My husband picked up this book for me at Praise Gathering in Indianapolis in 2005. I started to read it then, but didn't get very far. I don't remember why. But it sat on my bedside table for years, then went back to the bookshelf. I was looking for something to read a few months ago & put it back on the bedside table. I finally cracked it open a couple of weeks ago & I've slowly been making my way through it.
It's difficult to explain. Yes, it's a book about leadership, but it's not a how-to. Using Ernest Shackleton's arctic adventure as a backdrop, Sweet analyzes the life of a man considered to be one of the best leaders of all time. But he also paints this vision of leading by sound. He keeps bringing everything back to this theme of tuning into the sounds/music around us and that's the part that's difficult to explain.
If you're already tuning me out because you don't view yourself as a leader, well...you're wrong. We're all leaders...either in our families, job/career, church, neighborhood or friendships. So even if you think you're a worker bee and always behind the scenes, this book is still worth the reading.
But Holy Spirit's using it to speak to me. I've been teary-eyed several times as I read beautifully written passages describing how God's Creation is full of music all around us...we just have to tune in and listen. While I was reading one day, I began thinking of the movie August Rush. If you haven't seen it, it's not the most well-written movie ever but it has a good message. Music is everywhere. August "composes" music with everyday sounds. Compiling it all together is a masterpiece.
That's similar to what Sweet is saying in this book. I haven't finished it yet, but I'm already challenged to listen better to Holy Spirit and look for where He is leading and already working.
Because this book is difficult to summarize, I'm not going to attempt it. Instead, I'm going to include some quotes that have spoken to me so far.
"Leaders are neither born nor made. Leaders are summoned."
"One of the reasons Shackleton "failed" is that relationships were more important to him than achievement, colleagues more important than conquests and campaigns."
"Every person decides whether their footprints will last beyond a lifetime or sink in the sands of time."
"We can no longer hide behind the excuse that only the gifted or the privileged can change the course of history. We live in a time when we are not bound by position or geography or circumstance. If you hear the summons--if you know your cause--nothing can stand in the way."
"The church has it all wrong. It is trying to train leaders. Instead, it ought to train everyone to listen and to develop their own soundtrack. Only when you find your voice will you harness the God-given power to truly lead."
"The manager has his eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his eye on the horizon."--Business professor Warren Bennis
"Leadership is not first a "vision" thing. Leadership is first a "vibration" thing. The most important organ for a leader is the ears."
"What is the ultimate in a "right spirit"? Two components: confidence and humilty."
"The more we know, the more we know how much there is to know and how little we really know."
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Sunday, February 20, 2011
Catching Up on Some Praise!
During tax season, I'm a wee bit busy. So I've neglected to stay current about blogging the blessings that have come into our lives recently. Just to back up a little because I don't think I've already posted this, my husband was laid off from his temp job the second week of January. And while we knew he was being converted to a permanent employee on 1/31, that didn't ease my mind about where two weeks of pay was magically going to come from.
Obviously, I prayed and I wish I could honestly say that I prayed enough that Holy Spirit was able to give me "the peace that passes all understanding"...but I didn't. Instead, it looked like it would be a stressful 4 weeks (2 weeks no work & 2 weeks before the first paycheck came). We did have someone tell us that if we needed anything, his resources were at our disposal. That was a comfort, but even though we've been living by God's good grace & provision for over a year now, it IS still very humbling (& sometimes humiliating) to have to actually speak up and ask someone for help.
The interesting thing is we did have to ask for help (not from the one that had offered, because we'd already asked someone else when our friend made the offer). Then to our surprise we received another gift of $100 grocery card & $200 that was just enough to help us buy groceries and still pay some bills that were due. If this was the end of the blessings, it would have been enough to reinstill in me the God will not fail to provide. But...
then someone from church anonymously gave us $80 and that was enough to see us through until my husband & I each received a paycheck and our tax refund arrived. Also, someone donated $50 to cover our teens being able to go to a Lazer Craze overnighter for church.
With our tax check, I was downright giddy to pay bills. This was something new for me so I enjoyed the feeling! It was such a blessing to be able to pay bills without stress and worry. I was thankful to be able to pay our sponsorship for Lazarus for the next year so we don't have to worry where that will come from each month. There's a Christian musician that my husband's been wanting to make a donation too, that we're going to be able to do now. I bought a lunch gift card for a friend that is sacrificially helping her friend in need by watching her friend's children & homeschooling them every day. I'm so impressed by her act of kindness that I want her to be able to take those babies to lunch & have a fun time together. There's also a couple of people that we know need a little help & we've already been thinking of ways to try to do that.
Then, I walked into church today & someone handed me an envelope. Clueless as to what it was, I opened it to find a $200 check that had been donated through the church, two $100 gas cards and three $50 American Express gift cards. WOW! I told my friend, "I'm appreciative, but I don't know what to say." Three hours later...and I still don't.
All the gifts we've given and the plans that we've had to give more, pale in comparison to all the gifts we have been given. I don't share what we're doing to boast. I can't boast because none of it comes from me. I am just a sieve that God pours His blessings into. We're given the privilege of keeping a few pieces for ourselves, but the rest flows out of my life and into others to nourish, enrich and bless them.
I can't even begin to explain why we are receiving this blessing now. What I do know is that it's going to be shared and I'm looking forward to the joy and the fun that will come from being a part of passing the blessing on to someone else. I'm already dreaming!
Obviously, I prayed and I wish I could honestly say that I prayed enough that Holy Spirit was able to give me "the peace that passes all understanding"...but I didn't. Instead, it looked like it would be a stressful 4 weeks (2 weeks no work & 2 weeks before the first paycheck came). We did have someone tell us that if we needed anything, his resources were at our disposal. That was a comfort, but even though we've been living by God's good grace & provision for over a year now, it IS still very humbling (& sometimes humiliating) to have to actually speak up and ask someone for help.
The interesting thing is we did have to ask for help (not from the one that had offered, because we'd already asked someone else when our friend made the offer). Then to our surprise we received another gift of $100 grocery card & $200 that was just enough to help us buy groceries and still pay some bills that were due. If this was the end of the blessings, it would have been enough to reinstill in me the God will not fail to provide. But...
then someone from church anonymously gave us $80 and that was enough to see us through until my husband & I each received a paycheck and our tax refund arrived. Also, someone donated $50 to cover our teens being able to go to a Lazer Craze overnighter for church.
With our tax check, I was downright giddy to pay bills. This was something new for me so I enjoyed the feeling! It was such a blessing to be able to pay bills without stress and worry. I was thankful to be able to pay our sponsorship for Lazarus for the next year so we don't have to worry where that will come from each month. There's a Christian musician that my husband's been wanting to make a donation too, that we're going to be able to do now. I bought a lunch gift card for a friend that is sacrificially helping her friend in need by watching her friend's children & homeschooling them every day. I'm so impressed by her act of kindness that I want her to be able to take those babies to lunch & have a fun time together. There's also a couple of people that we know need a little help & we've already been thinking of ways to try to do that.
Then, I walked into church today & someone handed me an envelope. Clueless as to what it was, I opened it to find a $200 check that had been donated through the church, two $100 gas cards and three $50 American Express gift cards. WOW! I told my friend, "I'm appreciative, but I don't know what to say." Three hours later...and I still don't.
All the gifts we've given and the plans that we've had to give more, pale in comparison to all the gifts we have been given. I don't share what we're doing to boast. I can't boast because none of it comes from me. I am just a sieve that God pours His blessings into. We're given the privilege of keeping a few pieces for ourselves, but the rest flows out of my life and into others to nourish, enrich and bless them.
I can't even begin to explain why we are receiving this blessing now. What I do know is that it's going to be shared and I'm looking forward to the joy and the fun that will come from being a part of passing the blessing on to someone else. I'm already dreaming!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
And Yes, He's Faithful to Others Too!
I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and it came around to how I'd lost my focus. I shared with my friend how I really wanted to do something to help a single mom I know with a gas gift card, but that we're struggling so much I didn't know where it would come from.
My friend looks at me with all seriousness and says, 'Do you know that ---- needs a gas card?' It caught me so off-guard, I'm afraid I replied rather smartly, "Well, it's not like I can call and ask her if she needs it." After we both nervously chuckled, my friend said, 'What I mean is, do you think she could use it?' I replied, "I don't know, but I do know she justs keeps coming to mind and I'd like to get her a gas gift card."
My friend proceeds to tell me that they'd recently been given some cash and knew they needed to "do something with it" and maybe this was it. I was floored...an innocent comment about my desire (but lack of ability) to help someone made just the connection that Holy Spirit wanted to make.
So I bought the card (with my friend's money) and planned on mailing it anonymously. But after a few days passed, I felt like for some reason I was supposed to give it to my single friend in person. I do try to mix up the delivery methods for surprise gifts, but have never done it personally and didn't understand why I was feeling this leading. But I wanted to obey.
I had a few other things to give her already and just threw the card in the bag along with the other stuff (coupons, etc.). When I handed her the bag, I told her the things I'd put in and stated that there was something else in it from someone other than us. She was thankful of course...as I knew she would be. But...
she had a brief moment to share with me later that morning that while she's always thankful for any surprise gifts, she hadn't been receiving things like this for a few months. And while she knew that may be an indication of the direction Holy Spirit wants her to go, she couldn't help but worry about finances a little. And one area she's been concerned about was, you guessed it, gas money.
Wow! I was blown away.
Now, I hope I haven't betrayed any confidences by relaying this. And I hope if my two friends that were involved in this situation read this post, they can forgive me for putting these conversations out there to be read. I just know that there is someone out there that needs to be assured that when Holy Spirit tells you to give there's not only a reason...but also a way for Him to provide exactly what's needed!
Amen!
My friend looks at me with all seriousness and says, 'Do you know that ---- needs a gas card?' It caught me so off-guard, I'm afraid I replied rather smartly, "Well, it's not like I can call and ask her if she needs it." After we both nervously chuckled, my friend said, 'What I mean is, do you think she could use it?' I replied, "I don't know, but I do know she justs keeps coming to mind and I'd like to get her a gas gift card."
My friend proceeds to tell me that they'd recently been given some cash and knew they needed to "do something with it" and maybe this was it. I was floored...an innocent comment about my desire (but lack of ability) to help someone made just the connection that Holy Spirit wanted to make.
So I bought the card (with my friend's money) and planned on mailing it anonymously. But after a few days passed, I felt like for some reason I was supposed to give it to my single friend in person. I do try to mix up the delivery methods for surprise gifts, but have never done it personally and didn't understand why I was feeling this leading. But I wanted to obey.
I had a few other things to give her already and just threw the card in the bag along with the other stuff (coupons, etc.). When I handed her the bag, I told her the things I'd put in and stated that there was something else in it from someone other than us. She was thankful of course...as I knew she would be. But...
she had a brief moment to share with me later that morning that while she's always thankful for any surprise gifts, she hadn't been receiving things like this for a few months. And while she knew that may be an indication of the direction Holy Spirit wants her to go, she couldn't help but worry about finances a little. And one area she's been concerned about was, you guessed it, gas money.
Wow! I was blown away.
Now, I hope I haven't betrayed any confidences by relaying this. And I hope if my two friends that were involved in this situation read this post, they can forgive me for putting these conversations out there to be read. I just know that there is someone out there that needs to be assured that when Holy Spirit tells you to give there's not only a reason...but also a way for Him to provide exactly what's needed!
Amen!
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