Doug Heisel

If you aren’t already doing this, here’s a good idea. Find one really good resource and use it as a way to stimulate your thinking on your “red bucket”.

I find it helpful to have one great book on the topic I am working on. I read just a couple of pages (not even compete chapters) just to get (and keep) the mental juices flowing, and to break beyond my current routine of thinking.

Ask a few people, who you feel have good expertise in your “red bucket” area, for what they have found to be helpful books, podcasts, audio books or cd’s, etc.

Don’t go overboard on material. One great resource is better than three or four. Too often we think more is better. But often, more is just more — and it takes time away from deeper reflection (with is core to the process). With unlimited information at our fingertips, its easy to go 1o miles wide and a quarter inch deep, instead of drilling down in one area until we strike oil.

Let one really good resource help you drill deep!

Tags: BREAK THRU - "RED BUCKET" 90 Day Journey by Doug
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#3 — I promise to find God’s best in every TRIAL and FRUSTRATION  

Key passage: Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.  So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.  James 1:2-4 (Msg) 

Main insight: What if we applied James 1:2-4 to our marriages and relational lives?  Instead of letting differences and irritations drive us crazy, what if we began to view those differences and irritations as gifts – gifts that can grow our maturity?  As crazy as that sounds, what if we used them to learn how to respond rather than react?  If we really let this passage sink into our hearts – and we let it replace wrong beliefs – we would not only learn how to turn problems into positives, we’d become more mature in the process (…mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way – vs 4).  What a promise!  Learning to do this could change EVERYTHING! 

MY COMMITMENT: I PROMISE to find God’s best in every TRIAL and FRUSTRATION.  I give you the security of knowing that the negative things that happen in our marriage will not destroy my love for you. I will even use the irritations between us as opportunities to see my blind spots and foster my personal growth. I will call on the power of Christ to root out my weaknesses and become more like Him. (Jm 1:2-4, 12, Rm. 5:3-5)

Tags: I Promise, Weekend Series (past series) by Doug
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#2 — I promise to be FILLED by GOD

Key passage: I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. Ephesians 3:16-20 (NLT)

Main insight: Neither our spouses or others can be a substitute for God in our lives. When God gave Adam and Eve to each other, it was not a substitute for HIM. I think we often unintentionally expect people to do what only God can do — which is to FILL our HEARTS. When we make a promise to be FILLED by GOD, and then share with others from that overflow, it changes everything!

MY COMMITMENT: Lift from my spouse (and others) the burden of being responsible for my quality of life by daily being filled by GOD.

Work at memorizing Ephesians 3:16-20. Getting God’s word in your heart and mind is powerful!

Tags: I Promise by Doug
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#1 — I promise to align my beliefs to God’s truth 

Key passage:  Above all else, guard (watch over) your heart,

 for in it is the wellspring of life.  Proverbs 4:23 

Main insight:  Lasting happiness comes from within our own hearts (the “well spring” of our life), not from what others do or don’t do.  They momentarily can affect our emotions (positive or negative) but the real controls are on the inside of our own hearts.

MY COMMITMENT:  I promise to conform my beliefs to God’s truth.  I will gain control of my outlook, emotions, and happiness by continually examining my deepest beliefs and striving to make them consistent with what God’s Word says.  I will take sole responsibility for my beliefs, with the understanding that they determine my emotions, words, thoughts, and actions.  I lift from my spouse (and others) the burden of being responsible for my quality of life.

This is a powerful commitment!

Tags: I Promise by Doug
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As you know by now, the daily “Focus Time” is at the heart of the Red Bucket Strategy. Taking time to reflect, journal, determine an action, etc, all happen here. Even though a perfect 90 days in a row is not required, consistency is still something to strive for.

One way to be more consistent with this focus time is to align it with something you already do every day, and then just establish your focus time right before or after that (rather than a fixed time, like 6 AM). For instance, I do mine “before” I fire up my computer for the day (no matter what time that is). I know I am daily going to use my laptop, and so I restrain myself from checking email, doing any work, etc until I have first spent 5-10 minutes on my focus time.

Other people I know do it:

• Right AFTER they workout
• or in their car, right “BEFORE” they go into the office
• or in Starbucks “BEFORE” they go to work
• or AFTER the kids are off to school and BEFORE doing anything else.

Linking it to an “event” you do daily rather than a “specific time” will likely help you be far more consistent.

Try several ways until you find the one that works the best for you. It’s 10 minutes that can bring transformation to you!

Feel free to share what you do in the comment section below.

Tags: BREAK THRU - "RED BUCKET" 90 Day Journey by Doug
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Tags: BREAK THRU - "RED BUCKET" 90 Day Journey by Doug
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I trust you are progressing on your Red Bucket journal.  Five minutes every day to slow down, think, and write does more than most of us realize. 

Depending on when you began, you may have already come to Day 9 (”Clarify your Reasons“).  If not, this is a very valuable journaling day.  In fact, even if you are already past this day, let me encourage you to continue to add to your “reasons.”  Giant reasons produce giant results.  Sometimes “giant” involves the size of your list, as well as the size of the items on your list.  Keep adding to it AND keep it in front of you.  Let me suggest you not “bury” your reasons in your journal.  Transpose them onto a sheet, or highlight them somewhere on your computer, and look at them everyday during your 90 days. 

Finally, begin to thank God even now for your Red Bucket Victory.  One of the ways to “move your bucket” forward is through prayer.  God won’t do our part, but Jesus said, “…a part from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).

VICTORY is not only GOD’S will, VICTORY is possible.  Thank him before you physically see that victory.  Let your prayers reflect your faith!

Tags: BREAK THRU - "RED BUCKET" 90 Day Journey by Doug
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I received the following question, that may be one of the more common. Check it out. It might relate to where you are:

“Dear Doug … I’m working my workbook. except there is not a lot of “work” to it. I’m not exactly sure what I’m supposed to be doing. It says, ‘How will you move your red bucket forward today?’ I’m not sure; I thought it was gonna help me do that! Maybe I should have picked something more tangible. It doesn’t feel like I’m doing anything , but thinking about it. What am I missing here? Please advise. Thank you.”

Here’s my reply:

Good question (and very normal). As a culture we are so inclined to get “instant” results that we forget how God designed so much to happen in a “process” (ie: seeds being planted and it appearing for quite some time as if “nothing” is happening.) Sometimes the “process” does just involve a few minutes of “thinking” and then writing down your thoughts, feelings, questions, prayers, desires, etc. [I am assuming you are doing the journaling too. That is part of the thinking process that makes the difference]. Even that process, of slowing down to “reflect and journal,” may indirectly be affecting you in ways you don’t yet see. Thinking is part of “focus” and focusing does pull is in new directions … and focusing long enough is required for this kind of break through. Keep it up!

However, in addition to that, consider these couple of thoughts:

• The “Red Bucket” journal was written without a 6 week series in mind. In other words, the first 5-7 “coaching items” cover things we’ve already covered, so there is no “new” info there to process. Keep going though … “deeper” requires some repetition.
• Work the process, and I think you’ll be surprised over time. The problem with most people (and their lack of change) is not that they didn’t “work” at it, but that they didn’t work at it long enough. So don’t worry that the process doesn’t involve a bunch of “make-work”. It is the consistent repetition that pays off.
• It is also great to add in scripture memorization or mediation. Since this journal was not written for a Christian audience, the absence of Bible passages is one weakness (…something I hope to solve by next year). As such, you might want to, on your own, do a topical Bible search on your topic [See the following link for an online tool: http://www.biblegateway.com/topical/ . Find 1-3 of the best verses that speak to you, and give some time thinking/reflecting/ and journaling about them (as well as whatever the “coaching” notes suggest…).

Add your questions / lessons/ insights / progress to this section, as well!

Tags: BREAK THRU - "RED BUCKET" 90 Day Journey by Doug
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The series may be over, but the next 90 days is where the adventure (and Break Thru) happens. Feel free to check in each week to read some thoughts and encouragement regarding your change-journey. Victory is not only God’s will, victory is possible.

Feel free to share your insights / questions / challenges and/or victories. What you share can help others!

The following link is a PDF of my Life Objectives that I shared this past weekend [ life-objectives.pdf ]. My first “Red Bucket” (area of 90 day focus) was getting clarity on this part of my life. For me, I felt like having clarity there would help me with all my future “Red Buckets”. I do best when I have the context for learning to happen in.

Tags: BREAK THRU, BREAK THRU - "RED BUCKET" 90 Day Journey, Weekend Series (past series) by Doug
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