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Have you ever felt like the ground is shifting right under your feet? Maybe not literally shifting, as in an earthquake or something like that. For me, it's been a whole lot more subtle than that. It's kind of like when you're at the beach and you walk out into the water about 15-20 feet. You're just standing there, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the cool of the water. Then, after 20 minutes or so, you look back to shore and struggle to find where you left your stuff because, almost without you feeling it, the current pushed you down the shoreline. Drifting happens. There doesn't seem to be an area of life where I have to fight for intentionality because, I've come to realize that the drift is waiting for me. There really are no neutral days. Either I am moving toward intentionality or drifting toward complacency. Nothing has helped me pursue Intentionality In my work as a minister and leader in a church like having a coach. I like to think of a coach as a partner for the journey. They're not expressly telling me what to do, but they're helping me discover the path and keeping me on that path. I've benefitted greatly from the voices of various coaches in my life over the past 20 years.  What I've come to figure out is that, for the past 3-4 years, God has provided opportunities for me to be a coach for others. That somehow, the season that I currently find myself is one where I continue to glean the wisdom from others, but also look to pay it forward to leaders who are coming behind me. The ground shifted under my feet without me even realizing it and I now look up and see that I've been at this for awhile now. I'm not armed with much more answers, but I'm more aware now at how much I don't know. I've also found that the secret to progress is curiosity and asking plenty of questions.
When I think back to the leader that I was trying to be in my early-twenties, I know that I would have greatly benefitted from having a coach, someone to be a partner with me in the journey of trying to find my way. Many young leaders, especially in the church, may not feel like they have anyone like that. We don't have to drift through those early years of leadership. We can walk together and pursue longevity and impact in ministry and leadership. |