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Muddy Feet

Filed Under: Leadership, Spirituality by David Branker
Nov.02, 2011

There are times God clears the path before you and invites you to take a step, and there are other times when your step of faith must precede the clearing. Joshua found himself in one of those instances. In Joshua 3, he finds himself at the banks of the Jordan River. Perhaps it seemed to him a “deja-vu” moment – a large body of water standing in the way of his destiny. When this happened before, Moses was at the leadership helm and he simply raised his staff and the waters would part. This time, God will instruct Joshua to have the priests step INTO the water first, before the waters would part and the people can cross on dry ground.

What’s been messing with me is this visual of the priests leading with muddy feet. You see, the people walked on dry ground, but as they kicked up the dirt, you can almost imagine the feet of the priest, once wet – now caked in mud. As priests and leaders unto our king, there are times we too must lead with muddy feet. We know we must step out in faith so others can find their destiny. It’s messy, it’s uncomfortable, it’s muddy – but it’s also the greatest place to be.

In your eyes your steps caked in mud may seem heavy or burdensome, perhaps not as clean and as swift as you would prefer them to be; but take a step anyway and keep your trust in God. If you find yourself here today, embrace your muddy feet – these are the feet that reflect the beauty of an obedient servant taking a step of faith.

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I almost died – a true story!

Filed Under: Embarrassing Moments, Family, Just for laughs by David Branker
Jun.03, 2011

Last night I almost died. It was a horrible experience that will stay with me the rest of my life. It was a little after midnight when I saw a huge tarantula at the foot of our bed – it was the size of a man’s fist.  The first thing that came to mind was to get Connie away from the dangerous creature as quickly as possible.  I didn’t want her to panic so I quickly woke her and scooted her away from the danger that was closer to her than she realized. Connie, startled by the news she awoke to, stumbled in the darkness to our living room while I blocked her view from the spider.  I was just hoping we hadn’t spooked the beast away from the area where I saw it. The thought of having to search for this dangerous animal in our bedroom would be mortifying, especially if I couldn’t find it. Arming myself with the only thing I can find under our sink, a can of wasp spray, I ran back to the bedroom and just kept spraying the creature that remained curled up in the same spot. I then discovered I had just killed a rogue brown sock.

It turned out that I was only dreaming when I saw the tarantula. In my waking, I kicked into protect and destroy mode and never bothered to check my assumptions. Unfortunately, I stayed up all night – shifting between moments of embarrassment and wondering if there was a real tarantula that ran away. Connie laughed herself to sleep and remains entertained at my mistake.

PS – I would have included a picture of the sock but it smells of wasp spray and had to be destroyed.

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When Love Leads

Filed Under: Leadership, Spirituality by David Branker
Apr.13, 2011

As you read through the book of Exodus you can’t help but notice how difficult and ungrateful the community of Israel was. The behavior and responses to Moses and to God was just shameful at best. After all, God cleared so many hurdles, provided for their every need yet they continuously complained and murmured. I’m not throwing stones at them that haven’t already hit me smack between the eyes. But, as I re-read the account in account Exodus 15 and 16, I saw a fresh picture of spiritual leadership that frankly convicted my own heart. As a leader, it is easy to focus on the behavior of those we lead, but today as I looked at God’s leadership of His people I see just how much I need to grow in the way I lead.

Exodus 15:13 captures God’s approach well. It shows us how “Love” leads. You see, in spite of their attitudes – love drenched God’s every response towards them.

Exodus 15:13 HCSB

You will lead the people You have redeemed with Your faithful love; You will guide them to Your holy dwelling with Your strength.

When love leads:

  • Complaints are heard and valued, even when expressed in a personally offensive manner. (Ex 16:2)
  • The leader may be charged with enmity, yet never treats his followers as an enemy but keeps their best interests at heart. (Ex 16:3)
  • In the midst of loud complaining and outright disobedience, love still offers stability and redemption to those who will receive it. (Ex 15:13)
  • Though people deserve less, love remains faithful to offer more. (Ex  16:11)

Love will always bring strength to our leadership if it has an opportunity to lead. Will those we lead consider 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as a picture of our leadership? I think it’s a good mark to shoot for. My prayer is that God will help me to be a leader that grows in allowing love to lead!

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It’s a good question to ask…

Filed Under: Leadership, Life, Spirituality by David Branker
Mar.15, 2011

I love it when my understanding of a concept gets challenged.  Although it feels good to have your understanding affirmed, I prefer times of revelation and learning that helps me continue to grow and stay sharp. At a recent leadership forum, Mark Sanborn took my definition of “leadership as influence” to a new level. He shared that Christ-like leadership is “positive influence.” The fact is that we influence people positively and negatively, but Jesus calls us to lead in a way that adds significance to the lives of others. The only way we can positively influence others, is to first be positively influenced by Jesus Christ. Not just sometime in our past, but daily through authentic, meaningful experiences with Him. The influencer must himself/herself intimately know Heaven’s Influencer.

How is Jesus influencing you today? Good question to ask, don’t you think?

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What an awesome Father we have…

Filed Under: Family, Life, Spirituality by David Branker
Jan.27, 2011

I’m amazed at God’s love for us each day; it is far deeper than we can ever imagine. Today, I was reflecting back to when my boys were but babies. With each one, there were so many nights I just sat and watched over them as they slept. Admiring every detail about them and blushing at the thought that they were mine and I belonged to them. I sometimes caught myself daydreaming of what they will bring to this world one day – what they will become, what their hopes and dreams will be.  Truth is, my dreams for them far exceed the best dreams I have had for myself. As a matter of fact, I’m sure I’m not the only dad that has done that.

Psalm 3:5 (nlt) “I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.”

God watches over His kids, not only when we sleep, but also with every waking moment of our lives with a love that can never be matched. I can only imagine that He too admires His imprint, and is ever so pleased that we belong to Him. What an awesome Father we have…

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If

Filed Under: Life, Uncategorized by David Branker
Nov.03, 2010

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too:

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same:.

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings,

And never breathe a word about your loss:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much:

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling

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Life lessons from the garden (Part 2)

Filed Under: Life, Spirituality by David Branker
Sep.30, 2010

Started some “lunch with…” sessions on Thursdays dedicated to connecting with some important relationships in my life.  Some I have the privilege of mentoring and others who I get to learn from. At a recent “lunch with” Thursday, I connected with a friend who shared something I will probably always remember. In response to how things were going with him, he said “I’ve been spending a lot of time with branches and not nearly enough with the vine.”  He was referring to good things like ministry meetings and activities, in comparison to time alone with God. Jesus reminds us of our absolute dependence on the vine:

John 15:5, 7-8 NLT
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”

Our first priority is to live in vital connection with Jesus Christ, and then our time with others should serve to mutually strengthen our relationship with the vine. Time with others, even with good activities, should never trump or replace what we can only get from Jesus Christ. When they do, we feel limp and weak. But on the contrary, when we have abided in the vine, incredible results follow:

  1. Answered prayer (v.7)
  2. A fulfilled purpose (v.8)
  3. We bring great glory to the Father (v.8)

Jesus said: “He is the Vine – We are the Branches.” He is the Source and Supplier of everything I need, not only to survive but to thrive… to really live life. On a personal level, we discover that he is not just a source, He is our Source of:

    • Peace
    • Power
    • Significance & Purpose
    • Wisdom, Insight, & Understanding
    • Faith & Forgiveness
    • Creativity & Innovative Ideas

Have you prioritized your connection with the vine? You can start again, today!

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Life lessons from the garden (Part 1)

Filed Under: Life, Spirituality, Uncategorized by David Branker
Sep.23, 2010

We were discouraged when our favorite palm, a beautiful Sago Palm that serves as a centerpiece of our landscaping, appeared to be dying. Its branches or fronds became yellowed and sickly and we felt we needed to relieve this plant of its suffering and misery. When we realized the value of the plant, we wondered to ourselves what other options we had. So, Connie and I decided to prune it and agreed we will give it a year to see what happens. I’m not talking about a minor trimming, Connie cut every questionable branch off until all that was left was a huge yellow bulb – and yes it looked strange.

It was a few weeks later that we started seeing baby Sago Palms coming up around it, a week later a whole new growth of fronds started emerging from the center tree (see pic). Somehow our unskilled yet deliberate pruning not only released the plant to reemerge in a healthy way, but we now have two new plants that will be transplanted in another part of our humble landscape. It works for Sago Palms and for our lives. John 15 tells us that our Father also serves as a gardener over our lives and likewise prunes so that we can be fruitful.

Sago palm's new growth

John 15:1-2 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” nlt

What might you identify in your own life as being

  • Unproductive?
  • Rotten?
  • Full of canker?
  • Just plain ugly?
    • In your lifestyle
    • In your relationships
    • In your work-style
    • In how you treat your spouse or your kids or your parents

Perhaps it’s time for a pruning. On the other side, there is fresh beauty and fruitfulness yet to emerge.  Let the pruning begin…

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Youth

Filed Under: Life, Spirituality, Uncategorized by David Branker
Aug.29, 2010

It doesn’t matter how old you are, we all go through seasons where we feel that getting older is an enemy of opportunity – the best is somehow providentially reserved for the young.  I no longer believe that. I don’t think God is hung up with our age, as we sometimes are. More and more I am realizing that God does not solely reserve His best ideas, creativity and abilities for the younger generation. I am certain they are available to anyone passionate and faithful to bring it to their generation and those to come. It’s about His purposes being fulfilled, and we each have a small part in it. Having a right mind when it comes to how we think about life and aging becomes very important, at least it is to me. I want to be faithful to serve God with a youthful heart.

Psalm 103:5 HCSB “He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

I found this poem that has really inspired me to think differently. It was penned many years ago by Samuel Ullman. Thought you might enjoy it too…

Youth

“Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.

Youth means the temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease. This often exists in a man of sixty more than a boy of twenty. Nobody grows old merely by a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals.

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.

Whether sixty or sixteen, there is in every human being’s heart the lure of wonder, the unfailing childlike appetite of what’s next, and the joy of the game of living. In the center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from men and from the Infinite, so long are you young.

When the aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you are grown old, even at twenty, but as long as your aerials are up, to catch waves of optimism, there is hope you may die young at eighty.”

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A friend indeed

Filed Under: Leadership, Life, Uncategorized by David Branker
Aug.25, 2010

As a leader, I have always strived for a goal. It is not a popular one in leadership circles but it is one I still believe in wholeheartedly. The goal is simply to be received as a friend to those who are accountable to me, those who follow me, and those with whom I have influence.

Sometimes friendship is seen as something people, especially employees, might abuse and I know we have all had negative experiences with those who seek to take advantage of us. However, fear and suspicion shouldn’t shape the way we view others and especially future relationships we build.  As a leader, don’t be afraid to share your belief in people and let them know that you’re for them. I figured, if it’s good enough for Jesus  – one who has made it clear it is how He chooses to relate to His followers – it ought to be good enough for me as I lead in His name.

John 15:15 niv “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

A real friend is one who desires the best in you; would risk comfort to tell you the truth and believes in your highest potential. They are never embarrassed to be seen with you, and desire to share their happiest moments with you. For those whom I have the privilege of leading, I hope I can always be a friend indeed!

David

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