All posts filed under: Leadership

When people abandon you, and others blame you: 7 Things to consider

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When people abandon you, and others blame you for what went wrong – what should be your attitude? 7 Things I am learning about that: 1. Take responsibility. No matter how out of your control the situation was, it happened on your watch. And as a leader, everyone involved should feel like you genuinely take responsibility. 2. Commit your feelings to the Lord. In any event, He is bigger than your feelings. When the criticisms, judgments, and abandonment become real and you feel rotten, commit your feelings to Him. 3. Seek wisdom from trusted friends and leaders. See it as a teachable moment. 4. Keep your heart from becoming resentful and bitter by inviting God into the situation. 5. Often times when we are misunderstood we want to make everyone aware of our righteousness. Don’t seek to justify yourself or your actions. Let your heart settle in the fact that God saw how much you invested and how much you still care. 6. Care enough to pray – not for God to straighten them out …

Too painful for words

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Isn’t it extraordinary that pain does not rank with “love, battle, and jealousy” among the most important themes in literature? Every schoolgirl who falls in love “has Shakespeare, Donne, Keats to speak her mind for her; but let a sufferer try to describe a pain in his head to a doctor and language at once runs dry.” Virginia Woolf I seek today, to bring not just a word of encouragement, but a message that would bring healing to the sufferer. My goal is that by some miraculous means, the words I write will become the very words of God speaking personally and directly to you today. First of all, let it be known that I do not presume to understand anyone’s pain. I do not pretend to understand the extent and nature of that pain. All I know is that there is a lot of pain in our world and I can only speak as a fellow struggler. From the loss of loved ones, loss of employment, the dissolution of a covenant relationship, to excruciating and …

Destiny

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There is a buzzword in the church today. DESTINY! Everybody’s talking about it and running after it. It is interesting, however what exactly people mean when they talk about destiny. In many cases, it’s about personal success. There is nothing wrong with that! But destiny runs deeper than that. Destiny is not about success status self aggrandizement It’s is about servanthood For many destiny has become an idol! It is very easy for destiny to become an idol. Take a look at the life of Joseph. Joseph was a young man who at the age of 16 misunderstood a revelation given to him by God. In his immaturity he developed an air of self importance that drove his brothers to despise him. His interpretation of a God given destiny or dream was all about him, and he paid dearly for it. But after a series of life lessons, Joseph began to understand that though one day he would be elevated to become Prince of Egypt, God was not interested in his status, but his servanthood. …

The Black Dot!

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“One day our headmaster walked into the classroom and put up a broad white sheet of paper with a small black dot in the corner. ‘Boys,’ he asked, ‘what do you see?’ All of us shouted in unison, ‘A black dot!’ Then he said, ‘So not a single one of you saw the broad white sheet of paper? Don’t go through life with that attitude.’.”

A Black Dot!

I don’t know much about Koffi Annan the former UN Sacretary General, but from what I gathered, he was gifted at seeing the big picture, especially when it came tonegotiating and solving complex problems around the world.

Evangelism & Joy

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Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Psalm 51:12, 13 There is an undeniable link between sharing our faith and the level of our joy. We often focus on joy as a motivator for sharing our faith and long to see it expressed upon the conversion of a person. But how much impact does joy have in the process of sharing our faith? Can people feel it? Can they feel what we have? Does anyone recognize it? If I made muffins and believe my muffins are not only the very best muffins you will ever eat, but the only muffins with ingredients to make you thin, but I exhibit zero excitement about my muffins and I’m not a pound close to being thin; would it matter to anyone how good I think my muffins are? In the same way, if I believe Jesus Christ offers the very best life you could ever have in …

I know who you are: 10 days of Holy Confidence

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Day #2 Lord, Maker, Savior I know that through it all You are greater Your love for me Will never fade away Those who hope in you Will never be ashamed ‘Cause I know who You are…’ “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.” According to the Old Testament, your name is your identity. There is usually a meaning and purpose behind every name. This idea applies to God as well. He reveals Himself to us through His names. This Thanksgiving season, let’s do ourselves a favor and ask ourselves this fundamental question: How well do I know God? Many bible characters asked and answered that very same question. For example: Paul said, “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.” David said, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Job said, “I know my redeemer lives, and in the end, He …

Reset: A Second Chance Prayer

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The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Lamentations 3:22, 23, 24 Father, for: The sins of commission The sins of omission The passion I had before The love turned cold The faith that lacked zeal The truth to which I failed to yield The credibility I lost The bridges I burned The hurt I caused The rebellion I learned I pray for a reset Clean Slate Fresh Start New Beginning Let me feel your steadfast love that never ceases Taste your mercies that never come to an end Turn them into every morning experiences Until God, the Most High becomes friend For: Your faithfulness is great! Your Lordship is what I crave Your hope is a firm grip! Note: The key passage in Lamentations is 3:19–24, where the speaker affirms that belief in God’s mercy and faithfulness is the key to a restored relationship with God. This fact is true …

The Treasures of Darkness

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I hope it was the title of this post that compelled you to click. I know it sounds ridiculous. How can darkness produce any kind of treasure? My family and I went on a 9 to 10 days Norwegian Vacation Cruise to the Islands of Hawaii a few weeks ago. On board the ship, I signed up to do a workshop entitled, “Eat more to weigh less.” You can imagine how happy I was, given the fact that there are more than 4 or 5 restaurants on the ship; not counting the other 3 or 4 spaces where the most delicious food (buffet style) is served all day long. Unfortunately, my hopes came crashing down when the fitness coach told us to stay away from all the “good stuff.” You know, the foods that are really bad for you. And yes, the ones you really like. She told us to eat more of the “good stuff.” You know, your kale and broccoli sprouts. So when I first read the Oswald Chambers’ devotional, based on his book, …