Laurie KennedyLeaders, imagine the scene. I’m thrilled with my university studies expectantly looking forward to a career full of opportunity challenge and success. Only the young understand the dreams, hopes and aspirations knowing the world is a stage and I’m ready to lead. The scene changes dramatically as I write my final exams in the hospital and the Neurologist’s words etch permanently on me.

“We’ve completed our tests. Your disease is incurable. We cannot predict the time and spread of the disease. You will most likely be in a wheelchair in two years. You probably won’t be able to have kids and likely not be able to support a family. The disease attacks your central nervous system short-circuiting messages sent to and from your brain. It is characterized by periods of attack and recession.”

That was my personal introduction to multiple sclerosis over 40 years ago. The challenges and opportunities have been numerous. But, I hold unto the fact that God has a plan for my life and he orchestrates the outcome.

We all have strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and limits. We also have God’s plan and Spiritual Gifts. None of us have any guarantees. I don’t know what tomorrow will hold and neither do you. What we do know is that we have today and what we prayerfully do today defines our future.

I believe in miracles. I also believe God has a plan. My life verse in the early years was.  “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.” (Matthew 6:30-33 MSG)

Leadership is … a crisis, problem or handicap is only a negative when you allow it to be.

Yours in Service,

Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com