This week I’m celebrating 8 years blogging at LeadRight.me!
198 Posts
122 WordPress Followers
35 Email Subscribers
To commemorate this personal accomplishment, I’m sharing 8 of my most popular posts below! Let me know which ones are YOUR favorites. (simply ‘click’ on each picture title)
Keeping the faith in the country music industry
The incredible legacy one person can leave behind when they leave us early
Suggestions for those dark seasons of life
God is active even if you don’t feel Him
How to keep circumstances from taking our joy away
Putting healthier focus on all that you are balancing
Have you ever found yourself wanting something new? Specifically, I’m thinking of a new opportunity, experience, or career.
Or maybe you have recently stepped out of something, but the next ‘phase’ of your life lacks clarity.
For whatever reason, most of us do experience longing for a ‘NEXT THING’ at some point in our lives. And it becomes even more difficult waiting for what that next thing is when we think we have an idea what it might be.
Recently, after nearly 20 years of working in church ministry, our family moved across the country to Colorado Springs. My wife accepted a position with a Christian publishing company, and I am currently working as a Barista at a popular coffee shop. Shortly after moving and starting my new job, I quickly started speculating. I noticed that I was trying to guess what God’s next assignment was going to be for me…as if my purpose were on hold.
But there was a huge problem with this.
I was already in that assignment!
I received a random text from a friend last week. It read, “I was praying for you today, and God wants you to know that you are right where he needs you. Invest your all in it.”
This almost brought me to tears.
The lesson I am learning in all of this is very simple…BUT equally challenging. I am to accept where God has placed me as my primary ministry focus. Period!
Then this scripture hit me right between the eyes.
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:13
I was seeking God, but not with ‘all’ my heart. A large portion of my heart was dedicated to seeking my next calling….job…opportunity. I was peering into the future, into a season God has not allowed me to see yet.
God may very well be working on details for me somewhere down the road, but I am really excited to pour my life into the HERE and NOW of what today consists of.
Can YOU relate? Does any of what I’ve shared resonate with you, or am I really the one one?
Comments, prayer requests, and questions are welcome below.
Ezekiel 37 depicts a very vivid scene of a Valley of Dry Bones.
This was a vision God gave to the prophet, Ezekiel. God was alluding to a devastated and scattered Israel. A seemingly hopeless situation for God’s people.
photo by: omicsonline.org
Not only was God able to restore Israel, He was going to!
Israel’s issues were sin, idol worship, etc. They had taken for granted God’s blessing and strayed from Him as their focus. They were in essence leading themselves. They were scattered. They no longer looked like God’s people. Their lives were fruitless and there seemed to be no hope that anything would change.
This sounds like some of our churches today, doesn’t it? I know that’s a hard statement to swallow, but its true. I’ve served in these churches. Their vision, direction, and purpose are vague. Spiritual engagement as a community of believers is often absent outside of Sundays.
If your church resembles what I’ve just described (whether you are the pastor or simply a member), there is hope! This is not God’s will for His church. You might be asking, “What is God’s will for my church?” Great question! And I don’t know….but God does. Ask Him. There may need to be a significant change in the leadership, structure, mission statement, and current ministries of your church. If so, there are two huge questions that need to be answered.
1. What are those changes? Survey your community. Visit other churches (and yes, even those not in your denomination) that are growing and making a difference in their communities. Read some newer books on leadership. And if you’re really bold…have a third party ministry coach come and do a thorough evaluation of your church that includes a follow-up consultation.
2. Are we willing to act in faith and make these changes? This is more difficult than determining the changes. But let us be reminded that ‘faith without action is dead.’ (James 2:26) It’s worth the risk of stepping out into the abyss of the unknown. Sure, it can be hard moving forward not knowing (or able to tell the church) what the future looks like. The alternative, however, is to continue saying ‘no’ to God. And that, my friends, should scare us right out of our pews!
Is your church looking dry and lying hidden in a valley? If so, what (after reading this blog) will be your next step toward restoration?
On the other hand, is your church healthy and active in Kingdom work throughout the week? If so, take a moment to share how and what is happening there…so that others can see that there really is hope! Leave a comment.
“Ministry is not meant to be easy or rewarding…simply an honor to be called by Him.”
Comments, prayer requests, and questions are welcome below.
Lead Right 