Executing Past our Failures

Hi friends,

 

Thanks for your continued ministry, service, and leadership in small groups and through our church.  I have a question for you: Is violence a health-hazard?  Deborah Prothrow-Stith thought it was.  Deborah was a nurse who found herself sewing up a combatant late one night at the ER of Brigham Women's Hospitalin Boston.  The combatant, not yet 20 years old, told her not to go to sleep, because the other guy would soon be in to see her.  It struck Deborah that she needed to do something about this possibility.  She saw the connection between violence prevention and health care.  She proceeded to work tirelessly to apply for grants, develop proposals, and create action steps to merge these field, yet her colleagues just would not see the connection. 

 

The story comes from (and is continued by!) Frans Johansson in his book, "The Medici Effect."  What Johnasson found and uses Deborah's story to illustrate is that past failures are essential for future success.  In fact, Johansson argues, the more ideas you execute, the better chance you have to come up with something really special.  Too many times, he writes, we limit ourselves by strategy--the whats and the hows have to be "just so" before we proceed.  In contrast, he highlight Deborah who kept launching ideas into reality until it finally stuck and her desire to bring reform to violence prevention and health care was realized.

 

Friends, as God puts people, ideas, ministries, and opportunities to serve on your heart, don't be afraid to fail.  I admit the idea scares me because failure hurts.  I remember failing to make a basketball team once when I was in High School.  My Dad told me, "Don't be afraid to go through life without getting your uniform dirty."  As you lead in discipleship ministries, some of your ideas won't work out; some of the people you invite won't come; some of the groups you lead will fall apart.  But having a dirty uniform, pushing through failures, is the price (and reward!) of ministry.

 

I am so glad to serve with all of you and pray for your groups. 

 

Grace and peace,

 

Aaron