Thursday, 31 December 2009

The Last and the Next 10 years

When I look back over the last 10 years I am astonished at how much has changed.
-  Ten years ago none, or few of us, were e-mailing, had mobile phones, or had surfed on the web.
*    -  Ten years ago we had neither heard of Google (1998), nor Wikipedia (2001), nor podcasts (2003), nor Facebook (2004), nor BLOGs (2004), nor Twitter (2006).
*    -   Ten years ago the iPods (2002), Wii (2006), iPhones (2007) and Netbooks (2009) hadn’t been invented.
*    -   And how many of us, even a year ago had even heard of eBooks (Dez. 1999)
or eReaders (2007 – the Kindle)
All these “Social Networks” and tools could be used to further relationships and to do good, inspiring us to action. The danger of them is that they can physically isolate us, changing us into passive consumers rather than catalytic actionaries.
To those of you worried about your privacy, I can only quote the following:-
 “For all practical purposes, privacy is dead: get over it.”
Michael Hyatt
……………What did we do with our time then these last 10 years?  Or, more pertinently, what are we doing with our time now?


Books
 For example, what books did we read in the last year?
It is said, that when we see what books are on a person’s bookshelf, we can know what he’s thinking. So here’s a look into my mind if you dare!
Some books I have consumed in the last year, re-read, or am at present reading are:-
  • ·       “Not For Sale” by David Batstone. This is the first book which awakened me to the problem of modern day slavery in our world.
  • ·       Close on its heels were “Terrify No More", Just Courage” and “Good News about Injustice” from Gary Haugen, a freedom fighter for slaves all over the world and founder of the amazing organization, the International Justice Mission.
  • ·       My favorite book – such a wakeup call – of the last year was “The Hole in Our Gospel, what does God expect of us” by Richard Stearns, the President of World Vision. A most challenging book.
  • ·       Along this vein is “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. Should come with a health warning – or should I say a wealth warning!
  • ·       “Under the Overpass” by Mike Yankoski – again a wakeup call - to the problems faced by vagabonds and homeless people and the Christian churches answer to them. Horrifying at times.
  • ·      “Total Church” by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis questions what we understand church to be and clears out the cobwebs of traditionalism in faith living.
  • ·      “30 Days to Live” by Kerry and Chris Shook is a must for prioritizing life and moving important things higher up the To-Do List.
  • ·      “Outliers” by Malcom Gladwell (Author of “Tipping Point”and “Blink” ) are all modern  classics and a call to a new way of looking at things
  • ·      “Id:True You”, “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day” and “Wild Goose Chase” from Mark Batterson are all books which challenge thinking processes and move to action.
  • ·      “Captivating” by John and Stasi Eldredge – a wonderful book on being a woman.
  • ·      “The Traveller’s Gift” and “The Noticer” from Andy Andrews were heartwarming but thought provoking books with so much wisdom in them that I find myself using quotes or stories from them all the time.
  • ·      ANYTHING by Seth Godin (author of “Purple Cow”, “Tribes” and “The Dip”). Innovative is all I can say.
  • ·      Over the last 2 years I’ve also enjoy historical novels like the Claire and Jamie series by Diane Gabaldon; Nikolas Sparks books, everything  and anything by Francis Rivers, from my daughter, the “Twilight” Series by Stephenie Myer, a riveting adventure true story of Surf, Ski and aeroplanes  “Crazy for the Storm” from Norman Ollestad- Starbucks sold it!
  • ·      Last but definitely not least was probably one of the best fiction books ever written, “The Shack” by William P. Young – that kept us all up into the wee small hours.
Podcasts
If you need some more input, then listen to
BLOGs
BLOGs are on-line log books. A chronological writing on any subject imagineable which happens to grab the writer’s interest. I’ve found some gems this year and would recommend two whole heartedly. They are:-
*      Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian Publishers in the World. Any questions you might have about Twitter, eBooks, Kindle, BLOGs, how to write a book etc. are all here to be dug up.
 http://michaelhyatt.com/
*      Seth Godin, known as “America’s greatest Marketer” is  author of “The Dip”, “Tribes”, “Purple Cow” the free e-book “unleashing the Ideavirus” and other best sellers
http://sethgodin.typepad.com

Twitter
Still relatively little used in Germany. But I love the quick messages (just 140 characters) about what is going on around the world.
Here are some of my favourites:-
*      @ MichaelHyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers,
*      @hardlynormal an ex-homeless person who battles daily to help the homeless in his city
*      @NotForSale Not For Sale is a campaign of students, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, people
           of faith, and all justice seekers, united to fight human trafficking
*      @charitywater  a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people
            developing nations. 
*      @sex_money  working to make America the first slave free nation!
*      @IJMHQ  Official Twitter of theInternational Justice Mission.
*      @AmazingPics only the best photos - handpicked by me, not a machine - filtered for you -
      from pro and amateur photogs - out of a love for photography.
There is so much out there, that we now have to choose WHAT we read / listen to and HOW we do that.
Take a few moments to analyse your week.
*      Is it better for your input, to read books, eBooks or web/ BLOG Sites?
*      Is it better for you to listen to books or to read them?
*      How about listening to podcasts of talks, radio programmes or reviews?
Conferences
Go to a conference which will inspire you.
Examples are
*    If you can’t attend a conference, load down the podcasts and videos from it!
For some of you this last year, or even the last 10 has been a time of unemployment and upheaval. What you trained to do has changed, been replaced or become no longer attractive in the new Global Village. In the words of Bob Dylan: “Times they are a-changing” and quicker than ever before. We change and jump ship,or we go down with the ship. As one modern prophet wrote:
 “If your ship is sinking, get out now. By the time the rats start packing, it's way too late.”
Seth Godin
Think about this though, we were designed not just with a head, but with hands and feet too.
So use your ears to listen, your eyes to read, your brain to process it all and think up some new, creative ways of doing life.
Then get out there, embrace the changes and use your hands and your feet to make this world a better place for us all to live in.
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