Word for the day: “The inside work of leadership.”
Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV) Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Great Day, Leaders,
I’ve discovered in my leadership the importance of doing the internal work needed to be the best version of myself. I believe leaders do what they have to do while often others do whatever they want.
Be advised doing the necessary inside work will be vital for your effectiveness and sustainability.
TAKING AN HONEST INVENTORY OF OURSELVES IS VITAL.
We all can often postpone the prospect of making an honest self-examination. We can often make excuses for taking the necessary and humbling assessment of ourselves. The bottom line is this: we know that many times there is an enormous amount of pain awaiting us when we dare to look at ourselves. And we fear what the pain of facing ourselves can create in our lives. However, it has been my experience on the other side of pain in life.
EXCERPT FROM MY BOOK “THE JOURNEY OF SELF-CARE FROM THE INSIDE OUT”
“When past injustices have caused you pain, you may hurt others or often seek to bury them in the deep recesses of your mind.” I needed to share with you the pain of my experiences. It’s not the way you handle things. However, it’s almost always when you bury things, it allows your pain from the past to translate into mistakes and suffering in the future. You can’t occupy the space of God because healing rarely occurs. The pain may feel like too much to handle.
Therefore, you unintentionally block God’s plan and ability to heal those places of hurt.” Are you making mistakes today because of pain from your past? The Lord will exchange our pain with His joy, which gives us the strength to finish the journey. After rebuilding the city walls and the temple, the priests gathered the people together to read the Book of the Law, it’s in today’s reading passage in the book of Nehemiah.
The people were overwhelmed with grief and began sobbing because their lives in no way measured up. The priests said to them, “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the LORD your God, Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. For the Word of the Lord says, “For the joy of the LORD is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:9-10).
That day marked the beginning of Sukkotor the Festival of Tabernacles, a required Jewish feast that celebrated their escape from bondage in Egypt and God’s care for them while they wandered in the wilderness.
What do you need to celebrate that you have escaped? When we set out to face the pain and hurt of taking a self-examination, we will need the “joy of the Lord” to give us strength. This joy comes from recognizing our shortcomings, but yet celebrating. We celebrate God’s ability to bring us out of bondage and to care for us as we pass through the pain toward a new way of life.
POINT TO PONDER
The joy of the Lord helps us to face the pain within ourselves. And the joy of the Lord also liberates us from the pain within ourselves to live a life beyond human comprehension Nehemiah 8:9-10).
Special thanks!
Chief Encouragement Officer (CEO) James Baker, Jr. and our leadership team are especially thankful for those of you who provided financial donations and support in February 2024, by partnering with us in efforts to advance the kingdom of God in this 21st century season: Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. David and Annette Straker, Mr. Kenneth Washington, Ms. Itholear Abbott, Mrs. Barbara Mason, Ms. Rita McGuffin, Ms. Jeanette Grant, Ms. Cynthia Artis-Waiters, Ms. Michelle Winder Branch, Ms. Brenda Spoach, Ms. Angie Scraders-Murphy, Mr. Calvin Jackson, Mr. William Jones, Mr. William Buchanan, Ms. Judith Battle, Mr. William Wilson, Mrs. Angela Harrison, Ms. Sonja McRae, Mrs. Ranghill P. Walker-Philip, Ms. Gertrude Scott.
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Kingdom Blessings,