Finishing well: passing the baton or running through the finish line?
Why I am leaving my leadership role
**Welcome to my Glorygram and to my table! Pull up a chair and join me for a bowl of Tomato Basil Bisque. Each week I write this letter as an arrow pointing you back to God's glory and the ways He is working in our world. I use this space to get to know you better so please introduce yourself and share your stories in the comments too!
She stands muscles poised, toes pointed forward, ready to take off. Her head is turned behind her, straining to see, hand outstretched, waiting to receive the baton from her teammate. Then she will run her heart out to pass that baton to the next girl.
In Track & Field, one of my favorite events to compete in, and now to coach is the relay. These races are comprised of team of four people passing the baton at designated relay zones. The goal: to get the baton to the finish line.
I love the relays because they are exhilarating to watch. They are strategic. Each runner plays an important role. Transitions and communication are important. Everyone must work in sync.
This past week, we were practicing handoffs for relays with our Track team. My middle daughter typically runs the second or third leg of the relay. This means she has to receive the baton and pass it off efficiently to the next runner as well.
My girl has always been a connector of people. She loves to ask good questions and listen well. She takes on the burdens of others and feels deeply. On the track, she’s good at assessing where her team is in the relay race and making up the difference if they are behind. She’s a team player who loves to work in concert with others. She shares her mama’s heart for collaboration and community.
In 2015, my friend Sybil Kolbert gathered a group of local women leaders in Central California. She was inspired to bring together Christian women from our area to encourage and equip them after attending the IF:Gathering herself. Through the years, women gathered regularly with Sybil, including me, and Lead Loved was formed as a ministry.
I’ve always had a passion for leadership so leading alongside Sybil and hosting this group in my home was a joy. We studied the Bible and grappled with our callings as mothers, entrepreneurs, ministry and non-profit leaders, teachers, writers, nurses, and more. When she needed to step back for a few personal reasons, I volunteered to step up. Sybil passed the baton to me in 2019 to continue to grow this network of Christian women leaders.
Over the last nine years, we have hosted lunches, workshops, retreats, and summits both online and in-person through the years. I cultivated a diverse leadership team. Our vision was to help women leaders connect, equip them for their work, and to provide a place for them to rest in community.
I’ll call this the end of an era, but perhaps it’s just the beginning of a new one.
We celebrated this past Monday with a final lunch for the leadership team of the ministry. I’ve been holding on to the baton for a while now, knowing it was time for me to move on. We savored slices of gourmet pizza and fancy drinks and remembered the many events, in-person gatherings and Zoom meetings we have hosted for Lead Loved through the years.
Leadership can feel lonely. And that’s why every leader needs a tribe.
As I looked around the table, I couldn’t help but marvel. God has grown each one of us as individuals and woven us together over time. We have written books, hosted podcasts, started seminary, completed certifications, created other ministries, changed churches, and all the while mothered a gaggle of children - many of whom are adults now.
We have studied the Bible, worshipped, followed our word themes each year, learned about personality types and leadership strengths. We have prayed, cried, crafted, collaborated and buoyed one another up on the battlefield.
I had hoped to pass the baton to someone else, but it’s truly time to run through the finish line and empower these women to go out and lead in their own ways beyond Lead Loved. I’m grateful for our Lead Loved Vision team through the years and all the individuals who have helped me grow as a woman leader.
One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned personally and watched my friends grapple with is our need for rest as leaders.
We each have a certain bandwidth, a finite capacity God has given us. We can choose to get off the hamster wheel or keep trucking along until we fall off in exhaustion. Sometimes true rest requires taking a sabbatical or being intentional to carve out a weekly sabbath. Other times this necessitates stepping away from a role or commitment.
I am sensing the need to do that now - to make margin in my own life and to send those on our leadership team out to serve in new creative spaces where God is calling them as well.
Almost nine years ago now, I remember being challenged to make a life-changing decision after my husband Ericlee went to heaven. He and I were directors of a non-profit organization in Haiti, but after his death, I had to decide if I would continue our work with the non-profit. After agonizing and praying, I decided it was time to step down from my role to make space for grief. I knew my three young daughters needed my attention as we all navigated the loss of my husband and their daddy.
This was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made in my life. I was saying goodbye to my friends, the ministry my husband and I had poured our lives into, and my sense of calling. But I felt confident in my spirit that it was the right thing to do. I knew that the board of directors would feel more freedom to make important decisions without me, and I knew God would raise up new leaders because the ministry ultimately belonged to Him.
Sometimes stepping aside to care for ourselves and let other people step into their callings can be humbling and hard. But this is exactly the kind of radical humility Jesus modeled for us.
I think about how Jesus came to minister on earth, but He also knew when it was time to move on. When He went to the cross to die for our sins, He ran through a finish line of sorts. He was embodying what it looked like to be a servant leader and fulfilling His purpose on earth.
John writes: “So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him” John 13:4-5 (NLT).
On that night when He bent low to wash the grimy feet of His disciples, He was communicating a deep love and profound lesson about leadership. Jesus washed His disciples’ feet to prepare them for the future. In a short time, He would be going to the cross — the ultimate act of humility — and then eventually returning to the Father. He washed their feet to equip them so they could step out into ministry too.
“And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”
John 13:14-15 (NLT)
Jesus is clear that He wants His disciples to follow His example. He hopes for them to lead with humility. He longs for them to love lavishly by serving others. He eventually commissions them to bring the good news to the world and run through each of their finish lines as well.
Jesus was a servant leader. This is what set him apart. He didn’t rise to the top because of his political prowess, his superman strength, or his captivating charisma. He washed feet, sat at the table, went fishing, and sat outside in the sun investing in people.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is to bend low in humility so that we can lift others up.
In relay races, the final runner is called the anchor. This is the person who finishes the race. They are the person willing to go all out. I often think about Jesus as being that anchor. He modeled for us what it looks like to finish well.
Hebrews 6:19-20 explains it this way: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.”
And by finishing well, Jesus provided hope for all of us. He made space for other leaders to step up and further the Great Commission. His disciples - John, Peter, Matthew, Mark, Mary, Martha and others in the future like Paul, Lydia, Priscilla, Timothy - multiplied His mission. Now you and I are called to lead in His love and run in the relay race for His glory too.
Friend, is God calling you to pass the baton or run through a finish line? Pray about ways you can finish well and honor the leaders before you. Please share in the comments if there are ways I can pray for you in the process. And I would appreciate your prayers as God is calling me to new leadership spaces and rest!
*Photo by Thomas Wolter from Pixabay.
*If you’ve been a part of Lead Loved with us, stay in touch here.
Glory recommendations
Each week I like to share links to some of my own work or resources that are inspiring me and my family to chase after God’s glory! Here are five for you to check out this week:
Beautycounter is a skin care and makeup line I have used for the last six years. When my cousin introduced me to this company, I was intrigued because of their commitment to developing products that didn’t use harmful chemicals and toxic fillers. This month I took a leap and signed up to be a brand advocate because I have come to love these products and use them daily. I especially love their anti-aging line of lotions and makeup that doesn’t cause a breakout on my sensitive skin. My daughters use the anti-acne regimen as well. This podcast episode about “Setting New Standards in the Beauty Industry” speaks to Beautycounter’s high value for using quality ingredients and creating clean products.
Intrigued? Check out the products here and use my code CLEANFORALL20 (Message me if you have questions! I’d love to share more about what I’ve learned.)
Kailani's Gift is my newest picture book, releasing on April 16! This sweet book is a celebration of family, Filipino heritage, and dance that showcases the value of patience, perseverance, and blessing others with your gifts and talents. It's a book for kids of all ages.
-Local friends, come join me for a party 4-5:30 pm on April 27 - complete with activities for kids, Filipino food, tinikling dance performance, and a reading of the new book. Invite your friends, your families & don't forget to RSVP here!
-If you’re outside of California’s Central Valley, join us for a fun virtual book launch party at 4 pm PT/ 7 pm ET with prizes, book reading, and some special guests.
-And don’t forget to pre-order your copy today!
Each month I do a fun giveaway with a book I’m loving. Sharing good resources with you is such a joy for me. For April, I’m featuring a children’s poetry book in honor of Earth Day and National Poetry Month. Bless this Earth shows the miracle of our planet Earth through beautiful imagery and delightful poetry, calling all people, young and old, to care for our wonderful world. This sweet and welcoming anthology for children ages 3-7 knits together our common humanity and the natural world in an engaging way that is simple for young readers to understand. Bless the Earth contains approximately sixty selections of original as well as classic poems. Comment below if you’re interested in winning this one!
This weekend I am attending the Festival of Faith & Writing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I will be signing books at the festival 1-2 p.m. Friday in the Exhibit Hall at Calvin University’s Prince Center. At 10:30 a.m. Saturday, I will be reading my children’s books at Baker Book House in Grand Rapids followed by a book signing open to the public. If you’re in the area, please come by and say hi!
Friend, I’m so grateful you are a part of my Glorygram tribe! For the past eight years, I've been sharing reflections and resources on grief, running, leadership, food, family, and faith. I count it an incredible privilege to connect with each of you through this Glorygram. Are you interested in more perks and robust content? For $50 per year (or $5 a month), you'll gain access to my full archive, bonus posts, recipes, and sneak peeks of my coming books! While the free weekly emails will continue, our subscription-only content will be an extension of the foundation we've built together. To subscribe and unlock this exclusive content, simply hit the Subscribe Now button and choose what level you’d like. Founding members will also get a personalized, signed copy of one of my books! Thank you to so many of you who have already generously given!) I am so grateful for all of your prayers and support!
I love this post! Praying God continues to do a great work through you as you step out into new things! The book looks beautiful and I would love to win a copy!