Patrick Grach - thoughts on life and leadership

I have a confession: there is a constant pull for me towards complexity and complication in both my life and ministry. I’m convinced that the enemy wants to throw confusion, distractions and “good” stuff in the way of the best and most valuable. I want to keep saying yes, not because I can’t say no, but because it all seems so good to be doing. When I look at the LifeHouse, I regularly wonder if we’re doing enough. Maybe we should be doing more, I mean, all the other churches I know do midweek services, Sunday School, lots of other committees and meetings, so maybe we should to.

Whenever this tendency arises, here’s my thought process and the resources I’ve used to keep me centered.

First, when it comes to my personal life- relationship with God and family. Here are some good ideas or principles:

• A clear conscience is the best pillow. My mind is less preoccupied when not worried about or plagued by sin, temptation, regret, shame, or a recent argument. So, repent often and forgive just as often. Read Psalm 15 and Psalm 26. I make a big deal privately about having a pure heart and right motives. Here are another few passages to pray: Psalm 19:14; Job 31:1; Psalm 51.
• Every time I say “yes” to something, I’m saying “no” to something else. Laughter is huge. Life gets complex, difficult and laughter seems to drop off the cliff. Build into your life time to laugh and laugh at things in life as much as possible. I didn’t say laugh at people. We just don’t have time to take ourselves that seriously. Don’t wear your feelings on your sleeves, or else everything in life will steal your joy and leave you feeling wasted and frustrated.
  
• Keep prayer as the primary fuel and focus of life. It’s this simple, when I pray I’m focused, energized, purposeful, and seem to take things in stride and find satisfaction in life. When I’m not praying daily, life stinks, the slightest thing sets me off, and I’ll work 5 hrs to get 1 hrs worth of work done. Jesus died so I could enjoy relationship with the Father, and I don’t want to waste His sacrifice for me.
• Family needs each other more than stuff or activities. Okay, this one’s tough. But after much consideration and deliberation, Laura and I are discovering we don’t need more or to do more, we just need to spend time with each other and our girls. It’s amazing the simple things we can enjoy when we actually enjoy being around each other. So, before we run off to the store to buy the “latest-and-greatest” ask “why?” Will that take away from or add to the simplicity of my life? And before I sign up for or sign our girls up for something, we need to ask the same question. I’m an active person, and could go 24-7, but the best times for our girls are not when we’re “doing” but when I’m “being.

I’m sure there’s a pile of other things I should put in here, but these are the top picks for me.