Learning While Leading: 5 Things

A long obedience in the same direction.

Hello leaders.
Here is this week's round-up of the things I have been learning as I try to follow Jesus while helping others do the same.

Keep Going 🏃

Some of you are tired, and tired people are tempted to quit. Before you make that decision, try resting first, because things look very different after a good night of sleep and an honest prayer. Slow progress is still progress, and a pace you can sustain will take you further than a sprint you cannot. Rest well, then get back up and take the next step.

ONE Thing I'm Learning While Following Jesus from the Leadership Chair. 🪑

Rest is not a reward for finishing; it is part of the work. I have noticed that my worst leadership decisions rarely happen on a full tank. They happen late at night, at the end of a long week, when I am running on caffeine and adrenaline. Taking Sabbath seriously has made me a better pastor, not a lazier one. Your limits are not a design flaw; they are a reminder that you are not God.

ONE Scripture I'm processing. 📚

"Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." (Mark 6:31, ESV)

Jesus said this to disciples who had just returned from a fruitful ministry trip, not a failed one. Even good, effective work requires withdrawal, and it was Jesus himself who called them to stop.

ONE Thing to Try This Week. 😎

Try this: Plan one block of time this week, 24 hours if you can or even 12, with no ministry work, no email, and no school assignments.

Fill it with things that give you life: a meal with people you love, a walk outside, a nap, or reading Scripture slowly for enjoyment rather than for a paper. Jot down how you feel before and after, and notice what God shows you when you stop producing.

ONE Thing Worth Your Time. ⏰

READ: Sabbath | BibleProject

This five-minute video shows that the rhythm of rest begins on page one of the Bible and runs straight through the mission of Jesus. It reframes Sabbath from a rule to keep into a gift that invites us to rest as partners with God. If you have ever felt guilty for stopping, this will help you see rest as an act of trust.