I LOVE Jenni’s heart and passion for cultivating women leaders. 

I met Jenni Catron several years ago when I started attending Cross Point Church. Back in those days Pete Wilson was still welcoming everyone to the church with hand-written letters. My letter directed me to connect with the church’s executive director, Jenni Catron. And connect we did. Over black bean salads at Calypso Cafe and the idea that women should use their God-given gifts, even those who were inclined for leadership.

I LOVE this quote from the book’s introduction.

“God created in [us] the desire and raw talent to lead, just as he has in you. . . . God is asking us to do something with what he has given us: not to dig a hole and keep it a secret or pretend with false humility that we aren’t able, and not to hide in a corner because we’re afraid someone will point a finger and label us bossy. But to use our creativity and ability to learn, grow, and become the leader God designed us to be.”

Can I get an Amen? Because that quote deserves an Amen.

I LOVE that Jenni and Sherry are not just talkers, they are practitioners. 

While many people are hashing it out on the subject of women in leadership and women in the church, I love that Jenni and Sherry Surratt have been off leading a megachurch and a network of women that spans 38 countries with thousands of local chapters respectively. 

And I LOVE that this book allows their leadership lessons and advice to be accessed by women around the world. 

If you are a Christian women who feels called to lead I hope you will run to your nearest retailer (and by run I mean click here) and purchase a copy of Just Lead! This book will explore the barriers that you are sure to bump up against and how to handle criticism, face indecision, lead other women, develop a balanced team and grapple with the loneliness that comes with being in charge.

But don’t just take my word for it.

“With humor, candor, and honest vulnerability, Sherry and Jenni provide practical leadership help for women to develop the skills to lead themselves and others with the character, confidence, and authenticity of a godly woman. A generation of women leaders have been waiting for this book!”

—Brad Lomenick, president, Catalyst

“Jenni Catron and Sherry Surratt choose transparency as their way of connecting to the hearts of women called to lead in ministry today. In Just Lead!, they reveal the script of their leadership journeys and lift you beyond the boundaries of whatever you may think leadership is or is not. It’s both challenging and refreshing to be served up this brand of candid, no-nonsense wisdom. If you have the courage to soak in some serious straight talk and a willingness to let what you learn reshape your leadership style, then Just Lead! is the ‘must read’ for you.”

—Tami Heim, president and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance

“If I could pick two leaders to represent the next generation of women leaders it would be Jenni Catron and Sherry Surratt. Simply put if you’re a female and in leadership you need to read this book. Just Lead! is a faithful and fresh challenge that is provocative and yet massively optimistic.”

—Pete Wilson, lead pastor, Cross Point Church; author, Plan B and Empty Promises

I am going to give away a copy of Just Lead! to one of my lucky readers.

Simply leave a comment below about why you want a copy of this book and I will select a winner on Friday. 

My friend, hustling creative, and Zondervan author, Sarah Cunningham recently interviewed me on…women.

I will let you in on a dirty little secret….

Same sex friendships can be a struggle. Same sex working relationships can be a struggle. Same sex familial relationships can be a struggle.

I don’t know what it is about other women, but with the same passion and energy that I can love them, they can drive me crazy.

But they are definitely worth the work.

The women in my life…they love me well. They hear me out. They feed me dinner. They wipe my tears. They sing my praise. They challenge suspect motives. They question bad decisions.

In short, they keep me sane.

Here is what I’ve learned in the last 34 years of cultivating these relationships. (Click here to read the interview.)

And be sure to check out Sarah’s interviews with some of my friends and favorite ladies –  Jenni Catron,  Ann Voskamp, Jena Nardella , and Heather Whittaker.

Ladies, it’s your turn…Do you struggle with jealousy and competitiveness with other women?

Can you share a time another woman reached out to you that helped you believe in the good potential of women-to-women friendships?

Can you tell me about a time another woman reached out to you that helped you believe in the good potential of women-to-women friendships?

Yesterday it struck me how critical it is to walk through life with inspiring friends.

EVERY DAY I am inspired by one of my friends. They show me how to love. They encourage me to dream big dreams. They shift my focus from fear and inadequacy to possibility and potential. They are a constant reminder that there are no such thing as extraordinary people, only ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Spence is an Iron Man (just thinking about it makes me tired).

Keely travels around the world capturing stories of poverty and hope with her camera.

Jenni strives to empower, challenge, and encourage women leaders.

Justin and Trish bravely share their season of struggle with unbelievable candor and grace so others can learn from their mistakes.

(I am keeping this to a short list, but I could go on and on, and on and on.)

It is this simple. If you don’t have friends who inspire you, you need to find some new friends.

Right now. They will change your life. They will change your life for good.

How are your friends inspiring you?

One thing I love about Social Media is that it is an easy what to know what is going in people’s lives (not everything, but certainly the very good and the very bad tend to pop up). So you can kind of keep tabs on what to be praying for. I am sure you already have a laundry list of prayer requests but can I suggest a few more?

Sweet, sweet, sweet Kate McRae’s family has had to make a hard impossible decision about her future treatment plans. Now that is behind them, they have a long road of ahead with chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. Pray that the family would endure, stay faithful, and that their little girl would be healed. (more…)

I am so excited about the week that lies ahead. I’m excited because it’s a short week thanks to the Labor Day holiday. I’m excited because I am going to Wicked for the first time on Wednesday night. I’m excited because I head to Chicago Friday afternoon to see the city and hang with my friend Sarah. And most importantly, I’m excited because Friday is the inaugural Cultivate Her event.

My friend and Cross Point Executive Director, Jenni Catron, has been talking about wanting to create a venue “to encourage, support and empower other women leaders” for as long as I’ve known her. So finally this week, her dream is going to be a reality. (more…)

I have NEVER been able to answer this question. NEV-ER. And it is rather odd because I am the ultimate planner, you can just ask my friends. (I am already bugging them about what we are going to do for my birthday and it is weeks away. It’s September 21st if you are taking notes.)

As a child, teachers and family members alike would ask this question, all assuming I had some fantastic whimsical answer. “I want to be a cowboy, a princess, a firefighter, a policewoman, the President, a cruise ship director, something, anything.” But no, I had nothing. And so I’d sheepishly reply, “I just don’t know.” (more…)