Soooooo…. Last month Braveheart celebrated six months in ministry. Woop Woop!!! Ever since stepping into ministry, I have a new found grace for people in ministry. Ministry is not easy; it’s very difficult, but the rewards of people’s lives being changed make it all worth it. People have to be built differently for the “ministry ship.”
The past couple of days I have been reflecting on the word “leadership.” I’m going to break it down just the way God gave it to me. It started with the title: Leader… Ship = YOU!
Definition of Leader:
1. Something that leads
2. A person who leads
Definition of Lead:
1. To guide on a way especially by going in advance
2. To direct on a course or in a direction
3. To serve as a channel for
4. To go through
Definition of ship:
1. A vessel larger than a boat for transporting people or goods by sea
2. Transport (goods or people) on a ship
Leaders are to go before and lead the way for those who follow. Now, this doesn’t mean that they have it all together and they are always right. Guess what?! Leaders are human’s too, and leaders make mistakes sometimes, but true leaders know how to get back on track and continue to lead the way.
Leaders go through first and then give directions to those following. This is what Braveheart has been, a ship that transports people/goods from one place to another. Unfortunately, “I” Vanessa Ramos, have to go through it first before I can write about it and help others. If I didn’t go through first, how could I write about overcoming and seeing hope on the other side of the mountain?
Everyone is a LEADER; Parents lead their kids, Pastors lead their congregation, Financial advisors lead their clients, Mentors lead their mentees, captains lead their soldiers; you get the point!
Just because you don’t feel called to ministry does not mean you cannot be a leader. Use your life to lead and help others. This life isn’t created for self; this life was created to be salt and light to the earth. I love how The Message Bible explains it.
Matthew 5:13-16
“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”
Be a leader for Christ, don’t let what you have overcome go to waste. Someone needs YOU to HELP them THROUGH. Someone is waiting for YOUR story!
I promised God that I would use my life as my message to lead them closer to HIM. Braveheart is not about having it all together. Braveheart is about Hope, about Courage, about Overcoming, and most importantly about Jesus! It’s about His grace, His mercy, His love that is open for EVERYONE to receive.
I’ll end with this quote:
“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” * Jack Welch