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I had a dream this morning that was really weird. I dreamed that I was in a funeral home and the people were all crying for this man that had died. He was rather young so his family was quite upset. Then, all of the sudden, his sister went over to the casket and started to perform CPR and beat on his chest. Then the dude started moving! He even got out of the casket and sat on the chair. He talked a little funny and was cross-eyed, but he was alive!
I ran down to tell the funeral director and he didn’t believe me. I asked him if they embalmed him and he said no because the family wanted a quick funeral. He then went with me, and looked at the guy; then he looked at the family and said, “My bad.”
Then, I ran out of the place into a church and Tamra was on the back row and I told her about it and she didn’t believe me. Then I ran into another door and IHC was going on. Jimmy Southerland was up preaching and I sat down next to someone and it was Troy Keaton. I told Troy what happened and he said he had already heard about it.
Then I saw Mark Mimier taking picture of Southerland and every time he took a picture his camera would catch on fire.
Then Troy turned to me and told me he missed me at the Youth Challenge board meeting. Then I woke up all upset that I missed the meeting. It took about 5 minutes before I realized I hadn’t missed the meeting after all.
I don’t know what’s weirder, the dream or the fact that I have links for all the people in my dream except for the dead guy who came alive and the funeral director.
I can’t wait to see what happens tonight!
Nelson Searcy of Church Leaders Insight has a great article you need to read. You can read the full article here, but I want to share just a bit of what he said:
Choosing to cast your vision is your first critical leadership choice. Casting vision is work! In order to cast vision you must:
Verbalize clearly: If you can’t say it clearly, you don’t know it completely. You may think that the vision makes sense, but your mind will fill in the holes of the vision without you being aware. When you verbalize the vision, you’ve taken the important step of examining the holes and resolving them – for yourself and for others.
Incubate carefully: Once your learned how to say it, let it sit. Let it stew. Let it incubate. Incubation happens when you warm the vision. You warm the vision by holding it next to the heat of your values, ideas, other readings, research, etc.
Share conspicuously: Talk to your trusted friends. Internal thoughts allow us to see only so far. We must make use of others’ eyes. This kind of sharing is different than casting the vision so that others buy into it.
Implement cautiously: Look before you leap, but make sure you do some leaping! Casting your vision requires an element of risk, but don’t waste your vision by implementing haphazardly.
Observe carefully: Who and what are around me are available to help me fulfill this vision? Also, who in the organization will oppose the vision and why? Observation helps you think through the strategies for implementation.
Never give up!: If you have cultivated a vision, never, never, never, never give up! The number one strategy for casting vision is to be persistent. Most visions are worthy of manifestation, but many go unrealized because leaders give up too early. Remember, the road is never crowded on the second mile.
I received a phone call this morning from a friend of mine that I talk to maybe two or three times out of the year. He is a youth pastor who lives several miles from me. He called me this morning and made my day. I doubt we talked 90 seconds. He just called to let me know that God brought me to his mind this morning and that he wanted to let me know he prayed for me this morning. Man, that’s just what I needed! Thanks Dan!
Now, here is the point I want to make: Should I just hoard that blessing or share it with others? What about you? Can you think of anyone out of the clear blue that you can encourage? I’m sure you can. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a phone call to make.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life (Proverbs 10:11).
Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers (Acts 15:32).
We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith (1 Thessalonians 3:2).
Therefore encourage each other with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25).
I’m back. I’m tired. I’m taking a nap.
This picture pretty much sums up life right now. I leave for Bus Convention at 3:00 AM tomorrow. I have to speak again this year on communicating to teens. After I get back, it’s back to GBS for a couple of days. So either go to some other blog or read some of my archives. Or do something constructive like building a birdhouse.
