6: Courage - After reading this chapter I realized I haven't done anything in quite awhile that I was really afraid to do. I've definitely been living in my comfort zone. When I was 22 or 23 I went on a 3 month mission trip to Zambia, to see if that's where I thought that God wanted me to serve as a full time missionary. At the end of my time there I got to go on vacation to Victoria Falls and I went bungee jumping, got in a crocodile pit, and held a snake. The crocodile pit was broader line stupid but when I came home I really did feel invincible for awhile. Even later when I felt like God wanted me to move there - I was terrified of raising money to go but God was faithful, etc. While there I had to do things that I was scared to do all the time. But I was very confident in God being faithful, etc. I know doing things that I feared - sucked at the time but it was very good, exciting, and developing/confidence builder. When I moved back home I had some ministry failures... I felt like God wanted me to help with things and was very confident/excited they would work out a certain way and it seemed like somethings went right and lot of things went wrong. I haven't really done much that I feared since then. So I guess I need to get over it and figure out what I'm supposed to be doing now. Anyways - this chapter really made me think and I do need to do something that scares and get out of my comfort zone.
7: Discernment: I thought this chapter was really good. Being able to see the root of a problem and not just the fruit/crisis/drama of the root is huge in a leader. Alot of people can only see the problems that result because of the root so they try to fix the surface problem but don't fix anything because they didn't get to the root so the problems keep coming back. I think discernment is a gift from God to a certain degree. I think discernment can be developed but I think alot of insight is God revealing the root problem/solution to us. In the book it said "if you can see the root issue of a problem , you can solve it." I think that's very true
8: Focus: Focusing mainly on areas of strength verses areas of weakness - seems like a great idea! I liked how he broke it down into percentages: 70% developing your strengths, 25% growing and changing and only 5% on areas of weakness. I liked what he said about staffing your weaknesses instead of trying to be all things in every situation. I think it takes a confident/secure leader to be able to have someone help them that's better in area then they are. I've know a few leaders that aren't secure enough in their position to allow that to happen and their ministry stays small and less effective because of it.
9: Generosity: Somethings I got out of this chapter: it's hard to be generous unless you are content with what you have, to be generous you need to put others first. A quote out of the book that I liked "You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." Everyone - no matter what our situation is - can be generious is some way. Makine generiousity a habit is a great idea.
10: Initative: "To be and effective leader you have to know what you want...." I'm lacking in this area as far as youth ministry goes. I thought it was good what he quoted about - if you know something needs to be done do it - basically don't wait for someone to push you to act you should have enough initative on your own. I shouldn't need Pastor Annette or anyone else pushing me to do something that I know I'm supposed to do. Not that encouragement doesn't help but if I know I'm supposed to do something - I'm not a very developed leader if I need someone to halfway make me do it - or at least that's what I think he was saying and I agree with that. Not that a person doesn't need encouragement to do something that scares you I suppose.
Being ok with making mistakes seems to be important. Not letting failures bother when they happen because if I'm taking risks they are going to happen and if I'm a good leader I have to take risks.
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