I am just a regular guy intentional about becoming more and more obedient to a calling that would encourage and equip us to a more peaceful and fulfilling future in every single area of our lives. I must first start inside myself and then serving my immediate family, and finally with those I might have an opportunity to serve around me. For me these areas make the most difference toward accomplishing this:
Faith, Family, and Freedom – and who doesn’t need to be more fit and have fun along the way!
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Faith – I am a Christ follower and believe in His loving plan to make life good again, forever
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Family – I believe this is the most meaningful expression and realization of love we get to experience
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Freedom – I believe in free will and freedom of choice in the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness
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Fitness – I believe we experience this life better when we are more fit, healthy and energized
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Fun – I believe we are intended to enjoy this life… therefore peace, hope, and love to you!
I believe each of us is called to be a Difference Maker in this world through the lives we are privileged to lead, and in those lives around us each day – even the ones we don’t know or pay attention to… yet.
I believe each one of us is uniquely SHAPED for this. Rick Warren talks about SHAPE in his book Purpose Driven Life as your unique qualifications to make a difference, and I added the “D” for determination because I know nothing happens until we choose to be determined to take action and do something. (more resources about your SHAPE)
Here’s a basic glimpse into how I am SHAPED and a brief story how this influences me…
- Spiritual Gifts (special*) – encouragement, faith, compassion, leadership
- Heart (passion) – evangelism, marriage and parenting, communications
- Abilities (talents) – relationships, speaking, writing, strategic thinking and vision
- Personality (my wiring*) – I am a very high “I” with equal “D/C” secondary traits (DISC)
- Experience (life) – I come from a “broken” home and have lived in some crazy stuff; later I ignored a promoting to go to seminary/ministry and since invested my efforts into the marketplace; I have an incredible son from my first marriage, and have now been incredibly blessed into a wonderful marriage with my Sweet Girl; and I have been working very hard to accomplish my career goals and calling (in spite of myself sometimes).
These things have SHAPED me as the man I am today and continuing to become. I really love people (even though it is sometimes very hard to do so), and I truly have gifting, passion, talents and personal wiring that uniquely allows me to serve into others in an authentic and trustable way that promotes understanding and acceptance, and allows me to care about individuals and encourage them in their personal journey to become a difference maker in their own life. I chose to pursue a relationship with God early in my childhood, and I chose to be a loving husband and father early on (though I had a really long road to figure out how), which I believe are direct results of those early circumstances and the life I actually wanted to have. That influences my passions about marriage and family ministry, encouraging others to seek this “God” thing out for themselves, and how I pursue leadership in the marketplace of free enterprise and ideals that work universally when allowed to exist.
My challenge, my encouragement, to you is to choose determination in the pursuit of the best for your own life and to become a Difference Maker in this life and world we share together!
My personal challenge for my own goals and aspirations with this content is to create a vehicle where I could blend my marketplace expertise and services with my passions for family and ministry, and make a bigger difference than I have before. I am committed to completing a seminary degree and continuing my role in marriage and family ministry, and I am committed to growing in my marketplace leadership through speaking, writing books, and entrepreneurial pursuits. These are the plans I have to fulfill my calling, serve into my family and the world around me.
“Make it a purpose-filled and on-target day!”
With kind regards,
Eric D. Jackson
PS – Download my app! – Coming soon.
* topics I will need to write more about and add to future blog posts