Jody Harris gave a mother's day talk at Grace Point this morning, and embedded within the broad scope of her content was a mention of the need to "find rest in Jesus." She was referencing the famous passage where Jesus invites those following Him to find a perpetual rest, what Eugene Peterson referred to as the "rhythm of grace."

Anybody in leadership knows the burden of responsibility, the exhaustion of continuous exertion, the weariness that can come with struggle, and the elusive ideal of rest. It is easy, as a leader, to reach points where there is an inclination to toss ones hands up, walk away, and seek much anticipated rest. Of course, by leaders I mean all stripes and types - mothers, pastors, teachers, fathers, husbands, small group leaders, managers and everything in-between. Sometimes there is a part of each leader that wants to just sit out an inning and let the rest of the team swing the bat for awhile...Yet, that's not always realistic, appropriate or necessary. A husband cannot sit out a season, a mother cannot pass of the raising of her children, a leader cannot afford to just take a pass.

Here's where the real gem of sustainable, high-caliber leadership lies - the ability to find rest. The diligence to learn, renew and operate out of a rest that truly nourishes is what high leadership - fully leading, fully alive - hangs on. The question is not whether we will need rest, but whether and where we will find it? Nobody can provide this for us. Nobody will look out for us adequately to ensure we do not drift into hazardous anemia. It is our responsibility as leaders to find our rest, to invest in our leadership quotient, to keep ourselves in a place out which we will have the capacity to lead well.

Where do you find your rest? How do you find renewal?

Faith Herrera, the Childrens Pastor @ Grace Point, sent out this devotional thought to her leaders/parents this morning and I thought it was worth all of us reflecting on...

Acts 4:13
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

This week Melody (Associate Children's Pastor) and I went to a conference called Orange. One of the things that stuck out was when Francis Chan (a dynamic pastor from California) said, "The people 2000 years ago were astonished that uneducated men would be so bold as they spoke about Jesus. Today I am astonished that we're so educated, yet not bold at all."

How true is that? Today we know more and we are the most educated people of all time. Yet, are we bold? Do we breathe as if it will be our last breath? Do we live as if after our next breath, we will be in God's presence?

I know that I want to breathe and live each moment as if it is my last. When I am in God's presence, I don't want Him to look upon me and say, "If only you had..." I want to live knowing that the things I do here on earth are counting in eternity. I want to imagine the moment I stand before God and remember that this moment is the moment I'm living for now.

I pray that God will give us boldness to be the change in this world...that we won't be content with the status quo. I pray that we will be excited about Him. I pray that we will not try to ramp down someone else's enthusiasm. I pray that no one will be able to calm us down!