ARE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS REFLECTING A BEAUTIFUL TAPESTRY?
ARE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS REFLECTING A BEAUTIFUL TAPESTRY?
What are your relationships reflecting? I’m hoping to create a beautiful tapestry! If you read my recent blog post, It’s the First Day of Class Again, I shared my love of learning and my current pursuit to obtain a Christian Women’s Leadership Certification. It’s a fulfilling program for women leaders, and I’m learning so much about leadership in relation to intentional living, communication, and relationships. Unique to the coursework is the focus on the importance of creating and maintaining relationships.
Leadership is Rooted in Who We Are
Much like our relationships, our leadership is rooted in who we are. Dr. Rhonda Kelley shared, “Leadership is about being. We are our stories, and we bring those stories with us when we lead.” My passion is to connect women with their stories and empower them in the process. Our stories create change within us and around us.
Owning our stories is significant to our success as servant leaders. A leader is a servant first, placing people and relationships before our agendas.
James McGregor Burns states, “Leadership is relational, collective, and purposeful.”
The Tapestry of Relationships
Using our stories to connect provides us with the opportunity to create beautiful relationships. Linda Clark’s book, 5 Leadership Essentials for Women: Developing Your Ability to Make Things Happen, details the tapestry of relationships:
- We live our lives within the context of relationships
- Relationships come to us in multiple sizes and shapes
- The best relationships are dynamic
- The quality of our relationships changes as our lives change
Woven Together
As I considered Linda’s words about the beautiful tapestry created by our relationships, I thought of my closest friends, my sisters-in-Christ. Individually, we are much weaker, but when we are woven together, we are much stronger. The threads, hundreds and hundreds of distinct individual threads, are woven together to create a beautiful tapestry just as we were woven together by our Father’s creation.
I imagine the back-and-forth motion of movement, harmoniously moving in rhythm to create a beautiful work of art. Isn’t this what our relationships are about, a harmonious rhythm creating friendships that will strengthen us and allow for deeper connections?
The Flow of Communication
Our communication does this as well, creating a bond with our sisters-in-Christ. The back-and-forth flow of communication reinforces our relationships. Just as the weaver, we must be present and pay careful attention to our relationships, handling them with care, so they do not break. It’s a beautiful process.
Our ability to communicate influences our relationships. Through our communication, we build trust and alliance,s adding texture to our relationships both personally and professionally.
“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.” Proverbs 31: 25-26 NLT
Do your relationships reflect a weaver creating a beautiful tapestry? What relationships are you weaving today? Are you creating relationships of texture and color?
If you have the desire to improve or develop your relationships, personal or professional, schedule a FREE discovery call HERE (yes, it’s that simple). We can chat over the phone or via Zoom.
relationships are all about story – as in my fb group: Every Table Tells a Story – based first on God’s story and how He’s invited us in – and then with one another’s – a blessing and strength and tapestry of His story of love for us for sure! I’ve not thought of this in terms of leadership though we are called to be leaders in love as we follow Christ and serve as He did.
ps I read some of who you are and your mission just now – so lovely – I just published a little book that you may be interested in: Table Mentoring: A Simple Guide to Coming Alongside. on Amazon. Let me know if I can be of some service to you.
Hello Sue and thank you for sharing your great resources. I plan to check out your FB group and Table Mentoring book. I’ve seen the book on your blog and I am very interested in reading your book. I just need to get through the courses I am currently taking. Glad you shared and I look forward to connecting our love for mentoring!
Loved reading this post! Thanks for sharing with us!
Isn’t That Charming.
Thank you for connecting Emily!
This is such a wonderful reminder of how important our relationships with others truly matters. We need to spend time nurturing them daily.
I agree with you, Crystal. Our lives are so busy it’s easy to forget the importance of spending time with friends for bonding and strengthening our friendships. Thank you for stopping by!
Robin, I loved this post. It makes perfect sense, but I hadn’t really thought about how our stories influence our leadership styles. It’s important to know our stories and to own them. Then, we can lead and serve well. This sounds like a fascinating course you’re studying!
Thank you for the encouragement, Jeanne! It took me years to own my story and I’m still a work in progress!
Almost every post I read today (including the one I wrote) has the theme of reflecting. I loved “the back and forth flow of communication” that reinforces our friendships. I’m now reflecting on what kind of friend I am and how I can nurture those relationships.
I love to reflect (I’m sure you can tell by my tagline, Reflecting Life!) It is so important to nurture our relationships and fellowship with one another as well as reflect on our relationships, and God’s word. We are called to meet together and to fellowship in our journeys, and to not give up! Thank you for connecting today and sharing!
Love this Robin from one type A to another”) Never underestimate the effect your story can have for others.I believe it makes it easier for people to open up and listen to the truths of God you desire to share. I wish you continued success in your leadership training. It was so nice to “meet” you today. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a fantastic weekend and may God bless you and yours.
Thanks for stopping by and connecting Horace!
Your leadership material sounds really good, Robin! Praying God uses this and you as you impact more women for Christ!
Thank you, Dianne. I’m seeking to live an intentional (missional) life!
I like the idea of relationships being something we can be clothed in dignity by as we’re woven together in the body of Christ. So many rich metaphors and images in this post!
Oh Bethany, I so agree. The book illustrated the importance of creating (and maintaining) beautiful relationships! Thank you for stopping by!