My life changed in 2006 when Bishop Jonathan Keaton invited me to be a district superintendent after thirteen years of pastoral ministry at First United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Never could I have imagined that I would have the opportunity to come alongside clergy in a way that would engage their gifts, encourage their ministries, and empower their congregations to grow in grace and hope. Actually, I was scared stiff! I had served congregations of all sizes but wasn’t sure how all this would all work. Plus, I recognized that I would deeply miss being a local church pastor.

One thing I did know, however. I wanted to lead from my heart. I distinctly remember taking an evening walk in early July of 2006, which had become a daily practice. For several months before I began my ministry as a district superintendent, I realized that I would need to find a way to stay regularly connected with eighty clergy and hundreds of laity. That night I decided to create a weekly blog called Leading from the Heart that would be sent out by email to clergy and anyone else who wanted to subscribe. My hope was that my words might be a source of encouragement and inspiration to clergy and laity alike. More than six hundred blogs later, I want to share a few brief excerpts from my first three blogs.

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