Spiritual Formation

Every Step An Arrival

I’ve been sitting with this phrase today… every step an arrival.

It’s the subtitle for Eugene Peterson’s Memoir entitled: The Pastor. I read this book for the first time last summer, and am planning to reread it this summer (and probably every summer to come — it’s one of those books).

Peterson credits a poem written by Denise Levertov, in which she gives an account of her development as a poet, for the origin of the phrase. As you might deduce, Peterson now uses it as a way to encapsulate his vocational unfolding as a pastor.

Every step an arrival.

Every step.

An arrival.

Blogathons, The Campus Minister

The Connection Disconnect

Somehow, in the midst of my efforts to control my cell phone, it began to control me.

I discovered this on our mission trip to the Dominican Republic last month when I was separated from the magnetic powers of my HTC EVO. Wrapped up in the mini-computer that I held in my hand was a powerful, controlling, tool that was manipulating me, rather than being of service.

Leadership Development

The Ears Have It

Leadership is an acoustical art. At least that is how Leonard Sweet describes it in his book Summoned to Lead. Leading, he suggests, is less about vision, and more about listening…an acoustical art.

If you ended the year wondering if you can work with “those people” for another year, I offer these thoughts not as a leadership “how-to”, but a reflection on things we can all practice to promote a healthy team culture that values acoustical artistry over the eyes and the egos.