part to change this Family for the better in ridding yourself of your own personal negative attitudes and mindsets? Will you stop to consider whether this profession is for you or not? Will you be willing to give up your own desires or what you think is best for your life in order to obtain the pearl of great price I have for you—the calling I've destined for you? Think about it!

Talk About It

Optional discussion questions

* Talk about a time in your life when you've had to stick to a job or ministry that wasn't your favorite thing, just because you knew it was God's highest will for you, His "calling" for you at that time in your life. Then answer one or more (or all) of the following questions: Were you happy you fulfilled the Lord's will? Did it get easier with time? What were the benefits and rewards? Were there special lessons that the Lord taught you through it? As you look back on that time now, what are the things that come to mind to praise the Lord for?

* Talk about techniques for fighting the Enemy's attacks through comparing. What are some things that you can do to ward off his attacks? For example, are there spirit helpers that you can call on? What are the spiritual truths that you can remind yourself of? What things has the Lord personally shown you to do in your life when you're tempted to compare? How do you pull out of it?

* Talk about some of the benefits of being a teacher or a childcare professional. What are some of the blessings and advantages that are unique to this calling? And why do you admire those who take up this challenge? For example, because they're so sacrificial and giving‚ because they have a vision for the future, because they have a lot of love, etc.

Praise Ideas

Optional praise ideas

* Rock in the road praise: Reenact the "Rock in the Road" skit as a Home‚ impromptu style. Be creative and include everyone. At the end, go around in a circle praising the Lord for the "rocks" that each person "moves" on a daily basis that you would have a hard time with. For instance‚ "Mary changes the 'huge rock' of dirty nappies daily so that I can happily go on my way." Or‚ "The road is clear for me because John is faithful to take out the mountains of trash." Or‚ "I'm well fed because Rose 'cares enough for others' to make delicious food for me every day."

* In the Lord's will praise: Fill in the blank, "When I'm in the Lord's highest will, I don't have to_____." (Example, "When I'm in the Lord's highest will, I don't have to worry that I'm missing the mark or failing Him.") Or, "When I'm in the Lord's highest will, I am_____." (Example, "When I'm in the Lord's highest will, I am at peace.")

* Comparing positively praise: This praise is an exercise in comparing positively. Think about someone—whether in or out of the Family—and praise the Lord for something that you are blessed with that they aren't. For example, "Jesus, yesterday I saw this sad and lonely woman while I was out witnessing, and it made me so thankful that I have loved ones and friends and so much to be happy about." Or, "Jesus, we've been praying for so-and–so who is battling with a very difficult affliction, and it makes me so thankful that You have blessed me with such good health overall."

"Do" the Word

Optional practical ways to be "doers of the Word"

* Ask the Lord if you're in His highest will by doing the job/ministry you're presently involved with. Is what you are doing His "calling" for you at this time?

* If the Lord is laying on your heart that He might be calling you to be a childcare professional‚ pray about it and pursue it.

* Pray and ask the Lord if you have the right attitude toward those in our Family who are childcare professionals. Do you honor that ministry? Do you appreciate those who sacrifice for the sake of our children—and do you show it? Or do you have a condescending, negative attitude about it? Do you have any wrong attitudes or mindsets that you need to forsake?

* If you battle with comparing your ministry with others (either thinking you are better than others, or thinking that others are better than you), pray and ask the Lord to give you practical tips to help you overcome it. Make a pact with the Lord that you're going to look at things differently, and that you're going to be a "new creature" from this point on.

* Receive some personal encouragement from the Lord for someone in your Home, whoever He lays on your heart, asking Him to commend them for their service to Him and others, for their faithfulness, for their dedication to their "calling."

Anecdote

Every key on the typewriter was‚ and is, an essential thing. But when the computer was invented‚ new keys had to be created in order to ensure the effective running of new programs and software. Each new key had a new specific purpose. An F5 was created to "refresh," a "page up" to scroll up‚ a "page down" to scroll down, and a "delete" to, well, delete.

While the newly improved keyboard still carried the same letter and number keys from the former typewriter, the new keys with their new names and titles were definitely a point of interest. But suddenly the former keys began to feel outshone by the new buttons that now shared their board.

F muttered to H how he's probably much less used now that all the F1, F2, and F3 buttons were created. H agreed. 8 was upset that now another key shared his number‚ except that new key also had a letter before it. Space bar felt overused and underappreciated, especially being the only key without a written title. U thought for sure she was the most disregarded vowel on the board now that the new "windows" key had come along.

Slowly but surely the former keys grew brittle and stubborn. When the typist would set his fingers on the keys and begin his work, he was perplexed to find how difficult his letter keys were to press. His number pad was also a lot stiffer to use these days. Soon‚ some letters weren't working at all, no matter how hard he tapped them. Because of this, his work was slowed down, deadlines were missed, and opportunities were lost. He realized that it was time for an upgrade. Even though he had invested a lot in this keyboard, it just wasn't proving dependable. So, with his broken keyboard in hand, he went to a computer store and exchanged the former keyboard for a new one.

Carefully he tried the keys and was delighted to find that each key responded to his slightest touch. Happily he went back to work and found that his time was more productive than ever. New masterpieces were created from the faithful keys of his new keyboard. Work was much more efficient‚ as he was able to achieve twice as much in half the time because of the quick response of every key. And while the newly designed keys sure helped his work to run a lot more smoothly, where would he be without the letter keys or the number pad? There is no logic in getting any work done with only the row of F# keys. Obviously every key was‚ and is, essential.

Annihilate

Wolverine: Demon who fights Family children and those who bear them and care for them.

Activate

Lucerne: Light bearer. Can transport your mind and spirit off the road of negativity [or comparing].

Natalia: Leads us in praise.

Companion: Gives us an attitude of praise and eyes of praise that look at our circumstances and conditions and see as the Master would have us see.

Personal Praise Angels: Angels who help us to remember to praise.

Elysian: Helps the children of David to see what their children will become in the future.

Hot Key: Niche

179. (Jesus:) In a winning team, every job and every person is needed and important. To help all of you to fill the roles I've given you to play, I want to give you the key of niche. This key will help you find your niche and stay there. It will help you to abide in your calling. This key will help you to carve out your little groove—not so that you can get stuck in a rut‚ but so that you can fit with precision into exactly the spot I have for you.

Prayer Boost

180. Dear faithful‚ patient, loving Jesus. We love You and desperately need Your help. We don't want to fail You and we don't want to fail each other. But we're human, we make mistakes, we get out of line and overstep our boundaries sometimes. This is why we need You so badly. We need You to help us to live and work as one body, fitly joined together. We want Your Spirit to spill all over us, Jesus‚ and make our team a well–oiled machine.

181. Thank You for creating us all so different. Help us to appreciate each other's gifts and talents, as we remember how You see things. In Your eyes, each job is essential, and no one person or ministry is more important than the other. Help us to be like You‚ Jesus. Forgive us for the times we get out of line; for the times we step on each other's toes; for the times we try to take too much on ourselves‚ or when we go to the opposite extreme and don't try hard enough and we fail to pull our own weight. We have no justification for our actions. We want to do better, but we desperately need help from the spirit world so we can change the things that need to be changed.

182. Thank You for this place of service, Jesus. We really do cherish it, but we need You to help each of us to abide in our respective callings. We draw on the power of the keys of balance, flexibility, niche, and yieldedness‚ to help us to get things right and to do the things You want us to.

183. We know we aren't smart enough or strong enough on our own, and this is why we need Your power to do the jobs You've given us to do, and we need Your love to help us to strike the proper balance.

184. We raise our demon-defeating weapon of praise and ask that You constrain the demons of Pride, Pan, the Selvegion, and the Sen-si, who would try to hinder us with negative comparing and sensitivity.

185. Thank You that a key craft comes to our aid the minute we call. We ask You to direct its power to help us to overcome in spite of anything the Enemy tries to use to put us down. We call on the KOT Fighters to keep us on track and to instruct us on how to stay a step ahead of the Enemy. We solicit the help of the Salvay to help us to counter the attacks of the Selvegion and to see the positive in every situation. Help us to work in close teamwork with our spirit helpers, as we unite to lift the standard against our Enemy.

186. We call on the keys of zest, zeal, and renewed inspiration to give us happiness and joy in our labors. Deliver the power of the keys of humility, love, and unity to us so that we can be one in spirit, mind, heart and soul. We praise and thank You for each other, Jesus. Make us a tight team, living and working together in cooperation and harmony, an unbeatable force against the foe, a powerful witness and testimony of Your love. Thank You for the power to overcome!

Pithy Proverbs:

When you're looking around at what others are doing, you can't properly concentrate on your job at hand.

You're the driver of the car of your life; keep it on the path chosen for you or you could wind up in an accident!

The most important job for you is the job you're called to do.

A strong team is composed of each team member doing their part with zeal, contentment, joy, and their whole heart.

Don't allow someone else's job or place of service to make you discontent or desert your plow.

Admire and appreciate those who are being used in ways different than you are, knowing that you're all working together for the same cause, the same goal, and the success of your Home.

God doesn't judge by title, so neither should you.

Your job is only insignificant if you refuse to accept the importance God has tagged it with.

Being in the center of God's will is the best assurance of happiness.

Contentment is what you feel when you accept God's plan for your life.

When you run away from God's calling for you, you're also running away from the happiness, contentment, and the peace that obedience and yieldedness to God bring.

Copyright © 2006 by The Family International. Art by Zeb.