Sue's Musings

This question comes from a Leadership and Spirituality conference I went to about 10 years ago, led by then Alban Institute Consultant Roy Oswald. Even today, it was one of the best continuing education events I have attended in my years of ministry. We spent a lot of time “living” with questions – questions about our ministry, our spiritual practices, our desires for our relationship with God, and my favorite – what makes your heart sing? What is it that really lifts, feeds, nourishes you, and lifts you to a point of awe? And the follow-up question – how are you incorporating whatever “that” is, into your life on a regular basis?

Too often we know the answers to those questions, but we let ourselves get so busy, that we are too busy to do that which will most help us and revitalize us.

Another helpful question is what stops us from doing that which makes our heart sing? Is it because we are too busy? Too busy doing what? What is more important that is taking up all of our time? Is it because we are worried/afraid of what others might think? So what! Why do we let our fear of other’s reactions get in the way of us doing what we know is good? And maybe even holy? Is it because it costs too much money? Then maybe it’s not something we can do every day – but let’s be honest – we all have plenty of money. How can we modify our spending in order to set funds aside to do what makes our heart sing every once in a while?

If we are to be the leaders God calls us to be, then we need to pay attention to our own spiritual well-being. I don’t believe God expects, or even wants, us to burn out or to deny ourselves what is most meaningful to us when it comes to nurturing our relationship with God. In fact when we nurture that side of ourselves, we become more effective leaders, because we will be leading out of a center that is rooted on God. God becomes the source of our strength, our wisdom, and our joy. And THAT will make us good leaders!