“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8-9
A typical morning for me usually starts out with a workout. During Covid when I couldn’t go to the gym we acquired a Nordic Trak Bike, a treadmill, and an elliptical machine. I continue to use these Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday, I go to a small gym down the street from my house as they have a Stairmaster there; it is a love/hate relationship with this machine. I also have a personal trainer at the gym, and she pushes to be a stronger person.
My time on the machines is not only spent sweating, but also reflecting and praying. I find that during this time, answers to problems or questions I have had on my mind or those I have pushed to the back of my mind seem to reveal themselves. For me this is a critical part of my day; without this time, I feel lost and alone.
When I am diligent about my time with God, I have a much more successful day. It is the tool I need to grow in my faith. God unveils wisdom and truths for inspiring my childcare center management team, along with ways for the staff to grow in their faith and to love and teach the children every day.
In my search for positive direction, I have been reading several books. I enjoy and learn so many truths from author Jon Gordon. He is a motivational speaker, and he has some wonderful books and guidance for inspirational leadership. One of the most inspiring things he talks about, is at the beginning of every year he encourages people to find a word of the year that will help a leader guide their lives. This has been at the forefront of my prayer time the last few weeks and while I was walking the dog one morning after my workout and listening to my surroundings, the perfect word appeared in my mind. My word for the year is influence.
My desire is to be a positive influence on my team. I want to help them grow and teach their teams and to love God. I want them to lead with love and grace. I always want them to advocate for our staff and influence them to be the best they can be with all the children. In turn, I want the teachers to influence the children to grow and learn and be the best teachers they can in the classrooms.
Is there a person you would like to influence this year? Maybe someone who is struggling or just needs some guidance? Be that person who gives them grace and shares the word of our Lord.
– Gabrielle Moon, Executive Director of St. Luke’s Children’s Centers
