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Episode 66: From Reluctant Leader to Founder of a Thriving Community with Lori Wilhite [Friendship Series]

Episode 66: From Reluctant Leader to Founder of a Thriving Community with Lori Wilhite [Friendship Series]

by Esther Littlefield | Identity & Purpose, Leadership, Podcast

Do you feel like a reluctant leader sometimes? How can you start embracing your leadership role instead of running from it? And what’s the best thing to do when you’re lonely in leadership?  Subscribe to the podcast here This post contains affiliate...
Episode 65: Dealing with Isolation in Ministry and Leadership with Noelle Rhodes [Friendship Series]

Episode 65: Dealing with Isolation in Ministry and Leadership with Noelle Rhodes [Friendship Series]

by Esther Littlefield | Ministry, Podcast, Relationships

As a leader, you may deal with isolation in ministry. What causes that isolation, and what do you do when you feel like you have nowhere to turn? And how can you use Jesus’ example to develop and maintain healthy relationships in ministry and leadership?...
Episode 64: The Power of Community Through Devastating Seasons with Brandi Wilson [Friendship Series]

Episode 64: The Power of Community Through Devastating Seasons with Brandi Wilson [Friendship Series]

by Esther Littlefield | Leadership, Ministry, Podcast, Relationships

As a woman in ministry leadership, life can sometimes feel lonely. But the power of community can help carry you through unexpected and devastating seasons of loss. So how can you find, develop, and nurture community in your life? Subscribe to the podcast here This...
Episode 63: Loneliness in Leadership & the Messiness of Friendship [Friendship Series]

Episode 63: Loneliness in Leadership & the Messiness of Friendship [Friendship Series]

by Esther Littlefield | Leadership, Podcast, Relationships

Friendship is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. But how do you navigate the messiness of friendship? And how do you overcome the challenge of loneliness as a leader? Subscribe to the podcast here This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to...

hey, I’m Esther!

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I’m so glad you’re here. I’m a pastor’s wife, mom of a spirited child, business owner and active leader in my church. I love leading women’s Bible studies, missions trips, marriage retreats (alongside my husband), and my business team. My hope is that this site will help you embrace your God-given gifts and lead with confidence.

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🙋‍♀️Helping Christian women embrace their gifts + lead with confidence
🎧 Host of @christianwomanleadership Podcast
Have confidence in hard convos 👇

Christian Woman Leadership
There's a lie I have allowed myself to believe ove There's a lie I have allowed myself to believe over the years, and it's this: "I'm not cut out for this." Specifically, I haven't felt cut out for the role of mom. Oddly enough, in many other roles, I've been able to develop skills and confidence, and at the very least, I've felt like I can do an adequate job. But when it comes to motherhood... it's been a massive struggle. There have been times when I've looked at other moms and wondered what key ingredient I'm missing. Thankfully I've had some really smart people in my life remind me of a couple truths: 1. On my own, I am not enough. But with God, I can do this. A few years ago, a good friend of mine and I came up with a phrase we would repeat to ourselves: "I can do my life." It was a reminder that with the help of Jesus, we can get through the day, no matter the challenge. I still say this to myself on hard days... on the days when the lie wants to take over. 2. God has placed me here in this role as my daughter's mom for a reason. It wasn't an accident. So while I might not feel "cut out" for the role, God picked me to be her mom. And for me to argue with God about this is rather foolish. He has me here on purpose and for a purpose. The funny thing is, these are the same truths I tell other women who are struggling with believing they can be a leader or they can step into a calling God has given them. But I still have trouble remembering these things for myself. And the real truth is, there's nothing special about my friends who appear to be thriving as moms... and I'm not missing any key ingredient. The difference comes when I accept the calling God has given me insted of fighting against it. When I say "yes" to Him entirely, then He's able to use me fully. So friend, if you feel like maybe you're not cut out for that thing God is asking you to do... the truth is you're probably not. But HE will provide what you need when you say yes. And if you're needing confidence, clarity, and courage to step into your calling, jump on the waitlist for my new program: confidentleadercatalyst.com
Over the past few days, I've shared a lot about co Over the past few days, I've shared a lot about confidence. We’ve talked about why it’s important as a leader, how it makes you a more effective leader, and how to build it in your own life. And while confidence is certainly a key aspect of being a leader, it’s not the only thing that is necessary. For you to truly step out of your comfort zone and into your calling as a leader, there are a couple other “Cs” that you need… The first is CLARITY. The problem is, many of us don’t know how to get clarity and even when we do, we sometimes second-guess that clarity. The clarity I’m talking about specifically is clarity around your purpose--understanding why you are put here on earth and what it is that God has for you to do while you are here. Holly and I talked about this issue of purpose way back on episodes 10 and 12 of the podcast, and those have been some of our most popular episodes yet. I honestly believe that is because this issue is one that almost all of us wrestle with at some point in our lives. Most of us don’t graduate high school or college with a crystal clear vision of what our lives are going to look like and where God wants to take us. (And even if we do, we quickly realize that life rarely goes the way you thought it would…) So while clarity of purpose can seem elusive and hard to find, I don’t think it’s impossible to achieve. One of the best ways (thought certainly not the only way) is to look at your past and present, and examine the patterns in your life. Here's one question to consider, and I'd love to hear the answer: What came easy to you in school? Was it sports? Reading & writing? Friendships? Theater? Science or math? Tell me below! I'll share mine as well 😉 (Oh, and don't forget, if you'd like to step out of your comfort zone and into your calling, the Confident Leader Catalyst is coming soon. Get on the wait list now and get access to the early bird bonus.)
Boldness is required for leadership. You must be w Boldness is required for leadership. You must be willing to step out of your comfort zone and step into your calling. Stepping out of your comfort zone often involves fear. It involves making hard decisions. It can mean walking away from something familiar into the unknown. Without confidence, it’s really tough to step out of your comfort zone and into your calling. It’s hard to pursue that dream that God has placed on your heart or step up and use the gifts God has given you. But again, I want to remind you that I’m not talking about being confident in and of yourself and your own abilities here. I’m talking about being confident in who God made you to be, in the fact that he has given you gifts, abilities, and strengths that can be used for His glory. And now for some fun news… I am excited to announce that I’ve been working hard on a program for you that will help you cultivate confidence, gain clarity around your purpose, and develop the courage to step into your calling. The program is coming soon, so make sure you get on the waitlist to be the first to know and to get access to the early bird bonus! confidentleadercatalyst.com #confidentleaderseries #leadership #leadyourselfwell #christianwomen #leadingandlovingit #purposefulleadership #servantleadership #spiritualgrowth #ministrylife #pastorswife #momsinministry #womeninministry #confidentleadership #healthyleadership #extraordinaryleadership #confidentinChrist #womenleadingwell #womeninleadership #proverbs31women #shereadstruth #propelwomen #coffeeandjesus #butfirstJesus #Christianliving #marriedlife #healthymarriage #letyourlightshine #bethelight #christianpodcast
Confidence shields you from comparison. When you Confidence shields you from comparison. When you are confident, it means you’re not going to be focused on what other people are doing, because you are focused on who God has called you to be. And you’ll be spending time just doing the work God has placed before you rather than looking at what everyone else is doing. You won’t be discouraged when you see other amazing women doing awesome things… instead you’ll be excited and cheering them on. You’ll be okay with the fact that you’re not doing those things because you know what God is asking you to do right now. Confidence will help you to be secure in walking the path that God has given you instead of longing to be on someone else’s journey. And let me tell you, friend. When you can kick comparison out of your head, it makes a world of difference. #confidentleaderseries #leadingwithconfidence #christianleadership #christianwoman #christianleaders #biblestudy #biblejournaling #proverbs31woman #Christianliving #christianwomen #christianfaith #butfirstJesus #shetheroar #personaldevelopmentjunkie #faithdriven #spiritualwellness #christianpodcast #selfawarenessjourney #incourage #shineforjesus #pastorswives #momsinministry #ministrywife #churchleaders #purposefulleadership #pastorwife #pastorswife #leadingandlovingit #womeninministry
We’ve all had those times when we are in a meeti We’ve all had those times when we are in a meeting or a situation and we know we’re supposed to speak up. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, I think there are times that we all struggle to speak up and say what needs to be said. The more I have grown as a confident leader, the more times I’ve been able to speak up, even when it’s uncomfortable. I believe this is a huge issue within the church; instead of saying what needs to be said, we often sweep things under the rug in an effort to be nice. But the truth is, you’re going to make a bigger impact and be a better leader when you speak up. A key benefit of being a confident leader is that you will be less concerned with what other people think and more concerned about speaking up when it is vital to do so. You won’t worry so much about the response as long as you know you did the right thing. Note: this doesn’t mean that we should just say whatever is on our mind all the time. But when there is something that needs to be said, confidence will help us do so. #confidentleaderseries #leadingwithconfidence #christianleadership #christianleaders #christian #christianquotes #shereadstruth #propelwomen #christianwoman #womeninministry #servantleadership #christianinspiration #healthyboundaries #biblestudymoments #leadingandlovingit #christianpodcast #christianspeaker #everythingchristian #personalwellness #pastorwife #confidentinchrist #christiandevotional #mentoringwomen #leadwithconfidence #extraordinaryleadership #pastorswives #pastorswife #momsinministry #ministrywife
A big part of leadership is making decisions. It o A big part of leadership is making decisions. It often means facing difficult situations and having to be the one to decide. Sometimes, these tough decisions affect other people in either positive or negative ways. As leaders we are also often on the receiving end of other people’s opinions and criticism. And some of the harshest criticism we receive often comes from fellow Christians. It is vital for leaders to be able to make a decision and stand confidently in that decision, even in the face of criticism. This doesn’t mean that you don’t spend time getting feedback or insight from your team or other leaders. Rather, it means that once you make a decision, you trust God for the results, rather than changing tactics or approaches just because a few people disagree. When you can make decisions with confidence, you will have an extra layer of protection from the opinions of others. #confidentleaderseries #leadingwithconfidence #christianleadership #christianleaders #christian #christianquotes #shereadstruth #propelwomen #christianwoman #womeninministry #servantleadership #christianinspiration #healthyboundaries #biblestudymoments #leadingandlovingit #christianpodcast #christianspeaker #everythingchristian #personalwellness #pastorwife #confidentinchrist #christiandevotional #mentoringwomen #leadwithconfidence #extraordinaryleadership #pastorswives #pastorswife #momsinministry #ministrywife
As a Christian, does confidence really matter? Isn As a Christian, does confidence really matter? Isn’t it bad to focus on yourself? Most of the time, when we hear the word “confidence”, we think of self-confidence - believing that you are capable or have the ability to do x, y, or z. So when I say “confidence”, your first thought might be that it means that you have to be 100% confident in your own abilities and skills. But when you study Scripture and look at the original words that are translated as confidence in the Bible, you find that many of them actually mean trust. So the question isn’t really whether confidence is a good or bad thing. For the Christian, the question is: in whom or what are we placing that trust? Is it in ourselves or in God? And is our confidence (or trust) based on our own ideas and concepts or is it truly based on the truth (i.e. what God says about Himself and about us)? Because here’s the catch: Confidence must line up with truth; otherwise, it’s simply arrogance or foolishness. So confidence isn’t a bad thing. But why does it matter? The first reason I think confidence matters is that it impacts your ability to lead. Who are the leaders that you are most often attracted to following? They might be charismatic or charming. But more importantly, you want to follow someone who is confident in the vision of where you are going as a team or organization. You want someone who is confident in who God is and who God has made them to be--they aren’t easily swayed by the opinion of people. Sometimes as leaders, it feels like we are in unknown territory and we really don’t have a clue what we are doing. It can be tough to portray confidence if we don’t actually feel it at the moment. But that’s where we have to go back to the true source of confidence. When our trust is truly in God and not ourselves, we can remember that we don’t have to have all the answers as long as we are relying on Him. #confidentleaderseries #leadingwithconfidence #christianleadership #christianwoman #christianleaders #biblestudy #biblejournaling #proverbs31woman #Christianliving #christianwomen #christianfaith #butfirstJesus #shetheroar #personaldevelopmentjunkie #faithdriven
I spoke at the Lakeside Conference just over a wee I spoke at the Lakeside Conference just over a week ago (before the coronavirus craze really started). I told them about the first time I spoke in public... let's just say I certainly did not look confident and I sure didn't feel that way. But now, getting up and speaking in to a group is not that scary (yes, it's still a little scary). And while I used to just dream about doing certain things... now I'm actually doing them. Instead of constantly second-guessing whether I'm fulfilling my purpose, I've gotten clarity about this and how I can follow what God has for me. Through this experience, and through talking with dozens of women on the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast, I realized this: Confidence is not something you're born with--it's something you can develop (even as a Christian woman). And anyone (including you) can become a confident leader. And while we've discussed the idea of leading with confidence on the podcast frequently over the past 20+ months, I realized that just sharing about it on the podcast episodes will only take you so far. It isn't necessarily enough for those of you who want to be able to become a confident leader and step into your calling. So I've been putting my head down and working hard to document the steps I've taken, the tools I've used, and the strategies I've implemented in order to develop confidence, gain clarity on my purpose, and have the courage to take action on the dreams God has given me. And I have to tell you that I'm so excited to share this with you. But I need to know - what would you absolutely want in a program like this? Shoot me a DM and let me know, or drop me a note below! #leadingwithconfidence #christianleadership #christianwoman #christianleaders #biblestudy #biblejournaling #proverbs31woman #Christianliving #christianwomen #christianfaith #butfirstJesus #shetheroar #personaldevelopmentjunkie #faithdriven #spiritualwellness #christianpodcast #selfawarenessjourney #incourage #shineforjesus #pastorswives #momsinministry #ministrywife #churchleaders #purposefulleadership #pastorwife #pastorswife #leadingandlovingit #womeninministry
Chasing numbers is a trap. In an effort to reach Chasing numbers is a trap. In an effort to reach the most people, we attempt to become all things to all people. When we do this, our focus shifts from doing what God is calling us to do to trying to the next financial or follower goal. I don’t think that working to grow your business or audience is wrong. We just talked about this in Episode 89 about how to build your foundation to grow your biz or audience online. But it’s when the numbers become an idol or a distraction from doing the work God has asked you to do — that’s when it’s a problem. How do you draw the line between working to grow your business, ministry, or audience vs. chasing numbers? Is this a challenge for you? (It's something God is often working on my heart about). #leadingwithconfidence #christianleaders #christianwoman #christianposts #spiritualgrowth #bethelight #christianlife #letyourlightshine #givemeJesus #coffeeandJesus #christianitytoday #proverbs31women #wellwateredwoman #pastorlife #christiancreatives #christianpodcast #leadershiptips #biblestudygroup #boundariesarehealthy #pastorswife #hopewriter #faithandfocus #catalystleader #womenforjesus #pastorwife #pastorswives #momsinministry #ministrywife #leadingandlovingit #womeninministry
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