3-24-2009
I just arrived home from the Tom Landry leadership award dinner hosted by Dallas Baptist University where former Frisco mayor, Mike Simpson, was the recipient of the prestigious award. It was a beautiful banquet with a lot of high profile mayors, business leaders, and community pioneers. A central theme to the Tom Landry Leadership Award is servant leadership, a true honor. As Mike Simpson spoke there were a few key thoughts he had that really made an impact. First, he recognized his team. He acknowledged the city manager of Frisco and the rest of the staff, and admitted that he would not have made much of an impact if it weren’t for their help. Last, he thanked his family, the most important team! It was at this point, that I couldn’t help but get a little choked up. It’s almost as if he could recollect the long, hard journey that took place in order for him to get to the point where he was at that moment, receiving the Tom Landry Leadership Award. There was one group of people on this earth that witnessed the entire journey, his family. His wife spoke about the many times he would come home from work with a full briefcase of work to be done, but once he walked in the door, he put the briefcase down and focused on his family. Once the kids and his wife were in bed, he would stay up late at night finishing the work that needed to be completed. Mike Simpson had his priorities straight. I personally met his family tonight and noticed how all three of his kids and grandkids had come in town to share in this special time in Mike Simpson’s life. Mike Simpson is a very successful businessman who worked as hard as anyone, but he was an even better husband, father, and family man. He had his priorities straight, thus he was able to enjoy this incredible moment with a huge group of people and not by his lonesome! Mike Simpson is a living example of how one can accomplish incredible things, while at the same time keeping the most important aspects of his life his priority! One of the keys to Mike Simpson’s success was the living example he made for his family. He made time for his family, and when his senior pastor was interviewed, he made it very clear that Mike was always called upon at the church. Mike had balance in his life that very few are able to understand. He worked hard, played hard, loved hard, and prayed hard. Everything he has done he did it with excellence, passion, and in a God-honoring way.
I strongly doubt that Mike had a perfect life. In fact I know he didn’t. Mike and I have a business relationship, and I know his upbringing. He has worked very hard for what he has accomplished, and he knows he is blessed. Along the way, he had to live in seven different states and eight different counties. There were many hurdles he had to carry his family over, yet he stayed focused.
If you want to be able to accomplish success and leave a legacy where lives are changed you must understand the importance of building a solid foundation. Truly successful people have a deep rooted foundation in Christ that carries them through the tough times, and if you can show me someone that has accomplished great things, I guarantee you they have had to jump over many hurdles to get there. There aren’t any shortcuts to success, and if your foundation is built on solid ground, you will survive the tough times. If your foundation is built on sand you will sink! Anyone can proclaim their love of Christ when everything is going perfect, but only true followers of Jesus Christ walk the walk during good and bad times. When you have a solid foundation in Christ, you are able to overcome anything, and do so with a joyous and gracious heart. Mike Simpson is the man he is today because he has a solid foundation in Christ Jesus.
Application:
1. Read Matthew 8:21-27
2. Is your house build on rock or on sand?
3. What are you doing daily to keep your foundation solid?
Sunday, April 5, 2009
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