His Sheep

For this week’s journal entry I would like to start with an update of how my business (for the $100 Challenge) is going. Last week I had forecasted that this week my sales would more than double. Unfortunately that did not happen and instead I only had one customer to whom I gave a pedicure. All the customers that I thought I would have this week did not disappear entirely, they simply rescheduled. The fact that business was so slow this week had me in a sullen mood until I had an important conversation with my husband. He pointed out that this lull in the business was the perfect lesson that sometimes business is exciting and fast paced, and then sometimes it is slower and more of a struggle. So in order to grow customer awareness for  Pedi’s for Mommies, I am going to talk about my business all the time. At the start of this business I was a little timid and laid back about marketing. But, I really believe in my service and I want to make sure that my target market knows that. So this next week I am going to get the word out and have women start telling their friends to spread the word.

Now on to what I have learned in class this week. All the readings and assignments this week were about my favorite topic: leadership. Of all the readings my favorite was “Sheep, Shepherds, and Sheepherders,” by James R. Moss. Moss teaches that a sheepherder is someone who owns sheep and rides a horse in the back of the herd while he lets the dogs do all the work. A shepherd, on the other hand, is at the front of his herd and leading them this way and that. The difference between these two is leadership. The great Shepherd of us all is Jesus Christ, and as I study His life I can learn how to be an effective leader. There are 10 lessons that Moss offers from Christ’s example. They are:

1. Love the Sheep
2. Number the sheep and measure their performance to determine who is lost.
3. Go after the lost sheep and stay out until it is found.
4. Help bear the burdens of the sheep that is found.
5. Involve others in Fellowshipping the sheep that is found.
6. Get to know the sheep.
7. Let the sheep get to know you.
8. Lead the sheep by personal example.
9. Feed the sheep.
10. Sacrifice yourself for the good of the sheep.

This was a beautiful talk and I never want to forget these lessons as I continue on my entrepreneurial journey. In John 10:15 Jesus Christ says, “I lay down my life for the sheep.” For Him and His sacrifice I will always be grateful.