The Fruit of the Spirit and Emotional Intelligence

Leave a Comment /

fruit of the spiritHow does your life taste to other people? Are you walking in step with the Holy Spirit, enough so that the “fruit of the Spirit” is evident in the ways you interact with others?[i] How about your “Emotional Intelligence,” which Daniel Goleman defines as “the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships”? [ii]

Here are some stimulating conversations between Paul Richardson, author of A Certain Risk, and Mike O’Quin, author of Growing Desperate, blending together the themes of the Fruit of the Spirit from Galatians chapter five, along with the five categories of Emotional Intelligence based on the research and writings of Daniel Goleman.

Our desire in these informal conversations, each one about 20 minutes, is to inspire you to grow in both the godly character and the EQ “soft skills” that will help you become the transformative leader that God has called you to be:

Introduction

Self-Awareness

Self-Regulation

Empathy

Motivation

Social Skills

We hope you find these conversations helpful…if so, please share with your friends on social media and let us know!

[i] Galatians 5:22

[ii] Goleman, Daniel (2011-12-07). Working With Emotional Intelligence. Random House Publishing Group

“Java Wake” Launches

1 Comment /

java-wake-coverI’m very, very happy to announce that my novel Java Wake has just been published and is available starting today in print edition and e-book on Amazon. Here’s a little more from the back cover:

“Stephen Cranton’s mid-life crisis is coming on a decade too early. On a business trip to Indonesia, he evaluates his heartless life after getting challenged by an obnoxious adventure guide on his flight. Soon after landing, Stephen tries to spice up his stale life with a brazen act of spontaneity. Bad move. His impulsiveness sets off a chain of events that leaves in its wake new friends and enemies, along with his wife who is longing for love and desperate enough to fly to Java for a last-ditch marriage intervention. Stephen finds he is desperate enough already, living inside a nightmare that he can’t seem to escape. But will the ordeal be enough to wake up his sleeping heart?”

Those of you who know me well can attest how I have poked around with this novel over the years, streamlining the plot, removing characters based on feedback, even changing some of the setting…it’s a much different book if you have ever read earlier versions (and there are many!).

You also know how much we love Indonesia! I thought the island of Java would make a colorful backdrop for a story about a man finding his heart.

To peek inside and read the first couple of chapters for free, click here. You can also read a free sample on your Kindle device by clicking on the “send sample now” button from the order page.

To order the print edition, click here.

To order the Kindle version, click here.

If you order the print edition from Amazon, you will receive the Kindle version for free, as a part of their “Matchbook” program.

I hope you enjoy it, and if so, let your novel-loving friends know and please give me a review on Amazon or GoodReads!

Thanks so much!

Mike O’Quin

The first review is in!
“Eye-opening.” — Naomi O’Quin