The 8 Day Challenge Day 7

Thought of the Day
"I bring out the best in the people I appreciate the most."

Good morning and welcome back!

What's going great in your world? I expect you're doing awesome and you still have two days to make even more progress.

For today, I want you to focus on building up one particular person with your prayers, thoughts, words, and actions. This is your 4:8 target for the day. Only one rule; don't let this person know that they are your "target." I don't know who this individual is, but I believe you do.

Pick one person to concentrate almost all of your 4:8 energy on... just for today. This could be your spouse, a child, sibling, friend, parent, business partner, boss, top client, or someone else that is special in your life. Maybe this individual really needs your attention because they are facing challenging circumstances or possibly you decide to focus on this person simply because they are so important to you. Before you go any further, ask God for guidance in selecting your target.

So who is it going to be? Who in your life could benefit the most right now from some 4:8 power and affection? Take a brief moment and crystallize an image of this person in your mind's eye. Picture your target with a big smile on their face, feeling terrific about themselves and their life, in part because of your 4:8 efforts on their behalf. Don't tell your target what you are doing, but ask God to use you this day as an ambassador of joy in this person's life.

There is enormous power in concentration! Often times, we spread ourselves thin diluting our potential for influence and impact with the very people we love the most. Too frequently, we unintentionally give our prime-time energy to the "Optional 80%," leaving only leftovers for the "Required 20%" whom we value the most. For this one day, make sure this does NOT happen. Go all out and make multiplying joy for this one person your absolute top priority. Remember, this is just one day, not one week... Ask God to multiply their joy through your thinking, speaking and acting today.

Looking for ideas? Here are a few that will get your brain moving in the right direction, but the rest, though, is up to you. What will you choose to do today?

Compliment and encourage your 4:8 target beyond the norm.
Leave a special handwritten note of general gratitude.
Ask your target "how they would like you to pray for them."
Plan a future tribute or surprise that is excellent and noble.
Leave a short voice mail appreciating your target in some specific way.
Pray for joy to increase in this person's life beyond all measure.
Shower your target with mini-prayers of blessing throughout the day.
Brainstorm 8 ways to "lighten the load" and reduce stress in your target's life.
Verbalize something very positive about your target to 4 other people.
Question of the Day
Are you spreading way more joy than you hope to receive?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit...or the extra mile)
Make a firm decision that you will treat this special person like you did today...for the next 8 days.