3.1 Devotion

The WayHealing Through The Word

Copyright Brandy Ann Coffee Marks 1990

Brandy A Coffee Marks, D.R.S.

Last WeekCommit to the Cause

Last week you made a commitment and came to a better understanding of how a commitment helps you to achieve.

Having made a commitment to success, you are ready devote yourself to God and discipline your life to be in complete obedience to God and His will for you.

DISCIPLINEFOR SUCCESS

Philippians 3.13, 14; Proverbs 4.23, 15.10;

Jeremiah 5.3; 2 Timothy 3.16

God looked in wonder upon His world. The vision was not complete

He considered how life would survive; when it would give of its goodness and when it should rest.

On the fourth day

of creation

God set a pattern and rhythm

for everything under

the sun.

The very pattern and rhythm of our lives shows the direction

we are headed,

Up

Down

Backward

Forward

Building bridges to success requires discipline after praying to God for directions.No follow-through is often the reason we fail.So, decide what to do, when, and ”just do it."

We need to create a time for everything of importance in our lives – in this order:

Time for God

Time for ourselves/spouse

Time for our immediate family (then extended family - in-laws)

Time for career and friendships

Time to celebrate accomplishments (celebrations keep you motivate)

Discipline is vital to success

We do this by understanding ourselves and the part of us that God formed before we were even born. and what part we choose (these are our behaviors).

Now that you have a vision and understand your belief system and are committed you are now ready to be obedient to God's will through discipline of your mind (thoughts) and your body (behaviors), and your speech (spoken words).

As long as you refuse to change and blame your genetics, your families, or other people for the choices you make, God will not hear your prayers.

If you obey, then he will be your God; walk in his way and all will be well.

Jeremiah 7.16

If my people will:

humble themselves

pray and seek my face

and turn from their wicked ways,

I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land (home & lives).

2Chronicles 7.14

Discipline

Often, the pattern of our lives is not everything we truly desire.

Over the years, we develop bad habits

We need to identify faulty behavior that gets in the way of our success.

BEHAVIORS

Any behavior can become a problem.

We all have positive traits that may be expressed in unhealthy ways.

You probably know your negatives, and need only to change them to positives.

Positive behavior is loving behavior and examples are throughout the Bible.

Believers Behavior

1 Love God above all else to the point of being selfless and giving to others without expecting to get anything in return.

2 Have undying faith in God never wavering for ‘doubt is like a wave blown about by the wind’ — James 1.6b

3 Love others as yourself. Love even your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. --- Luke 6.35

4 Do good. Not to have a bigger treasure in heaven, but because you want to do good/right. Thus, you glorify God every time you do good or perform an act of kindness, since you are one of his children.

6 Don't judge others. "If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if they repent, forgive them. — Luke 17.3 As Jesus says, "Take the plank out of your eye before you try to remove the speck from another's eye", you hypocrite.

7 Read your Bible and pray always. Like eating and drinking it sustains your soul and body for ‘Gods Words is the secret of life and health to all who discover them.’ —Proverbs 4.22

8 Keep giving to God: give up your right to hate, judge or get revenge. Set it right--if you can--but that is not revenge.

9 Tell everyone your story of salvation, your testimony, and where God brought you from and who you are now.

10 Remember Jesus died for our sins so we do not have to suffer in hell for them, but we do have to believe he is the Son of God and he died for our sins.

Developmental Character Traits

Next we will describe character traits and the goal common to each, and their most common fear and challenge to overcome.

At one time or another, each of these may be found in us depending on our present stage of human and spiritual development.

These are not necessarily biblical but they are common to us all and can be very helpful.

So, have fun with the ideas presented and don't feel that change is impossible

Behavior change is developmental, in stages.

The various stages of human development include prenatal (in the womb), infancy, toddlerhood, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, young and middle adulthood and late adulthood.

Each stage is marked by milestones in physical, cognitive, and socio/emotional development as well as spiritual development.

As you read these, consider how important it is to learn about God and His word throughout your development.

From infancy to early childhood, relationships are mainly with parents. Exploring our world, we are impulsive as we begin to separate self from others and learn the basics of social interaction.

In early childhood, our impulsiveness begins to give way to self-control when we have the opportunity to learn and grow from our mistakes.

Having and being aware of consequences greatly effects our choices.

In Middle childhood we go from family to peers for approval. If we haven’t learned self-discipline now seeking peer approval can create problems.

Issues of identify, sexuality and sexual expression, conflict and resolution and inner stability prevail in early adult years. Knowing Biblical standards versus social standards for sexual behavior is vital.

By young adulthood, the focus shifts from peers to career, social role, building external stability, finding a mate and starting a family.

Middle adulthood has psychological and emotional challenges such as the mid-life crisis. Now we begin to question our life and an inventory is taken.

Change for better or worse may occur depending on our level of emotional and spiritual maturity.

In late adulthood ideally we have matured and learned to truly care for our self and others.

If we are spiritually mature, we trust God to meet our need for security and love and can let go of faulty expectations for others.

And we are able care for ourselves and others because we know God loves and cares for us, providing all that we truly need.

"Fear not. I bring you peace of mind and heart, not like the peace the world gives, so do not be troubled or afraid."

Archetypes are recurring patterns found in life and literature. They are the stuff of stories, found in plots, characters, or the images in the story.

Archetypal plots are story patterns. One common story is the “fall from innocence” and this is seen in the story of Adam and Eve and paradise lost.

Some characters are heroes (Jesus), villain (Judas) and trickster (Satan), plus many others.

Images, symbols, and settings also are archetypes. Light and darkness are classic archetypal imagery. Earthly paradise is an idealized archetypal setting that appears throughout literature, as is the desert or wasteland (a common negative archetype).

Motto: Free to be you and/or meDesire: to return to home in paradiseGoal: to be happyGreatest fear: to be punished for doing something wrongStrategy: to do things rightWeakness: boring for all their naive innocenceTalent: faith and optimismThe Innocent is also known as: Utopian, traditionalist, naive, mystic, saint, romantic, dreamer.

1.The Innocent

Adam and Eve were true innocents. When exposed to the evil in the world they lost their home in paradise.

Motto: We’re all created equalCore Desire: connecting with othersGoal: to belongGreatest fear: to be alone or stand out from the crowdStrategy: to be down to earth, the common touchWeakness: losing one's self in an effort to blend inTalent: realism, empathy, lack of pretenseAlso known as: good old boy, everyman, the guy/gal next door, the realist, the working stiff, solid citizen, the good neighbor, the silent majority

2. The OrphanHaving lost his or her home in paradise the desire is to reconnect and not be alone.

Motto: Where there's a will, there's a wayDesire: to prove one's worth through courageous actsGoal: expert mastery in a way that improves the worldGreatest fear: weakness, vulnerability, being a "chicken“Strategy: to be as strong and competent as possibleWeakness: arrogance, always needing another battleTalent: competence and courageAlso known as: crusader, rescuer, superhero, soldier, dragon slayer, the winner and the team player.

3. The Hero or WarriorAlways embroiled in controversy with one battle after another to win just to prove that he or she is strong and competent

4. The Care-Giver

Afraid of being selfish, you take care of problems, or people who have been hurt. Your vulnerability is used to manipulate others.

Motto: Love your neighbor as yourselfCore desire: to protect and care for othersGoal: to help othersGreatest fear: selfishness and ingratitudeStrategy: doing things for othersWeakness: martyrdom and being exploitedTalent: compassion, generosityAlso known as: saint, altruist, parent, helper, supporter.

EXAMPLE: A story might go something like this:Warrior is afraid of snakes (embracing love).Caregiver is afraid of being used (by being cared for).Caregiver falls into a pit and must allow someone else to rescue her/him (warrior). Thus the warrior has a chance to overcome the fear of snakes and caregiver learns the joy of being cared for and cared about.Warrior battles for personal gain only; is faced with a friend (caregiver) who needs aid (bitten by snake).When you as a warrior give aid at no cost to you, you’re then, transformed and receive your reward. Thus, you learn the joy of freely giving.

Now enters the second stage.

Once caregiver moves beyond their weakness and picks up strength by relying on God and growing in faith they are ready to be a seeker

The seeker finds the truth in life by obedience to God's authority in Christ. In reading scripture and you learn its commands and discover the need of pursuing deeper relationships without falling prey to social conformity

At last you have the capacity to give and receive genuine love and become a soul type.

Motto: Don't fence me inDesire: to find yourself by exploring the worldGoal: to have a better, more authentic fulfilling lifeBiggest fear: being trapped, conformity, inner emptinessStrategy: journey, seeking out, experiencing new things, escape from boredomWeakness: aimless wandering, becoming a misfitTalent: autonomy, ambition, being true to one's soulAlso known as: The seeker, iconoclast, wanderer, and individualist, pilgrim.

5. The Seeker

Afraid of conformity you search for a better way. But you must learn to be true to yourself and obedient to God.

6. The Rebel

Afraid of being destroyed if you change and lose your selfish ways, you must let God run your life and learn to trust.Motto: Rules are made to be brokenCore desire: revenge or revolutionGoal: to overturn what isn't workingGreatest fear: to be powerless or ineffectualStrategy: disrupt, destroy, or shockWeakness: crossing over to the dark side, crimeTalent: outrageousness, radical freedomAlso known as: The destroyer, revolutionary, wild man, the misfit, or iconoclast.

Motto: You're the only oneCore desire: intimacy and experienceGoal: be in relationship with people, work, life they loveGreatest fear: alone, a wallflower, unwanted, unlovedStrategy: to be more physically & emotionally attractiveWeakness: outward-directed desire to please others at risk of losing own identityTalent: passion, gratitude, appreciation, and commitmentAlso known as: The partner, friend, intimate, enthusiast, sensualist, spouse, team-builder.

7. The Lover

You seek perfect love, but fear of losing love and so you don't allow you to give or receive genuine love.

The Lover finds relationships frightening, and if there are unresolved issues from childhood, these must be overcome before they transform their life and find true love.

The next transformation can be self-destructive and must be well managed. If you live in fear, then you must exercise your faith in God.

Once your faith is strengthened, your goal is to find your identity as a unique individual with your own God-given abilities and spiritual gifts that you must learn to use for the good of all.

Motto: If you can imagine it, it can be doneCore desire: to create things of enduring valueGoal: to realize a visionGreatest fear: mediocre vision or executionStrategy: develop artistic control and skillTask: to create culture, express own visionWeakness: perfectionism, bad solutionsTalent: creativity and imaginationAlso known as: The artist, inventor, innovator, musician, writer or dreamer.

8. The CreatorYou want to find your true identity because you are afraid of being a fake, but are afraid of being who you truly are.

Having learned to recreate yourself while being true to who you are, you enter the third stage.

This stage brings order to your life but you must use both chaos and order in a constructive way so you can transform the world around you.

Being in alignment with God's will, you can do this without trying to control people. Instead, you allow God to use you as an instrument of transformation to aid others.

Motto: You only live onceCore desire: to live in the moment with full

enjoymentGoal: to have a great time and lighten up the

worldGreatest fear: being bored or boring othersStrategy: play, make jokes, be funnyWeakness: frivolity, wasting timeTalent: joyAlso known as: fool, trickster, joker, joker,

comedian.

9. The JesterYour goal is to find joy in life. You fear not feeling alive so you play tricks on life and people. You must learn to become child-like without being childish.

Motto: The truth will set you freeCore desire: to find the truth.Goal: to use mind and analysis to understand the world.Biggest fear: being duped, misled—or ignorance.Strategy: seek information and knowledge; self-reflection and understanding thought processes.Weakness: can study details forever and never act.Talent: wisdom, intelligence.The Sage is also known as: the scholar, detective, advisor, thinker, academic, planner, professional, mentor, teacher

10. The Sage

Afraid of being deceived you let fear stop you from trusting anyone. With trust you find honestly and openness.

Encourage change in life and align with GodMotto: I make things happenDesire: understand the fundamental laws of the universeGoal: to make dreams come trueGreatest fear: unintended negative consequencesStrategy: develop a vision and live by itWeakness: becoming manipulativeTalent: finding win-win solutionsAlso known as: The visionary, inventor, charismatic, shaman, healer, medicine man.

11. The MagicianGoal is to transform your world but you fear change outside your control.

Motto: Power isn't everything, it's the only thing.Core desire: controlGoal: create a prosperous, successful family or communityStrategy: exercise powerGreatest fear: chaos, being overthrownWeakness: being authoritarian, unable to delegateTalent: responsibility, leadershipAlso known as: The boss, leader, aristocrat, king, queen, politician, role model, manager or administrator.

12. The RulerYou seek order in your world and fear chaos/disorder. Becoming responsible for your life, you will realize chaos and disorder have a purpose.

As ruler you have becoming a knowledgeable person with greater wisdom and discernment.

You have understanding justice and mercy, are nonjudgmental and able to live within the greater social order without becoming dependent on people or the system.

In the final stage you need total interdependence so you have the ability to enjoy people and life without becoming involved in foolishness

This ends the twelve traits . . .

If these stages are processed you can enjoy life and know how to be child-like not childish.

You trust God and have a fine sense of freedom

Congratulations, now you are interdependent and can enjoy people and life to the fullest.

These stages are recycled each time we enter a new life stage, and the learning begins again

Stages:

Child, Adult, Mid-life, Mature, and End years

Consider the traits you possess, and honestly assess where you stand.

I have been all of these at one

time or another,

depending on where I was

developmentally

Change comes only with honesty not prideful rejection of the truth.

As a Creator, I had to be careful of the possibilities or projects I created and follow through on my selected goals

Each stage brings new challenges.

As a warrior, I had to learn to help others by not making their battles mine. Instead, I show them how to use their own skills

Our negative traits can have serious consequences for other people.

Over-indulgence encourages dependence in those weaker

If our behavior harms another, then we are responsible for the result.

We must be diligent without being overly sensitive to people.

Being patient with myself helps others learn patience.

Being all we can be takes time and requires patient persistence.

Discipline requires a Conscious Effort.

Builders who construct bridges get up daily and work consistently on them, just as God did until the world was complete.

God looked over the world he created and took pleasure in all he saw!

Thus, the fourth day ended . . .

The Point:

If you want to succeed at anything, you must have more than just a good idea.

Because we seldom believe in ourselves, we can believe that God will help us achieve

That gives us the courage to "just do it.”

So, have a plan, know yourself, trust in God, then "just do it" one day at a time!

Value #4 is ModerationModeration in thought, word and deed is vital as we plan our day and follow through.

We are moderate in speaking, eating, exercise, and control of our appetites as we understand limits of our body and mind.

We learn to avoid extremes and are balanced and spontaneous throughout our lives.

Consider your behaviors, at least those that get in the way of success.

Let me count the ways.

lDon't listen well.lStay home too muchlEmotional problemsland procrastinate

è PLANè What do you want to change?l What are positive alternatives?

l Praise attempts at improvementl It's about persistence not

perfection!u change happens in small steps

not overnight miracles.

l Assess your progress - daily

MONITOR PROGESS

è I will change nonstop talking

l and will listen more than talk

l Today, I was quiet and gave the

other person attention as I listened.

u I am changing a little every day.

REMEMBER,God must come first in your life, so be sure you listen to God daily and talk with him.

Then give time to your spouse, your children, your extended family, then employment, and finally, friends and others.

Set Priorities in all areas

EXERCISEFocus with sight, sound, taste and touch Sensory details or compared to something

else: • Smells in the air (fresh brewed coffee’s

aroma) • Sounds (traffic, honking horns, birds, the

wind) • Sights (The sun sparkling on dew-covered

grass; waves of water like grass in a meadow)

• Touch (Texture of adobe like coarse sandpaper)

• Taste: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, tart (taste of biting into a lemon, a plumb, etc)

What do they sound, smell, look, taste like?

DISCUSSION

The word (Jesus) was made flesh

How was word made flesh in you?(how did words spoken in your childhood become flesh (real) in your adult self)

This is similar to the section on beliefs but more concrete in defining who you are.

What are you willing do to overcome this faulty view of life and/or behavior?

MAKE A PLAN

Before you begin any journey, you need a map for how you will get there.

You have a map, but you also need to plan each step of the journey.

So, you are able to reach the journey's end

A MAP AND PLANKnow your route, then stick with it until you reach your destination.

ENTER JOURNEY

COUNSELOR Detour here as needed

SCHOOL & TRAINING

START NEW JOB

INCLUDE SPOUSE

EXTENDED FAMILY

SUCCESS !!!

Stay on route, no side roads or diversions; take necessary detours only.

SUPPORT GROUP

An AdventureYou could make this into an adventure story, if that would help.Who are the character/archetypes playing a part in your story?Where are you going? Locations are goals (become more bold) How will you get there? (To be bolder - climb a mountain, etc.)What challenge will help? (Overcome fear: climb small mountain then a bigger one or one more risky) What emergencies might you encounter? Cuts and scrapesHow have you prepared for these emergencies? Med kitWhat do you need along the way? Counseling to encourage risk taking and/or read books on mountain climbing, practice.Who will go with you? Companions who encourage me; honest friends who believe in and challenge me, etc.

If in a group, make it a fun exercise:

Using the character trait that best describes you now

Decide on a goal, what traits are you aiming for?

Where you are now?

Where do you plan on going?

How will you get there, and who will go with you?

You may be a mage in a city (crowded and unpleasant).

You want to get to an island because you prefer isolation.

No boat and detest water (you’re rather inflexible and rigid).

The question is how will you get there, and what do you need to make the journey successfully?

Turn it into a fun adventure!

DISCIPLINE

What behavior traits do you want to change, so you can enter the next stage of development?

Where’s your trust? In God, self or people & things

What do you need to strengthen (communication)?

How can you soften (your approach to people)?

How will you do it and what will change as a result?

How will you know when you have reached the goal?

DISCIPLINE means having a PlanWhat do you want to change? (set daily goals; positive options; progress; assessment)Example:

Goal Today I will

_____________________

Options Today I could

_____________________

Praise I improved by

_____________________

Assess This didn't work

___________________

so I could do

______________________

EXERCISE in sight, sound and touch

Discuss how the word was made flesh in you

How did certain words sound to you, feel as you heard them, changed how you saw yourself, etc.

Explore how what words need to be spoken so a new you can become more real

What will you be willing to do to overcome and make positive changes in your life?

Now, map a plan (months, years to reach a goal)

[07/99] personal growth workshop - six months

Where are you going? (from shy to bold)

How will you get there? (Trusting in God)

What adventures will take? (overcome fear by doing bold things)

How have you prepared for emergencies?

(have counseling to encourage risk taking behavior; companions who encourage and believe in me.)

WEEKLY REMINDER for week of _____ to _____

My goal is to ________________________________

Monday __________________________________

Tuesday __________________________________

Wednesday __________________________________

Thursday __________________________________

Friday __________________________________

Weekend __________________________________

REMEMBER, five minutes a day is all it takes, at first. Lengthen the time and endurance as time goes on.

NEXT

3.2

Express Emotions