learning

last week i had the priviledge of attending PORTICO's satellite location of willow creek's leadership summit. i honestly cannot remember if this was my sixth, seventh or eighth summit, but every year i come away with more than one necessary bit of wisdom for my life.

this year was no exception.

today at staff prayer, doug rhind asked us what was one highlight of the summit for us. i guess i am a slow processor, as apart from everything tim keller saying being brilliant, i could only remember one actual thing from the entire summit.

usually, at least a week after the event, i will go through my notes, extract the gems, and put them in the journal that i carry with me. clearly, i have not done this yet.

but tonight, i pulled my notes out, and my book opened to the notes i took during bill hybels' last session. there is simple brilliance here, so, of course, i need to share it with you.

bill talked about four things every leader must do:

1. make and keep a daily appointment with God. leaders need to hear something from God every day, and too often, when it gets busy, what gets cut out of schedules is time with God.
2. commit to reading good books at least 30 minutes a day. this goes nicely with yesterday's resolve.
3. review your replenishment strategy. you need an adequate replenishment strategy to offset the work you are doing.
4. decide to say 'yes' to God every time the Spirit prompts you to do something. every year bill seems to end with something that simply terrifies me. last year it was mother teresa's 'i will refuse God nothing.' this year, this was it. to be honest, first writing that sentence in my notes, and then typing it now, i felt an overwhelming urge to add "...unless it is too crazy/scary/out there/ridiculous...{insert appropriate fear-based word here}."

then, he ended his final session with...

we only have one life...
...what will i live for?
...what score card am i keeping?
...what race am i running?

so much to think about, and this is only one little session...