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Day 31 – Think and Grow Wise

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 31 of our Wisdom-Trek and thank you for joining me. 

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Today I encourage you to Think and Grow Wise.

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 31 of our Trek. It is hard to believe that it has been a month already since we launched Wisdom-Trek. It has been both challenging and exciting to create Wisdom-Trek and to know that the podcast has been downloaded nearly 8,000 times in the first 30 days.  Thank you so much for your support and please keep promoting Wisdom-Trek so that we can all grow boldly where few have chosen to grow before.  Our purpose each day is to gain wisdom and insight which will help us to create a living legacy.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio.  We have had the privilege of observing fairly young twin fawns in our yard the past couple of days.  The deer seem to become less afraid each year.  These two beautiful fawns have stayed fairly close to the house bedding down in our yard. I was getting concerned that maybe something had happened to their mama, but towards dinner time, she came sauntering through the yard herself. After they nursed for a bit, the three of them headed into the small wooded area behind the house.  We all need to take time and be thankful for the little joys of life.

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Twin Fawns – 2015

As we come to the end of another very busy day, I am also thankful for all the experiences and opportunities that God has weaved into my life.  Yes, it is overwhelming at times (okay, most of the time), but it is through the challenging times of daily life that we gain and grow in wisdom.   Wisdom is obtained through years of proper thinking and experience.  That is why today’s podcast is titled “Think and Grow Wise.”

As we continue our Trek, consider this: To become a wise person, you need to gain accurate, perceptive insights into human behavior and understand how this is integrated into everyday situations. You need to practice what Christ’s half-brother James wrote in his letter in Chapter 1 verses 19 and 20, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” You will need to be observers of human nature and master psychologists with excellent emotional intelligence.

You have to be willing to learn from real life experiences not just academic study. This may mean that you keep what you know to yourself but are willing to share what you know with certain individuals that are ready to think and learn.

You need to have discernment and give advice to open-minded learners. If you desire to become wise you will learn the talent of asking questions that lead to new understanding. This practice will bring a consciousness to yourself to communicate what you know when the situation is right and with those who are ready and willing to learn.

If you are to become wise you need to think about what you do and don’t do. You need to have a strong inner frame reference built on your integrity for your actions and statements.  You need to learn to “read” situations well and understand others accurately, to see through the obvious, and to trust your intuition.

You will need to think through life issues and gain a sense of the hidden motives behind the actions of others.  This practice will allow you to become less vulnerable to cons, threats, criticism, and manipulation. If you are able to learn this trait, then you can handle pressure and threats with humor. You will be able to remain stable and sustain self-control in times of turmoil.  You will desire and expect things to work well. This will allow you to feel optimistic and self-confident when coping with rough situations.

 A valuable way to understand this wisdom is to define what it is not. What is the opposite of wisdom? Here are 8 ways that show a lack of wisdom:

  1. Speak or act in stupid ways, and then blame others for what happens.
  2. Speak or act in ways that cause difficulties for people or groups important to you.
  3. Speak or act in ways that lead to unnecessary loss.
  4. Not learn from mistakes and make the same mistakes.
  5. Be out of touch with what is happening.
  6. Be bitter about the past and cynical about the future.
  7. Be outspoken about what others are doing wrong.
  8. Act in ways contrary to one’s stated values and goals, and not realize it.

How do you acquire wisdom? Here are four practical, yet simple ways:

  1. Develop life-long, child-like curiosity and a playful spirit.
  2. Be happy rather than hostile, no matter how badly life has treated you.
  3. Ask questions, explore, desire to know how things work.
  4. Learn valuable lessons from rough experiences.

keep-calm-and-think-wisely

Gaining wisdom can be defined as a three-part process:

  1. Gaining information or the raw data is the first step. Look for the kind of data you can find in books, in the research, on the internet.
  2. Knowledge through thinking is knowing or learning how to apply the information gathered.
  3. True wisdom is knowing when and under what circumstances the information and the knowledge are appropriate, or useful, or even true. And when and how and even whether to apply the knowledge you have gained.

I believe that personal wisdom begins with knowing who—and whose—we are, which allows us to live by a value system consistent with that understanding. Through this, we are able to see and appreciate, the unique gifts that God has given us.  These are our personality traits, opportunities, and abilities to impact the lives of others.  Appreciation is an integral part of wisdom, for we know that wisdom does not come to us naturally.  It must be cultivated and nurtured through proper thinking.

If you desire a blueprint for becoming wise, one of the best ways is to study the book of Proverbs. In chapter 1 it lays out the plan in verses 2-7,

“Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.

These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.

 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

WISDOM FROM GOD

Since this podcast first aired on July 1st, I challenge you to read the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds with each day of the month during the month of July .  By July 31st, you will be wiser.

Well, that will finish our podcast for today. If you missed any of our previous podcasts, please check out Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Stitcher, or Wisdom-Trek.com Tomorrow we will learn how living intentionally will bring significance to life.

So, please check into our “camp” tomorrow for another day on our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you enjoy our daily doses of wisdom, I encourage you to help us in the following four ways:

  1. Leave us feedback about the podcast on Wisdom-trek.com.
  2. Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher, so the podcast will be downloaded automatically.
  3. Leave us a rating on iTunes or Stitcher.
  4. Spread the word to everyone you know to join us on our Wisdom-Trek.

Thank you!

The journal from this podcast can be found at Wisdom-Trek.com, where we also have wisdom nugget, and free resources.

As we take this Trek together let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy the Journey, and Create a Great Day! See you tomorrow!

Day 30 – Dealing with the Major Obstacles of Life

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 30 of our Wisdom-Trek and thank you for joining me. 

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Today we will look at Dealing with the Major Obstacles in Life.

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 30 of our Trek. Yesterday we discussed how trekking up mountains and though valleys is much like life.

One of my hesitations in creating the various topics for our podcast and journal each day is that I have no excuse for not taking a dose of my own medicine.  Today has been one of those days where working with our base of clients has forced us to scale steep mountains and cascade into deep valleys without much time to enjoy the scenery or rest. All day I have had to remind myself, as we will look at in today’s podcast, that no matter how huge the tasks appear,  I need to stay focused on bite-sized manageable nuggets, and eventually I will work through it all.  We do hike a lot of different types of trails on our podcasts – all with the purpose of gaining wisdom and insight that help us to create a living legacy.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio.  The specialty contractors that we have assisting us with our renovations are nearly finished.  The new trim is complete and the new windows in our formal dining room have been installed.  Once the rooms are completed, I will post a couple of pictures in our Wisdom-Trek journal entries.

As we trudge along our trail today on our trek of life, we are confronted with some huge obstacles that are blocking our way.  When we reach these points along our trail, which will occur more often than we desire, we need to prepare mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually how we are going to handle these seemingly insurmountable obstructions.

Today we want to determine, the best way to take huge and overwhelming tasks or goals and break them into manageable segments. Or, the question we will ask today is “How do you eat an elephant?” And the answer is always, “One bite at a time.” Let me assure you that no actual elephants were harmed during the creation of this podcast.

 

Most of us have heard this saying, probably many times. But that does not lessen its value.  I know I have used it with my children throughout the years. Even now that they are all adults, when they come to me with a huge issue that they are facing, I always remind them, “Just eat the elephant one bite at a time.”

elephant

Although I have used this phrase hundreds of times, like probably most of you, I often fail to apply this lesson in my life, as I am sure you do, too. If you view the elephant as one giant obstacle or goal that your whole life depends on, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. As we trek through life each day, we need to learn to enjoy the small bites along the way.  Let’s break this into three segments.

  1. It’s not just about big goals or huge obstacles.

Many people make a major mistake in being entirely overwhelmed by a huge obstacle, or focused on big goals.  To keep with our hiking analogy, let’s say your goal is to become a Colorado fourteener, which is to hike all of the 53 Colorado Summits that are 14,000 feet or higher.  To look at this goal all at once would be a very big obstacle to overcome, but if you strategically plan to accomplish this goal over a period of months and years one summit at a time, then it becomes doable. If you plan on becoming a fourteener in a matter of a few weeks or months, then you are probably in for a great disappointment.

14erMap

Long term goals are great, and even huge obstacles can be exciting because of the challenge. But, for every long term goal you have or for every major obstacle you face, you want to have many short and medium term goals or tasks.

  1. The beauty of small goals.

When you have small goals or minor tasks, there are a couple of advantages. First, a small goal or minor task gives you something concrete to focus on.  You can easily be overwhelmed by huge tasks. If you don’t know specifically what to do or how you are going to handle it, you’re only going to get frustrated. As time goes by, you notice over and over that your goal or task still hasn’t been achieved, yet you’re not sure what to do about it. When you determine a course of action to overcome that obstacle, or to complete that goal, you’re much more likely to take inspired action.

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Second, you enjoy the satisfaction of accomplishing a task or achieving a goal and enjoying the benefits. Even if it’s a small task or goal, you feel good for checking it off your to-do list (whether it’s on paper or just in your head). You also get to have something that brings a little satisfaction right now.  This will give you a sense of accomplishment, even though you have a long way to go to your ultimate goal or overcoming the entire obstacle. 

  1. Life is a journey, not a destination.

Your life satisfaction will probably be a lot higher if you view your life as a series of many small milestones instead of one huge milestone that you may or may not ever achieve. This is not to say that you shouldn’t have big goals or face major obstacles, only that you should also have smaller ones to focus on along the way.

If you want to lose 40 pounds, great. But, don’t just focus on that one huge goal. If you do, then every time you get on the scale, you’re only going to notice that you haven’t achieved your goal yet, and so you continually reinforce failure in your mind.

Instead, break it down into smaller goals. There are plenty of goals you can try to accomplish even before losing 1 pound. Maybe you want to read a book about weight loss, or find a support group, or learn a new healthy recipe. A series of small accomplishments will keep you on track and make you feel good about your life, whether or not you eventually go on to accomplish your ultimate goal. If you end up eating the whole elephant over time, that’s wonderful. But don’t forget to enjoy the bites along the way.  In fact, when it comes to losing weight, small portions are a requirement.

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Any goal can be accomplished 1 piece at a time.

I have to admit, today  was a bit overwhelming for me.  With the business issues I faced and the overall ramifications of the projects I am working on, all I could see was the entire elephant in front of me.  I had to pause several times throughout the day and remind myself, “One bite at a time.”

This also led me to the letter to the church in Corinth that the Apostle Paul wrote when he was faced with some major obstacles. 1 Corinthians 1:8-11 reads, “We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.  In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.”

When you are faced with major obstacles or are trying to accomplish huge goals, think about what Paul endured and draw your strength form the prayers of others. Learn to rely on God.

Well, that will finish our podcast for today. If you missed any of our previous podcasts, please check out Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Stitcher, or Wisdom-Trek.com. Tomorrow we will learn how thinking properly will allow us to grow wise.

So, please check into our “camp” tomorrow for another day on our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you enjoy our daily doses of wisdom, I encourage you to help us in the following four ways:

  1. Leave us feedback about the podcast on Wisdom-trek.com.
  2. Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher, so the podcast will be downloaded automatically.
  3. Leave us a rating on iTunes or Stitcher.
  4. Spread the word to everyone you know to join us on our Wisdom-Trek.

Thank you!

The journal from this podcast can be found at Wisdom-Trek.com, where we also have wisdom nuggets and free resources.

As we take this Trek together let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy the Journey, and Create a Great Day! See you tomorrow!

Day 29 – Trekking the Mountains and Valleys of Life

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 29 of our Wisdom-Trek and thank you for joining me.  

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Today we look at Trekking the Mountains and Valleys of Life.

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 29 of our Trek. The past two days we looked at 12 trails of life that we can take to be infused with courage.  Today we will consider how trekking up mountains and though valleys is much like life.  We cover a lot of topics on our podcasts – all focused on gaining wisdom and insight that help us to create a living legacy. Many of the podcasts are in a series of steps that cover multiple days, so if you have missed any episodes please subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes or Stitcher or listen on Wisdom-Trek.com.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio.  The renovations on the house are coming along nicely, and it looks like I will be able to finish the wood floors in “The Eating Area” this week, which will allow us to put the room in use once again.  The new wainscoting in the upstairs office looks great, and the specialty contractor has matched the woodwork in other parts of the house exactly. Once the rooms are completed I will post a couple of pictures in our Wisdom-Trek journal entries.

So let’s continue up the trail today on our trek of life to see the analogies between our virtual trek and real life.

As we consider this analogy, most often it comes to our minds that we want to be on the mountaintops all the time and avoid the deep valleys at all cost.   What we may fail to realize is that in order to reach the summit of a mountain, we have to traverse upwards on many rough and winding trails.   Once we do reach the mountain tops if we desire to continue on with life, then we must move forward, which will require that we head back down into the valleys of life.

Climbing high mountains in life can be just as difficult and challenging as when we feel we are in the lowest of valleys.

Mountains and Valleys 1
Life is made up of mountains and valleys.

Most of us do tend to associate difficult times in our lives with the idea of being in a valley. Maybe it’s a time of depression or despair. Maybe you’ve lost your job or are struggling financially. Maybe your job performance is just suffering. Maybe it’s a relationship that is broken and appears to be shattered.

I prefer to look at life more as seasons than mountains and valleys.  Each of us experiences the upward climbs and the downward slopes, sometimes multiple times each day.  There are seasons of life that are hard, terribly hard.  During the difficult times, it seems our world is pitch black, and we are stuck in the valley of despair. We don’t know if a new day will dawn, or if the sun will ever peak above the next mountain. How should we handle these situations?

I realize there are some that have been mired in the valley for years, but that is usually the exception. One personal practice that I try to remember when times are difficult is to ask myself the question, “What crisis was I having or what was I worrying about last year on this same day?” Usually, I have no clue. Then I remind myself, so shall it be next year.  The momentary crisis of today will pass like the storm in the night, and soon we will see a new day dawning with all of its glorious radiance.

One truth that we tend to forget is if we want to reach the summit climbing the mountain is also challenging. It may mean that we indeed need to make that difficult climb in order to see the sun.

mt-fuji
Climbing the mountain is also challenging.

As we travel between North Carolina and Ohio many times each year, we pass through the entire length of West Virginia.  While the mountains in WV are not nearly as tall as the Rockies, there are ravines between the mountains that are so close together they receive very little sun.  So, if you live up one of those hollers, then you do have to climb the mountain to see the sun. So it is with life. If you find yourself in constant shadows, you may need to make the difficult choices and change your circumstances so that you will see and feel the warm sunlight on your face.

If you find yourself in a valley and at the base of the mountain, start climbing. But, realize that in order to reach the top, you will have to put forth more effort to climb than to remain wallowing in the mire of the valley floor.  Be resolute. Be prepared. And, keep climbing.  You will never see the beauty of the mountain peak unless you are willing to put in the effort of the climb.

The times of success and ease in your life, when it appears that God’s blessings are being showered on you, can be just as challenging as the times in the valleys, just in a different way.  The upward climb is actually much more difficult than heading back into the valley, but it is so worth the effort.  If you learn and gain wisdom from each mountain top and valley experience, then each climb will take you a little higher, and each decent into a valley will not be a deep.

The truth is whether you are climbing the mountains or descending into the valleys, life may be difficult.  The times when we get to rest on the mountain tops can be grand, so learn to relax, enjoy, and celebrate those times.   The times when we are in the valleys are just as important, so learn to reflect, enjoy, and learn from those times.

Mountains and valleys are the realities of life. This challenges an immature line of thinking that many of us cling to – that life one day will be easy.  If you learn from and apply the lessons of life, there may be seasons of rest and enjoyment, but if you are waiting to move onto easy street permanently…If it is your life’s ambition to find ease and comfort, you’re going to be waiting a long time.

Winston Churchill put it this way, “Mountaintops inspire leaders; valleys mature them.”

 

mountainsandvalleys

As a follower of Christ in times of difficulty or ease, I go to the source of all wisdom, The Bible, for strength and peace. Today let’s look at a Psalm that King David penned. Psalm 121 helps us on our trek of life.

“I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.”

This passage allows us to realize that we are not on this Trek alone.  In addition to having each other to assist, we can depend on God to have our best interest in mind.

So the key to traversing the trails of life through the mountains and valleys of each day are the three axioms that I end each podcast with. Listen closely to them  at the end of the podcast today.

Well, that will finish our podcast for today. If you missed any of our previous podcasts, please check out Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Sticher, or on Wisdom-Trek.com. Tomorrow we will learn how to eat an elephant. I love and think we should protect all of God’s creation, though, so I guarantee that no actual elephants will be harmed in the process.

So, please check into our “camp” tomorrow for another day on our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you enjoy our daily doses of wisdom, I encourage each of you to  help us in the following four ways:

  1. Leave us feedback about the podcast on Wisdom-trek.com.
  2. Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher so the podcast is downloaded automatically.
  3. Leave us a rating on iTunes or Stitcher.
  4. Spread the word to everyone you know to join us on our Wisdom-Trek.

Thank you!

The journal from this podcast can be found on Wisdom-Trek.com, where we also have wisdom nuggets and free resources.

As we take this Trek together let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy the Journey, and Create a Great Day! See you tomorrow!

Day 28 – (Trails 7-12) The 12 Trails of Courage

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 28 of our Wisdom-Trek and thank you for joining me.  

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Today we look at the 12 Trails of Courage (Trails 7-12).

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 28 of our Trek. Yesterday we looked at 6 trails that we can take to gain courage, and today we are going to look at the remaining 6 trails of life where we can be infused with courage. We cover a lot of topics on our podcasts – all focused on gaining wisdom and insight that help us to create a living legacy. Many of the podcasts are in a series of steps that cover multiple days, so if you have missed any episodes, please subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes or Stitcher or listen on Wisdom-Trek.com.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, but by the time that it airs, we should be back at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio.  If you have not heard the story of our primary home in Ohio, please check out the About Us page. We are blessed to have a history rich with stories.  The stories that all of us share about life are the spice that makes life interesting and allows us to live abundantly.

Let’s begin up the trails of courage, and see how we can apply them.

trails up
Courage Trails
  1. The Trail of Taking Bold Action

It takes courage to take bold action, but nothing changes if nothing changes. Have the guts to step boldly from your comfort zone to make the changes and take the chances that call you forward to fulfilling the potential within you. Courage allows you to trade procrastination and excuses for a commitment to being a person who is willing to do what it takes to live life abundantly. Whatever the risks you face on your trail of life, it is a much greater risk not to do anything.

  1. The Trail of Perseverance

It takes courage to overcome the setbacks and failures that present themselves on the way to your goals, ambitions, and dreams. Perseverance and reaching those dreams is what brings the greatest sense of achievement. Face your challenges with a deep determination to stay the trail. When the trails become rough and the obstacles seem insurmountable, resist surrendering in the face of adversity.  You can continue to climb, for any goal worth pursuing will require its share of determination and perseverance. Plug into the dreams and ambitions that make your spirit soar, and remember that it matters not that you reach the summit but that you had the guts to try. It is through perseverance in the face of adversity that the ordinary become extra-ordinary.

 

  1. The Trail of Saying No

Sometimes we need the courage to say no to the good in order to make room for the great. Every time we say “yes” to a request or offering, we are automatically saying “no” to some other choice.  However, finding the courage to say “no” first requires being clear about what you most want in life so you can say “yes” to the right choices.  This practice will help you set boundaries in the midst of conflicting directions and requests.  It will also teach people what you will and will not accept. Saying “no” when you need to may not be easy, but the price you pay for not doing so far exceeds any momentary discomfort.

 

10. The Trail of the Open Heart

It takes courage to be open to experiencing life’s pain as deeply as its joy, and yet this can be life’s richest fulfillment.  Opening your heart fully to the depths of emotion that come with a life lived abundantly takes great courage, but it is the only way worth living life. It takes courage to let down your defenses and make yourself vulnerable to the anguish that life can sometimes bring so that you can experience the joy that comes from connecting with others openly, intimately, and compassionately.  You need to learn to drop the barriers that are creating distance and isolating you from others. It is ok to reveal your humanity and make yourself available for others to know, to love, to care for, and to connect with. Nothing is more nurturing to the spirit.

  11. The Trail of Letting Go

We all like to feel in control. However peace of mind only comes through giving your best to life. It takes courage to detach yourself from the outcome of your efforts, knowing that everything in life has a purpose. Put your faith in the wisdom that developed you. Have the courage to know that who you are is not defined by the outcome of your efforts.  You need to trust that all you need at any moment to take on the challenges of life is already present in you. You will need to give up fighting what you cannot control, begin focusing on what you can control, and start living in the present moment. Finding the courage to let go will not impede your ability to achieve what you seek most from life. It will enhance it.

 

12. The Trail of Leading Others

Leadership is not a position; it’s a choice and courage to take action. Every day you have opportunities to be a leader. The essence of leadership is inspiring people to move in a direction they may otherwise not have gone, to impact others in a manner that will enable them to accomplish more than they would have otherwise, and to lead them to accomplish and to grow into someone they may otherwise not have become. By choosing the path of integrity, personal responsibility, and courage, you will automatically shine your light so brightly that it will reveal to others the splendor of their own. Ultimately only by living with courage and being the leader yourself will others find the courage to lead the world into a future filled with possibility. “Nothing so conclusively proves a man’s ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself,” Thomas Watson.

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Courage at the end of the trail

 

Yesterday, we left off on our practical lesson from Judges 7 wondering about Gideon and if he would have the courage to move forward in battle. God left Gideon with 300 men to fight against several hundred thousand trained warriors. Those are not good odds. God realized that Gideon would be very apprehensive as we pick up the story in verse 8.

“The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. That night the Lord said, ‘Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.’

So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp. The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count! Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, ‘I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!’

His companion answered, ‘Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!’

When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, ‘Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!’ He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it.

Then he said to them, ‘Keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do. As soon as I and those with me blow the rams’ horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’’

It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams’ horns and broke their clay jars. Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, ‘A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!’

Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.”

Gideon Victory
A Sword for the Lord and for Gideon

 What a victory! And, this is what courage can do for our lives.

Well, that will finish our podcast for today. If you missed any of our previous podcasts, please check out Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Sticher, or on Wisdom-Trek.com. Tomorrow we will compare hiking up and down mountains to our trek of life.

So, please check into our “camp” tomorrow for another day on our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

I encourage you to leave a discussion topic, comment, suggestion, or question about this podcast on the Contact Us page of our website, or email me at guthrie@venturecg.com. We would love to have interaction from members of our Wisdom-Trek team.

Please subscribe on iTunes or the player of your choice, so Wisdom-Trek is downloaded each day automatically.  We also have a Subscribe to Podcast page.

Please leave us a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This will allow us to gain more exposure in the market and have a greater impact on the lives of others.  This means so much to us! Also, spread the word to everyone you know to join us on our Wisdom-Trek. Thank you!

You can read the journal from today’s podcast on Wisdom-Trek.com, where we also have wisdom nuggets and free resources.

As we take this Trek together let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy the Journey, and Create a Great Day! See you tomorrow!

Day 27 – (Trails 1-6) The 12 Trails of Courage

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 27 of our Wisdom-Trek and thank you for joining me. 

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Today we look at the 12 Trails of Courage (Trails 1-6).

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 27 of our Trek and today and tomorrow we are going to look at 12 trails of life where we can be infused with courage.  We will cover the first 6 today and the remaining 6 tomorrow.  We cover a lot of various types of topics with many of them in a series of steps that cover multiple days. So, if you have missed any episodes please subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Stitcher, or listen on Wisdom-Trek.com.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina,  as we are wrapping up the week and will be heading to The Big House in Marietta, Ohio, to maintain the lawn and continue our internal renovations. We are excited to get back for a week and finish up the downstairs room off the kitchen, which we always referred to as the “eating area.”  It was actually the milk porch when the house was originally built. We should also be able to move into the room directly above the “eating area,” which we always referred to as the sun-porch but now is being renovated into our new office.   We converted the downstairs office to another bedroom, where Paula’s mom stays when we are in Marietta.

Let’s begin up the trails of courage, and see how we can apply them.

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  1. The Trail of Personal Responsibility

Courage gives you the strength to take personal responsibility for your actions. You can’t always control your circumstances, but you can always choose how you will respond to each situation, regardless of how difficult. No matter what challenges, you face you can have the courage and power to make the ultimate choice, which is either to let the world impact you or to go out and impact the world. Resist the impulse to blame your woes on others or situations of life, but instead make the decision to own your life and be fully responsible.

  1. The Trail of Living with Integrity

Courage gives you the strength to live with integrity at all times. Integrity is the only path in life upon which you will never get lost. Placing integrity at every step of the trail and with every decision you make requires a willingness to do what is right above what is convenient or politically expedient. At times, this means veering off the safe and comfortable trail onto one less traveled.   By taking an alternate trail, the risk of failure or disapproval may run high. At all times, living with integrity calls you to forge your trail. At its core, integrity is about wholeness and alignment between your deepest values.  It will control every decision you make and every action that you take.  Integrity calls forth courage and greatness.

 

  1. The Trail of Seeing New Worlds

Courage gives you the opportunity to see your world in a new perspective because you are unwilling to settle for how life is today.  You usually will not see the trails of life or the world, as it is, but as you are. Too often we settle with answers to life’s questions because we do not have the courage to ask new questions. We contend with those who claim a monopoly on the truth. The fact is that none of us has a monopoly on the truth. We just have our own version of it.

While I feel that all truth ultimately was created and comes from God and can be found in His Word, I am not naïve enough to think that I have a corner on the truth market, and neither should you. We all should continue to study and to gain wisdom and truth. Have the courage to ask ourselves and others the difficult questions about life.

It does take courage to question our own assumptions and beliefs, which we have been living by up until now and opening your mind to alternative perspectives. Doing so opens up new possibilities for yourself and your life that you otherwise may never have seen. Ultimately being willing to challenge your stories unleashes you to have the courage to experience life in a whole new more exciting and more meaningful way.

 

  1. The Trail of Bigger Dreams

You will never be able to have your dream job nor live your dream life unless you first find the courage to dream big enough to identify what it is. Dare to create a vision for your life that is bigger than the one you’ve had until now in your relationships, your career, and your life in general. Don’t let fear keep you from connecting with what it is that inspires you most. The greatest danger is not that your dreams are too lofty and you fail to reach them, but that they are too small and you do!  It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.

 

  1. The Trail of Authenticity

In a world that pressures for conformity, it takes courage to be who you really are. You need to gain the courage to express yourself fully and authentically in every relationship and in every encounter. You need to have the courage to give up pretending to be more or less or different from who you truly are. When you fail to be authentic, you keep from others that which makes you most attractive. When you conform, all that you have to offer others is your conformity. There is nothing more valuable or attractive.

 

  1. The Trail of Self-Expression

Have the courage and dare to speak up to give voice to your concerns, your feelings, and your thoughts and to engage in conversations that you’ve been hesitant to have before. When you have the proper courage, expressing yourself does not have to be done in an augmentative or aggressive manner.  Have the courage to address an issue or fulfill a need without the worry that you may have an awkward conversation or a request declined. You need the courage to have discussions with others, even if they may not agree. Otherwise there will be unfulfilled needs, which if left unresolved will allow resentments to fester. Have courage to speak up in ways that protect the honor and dignity of others, provide a means of building trust, and deepen the quality of the relationships. It also enables others to know who you are, what you need, what you are care about, and what you are capable of.

 We will look at the remaining 6 trails of courage tomorrow.

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Tails of Courage

On our Wisdom-Trek yesterday, we saw that Gideon could use a dose of courage.  He tested God twice with the fleece, and both times God showed him that his courage needed to come from Him.

We see in today’s passage, though, that Gideon’s courage needed to be much stronger. While the Bible does not give the number of Midianites and Amalekites that came to fight against Israel, based on other scripture, it is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.  This would far outnumber the 33,000 that Gideon was able to assemble.  As we read from Judges Chapter 7:1-7, we see that God had a much different battle plan in mind.

“So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, ‘You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.’ Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’ So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.” (And if you think that was bad. see what God had planned from there.)

“But the Lord told Gideon, ‘There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.’ When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, ‘Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.’ Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. The Lord told Gideon, ‘With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.’ So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him.”

Gideon Warriors

Wow! How could Gideon have the courage to go against several hundred thousand trained warriors with only 300 men?  Well, we will have to wait until tomorrow’s podcast to see.

Well, that will finish our podcast for today. If you missed any of our previous podcasts, please check out Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Stitcher, or on Wisdom-Trek.com. Tomorrow will see if Gideon is victorious or loses his courage and runs for the hills. We will also look at 6 more trails that lead us to courage.

So, please check into our “camp” tomorrow for another day on our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

I encourage you to leave a discussion topic, comment, suggestion, or question about this podcast on the Contact Us page of our website, or email me at guthrie@venturecg.com. We would love to have interaction from members of our Wisdom-Trek team.

Please subscribe on iTunes or the player of your choice, so Wisdom-Trek is downloaded each day automatically.  We also have a Subscribe to Podcast page.

Please leave us a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. It means so much to us. Also, spread the word to everyone you know to join us on our Wisdom-Trek. Thank you!

You can read the journal from today’s podcast on Wisdom-Trek.com, where we also have wisdom nuggets and free resources.

As we take this Trek together let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy the Journey, and Create a Great Day! See you tomorrow!