Inspiration for Today & September

Many of you have told me that your are looking forward to the Fly in Cruise In, but part of your heart is a little nervous. A few of you are even a little scared, by your own admission. Well, truth be told, I was excited to asked to consider this venture and now that we've jumped into the water, the swimming kinda rattles me a little at times as well.

So, I wanted to share this little reading from John Crosby's "Called to Lead" that spoke to my heart this morning.

It is entitled "Grasshoppers In Our Own Eyes"

"The land we explored devoured those living in it. All the people

we saw there are of great size . . . We seemed like grasshoppers

in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

Numbers 13:32-33

"You've seen it. You work hard to prepare your team. You have succeeded at increasingly complex challenges. Then the big opportunity arrives, a project that size of of which youhave only dreamed. The eyes of your team members are as big as saucers. The are overwhelmed. Perhaps it's the budge. Maybe it's the visibility, or just the sheer size of the client. But deep down, you know - your team members are as grasshoppers in their own eyes. the size of the potential obstacles has thwarted them before they even started.

For vast numbers of Americans, life has become staggeringly easy - and incredibly unfulfilling. We have empowered people to perfect the art of avoiding any real challenge. Life in modern society is designed to eliminate as many unforeseen events as possible, and is inviting as that seems, it leaves people hopelessly unfulfilled, bored, and destined for a rude awakening in their significant personal and professional challenges. If we allow shallow excuses rather than heightened performances when facing overwhelming odds, we destine our team members to lives of mediocrity.

As leaders, we must recognize the magnitude of what we have been entrusted to do. The workplace pits men and women in situations where the outcome is not entirely within their control. We prepare and equip them for life's challenges when we influence them to perform at their best even when they are out-sized, out-manned, and just inexperienced. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the discipline to perform in the face of fear. Are you developing courage or making excuses?"

Join me in asking God to help us face the challenges we have as opportunities to grow our leadership and continue to build a future where cancer and long term illness patients will find a helping hand to "Share The Journey" as they battle the ups and downs of a life threatening illness.