1.0Center for Leadership Excellencehttps://nccumc.org/leadershiprich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="EraTVtgo2m"><a href="https://nccumc.org/leadership/2025/02/an-encouragement-for-february-6/">An Encouragement for February</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://nccumc.org/leadership/2025/02/an-encouragement-for-february-6/embed/#?secret=EraTVtgo2m" width="600" height="338" title="“An Encouragement for February” — Center for Leadership Excellence" data-secret="EraTVtgo2m" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://nccumc.org/leadership/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> https://nccumc.org/leadership/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2022/08/Encouragements-Featured.jpg720404Although you’re reading this in February, I am writing to you on what feels like the 53rd of January, when I should be working on my statistical tables. The past few weeks are a blur of trying to begin the administrative year and care for my congregation, while preaching and living amid the fears and uncertainties of our current political situation and flurry of executive orders from our new/old President. I’ve always identified with Jonah, but rarely have I identified more with the Jonah of Jonah, chapter 4: