Hearts in Service Blog

God has been steering me down the road of leadership over the past decade and as the eldest child in my family who was given much responsibility, I'm a natural born leader. But that doesn't mean I always like it. It's a heavy mantle to wear at times and not one that I wear lightly.  Here are ten things I'm learning as I lead: 1. I'm learning a lot about myself - strengths and weaknesses.  2. I'm learning that leadership doesn't come with an instruction manual. 3. I have learned that sometimes people can be disgruntled just because you are not the previous leader and that I have to be okay with that. 4. I have learned that some people are an absolute joy to work with and others will complain and find fault no matter what because that's their nature. I have to be okay with that too and not take it to heart. 5. I've learned that bearing the weight of responsibility is not possible if I don't stay connected to the vine.  6. I am learning to have sche...

This was our view as we at dinner on Friday night. It was such a beautiful evening and a perfect way to celebrate my husband's birthday. I'm thankful for the beautiful area we live in.  Mondays are the day when I look back and give thanks for the ways the Lord has blessed me. This past week was kind of a rough one with some different stressors going on. But thanksgiving is the ongoing developing ability to have an attitude of acceptance that God works in all things. It is having intentionality in finding the ways that the Lord is at work, even when times are hard. I may not see perfectly in the moment. However, when I trust that God is good and that He loves me, then I can have faith that He is using all my circumstances to develop my character and draw me closer to Him.  Today I'm thankful for the following... 💓 Beautiful blue skies and low humidity. 💓 A sweet spot to work on my back patio. 💓 The ability to wrestle through some emotions and come out the other side with ...

I came home from my weekend conference and have been struggling with not feeling well. I think it was something I ate as my stomach has been "off" which is causing me not to be able to sleep well. The past two nights I woke up at 2 a.m. and have been unable to get back to sleep. Lord, thank you for waking me up so I can hear from you. However, I find some my best times with the Lord are in the still hours of the morning. I'm able to focus and lean in to what He has to say. I gain some insight to a passage of scripture and some new lesson I need to learn. This morning I put some final touches on a message I'm giving for an online leadership summit. Lord, thank you for the encouragement found in your word. I know today is going to be a bit of a challenge as the day winds on and I feel tired. But I am thankful for those quiet times of reflection I am able to have. I'm thankful for the ability to pray for different people the Lord brings to mind. Lord, thank you for t...

  I've hit the ground running in June and have some traveling that is going to be happening over the next few months.  I started by spending the weekend (which was technically still May) with my daughter and son-in-law to celebrate her 27th birthday. It was a fun weekend which involved some hiking, some shopping, eating out and going to a graduation barbecue (my son-in-law's brother graduated from college). I was home for two days and this morning I'm headed out to Ohio for a conference. Since I'm on our national Alliance Women's team this is a working conference for me so I'll be busy the whole weekend. In two weeks I have a leadership retreat and then two weeks after that another event. Both take place in the middle of the state. This summer will be full with the farmer's market, working on a coaching certification, vacation, and other activities. Then the exciting thing is happening in September when I head to Senegal for ten days. I'm nervous, but lo...

One of the reasons I love hiking so much is that it forces me to slow down and live in the moment. As I walk through the forest all I hear is the sound of my footsteps, the birds and the breeze blowing through the trees. I'm disconnected from technology and as I take pictures I'm noticing the details.  I spot things I normally wouldn't see. I can spend as much time as I want just listening and looking. I'm not enslaved to my to-do list. It also allows time for some self-reflection. I am thankful we live so close to some beautiful hiking trails. I can walk in our neighborhood, but as someone who connects to God best out in nature, it's something that is necessary for me. As the car climbed the mountain and came up out of the fog on Monday, I could feel the cares falling away. I find that my head clears on these hikes, I'm able to find solutions to a situation or gain clarity on how to proceed. Disconnecting for a bit helps me to reconnect and center myself to fac...

It's been cold and rainy the past few days here in the Northeast. Normally Memorial Day is the start of the summer season and a time for barbecues, picnics, parades and outdoor events. In fact, it's been so dreary that it even slipped my mind that it was a holiday weekend! I participated in our local farmer's market on Saturday and I was thankful it was indoors as it was a torential downpour when I first arrived. It was kind of a slow day there and I think the rain kept many people away. I haven't planted anything yet and really need to start thinking about making our yard look welcoming instead of bare and bleak. It's hard to be in the mood for flowers and gardening when it's cold and rainy. I have started some clippings indoors, but that's about it. I attended a memorial service along with my brother-in-law at the facility my father-in-law is living. It was to honor those who lost loved ones this past year and was a meaningful service. They planted a butte...