Category Archives: Heroes

You Have One Job… Thoughts from the Movie “1917”

17 Friday Jan 2020

Posted by in Actions, Agenda, Courage, Decisions, Heroes, Importance, Intentions, Leader, Leadership, Obedience, Perseverance, Purpose, Sacrifice, Trust

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This past weekend we went to see the new movie 1917. I am not a movie critic by nature, but 1917 is well worth your time to see. The leadership which takes place and seen in the film is powerful, and that is what I want to discuss today.

Quick synopsis… “During World War I, two British soldiers — Lance Cpl. Schofield and Lance Cpl. Blake — receive seemingly impossible orders. In a race against time, they must cross over into enemy territory to deliver a message that could potentially save 1,600 of their fellow comrades — including Blake’s own brother.” – retrieved from “1917 movie synopsis” Google search.

Take-a-ways… Without telling parts of the movie (in case you have not seen it, if you have, hopefully, these will resonate).

Schofield and Blake had one job…

1. When a person is determined to get a job done, they will go beyond sacrifice and defy obstacles to ensure that the job is completed.

2. A person with a vested interest will go further than someone who is not. Sometimes, it just means more.

3. Quality leadership is about seeing the end result, and it is defined with a purpose. Quality leaders do not get “caught up” with the distractions around them.

4. Sometimes you have to hold on to a partner to find your way and have faith when they tell you to jump even if you cannot see.

Obviously, there are more take-a-ways, but these four were significant while I watched the movie and pondered them afterward. Even if you have not seen the movie, these four thoughts can be and should be part of the excellent leadership characteristics that you need for yourself and want for others.

With anything, as in the movie, leadership is about trust in those who lead and those who carry out orders. Wherever you are in your leadership, be the leader who looks out for others. Leadership is not always life or death, but it always affects the lives of others.

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others

©2020 J Clay Norton

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The Cross and The Grave

29 Thursday Mar 2018

Posted by in Easter, Freedom, Heart, Heroes, Humility, Leader, Leadership, Passion, Power, Purpose, Sacrifice, Servant

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“… Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen…” – Luke 24: 5-6 ESV

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The Cross and The Grave

O Death where is your sting?
O Hell where is your victory?

There is none of either,
For it is Easter!

For it pleased God to bruise His heel,
And by His stripes, we are healed.

A Savior… beaten, flogged, spit upon, ridiculed.
Humble through it all.

On that rugged cross, the blood of Jesus dropped.
Securing our salvation, once and for all.

Carrying the sin of humanity upon His heart,
Crying to the Father, forsake me not.

A cry of “It is finished.”
Fulfilling prophecy that Satan could not stop.

Buried in a grave, not His own
Sealed by a stone, Dark.

Three days later.
The grave could not hold Him down.

God, looking down, said…
“Arise, My Love.”

Bursting forth, Light.
The stone was rolled away.

The Son of God, Jesus.
Sin, Death, Hell all have been defeated.

Easter…

The Day that Christ rose from the grave,
The moment captives of sin were set free.

That includes you and me.
Christ is risen, indeed!

Our God is not dead; He is ALIVE.

 

Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP!

©2018 J Clay Norton

Follow me on Twitter at TheBookChamber

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In The Fullness Of Time…

22 Friday Dec 2017

Posted by in Christmas, Heroes, Humility, Inspiration, Integrity, Leader, Leadership, Power, Purpose, Sacrifice, Servant, Unity

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I hope each of you have a Merry Christmas.  Enjoy the time you have for yourself and your family.  Above all else, remember the gift of God, that came in the fullness of time.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son…” – Galatians 4:4 ESV

 

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 In the fullness of time… God, in His rich mercy and love,

reached down to do the one thing we could not do.

It was at this time, planned before time,

that God chose for Jesus to come and humble Himself

to save mankind.

To leave the throne of Heaven,

the glory of His righteousness.

To come to this world, created by Him,

to save us from our frailty.

The Incarnate who can relate, know our hearts;

to save us from our world of death and offer us eternity.

Lowly shepherds heard this Good News.

Their hearts were stirred to belief,

that they went and bowed at The New Born’s feet.

This same news, we hear too.

Angels we have heard on high;

the sound of their voices still cry…

Peace on earth and goodwill to man…

A Redeemer we needed, and still do.

God, in His Majesty, provided a Savior, born for you!

In the fullness of time… Christ was born.

Merry Christmas!

 

Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP!

©2017 J Clay Norton

Follow me on Twitter at TheBookChamber

Subscribe via email to my blog at the top of the page.

 

 

 

Freedom & Sacrifice Leadership

03 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by in Freedom, Heroes, Leadership, Sacrifice, Servant

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“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each Airman, Marine, Soldier, Sailor, and Coast Guardsman who died protecting it.” – Unkown

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I’ve been pondering the idea of sacrifice lately and how it relates to all that we do.  For the most part, I do not believe we sacrifice as much as we think.  With modern conviences and the pursuit of instant gratification, we have, for the most part, put aside the concept of sacrifice.

We all know someone now or in the past when it comes to sacrifice.  To what degree was their sacrifice?  We will really never know.

First, let me say thank you to everyone who is wearing or has ever worn a uniform for our freedom.  Typed words on a page of paper can never actually show the value of what each of you have done.  Your sacrifice goes beyond any words…

As we celebrate the Fourth of July, a look at history can tell us a lot about freedom and sacrifice leadership.

Sacrifice is about giving, not taking.  Often times our sacrifice is determined not by how much we give, but by how much we hold on to.  It is very hard to give anything with a closed hand and heart.

As you think about our American history, everyone who fought for freedom gave all they had.  They did not hold on to anything.  Freedom fighters have always put everything they had on the line.  They sacrificed it all, many with their lives.

Freedom and sacrifice leadership is not an empty ideal.  It is about the good of others. 

Freedom and sacrifice leadership is the very essence of servant leadership.  Servant leaders give of themselves and are worth following.  They are defined by both their values and their behaviors.

As we celebrate our freedom, let’s remember the sacrifice many gave and continue to give for us to practice our leadership today.  It is very humbling.

Remember…  THINK LEADERSHIP

©2017  J Clay Norton

Follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/thebookchamber

Subscribe via email to my blog at the top of the page.