Category Archives: Leadership

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LTP 24- Finding Good News In Harsh Places

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In this podcast Episode, David Loveless talks about how good news is birthed in harsh places.

Listen to the Audio

Here is a brief summary of today’s episode of “The Live True Podcast.”  You can use this as a reference or reminder of key things you feel like you need to pay attention to or pass on to others, in the next 7 days of your life.

For most of us, we’ve believed that good news is birthed in good places, not harsh places.  But Mark 1 turns that notion on its ear.

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Mark 1:1-4  The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:  “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— “a voice of one calling in the wilderness/desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness/Desert, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

 I’m drawn toward the fact that the beginning of the good news… the birthplace of the good news is in the desert.- where it feels like bad news.

Listen to David’s examples, in today’s audio podcast, of his time in both deserts and gardens.

All of living, loving, & leading seem to flow on a continuum

between garden and desert experiences.

Garden experiences Desert experiences
Promised land

Lush

Abundance

Joyful

Easy

 No mans land

Barren

Scarcity

Painful

Difficult

It’s interesting to me that our spiritual story begins in a garden in Genesis 2:8… and our biological story begins in a garden-like womb.

But, look where we’re first introduced to the ministry of Jesus —in the desert.  God’s Good News Tour doesn’t open on top of a scenic mountain or in a palatial garden. It starts from a place of isolated emptiness.

Listen to the audio podcast as David describes how he reacted over the years, to have desert-like experiences and what was the result of them.

 Luke 3: 4-6   “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.  The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.  And all people will see God’s salvation.’”

In your place of difficulty or temptation or hardship where you feel most exposed to enemies activity… God says make a straight path for me there and let me walk there…  let me walk in the desert place of your life and let’s walk straight into it and straight through it.

Here is another part of challenge of Luke 3: many people never step foot in the church because they don’t feel welcomed or invited.  They see the church as an exclusionary institution, that decides who’s right and who’s wrong.

The church often makes mountain tops higher

and the valleys deeper for people to get through.

It tends to turn the whole thing into an obstacle course.

But the job of true religion is to make it easy for people to understand and draw close to the very thing they were made for.

Here’s several things I had to ‘get straight’ in my desert…

A.   I had to ‘get straight’ in my mind that this path, while difficult beyond description, was going somewhere profoundly good and it wasn’t to hell.

B.   I had to ‘get straight’ in my mind that this path, wasn’t going to last forever…. even though I could see no other road ahead.

Jesus came bringing this good news.  And a part of what makes it so good is that it stands up to the heat of even the most difficult places.

Where is your desert?  Your place of need?

Wherever that place is for you, God says let me walk with you THERE, because I’m not ashamed of it anymore than I am ashamed of you.  I’m good news to you in the desert, as well as the garden.  I love you. I’m with you…wherever you are.

Here are some amazing words from Isaiah 35:

Wilderness and desert will sing joyously, the badlands will celebrate and flower—Like the crocus in spring, bursting into blossom, a symphony of song and color.  Energize the limp hands, strengthen the rubbery knees. Tell fearful souls, “Courage! Take heart! God is here, right here, on his way to put things right And redress all wrongs. He’s on his way! He’ll save you!”

Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness, streams flow in the desert. Hot sands will become a cool oasis, thirsty ground a splashing fountain.

The people God has ransomed will come back on this road. They’ll sing as they make their way home, unfading halos of joy encircling their heads,  Welcomed home with gifts of joy and gladness as all sorrows and sighs scurry into the night.

David finishes this podcast with a blessing for you in your desert places.

To find out more, listen to this podcast in its entirety by clicking on the play button.

Ask Us a Question

If you have a question, comment, or thought to share with us,  we’d love to hear from you.  Simply click here: “COMMUNICATE w/ David & Caron.”

Subscribe to & Share the Podcast

If you have enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe by clicking on one of the below buttons:

Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes

Click Here to Subscribe via Stitcher (great Android users or listening on the web)

Click Here to Subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)

If this podcast has been helpful & you’re thinking of someone else you know that could benefit from it, then click on any of the ‘Share’ buttons below or the one’s located at the top of this post.

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LTP 20 Our Vital Need For Soul Care

An interview with Dr Rich Plass & Jim Cofield

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In this podcast Episode, David & Caron Loveless interview the counselors, whom they met with for more than a year, and who helped get them through their worst nightmare.

What does it look like to engage in the vital soul care that every person yearns for? What causes relationships and marriages to go from great intent to horrible experiences? What do leaders need to be paying attention to in their own personal lives and why?

Listen to the Audio

Here is a brief summary of today’s episode of “The Live True Podcast.” 

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In today’s interview, the following subjects are explored:

  • Understanding how the very core of our being and identity is completely wrapped up in relationship.
  • How the understanding of your core identity as a relational soul, is radically different than thinking that relationships are one of the many slices of the pie of your life… or one of many different roles you play.
  • What causes the soul to thrive vs wither?
  • How increasing one’s knowledge of God will NEVER bring about desired life transformation unless it is coupled with increasing knowledge of one’s self.
  • What are the danger points in leaders lives?

 Resources mentioned in this podcast episode:

  • The Relational Soul by Dr Rich Plass & Jim Cofield.  To purchase, click HERE.
  • You can find more about Rich & Jim’s ministry by clicking HERE. 
  • The softcover and/or audio version of our book Nothing to Prove: Find the Satisfaction and Significance You’ve Been Striving for at the Core of Your True Identity are both available now. 

And for the next 4 days only to those who purchase a book we are offering  special discounted packages that include considerable *FREE bonus material. 

To get yours now or get more info, click HERE.

To find out more, listen to this podcast in its entirety by clicking on the play button.

Ask Us a Question

If you have a question, comment, or thought to share with us,  we’d love to hear from you.  Simply click here: “COMMUNICATE w/ David & Caron.”

Subscribe to & Share the Podcast

If you have enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe by clicking on one of the below buttons:

Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes

Click Here to Subscribe via Stitcher (great Android users or listening on the web)

Click Here to Subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)

If this podcast has been helpful & you’re thinking of someone else you know that could benefit from it, then click on any of the ‘Share’ buttons below or the one’s located at the top of this post.

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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The Gutsiest Blog I’ve Ever Written About The Scariest Thing We’ve Ever Done

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What I’m about to share with you is deeply personal. This is the first time I’ve shared it publicly. And I’m a little anxious because once it’s out there, it’s out there. But I’m motivated. I believe what could come from it is utterly critical for someone- maybe several someones.

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One morning, almost three years ago, I woke to the sound of my husband sobbing. He was hunched over in a chair at the foot of the bed. His face, streaming tears, his eyes, scared and bloodshot.

I bolted up. “Oh, my gosh, honey. What’s the matter? What in the world? What has happened?” My mind darted through possibilities. I’d seen him cry plenty of times, but never like this. I instantly hurt for whatever drastic thing was causing him such anguish.

“I have a really, really hard thing to tell you.”

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That really, really hard thing was going to shatter every molecule of our entire world. Except for learning that my husband had died –this news was the worst possible. It was the one announcement I was 1000 percent certain would never be handed to me.

If someone had held a gun to my head and said, “True or false. Your husband has been unfaithful. If we find out that statement is false you live. If it’s true, you die. ” Cool as a cucumber I would have said, “Oh gee. I’m shaking in my boots.”

But the gun went off .

And I did die- for a long time — I died a thousand, million big and little deaths.  And so did the man I loved. 

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A Proven Framework For Personal Transformation

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We have always been the kind of people who were zealous to grow and gain mastery in our attitudes, actions and relationships. We kept the latest books on our nightstand, in our brief case and on our Kindle.

You could find us perched on the front row at cutting-edge seminars eager to take copious notes. And we set regular times to pour over scripture and pray (and, sometimes, fast) all in an earnest search for personal improvement, spiritual progress, vocational success and relational harmony.

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You may have done a few of those things yourself. 

Sometimes, the solutions we found worked for awhile. We’d get breakthroughs, gain some new insight.

Then stuff would come up.

And the same old glitches would surface internally, vocationally or relationally. And off we’d go again in search of a better way.

Then, finally, after a lot of years of trial and error in leadership, love, and life we landed on what, for us, has turned out to be a proven framework for lasting personal transformation.

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LTP 18- Our #1 Go-To Tool For Personal Transformation

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In this podcast Episode, David & Caron Loveless discuss how to use a specific tool that can bring personal clarity and see quantum internal shifts that give you the ability to dramatically improve your emotional, spiritual, professional and relational life. 

Listen to the Audio

Here is a brief summary of today’s episode of “The Live True Podcast.”  You can use this as a reference or reminder of key things you feel like you need to pay attention to or pass on to others, in the next 7 days of your life.

Earlier this week we wrote a blog on: “One Simple Test That Can Change Your Life.”  Today on this podcast, we want to go more in-depth regarding this transformational tool.

This tool is like an MRI for the soul that can help you pinpoint both the goodness in you as well as what is causing you to suffer… and where you also make others suffer.

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What we’ve discovered is this:

It is actually at the intersection of knowing God

and authentically knowing ourselves

that we find genuine and lasting transformation.

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LTP 15- When Enough Is Never Enough

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In this podcast Episode, David & Caron Loveless discuss “When Enough Is Never Enough.” Many of us are always trying to achieve and accomplish more. There is great value in this and then there can emerge a dark side to it.

To listen to the audio of this podcast, push the above play arrow.

Here is a brief summary of today’s episode of “The Live True Podcast.”  You can use this as a reference or reminder of key things you feel like you need to pay attention to or pass on to others, in the next 7 days of your life.

Earlier this week, I wrote a blog on leadership and the cost of a national championship.  At the end of it, I promised you a more in-depth discussion on the subject.

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The Story of Urban Meyer and the parallel story of David Loveless is described in this podcast.

We’ve come to realize that the majority of the stress we’ve carried over the years, was completely of our own making. We had a significant hidden ‘driver’ inside. We needed to prove that those who believed in us were right… and those we perceived didn’t believe in us, were wrong.

Here are three observations we’ve made, when it seems like there is so much to do… and so little time… and enough never seems to be enough.

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What’s the Cost of Winning?

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In the aftermath of last nights National Championship football game, it’s easy to get caught up in the celebration of winning. The celebration of accomplishment. We celebrate the sacrifices of hard work by individuals given to reaching their goal of being called The Best.

In my personal journey, I discovered a little while back that Coach Urban Meyer of Ohio State and I have a a lot in common. Hear me out on this… We both love football and are high-octane achievers. Maybe you are the same. However, we also share this similarity:  We’ve both paid a heavy price for our compulsive obsessions to win. That’s something I hope you don’t have in common with us.

With that in mind, I wanted to share some lessons I’ve learned about the “cost” of winning. Because while I reveled in the celebration of accomplishment like so many others, I was unknowingly setting myself up for disaster. Coach Meyer did the same. If you are a leader or consider yourself to be a high-achiever (or desire to be), I ask that you take a few minutes and consider the lessons both Coach Meyer and I learned. Doing so may prevent you from paying the high cost of winning by showing you a new way to succeed.

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LTP 14- One Skill You Must Have for Better Relationships & It’s Not Listening

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How can you best connect with and inquire about the people in your life? In this podcast episode, David & Caron Loveless discuss the challenge that many of us seem to be bankrupt in, which is our ability to care for and be curious about others, through the questions we ask them.

The power of a good question is that it can encourage and empower all those that we regularly live with, work with, and relate to.

 

To listen to the audio of this podcast, push the above play arrow.

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Here is a brief summary of today’s episode of “The Live True Podcast.”  You can use this as a reference or reminder of key things you feel like you need to pay attention to or pass on to others, in the next 7 days of your life.

Jesus was master question asker. Why?

At the heart of effective living, loving, and leading, is making relational investments.  And one of the best ways is having a curiosity in those relationships where both care and help can be demonstrated.

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Our Top Five Blog Posts You Chose In 2015

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So, how did we do? WordPress.com just sent us their “annual report” for youlivetrue.com and here are some of the cool things they told us about your preferences in 2015:

* The Live True blog was viewed about 17,000 times. The Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. If our blog was a concert at the opera house it would take about 6 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

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* Our busiest day of the year

was April 23rd when we posted your

#1 Most Viewed Blog! 

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Nothing to Prove: Chapter 2: What We Know Now

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The following is an excerpt from our new ebook that is available beginning today.  This book is a a very candid, behind the scenes look, at the journey of transformation that we’ve been on the last several years, and the things we’ve learned that can help change your life as well.

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Chapter 2:  What We Know Now

 

You can never be other than who you are

until you are willing to embrace the reality of who you are.

David Benner

You don’t have to experience a tragedy like ours, or any other failure with a thousand different names, in order to identify the real root of your own internal issues. We hope it won’t come to that. Our purpose in writing this book is to help you avoid some of the ditches in your future if at all possible. Unfortunately, for many of us it often does take a serious trial, illness or loss to break us open enough to see parts of our life that aren’t working so well.