Yes, you are a leader

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Welcome to The Smart Edit newsletter! There is great opportunity for us over the next 9 months at least (thru July 2025). We can ride macro Kingdom jet streams in the micro of our lives!

This week … you’re a leader, make strong decisions, the mighty sweet potato, find out your debt-free date, and more.

✅ SIgn up here.

🎧️ On the pod: Over-the-horizon living

⬇️P.S. — Find out your debt-free date and accelerate your progress

KINGDOM DYNAMIC

Are you a leader? I say you are.

At its heart, leadership isn’t about titles or positions—it’s about influence. It’s about guiding something or someone toward flourishing and purpose. In this sense, you lead more than you realize.

Robert Clinton’s leadership development model teaches us that true leadership is less about acquiring skills and more about being shaped by God. Isn’t that just like His ways?

God’s first question to you isn’t about you or your accomplishments. It’s more like this: “What do you think about my Son? Who is He to you?”

Then he turns to a question about you: “And who are you? Who are you becoming?” This is far more core than “What are you doing?”

Here’s the reality: your being shapes your doing. Who you are flows into everything you do. And when we allow God to form us, we lead from a place of authenticity and Kingdom strength.

➡️ So who is Jesus becoming to you?
➡️ How is the Father shaping you today?
➡️ And what or who is God calling you to influence for good in this season?

The Father is shaping you—not just for your own growth, but so others can flourish through the overflow of His work in you.

John Maxwell is right: EVERYTHING rises and falls on leadership.

Share this Kingdom Dynamic:

♟️ A few thoughts on making your moves with strong decisions

Make quality decisions with conviction and confidence. If there’s a mistake, correct it. But don’t continue hesitating. Inertia = misery.

Wax strong in your commitment. Once a decision is made, continuously increase your commitment to it. Personal commitment attracts good things to your life.

Want to go a little further with this? ⬇️ 

Repair the world. The Hebrew phrase Tikkun Olam (תיקון עולם) in Jewish tradition means "repair the world." It’s a powerful call to—a reminder that we’re here to make the world better through acts of kindness, justice, and responsibility. At its heart, Tikkun Olam is about partnering with God to bring healing and wholeness to the world—one action at a time.

Escalate everything. Raise the bar in everything you do—let God’s brilliance shine through. Make escalation your mindset and lifestyle. Starting something new? A personal project, ministry goal, or ______________? Take bold, consistent action and keep building momentum. Don't settle for small steps. Lengthen and quicken your stride. Take massive action with consistency and acceleration. This approach works for every area of life—relationships, finances, health, and beyond. Whatever you’re working on, glorify God by embracing a spirit of excellence and escalation.

Hearing from you matters!

❓️ What goals or challenges do you want The Smart Edit to tackle? Your feedback matters! Confidential.

WORD WEALTH 🪙 
Conditional promise: you will flourish

“In His law he meditates day and night … and whatever he does shall PROSPER” (Psalm 1.2-3 NKJV). Prosper in Ps 1.3 is the Hebrew word "צָלַח" (tsalach). It’s a Hebrew root word that means to push forward, advance, to progress, succeed, be profitable. In this context, it’s the idea of flourishing or thriving.

Holy Spirit, lead me in meditating on your Word at least twice a day. I know that your thoughts and words push me forward. I will flourish and be profitable in the will of the Father. Thank you.

See the new, growing collection of Smart Edit ‘Word Wealth’ segments.

There is a shift underway in how Americans consume news—mainstream media is declining. According to Pew Research, 21% of U.S. adults, and nearly 40% of those under 30, now rely on individual creators for news on social media. X leads the pack as the top platform, with 85% of news influencers active there, followed by Instagram at 50%. The way we stay informed is changing. Is this good? To my thinking, more voices create checks and balances and breaks with the legacy info and news gatekeepers.

The cessation of cessationism? Dr. Michael L. Brown 👇️. It’s a short, accessible article. He’s predicting that cessationism will likely be a relic of the past?

STELLAR QUOTE
Christ’s A+ grade: grace and growth in action

At its core, God grades us by the perfect work of Christ on the cross—gracefully credited to us. But here’s something vital: He also notices how the cross shapes our daily lives. Are we dying to our old natural self and allowing the new life of Christ to have supremacy in our lives?

WELLNESS

Is your life packed? Well, sweet potatoes are nutrient-packed, offering health benefits for a higher energy lifestyle.

Natural Electrolytes: High in potassium, sweet potatoes support nerve function, muscle contractions, and heart health while helping balance sodium levels to maintain healthy blood pressure.

Steady Energy: Their fiber slows sugar absorption, preventing blood sugar spikes and enhancing fullness by boosting GLP-1, a digestion-regulating hormone.

Rich in Antioxidants: Just one medium sweet potato provides over 100% of the daily vitamin A and 20% of vitamin C, key for vision, immunity, and iron absorption. It also supplies copper and manganese, essential for natural antioxidant production.

(Adapted from the New York Times)

6 surprising health benefits of sweet potatoes (Healthline): nutritious, gut health, cancer-fighting, vision, brain function, immune system

The Word of the Week is … derring-do.
Action displaying heroic courage. “The parade honored the town’s generations of veterans and their acts of derring-do.” Middle English, late 16th century. Source: WordDaily

Related post: Stay cool to rule with King Jesus