I came across a paragraph that spoke volumes and I want to share it with you. To find peace when facing tough times, remember:

“You aren’t alone; let someone special in when you’re in a dark place.  You know who this person is.  Don’t expect them to solve your problems; just allow them to face your problems with you.  Give them permission to stand beside you.  They won’t necessarily be able to pull you out of the dark place you’re in, but the light that spills in when they enter will at least show you which way the door is.” (source)

Are you in a tough place right now in your leadership?

Who do you know that can sit with you in the darkness?

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During

She is in so much pain. It is unbelievable. With every contraction, she is thinking the world is coming to an end. It hurts so much.

After

She is so relieved. The baby is finally here and in her arms now. The joy is indescribable. With every movement of the baby’s little fingers, she is thinking the world is an incredible place to live. It feels so great!

Are you in the middle of a stretching time in your leadership? The pain seems unbelievable. With every turn you’re thinking the world will certainly come to an end. It hurts to take any step further. But could this be the season that precedes indescribable joy? Could this be a season where you see God’s handiwork and one day praise Him for the incredible ministry to which God has called you?

Ask any proud mother. Sure, they would prefer not to have the stretch marks. But for all they gained, I bet they’d say it was all worth it.

A lot of leadership means dealing with uncertainty. There are seasons of great questions and the world seems to be revolving upside down. Here are a couple of scriptures that may help you as you journey your way to a new birth:

Jesus answered them, “Do you finally believe? In fact, you’re about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I’m not abandoned. The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” (John 16.32-33 MSG)

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. (Philippians 4.6-7 MSG)

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A collection of posts from last week on Serving Strong

• What Are You Looking For?
  He searched high. He searched low. He searched in the corners and the cracks and the crevices. “What are you looking for?” someone asked. He replied, “I don’t know.“ Now THAT’S crazy! Why search intently for something that you’re not sure what it is? You want to finish strong, right? You want to be as big [...]

  

  

• The Leader And Hill Work
  My daughter finished her first half marathon yesterday. Pittsburgh is not the easiest course with all its grueling hills. It was said that there is a section of the full marathon course known as “cardiac hill”, a steep incline that tests the best of runners. This year, I understand they had volunteers known as “hill [...]

  

  

• Serving Strong Content Is Out
  A collection of posts from last week on Serving Strong The Leader’s Warning Track You, like every other ministry leader, are vulnerable to hitting the wall. Some of you reading this may even know what hitting the wall looks like. I have. It’s not pretty. You and everyone around you feel the negative vibe that [...]

  

  

Stay strong!

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He searched high. He searched low. He searched in the corners and the cracks and the crevices.

“What are you looking for?” someone asked.

He replied, “I don’t know.“

Now THAT’S crazy! Why search intently for something that you’re not sure what it is?

You want to finish strong, right? You want to be as big an influence as God wants you to be, right?

It will require personal growth in your life. But what are you looking for in your personal growth? How do you know you’re growing?

Here’s an idea:

First, take a walk around your life and view it from all angles. Your marriage (if married), your parenthood (if you have kids), your finances, your spiritual life, your physical fitness….

Second, rate from 1 – 10 how satisfied you are in each of those areas (1 = poor, 10 = excellent)

Third, pick the one you sense is the highest priority to focus on right now in your season of life.

Fourth, ask yourself, “What must I do to bring it from the number it is now to the next highest number?“

Fifth, brainstorm (perhaps with your accountability partner) ideas of concrete activities you can start today that will get you to that number

That way, you’ll know better what you’re looking for.

photo credit: Jon McGovern via photopin cc

My daughter finished her first half marathon yesterday. Pittsburgh is not the easiest course with all its grueling hills. It was said that there is a section of the full marathon course known as “cardiac hill”, a steep incline that tests the best of runners.

This year, I understand they had volunteers known as “hill buddies” to accompany the runners up the hill to ensure their safety and health. May be due to the liability and how litigious our society has become. In any event, when I heard about the buddy system, my mind got to thinking.

Who do you have as a buddy system for the times when you are facing a difficult season of your ministry leadership? When the hill is steep and the resources are slim, who do you know to call for help? And will you call for help?

The best leaders through history were the ones who knew their limits and when to ask for assistance.

A collection of posts from last week on Serving Strong

• The Leader’s Warning Track
  You, like every other ministry leader, are vulnerable to hitting the wall. Some of you reading this may even know what hitting the wall looks like. I have. It’s not pretty. You and everyone around you feel the negative vibe that results. But you don’t have to hit the wall if you employ this simple, [...]

  

  

• 2 Lists Every Leader Needs To Consult
  Galatians 5 Two mindsets with very distinct resulting lists. The Selfish Mindset produces… “…repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided [...]

  

  

• Serving Strong Content Is Out
  A collection of posts from last week on Serving Strong Serving Strong Video For those of you who don’t know, there is a channel on Youtube by Serving Strong. Here’s a link: http://www.youtube.com/user/ServingStrongVIDEO   Here’s a sample of one of the videos: The Weight Of Your Attitude 3 backpacks. 1 stuffed with feathers. 1 stuffed [...]

  

  

Stay strong!

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