Leaders Celebrate Milestones

April 11, 2017

Effective leaders appreciate the value of celebrating momentous things that God has done. When a task is completed, results achieved, or people served, they make time to rejoice.

When the people finished the wall, Nehemiah launched a celebration (Nehemiah 8:1, 10) Ezra led off by reading from the Law—the motivation behind Nehemiah’s mission. The words kindled both godly sorrow (Nehemiah 9:1–3) and genuine joy (Nehemiah 8:10–12).

Then with heartfelt praise, choice food, and even an “Amen” chorus (Nehemiah 8:6), the community applauded the work they had accomplished with God’s help (Nehemiah 6:16).

Nehemiah also sent portions of the food “to those for whom nothing is prepared” (Nehemiah 8:10). He brought the party to the poor, sharing the wealth, because no one should be deprived of joy.

As leaders we must create ways to celebrate milestones. Rejoicing opens the door to worship the Lord, the source of all good gifts. Let us praise Him for giving us a task and the means to accomplish it.

Related Articles

Attitudes of Gratitude: Stories of Thankfulness in the Bible

Thanksgiving was established as a national holiday in the United States by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. The roots of the holiday can be traced... Read More

The Spiritual Discipline of Celebration

As we enter a time of Thanksgiving, it is important to recognize the spiritual discipline of celebration throughout the Bible. Read More

Three Strategies for Nurturing Gratitude When Thankfulness Is Hard

The season of Thanksgiving on the calendar doesn’t always coincide with a season of thanksgiving in our lives. If you’re struggling to embrace the true purpose of the holiday—or having difficulty finding things to be thankful for because of the circumstances you’re facing—here are a few ideas to help you. Read More

Sign Up for the Latest Blog Posts from Thomas Nelson





By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from HarperCollins Christian Publishing (501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN 37214 USA) providing information about products and services of HCCP and its affiliates. You may unsubscribe from these email communications at any time. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at yourprivacy@harpercollins.com.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *