Author: Michael Head

I can not imagine going through the pain that Tia Coleman is going through.  Tia lost everything, she lost 9 family members including her 3 children, her husband in the recent duck-boat incident in Branson, Missouri.

She mentions in an interview that when they found her husband he was holding all 3 of her children, that he was doing exactly what he said he would do. Always try to protect his family.

When asked about returning to her home in Indiana, Coleman said, “I don’t know how I’m going to do it. Since I’ve had a home, it’s always been filled with little feet and laughter.”

When asked if she could find a reason for what happened, she leaned on her walk with the Lord.

“It’s not a thinking matter for me. I tried it,” she said. “It’s something I can’t comprehend, I can’t explain. I don’t have the capacity to understand it. The only thing is, God must have something for me because there’s no way I should be here.”

When we hear of tragedies like this, it is completely heart breaking and we try to understand and we truly can not.

Our Message is loudest when we hurt the most

What we see in Tia Coleman is exactly that, a loud message.  The media has picked up on her message and is helping to broadcast her message even louder.  Her message is being amplified – Because of loss? Yes – Because its heartbreaking? Yes.

The main reason her message is loud is because of her response.  Her response is not the typical response – we don’t see Tia blaming the company, she is not throwing stones at the boat captain, not blaming the weather, no – She is relying on her faith in Jesus, and this sadly, is rare.  Her response is so powerful in such a tremendous loss.

2 Corinthians 4:7-11

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.

Paul is talking about those who have a personal relationship with Jesus, showing that we are jars of clay that can break so easily on the outside.  Saying that, we will have hard times, life will definitely hit hard and it will be like we are being struck down.  When it comes to these times in life, we can not do it alone and if we try it will leave us being crushed.

Verse 10 says – We always carry Jesus – When we rely on Jesus during these times in life we are not crushed, because He is living in and through us.  We are able to rely on Him – yes we will still hurt and have pain, but we are not in despair, we are not abandoned, and we will not be destroyed.

Your message is loudest when you hurt the most

Use your voice!

This is such a powerful moment from the ESPYS – would have taken just one adult to stand up and say something and most of this could have been stopped. We need to listen and use our voice!

Podcasts have become one of the biggest sources of information for today’s leaders. They are filled with insight, in-depth discussions and advice from some of today’s biggest influencers.

These are a few of the podcasts I listen to on a weekly basis. As a leader we need to be continuously learning and leaning into different influencers. These podcasts are a mix of Technology, Business & Christian living that I have found to really shape my leadership.

If you’re already a podcast listener, find room in your schedule to give these top leadership podcasts a chance. If you’re not, let them be your a way to turn downtime in the car or at the gym into a source of new knowledge and motivation to lead in a better way.

1. Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast

2. Social Media Church Podcast

3. 5 Leadership Questions: A leadership Podcast

4. Catalyst Podcast

5. Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast

Bonus Podcasts for those who need just one more:

6. Coaching For Leaders

Next Blog: Dealing with critics

As leaders, we know it’s crucial to continually be learning and developing ourselves so we can continue to grow in our leadership. I love the moment when I’m able to hear from a dynamic speaker, connecting with others at a conference, or sharing insights on leadership with my team.

However, we have organizations & ministries to run and teams to lead, so we can’t always get away (as much as we would like to!). That’s where blogs, podcasts & leadership videos come in!

Consider these next five bloggers some key reading on the subject of professional, ministerial and often personal—leadership. These are some of my go to bloggers that I go to during the week, these constantly are changing (I’ll update). I also find it helpful to look outside the realm of Christian leaders to learn from, and gain a different perspective. Visit them for a shot of leadership when you’re in the trenches looking for some inspiration.

1. Michael Hyatt – Michael S. Hyatt is an author, blogger, speaker, and the former chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Read: Stay fit while traveling

2. Brad Lomenick – Brad is a leadership consultant, speaker, founder of BLINC, and author of The Catalyst Leader and H3 Leadership.Writes about leadership, the next generation, creativity, social media and personal growth.

Read: Young influencers list June 2018

3. Vanderbloemen Search Group blog on church staffing, pastor search, and church leadership best practices.

Read: How to determine if a staff member is a poor fit

4. Leadership Freak – Busy leaders don’t have unlimited time on their hands. That’s why Dan Rockwell keeps his blog posts short and impactful—and no more than 300 words each.

Read: Might be a Psycho Employee If

5. Lolly Daskal – With more than thirty years of experience with some of the world’s largest and most successful companies, Daskal is one of today’s most sought-after executive leadership coaches and leadership consultants.

Read: The 12 Most-Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves

My Next blog: My top leadership podcasts.