It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
Greetings to you!
Each week I send out a short leadership blog that's called "Tuesday at 2:00pm". The purpose of this is simply to provide a brief thought on leadership that you can read and think about in just a few minutes. I send it out every week at 2:00pm (PST) and encourage you to make an appointment with yourself to pause and think about the thing I'm writing about.
Russ...
LEADERSHIP QUOTE:
"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." Jesus, John 15:11 (ESV)
What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:
Wrapping up the conversation around JOY today. It's been really good to camp out on this theme for a few weeks. READ BACK to see all the posts on JOY. Also, read this book by Matthew Kelly, Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy. It's been good to go back through this book at a "slower pace"!
In John 15, Jesus tells us to ABIDE IN HIM. He's telling us that when we abide (when we REMAIN) with Him, He will help us understand what joy is all about, not just simple joy, but FULL JOY, the kind of joy that can only come from Him.
We've talked a lot about JOY over the past number of weeks, and this passage and promise just puts it all in perspective.
Jesus is telling us what we must do, he's "commanding" some things from us, but it's not to add to our burden, it's so that His joy can become our joy.
He wants us to live a genuine joyful life, and he's showing us the path to get there.
Read the full chapter of John 15. Love and Joy Abound.
Over the past number of weeks I've been sharing some thoughts and ideas around how to figure out JOY in your life. I've been challenged by the book by Matthew Kelly, and I've become aware of how much my "PACE and RHYTHM" affect my ability to see, appreciate and experience JOY.
However, this passage actually makes it clearer:
"Abide in me, and I in you." (John 15:4)
When you read John 15, what does ABIDE look like and feel like for you? What is He asking of you?
DEEPER STILL:
Jesus tells us how to ABIDE in Him:
KEEP HIS COMMANDS. (John 15:10) "if you keep my commands, you will remain in my love." Obedience isn't the cause of the relationship, but it's the evidence and sustainer of it. It's less about rule-following and more about aligning your life with His ways.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER (John 15:7) He calls this his primary command. Abiding in Him and loving others are inseparable - you can't genuinely do one without the other showing up.
STAY CONNECTED THROUGH PRAYER (John 15:7) "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you." Abiding involves an ongoing conversational relationship - not just formal prayer but staying in dialogue with Him.
LET HIS WORD DWELL IN YOU. "My words remain in you" - this means regularly reading, meditating on, and being shaped by Scripture. Not just knowing it intellectually but letting it form how you think and act.
I think that everything we've talked about over the past number of months connects with this thought...
We slow down which drives us into His arms. This is what flourishing looks like.
We simplify things instead of making them more complicated. This helps us focus on the things that are most important.
We focus on others, we demonstrate our love for others as He loved us.
Connecting with others will help keep us grounded and focused on what's important. Isolation is the opposite of abiding.
Listen to this thought on the John 15 illustration of the vine: A branch doesn't strain to stay attached - it simply stays. Abiding is less about striving and more about no pulling away. The effort is mostly in removing the things that disconnect us - distraction, sin, self-sufficiency, hurry, busyness.
I'll leave it at that.
What does your JOY look like right now in your life, through your life?
Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:
We are launching a new Leader Mundial Summit Community in October of 2026 in Southern California. If you are interested in participating in this Community as a COACH or a LEADER, please send me a personal note and I'll get you starting on the communication. EMAIL RUSS HERE
Ecuador takes on Mexico TODAY! Cheering along with Ecuadorians around the globe today! Ecuador FIFA
Gina and I went and toured the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library this past week. It has been on my list for a while, and we loved the history, the beautiful grounds and architecture and were inspired by his leadership, not because he was perfect, but he was real!
OK, random hot spot... met our friends Brad and Sandi for a day exploring Los Angeles and ended up at a rooftop restaurant for dinner and drinks at the 1 Hotel in West Hollywood. One of the most beautifully designed hotels/restaurants I've ever seen. Beautiful furniture, architecture, views and spaces. I want to go back. The website doesn't do it justice! We ate at the Asian Infused Harriets Rooftop