Good leaders ask great questions!

One important leadership skill I have learned is asking questions. This also involves developing the key skills of listening, evaluating, responding – and then possibly asking even more questions! In his book “Good Leaders Ask Great Questions”, John Maxwell says: “If you lead a team, start asking questions and really listening. Start valuing the contributions of your teammates ahead of your own. And remember that when the best idea wins, so does the entire team.”

There are many valuable questions that I have learned to ask while leading teams around the world. These include questions that gather vital information; questions that demonstrate my concern for others; questions that gather people’s ideas and suggestions for our work; and questions that lead to further discussion about decisions to be made.

Six questions that I am intentional about asking to members of my team are:

1. “What is the biggest challenge you face right now?”

It is important that, as leaders, we understand the struggles people are encountering – whether in their work or their personal lives. The responses I receive help me determine whether there are issues that I must investigate further, if I need to make changes to a proposed course of action, or if my team member has an adequate level of support.

2. “What do you need from me this week?”

This is often a follow-up question to the first one. People want to feel that help and backing is available if needed. (But remember not to ask this question if you have no way of delivering the extra support if it is requested!)

3. “Can you help me understand…?”

It is easy to charge into a meeting like a bull in a china shop when a project isn’t working well, if a mistake has been made, or when a situation has gone horribly wrong. However, this approach can be accusatory and degrading to the other person when, visibly red-faced and seething, you lob an “I have no idea what you were thinking” grenade into your “conversation” as the opening exchange. I’ve tried that approach. And I don’t recommend it.

Far better is to ask the person concerned for their version of events. I have found that a helpful way to do this is by opening my conversation with the three words “Help me understand”. It is always important to hear the other person’s perspective before any decisions are made – and even if that decision is ultimately a difficult one, at least it paves the way for you to treat them with respect and dignity.

4. “What do you think…?”

If there is one thing that I have learnt as a leader it is that other people’s ideas are often far better than my own!

That’s why it is important for me to tap into the rich experiences and ideas that my team has.

“What do you think of this strategy?”

“What do you think our response should be to this challenge?”

“What do you think we can do to improve this proposal?”

Ask the “What do you think?” question regularly, engage people in your decision-making, learn from them, and reap the rewards for your organization!

5. “What questions do you have for me?”

A lack of clarity is one of the main reasons for people becoming frustrated and disengaged. To counter this, a leader must be open to receive questions from others, and to actively invite them. This can be at a one-to-one level, in a small group, or as a whole team discussion. Never underestimate the value of asking this question. Ask it frequently and be willing to answer each question honestly and with as much information as you are in a position to give!

6. “How can I pray for you?”

As leaders we must have a genuine concern for those that we lead. People must feel that we value and care for them – this is essential in building all-important trust. Ask this question often, one-on-one, with each team member. Listen carefully to what you hear. Follow up with them again. And pray – really pray – that God would help your colleague as they go through difficult times, whether at work or in their families.

Start asking questions and really listening. Your whole team, and your organization, will benefit as a result!

What other questions should we be asking to members of our teams?

God sets the lonely in families

“God sets the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:6).

Orphanages and children’s homes are not the solution for the world’s orphan crisis.

On the surface, this may appear to be an odd statement coming from someone who has, for a quarter of a century, worked with organizations that have run children’s homes for orphans and vulnerable children in countries across the world. But I believe it is true.

Orphanages and residential homes are getting a bad press – and sometimes for good reason. A couple of months ago, at least 15 children were killed in a fire at an orphanage in Haiti. Other nightmare stories abound of the abuse and mistreatment of children, of poor standards of care, and of children being enrolled despite having families that can care for them.

Recent studies have also clearly shown that, in general, children thrive to a far greater degree in a secure, permanent family setting. This has created a growing consensus that, whenever possible, children belong in families – with their birth family if that is feasible, or in another healthy, long-term family setting, such as foster care.

As a result, many organizations, churches and governments around the world are now rethinking and adapting their approach to orphan care. This shift in approach is certainly one that I have championed over the past few years while working with the leaders of programs working with vulnerable children around the world.

Making a widespread global shift from the traditional approach of caring for orphans and vulnerable children in orphanages and residential care to family-based care will take time. It will require a significant change in mindset, the pursuit of excellence in family reunification and foster care, and the willingness of Christian organizations and churches that are engaged in orphan care to collaborate effectively and open-handedly in sharing their successes, failures, experiences, and expertise. This is a task we must be committed to pursuing relentlessly.

At the same time, we must recognize that there is still a place in the orphan care landscape for high-quality small group homes in certain circumstances. For example, children who are rescued from highly traumatic situations, such as abuse, trafficking, or street life, need intensive counseling and psychological care. Living with their own family is often not an option, and they are not able to function in a healthy manner in a foster family setting until they have received the specialized care and support that they need. Even in such cases, however, residential care must not be treated as a long-term “destination” for the child; instead it should be one step on their personal journey to healing and the opportunity to grow up in a permanent family.

I was recently asked by a friend about whether his church should still be supporting a children’s home in an overseas location. My advice was that his church “do their homework” and ask some searching questions before supporting, financially or otherwise, a residential children’s home. Of critical importance is determining (i) that new children enrolled in the home have no other viable option at the current time; (ii) whether children in the home had living relatives who could be caring for them with appropriate support; and (iii) how the home was making a priority of reunifying children with families whenever possible. We must have confidence that our support for orphan care programs is impacting positively the lives of these children rather than perpetuating an undesirable and unhealthy model of care.

The needs and challenges facing us are huge. Yet the opportunities are incredibly exciting. Christians have, for centuries, been at the forefront of caring for orphans and vulnerable children. This must continue. We must commit to joining one another on this journey as we seek the very best for these precious children – and, as is God’s design, placing them in healthy “forever families.”

The gift of lament

There are times when life can seem overwhelming. We can be overcome by the relentless stories of tragedy, evil and injustice in this fallen world we live in. Recognizing the depths of the brokenness and pain in our own lives can leave us with enormous sorrow and heaviness.

I have recently been exploring the gift of “lament” – the opportunity we each have to come before God and pour out our hearts to Him, holding nothing back. Throughout Scripture, we read how God’s people cried out to Him in their suffering. In the Psalms, we see David’s troubled heart as he seeks God, pleading with Him, pursuing His presence, longing for His peace and hope in the midst of uncertainty. Psalm 13 begins with David imploring God with these words: “How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts, and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” (v1-2)

Lament is not giving in to despair. It is not withdrawing and becoming silent as the storm rages around us. Instead it is a bold demonstration of our faith as we recognize who God is and express our resolve to draw closer to Him rather than pull away. God invites us to ask those deep questions that haunt our minds, and he promises to meet us in our waiting. He assures us that one day He will set all things right – and that, at that time, there will be great rejoicing. In Psalm 13, having honestly poured out his complaints, David concludes: “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.”

For now, however, as we look around us, there is so much pain and injustice to lament. The death of elderly people as they lie alone in hospitals and nursing homes. A young man gunned down while out jogging, murdered simply because of the color of his skin. Young girls abducted from their homes, enslaved, and forced into being raped continually by evil men. Refugees fleeing their homes as a result of violence and conflict. The unmistakable corruption evident in so many governments and people in positions of authority. The pandemics of hunger, disease, and malnutrition, which claim the lives of thousands and thousands of children – every single day. And the depravity we become so acutely aware of in our own hearts and lives.

May we be people that cry out to God because of the injustices of this world. May we listen to His voice as He responds to our pleadings. May we remember that we can trust Him – and that we have a real and lasting hope.

Darkness will not have the final word.

How will they know…?

I wonder if the disciples even managed to find time to catch their breath in the days following Jesus’ ascension.

The opening chapters of Acts provide something of a roller coaster narrative as the Holy Spirit makes his sudden, powerful appearance, paving the way for Peter to declare the gospel message to crowds of people, and waves of conversions resulting. We see the amazing fellowship and unity among that first band of believers, the miraculous healing of a crippled beggar…and then the local rulers and priests getting so annoyed by what they see happening that they haul Peter and John off to prison (see Acts 4).

The next day, the big guns are rolled out in a show of power and intimidation. These are the same people that had sentenced Jesus to death just a few weeks before.

On that occasion, the disciples had stayed at a safe distance from the drama, and Peter had allowed his impetuous nature to get the better of him – not for the first time.

This time the story is different. Vastly different.

This time, Peter and John are not intimidated. They are full of the Holy Spirit. They speak truth, with clarity. They demonstrate boldness and courage.

The so-called rulers and teachers are perplexed. This was not in their game plan. How could these uneducated, ordinary men stand before them so fearlessly, and speak with such authority and wisdom?

Then the reality dawned on them. Peter and John had “been with Jesus” (v13).

It was unmistakable. There was no other explanation for the way they talked and acted. They had “been with Jesus”. They had lived with him, sat at his feet, listened to him, learned from him.

And the authorities felt confused about what to do in response. After their threats to Peter and John had no effect on them, they had to let them go.

But what about you? What about me? Are we spending time with Jesus? Are we listening to him? Are we allowing ourselves to be molded and shaped by him?

When we spend time with our family and friends, is it clear that we have “been with Jesus”?

When we greet the clerk in the checkout line at the store, can they see that we have “been with Jesus”?

When we show up to work on Monday morning (or any other morning for that matter), does the way we talk about people, the way we care for others, the way we act, show that we have “been with Jesus”?

The only way that many people will get a glimpse of Jesus is through what shines out of us. You and me.

Our lives need to demonstrate that we have “been with Jesus”. But do they?

Pray for the world’s most vulnerable as coronavirus spreads

As sickness spreads, as the death toll rises, and as the length of stay-at-home orders are extended, anxiety and fear about the coronavirus pandemic continue to grow. Could this situation really get any worse?

Tragically, the simple answer to this question is a resounding “yes”.

The number of cases is beginning to rise in Africa. And the results could be catastrophic.

South Sudan, a country ravaged by poverty and violence has eleven million people and four ventilators. I shudder to think of the devastation should the virus take a grip amid the squalor and deprivation of the camp for displaced people that I visited in Wau (pictured) during my most recent visit.

The World Health Organization has stated that there are less than 2,000 ventilators for hundreds of millions of people in 41 African countries. (For comparison, the US has an estimated 170,000 ventilators available). Many people in these countries simply have no easy access to healthcare, soap or clean water. And a negative impact of lockdowns is that many people are unable to work and feed their families – increasing hunger, malnutrition and the risk of starvation.

People across the African continent are watching, waiting, praying. I talked recently with the director of a children’s home in a remote area of Tanzania. They are under a stay-at-home order, and he asked if his Christian brothers and sisters around the world could be praying for protection for the children he loves and cares for.

It’s not just in Africa where fears are growing. While the number of reported cases in Lebanon have been fairly low to date, the lockdown there is causing extreme hunger in the slums and refugee camps – and if the virus takes hold in these places, the consequences will be dire. In Venezuela, population 32 million people, there are 84 intensive care beds available. An eye-witness account from a relative of mine in India reveals that “the poor are, right now, subject to the threat of disease, and facing the oncoming tsunami of a humanitarian and economic disaster”.

It can be hard to know where to begin when praying for a disaster as huge as coronavirus. But we have a responsibility – and a privilege – to do so. Here are some suggestions for prayer:

  • Ask God to have mercy and to protect those countries where there is a lack of basic healthcare, or where there is already devastation because of conflict and natural disasters. Pray for strength, wisdom and protection for doctors and other healthcare workers in these places.
  • Pray for the church around the world to be the hands and feet of Jesus during this time, through both prayer and action. Pray especially for church leaders and congregations in the most vulnerable communities as they respond to the growing needs that people are experiencing.
  • Pray for relief and development organizations as they try to get food, soap, medicines, funding and emotional support to people whose already precarious lives have become even more dire because of the virus.
  • Ask God to protect displaced people living in refugee camps – in Bangladesh, Kenya, Jordan, and many other places around the world. Pray for wisdom for the leaders of these camps as they prepare to respond to the virus.
  • Pray for wisdom and support for the governments of the poorest countries who lack basic resources and have fragile infrastructures.

Why not take a moment, as you wash your hands throughout each day this week, to pray for these needs – as well as those in your own family, church and community?

Psalm 34:18 reminds us that “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” And so, may we not forget that, in the midst of these current unprecedented challenges, God is good. God is present. God is in control. These are truths that should give us encouragement, gratitude – and hope.

What are you grateful for today?

“Everything looks hopeless these days”.

The young man being interviewed on the television news grimaced and shrugged his shoulders. “When is it all going to end?” he mused.

As a pandemic sweeps the world, as friends and relatives fight for their lives, as the death toll rises, as businesses and nonprofits collapse, as people lose their jobs and find themselves without an income, as our freedom to move around is curtailed, as something even as simple as a trip to buy food becomes a significant undertaking, it is easy – and understandable – to have a similar outlook. The future can look bleak amid such an unprecedented and unexpected storm.

I have been reflecting recently on the importance of having an “attitude of gratitude”. At a time when anxiety and fear is rampant, thankfulness and gratitude are an antidote. If we are not radically grateful each day, then resentment, bitterness, hopelessness will quickly take control of our lives.

Being thankful is an ongoing theme throughout the Bible. As David – no stranger himself to times of trouble – says: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 106:1) Even in the darkest of times, we can praise God for his love, his sovereignty, and his promises. We can let our worries drive us to the Father in petition and prayer. May we allow Him to work, allowing the truths that He is good, that He is present, and that He is in control sink deep into our lives. By growing in Him, we can actually put our anxiety to good use!

This morning I listed some of the things that I can be thankful for, from the past (my family’s time living in Lebanon, our friends around the world, seeing children’s lives transformed); from the present (my amazing wife and family, encouragement from good friends, God’s provision for our needs); and the future (new opportunities to serve, the promise of eternity with Christ). This was a timely reminder to me that life is a gift and there is much for me to be thankful for. And I find that the more I choose to be thankful, the easier it becomes. The more I practice gratitude, the more I notice things to be grateful for!

I love these words from Colossians 1:15-17:

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Why not list those things that you can be thankful for from the past, in the present, and for the future, praising God for his goodness to you? May we each make the decision to live with an “attitude of gratitude” today!

Expecting the Unexpected

Sometimes God appears to us in unexpected ways, at unexpected times, giving us unexpected tasks that yield unexpected results.

Imagine the scene. Dawn is just beginning to appear on the horizon. The darkness is fading as the fishing boat drifts closer towards the shoreline.

I imagine that it was fairly quiet on that boat. There would have been the gentle lapping of the waves against the side, maybe the occasional cry of a seabird, the periodic throwing out and hauling in of the fishing nets. But for much of the time, Peter and the other six disciples would have been lost deep in their thoughts. That was understandable. For three years they had been followers of Jesus. They had almost believed, with increasing excitement, that he might be the Christ – the Messiah – the one who would deliver their nation. As he had entered Jerusalem for the Passover feast he had been greeted wildly by the crowd, who cheered and shouted and waved palm leaves. Surely this was Him!

Then, unexpectedly, during 24 terrible hours, he had been arrested, given a mockery of a trial, crucified an agonizing death, and buried in a tomb.

But that wasn’t all. Three days later they had found the tomb was empty – and then they had seen him again! He had appeared to a woman at the tomb on that Sunday morning, then two men on a road near Jerusalem, followed by further appearances to the disciples in the Upper Room.

What was next? What did it all mean? What was going on? Where did it all lead them? The disciples had no idea. Their confusion, their uncertainty, their need for practical reality drove them back to what they knew best – fishing. Again, this was understandable – but it hadn’t got them anywhere.

They had been out in the boat all night and had caught nothing. Then a man appears in the half-light on the shore about 100 yards away. He calls out to them. “Hey there! Have you caught anything?”

“Nothing – it’s been a disastrous night!”

“Then throw your nets on the right side of the boat – there you will find fish”.

Recognition hits. Peter, ever impulsive, wraps his cloak around him and leaps into the water. The others trail back to shore hauling the huge catch behind them and find that Jesus is already busy preparing breakfast. (Read John 21 for the full story!)

Sometimes Jesus shows up in ways, and at times, that we don’t expect. Peter and friends certainly had no expectation that Jesus was to be their chef that morning. Yet, He may speak to us in countless ways – through His Word, through another person, through nature, through a vision or dream. He wants to speak into our lives – and He can do that at any time and in ways that are boundless! Are we watching and listening for this?

There may be times when Jesus calls us to do unexpected things. Throwing the nets over the other side of the boat must have sounded like a bizarre suggestion to the disciples. What did this guy standing on the shoreline think that they had been doing all night?! Yet sometimes Jesus will call us to do things that don’t fit in with our own plans, or that we don’t immediately understand. At those times, we must choose to follow and obey – or we will miss out on His good plans.

Obedience to the call of Jesus often yields results that are unexpected. The disciples were obedient and threw the nets out on the other side of the boat – and the fish obligingly swam straight in! That was certainly not what the disciples had expected. And there may be times for us all when a situation looks totally hopeless and yet, when we listen to God and follow his commands, He can produce amazing and unexpected results.

Sometimes God appears to us in unexpected ways, at unexpected times, giving us unexpected tasks that yield unexpected results. We must allow these times to build our faith. As we grow in relationship with him, we should expect to encounter His presence, expect to hear His call, and expect to experience His power more and more in our lives.

That was certainly the case for those first disciples. Within weeks, empowered by the Holy Spirit, they had started declaring Jesus to the nations, performing miracles, and enduring hardship for His name with boldness and courage.

How are you expecting to see God working in your life, and in the situations around you, in the coming week?

Shouting for Barabbas?

In the week leading to Easter, I have been reflecting on the account of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection as narrated in John’s gospel. Today, while reading through John 18, I was struck at how Jesus protected his disciples as he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, at Peter’s infamous failure of nerve as he was questioned about his own ties to Jesus, at the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders who were more concerned about obeying minor aspects of the law while plotting to have an innocent man murdered, and at Pilate’s lack of character as he put law and order before justice and truth.

Then the narrative moves to how Pilate stands before the crowd and offers to release Jesus (John 18: 38-40). Instead, the people – who had no doubt been stirred up by the Jewish leaders – call for the release of Barabbas, a common murderer – and for Jesus to receive the cruelest of death sentences in his place.

“How stupid these people were”, was my initial, self-righteous, thought.

And then it hit me. There are occasions when I am no different to these people. I can be influenced by the shouts, voices and demands of the culture and society around me. I can so easily put “Barabbas” before Jesus in my own life. And, as I look back, this has happened so often.

There are times when we all do the same. When we shout and demand things of God that we think we need for ourselves without understanding that He sees the big picture. When we put our own comforts ahead of what God wants for us. When we choose sin over living our lives fully for Him. When we are influenced by others to follow a course of action that we know, deep down, is destructive. When we lust, lie, deceive, judge or condemn. When we take the credit or glory that rightfully belongs to God.

And yet – despite our rebellion and our sin, despite the ways in which we are so fickle and inconsistent, despite those times when we shout out for all the wrong things – through Christ’s sacrifice we are free. Jesus hung and died on the cross that may even have been reserved for Barabbas. He has done the same for us. I should have been hanging there. So too should you. And yet – amazingly, wonderfully – He died for us, in our place.

Now that is something we need to be shouting out about to the world around us.

Recovering from the avalanche

Have you ever felt as though your life is out of control? As if suddenly, unexpectedly, violently, you have been hit by an avalanche that swept you away, and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, you could do about it?

It might be the result of losing a loved one. A cherished relationship that went wrong. The malevolent actions of someone that you trusted aimed towards you. The loss of a job or your home. Burnout. Financial disaster. The horror of abuse.

When the avalanche comes, it knocks you off your feet. You are carried off at speed and lose all sense of direction. You are buried. Panic and despair set in. Confusion reigns. It seems like there is no escape. Life seems hopeless. You entertain thoughts of death.

In the aftermath of an avalanche in my life, I turned to the Psalms. The raw emotion, the crying out to God, the promises of hope, all resonated strongly with me. I am certain that David himself knew more than most what it was like to be hit by the avalanche.

Psalm 27 really stood out for me during my time of struggle.Here David is under sustained threat of violence and hostility from his foes. (v2) In human terms, his future looked bleak. The avalanche has struck. Through the words of this psalm, however, we can be reassured that:

We have no reason to fear, for God is our stronghold: “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?” (v1). Our faith is sufficient even when our enemies become armies and animosity open warfare.

God will protect us and restore us: “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock” (v5).

We can “seek his face” just as he invites us to (v8), ensuring that we are right with him and seeking his will for our lives.

We can be sure that God will lead us forward through our circumstances: “Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors” (v11).

We can have complete confidence in God. He is our “helper” and “Savior” (v9). We will see his goodness (v13). As a result, we can “be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (v14).

There is hope after the avalanche. We have a God who rescues and restores us from the hardest of circumstances. Do not fear. Seek him. Be strong. Take heart. And wait for him to respond!

Replenish: the need to lead from a healthy soul

“Cabin crew, please take your seats for landing”.

Out of the window, I watched the lights of the city grow closer as the plane descended. In a few short minutes we would be on the ground and taxiing towards the airport building.

And at that moment I felt physically sick.

I did not feel sick because of the turbulence we had encountered a short while before. Nor because of the rather unappetizing meal I had been served on the flight.

I felt sick because, once we landed, I would turn on my phone, check my messages and email, and…well, who knows what I might find lurking there?

The last few months of ministry had been challenging and I was exhausted, exasperated, fearful. I just couldn’t face the possibility of another problem that needed urgent action.

It was at that point I realized I was close to burning out.

This is not an uncommon problem in today’s world. In fact, burnout rates for leaders in churches and nonprofits is well-known to be a significant problem. In one survey, seven out of ten pastors in the USA said that they were burning out and that they battled with depression beyond fatigue on a weekly, and even a daily, basis.

That is really not a healthy place to be. Believe me, I’ve been there.

Lance Witt’s excellent book “Replenish” gives many valuable reflections and practical advice for “leading from a healthy soul”. Reading it while recovering from an ongoing period of exhaustion, I found it packed full of helpful insights and thoughtful questions. I cannot cover all the wisdom that Lance offers in one short article; however, here are five of my own personal “takeaways” from reading his book:

1. My ministry is not my identity. Instead, what is important is my relationship with Jesus. It is this relationship that should be my first love – not “my” ministry. If I fail to lead out of a healthy soul, disconnected from Jesus, then ministry soon becomes idolatry – and increasingly joyless and stressful too.

2. Ministry needs will always exceed my capacity to deliver. There is always – I repeat, always – more that can or needs to be done. Yet obsessive busyness will damage my soul. Psalm 46:10 is clear on what we must do instead: “Be still and know that I am God”. There are times when I need to be more like Mary, content with sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to Him, rather than like Martha, rushing around and ticked that there is not enough time to accomplish all that I think is needed.

3. What if God is calling me to obscurity? As with many leaders, I can face the temptation to chase the spotlight, or become driven by, and addicted to, people’s applause. So many leaders – Christian leaders included – seek power in a way that negatively impacts their decisions, motives, and integrity. Instead, God calls each of us to a relationship with Him. His plans for me may mean anonymity or obscurity. Yet that doesn’t matter. Even though I might be hidden from the world, I am never hidden from Him. I must embrace His plans for my life.

4. I need to cancel the noise around me and find solitude. Finding time away from the crowd – as Jesus did – is essential. Too much noise and too much activity can be toxic to the soul. Therefore, I must find time alone, to be still in His presence, finding the space that I need to reflect, pray, think, listen, and simply “be”. This doesn’t just happen naturally, so I must be intentional, building a healthy rhythm in my life that includes times of solitude.

5. I must continually grow in humility. Like most people, I can face a battle against pride. Yet, it is humility that marks the life and teachings of Jesus – and I must follow His example. I must be focused on Him, remind myself that it is His ministry and not mine, praise others rather than myself, and constantly stay in touch with His amazing grace.

Leadership is not easy. It can feel like a hard and lonely trek at times. As leaders, we must all make the time to “replenish”, seek the Lord and His wisdom, and do all that is needed to cultivate a healthy soul.

“Replenish” is written by Lance Witt and published by Baker Books.