Our Deeper Longings:

Transformation and inspiration are two things that I deeply long for, and that thirst only deepens the more whole I become. I imagine if you are like me, you resonate with those aspirations. To live a great life, to persevere in good and godly things over the long term amidst seemingly unrelenting obstacles, (internal and external!), is clearly the road less traveled. Yet, it happens to be the only road that matters, and the only road that truly leads to life.

So while I can still foolishly fall for other roads that don’t lead to life, my endeavor is to more and more consistently follow the godly and life-giving dictum that leads to transformation: “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21).

As believers, transformation boils down to becoming more and more like Jesus, more and more of the time. Ironically, the more that I grow, the greater the chasm is revealed between his level of maturity and mine, and yet it is also more and more captivating to imagine becoming more and more like him, for real.

The Ultimate Source of Transformation and Inspiration

Of course for followers of Jesus, the ultimate book, that never stops providing the richest and most important insights about becoming more like him and bearing richer fruit with our lives is the Bible.  Daily, rich time in THE WORD is an absolute must, and consistently investing time to deepen our intimacy with God through prayer and authentic sharing with godly believers are vital practices that are time-tested paths to transformation.  

The Challenging Elements of Transformation

But given that the path to transformation has so many fits and starts, and at times can be so remarkably puzzling, for those of us with a deep desire to truly grow in wholeness and fullness, and bear richer fruit with our lives, we are always thirsty for wise supplements to the Word, to provide additional inspiration and insight to more successfully partake in the transformational journey.

Because I am relentlessly curious about how to cooperate with the Lord more faithfully in the pursuit of becoming more like Jesus and in helping people become stronger godly leaders, I  love reading books and watching movies that serve as strong sources of transformation and inspiration.  

And, because I do love to support others on their journeys, I couldn’t help but share the following brief description of some of the top books and movies that have provided rich doses of inspiration and guidance on the rewarding and at times grueling journey towards greater life in God and leading more effectively.  So, if you are looking to add to your list, (or  thinking about last minute Christmas gifts!), I offer the following suggestions. 

Books to Support your Transformation Journey

In terms of the books that I've chosen to support your transformational journey, they are across a range of topics.  Each of them, though, will provide insights and recommendations to help you grow as a leader, or in what Peter Senge, the author of “The Fifth Discipline"(another stellar book!) would call Personal Mastery.  And, each of them, should you read them, I believe will help you bring greater focus to your spiritual lives, as each book either directly or indirectly points in that direction.  Each of them has a hyperlink so you can click on them to go to Amazon to purchase them. ( I do not get a commission if you happen to buy one of those books from the link.) 

Primal Leadership, by Daniel Goleman, et. al. 

Daniel Goleman  is considered by many to be the founder of the emotional intelligence movement. In this book he explores the vital capacity of leaders to be able to empathize with their followers, and through building a stronger emotional connection, they are able to lead in the most lasting and successful ways.   It is a thoroughly researched book, with compelling real-life illustrations that highlight the importance of leading in an emotionally attuned manner, and the corresponding pitfalls that come when we chronically fall short in that arena.  He provides excellent practical suggestions about ways to grow as an emotionally attuned leader. It's one of the best books on leadership I've ever read.

Sweet quotes:  

“People join companies, and leave managers.” p. 83

“ The singular talent that set the most successful CEOs apart from others turned out to be a critical mass of emotional intelligence competencies. As such, empathy is the sine qua non of all social effectiveness in working life…. Accordingly, empathy is key to retaining talent.” p.50

At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor, by Carey Nieuwhof.

Carey is a well-known Christian leadership blogger, content producer, author, and former pastor.   He is highly respected in Evangelical circles.  In this book, he does a masterful job of fleshing out the core tenant of the book:  Do what you're best at when you're at your best.”   That is a brilliant insight.  He makes such a compelling argument for how our ability to contribute only grows when we are able to set limits and create schedules that enable us to consistently bring our best energy to our most important tasks. Further, in light of his struggles with workaholism early in his career, he can testify to how incorporating the ideas from this book has enabled him to build healthier and stronger relationships with his wife and adult sons, and how he's able to enjoy vacations with them in ways he wasn't when they were younger. I highly encourage reading this book.

Rest, by Alex Pang   

Alex is a masterful researcher, and an exceptional storyteller. Alex does a wonderful job in helping destroy the myth that working harder leads to greater results, which is a very common belief that over time, when blindly followed  leads to decreased productivity and strained if not destroyed relationships. Drawing on rich illustrations, including an in-depth look at how Eisenhower created healthy structure in his life, that incorporated renewing rest and play into his schedule, even as he was leading the Allied Forces in WW II,  provides strong support for learning how to incorporate healthy rest and play into our lives as adults with heavy task demands. 

Spiritual Writings: A New Translation and Selection, by Soren Kierkegaard.

I know the name Soren Kierkegaard can make people think of dry, crusty, convoluted philosophical writing. Certainly some philosophy is written in that way. There's no denying that Kierkegaard is super smart, and can write sentences that require most of us to read them more than once.:)  But the payoff for the work in reading someone like Kierkegaard is infinitely worth it, in my opinion. In this compilation of Christian writings of Kierkegaard, he covers in masterful ways core topics that are central to skillfully living in a fallen world, such as: how to deal with anxiety, how to experience greater joy in the Lord, and how to navigate grief, among many rich topics.  He is a man who has thought so deeply, and  been so still before the Lord, that his insights are refreshing and almost inherently transforming. 

Here are three sweet quotes to ideally entice you to read this book:

About Jesus he writes:  He is the One who in all seriousness and in all truth is the real exemplar, that it is He who is the true, essential exemplar of human perfection.” p.129

About obedience he writes: “... obedience is the one true song of praise.” p.171

About the gospel of Matthew he writes: “ Indeed every line in the gospel alludes to anxiety in such a way as to show that it is not addressing the healthy or the strong or the happy but the anxious…. that is, to take up the anxious and care for them--in the right way” p.86

Movies to Inspire Your Transformation Journey

Sometimes we need a break from reading!  Movies are great for being entertained and relaxing while we learn and are ideally inspired.      

Watching leaders in historical films overcome external and internal obstacles can be remarkably inspiring, and can serve as true catalysts for our ongoing pursuit of becoming more of who we are called to be.  Each of the following three films is based on true stories that are exceptional in their ability to inspire greater commitments to our highest aspirations.  

Further, each of the following movies can be readily found on Amazon, or very likely on Netflix or Apple Plus. 

Cabrini

I recently watched this film on an airplane.  Frankly, it's one of the most inspiring films I've seen in my life. It is based on the life of an Italian nun named Francesca Cabrini who longed to start an orphanage in China in the late 1800s.   She requested permission from the Pope in writing 11 times, before she received a response inviting her to meet with the Pope. The purpose of that was to tell her the answer was no.  In the first of many amazing illustrations of her perseverance and following her sense for the Lord's call on her life, she did not give up and the Pope miraculously gave her permission to start the first overseas orphanage led by a woman in the history of the Catholic church.   Once she landed in America she discovered that countless Italian immigrants, especially children, are living in horrific conditions, where death by exposure or illness is a regular occurrence.   From there, by faith and perseverance, she overcomes seemingly endless obstacles coming at her from places such as the Mayor’s Office, the Catholic hierarchy, and of course dark forces at work in the slums.  Ultimately she goes on to realize her dream of building “an empire of hope” that leads to world class hospitals and orphanages across the entire world.  Should you watch this movie, I believe you will be deeply inspired to persevere and ask God for the grace to accomplish more than you could ever ask or imagine. 

Invictus

This is one of the best leadership films I know of. Nelson Mandela, played by Morgan Freeman, grew up under the oppression of Apartheid in South Africa, and ultimately spent 27 years in prison for his political beliefs and actions in opposing the brutal regime. One of the most remarkable parts of Mandela’s life is how he ultimately responded to his unjust years in prison. Instead of succumbing to the seductive allure of hate and bitterness, or self-pity and passivity, somehow he moved towards maturity. Somehow he emerged from nearly 3 decades in prison a gracious, wise and strong man. He sees the world very clearly, and has a powerful, redemptive vision in his heart of what South Africa can be. He has reflected deeply about what the country needs, and about how to engage his former enemy (the ruling white party) in order to bring life and reconciliation to his country. He also knows deeply how important how he engages with people is, in order to help people move towards his redemptive vision. Watching this film will bless you and those you lead, as you become more like Nelson Mandela. 

Glory

Sometimes leadership is thrust upon us before we are ready.  Sometimes we are called to levels of responsibility that leave us stunned.  Sometimes we are even called to skillfully confront things that are insanely difficult, in order to serve a greater good: which for many of us means to ideally improve lives and build the Body of Christ.  How we respond to the call set before us shapes not only our lives, but also countless others.  In this film based on the true story of the first African American regiment in the civil war, Robert Gould Shaw (masterfully played by Matthew Broderick) is called to lead this newly formed regiment, the 54th  of Massachusetts.  Colonel Shaw leans into his calling throughout the film, and his growth stimulates the growth of his regiment, which ultimately plays a critical role in the outcome of the war.  His journey takes him through seemingly endless confrontations, times of receiving confrontation, and other obstacles as he works to get his regiment prepared for battle.  There are even a number of times Shaw actually has to overcome opposition within the hierarchy of his own Army to get his men to battle.  How he ultimately rises to the challenges set before him provides many lessons for us in the world of Christian leadership.  Watching this movie I believe will leave you inspired and feeling called to continue to be more of the leader you can be.  

Wrapping Up

I hope, if you've read all the way through this blog that you are feeling hopeful and excited about learning opportunities in front of you. Whatever you read or watch over the Christmas break, may it be used to help you be more of who you're called to be and bring greater glory to the Lord, through your one life on the planet.

Of course, if you are looking for someone to dialogue with about how to more intentionally grow as a leader, or be more of who you're called to be, please feel free to reach out to us to help you to fulfill God's best dreams for your life.

Merry Christmas!