This week we’re interviewing Friday afternoon’s keynote speaker at CALLED: Melissa Sharpe. Melissa is a writer, podcaster, and speaker. She will be sharing about how adversity can advance our calling.

Melissa, what can you tell us about yourself and your ministry?

Melissa: I am a wife and mother to two young daughters. They both look like my husband but act like me, so I often feel like I’m parenting myself. I’m also a writer. Writing can sometimes feel a bit isolating, but I’ve surrounded myself with a village of like-minded, in-the-trenches souls who help me to gain great insights. They are the best part of my ministry! I write from real-life experiences and share my most raw truths through various creative outlets in ministry in North America.

How did your leadership journey begin?

Melissa: I first sensed a call to leadership in my early twenties. It was a dawning of sorts in my soul. I didn’t know what that leadership role would look like (because leadership comes in many different forms), but it was plain and clear that God would use my specific gifts. I believe that God doesn’t hide His will for us. He gifts us specifically and uniquely from the onset of breath. Responding to the call is the hurdle. I responded to the call upon my life by simply surrendering because I failed at anything else I did outside of my gifting.

From your experience, what’s the number one struggle women face in leadership today?

Melissa: I believe the greatest struggle women face in leadership is fighting the beast of their own self-esteem. We exist in a world that attempts to drive home the ideal of being self-confident. I don’t believe as women in leadership we can be self-confident—we need to be God-confident , trusting He will accomplish all He set out to do within and around us.

You are a plenary speaker at the CALLED International Leadership Forum this October. Tell us a bit about your talk.

Melissa: During the Called Leadership Forum I will be speaking on the topic of challenge during the process of the leader’s journey. Every leader walks a journey fraught with adversity—my own included. The timing is perfect as well for I have just come out of a season of great challenge!

What excites you about CALLED? What are you hoping to take away from the conference?

Melissa: I am most excited about providing a sacred space for women to share their story. I believe every soul has a story and every soul deeply desires a safe place to tell their story. The truth is that we learn the most from the stories of others—the Scriptures are just that: story after story meant to encourage, challenge, and help us discover God on a deeper level. I know I will take away the precious stories of others who trusted us enough to share them.

A number of our readers are still “on the fence” about attending CALLED. What would you like to say to them?

Melissa: I would say that indifference can be just as great a spirit-crusher as fear. You will never regret the choice to push into God by opening yourself up to Him.

Last week we began our interview series with the keynote speakers of CALLED…It’s Time for More. We started the series with a delightful conversation with Margaret Gibb, Founder and Director of Women Together.
This week we continue our series with Heidi McLaughlin, an international speaker and the author of several books and Bible studies. Heidi will be leading the morning session on Friday, October 26 on the topic of The Leader’s Preparation.

This week we continue our series with Heidi McLaughlin, an international speaker and the author of several books and Bible studies. Heidi will be leading the morning session on Friday, October 26 on the topic of The Leader’s Preparation.

Heidi, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your ministry?

Heidi: Over 21 years ago I established my ministry HEART CONNECTIONS – Connecting Women to God and to Each Other. Twice I have been widowed, so I know the pain of struggling through adversity alone. We need each other! The thrust of my ministry is to help women fall in love with God and allow that love to infiltrate every room in their life. Those “heart connections” are the cords that unleash the beauty and fulfillment of God’s power.

When did you first sense a call to leadership? What prompted you to respond to that call?

Heidi: At the age of 32 when I became a Christ follower, I was asked to teach a Bible study to divorced women. Soon broken women were flocking to me asking for wisdom until I felt overwhelmed with inadequacy. As I lamented on this dilemma, a wise woman told me, “Heidi, those women are coming to you because God knows you can handle it.” I took those words to heart and I’ve been leading, teaching, mentoring, and speaking since.

What do you think is the number one struggle women face in leadership today?

Heidi: Leaders struggle with the same issues as all other women, but even more so because they have a greater sense of responsibility. Their plates are full and their souls are empty. There are too many demands and distractions in their lives, and they’re trying to do it all in hopes of feeling valued as a leader. Many leaders become “lone rangers” and don’t take time to nurture their relationship with God, and many feel it’s frivolous to carve out time for friendships. Finding balance that satisfies the soul and fulfills their call is the ongoing battle for the modern-day leader.

You will be leading the Friday morning session at the CALLED International Leadership Forum this October. Tell us a bit about your talk.

Heidi: My talk is called, “The Leader’s Preparation.” I will be sharing about God-sized assignments and how they require God-sized character produced through daily spiritual formation. Together, we will walk through the four elements of audacious, God-sized leadership. We will talk about the importance of solitude, sacred rest, and relationships. We’ll also take time to share the joys and sorrows of leadership in dynamic discussion groups.

What excites you about CALLED? What are you hoping to take away from the conference?

Heidi: I’m excited to be in the same room as other leaders who are on a journey to develop their leadership skills and call on their life. I fully believe the first-ever International Leadership conference in Canada will open doors for greater understanding of what it means to be a leader in this fast-paced global generation. I want to take away more passion for glorifying God, build more God-honouring relationships, and re-align God’s leadership call on my life.

What would you like to say to women who are still “on the fence” about attending CALLED?

Heidi: This is your golden moment to connect with exceptional leaders, teachers, and mentors across Canada and internationally. More importantly, you will learn what it takes to be a spiritual leader in this fast-paced, diverse, and controversial world. Be ready for spiritual encouragement and grounding.>

REGISTER NOW

Women Together is hosting its first-ever International Leadership Forum, CALLED…It’s Time for More
October 25-27, 2018 in Guelph, ON.

It will be an inspiring time of learning, networking, worship, prayer, and spiritual rejuvenation. You won’t want to miss it!

Over the next few weeks, we will be interviewing each of the four plenary speakers—Margaret Gibb, Heidi McLaughlin, Melissa Sharpe, and Judy Rushfeldt— to hear their thoughts on leadership and this exciting upcoming event.

First-up is Margaret Gibb, Founder and Director of Women Together. Margaret will be kicking off the International Leadership Forum with an evening plenary entitled, The Leader’s Challenge.

Margaret, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your ministry?

Margaret: I am the Founder and Director of Women Together, which is a global ministry for women in developing countries. We primarily work with women in leadership. Our mandate is to equip, encourage, and empower women with skills development, leadership training, education, and spiritual encouragement.

When did you first sense a call to leadership? What prompted you to respond to that call?

Margaret: The desire to work with women started long before I felt a strong call from God. I envisioned myself organizing women’s conferences, but I didn’t know if this was just an idea or something I was being called to do.

Then in 1978, after 8 years of working for the Government of Canada and actively fulfilling a role as a pastor’s wife, God spoke to me clearly on a street corner in Cornwall, Ontario. He told me that my calling specifically would be to women. At the time, I thought it was for women in our church, but God had other plans. Certainly beyond what I ever thought!

I have since learned to pay attention to ideas and desires-they are usually God-planted.

What do you think is the number one struggle women face
in leadership today?

Margaret: Good question. I think the number one struggle is an inner battle of not feeling “good enough.” Insecurities loom large with women, so managing our own self-talk and the messages we give ourselves becomes imperative. Too many women hold back because they simply lack confidence. We need to remember that when God call us, he also equips and empowers us to fulfill what we are called to do. We are “good enough”!

You are the first plenary speaker at the CALLED International Leadership Forum this October. Tell us a bit about your talk.

Margaret: My talk is entitled, The Leader’s Calling. I will be sharing about the call of God. I believe that understanding God’s call on our lives and its effect to anchor us in God equips us for leadership and our development journey.

I love what Rick Warren once said:

You are made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense.

What excites you about CALLED? What are you hoping to take away from the conference?

Margaret: I am excited to spend time with leaders, to learn together, to have meaningful conversations in our workshops, and to connect and pray.CALLED is a great opportunity to network and make leaders feel valued, supported, and truly believed in.

I hope to walk away from the conference knowing that many women in leadership experienced a powerful “God-moment.” As a leader, my greatest joy would come from knowing that women stepped out of comfort zones and felt empowered to move forward in their calling.

What would you like to say to women who are still “on the fence” about attending CALLED?

Margaret: The International Leadership Forum will empower you. It’s an investment in your future. You may meet one woman there who will be your door-opener or major encourager. You don’t know what God will do for you by coming.
It is time for more!

REGISTER NOW

We are experiencing in our world a very complex and volatile society. There’s the right wing the left wing, ethnic cleansing, and ideology driven by extreme fundamentalism.

There is the temptation even among Christian leaders to express in no uncertain terms what their personal views are. Strong convictions on political and religious views seems to dominate today’s media. The right and left-wing agendas address issues that are right on both sides. Becoming intense regarding our views can cause not only division but anger and discord.

While we can never walk from our values and morals that are based upon our Judeo-Christian faith, we need to be informed and thoughtful when in discussion with others who do not agree with us.

We live in an inclusive society where people of all countries come to our shores and deserve the same freedoms as we do as long as it doesn’t conflict with our rule of law. As we move along in society, this becomes a more complex situation.

Jesus was born into a very hostile political atmosphere. Jerusalem was ruled by Rome and while they allowed the Jews some freedom of religion, they were very iron-fisted. When he was asked if he a Jew should pay taxes to Caesar, he had a coin displayed showing the head of Caesar and informed the crowd to give to Caesar what belonged to him.

We are to pray for kings and all who are in authority so that we may live a peaceful and quiet life and dignified in every way. We are to show respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear and honor God.

God spoke to his people through Jeremiah to seek peace and prosperity of the city to which carried them into exile. For lack of guidance a nation falls but victory is won through many advisers. He makes nations great, and destroys them, he enlarges nations and disperses them.

Franklin D. Roosevelt was quoted to have said;

I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer, as we rise to each new day and again when each day is spent let words of prayer be on our lips.

On a more personal level, saying the right words can also be extremely challenging. It is sometimes easier to jump in with both feet when someone is expressing their opinions. The art of listening with love can sometimes give us an opportunity to express effectively a response that can bring healing and direct the conversation to a more resourceful understanding.

Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we could follow Paul’s admonishment in Colossians 4:6 to let our conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone.

The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry, and a wise friend’s timely reprimand is like a gold ring slipped on your finger.

Proverbs 25:11-12

When it was time for me to leave home to attend Toronto Teachers College, I wanted new clothes. After all, I was on my way to the big city! I presented my request to my mother and she told me to go to the closet and bring back the green garbage bag. The ‘bag’ meant lots of old clothes, someone else’s cast-offs. My heart sank. No way would I continue to wear charity garments, not after many years of hand-me-downs.

I dragged the bag to the bedroom and Mom began to pull out each item, one by one. I inwardly groaned. Ugly, tired rags. My visible displeasure in no way stopped her in her mission. She held up a very large, faded wool coat, “I’ll bet this was a really good coat in its day.” It may have been, but it sure isn’t good now!

Mom laid the coat on the bed, unbuttoned the opening and spread it all out, inside facing up. She lifted the worn lining and hiding underneath was beautiful pink-grey wool, looking just like new. What is her point?

“If you take these panels apart, and lay your pattern on like this, I’m sure you could make yourself a beautiful suit.” I was quite annoyed by now, for I knew our sewing machine was long gone, sold to help pay the bills when Mom became the family breadwinner in our home.

“And how can I sew a heavy wool suit without a sewing machine?” I dared ask.

Quietly, yet firmly, she replied, “With a needle and thread.”

I had no idea how to proceed with just a needle and thread, a seemingly insurmountable task. Unfortunately, I had no other options for my wardrobe so I began. I was thankful that the coat’s large size made cutting the fabric simpler.

Reluctantly at first, and then with growing excitement, I created a fully lined and interfaced suit. To my surprise, the hand-made garment became my favourite to wear for the entire year.

When reluctant Moses questioned God about his inability to lead the children of Israel out of their slavery in Egypt, God asked, “What is in your hand?” Moses experienced a dramatic illustration of God’s power when he gave God his staff … from staff to snake and back to staff again.

Many times as a leader I’m tempted to compare myself to others. When I have it all together like Mary, then I’ll take on this task. When I can write like Jerry, I’ll send off my article for publishing.

What incredible blessings I miss when I assume God is limited by my inabilities.

I can almost hear my mother’s voice saying, “It’s not what you have, but what you do with what you have that matters.” So I’m picking up my needle and proving once again that, with God’s help, what I already have may very well be enough for today’s need.