Trials

OK, I'm officially exhausted. In my job, I usually work 12 hours (20 max) but due to unseen circumstances I'm working 40 hours this week. I feel like I'm going drop off even as I typing this.
The Gap Leaders met last night and planned our first month. We going to taking it easy in September and mainly doing fun activities. There are more plans afoot but they a little further down the road and much less clear. Hopefully, I should have some exciting news to report in the couple of weeks.

For the time being, I'm spending a lot of time reading and thinking about what it means to be a leader. The simplest way to define a leader is someone who influences, but that influence can take any number of forms and can be used well or wasted. I've been reading Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels. Each chapter of that could be a book in its own right.
There's a chapter discussing different types of leaders and one type mentioned has helped me understand myself a lot better but also challenged me about where I'm should be focusing my work.

I'm meditating and studying the book of James at the moment and the first chapter is amazing to me. It talks about how trials and challenges build up endurance or steadfastness (great word - look in up). It's really encouraging me to use opportunity of challenges and uncertainty in grow in character and be unwavering.