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Dear Dedicated Church and Ministry Leaders,

What is on your heart today? Do you even have time to assess how you are feeling, or how you are doing, in this busy season? Easter is less than six weeks away after all. Can you believe it?

Our lists are long as we feel called to lead, serve others and quite candidly - to get things done. We care so much. The need is great. And it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking it's dependent on us. God is depending on us. Others are depending on us. We're that important and central to it all. 

But we're not. Plain and simple. 

Yet in my humanness, I can get quite busy and occupied putting myself on the throne of my own life. (Anyone else?) My self-talk goes something like this: "You need to figure this out. Lead better. Do more. You can do this. Come on." 

But I can't ... and I'm not supposed to. God doesn't need me! He invites me into His purposes and works through me ... but he isn't dependent on me. And He's not dependent on you either.

Instead, as you know, it's the very opposite ... we need Him. Desperately. Everyday and in every way. I think this Lenten and Easter season can be a sacred time to surrender ourselves anew. 

To ask ourselves: What are we called to first? It's not our to-do lists, the validation of a busy schedule or our pride.

It's closeness with Christ. Everything else is second. Everything. (Even our incredible ministry work!)

So I have a challenge for the coming weeks, and I hope you’ll join me in this. Instead of over-working to get more things crossed off our lists ... I'm purposefully looking for ways to pray, worship and surrender more. 

I'm striving to give the first part of every day to God. Then, my prayer is that my other priorities and responsibilities each day will flow from that. And that Christ's purposes will be accomplished each day in my life - especially when, from a human perspective, I may have a little less time to give to my work. 

Will you join me?