Engage Prayer

Are you feeling stuck?

• Physically
• Mentally
• Emotionally
• Spiritually

Are you still physically stuck at home or mentally spinning in fear and uncertainty? Are you experiencing a roller coaster of emotions and missing regular fellowship with God and others?

Where can we turn?

It’s a little-known but interesting fact that the only thing the disciples are recorded to have asked Jesus to teach them is to pray (See Luke 11:1). The disciples could see that Jesus’ leadership and ministry emerged out of His relationship with the Father through prayer. “Lord, teach us to pray” meant more than, “Lord, teach us some new techniques.” It meant, “Lord, teach us to be more like you.”

Prayer is an orientation, a posture of humbly opening ourselves to God’s presence. Rather than changing God, this kind of prayer changes us. As we rest in God’s presence, prayer moves us into the flow of God’s creative work in the world.

Are you feeling stuck? Prayerfully rest in God's presence.

Engage Others

A difficult season of life can draw our focus inward, make us apathetic to relationships, and drain our energy. Yet scripture tells us we need to engage others if we’re to remain on an ongoing journey of faith: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

Brian Owens shared how he's been encouraged by engaging a diverse community through BBT:

"One of the beautiful things about my BBT experience has been the authentic way we are able to discuss 'tough' areas of life. With all that’s going on in our world, we can waste a lot of time with theories and beating around the bush. It’s refreshing to have a space where I can discuss the broken areas of life with people who don’t look like me, and yet are willing to sit at the table of fellowship and eat the bread of real, authentic truth, no matter how difficult it may be, and experience the power of God’s word."

How would engaging someone else keep you both from experiencing apathy?

• Attend BBT together
• Schedule virtual coffee chats
• Remind one another of God's promises

How can we help you connect to community? Contact a BBT coach.

Engage Action

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9

Taking action helps us move past feeling stuck in a situation but how we act reflects our character. Character-driven leaders, like Nehemiah, leave it up to God to deal with dissenters, and remain focused on the vision, despite opposition. In Learning Leadership from Nehemiah by Dave Kraft, he says, “Nehemiah could have called a halt to the work and transitioned into an all-day and all-night prayer meeting asking the Lord for protection. Or, he could have redoubled his efforts and done everything within his power to fight the opposition. But, he didn’t fall into the trap of either/or, but instead chose both/and. He combined the spiritual and the human…he prayed and guarded, not prayed or guarded. The best leaders carefully and prayerfully combine the best of both; they trust and wait, they work and move.”

Nehemiah teaches us that leading is simply praying for orientation and engaging where you are. This is Leadership for Life. How are you leading where you are right now? Learn from Nehemiah.