You Can Run, But You Can't Hide!

You may think you can run, but you can never truly hide—an old cliché that contains an enduring truth.

Like Moses, who fled Egypt after committing murder but could not escape God's call, we cannot outrun our sins or problems. No matter how far we try to go, God's purpose for our lives will find us. Moses eventually returned to Egypt to demand freedom for his people, showing that we cannot avoid what we are meant to face.

We must trust in God's grace and forgiveness, standing before Him with confidence in His everlasting mercy. Even when we feel like giving up because we’ve fallen short repeatedly, remember that God's forgiveness is boundless. He simply asks us to strive to do better and stay faithful to His word.

There is no sin too great for His mercy—if we truly repent, we can be forgiven. The next time you feel like running away from God, stop, turn around, and run to Him. His arms are always open, ready to embrace you with love and forgiveness.

Just a little advice to go!

Leadership Lesson: The Power of We!

It has been a while since I posted on this site as the imbalance in my life when it comes to work distracts from my ability to write, but I have been sending these leadership lessons to my team and I felt led to share this one.  Enjoy!  

The Power of "We" lies in our ability to unite our diverse strengths, perspectives and talents toward fulfilling a common goal.  Together, we create a force that transcends individual limitations, sparking innovation and fostering resilience.  This is precisely why scripture encourages us to be a "We", as reflected in Matthew 18:20, "...for where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I, in the midst of them."  As a "We", we can support one another, inspire changes, and build a brighter future.  Embracing the spirit of the "We", not only enhances our connections but also amplifies our impact, reminding us that together we can achieve the impossible.  Let's be the "We" instead of the me and I: let's be a team that comes together in the name of Jesus to serve the vulnerable with accountability, integrity, and a commitment to excellence!  God bless! 

Working Together As A Team!

Scripture tells us in Isaiah 41:10- Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.  In those most difficult times, we must remember we are not alone, because God is with us.  But it does not stop there; God works through each of us to ensure that we come together as a team to support and lift each other up.  

God teaches success is achieved when we come together as one body as one team committed to achieving the purpose for which we have been called.  The "we" will always outperform the "me".  Scripture reiterates this message as follows:  

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor-Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

As iron sharpens Iron, one person sharpens another-Proverbs 27:17

…that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions amongst you 1 Corinthians 1:10

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity-Psalms 133:1

…let us consider how we may spur one another towards love and good deeds-Hebrews 10:24

From him, the whole body joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work-Ephesians 4:16

There are many other scriptures I can cite, but in the end, the message is the same, working in a silo will never lead to the success that can be achieved if we work together as a team. Teamwork is not an easy concept as it requires the ability to come together despite our differences, to understand the value each team member possesses, and to find a way to focus on the strengths while mitigating the challenges.  That is how we make the impossible, possible! 

Five Practices To Keep Your Ego in Check!

I wanted to share this insight I learned a while ago about keeping our egos in check.  The ego is defined as the I or Self of a person, a person as thinking, feeling, and willing.  It is one’s ability to distinguish oneself from others and the objects of one’s thoughts.   The “you” and your ability to keep the “you” in check are critical to how you lead others.  So how do you ensure that the “you” doesn’t turn others off, try applying these five practices to keep your ego in check:

Be respectful, be polite to others even when they are not so polite to you; a servant leader serves despite the difficulties/challenges others bring to the table. 

Be teachable, open to learning from others, you do not know it all even if you think you do. 😊  Read, read, read…There are a lot of great leadership materials that you can read and learn from. 

Listen more, talk less, I make a conscious effort to let others talk and listen to their point of view rather than always interjecting my perspective.  It is not a competition but rather a collaboration towards achieving the best results. Perhaps a challenging approach, but it is doable. 

Appreciate others for who they are if you appreciate each person for who they are, they will be more inclined to appreciate who you are.  Give credit to others for the goals that are achieved versus taking the credit.  Make it about the “We” instead of the “me”.

Relax, particularly when you feel yourself being triggered- take deep breaths and remember you control your emotions, not others.  Even the worst circumstances require that we maintain emotional control to respond intelligently. 

 

 

Hope For Tomorrow!

In Jesus’ time, people presented him with their problems and the challenges resulting from them.  You had the blind man by the pool of water, always trying to dip himself at the right time to regain his vision.  There was the man called Lazarus who was dead when Jesus arrived but alive when he left.  You had the woman who was a prostitute and was to be stoned to death as required by the law until Jesus showed up and proclaimed, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. There was also the tax collector who was one of the most despised in those times, yet Jesus chose to dine in his home and make him part of his team.  In each of those situations, Jesus didn’t see the obstacles but instead saw the possibilities, and miracles happened.  

We need to always hold on to God's promises and the assurance that all things are possible if we simply believe.  God's grace is sufficient to carry us through the storm into the brightness of the rainbow.  Today the world is often in a stage of chaos, full of impossibilities.  But if we view it through the lens of God's word, then we can come together and make the impossible, possible! 

Loving God's Way!

God gave us two great commandments outlined in Matthew 22:37-40. We are to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

He does not stop there, he goes on to provide us His definition of love found in 1 Corinthians 13, which states: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails..."

Practicing love as God defines it assures us we won't fail. Perhaps it is easier said than done, but I'm never going to stop trying. Just a little advice to go!

Unity In Christ

Today more than ever, we see the finger pointing and accusations of ungodliness and betrayal levied by christians against their family members, fellow christians, and even unbelievers.  I focus each day and morning on doing all I can to be Christ centered, a reflection of His love and His word, for His glory.  That precludes me from pointing the finger, something God had to reveal to me.  It demands that every thing I say and do be for his honor and glory, not for mine.  We are to honor each other as believers as we are called to love the broken and disenfranchised, to care for the lost, and to love others as Christ loved them.  

Let our actions serve not to glorify ourselves, but rather to glorify and honor God.  Neither will happen if our actions reflect condemnation and disrespect towards each other.  Christ saved us by His sacrifice on the cross, that we might be saved by His grace; His unmerited favor.  We should be praying for God to let our light shine so bright that others might see our good works and glorify God.  This is not about us, but about living every day for God’s glory, letting His light shine brightly.  Let us be united in Christ!  Just a little advice to go! 

Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  Matthew 5:16