What a Difference a Year Makes

Do you ever pause and consider where you were a year ago?


At this time last year ...

Easton wasn't here; but we knew he was coming.

Shannon and Justin weren't parents.

Lamar and Jennifer were not Uncle and Aunt.

Ryan wasn't here either; and we had no idea that he would be joining us.

The pool of our dreams was still a dream and there were no plans of building it. Now it waits for the warm weather to return.

Lolly-Pop Sundays hadn't been invented.

We hadn't found LifeChurch Fort Worth.

Jordan wasn't engaged, but we thought it would happen.

Janelle didn't have a full-time job; but now she has one she loves.

Angel Flight

On his CD, Revival, Randney Foster sings a song called Angel Flight. Its a song about the pilots who fly the bodies of soldiers who were killed in action home.

Its a powerful song that took on new meaning for me this week.

Our friend Jimmy Whitlock lost his son Nick last weekend. Nick was a special ops pilot whose plane crashed in Africa.  Jimmy's oldest son called me Monday with the news. As he called, his father was on his way to Dover to meet the plane that was bringing Nick's body home.

This Saturday, Nick will make his final journey and be brought home to Newnan, Georgia.

I cannot imagine the pain of such a loss. When I spoke to Jimmy this morning I told him that Nick loved to fly and he loved his country. Jimmy told me how proud he was of Nick. "He was making a difference."

I pray that the Whitlock family will experience the fullness and sufficiency of God's grace as they walk through this together.

Angel Flight
All I ever wanted to do was fly
Leave this world and live in the sky
I left the C130 out of Fort Worth town
I go up some days, I dont wanna come down


I fly that plane called the Angel Flight
Come on brother, you're with me tonight.
Between heaven and earth, you're never alone -
on the Angel Flight, come on brother, I'm taking you home.

I love my family and I love this land
But tonight this flights for another man
We do what we do cause we heard the call
Some gave a little but he gave it all


I fly that plane called the Angel Flight -
Come on brother, you're with me tonight.

Between heaven and earth, you're never alone -
on the Angel Flight, come on brother, I'm taking you home.
come on brother, I'm taking you home.

The cockpit's quiet and the stars are bright -
Feels kinda like church in here tonight.

It don't matter where we touch down -
On the Angel Flight it's a sacred ground.


I fly that plane called the Angel Flight -
Got a Hero riding with us tonight.

Between heaven and earth, you're never alone -
on the Angel Flight, come on brother, I'm taking you home.


come on brother, I'm taking you home.


come on brother, I'm taking you home.


come on brother, I'm taking you home.

I can’t motivate anyone …

Legendary football coach Lou Holtz once said, "I can't motivate anyone. All I can do is remove those who won't motivate themselves."

I think about that every time I teach "Motivation Theory" in my classes. His quote begs the question:

Is motivation something that our boss does to us, or is it something we do for ourselves?

Gretchen Spreitzer and Robert Quinn make a similar point about empowerment in their book, A Company of Leaders. They state that empowerment is not something someone does to you, but something you do for yourself.

If this is true, what is the leader's role in empowerment and motivation?

I think my job is to create an environment where people can empower themselves by providing the resources and tools they need.

I need to run interference and remove the obstacles – just like any good left tackle does!

I need to give them "permission" to empower themselves … and to not resent it and punish them when they do.

I can’t motivate anyone …