The email popped up between meetings. I looked at the screen and began to read what one person thought about me in the most unpleasant terms. I put my phone down, and the weight of those words washed over me.

What was written in the email was a personal attack. It was an opinion (albeit unpleasant), and that’s all. I knew the harsh accusations weren’t true. But they hurt anyway. I picked up my phone and reread the email. I know, that was a mistake.

I once heard Chuck Swindell say Paul was a recovering people pleaser. Galatians 1:10 says it best as Paul asks, “Am I now seeking the favor of men or of God, or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”

Paul knows who he is because of Whose he is.

When it comes to visions, I’ve noticed as people we have a tendency to get wrapped up in “all I can see is where we need to be just in the next few months…so that’s all I can focus on” thinking. We want the what to be clear.

Practically speaking, it works because if you can get those first questions or two out of your mouth, you establish a dialogue and can be making notes. Notes can be written in the notebook or on the iPad. If choosing to take notes on an iPad I simply remember to use my Apple pencil as an indicator to the other person I’m involved and engaged – the iPad is simply my note taking device.

Cruising at thirty-thousand feet and intensively absorbed in my work, I was startled by the sudden outburst of fearful crying from a three-year-old little girl frantically running down the aisle of the big jet. Her brown eyes were wide with fear, and her face was wet from the tears cascading down her cheeks. Somehow she had managed to leave her seat without her mother’s notice.

Disoriented and scared, she stumbled past row after row of strangers, unable to find her mother in the sea of unfamiliar faces. As a father of three daughters and the “pawpaw” of grandchildren, my heart went out to her. Although prudence dictated otherwise, I wanted to leap from my seat and pick her up to comfort her.

My heart also goes out to teachers and school leaders who, like that little girl, find themselves disoriented, perhaps intimidated and frightened by a strange and constantly changing world. Everything seems to be turned upside down politically, socially, morally, technologically, and economically. Nothing seems normal, in fact, normal is being redefined faster than we can absorb the changes.

Leadership is a juggling act. Leaders have many balls in the air: emails, phone calls, meetings, events to lead and attend, strategic initiatives and projects to move forward, reports to write, presentations to prepare and deliver, conferences to attend, personnel reviews and other HR issues to address, policy review and development, board development and relationships to manage, financial decisions to make, parent and student issues to address and much more. Then, there are responsibilities to our family, church, and civic organizations, personal finances to manage, home and vehicle maintenance, household chores, vacations to plan, and so on.

It is easy to be overwhelmed juggling so many responsibilities. We are always in danger of dropping one or more balls, which only adds to stress in our lives.

The good news is that there are simple ways to keep the balls in the air without being constantly stressed.

Asking for money can be awkward, uncomfortable, difficult, and frustrating. When it comes to raising money, I find that most leaders have two things in common.

I’ve made a practice of selecting a biblical theme for each school year. The theme is a biblical truth, principle, or value accompanied by corresponding Bible verses. For example, over the last several years, I have selected the following themes and Bible verses.

• The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22)

• Unity (1 Peter 3:8-9; 1 Cor. 13:4ff; Psalm 133; Philippians 2:3-8)

• Reaching Higher (Matthew 5:14–16; Colossians 1:9–12)

  This became what I call a "Meta-Theme”, that is, every theme begins with “Reaching Higher” followed by the specific theme for that year.

• Reaching Higher: Love your Neighbor (Matthew 22:36–40; Matthew 7:12)

• Reaching Higher: Gratitude (Isaiah 6:3; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:1-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 3 John 1:11)

• Reaching Higher: Holiness (Isaiah 6:3; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:1-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 3 John 1:11)

Practical Ways to Use a Biblical Theme …

You have to reinvent yourself every year.

Yes, EVERY YEAR.

Unless your organizational goal is never to grow, never change, never improve, never increase giving – annual reinvention is a must.

Why? …