Great Leaders Are...

 

A leader takes people where they want to go.

A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.

~ Roslyn Carter

 

I was reading over at The Morris Tribe yesterday and found this quote that I pondered on for a bit. You know when you read something through and then you read it through a second time and it hits you hard, like a lightning bolt? Yeah. This quote did that to me.

 

You see, I had my life all planned out years ago. I knew where I was going in terms of a career, "success", what I wanted. The Lord really has a sense of humor. He knew exactly what branches needed to be pruned in my life to make me a better person.

 

  He knew what GREAT leaders to place in my way to get me to where He wanted me (and I'm still being pruned). Hopefully, the Lord will continue to prune me until the day I die, making my life a living testimony that there is a God, He does exist and He preforms miracles everyday if we can just ask the Holy Spirit to move in our lives and present them to us.

 

The Lord knew that I wanted a solid career with people patting me on the back and saying, "Good job, Kelli." There went that plan. He had something better for me as a stay-at-home mother, soaking in my children's love each day. Not too many "thank yous", but the satisfaction of attempting to live out Proverbs 31 (what God wants for wives and mothers) and the fact that I get to talk with my kids about Jesus and His love all day long at anytime, and just being available to them surpasses a "Good job" any day.

 

The Lord knew that I only wanted two children (one boy and one girl...you know, the "one of each" family). That was all Kelli could handle and manage. However, He had something better for me. I can't imagine my life without Norah and Isaac. Imagining life without my love for them gets me sick to my stomach just thinking about it. Isn't it weird to think about who you could be missing out on? Try and put a face in those missing holes. {deep sigh}

 

The Lord knew that I wanted to live in a nice, clean house with spotless counter tops and white drapes and furniture. Well, I have one white chair in the entire house and one set of white drapes. BUT, that was their original color, mind you! Now, I stay at home and homeschool four, little (adorable) rascals and even on the rough days, I can honestly say that I wouldn't trade it for the entire world!

 

The Lord knew that there were certain things I wanted control over. Ultimate control. Ultimate control can get dangerous! Ultimate control can get you in way over your head. I had to surrender that ultimate control over the God of Creation to get true JOY and true PEACE over my life. I had to surrender wholly and "for real".

 

When that happened, He began pruning and shaping me into the Kelli that He made me today. The things that He has brought me through required patience, understanding, going against the crowd (you know that whole being "set apart thing") to the point of sometimes feeling lonely and without a friend. Yes, it's true. There was a time of doubt but the Lord continued to bring people into my life to encourage me through my personal pruning process.

 

Romans 12:2, I Thessalonians 4:11-12 

 

I share this with you today to say that if you can give in to the Holy Spirit's leading and prompting for your life, He will speak and move. That still, small voice that whispers to you what you know is right and what you should do is powerful. He will bring Christian leaders (Titus 2) into your life that will help you in your process. I can think of some leaders in my life that definitely helped get me where I am today, but it was the GREAT leaders (maybe 3 at most) that spoke the truth of God to me and made me become a "doer".

 

So many can talk the talk (and have the jargon down very well, mind you), but walking the walk is harder. Sometimes, seeming impossible. Sometimes seeming as though all of those carefully, planted balls you placed in the air will indeed coming crashing down to your feet. The good news is that God created those balls you thought you planted in the air and will help guide you in exactly where they should be.

 

Don't get discouraged as you're being pruned. It's a good thing. :) Smile and be thankful that God is disciplining you because it's those that He loves most in which He does discipline.

 

Often times, it's not what we WANT to do,

but what we know we SHOULD do.