As leaders, we like to be resolute. Firm. Forward-moving. So when we feel uncertain about an agreed-upon direction, it can be tempting to ignore it. But unpacking the unsettledness will pave the way for an even better future. Years ago I became unsettled about a significant ministry decision we’d made months prior. I had two […]

If you’re reading this in real time, it’s back-to-school time. For ministry leaders, in addition to a change in family schedules, autumn brings a change in ministry activities. And while fall may have a more obvious routine, its overall intensity can be greater than other seasons. So let’s find a focus from God. This summer, […]

Purpose-driven leaders with laser-beam focus. There’s something to be said for that. But are we so fixated on our goals that we look right past other key things around us? I sometimes do. On my quest to savor summer by watching a sunrise each week, I slipped out of bed at 5:30 last Tuesday. With […]

If you’re a typical leader, hard conversations come with the territory. When human beings with their unique personalities and perspectives work side-by-side – sparks can fly. Let’s unpack the dynamics and look for ways to keep conversations productive, not explosive. Hard conversations usually follow disagreements, which often stem from different viewpoints. Let’s use the tale […]

When a seasoned leader urged me to join hands with other ministries years ago, I thought she was nuts. I barely had enough time to keep our own ministry afloat much less reach out to others. But God has a way of squaring these tensions – the reality of time constraints and His heart for […]

It’s natural for leaders to let their strengths shine. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting God-given gifts to flourish for the sake of the Lord and His kingdom. It’s also natural to want to hide weaknesses. But God urges us to embrace them so His power can be seen. During a recent community-building time, our […]

I’ve been reading John 13-17 for the past few weeks, and here’s an amazing truth the Spirit highlighted to me recently: It’s a single word from John 13:1 – “Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father.” Did you catch it? Jesus’ description of where He was […]

Last week we talked about “Bookend Prayer” – the tendency for leaders to say a quick prayer on the front-end of a project and ask God to bless it at the end. It’s easy to fall into this trap – we’re busy, there’s tons to be done, and we want to see results fast. But […]