Do you know your strengths? Have you spent time trying to discover what you are uniquely designed for? Do you know why you do what you do? Do you know why you think, feel, and behave in a certain way?
In this episode, I will go deeper into the world of strengths and how knowing your strengths can help you understand yourself and others with great clarity.
The purpose of learning about strengths is not to impress others with your knowledge but to help you communicate with your family and others in a richer, deeper way. People are desperate to be seen and heard. It is a core need God placed within every person. Therefore, if you know how to speak to others in the way that they hear, imagine how much better your relationships
will be.
If you can learn the language of Strengths, you will gain insights into how others think, feel and process the world around them. You can learn to see through the lens of others. As a result, your understanding of others is improved.
Transformation happens in three ways:
10% formal learning
20% classes, webinars, and group projects
70% experiential learning
May I encourage you to remember how real transformation happens so that you don’t waste precious time and maximize your efforts?
Start the Strengths Discovery Process
How do you start the process of discovery?
Start a journal and write down what you say, what your kids say. What words do they use to
Listen to the words you and others
Stay in your lane. You can live some else’s life?
Print your report and read it. Highlight what stands out to you.
Pray. Ask the Lord to help you understand
Think about the results. Do you agree with your report?
Understand how to develop your talent into a strength. You add knowledge + skill. You must learn and practice so that your talent grows. Over time your diligence results in greater proficiency in being the person God made you.
When you put forth the effort to learn about yourself and others, how you engage in the world around you changes.
I want you to learn how to excel and soar using your gifts, strengths, and talents doing what God has called you to do.
Over the next few podcasts, I’ll take you deeper and explain how to apply this information to your life.
Stay tuned, invite your friends, and join us next time as we discuss Strengths.
*Note: if you purchase one of the books with a code, you do not need to buy an additional code from Gallup. But, don’t buy a used one. The chances are that code has already been used.
**If you have a tween or younger teen, I recommend that they take Strengths Explorer. It is geared for kids ages 10-14.
Do you know your strengths? Are you like most people who spend a good deal of time trying to strengthen your weaknesses? Do you dwell on what you aren’t particularly good at doing?
Chances are you do. Most people do.
While that might make you feel better knowing other people struggle the way you do, that will not help you in the long run. It can’t! Not if you want to become the person God created you to be and run the race with excellence.
Dwelling on weaknesses is counterproductive. What’s the alternative?
To know your strengths and learn how to develop them properly so you will gain more confidence to engage with the world around you.
I’ve been interested in know how others think, feel, and behave for decades. My interest in understanding people better began in high school. I listened to how my friends talked about their lives. I paid attention to what they struggled with, what they delighted in doing, and how they handled problems. Some did quite well, while others failed miserably. It got me thinking about coming up with a solution. How could I help people understand themselves better?
To know how to help others required gaining knowledge. So that’s what I did. I started reading and taking classes. I wanted to help my friends.
A few years ago, I decided to go deeper, so I hired a personal Gallop coach to teach me more. It was an intense time of learning and reading, but it was worth it. I became a master coach. I now call myself a “Strengths Practitioner.” And I love helping parents, professionals, couples, teens, and college students understand how God made them. I especially love the moments when it all comes together for them. Wow!
What if I told you there is a way to know how God formed and fashioned you? Well, there is such away. In this episode, we’ll discuss CliftonStrengths and the Strengths Assessment by the Gallup organization.
I’ve decided to make this into a series. Today I’ll give a brief overview of strengths:
What is Strengths
Who is Donald O. Clifton
How long has this been around
Is this a feel-good personality assessment or research-based, data-driven?
How do you take the assessment?
How many questions?
Over the next few podcasts, I’ll take you deeper and explain how to apply this information to your life.
Stay tuned, invite your friends, and join us next time as we discuss strengths.
~Connie
*Note: if you purchase one of the books with a code, you do not need to buy an additional code from Gallup. But, don’t buy a used one. The chances are that code has already been used.
**If you have a tween or younger teen, I recommend that they take Strengths Explorer. It is geared for kids ages 10-14.
The 4-Hour School Day with Durenda Wilson – ETB #70
When I began homeschooling in the early ’90s, most people didn’t know it was legal or if it was possible. Parents had a lot to prove to society, especially since professional educators had convinced parents that only qualified “teachers” were fit to educate children.
Well, we worked hard to prove that parents could educate their children thereby disproving their decades-long messaging. It was a tactic used to make parents doubt their ability to educate their children. After thirty years of shaping a movement, parents are still told they don’t have what it takes to teach their children. Something I find hard to imagine. Thankfully, millions of parents don’t buy into that argument anymore.
In this episode, Durenda Wilson, author of The 4-Hour School Day, shares what she has learned along the way. We debunk myths surrounding homeschooling and discuss the positive elements of children learning at home. Our goal is for you to have a positive attitude towards parenting and motherhood.
The 4-Hour School Day
You homeschooled all eight of your children; what advice do you have for parents just starting to homeschool?
You are qualified.
You can teach your child.
Don’t underestimate your ability.
Ignore the naysayers.
Don’t give up on hard days.
You’re on an adventure.
Work from a place of nurturing.
What advice do you have for parents who have been teaching at home for a few years?
Choose purpose over performance. It’s easy to fall into the performance trap, but you will be more likely not to get overwhelmed or stressed out when you keep the big picture in mind.
What are the major benefits of homeschooling your kids?
Parents decide what to teach, when to teach, and how to teach their children.
Parents can customize their education in such a way that their children thrive.
You are offering a fresh perspective on homeschooling; what is the biggest myth about homeschooling you want to debunk?
It doesn’t have to take all day. Homeschooling can be done in a 4-hour school day.
Socialization v Socializing: There is a difference!
Many parents feel they are not qualified to teach their kids; is that true?
No, it’s not true. You can teach your child. You play a valuable role as a parent. *No one cares more about your child’s education than you do.
What is the number one lesson you want readers to take away from “The Four-Hour School Day?”
That providing an excellent education doesn’t have to take all day. And that your role is valuable. Your children will gain a sense of security and safety with you as their primary educator.
Remember, you can choose purpose over performance as you homeschool your child!
About Durenda Wilson
With more than twenty-five years of home education experience, Durenda Wilson is a trusted voice and resource at homeschooling conventions and on The Durenda Wilson Podcast. Durenda and her husband, Darryl, have eight kids and six grandbabies. As an author and speaker, her greatest joy is helping moms discover God’s grace—and with it the courage to put their full trust in him, moving forward in faith and confidence.
Do you know you should be praying for your kids but don’t know how? Or do you wait to pray when life is difficult? I have. Do you want to be a praying mom? So why don’t we pray continually?
Join Brooke and me for a conversation about her new book Praying Mom: Making Prayer Your First and Best Response to Motherhood.
We know we should pray for our kids but for various reasons, we don’t. Here are a few common reasons:
Fear
Not knowing what to pray
Lack of time
Too much chaos to make time to pray
God doesn’t hear my prayers
I can’t pray until I get my life together
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 36:26
God is the one who works and changes the hearts of His people! It is God that instructs us to be faithful. Part of being faithful is to practice praying for our kids even when we feel inadequate. When we pray for our kids, we are practicing obedience to the Lord.
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
James 5:16
Our prayers are accomplishing much. Don’t discount the power of prayer in cultivating the right heart in you and your family. They are watching how you live your life.
You don’t have the answers to pray for them. You don’t have to stress because you don’t know how to pray. You need to trust in the One who does know the plans He has for your family.
If you have older kids and haven’t established a routine of praying for them, it’s not too late. Start right now! I keep a prayer journal and pray specific prayers for all of my adult kids. They know I pray for them and will ask me to pray for something specific. It brings enormous joy to me in knowing I can go before the Lord on their behalf.
If you want a copy of Praying Mom, you can find it at many local retailers and online. And don’t forget to download the free chapter and other bonuses Brooke is offering!
If this episode blessed you or encouraged you to pray scripture over your children, let me know. I’d love to hear from you.
Thank you for joining us here at Equipped To Be!
xoxo, Connie
About Brooke McGlothlin
Brooke is the cofounder of Million Praying Moms and author of 5 books, including her latest, Praying Mom: Making Prayer the First and Best Response to Motherhood. She’s a wife and mom to two teenage boys who make their home in the mountains of Appalachia, calling southwestern Virginia home.
Goal Setting Can Lead to Greater Fulfillment – ETB #68
Are you a fan of goal setting? Do goals matter? They should because God has an assignment for you to complete! It’s one only you can fulfill if you are willing to accept it.
People often ask me how I know what goals I’m supposed to set. That’s not always easy to know at first, so I start by paying attention to what God is leading me to do.
Another common question is how to make them achievable? To make a goal achievable isn’t the goal – not really. The goal is to help you get moving in a specific direction.
Initial Steps
Pay attention to where you are right now. If you aren’t, why not?
How do you plan to reach those goals? Jot down thoughts that come to mind.
Start with an idea that you believe God wants you to pursue.
People don’t understand how much setting goals matter to fulling His assignment. Setting goals is more than a mere exercise that needs to be accomplished. Goals are vital to the overall well-being of you and your family.
How do you achieve a goal? First, you must make them realistic. Sure, you can set big goals, but you can become discouraged if you have no chance of achieving them. As you write down your goals, be willing to pivot as the Lord leads you. A goal is something you aim for. Stay focused on your race.
Once you’ve set some goals, move forward by making the most of the opportunities right in front of you. Sometimes we discount the people we know or what is around us that God plans to use to help us.
Some Things to Consider About Goal Setting
Assess what is before you.
Determine if God put the desire in your heart.
Decide to be diligent and reliable.
Work as hard as you can.
Never think people are above you or beneath you.
View others as equals.
You must be humble
Pray, and then work as hard as you can towards the goals. When your children, spouse, colleagues see you working as hard as you can, it inspires them to follow suit.
Think, discover, and be honest. When you understand who you are and how God designed you, you are more likely to set yourself up for success, not failure. Therefore, it would be best if you started where you are and move forward.
Talk about what God is leading you to do with others. God works through people. Ask them for help when needed. In turn, you need to help others run their race.
If goal setting is new to you, start with simple goals you know you can achieve. Once you have measurable success, you will gain greater confidence in the Lord and yourself to make bigger goals.
I’d love to hear about your goal setting process. Let us know how we can help you. ~Connie
Have you been torn between deciding when to step away or push through a difficult situation? Sure you have. We all have. Making tough decisions is part of life.
Life decisions aren’t easy for most of us to make. It takes time to wrestle with the possible outcomes! I call them the “What if scenarios.”
Well, what if I told you there is freedom in the pivot. You heard me! Freedom comes after you decide to pivot. That freedom is something you need to consider.
In this episode, I’ll share three keys that will help you with the decision-making process!
3 Keys to When to Step Away or Push Through
Trust the Lord
Seek Wise Counsel
Ask Yourself Why
Once you decide, embrace that decision with full confidence. Don’t keep second-guessing yourself. It’s time to move forward.
As you age, you grow and change. This growth happens spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally, and relationally. It’s a natural part of maturing. We don’t stay the same – not really. Sure our hard-wiring and strengths remain, but how we use them changes. Life has a way of forcing such change upon us.
As you consider the possibilities, you must keep what important to you a priority. It can be easy to lose sight of what matters while chasing a dream or letting go of something. I’ve found it necessary to remember that God doesn’t have a second best for you. You will be tempted to think you might miss out on the best, but you won’t. Not if you are faithful to do the next right thing. As I said in episode #66, you must run your race, not someone else’s race. Fear of missing out or quitting too soon can cause you undue stress.
Learning to step away or push through takes time. As you pray about what you need to do, keep in mind your limits. You have the same 24 hours as every other person. How you spend the time is up to you. So, start with what is best for your family. When you keep your focus on what matters most, trust the Lord, seek counsel, and know why it matters, it becomes easier to make your decision.
If I may encourage you in this one thing, don’t be afraid you’ll miss out on God’s best. That’s not how it works. There will always be opportunities for you down the road.
If this episode blessed you, let us know. We love hearing from you. Also, if you have read Parenting Beyond the Rules, would you do us a huge favor and leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and other places where books and reviews are accepted. They can be short or long, but I’ve learned that reviews are important. Thank you! ~Connie
