The culture around me tells me that I am a victim. Everyone is a victim of some oppression related to race, money, age, weight, parents, gender… you know how the story goes. We are told to wrap ourselves in blaming others and be dependent on ???
This is all a lie. I don’t know why so many are wired to think this way but it is toxic to life.

As a retired performing artist, perspective is important to me. I see and think about what I am seeing constantly. My life is filled with challenges just like yours. My life is NOT an exercise in suffering. Every day is an opportunity to do something, to improve, or maybe just to rest but it is not a burden to bear. Each day is a blessing and a gift. It is from God, bestowed on me, not because of my worth or my deeds, but because of Gods extraordinary love.

The constant complaint, blame game, victim approach is a construct, a choice, that destroys relationship. This is from Satan. It separates us from one another and most importantly it separates us from God. This is sin my friends. The seed may practically originate with your mother, your neighbor, your Sunday school teacher, even your wife and children but it is of the devil.

Life, my life, your life, is about loving and doing in spite of the human challenges which we all have. Living is not about fear and control and the constant envy of what could have been if… this is foolish fallacy.

I am not special. I am a specific, beloved, first born child of God. The systems of men always fail. Gods love does not. I am destined for glory in God, but not because of what I do here and now.

the solution:
1. see the behaviors which are rooted in blame, victimization, and self
2. reject the victim mindset and choose to be grateful. Focus on blessings. They are always there.
3. Live into the future however it comes. Choose wisely, but choose. Don’t let others choose your thinking.

as to all of that blame and victimhood and pain… it is real. To move ahead, you must let it go and forgive everyone. Period.

To change things, solve the problem in front of you. Directly in front of you, in your house, neighborhood, church, with friends and family. Don’t complain about it. Start solving now. One little decision at a time. One person at a time. Local. Local. Local. Disassociate from chronic problem makers in favor of solvers.
Big Bang - One size fits all solutions do not exist.

How do you get what you want? First you must decide what you want. If you truly want to change something, decide and get to work.

What problem are you solving? Exactly. Specifically. Locally.

FYI- in a free society you don’t get to tell/command others’ priorities. Everyone has their own problems. If your solution is to tell others what to do, you are exercising control and likely tyranny. That is simple reality for all of us.

If you don’t have s solution to a problem, get to work. Educate yourself. Live your life. No one is coming to save you or do your work for you.

Finding a team and a cohort, a brotherhood is a difficult things in a world full of problems. Everyone has to play their part.

There is no substitute for actual experience at scale and duration when results are required. While historical record is not a foolproof predictor,
it IS likely the best way to predict future outcomes. Youthful vigor and good intentions must be tempered in reality. With truly experienced leaders, the results tell the true tale.

Rigging, manipulation, and influence are not the same thing as a global illegal conspiracy. It seems to me that we the people have bowed in fear and outsourced our intellectual and physical freedom. It is indeed time to circle up and plan legal protests with local civil disobedience coupled with disciplined planning for the next elections. The media and big tech will NOT play fair. 72 million Americans is a strong start. We, conservatives, must align and look to the future.

I’m disappointed that my fellow Americans have embraced this systemic threat to individualism and liberty in favor of corporate communism back by force and fire of government. Cest la vie. When these policies fail in coming years, I and many like me will be far less tolerant, likely less civil, and follow the protest playbook we have seen as a roadmap. Times ahead could be pretty vicious. It seems we are at war for the souls of our states and thus our republic.

Biden’s DARK WINTER is indeed coming and will extend well into 2021 and beyond. Consequences will be far reaching beyond just surviving Covid. We have >99.8% chance of surviving that threat. The societal threats could be far more deadly as families churches and businesses are literally blown up. The blame game is done. We must look to the future. Let’s roll.

I am sincerely happy that so many friends are encouraged by the words of PresElect Biden. Rhetoric is a powerful tool. Practical progress in change management policy is a very complex process and it certainly begins with awareness and desire.

The arc of my experience has shown me that desire must be followed with knowledge and ability at scale and duration. Results are measured and reinforced. This is the way.

The danger zone in governance is the addiction to power and the reliance on power to achieve. The power approach does not past the test.

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” —C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics (1970)

Let me be clear. Voting for Biden/Harris is not a vote for change. That man has been actively leading in the federal government for almost half a century. He is the epitome of establishment, system centered, big government, tax and spend, hunker in the bunker mentality. It is stunning to consider that the progressive coalition on the left thinks that somehow Biden will somehow miraculously become an agent of change... focused on the future... As they protest the "system" and call for change... they are simultaneously voting for the candidate most devoted to maintaining the SYSTEM... The reality of this is stunning to consider.

Many conservatives don't like Donald Trump's tone, character flaws, and mannerisms. We don't like the way that the country is so divided, but we believe that this division began long ago and that it is rooted in the leftist, globalist, collectivist ideology and lack of personal responsibility at every level. We believe that the Trump/Pence ticket is the best path forward because we trust in the citizens of the USA to stand up and take ownership of their towns, states, and regions... culturally, morally, financially, and yes in government. The governing ideologies rooted in change is ironically best achieved through the conservative platform, allowing federalism to work and the people to choose exactly how they want to live locally and in their states. We do not need a one size fits all approach and it has never worked in the history of the world, and never will.

This Virginian wishes that President Trump would talk less, and smile more... and simply lead. Sadly, that doesn't seem possible because the attack narratives must be countered and embraced. That is where we are.

We all want things to change for the better. We disagree on how to do that. The mechanism for unity is voting for principles... not principals and we must remember that God is in charge of all of it. ALL of it. ​

Big things are managed by little things. Big problems are solved by many little solutions. There is no easy button and there is no magic bullet. Do the work. Make good decisions. Good BIG things will happen. Keep your eyes on the right prize. This is a big thing.

Luke 16:8-18 MSG
[8-9] … God Sees Behind Appearances [10-13] Jesus went on to make these comments: If you're honest in small things, you'll be honest in big things; If you're a crook in small things, you'll be a crook in big things. If you're not honest in small jobs, who will put you in charge of the store? No worker can serve two bosses: He'll either hate the first and love the second Or adore the first and despise the second. You can't serve both God and the Bank. [14-18] When the Pharisees, a money-obsessed bunch, heard him say these things, they rolled their eyes, dismissing him as hopelessly out of touch. So Jesus spoke to them: “You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what’s behind the appearance. …

Proud to have spent the day with such a fabulous team of Help4School volunteers. The collaboration and communication was astounding. Complex problems have complex solutions. Period. There is no middle ground and our problems with virtual schooling are far deeper than technology. The pain cut to the core of our culture and exposes priorities and choices with unprecedented ferocity. We the people must stand up and choose to change for our future. Everything has changed and the change is permanent. We are not going back. Where are we going exactly? That is a great question. I believe it is all about small group accountability in organic growth and education pods. MicroSchools built and supported by landing zones and central facilities. This fundamental shift is profound and will be costly in every sense. We can use this pop up model to support and encourage organic institutional flexibility from the bottom up. Top down is effectively dying. IMO.
Teaching and teachers are essential. What we are doing now is leaving too many behind. We can do education and inspiration differently. We must do education and inspiration differently. Our youngest generations lives are at stake and ours with them.

​Every group, family, and relationship has cracks.  Here is the thing.  When that foundation stone is under intense pressure, it is NOT possible to repair the cracks.  If nothing is done, then cracks will widen and eventually the foundations will crumble completely leaving a disaster zone for everything, and everyone connected.   The problem to manage is repair, without driving wedges into the cracks and making the problem worse.  

In our world today, our families, our churches, our institutions are under immense pressure.  Cracks which have been present forever, are being stressed and widened.  Many of these “institutions” will suffer catastrophic failures.  As a leader in my family, in my church,  it is my job to care for the entire system.  I seek to repair the cracks, or at least fill them.  HOW? 

First, I use time to remove pressure and then I find the strong pieces, and use them to carry the load for the weaker sections as we add strength.  
The mortar is love, but the solution requires more than simply loving and accepting.  It is a balancing act of stress and relief, communication and care and accountability for change.  Understanding the true pillars of the foundation is a required step.  For me, that is faith and commitment to God.   

As a family comes apart, there are flex points.. fulcrums and pressure points.  The process is the same for bring one together.   We must accept the cracks, and seek to fill them so that we can lift one another and shore up the foundation.  

Disagreements must not be allowed to move to contempt.  
Actions and decisions affecting the “whole” must take into account the needs of the individuals.   
People are equal.  Ideas and solutions are not.  Decisions and actions separate but they also unite when connected to a shared purpose.  Unity of purpose does not require uniformity of action, but it does require a shared understanding and direction.  

FAMILY.  FAITH.  These are flawed and cracked…  but the foundations rooted in stone, rather than sand will stand the pressure… and by working together, we can find a way to avoid collapse.  IF… we choose to do so.  
For me, it is unacceptable to see the coming failure and do nothing, but doing something must not spread divide and weaken the whole.  We must agree on the definition of the whole.  

A victimization-based culture is primed for a fear pandemic. Rather than preparing reasonably and rationally, it blames others for that which was inevitable. Fear spreads in this emotional, dependency based model like wildfire. The irrational pendulum swing between govt is savior and govt is the devil naturally follows. IF the government is of the people by the people for the people it is flawed as these people. Fear, identity politics and the illusions of control and command are toxic to actual progress. The virus wins.
The US founding fathers understood this reality better than we do. What did they do? Individual accountability, with a republic allowing for common defense and good, and a Constitution explain it all. They didn’t play the victim game. They stood together to fight separately but together.

Don’t I need to worry about keeping my church intact/alive/functioning?
​
The institution cannot be considered above the mission... Pharisees thought otherwise... The institution must serve and enable the mission of the one and the many. The institution must serve the one and the many or it must cease to exist.
Choices persist and remain every day for each us.

Do we choose to sustain the institutions and traditions or the mission? Balance is required of course. BUT, we must beware the call of institutional and collective power over the free will of individuals. Each of us must choose the mission and serve as we are enabled and made. Be. Love. Serve. Repeat.

Personal, Organization…  Change your culture.. use strategy, but change your culture.. repeat.. change your culture… and infrastructure… and culture.. REPEAT
 
Recognize and confront reality. 
 Things are not okay.  Why?  If they ARE okay.. then you don’t need a change.. but awareness is the beginning.. 
 
Decide that you will be different.
Say it out loud.  Pray about it.  Keep saying it.  Keep discussing it. 
 
Learn how to be “different”.  
Study who is doing it well… and document what they are doing that is different from me?  Where am I aligned..  Develop a priority model to enable you to qualify and “score” activities and plans against your new “different:
 
Enlist friends and colleagues as accountability partners.
neutral voices… to help you assess progress.. honestly.. objectively.  
 
Measure EVERYTHING that you identified in your learning stage.
Constantly reevaluate priorities and actions against results.. 
Is the needle moving?
Be prepared for successes and setbacks. 
 
Keep an INVEST - MAINTAIN - RETIRE list.
for friends.. activities.. food even jobs, careers, and hobbies..  Your success is about what you say NO to..  It is not possible to do everything.. and/or be everything..  FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS… and then adjust.. 
 
Repeat each of the steps
every day… every week.. every month? …
and check progress..
​Celebrate your successes.. and learn from your failures…

My church is failing in my community because I’m unable to effectively share my passion for a hopeful future. I show with my words and decisions that my history and my experience matter more to me (about me) than them. I can’t translate my experience into a shared future that is relevant to others. I expect “others” to see things as I do, want things that I want and to value experience and order as I do.

Unless we can show how our theology and doctrine and polity matter and will make a difference it will not. As a church leader I will fail in my mission and I will harm others in my failure.

If my community does not listen they cannot hear. If I don’t speak in a manner which encourages them to listen they will not hear. If I can’t adjust my message and model, the fault is mine alone, and I should step aside and find someone who can.

I will fail. I fail. I failed. This is truth.
God will not fail, does not fail, and has not failed.

When I fail, God will speak through another. He will transform HIS community into a loving, welcoming fellowship which reaches out, welcomes in, and disciples into deeper and deeper circles.

Is your leadership more interested in who is in charge or what is being done? Or more often what is not being done... 
I know what I see all too often. Not so much from members but from leaders... even for me, it is a constant struggle to remain aware and open and listening and seeking and encouraging... not dictating and demanding.  
Resources drive outcomes. People, process, and tools... in that order. Leading and inspiring people is HARD. Easy to dictate and then fail... sigh. Cycle repeats itself over and over at every level of every organization. 
#Church #corporation #government #associations #clubs

Lots of talk about toxic leadership communications and styles... in governments, companies, teams, even churches and families: themes are the same

my definition and thoughts: doing more harm than good with no positive outlook or plans on display... it is like fighting a disease... you can’t kill the patient while you make them more healthy... and what definition of healthy is valid? Organizations and governments are organisms. Living and breathing. See the systems. See the leaders. See the levers of change and gauge words and actions... Principles and practice merge into plans which must improve results.
To leaders everywhere. In order to get what you want, first you must know what you want. Then start pulling levers. Don’t destroy divide and diminish unless you plan to kill the patient or have a path to recovery laid out.

#leadersermons

Board/Team/Leadership/Session/Council meetings must be inspired small group discussions about growth rather than large gatherings of disinterested people listening to staff reports. — time is a precious asset. Some maintenance-operations must be managed in meetings, but plans AND RESULTS need to qualified and quantified against investment-mission-growth.

Staff focuses on operations and execution. “Executive” Leadership focuses on mission and evaluating results and the right mix of assets is in the tank to ensure that the engine is efficiently powering ahead.

Will the engine handle the rough road ahead?
Are you spending any time truly assessing the steps ahead against the roads already taken?