Slow Down

And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and the sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.
Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

by Andrew Quinley

These days we’re all about speed & efficiency. High speed internet, more mpg, tv on demand, twitter accessibility anywhere; all so that we can keep moving and not have to slow down. I’m one of those people who always has to be doing something. It doesn’t matter where I am, I’m just wired for activity, oftentimes multiple activities at once. Which is one of the reasons why my wife, Jacki, is so perfect for me.

I catapult out of bed in the morning, my mind blazing with to-do items. Jacki lingers, enjoying the softness of the sheets & the coolness of the morning air. It’s one of the most frustrating &, yet, most lovely things about having her in my life. She slows me down. She helps me engage the moment.

Not that there’s anything wrong with being a driven, hard-working individual. But what do we spend so much of our life working for, if not to enjoy the fruit of our work? It’s not the grand scheme or laborious accomplishment that truly give our life meaning, but the journey getting there. It’s the details, the little moments, that make up the story of our lives. If you don’t take the time to slow down and savor them, then you are losing your life bit by bit.

So I’m pleading with you, slow down & cherish the details of your life. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to share with you some of the practical ways that I have found of slowing down my lfie & enjoying the moments. I would love to hear from you about some of yours.

Looking in the Mirror

by Fred Garmon

Examine for a moment Ephesians 4:1-3 (New Living Translation):

The Apostle Paul says, “…lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.  2 Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.  3 Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.”

My initial assumption is that you are reading this article because you are  a “leader” or aspiring to “leadership.” So, let us discuss this extremely popular subject and narrow our focus to “Christian” leadership.

I have been intrigued by the study of leaders (people) and leadership (a process) for more than thirty years. My passion for leadership was and still is driven by the desire to learn as much as possible so that I could teach others how to be more effective leaders. But three decades of study and experience has revealed a wise revelation—while the process of leadership is about serving others, becoming a leader is about learning to play and tune your own personal instrument; and that instrument is the self—the instrument is YOU. Yes, becoming a leader requires that you turn a scrutinizing eye on yourself—and in so doing you will find that a few moments of brutal honesty can save you (and others you lead) years of pain.

The context of Paul’s instruction implies that the life Paul is alluding to is non-other than your own—“Lead YOUR life!” It is, therefore, from this scriptural foundation that I announce our first leadership principle; “Leadership development begins with self-development.”

So, pause for a moment and think deeply about this principle and let us begin our time together by wrestling with and discussing the following question:

What does “leading your life” or “self-development” look like?
Especially in light of the characteristics the Apostle Paul includes in this passage of scripture?

Don’t Just Do It

by Apples Knapp

When I was in college, I enjoyed my Food Service Management classes. So, it wasn’t long before I applied to be a manager of a fast-food chain in Manila. I remember enjoying the interaction with the customers (except when they were complaining) and the managerial responsibilities of handling people and products. When I was transferred to a different branch in my 2nd year, though, I hated my first few months at the store. I had a boss who was demanding and was used to degrading her people publicly. There were days that I would cry and complain.  I dreaded going back to work after my days off.  I persevered, though.

When I went into full time ministry in 2004, my first project was to open a café in Thailand. It scared me and made me nervous.  Soon, however, I realized that all the things I had learned working under that hard boss at the fast food chain had equipped me more than I knew.  Now that I look back, I see that the experience not only gave me the skills I needed to start the café, but it also developed my character, especially in relating to people.

Whatever you are doing right now, whether you are in school or at work in a secular job or in full-time ministry, keep in mind that it has a bearing on what the Father has in store for you tomorrow. Maybe it is time to stop grumbling and start appreciating what you are doing and learn from it. Don’t just do it to get by.  Do it with excellence and passion. Remember, whatever you are doing is for God and not for your human bosses or family. It may be a small or big responsibility.  Give it your best shot.  This time may be difficult and challenging, but God is teaching you and developing you through these circumstances.  He’s preparing you for the big things that he has in store for you in the future!

Question:
What difficulty are you facing right now?

Action Step:
Take ten minutes right now to pray about it and think about how you are growing from it and what you are learning.  Write that down and put it in your wallet/purse/mirror and look at it whenever you need to remind yourself why you are going through this.

The Divine Flow

by Chuck Quinley

In my short life I have had many adventures.  I’ve traveled through Siberia in the dead of winter, studied film making in South Africa and sat for hours with worshippers in a Tibetan holy place.  I’ve had a hand in planting two megachurches, establishing a graduate school and lately, launching an FM radio network. None of this was in my advanced planning for my life.  I just followed the flow–the divine flow, and reaped the amazing benefits.

It’s simple.  Everything in life works through relationships.  All the pain and all the joy flows from people.  You need to know the right people, those who will help you on your destined journey and those you need to help on theirs.  The “jerks,” you need to stay away from as much as possible.  How to know the difference?  The divine flow.  God has a plan for your life and that plan flows through the people He has ordained to be your covenant partners.  He will cause your path to intersect these incredible, honorable people.  And when you meet one you will feel the flow.

Spiritual fathers in the early church said that the most important quality to strive for as a spirit-filled disciple of Jesus the Christ was discernment.  By quieting your spirit each day through time alone with God you can learn to feel the gentle leadings of the Holy Spirit about a number of things related to your daily mission, but most importantly of all, you can learn to feel the “click” of connecting with a person who has a matching heart and vision of life.

I have been able to succeed in most of the things I have felt led to attempt because of the partnership of these special people in my life.  They have opened doors of understanding and opportunity for me and have been my partners in everything I have undertaken.  I chart out the direction of my life according to the people God leads me to partner with in each chapter.  After a while, you just learn to spot them as the gift from God that they are and you cherish that friendship and never let it go.  Sometimes years later you see why it was important for the two of you to connect.  So my advice to you as emerging leaders is to consciously make an effort go with the flow.

Discussion Questions: Have you ever had a conversation with a new person and felt an immediate kinship with them despite your cultural differences?  How can you learn to distinguish the difference between being impressed with someone’s initial charisma and really seeing the unity of someone’s heart with your heart?

Act it Out: Make a list of the people for whom you feel a divine flow.  Write and thank them for what their friendship brings into your life.  Then, for the rest of this week try to discern a feeling about everyone with whom you interact.  Mostly, you will just feel neutral because this is a normal human interaction.  Sometimes you will feel repelled and warned.  Politely back off.  At a few special moments you may feel that connect we are talking about.  It’s rare, but important.  Give that person the opportunity to speak out what is inside of them so you can know what’s in their heart.  Then walk by faith and do the things God shows you through this relationship.

Lessons from a Flight Attendant

The attitude displayed by this flight attendant from Japan Airlines forms the basis of this lesson on how we must approach serving others.

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