This may seem like an obvious statement, but people often tend to shy away from the terms 'leader' and 'leadership'– perhaps because of feelings of inadequacy, negative experiences, or misconceptions on the subject. But leadership is so important, for all of us. Here are some thoughts on what good leadership is and why it matters. Why is competence in leadership so important? Competent leadership was at the heart of what Jesus did when he called his disciples to go out and transform the world with his message. Leaders at all levels in our world today [...]

According to The Millenial Mosaic, 2019: Almost HALF of millennials believe that the growth of atheism is good for Canada and prefer to live without God or congregation. What does this mean for the church? We have things like COVID come along, mass social injustice, a world that seems to be coming apart… and there are all kinds of narratives one can try to find to explain these things (political, sociological, etc). As Christians, we DO have a story that makes sense of our world. We HAVE a story, but based on the data, we've neglected telling that story in a [...]

A few years ago, when a friend asked me what my New Year's resolution was, I admitted that I didn't really care to have one. I do think that some resolutions are important, but my decision not to add one more thing to my checklist was intentional. I'd been dealing with unexplained health issues, and although I'd had some tests done, the exact reason for my struggles escaped me. Through prayer, it came to my attention that I'd been stressing over day-to-day things without realizing it. Anxiety was intertwined with my 'episodes', and I truly had been trying hard to manage [...]

This past month, I wrote COVID-Speak and then COVID- Speak Part 2 and urged everyone to live out Phillipians 4:8. Well, here comes Part 3. The Christmas edition. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. - Philippians 4:8 (NIV) Of course, I am not going to retract my thoughts on the importance of thinking positively or reaching out in love toward others. Sending encouragement to your friends, family, neighbours and co-workers is [...]

The following story has been borrowed (with permission) from the Father of a dear friend. Originally emailed to his immediate family, the story has been adapted to spread encouragement to your heart as well. Enjoy :) For as long as I can remember, I have loved to sing. Sunday School was always a big deal for me because I got to sing with others and listen to the harmonies of the choir. I thought it was marvellous. Heavenly, really. Finally, I was old enough to perform in the Christmas Eve program with all the big [...]

Use Your Words I recently caught a cold/flu. Normally I would take a day or two off, take some Tylenol and head to bed knowing that in a few days I will feel better. Not in this season! In this season, it is not that easy! I analyzed my symptoms, second-guessed them, analyzed some more and then decided to go get a Covid test. My symptoms were not severe but I had several that were on the self-assessment list, so I decided that I should self-isolate and get a test. I am a '7' on the enneagram (personality typing system). [...]

A Covid Vocabulary Lesson for Mental Health To say that our world wide pandemic (the COVID-19 virus) has affected each and every one of us is an understatement. Even if you identify as being laid back or one who likes change - no matter how flexible you may be, there has been a disruption to your professional and personal flow of life. If you identify as one that struggles with anxiety, depression or OCD, we know that this is especially hard for you. Know that you are not alone. Stats say that 1 in 4 struggled with mental [...]