Leadership Through Love (Chapter 11) - "Acknowledge Him in All Your Ways" - Steve Martin

Chapter 11

Acknowledge Him in All Your Ways

   - Heart of Thankfulness

   - Heart of Worship

   - Heart of Service

The very first verse I ever memorized that I can remember was Psalm 37:4,5 “Have your delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desire of your heart. Trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (NAS) That was in my teen years, before the “work” years began.

After 27 years of administration work, I can truthfully and gratefully acknowledge that if it hadn’t been for the Lord’s encouragement, guidance, provision, patience and persistence working in my life through His grace, I would have quit ministry service a long time ago. Administrators and staff serving in key roles need to depend on Him in all that they set out to do. The road is not easy, and our spirits, souls and bodies need His constant input to refresh, revitalize, and direct our daily steps.

Ministry and church administration, though it has the eternal rewards promised to all faithful servants, is certainly not the “field of green” that many expect it is. As in any work of the Lord, there are additional pressures that one confronts knowingly and unknowingly throughout the week. The enemy of the soul seems to work overtime to discourage, steal and destroy the families and staff of committed laborers. Those at the “top of the staff rosters” are generally the first target.

Having raised a family of four with my wife Laurie, we have experienced the results of the enemy’s efforts to get us off course. Often he will work through our children, to try and have us question the protection and watch care the Lord promises.

Over those growing decades, four cars were totaled in the early driving years of our three oldest kids. That certainly tested our faith. The three trips to bail two out of jail, on separate other occasions, even more so caused us to seek the Lord for His wisdom and counsel. Our home lives do have the spiritual pressure bearing down on us, as we attempt to be the “examples” of leadership in the church and ministry settings.

To acknowledge the ongoing reliance on the Lord’s protection and provision are continually needed to press forward, to see His kingdom come and His will done. One prophetic word spoken over me, that I didn’t realize until I heard it only recently, was that the Lord has His protection over and around me. One may take that for granted, which I did, but when it came through my ears and settled into my heart, my gratitude for the Lord increased. That spoken word continues to give me the faith to push forward in those areas of building and growth that I have been called to do. Knowing my “back” and forward progress is protected gives me the courage to press on, which also includes my family.

To help sustain this awareness of the Lord’s presence, it has become my habit to spend a quiet time each day with the Lord, as I wrote in an earlier chapter. I need to thank my mother, Lila Martin Parker, for her excellent example set early in my childhood. As a kid growing up in Cedar falls, Iowa, I noticed her take time out at the beginning of the day to read the Word, listen to her praise albums on the stereo phonograph player, and pray. To this day, this practice in my life has been ongoing (except maybe not on Saturdays and Sundays, when I commit my day to the Lord in others ways.)

Prayer chair

Developing a thankful heart as a leader, by thanking the Lord for the opportunities He gives in service as a leader, allows me to realize just what all He does. When a situation arises that could cause grave concern or another headache, my first reaction has often been to say quietly to the Lord, “Thank you Lord.” To speak blessing instead of cursing, when the temptation is great to do otherwise in any situation, causes the matter to be handled with a more godly response.

When I lay my head down to sleep, as it hits the pillow, I have made it a habit to say “Thank you Lord.”

Leading worship in gatherings has been one of my greatest joys. One of my favorite songs is one sung by Don Moen (Integrity Music) entitled “Thank You Lord”. When I would lead that song at the beginning of a praise and worship service, the atmosphere is charged with people’s hearts giving thanks to the Lord right from the start. Cares and concerns seem to diminish as each acknowledges his dependence on the goodness of the Lord, and thanking Him for his blessings.

Being an avid reader, I have found time spent reading books on the faith of saints who have preceded us builds a thankful heart in me. That in turn assists me in encouraging others on staff in their faith, by them seeing and hearing of my thankful heart.

I remember one situation in the ministry office that certainly needed a spoken word of thanks, so that something else would not have come forth. It seems that in the building we had purchased a few years early, that when the back parking lot was laid, the sewer line was not given the proper degree of angle needed for outward flow. Over the years, as the weight of the earth above it sifted and sunk, it put pressure on the line at one end, causing the line to push up at the wrong end. Thus the water flow ceased flowing. At least in the right direction!

When the backed up mess ended up in two lower level offices, you can imagine the consternation that ensued. If the Lord hadn’t developed a thankful heart in me, I would have reacted as one would have expected, along with the occupants of those rooms. But instead, I was able to track down a plumber to start the proper course of action, and in the meantime, got out the wet vac and started doing the necessity work. No fun for sure, but at least I wasn’t grumbling to high heaven.

Another time, at a previous administrator position, a swimming pool that came with the leased property had to have the annual cleaning after winter was over. Having grown up going to the pool three times a day in my young grade school years, I had grown basically tired of swimming and water, and anything related to it. This brought me no joy. And then especially when the pool covering had fallen half in, during the eight months of not doing its job. Of course, every tree leaf, twig, dead mice and other creatures who couldn’t swim found their way to this part of the property.

After sucking out the totally polluted water, and shoveling out the extra terrestrial creatures and creation as listed above, hours later I was able to give some thanks –that the job was over! Through tasks like this, by doing things we normally detest, our hearts are given the opportunity to serve others, and develop thankfulness. It also helps us to grown in further appreciation for those who the Lord surrounds us with who help us in times a need, who do tasks and chores that aren’t at all pleasant, but need to get done.

Art Maki, a long time friend of over 26 years, has most often been that special one in our lives, and the others he blesses daily with his service. As Art will say every time one is with him, “Jesus loves you, and so do the Makis”, to remind each of the Lord’s love and care, for which we owe much thanks. Thank you Art!

Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc.

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©2013 Steve Martin      Love For His People, Inc.  12120 Woodside Falls Rd. Pineville, NC 28134      

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Note: To read the Intro, Chapter Listings and first 10 chapters, please use the Search Box in the top right hand corner of this Blog, and enter "Leadership Through Love." Be blessed in your reading!

Leadership Through Love

Chapter Listings

1.      A Gift for His Purposes

- The Early Years

- On the job training

2.      Use the Tools You Have, But Not the Staff

- Treasure the people, while digging the foundations

- Do unto them as you would…

- Bless and curse not: honor those who serve with you

3.      Right Man (or Woman!) for the Job

- All are created equal – make the most of this!

- If the Shoe Fits, Have Them Wear It

4.      Train and Let Loose

- It IS Who You Know and Are Known By

- Hire To Complement Your Strengths

- if you are weak, then they are strong

- Outsource as needed

5.      Burn Candles At Both Ends? – NOT!

- Rest and Sabbath Days

- Mornings with the Lord

- Trust in Him at all times

- We all are given 24 hours each day

6.       The Visionaries Need You!

-          They dream it - you make it happen

-          It takes a team

-          Head Won’t Get Far without the Neck

(or heads will roll)

  

7.      Field Trips and More!

- Staff Retreats

- Party Time!

- Birthdays and BBQs

- After Hours

8.      It Doesn’t All Depend On You

- The Lord is the Rock – Not You

- Whose strength  - yours or His?

   - Key Staff to Lean On

    - Trustworthy managers and assistants

9.      Practically Speaking…and Walking

- Handle each piece of paper once

- File so you can find it!

- Early morning – before the others come

- Take a Break

10.  Meetings – Time-manger or Time-waster?

- Do you really need all those meetings?

- Group or One-On-One?

- Why Morning and Mid-Week?

 - Prov. 24:6 “By wise counsel…multitude of counselors

11.  Acknowledge Him in All Your Ways

- Heart of Thankfulness

- Heart of Worship

- Heart of Service

12.  Another Man’s Vineyard

-          Follow & help fulfill their vision

-          Faithful with another’s

-          Learn and growth until your time

-          The proper way of moving on