You Are Not a Failure

Everybody wants to experience a miracle in their lives, yet we run from the impossible situations that precede miracles.

If your back is up against the wall, good; you are well positioned to experience a miracle!

God found Gideon in a hole.

He found Joseph in a prison.

He found Daniel in a lion's den.

God has a curious habit of showing up in the midst of trouble, not the absence.

Where the world sees failure, God sees future.

Embrace tough situations and see what God can do through you!

————————————————————————-

You Can Do This, I Can Help

God's heart is to see you lead your church to growth.

You can do this.   I can help you GROW!

Let me personally coach you toward quickly reaching more people far from God.

🚀 LEARN MORE

Fresh Vision for 2025

I've always loved Jonathan Edwards' resolutions:

I will live for God. Even if no one else does, I still will.

Wow, talk about powerful and clear!  It's great to have New Year's resolutions, but it's even better to transform those resolutions into a singular vision for the year.

In Proverbs 29:18, we are told that where there is no vision, the people perish.  Having a vision can be a life or death thing!

I have a personal phrase I've adopted for this New Year that I want to share with you now: Fully Alive in 2025!  I want to be alert, proactive, positive, in the moment (not daydreaming somewhere else), ready to Yes, And in 2025.

I've written down my vision statement inside my trusty Moleskin to help myself stay accountable.  This is biblical; Habakkuk 2:2 says to write down the vision in plain language.

Every good vision requires sacrifice.  

To fulfill my unique vision of the future, I have to make some sacrifices:

• Scripture before Screens

• Meditation before Media

• Prayer before Posts

By painting a picture of who I want to be in 2025, I am setting myself up for success in all areas of my life: personal, professional, etc.

Having a vision of the future is powerful; it's like painting a picture ala Bob Ross, complete with happy little trees and happy little mistakes along the way.

I want you to take some time today if you haven't already to develop a short, simple vision statement for your 2025.  It doesn't have to rhyme or be overly-clever.  But it does have to be written down somewhere that you will see it.

Create your vision statement and then begin re-ordering your daily routines around your vision.  See how God can transform your New Year in new ways!

6 Requirements of a Leader

While it is a great responsibility to be a leader, it is an even greater honor to be a leader in God’s house. What is required of being a Spiritual Leader? What is required of being a Pastor? In 1 Timothy 3, Paul lays out the requirements of being a leader that you can apply to any sphere of your life.

Are you a business leader? A coach? A mom? I believe wherever you are, you are still leading spiritually in your sphere of influence. 

Here are 6 requirements of a leader according to Paul: 

1 A LEADER LIVES ABOVE REPROACH

• Great leaders are marked with integrity and character - there are no asterisks or question marks regarding their integrity.

• They don’t have a sketchy reputation. As time goes on, great leaders are building trust with people.

• The behavior of someone living above reproach is someone who exhibits self-control, righteousness, and uprightness. 

2 A LEADER IS RESPECTED

• Respect is something everyone wants, but we must give respect to receive it. 

• Leaders work hard to build trust and respect.

3 A LEADER IS RESPONSIBLE WITH MONEY

• We can’t be spiritual leaders and not give to God what is His. When you take care of money appropriately, God trusts you with spiritual riches.

• Leaders don’t love money, they steward money.

4 A LEADER IS REALLY GREAT AT HOME

• Nothing reveals your leadership more than your home.

• It’s not easy, but how can we lead God’s house if we can’t lead our own home?

• A strong leader leads a home that bears good fruit. 

5 A LEADER RECOMMENDED BY OTHERS BECAUSE OF PROVEN CHARACTER

• God will always use proven character.

• As leaders, we're after proven character, not perfect character. 

• A good leader has shown others that their character is developed and persistent. 

6 A LEADER IS REPENTANT

• Paul says that a spiritual leader is “...not violent but gentle.” One of the key signs the Holy Spirit is working in your life is gentleness. Gentleness should flow out of your life. You don’t strive or earn that, you receive that. Sometimes, the hardest part of being a spiritual leader is being spiritual. 

• A strong leader allows the Holy Spirit to work in their lives through repentance.

Today as you reflect on the kind of leader that you are, and the kind of leader you want to be, identify which areas you need God to help you with.

PS: You're doing better than you think you are! 

Tall Trees Attract Wind

As you begin to dream big this year, beware of dream-killers and vision vampires.

The greater the leap of faith, the greater the noise of opposition will come from every side to keep you on the ground.

Every great hero from Scripture encountered opposition.  Take Nehemiah for instance.  He dreamed of rebuilding Jerusalem's walls.  Against all odds, he rallied a team to get to work and make the vision a reality.  That is when the dream-killers and vision vampires appeared:

When Sanballat heard that we were building the wall of Jerusalem, he was very angry and upset. He started making fun of the Jews.  (Nehemiah 4:1)

Remember, the loudest boo's come from the cheapest seats!

You don't have time to take your eyes off the prize for peripheral non-threats.  Ignore the haters.  After all, tall trees attract wind!

If you have critics that arise, good.  It means you're doing something revolutionary and the world needs more of it.

----------------------------------

You Can Do This, I Can Help

God's heart is to see you lead your church to growth.

You can do this.   I can help you GROW!

Let me personally coach you toward quickly reaching more people far from God.

🚀 LEARN MORE

Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New

‘Wisdom comes to the heart that is hungry for God.’ (A.W. Tozer)

Whenever I feel discouraged and want to quit something, I remember the words of my then 3-year-old after she puked carrots all over the living room floor: “I’m gonna need more carrots.”

‘As a leader, you will have to make decisions that those whom you lead and even spectators won’t understand for years.’

(Dr. Eric Mason)

Leaders are targets for the Enemy. If you’re leading out front, then of course you’re going to be on the receiving end of fiery darts. Expect it.

Misunderstandings and miscommunications will happen.

You cannot control other people’s perceptions. You can only control your own actions and reactions.

Be careful with what you hear about someone. You might be hearing it from the problem.

As soon as we step into condemnation instead of conversation, we can no longer see that person clearly.

/ / /

‘A perverse man sows strife and a whisperer separates the best of friends.’ (Proverbs 16:28)

People don’t own you when they hurt you. They own you when your entire life is defined by that hurt.

If you’ve been burned, heal. If someone has an issue with you and they’re telling everyone except you, they don’t have a real issue with you. They just enjoy the attention they get from talking about you.

/ / /

‘Love God and He will enable you to love others even when they disappoint you.’ (Francine Rivers)

The only way to handle ‘prodigals’ is to let them go, give them to God, and pray for their return with tears. And when you see them on the horizon with their head hung low, wrap your arms around them and welcome them home.

We are all rough drafts of the person we are becoming.

Don’t be afraid to start over. It’s a chance to build something better this time!

Sure, the winds feel strong and your team is small.

Stand firm.

If you set your anchor, you won’t drift.

-----------------------------------------------------

You Can Do This, I Can Help

God's heart is to see you lead your church to growth.

You can do this.   I can help you GROW!

Let me personally coach you toward quickly reaching more people far from God.

🚀 LEARN MORE

Dream Big

I think we too often place limitations on our dreams because: A) We don't have a big enough God in our heads or B) We secretly fear failing.

In 2025, I want to challenge you to dream BIG.

God can do ANYTHING, you know—FAR MORE than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."  (Ephesians 3:20-21, MSG)

Take a look around you and imagine what could be and what should be in this new year.

Seriously, take a deep breath and put pen to paper to write out your dreams for 2025.

And then God answered: “Write this.
Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
pointing to what’s coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
And it doesn’t lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
It’s on its way. It will come right on time."

(Habakkuk 2:2-3, MSG)

Write down your dreams for the future!  Did you know that it's been proven to increase the likelihood of achieving them? In a study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University, participants who wrote down their goals were 42% more likely to achieve them than those who didn't write them down.

Buy a Moleskin, pray some big prayers, and then write out some big dreams.  

Now is not the time to shrink back in fear.

Playing it safe is too risky!

Dream big in 2025 and let's see what God can do through you...

Are You an Energy Vampire?

In life and leadership, we are on a bus and we’re going somewhere. I think back to my elementary and junior high days… where riding the bus was more than just how you got to school. You had to get your spot, with your friends, and you definitely had a plan to cause chaos for the bus driver! 

Maybe you’re a business owner, an athlete, a parent, or you just started a new job…  ask yourself today: what metaphorical bus are you on? Who’s on the bus with you? Where are you going? And what energy are you bringing to it? I want to leave you with this..

5 THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT BEING ON THE ENERGY BUS

#1: BRING GREAT ENERGY TO THE BUS
Are you an energy vampire? You know, the people who kind of just suck the energy right out of you?When you walk into your job or a meeting, what are you bringing? Leaders know WHAT the room needs — and it's your ENERGY!

#2: DON’T CARRY OTHER PEOPLE’S NEGATIVE ENERGY
We are the sum total of our influences and if you’re not careful you’ll get swallowed up in the narrative of negativity. Now, of course you can JOURNEY with someone, but be careful that you do not CARRY their negativity or offense.

#3: IT DOESN’T MATTER WHERE THE BUS IS GOING IT MATTERS WHO’S ON THE BUS
In other words…relationship over productivity!

#4: YOUR ATTITUDE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY 
Generally bad attitudes are a result of mishandled/ignored conflict and a lack of accountability. Make it right, own it, have a clear conscience, and lead with your best attitude!

#5: SABBATH REST OR YOUR ENERGY IS DRAINED

Fatigue will make a fool out of you! Take the rest you need so that you’re leading FROM rest, not FOR REST.

Wherever you find yourself today, try to add more energy than you take! You got this... LET'S GO!

On Pain and Loss

This past week marked one year since my Mother suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. 

It is a weird anniversary to mark as it brings up memories and emotions that usually remain bottled up, untouched by daily life.  I think my sister put it best:

"One of the strangest things about loss, especially sudden loss, is that while your world is crashing down around you, the rest of the world keeps on moving. Today somehow marks 1 year without Mom. It doesn’t seem possible that it’s been an entire year without one of the most important people in my life. I try to not dwell on regrets, but not hugging her when I had the opportunity, not knowing that just one hour later she’d be cruelly and tragically taken from us, is the hardest for me to reconcile. I still struggle with the unfairness and trauma of it all, but I try to remember that I’m still here and there are people that need me. Mom is at peace, and one day I will get to give her that hug I so desperately wish for."

When she passed, I put together a little video that played at the opening of her Celebration of Life.  For what it's worth, here's the video: