Category Archives: Hope

Rejoicing in the Mourning of The Empty Tomb

17 Thursday Apr 2025

Posted by in Easter, God, Hope, Jesus, Joy, Love, Mercy, Passion, Purpose, Sacrifice

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Rejoicing in the Mourning of The Empty Tomb

To feel the weight of what was lost, to stand before a world fractured by sin,
bent beneath the curse, longing for release – It is good to mourn…

To see the sorrow etched in every face, to know that something is missing;
something only Heaven can restore – It is right to be sad…

Creation groans beneath its burden, subjected to futility, longing for freedom,
bound in the chains of corruption – Look around…

The earth trembles in the pains of childbirth, straining toward redemption’s dawn,
aching for the stone to be rolled away, for we know that Salvation awaits…

We are meant to be rejoicing people… for redemption has come in flesh and blood,
for the cross is victory, and the grave is empty!

Yet even in resurrection’s light, our joy is mixed with tears,
for this world is still a battlefield, and our hearts bear the scars of war.

To mourn is to see clearly, to name the fight within,
to confess the war we wage each morning, the weight of temptations that greet us at dawn.

There are enemies unseen, whispers of doubt, shadows of fear,
sin that lingers, pulling at our heels… Yet mourning does something holy.

It turns our cries toward Calvary, our sorrow toward the empty tomb,
our weakness into a desperate plea… For the risen Savior’s touch.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Not with fleeting peace but with a risen King who conquered death.

Comfort in knowing… The price has been paid,
forgiveness is won, the stone is rolled away… forever.

So, we mourn, and we hope. We grieve, and we rejoice.
We weep, and we wait… For that day when Jesus will make all things new.

Happy Easter

© J Clay Norton, 2025

For previous Easter thoughts, click the link…

2024 The Symbol of Love’s Greatest Story

2023 The Walk

2022 The Victory of Christ

2021 Resurrection Morning

2020 The Lamb’s Precious Blood

2019 The Cross I See…

2018  The Cross and The Grave

As you step into your role today, remember that you are not just an educator and leader but a shaper of the future. Your actions and decisions profoundly impact the lives of those you guide. Go, be the great educator and leader that our future needs.

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2025 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

Leading with Intensity or Intentionality… Which One?

25 Friday Oct 2024

Posted by in Accountability, Actions, Align, Christian Worldview, Clarity, Culture, Decisions, Educational Leadership, Empower, Hope, Intensity, Intentional, Intentions, Know Your Why, Leader, Leadership, Learning, Mixed Signals, Opportunity, Relationships, Servant, Sincerity, Trust, Understanding, Unity, Useful, Value, Vision, Wisdom

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We see it almost every game in the world of sports… One word, intensity. On the other hand, we see the opposite, a stoicism of intentionality. As a former basketball coach, I get it… the need to motivate, fuss, correct, celebrate, etc. However, I became a better coach when I tapered off those moments of intensity. One of my coaching mentors, Stan Jones, told me once, “If you fuss and holler all the time, when you actually need to, the players will not know the difference.” I would give that same advice to young coaches now. I would also give it to all those at any leadership level.

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In leadership, the allure of leading with intensity is often strong. We live in a fast-paced world where results are expected quickly, and leaders usually feel pressured to drive people hard, pushing toward ambitious goals and maintaining relentless focus on outcomes. However, while it can achieve short-term gains, leading with intensity often leads to burnout, poor decision-making, and a gradual erosion of a positive culture over time. Every leader should be aware of these negative characteristics.

Leading with intentionality offers a more sustainable and effective approach. Think of it as a natural resource. When leaders are intentional, they focus on achieving goals and how those goals are pursued. Intentional leaders lead with clarity of purpose, ensuring that every decision aligns with the broader mission and values that determine who they are and who the organization is. Rather than pushing with an intensity of negativity and possible belittlement, intentional leaders take a step back to ensure engagement, support, and empowering others to become the standard. Intentional leadership prioritizes the why behind our actions rather than just the how or what, inspiring a sense of purpose and motivation. This fosters a culture of trust and collaboration, seeking results and holistic growth, encouraging personal development, and an opportunity for people to flourish.

While intensity might fuel a leader in moments of crisis or during short bursts of effort, I do not believe it should be a defining style. Leaders who consistently lead with intensity often need to catch up on the nuances that lead to lasting success. Intentionality, however, brings balance, purpose, and foresight, ensuring that both the leader and their team can sustain high performance over time. It would almost allow others to believe you are clairvoyant… 🙂 

From a Christian Worldview perspective, leading intentionally means listening, adapting, and seeking God’s wisdom in decision-making. This doesn’t necessarily mean waiting for divine intervention but rather using the principles and values found in the Bible to guide your leadership. Leadership rooted in intentionality reflects the servant-leader model of Christ, one that brings glory to God and leaves a lasting impact on the hearts of those we serve.

In the end, it’s not about how loudly or forcefully you lead; it’s about how wisely you guide others toward a shared vision. I have seen and been around many leaders of both styles and there is a drastic difference.  

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2024 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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H.O.P.E. – Help One Person Everyday

21 Friday Oct 2022

Posted by in Actions, Authentic, Education, Educational Leadership, Effective, Hope, Leader, Leadership, Teachers, Transformational, Value

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This past Friday, at our weekly Civitan meeting, one of our guest speakers spoke and, while speaking, used the acrostic H.O.P.E. for Help One Person Everyday.

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When he said that, my leadership radar immediately went off, and I knew I could somehow get that in a blog. So, here we go…

If we dig into the word “hope,” we find that it comes from the old English “hopian,” which means a positive expectation. To me, it sounds like “hope in,” which is what we do when we hope. We place our hope in someone, something that changes the way we want an outcome; for ourselves or others.

If everything is working nicely, hope is really not in the conversation. However, we use hope to navigate for a specific outcome when challenges appear. I believe hope goes along with transformational leadership. Many times in leadership, we want hope for ourselves. That’s not a bad thing, per se. We hope this happens or does not happens. But when we truly serve with transformational leadership, we also hope for others. We create an inspiration that transcends into many facets of authenticity.

In leadership, our role should be to help others, and we should do that every day. I see too many leaders using others instead of helping. I see too many leaders who put themselves first instead of others. I see… you get the idea. When we help one person everyday, we acknowledge and give value to a belief of greater good.

H.O.P.E. works in all areas of leadership. It also works in education. That is what school leaders and teachers should do. We have buildings and classrooms full of students. Many students who need help, not only in the curriculum of the subject but in finding value in themselves. As educational leaders, we can do that. So many students go all day without being acknowledged. So many students need positive correction to understand that they can have value. This is what educating the whole child is about, and it is one area I believe education is failing.

Hope is needed. H.O.P.E. is also needed. We all need hope, and we all need help. Transformational leadership works because when we help others, we help ourselves; how I wish more leaders understood this. When we help one person everyday, society gets better. Let’s be both hope and H.O.P.E. today. Go Help One Person Everyday.

Let’s go fight the good fight of leadership. Someone has to…

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2022 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… Twitter @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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Don’t be a “Hope Stealer”

02 Friday Sep 2022

Posted by in Actions, Consistency, Effective, Hope, Hope Stealer, Leader, Leadership, Relationships, Sincerity

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The other day I heard the words “hope stealer” on a talk radio show, and, as always, it got me thinking…

I did a quick Google search on “hope stealer,” but curiously, nothing came up with regard to leadership. I found this interesting. While many hits dealt with leadership and hope, in general, nothing specific about “hope stealer.” Napeloan Bonaparte is quoted, “A leader is a dealer in hope.” However, do you realize that many leaders are “hope stealers?”

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Successful leaders inspire hope. Leadership is about the future… if we always lead in the now, our leadership stays stagnant. If we lead in the past, we remain in a position of always doing the same thing. These are the leaders who are “hope stealers.” They limit the growth of new ideas and, by doing so, cause the culture to become a relic for the museum of non-leadership.

Here is what I see… leaders hire based on people’s strengths; they should anyway. However, it seems that after being hired, the focus is all on people’s weaknesses. Now, I’m not saying we don’t need to acknowledge that, but how many times do leaders steal hope by always focusing on what is wrong instead of what is right?

Successful leaders inspire hope. They have the ability to help others believe that no matter where things stand, there is a way through it for things to be better. “Hope stealers” are unable to get away from their thoughts and do not listen to others, which shows that other voices are not valued. A “hope stealer” will worry about being right instead of doing what is right.

Bottom line… “Hope stealers” are imposters of leadership. What they bring to the table is only themselves. Be a leader who deals in hope. Hope that becomes perpetual, hope that can be valued.

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2022 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… Twitter @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

Want to share this leadership thought with others? Click on one of the social media sharing buttons below and help spread the good…