We look to leaders to lead by example…to be persons that set themselves apart, standing up for what is right, doing what is right, and doing those things we admire and aspire to do. We do not always understand the weight the leader carries, as many eyes are upon them to meet the expectations of those surrounding them. The leader is accountable to those they follow and responsible for those that follow them; therefore, they are pushed and pulled in more directions than we often realize. As a leader, we must understand the nature of this pushing and pulling so that our footing is not moved.
If we are not careful, it can become easy to pushed or pulled in a direction that takes you off course. We, as leaders, must never forget who we are and what we are called to do. Working to meet the expectations of everyone is a daunting task…quite frankly, it’s impossible. It is imperative to stay focus on who we are following so we are leading appropriately.
As a leader, I follow God. I continue to set my eyes upon Him, seeking His guidance, wisdom, and direction. As I continue to seek Him and focus on the direction He desires me to take, it helps me stay on the right path. It helps me make the right decisions without becoming overwhelmed. Whenever I do the opposite, I find myself burdened, weary, stress, confused, and just…maxed out.
One thing I have learned over the years is that trusting God is not a favorable option. Keeping your focus on Him and believing in His plan is not popular. Standing on His Word and having Faith in Him will not keep always keep you surrounded by the largest circle of people. It takes a certain boldness to step out, away from the crowd, to follow God. It takes strength to walk away and break away from culture, friends, and family working to pull you to stay on their journey of “trusting in horses and chariots.”
Today, our world puts such great emphasis in hope, but quite frankly, the hope is scattered amongst so many things one cannot help but wonder what they actually believe. We need leaders who will pull away from this false hope and stand out as those who are bold enough to lead others on how to stand on the word of God. No longer can this world rely on scattered options of hope. We have a generation that believes in trusting the universe and believing that astrology and horoscopes will determine their future. Such a generation has also chosen to believe that somehow it is their strength or the power of man, armies, and weapons that will determine a victorious outcome. But when I read and study the Word of God, I see that none of this false hope ever lasted. None of this false hope leads to victory. Throughout history, men and their Empires boasted of their great power that continued to rise, fall, and vanish in dust. Those who knew that true might were not in “weaponry” but in worship, and God’s power were the victors.
This year has been a trying one, to say the least. While watching the world close down around us due to a pandemic, I lead an organization through the process of building. It seemed like the most unlikely thing to do at the time. Literally, businesses were closing, people were losing their jobs and homes. We watched as people became sick and others became stricken with an overwhelming fear of becoming ill. To say that it was an unfortunate turn of events would be the understatement of the year. Yet, in the midst of it all, a small grassroots nonprofit built on the foundation of being a living example of following God, and having hope and faith, and sharing his love, continued to not only operate but expand.
In February 2020, DeeCilla Comfort Center signed the lease on our first transitional home. Three months later, we signed a lease for a second home. Looking back at the plans God had given, this is was not only what He promised, but He was doing so even sooner than we expected. Nothing was going according to how we would have expected it to go as both homes were not places we were looking for or found. The homes found us through those persons God sent to help us at the time. Seems all we needed to do was WAIT on him and just TRUST Him. We did not have mounds of funding when we started. To this day, we still get denied by relatively every grant we apply for. Since the organization’s establishment, we have only received two grants, with one from an unlikely source…Desert Diamond Casinos. This was not a grant we went looking for. They actually called us to inform us about the opportunity. When we applied, we received exactly what we asked for. With the funding, we provided support to women and children impacted by domestic violence and having a more difficult time due to the pandemic.
There were times when I personally had no idea how we would make it, yet the only thing I knew to do was continue to trust God. Since He set this course, I knew that all I needed to do was stay on it, believing in him despite how things looked or what others said or thought. This was not easy. As times got tough, people walked away. Some admittedly stated they struggled in the belief…as they could not see past “today,” there was no way they could hang on and continue this journey. Often, times, I was met with questions about shutting down the business or walking away. I always stated that was never an option. I may not have had answers, but walking away was never an answer. The only and final option would always be holding out for God to make His move. If I was weak at the moment…tired and knew I had done everything I could possibly do, then the only thing left was to BE STILL AND WAIT ON GOD. In this place, it would be here …the waiting that I would become stronger and able to ultimately move forward. How? It was in my stillness and waiting that He would carry me to the next step…I did not have to do anything but surrender and allow it all to happen. Low and behold, He never failed! He always came through. Whether it was the funding needed for that time, people to help continue to move things forward, or a combination of both. The point is He provided exactly what was needed when we needed it.
It has been a little over a year since we open our first (and second) home. We even had to move out of one of the homes with no immediate replacement. When asked again what I was going to do, my response was, “Trust God.” In fact, I went back to God and said,’ Well, since you allowed this to happen, then I trust that you have something bigger and better for us…you’re going to have to give something bigger and better than what we just lost.” He did just that. The place we “lost” was a three-bedroom, but we lacked the space needed to efficiently run our program. Therefore the place he sent us to next was a five-bedroom, a den (and living room) and garage. We received everything we asked for, including a vehicle to help transport people and products to those we serve. To top it all off, I guess He wanted to really show that anything is possible because we were told we could only lease through private owners after attempting to work with property management companies and realtors (who even served on the board). We signed through a management company. They worked with us and reached out to the homeowner on our behalf, as requested. The owners read the letter, God had me write explaining the ministry, and were on board. Not to mention we are further expanding to a whole new territory. (You’ll need to keep following the blog to learn more).
See, we get so set on what is normal…what the rules are in our culture and society that we believe more in the power of “kingdoms” than the power of God and stricken with fear or unbelief that we refuse to step out, go where He sends, and do what He says. If we continue conform to believing only what we see rather than pushing ourselves to see what He does, than how can we call ourselves leaders? How can we lead others to see God if we are more apt to follow the world than Him?
This year while I have watched the world around us lose and regain a sense of hope based on what we saw. My Hope and Faith in God were strengthened based on a different vision. I saw God move when others did not and would not. I saw God provide to build at a time when it did not make sense. I was surrounded by His love at a time when I felt weak and empty. I know what it means to have Him send help in the most unexpected ways when it seems like all hope is lost. I understand what it means to have your strength renewed so you can continue to the journey ahead. For this…I shall not be moved!
As a leader, I shall not be moved!
I will continue to lead as God calls for me. It does not matter what others say or believe because I know what it means to trust God and put my hope and faith in Him. I also understand what it means to not do so.
I am grateful for the opportunity to be a leader, even if every day does not feel like a holiday. I am thankful that I have the chance to share what it means to follow God and not culture, friends, family, or society. I look back on the road traveled this year and see the impact I was a part of. I have witnessed others begin a new journey of trusting and believing God for themselves, as I lead by example. Their journey is not easy, but they are working and staying the course as they continue to grow. To stand in Faith is not simple, but each day we become stronger and stronger, but this generation needs examples to follow. We need more people who will say, today is not easy, but I am trusting God…not the universe…not looking for my horoscope…not stating that through their might…but through God’s Divine Might and Power, they are victorious.
We need more leaders who will admit to the challenges but not fold them. We need more leaders to testify unto the glory of God, His mercies, His promises, and His Goodness. We need more leaders to not be afraid to set themselves apart from the rest of the world and say, No, I disagree with what you believe…I believe in God, and it is He that gives me what I need each and every day to live, survive and be victorious. When others began to get weary and faint, we need leaders that will continue to walk or run on with God even if they cannot see the outcome. We need leaders who will move when He says so and go where He sends, to receive (and do) what is required.
Even I have had to make changes as I prepare to lead in the next season. They will be unfavorable changes to many, yet I cannot be swayed by those around me, especially those who wavered in their Faith. This season, my fellow leaders must be able to stand on His word. They must be able to demonstrate how to trust and have faith in God. As a council, if we are not on one accord, we will become distracted with convincing rather than discerning. We must take out faith to a new level and discern what God is requiring. We will not have to convince them why there is a need to have faith. Again, being a leader will cause us to make decisions that others do not agree with, but in the end, we must remember who we are following.
Are we working to follow and please man, or are we following God and leading man to Him?
I, for one, will continue to set my sight upon Him because when the road gets long…it is Him that will continue to renew my strength for what is ahead….I will not be moved!
