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Leading and Loving It

Immensely Grateful…

Posted by Brandi Wilson

Yesterday was one of those days where several things intersected for me.  It first started with this twitter…

The honest bluntness of his twitter was encouraging.

It was followed by Lori’s post yesterday which is a MUST READ for every husband, wife, church staff member, deacon, elder… I think you get the point.  The article she references is unfortunately a heartbreaker, but very true to life.

Then I found THIS POST by Kerri my Google Reader.  Kerri has quickly become one of my favorite reads.  She’s a leader whom I really respect. She talks about real life in a real way and with a straightforward wisdom that is inspiring.

The honesty I experienced yesterday was refreshing.  See my husband has several really hard meetings this week.  Tomorrow I have to make a tough phone call to someone I love to challenge them on something.

Anyway, I guess my point is to say life isn’t easy. We will face trials.  We will loose friends. We will have people who don’t like us.  We will have low attendance. We will have bible studies that fall apart.  We will have staff who aren’t loyal.  We will work with budgets in the red.

The fact is most of us are facing at least one of those situations right now.

So this is just a reminder that we are not called to do life alone.  We are called first to draw close to Him.  And then we are called into community together.  Community that encourages, inspires, challenges, listens and loves.  Community that regenerates us, picks us up when we fall and breaths life back into us.

Thank you for being part of our Leading and Loving It community.  There are days where I lay down at night immensely grateful for the community God has allowed me to to be a part of.  Today is one of those days.

What or who are you grateful for today?

Kerri Weems Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 5:49 am

I Love this Brandi — and I have to say that my post for Trending Tuesday #honestyweek. Maybe we all need to get the message in a bigger way. Love you for your honesty, too! xx Kerri

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Lisa Smith Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 6:30 am

Thank you for this psot Brandi!
I am so thankful for finding L and L community, it has brought me so much encouragement in the short 3 months I’ve been here. I love sharing what I’ve read with my husband and it’s encouraging for him to know I’m looking for sources to help us in our ministry! Thanks!

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Brandi Wilson Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 6:39 am

Love that you’re enjoying L&L It, Lisa… we love having you here!

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Trending Tuesday: #HonestyNight « Kerri’s Blog Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 6:31 am

[...] read this blog post by my friend Brandi Wilson over at Leading and Loving It. Even though she was facing a tough day yesterday, she was encouraged by the honesty of others [...]

Erica McNeal Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 6:44 am

4 months ago today, I would have said I’d be grateful to have met my sales goals for my eBook, Good Grief! Today, having not come even close to those goals, I am thankful for what God HAS DONE during these 4 months, instead of looking at what wasn’t done. God used proceeds of Good Grief! to bring home 4 orphaned children, help cover the medical expenses of a friend that passed away, AND helped another friend walk through cancer treatment debt free. Makes me smile today!

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Kerri Weems Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 7:39 am

Erica, don’t feel bad. My eBook sales have been horrible! Still hoping they get better, but I was a little disappointed, too. It’s great how God used your book to bring some good to those children!

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Erica McNeal Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 7:46 am

Thanks Kerri! =)

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Erica McNeal Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 7:49 am

Just read your bio Kerri – you are awesome! =)

Brandi Wilson Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 7:54 pm

Hi Erika… Hope you’re doing well and love hearing how you’re choosing to focus on the positive. I’ve heard your story and have no doubt Good Grief will have a long shelf life! Don’t be discouraged… God is gonna continue to use it for a long time.

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Erica McNeal Reply:
 October 13th, 2011 at 6:37 am

Thanks Brandi! Just released the info on my blog today that Good Grief! is going to print! I am doing 2 versions, a biblically based version and a Military and Leaders Edition! =)

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Heather Steinbeck Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 6:53 am

Praying for you, Brandi, this week, that the Lord will guide your tongue and your steps….Pete’s too, as he walks into the hard meetings this week. And when I say I’m praying for you, I really mean it!

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Brandi Wilson Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 7:52 pm

I covet those prayers Heather!

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Tab Lewis Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 6:55 am

Brandi, this post and yesterday’s post are so ON TIME for me and I too am immensely grateful!

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Amy Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 8:52 am

Today I am grateful for time to rest. Our lives have been a roller coaster ride ride of a whole lot of good and a mix of tough for several months. This week God has blessed me so much to go meet up with my high school girlfriends and rest. Thanks for this honest post, Brandi. I have breathed a prayer for you today and the tough phone call you’re making. Love you!

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Brandi Wilson Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 7:52 pm

Enjoy your downtime Amy and rest and relax!
Love you!!

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Brittany Speight Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 11:12 am

CrossPoint and its community, seriously no matter how exhausted I am or beat down or frustrated with my week – it is Amazing what an hour service on Sunday, or even 90 minutes @ CultivateHer can do to replenish my heart
Very blessed and very grateful!

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Cheryl Kosec Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 11:42 am

Brandi-I’m grateful for your post and especially for Leading & Loving It! Although I’ve been a PW for 35 years there are still challenges and times you tend to wonder if it’s you or just the rest of the world that’s lost it’s mind! It’s a wonderful “safe” place to be able to be honest with other fellow “fishbowlers”.

buggythoughts.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/a-new-adventure/

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Brandi Wilson Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 7:51 pm

Thanks for the sweet words Cheryl. A PW for 35 years… I bet you could teach us a lot! Glad you’re here!

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Stacey Olson Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 1:24 pm

I am grateful for finding this website. I have been reading and trying to catch up on all I’ve missed.

I am grateful for God being so faithful over the past six years. After the death of our nine yr old daughter, we were lost in so many ways. In our search for peace we made some not so great decisions. We ended up with some time away from ministry and were renewed and revived.

I am grateful for the wonderful church that God literally brought us to and the way they have embraced us and our vision to reach families like us.

I am grateful for second chances!

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Brandi Wilson Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 7:50 pm

Sounds like your family has been faithful through some true hardships. Excited to hear you’re back in ministry.

So glad you’ve found us!

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Rachel Rivers Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 3:45 pm

Its amazing how little we take time to be grateful. Our natural response and energy is spent worrying or maybe that’s just me!.Thank you Brandi for the reminder to focus on what HE has done instead of what needs to be done.

I love my leading & loving it friends! Not sure how I made it the past 3 years of church planting without you!

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Melissa Brown Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 3:45 pm

I am choosing to be grateful during a time of loneliness and valleys, for it seems that it is during these times God opens my eyes and spurs me forward onto something bigger and greater.

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Brandi Wilson Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 7:48 pm

I think you’re right about “choosing” to be grateful. Sometimes it’s not our natural response.

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Stephanie Shouse Reply:
 October 11th, 2011 at 7:56 pm

I don’t know what I would have done over the past year and a half without you ladies! The Armed & Dangerous retreat kept me from stepping off the ledge and out of ministry all together. And my VCG continues to listen and encourage and force me to be honest with them about what I’m feeling. Praise the Lord for Leading & Loving It!! Today I truly am leading the way God intended…and loving (almost) every minute of it!

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Brandi Wilson Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 7:47 pm

You’ve been a blessing to us, Stephanie!

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Mindy Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 7:41 am

Well said! I’m grateful, as well. Praying for you!

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Brandi Wilson Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 7:47 pm

Thank you for those prayers, Mindy!!

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Beth Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 9:31 am

You hit me between the eyes with this! My husband and I have made a decision that I am to get more involved with L&L and the community. That is where I will get encouragement and be able to maybe help someone that is new to all this. I have come to love Leading and Loving It and I am def starting to feel as if I have a group of ladies that “get me”.

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Brandi Wilson Reply:
 October 12th, 2011 at 7:47 pm

So glad you’re enjoying the community Beth and super glad to hear you’re gonna get more involved!

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Krissi Reply:
 October 14th, 2011 at 9:06 pm

Thanks for writing this post Brandi. I like how you never seem to pretend to be anything. The hard stuff is never fun, but it’s gotta be done (whether I feel like it or not. Mostly, I don’t feel like it. Or maybe always. I like that sentence, “Always I don’t feel like dealing with the hard stuff”)!!Thanks for the reminder, it’s encouraging! I’m thankful for women at L&LI that acknowledge & support one another!

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Leading and Loving It Reply:
 October 18th, 2011 at 5:04 am

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