Week 4 Reading: The Art of Possibility, Ch 7-9

7 - The Way Things Are

I appreciate this practice because it helps us to not get frustrated because we can't change everything at one time. But it also does not mean we should settle for how things are right now. I especially like the drawings at the end about conversations in a downward spiral versus going out to many possibilities. That's a great thing to keep in mind.

8 - Giving Way to Passion

Isn't funny how there seems to be patterns or themes to our daily lives sometimes? Well, last week my husband and I had a long conversations about what our passions are and how to move forward in our lives pursuing them instead of just living a ho-hum, boring life. Then Sunday our Pastor shared a message all about passion! So then Gabe and I planned on a lesson for the youth group about passion and how to discover the passions God has given them. Then today...I read Chapter 8. The two steps the author uses (1. Not holding back, and 2. Participate wholly) are great, concrete steps and they are easy to understand. I am most certainly going to share this with the youth group!

9 - Lighting A Spark

This chapter made me think a lot. What really stood out to me were the 4 steps, especially step #4. "Have no doubt that others are eager to catch the spark". As a teacher and youth leader, I have doubted anyone was interested in the musician, music, or lesson I was about to teach. I guess I was just so unsure about myself that I assumed no one else would care. But that's an awful and stressful way to think about it! Besides, teachers that act like their subject is the most interesting, will likely have many interested students. So I am going to remember this.

Picture taken from: http://www.pdclipart.org/