The Blog

With all the hype around the upcoming College Football National Championship I thought I’d share with you a few cool things happening in the world of LEAD…for God’s Sake.

Ohio State’s Head Football Coach Urban Meyer has continued to be a huge part of this journey, and as he prepares for another shot at the top, he has continued to reference the book as one of the key “game changers” in his life leading up to this point. Below are comments he shared at the National Championship Media Day, after being asked about LEAD…for God’s Sake and how often he references it.

I’m so appreciative of his genuine heart for this message! But most importantly, it’s been an incredible blessing to see the consistent peace in his eyes as he’s climbed back to this spot!

Stay tuned over the next few days for stories I’ve been interviewed for on popular platforms such as ESPN.com (story will be posted Sunday and Monday), Fansided.com (a part of SI.com (Sports Illustrated)), and I’ll also be live on the Doug Gottlieb Show Monday at 5:00PM. Don’t forget to tune in!

Thanks again for helping us share the message!

In part one of this series, the challenge was made clear; in society today, we’re inundated with calls that distract and desensitize. Unfortunately, these are also the calls that most frequently summon us, and most consistently fill our minds. And the truth is, what most fills our minds, eventually fuels our hearts. This is important to note since nothing more significantly affects your ability to hear and answer the right calls in life, than the health of your heart.

In the video clip below I discuss the parallel between the body’s need for pure water and the heart’s need for pure truth. In light of this, I also share some thoughts on a cultural trend that I believe is having a significant effect on the health of many hearts: diminished time drinking directly from the one true source – God’s Word. This trend is rooted in our natural tendency toward instant gratification and our desire for that which appeals most to our senses. Unfortunately, with issues of the heart, feeding these tendencies rarely serves us well over the long haul. Instead, to hear and answer the most important calls in our lives, we must be diligent in our quest for truth.

STOP! Before you erase or scroll past this post, take a deep breath, close your eyes and shut off all the noise around you for just one minute.

Welcome back. In case you’re wondering, that was the state of peace and quiet you just experienced, a state that’s increasingly rare in most of our lives today. Of course, it’s also the state in which we’re best able to hear and respond to the calls that matter most in life. Calls not only from the voice of reason or the voice of conscience, but more importantly, calls from the voice of God, that still small voice that just happens to be the main source from which true wisdom flows. The question is: Can you hear the calls from this voice?

I was recently asked to deliver a commencement address for Bethel College. Although I felt incredibly blessed by this opportunity, to be honest, I also felt unqualified. As a result, I struggled through a number of fears, doubts, and insecurities before I could even bring myself to accept the invitation. Unfortunately, this was only half the battle as, in the midst of a very hectic schedule, I failed numerous times in my attempts to actually plan what to share that day.

At first it startled me. Then, after figuring out what it was, I found it a bit amusing. But as time passed, and my feathered friend continued to fly face first – or should I say beak first -- into our picture window, I actually began to feel sorry for the little fella. Blinded to the reality of his own plight, he persisted in this self-destructive behavior for some time. Finally, after spotting my waving arms just beyond the illusion that had originally lured him in, the battered little bird flew off to better things.

As I thought about this bird’s foolish actions I was reminded of times in my own life where I’d mirrored his behavior. Times where I had been drawn into the pursuit of something that really wasn’t what I thought it was. Blinded to the realities of my own situation, I too had haphazardly flown into some windows in life. What’s worse, as a leader I had led others down this same path. Epitomizing the blind leading the blind, I struggled with what I believe to be one of the most critical elements of leadership: self-awareness.

Simply put, self-awareness is an ability to see oneself accurately in relation to both internal and external forces in life.

I was asked to share my thoughts by Todd Rhoade on the topic of Patience vs. Persistence. I truly believe this is one of the greatest challenges we face in our pursuit of purpose.

Here is a snippet of the blog entry posted over on Todd Rhoade's Blog. To continue reading please click here or the link under the excerpt.

Last year, I had lunch with a very successful marketing professional. He had been impacted by the message in the book I’d recently written, and asked if we could get together to chat about the principles within. After about an hour of meaningful dialogue, our conversation shifted. “Todd, you’ve got to get this book out to the masses. Everyone needs to read it,” he exclaimed with urgency in his voice. “There’s so much you could be doing to get it on the fast track.” As he continued, I listened quietly, nodding occasionally to affirm his ideas. Finally, in response to my nonchalant attitude, he sighed, and with frustration in his voice, asked me point blank; “What’s your goal for this thing, Todd?” After a short pause I answered, “obedience.“ Needless to say, this was not the answer he was expecting.