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| |  | Michael Fox CPCC,
founder of m�agine!,
is a professional
coach and trainer,
author and creative artist, whose work has been featured throughout
the world.
Michael is a
Certified Practitioner
of the
Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator.�
Do you know someone
who might benefit
from our weekly email?
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In the house where I dwell,
I have a box--actually, a steamer trunk--
filled with personal treasures.
Within the box there are photos, newspaper articles, baseball memorabilia, report cards, awards, notes of encouragement, and more. You can learn a lot about me from the contents of my steamer trunk. Each piece is an expression of a deeply held, personal and compelling passion, values as innate and familiar as the very breath that animates my flesh: home and humor, creativity and connection. Indeed, these are the stuff that animate my soul.
In the house where God dwelled, in the tabernacle of old,
he had a box--actually, the Ark of the Covenant--
filled with personal treasures.
Within the box there were the tables of stones upon which God inscribed the Ten Commandments, a golden pot filled with manna, and Aaron's staff that blossomed. You can learn a lot about God from the contents of his Ark of the Covenant. Each piece was an expression of a deeply held, personal and compelling passion of God himself. Consider the contents of God's Ark and the values they represent:
First, the Ark of God contained the tables of stone. The Ten Commandments were more than arbitrary laws restricting the behavior of Israel. They were the prescriptive articulation of what Jesus would later call the "foremost" and "second" commands: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart...soul...mind and...strength" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:28-31*; cf. Matthew 22:40). The tables of stone established the parameters of God's covenantal relationship with Israel and thus represented God's value around covenant and "covenant faithfulness," "lovingkindness," "mercy" (all possible translations of the Hebrew, chesed)--all the more profound given these stone tables were copies of shattered originals. (But, that's a story for another time.)
Second, the Ark of God contained a portion of manna, a perishable foodstuff--that appeared with the morning dew; that resembled the hoarfrost in size and the coriander seed in color; that could be baked into sweet cakes--preserved in a golden pot. The manna represented God's value around daily provision for his people while they lived as nomads in the wilderness.
Third, the Ark of God contained Aaron's staff that blossomed when Korah challenged the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Imagine yourself walking through palettes of lumber at Home Depot, when you spy a two-by-four that has sprouted branches and leaves, blossoms and fruit! Aaron's staff that blossomed represented nothing less than resurrection and, therefore, God's value around the hope of new creation.
Covenant faithfulness, daily provision for his people, the hope of new creation. These are the stuff that animates God.
Are you familiar with the God revealed among the treasures of the Ark of the Covenant? Or are you surprised by the values that show up?
Do you have a treasure box? What would it look like to peruse your treasures and to "unpack" the common values they represent?
Are you familiar with the "you" revealed among your treasures? Or are you surprised by the values that show up?
* The first four of the Ten Commandments
* amplified the "foremost" command (love God).
* The final six amplified the "second" command (love neighbor). |
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Michael Fox
m�agine!
530/613.2774
407 Myrtle Drive
Farmerville, LA, USA 71241 |
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In addition to personal and professional coaching,
m�agine! specializes in spiritual transformation coaching,
employing its proprietary models
--Values, Vision, Voice and Heart, Soul, Mind & Strength--
as well as
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator� curriculum
published by CPP, the People Development People.
Michael's books include
Complete in Christ,
Complete in Christ Spiritual Transformation Workbook,
and Biblio�files.
Coaching fees are based upon a sliding scale. Contact us for details.
For additional information, visit our website at maginethepossibilities.net.
Limited scholarships are available for spiritual transformation coaching.
On the flip side, if you are able, please inquire about opportunities
to fund scholarships for those who cannot afford coaching fees.
View our archives!
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