Would you look at that – 5, 5, 2025. Whee.
Anyway. I was playing Dune: Spice Wars just a moment ago when the PC shut down and the UPS started acting crazy… seconds before a loud lightning boom was heard outside.
I suppose I should really be thankful that the electricity is still up. And, also, that was probably a sign that I should get back to some writing.
Yeah, I’ve been away. Riding on the fact that I’ve written enough to cover my tracks until July… but, well, it’s not like life stops to be interesting enough to write about, no?
Take last Saturday, for example. Without going into too much detail, I learned a valuable lesson there – or, well, a couple.
First, if you’re setting out to ensure that those under your watch are well ministered to, then that should be your priority, instead of thinking about your own escape and relaxation.
Second, when you have other people joining you in your venture, as a leader you ought to be ready – not necessarily wary, but ready – for the value and/or the risks they bring to the table.
- I’ll say this – when alcohol is involved, not only are you responsible for your own stature, but for the well being of those you are partaking with.
- Take charge. Things don’t go your way, don’t just yield, but assert your leadership.
With all that in mind, there’s a lot that was learned in the aftermath of the revelries.
Third lesson: Damage control. Ensure your own recovery, and then the recovery of your mates.
Fourth, address damage dealt to other parties. As a leader, it is your responsibility to be humble and to make the first approach. Discussion will always be necessary.
I will go into a little detail regarding the discussion I had with a member of our team on the drive back to the mountains. We all have our own quirks, and, well, this guy wasn’t any different – I thought it was good timing that he was seated where he was seated, so we can have the opportunity to talk – and, somehow, the discussion led to us ultimately agreeing on two things: (1) The power of ‘owning’ what has been given to us – not only being capable, but also very willing to take on whatever responsibilities have been handed over to us; Not only looking to be excellent, but more than that, making it our own. We didn’t really discuss this, but to strive for excellence leads to arrogance, but to own what we’ve been given has us being patient, and therefore truly confident; A backdrop premise for us to say, ‘true competence transforms incompetence’.
True competence is also generous competence – that is, that we are more than willing to share what we’ve learned, and are learning: Again, without arrogance, but keeping in mind that (2) There’s always a better way, always a gracious way for us to communicate to people according to how we know them.
…And if I’ve lost you in any of that, well, we agreed further on a deeper ‘foundation’ beneath these lessons – that is, that vigor for life, that joy of real life that only Christ could give us. A life with Christ has us owning what’s been thrown at us, looking beyond ourselves but involving anyone and everyone within our own spheres of influence, shining HIS glory and grace.
And that all tied together with what we discussed yesterday at church. Well, it wasn’t me discussing, by the way. It was my good mentor, who also happened to be running for public office.
Now, here’s the thing – I was supposed to follow up with him the day before to confirm his coming over to speak to us on Sunday… but it was his son who called me Sunday morning to ask more details about what we were expecting from him. I told him to tell his dad to just encourage us… that he only needed 5-10 minutes to share.
I’ll admit to noticing he was grasping for words at first, but eventually got into his rhythm and hit at least 20 minutes of podium time… and the lesson he chose to share to us was geared more to our youth – that they should know their SHAPE: Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Ability, Personality, and their Experiences…
Now, I said this was tying to the discussion I had the afternoon before, in the sense that in our enjoying the eternal life that the Lord has given us, we ARE getting to know and love Him more, but let us not be surprised if, in the process, He reveals more about how we were build, or how we were shaped, specifically. It’s necessary for us to know who we are, that we know who we are as a congregation, that we would eventually know how we can add value to the communities we impact.
A lot going on, yes? Well, a lot of learning going on, anyway.
I am thankful for the lightning, because it forced me to write all this – and I really wanted it down, before I forgot any of it.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
His mercies never come to an end.
They are new every morning, new every morning,
Great is thy faithfulness, o Lord;
Great is thy faithfulness.
Right – before I forget, I also want to express my gratitude and awe towards our God, who not only moves in and through our circumstances and situations – not only in things, but also in human hearts.
I’m not going to go into any detail here, but I will just go ahead and say that it is the Lord who moves in hearts, especially those of us in the body of Christ, that we would prioritize peace, and we would allow peace to prevail over pride and pain.
I’ll just say that I was witness to the answers to my prayers, concerning a conflict that arose within our ranks. It caught us off guard, and it hurt all of us dearly… but, again, praise be to God. Why? For, well, it’s one thing for us personally to forgive other people as Christ has forgiven us… but when you see other people in the congregation do the same thing, well, you are encouraged again, but from a different perspective.
And just putting it all together – from the failures of Saturday, to the realizations yesterday – I guess all I have to say is that our God truly loves us as a Father. He picks us up when we stumble, even if it is of our own doing – and not only does He pick us up, but He allows cool hearts and gracious hearts to prevail, so we all prioritize perfect love over fear and resentment.
He loves us as a Father, in that He shows us in every day – in all we’re experiencing, whether we’re brought into situations or we bring ourselves into the circumstances we suffer – precisely how faithful He is, in that He knows all of us by name, He saved us thinking about us specifically, knowing that it is through Christ’s finished work that we are really able to know how He created us, and how we are able to see His will done here on earth as it is in heaven, based on how He made us.
I tell you, the revelations have been nothing but grand, and I am just so thankful that I have this time to just let it all out.
Well, there’s a whole bunch more to let out, to be honest… and I hope to get to it in the days to come.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him, all creatures here below!
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen.
Next post coming very soon. May the Lord continue to bless us and keep us. Amen. Amen.
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