Nick Nickell discusses his faith journey and life wisdom to encourage believers.
Key Takeaways
- Nick's faith journey included 8 years of "spiritual wandering" before truly understanding the gospel at a PCA church where a pastor clearly explained that all people are sinners in need of salvation
- Personal disciplines (physical placement of devotionals, tracking accomplishments, creating accountability systems) are key to spiritual growth and maintaining good habits
- Relationships precede relevance which precedes rigor - effective faith sharing requires first building authentic connection before introducing challenging concepts
- Transferring faith to the next generation requires sincerity and authenticity - children easily discern genuine faith from performative religion
Topics
Practical Faith Disciplines
- When at life's crossroads: "Stop, Look, and Listen" - pause before decisions, seek wisdom, hear counsel
- Place physical reminders (devotionals on desk, dumbbells by doorway) to prompt spiritual/physical disciplines
- Track accomplishments after completion rather than just planning them (workout tracking, book reading lists)
- Measurement creates motivation - what gets measured gets improved
- Use technology intentionally (screen time limits on devices) to create helpful boundaries
Influential People and Lessons
- Father taught him about character and integrity from age 3: "People can take everything from you except your integrity - you have to give that away"
- Father emphasized humility ("be humble")
- Dane Ortlund's book "Gentle and Lowly" profoundly impacted his understanding of God's heart
Faith Sharing Approach (The Three R's)
- Relationships: Focus first on genuinely knowing and valuing the person
- Relevance: Understand what matters to them specifically
- Rigor: Only after establishing relationship and relevance can you introduce challenging concepts
- Listen to understand rather than to respond - true listening demonstrates genuine care
- Authenticity matters more than technique - people (especially children) can detect insincerity
Faith Transfer to Next Generation
- Children quickly detect insincerity ("they know when you're sincere and when you're not")
- Relationships are foundational - kids' relationship with God starts with their relationship with parents
- Filled with "justice, mercy and love" - incomplete relationships aren't truly godly
- Modeled entrepreneurship through family lawn care business ("Cutting Edge") and swim lessons
- All four children developed business ownership mindset through early experiences
Next Steps
- Nick is available via LinkedIn (search Charles Nickell in Buford, Georgia) for those wanting to connect
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