There is no blame
We watch a lot of sports at our house. By “we,” I mean Craig is a big sports fan and I occasionally look up from my book and ask questions...
Disrupting My Over-functioning Autopilot
I am an oldest child by birth and a pastor by training, which means that I have spent my entire life stepping up and caretaking. I learned early that helping...
Improv, Leadership, Saying Yes, And…
“Just try the class, it will be fun. It's free and if you don’t like it, there is no commitment!” These are the words my friend said to me as...
Stuck in Nostalgia
Nostalgia, according to Webster’s dictionary, is a “bittersweet longing for what was; it is the memory of what used to be, what has passed, of time gone by. Nostalgia prioritizes ...
This is your brain on nostalgia
This year, my pastor husband used part of his sabbatical to clean the garage. While sorting through the clutter, he found a stack of boxes labeled “Craig’s keepsakes.” He slowly...
How Understanding Family of Origin Work Helps Me Lead
We hope that this reflection on family life and leadership helps you prepare for your own Thanksgiving celebrations this week.In the new year, we hope you’ll consider joining us to...
How to change your mind
I really resented my friend. She would ask me to do things with her—fun things, yes, but didn’t she know that I had a job? She asked for small favors,...
Gratitude and Grief: Holding Both at the Holidays
Gratitude and Grief: Holding Both at the Holidays For most of my adult life, I’ve known that the holiday season brings with it a mix of emotions. Gratitude and grief...
Gratitude When Things Change
We have news to share . . . This news is good news, even though it represents a significant change at TLJ. I’ll let Jim speak for himself here: Dear...
- Integrity
- Leadership
- Mental Models
- Mission and Vision
- News
- Organizational Culture
- Politics
- Power and Authority
- Self-care
- Systems Thinking
Integrity: Living Into Our Design
All of us want to be people of integrity. Unfortunately, sometimes the word "integrity" can be so broad that it's meaningless, or so specific that it comes with heavy baggage....
Stress and Rescue
Is there a way to break free from autopilot addictions that threaten to drown us? From a spiritual perspective, addiction is an experience we all share. Being caught in the...
Why Staff Culture Matters
I was hired as a youth pastor fresh out of college. Having never worked at a church, I had no idea how to plan curriculum for a year, structure a...
A Productive and Inspiring Work Environment, Grounded in a Deeper Level of Discipleship
(This is the first of a two part series focusing on the work culture within churches. The second part of the series, written by our colleague Nate Pyle, will be...
Navigating Off The Map With Bowen Family Systems Theory (BFST)
Navigating my Ford Ranger to an unfamiliar destination for the first time, I discovered that the directions hastily scribbled on a scrap of paper, maybe on the back of an...
Leadership Off the Map
Remember maps? Before Siri’s disembodied voice told us where to go, we had all kinds of maps –road maps and key maps and the big folding maps that never quite...
How Understanding Family of Origin Work Helps Me Lead
Understanding the concept of sibling position in Bowen theory allows me to maintain leadership responsibility without resorting to shame or blame. Early in my training in Bowen theory, I made...
Building Trust and Risking Trust in Adaptive Change
Building Trust and Risking Trust in Adaptive Change Leading adaptive change in a church or any other organization requires a foundation of trust. As a leader builds trust, people grant...
Leadership Off the Map
Remember maps? Before Siri’s disembodied voice told us where to go, we had all kinds of maps –road maps and key maps and the big folding maps that never quite...
The Complexity of Trust
When trust is low, everything is hard. As trust erodes, communication breaks down and collaboration is miserable. That’s why it makes sense that we intentionally nurture trust on our teams...
Leadership isn't a journey for one.
Escape the chaos. Transform yourself. Lead well.
