leading isn't for cowards

Nehemiah 9:32 (NLT) --- "And now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of unfailing love, do not let all the hardships we have suffered seem insignificant to you. Great trouble has come upon us and upon our kings andleaders and priests and prophets and ancestors—all of your people—from the days when the kings of Assyria first triumphed over us until now.

Leading isn't easy, but it is a real blessing. In the last 3 days I have had some awesome conversations and some tough conversations. Yet each one reminded me of the responsibility that I have to the people I connect with. What is that responsibility?

Leading people means I have to be honest. Share the truth with confidence. Be open with who I am and where God has brought me from.

Leading people means I have to be clear. There are times and situations that need to be uncovered, discussed and more. When I beat around the bush or leave out things, I am not leading people as I can and as I must. That means deal with sin. That means confront relationships (which is hard for me). That means allowing God to use the pain and hurt that I have been through to help others.

Leading people means I have to spend time with God. God said that and desires time with us. That means Satan is going to do his best to keep our attention away from God. We have to guard that time, plan that time and follow through with that time. Often we are so busy that we miss God and what He is doing. Be honest about that time. Are you spending it with Him?

Leading isn't for cowards. In the verse above one of my heroes, Nehemiah, prays to God about the situation of the people. It is a tough time, but it is a time that God knows about, cares about and is willing to work through.

As a leader, remind people of what God said and about His promises. As a leader, deal honesty with the pain you and others are dealing with. As a leader, celebrate who God is and what He is doing.

Because Nehemiah was not a coward, the people around Him experienced God and great victory. I close with a question for you and for me ... what victories and what experiences am I keeping myself and others from because I am not leading the way God intended? Leading isn't for cowards. Remember that as you spend time with the people around you.

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One of the most powerful preachers, writers and leaders of our time, in my opinion, is Francis Chan. His first book, Crazy Love , revolutionized my thoughts about God's love as well as my interacting with God. Now it is time for a brand new book from Chan being released tomorrow, September 1st. The book is Forgotten God . This is a phenomenal book about the power that Christians and the church can and must tap into. All of it is within the Holy Spirit. Francis talks about the power that was seen in the book of Acts when the Holy Spirit began to move among people. It is true that many have avoided or maybe forgotten what the Holy Spirit is all about. And like the Savior who poured out His life and blood so we have reason to rejoice, we were made to lay down our lives and give until it hurts. We are most alive when we are loving and actively giving of ourselves because we were made to do these things. It is when we live like this that the Spirit of God moves and ac...

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There are many people, past and present, who get our attention by what they write or say or share. For me C.S. Lewis is one of those. He was a prolific writer who continues to grab the attention of thinkers from many different points of view. Lewis first grabbed my attention when I was in 5 th grader, and our teacher, Mrs. Foy, shared The Chronicles of Narnia with our class. It was a powerful time that this dreamer opened doors to thinking like I had never lived before. He wrote of faith, of far off places and of strong figures who found their character rooted deep in God. C.S. Lewis was born in 1898 and died in 1963, 7 years before I was born. It wasn’t until his 30’s that under the influence of his friend Tolkien that he came to be a Christian. He was raised in a traditional church going home, turned away from God as an Atheist in his teen years and through trying to stay away from God and faith returned to God with...

Catalyst ticket arrived

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Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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