Being misunderstood is an expected occupational hazard for any leader. Being doubted as a leader is also frustrating. Sometimes, those occurrences can make you feel debilitatingly paralyzed from wanting to continue with your responsibilities. That’s when I pull out my leadership tools of the example of others who overcame such obstacles. I often turn to the […]
Servant leadership is a popular term. Yet, what does it look like? Can you actually be a leader who serves others with a humble spirit in today’s competitive marketplace, in today’s political environment, even in today’s church? I believe the answer is yes because Jesus modeled it and expects us to follow his leadership. The […]
Don’t you enjoy being around someone who is kind? There’s a tangible gentleness, peace, and feeling of belonging whenever you are experiencing or witnessing an act of genuine kindness. I believe this is evidence of our being made in the image of God. The women I am writing about in this third of a four-part […]
A well-posed question is an effective tool which can jar me out of my assumptions, especially if that question requires me to think from another perspective or defend my own ideas and beliefs. My way of thinking is, after all, logical (in my mind), routine, and even comforting. In this second of a four-part series for Women’s […]
Our world’s problems are overwhelming and we can feel helpless to make a difference. Yet, each one of us can make an impact on these problems with conscious, daily actions. From human trafficking to global warming to endless wars to the world’s refugee crisis, you can help to bring about positive change! As a leader, […]
God has chosen women to be leaders with God-given responsibilities ever since the creation of the first humans. Genesis 1:26-29 paints a picture of the image of God being imbued into the very nature of all human beings–male and female. God gave them equal responsibility to “have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the […]
I had a great time in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, last week consulting with a group of very capable, gifted, and enthusiastic women leaders guiding them through a strategic planning process (Hello, PASJ WMU!) Our fun activity on Friday evening was to go see the movie “Hidden Figures” together and then go out for dessert and a discussion […]
Going outside our comfort zones is always a little challenging. All of us find it easiest to do routine things with familiar people. Yet, to be a leader, you will be required to have some skill in working outside your comfort zone. Leaders are expected to go outside their comfort zones through new projects, a […]
About two years after I graduated from seminary, God made it clear to me that everyone I knew was already salty and shiny and I was not being the salt and light I needed to be. So, God called me into secular work and out of my ministry job in a large denominational agency. That’s […]
Last week, I began a list of 10 tips for leading better meetings. Here are a few more that can keep the energy going on a project that requires meeting time. Stand-Out Professional Tips for Leading Dynamic and Effective Meetings – Part 2 6. Call, email, or text a reminder about the time and location of […]
I know there are people who don’t like meetings. I am not one of those people. I like love being with other people, so meetings are a chance for me to do that. I guess I look more forward to the social aspect than the business aspect. As a leader–of anything–you have to conduct meetings. They […]
She was probably single. She was evidently a woman of independent means living in one of the most cosmopolitan cities on earth in the first century, able to travel more than 600 miles, a servant leader recognized by her church as a deacon, and a financial supporter of many—including the apostle Paul. She was apparently […]
Communicating with men leaders can be challenging for a woman, especially if you are more accustomed to working only with women. Research has shown that women and men really do have different styles of communication (see Deborah Tannen’s books on Amazon). Yet, the precedents set by many biblical women–who lived in a very patriarchal culture–can […]
I am so excited to see the new movie “Hidden Figures” about Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, three African-American women who helped the US win the Space Race by using their mathematical skills at NASA to put John Glenn into orbit. This is one of those movies that will educate all of us […]
Here we are at the end of 2016 and I am enjoying time with my granddaughters and family, so please allow me to share a revised blog post from an earlier writing. The theme this week is “looking at something in a new way in the New Year.” Jesus is the Master Teacher. He knows […]
A word of good news wraps peace around a longing heart. During Advent, we celebrate the arrival of the Prince of Peace—the long-awaited Messiah—and we are reminded how Jesus was born into a world that was anything but peaceful. Yet even then there were some faithful people still waiting expectantly for God to change things. […]
When you think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, what is the first image that comes to mind? During Advent, we see beautiful paintings of Mary cradling her newborn son at the manger. During Easter, sculptures remind us of Mary cradling her crucified Savior at the cross. Those images try to capture the love between a mother […]
The giggly gurgles of a baby are some of the sweetest sounds on earth. That fresh, squeezably soft infant skin has a fragrance all its own. Twinkling tiny eyes that blink with delight can bring joy to any heart. God sends babies to us in cute packages. Yet, not everyone gets one. I remember my […]
Who are your mentors? Who are you mentoring? Whether you want to be a mentor or are looking for one, what are the marks of a willing mentor? Women’s relationships are extremely important to God and are used to shape us into the women God has created and called us to be. My favorite biblical […]
(Please enjoy an adapted blog post from my previous blog. I am busy enjoying my grandchildren this week.) When someone mentions Mary and Martha, what comes to mind? If you know anything about them, you immediately associate their names with the scene from Luke 10:38-42 where Martha is complaining to Jesus about Mary not helping her […]