leadership
Flourishing is Fun
My 15-year old was standing next to the kitchen counter staring at me. He put his hands on my shoulders and shook me a bit, exclaiming, “Mom! I know there’s some fun in there somewhere. Can you please find it?!?” Nailed. He was right. I wasn’t all that into “fun.” At least not recently. When my children were very young, I was intentional about helping them have fun. I believed the best learning environments were filled with delight-directed activity and play. As they got older, there were times I forgot. Fun often felt like a pointless distraction. There were so many important things to be done. One of the wisest…
Nourish to Flourish
Years ago our family was visiting friends. As we were preparing to leave, my friend gifted me with a plant. While sliding into the backseat of our car, my then-8-year-old proclaimed, “She doesn’t know you very well, does she, mommy?” Even at their young ages, my children knew I wasn’t very good with plants. My husband, however, had a green thumb. That’s an American phrase meaning “good at gardening.” I hope I can keep his roses alive now that he’s moved to heaven. Under his care, the rose gardens didn’t just survive, they thrived. I – on the other hand – have always been especially talented at placing plants in…
Advent: The Presence of Peace
“How am I supposed to have peace when my life is such a mess?” “….when my child won’t talk to me?” “…when my loved one is gone forever?” “…when the world is so filled with darkness?” These are fair questions. I’ve asked them. You may have too. Or someone close to you has – or is asking them right now. In his Messianic prophecy, Isaiah foretold Jesus would be called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). In their majestic announcement of Jesus’s arrival, the angels proclaimed there would now be “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14). When Jesus was departing this earth, he left his disciples with this encouraging message: “I…
Sherbet, Speech, and Skills for Success
This story is an excerpt from my book Vital Signs: Five Essential Skills Every Student Needs for Success in Education and in Life. Enjoy! I remember my first time meeting Janai. The shy little girl was gripping her mother’s skirt, hiding behind her back as we chatted. She only peeked out to say a quick “Hi” when prompted. Then she was right back in her hiding spot. When I first announced that I was starting a public speaking class, Janai’s parents signed her right up — to their daughter’s horror. I coached the timid girl for a year, watching her grow and grow and grow as she learned the foundational…
The “Reply All” Faux Pas
One of my priceless colleagues is currently transitioning out of her leadership role in my organization. (Insert saddest emoji here.) She has been a true visionary for us, someone who has greatly influenced everything we currently do to serve our mission. So, naturally, I wanted to break the news of her transition in a thoughtful, well-planned way to the rest of our global organization’s leaders and community. She crafted a letter of transition, and my team and I began editing it to incorporate into the announcement. After much discussion, my Chief Influence Officer, Mary, sent it out to all our leaders. I saw it pop up in my inbox, missed…
How Should Christians Behave During a Pandemic?
In a time of global unrest and uncertainty, Christians everywhere are seeking wisdom on how to respond to a pandemic. We know there’s trouble in this world. As a community of Jesus-followers, we have this unique opportunity to model how we can be joyful in the face of such trying times. John writes it this way: be of good cheer. Why? Because we know the One who overcomes even the worst crises in this world (John 16:33). Hard times are to be expected. But how should we, as Christians, respond to mass sickness and uncertainty? In the 16th century, Protestant church father Martin Luther gave this answer on how he…
Extraordinary
I witnessed something extraordinary last night when, just a few hours before boarding Turkish Airlines for our international trip, my team of teenagers gathered for dinner in the home of one of our organization’s senior leaders. As we ate, we observed a tradition that has become one of our ICC culture’s defining moments for every team we commission: Prayer ‘n’ Share time. While we visit over dinner, each member shares something they are looking forward to and something they’d like prayer for. The sharing last night was so precious. Team members were both anxious and excited about the travel, foods, encountering new people, and cultural experiences. Then the extraordinary happened.…
If I’m Unhappy With The Way Things Are, Why Can’t I Change?
We join others – organizations, friend groups, and like-minded communities – for a shared vision. We want to make a difference in the world – or at least in ourselves. Why don’t our best intentions consistently result in the change we hope for? There’s a huge barrier to positive transformation – one that continually makes change hard. This looming barricade to our success is comprised of our own beliefs and assumptions. We want to influence positive change, but our beliefs and assumptions continually pull us back. And unless we make a change to them, we won’t stop being tugged away from that vision of a better future. And here’s the…
