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Posts tagged ‘leadership’

We All Lead

Today I decided to FOLLOW the PROMPT:
Do you see yourself as a leader?

Whether we know it or not, we all lead –
at least sometimes.
And whether we know it or not, we all follow
at least sometimes.

What is a leader?
That’s the question.

If you read David Jeremiah’s “Turning Points”
you will learn the trademark secrets
of great leadership and
of being a faithful follower.

These following pictures
from September’s Turning Points
introduce the various topics
of leadership by logo or trademark.

The not-so-secret to leadership
is LOVE worn in behavior.
Don’t we all want to follow
the person who exudes love?

We all wear our logo
on our sleeve or our faces,
in our hearts,
and in our actions .

Your identity as a follower is important.
It’s Who you follow that counts!
Follow the wrong leader
And you end up in the dumps!

Get the copy RIGHT!

Leaders often don’t realize they are.

Some leaders quietly go about
being great by caring for others.
Their example leads others
to want to follow in their footsteps.

I wish Jesus lived next door to me.
He’s the leader I choose to follow.
Where He leads me,
I want to obediently go!

My faithful Leader helps me
By putting upright friends
In my life – in my neighborhood –
Friends whose love I want to emulate.

Who do you follow?
Who leaves footprints on your heart?
When do you lead?
We all do both, right?

Hebrews 13:7 

“Remember your leaders,
those who spoke to you the word of God.
Consider the outcome of their way of life,
and imitate their faith.”

Leader or follower?
Which are you?
Did you answer the prompt?
What did you say?

Thanks for visiting today.
Let me hear from you!
And have a Fabulous Friday!

Look up for your purpose!

Love,
JanBeek

Oh, and by the way,
I love “following” my WP friends.
You all inspire me to blog with love.
And I thank you who “follow” me.
I love you!

Category:

Belief, Faith, friendship, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, music, peace, Poetry, relationships, writing

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Love Does

Love Does

“Ambitions don’t flow from the quantity of our ideas or our uninterrupted drive; they gush out from our kindness and willingness to take a genuine interest in others.” Bob Goff

Taking a “genuine interest in others” is what Love Does!

Sometimes we wonder what we can do to make the world a better place. We want to help, but we don’t know how. Let me share an idea that works for me:

Bob Goff’s “Love Does” is an organization devoted to making the world a better place through education of people in places where schools did not exist before they came. Bob Goff wrote a “runaway New York Time’s best seller” book titled, Love Does. In it he spelled out his philosophy of DOING LOVE. Since its publication in 2012, I don’t know how many thousands of copies have been sold … but it is a whole lot!! And Bob’s LOVE DOES organization has raised millions to help thousands of children and adults in Uganda, India, Iraq, Iran, and Somalia have a better life.

In his quote this week on his FaceBook page, Bob talks about the courage to step out in faith:

Love Does

May 7 at 9:35 AM · 

"‪Sometimes God asks us to step out (or through). 
We don’t know what we’ll see 
until we go through the deluge. 
It’s scary to step into the unknown, 
but it’s also where we find Jesus; 
and wherever we find Jesus, 
we find life. 
Fear calls out our doubts; 
God calls out our names." ‬

Bob Goff

Helping to educate people from birth on … helping parents learn better parenting skills… helping to provide nourishment for the soul, the body, the spirit… that’s what Love Does! They built “Restore Leadership Academy” and sponsor the education of future leaders in Uganda.

Love Does

May 10, 2018 · On average in the states, it costs about $20,000 a year for college tuition. In Uganda through Restore Leadership Academy, it costs $700. Our college-aged interns here at Love Does have created a campaign to help fund our Launch students!! Visit lovedoes.org/launch to sponsor a student! Sponsor a student today or make a one-time donation and receive a bag of wildflower seeds and a cool sticker in the mail to help “Plant the Seeds of Education!” #LaunchUganda#LoveDoes#HappyG… See More— in Uganda.

Through Love Does, help moms be better moms – and help children not only survive, but thrive.

There are many ways in your own neighborhood as well as around the world to show your love and compassion and to make the world a better place. We don’t need to sit at home and feel helpless in this COVID-19 world. We can reach out and let our love “gush out from our kindness and willingness to take a genuine interest in others.”

I donate a small amount monthly to this organization. It comes directly out of my retirement check. Not enough that I even notice it! But, if each person who heard about Love Does did the same thing, together our offerings can change lives! Lives of all ages… lives in many parts of the world. Here are a couple of darling children in Somalia who are being helped through Love Does donations.

How adorable are these two little friends in the baby home? We love watching these kiddos grow up here! To learn more about what we’re doing in Somalia, visit lovedoes.org/Somalia
👶🏽🍼❤️

I pray you and I will visibly
gush with kindness and willingness
to take a genuine interest in others.

BOTTOM LINE: LOVE DOES!
Try it!

See ya tomorrow.
Have a Beautiful Sunday.
{{{Hugs}}} from JanBeek

Category:

children, Giving, Love, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another, Sharing

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7 Qualities of Great Leaders

Coming Election

During this period of time from now to November 2020, we in the USA will be looking carefully for the qualities we seek in a good leader… wanting to elect a great leader … someone worthy of following.

Our Ideas & Biblical Principles

I asked Bob this morning, “If you had to name just seven qualities you think are essential for effective leaders, what would they be?”

His answers didn’t totally match the Biblical principles that prompted this blog title, but some were right on. I was reading 1 Timothy 3:1-3 during my devotional time up in my angel room this morning. This is what it said:

“… If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach… temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”

An overseer is one who sees over his followers. A supervisor, head, manager, head honcho! And s/he must lead with qualities worthy of emulation.

Photo by alexandre saraiva carniato on Pexels.com

Bob said,

  1. Honesty
  2. Integrity
  3. Intelligence
  4. Experience
  5. Compassion
  6. Interdependence (not someone who thinks s/he can do it all alone)
  7. Respect

The Bible went on to say in 1 Timothy 3:6-7 (The parenthesis are my additions):

“He must not be a recent convert (in other words, s/he needs experience in his/her area of leadership), or he may become conceited… He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace…”

Photo by Sippakorn Yamkasikorn on Pexels.com

If the leader’s reputation is tarnished, it is like handing his/her followers a handful of worms. They just come crawling out…

1 Timothy 3:8-10 says,

“Deacons, likewise, are to be [persons] of respect, sincere… and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.”

Being a deacon is often considered synonymous with being an “elder.” In the Catholic church, it is a position below that of priest. In the protestant church, an elder is part of the ruling or decision-making body. A deacon is a part of a group of leaders elected to reach out in service to the congregation and the community at large. All religions have “deacons” whose job it is to be the hands and feet of God – serving those in need. Deacons are respected leaders whose job it is to serve those who count on them.

Photo by Suraphat Nuea-on on Pexels.com

Your Ideas & Mine

So have you come up with your own list of seven qualities a good leader needs? Will you let those qualities guide your decision when you vote in your next election?

Before you read on, make your own list. What are the seven qualities you deem most important in an effective leader?

These are the ones I gleaned from my study of the third chapter of 1 Timothy:

  1. competent (gained from applicable experience)
  2. wise (wisdom borne of Godly counsel, intelligence and study)
  3. mature (mentally and spiritually solid)
  4. gentle (compassionate & not quarrelsome)
  5. self-controlled (exhibiting peace and unity)
  6. respectable (leading a life worthy of emulation)
  7. generous (always giving his/her best to/for followers)
Photo by Anastasia Zhenina on Pexels.com

May we each live a life
That is worthy of emulation –
A life that is an open book.

One step at a time…

Tell me, what are the qualities
that are on your list for great leaders?
See ya tomorrow.

Have a Super Saturday!
Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, God, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, peace, relationships, respect, Serving One Another, truth, work

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Be Tenderhearted

Be Tenderhearted

Sometimes I am all business.
I put process ahead of persons,
process ahead of poetry,
the poetry of God’s whispers.

Sometimes I am too concerned
about the process to see
the point of the pin
that pricks at pained heartstrings.

Sometimes I’m caught in calendar,
all deadlines ahead of doorways
that lead to peace with patience,
that open to compassion with courage.

Sometimes God rises to reveal
a hardened heart that hears,
“Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry,
and plow through the process!”

Sometimes when I stop to see
the mangled mess I’ve made
with focus on the failures,
God stops my steps.

He points to the positives;
He gathers up the good
And puts the process behind,
Trading it for tenderheartedness.

He helps me humbly see
the covenant, the cross on Calvary,
the limitless love of letting
God’s grace return to the gathering.

Return it to the wondrous whispers
that only tenderness and transparency
can reveal as we enter the center
of God’s tender heart – and hear.

Hear His poetry, hold His hand,
sing His songs and shout “Shalom!”
Take His tender heart that tugs
at your heartstrings. Take it home.

Be Tenderhearted.

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com



Growing in God’s Grace, Jan Beekman, poet

Category:

Belief, blessings, Faith, God, Heartache, learning, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, Poetry, relationships, self-acceptance, Serving One Another, writing

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Shakespeare in the Schools

Our Ennis Arts Association supports a performance each year of Shakespeare in the Schools for our Ennis students. I was so impressed today with the performance of these young people.

Following the performance of Romeo & Juliet, the cast sat down and gave the Ennis High students a chance to ask questions.

Then members of our Ennis Arts Association gathered for a delicious lunch at the Sr. Center followed by installation of our 2020 Ennis Arts Association Officers.

The shortest one there is yours truly, installed as the new president. It’s a privilege to work with these folks (left to right): Chelsee Mahsman (Secretary) with her baby, Clementine, Sue Kinn-Brown (Vice-President and jury committee chair), yours truly, and Patsy Eckert (past president).

Unable to attend were Barbara Swan-Roger (treasurer), Jan Brooks (co-treasurer). Also in attendance was one who serves on the jury for our annual adjudicated Art Festival and serves as a member of the publicity committee, Margie Reck; Shirley Storey, one of our talented artists, and Barbara Gillispie, also on the jury committee and a key member of the Art Festival planning group. It takes a dedicated team to support the arts and artists in our art-focused Madison Valley.

Look for more art related posts as the year progresses. Last summer I wrote about our festival on this post: http://www.janbeek.blog/love-our-ennis-arts-festival

Have you enjoyed a Shakespeare in the Schools performance in the past? Tell me about it.

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

art, Love, Serving One Another, teaching

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Radical Interdependence

Are there any absolutes left? Or is everything in the world relative? Is there such a thing as right and wrong?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

In her blog today, Barbara Franken

Barbara Franken

Barbara Franken, Me, My Magnificent Self

wrote,

“As the weeks, months and years roll quickly by, we observe how the world around us widens the separation of people, organisations, countries, opinions, beliefs… all warring against each other. Extreme opposites and deep conflict is being forged. Yes – No, Light – Dark, Good – Bad, Right – Wrong, This – That, Mine – Yours… each side adamant they are correct!

So who is correct, which side do we choose, which way do we go?“

Photo by Jens Johnsson on Pexels.com

Barbara Franken went on to say,

“Choosing for oneself means choosing love.

Love has no sides, no conflict and honours all.”

It’s interesting that I was reading her blog right after relishing the words of Wm. Coffin and Joanna Macy in Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat’s book, Spiritual Literacy. They quoted Coffin and Macy who wrote:

Yes, we ARE radically interdependent. The actions of each of us has an effect on the rest of us. And there ARE absolutes. There IS right and wrong. And when we see things headed the wrong way:

  • hate vs. love
  • dark vs. light
  • bad vs. good
  • wrong vs. right
  • destruction vs. enhancement
  • falsehood vs. Truth
  • broken vs. working/productive
  • criminal vs. just
  • immoral vs. ethical/principled

… then we know it is time to step up to the plate and do what we can. Do you think, “The problems are too big; who am I to make a difference?”

If so, just look at Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenager who is leading global protests demanding action on climate change.

Greta was quoted as saying,

“We will do everything in our power to stop this crisis from getting worse…”

God bless her! Today’s Bozeman Chronicle carried this article about her:

What issue are you passionate about?

How can your voice make a difference?

What can you do? Think about it.

Know that we are indeed

“One World… Radically Interdependent”

… and each of us CAN make a difference.




Will I?
Will you?

See ya later!

Category:

blessings, blogging, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, nature, peace, respect, Serving One Another, truth

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Are You Leader or Follower?

Leader or Follower?

Some days I’m the leader;
Other days I like to follow.
But sometimes following
Is more than I can swallow.

animal beast big carnivore

Sometimes the folks who lead
Don’t seem to care the least
About the folks they’re leading;
They’re like this ugly beast.

The beast who tells us lies,
Who says “Do as I say,
But not as I do,” you know?
He tries to force his way.

We are not stupid sheep;
We know which way is right.
So stand your ground, my friends.
Don’t let him push his might.

The one who makes the rules,
Usually wins the game, they say.
But, some rules should be constant –
Don’t let him lead you astray.

My Inspiration

This poem was inspired by a Time Magazine article titled, “Whose standards will Democrats embrace?” by the eloquent former editor of Time Magazine, Nancy Gibbs.
This topic of leaders and followers is heavy on my heart. It’s not the simple kind of following that I wrote about years ago when I was looking at healthy parent-child relationships:

Follow Me

Days Gone By

When I was a youngster, one of the popular TV programs was “Father Knows Best.” I related to that … and so did a lot of my peers. Mom and Dad talked things over. They  presented a righteous front of solidarity. Sometimes Mom (in fact usually Mom) laid down the laws. Together, they enforced them. We were the “Leave it to Beaver” generation whose nuclear family lived by the universal rules spelled out in the Ten Commandments. “Do not lie” was paramount among them. “Love One Another,” was another. “Be kind to your neighbor,” right?

Appreciate one another’s differences. Know that we all are part of one body – and the head needs the hand; the leg needs the foot. We need to live in harmony.

What has happened to our Rules to Live By??

Category:

God, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, respect, Serving One Another, truth

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