Dear Friends,
I love to encourage people. I think the reason I love to do so is
because I know how much encouragement has meant to me throughout my life.
Writing a daily Leadership Thought is not always easy. Sometimes I wake up very
early, and I have no idea what I am going to say, and even when I do think I
might have something worth sharing, I have no idea how to express it.
Writing is work and quite honesty there have been a number of times
when I have thought to myself maybe I should reinvest my early morning hours in
doing something different, but each time I do, I receive a letter from someone,
as I did the other day, encouraging me to continue writing.
The e-mail came from a friend in South Florida, and it was the
P.S. that caught my special attention. “II don’t
think it’s God’s timing for you to stop writing daily ‘devos.’ Just
‘sayin.’” Thanks, Tina Reeder, for taking the time to encourage me,
and thank you for the many others of you who over the years have kept me
writing because of your kind and encouraging words.
A few months ago, one of our church leaders
surprised me with a gift that I will never forget. It was a book titled The
Home Run, Leadership Lessons from the Coach. And guess who wrote it? Below
the title in big letters was the author’s name-Tom Crenshaw.
For the last two-year Dan has casually encouraged
me to put some of my devotionals in book form, but I had always dismissed the
thought as I have never had any self-inflated views of my writing skills. In
fact, I write more for my own benefit than for the benefit of others. I write
because it is a good discipline and because I know the more, I write the better
I will become, and improvement, regardless of the area, is something that I
have always sought to pursue.
You and I are different because of the people we
have been around. Fortunately, I have been around lid lifters, people who want
to lift me to higher levels than where they found me. My mom, my high school
and college coaches, pastors I have known, associates with whom I have served,
and a multitude of friends like Dan Brennan, Tina Reeder, Ned Newland as well
as some of you reading this have been some of my life’s greatest cheerleaders.
Benjamin Disraeli has written, “The greatest good
you can do for another is not just share your riches, but reveal to him his
own.”
George Adams writes, “There are high spots in all
of our lives and most of them have come about through encouragement from
someone else.”
You and I are the products of the people with
whom we have associated, unfortunately some may have been like anchors in
our boat. They have dragged us down with words of criticism and
disapproval that have left us feeling discouraged and defeated. Others,
however, have been the wind beneath our wings. Their words have lifted us
and inspired and encouraged us to be the best we can be.
It has been said that people will go farther than
they think they can when someone else thinks they can, and I know this to be
true.
Oh, you won’t have to worry about standing in
line to purchase my book in Barnes and Noble for only a limited number of
copies have been published. In fact, the number is very limited-maybe 25 or so
to accommodate my family and a few of my cheerleading friends. However, 25 is a
start, so keep your eyes focused on the Best-Selling Books lists, for another
25 may soon be printed. And if you happen to be lucky enough to purchase a
copy, please don’t ask me to autograph it, for my neuropic fingers only type
but no longer write.
Yours in faith and friendship,
Tom
P.S. Think about someone who might need a little
encouragement and send them a note or give them a call. Who knows how high the
wind of your words might lift them, but I assure you they’ll enjoy the flight
and you’ll enjoy watching them.
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