Five Minutes with Tony Agnesi

FGG-164 I'm All In!

Last year, for the first time in 52 years the city of Cleveland, Ohio had a championship.  The Cleveland Cavaliers  won the NBA title and all of Ohio was “All In” for the team.  Just like in playing poker being “all in” means to invest everything, put everything on the line for one goal. In this podcast, Tony asks, “are you all in for Jesus?”

Scripture: “…one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” –Ephesians 4:4-6

“But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” –1 Corinthians 15:57

“Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” –James 1:2-4

“And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” –Colossians 3:17

Reflections: What if people had the same enthusiasm for Our Lord?  Are you ALL IN?  What does being all in mean to you?

FGG-163 3 of Me

We all have three versions of ourselves playing in our minds.  The me I was, the me I am, and the me I want to be. In this podcast Tony discusses the three Me's.

Quote: “Last night I had a dream, and there were three of me.  There was the man I was, the man I am, and the man I want to be.”  –William Bell, Marc Cohn, John Leventhal

Scripture: “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.”  –1 Thessalonians 5:24

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”  –Luke 9:23

Reflections:  How are you handling the transition to the me you are meant to be?  How do you let go of the past and live in the moment?  Are you having trouble putting the past behind you?

FGG-162 A Lesson and a Cure

It was the shortest doctor’s appointment I have ever had, but one that I have been waiting and praying for for almost a decade.  The doctor walked into the room, leaned against the counter and said, “You’re cured!”  In this podcast Tony talks about a lesson and a cure.

Scripture: “If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” –1 John 3:17

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his mercy endures forever.” –Psalm 118:1

Do not withhold any goods from the owner when it is in your power to act. Say not to your neighbor, “Go, come back tomorrow, and I will give it to you,” when all the while you have it.”  –Proverbs 3:27-28

Reflections: Do you ever take for granted the blessings you have received?  With great insurance Tony received world class care, but what about those less fortunate?  Don't they deserve the same care?

FGG-161 The Quest for Rest

Do you ever feel guilty when you take some time to rest?  That, somehow, society has convinced you that rest is an indulgence you simply can’t afford.  In this go-go society of never ending to do lists, late night text messages from work, and trying to make partner, we are obsessed with the feeling that , “I should be doing something!” In this podcast Tony discusses the importance of rest.

Scripture: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” –Matthew 11:28-30

“On the seventh day God completed the work he had been doing; he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.  God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.”  –Genesis 2:2-3

“Return, my soul, to your rest; the LORD has been very good to you.” –Psalm 116:7

Reflections: What do you do to insure you get some rest? Do you ever feel guilty for downtime? Are you getting enough sleep?

FGG-157 The List

Every late December, I sit down and plan my goals for the coming year.  It is my way of handling the New Year’s resolution issue.  I’ve been doing it for most of my adult life.  In this podcast, Tony discusses goals instead of resolutions.

Reflections: What’s on your list for 2017?  Have you considered the four areas, Health, Personal Professional and Spiritual when setting your goals?  How did you do in 2016 with your goals or resolutions?

FGG-160 Grace and Gratitude

Gratitude and grace, they just seem to go together.  Both derived from the Latin word gratis, gratitude is our response to grace.  When someone does something unexpected for us we express our thanks with gratitude, but if we have a grateful attitude, we say thank you even when things are expected. In this podcast Tony discusses Grace and Gratitude.

Scripture: “Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.”   –2 Corinthians 4:15

“All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.” — James 1:17

Quote: “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”  –Zig Ziglar

“Celebrate what you want to see more of,” –Tom Peters.

Reflections: Do you see the connection between Grace and Gratitude?  What can you do to have an attitude of gratitude? What are you grateful for?

FGG-159 How's Your Love Life?

We all have a concept of love.  From the time we are very young children we have a strong sense of what love is. Our concept of love changes as we get older. But, what is God’s perspective on love?  In this podcast Tony discusses love.

FGG-158 Lord, if You had been Here

While on vacation in Florida, I had a chance to talk with one of the neighbors, also a vacationer.  We talked briefly about baseball, the beach, and getting away from the winter snow, but then the conversation became serious.  In this podcast Tony discusses the loss of a loved one and the grieving process.

FGG-157 Forgiveness The Greatest Gift

In just a few weeks we will celebrate Christmas, and as we do we begin to experience the anticipation of the holiday. We look forward to being united with family and friends. Could we be forgetting someone that we once loved, someone that hurt us, someone that we may have hurt? Is there someone that you haven’t forgiven or asked to forgive you? In this podcast, Tony discusses Forgiveness during Advent and Christmas.

Church, My Mom Made Me Go!