Was King David a Model King? King David is renowned as one the most beloved leaders of ancient Israel. Known as a man after God’s own heart, David’s military expertise, courage and humble devotion to prayer make him a model leader. That is, until you come to understand the devastating impact his choices have on countless lives. With so much blood spilled by David’s own hands, God refuses his offer to build the sacred Temple in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, the young boy with “ruddy” hair is precisely anointed by God with good reason. By careful examination of David’s character strengths and flaws, I hope to show why he is indeed worthy to be called a great King. Praise Worthy You may have first heard about the boy David in the incredible story of his standoff with the terrifying Philistine called Goliath. He shows great courage by boldly…
What Are Values? Values are our most defining beliefs and emotional memories held in the heart and inspired by the soul. They are the core principles that drive our greatest passions. Values are created and cultivated early in life. All our experiences encountered as children, home surroundings and people that influenced our thinking shaped these deep-seated emotions. Values are the heart-wired understandings we take with us everywhere. They are considered by many as our most defining “feeling” qualities. Just as athletic skills become more natural with repetition, our values are reinforced whenever an event triggers a sensitive memory cataloged away in our heart. Scientists define emotion as “energy in motion.” Our emotions form patterns and imprint(s) on the brain that influence human behavior. Over time and with continuous repetition of thought, our values ultimately drive our decisions and choices we make in life. They sway the relationships…
How do you define leadership? The answer changes depending on who you ask. Some define leadership as influence. Possessing the ability to positively influence others through trust earned over time. Others see the mark of a leader in the ability to inspire a team to work together, acknowledging and leveraging the unique strengths of each member. Leadership is not position according to Maxwell. History lifts up those who demonstrated real courage to stay true to his or her beliefs in the face of darkness. George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King are all examples of great leaders who lived and died for what they believed. And what about you and me? The Gospel brims with every day people who answered God’s call to lead others through great tribulation. Each was tasked with carrying out the seemingly impossible assignment. Alone and afraid, they carried out what…
Wake Me Up” Lyrics: AVICII So wake me up when it’s all over; When I’m wiser and I’m older; All this time I was finding myself; And I didn’t know I was lost Haven’t we all at one time or another felt like this? We thought we were in exactly the right place, where we belong. Doing what seemed like all the right things. Then time passes and we come to realize that somehow, somewhere we fell off our original path. At some point along the way we switched directions. Instead of pursuing our hopes and dreams, we made a choice that changed everything. Maybe it was a career choice or moving to another state away from family and childhood friends. Then something happens. We wake up. We begin to remember those deeply embedded dreams and aspirations we had…
