Who’s Holding You? Part 2
There are many different ways to be “held” by people. Sometimes we need someone like Joe to tell us encouraging things about ourselves. Sometimes we need someone who just listens. Sometimes we need lots of empathy. Sometimes we need to get out and do something fun. Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky remind us that leaders of change need places to be “held” by others. The relationship of Paul and Timothy in the New Testament offers a fitting biblical example of “holding.” If we’re going to do wise inner work, we need people in our lives to support us in that effort by offering their listening, kindness, wisdom, and love. And, of course, we need to offer the same to others.
Read Article Who’s Holding You? Part 1
Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky remind us that leaders of change need to create “holding environments.” But we also need places to be “held” by others. The relationship of Paul and Timothy in the New Testament offers a stirring biblical example of such “holding.” If we’re going to do wise inner work, we need people in our lives to support us in that effort by offering their kindness, wisdom, and love. And, of course, we need to offer the same to others.
Read Article Unmasking Your Desire to be the Solo Hero
We who lead might be tempted to seek our own glory as the solo hero who solves the big problems of our organization. But, though individuals can make a difference through their efforts, that difference is most effective when it involves equipping, encouraging, and supporting others. For this to happen, we who lead need to examine our hearts, to identify and work on any tendencies we might have to want to be the exalted hero. We must learn to empower others and rejoice in their accomplishments.
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Like a Thief in the Night
We have no control over when Christ is coming back. Let’s live a life of faith, hope, love, and building each other up while we wait.
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Grace Be With You!
God’s grace makes all the difference in the world. As we receive God’s amazing, limitless grace for ourselves, we are enabled to extend that grace to others. Christians, of all people, should be marked by amazing grace in the way we relate to others.
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Praying Faithfully for Others
When people ask us to pray for them, we say “Yes” with all good intentions. But, sometimes, when life gets full, we can forget what we have promised.
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Celebrating the Faithfulness of God
Why can we have faith in God? Why can we trust God with our very lives? Because God is faithful, utterly faithful, completely trustworthy. Thus, we have confidence that the time will come when God will make right this broken world, including us. We will know the health and wholeness that God intends for us.
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Completely Dedicated to God
We want to be dedicated to God, but often find our hearts being lured in other directions. We can hold back, giving God part of ourselves but not all.
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The God of Peace
Our hearts yearn for peace, not only the cessation of conflict or inner calm, but also peace that leads to justice, flourishing, and delight. Scripture reminds us that God is the God of peace, the God who gives us the gift of full-orbed peace through Christ.
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Be Open to the Spirit and Discern Wisely, Part 5
If you want to discern God’s ways, you need to be formed in mind and heart by the Spirit of God. The more you are shaped by God’s own Spirit, the more you will be able to grasp what God is doing in your life.
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Be Open to the Spirit and Discern Wisely, Part 4
God puts people in our lives who will help us to hear God’s voice clearly as we seek to serve and please God in every part of our lives.
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Be Open to the Spirit and Discern Wisely, Part 3
The Holy Spirit who inspires us to minister in power also helps us “test everything” so that we might know what God is doing and saying. We look to the Spirit to give us gifts of discernment when we are gathered as the church and when we are deployed into the world.
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Be Open to the Spirit and Discern Wisely, Part 2
The Bible urges us to be open to the presence and power of the Spirit. But, at the same time, we are to discern wisely what is of God and what is not.
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Finding Joy in Work
God alone is the source of our joy, in our work as in everything else. Our joys are like a metaphorical tree, where God is both the root and trunk. All else in our lives, including our work, are like the branches, leaves, and fruit. No joy in our lives is sustainable apart from being rooted in and connected to God. [And] because God calls us to be his servants, all work serves his purpose and therefore has ultimate meaning, even when we can’t make sense of it here and now.
Read Article Be Open to the Spirit and Discern Wisely, Part 1
The Bible urges us not to quench the work of the Holy Spirit. Instead, we should be open to what God might do and say in our lives through the Spirit’s power.
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