I am still on a HIGH from the time I shared recently with the wonderful Pastors of the North Georgia Missionary Baptist Convention. How refreshing it was to be amongst leaders committed to changing the world through the Word of God and open to learning the most effective ways to do so. While my time was amazing—once I got there—the road to Euharlee, Georgia was very long! It was during my trek up I-75 that I had this amazing discovery. There are no shortcuts! None. Not in life. Not in business. Not in ministry. And definitely not to Euharlee, Georgia! I am convinced that there are ZERO shortcuts along the road to success.

Now you may disagree with my statement—but my experience has taught me every success requires a sacrifice. Every victory will cost you something. I’ll be the first to admit that in my own life I sometimes forget this truth and I anxiously try to hurry God’s process along. I find myself believing that if I read the right book (even the Bible), study at the feet of the best teachers, hire the industry’s top rated mentors and even pray fervently and consistently—all I desire will just appear. Hahaha—not so. The truth is -- reading, studying, and praying though admirable activities are only the beginning; true success requires more. Failure to apply the knowledge, practice the principles and DO THE WORK—will leave you with NO results. In all areas of our lives and ministry, we must to do the work to reap the rewards-- both spiritually and practically.

If you are saying to yourself—I will do the work! I have done the work. I am still doing the work—why am I not receiving the results?” then I want to encourage you to trust in the Lord and have faith in the process. My travels this weekend taught me there are three essential ingredients to success in everything:

1. A proven process – you will never get to Euharlee, GA (or wherever you’re headed) without a map that details your path,

2. Faith - unwavering trust in God to get you safely to your destination despite what you encounter along the way,

3. Patience - you must remain committed to the journey even when the destination seems far, far away.

It is my prayer that you will embrace these principles and enjoy the journey. Until next week, be blessed.

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Many times the reason we aren’t receiving the results we expect in our lives, our ministries, and our businesses is because we are waiting on something to happen. Stop waiting on your breakthrough to fall from heaven—and go after it! This week, I would like for you to join me in an exercise of liberation and breakthrough. Those of you who know me know I don’t usually do this sort of thing, but I feel the need to compel you Janice as a spiritual leaders positioned by God to make an impact on the world to get radical about the results you expect for yourself, your family, and those you are called to serve. Radical results follow radical action.

Join me in this transformative exercise:

1. Write down three things you’ve been waiting for in your ministry/business or life. (For some of you, it may be financial others personal—it doesn’t matter what it is write it down now.)
2. Beside each request write down what you need to do to make it happen. Be honest! Even if it’s out of your comfort zone write it down. If you are struggling to figure it out, make this the focus of your prayers “Lord, what I need to do, change, or become for this to come to past?”
3. Set a date for when you will have, be or do what you’ve been waiting on. This date is not a wish—this is one that YOU believe.
4. Tell no one what you wrote down. Unless it is a prayer partner, this is between you and God alone. Right now is not the time for you to seek the approval (or validation) of anyone around you. This desire came from God and it being made manifest is between you and Him alone.
5. Act as if it has already occurred.  Live each day from here on out as if it has already happened. Wait on NOTHING and no one—move forward as if it is already done.

I want to simply ask of you one thing—when you receive that for which you believed please let me know. Email me at breakthrough@moruwa.com I am praying and believing God for miracles to overtake the lives of Christian leaders all around the world—why leaders? For it is only when we experience true breakthrough can we then lead others to do the same.

God bless you!

“Sometimes, I want to just throw this thing out! Maybe I need a new one.”

Then in a matter of nanoseconds, she changed her voice and started talking in baby-talk “Come on baby, mama needs you to just run a little faster. We have a major deadline to meet and after that I promise you can rest.”

After several unsuccessful attempts to speed things up, she with a huge sigh gave in and stated “I guess it’s time to reboot my system!”  My friend, though she was not going to lose her work or face the blue screen of death was reluctant about starting again.

This reminded me of the rut so many Pastors and Leaders easily fall into without knowing they themselves are the source of their limitations. The thought of “rebooting” never crosses their mind and when it does it is greeted with the evil eye. Followed by, the unconscious “who me?  I’m good. We’re good. My people just need to catch the vision and catch it fast.” Translation à “this is familiar and I don’t want to change.”

Every once in a while we all need to CTRL + ALT + DELETE. Activating this quick, simple combination of key strokes we allow our computers to take a brief shutdown, close all active programs, and recalibrate itself.  What a remarkable strategy instilled by the manufacture; a built-in fail safe. Yet, so often we take this feature for granted and dismiss it as an option.

A system reboot allows you to keep all of your upgrades, new features and added programs. (Like the ideas, ministry-must-haves, and gadgets you’ve gleaned over the years) Instead, CTRL + ALT + DELETE temporarily shuts down every active system and allows you to- one by one - pull up the programs that most need your time. Rather than running five MAJOR programs that require massive amounts of energy and memory, you can start again and work on the one most significant program for that day.

Our bodies and our organizations, like our computers have a distinct way of telling us that “Hey, I need a break. I need some attention.” AND each comes equipped with its own self correcting mechanism in the form of a “system reboot”.

Have you seen a huge decrease in your ministry’s productivity? Are you programs running at ½ speed? Do your team members lack drive and appear sluggish? If you answered yes, then maybe it’s time for a system reboot.

Before you “get out with the old and usher in the new” pause for a moment. Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE and when the system comes back up:

Take a look at your programs and plans, pick one thing, and focus on it until completion.

You are bound to see a huge difference in your system and your team’s performance. Here’s to a productive and prosperous 2011. (Let me know if this post was helpful, I have planned an entire series around this topic just for you.)

What my friend didn’t know is that at that very moment, I was rounding a curve. I too, was in a very uncomfortable place and had been questioning if indeed I was on the right path. Things were tough and some days I woke up thinking “I am good at so much more, why do I insist on doing THIS???”

Perhaps, you are at that place in your ministry, stuck between the starting line and the finish line. On a race track, it’s called ‘the curve’. And, rounding the curve is tough for even the experienced runner, but it’s not impossible. Be encouraged! For just beyond the curve is the straightaway—and it is smooth sailing from there on out. Lean in to the curve; set your mind, your body, and your faith on what awaits you at the finish line. Where you are is temporary, and it is a necessary part of this journey. So FIGHT to finish and remember…whether you see it now or not, it IS worth the fight!

So why are there so few champions sprouting about? Why does it seem at a time where Believers should be blooming they are instead barely penetrating the surface? Is it because Believers are not realizing their champion potential?

Let’s take a look at three key characteristics every champion must possess:

1. Champions dream BIG. – If what you are aiming for isn’t enough to make you stay awake at night it’s not enough to make you fight for it.
2. Champions take ACTION. – When was the last time you saw a champion sitting around talking about winning? You don’t. They are busy working, doing what it takes to become a champion. “Champion: those who make going hard a lifestyle.”
3. Champions think like champions. What is the story playing in your head? Is it one of defeat? Are you constantly comparing yourself and/or your ministry to others? If so, you are not thinking like a champion.

I would like to encourage you on this first day of summer to determine that this will be your season to shine.  Becoming a champion isn’t easy or convenient, but it is possible.

One of my all time favorite movies is Meet the Robinsons. Not only is it a brilliantly crafted animation, which is quite entertaining, the overriding moral message is one that has stuck with me now three years after its release. It is no wonder why this fit-for-the-family film received 8 academy nominations.

While Lewis, the main character had a hilariously, strange family and a life full of witty inventions it was what he said that has left a lasting impression on my heart. “Keep moving forward”. Those words are echoing in my head even as I type. When times are hard, ideas seem to fail, when life throws you a curve ball…”keep moving forward.” When you feel misunderstood and your BIG plan doesn’t work out…”keep moving forward.” Lewis understood that in order to succeed in life, he couldn’t let his failures, let downs, or life’s unexpected occurrences stop him from pursuing his dreams. This was his mantra and is now mine: Keep Moving forward!

Yep, it’s just that simple. Say it with me “keep moving forward”. Perhaps you’re at a crossroad in your ministry, business, or relationship and things are not going quite as you expected. Determine within yourself that no matter what, you are going to “keep moving forward.” The easy thing to do is quit, the cowardly thing to do is shift blame, and the right thing to do is to keep moving! The past is the past and there is nothing you can do to change it. Leave the past behind. Commit today to, that’s right, you know this by now: “Keep Moving Forward!”

How do you intend to overcome what seems to have you temporarily stuck? What will be your next step? Please share.

I’ll tell you why. You have to tweak just one more thing. You have one more stride you need to perfect. One more set of lunges to prepare your quads. One more run around the track to make sure your breathing is paced. I mean, let’s face it, if you are going to do it, you better do it right! Right? It’s precisely this sort of thinking that keeps many of us stifled in our progress, hindered in our pursuits, stuck in our tracks. Stagnation is the lifestyle a serial perfectionist. Don’t allow your quest for perfection to cause you to miss the most important moment of your life…NOW. Live, pursue, embrace your now. Tell me, what is your NOW? How are living it?