How to Lead with Emotional Intelligence

As believers, we are sometimes challenged in how to incorporate Gods principles into our leadership.  The task of balancing scripture with the secular world seems difficult at times, but in actuality it can be quite simple.

Understanding Emotional intelligence (EQ) allows people to understand their own emotions better and to take control over them.  It provides temperance and self control allowing for a higher intelligence.

Outlined below are  the 5 components of  EQ (Emotional Intelligence) and Biblical Ways to Apply It

  • Self-Awareness: Know you are perfect in his image: Genesis 1:26
  • Self-Reflection: Meditate on what He has for you through His Word: Joshua 1:8
  • Motivation: Be Abounding: 1 Corinthians: 15:58
  • Empathy: Feel the same for others: Romans 12:15
  • Social Skills: What you do for others you do for God: Matthew 25:40

Below are also some additional scriptures and thoughts that can help us lead with EQ shared by Lauren.

  • John 21:20-22: Avoid comparisons, occupy the space God has entrusted to your care.
  • John 10:1-18: Awareness of others: “I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
  • John 18:4-8: A leader  with high emotional intelligence knows their identity and does not rise and fall depending upon the judgments surrounding them. Soldiers came for Jesus: In spite of the struggle Jesus occupied His identity; did not lie to avoid discomfort: “I am He”
  • John 18:4-8, too often those in authority will coward back and run from responsibility or blame. High character leadership with emotional intelligence is marked by compassion: John 18: Peter’s denial/
  • John 21:15-18, Jesus compassion: Peter do you love me?

Developing Emotional Intelligence takes constant work and reflection. It a skill that can only be mastered when it is a constant focus in our lives.  Just as the scripture says “Study to show ourselves approved”, so is the effects of EQ when constantly studied and used with Gods Word.

~Dr. Estella

How to Lean Into Holy Week


“Be still and know that I Am God.” Psalm 46:10

The world screams and God whispers. “Speak Lord, your servant is listening” said young Samuel to God.

A simple attentiveness along with a willingness to listen unleashes a conversation between God and man. Take time this week to still the demands of the world around you. Pause and reflect before you respond this week on the words, intonation and body language you want to show up with that will make God recognizable in this world.

Slow down and linger in the small ways that God reaches out to you every day. Be still and know that God so loves you that He gave His one and only Son to win you over into full communion with Him. Be still and know that there is nothing that can separate you from the love God has for you. Your past regrets are swallowed up in a single glance from the author and perfecter of your faith.  Be still and know that the love God has instilled within your heart through faith in Christ unleashes the knowing of your soul that ALL things are possible for you when they are aligned with His perfect will for your life. This love within you believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things…this love within you is greater than your circumstance or struggle. You are not your struggle.

Shake off your grave clothes and go forth into your day knowing that the One who calls you is faithful and He will give you the grace you need to conquer with the Spirit of power, love and self-discipline which He has woven within you through your baptism and choice to follow His son.  Slow down and linger in the knowing that it is for FREEDOM that Christ has set you free, stand firm in that knowing and do not allow your circumstance to burden your mind and emotions. Throw off everything that hinders you and the sin that so easily entangles you and RUN the RACE of endurance considering the ONE who endured such opposition from sinful man so that you will not grow weary in your struggle against sin. The insults of those who insult you have fallen on the One who died to win over you affection and attention.

As this Holy Week unfolds, pause, reflect and lean into the One who calls you by name. The One who promises to make all things new and remove your grave clothes from past pain; rejection; false beliefs and condemnation. See He is doing a new thing in your life, take time this week to explore what that looks like for you, feels like for you and sounds like for you. “Behold I make ALL THINGS NEW.”

Have a Blessed Holy Week, take time to lean into the One who leaned into death in order to win you LIFE,

Lauren <><

#HolyWeek

What Has Mastered You?


A Man/Woman is enslaved by whatever has mastered him/her. (2 Peter 2:19)

What has mastered you? The need for approval? Expectations around how you think life or people should show up for you each day? Assumptions? A hunger to be recognized or esteemed? Negative self talk? Perfectionism? A lack and scarcity mindset? Unbridled ambition that replaces what you value you most? The need for external positive reinforcement in order to step out in faith? Your outer perceptions of circumstances? Past pain? Past regrets?

This week call out loud what you have given the ability to master you. Take each item and tap on your thymus (a major circuit breaker in your body located two inches below the U-shaped dip in your neck) as you proclaim:

“I have given power to external perceptions (proclaim your specific circumstance) to define my sense of capability, worth and God given purpose.  I choose to RELEASE my perspective of outer circumstance and the unhealthy power I have given it easily and consistently so that my words, deeds and actions reflect a new perspective; an internal vision that flows from my relationship with God, soul perspective and those things I value most in this life.”

Dear God, you have set me free.  Fill me down to my cellular level with an eternal perspective that flows from the perfect wisdom my soul always knows and my body, including my perceptions and thoughts, simply forgets.

Because of His Peace and Love,

Lauren <><

Cease to Do & Simply Be


 

“Be Still and Know that I Am God” Psalm 46:10

 

Perhaps the invitation here is to infuse your daily tasks with moments of silence.  Cease to DO & simply BE so that the divine spark that is ignited by intimacy with God can override the antics of your mind which is fueled by unbridled ambitions and the need to analyze, interpret and conclude…wow, just writing those 3 words is an energy leak.

 

How about this week you begin and end your day simply sitting in silence as you express the simple longing of the young boy Samuel: “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”

 

Sit for 5-10 minutes in stillness morning & evening and expand 1 minute each day.  Then infuse your day with shorter moments of stillness before God: take 2 minute silent breaks from the mind and lean into God. Watch and observe yourself do life after these mind breaks and notice how inner peace, confidence and kindness begin to have its way within your responses to life.

 

Next week I will expand on this practice exploring the methodology around hearing the voice of God.

 

Dear God, may I be quick to hear and slow to speak as I integrate moments of silence and observation of your presence in all aspects of my life.

 

Because of His Love,

Lauren <><

Step into the Unfamiliar


 

Dear God,

Thank you for loving us enough to call us into the unfamiliar, reminding us of Godly character  and strength we too often lock up in the face of fear, doubt and worry. The unfamiliar reminds us of the person you call us to be in this world: faith-filled with a mission to make you recognizable.

 

Q. When in your life, perhaps it’s now, has God called you into the unfamiliar? A few examples:

  1. Abraham & Sarah: Having a baby at 90
  2. Moses in the Desert for 40 Years: Comes up on the “promise land” filled with Giants.
  3. Noah Building the Ark on Dry Land
  4. Lazarus Called Back from Death
  5. Peter Called to Walk on Water

 

Enjoy the Replay from our Recent Edge God In Virtual Bible Study:

CLICK HERE

Join us for our next virtual live Edge God In Bible Study Feb 8th at 7:15 am MST:  CLICK HERE to sign up.

Because of His Life,

Lauren <><

A Prayer at The Break of Dawn


 


Dear God, thank you for the gift of a new day of life to explore growing in the ways of loving and being loved…You, myself and those around me.

 

Once again I release my grip on my need to know why things happen as they do along with my need to know how things will turn out. You are in control and that is enough for me. I give you full permission to have your way with me in spite of myself, for I have learned on this short journey of life that as I have surrendered all to you, I am never left empty handed.

 

Continue to release the shadows that distract me from living out the purpose for which I was created: to love and beloved. Protect me from the need to own, control, possess, analyze, interpret, conclude; from attachments, assumptions, expectations and all sense of entitlement along with the antics of comparison, jealousy and envy… for nothing thrives in a state of war. The only thing I am entitled to know is that you love me completely just as I am and that you will never leave me or forsake me, because of this all things are possible for me. Move me this day to step away from the 3 fuels of discontent and inner turmoil: popularity; position and possessions. For what will I gain if I gain the whole world yet forfeit my soul?

 

Grant me a spirit of joy and laughter that I may light up from the inside out and may all those who come into this light feel refreshed and inspired. Use my life and my death for the sake of salvation of souls. Use this gift of teaching you have blessed me with to guide people back to themselves as connected to you, so that they may experience their fullest potential of being on earth. You have revealed to me through my own dark night of the soul experience that you do your greatest work in the eye of the storm, through this knowledge resurrect within me a courage that far outweighs the momentary distractions of fear, doubt and worry. For you have brought about a greater good in spite of the darkness than had my personal trials never occurred.

 

Move me to lean into the mystical experience captured within one of your most masterful creations: the beautiful fragrant rose that emerges in the midst of the thorns. You have me, and I have you…I tremble with eager expectation as to the beauty we will create together as I step into another gift of life today.

 

Because of His Love,

Lauren <><

What the Bible tells us about Mindfulness


There are many scriptures in the bible that give us examples of how we should be mindful in our thoughts, actions, and deeds.  They also tell us how we as Christians  should  fill our minds with the knowledge and things of Christ.

To be mindful is to be present and to have focused thoughts.  But what should we be mindful of?

Col 3:2  says “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on this earth”.

With all the chaos in the world,  we have the peace in knowing that the things of this world  or only  a moment,  but the one promised to us is eternal. ~Dr. stella

 

Shiny Objects Distracting You?


“And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are

they that have heard the word, and the cares of the world, and

the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things 

entering in, choke the word & it becomes unfruitful.” 

Jesus: Mark 4:18-19

 

This is a very popular parable that has circulated

around the globe evoking a sense of curiosity around what kind

of “seed” you happen to be in this world and where have

you been sown?  We have all heard at one point the

common saying, “you reap what you sow.”

So what kind of seed are you? and what have you

given power over to that is cutting off the life

source that enables you to bloom where you are planted?

 

Do you follow shiny objects resulting in

a very shallow root system so when the opinions of

other people and circumstances do not show up

in your favor your inner motivation and inspiration

become flat lined & unfruitful?

 

Or do you withstand the dark moments, with no sign

of light, having full confidence that your God given ability

to break through the dirt of life & bloom in the midst of it

all will override the momentary discomfort

of the growth process?

 

The choice for a deep reliable root system along

with the ability to bloom where you are planted is yours

and will make all the difference in the outcomes

you will experience on this journey of life.

 

I remember when my oncologist said, “it is our goal to

try to get you to 5 years.” In spite of that dirt

surrounding me I chose God and all of the healing and

love that flow from that choice with the gift of each new

day.  Live to bloom no matter what surrounds you.

Now Pause Breathe in the Holy Spirit and Exhale any tension in your body,

Today

Dear God,

 

As is the case with a beautiful garden, there is a

season when the blooms fade and the vibrant colors 

are replaced with dull, life less surroundings.  Yet, in

spite of the lack of life that is captured by the human eye,

there is the process of growth and strength

that is occurring beneath the dark, cold dirt.

As the essential life giving elements flow from 

your hand into the soil and seeds that lie beneath 

the surface, new life, growth and abundance

return once again to the faithful seeds that

don’t doubt their God given ability to bloom once

again…with more strength & expansion than

the previous season. May it be the same for me this

season. Remind me of my capability to bloom and live

a fruitful life no matter what surrounds me.

 

Because of His Love <><

Lauren

When you love someone, but you’re not compatible, you have a choice to make

IMG_5811When you love someone, even though you’re clearly not compatible, you have a choice to make.

1. You can choose to love them in spite of the fact they seem to break everything – especially your heart
– or –
2. You can eventually go your separate ways because of incompatibility

This wonderful choice began the day you were born…

Males and females were created incompatibly different from birth. If you believe the story of creation then you know man was made from the dust of the earth, and woman was formed from Adam’s rib, according to scripture. We know that dust of the earth, and ribs from a human being are also made up of completely different cells and particles. One could even say, they’re incompatible, right?

Jon and I have loved one another since our teen years, but admittedly the choice to love has sometimes been more than difficult over the course of our 33 year marriage. (BTW….my husband thought it was important for me to tell you that he read and approved this message. He was concerned I would be judged harshly if you didn’t know that ahead of time. Presh, right?)

Continuing on…

Being a male, Jon often sees things competitively – as in winning or losing, as in right or wrong. That means whether we’re in an important discussion, or carrying heavy things, or even grocery shopping, it all somehow becomes a game of winning or losing.

Being female, and an entrepreneur, I often see things as a collaborative adventure. I love discussing important matters, taking my time shopping to get the healthiest ingredients for my family, and though I don’t take myself too seriously, I view life as a series of moments. Evey moment is another opportunity to impact others in a positive, non-competitve way.

Being male, he often sees hunting for the right bargain or gathering the best wood to work on his next project – often enjoying time alone in his man cave. For most men, communication is not a favorite past time but they don’t mind being in the same room together.IMG_5837

Being female, I decide if something is in alignment with my spirit or not. I don’t mind making a healthy investment if so. I love working together because I thrive on problem solving, learning new skills and growing in relationship together. I also view healthy communication as vitally important to all relationships.

We were created to be different

I think you might agree that my husband and I come from two completely different perspectives. Although I believe that the influences we choose to put into our brains usually impact our lifestyle tremendously, I also believe that God made us different for a good reason. SO DIFFERENT in fact, that it often requires us to dig deep into our soul to choose forgiveness and love, which takes an act of unselfishness.

But here’s the thing…we need each other to live, love and learn. Jon and I together discovered an incredible secret to love that needs to be shared in a significant way. This is one reason for my article.

UNITY saves marriages

Did you know that unity is achievable even when we’re not compatible? Check this out.

“COMPATIBILITY is the state of existence or occurrence without problems or conflict.”

“UNITY is the state of being united or joined as a whole.”

Did you catch that last word?? WHOLE!

So being compatible is existing – while being united produces wholeness.

While you may think this is just symantec’s, I can assure you its definitely not. When we unite on important matters because they’re important, we find harmony and peace.

Jon and I didn’t understand that there was an actual strategy to marriage. It wasn’t until we were good and ready to walk away from each other that God allowed me to see it. That’s when I shared it with him, and we both finally agreed to get started to achieve unity the way Jesus wanted us to.

Unity doesn’t even glance at incompatibility

Discussions of unity turn up everywhere long before you’re married. If you think back to your dating life you might be able to see how you actually achieved outstanding unity over and over again.

You: “Do you want to go dancing?”

Date: “Sure. Do you?”

You: “Sure! Where do you want to go?”

Date: “How about trying out the new dance club downtown?

You: ” Okay! Lets go shake a leg!”

And off you went, leg shaking your way to a unified outcome. Then came discussions of growing old together, what your first house would look like, what type of trips you wanted to take together, how many kids you wanted to have. There were many unifying factors that started your relationship off. Some people call them goals or dreams to attain, but whatever you call them, your relationship has never been about simple existing.

Can you imagine what that might sound like?

You: “Do you want to go dancing?”

Date: “Huh? Do you?”

You: “Maybe. Where do you want to go?”

Date: “I’m not sure. There’s a new dance club downtown?

You: “Yeah I heard that too.”

And there you sit. No leg shaking, no more thought of dancing, planning or achieving some form of unity.

Unity produces an outcome of WHOLENESS the moment you say, “I do”. IMG_5839

The day you took your vows was like hearing “POW!” inside your head. I remember looking at the ring on my finger saying to my little sister, “Oh my gosh, I’ve just become Mrs. Frazier. Can you believe it?!”

Little did I know how utterly incompatible we were at that moment, or how utterly beautiful unifying would be had I only known the proper strategy for it back then.

Oddly enough, divorcing because you are incompatible is actually pretty lame because you’re just stating a fact without realizing that it has nothing to do with being married.

Lets take a look at two of the major excuses for break up’s for instance.

FINANCES: You may not like spread sheets and yet he may not be able to do life without them. You try to get him to use a normal check book and he insists on using spread sheets. You may have been fighting for so long about the spreadsheet issue that you’ve neglected to stay focused on the unifying factors of how much you both wanted to give, invest, save, spend, etc. Working toward unity allows you to come back to the goals you initially had together and find a way to support one another. This brings peace into your home, not to mention a few good snuggles.

SEX: You want more intimacy. He wants more sex. He doesn’t know that intimacy is something that can be accomplished in simple ways that would give him all the sex he wants. Working toward being emotionally connected is working toward unity. When he emotionally connects to you, you finally feel loved, cherished and ready to respond to his every need.

My husband and I have changed many aspects in our marriage in strategic ways, similar to those I just mentioned. We’ve learned to love each other differently, unifying on every level that is important to us to achieve success and stay joyfully married. We’ve learned to find the best in each other so we can enjoy our time together. In fact, we just celebrated our 33rd year as husband and wife, while accepting that we are unapologetically IMG_5845incompatible. We are also 100% certain that the trajectory of our marriage has changed permanently thanks to God’s amazing grace.

As I continue to share God’s original plan to UNITE us to WHOLENESS again, I’m very grateful that you, my dear reader, have a willingness to see the difference and apply it to your own life. If you found value in this article feel free to share it and leave your thoughts below. The more couples we can make aware of unity, the more marriages we can save.

Always Love,

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