words... the power to diminish... or multiply...

Opportunities to diminish others... abound... through criticism... judgmental attitudes... micro-management...

With fresh opportunities before me... I remember a lesson from the Summit... one I need desperately today...

The speaker shared ways that multiply the leadership potential of those around us... but also revealed ways we diminish others... often unintentionally... not recognizing the power behind our actions and words...

A message that convicted... as a mom who has... longing to build up... most likely discouraged and diminished my children at times... without even knowing it...

Today... a critical point... I must resist... the temptation to fall into the pattern of diminishing...

Those around me need... their confidence... competence... and courage... multiplied...

So I remember... and pray...

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,

but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion,

that it may give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

(my emphasis)

corrupt... to change from good to bad in morals, manners, or actions... rot, spoil... to cause disintegration or ruin...

Corrupting talk... it changes those who hear it... from good to bad... rots... spoils... their spirit... causes disintegration or ruin... in an attitude...

grace... good will, loving-kindness, favour... the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues...

Words that give grace... build up... turn others to Christ... encourage... strengthen... kindle... the desire to pursue His Way...

Those are the words... attitudes... I need to emit today...

Lord... remind me... the diminisher in me is dead...

I am a new creation in Christ... You live through me...

You provide... the words... attitudes... needed today...

apart from You... I cannot multiply... those I love...

I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13 NASB95

an uncomfortable thought... from the summit...

As I continue to mull over all I heard at the Summit... there is one thought that makes me uncomfortable...

The theme of courage... connecting... offering compassion... are bound up in me... as if in a head-lock...

Being an introverted-perfectionist... it takes courage... for me to connect... step out... offer compassion... be seen...

The speaker who spoke about vulnerability... shared an excerpt from her book...

When we spend our lives waiting until we're perfect or bulletproof before we walk into the arena we ultimately sacrifice relationships and opportunities that may not be recoverable, we squander our precious time, and we turn our backs on our gifts, those unique contributions only we can make.

Perfect and bulletproof are seductive, but they don't exist in the human experience. We must walk into the arena, whatever it may be -- a new relationship, an important meeting, our creative process, or a difficult family conversation -- with courage and the willingness to engage. Rather than sitting on the sidelines and hurling judgment and advice, we must dare to show up and let ourselves be seen. This is vulnerability. This is daring greatly. 

---Dr. Brene Brown, Daring Greatly 

To climb into the arena of life... the one Jesus invites us to... the life abundant... is to dare greatly...

He calls us to a life of love... and as the speaker reminded us...

...love is messy, hard, tough...

She went on to say...

You can choose courage 

or you can choose comfort,

but you can't have both --- 

they are mutually exclusive...

Here is where it gets uncomfortable... I long to be courageous... AND... comfortable... but the reality is this combination does not exist... Remember... courage is only needed... in the face of danger... fear... or difficulty... Who needs courage if you're comfy...?

A challenge to step up to... one I pray I will not back down from...

A call to remember... Jesus Himself was not comfortable in His skin... He had no place to lay His head... He was led into temptation... His life was threatened multiple times... He was described as a man of sorrows... He sweat blood... He hung on a cross...

I choose the uncomfortable... I choose courage...

How knows... maybe one day... I'll become comfortable... with being... uncomfortable...

more summit thoughts... connecting...

I read it this morning... on the treadmill...

I have learned something elemental about connecting and communicating with the human race. Everyone has a name --- and they long to be seen, to be heard, and to be acknowledged for more than just being another cashier at the counter, driver behind the wheel, waitress, ticket taker with those little informative tags on their shirts.

--- River Jordan, Praying for Strangers

Her words reminded me... of  something said at the Summit... those two days last week... ridiculously full days...

The speaker... he identified three things... that make a miserable place to work... and as I walked... going nowhere... I realized they also make a miserable place to go to church...

1) Anonymity. Nobody wants to be anonymous... People cannot be fulfilled in their work if they are not known.

2) Irrelevance. God created us to love others... Everyone needs to know that their job matters, to someone. Anyone.

3) Immeasurement. All people have a need to be able to assess themselves if they are doing a good job... Employees need to be able to gauge their progress and level of contribution for themselves.

The title of the talk... How to Lose Your Best People...

Is that what happen in churches... the best people are lost... if these three elements are part of the culture...?

We all have a need to be known... God created us for community...

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone.

I will make a helper who is just right for him."

Genesis 2:18 NLT

We all need to know we are relevant... have purpose... He created us with a purpose...

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus

to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10 

We all need to know if we are growing... markers that reveal progress... God saved us... to move toward perfection...

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23

These elements are needed to help people connect... grow... and fulfill the purpose God created them... us... you... me... for...

These elements make a great place to gather... in Him... without them... it's misery...

How can we make sure these elements... are part of our gathering... in Christ...?

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,

but you are fellow citizens with the saints

and members of the household of God,

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

in whom the whole structure, being joined together,

grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

Ephesians 2:19-21 ESV

(my emphasis)

Are these needs met where you gather to worship...?
Are you intentional about connecting with others... knowing... affirming... identifying growth...?
What can you start doing... to make your gathering... great...?

more thoughts from the summit... love...

Those two days last week... filled me with so much... to think about... review...

I look back over Summit notes... and find... the five loves...

This speaker took a verse... one I've prayed... and known for years... but only saw as two loves... aspired to the first because I believe the second will follow when we do the first...

"'... Love the Lord your God with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your mind

and with all your strength.'

The second is this:

'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

There is no commandment greater than these."

Mark 12:30-31 NIV

1) Love God with all your heart. A matter of character.

2) Love God with all your soul. A matter of conviction.

3) Love God with all your mind. A matter of comprehension. Understanding God. 

4) Love God with all your strength. A matter of competence. Be excellent.

5) Love your neighbor as yourself. A matter of compassion.

Loving God four ways... and loving neighbors...

A great new way for me to approach this verse I pray... practical ways to love... and check my growth... on how I am loving...

Character...
Conviction...
Comprehension...
Competence...
Compassion...

Intentional... practical... love...

thoughts from the summit... courage...

As I look back on two fully packed days of leadership teaching... at the Summit... a recurring theme... was courage... which, of course, is only needed in the face of fear...

The opening message... focused on the courage leadership requires...

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,

for the Lord your God will be with you

wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9 NIV

The speaker said... Courage is critical to vision...

Vision defined as... a vision of the future that inspires passion in people...

Here is a message that pierces my heart... standing with a vision given by God... and fear... that threatens to paralyze...

EVERY vision God puts in your heart

requires courage...

Visions of how things should be... visions of transformation... healing... and freedom... they require courage...

How many have I let slip away... thinking... I'm not the one... I don't have the ability... the influence... to make that happen... What if I fail...?

How many times have I let fear... abort... a... vision...

That's the word he used... abort... 

When fear causes us to abort a God-given vision... it's a colossal tragedy...

This is how I wrote it in my notes...

Fear induced abortion = a colossal tragedy

Sounds harsh... but I know it to be true...

I am reminded... courage is required... to even begin sharing... voicing... the possibility of change... for something better...

Courage... it's only required... in the face of... danger... fear... or difficulty... so why be surprised when He tells us... 

Be strong and courageous...

...that fear... or danger... or difficulty... will be a part of entering the promised land... 

I pray... I will not allow fear to kill... when it comes to God-inspired vision... 

Father God... I choose courage... trusting that You are with me... stepping out to share Your vision... not allowing fear to abort... what You desire... trusting You... for each step of the way... boldly speaking for You... Your kingdom... and Your love...

Choose to trust Him... with the blessing... of a vision...

Have you allowed fear to abort... a Spirit-filled inspiration... ? 

Ask forgiveness...

Have you boldly allowed Him to work it out in you... 

bringing the vision full-term...? 

Thank Him for His strength...