Leadership

“Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us, but God tests us to help bring out the best.”  -  Warren Wiersbe

Gordon MacDonald once wrote about VDP's or Very Draining People.  These are the people who drain our energy rather than refueling us.  Into every life at least one VDP must wander.  But we can choose to limit our exposure or interaction with them. We can also choose to surround ourselves with more positive people.  I love to be around believers and dreamers.  These are the people who provide a mental pick-me-up when I need it. Which are you?

Staying motivated is easy when you love what you're doing.  How do you stay motivated when you have to slog through the tedious parts of the day? Well, it depends on your perspective. In other words, how are you choosing to "see" what you're doing?  Seeing something as tedious only makes it more tedious.  As Victor Frankl wrote years ago, life and circumstances can take away every freedom but one: the freedom to choose your attitude.

Every now and then I get to hang out with church planters.  Most of them haven't shaved in a few days and wear wrinkled shirts ... just kidding -- I used to be one of those guys.  Come to think of it, there are days I still look like one  :-) Yesterday was one of those days.  In the early afternoon I spent time with Jonathan Simpson, a guy who is looking to plant in South Denver.  He's on staff at The Rock of Southwest, a church that has birthed three churches and a new campus in six years.  I enjoyed hearing his vision of starting a movement rather than just a church.  When Tonya and I planted a church with Stadia, they challenged us to define success in terms of having a granddaughter church.  In other words, not one church but three or more. Then last night I enjoyed…