The Counter Perspective! New Perspectives!

by | May 6, 2020 | Celebrate Life!

WHAT DO YOU DO TO SEE THINGS FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE? FOR YOURSELF? FOR YOUR BUSINESS OR MINISTRY?

My Inspiration to Seek New Perspectives and Have FUN Doing It!

 

 

 

A friend of mine posted a picture of herself with her kids sitting on their kitchen counter.

Megan: “There’s a couch. And we have a table. We are a strange little bunch. Apparently sitting on the counter is comforting.”

Karen: “(1) I haven’t sat on the counter in so long, I can’t remember! (2) There is no room to sit on the counter around here! (3) I resolve, in support of Team _____, to clean off and sit on the counter this week!”

Megan: “Brandon and I have had some of our biggest breakthroughs in our marriage while sitting on counters – something about sitting up there helps everyone open up!”

Karen: “(4) I will build an opening-up counter in our next counseling offices!”

Now, I just can’t stop thinking about sitting on the counter!

 

 

 

Do You Need New Perspectives on Life’s Problems and God’s Solutions?

 

Perspective very simply means: the way in which things are viewed; a way of regarding situations, facts, etc. and judging their relative importance; or one’s outlook, attitude, or way of looking at things; our frame of reference.

We very often need a different perspective in our lives, so we’ve sought the Lord and His Word for answers, we’ve asked trusted others to listen to our stories and to offer their advice, and we’ve tried on different choices to see how they “fit”!

The more we know about our Purpose and our Passion as we wear various hats in our families, with our friends, and in our communities, the better we will serve!

 

Do You Need a New Perspective in Your Business or Ministry?

 

We very often need a different perspective in our counseling offices, so we have switched seats in the counseling room, or counseled in a different office, at a table instead of from the couch, and with pipe cleaners or crayons or buttons or stones to inspire creative ways of looking at solutions to our problems. But never have I asked one of my clients to sit on the counter!

We often need a different perspective in our businesses and ministries, so we have hired business coaches, joined networking groups, listened to webinars, and read books (SO many books!)

The more we know about our Purpose and our Passion as we wear various hats in our entrepreneurial ventures, with our associates and vendors, and in our networking communities, the better we will work!

 

What Does the Bible Say About New Perspectives?

 

8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways
and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55: 8-9 English Standard Version (ESV)

 

We had a Pastor once who quoted this verse and said that if it was true, we ought often to look at what we felt were solutions to our problems backwards or upside-down. He warned, “These new perspectives might actually be closer to God’s ways than our own!” It’s difficult and counter to being “me”, but especially when things are going well, I try to look at things backwards and upside-down!

 

 

 

In an article titled, What the Bible Can Teach Us about Perspective, Bro. Aaron Reisinger points out that we see a man who is blind, but Christ saw a man that needed salvation. The healed blind man saw men walking as trees, he had a blurred perspective (John 9:35-41).

(http://www.holybiblesays.org/articles.php?ID=479 )

  • In anger, Moses smote the rock and lost the opportunity to bring God’s people into their land.
  • In bitterness, Naomi changed her name to Mara (bitter) without turning to God on her journey of grief and mourning until God graciously provided for her and for her daughter-in-love Ruth.
  • In discouragement, Elijah wished his life was over, but God had just given him a great victory on Mount Carmel.
  • In disobedience, the prophet Balaam couldn’t see the error of his ways, so God spoke to him through a donkey!
  • Because of peer pressure, King Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, allowed his perspective to be blurred and lost the kingdom. We must be sure that those we allow to influence us are walking with the Lord and living according to His commands.
  • Because his perspective was blurred by prejudice, Jonah was unhappy that God extended mercy to the Ninevites forgetting his own sins and unworthiness of God’s grace until finally his obedience led to their repentance.
  • Due to stagnant Christianity, Eli’s eye “began to wax dim”, and he allowed the lamp of God to go out in the temple. 2nd Peter exhorts us “add to our faith” and grow in our Christian life on a daily basis so we will see the commands of God as a precious thing that requires our attention and devotion.
  • Under great stress, we allow stressful situations to determine the way we view God and our circumstances, and we believe we surely are not exactly where God wants us, forgetting how He delivered His people out of Egypt.  Moses told them, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.”
  • In worldliness, Demas looked at a short-term solution and forsook Paul and Luke when he could have followed and learned from one of the greatest Christians who ever lived with long-term blessings and successes (Colossians)!

LET’S ASK GOD FOR HIS PERSPECTIVES ON OUR LIVES, ON OUR BUSINESSES, AND AS HIS SERVANTS!

HOW CAN I HELP YOU RECEIVE A NEW PERSPECTIVE THROUGH COACHING?

 

Blessings,

Karen Lindwall-Bourg

“Achieve Levels of Success Worth Celebrating”

 

*Founder, Karen Bourg Companies  http://karenbourg.com

*Owner, President {Inter}National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs/International Christian Mompreneur Network http://nacwe.org

*Founder, RHEMA Publishing House http://rhemapublishinghouse.com

*Founder, RHEMA Lakeside Retreat Center https://www.facebook.com/rhemaretreat/

*Founder, RHEMA Counseling Associates http://rhemacounseling.com

About Karen Lindwall-Bourg

Karen Lindwall-Bourg is the President of the {Inter} National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs [est. May 2010] and the new President of the International Christian Mompreneur Network [est. July 2010], both at http://nacwe.org . She and the NACWE Operations and Leadership Teams work diligently to provide

·       Community

·       Networking

·       Education

·       Missions

opportunities to Christian Women Entrepreneurs, Mompreneurs and Nanapreneurs alike all over the world!

Our Core Values are

·       Community – we value Connection, Collaboration and Contribution

·       Networking – we value Nurture, New relationships and New and innovative offers

·       Education – we value Encouragement, Excellence and Expressiveness, and

·       Missions – we value Ministry and  Making a difference

Karen is wife to Fred, Mommy to 6 kids and 5 in-loves, Nana to “going-on” 12 grandchildren, and treat provider deluxe for a herd of Great Pyrenees who protect their north TX ranch! She is an entrepreneur coach, author, publisher, retreat hostess and more! Learn more about Mastermind groups and “Celebration” coaching with Karen at http://karenbourg.com