Nuggets for Leaders - Blogs I Read

People ask me all the time what I am reading. Sometimes it is books and sometimes it is blogs. Most of the time it is a little of both. Reading books it is easy to say, "well that worked for them but couldn't work for me" or "not sure that would go over where I live/work". Blogs generally come out more compact and direct to the point which help make it applicable to where I am.

There are several blogs that I follow that help me to be a better leader. I want to share some of them with you by linking to their blog and tell you why I read their blogs. These are in no specific order but again, I will tell you why I follow them.

David Santistevan - I follow and read David's blogs because he is a fellow worship leader and has great content on his blog that encourage me and help me be a better worship leader.     @dsantistevan

Michael Hyatt - Michael is the former CEO of Thomas Nelson, a Christian book publishing company.  He now speaks publicly and trains leadership on being better leaders. Also, from time to time he blogs about how to write a book. He just released his latest book Platform: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World. I follow Michael because he helps in the area of public speaking and understanding people. @MichaelHyatt

Church Marketing Sucks - I know, I know. Before you say something, this website is a great tool if you are involved in the "marketing" and promotions at a church. So many times we do things in the church as a way of marketing without any idea of who we are looking to reach "target audience" and we waste money without realizing it.  @cmsucks

I have several other blogs that I follow that you can find on my home blog page on the right side of the page but here is the last one that I want to share with you.

Glenn Packiam - Glenn is a songwriter/teacher/preacher/author. He wrote popular songs as, "Your Name" and "My Savior Lives" has written 3 books and is currently campus pastor for New Life Downtown, an extension church of New Life Church in Colorado Springs. I find in my studies that I need to dig deeper and what Glenns blog (and books [specifically Secondhand Jesus] do helps me remember that there is a deeper purpose. @gpackiam

What blogs do you follow and why?

Stay Awake

Matthew 26:41  All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

This is a scripture from the prayer in the garden. This was Jesus speaking to the disciples. He was asking their help in prayer that he would have strength as He knew that the time was coming for His crucifixion. In verse 38 he says,“My soul is swallowed up in sorrow—to the point of death." He was hurting and needed the prayers of those around Him that he would be able to endure the temptation of running away from the inevitable. 

From conversations of recent, this scripture is a reminder to anyone that is tempted in sin. We must "stay awake" that we do not let our guard down and sin at a weak point. I love the Amplified version which elaborates by saying, "give strict attention, be cautious and active". We must be actively be guarding our eye gate and ear gate that we can protect not only ourselves but those around us. Because just as verse 41 stated, our spirit is willing to do right but our flesh does get weak.

Pray today that you can stay active in guarding your flesh. Pray to be an example to those around you being cautious and actively guarding the things that you am around. Ask for the right thing to say to those that struggle in the area of temptations.