Happy Thanksgiving…
From the Turner family
and the Sunset Academy of Leadership Training
Happy Thanksgiving
May God abundantly supply your every need and provide you
every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.
Tag: God
Passionate Leaders…
What are we passionate about? Do we find ourselves involved in activities for hours without any thought to the time? What drives our lives?
Howard Thurman said, “Don’t worry about what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Spiritual matters must breathe passion into our lives. When seeking God’s kingdom is a priority, when reaching others with Jesus is the purpose of each breath, when worshiping God is at the heart of our activity, and when a love for truth drives us deeper into His word, we have the building blocks for passionate leadership.
God’s Mission for Leaders…
Nothing is more important to leaders than God’s mission.
From Genesis through Revelation, God has guided, directed, moved, ushered, and advanced His will through individuals and nations to ultimately provide an avenue to reconcile all of humanity to Himself through Jesus.
The lessons presented throughout the Bible help us understand a direction for leading God’s people today based on the divine principles practiced throughout biblical history.
Humility, courage, trust, and service are all characteristics found in leaders through whom God displayed His power, wisdom and presence.
Success is the result of fulfilling God’s mission on earth. Let us live to carry out that mission.
People…
Leadership is about people. Not just any people, but people searching for a promise from God.
People are young and old, male and female. They are tall and short, large and small, and everywhere in between.
People come from different racial, educational, emotional, religious, and financial backgrounds, all of which influence their words and actions. Even when people live within the same neighborhood, there are differences.
The task before us involves determining how to lead such diversity.
The direction people follow depends on the ability of leaders to provide a combination of both physical and spiritual influence.
Leading with Strength…
Leaders experience times when their strength is demonstrated through holding or hanging on. The ability to endure is a biblical characteristic required of God’s faithful. Trails are inevitable, and it is during these times we must persevere.
Interestingly enough, Ann Landers once wrote, “Some people believe that holding on and hanging in there are signs of strength, but there are times in life when it takes much more strength just to let go.”
The strength to let go is sometimes more difficult than the strength required to hold on. The adage, “Let go and let God,” is one we should adopt.
Leading Our Children…
Leadership begins in the home. The greatest opportunities for influence occur within the four walls where we live.
From the time children arise in the morning to the time they lay down to sleep, teaching moments are everywhere.
The air we breathe, food we eat, the opportunity to see a sunrise, the ability to move our fingers and toes, witnessing God’s creation come to life, and hundreds more, are all moments to teach our children about the existence of God and His love for us.
Let us always take action to lead our children.
Power of Love…
While we often hear that love makes the world go round, I appreciate a saying by Franklin P. Jones, “Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.”
Love is the perfect bond of unity.
Love is the greatest among faith, hope and love.
Loving your neighbor as yourself fulfills the royal law.
Perfect love casts out fear.
Love covers a multitude of sins.
Above all, love is demonstrated toward God, then family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, and even our enemies.
When love is the foundation, formation, and finishing of our words and actions, godly leadership is exemplified.
Yesterday and Today…
Between yesterday and today, leaders dream about the future, envision possibilities, and plan ways to achieve greatness in the Lord’s kingdom.
We cannot change the past. We can only learn from it, look ahead, and make the right changes.
Remember three simple principles.
1) No matter where the road leads, God is with us and for us.
2) It is worth whatever the price to leave an example worth emulating.
3) The strength to achieve any task is measured by the desire to succeed.
The moment between yesterday and today is an opportunity to make a difference for tomorrow.
Something Greater…
Improving others is one of the greatest keys to successful leadership. Jim Rohn says, “A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better.”
The task before leaders involves developing others into something greater. It’s the idea of genuine love.
When leaders care for and demonstrate love for others, they will always work to serve, placing the needs and desires of others above their own.
Hopefully, along the way, we will encourage the fainthearted, strengthen the mature, and allow both to fulfill what God desires.
The Essence of Leadership…
Essence is the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something––especially something abstract––that determines its character.
The idea raises questions and ideas.
What is the essence of our leadership? Is there any substance to our leadership?
David talks about one “who walks with integrity, works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart” (Ps. 15:2).
The idea behind walks, works, and speaks describes more than just actions. David is talking about who someone is on the inside.
Godly leaders know that character may be defined by their activities, but ultimately it is who they are on the inside that moves others to follow.