Do you ever feel like you're lacking control? Maybe your life is filled with ups and downs? That is just like the story of Joseph. Joseph continued to face obstacles and favor and then obstacles and favor. But through it all, he continued to lean on God and trust in God's faithfulness.

Do you ever feel like you're lacking control? Maybe your life is filled with ups and downs? That is just like the story of Joseph. Joseph continued to face obstacles and favor and then obstacles and favor. But through it all, he continued to lean on God and trust in God's faithfulness.

Do you ever feel that you're not seen? Do you struggle with feeling like no one hears you? Those feelings can be incredibly discouraging. But today, I want to remind us that even when we feel mistreated or ignored by those in the world, we have a Father in heaven who is always with us. Although sometimes our world is loud and busy, we have a God who is seeing us, hearing us, and with us, no matter the situation.

How strong is your faith in Jesus? Is it strong enough to endure when things don’t make any sense, when there’s deep suffering in your life, when God’s doing something you don’t understand, and you’re calling out to God and not hearing any answers? Does your faith have the strength and the resilience to overcome?

It's natural to feel uncertain and vulnerable at times. We can't control everything that happens in our lives, as much as we’d like to. However, it's important to remember that we are not alone and that we can find peace and joy in trusting in a good and sovereign God who loves us deeply. 

How do you prefer to worship God? Do you prefer to do it in a corporate setting, with a full band? Do you prefer to do it in the privacy of your home? Do you tend to worship God while you’re driving or hiking or in the midst of the mundane? What does worship look like for you?

When we get close to Christmas time, we often think about gifts. Take a moment and think of the best gifts you’ve ever received. Were any of them acts of service? 

When you think of the word vulnerable, you might have a picture of weakness or fear. But becoming vulnerable is an important part of servant leadership. In order for us to lead, we must first serve, and in this week's devotional, we learn about how to be vulnerable in our servant leadership from Joseph.

Joseph is not often talked about when we look at the Christmas story, but he was the picture of leadership. He was showing that despite the honor/shame society that they lived in, he would listen to God first. Check out this week's devotional where we learn about servant leadership from Jesus' earthly father: Joseph.

tbd

Why is sharing the load of leadership so difficult? No matter if it is the leadership role we have at work, in our families, or a calling that God has put on our heart, delegating our burdens can be a challenge for us all.

Have you ever had a season of discouragement? A time when nothing seemed to go your way, when you felt attacked or mistreated or when a difficult struggle seemed to shade everything in your life for the worse?

Have you ever had a season of discouragement? A time when nothing seemed to go your way, when you felt attacked or mistreated or when a difficult struggle seemed to shade everything in your life for the worse?

Being faithful to God is easier said than done. All around us, there are many other “gods”—e.g., money, human praise, fleshly pleasures, and the need for control—demanding our attention and allegiance. It is no wonder that we all lose sight of living for and trusting in God at times.

As leaders, we are faced with challenging situations regularly, whether it’s a difficult decision, having to work through conflict with a friend, family member, or colleague, or having to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Part of being a good leader is learning to embrace godly resilience.

Vulnerability, however, is an essential part of the character of all great leaders. To be vulnerable is to lower our protective barriers for the sake of being seen, known, and loved, and to create space for others to do the same.

Today, I want to remind you: You’ve been rescued!

Years ago, my sister “Cuqui” (her real name is Lizette) rescued my siblings and me. A group of tough boys determined to break into our apartment via our fire escape window and beat us up. We were terrified! We lived in the South Bronx, and this gang harassed us daily.

That afternoon, my mother and two brothers were at work, so our 19-year-old sister was left to fight for us little ones. She sat at the windowsill, looking down and yelling at the angry mob climbing up the ladder. She did her best to discourage them from approaching our window. She threw down books, boots, and anything heavy we could find in our tiny apartment and eventually poured hot water over the gangsters. One of them got angrier and made it to the top of the stairs, but my sister’s adrenaline-pumped fear and the buckle side of a belt on her hand sent him back down the ladder whimpering. From that day, my sister became my hero. She risked her life for ours! My sister rescued me from a momentary situation, but Jesus rescued me (and you) from an eternal one…

Leaders struggle with a sense of isolation from time to time. For example, when we’re charging toward a big goal, a new venture, or a challenging season, our team hesitates. We will feel lonely as we take responsibility for others when the buck stops with us. Isolation is heavy when others criticize, attack, or let us down, but also when we disappoint our team. Every leader faces loneliness at times, whether we admit it or not. King David models for us the way to renewal from loneliness.