12 years ago today, the greatest influence in my life went home to be with the Lord…my Mammaw, Bessie G. Ferguson. I miss her every day and yet her life is woven into the tapestry of my life in a profound way. Many of you reading this know, that I suffocated to death as a child and was pronounced dead. My Mammaw literally prayed me back to life. This miracle was recorded on the front page of the Dallas Morning News.

Today I honor her memory by sharing with you some of the “Tenets for Life” that she taught me. She did not call them “Tenets.” Tenets are opinions, principles, dogma or doctrines a person believes or maintains as true. She did not force feed these things to me, in fact, they were more caught than taught. The following are a few:

1. You cannot dictate everything that happens to you, but you can dictate what happens in you.

Mammaw taught me that we don’t have to own everything that happens to us, but we do own what happens in us. Cancer does not fight fair! Mammaw got breast cancer when breast cancer was a death sentence. Cancer happened to her, but she never became “cancerous” as a person.

2. Because you can dictate what happens in you, you can determine your outward response.

Divorce happened to her, but did not happen in her. She was hurt inside, but never became bitter on the outside. She taught me that things can hurt us on the inside but we have the power through Christ to be strengthened by what should crush us. What should crush us, has the power to push us towards God.

3. You cannot control what other people do to you, but you can control what you do to other people.

Mammaw taught me that “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” But not just mercy, but FAVOR with both God and man. We don’t give honor because people are honorable, but because we are honorable. She was the most honoring person I have ever met and for real…never said a negative word about anybody!!!

4. Never speak a negative word about anybody.

I am still working on this!!! Everyone is God’s son or daughter…mercy Lord…mercy!!!

5. You are not responsible for others actions, but you are responsible for your actions.

6. When you choose to Be the Best you can Be, you will gain the power to See the Best in others.

Mammaw taught me that it is God’s desire that we see people the way God sees them, but we can only do that if we choose to Be the Best we can be. If I am not striving to Be my Best for God, I will never be able to recognize the Best in others. Why do I need to See the Best in others? Because I can only be the beneficiary of the greatness of God that is in others if I can recognize the greatness.

Maybe more tomorrow…

As a footnote, I received a call from a precious woman of God today who is 90 years old, who has made me a grandson of choice and she wanted to tell me that God wanted me to know my Mammaw is having a great time in heaven and is very proud of me!!! Wow! Thank You God for your love for me. For the way You loved me through my Mammaw. Thank You for her life that I am who I am because of who You made her to be.

Finally, Mammaw…I love you! I will never forget you! I am sharing your story around the world.

Love,
Keith

It is the evening of December 1, 2011. Most people would say it is too late to send a blog out, but I am attempting to seize the moment. 2011 has been an extreme year of Process for most people. As we “grow” into December and then 2012, I wanted to write/blog a little about a Principle of life that none of us like: Process.

When we talk about Process, what exactly does it mean?
Process: a proceeding or moving forward; a progressive course; gradual progress; Methodical management; a seasonal approach to growth; a principle-centered approach to change that empowers any change to make people, places and things change for the better.

A Process then is not just what you “go-through” but what you “Grow-through!”

“If you Grow-through what you Go-through, you create your Break-through to your next level.” Leadershipology.com

We have the ability to make our Process work for us, and not just work through the Process. Process is a principle because we all are going to be in some kind of Process for the rest of our lives. I hope that whatever Process you are involved in right now, will work for your good. The bottom line is only YOU can make that happen. My goal in this blog and maybe a few after it, is to give you some insight about Process and how you can use whatever Process for your benefit and help benefit others in the Process.

“There Is no more important lesson to learn in life, than life is a process. What you learn through your process will determine all progress in every area of your life.” Leadershipology.com

Any Process we ever “go-through” can become our teacher if we will choose to “Grow-through” it. Any person, place or thing you experience, has the power to become your teacher and help you learn life-lessons that are only yours to learn. You can “go-through” or “Grow-through” life, but if you will choose to “Grow-through” your Process, there will be nothing that you cannot “Break-through”to your next level!

I want to leave you with one last thought and then tomorrow, we will continue with the Lessons of the Process.
If I were to ask you if you have Potential what would you say? “Of course!”is what I would hope you would say. If I were to ask you do you feel you have “untapped” Potential? I am sure most people would say, “Absolutely!” If I then ask you why? What would you say? There would be a plethora of answers to the “Why?” question for sure. What I want to do is show you what I believe is vital to you reaching your full God-given potential.

In the triangle below, you see Potential to the left of the triangle…the right side of the triangle is blank. At the top of the triangle is Promise. I believe there are Promises attached to your Potential, that unless you understand how to reach your “untapped” Potential, you will never receive the Promises, that ultimately, God has for you. So what is it that keeps our Potential from being reached and the Promises that God has for us?

On the right hand side of the triad, is Process…Process is the catalyst that empowers our Potential to be reached and Promises to be obtained! More about that tomorrow.

Embracing the Process,
Keith

1. My relationship with God…

I am so grateful for the honor I have of knowing God the Father…God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. I am grateful that His plan has never changed from Gen.1:28 to bless me, make me fruitful, empower me to multiply, anoint me to be generous, make me more than a conqueror and ultimately, rule and reign with Him for His kingdom come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

2. My relationship with Sheila…

This week November 20, 2011 we celebrated 438 months together. I woke up this morning laying next to the greatest gift God has ever given me besides His Son Jesus. I am blessed beyond measure to have the “Precious One” for my lover, as the mother of my dear children and co-pastor with me of the most wonderful people in the world!

3. My relationship with my children…

The love I have for Joshua, Keela and Whitney is indescribable and yet a picture of how much I know God loves me. I am often reminded when Joshua was “springing” from his mothers womb, what God spoke to me. As I was crying in that sacred moment, God spoke to me and said, “Do you see what you are feeling?” Out loud in the delivery room that day, I said, “Yes!” He said, “That is just how I fell about you!” The greatest honor on this side of eternity for me is not only to have my children all serving the Lord, but knowing that each of them has answered a call into ministry and they choose to work with me! I am grateful for heaven on earth!

4. My Mamaw…
I would not be who I am today without the Godly influence of my grandmother. She is my hero! She not only prayed me back to life, but spoke life into me by being a “living epistle” for Jesus. She is the GREATEST person I have ever known. I honor her memory today and everyday.

5. My Parents…

In a world where divorce is the norm, I appreciate my parents fighting the good fight, pushing through a separation and working their marriage out. I appreciate the fact that they raised me in church, exposed me to the Gospel and made kingdom a priority in our home. They gave me a foundation that I can never thank them enough for. They gave me a chance to not only give my life to Christ, but to follow God by answering His call on my life as a minister for Him. The greatest thing parents can do for their children is love each other and be faithful to the house of God. My parents did that and I am eternally grateful!

6. Godly alignments along the way…

I could not mention one person here, so I will mention a few. No one gets where they are by themselves and the following are the short list of people who have impacted my life through my being aligned with them in different seasons of my life, for divine reasons. Thomas Zimmerman the General Superintendent for the Assemblies of God for personally recruiting me to go to Evangel University and offering me a full ride scholarship for 4 years. Joe Bailey who gave me my first job in ministry and fired me the first time…it was a great lesson! John Jacobs the founder of the Power Team, who gave me my first international platform for ministry and a chance to lead my first team. Jim Hester, who invited me to be a Co-Pastor with him of Arlington Christian Center when I was 27 years old. I felt the weight of being a Senior Pastor early! Wellington Boone who was an Executive Board member of Promise Keepers who spoke prophetically over my life at a very significant time in my life and gave introduction to the next alignment that would thrust me into what I am doing today: Mike Hayes of Covenant Church! Mike shared his life, his platform, his pulpit and his greatness with me. When I felt it was time to start a church I submitted it to him on the timing of it and he blessed me out to do what God had put in my heart to do. Elevate Life Church exists today, because of the blessing of Mike Hayes. I want to also recognize Peter Lowe founder of the Get Motivated Seminars for giving me the privilege and platform to serve and speak in the world’s largest business seminars. My passion and mandate is leadership and Peter has given me the honor of sharing my life message to hundreds of thousands. There are so many more who are in my Hall of Fame and will be on my Wall of Honor!

7. My bestest friend, Scott Unclebach…

As a youth pastor in Sherman, Texas, my effectiveness was validated early by Scott choosing to follow me. Scott has always believed in me, honored me, love me even when my worst has been displayed, stood by me and helped me to both build buildings and Mighty Men for the Kingdom. Who knew what kind of friend and partner I would need to do what God has called me to do! God did and that’s why he gave me a Scott Unclebach early in life! We truly have a Jonathan/David covenant relationship.

8. My Mighty Men…

One of my divine mandates is to raise up Mighty Men for God. More is caught than taught. I am honored to have a group of Mighty Men much like David’s who feel a calling to stand with me personally and professionally. These men have committed to putting God first with their time, talent and treasure and take this Warrior journey with me. We may have a chance to impact the world, not because of my teaching men, but because of these “living epistles” of the gospel that I strive to live and preach. I am grateful they believe in me and the life message God has put in my heart. They are examples of what we teach and who God has called us to be as Mighty Men of God! I am grateful beyond words for their belief and commitment, because as John Maxwell says, “He who thinks he is leading and no one is following, is on a long walk.”

9. The privilege of building God a house…

I am thankful that I have the privilege of building God a house in Frisco, Texas! This is one of life’s greatest honors for me as a leader for Jesus. I did not just want to build another church, but something that would speak of the magnificence of who Jesus is. Cathedral is taken from the word Cathedra which means the “elevated seat of Christ.” In a relatively new city, we get to build God a house! I am in AWE daily that God has chosen to use me…and WE who have participated. Some have said these are the worst of times, economically, but I am grateful they are the BEST of times to build a house where Jesus is magnified, God is glorified and we are the beneficiaries of God’s way of Thinking…Being and Doing life!

10. Divine Favor…

I am grateful for the Favor of God that is on my life! I am reminded everyday that Favor is a divine advantage for success. Everything I do is not about me, but about Him and yet He lets me enjoy it! I am thankful for the Favor that I do not deserve. One thing is for sure: God does not favor people, but He favors people who favor His principles. At the end of everyday, there is always one thing I know: I have FAVOR. Why? Because Proverbs 18:22 is true for me every day: “He that finds a good woman finds a good thing and obtains favor with the Lord.” Thank You God…Thank you Sheila…and an honorable mention to Sheila’s parents who brought her in the world…just for me!!!!

What’s your Top 10?

Grateful for you,
Pastor Keith