CEO's say "no" every day.

"Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, 'Let us go back to Judea'...So then he told them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.'”

- John (11:5-7, 14-15)

I've gotta give it up to my girl Tamera Darden for the subject line of this week's newsletter (look her up if you need product photography, she's bomb!) She spoke these words to me moments before I hit send on my letter to decline the job offer I told you about last week and they were a drink of water for my soul and the last bit of encouragement I needed to hit the send button. 

As I reflect on this experience, I'm thankful to God for giving me an opportunity to exercise my "no" muscle, as challenging as it was. And I felt sooo proud of myself for having the courage to say it and continue honoring my prayers for my life this year. I'm learning that CEO's say "no" everyday to make room for more of the things they've planned--for their business, for their team, for their life & family. 

This thought process reminded me of our text today, where Jesus had implicitly said "no" to Lazarus and his family by waiting a few days to come to him, instead of coming right away. I'm sure Martha & Mary, Lazarus' sisters, couldn't understand how their friend could delay at such a vital time, but Jesus had planned a far greater miracle for them in that "no" than they realized. And not just for them but even for His own disciples (aka His team), "so that [they would] believe." Despite how difficult it might have been for Him to render a "no" in this situation, Jesus saw the bigger picture & stuck to the strategy. I'm in awe of the strength of our Savior!

As CEO of the dream you're building, I know it can feel isolating at times when no one else sees the vision quite like you do. Especially when it comes to making hard decisions that don't make sense to anyone but you and God. Continue to trust yourself though; and in the strategy God has given you because, at the end of the day, you're making the best decision for all parties involved, even when they don't understand it (and, let's be honest, even when you don't fully understand it either).

Still Hungry? Eat more //

• John 11:1-44 → This story never gets old. Read it for more context around this week's message.

•  Today's devotional was brought to you by my good friend and marketing strategist, Taylor Mills, who helps content creators + entrepreneurs monetize their platforms by creating & selling digital products. Get to know her.