Chapters 7&8

A few passages that stuck out to me:

In emotionally healthy churches, people live and lead out of brokenness and vulnerability. they understand that leadership in the kingdom of God is from the bottom up, not a grasping, controlling, or lording over others (114).

My preparations, however, both formal and informal, left out one of the most important biblical pathways to grow in spiritual authority and leadership - brokenness and weakness (116).

Why does God do this? He releases the curse in order to drive us to our knees and to seek him, to recognize our need for a Savior (116).

The Cracked Pot Story (123).

Parker Palmer Story (146).

I particularly enjoyed the story of the cracked pot because i have also said these words to some capacity, "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize that i have only been able to deliver half my water to your house. There is a crack in my side which causes water to leak out" (123).

What is so amazing about this story is how little the cracked pot really knows; what it fails to see. It is shortsighted. It doesn't see the big picture. It hasn't stopped to pay attention to its surroundings for the past two years. It hasn't gotten past the shame of being cracked. It doesn't see the beauty the water carrier has been able to cultivate due to the flaw.

Now all i have to do is replace my name with "it" and it can accurately describe parts of me as well.

The story also triggered the memory of what Reid has talked about in 2 Corinthians 4:7 "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

I see so many parallels with jars of clay being fragile in their nature and the intention in showing that this all-surpassing power comes from Him, not us