Author: scourtneylawson

S. Courtney Lawson Writer and speaker Sandy Lawson recently hit two Amazon.com best-seller lists with the new business book, "Transform," co-authored with best-selling author and speaker Brian Tracy. Sandy Lawson serves as a Care Pastor at Element Church, in Wentzville Missouri, one of the fastest growing churches America. Sandy recently joined noted business development expert, best-selling author and speaker, Brian Tracy, along with a select group of the world's leading experts, to co-author the book titled, Transform: The World's Leading Entrepreneurs and Professionals Get to the Heart and Soul of Transforming your Life, Business & Health. The book was released on September 18, 2014 by CelebrityPress™ - a leading business book publisher. On the day of release, Transform reached best-seller status in two Amazon.com categories - reaching as high as #6 in the "Direct Marketing" category. The book also reached best-seller status in the "Marketing and Small Business" category. Sandy contributed a chapter titled, "The Relationship Transformation...Taking Relationships From Terminal to Transformed." Sandy Lawson has over 30 years of experience partnering with her husband, Kip, in family ministry and outreach. She's had the privilege of serving on staff at three mega churches prior to Element Church. In addition, she and her husband also had the honor of building the bus ministry of the Oneighty Youth Group at Church on the Move in Tulsa, Oklahoma from 400 riders weekly to nearly 1,500 riders each week. Her biggest joy is coaching people in their personal relationships and helping them reach their God-given potential. She and her husband have helped hundreds of couples turn failing marriages into happily-ever-afters, as well as assisting parents in their quest to create healthy thriving families. In their career, Sandy and her husband have been a major influence in the lives of thousands of children, teens, and adults around the world. Sandy is the mother of three, and the grandmother of eight wonderful grandkids. She and her husband have been married over 46 years. She is the author of a parenting book, "Parenting Through the Mirror" which explores the concept that great parenting must begin with personal transformation. She is also the author and illustrator of a children's geology book, "Iggy and the Volcano" that teaches kids the cycle of igneous rocks. Sandy is a freelance writer, speaker, blogger and was a major contributor to an internationally distributed children's curriculum. After such a successful release, Sandy Lawson will once again be recognized by The National Academy of Best-Selling Authors™, an organization that honors authors from many of the leading independent best-seller lists.
Posted in Uncategorized

Our Words, The Mirror to Our Soul

Posted on by scourtneylawson

Have you ever said to yourself, “I can’t believe I just said that!” Believe it! Our words are the telltale signs of what we’ve been thinking. While our words influence others, our own words have a greater impact on ourselves than anyone else. Our words are a mirror into our soul that reveals what we really believe.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

I’m reading an amazing book, “Prepare Yourself to Be Blessed” by Kevin Boyd. I’m being reminded of truths I learned a long time ago, but this book reframes them and gives them greater clarity than ever before. I’m reminded that my words have the power to create. With my mouth I name things. I can name my day. God created it, I name it. I can name it a good day, or I can name it a bad day. The choice is mine. But what I call it is what it will become. This applies in every area of my life.

This amazing principle started back in the Garden when Adam named the animals. Whatever he called them, that is what they were named. The Creator was teaching the created how to create. God put this very same creative power in us and we activate it with our words.

If God spoke the entire universe into existence and we are created in His image, it only stands to reason that our words have more power than most of us would like to imagine. Because with power comes great responsibility.

As I was reading, I felt greatly convicted at how carelessly I speak at times, and at the same time, I was alarmed at the thought of the creative actions I was putting into motion with those careless words. It gave a whole new meaning to “Think before you speak.”

This thought process lead my mind to the topic of how my thought life was going. I recently read that 90% of the thoughts I think in a day are repeats of yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. If I’m thinking the same thoughts over and over and those thoughts are manifesting as words, and my words are influencing my future, maybe I better start thinking better thoughts if I’m looking for the future I want.

I’m the keeper of my thoughts and I need to take responsibility for them. I’m also the one in charge of policing them. God through the Apostle Paul, already told me what to think, it is my responsibility to make sure my thoughts line up. God does His part and I do mine.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8
So these are the conclusions I’ve come to:

1. I need to notice my thoughts. If a thought does not line up with the Word, I need to
intentionally replace it with one that does.
2. I need to take responsibility for my own thoughts and not blame anyone including myself for
any deficient thinking.
3. I need to have someone in my life who loves me enough to let me know when my words are
exposing wrong thinking patterns.
4. If I want a better future, I need to make this process a high priority and go after it like my life
depended on it, because it does.

Is there anyone else out there besides me who can honestly say, “My words are showing me that my thought life needs an overhaul.” Or, am I the only one?

What techniques or practices have you used to keep your thoughts in check?

th-1

Posted in Parenting

New Year’s Special

Posted on by scourtneylawson

From January 1-5, if you purchase a copy of my new book, Parenting Through the Mirror, and send me a copy of the receipt and your address and contact info, I will send you a free copy of my children’s book Iggy and the Volcano a $14 value.

Parenting Through the Mirror

As a parent, have you ever felt like a deer in the headlights? You find yourself asking questions like, “Why do our kids act like that?” You’re sure you’ve done everything right. After all, you work hard, provide them a nice home, put food on the table, furnish them with all the latest technology and make sure they are safe. In return you get Miss Smart-mouth and Mr. Know-It-All instead of the adorning gratitude and devotion, you expected. How can you encourage them to be grateful or at least respectful? For decades people have asked us, “How do you do it? You have such an awesome family.” It is this question that encouraged me to write Parenting Through the Mirror. In this book, I’ll share with you how I learned that the best place to start fixing your kids is right in your own mirror. That’s right. The person staring back at you is the perfect place to start. While we can never change another person – we can choose to change ourselves. The result is an empowered you, who no longer has to react to whatever life and your kids throw your way. I dare you to take the Mirror Challenge.

Iggy and the Volcano

Iggy and the Volcano is a fiction meets science story.  It’s the delightful tale of a lonely little rock, named Rocky, who wishes for a friend and receives one in a most unexpected way.  His new friend, Iggy, teaches him how he was formed in the heart of the earth, and then blown out in a volcanic eruption.  This highly entertaining story will teach children how igneous rocks are created, the parts of a strato volcano, and how volcanos are formed. It’s a learning experience children will want to revisit again and again.  This book is an excellent introduction to earth science in a fun and engaging way, for preschool and elementary children.

Both are available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.  51aBbw-RY6L._AA160_

Posted in Success

Fear Unchained

Posted on by scourtneylawson
“F-E-A-R has two meanings: ‘Forget Everything And Run’ or ‘Face Everything And Rise.’ The choice is yours.”
— Zig Ziglar
Fear, is the great enemy.  It is what stands between who we are and who we can be.  Make one of your resolutions to redefine fear and you will go far in 2014.Green Fence and Blue Sky
Posted in Leadership, Reflection

Breaking Out of the Status Quo

Posted on by scourtneylawson

“Minds are like parachutes. They only function when open.”

— Thomas Dewar

Have you ever seen an idea or a plan and thought, “This is the most awesome logical thing I’ve ever seen,” only to have everyone you share it with shoot your concept full of holes? When as a culture did we stop dreaming?  When did we become naysayers and closed minded dream stealers?  Aren’t we the nation who led the way on out of the box ideas and thinking?  I guess for some a closed mind feels safer, or maybe they’ve been numbed by the programming of our society.  As a culture, have we grown to embrace the security of mediocracy?

As for me, I’m ready for a little limb walking.  I never want to tell someone their dream is crazy or impossible.  I want to be their cheerleader and shout, “You can do it!”  I want 2014 to be my most out on a limb year ever, and I want to encourage those who are crazy enough to dream new dreams with me.  This year, instead of a resolution list, why don’t you allow yourself to create a dream list?  Dare to dream again!  It’s not too late.

parachute art

Posted in Uncategorized

A Thought to Ponder

Posted on by scourtneylawson

“Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect.”

— Author Unknown

If you’re like me, you may be guilty of waiting for that exact right moment to do that one thing that might change your life for the better. Is it the fear of failure, or the fear of succeeding that holds us back? I think this author nailed it. No more hesitating, procrastinating, or excuses just a right mindset and determination! Make today . . . perfect.Image

Posted in Uncategorized

God Of The Counter Intuitive – Part 2

Posted on by scourtneylawson

The second counter intuitive principle Jesus taught is, we rise by lowering.

Luke 14:11 “For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.”

All my life, I was taught and encouraged to be proud. After all, it is the American Way. I was taught I could be anything I wanted to be and do anything any man could do. My family were the proverbial “bootstrap” people, you know the ones who pull themselves up by their bootstraps. By the time I was introduced to Jesus, I was the queen of pride. I didn’t even know that I was a sinner and that Jesus had paid the price for all my sins until I was 22 years old. It was a very hard thing for me to wrap my head around coming from the world of the self-made man. Kip and I received Jesus at a little home Bible study over 50 miles from our house, and the people there advised us to find a church close to home.

I remember when I first walked the aisle at that little Baptist Church to make a public declaration of my commitment to Jesus, I sobbed and wept my way up the aisle. Others probably thought it was because I was so broken by the realization of all my sin, the actual truth was more like I was embarrassed that the people I was walking up the aisle in front of would know I was a sinner . . . I was proud. But God was merciful and saved me anyway.

Our whole system is we rise by rising – fight your way to the top.

This runs cross-grained to everything Jesus taught, once again we find Jesus at odds with our culture.

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be great will be the servant of all.”

So whose culture do we subscribe to?

Ephesians 2:6 says, we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies . . . we’ve got God’s perspective.

Take a seat and say God, how would you want me to be a servant?01_29_54_prev

Posted in Encouragement, Leadership, Parenting

Help Me Spread the News

Posted on by scourtneylawson

More than at any other time, parents today are struggling in their efforts to raise healthy whole kids. Our family disfunctions are snowballing on us. I wrote Parenting Through the Mirror to help parents get themselves and their families on the road to healthy and on to optimum health. Can you help make a difference in the lives of others by passing this on to others in your network? Some of you have already done this and it is working! Together we can heal a lot of hurting people and further equip those who are already doing great!51aBbw-RY6L._AA160_