“No.”
How often to you use this word? Do you feel the freedom to use it — to tell people no, to turn down a request?
My guess is the answer to that question is “no.” Or at least, not very often.
We feel called by God — to serve others. To be available. To make a difference.
“No,” just feels so unhelpful — even unChristian.
But is it?
In the last year, I’ve gotten to a place where the hamster wheel that I feel like I’m on is spinning out of control. Because I’ve been on the hamster wheel for, oh, about 25 years (I perfected managing a schedule, balancing responsibilities, and not lying around at a very early age), I actually know better how to live busy than I do to live balanced. I’ve explained to friends and family for years… okay, decades, that “things are going to slow down soon,” or “I’m just hustling now and I will get a break in a couple of weeks.”
In the midst of the busyness of ministry, I’ve learned that perhaps busyness is masking a dirty little secret. In the last year as I’ve examined both the cause and the cost of my busyness, I’ve begun to wonder if sometimes my busyness is actually…
I’ve learned, I can’t do everything. In fact, I’ve learned that if I don’t do some things, I can’t do anything.
It probably became a reality for me when my two boys were busy with sports, school, and church activities. I grew up without a father, so I wanted to be there for everything they did. I was successful for the most part, but that meant balancing their plans with running a business, serving on the city council, as well as dozens of appointed boards because of my elected position. I was in over my head.
I’m a collector, of sorts. I collect compasses. It’s not a very big collection. I only have about six of them. And though some of them look pretty nice, none of them are expensive. But I do like compasses. I have a couple setting on my desk at the office. I have one on my desk at home. I have others sitting at various spots throughout the house.
A compass is different than a clock or a calendar. Clocks and calendars are about time. A compass is all about direction. It is not about where you are at this moment in time, but about the direction in which you are heading. It helps to answer the questions, “Am I going in the direction I want to be going? Will this path get me to the place you want to be?”
Every few months, I try to shut technology off and go to a little monastery about an hour away from my home. It has an attached retreat center where anyone can rent day rooms or stay overnight. Talking is optional. I go for the day if, and only if, the St. Anne room is available.
I’m convinced the blanket in that room was crocheted by angels.
Preparation for the next Blogathon are now underway!
The Art of Self Leadership Blogathon will be a chance for us to talk together about our need to lead self — while faithfully living out our call to lead others. As leaders, we often put our own needs aside in order to focus on those around us. But in order for us to be the effective, healthy, and durable leaders we desire to be, we need to be wise, intentional, and strategic with regard to how we manage our time, establish and protect different boundaries, approach our work, and faithfully live out our call to serve others.
This time will be a chance to explore new ideas and best practices as it relates to our service as faithful leaders, as well as to engage in online conversation about some of the challenges or struggles we face in this area of Self Leadership.
You may already know this, but prescription drug abuse on campus is on the rise.
It’s hard to get an accurate read on just how rampant the problem is, but some reports suggest as high as 40% of students misuse prescription drugs just to aid in their studies.
And that doesn’t account for students who are misusing drugs for the sake of getting high or “taking the edge off” in order to have less anxiety in different social settings.
With a generation of students that were more heavily (and quickly) medicated as youth, now arriving on campus, the amount of prescription drugs on campus shouldn’t surprise us.
“Luke just finished a 10 lb burrito!” exclaimed his friend Colin rushing back from one of our local Mexican restaurants.
Gluttony: to gulp down or swallow; a serious failure in self-discipline. Always the words you want to start the semester with.
I work with two campuses that have the same problem in opposite directions. Campus A is a denominational school that requires chapel twice a week, often bonus chapels, has only one strong Christian organization that many attend, and service opportunities around the school.
Campus B is…
I’m excited to announce the launch of my newest eResource:
The College Ministry Year is a quick read, offering ideas for ministry, leadership development, investing in student leaders, self-care and more!
From going to class, balancing studying and socializing, maintaining relationships and dealing with financial burdens, today’s college student has a great deal on his or her mind. Take a look at just some of the issues college students may be concerned about on a daily basis.
Offered by: Muhammad Saleem