After long last, I have decided to return to the blogsphere! After much thought, prayer and introspection, I have adopted a new focus and theme for this little corner of the world (wide web).
The inspiration of which derives primarily from three places. First, after meeting with the KSU women’s basketball team over the course of several months doing leadership/character coaching. After each session we would break down in the middle with a challenge to “lead now!” I left one of those meetings with this thought bugging me: wait a minute…that’s a message to myself…and to many others!
Secondly, it was also partly inspired by the truth of the statement: everyone is a leader, it’s simply a matter of where & how you’re leading others. Rich or poor, young or old, I believe every single person alive has massive influence and our lives will in many ways be judged by how we steward that influence. In fact, leadership gurus contend that even the most timid person will influence 10,000 people over their lifetime. Wow…that’s huge!!! We encourage our children to “be an example to others” because even at a young age, they are leaders. I challenge men around me all the time to lead others by following Jesus. The fact is, you have people who are watching your example, taking cues from your attitude and behavior. They are interpreting the world around them based on your ideas, words, actions and relationships. All of this is influence. And influence is leadership.
And lastly, it came from my personal struggles with the idea of leadership. To be honest, I have wrestled with this for a long time. I have read many books. I have been to Leadership conferences, Catalyzing conferences, Multiplying conferences, Equipping conferences, Family leadership conferences, and so on… I have been told “you’re a great leader” and I have been told “you’ll never make it as the leader.” I’ve been told “you’re the best dad ever!” And I have wept, alone with my own conscience, feeling the weight of falling short of the standard of Father God. I have asked the questions, and believe I have gotten an answer.
How can I become a better leader? Was the question I was asking. When I should have been asking how can I help you become a better leader? I may have been more effective over the years. And I also realize that, whatever anyone says, thinks or does, that doesn’t excuse me (or you) from the fact that God has given me leadership, and one day he’s gonna ask me about it. Maybe you heard the old song that goes “I have decided to follow Jesus…no turning back, no turning back… Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back, no turning back.” Maybe everyone won’t read my blog, but everyone will lead.
All of that has brought me to this one simple idea: God made you to lead. That is a message to myself. And it is a message to you. So do it now!
