Music has a way of reaching in to the deep places of our hearts. When we are hurting, sometimes it is through music that the spirit of God can uniquely minister to those wounded places.  If that is you today, let these songs speak, as they have to me. Each one of these songs is close to my heart for different reasons.  I sing-pray all of the time.  If you catch me on my morning carpool, you may see me with one hand in the air sing-praying at the top of my lungs.

I’ve prayed specific songs over specific situations, both for others and for myself.  For example, when my friend Teresa had her brain aneurism, I prayed “Whom Shall I Fear” (#3) over and over as she endured not one, but two life threatening brain surgeries. Read about it here.  I will never hear that song without thinking of Teresa and the hours of gut wrenching waiting.  This song helped me know how to prayer for her.

I’m so thankful to God for creating music.  Our souls open up and God enters.

1. Jesus, Firm Foundation

2. Find You on my Knees

3.Whom Shall I Fear {God of Angel Armies}

4. Worn

5. Not for a Moment

6. Blessings

7. In Christ Alone

8. Who You Are

9. Remind Me Who I Am

10. Break Every Chain

Everyone has their role on a team.  Growing up, mine was team captain – mainly because I could make up a mean pre-game warm up song to get the players pumped up.  On every team I played, my job was leadership.  It felt natural to me.  I didn’t have to work at it.  It still does.

I have always considered my natural bent toward leadership as a gift.  But there have been plenty of times where others have been intimidated, threatened, or downright opposed to that quality in me.  Somewhere along my road, I received the message that it was only allowed to surface sometimes…when it was considered appropriate.

Being a woman and a strong leader can be a difficult combination at times, especially in the church.  Yet, this very quality can be a powerful propeller in any arena.  And I would dare to say, especially in the church.  How do women with leadership qualities resist shrinking and instead burst forth in full flight as God intended for each one of us who walk this earth?

Sherry Surrat and Jenni Catron answer that question in their new book, Just Lead: A No Whining, No Complaining, No Nonsense Practical Guide for Women Leaders in the Church.  Full of practical tips and authentically written stories about their own lives, these women demystify what it means to be a leader in the church, alongside of men, in today’s world.

Sherry and Jenni provide needed guidance for any woman who is in leadership of any kind.

We want to use our gifts to their fullest, but how?

How do we lead without offending?  Without fear? Without doubt? Without shame? Without allowing failure to define us?

These women park us at the trailhead of the leadership trail and help us navigate the path to the summit.

Specifically the book addresses:

Isolation:  How to avoid feeling lonely in leadership

Fear:  How to address the fear that accompanies positions of leadership

Insecurity: How it seeps its way into our leadership and ways to overcome it

Criticism: How to discern and process the criticism that will inevitably come

Pride/Humility:  How to address the issue of pride that clouds our leadership and lean in to humility.

Decision Making:  How to navigate choices and indecision in your leadership role

Dreaming Big:  How to avoid the “tiny heart” syndrome

Working with Men:  How to productively serve in leadership alongside the opposite gender

Communication:  How to look at your communication style and evaluate its effectiveness.

Working with Women:  How to avoid the common female traps that paralyze our ministries

I’ve personally been waiting a long time for a book like this.  Sherry and Jenni have given answers and solutions to questions I didn’t even know to ask.   Between these two women, there are countless experiences and lessons learned that will add years of wisdom to your  leadership.

I’d love to hear :

What aspect of leadership is the most difficult for you?  

or

What is one tip you’ve found to be essential in leading others?

Jenni Catron serves as the Executive Director of Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN, where she leads the staff and oversees the ministry of five campuses. She loves a fabulous cup of tea, great books, learning the game of tennis and hanging out with her husband and border collie.  Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. Jenni blogs at www.jennicatron.tv.  Her new book, Just Lead! A No Whining, No Complaining, No Nonsense Practical Guide for Women Leaders in the Church, co-authored with Sherry Surratt is available now.

For as long as I can remember, my sister has loved the color purple.  She wears purple sweaters, purple lipstick, purple boots. She even had her bridesmaids wear ruffled purple satin gowns in 1992 (a classic look no doubt). Luckily for me, I got to wear the only HOT PINK satin gown as the maid of honor!  Ahhhh… the privileges of sisterhood.  Colors have personality, and when I see purple, I think of Kendra.

A few years ago, well into her thirties, my sister declared that she had an announcement.  We all waited expectantly as she burst out, “Ok, I know you all think I’m a pretty {but not fast} skier.  From now on, I’m going balls out!”  Please forgive me  if I offend you with the phrase, but I have to be truthful to the story.  It’s what she said.  And it’s what she did.  From the first time she clicked on those skis that year, she went for it.  She pushed herself further than her comfort zone allowed and before we all knew it, she was a downhill rocket.  That’s purple.

A mother of two sons, Kendra and her husband, Eric, felt God nudging them to adopt a little girl.  After countless hours of prayer and process, they flew to Russia to get their daughter.  Every year we celebrate her “gotcha” day with Russian candy and a pinata, and everyday we celebrate that God gave us Olivia.  Now she has organized a family led non-profit called The Jeremiah Project that helps others adopt.  That’s purple.

Every fall, my sister and I host a large party with our families called The Hootenanny.  We spend days preparing gift baskets, decorations, potato sacks, picking apples for the bobbing, and lining up the generators for the crock pots that hold prize winning recipes.  It’s a tradition that reflects every bit of her fun, energy, and heart.  That’s purple.

She is the kind of color that draws a person in.  So full of life.  So beautiful.  So authentically rich in depth and tone.

There is one thing in life you don’t get to choose:  your family.  Mine just happens to be my very best friends.  The kind of people who you love so much it hurts.

So on this day of Easter celebration, celebrating the greatest gift of Love’s sacrifice.  I also celebrate and thank God for the gift of my sister born on this day.  How fitting.  Purple is the color of Easter.  My sister is the color purple.