Does God find us faithful?

Lyrics of song 'Find us faithful' may give us some answers:

For listening to the song, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRK2Y1cZaME&feature=player_embedded

We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

REPEAT CHORUS

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

The power of life story telling

Telling a person’s life story is building a bridge between his (or her) past and future. Better still, if he can integrate his own life story into a macro story e.g. that of a group, organization, country, world,….God’s story.

The telling process can help the story teller:

-to recall more clearly his past endeavours and reflect upon them

-to understand himself better : passions, strengths and weaknesses, life goals, etc.

-to relieve himself from psychological obstacles

-to see more clearly visions for doing forward planning

-to increase self-motivation and faith needed for moving forward

The life story telling process can reflect a person’s values, character, thoughts and life styles.

It can work well with personal counselling or life coaching, if done on a one-to-one basis. If conducted in a group process, it can also facilitate mutual empowerment and learning. Questions and answers subsequent to a story just told can be very inspirational; it can even help the story teller to understand himself better.

Organisations have also used the story telling approach to implement participative management: enabling employees to participate in learning from the past and drafting the future story of their own organisation together, leading it to a brighter future. This is an enhancement to corporate planning.

In future postings, a 4-stage approach to telling a life story, a structured way to guide the thoughts of the teller, will be introduced. The dynamics of how life stories are told by each member of a group (called REST Group *) will also be described.

(*) Communications with the group leader is welcome, through email to Dr Charles Lam (charles155@gmail.com)

From Rotten Management to Renewal Management 從壞鬼管理到更新管理

Course leader : Dr Charles Lam 林錦華博士

Sessions : 2, 9, 16, 23 March 2010 (Tuesdays), from 2.30 to 5.00 p.m.

Enquiry : Tel: 852-27857688 (Ms Chik); email : info@christiantimes.org.hk

上課地址：九龍油麻地彌敦道476號優質教育集團中心11樓 「時代論壇」（油麻地地鐵站C出口）

Course Introduction:

Amid unpredictable and winding changes of this era, we often receive shocking messages about mis-management of organisations, industries and communities. What we have seen from the Financial Tsunami could be just the tip of an iceberg. Have all managers, with their nice tools of management, entered a maze and cannot get out? Or are doctors admitting that they can’t even heal themselves? Frankly, if wise decisions are hard to find, but only worldly currents and their followers, what hope do we have to see salt and light on earth?

The speaker from his previous advisory and regulatory experiences (for the government) , and his research studies (in academia) , has chosen four important areas to explore, with the hope of finding a way out from this ‘lost’ situation.

(1) teamwork and leadership—from power conflicts, ‘the blind leading the blind’ to people-based management, character building and synergy achievement

(2) knowledge management—from data/information management to knowledge management; from ‘instant noodle’ decisions to ‘action learning’ and ‘second loop learning’

(3) strategic planning—from linear short-sightedness to dynamic helicopter viewing; from numbers-driven efficiency to balanced effectiveness; from ad hoc success to good story writing

(4) change management —from stagnant-conservative style to paradigm shifts; from encouraging hustle and bustle to restful renewal; from dangerous driving to wise controls

課程簡介:

在這彎曲世代的變幻中，時常收到關於組織、行業、地區腐敗管理的訊息。近期的金融海嘯, 也可能只是冰山一角。我們是否已進入管理「大迷失」時期, 或者接受了「身不由己」? 管理人如果不作明智抉擇, 盲目跟風, 便不能作光作鹽。講者從他的監管、諮詢經驗, 和管理學研究中, 選擇了四個重要領域來探究, 嘗試尋找出路。

(1) 團隊與領導—從玩弄權力、衝突、「盲領盲」…到以人為本、建立品格、追求協同

(2) 知識管理--從資料、資訊到知識; 從「即食式」處理到「行動」及「第二環」學習

(3) 策略計劃—從單向短視到動態鳥瞰; 從數字主導到平衡果效; 從偶然成就到寫好故事

(4) 變革管理—從停滯保守到範式轉換; 從鼓勵拼搏到得息得力; 從駕駛失控到明確監控

Life coaching: love if not appreciated becomes a nuisance

A man’s daughter and her boyfriend want to ride a boat to explore the sea. But they do not know that the boat is in a poor condition and that they are not well prepared for the sea which could become rough any time.

The father tells the daughter and her boyfriend to check the boat carefully first and to make adequate preparations for facing uncertainties. “At least, make sure that the navigation system is working properly”, the father says. The lovers are irritated as they see that their joy and excitement are being quenched. She tells her father, “We do not fear, because we know God will protect and guide us.”

The father, who has gone through rough seas in his life, speaks again out of love, “I am not against your plan to ride together, but don’t you think you are making an important decision too quickly, out of emotion?” She answers, “We can decide for ourselves and know our timing best.” The lovers then ignore the father and start to pack for their journey meaningful to them.

I hope that the above story will develop in a way the three persons and God are happy with.

As a reader, you may appreciate the difficulty in facing similar conflicts—a child shouts loudly at her mother : “you don’t love me!” when she can’t eat as much chocolates as she wants; a teenager quarrels or even fights with his parent because he is not allowed to play his computer games before finishing his homework; etc. Love-driven guidance is often seen as a barrier to their freedoms.

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers. (Prov. 24:3-6). However, life coaching will be difficult if the parties involved do not view the ‘coaching-coached’ relationship the same way.

Jesus says, "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32). It is my hope that persons involved in a coaching process is based on such truth, or else, love could be seen as a nuisance.

Written by Charles

email : charles155@gmail.com

twitter : twitter.com/charles155

「有長遠計劃與沒有長遠計劃」的分別

親愛的弟兄姊妹及主內朋友：
最近看到一套電視節目由澳門學者談澳門過去的500 年，從鑄造大炮、造船、海
上保鏢、販賣鴉片、手工業至今天的賭業的發展，他們也與香港的發展作一比較，不可
避免地也談到在回歸前葡萄牙人統治澳門與英國人統治香港的分別，他們的見解是：葡
人沒有長遠的計劃，只是迎合當地的社會環境，隨波逐流地統治了澳門幾百年。反之，
英人在統治香港時有一套較長遠的計劃，把香港打造成一個國際金融及航運中心。
自70 年代，中國亦有遠見地推行改革開放政策，經過幾十年已見成效，成為當今
具有舉足輕重的世界地位，港澳地區也因此而得福。
在今年的尾聲中，我們都會回顧過去的成敗，成功在哪裡？失敗在哪裡？在檢討
的過程中，我們不難察覺「有長遠計劃與沒有長遠計劃」的分別，謀事在人，成事在天，
仍是我們定事的準則，神賜人有聰明智慧，亦有自由意志，若能掌握計劃與時機，再加
上上帝的祝福，是可使人成功的，這是千篇一律的大道理，人的計劃與機遇是要我們掌
握的，有了計劃，又有了機遇，再加上上帝的祝福與人的堅忍精神配合，大事必可成！
再看中國的民間勵志故事：愚公移山，鐵柱磨成針。亦再一次肯定在一年之始我
們要作個計劃，人生才沒有浪費，生活過得更有意義。
.......願我們忘記背後，努力面前，在主裡訂好我們明年的人生計劃，在神的引領下，踏進成功
的一年。
主內
文謙上
12月29日
願作一線光，人間雨
Email: melvyn@godbless.hk

Life story telling to inspire the next generation

Dr Charles Lam is conducting (in December 2009) a four-session course held at Christian Times (時代論壇) as follows:

Course title: Life story telling to inspire the next generation

Are you concerned about your children, relatives, students or your‘sheep’ who are currently lost in the rapidly changing environments? Seeing that they are weak, short-sighted, insensitive to threats and unable to manage themselves, what more could you do than being compassionate and praying anxiously for them? In order to get away from a difficult situation, apart from giving whatever encouragement that is needed, we should give each one of them a ‘map’and a ‘compass’, so that he/she can walk his/her life path with a clear direction and faith.

Telling the life story of oneself (or of another person) is an effective and lively way to communicate and inspire in the process of life planning and management. Typically, a life story consists of four stages : (1) records of development and achievements so far (2) analysis of reasons for what have happened and reflection on feelings, which call for change (3) paradigm shifts in a person’s value system, which lead to inside-out changes (4) action planning --setting concrete objectives and targets and preparing for steering.

The speaker will apply modern management concepts and models and real-life situations during the teaching. He is currently leading a life story-driven group called REST.

課程名稱 : 用講生命故事來啓發下一代

發覺你所關心的子女、親人、學生或「羊」正在變幻環境中迷失嗎? 見到他們的軟弱、短視、缺乏危機感和自我管理能力, 你除了傷心、着急和為他們禱告外, 還有什麼方法呢? 走出困境, 除了在個別處境激勵外, 還要有「地圖」、「指南針」, 給他們方向、策略和信心去走人生路。講述自己(或他人)的生命故事是一個有效而生動的溝通方法, 因而啓發生涯策劃。故事的四個階段是 : (1)「起」--故事的發展 (開始、轉捩點) 和 成績 (回顧成、敗、得、失) (2)「乘」--分析在發展中的感受和環境關係, 是「轉」的呼聲 (3) 「轉」--心意更新, 準備變革 : 什麽是成功、事業、投資與回報、豐盛等 (4) 「合」-- 面對挑戰, 續步向標桿跑, 做個好司機。

講者會用管理思維、模式、真實個案講解。他現今帶領由生命故事主導的小組。

俠義江湖 : 突破人生困局的智慧

Course that I recently taught at a theology college at Calgary, Canada

*課程日期：2009年10月1日—10月29日

*時間：晚上7:30—9:30共五堂

*內容：
-從舊約實例學習應用登山寶訓啟示的人生智慧
-包括有效批判思考 (critical thinking),解難能力(problem solving) 及 生命故事(life story)
-討論真實個案, 突破工作, 學業、事奉或家庭的困局

*講師：區保其博士--多年港加職場, 大學講師及教會事奉經驗; Ambrose 神學院畢業; 主恩學院義務講師

*嘉賓講員: 林錦華博士-- 多年任職政府及港加機構, 並任教於多間英、美及香港的大學及機構; 香港資深職場培訓導師及生命教練

*對象 : 雖然本課程為基督徒設計, 但也歡迎所有人仕旁聽及參予討論

*主辦 : 主恩學院學院 (www.chrestoscollege.org)