Live. Love. Lead.

     A little bit ago, I had the experience of having to follow through on a commitment when the very thought of doing so made me ill.  As leaders, one of the lessons that is constantly reiterated centers on "being consistent." Well, no one ever talks about how exhausting being consistent and following-through truly is as a leader.      As the leader I had secured a commitment from several stakeholders about an upcoming event.  When I arrived at the event the stakeholders had not followed-through on their part of the commitment. So I sat with an overflow of turmoil between, "should I allow the event to go on uninterrupted, sitting in silence" or "should I politely speak up and do my utmost to follow through as best as I know how."  My struggle was between doing what was right or doing what was easy.  And it was no easy struggle. If I did what was easy I would not have to incur a flood of frustration, but if I did what was right I was subjecting myself to

     This week I have been studying the book of Exodus. This study has refreshed my heart and reinvigorated my passion for seeing God work in ways that have His signature all on them. In Exodus 14, the Children of Israel had just been released from the grip of slavery and were just tasting their new freedom accomplished by God's "outstretched arm". Only a little into their new life free from the chains of Pharoah's whims, they face a trial begging them to enter the slavery of fear again. They see that all of Pharoah's army was coming after them and the Scripture says, "...they were very frightened..." In this crisis of faith, they believed that the "ease" of past slavery was better than the beauty of the promise. And they say it, "...it is better for us to serve Egypt that that we should die in the Wilderness..." The Wilderness was part of their journey to realizing the promise that God made generations before. But, it that moment the