Leading out of Abundance: Pursuing Relationship with the Servant Leader

April 04, 2019 in Nourished Leadership, Nourished Mind, Nourished Home, Nourished Soul

We're continuing our leadership series in this week's blog post (see post 1 and post 2) and we felt it was most appropriate following Easter to reflect on the greatest leader, Jesus.

Jesus did not come to earth as the type of leader everyone expected and hoped for. He did not come as a proud and triumphant warrior but as a meek, gentle baby. He did preach in beautiful and extravagant venues wooing people with emotion and whit but instead in homes, boats, and hillsides preaching and teaching relationships, truth about sin and forgiveness, God's grace and mercy. And he did not die gallantly destroying his enemies, but loving them instead and making a way for new life in him. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, the life of Jesus can teach us many lessons about leadership.

Service First

Jesus came not to be served but to serve others. We witnessed examples of his servant heart when he provided wine for a wedding, fed thousands, visited sick and dying people, and washed his disciples’ feet. Service was central to Jesus’ ministry. He didn’t put his own agenda ahead of God’s; afterall in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed "not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39b). He led by example through service and invites us to do the same.

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Three Thoughts for a Health Breakthrough

October 07, 2018 in Nourished Leadership, Nourished Mind, Nourished Soul

I just returned home from the annual Thrive Conference this weekend. The theme this year was Audacious Hope. Shout out to all the ladies who attended the conference (it was incredible)!

There are too many topics and ideas to fit into one blog, so I picked out 3 takeaways from the conference that I want to share with you. Guys, Thrive is a women’s conference, but these ideas and questions are universal.

The first question I have been pondering was presented by pastor, author, and speaker, Craig Groeschel. Craig was speaking about leadership, specifically on ‘becoming a leader people love to follow.’ This question was asked in relation to leadership, but I’m going to ask it to you in relation to your health & wellness habits:

1. “What is no longer working that needs to be changed?”

3 Warning Signs Your Life is Out of Balance

September 09, 2018 in Nourished Home, Nourished Mind, Nourished Leadership, Nourished Soul

I used to think that achieving balance meant having a quiet (CLEAN) house, using a calm speaking voice all the time, and maintaining an empty schedule. . . And then I had kids!

Think about a day when you were running non-stop and then at the end of the day you ask yourself, “what did I even do today?” After a day like that, I wonder how I can be so busy, and at the same time, so unproductive!

I think achieving and maintaining balance begins with defining your priorities. Take a moment right now while you are reading and see if you can answer the following questions OUT LOUD.

What is important to you today?
What is important to you in this season?
What is going to be important to you at the end of your life?

Does the Church Need Wellness?

August 01, 2018 in Nourished Leadership, Nourished Home, Nourished Body

Does the church need wellness?

Well, I’m going to let you decide.

When Jesus gave instructions to his followers, he said things like, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19), and “feed my sheep” (John 21:17), and “This is the most important [commandment]: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your should and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31). He told stories and parables about what I believe to be the heart of the gospel, which is taking care of the people among us that don’t have a voice; the “least of these.”

So where does wellness fit in?

I think we can look to Jesus for the answer --and common sense for confirmation. Much of Jesus’ recorded ministry on earth was spent healing physical issues. Jesus healed the blind, lame, sick, injured, and paralyzed. He did so much more than that, but these are the body issues we can examine, which lead me to believe Jesus cares about our physical well-being too.

In My Weakness

June 03, 2018 in Nourished Soul, Nourished Mind, Nourished Leadership

My friend and pastor Bjorn Dixon kicked off a new summer series at church this morning titled "Called to Be His." Another friend sitting next to me wrote down a line during the sermon that caught my attention and got me thinking about the leadership series I've been writing on this blog. Here's what she wrote: "God meets you in your weaknesses and limitations and uses you anyway." - Donna Schwab

What does that mean for a leader?

Strength, authority, and goal-oriented are just a few words that come to mind when I think of the word 'leader'. Christ was a leader who had all of those attributes. But he spotlighted another characteristic that isn't talked about a whole lot in leadership circles: weakness. He told the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

Leadership Thoughts from a Real Lady Boss

March 04, 2018 in Nourished Mind, Nourished Leadership

As I’m preparing for the upcoming interview on Living Wellness Live with Stefanie Peters, I’ve been reading her book, Unleash Your Lady Boss: 10 Keys to Unlock your Ultimate Life and Ignite the Greatness Within. After reading Stefanie’s book, I’m really excited for the interview—she has some great stories and insights to share. Here’s are a few of my favorite quotes and some topics we may discuss at Living Wellness Live on Friday, March 9th. I hope you can tune into Facebook Live or attend in person!

These leadership thoughts are not just for lady bosses, they apply to dude bosses as well. And I firmly believe that every person is a leader in their own sphere of influence. So, read on and be encouraged from quotes from a real lady boss, Stefanie Peters.

“Don’t take the plan everyone says you’re supposed to follow. Instead, choose the greater purpose destined for you.”

This has been a personal struggle of mine for 20 years. As a people pleaser, I would be tossed about this way and that with decisions great and large, from what classes to take in high school to what wedding dress I would ultimately pick. The last 10 years has been a wonderful period of recognizing when people pleasing crosses the line from polite to destructive. Another book that has been eye opening is TrueFaced by Bill Thrall and Bruce McNicol. Learning about me has been one of the best and most fruitful journeys of my life.