The phrases below, not so much. I have to be intentional each time I use them. And unfortunately I don’t say them enough.
No. No. No. Noooooooo.
I’m scared.
I need help.
I can’t do it alone.
I love you.
I believe in you.
I am on your team.
It’s all my fault.
I was wrong.
You hurt my feelings.
I’m upset with you because…
You are forgiven.
What are you doing Sunday? You want to come to church?
What’s on your list of things you don’t say enough?
I have several go-to phrases…things I say when I don’t know what else to say.
Phrases that just subconsciously pop out of my mouth.
And sometimes I get annoyed at the fact that I don’t have any self- restraint. That these words own me.
Here are a handful….
Hilarious.
You know what I mean?
Right?
Seriously?
Really?
I’m sorry.
I’m so full.
(Ugh. I got annoyed just typing them out.)
Your turn. What phrases do you say too much?
Or if you know me well…what other phrases do I overuse?
Original Disclaimer: Let me start off my saying I would never consider myself an activist on behalf of women’s rights. In fact, I generally consider myself in fairly conservative camp.
Updated Disclaimer: This is obviously one of those posts where I did a TERRIBLE JOB of communicating what I wanted to get across: that the articles referenced had me thinking about women in the workforce and what I could do to help empower other women to lead. Guess I won’t try to write any more posts before work? I would erase it but I have a feeling an interesting conversation will come out of it. Everyone, please play nice….
Yesterday I stumbled upon this post by Chris Brogan about “Women in the Workplace.” And something about it ruffled my feathers.
New data from the Center for Work-Life Policy demonstrate that while 47% of college-educated entry-level corporate professionals are female, women comprise a mere 21% of senior executives, 17% of Congress and 15% of board directors.
After citing the above statistics, Brogan made the point that, “maybe they [the numbers] point to the fact that it’s not always the position some women seek to attain.” That not “all women want to lead.” Which I’d have to wholeheartedly agree with, but think it is important to point out that surely not all men want to lead either. So I’m not sure if that explains some of the discrepancy in the statistics.
It seems obvious that the real question is how can we equip the women who do want to lead to succeed.
This morning I dug a little deeper and read the two must-read Harvard Business Journal articles that Brogan cited “What the U.S. Can Learn From Europe About Gender Equality in the Workplace” and “Can She Lead?” (I wish I could have recorded the argument that these thoughts ignited inside my head. Fascinating. I’m still trying to figure out which side won.)
As I stew on on all this, I’m left wondering:
If the solution lies more in creating a safe space for women to discuss issues and struggles, hopes and dreams, and champion one another THAN in quotas, targets, and legislation?
What I can do to empower the next generation of women to be more effective leaders so that they naturally rise to the top?
Curious, what do you think about all this?
I knew I was going to have a crazy busy spring. In fact, a few months ago, I wrote that Spring was going “to send my calm, serene existence sailing.” But I had no idea just how depleted this season would leave me. I could have never have predicted that in the midst of back-to-back trips that I’d be struggling with flood clean-up and finding a new place to live. I didn’t know just how frenzied Spring could be.
Here we are on the cusp of a new season and I am in serious need of a reset. For the first time in my life, I am craving introspection and rest. Two things I typically avoid like a plague.
Here are 5 things I plan to do to rejuvenate.
I am going take a relaxing beach vacation. My last several vacations have been fun, even rewarding, but not so much relaxing. On Wednesday, I am heading to the beach with a close friend, a ziplock full of sunblock, and a stack of books. I plan on doing some serious unwinding.
I am going to stay put. I have been traveling too much. For a season, I need to be in Nashville so I can recreate some healthy routines like exercising, cooking, serving at Cross Point, and enjoying time with close friends.
I am going to be more intentional about what opportunities I say “yes” to. I am one of those people who says “yes” to almost everything. Honestly, more often than not, saying “no” makes me feel guilty. But I am realizing that saying “no” allows me to say “yes” to something important down the road.
I am going to ask myself some hard questions. Over the last few months, I’ve realized that I don’t know myself as well as I’d like to. It’s time to do a little soul-searching. And hopefully I’ll uncover a handful of things that energize and inspire me.
I am going to blog more consistently. I know this sounds counter-intuitive, committing to post more, but I’ve discovered that blogging is therapeutic. It forces me to find time alone to process and to make sense of the thoughts spinning out-of-control in my brain.
Are you in need of rest? What do you do to rejuvenate yourself?
Just the other day I heard some “happy” news about someone I “love.”
Although I mustered up a heartfelt congratulations what I really was feeling was…ugh…not so pretty.
For a moment, I secretly wished I was a toddler so I could own an award-winning tantrum.
(Picture me beating my fist against the floor and yelling vehemently “It’s not FAIR” and “When’s it going to be MY turn?”)
I know, I know, not very attractive, mature, or Christlike.
And then I was hit with the flood of regret.
Why was my gut response childish? Where was my faith? Where was my hope? Where was my love?
So tonight I’m lingering on this:
What if I speak in the most elegant languages of people or in the exotic languages of the heavenly messengers, but I live without love? Well then, anything I say is like the clanging of brass or a crashing cymbal. What if I have the gift of prophecy, am blessed with knowledge and insight to all the mysteries, or what if my faith is strong enough to scoop a mountain from its bedrock, yet I live without love? If so, I am nothing. I could give all that I have to feed the poor, I could surrender my body to be burned as a martyr, [that I may brag,] but if I do not live in love, I gain nothing by my selfless acts.
Love is patient; love is kind. Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag or strut about. There’s no arrogance in love; it’s never rude, crude, or indecent – it’s not self-absorbed. Love isn’t easily upset. Love doesn’t tally wrongs or celebrate injustice, but truth – yes, truth – is love’s delight! Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. Love will never be obsolete. Now as far as the prophetic gifts, they will not last; unknown languages will become silent, and the gift of knowledge will no longer be needed. Gifts of knowledge and prophecy are partial at best, at least for now, but when the perfection and fullness of God’s kingdom arrive, all the parts will end. When I was a child, I spoke, thought, and reasoned in childlike ways as we all do. But when I became a man, I left my childish ways behind. For now, we can only see a dim and blurry picture of things, as when we stare into polished metal. I realize that everything I know is only part of the big picture. But one day when the Liberating King arrives, we will see clearly, face-to-face. In that day, I will fully know just as I have been wholly known by God. But know faith, hope, and love remain; these three virtues must characterize our lives. The greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (The Voice)
What are you lingering on tonight?
I am a planner.
Maybe it is because responsibility is one of my strengths? Maybe it is because I am a control freak? Maybe it is because I want to make sure that I don’t miss out on anything?
Regardless of why, I am a planner. I plan. It is what I do.
Scarcely do I find myself plan-less.
But oddly in the grand scheme of my career to date, I have never known where I was headed. I’ve talked about this before. As a child, I didn’t envision myself as a heroic firefighter, a stay-at-home mom, an entitled princess, a corporate tycoon, or a vengeful crusader. I didn’t graduate from college thinking I want to work in publishing or in Corporate Communications. I’ve always kind of stumbled onto what was next.
But now for some strange reason I feel this great pressure to know what God’s plan is for my life, to know where I am headed, to know what my legacy will be.
And candidly it is overwhelming.
These feeling were only heightened when I spent a few days a couple of weeks ago in Chicago at the Q Conference surrounded by people with big dreams who were not only making them happen, but literally changing the world in the process.
As I packed up to leave, I filled with self-doubt. Why wasn’t I doing something more meaningful? Why didn’t I have bigger dreams? Why was I just stewing in my discontent? (Certainly not my average Friday afternoon questions.)
I made a few important goodbyes before I took off. And in the process, I had one of the most meaningful conversations of my life. My new “left coast” friend Kyle Zimmerman is a sage who filled me with some great advice that I have been stewing on for the few weeks. He said, “Lindsey, you don’t need to understand His plan. You just need to figure out your next right step.”
And here I sit prayerfully considering my next right step.
Thanks Kyle for speaking truth into my life. May your advice help others like it has helped me.
Are you looking for His plan or the next step He wants you to take?
Yesterday was just another day, in a series of REALLY LONG DAYS.
It was just a tactical conversation, really. A conversation about needing to consolidate my “stuff” in the garage. The thing that set me off. The final straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back.
I rushed into my temporary “home”, a room that is about the size of a closet. I slammed the door, turned off the light, crawled into bed and wept.
I wept for an hour…at least. I wept out of shear exhaustion. I wept because I couldn’t remember the last time I had a good night’s sleep in my incredibly comfortable queen-sized bed. I wept because I couldn’t seem to handle one more to do. I wept for Nashville. I wept for Bellevue. I wept for Crosspoint. I wept out of fear, anger, pride, pain, guilt, thankfulness, and love. I wept because I finally hit my wall.
Have you hit you wall yet?
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26
I don’t know if I have ever said this before but…Catalyst Conference is my favorite conference of all the Christian-churchy-leadershipy conferences (and there are a lot of them.)
It is one of the highlights of my year. I leave feeling refreshed, inspired, and with at least a handful of new friends.
So I was HONORED when I was asked to reveal that Christine Caine will be speaking this year!!!
So…will you PLEASE plan on coming out to Atlanta in October so we can hang out at Catalyst? Here are all the details…
Make plans now to attend the Catalyst Conference this fall in Atlanta. Visit the website right now and register to win a FREE iPAD. Winners chosen WEEKLY up until the first week of October!!
For 10 years, Catalyst has created moments that have left a mark on each of us, a collective experience that has defined a generation. Be there October 6-8 in Atlanta at Gwinnett Arena, as 13,000 young, talented and creative leaders gather together.
Catalyst is the space to learn, innovate and create as you lead small groups, teams, and missional communities. It is a pure leadership experience including powerful teaching, new voices, awe-inspiring worship, unmatched creativity, and powerful stories of the Gospel being lived out.
This year’s speakers include:
Andy Stanley /Seth Godin /Beth Moore /Bishop T.D. Jakes /Daniel Pink /Francis Chan /Christine Caine/ Francis Chan/Perry Noble/Craig Groeschel/Gabe Lyons and several others.Sign up online today at catalystconference.com or call 888-334-6569 to register your group with a Catalyst Concierge. Visit the website right now and register to win a FREE iPAD. Winners chosen WEEKLY up until the first week of October!!
Can’t wait to see you in October in Atlanta.
Seriously, do you think you can come?
Last Friday I wrote that I had a heavy heart.
Today I am just spent. Spent. Literally I’ve got nothing. Nothing.
Around noon on Sunday I returned to Nashville to be greeted by a few inches of standing water in my basement apartment. My roommate and I spent the better part of the day futilely sweeping water and salvaging items that might be affected if the water rose dramatically.
Monday, thankfully, the waters began to recede and a team of friends appeared to help move all my stuff to a temporary home and to tear out carpet and flooring. We got everything clean and ready for the professionals to takeover, but it became obvious that the space won’t be livable for awhile. Bummer.
Here is what I know:
I have a lot I need to figure out. Most importantly, I need to find new place to live. Quickly. Like by May 15 quickly. (If anyone has any ideas I am looking for a 1-2 bedroom place in Nashville that allows a medium sized dog.)
The next few weeks are going to be filled with uncertainty. Unfortunately uncertainty isn’t really my strong-suit.
I am blessed because the majority of my things are safe and dry. There are thousands of people who lost everything.
Our community is amazingly generous and resilient. I have never been more proud of my church, my neighbors, and my workplace.
And lastly…I am spent. Oh, I said that already…twice.
If you’d like to help flood Nashville flood victims, Cross Point has teams of folks meeting at the Bellevue campus and working everyday this week from 9 AM to 4 PM. For more information, visit here.
Out-of-towners, you can help too. Cross Point has set up a flood relief fund. Donate here.
Today is the day.
Today is the day we all have been waiting for, or at least the day I have been waiting for.
Today is the official release date for my pastor and Thomas Nelson author Pete Wilson’s debut book Plan B.
Have you ever had a shattered dream? An unmet expectation? A failed plan?
Does it feel like life is full of disappointment?
If so, you need this book.
If not, you still need this book. (Because unfortunately sooner or later, I’m pretty sure that you will be knocked down, feeling hopeless, and desperate for understanding.)
Plan B is a life-changing reminder that God does his best work in hopeless situations.
Find more information about Plan B here.
I promise, you won’t regret it.
What shattered dream are you battling right now?
