tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67669983871873706072024-03-14T05:16:18.494-04:00Leadership EdgeExtraordinary Leadership in an Ordinary WorldDavid Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-36098171585396138472017-05-17T09:39:00.000-04:002017-05-17T09:39:07.023-04:00Top 10 Things I Learned in Corporate AmericaOver the last 17 years, I have had the privilege of working both in big business and ministry. As I've reflected on my time at my former company, I've put together the Top 10 Things I Learned in Corporate America. I hope this adds value to you today!<br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt;"><br /></span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1. Decisions are harder when you’re the one
making them – don’t criticize the decision maker because yours aren’t that
good.</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">2. Always hire people who want your job.</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">3. It’s lonely at the top. Have a strong inner
circle of leaders because your shoulders aren’t that broad.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">4. Pats on the back are rare for the leader. However, be generous in giving them to your team.</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">5. Leading and coaching doesn’t end just because
you have moved on to another job. Followers you’ve deeply connected with will
always be watching and some will continue to reach out for guidance.</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">6. Generous leaders connect deeply with grateful
followers.</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">7. Positive memories are important.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">If you can provide good ones for the people
you lead, they will be tools to use to stay focused when things get tough.</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">8. Connecting and caring for people puts “change”
in your pocket. You never know when you may need a little “change” to pay for
the next change.</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">9. You can always give more, make more, and do
better. Don’t be satisfied with “good”.</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">10. Only
a few on your team will truly want to grow and develop. Nurture them, reproduce
yourself, and give them a gift that will carry them forever.</span><br />
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David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-73482667669022922572014-03-03T16:32:00.000-05:002014-03-03T16:32:43.597-05:00Is Working For You Worth It? <div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4TE3hc7zeNg/UxNEvBZ3dvI/AAAAAAAAASw/kzL7o7hujP4/s1600/shutterstock_153175742-760x545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4TE3hc7zeNg/UxNEvBZ3dvI/AAAAAAAAASw/kzL7o7hujP4/s1600/shutterstock_153175742-760x545.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a>Have you ever worked for an amazing boss?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What did you love about them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately most of us, at one time or
another, have worked for their evil twin. In today’s world it’s far more common
to work for the later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful to
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So what makes an amazing boss? Here are a few things that I
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">A Servant’s Heart<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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We want to work for people that have our best interests at
heart. The best bosses are the chief servants of their organizations. Now this
doesn’t mean that they are doormats or that they cater to their team’s every
wish. Instead it means that they make decisions around what’s best, not what’s
most convenient. They set the cultural tone for how people are to be treated
and valued. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My first boss out of college was one of the best people for
which I’ve ever worked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time, my
wife and I were expecting our first child, she was very sick and couldn’t work,
so things were TIGHT. My boss knew this and did everything he could to help
ease the burden. I got a company car early (I was also kicking butt at growing
the business), he organized a wonderful baby gift for us, and he spoiled us
during Christmas. He served us in such a way that I wanted to be that person when I had my own employees. When that day came, I spoiled my crew
every Christmas, I gave beautiful baby gifts, I celebrated birthdays, and the
list goes on. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Integrity<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DNhO49ZQKG0/UxNFJw7IGCI/AAAAAAAAAS4/SoqZTirODOQ/s1600/ss-130724-bad-bosses-office-space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DNhO49ZQKG0/UxNFJw7IGCI/AAAAAAAAAS4/SoqZTirODOQ/s1600/ss-130724-bad-bosses-office-space.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a>Have you ever had a heart-to-heart with your boss and left
feeling energized, encouraged, and ready to attack the day, but days, weeks,
months later you realize it was all lip service? They never really planned on
following through and just wanted to keep you on the hamster wheel. That’s a
tough one. As bosses, when we invest in our people to listen, course correct,
or motivate, we have to follow through. They are waiting to see if we actually
mean what we say.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Connection<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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This is a tough one for a lot of people. Connecting is one
of the most distinguishing marks between average bosses and great ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John Maxwell says it this way; “You change
people not by being an authority, but by connecting with them.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Ten years ago I earned the opportunity to lead my first
business unit in my former company. It was in horrible shape and had enough
dysfunction to make a great reality show. My first day there, I met with each
person on the team in private and asked them the same series of questions. My
goal was to listen and learn about the environment I was entering. It didn’t
stop there. I took advantage of opportunities to listen to their stories, learn
what they valued, and discover what motivated them. All of this allowed me to
build trust and make decisions in strategy, execution, and personnel (yes, I
had to release some to be free and find another job). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Personal Development<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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One of the greatest gifts we can give our teams is teaching
them something we’ve learned and how it has made us better. Most people love to
hoard good things for themselves. A true developer not only learns for
themselves but also for their teams. If you knew that your boss wanted to teach
you something to make you better what would that communicate? That’s right, it
would show that they care about you and your future. We all want to know that
our superior cares about us. Few things communicate that better than teaching
something valuable. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As I’ve shared these thoughts, I’ve used the word boss for a
reason, but in the end it’s the wrong word. Everyone works for a boss, but few follow
a leader. You see, if you only become a boss worth working for, then you’ve
missed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bosses manage, but leaders
lead. If you take these things to heart, you won’t be a boss; instead you’ll be
a leader…a leader that is definitely worth following.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-82576674124050273962013-12-31T12:01:00.000-05:002013-12-31T23:04:27.927-05:002013 - Reflecting on A Year of LearningAt the end of each year, I like to think over the past 12 months about what I learned, how I grew, and where God showed up. <div><br></div><div>In 2013, my wife and I celebrated 15 years together, my oldest son turned 13, my family and I ministered to children in Brazil, and after a successful career in the marketplace, I left it behind to become an executive pastor moving our family to NC. What a year! It's a good practice to look back in order to dream ahead, <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">so here goes.</span><div><br>
<ul>
<li>Deep relationships can be made with anyone on any continent if you: </li>
<ul>
<li>Connect Deeply</li>
<li>Communicate Consistently</li>
<li>Embrace their Culture Respectfully</li>
</ul>
<li>If you identify your purpose/calling, regardless of how long it takes to get there, it will never leave you</li>
<li>No matter how crazy the calling, God gives inexplicable peace when it's time to take the plunge</li>
<li>Lasting joy happens when your heart, life, and work are aligned with your purpose</li><li>Simplicity is one of the greatest tools for success </li><li>Struggles add texture to our story</li><li>Authenticity is a leader's greatest commodity</li><li>Daily disciplines yield lifelong results</li><li>You can never underestimate the importance of your relationship with you children - start early and invest often. </li><li>Great marriages are built on overcoming great obstacles...together. </li></ul><div>**BONUS**</div><ul><li>Surround your children with smart people and they will become smart people. </li>
</ul><div>There you have it. A year of significant life change and growth. Thanks to everyone who made 2013 amazing!</div>
</div></div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-10006035421427077482013-12-16T20:20:00.001-05:002013-12-16T20:20:49.904-05:00GUEST BLOG - 5 Ways Legos Can Bring People to Christ<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Today I get the privilege of featuring a guest blogger, my
12-year old son. He is a highly creative and artistic person with hopes to
animate for Pixar Studios or become a Lego master builder (that’s a real job
where you get paid to put Lego’s together as a career).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wrote this shortly after we returned from a trip to Brazil this past summer all on his own. My wife and I are so proud of him and can't wait to see who he becomes. I hope you get a glimpse of his heart. Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6766998387187370607" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><u><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;">Tension
</span></u><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;">- When
you sin, tension is being applied and over time the tension builds until
finally, you break. When you find God, He repairs you with His “God glue” and
you are whole again; just like when you are saved and come to Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vPdasJpyN3o/Uq9ZWbnqewI/AAAAAAAAAQg/xcFwkf56tEU/s1600/broken+lego.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vPdasJpyN3o/Uq9ZWbnqewI/AAAAAAAAAQg/xcFwkf56tEU/s1600/broken+lego.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt; text-align: center;"> Before
God </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gE0MZMW9PBM/Uq9ZdJpoiZI/AAAAAAAAAQo/9YOAxuFO198/s1600/Complete+Lego.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gE0MZMW9PBM/Uq9ZdJpoiZI/AAAAAAAAAQo/9YOAxuFO198/s1600/Complete+Lego.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;">After
God</span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;">Light
</span></u><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;">- If
you hold a Lego brick to the light you can see that some of the light shines
through. Just as we are the brick, God is the light. So when we put ourselves
up to God, He shines through us so that other people will come to know Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">We
shine for Him</span><!--EndFragment-->
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<u><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;">Brand
</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;">- When
you look at an ordinary 2x4 Lego brick and notice its studs, you can see that
Lego put their brand on all of their bricks just as God puts His brand on us.
We are made in His image and we are branded with the name of God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;">His
brand on us</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;">Plan
</span></u><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;">- Just
as the Lego Company has a plan for each Lego brick that comes out of its
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<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;">God's Factory</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;">Different
</span></u><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;">- Each
Lego brick is different in its own way, and that’s just the way Lego wants it.
Just as we are different in our own way, and that’s just the way He wants it.
We may be the smallest or the slowest but we are made just the way our God
chose us to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 18pt;">God wants YOU to be different</span></div>
David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-19439725687713351522013-11-27T16:58:00.002-05:002013-11-27T16:58:56.158-05:00Thanksgiving in North CarolinaAs many of you know, the last couple months our family embarked on a new adventure. We walked out of the corporate marketplace and into ministry moving from warm Florida to a bit colder North Carolina. It's been amazing watching God answer prayers and provide. The day before we left Florida, we locked down new renters for our house. God likes to wait till the last minute sometimes. I cried tears of joy knowing that we were heading north with no strings attached.<br />
<br />
The smiling faces of our fresh newhope family have more than balanced out the cold temperatures. Our boys are adjusting well to school and my wife has done an amazing job spearheading the selective unpacking process since we'll be buying a house in the Spring. <br />
<br />
With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, I'm left with an unending list of blessings for which to be thankful. Who would've thought that this was truly part of His plan? Sometimes we wonder if God has forgotten about us and if His calling in our lives has eluded His sight. The truth is that His timing is perfect. He knows when we're ready and when our story has the texture needed for the next season. We'd rarely ever pick the path or the process, but the promise is still there and the end product is worth it.<br />
<br />
So as I assemble my "Thanksgiving List", I am thankful for the journey - the pain, disappointment, tears, never-ending stirring in my spirit, the smiles, the laughs, the friends and all the memories that are now part of who I am. So keep going, keep believing, and keep pursuing His calling. It's worth it.<br />
<br />
Enjoy your Thanksgiving!David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-21399432483639614052013-10-25T23:26:00.000-04:002013-10-25T23:26:18.212-04:00From Loads to Lives - Our New Adventure!
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Almost twenty years ago, I went to a Christian leadership
conference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was the only one there
under 30; in fact I was only 16.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
parents brought me hoping some things would resonate in my head and heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the course of two days, I went to small,
breakout sessions and large, general ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The breakout sessions were fun and the facilitators treated me like I
mattered, instead of an annoying teen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
felt an instant connection with one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That conference was where I caught a vision for my future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept thinking, “I WANT TO DO THAT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I WANT TO TEACH LEADERSHIP AND HELP OTHERS
REACH THEIR POTENTIAL!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From then on,
I’ve worked on reading, learning, communicating, teaching, team building,
writing, and leading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was at dinner with one of my mentors this past August and
shared with him how I felt God stirring my heart to begin considering making a
move toward ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout 2013,
God started cutting the ties that would have kept me from leaving, and I was
ready to seriously consider a move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
we talked, my mentor began affirming the call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He also shared the type of roll I’d be good at – Executive Pastor (XP).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thought of being a pastor blew my mind,
scared me, and left me a bit shocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
looked at him and said, “Are you serious?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After we worked through how my life experiences and skill set were
strong fits, I couldn’t believe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
the way, my mentor is also an amazing XP and I am truly blessed beyond measure
to have him in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We left dinner that night with three main thoughts: </span></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The call to ministry must be affirmed by others,
and he chose to be the first person to affirm it.</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Think and pray about if for a few days. If the
idea continued to grow, we would talk again.</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He had a senior pastor friend that was looking
for an XP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would check to see if I
could interview with him in order to get a flavor for what the interview
process would be like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last thing he
wanted was for me to have my first interview with someone rough and be turned
off. </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over the next few days I prayed and waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The idea continued to grow in my heart and
amazingly, without prompting, people began telling me how they thought I would
be a great pastor!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was absolutely
insane!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought I was on the set of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Punked</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I reached back out to my mentor a week later and let him know that I was
still interested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he was as
excited as I was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He called his friend
and he agreed to interview me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I landed in North Carolina a few weeks later for my
interview, and the pastor left me a nice voicemail encouraging me to go and
drive by the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 10pm at
night, but I figured that wouldn’t be a bad idea since I didn’t want to be late
in the morning (it would be Sunday and I would be there all day through their
four services).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove to the church
and sat in the parking lot staring at the building thinking, “Yeah
right…remember, this is a learning experience.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I felt the urge to get out of the car and walk up to the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I walked along the front, I started
talking to God, </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“This is crazy…and you’re funny…but in the small chance that
you are calling me to be a pastor here……..I will do it…and I will do it with my
whole heart.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I spent a day and a half with the pastors and staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone was filled with so much joy that I
was instantly hooked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next weekend
my family and I drove back to visit again. And by the next Friday I had an offer
which I accepted the following Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did
you follow that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the time I left
for North Carolina to the time I accepted, it had been two weeks. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The dream I caught twenty years ago is starting, and I am
humbled, overwhelmed, scared, and excited!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To think, two decades ago, God started a fire in my heart that has never
waned, but has burned strong through career disappointments and significant
personal challenges is miraculous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">God has a plan for each of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gives us passions and deep desires for a
reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the same time, we have to be
willing to go through His process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
to get crushed in many different ways throughout this journey. Two years ago,
when we moved to Florida, I wasn’t ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Twelve months ago, I still needed to deal with some issues and
grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today I am not perfect, but am
ready and excited to take the plunge.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you remember the facilitator who I connected with almost
twenty years ago at that Christian leadership conference?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His name is Dan Reiland (</span><a href="http://www.danreiland.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.danreiland.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">), and we kept in
contact over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I moved to
Atlanta in 2004, he happened to already be living there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked him to mentor me and he excitedly
agreed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He helped me work through many difficult
issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot put into words how
thankful I am for Dan as he is the same person who connected me to the church
in North Carolina and was the first to affirm me, put his arms around me, and
walk me into ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It brings me to
tears every time I think about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could
anyone have ever conceived that when we met, he would be used in such a way
almost twenty years later?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Vegas
odds are astronomical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So there you have it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our family is moving from Jacksonville, FL to Chapel Hill, NC to serve
at new<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">hope </b>Church (</span><a href="http://www.newhopenc.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.newhopenc.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">) in Durham, NC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We plan to move the end of October and I will
start the beginning of November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
honored and excited to serve with Dr. Benji Kelley and his amazing staff. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I encourage you to check out a message or two
on the website or the podcast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
are interested in what an XP actually does, please check out this great blog
article: </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><a href="http://danreiland.com/needs-executive-pastor-anyway/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://danreiland.com/needs-executive-pastor-anyway/</span></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As we move, please pray for the following:</span></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God provides renters for our home in
Jacksonville so that we don’t have to pay for both residences ASAP</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My wife – new relationships, new area, moving
details, etc.</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our boys as they move to a new school with new
friends</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The staff at new<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">hope </b>Church and my onboarding</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My relationship with Pastor Benji</span><br />
David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-45586110219029661352013-08-27T21:06:00.001-04:002013-08-27T21:06:48.982-04:00Resetting the Scales – Balancing People and Progress<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=LUeaegpa36xjyM&tbnid=mcK1nXNsKql0mM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bluelinerny.com%2Fblog%2Fweb-advertising-scales-are-not-working.php&ei=6UsdUqjqCYje8wTzv4D4DQ&bvm=bv.51156542,d.cWc&psig=AFQjCNFy3srOLnk1E58T-aiLyxCnwPoxVQ&ust=1377738016010212" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="291" id="irc_mi" src="http://www.bluelinerny.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/scales.jpg" style="margin-top: 25px;" width="320" /></a><span xmlns="">The name of the game today is growth. Shareholders demand it, teachers push their students to pursue it, and pastors pray for it. The challenge is that at any organization where growth occurs, the priorities of leaders change. The percentage of time dedicated to their people begins to decrease while the focus on metrics, efficiency, and systems increases. How can we make more money? How can we cut out more waste and reduce our costs? How can we drive student test scores up? How can we increase our church attendance faster? All of these questions have merit, but not at the cost of slowing your people development process down. Leaders are typically tempted to sacrifice time where the return on investment isn't ambiguous, even though it is that investment that helped their organization grow. If you fail to readjust the balance, you will create other problems which will stem from low morale and unexpected turnover. I have lived this tension of people priority and chose to spend more time developing my people, which resulted in greater sustained growth. I hope you find the following ideas meaningful. </span><br />
<div>
<span xmlns=""><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Talk is Cheap. Time is Priceless.</strong></span><br />I can't tell you how many organizations I have heard claim that building into people is their priority. The problem is that is doesn't cost much to make this statement. And to be honest, who wouldn't say that? Everyone wants to work in an environment where their development is a bullet point at the top of the list. Therefore, if you're going to say it, you have to pay it...in time. Nothing speaks louder to employees, students, or followers than a leader they all know is busy who stops to add value and build into them. </span></div>
<div>
<span xmlns=""><br />This isn't an issue just for the CEO, Principal, or Pastor – it is an issue for all of those in leadership positions. We all know about the bad things that "roll downhill" and leadership rolls down the same hill. The chief leader must set the example and the precedent of how to juggle a growing tribe so that his/her leaders can do the same. When you begin, let them see how you schedule your time. Show them the tools and methods you use to make it happen so that they can see how to begin investing their own time in their people. </span></div>
<div>
<span xmlns=""><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Deepening Connection</strong></span><br />This past year I served on the Student Advisory Counsel at my son's middle school. It is a special group of faculty, staff, parents, and business owners. We work together along with the principal to work on enhancements for the students. The middle school is one of the top schools in the state and has the highest rating possible. They've experienced success and have seen the school's size grow. We talk about grades, test scores and the annual plan, which is pretty normal.</span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><br />The difference is that besides test scores, the principal's goal for each student is that they have a deep connection with at least one teacher so that if life gets crazy they have someone to help them navigate. He spends time between classes in the halls talking and connecting with students every day, which is tough in a middle school of over 1,000 students. His example sets the pace. The teachers are also focused on building these relationships because they know they could make all the difference in the world for the students. Connections are first and primary catalysts for development. When we get too out of whack in our priorities, we spend less time connecting (with people) and more time completing (tasks). Dr. John Maxwell calls it "Walking Slowly Through the Crowd". Connection is key. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SBTUif_yqGs/Uh1IihwEYUI/AAAAAAAAANU/LpdTgQ1ZbVI/s1600/Rainbow+Fish.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SBTUif_yqGs/Uh1IihwEYUI/AAAAAAAAANU/LpdTgQ1ZbVI/s1600/Rainbow+Fish.png" /></a><span xmlns=""><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Learning to Leverage</strong></span><br />In 1999, Marcus Pfister wrote the children's' book <em>The Rainbow Fish. </em>Some of you are probably like me and have read it to your kids. It's about a fish with a bunch of rainbow colored scales. Different fish ask him if he would share a scale with them because they're so cool. He chooses not to and finds himself all alone. The wise Octopus shows him that sharing may cost him his scales, but having friends is more important. By the end of the book, he has given away all of his scales but one and has a bunch of friends. </span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><br />When the schedule gets nuts, we tend to slow our own development down. One of my mentors, Steve Adams always encourages me to schedule an hour a day to read because "Leaders are Readers". If you stop growing, your people stop growing. It's pretty simple math. When you teach your people a new concept, lesson, or idea you are giving them one of the coolest gifts ever. They hear you saying, "I just learned the greatest thing that is making a difference in my life and instead of keeping it to myself, I am sharing it with you!" Your people want this. They want your valuable, rainbow-colored scales. </span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><br />Some of you have fallen off the bus and others have never gotten on in terms of developing your people. Whichever camp you sit in, the next step is the same. Start. Schedule something, connect with someone, or start reading and share an insight. Your people are dying for this and your next level of growth depends on it. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </span></div>
David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-80622444916180918192013-07-11T21:25:00.001-04:002013-07-11T21:25:04.690-04:00Brazil - Day 10This was one of the hardest days as it was time to wrap up our adventure in Brazil. We met as a group for awhile summarizing, sharing, committing, and acknowledging. It's pretty amazing to think that regardless of age, one can grow quite a bit in a short amount of time in the right conditions. But that "growth spurt" must be adjoined to commitment, accountability and resolve or else it's as good as a dream on a warm summer night floating into the abyss. <div><br></div><div>Each group gets to leave a piece of artwork on the wall summarizing their experience. So we quickly cleaned, packed up, and signed the wall. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GXuW776Zmao/Ud9a762x7iI/AAAAAAAAAM0/NkYrl9Qv5AA/s640/blogger-image-1888725427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GXuW776Zmao/Ud9a762x7iI/AAAAAAAAAM0/NkYrl9Qv5AA/s640/blogger-image-1888725427.jpg"></a></div><br><div><br></div><div>The ride to the airport was long, but I sat in silence trying to take it in one more time. I'd offer single sentence prayers on and off asking God to engage this city of over 20 million people in a way He never has before. I also prayed for my own heart, that it would soften and be filled with courage to act and not stand by watching and waiting for others to make a move. </div><div><br></div><div>We arrived at the airport and checked in with no issues. It was time to go. The group surrounded and prayed for our family. They were flying out an hour after us. After the word "Amen", the next few moments were filled with hugs, high fives, and tears. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PA_Yd02sCIs/Ud9a6TKsp2I/AAAAAAAAAMs/7ldhwz8JvFY/s640/blogger-image--1712013175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PA_Yd02sCIs/Ud9a6TKsp2I/AAAAAAAAAMs/7ldhwz8JvFY/s640/blogger-image--1712013175.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>As we walked away to go through security, I kept asking myself, "How did this happen? Was it all just a dream?" Somehow God didn't just combine my family with a group of people, but instead teamed us up with the <i>RIGHT</i> people. Our boys were watched over, loved, and taught by 31 big brothers and sisters...and it was a joy to serve together. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4PzLe36ub28/Ud9a3EunmRI/AAAAAAAAAMc/uPEX5waKsyw/s640/blogger-image--450780555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4PzLe36ub28/Ud9a3EunmRI/AAAAAAAAAMc/uPEX5waKsyw/s640/blogger-image--450780555.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The flight to Atlanta was easy...finally. Our bags actually chose to follow us this time. What a gift! We had a little extra time and sat quietly soaking in tiredness. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RlDsZpJ_ktQ/Ud9a4nT5T-I/AAAAAAAAAMk/2DxThkcQbgo/s640/blogger-image--1102711408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RlDsZpJ_ktQ/Ud9a4nT5T-I/AAAAAAAAAMk/2DxThkcQbgo/s640/blogger-image--1102711408.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The flight to Jacksonville was equally uneventful. We made it home and were happy to feel the hot Florida sunshine. <br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-67623801741658578912013-07-10T15:10:00.001-04:002013-07-10T15:10:16.828-04:00Brazil - Day 9We spent the morning and the early afternoon at a large arts market. The weather was dark and cold, but we had a great time seeing the amazing craftsmanship. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-b29GiJ4WAUE/Ud2xiGQMy8I/AAAAAAAAAL0/6JqainwR4qc/s640/blogger-image--1049852540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-b29GiJ4WAUE/Ud2xiGQMy8I/AAAAAAAAAL0/6JqainwR4qc/s640/blogger-image--1049852540.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XS3hY0EblV4/Ud2w-hACmuI/AAAAAAAAALs/wyowu5kCsuM/s640/blogger-image-678183046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XS3hY0EblV4/Ud2w-hACmuI/AAAAAAAAALs/wyowu5kCsuM/s640/blogger-image-678183046.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>In the late afternoon the students in our group held a cultural exchange for Brazilian students learning English. </div><div><br></div><div>In the evening we cooked hot dogs "American Style" and then had a surprise birthday party for Jan Santos which included everyone from Castro Alves church. It was great seeing the people again. Our American birthday song is so tame compared to the Brazilian version. You get done singing their version and you're actually excited about having a birthday!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XYp2BNsYOXI/Ud2xj0ZFOWI/AAAAAAAAAME/d8meqhoUFqw/s640/blogger-image-2087252437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XYp2BNsYOXI/Ud2xj0ZFOWI/AAAAAAAAAME/d8meqhoUFqw/s640/blogger-image-2087252437.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZST33fx7gP4/Ud2xlRUMbxI/AAAAAAAAAMM/jdwBRDDbANM/s640/blogger-image-1349175347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZST33fx7gP4/Ud2xlRUMbxI/AAAAAAAAAMM/jdwBRDDbANM/s640/blogger-image-1349175347.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We had s'mores. Regis (Iracy's husband) had never had them before and was very unsure. After his first taste, he looked at me and said, "I have no words!" He had two more. </div><div><br></div><div>I know I haven't written about Iracy's story yet, but it is the stuff of movies. Stay tuned. </div><div><br></div><div>As we ate our s'mores, Regis looked at me and started singing American worship songs in English. I was shocked. One of the songs he sang was "Never Let Go" by Matt Redman. I had to do everything I could not to burst into tears because of the context of his life...his story. How could he sing, "Oh no, you never let go through the calm and through the storm"? He could because He hasn't ever let go. </div><div><br></div><div>The night ended with a lot of "good byes", "chau's", and hugs from the Castro Alves faithful. After they left, we gathered around the fire and sang for a bit. As I looked into the sky, I began thinking of our journey to get to Brazil. We had prayed about it for years. I was thankful for the amazing lessons learned during our time in this wonderful country. We were told many times about the blessing we were to the people here, but I think we were blessed more. </div><div><br></div><div>We fly home tomorrow night. </div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0São Paulo São Paulo-23.695248 -46.714746tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-2704656066929601272013-07-09T09:09:00.001-04:002013-07-09T14:25:12.658-04:00Brazil - Day 8My wife will be blogging again today. <div><br></div><div>Today was all about being flexible and doing God's plan versus ours. </div><div><br></div><div>We had planned to visit a Compassion International home that assist children by providing them with an education, teaching them life skills, proper hygiene, a good meal and a safe place to play. We were very excited to go and play with these children.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fMSD1OH4ezs/UdxVgQAGaUI/AAAAAAAAALU/oHq-QiM_4fY/s640/blogger-image--203611505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fMSD1OH4ezs/UdxVgQAGaUI/AAAAAAAAALU/oHq-QiM_4fY/s640/blogger-image--203611505.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>However, when we arrived, we learned there had been a failure of communication and there were no children as it was a holiday weekend. They told us we could tour the facility, which was kind, but to say I was bummed is an understatement. This was the day I had been looking forward to the whole trip. I have always had a desire to adopt. </div><div><br></div><div>Unknown to us, attached to the Compassion House is the Compassion International orphanage. They do not allow people to tour the orphanage in order to emotionally and mentally protect the children. However, because of the miscommunication they allowed us to go briefly meet the children. I was so excited! Our boys had brought along a soccer ball that they were allowed to play with for a minute with a couple of the boys. The little boys from the orphanage were thrilled when they got to keep the ball.</div><div><br></div><div>I think it's quite possible that I left a piece of my heart there. We are praying that these boys and girls will find loving adoptive Brazilian families; but more that they will find the unconditional love of our Heavenly Father. What a blessing it was to see these children. If I'd have had my way they would all be coming home with us. </div><div><br></div><div>After the orphanage we went to a very large crowded market. It was a fun anxiety-filled experience. </div><div><br></div><div>For dinner we went to Restaurant Italia in downtown São Paulo. Atop the 47th floor we got a 360 degree view of this massive, lost city. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6TYgrmOqOHw/UdxVhqkCZKI/AAAAAAAAALc/hgkruhIzOuY/s640/blogger-image--529383562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6TYgrmOqOHw/UdxVhqkCZKI/AAAAAAAAALc/hgkruhIzOuY/s640/blogger-image--529383562.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The harvest is ripe, and the laborers are few. </div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-38001546806038479732013-07-08T08:45:00.001-04:002013-07-08T08:45:35.816-04:00Brazil - Day 7The morning was spent at church for "Sunday School", which was really a small group. We got to hear some powerful stories of how God was engaging with some of the people in amazing ways. <div><br></div><div>In the afternoon we got to reconnect with a friend who was the nanny of our next-door-neighbors in Atlanta. It was great getting to see her and hear how her life has developed. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RNN9EtOtqaQ/Udq0bXiEBdI/AAAAAAAAALE/YoeGdsxrF7A/s640/blogger-image--174817227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RNN9EtOtqaQ/Udq0bXiEBdI/AAAAAAAAALE/YoeGdsxrF7A/s640/blogger-image--174817227.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>At night, we headed back to church for more of a formal service since most Brazilians attend at night. The service was wonderful as they sang in Portuguese and we sang in English. The children who made it to church and attended VBS got to sing in front of church. I wished more kids would have showed up, but it was still cool to see. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Ykxye5vo7FA/Udq0ZxZMviI/AAAAAAAAAK8/TzQFKlXAnJ8/s640/blogger-image-1881404666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Ykxye5vo7FA/Udq0ZxZMviI/AAAAAAAAAK8/TzQFKlXAnJ8/s640/blogger-image-1881404666.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>My wife and I got to share what God was doing in our life with the church. At the end, we took pictures with new friends and wished them well. </div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-66911710607692255252013-07-07T16:56:00.001-04:002013-07-07T16:56:38.655-04:00Brazil - Day 6It was the last day of VBS, which meant that we had to say, "Goodbye" to many of the kids. You never know when or how long you'll be able to influence someone. We were blessed to have five days with these children and pray that they caught something that will change their lives forever. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kZu4nQ_Ckso/UdnV_VJOeVI/AAAAAAAAAKk/JoQoS6n8RX0/s640/blogger-image--382650218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kZu4nQ_Ckso/UdnV_VJOeVI/AAAAAAAAAKk/JoQoS6n8RX0/s640/blogger-image--382650218.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>My oldest son got to share about his nasty accident in December when he got catapulted over the back of a car resulting in stitches to his hand and knee. He shared in his true style and drew up a comic strip showing how God spared him since he wasn't wearing a helmet. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cP2DdJL3MWc/UdnWAseCjHI/AAAAAAAAAKs/VnMKUrOJO08/s640/blogger-image-1527247914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cP2DdJL3MWc/UdnWAseCjHI/AAAAAAAAAKs/VnMKUrOJO08/s640/blogger-image-1527247914.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Sunday night, we will have a service where we invite the parents to come and listen to their children sing. If you remember, please pray for lives to be changed. The service starts at 5pm EST on 7/7. Thank you. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gMueXXKCPL4/UdnV93se_HI/AAAAAAAAAKc/qbN5IfIrQDk/s640/blogger-image--1338971483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gMueXXKCPL4/UdnV93se_HI/AAAAAAAAAKc/qbN5IfIrQDk/s640/blogger-image--1338971483.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-62318270164860539082013-07-06T09:57:00.001-04:002013-07-06T09:57:49.233-04:00Brazil - Day 5We arrived at the church a little earlier to hear Iracy's story. I will be publishing separate entries on her story as it is the stuff we watch on the silver screen. I don't know when or if it will ever leave my memory. <div><br></div><div>Another good day was had at VBS. We let the older kids play soccer the whole time. What a joy to watch them smile, laugh, and celebrate. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JaVLERTrplE/UdgiV3vPJHI/AAAAAAAAAKE/htmkTf3X900/s640/blogger-image-1634911269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JaVLERTrplE/UdgiV3vPJHI/AAAAAAAAAKE/htmkTf3X900/s640/blogger-image-1634911269.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wARGR0FgCwA/UdgiUp6hVQI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/1gG8kzZn4yc/s640/blogger-image--1854160420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wARGR0FgCwA/UdgiUp6hVQI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/1gG8kzZn4yc/s640/blogger-image--1854160420.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>In the evening we went to a churrascaria (Brazilian Steakhouse). If you like meat, this is your place to go, and in the words of Dave Santos, we packed it in till it hurt. </div><div><br></div><div>After experiencing this the last time I was in Brazil, I tried to find them in the U.S. Their popularity has grown over the years and you can typically find a few in most metro areas, but.....not with the complete assortment of traditional Brazilian selections. Chicken heart and brahma bull hump are a couple items that don't make it to America.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EYfx2jGwYpM/UdgiW30NzRI/AAAAAAAAAKM/9Dj8h5ABaZo/s640/blogger-image--1501338256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EYfx2jGwYpM/UdgiW30NzRI/AAAAAAAAAKM/9Dj8h5ABaZo/s640/blogger-image--1501338256.jpg"></a></div><br></div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0São Paulo São Paulo-23.721957 -46.709776tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-63965844204066737012013-07-05T08:03:00.001-04:002013-07-05T08:49:48.893-04:00Brazil - Day 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I</div>We spent some time in the morning listening to Jan Santos' story. It was encouraging as I noticed my wife had some of the same feelings on a smaller level when we moved to Georgia years ago. <div><br></div><div>We had another great afternoon at VBS. Our boys LOVE playing with the other kids. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-O0yU_d6_IlA/UdbA69kyZOI/AAAAAAAAAJo/BpyeDKhntVM/s640/blogger-image--2007185196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-O0yU_d6_IlA/UdbA69kyZOI/AAAAAAAAAJo/BpyeDKhntVM/s640/blogger-image--2007185196.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8alNTE9fQHQ/UdbA4FRpO6I/AAAAAAAAAJY/8jLFZtBc2tA/s640/blogger-image--907995489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8alNTE9fQHQ/UdbA4FRpO6I/AAAAAAAAAJY/8jLFZtBc2tA/s640/blogger-image--907995489.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9lWJPKNhraE/UdbA5mfUjhI/AAAAAAAAAJg/oYBbXitAKuo/s640/blogger-image--484803610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9lWJPKNhraE/UdbA5mfUjhI/AAAAAAAAAJg/oYBbXitAKuo/s640/blogger-image--484803610.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>In the evening, we ventured out to a local mall. Everyone was challenged to go in groups of four and find a place to eat dinner. We were not allowed to choose any American restaurants either. I'm typically more adventurous with food when I travel, but it was totally different having my family with me. We had loaded, baked potatoes and gelato - not too bad. </div><div><br></div><div>After dinner we wandered the mall looking at soccer jerseys, toys, and books. Our youngest son bought a book for a friend of his in school whose mother is from Brazil. She'll love reading "Cinderella" to her daughter in Portuguese. </div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-766562788042370362013-07-04T11:36:00.001-04:002013-07-04T11:36:35.410-04:00Brazil - Day 3My lovely wife will be my guest blogger for day 3 of our Brazil trip. I was away for the day in another city doing business for my company and was unable to be with them.<div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Wednesday was a great 2nd day of VBS. The sun was shining which brought out double the amount of children as the first day. Two little boys gave their lives to The Lord !</div><div><br></div><div>It is so enjoyable to watch our boys connect with the children even though they don't speak the language. A pick-up game of soccer with a can or broken piece of PVC pipe connects them enough to share smiles, laughs, and high fives.</div><div><br></div><div>We took a 15 minute walk through Castro Alves for lunch so the boys were able to get an up close view of the area.</div><div><br></div><div>The church group that is here from Michigan has been so great to our boys. Our boys are loving it, it's like having 30 big brothers & sisters.</div><div><br></div><div>For dinner we went to a restaurant that had at least 30 different types of pizza & our middle son tried almost each one, showing up several of the high school guys.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KYFU_fPOt68/UdWWgejOeSI/AAAAAAAAAJI/mCeScm1wrck/s640/blogger-image-1246977030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KYFU_fPOt68/UdWWgejOeSI/AAAAAAAAAJI/mCeScm1wrck/s640/blogger-image-1246977030.jpg"></a></div>Our tender, youngest son loves being here & says he'd definitely move here to tell others about Jesus. It's been touching to hear him singing the songs from VBS in Portuguese while he's getting ready for bed.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0São Paulo São Paulo-23.721967 -46.709766tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-49328966396386544732013-07-03T22:42:00.001-04:002013-07-03T22:42:59.061-04:00Brazil - Day 2After much needed sleeping and eating we sat down to listen to some friends talk about the difference their faith has made in their life. <div><br></div><div>The story that will stick with me is Dave and Jan's maid, Sandra. She raised 7 children alone. I have the utmost respect for single moms and the dual role they have to play. The reality for single moms in Brazil is that the males completely unplug and walk away providing no support. It is not uncommon for women to have many children with many men. Sandra's 7 came from 3 men. </div><div><br></div><div>Sandra's 18 year old son, Johnny got stuck in the drug scene and the church paid for rehab. Shortly after he returned, he overdosed and died. This was the first time she had talked publicly about Johnny's death since it happened 2 1/2 years ago. Even though I don't speak much Portuguese, it was easy to see that the pain was still fresh, but it was accompanied with a significant peace. That's where her faith comes in. Sandra still goes to church and puts all of her trust in God. What a tremendous example of having faith in a maker who still holds the world in His hands. </div><div><br></div><div>That afternoon we started day one of our vacation Bible school for the Brazilian children. We had about 15-20 kids and expect the number to increase as the week moves along. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-pfaKwpBZnHU/UdThMJwXO1I/AAAAAAAAAI4/WVhvp0OwRcY/s640/blogger-image--30567628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-pfaKwpBZnHU/UdThMJwXO1I/AAAAAAAAAI4/WVhvp0OwRcY/s640/blogger-image--30567628.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The night ended with my wife and I talking about what God has done in our lives. She was healed from a significant illness and we had to make some very hard choices throughout the process, as many of you know. </div><div><br></div><div>More to come....</div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0São Paulo São Paulo-23.715988 -46.707668tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-87007465556302291512013-07-03T06:41:00.001-04:002013-07-03T06:41:30.348-04:00Brazil Day 1My family and I are spending some time in Brazil working with our dear missionary friends, Dave and Jan Santos. I will be blogging as much as possible over the next week. Enjoy!!!<div><br></div><div>Our trip here wasn't as easy as you'd expect. We dealt with flight delays, missing a connection, spending an unexpected night in Atlanta, and losing our two checked bags. The aggravation has been a significant test on our attitudes and outlook. I've been surprised at how these inconveniences have easily "pushed my buttons". Our boys have kept my attitude from getting worse. The wonder they find in the little things has given me more smiles and laughs than I can count. </div><div><br></div><div>The lesson I'm continuing to learn is to keep my outlook a bit more simple. Don't get held back by the complication. Instead embrace the little, simple successes. You ought to see how excited they get when we take off in a plane. I don't get that excited....and maybe I should. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HkanPxreivw/UdP_z_vMydI/AAAAAAAAAIo/qFm5JunXtRQ/s640/blogger-image-924291646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HkanPxreivw/UdP_z_vMydI/AAAAAAAAAIo/qFm5JunXtRQ/s640/blogger-image-924291646.jpg"></a></div></div>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0Socorro Socorro-23.666773 -46.711898tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-8377100378204081052013-05-20T00:12:00.000-04:002013-05-20T00:12:32.281-04:00Drama is in the Air<span xmlns=""><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSZ3g-TScDye3y01kfkGPmIxscoG86dwnFhU409CspekJzJwv-5Zg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="rg_hi uh_hi" data-height="224" data-width="225" height="224" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSZ3g-TScDye3y01kfkGPmIxscoG86dwnFhU409CspekJzJwv-5Zg" style="height: 224px; width: 225px;" width="225" /></a>There are few things that are more draining, exhausting, and frustrating than drama. It lurks in the shadows, and has opinions, secrets, alliances, pretense, etc. What is it about drama that is so intriguing? Drama is part of our culture, and it is that same culture that fuels it. Reality TV's linchpin is drama. Someone is upset at someone else but they can't confront them, instead they have to "vent" to their "friends" all over social media so that they feel better.</div>
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What makes drama tick? What is at its heart? Manipulation. Someone wants something and is willing to do, say, and/or post anything to get it. "They offended me and I am going to make them pay. I will manipulate circumstances and conversations so that they know I mean business." Or how about, "I have to get people on my side instead of theirs, so I'll start sharing information with others to make it happen." The struggle is that most people love to hear the dirty details and then "share how they feel". <br />
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Drama drains. It sucks the life out of those involved. How do you kill it? I love Dave Ramsey's policy inside his company – employees must <strong>hand complaints up</strong> to higher-level leaders, and <strong>pass compliments down</strong>. You aren't allowed to stew on things. If there is an issue, then send it on up and let the powers that be deal with it. Encouragement and praise are great things and help in defusing drama. The only way to guard against it is to have EVERYONE buy in to this concept and lead by its truth. If someone in Dave's organization can't figure out how to follow this rule, he "set's them free" and they get to find a new job. <br />
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Beware of the drama lover. They enjoy telling others their sob-stories so that they can recruit followers and build secret consensus. If they can get enough people on their side they might just be able to manipulate a more favorable outcome. What they don't see is that they are also slowly tearing down the inner walls of the team and creating factions. Every leader has had a cancerous person crop up within their organization. It's amazing what happens when they prune them out. Many of you know who your dramatic manipulating drama lovers are. <br />
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It's still Spring time and pruning season is in the air. Grab some shears. The rest of your team with thank you. <br />
. </span>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-19609818013979258682013-02-22T20:22:00.005-05:002013-02-22T20:22:32.600-05:00Dents and Differences – What do you make? <span xmlns="">I was with my 12 year old son in a grocery store. We had finished shopping, and as we approached the checkout line, I noticed that there was a young mom with a baby in a front carrier harness attached to her. She was slowly trying to unload her groceries from her cart onto the belt. I looked at my son and told him that he needed to go help her. He immediately froze. I repeated myself, and he again just stared at me. This exchange continued, and I began to get a little agitated. He started stuttering, "But….but…..but…..but….but…" I didn't find this funny and growled, <br />
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"I told you to go help her now go do it!"<br />
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"But…but…but…"<br />
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"Fine, I'll go help her, but this isn't over," I muttered as I was clearly frustrated.<br />
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I then went and offered to help her. She was surprised and genuinely thankful for my assistance. I told her I understood how difficult it can be to try to get around with a little one since I have three. She laughed a bit and said she was still trying to get used to it with one. <br />
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That evening, my son and I began to reflect on what had happened. I asked him what kept him from helping. He answered, "What if she hadn't wanted our help? It would've been pretty embarrassing."<br />
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"But don't you think," I answered, "that everyone who was watching her unload her cart knew that she needed help? If she would have shut you down, the only one who would've been embarrassed would be her." <br />
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I then chose to dig a little deeper and shared with him that the calling of every man around the world is to help and protect women and children. They need us and we have a special calling to serve them. Not satisfied with this, I pushed some more, "So what was the real reason that you chose not to help her?"<br />
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"I just told you." he quickly replied. <br />
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"No, the <em>REAL</em> reason." I shot back. Crickets….nothing. He just stared at me. In all honesty, the real reason he didn't move is the same tractor beam that has held you and me back before too. "You didn't help her because of fear. You were afraid." I said. "What would've happened if the neighbors we didn't know had chosen to ignore your screaming when you got in your bike accident? What if they left you bleeding in the street because they were <em>afraid</em>?" <br />
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"Dad, don't you think that's a little extreme?" he countered. <br />
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"Helping someone takes many forms and comes from the same place deep within you. Helping someone and making a difference isn't and shouldn't be circumstantial." Fear is what keeps us from serving, growing, and making the biggest difference vs. just making a tiny dent. <br />
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Anyone can make a dent. I've seen "people" open their car doors too fast and accidentally dent the car next to them. Was that dent purposeful? Nope. Did it make a difference? Maybe a marginal one at best. We shouldn't settle to make dents, but instead we should strive to make full-scale differences. <br />
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We discussed it further, but as we finished, I said, "You are now accountable, and you will be called upon again to help someone you don't know. And I know, next time, that you'll be ready. I love you."</span>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-36746816640399445872013-01-29T19:55:00.000-05:002013-01-29T19:57:44.846-05:00A Parent’s Nightmare: Lessons from an 11 year old’s bike accident – Part 2<span xmlns=""><em>My 12-year old son got in a bike accident last month. My last blog entry addressed all the people we didn't know in our neighborhood who came out to help. In this second part, I'd like to look at some more lessons we learned. </em></span><br />
<span xmlns=""><em></em><br />How did it happen? I have spent the last month answering the question as to how my 12-year old son got in a nasty bike accident. We were under a dense fog advisory and he rides his bike to the bus stop. He had made that ride hundreds of times, but that day something was different. The morning sun was just starting to come up and it was still pretty dark. He was riding his bike, and he looked away for a quick second. When he looked back, a blue/gray car parked on the street was directly in front of him. He tried to swerve to the left and took out the car's back left brake light with his hand and hit the ground. When he looked at his hand, he started screaming because at impact it was blown wide open and blood was spraying everywhere. <br />
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We look away for many reasons – we're comfortable, confident, overwhelmed, or even clueless. Whatever reason it is, we underestimate the cost and overestimate our ability to recover when we lose focus. My son thought that a quick look away would cost him nothing, but he was wrong. Every decision counts and every moment matters.<br /><br />We've all "crashed" for similar reasons. How many times have we lost focus at a time that didn't appear to be critical and paid a significant price? Being focused isn't necessarily exciting as it demands discipline. Keep your eyes on road. If we're too focused, won't we burn out? Not necessarily. We need to find techniques to recharge our batteries in ways that don't require us to make monumental sacrifices in focus. I live on a pond. Sometimes I just need 30 minutes to walk out and fish in order to let my thoughts settle. When you find meaningful ways to recharge, you won't sacrifice focus, instead you'll enhance it. <br /><br />I encourage you to look back at some of your failures, and then look at where you are today. How close are you to losing your focus? Start working to find ways to sustain, recharge and "focus on the road". </span>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-23752516243780869572012-12-12T00:13:00.000-05:002012-12-12T00:16:08.417-05:00A Parent’s Nightmare: Lessons from an 11 year old’s bike accident – Part 1<span xmlns="">Yesterday was a day I will never forget. My oldest son had just left on his bike for the bus stop, and I was firing up my laptop next to my other two sons while they ate breakfast. All of a sudden, in the dark, someone started pounding on our door and frantically yelling for help. We quickly came to find one of our neighbors who rushed to tell us that our son had just gotten hurt badly on his bike. My wife and I quickly changed and took off. </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">We arrived to find many neighbors we didn't know circled around our son. He wasn't moving, his eyes were shut, and he was lying in a large pool of bright red blood. Needless to say, this was not a scene I was ever planning on seeing. Some neighbor ladies began consoling my wife as I knelt down and started talking to him. He responded immediately but didn't move or open his eyes. One of the neighbors had his right hand wrapped in a towel while applying pressure. They told me that the ambulance was on its way. I noticed a disturbingly deep laceration on his right knee that had gone unnoticed. Knowing we needed to act quickly, I talked to my wife and she quickly gained her composure and went to sit beside our son as I went home to change and get ready to ride with him in the ambulance. One of our neighbors took our younger boys to school and then my wife joined us at the hospital. </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">From 8am to 6:15pm that night we met many doctors, nurses, and hospital staff in fact we spent half the day at one hospital and the other half at a second one due to the severity of the wound on his knee. I won't go into the gross details of the day, but all-in-all he got 10 stitches on his right hand and 17 stitches on his right knee. The pain he endured between getting his wounds cleaned out, to countless pulling and pushing of the lacerations to the severe testing of his knee joint would make the toughest person squeamish. He was AMAZING. </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">As I've started reflecting on yesterday's events some lessons and insights have begun to surface. I'm going to share one in this entry and another in the following entry. Here goes: </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">When my son hit the pavement and saw that the back of his right hand was completely split open, he started screaming. Some of the surrounding neighbors came out of their homes and found him on the ground rapidly losing blood by the second. What's interesting is that they weren't the first to find him. At least one car saw him and drove right by. We only knew one of the neighbors that helped our son that day. We didn't know the man who found him. We didn't know the man who called 911. We didn't know the lady who brought out a blanket to cover him. We didn't know the man who stood in the middle of the road to warn oncoming traffic to be cautious and slow down. What compelled those people to help our son – a neighborhood boy they didn't even know? </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">Meeting new people can be a challenge at times. We typically establish new relationships with caution because we want to guard ourselves. I know when we moved into our community we didn't go to the 40-50 homes on our street and insist on door-to-door introductions. Did you? Highly unlikely. How weird would that have been? I find it intriguing how something mortally urgent, scary, or tragic can immediately tear down our walls and unite us. Do you remember the days, weeks, and months following 9/11? </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">So what is the difference? I think we get an idea when we start to try to understand the image we were created and crafted in. God ultimately wants what's best for us and desires to help us. The writings in the Bible talk about Him as our "rescuer" and how He is a "strong tower". My neighbors were rescuers and they worked to protect our son when we weren't there as if they were a strong tower. They heard him scream (which still haunts my thoughts and brings me to tears) and immediately responded. That desire to respond when someone is in need is not an accident but a real portion of us – our maker's fingerprints on our deepest parts. </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">Where have you had the chance to act and help someone in need? This is the time of year it seems everyone is asking for help. Many times we act like the car that didn't stop and make up excuse after excuse. But….inside of you and me is that small voice that tugs at your heart and tries to nudge you forward to act. Let's try listening to it and see where that action takes us. You want to change the world don't you? You were designed to respond. So what are you waiting for? </span>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-34402140784672637612012-10-14T22:04:00.000-04:002012-10-14T23:09:49.309-04:00Narrowing the Pie Wedge<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQYaN7YHU5A2A3gtbKtlN_TlxdkLq7s41QMDJVl6kokjBysEXAI9w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="rg_hi uh_hi" data-height="213" data-width="237" height="213" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQYaN7YHU5A2A3gtbKtlN_TlxdkLq7s41QMDJVl6kokjBysEXAI9w" style="height: 213px; width: 237px;" width="237" /></a>Over the years I’ve been in a lot of meetings. At times, I would force myself to come up with questions to ask, showing my engagement, because every good leader asks meaningful, thought provoking questions, right (ala Jim Collins’ Qualities of a Level 5 leader)? Yes…except when they don’t care. That’s right, I said it. Don’t get me wrong, I tried hard, but I struggled connecting my passion with the subject matter much of the time. “Why don’t I care?” I would ask myself. It made me feel ashamed. “There must be something wrong with me. All these other people ask much better questions than I do. How do they come up with these?” This remorse and confusion lasted for YEARS. </div>
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I sat in a meeting earlier this year and was a non-stop chatter box. Ideas, insight, innovation and edgy creativity were oozing all over the place. I was on a roll and it was fun! When I was driving home, I started reviewing the meeting and asked myself, “What in the world happened? I didn’t even have to think! How did I come up with stuff? I was automatic!” I never had to strain or manufacture a question in order to feel that I did my part. Instead, it was instinctive and easy.<br />
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My oldest son started middle school in August. His day now begins earlier than it did in elementary, and I quickly realized that we’d be eating breakfast around the same time. Immediately I felt this was a divinely orchestrated opportunity for us to read, talk, and start our day together. He’s also still at the age where he wants to spend time with me. In September and October, we have focused on reading a selection of proverbs, discussing what sticks out to us, figuring out how to apply it, and then memorizing one selection a week. Our first week, we chose to memorize, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” The writer uses some blunt language “Above all else,” and “everything”. The last time I checked, there isn’t much that escapes from those terms…including disconnected meetings. <br />
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This is where the “no duh” moment comes in because the answer to my question is in the second half of the proverb. Everything I do flows from my heart – EVERYTHING. Therefore, if I am in a meeting and I have to work to engage, it means my heart is not connected to it. Our strength areas are directly connected to our heart. This is a significant litmus test for whether or not we are working directly in our zones of greatest gifting. <br />
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Recently I accepted a new opportunity within my organization. A couple weeks ago we had a strategy meeting to discuss our plan of attack for the rest of 2012 and began laying the groundwork for 2013. Not once did I need to think of a question to ask; instead, I was intuitive and intensely engaged. Why? Because this new role is more aligned with my strengths and ultimately has a direct line into my heart. My friend, Tim Elmore once told me, “As you get older, you must continue to narrow your pie wedge so that you find alignment with your strengths, your calling, and your vocation.”<br />
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Do you find yourself manufacturing questions and communication most of the time in order to keep up the appearance that you are interested, when you’re not? If you do, you’re not in an environment or a role that feeds on your strengths and connects with your heart. What sorts of interactions, tasks, or opportunities bring out your best, resulting in amazing creativity, meaningful debate, and ground-breaking innovation? Where are you “automatic”? Once you get the answer to the question, it may be time to consider narrowing your pie wedge because too much pie makes you fat and lazy. <br />
<br />David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-81305505462224054372012-08-25T21:29:00.000-04:002012-08-25T21:29:29.217-04:00Assessing Personal Organization: Tips for Increasing Yours and Improving Others<span xmlns=""><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQRE21Bi7kda-qIHwjYDbw0ArnaoBn6yiFy2gWvRoEZSj7Oyf2DA" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="rg_hi uh_hi" data-height="188" data-width="268" height="188" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQRE21Bi7kda-qIHwjYDbw0ArnaoBn6yiFy2gWvRoEZSj7Oyf2DA" style="height: 188px; width: 268px;" width="268" /></a>Have you ever had an employee who was always behind, struggled to manage their time, and couldn't prioritize if their life depended on it? What's worse is when you work for a leader who struggles with the same thing. I worked for and with people like this and it is maddening. When a person with a lack of time management and prioritization skills infiltrates a company it begins to erode trust, confidence, camaraderie, and leadership equity. </div>
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If you are a leader with this problem, it's time to get some help. This doesn't mean hire more people, instead this means to reach out to those who successfully handle competing priorities. Odds are you'll learn about their process and how they've built it to suit their personality, demands, etc. As with most things, you can't just assume that one day things will slow down or that you will have an epiphany regarding your personal organization. Humbly admit where you struggle and use your resources. If you don't, you will sacrifice effectiveness and it just isn't worth it. <br />
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If you are a leader with followers who struggle with time management and prioritization, good luck! Just kidding! I have made many mistakes over the years, but one of the more common ones in the beginning was not assessing and valuing this trait in the hiring process. Attitude, charisma, and work ethic all have value, but you have to throw personal organization into the mix. What I began to find was that I hired some great people with outstanding attitudes, but when it came down to tactical strength (prioritization, organization, and time management) those same people STRUGGLED. Once I identified this and saw the consequences, I began asking questions in interviews like, "How many emails are in your inbox right now? What do you do when you get an email? How do you organize your inbox?" It's funny how someone's email habits are a litmus test for their organizational skills. <br />
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What did I do with the people I had hired who were extremely weak in this area? My leaders and I tried teaching them how to establish methods in order improve. We showed them how to arrange their inboxes. We helped them set up systems to deal with clutter on their desks so that things weren't falling through the cracks. Sometimes it worked and other times it didn't because no matter how you slice it, strengths are strengths and most weaknesses will continue to be weaknesses (ala Marcus Buckingham). Therefore in the end, we released them into the world to be free and find something that better suited them. <br />
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So let's prioritize this and do something about it. Assess your own process (maybe you don't even have one) first and then look at your team. Set a due date for action and move. You can't just file this away for the future and forget about it. The time is now. </span>David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-12420128282439046262012-07-15T15:39:00.001-04:002012-07-15T15:39:28.307-04:00Thinking, Wanting & Calling – 3 Questions to Ask During Your Decision Making Process<span xmlns=""></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-drbcVTN-WFk/UAMZfe_I8mI/AAAAAAAAAIE/KNCVjJPgPvk/s1600/Decision+Making.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $ca="true" border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-drbcVTN-WFk/UAMZfe_I8mI/AAAAAAAAAIE/KNCVjJPgPvk/s320/Decision+Making.jpg" width="320" /></a>I recently wrote about the book <em>10-10-10</em> by Suzy Welch and how her process for decision making helped me during a time of tough choices. One of the biggest challenges with difficult decisions is in acting with authenticity. You want to own your choices and feel like you're not making them to please someone else. How do you do this? You must find alignment in three areas in order to ensure your decisions are genuine and support your purpose. </div>
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The first is your mind – what do you <em>think</em> you should do? Of the three questions, this one is the easiest. We live in a culture that encourages us to voice our opinions, and it normally doesn't take much time to figure out what we think we or anyone else should do. If we are clear with ourselves first and understand what choice needs to be made, we will be clear with others. </div>
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The second is your will – what do you <em>want</em> to do? There is a difference between what we think we should do and what we want to do, but unfortunately they don't always align. What we think is typically almost a knee-jerk reaction, but what we want is a little more personal because it takes into account things like pride, ego, and selfishness. Sometimes we need to vent to someone else to fully understand what we want and hear another viewpoint. But in the end, we must own it. Without buying into your own wants you will never truly <em>want</em> your decision and commitment will be a bear to sustain. </div>
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The last area is probably the toughest to identify but also the most important to making and owning a decision as it provides objective clarity. It focuses on your heart –what are you <em>called</em> to do? Answering this question involves your purpose. We move through life every day making choices that don't necessarily involve our calling. It is when we're faced with a tough choice that we must understand our purpose and how it plays into the decision. When we made the choice to move to Florida it forced me to understand that my purpose is to be a husband and father, which is more important than running a business unit in my company. I thought we should move, over time I began to want to move, and finally I knew we were called to move. </div>
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The next time you're faced with a decision, whether it's life altering or not, see if your mind, will, and heart line up and if it's something you think, want, and are called to do. Answering the questions will promote clarity and ownership while helping to move the ball down the field.David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766998387187370607.post-17858569384549620422012-06-20T21:50:00.000-04:002012-06-20T21:50:24.561-04:00Global Imperatives – A Call for Leadership<span xmlns=""></span><br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRea0HE9YBL7JKaeHcNUYduSy2kxf77kzPK4jjAfAGnEaijO031" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="rg_hi uh_hi" data-height="183" data-width="275" height="183" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRea0HE9YBL7JKaeHcNUYduSy2kxf77kzPK4jjAfAGnEaijO031" style="height: 183px; width: 275px;" width="275" /></a>I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to realize that we are in the middle of a global crisis. Things are broken. As we survey the landscape of the issues in front of us, three main themes emerge. The first is the need for social sustainability. Our society continues to deteriorate. The current divorce rate is an even 50%. This means that 50 out of 100 marriages are destined for disaster before they walk down the aisle and say, "I do." Domestic violence continues to grow. Every year 3 million women are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend. The worldwide suicide rate is now up to 10.07 per 100,000 people, which is a 65% increase in the last 25 years. Someone takes their own life every 40 seconds. This means that while you watch your favorite NFL team play on Sunday, 270 people choose to end their life. The Pentagon recently released statistics to the AP surrounding soldier suicides and it is now the highest it has ever been as one soldier is ending their life every day. My family has been touched by some of these issues, has yours? In order for our society to sustain, we need change. Marriages need greater guidance, and hurting people need hope and someone to come around them in a time of hopelessness. </div>
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The second theme is environmental sustainability. I am by no means an environmental activist, but it is easy to see that we continue to abuse our planet for the sake of progress and profit. President Teddy Roosevelt had incredible foresight by creating the national park service. He saw the human appetite for more, bigger, better, faster, cheaper. We have come a long way in the last twenty years as many communities and businesses have recycling programs. In today's manufacturing environment, the EPA is stricter than ever on emissions standards, but they are merely scratching the surface. It's not just our country though as others around the world would rather turn a blind eye as they dump bio-hazardous chemicals into the local water supplies because they won't spend the money to properly dispose of them. Each one of us are stewards of this planet and are called to take care of it. The innovators of today must continue to find cleaner alternatives that put less of a stress on the planet and reestablish our global sustainability. <br />
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The last four years our planet has wrestled with our economic sustainability. Greed, immediate gratification, and our appetite for more have replaced the American attitude of saving, budgeting, and financial discipline. I love what Dave Ramsey says, "Every time I read the story <em>The Tortoise and the Hare</em>, the tortoise always wins." Slow and steady has been our recipe for success, but somewhere along the line we lost our patience and became undisciplined. My generation and those behind me want now what took their parents years to financially accomplish. As we watch what is happening around the world, we realize that our global economy is all connected. Sure, the "BRIIC" nations (Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, China) continue to grow and develop, but the rest of the world is realizing that our best times are now behind us. Even China has struggled the last couple years with rapidly rising labor costs as their people are tired of getting paid peanuts to produce the world's commodities. Politicians love to discuss their thoughts on how to fix our issues, but they aren't economists or entrepreneurs and have never run a business. If we cannot right the ship and restore economic sustainability our children will pay a catastrophic price. <br />
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So what do we do? How do we get our arms around these issues? The word imperative means: an urgent priority; something that is absolutely necessary and must be done. In order to recapture sustainability, we have a global imperative to act. This action is found in recognizing the need for authentic leadership. Our "leaders" today dance around with their own personal agendas while trying to convince us that they are working with our best interests at heart. Authentic leadership is an identity and recognizes the need to serve, influence, and execute. It is the lens through which you view every interaction, issue, experience, and opportunity. Whether you are with your family, at your place of worship, in your community, or at your job, authentic leaders realize their calling is to lead first. <br />
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What would happen around the globe if we had leaders that acted in an authentic way? I would argue that socially, environmentally, and economically, we would be at a far different level. How do we impact these issues? It starts with you. The choice is yours to pursue a life of authentic leadership. To begin using your leadership lens every day at home, in your community, and at your job. We must elect officials that humbly reflect, believe, and act on these ideals. If we don't have any to elect, then we need the ones sitting in the background to courageously come forward. The world can't wait any longer for you to step up and lead. It's imperative!David Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17424699336154841719noreply@blogger.com0