We are the Mighty Men

"We are the Mighty Men" - a poem by John Vakidis

37 men and their Pastor travelled to a foreign land.
To call out the inner warrior, the Mighty Man.

700 husbands and fathers were stoic at first
Until their spirit was stirred and certainly re-birthed.

The Holy Spirit was with us, wherever we went.
Back to Hell is where the Devil was sent.

Chains were broken and hearts were set free.
Men were called to the Kingdom, Warriors they'll be.

Miracles were seen and families were forever transformed.
Backs straightened and lives changed is what we would learn.

My Mighty Men is such an honorable group.
Selfless and not worthy, yet God's chosen troop.

Call us to battle, to the death, to the end.
Each of us warriors, we are the Mighty Men!

- John Vakidis
ELC Warrior forever changed

Ministry Trip

So I'm standing in DFW airport with 40 other men with a cause. These aren't your average men. They aren't even your average men in the church. These men are WARRIORS. They are sold out for Jesus!

These men give their time, their talent and their treasure to advance the Kingdom of God. We are on this trip to minister to men in the Minneapolis and we are happy to do it.

Each one of us at one point in time were broken men. Some have failed in business (more than once). Some have failed in marriage. Some have lost it with their kids. But one thing all of us have in common is that we have been restored by Jesus.

Don't get me wrong, we still struggle, we sometimes miss the mark, but we are all striving to be better men... for our families, for our communities, for ourselves and most importantly for God.

God wants us as men to "get it." He has blessed us with all that we have ever hoped for if we simply live out His word. If we connect with him daily, dive into the bible, study the word with other men who get it, we can too.

If you have been struggling in life, I would imagine that it is probably one of two things:

1. Your Alignment
2. You've been trying to do it alone

Let's explore those for a moment.

ALIGNMENT
It's a BIG deal. As my pastor says, " Your alignment determines your assignment." Think about that for a moment. Have you had it reversed trying to figure out your assignment and then who too help you achieve that goal?

Take the time to align yourself with Godly men and watch your life change. I'm not saying don't ever talk to friends who aren't Christian. You might be in their life to lead them to Christ. What I am saying (and God is too) is that if you want to attain wisdom, wealth and peace, seek the men in the church who have these things. Serve with them. Study with them. Spend time with them. Being around greatness will allow you to become great too!

DOING IT ALONE
This doesn't work either. Can a student learn without a teacher? Can iron sharpen itself or does it need another piece of iron or an anvil to become stronger. We at ELC like to say find your3. If you have 3 strong men in your life that you can call loft anything, you can make it through anything you are dealing with. The Navy SEALS have a saying, "Two are one. One is none."

There are certain things your wife can't help you with and shouldn't. A man can talk to you in a way with authority that your wife might not be able to. Get around some warriors and they will call you out when you need it.

As I wrap this post up, I am excited for this weekend and The Mighty Men of ELC. More importantly, I'm excited for the men that we will be ministering to. If they an get it, everyone in their lives will be better for it!

Believing God's Best for You! - John


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Traveling with the Mighty Men

God's Love

With today being Valentine's Day, society will bombard us with advertising about flowers, chocolates and greeting cards. While I think it is important to recognize and acknowledge your love for those close to you, I think it is also important to think daily about how God loves us.

Knowing that God loves you brings comfort to your heart, brings confiendece to puff out your chest and it teaches us that we are here on earth to love on each other. As a man, I understand how some men have issues discussing love... to their wives, their children and it's even harder to say "Love you" to another man. Not for me.

I was fortunate to have a father that showed me his love openly. He would kiss me, give me a big hug and even say, "I love you" to me in public or in front of my high school freinds. He knew that life was short and it was never to late to express his love for me. Those are the moments I will cherish forever.

That's how God's love is for you! He is always there for you... in public or private. It's never too late for you to tell Him that you love him, too. I am confident that God smiles each time we express our love to Him.

Today, I want to let you know that God loves you. Take a moment to enjoy this video below:

How He loves us - by David Crowder

Loving Him always,
John Vakidis

LIVE YOUR CODE

On February 24, 2012 a new movie titled Act of Valor will be released in theaters. This film was directed using active Navy Seals as the actors. While this is just a fiction movie and not a documentary, the types of scenarios that these men endure are real. Within the movie, their code is imbedded throughout. Real life lessons are there for us to learn from and apply in our walk of life.

As Christians, we need to make sure we are also living as elite warriors, much like the Navy Seals. We need to make sure we are always ready to fight the good fight and die for what we stand for. “Until you put your life into the context of war, you will miss 95% of what happens to you.”

“Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare for war; stir up the mighty men; let all men of war draw near, let them come up.” - Joel 3:9

In October of 2011, at Elevate Life’s Ultimate Warrior Conference, we were blessed to have Jeff Bramstedt, Navy Seal, Ret., share the stage with our Pastor and a group of other retired Seals. These men shared stories of their past and linked them to their faith as Christian men. It was one of the most inspiring days of my lives and for many other men that I know.

I was recently introduced to a new website http://www.lifeofvalor.com/ that has excerpts from the new movie and footage of 2 Seals, Jeff Bramstedt and Clint Bruce, narrating what it means to live a Life of Valor. Below are my notes and I dare you to walk with me on this journey of life to live your life by this code:

· Loyalty
· Honesty
· Sacrifice
· Discipline
· Integrity
· Courage
· Self-Control

TRAIN RELENTLESSLY
“Relentless training makes men run into a firefight, not away from it.”
We need to train daily. We need to dive into the word. We need to pray for our families and for our church. We need to surround ourselves by other warriors so that we, can sharpen one another.

YOU NEED A TEAM
“Stick together as a team, you live. Go it alone, you die. It’s that simple.”
We need high expectations for the men in the church. We need self-accountability and team accountability from those in our circle… our THREE. So I ask you… “WHO are your THREE?”

DEMAND MORE OF YOUSELF AND OTHER MEN AROUND YOU
We need high expectations for the men in the church. When you see a man fall, don’t gossip about him or call him out publicly. Go to him, lift him up. Support him and together, you will both be better for it.

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS
PREPARE. PLAN. ACT.

FACE YOUR FAILURE
Admitting your failures to others gives you strength. It also allows others to learn from your past. Don’t forget to share your success, too. Others can learn from the pattern that helped you succeed.

I hope that today’s post has inspired you to consider the life you’re living. You need to think about the path you are headed towards. Are you “following the shoreline” or are you getting tossed around by the waves?

If you are living a life that God wants for you, then you can “Live your life that the fear of death cannot enter your heart.”

Striving to live by the code,
John Vakidis

Trust - The Key to all Relationships

As author of this blog, I am compelled to share what I feel is truth and what I feel can make a difference in your life. In addition to writing this blog, I also maintain a blog for my profession. I work for FranklinCovey, the global consulting and training leader in the areas of strategy execution, customer loyalty, leadership and individual effectiveness. Clients include 90 percent of the Fortune 100, more than 75 percent of the Fortune 500, thousands of small- and mid-sized businesses, as well as numerous government entities and educational institutions. FranklinCovey provides professional services in over 140 countries.

One of our fastest growing leadership offerings is around content based on the best-selling book by Stephen M.R. Covey, The Speed of Trust. This is a must-read for all leaders who want to have more influence with their team and organization and to do business faster for less cost.

Order this book online here

A colleague of mine and consultant for FranklinCovey, Dr. Todd Wangsgard, recently wrote a 3-week series based on this content. Below are links to each post from the series:

· Post 1 Trust - The Key to Confidence
· Post 2 Relationship Trust and Your Behavior
· Post 3 Organizational Trust - Alignment

I highly recommend that you take a moment to read these posts. I think everyone can learn something from this content!

I also challenge you to begin your efforts of increasing trust in your life to begin with trusting the Lord. God’s word has a very specific plan for us. If we follow the patterns he has laid out for us, we will receive his promise. “Understand the Plan, Follow the Pattern, Receive the Promise” - Keith Craft.

So take some time to dive into the word. Join a bible study or a book study and see how God’s word can change your life! As of today, I have about 5 seats open for a 7 week book study that begins on February 7th: 7 Habits for Highly Effective Men.

Go online and register or contact me to learn more about the details. Download a PDF invitation here.

Strengthening families one man at a time,
John Vakidis

Becoming a Mighty Man

This morning I was privileged to be invited to join my Pastor, Keith Craft, and approximately 300 men from our church. We began our morning with a healthy breakfast of steel cut oats, fresh fruit and juice (as we are currently on a fast). Next, we kicked off with praise and there is something to be said about hearing 300 men “sold out” for God praise Him with such passion and honor.

After praise, we were blessed to hear a great word about how to become a Mighty Man. Pastor related to David and his Mighty men. David would not be able to accomplish what he did as a king without having men that had a heart for him and men he could call on for anything at any time.

Without giving away the whole session, here are a few points that stood out for me. A Mighty Man is…

… one who embraces resistance
… obedient to the unenforceable
… is loyal
… courageous

Being a mighty man requires to have an honorable spirit first. Without honor, being obedient, loyal and courageous is not sustainable.

As a man, do you have 3 men you can call right now about your most pressing problems? Will they stop what they are doing to come aid you to see you succeed? If not, maybe you should become a mighty man so you can be align yourself with other mighty men. Greatness invites greatness!

Consider visiting some of my other posts: HONOR, FELLOWSHIP, WARRIOR and others. Also, check out the pages: GET CONNECTED, RESOURCES and EVENTS. I pray that God speaks to you and you are able to take something from this site to become a better man, live a better life and find proper alignment.

Be Mighty!
- John Vakidis

Starting off with a Positive Spirit

How do you start your mornings? Are you like most people, with a cup of coffee? Don't get me wrong, I drink coffee too, but it isn't the caffiene that kick starts my day. It's my morning ritual that helps me start my day with a positive spirit.

I say this outloud...


"This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice in all that it brings and be glad in it. I can do all things through Christ who stregthens me. Good Morning, Precious!"

All of us have thoughts racing through our heads, some controllable and some not. It's important to be intentional and kick start your day with a positive attitude. With this message deeply rooted in your spirit, there is nothing that you can't accomplish. Knowing that allows you to walk with #CONFIDENCE out into the world and guess what? Good people want to be around people like that!

My pastor, @KeithCraft says, "It's your alignment that determines your assignment."

But before the #ALIGNMENT comes a right way of thinking and a positive attitude.

Believing God's Best for You!
- John Vakidis

Giving Praise

Well, today marks day 2 of our 21 day fast at ELC. If you are fasting and praying, I want to also encourage you to give praise. My cousin, Amy, posted this video on Facebook yesterday and it inspired me to share with you, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

HALLELUJAH - 4 top singers from Norway combine a beautiful version of Hallelujah

Giving Him Praise and all of the Glory,
John Vakidis

TENACITY

Today marks Day 1 of a 21 day fast for me and many others at Elevate Life Church. Over the next 3 weeks, we will be giving up certain foods and over that time, we will be challenged internally to give up. I write these words today as encouragement to those that have made this commitment.

I encourage you to have a Tenacious Spirit. Here are a few quotes for inspiration…

“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.”
- Louis Pasteur

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure , the process is its own reward.”
- Amelia Earhart

“I know of no such unquestionable badge and ensign of a sovereign mind as that of tenacity of purpose...”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let NO THING get in the way of you and your goal! I have faith that you will succeed!

Praying for HIS strength for you!
- John Vakidis

#TENACITY

INCREASE

This weekend was my church’s 12-Year Anniversary. Each year Pastor Keith Craft gives us a word a prophesizes over our congregation. This year in 2012, that word is INCREASE!

In a brief summary, Pastor let us know that Increase …

.. is the Way of God (Deuteronomy 1:10-11)
… is the Will of God (Isaiah 9:7)
… is the Want of God (1 Corinthians 2: 6-10)

God wants us to have Increase because He wants us to be greater. He wants us to take dominion over the earth and He wants us to live rich, abundant lives. By following His word, we can have Increase in our family, our finances, our relationships, our work and just about every other aspect of our lives.

I stand in agreement with Pastor Keith and the members of Elevate Life Church that 2012 will be our year of INCREASE. I believe that this can be a great year for you as well. Simply follow God’s word, get aligned with right-living people, get connected and you will see Increase in your life!

Believing God’s Best for You!
- John Vakidis

Man Up

As a man, it's hard to admit our mistakes. Even worse, it's harder to admit to your spouse. As the new year came about, I've been consumed in projects and I've been a little over stressed.

To say the least, my attitude has needed an adjustment. So, as the author of this blog, I also admit that I too need correction and direction from time to time. So, without further adieu, it's time for me to Man Up!

Caren, I'm sorry! Thanks for correcting me and making me better. I took a vow to serving you and I owe you more. I love you, appreciate you and I will improve. Looking forward to better days. Love you, babe!

I've had this quote floating in my head today, and it hits the nail on the head, so here goes..."Your attitude is the hinge of the door that your destiny swings on." - Pastor Keith Craft

So, men, if you owe your wife an apology, don't be afraid to Man Up!

All the best!

- John Vakidis

Increasing Favor

Recently, my Pastor Keith Craft spoke at Lakewood Church in Houston over the New Year weekend. He spoke about "How to Increase in Favor." In order to receive favor in your life, he taught that we must first live with a merciful heart. When we do that, this leads to showing honor to those around us.

When we live with mercy and honor in the forefront of our thoughts and actions, we receive build a path towards receiving God's favor.If would like to learn more, consider going online to www.elevatelife.com and watch the recorded podcast.Believing that 2012 will be a year of Increase and Favor for you!

Honoring Him,
John Vakidis

FELLOWSHIP

Today could not have started any better.  It was 6 o’clock and my wife said, “Wake up honey… it’s 6!”  Usually on Saturday mornings I am up at 5:30.  I overslept because last night we had a group of men in my home for fellowship and UFC and I didn’t get to bed until midnight.  Thanks to my loving wife, I made the last men’s breakfast gathering of 2011.

See, we meet regularly as the Mighty Men of Elevate Life Church.  Other Christian men from other churches join us, too (photo below).  If you are not currently attending a church in the area, then we invite you to join us anyway.  We gather for fellowship, learning, growth, support and we are building warriors, one man at a time.  We are strengthening families, building leaders for local businesses and we are constructing our legacies one day at a time.

This morning, we wrapped up our last bible study session of a great book by Jack Graham, titled, Man of God - Study Guide Edition.  In the back of the book, Pastor Graham poses thought provoking questions like this one:

Pg. 252 - Lesson Eleven - Sharing our Lord, Our Light and Our Labor

Question 3: Suppose that someone who claims not to be a Christian were to ask you, “What do you people mean when you talk about fellowship?”  How would you answer?

This was a great conversation starter for our group.  Men were discussing things like servant leading together, doing a book study (like this one), watching fights together and going to movies, etc.  The one distinguishing difference that sets us apart from our old selves and Christians is that when we “do fellowship” together, we are mindful that we are seeking God in the process while we are together.  We look for the opportunities to bring up a theme from a movie and tie it to scripture or we take a moment to pray together over a tough issue we are facing.  We go to battle for one another whenever the moment calls for it.  We use our “gifts” together and elevate the atmosphere we are in regardless of what we are doing.  It is these aspects of fellowship that set us apart as Christians.  We aren’t just hanging out… wasting time.  We are making time great because of the light we seek… and share.

I can’t say enough how much I have benefited from doing fellowship with these mighty men for over a year now.  Because of this alignment, 2011 was a year that challenged my thoughts, it allowed me to grow, to develop others and to build strong, enduring relationships with other “like-minded men” that will last a lifetime.

Today, we had a man describe how important it was for him to have this type of alignment.  See we tell our men that each of us need 3 men in our lives that we can call on … anytime … about anything.  Most men I know really don’t even have one true friend that will be there for them (without judgement).  This man went on to explain that 2011 was extremely challenging for him and his family.  He went on to explain that had he not had these 3 men in his life that he would probably be in jail or worse.

If you are alone on island, like Tom Hanks in Castaway, and catch yourself talking to inanimate objects from time to time, it’s time to man up.  You need to admit that you need Jesus in your life and that you are weak without other strong men in your life.  I challenge you to seek out other men that will sharpen you like steel on an anvil.  I pray that 2012 will be a year of favor and blessings for you.  I can only hope it is filled with good health, prosperity and divine alignment.

Believing God’s BEST for you!

John Vakidis

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WARRIOR

My last two posts HONOR and LEGACY were perfect segues to today’s post about being a WARRIOR.  According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary online, the definition of Warrior is:

         a man engaged or experienced in warfare;

         broadly: a person engaged in some struggle or conflict.

As a Christian man, I know what it means to struggle or be in a conflict.  Every day, I struggle with my old self.  I remember what I was like before I was born again.  I know the commitment I made to God when he saved me.  I know that fighting the good fight is an honorable act and I know that fighting for my legacy is worth fighting for… even dying for.

As Christians, we are at war every day.  Society is watching us and they are waiting for us to fail.  They want to point out our faults to us.  They want to post them on Facebook and mock us.  Regardless of our faults, we STAND and rise again. 

When we fail, we must forgive ourselves.  Jesus has already died for every possible sin we could ever commit, yet many of us get lost in our past and we think it dictates our future.  Well I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t.  We all will face a battle someday.  Some of us will face more than others.  Regardless, it doesn’t mean you have to lose the war.  It’s time for Christian men to RISE… to lead themselves… their families… their co-workers… their communities. 

I’m not sure who said this first, but the following quote is one that I think of often: “Until you put your life into the context of war, you will miss 95% of what happens to you.”

Last night I had the pleasure of watching the movie, Warrior, directed by Gavin O’Connor.  It’s about two men that have come through some rough family battles and are deeply scared.  Through their journey of life, they both end up in an MMA tournament fighting each other in the finals.  The twist is that they are brothers.  There are some great themes to the movie like bravery, adversity, tenacity and more.

There are also some great lines and scenes.  One of my favorites was…

Coach says to fighter, “You can do this.  Now let me hear you say it.”

Fighter says to coach, “I can do this.”

Fighter’s shirt in tournament says, SIMPLY BELIEVE.

Half of the battles that we fight are in our minds.  We battle guilt, doubt, uncertainty and other voices from messages spoken over us by parents, teachers and family & so-called friends.  Well, I’m here to tell you that God is speaking to you NOW.  He wants you to hear you say, “I can do this.” 

He wants you to BELIEVE in Him.  While belief is important, faith without action is dead.  God needs you to put on your wraps, put on your gloves, train hard, be prepared for battle and have faith that you will have victory.  When He sees that commitment to you he will show you great works in your life. 

Now it’s up to you decide what is worth fighting for.  Are you struggling at work?  Are you estranged for your children?  Are you divorced?  Are you overcoming some sort of addiction?  Are you alone? 

Well, here is the good news.  There are other men out there that will STAND with you… men that will teach you, support you and lift you up.  They will be there with you even when the fight is hard (and it will be).  All you need to do is make the commitment to fight the good fight and then CONNECT.

When I think of some of the greatest warriors on the planet, I realize that even they didn’t do it alone.  Someone had to teach them their skill.  We can learn new attitudes and skills to implement into our lives.  Being around the right people (ALIGNMENT) is key, so make sure to connect with other godly men regularly.  If you have other friends that are choosing a different lifestyle, then pace yourself in the times you choose to be around them.  Consider servant leading, attending a bible study group or home team.  If you aren’t doing these things yet, then commit to it for 2012.  If you can, do all three.  There is real power in combining these aspects of connection and I know they can change your life for the better.  If you are not attending a church yet, then I invite you to mine Elevate Life Church in Frisco, TX.  If you want to understand what it takes to be a warrior, then give our church a year.  I promise you will get it by then.

I wish you a great 2012 that includes personal growth and development and solid relationship with other like-minded men.

In your corner,

John R. Vakidis

PS - if you haven’t seen the movie, Warrior, yet, then I highly recommend picking it up at Blockbuster to inspire you for the coming year.  Click here to watch a trailer on YouTube.

LEGACY

A good friend of mine, Scott Bailey, has these two simple words in his email signature, Honor & Legacy.  In my last post, HONOR, I mentioned that beginning your thoughts with honor in mind will often dictate your future actions.  I also believe that “thinking” LEGACY will also create a similar effect. 

When I think about the legacy that I want to leave… with my child, in my work, at my church, etc., I tend to give my best at the task in hand.  By taking a selfless attitude and thinking about the future outcome, I put things into an eternal perspective.  Stephen R. Covey coined the phrase “Beginning with the End in Mind” (read Habit 2 in the book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.)  I do my best to live by this principle and it has always served me well.

As a parent, I often think about my son and the legacy I want to leave for him.  I was recently challenged to think about leaving a legacy for his children … and their children.  The longer perspective we take dictates the more careful of a choice we need to make.  As a Christian man, I will teach “legacy-living” to my son.  I can only pray that he receives this wisdom, and passes it on to his children.  If I do this, then my legacy will live on.

Keep in mind that your legacy can take several forms: love, patience, generosity, etc.  My father has been gone for 9 years now.  One legacy he left for me was a strong work ethic.  By teaching this at an early age, he instilled this in me and it has paid dividends for me in my work career.  This is a legacy that I plan to teach to my son as well, among many others.

With today being Christmas Eve, my wife and I are teaching our 3 year old son about the “reason for the season.”  She spent this morning with him baking Jesus a birthday cake and this evening we will read him a book about the miracle of his birth.  We are thankful for the legacy that our Heavenly Father left for us and will pass this message on to our son.

I hope this post will get you thinking about legacy and being intentional with your future actions.  May your CHRISTmas be filled with God’s favor and great times with family!

Sincerely,

John R. Vakidis

HONOR

One definition of honor is “honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions.” When I think of honor, I typically think of our US Armed Forces or maybe a movie like Gladiator.



#HONOR is a principle thing! It begins with your heart. You need to think about, “What do you value and cherish?” Here are some starter questions to get you thinking…

· Do you appreciate the life that God has given you? How are you taking care of your health?
· Do you value your relationship with your wife? Does she see this through your actions?
· Do you cherish your children? Do you speak words of encouragement over them daily?
· Do you value the income you receive from your employer? Do you give your job your best?

When you honor God and others you do relationship with, you will begin to THINK differently. It is an elevated way of thinking and when you begin with honor, you make different choices and end up with different outcomes than when you don’t.

If you are grateful for what you have, then you should show honor with your words and actions in all that you do. If you behave this way regularly, it becomes part of your DNA. Your wife will see you as a different man, your children will be grateful they have you as your father, your boss will see you as a different kind of employee and God will see your heart is aligned with His.

In this week ahead, you are surely to be busy preparing for Christmas and time with your family and friends. In these special moments, make sure to glorify Jesus (showing honor) and celebrating the real “reason for the season.” When you have some intimate time with someone you love or appreciate, let them know with a kind gesture, gift or even a card. Make time to honor those around you and see the blessings in your life unfold.

Believing God’s Best for You!
- John R. Vakidis

ELEVATE

As my first post, I want to show #HONOR and quote my Pastor, Keith Craft, “If you elevate your thinking and you will elevate your life.” While this sounds simple, it is quite profound. EVERYTHING we do begins with the way we think. Capturing your thoughts and controlling your attitude will determine your destiny.

I am looking forward to posting more quotes, articles, videos and more. At this point, I have 2 other pages developed: Introduction and Get Connected. More pages and posts will be coming soon.

If you would like to make comments on blog posts, you’ll have to become a member. If you want to connect outside of the blog, I can be found on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Begin to elevate your thinking and see what happens next. I can guarantee you that things can only get better!

God bless,
John R. Vakidis