Follow the leader

This month is a mark of a new season for me.  It all took place when one of the squad leaders called and asked me to become a team leader next month.
 
On this trip I have learned a lot about leadership and I am still learning so much.
 
I remember back at training camp in October when they listed off the new team leaders and I found out I wasn’t on the list. I was really bummed.  I thought I was going to become a leader because I had always been a leader.  I had leadership skills and I was a high “I” on the personality tests.  So why did they not pick me?  What was wrong with me?  How could they not see that I would make a good leader?

 
Ohhhh goodness how I was wrong.  It took God seven months to put me in my place.  I always thought leadership was about jumping up and doing things because no one else would. I thought it meant being first to volunteer to preach or pray.  I thought it meant whipping people into doing the things you want them to do.
 
But God has refined me and showed me what a leader looks like by placing me under the leadership of Bethany Stanbrough.  I remember at first Bethany’s leadership surprised me because she wasn’t forceful or bossy.  She wasn’t first to pray or preach on stage.  She didn’t tell people what to do.  I was confused…how is she a leader?
 
Slowly but surely God began to show me through her what a leader looks like.  Bethany has done an amazing job of serving our team through being last.  She encourages each of us to stand up and become leaders as well.  She makes sure to include everyone in decisions.  She puts herself on the same level as us in ministry and serving.  She serves us and plenty of times sacrifices her desires before ours. She makes everyone on the team feel valuable and included.
 

So this next month I will be stepping into leadership. I have realized that by no means do I have this leadership thing figured out.  I am holding the position as if it is fragile and I don’t want to break it.  I don’t want to be given this honor and screw it up by my own selfishness.
 
God has showed me that I am nothing without Him.  I cannot lead without His guidance. The growth He has done in me is because of Him and has nothing at all to do with me.
 
I want to be the kind of leader that sees the strengths and gifts in each person on my team and call them up into greatness. I want to encourage others to become leaders in the areas God has gifted them in.  I want to be the first to serve my team and sacrifice my desires before theirs.  I want to include everyone and make them feel like they are a valuable member in our team.  I want to push them to grow more and become more of the woman God desires for them to be.