Writing Our Story

The story of NextLEVEL leadership is not a story birthed of human desire but of God getting hold of ordinary women and leading them into something unique.

It’s the story of doors opened and doors closed.  It’s the story of Phil Geldart spontaneously giving Ellen  permission for us to use his materials.

It’s captured in the words of Chris Houston:
“I think I hear you saying that God initiated something and you watched it with a sense of wonder  realizing you were in the presence of the sacred and you hold it lightly in open hands, still not quite believing it is really happening. And you don’t control it and never have and in order to share the leadership/governance of it with others you need to see that they understand how unique and special this gift is.”

It’s the story of Esther  – being placed for such a time as this.

And it’s the story of our needing Mordecai’s  to open doors for us and give us wise advice and encouragement.

It’s the story of human failings and shortcoming – and also of humanity at its best and most glorious full of laughter, passion and love.

It’s the story of God’s revelation, leading, encouragement, provision and of human struggles with misunderstandings and misjudgments.

It’s an amazing story that needs to be told – but it’s still in the making.  God isn’t ready to write the final chapter just yet.

We don’t know what we will read as we turn the page, but if we trust that God is writing it,  then we can trust that the story will continue to be exciting and stretching.  It will continue to be about ordinary women who will also have failings and shortcoming – but who hopefully will learn from the failings of the past characters in the story so that they can avoid those specific ones.  And my prayer is that they will have enough grace to forgive each other for the new ones they will make – which they most certainly will – simply because they, like all of us, are imperfect human beings.