I'd like to think I'm a pretty positive, affirming, glass-half-full kind of person.  I'd like to think I see the good in people and situations.  I'd like to think I am optimistic about life and try to help others be the same.  You probably hope you are like this as well, right?  At the start of this new year, one of my hopes is that I would be more positive and complain less.  This type of goal is different than losing weight or having some type of financial goal because it's all about my attitude and mouth.  I can't blame what comes out of my mouth on a slow metabolism!

A few years ago I had lunch with the director of the United Way of Henry County.  We knew each other pretty well and he started telling me about this book he had read and how much difference it had made in his life.  It was called, A Complaint Free World  by Will Bowen.  The author was a pastor of a small church in Kansas City who led his church in a challenge to complain less.  The book tells this amazing story of a church that decided they would complain less.  The United Way director wanted to try to make this a county-wide initiative.  Unfortunately, not every one was on board.  Business owners and company directors felt if they offered this at work, employees would think that management feels they are a bunch of complainers.  They thought the idea was great but balked at implementing it.  He asked me if churches would want to get on board with this since it originated in a church.

So, we did!  I talked about it in church and we gave out silicone wrist bands to help people complain less.  The idea was that whenever you complained, you would switch the band to the other wrist.  The goal was to try to go a day without switching the band and then two days and ultimately 30 days without complaining.  It was really funny to hear how some people coped with the challenge.  One person said, "I have decided that when I complain, I'll just do it twice and then I can keep the band on the same wrist."  Another person showed up at the church within a week asking for a new band.  "I broke it already.  I complain a lot."  They got a new band, started to leave and then came back, "You might as well give me two more.  This is going to be a struggle." 

I thought I would do okay because as I said, I'd like to think I'm a pretty positive person.  Boy, was I wrong.  The band helped me become aware of how often I complain.  Much of our small talk is complaining.  "It's too cold."  "It's too hot."  "It's a beautiful day out today but you know it won't last."  We complain about our country, complain about traffic, complain about the check-out lines, and complain about how we feel.  We complain about how much other people complain!  Bowen says that complaining is our national pastime and I can't disagree with him!

We all know the Bible talks a lot about complaining.  The Israelites turned it into an art form while they were in the wilderness.  Philippians 2:14 says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing."  "Everything" includes more than just the easy things or the fun stuff.  It's.....EVERYTHING!!

With this new role and ministry that God has led me into, it has been challenging.  Moving, learning to live in a new community, meeting new people, learning new leadership styles, and trying to figure out priorities--these are all challenges.  And it's easy to talk about those rather than give God glory for the blessings He has provided to me.  At times I find myself trying to tell funny stories about things that go wrong.  That's a form of complaining and focusing on the problem rather than the answer that God provides.

God gave the Israelites manna to eat every day.  He protected their shoes and clothes so they wouldn't wear out.  He cared for them and yet they still focused on what they didn't have and complained.  God has blessed me in so many incredible ways and the list of prayers he has answered for me is off the charts.  How ungrateful I am when I complain.  So, I'm making a conscious effort to complain less.  This is one of my 2016 goals.  If you hear me complaining, I give you permission to call me out on it.  I'm asking God to help me make it through the rest of today complaint-free so we'll see how it goes.

Let's all pray for each other!

Dave Lutz


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Molly Davis

44733 Heck rd

Columbiana, Oh 44408

9:00  Opening Worship @ Columbiana Nazarene

9:30  Youth Break-out sessions and Youth Leader Training

10:30  Music/Creative Ministries/Academic Events

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Thank you again for your support of this wonderful event!

Tom Duncan

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Church Planting Essentials (CPE) is a three-day church planting "basic training."

To register, visit  http://www.cvent.com/d/9fq738