Me? A Leader?

Be sure and read the exciting news at the end of this post!

I've never considered myself a leader, which is pretty funny in hindsight. My husband has always said that I end up leading every group I join, which is true. I was president of the church's women's ministry when I was in my mid-20s. I was head of my Junior Woman's Club and Mother's of Preschoolers group, and I led a Bible study for over 10 years. Still I always considered that I was just doing a job that no one else wanted.

The same was true with my writing. Most of those leadership positions came with writing a newsletter article each month. When someone would tell me how much they enjoyed the article, I chalked it up to interesting subject matter. I thought they were just being kind. I never dreamed it could mean that I was a good writer.

So when I saw the Michael Hyatt, Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishing (which happens to be the world's largest Christian Publisher), accepted guest posts on leadership on his blog, I didn't immediately think I should send something in. A housewife doesn't seem like a leader. But that is exactly why I decided to send something in.  And he accepted it!

On Friday, I will be guest posting at the blog of Michael Hyatt, and his nearly 182,000 subscribers will read my work. Because anyone can be a leader, even a housewife. Even me.

Visit my post on Friday at www.michaelhyatt.com.

My One (2, 3) Word

Chatty Kelly could not come up with just one word.  "My One Word" is an experiment designed to lose the long list of changes and resolutions you want to make for 2012 and instead pick one word.  I couldn't only pick one, but I did narrow it down to three. Here's what I'm thinking about for 2012.

CLOSER - In 2012, I want to become closer to my husband, my children, my family and friends. This means letting my guard down more, becoming more vulnerable. As someone who has been hurt (and haven't we all?) this can be a hard thing to do. But we can't get close to someone with walls around us.  Most importantly I want to become closer to God.  That relationship will improve all the others.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8

BETTER - Who doesn't want to be better? For me, I want to be a better wife and mom. I want to be a better writer and speaker. I want to be a better friend, a better student of God's word, and a better child of God. I want to be better.
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48

FEARLESS - Ironically, this is the one that scares me the most. I am not fearless. It's easy to live a safe life and never take take chances. There is no risk of failure if you don't put yourself out there. But can you call it success if you never try? Failure would be success if I put myself out there, taking the risk, whatever it may. Because I don't have to be perfect.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

What is your One Word this year? 
And what Bible verse can you claim to help you achieve your goal?

Friday the 13th

Today is Friday the 13th, a day that is supposedly bad luck. I don't believe in such superstitions, and I especially like the quote I read the other day that said, "Friday the 13th is actually a lucky day, because it is always followed by a Saturday!"

Man-made practices of good and bad don't hold any weight with God. Recently my 7 yr old came home from school and told me if you hold up your middle finger it means you don't love God. Then she asked me, "Is that true?"  "Do you love God?" I asked her.  She assured me she did.  "If you hold up your middle finger will you still love God?" She said of course.

I shared with her that God made every part of her, and he loved every inch of her, including her middle finger.  But people have tainted things making up the idea that raising a middle finger means something ugly or perverted, when God didn't make it that way.

Yet the very things God has said are not okay, and even calls sin, are readily accepted in society as the norm. We live in a mixed up world. We have to be alert, keep reading the Bible, and keep our eyes on God. I am thankful for a God who loves all of me, even my middle finger, and who loves me the same every day, even on Friday the 13th.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority” (Colossians 2:8-10).

The Power of Your Influence

Never underestimate your influence.

 I recently ran into a gentlemen who was running for office in my locale.  I had met him previously at a social event. He said, "Do you remember me?" And I said of course I remembered meeting him at the event.  "No," he responded, "Do you remember meeting me at your mom's?" Shocked I said I hadn't. As I searched my memory over when I  could have possibly met him at my mom's, he made a remark I missed about rudeness. "My mom was rude to you?" I asked.  Laughing, he answered, "No, you were! But then I was just a friend of your little sister." I still didn't remember, the event happened 20 years earlier. But 20 years later he still remembered I had been rude.

Never underestimate your influence.

Recently, I got an email from a former co-worker. I haven't worked outside the home in 12 years, so literally I have not seen this person in 12 years. We did exchange a few Christmas cards over the years, and I sent a congratulations card once over a promotion.

The email asked me to pray for my co-worker's family as they went through a medical crisis. I was honored to do so.This person hadn't seen me in 12 years, but remembered that I "believed in the power of prayer" 12 years later.

What you do, how you act, what you say, leaves an impact on people, good or bad.

What influence are you, and your faith, leaving?

A New Year

A new year, a fresh start, a clean slate. The new year holds such promise. We set goals and make resolutions. And these are really good things. As Bill Copeland said, "The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score." Goals are important.

But we needn't wait for a new year to start fresh. As this January moves into February and the days fly by, as the do seemingly faster each year, we will make mistakes and fail at goals. That's okay! God's mercies are new every day. So you don't have to wait until January 1, 2013 to get your fresh start. Or even a Monday! Take it daily.

We may have many plans, but the plans of the Lord prevail.  Why not include Him in your goal setting this year, and see what you can do together.

What goals or resolutions have you set for 2012?

Is Blogging Dead?

Is blogging dead? Only you know the answer to that question, as it relates to my blog.  Some blogs flourish and grow, others dwindle. I have some ideas to spruce up my blog in 2012. However, I need your help.  My blog's goal is pretty broad, to share how God influence's my every day normal (and not so normal) life in the hope that you will notice God in your every day life too.

What would you like to see on my blog that would keep you engaged and coming back on a regular basis?  What changes could I make that would make you encourage your friends to read my blog?  What other blogs do you read and why?

I'd love to hear what you think. If you are not comfortable leaving your answer in a comment, please email me at chattykelly@comcast.net

Thanks!

Christmas Bells

Christmas is "the most wonderful time of the year." Yet, for so many it brings heartache. I can't help but think about the new reality for so many people at this Christmas.  A family whose young son is paralyzed after a diving accident, so thankful to be home for the Christmas, but to a new reality.  Families who have lost children and wait longingly to be reunited with them in heaven.  Families out of work, families fighting illness, families with loved ones at war.

Last year after Christmas I was wondering where God was during all of this.  I read this from the Jesus Calling Devotional...a devotional written as if Jesus were talking to you.

"As this year draws to a close, receive my peace. This is still your deepest need, and I , your Prince of Peace, long to pour Myself into your neediness.  my abundance and your emptiness are a perfect match. I designed you to have no sufficiency of your own. I created you as a jar of clay, set apart for sacred use. I want you to be filled with my very being, permeated through and through with Peace."

And I heard this beautiful song, below, by Casting Crowns, based on the Henry Wadworth Longfellow song of the same title.  "God is not dead, nor does he sleep." God is with us, God is for us, God is in us.

There is pain.  But there is peace in knowing Jesus.  May you know the Peace of Jesus at Christmas and forever.