Make A Wake

Leadership is difficult.
 
If you’re doing leadership right, you’re having to do things every day that are hard. You’re having to hold people accountable. You’re constantly having difficult conversations. You’re never really thinking about today but several weeks, months, or years down the road.
 
There are several other things that are difficult about leadership, but there is one thing I believe to be the most difficult in leadership.
 
Not buying into the lie that you’re not making an impact.
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​Alyssa, Shiloh and I were eating dinner in the car. We drove down the road to a parking lot that overlooked a lake, and for some reason the lake was extremely calm.
 
In the middle of our meal we looked up and there he was. A duck was swimming down the lake, in the middle of the lake, all by himself.
 
I don’t think Alyssa or I said anything for a couple of moments. We just watched this one duck swim.
 
What does this have to do with leadership Justin?
 
Maybe nothing for you, but I truly felt the Lord encourage me through this. He showed me two ways not to buy into the lie that I’m not making an impact.

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​(1) Always Look Forward
Yes, you learn from what you’ve done. I totally understand and agree with that. However, that’s not what I’m talking about here.
 
I’m the type of person who always wants to see results, and no result is good enough. I could be short on a goal I set or that was set for me. I could meet that goal or I could exceed that goal. It doesn’t matter. For me it’s not enough. It’s never enough.
 
Because of this, I never feel like I’m making an impact. So, instead of always looking back, I just want to look forward. I want to focus on what God is calling me to do and bringing my way.
 
(2) Making A Wake
A duck can’t swim forward without making a wake. Their wake is a natural product of their swimming.
 
The Lord reminded me, that He put me in a place of leadership. A natural product of being in a place of leadership and depending on Him is making an impact. The key is depending on Him.
 
I believe when I’m truly depending on Him in my leadership, He will use me to make an impact. He will use me to make wakes in this world for His Kingdom and glory.

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As this duck swam alone, he made a wake. It wasn’t big and he wasn’t swimming fast. However, he was making a wake.
 
I want to just be like my friend in the lake. Not worrying what my wake is doing behind me, or how fast or if it makes it to the lake shore. I just want to look forward and swim.

​Photo by: @cliffphotographs