Something I Once Loved - A message from A friend who wants many to see the Light and Be Transformed.

This message is as it is,

The question you should ask yourself at the end of the day is, what are your giving yourself too in the name of Love?, it should be a good thing to evaluate yourself and know your priorities and know your value, you shouldn't trade temporary moments for pleasure for lasting impact and consequences in your life, 

In this little Poetic, Simple and beautiful letter, a heart that is transformed wants you not to be tamed by darkness but to be enlightened by the Light. Read on and be blessed, you will get to know that there is a REWARD for everything, 

The bible says in 

Proverbs 14:14
The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways,    and the good rewarded for theirs.

You Can Get Repaid or Rewarded, Choose What your Outcome Will Be 

*Something I Once Loved...*

Something I loved once gave me a box full of darkness.

No victim of love goes un-rewarded because *LOVE* is *GENEROUS* and *HIGHLY APPRECIATIVE*. It always gives back, however, the reward depends on where  the love was invested. With love too, Terms and Conditions apply as the reward is always known to the victim right from the time of investment, but to this, less attention is paid.

From my love for smoke, I acquired lung cancer. Little did I know that this was Mr. Smoke saying "For your faithfulness towards me, I couldn't say Thankyou any better."

One day, I woke up to the bitter fact that my Liver had stopped filtering blood, detoxifying chemicals and metabolizing drugs because it had been over worked by my love and over consumption of alcohol.

    

My Heart too did not escape the package of boyfriends/girlfriends who succeeded in convincing me that sex was not only the exact but also, the correct definition of LOVE!!!

    

From my love for Sex, did I not yield my fleshy lustful desires? Or was not the gate opened for infatuation in my life? Oh, what an investment!!! And what a reward!!!

    

All of these, I loved and cherished then, but now, I'm a child of the day, and of the light. No longer do I travail the darkness and to the night, do I belong no more. 

1Thessalonians 5:4-10

I do not use the phrase, *"Something I loved once gave me a box full of darkness*. *It took me so long to understand that this too, was a gift,"* because it is well put. I use it because I've been at that place where you, that is reading this article and saying that "Someone must have told her my 

story" is at. I've paced through valleys of life before but God allowed that to happen to me, so that you would escape it.

So what is it that you love so dearly and what are you likely to reap from it? Are your investment plus reward worth Christ dying for? Think about it.

I can also END by reiterating, THINK ABOUT.

A Little About BAYC (Bugolobi Annual Youth Conference) 2005 and WHY AM SUPPORTING AND GOING TO BAYC 2016

It was many years back, I think 2005-2006. I had just joined Makerere University and I was very Zealous and hungry for God. I had come back to the saving knowledge of God back in 2004 as I entered my S.6 vacation. I was a young man who had seen and gone through a lot - lost my dad in 2001, despite being a bright child had personal challenges of drinking alcohol, smoking cigars & weed, night clubbing, bad company etc, I needed a push to grow more in God, I needed more fellowship with God, I needed to know my PURPOSE and I can say BAYC 2005 was my starting point. The Theme that year was "ADDICTED TO JESUS" -we added another slogan then and we said also "ALERGIC TO EVIL", It was just the right theme as I needed to be glued and rooted to the one and only Saviour. This BAYC was organised by the then Chairman Joshua Kakaire Kibedi and I must say it was one of my biggest turning Points. It prepared me for Campus that year - (I can confess that I went to Campus very focused - I graduated with a Second class upper degree in Bsc. Computer Science at the end of my University study and did lots of missions and conferences). 

That year (2005) I did not have the money to send me for the Youth Conference, I was sponsored by my dear Aunt Jolly Nyeko, the seed she sowed has played a very key role in my up-bringing and nurture in God. The coming year I still didn't have the money but the leaders then still allowed some of us to go by sponsoring us. At this point I would love thank my Mum Norah Acan who allowed me to go and participate, her prayers for me were indeed heard by God. I had a very great and important mindset change, from that of the world to that of the KINGDOM of God. 

There so many things I struggled with like Identity and I got answers at that conference, little did I know that, God was preparing me for greater things, greater leadership in many fronts. My past could no longer dictate my future because I found a profound renewal in CHRIST Jesus at the youth conference, At the conference, I was involved in many things that helped me grow, I was part of the CHOIR, though put most of my dancing talent into dance praise thanks to Omunyoro Damon K Wamara telling me and the guys that even though we couldn't sing well, we could dance. I became and I still am an ambassador of God and an agent of change, I am living a life of PURPOSE. Because of this conference, I have maintained a tight bond of friendship with some of my peers till today and we continue to impact lives in many ways, Malinga Arthur, Daniel Malinga,Andrew Odoch Umahtete, Isiagi Moses Ish, Alo Kay Baggalaaliwo Darmain Jr., Luwum Daniel, Omunyoro Damon K Wamara, Eadie Kaey, Winnie Nyakake Malinga, Edward Hire Yosia to mention but a few. 

You can build the right and purposeful friendships (have so many kenyan friends since its an international conference - the likes of Hadassah Bright, Racheal Atieno,Richard Ojwang Onyango, Etemesi Elfas, Carol Mbugua, Isaiah Maghanga,Steve Owuor, etc) at an eternal event like BAYC. I would like to encourage all parents, friends and partners of the Youth Conference to Support it and sponsor as many youths as God enables them. One of my biggest Testimonies is that God groomed me to be one of the Leaders of this beloved YOUTH MINISTRY Called the DYF (Disciples Youth Fellowsheep)- 

The year 2011-2012, I served as the Prayer and Fellowship coordinator under the leadership of my brother and friend Malinga Arthur and God surely did some amazing things, am forever grateful for his leadership and then I took over the mantle and became DYF leader -I organised two dynamic conferences back in 2013 and 2014 with themes (Awake Oh Sleeper and After God's Heart) as God enabled - we continued to see him change and transform lives. 

I choose to be a partner to sow into the lives of those I can touch, someone enabled me go for the conference, so will I and so can I and so can You.. May God bless us as we support the BAYC 2016. I would also like to thank all the past leaders and the current leader for heeding the call of God, because what God enabled them do, can't be taken for granted.

There is a BAYC RUN coming up, purpose to be there.

There is a Partners DINNER soon coming up, will update us on that as well.

There fundraising drives coming up. The HAND THAT GIVES IS ALWAYS ON TOP - Check Out A Few Highlights Through The PICS below (BAYC Can change a life and propel it to greater heights as someone lives out what they are taught)

Why It Is Good To Testify

Plans have been made but not shared
Work has been done but no feedback
Lives have been changed but no fruit

The bible says that, they overcame by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. Have you ever attended a fellowship and its testimony time and people are asked to go up and share a testimony, I don't know why people fear to go and speak, may be they think their testimony is too small or that people won't consider it...

Our precious Lord gives us life, he breathes into us the breath of life, we see the light of day, we eat and drink, we walk or drive from place A to B and we come out un-harmed and we can't say thank you. Do we know what we walk through everyday to know what God has done to prevent sudden accidents like a plane falling from the SKY and hitting you, like the rocks coming from outer space and doing damage. Do we know how much EVIL surrounds us but the angels of God are always there camping around us to counter every pressure of evil and destroy it.

The Psalmist says, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.

Let us learn to come back and testify of the Lord's goodness, let us be like that one person who had leprosy and Jesus healed him and he chose to come back and say thank you, Jesus told him you are whole, 

"When we have a heart of gratitude, the Lord surely reigns wholeness upon us."

Elite Leadership 4:#LettersToMyFellowLeaders - Excerpts From What I Learnt As LeaderIt is an Honor to Serve (It is God's throne not mine)

Hi Family and beloved Team

You are blessed, You are precious - when I think about you guys and leadership, we have not just been servants to other people but we have been servants to one another, WE ARE A FAMILY from whom our name in Heaven is derived.

I have a heavy heart because of the passing of Dr Myles Munroe which i got to know this morning from Edward Hire, We have been shaped by the principles and revelations revealed to him by God in his time on earth, As you read through this remember his words that the greatest tragedy on earth is not death but a life without purpose, when you don't know your purpose Abuse is innevitable. Let what we learnt from him continue to be something we build on and share with generations to come, I can only then ask How prepared Are you? Are you fulfilling your purpose and potential? Are you serving God with diligence?.... Let's RAY FOR HIS SON Myles jr

To add on something a little bit more about commitment to prayer, It has been told that Martin Luther prayed more than he worked, in fact if his work was more, he took more time praying and that made his work even easier, John Wesley had to say this about prayer:-  

"Whether we think of; or speak to, God, whether we act or suffer for him, ALL IS PRAYER, when we have no other object than his love, and the desire of pleasing him.All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, is prayer, when it is done in simplicity, according to the order of God, without either adding to or diminishing from it by his own choice. Prayer continues in the desire of the heart, though the understanding be employed on outward things."

However today I want to share on how it is an Honor to serve God and how it is a privilege.

This scripture spells out how God views me more so as a servant leader and his precious treasure.You Have Honor, You Have a Crown and All things are under your feet #Servant Leadership 

Psalm 8 vs 4 What is man that You are mindful of him,And the son of man that You visit him?5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,[b]And You have crownedhim with glory and honor.6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;You have put all things under his feet,

This is what Queen Sheba told King Solomon (She Saw Something Through The Eyes Of God That Many Of Us Don't See)2 Chronicles 9:8 Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on His throne to be king for the Lord your God! Because your God has loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”

It is always a DELIGHT to God when he chooses someone to serve on his throne, on his place of authority, a leader becomes accountable to God because you are a direct representation of him, everything he does starts and ends with you as the leader, that's why we have to be cautious not to abuse our place of leadership. Queen Sheba saw that and perhaps Solomon did not know and many leaders need to be reminded that the place of influence is God's, the throne he places us on is his.

Through out my time of leadership this statement that the place of leadership i am in is God's, it was and is to his delight that am leading because God has chosen and put me there, Indeed leadership comes from him. I have often said that i fear to lead without direction and many times I have been proven wrong before because some of the things that have been done in the eyes of those spiritually dead they don't understand but when you have had from God and are sure, time reveals that God has, was and is true.

So Leadership should be an honorable ambition, something that goes beyond self, goes beyond selfishness, your own self, leadership is to being Glory to God, serve people, bring forth solutions that will impact thousands of generations. To aspire to leadership is an honorable ambition - 1Timothy 3:1

Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. Jeremiah 45:5

With such an understanding, you will always know whatever good has been done is never you, you were his vessel to be used and there is no glory you take or share with God, all the glory is his.

Here are some few revelations from my life and things I have seen God work through me and how I desired to be of great Impact as God enabled me.

# I desired to be at the top to enforce change - a passion burning in me to see things done better and create an atmosphere of love for God and leadership through deep commitment to God and to my purpose at the time. - Arthur Kmo

#Quit talking about who doesn't appreciate you or love what you do, you are accountable to God first then to the people you serve - lamenting only brings grief, lay your mark by letting your work talk - Arthur Kmo

#A faithful leader is an obedient leader and this trait is much needed in the smallest of things God has called us to do - God tries every leader in the little of tasks even without their knowing take for example David with the sheep, Moses with the sheep - Arthur Kmo

#When you are given responsibilities they are preparing you for greater tasks, do it with your heart, it might be your hope in the near future and it will give people courage that leaders can be nurtured thus securing the future. - Arthur Kmo

With all this, We need to know where God has placed us is his, and we should know it is a privilege, it is an honorable thing.

Elite Leadership 3:#LettersToMyFellowLeaders - Excerpts From What I Learnt As LeaderLeading With Purpose (Everything you do will have meaning and it will bring joy and satisfaction)

Hello Beloved Team

Greetings with love from our Father in heaven, The King of Kings is seated at his right hand making intercessions for you and I. It is a beautiful thing to wake up every morning knowing you are in the strongest team and that there is an assurance of victory at every step that the Holy Spirit takes you and I through.

I love you guys and I keep praying for you, if there is any prayer I would like you to know is that God will KEEP YOU HEALTHY so that you can LEAD WITH PURPOSE everyday of your life. The Scriptures I am putting below are to point us to what am going to share on leading with purpose, there are many more but these few will suffice.

Acts 26:16 ESV 

But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.

Ephesians 1:11 ESV 

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.

Micah 6:8 ESV 

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

As we climaxed last week, it ended on a high while Edward Hire talked about the "Attitude of Giving" and there were many profound statements were made in relation to the revelation given from God's word e.g It is not about how big the gift is but about the intent of the heart, my greatest desire is that everything we have been taught will be translated into the practical reality of things. Faith makes things real that's why it is important to act upon every word and determine to change - Remember that the way you live your life now will not be any different from when your older, so if you get the right principles and apply them now it will be something you will also teach your children. And the way you live your life now determines how it will affect your future, so be wise in acquiring wisdom, in adding knowledge, in being disciplined, in being able to make great decisions and in having courage to face every giant or mountain no matter what stands a head, this will enable you lead and influence many lives with a clear sense of purpose.

I happened to fall on a quote which made a lot of sense to me and this was in relation to purpose. # A Leader must lead with purpose in his heart - Success happens on purpose and never by accident - Jimmy Evans

I just love the way Jimmy Evans ended with this and he put it clearly success happens on PURPOSE and never by accident. When we look through the lives of many great leaders and may many men and women who changed lives, there is one word we will always say, "That was his/her purpose" - when you read about the likes of Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Dr Myles Munroe, Winston Church Hill, Arch Bishop Janan Luwum, Joshua in the Bible, Moses in the Bible etc all these guys knew their purpose on earth and they breathed, lived and died for their purpose just like Jesus was mentioned, "For this cause I must endure the Cross".

I have been privileged through out my term to have never felt like giving up, why? because I have a purpose, until today my commitment has never wavered and by the grace of God I feel that my time is ending with great satisfaction more because with my good friends Malinga Arthur, Edward Hire, Isiagi Moses, Andrew Odoch, Daniel Malinga, Daniel Luwum, Eddie Kiyegga, Wamono Moses we had a a vision of disciplining young people and making them grow into leadership and affect their lives, it came with a cost because things weren't that easy as we had some mountains to climb, we had to sacrifice a lot and be there for the younger generation - Today we smile even more when we see the younger guys doing what we envisioned and this gives us more hope for the future not only for church but for family, society, business, governance etc, it is such a humbling experience. Surely SUCCESS HAPPENS ON PURPOSE, Joshua in Joshua 1:8 was told to meditate on the book of the law day and night and that he would be successful. It was at a point where Moses the Leader had died and through that crisis when many seemed to think there was no other leader, this guy had been under the wings of Moses' mentor-ship and God told him to arise to his purpose (Which was to lead the Israelite into the land of Canaan ), Had he sat back so many things wouldn't have been done, so my friends and I couldn't sit back and today when we see changes in DYF it has been a result of obeying the voice of God and acknowledging he had put purpose in our hearts to do as he had instructed building on what was already laid as the foundation for DYF.

Napoleon Hill once said that No Man/Woman (leader) can become a permanent success without taking others along with him

In this journey as I mentioned some names above, it has been a journey of moving with those who have believed in what God has called them to do, believed in each other's god given talents and abilities, appreciated each other's style of leadership and of doing things, and thank God that along the way, we kept on building and working with teams and there has been a great sense of success as one takes over the other, The team of from 2011-2014 and beyond as been a great family team, 2013-2014 has been successful because of what 2011-2012 team laid out as well and each year a different team does something that will last and affect many generations to come, so our foundation is important and because of a good foundation from 1992, the banner of DYF rides higher than ever because each year each team laid out something that we continue to build on. I am grateful to the leaders that came before us and did as well in their time, they led with purpose and we tapped into that. 

Dr Myles Munroe said that "The greatest tragedy on earth is not death but a life without purpose" and also "When purpose is not known abuse is inevitable". Let me add something too, when a leader leads without direction and purpose, it is totally a wasted time. 

Here are a few statements that i have written based on what I have learnt and applied as well and continue to apply.

#A Leader  is as good as he listens - Learn to Listen to those you serve with, they hear what you haven’t heard and they see what you haven’t seen, they have touched what you haven’t touched and smelt what you haven’t smelt, these can help propel the Service to one another and the greater good to greater heights. - James 1:19

#When you are given responsibilities they are preparing you for greater tasks, do it with your heart, it might be your hope in the near future and it will give people courage that leaders can be nurtured thus securing the future.

#You are not the Only Leader - there are others you Lead with and are accountable to

#A leader should build confidence even in the weakest member of the team - The best advise any other struggling leader can get is a vote of confidence. This is done by reminding them of the vision you all share and what you want to achieve and also reminding them of their roles and how important it is in achieving this, they lose more if they don’t do what they are called to do, so someone else takes the blessing when they don’t do their work because it’s be done by another person. In saying so they need to be encouraged and prayed for and loved since one of the virtues of the one who is strong is to help lift up the one who is weak. it is a privilege to serve and an honor to be chosen by God. 2 Chronicles 9:8

#Every Role has a Purpose and “Avoid Playing your role out of position, it will cost the team” - statement made by Benjamin Tumukunde

#Can You Take Up The Role Without Being Told - It is an Indicator you can lead(Serve) others.

Elite Leadership 2:#LettersToMyFellowLeaders - Excerpts From What I Learnt As Leader - Always Build a Bridge (Connect With the Younger Generation)

# "A Great Leader will maintain a good connection with the younger generation" - Arthur Kmo

Hi Beloved Team

You are surely beloved and the best any one would ever want to continue walking with - You guys make things happen, you don't just sit back, your intentional on your blessing, development and love for God and for one another. May God bless and Increase you guys in every facet of your life and I strongly feel like prophesying that may poverty never smell your door or follow your footsteps because the Lord himself is your reward.

I write this piece with joy in my heart because I am probably apart of the generation with the Malinga Arthur, Daniel Malinga, Edward Hire, Eddie Kiyegga, Isiagi Moses, Fabian Odong, Andrew Odoch that have been a bridge to where many of you guys. "Our lives were greatly watched by you guys, we reached out to many of you and gave ourselves the best way we could even with our shortcomings you still upheld us as your leaders and you still listened to us, we could have disappointed in some areas but because we knew we had a responsibility to build as many of you up we lived with caution and purpose. I feel so privileged to have been apart of your lives with my good friends up to this time and i know we will go further and continue to grow together." Many of you who will be taking over are a little younger and this is your time and beyond a doubt we are very sure we have done well in discipling you guys and we shall continue to do so as the Lord permits.

The purpose of writing this is to remind you that in Leadership you always have to build people up and build bridges that they will walk on and this helps connect with the younger generation, as we were intentional, you also have to be intentional and start now whether you are in position or not because many of us who came to you never had positions but we influenced you with our lives as you observed us.

To show you what one of the responsibilities a leader should have look at this. In his book Spiritual Leadership by J Oswald Sanders he says this:-

"The leader must either initiate plans for progress or recognize the worthy plans of others. He must remain in front, giving guidance and direction to those behind. He does not wait for things to happen, but makes them happen. He is a Self-starter, always on the lookout for improved methods, eager to test new ideas"

So even while we were still Imp-actors "we kept on dreaming and planning ways in which we could Influence, and some times I get tears in my eyes even now, because our resolve was tested, It is still a tough journey but we never backed down, even when at times as friends we stepped on each others toes, we considered the ministry bigger than us and we always thought about you guys, It is an honor to serve you guys and to be respected by you guys, you have been our reason for excellent Leadership", as we write down the pages of Kingdom History, we have done something, the little God enabled us to do has been by his grace and lots of sacrifice.

When we finished campus and we were not in any kind of leadership, we created a prayer retreat, we had our small team of leaders, Malinga Arthur led us, I was the prayer driver, Eddie was the Welfare man, and when you see some of us do well in certain areas, we nurtured them in those hard times, at this same time Many of us had handed over David's leadership, Daniel Malinga and Isiagi were our scholars, Fabian Odong was our Adviser, Uncle Hire was a financier and partner as well with Daniel Luwum. Many of these guys formed the Bible Study Share Group and it is because of the desire to study the word that we crafted it so well that it fit very well in the DYF fellowship plan but also this wasn't as easy as you think because we were on the firing squad but all things work out for good, we could have been disobedient and at the end of it all while we took leadership we asked for forgiveness from our past leaders, we also publicly went before the church and asked the leadership to forgive us, we have done some crazy things but God built us up all through this.

Sometimes I thought my background and how I grew up would make me falter, I thought not having had a father for my later years as a young man would hamper my progress but instead of reminiscing and drowning in the past, I found purpose with a young team of Imp-actors back in 2004 and 2005, I have seen us grow and even get married and surely we are a testimony of God's grace.

In regards to dreaming and planning even without in Leadership, almost all we ever desired we have seen it happen,we could make statements like if we got into leadership then we would do this and this, we were visionary, we were determined and this came at a cost, but this is what the scripture says 

May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. Psalms 20:4 | NIV, you could also read Jer 29:11, Prov 16:9, Isaiah 55:8 etc

I don't know if all the plans we had have succeeded but am sure 90% of what we dream-t of and so has been done and the 10% will be for even greater mentoring till our Father in Heaven calls us to glory. While putting my pieces of the things I have learnt I came up with this statement

"#Without Plans a Leader cannot establish structures and systems that will enable him or her fulfill the vision, this is paramount in setting a foundation that can last and be improved upon.If you get on board and find out there are systems, study them, if something isn't working in relation to what you want to see done, Introduce what will work, teach those you work with to see the benefit of what is coming on board and how best it can enable them achieve success in that particular area. Case Study Google Groups for communication." - Arthur Kmo

Because we knew the Importance of Intentional Discipleship, from our days of working in teams to do this and that, we kept on seeing potential in many and we would tell each other work with this person let him or her be under your guidance and that's how we managed to capture the Likes of Antonio in prayer, Benjamin in discipleship, Racheal in Davids, Marvin in Drama etc and such a thing should continue... these guys have grown and they have become mature and continue to mature..

This is what I had to say because it is a principle that has worked all through for us 

"#Establish Smaller Teams (Best point to disciple many) - Just like the Ants work in few numbers so does the model help give a team confidence to think for themselves with a clear know of the vision and values and objectives. When teams are established they shouldn't be sabotaged, the leader should be encouraged to believe in his creativity from God - All that has to be done by the Leader they account to and is to monitor, evaluate, coordinate and advise in relation to the guiding theme and vision. this brings the best out of teams because Individual strengths are shared and put to form a team force. it is smarter and stronger to move in groups, none can feel the pain or stress alone, you have more victories and successes in teams and groups." - Arthur Kmo

So My encouragement to you guys is that all you learn from here will play a good part of forming and transforming you into a better leader, and it will show when your out there, you will always be the best because of the training you get from DYF. I mentioned something a lot that has helped us as a team and that is that we have been not just leaders but we have also been friends who have loved and hurt one another, but vision and purpose have made us come this far by the grace of God, endeavor to be friends and cultivate friendship as you walk together. And we challenged ourselves to read and study back then big time, this is what Muriel Ormrod had to say about a leader"A Leader should neither be content with easy books nor satisfied with reading only in his specialty", we had to become diverse as much as we knew our strengths and what we were passionate about and Indeed as God says in 

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

One day Daniel Malinga and I were walking behind Antonio and Marvin and we had them talk and they mentioned something and If i can paraphrase it, they said they wanted to be like us and that challenged Daniel and I to live and lead by example so this makes me conclude with this statement

"#As a Leader you must have a dream to leave a legacy and make disciples and produce many like you" - Arthur Kmo

Benjamin Tumukuned my Good friend shared a revelation he got and he said there can be no SUCCESS without SUCCESSION. It is so true, whoever succeeds you must come and do better and in such a way you as a leader will have done well in building up those who will succeed you because it actually means they go far and above...

Don't for get to build a bridge in your time lest some one else comes and does your work Without it many might take years to cross over and yet we have to move forward

TIP: Always lead from within not the stands (From a Rugby Game Scenario)---- #Leading from Within - Talk about Influence, it is best and better done from within, you can’t only lead from the outside, you have to lead the pack from within. Imagine your Captain being in the stands, it is more fruitful to have him in the rack because that’s when you can hear his heartbeat and advise more clearly.

Elite Leadership 1:#LettersToMyFellowLeaders - Excerpts From What I Learnt As Leader #Realize Potential and Build Others Up

Help Others Realize their Potential and Grow [BUILD] to use it for God's glory 

1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

Today I am going to focus on a key attribute in leadership which is about helping others realize their potential and also grow in whatever God has called them to do for his glory. 

I have strongly come to believe that hadn't someone seen potential in me, and hadn't they seen that I had the ability to lead, then they wouldn't have recommended the seminars, conferences, books to read etc. I am where I am today just because someone believed in the God who raised me up, someone believed that I had some worth in me and I want to urge us as leaders that this is something that should never leave us, it plays a part in building an army of leaders when you are gone, It plays a part in raising a generation that will in turn raise generations, that creates a multiplier effect which will never end.

We shouldn't rob the future of many that look at us as leaders, we should help them, we should build them up, we should help them realize that they have so much within them that can change their situation, change the world around them and change the course of their future because they will have tapped into a well of untapped potentials, resources, wisdom etc 

Dr Myles Munroe once said “You must decide if you are going to rob the world or bless it with the rich, valuable, potent, untapped resources locked away within you.” 

Sometimes as leaders or people of influence we are preoccupied by the making of ourselves and our names (such ambition is detrimental to the church or any other organisation and in the long run it kills). There can never be any joy when some of the testimonies given of leaders is all about what they did and building & nurturing of people to lead is something not mentioned. Such a scene is a bad script for any movie making, Jesus took time to build and harness the potential of the 12 disciples, a point came in the training school when he told Peter that he was the rock he would build the church, remember Peter was the same person who denied him 3 times but Jesus love for him was not reduced either by the denial or whatever else Peter did. As leaders the greatest thing you can ever build is people not structures because people will sustain even the structures that are to be put in place. 

I remember vividly that the first person/people who saw potential in me was/were my close friends Malinga Arthur, Daniel Malinga, Isiagi Moses, Kenneth Ayebazibwe, Fabian Odong, Andrew Odoch, Wamono Moses, Eddie Kiyegga, Nancy Amito, Prosper Ahabwe, Peter Kamese, Patricia Achipa and many others. But one of the greatest things I have come to realize in life is that if we all knew the potential that is within us given by God, for others to help us out it would be even much easier. 

This is what the bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves." other versions call the Light Shining 'Treasure'. So before others can see potential in you, see the potential first within you. 

God uses what he has placed on the inside of us to do way beyond what we are physically limited with. Ephesians 3:20 clearly says "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us," 

What kind of leader are you or what kind of leader do you desire to be, I always wanted to make things happen, create new ways of doing certain things, myself and the team in our earlier years of working together told ourselves we have so much potential, we chose to study, work hard and read books, we chose to pray and seek the face of God hoping that in the near future what we envisioned would come to pass, and this was as a result of us realizing what God had placed within us. 

I want to tell you as leaders that we did not compete but instead we complemented each other, where one was weak, we stood in strong, where one was strong, we stood in stronger. This is the key lesson i learnt and continue to learn - when you build yourself up, it becomes easier for you to build others, God built us so that we could build others, we were and are still blessed to be a blessing. 

I love this quote from Dr Myles Munroe "People generally fall into one of three groups: the few who make things happen, the many who watch things happen, and the overwhelming majority who have no notion of what happens. Every person is either a creator of fact or a creature of circumstance. He either puts color into his environment, or, like a chameleon, takes color from his environment" 

Zig Ziglar also says that when "When you catch a glimpse of your potential, that's when passion is born."

John C. Maxwell crowns it for me by saying "A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change a life. A word of encouragement from a spouse can save a marriage. A word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach her potential."

A few things a leader can embody

#A leader should build confidence even in the weakest member of the team - The best advise any other struggling leader can get is a vote of confidence. This is done by reminding them of the vision you all share and what you want to achieve and also reminding them of their roles and how important it is in achieving this, they lose more if they don’t do what they are called to do, so someone else takes the blessing when they don’t do their work because it’s be done by another person. In saying so they need to be encouraged and prayed for and loved since one of the virtues of the one who is strong is to help lift up the one who is weak. it is a privilege to serve and an honor to be chosen by God. 2 Chronicles 9:8

#As a leader it is better to work with a more motivated and encouraged person than one who knows he can do it but is complaining and sulking all through. You also need the strength of the motivated person. However you stand in the place of encouraging and building confidence and in the place of rebuking to correct the wrong ones and lead them in the right way if they are willing to be helped.

#A Leader  is as good as he listens - Learn to Listen to those you serve with, they hear what you haven’t heard and they see what you haven’t seen, they have touched what you haven’t touched and smelt what you haven’t smelt, these can help propel the Service to one another and the greater good to greater heights. - James 1:19

God bless you so much