No, we're really not here to sell anything, but as I was getting my message ready, I realized that it wasn't my intention to plagiarize all of John Ortberg's ideas, to spend my time with you recapping his book or to really talk all about shadow missions. What I wanted to do was use the idea to launch some devotional thoughts for mother's about their missions. But, the stuff in this book was too good to not share so here's more about "Overcoming Your Shadow Mission" by John Ortberg if you want to jump on that train and take a ride. It will be worth your time.
Here are some quotes I found helpful from the book...
"[The story of Esther] tells us that our shadow missions have enormous destructive potential. The mission we devote ourselves to will shape us. Our unplanned, involuntary thoughts and wishes will spring out of it. Noble missions will give rise to noble thoughts, but shadow missions will produce an inner life of hidden darkness and destructive discontent. Shadow missions always destroy at least one person - the one who lives for them." (p.35)
"Our shadow mission leads us just five or ten degrees of our true path in the direction of selfishness or comfort or arrogance. But those few degrees, over time, become the difference between light and shadow."(p. 36)
"In the absence of good character, the giftedness of people will not be used well. The more gifted we are, the more arrogant and destructive we are apt to be." (p.43)
"Character formation is absolutely fundamental to our well-being, but it's not glamorous. So often - in our work, in our lives, even in our churches - we think, "Man, there's so much going on, we can't take the time to work on 'character'." The question really is: Who do we want to be? We can do really impressive-looking things, but what we take into eternity is who we become." (p.52)
"Character comes as a by-product of the pursuit of God and the kingdom of God." (p.53)
"While it's important to build your character and identify your shadow mission, in truth you need only one thing. Without this one thing you can name your shadow mission and claim it and battle it - and still lose. That one essential thing is a vision of God and the reality of His kingdom." (p.91)
[Overcoming Your Shadow Mission, John Ortberg, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2008.]
Enjoy the next step in your journey,
TD
Want to buy this book? Check it out on Amazon.ca:
http://www.amazon.ca/Leadership-Library-Overcoming-Shadow-Mission/dp/031028760X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272901167&sr=8-1
John does a bit of Q & A after his session at the 2007 LEAD Summit about shadow missions.
Here are some quotes I found helpful from the book...
"[The story of Esther] tells us that our shadow missions have enormous destructive potential. The mission we devote ourselves to will shape us. Our unplanned, involuntary thoughts and wishes will spring out of it. Noble missions will give rise to noble thoughts, but shadow missions will produce an inner life of hidden darkness and destructive discontent. Shadow missions always destroy at least one person - the one who lives for them." (p.35)
"Our shadow mission leads us just five or ten degrees of our true path in the direction of selfishness or comfort or arrogance. But those few degrees, over time, become the difference between light and shadow."(p. 36)
"In the absence of good character, the giftedness of people will not be used well. The more gifted we are, the more arrogant and destructive we are apt to be." (p.43)
"Character formation is absolutely fundamental to our well-being, but it's not glamorous. So often - in our work, in our lives, even in our churches - we think, "Man, there's so much going on, we can't take the time to work on 'character'." The question really is: Who do we want to be? We can do really impressive-looking things, but what we take into eternity is who we become." (p.52)
"Character comes as a by-product of the pursuit of God and the kingdom of God." (p.53)
"While it's important to build your character and identify your shadow mission, in truth you need only one thing. Without this one thing you can name your shadow mission and claim it and battle it - and still lose. That one essential thing is a vision of God and the reality of His kingdom." (p.91)
[Overcoming Your Shadow Mission, John Ortberg, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2008.]
Enjoy the next step in your journey,
TD
Want to buy this book? Check it out on Amazon.ca:
http://www.amazon.ca/Leadership-Library-Overcoming-Shadow-Mission/dp/031028760X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272901167&sr=8-1
John does a bit of Q & A after his session at the 2007 LEAD Summit about shadow missions.