I have known my friend for years, full of life never without a positive word to say.  As long as I have known him, he has always lived  a life of intention.  The older he got, the more he longed to use his life to impact others.  He was not a leader by position.  He did not have money or power or even prestige. 

But, he was an every day leader that has had an impact on my life.

Today, he looked so different.  The life is gone and his body is struggling as he battles cancer.  Yet, I know without a doubt, that my friend has peace.  He has peace where he is going and how he has lived his life.  Did he make mistakes?  Absolutely.  Yet he did not let those mistakes dictate how he lived.  He understood the secret to learn from the past and celebrate the journey, but not allow it to define him.

Every day leaders must make those kinds of choices each day.  We are all given one life.  Each day we are alive we have the opportunity to make a difference, to use our lives in such a way that we can end the race knowing we have given it our best.  We will be able to say that we understood that every moment God has given us matters.

Moments matter

It is up to us how we choose to live them.

Have you ever met someone who had a great deal going for them in their life, but when you got to know them they were consumed with bitterness or anger or maybe even apathy?  Once you get to know them, you quickly learn that being around them is not something you want to engage in…at least for a long period.  They have not learned the secret of embracing life, running the race with endurance, and making the moments count.

We all have that choice to make.  If we are not intentional to make that choice, we will one day realize that life has passed us by and we really did make a choice.  It just ended up to be the choice of passivity, the choice of coping instead of choosing.  Ultimately it is the choice of living life or allowing life to pass by.  One day we will be at the end of the race.

What choice are you making?

I am thankful my friend chose to be an every day leader.

The every day leader, living a life of intention.  Making choices to embrace all that life has to offer and being intentional about finishing well.