This year, I felt nudged to share a story from long ago—a moment that reminded me how heaven moves even when nothing seems to be happening. Before any of this, Christian and I had already experienced that kind of kindness ourselves. When he was just eighteen months old, someone anonymously left groceries at our little studio apartment. We had mattresses on the floor, almost no food, and were doing our best to stretch every dollar. That unexpected gift carried us through a very thin season and left a mark on both of us—a reminder that generosity often arrives quietly, but powerfully. Back then, Christian and I knew several families at a local Christian school who were struggling as the holidays approached. We decided to help—and I shared a short story I had received about a woman who had been abandoned at a gas station with her three little kids. She sat in her car crying, unsure of what to do next. A man approached her and filled her tank. The gas station attendant told the owner what had happened, and together they bought Christmas presents for the children. They even offered her a job and opened a small room in the back of the station as a safe place for her to stay. That simple act of compassion felt like a spark we could pass forward. So Christian and I wrapped up what we called “The Anonymous Box,” complete with his tiny painted handprints, and placed it at the back of our church to collect food for Thanksgiving. Three weeks passed… and the box stayed empty. I couldn’t understand it. I felt sure God wanted to meet these needs, yet nothing was coming in. One morning, after wrestling with frustration and disappointment, I prayed, released the anger, and chose to trust anyway. That same afternoon, everything shifted. The Walmart distribution center called. One of their drivers had heard me mention the need and quietly shared it with others. They wanted to help—really help. They asked for every family’s name, including parents and children, and committed to providing full Thanksgiving meals and Christmas gifts.

Safety isn’t a luxury—it’s where healing begins. Your brain can’t create, connect, or dream until it feels safe—and that’s okay. 🌸 💬 Prompt: List 3 people, spaces, or activities that help your body feel calm and safe #safetyfirst #brainbasedhealing #selfcompassion

In each Begin Again Leadership session, we explore how faith and brain science work together to rebuild focus, confidence, and calm. Every lesson includes a Neurodevelopment Focus — a simple practice that activates the brain’s sensory systems through speaking, writing, and movement. These short, intentional exercises strengthen the pathways between the brain and body, helping participants rewire stress responses, deepen self-awareness, and practice leadership from a place of stability and peace. It’s not just learning — it’s retraining your brain to lead with clarity, compassion, and courage. Welcome to Begin Again Leadership, where growth always begins with grace. 💛

Dr. Maxwell outlines five key aspects of "generous living": 1. Live a "Yes Life": This involves choosing to fill your mind with positive, true, and noble thoughts, as described in Philippians 4:8. He asserts that the greatest gap between successful and unsuccessful people is how they think. 2. Continually Sow Seeds: He encourages viewers to be "intentional seed sowers", focusing on adding value to people every day. 3. Attract People to God: By living generously and kindly, Christians can be "salt and light", making others curious and "hungry for God".. 4. Receive More Than You Can Imagine: Citing scriptures like Proverbs 11 and Luke 6, he explains that while we don't give in order to get, a principle of abundance is that "the world of the generous gets larger and larger". 5. Live Out Your God-Created Identity: Dr. Maxwell concludes by stating that generosity is about stewardship, recognizing that everything belongs to God and we are managers, not owners. He connects this concept to tithing, referencing Malachi 3:10 as God's challenge to "test me" and see the "windows of heaven" open. The sermon ends with Dr. Maxwell leading a prayer for those who have committed to increasing their generosity and living an abundant life. You can watch the full video here: Unlocking Life-Changing Potential | Dr. John Maxwell

John Mullins discusses "counter-conventional mindsets" that successful entrepreneurs often possess, contrasting them with the best practices typically taught in business schools and used by large corporations. Here are the six mindsets for entrepreneurs: 1. "Yes, we can": This is the willingness to take on customer requests that fall outside of your established core competencies. The example given is Arnold Korea of Atmo Digital, who repeatedly reinvented his business by saying "yes" to new challenges, such as implementing satellite technology for a client despite having no prior experience. 2. "Problem first, not product first": Successful entrepreneurs focus on solving a genuine customer problem, rather than just iterating on an existing product. His example is Jonathan Thorne, who created non-stick surgical forceps to solve a specific problem for surgeons, eventually finding a critical market with neurosurgeons. 3. "Think narrow, not broad": Entrepreneurs often find success by targeting a very narrow, specific market initially, unlike big companies that seek large markets from the start. The founders of Nike, for instance, didn't try to make shoes for everyone; they focused on creating better shoes specifically for elite distance runners. Only after mastering that niche did they expand. 4. "Asking for the cash and riding the float": Cash is the lifeblood of a new venture, and entrepreneurs should find ways to get customers to fund the business's growth. Elon Musk and Tesla famously did this by collecting $10 million in upfront payments for the Tesla Roadster before the first car was even built. They repeated this by taking half a billion dollars in deposits for the Model 3. 5. "Beg, borrow, but please don't steal": Instead of raising huge amounts of capital to buy assets, entrepreneurs should try to borrow what they need. The founders of "Go Ape" wanted to build treetop adventure courses. Instead of buying forests, they partnered with the UK Forestry Commission to use their trees, land, and parking lots, significantly lowering their startup costs.