Category: Leadership

Every Family Needs a Vision

Sheri Yates2 Comments

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Do you have a vision that you live for each day?

Scripture has this to say:

Proverbs 29:18: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

I believe in this scripture. A couple of years ago I was basically a leaf blown by the wind. I had no purpose for my life. I just went where ever the “wind blew me.” I got up, I went to class, I came home, I did nothing.

I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and I had no purpose. This caused me to go through a time where I was almost lifeless. Then I came across Proverbs 29:18. This scripture kept coming up. My family kept talking about it, I read it in several books, I heard someone preach on it… Then suddenly it just clicked.

I needed a reason to get up each morning. I need a purpose so I could spend my days productively. This is why I think having a vision is so important.

I labeled this post family vision but, your vision does not have to line up with your other family members. It can be your own personal vision and one that you might share with your own family someday.

This is my family’s vision that has become my own personal vision.

Our vision is:

Love3 iKAN Love3 -Love3 stands for Love God, Love yourself, and Love others. iKAN stands for Influencing Kingdoms And Nations. So our vision means to Love God, Love yourself, and Love others to Influence Kingdoms And Nations to Love God, Love themselves, and Love others.

What are some of your family/personal visions?

I pray that each of you seeks God until He gives you your own vision! I then pray that you live each day focused on your vision!

Thank you for your support!

Love, Kathleen 🙂

Needer Should Not Be the Leader

Sheri YatesLeave a comment

After my husband and I got married, we were in desperate need of godly married couples. We talked to the pastor in our church, and he said, “Since you need it, you should lead it.”
So we started a group. We didn’t truly know what we were doing, but we started a Sunday school group. We got a book, and we led every week out of that. Eventually, people left the group. We had struggles. I sought counsel and learned how to lead everyone through the different struggles we had the best I could. But I didn’t know what I was doing. Neither did my husband.
During that time, because I was studying the Bible at a different Bible study somewhere else, the love of Jesus struck me in the heart, and suddenly I understood my need for Him more than ever. I understood how to have Him in every part and every area of my life, every day. I started to bring this truth to the group, but nobody could even understand it. It was incomprehensible to them. All of a sudden, I was wacko. It was crazy.
But I know so many people who need to belong or need to be free from something, so they start a group. They become a leader and try to lead people into freedom when they are not free themselves. My theory is the needer should never be the leader. If you have the need, you probably should not lead. You need a leader.

I think it’s interesting that broke people try to lead broke people into financial freedom. Poor and addicted people try to lead poor and addicted people into freedom. If you don’t know how to be free and you haven’t had any sustainability, can you honestly teach someone else how to be free?

Many times, people get together and talk about their problems. They talk about their desires, and they talk about why they do it. But the Bible never says discussing your problem will set you free. It says the truth will set you free—the truth and the truth only.

If you have to pick up a book to lead someone through it, to help them break free, or to help them grow, then are you truly the right person to lead that group? If you can’t lead it straight out of the truth—the Word of God—from your own walk and your own testimony that you have gone ahead of them, then are you the right person to lead someone else into the authentic freedom of Jesus Christ? Are you the one who should be leading?

I believe the needer should not be the leader. If you have a need, find someone who has walked through the fire, has a testimony, and has paved the way for you. Maybe they are a pioneer. Ask them for help. Consider having them start a group to help you so you can experience the freedom they have.

Leaders, Here Is the Best Piece of Advice

Sheri YatesLeave a comment
We all serve in some kind of leadership role. It is good to learn from each other, so I love this question that Lisa Bevere recently asked:

For all my sisters who serve in a leadership capacity at their church, what’s your best piece of advice?


Here are just a few of the responses. Which one do you need to consider in your life? 

It’s important for leaders to have integrity and be consistent. Guard your heart, don’t take the bait, and see things from God’s perspective!

Remember that you don’t serve anyone but Jesus. Everything you do in the body of Christ is because of your love for Jesus. You can only give what has been poured into you. Also remember that you are a work in progress.

Stay humble. Keep your eyes on Jesus and don’t allow offenses to creep in!

Don’t lose intimacy with Christ. Set aside time for personal devotions and prayer. Don’t work for God; work with Him. Love and have grace and mercy on people.

Know the difference between being led and feeling obligated or driven. You’re only empowered to do what God leads you to do. The rest is a waste of energy.

Preach what you practice! Integrity is huge!

Do it for Jesus alone. Don’t seek rewards, praise, and recognition. Let it be a bonus when these happen. Do it for Jesus, who loves purely, not based on our perfomance.
A good leader is first a good follower.
Have faith and forgive. Fix your eyes on Jesus. He is our source.

I’ve been so busy having babies that I have not been in a position of leadership in over a year now, but here’s what I would say. Ask God to help you see those He brings you into contact with the way He does: through eyes of love and compassion and as ones whose sins have been covered.

Remain teachable at all times, especially when in a leadership role.

Help those you are leading, in this way showing them the love of Jesus.

Have vision backed up by the Word of God. Be committed, passionate, and mindful of the One you’re serving.

First, regularly have quiet time with the Lord, like being in an upper room with Him. His presence is the answer for everything. Second, never compare yourself to anyone else and don’t worry about what everyone thinks. What God thinks is what is important. 🙂

It’s wonderful to be organized and use your administrative gift, but sometimes the Holy Spirit needs to take over fully. It may look messy, but in the end God is glorified! Trust Him in all things. Remember you’re serving from the heart, not for accolades, and your service makes a difference in others’ lives.

Know that God is faithful. Always stay humble and let Jesus guide your steps.
Shun offense. Don’t pick it up. Don’t hear it. Don’t even look at it.
Honor the grace that God has given you for this season. Oftentimes we, myself included, get so caught up in the vision and the future without honoring the present.

These days I’m learning from the life of queen Esther, how she was humble and trusted God only. I’m also learning from great women of God in modern times, like you and Joyce Meyer. When we open our mouths, words of wisdom from God should flow out from us. We are the builder women of God. We are women of destiny.

Love! Walk in humility and serve like Jesus.

Be authentic, be yourself, and love God and His Word.
Lead by example. No one will or should follow us if we cannot be led. So, be teachable. Mostly, be patient. When things go ‘wrong,’ pray and get God’s strategy and opinion before you take any action. Generally, I’ve found that given time, God resolves the issue with little or nothing required from me. Stay connected to and with God. Leadership is not for the faint of heart. You will not always be liked; you will get offended. But God will see you through it all! I would further say (to a new leader especially) what a leader told me: Start making every decision as if you are already in the position you are hoping to achieve. That way you will develop the character to manage it with grace and love.

Remember to allow time for yourself and God to hang out. Allow space for rest and fun.
Do not neglect your own personal time with God. Your first priority is your husband and children. If it fails there, you have no testimony.

Take time to listen to your people. Know their hearts.


Love, 
Sheri 

Leaders, Here Is the Best Piece of Advice…

Sheri YatesLeave a comment
We all serve in a leadership role in some capacity. It is good to learn from each other so I love this question that

Lisa Bevere
Recently asked:
For all my sisters who serve in a leadership capacity at their church: what’s your best piece of advice?

Here are just a few of the responses. 

Which one do you need to consider in your life?

Guard your heart, don’t take the bait, and see things from God’s perspective!
Integrity/consistency

To remember you don’t serve anyone but Jesus, everything you do in the body of Christ is because of your love for Jesus. And you can only give what has been poured into you. Also remembering you to are a work in progress.

Stay humble. Keep your eyes on JESUS!!! And don’t allow offenses to creep in!!!
Don’t lose intimacy with Christ, , personal prayer and devotion time, don’t work for God, work with Him. Love and have grace and mercy on people!
Know the difference between being ‘led’ and feeling obligated or driven. You’re only empowered to do what God leads you to do! The rest is a waste of energy.
Preach what you practice! Integrity is huge!!
Do it for JESUS alone; don’t seek “rewards” “praise” and “recognition” *let it be a bonus when these happens. Do it for JESUS Who Loves Purely not based of our perfomances.
A good leader is first a good follower
Faith and forgive.
Fix your eyes on Jesus. He is our source.
I’ve been so busy having babies I have not been in a position of leadership in over a year now but here’s what I would say. Ask God to help you see those who he brings you into contact with the way He does. Through eyes of love and as one who’s sins have been covered. And for those who are only seeking even more so through eyes of love and compassion.
remain teachable at all times, especially when in a leadership role…
Help those you are leading to make them experience the love of Jesus.
Have vision backed up by the word of God, commitment, passionate, and to be mindful who you’re serving for.
First Always have quiet time with the Lord…. like being in an upper room with Him. His presence is the answer for everything…. the second thing is to never compare yourself to anyone else and don’t worry about what everyone thinks. What God thinks is what is important 🙂
It’s wonderful to be organized and use your administrative gift,  but sometimes the Holy Spirit needs to fully take over and it may look messy,  but in the end God is glorified! Trust Him in all things.
Remember you’re serving from the heart not for accolades and your service makes a difference in others lives.
Know that God is faithful.
Always stay humble and let Jesus guide your steps
shun offense…don’t pick it up, don’t hear it, don’t even look at it.
Honor the grace that God has given you for THIS season. Often times, we, myself included, get so caught up in the vision and the future without honoring the present.
These few days I m learning from the life of queen Esther. How humble she was trusting God only . Same learning from a great women of God of morden time like you and Joyes Meyer . And when we think of other  women to serve and open our mouth the words of wisdom from GOD should flow. We are the builder women of God. A women of destiny.
Love!!! And walk in humility and serve like Jesus
Be authentic, be yourself and love God and His Word.
1) Lead by example…no one will or should follow if we cannot be led. 2) So, be teachable.  3) Mostly be patient… 4) When things go “wrong” pray, get God’s strategy and opinion BEFORE you take any action.  
Generally I’ve found that Given time God resolves the issue with little or nothing required from me.  
Leadership is not for the faint of heart… Finally 5) stay connected to and with God.  You will not always be liked, you will get offended… But God will see you through it all. I would further say (to a new leader especially) what a leader told me… Start making every decision as if you are already in the position you are hoping to get to…. That way you will develop the character to manage it with grace and love.
Remember to allow time for yourself and God to hang out. Allow space for rest and fun.
Take time to listen to your people.  Know their hearts.
Do not neglect your own personal time with God. Your first priority is your husband and children.  If it fails there, you have no testimony.

Love, 
Sheri