Take a 60 Second Elevator Ride with me

I have been asked many times, “Mike, if you and I only had a sixty second ‘elevator ride’ together to explain your book and ministry, what you would tell me?” I would respond with the following:

We were founded on the realization that everyone experiences mood struggles, but not everyone is aware of how to deal with or conquer them. These mood struggles cover the spectrum from the struggles everyone encounters from time-to-time all the way to diagnosed mental illness. We were also founded to provide awareness and resources to friends, loved ones and family members of those who have mood struggles.

Our Vision, Mission and Strategy

Our Vision: We desire to see people with mood struggles impacted, transformed and eternally changed. 

Our Mission: We exist to help people with mood struggles learn how to live life in a good mood—one step at a time.

Our Strategy: Through the impacting activity of writing, speaking and the Internet, we encourage the following three steps:

Step One: Take them to the doctor and encourage professional psychiatric and pharmacological treatment.

Step Two: Take them to resources and encourage personal change.

Step Three: Take them to Jesus, encourage a faith walk with God and participation in the spiritual disciplines. 

Who the Good Mood Foundation—is not

Good Mood Foundation is a great name for an organization and I am glad we have it. However, we do not offer medical treatment or advice of any kind.

The History of the Good Mood Foundation

“What an incredible vision God has given you to reach out. I would like to see us partner with you in some way.” Pastor, Eric Willis. In 2004, I conducted several focus group workshops. The response was overwhelming and confirmed that there is a need for this ministry. In 2005, we formed the Good Mood Foundation as a 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry.

Ministry, what is it?

This is my definition, “Any activity that addresses and/or solves a problem with a Biblical solution.” For example, the abortion industry is a worldwide atrocity. So, if I went about “the ministry” of ending this horrific practice through peaceful marches, political intervention and the education of at-risk mothers, I would be in the ministry—Biblical solution. However, if I attempted to eradicate abortion clinics through bombings and terror campaigns (non-Biblical solution), I would not be in the ministry, even if these tactics succeeded and all abortion clinics closed their doors. Using this definition of ministry can help you to clarify your activities to see if you are on track and really in the ministry. It will also help if you are caught up in the mundane and daily grind; unable to see how accomplishing insignificant tasks fits into the bigger picture. So, if your job is stuffing envelopes, putting stamps on them, and then licking them closed for a local evangelist, you might become bored, unmotivated, and discouraged, unless you were able to answer the question, what is ministry? Using my definition that ministry is any activity that addresses and/or solves a problem with a Biblical solution; you might come up with an answer like this. “I work for a local evangelist who is faithfully preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost people of Africa—Biblical problem. My job is to inform supporters and ask for donations through my work as an envelope stuffer—Biblical solution.” Therefore, as an envelope stuffer, you can proudly say, “I am in the ministry.”

Measuring the Success of this Ministry

What is success and how do you define it? It depends on whom you ask.

Ask entrepreneur, Paul J. Meyer, and he says, “Success is the progressive realization of worthwhile, predetermined personal goals.”

Motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, says, “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

Success, according to Pastor Pete Briscoe, is “Being faithful, fruitful and fulfilled.”

Ask the CEO of a publicly held corporation and he or she will define success in terms of profits, return on capital, and an increase in the shareholder’s stock price. Ask the founder of a non-profit corporation and he or she will usually define success in terms of fulfilling the organization’s vision and mission statement.       

So, who is right? They are all right. Why? Because success is about setting a goal and then launching out to achieve it—one step at a time.

The Challenges I face every day

Most of my life as a Christian I have lived out the following life affirmation.

 “I believe the Bible. Every word in it is true. If the Bible differs from what I say, think, or do, I will let the Holy Spirit of God change me. I will let the Word of God conform me into His image and likeness. At this very moment, I will confess all my known sins to Him. I will at this very moment say ‘Yes’ to whatever the Holy Spirit of God, through His Word, tells me. I will take every situation, emotion, or struggle in my life and filter it through God’s Word. In that way, I will receive His perspective and wisdom. I will willingly serve Him, praise Him, and worship Him regardless of my circumstances. I will gladly receive the Word that my pastor, teacher, or elder gives, measuring it against the truth of Scripture. They are God’s messengers to me. I will love, honor, and respect my leaders and teachers—for they are the Lord’s workers.”

 I am fully aware that God only works in a clean vessel, fully yielded to Him. I am also soberly aware that personal, moral, spiritual, and ministry failure is but one single solitary choice away. Additionally, I also face the stigma from our society that disbelieves that a person with mood struggles can do anything positive, constructive, or life-changing. These people can sometimes be outright insensitive.  Since, it is my desire to be a minister of the Gospel of Grace; I am first and foremost committed to personally living a life of integrity. I seek to be led by the Spirit and to operate from a Biblical perspective in everything I do. I am also committed to a lifestyle of change, of being transformed into His likeness and ordering my priorities as He directs through His Word and by His Spirit. In short, reflecting Kingdom ethics. Therefore, please remember to pray for me.