Dec 4, 2018
How do you find your voice and tell your story as a leader? How do your faith and personality intersect so that you can become the leader God created you to be? Today’s podcast dives into how we can embrace how God wired us with the story He’s woven into us to share.
In this episode, Holly and I talk with Abbey Jo Bailey about the importance of listening, understanding your personality, and taking risks. Abbey is a wife, mom of two small children, and the director of communications at her church.
If you’ve ever experienced an abrupt career change, shifted how you’ve viewed leadership, or wondered how to embrace your identity in Christ, this interview is for you.
Tips for Storytelling
Abbey believes that there is power in storytelling and using story to lead people toward Christ. Abbey is leading her church and team through a storytelling process.
We discuss how Abbey has taken on the communications role at her church, and how she has experienced different seasons in her life and leadership.
Here are her best practices for telling your story:
- Know where you want people to go. You need to be aware of where you’d like to take people in the journey.
- Read “Story Brand” by Donald Miller. As this book indicates, the hero is never you in the story; you are simply the guide in the story.
- Submit the outcome to God.
“Every person involved in ministry should read Storybrand.” - Esther
Grab Storybrand on Amazon (affiliate link)
Abbey shares how submitting the outcome of her work to God has helped her to stay focused on people rather than the process being her primary focus. We chat about how this requires surrender and acknowledging that we are not in control of how things turn out.
Connect with Abbey:
Starting out as Bossy Big Sister, turned driven student and success-seeking professional, Abbey’s leadership path has been ever-changing. It was a steady rise up the corporate ladder until an abrupt change of plans led to a season of redefinition. As she became a wife and mother her professional motivations began to change and with that, her view of leadership.
In her current role as
Communications Director, Abbey collaborates with ministry leaders
to tell the story of their Church and to encourage the Church to
care about the stories of people who may be disconnected from or
not yet know God.
She is a self-described social media scroller, aspiring yogi or runner depending on the day, fueled by coffee and Jesus, and repeatedly saved by grace. Outside of work Abbey is spending time with her family, including her four year old “dinosaur trainer” son, nine month old blue-eyed beauty, and her 30-something fitness-focused husband.
Episode Sponsor: Audible
Today’s show is brought to you by Audible. Audible is offering our listeners a free audiobook with a 30-day trial membership. Just go to estherlittlefield.com/audible and browse the unmatched selection of audio programs – download a title free and start listening. It’s that easy. Go to estherlittlefield.com/audible to take advantage of your free trial membership and audiobook.
Connect with Esther and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast:
This episode was originally
published on estherlittlefield.com/episode23.