"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other."

-John F. Kennedy

Have you ever thought about this before? As women, we are all leaders in some capacity whether as a mother, a grandmother, at work, or serving in our churches. I recently had the opportunity to attend a leadership conference and was challenged in this area.

One of the speakers was Mark Miller, co-author of a new book Great Leaders Grow: Becoming a Leader for Life. He said "Your capacity to grow determines your ability to lead." The book uses the acronym GROW to explain four strategies to make this happen:

Gain knowledge

Reach out to others
Open your world
Walk toward wisdom

He concluded by saying "Leadership is influence, not a position." Any time you influence the thinking, beliefs, or development of another person, you're engaging in leadership.

Cathy Simms with her mother

I am so thankful for the influence of godly women in my life over the years! The first woman that comes to mind is my mother, Mary Misner, and then Sunday School teachers and youth leaders at York GBC, mentors at Grace College, and then wonderful women at Wooster GBC, where I've been a member for 28 years. I'm also thankful for the vision of Women of Grace USA and for those who have generously invested both financially and spiritually over the years. I appreciate you, and because of your leading, women are learning to be women of grace!

Will you be a leader who is always ready to face the next challenge? Or will you be a leader who tries to apply yesterday's solutions to today's problems? Will you pray that God will continue to give the WGUSA board wisdom as we lead? I pray that God gives you wisdom, too, as you lead others.

Cathy works full time at the Wooster Grace Brethren church as an administrative assistant to the Women's and Children's Director. She is also the Little Sisters coordinator and loves working with the girls every Wednesday. She also serves on the board of Women of Grace USA.