Are You Holding Yourself Back? Part 1
Have you hit a wall? Has progress ground to a halt? Is your team stuck? Mired in an inability to make decisions? Maybe it isn’t them. It’s you. Leaders, especially ones that experience a level of success, often unknowingly began to hold themselves back with beliefs, operational methods, or task orientation. These things might have worked at a second, or third, tier of leadership but have stopped working as more responsibility has come to the leader. The worst thing a leader can do is to stop learning. You never “arrive” at an apex of leadership ability. There is no mountaintop.
Are You Holding Yourself Back? Part 2
Leaders develop blind spots the longer they lead people. And it can be very easy to try and blame outside factors for that tall in your leadership growth, or the growth of the organization. But it is rarely an outside factor that stalls out the leader. Nearly always, it is internal blocks that exist in the belief system of the leader that impacts growth both inwardly and outwardly.
Running to the Next Red Light
Everybody seems to be in an awful hurry to wait some more. Stress, anxiety, and frustration rule the day. They don’t have to rule your day though. Look at these things and see how you can incorporate them into your daily routines. You just might find yourself getting more done than you thought you could.
A Quiet Exodus
People are leaving the church at an alarming rate. Quietly. Not with grandiose actions. Just the quiet patter of feet heading out the door. They leave because they can’t find the real Jesus in that church, or no one has ever done the work to show them what being “in Christ” really means. Is your church pushing a misplaced emphasis for spiritual growth? The mission is really about people, and not anything else.
Broken
Jesus told us that it isn’t the healthy that need a doctor but the sick. Churches are filled with people that have learned, and been taught, to keep their broken areas to themselves. But the entire Gospel of Matthew is geared towards showing that Jesus sought after the broken. The despised. The “unclean.” The outcasts. That is who Matthew was. A tax collector. We still don’t really like the tax collectors. Matthew was cut off from everything in his Jewish faith. He was rejected. He was broken. But Jesus called him to follow. And he did. Time and again Jesus stopped to interact with the broken of society. They were special to Him. They should be special to us today.
Fallen
The things, the leaders, and the people of this world will fail us. If not now, eventually. Our hope rightly placed in Christ will sustain us through all of it. It isn’t that we all just want grace. Without it, we can be and do nothing in the world.
Lent
A more liturgical in nature background likely means you are familiar with the history and practice of Lent. More evangelical? Maybe you are curious about adding some of the rhythmic liturgical elements into your spiritual life. Lent provides a unique and special opportunity to grow closer to the Lord spiritually.
Snubbed
Somehow the news always makes its way out. “Sources” have confirmed that arguably the greatest coach in the National Football League will not be inducted into the Football Hall of Fame(HOF) during his first year of eligibility. Bill Belichick has been :snubbed” by the 50 member committee. He did not receive the required 40 votes to be one of the new members of the HOF. The news spread like wildfire with too many to count players, pundits, and commentators weighing in on the news. In the days that have followed news has come out that he missed it by one vote. To many the snub is atrocious and unconscionable. Others immediately blamed the infamous Spygate scandal and theorized the snub acted as punishment for it. Whatever the reason, he will be absent the HOF Enshrinement Ceremony this year. He will have to wait another year.
The Curious Case of the 10th Commandment
Envy seems to be the underlying acceptable sin in the church today. But it is having dire consequences across the world. It is not just a congregant problem, but a pastoral problem just as much. Through these things you can learn to trust God, who made you and has created the best plan for your life.
Running on Empty
Being a leader means recognizing that you are better when you work and lead from the overflow of life. Working from the overflow of life doesn’t only apply to a leadership scenario. When you work out of an overflow you are a better spouse, a better parent, and generally a better person all around. Practice these steps so that you will up your leadership game wherever you are in life.
Resolved
How about you stop playing the games and go ahead with no New Year’s resolutions this time? It will save some time, energy, and feelings of guilt when you abandon them a few weeks later. However, if you are resolved to make intentional changes to life in the coming year, here are several real-life resolutions that will bring about lasting impact to both you, your family, and the world around you.
Keeping Christ in Christmas
It would be silly to say that every year Christmas sneaks up on the world, but in a weird way it does. Every year. Every single year. Oh, not the celebration of Christmas, but the reality of Christmas seems to sneak up every year. Even in the church it can feel like the underlying reality of God coming as man gets lost in the production of a wonderful Christmas seasonal celebration. Undoubtedly the world is struggling with a broad secularistic move. And it can easily be argued that the church is as well. However, you can lead your family towards keeping Christ in Christmas this year and every year.
How to Disagree Well
Disagreement can be and is highly constructive for a team. Healthy disagreement can help spur creative solutions, prevent big time mistakes, and push better decision-making across the board. Too often, disagreement is seen as disloyalty, or destructive to the team. And done wrongly it can certainly harm the spirit of the team. It can easily escalate into something far more and unintended. There is a way to disagree well when you find yourself in an environment that fosters healthy conflict. It can be scary at first, but when done well it will make everyone better.
Leading Change
Change is an inevitable part of life and creation. God knit together an incredible creation that can adapt and grow throughout its life. It is amazing to see it in action. We don’t have to be afraid of change, but we should have an idea about how to handle it well.
The Difficult Realities of Marriage: Part 8
Looking inwardly before blaming outwardly is vital. Are you holding a grudge over a past issue, or disagreement? Are you trying to make your spouse an “idealized” version that is impossible to attain? Are you making your spouse responsible for your own joy, satisfaction, and comfort? Above all other things, love each other well. The model for your love is Christ Himself and His self-sacrifice on the cross.
The Difficult Realities of Marriage: Part 7
The issue of in-laws isn’t one limited specifically to the parents of your spouse, but the entire family. There is the possibility of grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings, and more. At marriage, two people leave their families to unite into one family. But, in a way, two different families also unite to become one as well. And that makes all sorts of room for friction.
The Difficult Realities of Marriage: Part 6
It may feel like a married couple in love should never fight. That just isn’t reality. Disagreements are inevitable. The impact they have on your relationship is up to you both.
The Difficult Realities of Marriage – Part 5
The goal here is not to make you think that the fairytale of marriage is a myth, or impossibility. Marriage is the most beautiful thing God has given us. It is just really, really hard work. There are difficult realities that every marriage faces. It is vital that you anticipate things and recognize that you have the tools to walk through these things when they show up.
The Difficult Realities of Marriage: Part 3
Marriage is the most beautiful thing God has given us. It is just really really hard work. There are difficult realities that every marriage faces. Yes, EVERY marriage faces. It is vital that you anticipate things and recognize that you have the tools to walk through these things when they show up. And they will show up. This article will look at how a married couple can facilitate communication about expectations together in a healthy way.
The Difficult Realities of Marriage: Part 2
Marriage is the most beautiful thing God has given us. It is just really really hard work. There are difficult realities that every marriage faces. Yes, EVERY marriage faces. It is vital that you anticipate things and recognize that you have the tools to walk through these things when they show up. And they will show up. The current focus will be communication and expectations. These two really do belong together. Maybe even like peas and carrots.